El Cerrito Wire

Local voters are deciding on everything from selecting two people in a hotly contested, high-spending El Cerrito City Council race to selecting the next governor of California. The ballot also contains two regional measures - the RTM transit tax and renewal of the WCCUSD parcel tax - that supporters say would result in painful cuts if not passed.  At the state level, voters will decide on issues such as assistance for middle-income homebuyers, modifying the state’s environmental protection laws to speed up projects like new housing, requiring ID to vote, and a billionaire wealth tax. If you’re not registered and want to vote on even one of these matters, the easiest option is to register online at https://registertovote.ca.gov by Monday, Oct. 19 so a ballot can be mailed to you. Once you have your ballot, there are a variety of ways to return it. If you choose to drop it in the US mail, election officials recommend you mail it by at least Oct. 27, a week before the election. It ha...

The El Cerrito City Council is scheduled to hear an update on legislation affecting the city at its Oct. 20, 2026 meeting. New California legislation in the reports affects e-bikes, bike project approval, public records requests, and more. The council will hear presentations from the League of California Cities and the city’s lobbyist, California Public Policy Group. Both presentations are posted on the city website as part of the packet for the meeting. Some of the legislation recently signed into law in the presentations: - Class 2 e-bikes must have a speedometer and front and rear lights (AB2346), vehicles such as motorcycles and mopeds cannot be marketed as e-bikes (SB1167), and safety programs for grades 7-12 are encouraged and standardized (AB1569). - Limits review of pedestrian and bicycle projects (AB1976) - Extends deadline for responding to Public Records Act requests from 10 days to 10 business days. The council meets at 6 pm Oct. 20 at City Hall. Agenda/packet:  https:/...

The El Cerrito Wire elections page has been continually updated throughout the election to add new information about the races and measures on your ballot. The latest revise is intended to make it easy to locate information quickly as you complete your ballot. Access it with the " Vote " tab at the top of any El Cerrito Wire page. For the El Cerrito City Council race, the page includes links to an El Cerrito Wire analysis of the race and coverage dating back to before filing began. It also includes the responses to a questionnaire sent to all El Cerrito City Council candidates covering the city's finances, capital improvements such as the library and public safety building, transit, relationship with the city manager and city boards, and listening to and getting information to the community. You can find links to the candidates' campaign websites at the end of the Q and As. It also includes links to recordings of two El Cerrito City Council candidate forums and the lo...

At the Oct. 8 forum, from left, Mary Ann “MJ” Jawili, Forrest Lanning, Wally Nowinski, Gabe Quinto, Kimberly White, and Carolyn Wysinger. All six candidates for the El Cerrito City Council met at a forum at the Veterans Hall Oct. 8, 2026 hosted by El Cerrito/Richmond Annex Walk & Roll, El Cerrito Trail Trekkers, and the El Cerrito FireSafe Council. Topics included:  - Renewal and extension of the city’s Red Flag Parking Pilot Program, which prohibits parking on one side of certain streets on extreme fire danger days; - Maintaining the firebreak along the Hillside Natural Area; - Making San Pablo Avenue safer; - Managing traffic around schools at drop off to make it safer for children; - Ways the city can be more supportive of volunteer efforts of groups such as the Trail Trekkers; and, - Planting trees to replace the eucalyptus being removed from the Quarry Hill area of the Hillside Natural Area. The questions, which were given to the candidates a week ahead of time, did not pr...

Back in the heyday of West County news, when the West County Times had a building full of news, sports, and business reporters, plus editors, photographers, feature writers, interns, and clerks (plus whole other departments for advertising and circulation) - Dora Scardina was often the first face you saw or the first voice you heard if you contacted the news department.  Young reporters came and went, but Dora remained a steady presence in the newsroom. If you worked with her, you heard stories about the history of the paper, about her kids, about her Italian heritage. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/dorotea-scardina-obituary?id=62646762

By Betty Buginas The outcome of the Nov. 3 El Cerrito City Council race will have a major impact on the future of El Cerrito.  The incumbents, Gabe Quinto and Carolyn Wysinger, are proud of their records. If you’re happy with the direction the city has taken in recent years, you should vote for them. Of the challengers, Mary Ann “MJ” Jawili is the least critical of the status quo, focusing her campaign on creating more spaces where people can get together and talk in person. Quinto, Wysinger, and Jawili supported Measure C. If even one of those three candidates wins, major changes to the way the city operates are unlikely. On the current council, William Ktsanes often stands alone in calling for more fiscal responsibility and more public input. When he suggested reconsidering Plaza BART as the preferred location for the library in the city’s strategic plan, he couldn’t get a second. To upend that 4-1 majority, both council seats will need to go to candidates who will in...

Scouts hosting events at Camp Herms (above Arlington Park) on Halloween (Free) 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM:  For any kids (and their grown-ups) involved with Trackers Earth Bay Area, we will be hosting “Track-or-Treat”. Dress up, trade treasures at the Halloween Goblin Market, shoot pumpkins on the archery range, throw axes at zombies, and solve naturalist riddles on the Candy Trail. Silly, spooky, and full of real skills. https://trackersbay.com/community/events/track-or-treat (Free) 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM: Open to the entire community, the Camp Herms Lodge will open up as a family friendly Haunted House. Join us to experience the haunting, fun Scouting activities, and spend time with neighbors with some delicious hot dogs before trick or treating commences. Never been involved in Scouting before? No problem - this is open to everyone. Hotdogs and soda available (donation suggested), and a fun time guaranteed!  ($50) CAMPING CONNECTIONS For all registered Cub Scouts, we will be...

The West Contra Costa Unified School District board will hear an update on hiring and consider renewal of charter school Summit Tamalpais near Hilltop Mall when it meets Wednesday, Oct. 7. The agenda is available at  https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=36030499&MID=85770   Zoom and public comment directions are at the top of the agenda. The board meets at DeJean Middle School, 3400 Macdonald Ave., Richmond. The public session begins at 6:30 pm. Image from board packet

The El Cerrito City Council when it meets Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 will consider extending for two years $2 million per year in contract services and giving the city manager more flexibility to amend the contracts. The firms provide services such as building, engineering and fire plan review, code endorsement, and building and engineering inspection services. While there are currently per-vendor limits, the change would instead create an “umbrella” limit that allows more flexibility to respond to whatever needs arise. The agenda also includes a mid-year report from the Parks and Recreation Commission and presentations from the Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector Control District and the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The agenda includes directions for joining by Zoom and for giving public comment in person, over Zoom, and electronically, and is available at https://elcerritoca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1216/files   The regular meeting begins at 6 pm, preceded by a special...

From left, El Cerrito City Council Member William Ktsanes speaking, seated candidates Carolyn Wysinger, Gabe Quinto, Kimberly White, Wally Nowinski, Mary Ann “MJ” Jawili, and Forrest Lanning at the Sept. 30 forum At a Sept. 30 forum, the six candidates for El Cerrito City Council answered questions about some of El Cerrito’s hottest topics - city finances, capital needs such as a senior center, Flock, and transportation. The questions posed were a composite of questions submitted by the community. Incumbents Gabe Quinto and Carolyn Wysinger and challengers Wally Nowinski, Forrest Lanning, Mary Ann “MJ” Jawili, and Kimberly White are vying for two four-year terms on the Nov. 3 ballot. FINANCES As noted in the question asked by moderator Lakisha Mitchell-Keith, El Cerrito has had many years of budget deficits, with unfunded pension liabilities growing to nearly a hundred million dollars. Candidates were asked if they believe El Cerrito is at risk of financial problems similar to those hi...