Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What this new Urban Ore union contract means for West Berkeley

Also, don't miss Flipper Upper Properties Tour: Real Estate on the Berkeley Patch calendar

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Greetings Berkeley! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • What this new Urban Ore union contract means for West Berkeley
  • How will Barnes & Noble change UC Berkeley’s campus stores this month?
  • Berkeley community remembers artist and Indigenous Peoples Day advocate Nancy Gorrell

Also on today's calendar: Flipper Upper Properties Tour: Real Estate and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Berkeleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one pirate say to the other? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Berkeleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Clouds and sunshine, with a high of 57 and low of 42 degrees.
  • Sunday: Sunny to partly cloudy, temps: high: 61, low: 37.
  • Monday: Sunshine and a few clouds, with a high of 62 and low of 41 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Urban Ore workers ratify first union contract months after ending strike (berkeleyside.org) — Workers at Urban Ore in West Berkeley have ratified their first union contract, ending a years-long labor fight that nearly sank the beloved reuse business. The deal raises hourly pay, adds protections around discipline and time off, and shapes the future of a store many Berkeley residents rely on for salvaged goods and waste reduction.
   

2. UC Berkeley hands campus stores and course materials to Barnes & Noble (sfchronicle.com) — UC Berkeley is turning over its campus bookstores and course materials operations to Barnes & Noble College starting January 20, a shift that will reshape how students and locals buy textbooks and Cal gear. The company plans store upgrades, more merchandise and technology, and programs to cut textbook costs, raising fresh questions in Berkeley about corporate chains versus local businesses.
   

3. Remembering Nancy Gorrell, artist and activist who helped make Indigenous Peoples Day a holiday in Berkeley (berkeleyside.org) — Longtime Berkeley resident and artist-activist Nancy Gorrell has died, leaving a deep legacy in the city she called home for 60 years. She helped make Indigenous Peoples Day an official Berkeley holiday, championed recycling and zero waste, and inspired local children through art and environmental education. Her family and many friends remember her creativity, generosity, and community spirit.
   

4. Stone Center sets dates for 2026 Summer Institute (berkeley.edu) — UC Berkeley’s Stone Center is inviting about 20 graduate students worldwide to its 2026 Summer Institute on inequality, held on campus July 6–9 with housing, meals, and travel support provided. Led by prominent UC Berkeley economists, the program offers lectures, research workshops, and networking for Ph.D. students focused on inequality and public policy.
   

5. 10 Winter Celebrations And Events Northern CA Residents Shouldn't Miss (patch.com) — Berkeley residents have a couple of standout winter outings close to home, including a free Book & Wine Trivia Night on College Avenue and a celebrity flag football game at California Memorial Stadium in February. The roundup also spotlights comedy, concerts, film festivals, and galas across the Bay Area and beyond, offering plenty of cabin-fever cures within driving distance.
   

📸 Around Berkeley

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • A year after the LA wildfires, growing research is revealing just how essential the outdoor spaces between homes can be...
    CityLab discusses the best and latest research: "“The best way to fight the fire is before the fire starts,” said Michael Gollner, a mechanical… (Nextdoor N.BerkHills/Tilden)
  • Thank god we live in the flats.
    What would be the point of living in Berkeley Hills if you cannot have vegetation, a wild garden around your house? https://www.berkeleyside.org… (Nextdoor Lorin District)
  • Touchstone Climbing posted a job opening for Club Coach + Camp Counselor - NorCal (All NorCal Locations) in Berkeley. Apply here.
  • University of California Berkeley posted a job opening for Lecturer-Economics-College of Letters and Science in Berkeley. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Berkeley here.

Ok Berkeley! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I sea you!
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