• The Oakland Unified School District board voted against delaying school closures during a virtual special meeting Friday night, despite vocal protests. At least five schools in the East Bay school district are scheduled to close by the end of the next school year in 2023; at the end of this current school year, Community Day School and La Escuelita Elementary are scheduled to close  — with each closing expected to place more pressure on teachers. [NBC Bay Area]
• At least one local rally will be held this weekend in support of Ukraine. The Bay Area rally, which has yet to be given a time or place, will be among the many organized around the country this weekend. [KRON4]
• Richmond police are looking for a woman that assaulted a mother while waiting in line with her children at a local McDonald’s drive-thru; images of the alleged assailant have been released and police have urged anyone who might know the woman's identity to contact Detective O. Guzman at [email protected] or 510-672-2493. [KPIX]
• It's been three days now since SF aligned with the state in lifting indoor mask-wearing requirements for most situations; the vast — and overwhelming majority — of San Franciscans still feel most comfortable grocery shopping while wearing an appropriate face mask. [Chronicle]
• The Outer Richmond could see one of the Bay Area's few non-alcoholic bars open soon. [Eater SF]
• Fun fact: There are about 33 species of small wild cats known to science that often fly under the conservation and funding radar (making them more at risk of extinction than their larger feline cousins). [Mongabay]
• New evidence continues showing that the complications caused by long Covid include prolonged “brain fog,” cardiovascular issues, and gastrointestinal problems — all of which are the result of SARS-CoV-2 causing inflammation in body tissues where it's found. [NYT]

Photo: Getty Images/Chris LaBasco