Alameda’s City Council took what Mayor Marie Gilmore characterized Tuesday as the first step toward addressing the city’s unfunded pension and retiree benefit costs, which combined have grown to an estimated $193 million this year.

The council heard a report drafted by a special pension task force that laid out the scope of the problem and some potential solutions, with the details on the financial impact of those proposed solutions to be offered in the months to come. Read more >> about Council takes "first step" toward addressing pension, benefit costs

Click the photo above to see our Meyers House slideshow.

City staffers are hammering out a deal to transfer ownership of the Meyers House to the nonprofit Alameda Museum, which now manages the historic home, The Alamedan has learned.

A deal to transfer ownership of the home and gardens to the museum could go to the City Council for its approval early next year, Alameda Recreation and Park Department director Amy Wooldridge said Monday. Read more >> about City crafting deal to give Meyers House to nonprofit

Alameda’s teacher and firefighter unions have opened their checkbooks for local candidates over the past several weeks, spending more than $30,000 on campaign literature and lawn signs for the candidates they support, newly filed campaign disclosures show. Read more >> about Unions open checkbooks for local races