 ( ) Face-lift under way for Contra Costa's community colleges  Multimillions in construction projects under way at Los Medanos and Diablo Valley colleges; demolition work to take pace over winter break on one Contra Costa College building. |
 (Ray Chavez/Staff file) Richmond leaders' China, Cuba trips under scrutiny Councilmen Nat Bates and Corky Boozé spent $36,120 of Richmond taxpayer funds on a trade trip to China, while Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and Councilman Tom Butt took a trip to Cuba for $13,000. |
 (Karl Mondon/Staff file) Concord council considers 10-year management contract for Sleep Train Pavilion After several years of watching the Sleep Train Pavilion frequently sit idle during the concert season, city leaders wanted a promoter that would bring some buzz back to the 38-year-old amphitheater. |
 (Jane Tyska/Staff file) MLB deals setback to San Jose bid to lure Oakland A's League notified Oakland A's in June that it at least temporarily rejected plan to relocate to San Jose, according to court documents in San Jose antitrust case |
BUSINESS  (
DAN ROSENSTRAUCH
) Cassidy: Holiday shopping assault of drones, smartphones and dead-tree catalogs It’s seems Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been with us forever, but this year, somehow, the bombardment of shopping options is more overwhelming than ever. |
SPORTS  (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Stanford Cardinal headed back to Rose Bowl  Stanford Cardinal blow past Arizona State in Pac-12 title game to secure spot in Rose Bowl on New Year's Day against Ohio State or Michigan State. |
LOCAL NEWS  ( ) Pleasanton: Siren call for last civil defense siren in town  A long-inactive siren created to summon volunteer firefighters and to warn of air raids is removed from a pole and fixed up. The future of the city-owned historic device is unknown. |
 (China Photos/Getty Images) Study suggests fear can be passed on through genes A newborn mouse pup, seemingly innocent to the workings of the world, may actually harbor generations' worth of information passed down by its ancestors. Full Story |
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) Travel top 10: World's best cities for winter vacations Some of the world's cities shine brightly in winter. And they aren't likely to be overrun with tourists between now and February. If you're looking to get away soon, check out this list from CNN Travel of the 10 best cities for a winter vacation. |
 (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Evangeline Lilly upset with magazine's 'butt' reference Women’s Health surprised “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” actress with her cover shot. |
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) Bay Area residents live longer; here's why Bay Area residents are among the nation's longest-lived people, surviving on average more than a decade longer than residents of rural Kentucky, West Virginia or Mississippi. |
 (HERALD FILE) Mi Pueblo files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Mi Pueblo, the festive Bay Area supermarket chain and icon of family-grown Hispanic businesses, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday, citing a dispute with its primary lender, Wells Fargo. |
