A rundown of local and county-wide election results impacting El Cerrito. These are official figures from the Contra Costa Registrar’s office, with all precincts reporting. Read the full story

With 76% of precincts reporting, plus the mail-in vote totals reported by the Contra Costra Registrar, El Cerrito Focus is projecting the following local election outcomes:

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BY ALEXIA UNDERWOOD //

As the polling results come in from the rest of the country, California voters still have an hour and a half to make their opinions count. Please get out to fill in or drop off your ballots and don’t forget to vote on the some of the hottest issues besides our national presidency: Prop 4, Prop 8, Measure D, the El Cerrito City Council and much more. Continue to stay tuned to the El Cerrito Focus as we update you on national results and tally up local numbers tonight.

BY: SWETA VOHRA//

Every Tuesday E.B Troast offers students at El Cerrito High School free and confidential advice on sex, birth control, pregnancy and other sexual issues.

“Confidentiality and respect is definitely the reason teens come [here],” said junior Caitlin Taffe.

Taffe said that she and her friends sometimes find it difficult to discuss issues related to sex with parents. For them, Planned Parenthood express sites like the one run by Troast offer an excellent source of information and support, she said.

Tia Harris, a 17-year old El Cerrito High student added:  “If you don’t want everybody to know about your business, it’s really easy to come to a place like this.”

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BY ALEXIA UNDERWOOD //

On a grey, late Sunday afternoon, El Cerrito resident Sherman Lam returns from hiking with his family and his dog in the tall bluffs overlooking the city, part of the 90 acres of the El Cerrito Hillside Natural area.

“We come here quite often. It’s kind of like a Sunday outing for us,” Lam says, as he waits by his car at the bottom of the hill for his wife and daughter. “My wife also likes to come here during the week with her friends and walk.”

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BY FERNANDO GALLO//

After a seesaw battle all night, El Cerrito High emerged victorious on a late touchdown for the second consecutive week, beating the Alameda Hornets 23-17 on Oct. 10.

After losing the lead in the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Isaac Goins connected with Kenneth Green for a 77-yard touchdown pass with less than five minutes remaining in the game. The long score put the Gauchos up 20-17. Kicker Jose Fuentes then put up a 49-yard field goal that barely cleared the crossbar and gave the Gauchos a 23-17 lead. Read the full story

(From L-R: David Boisvert, Ann Cheng, Greg Lyman, Andrew Ting)

BY MATT DURNING //

On November 4th, at least two of the four individuals featured here will be elected to the El Cerrito City Council. The following three-minute video profiles provide a brief introduction to each of the candidates, in their own words. Read the full story