All articles tagged with #berkeley
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will help launch the Nancy Pelosi Institute at UC Berkeley, a $50 million, programmatic center opening in spring 2027 to train future leaders in democracy, human rights, climate, and economic equity. Pelosi has already raised about $25 million toward the campaign and plans to bring together bipartisan visitors and even co-teach a class as part of the initiative.
U.S. News’ 2026 Best Global Universities list ranks UC Berkeley No. 7 worldwide and No. 1 among U.S. public universities, with Berkeley also listed as the No. 4 research university in the country overall; UCLA follows as the next public institution at No. 11, and Berkeley earns top-five positions in several subjects such as physics, biology, economics, environment, and space science.
A California resident in Berkeley died from leptospirosis, a rare bacterial disease spread through infected animal fluids, after living in a recreational vehicle heavily infested with wild rats; their partner also fell ill. Alameda County Vector Control trapped and tested rats around the RV, sealed the vehicle, and later destroyed it. Officials say the overall public health risk is extremely low and that person-to-person transmission is rare, though the case prompted calls for increased awareness and rodent research.
A Berkeley, California resident died from leptospirosis after living in an RV heavily infested with wild rats; their partner also fell ill but recovered with treatment. Leptospirosis is a rare bacterial infection spread mainly through the urine and body fluids of infected animals, and person-to-person transmission is uncommon. Public health risk is considered very low, but Alameda County Vector Control conducted repeated trapping around the RV and the vehicle was destroyed to prevent exposure.
Berkeley health officials confirmed two recent human leptospirosis cases tied to a North Berkeley encampment, including one death and one lengthy hospitalization; the patients, who lived in an RV and allegedly bred wild rats, are the city’s first known cases in about a decade, prompting expanded precautions beyond the initial risk area. While the risk to housed residents remains extremely low, authorities urge campers and RV residents to avoid rat exposure and follow preventive steps, and public health teams are coordinating professional rat extermination. The city has removed roughly 40 tons of trash from the Harrison Street site to curb rat habitats, UC Davis has tested area dogs and offered vaccines, and vaccines for dogs are recommended where appropriate.
Berkeley health officials confirmed the city's first human leptospirosis cases in more than a decade, including a May death of a man living in a severely rat-infested RV near the Harrison Street encampment; his companion also fell ill but recovered after a lengthy hospitalization. The couple trapped and bred wild rats inside the RV, delayed seeking care, and nearly 200 rats were removed before the vehicle was destroyed. Two dogs also tested positive. The city had previously set a buffer zone for rodent eradication and is now focusing on enhanced sanitation, vector suppression, and outreach, noting that the general public risk remains very low while those living near rats face higher exposure.
Vanessa Lynn Sanchez, 37, a Berkeley resident and former Academy of Art University admissions administrator, was found dead in her California Street apartment. Her boyfriend, 28-year-old Damarcus Jones, has been charged with murder; prosecutors say he killed her on May 26 and tried to conceal it, with surveillance showing them entering her unit. Jones has a prior felony assault conviction and is being held without bail as detectives investigate.
Berkeley health officials report a leptospirosis outbreak near the Eighth & Harrison encampment, with two infected dogs (one fatal) and recent rodent activity; as of Jan. 12 there were no confirmed human cases. Leptospirosis is rare in the U.S., spread mainly through infected animal urine and contaminated water or soil, not airborne, and while most people recover with antibiotics, serious cases can occur. There is a canine vaccine (and vaccines for other animals) but no human vaccine. Officials advise moving away from the red zone, disinfecting gear, avoiding mud and standing water, vaccinating pets, and seeking medical or veterinary care promptly if exposure or symptoms appear.
Berkeley public health officials warn of a leptospirosis outbreak at the Harrison and Eighth Street homeless encampment, where two dogs have died and rat-based transmission could threaten humans; a health alert and a designated 'red zone' for cleaning have been issued, pets should be vaccinated, and encampment sweeps remain blocked by a federal court order, fueling debate over temporary hotel housing as a cost‑effective containment option.
Berkeley public health officials warn of leptospirosis after dogs and rats tested positive at the Harrison Street encampment, prompting a recommended 1/3-mile red zone buffer and urging residents to relocate and disinfect belongings. Cleanup and rodent control are planned but hampered by an ongoing injunction related to clearing the encampment, with no confirmed human cases yet. Guidance issued for pet vaccination and protective measures to prevent exposure near Codornices Creek and surrounding areas.
Berkeley health officials warned after animals at a Harrison Street homeless encampment tested positive for leptospirosis, a bacterial disease spread by rats and capable of affecting dogs and humans. Residents are urged to relocate at least a third of a mile away due to ongoing rat infestations and transmission risk; dog and free-roaming cat owners are advised to vaccinate pets. Precautions include avoiding water in Codornices Creek and nearby standing water. Authorities are investigating the outbreak; cleanup and ongoing rodent control are expected to take about 30 days, but a federal injunction prevents full encampment clearance at Harrison Street as investigators work to curb spread to the surrounding area.
Berkeley health officials warn of a leptospirosis outbreak linked to the Northwest Berkeley encampment near Eighth and Harrison, with two infected dogs detected last November and rats testing positive in Alameda County for the first time in five years; officials say the outbreak could persist until the camp is fully vacated for about 30 days to eradicate rat burrows, and have urged caution around standing water while offering dog vaccine vouchers as legal challenges over encampment removals continue.
Berkeley health officials warned that leptospirosis, a treatable but potentially deadly rat-borne disease, has been detected in and around a homeless encampment near Harrison Street, with numerous rats and at least two dogs testing positive in 2025. An alert urges encampment residents to leave a red zone bounded by San Pablo Avenue, Gilman Street, Codornices Creek and the railroad tracks, and the city plans to clear encampments and disinfect the area. The disease spreads via infected animal urine and can cause flu-like symptoms 2–30 days after exposure, potentially leading to kidney or liver failure or meningitis if untreated. UC Berkeley also urged residents to take standard precautions like good hygiene and keeping pets away from areas with rodent activity.
Winter storms are expected to bring heavy rain and damaging winds to the East Bay, including Berkeley, with forecasts of up to 2 inches of rain and wind gusts over 50 mph, increasing flood risks and tree damage, while offering a brief respite over the weekend.
Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA event in Berkeley was disrupted and marred by chaos, highlighting tensions around the event and its political implications.