Last car rolls across old Bay Bridge ahead of final eastern span work, Predator drone joins the fight against Rim Fire, demolition begins in preparation for 54-story skyscraper, more.
Top of the news
Crews went to work immediately after the old Bay Bridge eastern span was closed last night, with the owner of a brown Model A being given the ceremonial privilege of being the last car to cross before the span is replaced by the new bridge scheduled to open early Tuesday. Chronicle
Firefighters battling the devastating Rim Fire had reason to be encouraged, with the rate of growth slowing considerably yesterday, to about 300 acres per hour, down from 1,000 acres per hour. Mercury News
Politics and government
A proposal to ban the sale of soft drinks, whole milk and other sugary and fattening beverages at city libraries, community centers and other public facilities failed to make it out of a San Jose city council committee. Mercury News
Santa Clara County’s Measure A library tax was approved by 81 percent of voters in mail-only balloting, continuing existing funding for another 20 years, officials announced. Mercury News
Other news and items of interest
Few incoming freshmen begin their college careers holding a news conference, but that’s what happened with champion swimmer Missy Franklin as she began classes at UC Berkeley. Mercury News
That porn industry production moratorium didn’t last long, with the industry trade group that goes by the name Free Speech Coalition announcing that the week-old ban was lifted after all performers who worked with HIV-infected actress Cameron Bay were medically cleared. AP
Messy business implications for Google? Company co-founder Sergey Brin and his wife are living apart amid allegations that he has become romantically involved with a Google worker. Chronicle
Firefighters have added a Predator drone to their arsenal of equipment fighting the Rim Fire, saying it is giving them early views of new flare-ups across the rugged Sierra landscape. AP
Bucking the national trend, California saw an uptick of nearly 6,000 new jobless claims in the latest weekly report from the U. S. Department of Labor. Sacramento Business Journal
A 66-year-old bicyclist was struck and killed by a car yesterday in San Leandro while attempting to cross Marina Boulevard. Chronicle
Demolition has begun on 181 Fremont Street, to clear the way for a 54-story office and residential condo building next to the future Transbay Transit Center. SF Business Times
