Of Oakland's three teams, the Warriors still have the clearest path out of town, but they're still going to have to play in the East Bay for longer than they had planned.

With the Warriors lease expiring after next season, the team has informed the authority that runs the Oracle Arena that it will likely need another two years in Oakland before moving into its $1 billion new home in San Francisco's Mission Bay neighborhood.

The team could stick around longer if opponents of the arena plan prevail in two lawsuits they have filed to stop the project.

Meanwhile the Coliseum authority discussed its strategy Friday for a new Warriors lease. Hanging over the negotiations will be the Warriors' stated contention that it isn't on the hook for the roughly $60 million in debt that will remain on the arena once the team leaves. The Coliseum authority disagrees.

"I think it's fair to say that the debt situation will be part of conversation," the authority's Director Scott McKibben said.

Oakland loses its Wal-Mart

Walmart is closing its lone Oakland store Sunday, leaving the crime-prone shopping center on Hegenberger Road without its anchor tenant.

Mayor Libby Schaaf downplayed the closure at the East Oakland shopping center that had made headlines for being among the city's leaders in auto break-ins and police calls for service.

Despite the center's troubles, Mayor Libby Schaaf insisted that it -- and the city's tax base -- will recover from Wal-Mart's departure.


"The loss in tax revenue as a result of the closure will not be permanent," Schaaf said in a statement. "The growing strength of the Oakland market will allow us to quickly put that site to new use in a way that benefits the residents of East Oakland and our city as a whole."

The store's closure is one of 154 locations Wal-Mart is closing nationwide, according to the mayor. She said the company is working to transfer employees to nearby stores.

District names its first black director

Rita Duncan has been named the first African-American woman on the Oro Loma Sanitary District board, just over a year after one of its directors was censured for using a racial slur.

The district board unanimously approved the appointment at its Jan. 5 meeting.

In December 2014, the district board censured longtime member Laython Landis for a pattern of "highly inappropriate" behavior, including intoxication at public events and a sexist remark to a staff member.

The embattled director retired in March and died in November.

Duncan, who is human resources director for Pentair Thermal Management in Menlo Park, filled a vacancy created when Howard Kerr resigned in 2015. Her term runs through the end of the year.

The sanitary district board included only white men until former San Leandro Mayor Shelia Young was elected in 2014.

The Oro Loma Sanitary District covers San Lorenzo, Fairview, Ashland, Cherryland, and portions of San Leandro, Hayward and Castro Valley.

Newark Mayor Nagy sets service record

Mayor Al Nagy set the record this week for the most days in elected Newark office.

On Thursday, Nagy tied former Mayor Dave Smith's record of 13,057 days, or almost 36 years.

Smith presented a plaque Thursday at the City Council honoring Nagy for his years of service.

"I learned from the first day I met this man he was working for a better Newark from the time I met him in 1969," Smith said at the standing room only meeting. "Mayor Nagy is the backbone of this city."

Nagy has served on the City Council since 1980. He was first elected mayor in 2011 after Smith retired. Smith began as a City Council member in 1976 and served as mayor from 1978 to early 2012.

Smith said Nagy encouraged him to run for office.

"It was a joy to serve with him for 31-plus of my years. He cares deeply about the city of Newark, and there is nothing that this great man wouldn't do for its citizens," Smith said.

Time capsule to mark Fremont anniversary

Fremont will celebrate its 60th anniversary Jan. 23 with a time capsule ceremony and community picnic.

The time capsule will be installed at the city's planned civic center, with plans to open it at Fremont's 100th anniversary. The contents are being collected by the city Youth Advisory Commission, Fremont Unified School District and the Human Relations Commission.

The celebration is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 23. Part of Capitol Avenue will be closed to vehicles cars for the picnic, which will feature food trucks. Local high school bands, choirs and dance studios will provide entertainment. For more information, go to www.Fremont.gov/60Anniversary.

Fremont is officially a compassionate city

The City Council designated Fremont a compassionate city Tuesday.

The charter is intended to encourage people to move beyond tolerance to care and respect for everyone while reaching out to those who do not have a voice, and to celebrate Fremont's history and diversity while building a safe and respectful community, according to a staff report.

The "Charter for Compassion" movement of treating others as you would want to be treated began in 2008. The U.S. Conference of Mayors endorsed the compassionate city program in June 2013.

The Tri-City Interfaith Council, the Human Relations Commission and other local groups worked over the past year to have Fremont designated as a compassionate city.

More than 50 countries and 70 U.S. cities have joined the compassionate city movement.