Berkeley resident Anna Bretan and UC Berkeley student J.P. Slater were the winners of Berkeley's first Half Marathon held on Sunday, November 24. Bretan, who won the 2013 San Francisco Marathon, had an unofficial time of 1:17:19 at the inaugural event, while Slater won the men’s field with an unofficial time of 1:07:05. (Ira Serkes / Berkeleyside)
The Berkeley Half Marathon drew nearly 8,000 runners participating in one of three race distances and lots of spectators. More than $50,000 was raised for charities including Berkeley Public Schools Fund, Berkeley Partners for Parks and the Berkeley Food and Housing Project. (Doug Donaldson / Berkeleyside)
Betty Reid Soskin is drawing crowds to Richmond's Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. During the federal shutdown, Soskin became the face for thousands of frustrated, furloughed workers, appearing in many news outlets across the country. Soskin is believed to be the oldest National Parks Service ranger. “I’m grateful that the park, for which I work, is getting this incredible publicity,” she said recently. (Nancy DeVille / Richmond Confidential)