Rob AriasStories aggregated from other local news websites and social media relevant to Emeryville including a cannabis business being “Ram-Raided,” the passing of a former city employee, the extension of an AC Transit line to Emeryville and the city being named a top “Eco-Forward” city.
San Pablo Avenue Cannabis Dispensary “Ram-Raiding” attempt
The MedMen Cannabis dispensary on San Pablo Avenue was the victim of an attempted “Ram-Raiding” early Sunday morning. Ram-Raiding is when a vehicle, generally stolen, is driven into a storefront to enable a burglary.
The photo shared on the EPD’s social media channels shows a burgundy 200o’s model Honda Accord with paper plates that appears to have backed-up into the storefront defeating the security gate. A responding officer apparently interrupted the robbery missing the culprits by less than a minute. There were no detentions or losses according to the EPD.
MedMen opened this San Pablo Avenue location about two years ago.
Former City Clerk Karen Hemphill Passes
Berkeleyside has published an obituary honoring the passing of longtime BUSD School board member Karen Hemphill. Hemphill, among many other roles in local government, was Emeryville’s City Clerk for many years. She is credited with helping establish the Emery-Go-Round shuttle and its continued funding among many other accomplishments.
Hemphill was hired by the City of Emeryville in 1991 as their Environmental Program Manager and was eventually elevated to the assistant to the City Manager in 1997. In 2002, she became Emeryville’s City Clerk, a job she held until her retirement at the end of 2015. She was honored with a special proclamation by the city following her departure.
“Karen Hemphill was truly ‘A Giant Among Us,’ ” BUSD School Board President Laura Babitt wrote in a statement published on the BUSD website. “I was personally honored to glean from her wisdom and experience as she mentored so many parents through her partnership with Parents of Children of African Descent.”
Hemphill passed away in early April at the age of 66 from a long bout of cancer.
Read more on Berkeleyside.com
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AC Transit Extending South Berkeley Line to Emeryville Amtrak Station
After community pressure, AC Transit is extending an existing route to make up for a line that has been suspended since the pandemic. Line 80 previously provided service throughout South Berkeley to Ashby near Emeryville’s northern border.
The AC Transit Board of Directors unanimously voted last week to extend the existing Line 7 from Downtown Berkeley to the Emeryville Amtrak Station. The change could be implemented as early as August contingent on a completed sublease from Amtrak for use of the space.
Read more on EastBayTimes.com (subject to Paywall)
Railroad Quite Zone Project Underway in Northern Emeryville
The City of Emeryville kicked off construction of its so-called “Quiet Zone” project on April 5th. The project goes back to 2018 when the city applied for and received federal funding to fortify the crossings between 65th and 67th to reduce the need for locomotives to alert passing intersections by blasting their horns.
Some advocates have been critical of the project because of the need for removal of a pedestrian crosswalk at 65th. The project also involves the permanent closure of the crossing at 66th street.
The City expects to complete construction in Summer 2023 and implement of the quiet zones in late 2023 – early 2024. The City is posting ongoing updates on the status of the project on emeryville.org.
Emeryville among top “Eco-Forward” Cities
Emeryville has been listed as the #2 “Eco-Forward” cities according to residential real-estate platform Open Door.
The site lists criteria including biking, EV charging, transit and recycling programs.
View complete rankings on opendoor.com.
