First, the quick and dirty: the Oakland Tribune reports: one dead, two injured, 3 alarm fire at a 6 story residential hotel in downtown Oakland early Friday morning .

In the Berkeley Daily Planet, a new book alleges Oakland Mayor and Attorney General candidate, Jerry Brown, took money from the mob back in his gubernatorial days. Jerry's opponent, Chuck Poochigian (we're waiting on the Poochigian campaign ads featuring McGruff the crime dog) declines to comment until further research is done (e.g. his campaign strategists read the book and decide on the juiciest quotes to use in Jerry-smearing ads).

And the Contra Costa Times reports on a San Pablo teenager winning second place in a musical saw competition. "People holding babies were bouncing around with their babies," she said. "It was so cool!" The winner was from Salt Lake City, Utah who did a number from "The Phantom of the Opera" in full costume.