A UC Berkeley bomb squad was called over the weekend to remove a grenade found buried in a Novato resident’s backyard.

Novato police were contacted shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday by the resident who found the grenade while digging in his backyard.

In an interview with the San Jose Mercury News, Novato police Lt. John McCarthy said the bomb squad removed the grenade to a remote area, where it was rendered safe.

“As soon as he found it he called for help,” he said. “God knows how long it had been there.”

McCarthy said it was not clear how old the device was or how it ended up in that residential area. The homeowner had lived at the property for the past decade, he said.

Berkeley City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to comply with United Nations human rights treaties. The city has volunteered to report to the U.N. on the city’s compliance with treaties on civil liberties, racial discrimination and torture. It will be the the first city in the country to submit compliance records.

Councilman Max Anderson says he wants Berkeley to be an inspiration to other communities. However, supporters say that due to the city’s struggles with homelessness, lagging primary and secondary school achievement and John Yoo - a UC Berkeley law professor who, as a Justice Department lawyer, co-wrote legal memos that critics say were used to justify the torture of suspected terrorists - it is possible that Berkeley does not meet U.N. standards.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will be in Oakland tomorrow hosting a town hall meeting to gauge support prior officially declaring his candidacy for governor of California.

The event will be held at the Rotunda at 300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in Oakland. Newsom has become known nationwide for his avid support of gay marriage and green causes. He came to UC Berkeley late last year to gather support against Proposition 8.

During an interview with The Daily Californian, Newsom outlined his thoughts on student and green issues and the importance of taking on the two as a whole. And he will be no stranger to Berkeley and the East Bay during the crucial upcoming months of his potential candidacy.

Newsom Interview

Some Berkeley-bound BART passengers got a jolt on their way home this afternoon when two trains collided in a tunnel under downtown Oakland.

A Richmond-bound train and Pittsburg/Bay Point train collided at a three-way junction underground just before 3 p.m.. Although neither was moving at high speed, the front cars of both trains were derailed, forcing an evacuation of 300 passengers, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Trains were then delayed throughout the evening by 15 to 20 minutes.

Investigators are looking into what caused the crash and saying it could have been much worse. Yikes!

Read the Chronicle’s story here.

The Escape from Berkeley relay ended Monday in Las Vegas, with team Prisoners of Petroleum coming in first, winning $5,000.

The Prisoners of Petroleum, Jack McCornack and Sharon Wescott, built a sports car that runs on vegetable oil. The vehicle, called MAX, was also named the “Sexiest Vehicle on the Road.

In second place was the Green Team from Alabama, whose gasifier-powered pick-up truck haås been driving cross-country since late September. They also received the award for “Most Difficult Engineering Problem Attempted” and “Least Greenhouse Gasses Produced.” The team is considering competing in next year’s relay.

Relay coordinator Jessica Hobbes said, “I think the race really was ultimately successful.”

The Neverwas Haul Crew, who built Kristie’s Flyer, a steam-powered carriage, was recognized for most energy conversion steps. Mike Theielvoldt’s vehicle, which runs on wood chips, was called the worst affront to sensible automotive aesthetics.

Other racers said Team Homeschool Heros, whose driver was only 16, had the “Worst Idea Actually Made to Work” and received the “Exceptional Community Building” award for their approach to gathering fuel.

On the second day of the race, teams had to reroute because a pass was closed. The Green Team didn’t make it to the final checkpoint until 11 p.m. that day, partly due to the rerouting and also because of difficulties with their trailer and gasifier.

Technical problems caused many teams to turn back during the rally. Only the two winning vehicles stayed in the race until the end, though Homeschool Heros and the Neverwas Haul Crew still drove to Las Vegas on Monday.

During the awards ceremony held at the NASCAR Cafe, it was announced that the final destination of next year’s relay will be Baja California.

A daily roundup of the biggest headlines in Bay Area and national news.

Fires Blaze In California

Image: Staff/Victoria Chow

Firefighters Work to Contain Angel Island Fire

Firefighters have almost fully contained the blaze on Angel Island that began Sunday night, and managed to keep it from spreading to the most of the buildings on the island.

The blaze may have began near a campsite on the island and burned 380 acres of vegetation, but spared all of the island’s structures, save for a water tower.

San Fernando Valley Fires Threaten Los Angeles and Ventura Counties

The Los Angeles Times reported this morning that two fires burning in San Fernando Valley are still burning:

Santa Ana winds calmed down this morning as watchful residents and firefighters at the northern edge of the San Fernando Valley waited to see if they would kick up again, fueling two wildfires that have already claimed two lives, 10,000 acres and 49 structures.

The 4,824-acre Marek fire near Lake View Terrace was 70% contained this morning, and the Sesnon fire that started Monday in Porter Ranch was still burning in a southwesterly direction and threatening homes in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. It almost doubled in size overnight to 9,872 acres.

The Times reports that the fire could potentially burn for another 15 miles to the Pacific Ocean.

3,000 Acres Burned in Camp Pendleton Fire

Two fires in areas near San Diego that have collectively burned more than 3,000 acres have been partially contained by firefighters as of this morning, the Times also reports.

Fires in Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego and Campo, near the U.S.-Mexico border, were as of this morning 25 percent and 50 percent contained, respectively.

Assessment Evaluates Home’s Susceptibility to Fire

Available on the Web site for UC Berkeley’s Center for Fire Research and Outreach is a homeowner fire assessment, in English or Spanish, that gives homeowners an idea of the home and surrounding area’s vulnerability to wildfire.

The center is housed by the College of Natural Resources.

Wednesday’s Olympic Torch relay in San Francisco was more about protest groups rallying for their cause than it was about the Olympic games.

Whether it was Pro-Tibet, Pro-China, activists against involvement in Darfur, activists for animal rights, or even for bringing back nudity in the Olympic games, everybody had an opinion.

Although thousands of people showed up on the Embarcadero Monday for the event, there was only one I met who was there just to watch the torch relay. (Click here to read more…)