Diablo Reporter

Wow! It’s crazy out there. With Christmas only 2 days away the stores and parking lots are filled to capacity with last-minute shoppers.

Check out the lines outside of HoneyBaked Ham Store on Concord Ave! There must have been close to 100 people in line waiting. The line was from the front door, across the parking lot and even out on to Adobe St.

If you need to go out today, it’s worth it to make a plan. However one thing is for sure; the closer it gets to Christmas the more activity and intense these stores will be.

Be safe, stay calm and happy shopping!

In case you were looking to enjoy that time-honored tradition of gathering friends and family around your holiday fire; you might have to wait on that.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) has issued a Spare the Air alert for the 10th consecutive day in a row. This is a startling number considering in the past, the most consecutive days in a row for Spare the Air alerts have been only 3. This ban forbids private citizens from burning fires in their private homes and on their private properties. This even includes outdoor BBQ, fire pits and other wood burning activities.

For years now the BAAQMD has targeted specific holidays as “Spare the Air” days for years now. These holidays have been primarily Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.

This year it seemed the tide has changed, or so we thought.

After the Diablo Reporter and several other local news outlet have published articles outing the controlling organization; they had surprisingly lifted their “Spare the Air” ban for Thanksgiving. For the first time in at least 5 years, the 7 million Bay Area residents were allowed to enjoy the traditional holiday fire.

However, it seems we will have to pay a price for the Thanksgiving Day fires. Today, Tuesday December 17th, is the 10th day the BAAQM has issued consecutive Spare the Air alerts. So far, they have issued a total of 14 Spare the Air alert this season and it that’s just the beginning.

If caught burning wood on Spare the Air days, you could face being reported by neighbors, facing fines upwards of $400, forced to attend a Spare the Air school (paid by tax payers) and even forced evacuation of your home with the possibility of it being condemn or seized. To add insult to injury, we were unable to find any California law that states it’s unlawful to burn wood anytime, even on Spare the Air days (If you find one, let us know!).

BAAQM claims that the Spare the Air alerts are issued depending on air quality conditions, however, it seems as though particular holidays are targeted every year. Will banning burning for 10 days be enough to allow burning on Christmas or on New Years?

For those that are wondering what the public thinks of the fireplace police,
it’s not good. According to March 2012 ABC article, “Residents have called the inspectors “communists,” “disciples of Hitler,” “a disgrace to this country,” “inconsiderate,” “obnoxious” and “out of control.” In one (letter), the writer said he’s “enraged” that they’ve “ruined every holiday…” Another told them they’re going to hell.”

To find out more information on the Spare the Air legal issues, who’s supporting it and how this costly program affects its residents and how they feel it about it, click here.

The team at DiabloReporter.com will continue documenting the alerts as they correspond to the holidays and publish our findings in our upcoming Spare the Air reports. And since we can’t enjoy the real thing today (unless you’re a rebel 🙂 ) perhaps this will help a little.

Tell us what you think about the issue? Is this program for the greater good or another system to control the lives of millions? How many more days of wood burning ban is to come?

The East Bay Bike Party (EBBP) is at it again! EBBP is a mobile party for riders of all ages, experience levels, and types to meet, ride, and play together in the streets. Rides are 12-16 miles long with 2 stops at public spaces along the route. Rides move at a slow pace and volunteers assure everyone makes the correct turns.

Riders express their creativity through the ride’s theme. This Bike Party come dressed as a Pirate or a Ninja or a Pirate Ninja or a Ninja Pirate or whatever.

Music is a big part of the EBBP experience along the route and at the party stops where dancing is off the hook. They have promised will be games again this month and all volunteers will receive a special edition PvN spokecard 🙂

Each ride is a unique, once in a lifetime experience right here in your own backyard. Check out the information below if your interested in an awesome time!

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

-INVITE WISELY: If you’re inviting friends, make sure that they think that safety is sexy & know the Bike Party code.
-PICK UP YOUR TRASH: This one’s simple – if you brought it in or ate/drank it, you pack out the can/wrapper/trash with you.
-VOLUNTEER: Volunteer to take a corner and lead the Bike Party through a turn. Make new friends and help make Bike Party awesome.
-COME PREPARED: This is an unsupported ride, so bring whatever you’d bring if you went on a long solo ride. A patch kit, tools, lights, snacks & layers are a good start.
-KNOW THE CODE: If you come out this Friday, this is what the people around you will expect. And you’ll make more friends if you ride safely. Making friends and meeting new people is what this ride is about, after all:
Stay Right
Stop At Lights
Ride Straight
Don’t Hate
Pack Your Trash
Don’t Get Smashed
See you Friday! BIKE PARRRTTYYYY!!

Meet at 7:30pm at Rockridge BART station, roll at 8pm! For more information about East Bay Bike Party, click here.