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@hemananthani

@hemananthani.bsky.social
174 followers 68 following 122 posts

I am a journalist based in the Bay Area, California, trying to find my way and make sense of life, politics, and the newsroom. I cover the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, and Pittsburg. Reach out if you would like to share your stories!

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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 3h
Election 2026: 11 candidates vie for 3 Pittsburg City Council seats www.mercurynews.com/2026/10/04/1...
mercurynews.com
Election 2026: 11 candidates vie for 3 Pittsburg City Council seats
Eleven candidates are vying for three seats on the Pittsburg City Council this November.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 01/10/2026
Rachel Hurd, the incumbent, faces off against Joel Woods, a political newcomer and teacher
eastbaytimes.com
Election 2026: San Ramon school board race highlights fiscal concerns
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Brentwood to close Creekside Park pickleball courts following complaints www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/09/25/b...
eastbaytimes.com
Brentwood to close Creekside Park pickleball courts following complaints
Sunset Park Athletic Complex will soon host interim courts while the city works on a new facility.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Concord's Measure O looks to streamline outdated business license tax www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/23/c...
mercurynews.com
Concord’s Measure O looks to streamline outdated business license tax
If passed, new ballot measure would generate an additional $2.9 million annually
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 22/09/2026
Investigators say Brentwood Police Department used “reasonable force” in tragic 2025 incident
eastbaytimes.com
DA clears officers in Yolanda Ramirez arrest and subsequent death
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 11/09/2026
The spotlights in the El Campanil Theatre in Antioch could be dimmed forever as the theatre could be sold to a local church.
eastbaytimes.com
Nearly 100-year-old El Campanil Theatre in Antioch faces sale to church
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Antioch considers return of Economic Development Department to boost revenue www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/02/a...
mercurynews.com
Antioch considers return of Economic Development Department to boost revenue
Antioch, projected to face about a $15 million deficit in its 2027-28 budget cycle, has been grappling with budget shortfalls and a flatlining revenue base over the past few years.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Brentwood mistakenly approved an HOA’s Flock surveillance cameras. Now it wants them removed www.mercurynews.com/2026/08/17/b...
mercurynews.com
Brentwood mistakenly approved an HOA’s Flock surveillance cameras. Now it wants them removed
Surveillance cameras installed by a homeowners association in a Brentwood enclave has sparked concerns over invasion of privacy, mismanagement and access of the surveillance data.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 15/08/2026
Barryland in Martigny, Switzerland, is the world’s only theme park dedicated to Saint Bernards. The giant dogs were bred to serve as watchdogs and to rescue travelers exposed to the harsh winter elements in the Alps. wapo.st/45pzHdV
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Brentwood’s city manager is on paid leave. He just got a raise www.mercurynews.com/2026/08/12/b...
mercurynews.com
Brentwood’s city manager is on paid leave. He just got a raise
Brentwood City Manager G. Harold Duffey, who has been placed on paid administrative leave since June, has received a 3% pay hike, due to his employment agreement.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Pittsburg city staffer duped by scammer into sending nearly $1 million meant for Seeno developers www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/08/06/p... Another one with @nategartrell.bsky.social
eastbaytimes.com
Pittsburg city staffer duped by scammer into sending nearly $1 million meant for Seeno developers
The investigation — performed in secret for months, while the city did not disclose the loss — uncovered a sophisticated network of phishing scammers who used public information to impersonate a Seeno vendor.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Ex-Antioch mayor says federal prosecutors plan to indict him on criminal charges www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/08/05/e...
eastbaytimes.com
Ex-Antioch mayor says federal prosecutors plan to indict him on criminal charges
Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe painted himself as a victim of the Trump Justice Department, implying the looming indictment is politically motivated.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Pittsburg pledges greater public scrutiny of data centers after backlash www.mercurynews.com/2026/08/04/p...
mercurynews.com
Pittsburg pledges greater public scrutiny of data centers after backlash
The city manager pledged to bypass administrative approval and send future data center plans to public hearings, though the city has not formally changed its rules.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
CNN @cnn.com · 03/08/2026
Authorities in Malaysia are introducing new rules for hikers, following a spike in search and rescue operations linked to social media trends. cnn.it/4cflV0Y
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Antioch rejects millions in state funding for homeless housing program www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/07/29/a...
eastbaytimes.com
Antioch rejects millions in state funding for homeless housing program
Antioch rejects a $34.9 million state grant for the Homekey+ program, which could help with the unhoused population in the city.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Oakley leaders hint at possible permanent ban on data centers www.mercurynews.com/2026/07/24/o...
mercurynews.com
Oakley leaders hint at possible permanent ban on data centers
Oakley leaders are seeking ways to enact a permanent ban on data centers as the city works on updating its zoning ordinances and tightening regulations to prevent the establishment of such facilities ...
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
Antioch police failed to de-escalate situation before punching woman, expert says www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/07/17/a...
eastbaytimes.com
Antioch police failed to de-escalate situation before punching woman, expert says
A former detective says Antioch Police officers failed to de-escalate and apply training technique in their encounter with a homeless woman, who was punched during an encampment cleanup after she bit ...
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
'We will continue this fight': Yolanda Ramirez's death ruled 'accident' by inquest jury www.mercurynews.com/2026/07/15/w...
mercurynews.com
‘We will continue this fight’: Yolanda Ramirez’s death ruled ‘accident’ by inquest jury
Members of the jury were seen weeping and drying their eyes with tissue as a lengthy video played out showing 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez call for help and go unconscious in the back of a police car.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
Karen Zraick @karenzraick.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Meet the Climate Lawyer, Biker and Brewer Suing Over a Heat Wave www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/c...
nytimes.com
Roger Worthington Is Suing Over a Heat Wave (Gift Article)
Roger Worthington is helping to lead a $50 billion lawsuit against oil producers. This week he’ll face powerful critics in Congress.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Pittsburg hosting virtual workshop following concerns about data centers www.mercurynews.com/2026/07/09/p...
mercurynews.com
Pittsburg hosting virtual workshop following concerns about data centers
Pittsburg to host a virtual meeting to discuss on data centers
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Antioch officer under scrutiny for punching woman during scuffle www.mercurynews.com/2026/07/07/a...
mercurynews.com
Antioch officer under scrutiny for punching woman during scuffle
The incident happened last week during a homeless encampment cleanup at Waldie Plaza.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Frustrated advocate leads homeless gathering outside Antioch City Hall www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/07/06/a...
eastbaytimes.com
Frustrated advocate leads homeless gathering outside Antioch City Hall
A local homeless advocate led a small group of unhoused people to temporarily relocate to City Hall to draw the attention of officials on the lack of shelter and housing resources in Antioch.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Mercury News, East Bay Times earn statewide honors for standout journalism www.mercurynews.com/2026/07/02/m...
mercurynews.com
Mercury News, East Bay Times earn statewide honors for standout journalism
Bay Area News Group won 25 California Journalism Awards for work published in 2025 by The Mercury News and East Bay Times.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Brentwood officials want to explore an ordinance to ban data centers in the city www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/29/b...
mercurynews.com
Brentwood officials want to explore an ordinance to ban data centers in the city
Brentwood leaders are taking “proactive” measure to look into ways to ban data centers from coming into their city.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Happy to be part of the panel this morning.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Pittsburg residents voice frustration over approved data center www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/16/p...
mercurynews.com
Pittsburg residents voice frustration over approved data center
Approved in 2024, some residents said they had only recently learned about a potential data center that could be built in Pittsburg Technology Park.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
Brentwood city manager placed on leave www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/09/b...
mercurynews.com
Brentwood city manager placed on leave
Brentwood City Council has voted to put City Manager G. Harold Duffey on paid administrative leave, following a special city council meeting held on Tuesday.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
FBI raids homes of outgoing and incoming Contra Costa tax assessors www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/06/09/f...
eastbaytimes.com
FBI raids homes of outgoing and incoming Contra Costa tax assessors
Federal agents also swarmed the tax assessor’s office on Arnold Drive in Martinez, where employees were told they could take the rest of the day off.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 03/06/2026
Brentwood residents frustrated by large and noisy gatherings — which can include fireworks, public drunkenness, indecent exposure or gunfire— could soon find relief.
eastbaytimes.com
Brentwood approves stronger ‘nuisance gathering’ ordinance
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Election results, Contra Costa County, June 2026 www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/02/c...
mercurynews.com
Election results, Contra Costa County, June 2026
Results from the Contra Costa County registrar of voters for the June 2, 2026, primary election.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Brentwood employees complain of gender-based discrimination by city manager www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/05/29/b...
eastbaytimes.com
Brentwood employees complain of gender-based discrimination by city manager
G. Harold Duffey was implicated in a scandal that brought down Oakland’s city administrator.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
AI boom helps erase California’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/05/14/c...
eastbaytimes.com
AI boom helps erase California’s multibillion-dollar budget deficit
A tax revenue windfall for the state is unlikely to offset billions of dollars in federal health care cuts.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 12/05/2026
Spring showers and warm temperatures could make for a dangerous fire season.
eastbaytimes.com
Contra Costa County Fire District warns of increased risks for wildfires
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Antioch city manager placed on leave as City Hall faces new leadership turmoil www.mercurynews.com/2026/05/06/a...
mercurynews.com
Antioch city manager placed on leave as City Hall faces new leadership turmoil
Antioch City Manager Bessie Marie Scott was placed on paid leave without a public explanation, prompting criticism from supporters and raising new questions about leadership stability at City Hall.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Exclusive: Alameda County accused of secretly recording attorney-client jail meetings, raising constitutional concerns www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/04/26/a...
eastbaytimes.com
Exclusive: Alameda County accused of secretly recording attorney-client jail meetings, raising constitutional concerns
A defense attorney discovered prosecutors had obtained a recording of her confidential jail meeting with a client, raising constitutional concerns and halting a murder trial in Alameda County.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 25/04/2026
Contra Costa County’s District Attorney Office hasked for a coroner’s inquest to be held to look into the death of Brentwood resident Yolanda Ramirez, who went unconscious at the back of a police car and died several days later…
eastbaytimes.com
DA orders coroner’s inquest into the death of 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
DA orders coroner’s inquest into the death of 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/04/24/d...
eastbaytimes.com
DA orders coroner’s inquest into the death of 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez
Contra Costa County’s District Attorney Office hasked for a coroner’s inquest to be held to look into the death of Brentwood resident Yolanda Ramirez, who went unconscious at the back of a police car ...
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Oakley voters to decide on two school bond measures www.mercurynews.com/2026/04/22/o...
mercurynews.com
Oakley voters to decide on two school bond measures
Measure J and Measure K would be used to repair schools and improve student safety.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 16/04/2026
The Antioch Police Department launched a transparency portal in partnership with Flock Safety to provide residents insights on how the surveillance technology is utilized by the department.
eastbaytimes.com
Antioch launches transparency portal for controversial Flock cameras
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 15/04/2026
OAKLEY — Oakley has become the first Bay Area city to impose a temporary ban on data centers as other cities in Silicon Valley continue to support the intensive energy needs of artificial intelligence. The Oakley City Council on Tuesday u…
eastbaytimes.com
Oakley OKs temporary ban on data centers, a first for the Bay Area
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 03/04/2026
Constructions of an East County Service Center in Brentwood has begun. The service center is expected to house nine Contra Costa County departments to provide services for East County residents.
eastbaytimes.com
East County Service Center in Brentwood set to be completed in 2027
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 17/03/2026
Independent experts say Brentwood police officers failed to de-escalate their encounter with 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez, despite it being a minor disturbance. Ramirez, a Brentwood resident went unconscious in the back of a police car and…
eastbaytimes.com
Before her death, experts say Brentwood police failed to de-escalate incident with Yolanda Ramirez
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 14/03/2026
The substation will serve as a space where police personnel, community service officers, and parking enforcement staff can meet and interact with residents.
eastbaytimes.com
Long-awaited Sycamore Square police substation opens in Antioch
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 15/03/2026
The Oakley City Council approved an industrial project after the developer of the project agreed to remove proposal which included housing data centers in the future.
eastbaytimes.com
Developer pulls data center proposal from project in Oakley
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
After decades of service to the public, Contra Costa County fire chief to retire www.mercurynews.com/2026/03/06/a...
mercurynews.com
After decades of service to the public, Contra Costa County fire chief to retire
A fire exploration program at 14 sparked a lifelong career for Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Lewis Broschard. Decades later, he is stepping down from years of service to t…
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
In the wake of scandals, Antioch Police Department completes policy reforms demanded by DOJ www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/03/03/a...
eastbaytimes.com
In the wake of scandals, Antioch Police Department completes policy reforms demanded by DOJ
A year after signing an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to increase oversight measures, the Antioch Police Department has completed an overhaul of its policies.
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@hemananthani @hemananthani.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
‘Please don’t do that’: Brentwood releases footage of officers shoving woman into patrol car, where she passed out before death www.eastbaytimes.com/2026/02/27/p...
eastbaytimes.com
‘Please don’t do that’: Brentwood releases footage of officers shoving woman into patrol car, where she passed out before death
The death of Yolanda Ramirez, not disclosed by police until after the media found out, has led to public controversy and dueling autopsy reports.
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 22/02/2026
Authorities say the campus death later fueled a cycle of retaliation between warring gangs.
eastbaytimes.com
School officials were raising alarms about safety at Antioch’s Deer Valley High. Then a boy was killed on campus
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 23/02/2026
“If they close BART, it’s an attack on the lower class,” one Dublin mother said.
eastbaytimes.com
Transit agencies and riders face uncertain future if tax measure fails in November
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Reposted by @hemananthani
East Bay Times @eastbaytimes.com · 20/02/2026
The layoffs, which would affect about 300 full-time positions, are expected to reduce the district’s expenses by about $38 million for the 2026-27 school year.
eastbaytimes.com
Layoffs in troubled Antioch school district could affect hundreds
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