The morning starts out on a somber note as an apparent gunfight between a CHP officer and another individual prompted a huge police response to the southbound lanes of I-680 at Rudgear Tuesday. Both the officer and second individual were apparently hit. The situation is developing but an emergency CalStar helicopter has been brought in for the officer and traffic is being diverted off of the highway as the scene is defined.
Patch is hoping for the best of resolutions on that evolving story.
And we were already fired up this morning as intense interest in our local political scene has given rise to an increasing number of "over the transom" mailings, meetings and late-night missives from readers feeling slighted, aggrieved or just wanting to bash on someone this political season.
A gentle reminder please that we are committed to fair and civil discourse on topics of political interest to us all, please help us keep that pledge and maintain an even playing field for all the hardy souls -- and neighbors -- running for office this year.
Speaking of neighbors, neighbors we know are on the alert after it became known this week that kids looking for a weekend place to boogie are pinpointing vacant or foreclosed homes, publicizing the location through social media, and converging on the home on party night.
Sometimes hundreds of kids at a time. It has happened at least once in Moraga and most recently in Concord on Sunday night when a home for sale in that city became the destination of choice for about 100 partiers -- most of whom learned about the event through social media and some of whom arrived there by cab.
Police got wind of things and stationed an officer in the driveway of the home -- which put a crimp in the Social Network. A teen who lives on the street said he learned of the bash through Twitter.
Last Wednesday, Springhill School Principal Heather Duncan unveiled the new Principal Bruce Wodhams Running Track -- honoring Wodhams for his 24 years of service to Springhill (he retired in July 2011).
Funding for the project came from the Springhill Parent Faculty Club and a grant from the Lafayette Community Foundation and it didn't take much prodding to get Wodhams off for a victory lap, accompanied by the theme music to Chariots of Fire -- and two kids from each class running alongside. Wodhams retired in July 2011.
Also running along, but in a different direction and at a decidely different pace is maitre d’/Bartender Edris Noor, convivial gateman and greeter at Lafayette's Artisan Bistro. Noor, known for his jet-set concoctions (he spent part of his many years in the restaurant biz at the Savoy in London) will be moving on to a new venture with a new restaurant in Los Altos.
It's a newsy day. Let's hope things end well.
