NASA reports that Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars will align in the night sky this month.

Bea Karnes, Patch Staff

ALAMEDA, CA — Skygazers are in for a special celestial treat with this year’s full wolf moon on Monday night if sky conditions in Alameda cooperate. Right now, the forecast for Monday is for clear skies.

The moon will pass directly in front of Mars, combining with the bright star Pollux to create a stunning view. Mars is one of four planets lining up this month in a rare four-planet conjunction.

Below is all you need to know about taking it all in.

The moon reaches peak illumination at 2:27 p.m. PST Monday. Once it peeks over the horizon, it’s time to start watching for the magic. Times vary by region, according to NASA, whose times are localized to the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Throughout January, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars will align in the night sky, according to NASA.

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Just after sunset, look southwest and find Venus and Saturn low in the sky. Jupiter shines brightly above them, and Mars glows in the eastern sky. They’re all visible to the naked eye during clear conditions, but a telescope may reveal two other planets, Uranus and Neptune.

Because the planets align along the ecliptic, the solar system’s orbital plane, they appear to seem close together from Earth, NASA explains.

Each evening in January, Venus and Saturn will appear closer together, appearing the closest on Jan. 17-18 before gradually moving apart. NASA says the rare event offers a great opportunity for skywatchers to observe planetary movement.

January’s full moon is known as the wolf moon. Wolves seem to howl more at this time of year as the snow and cold of winter set in. According to lore, wolves howled because they were starving.

That’s not the case, though.

The truth reveals the complexity of wolves’ social lives.

“Howling is for long-distance communication to pull a pack back together and keep strangers away,” according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Howling is just one of the ways wolves communicate. They also use body language, mark their territories with scent, and bark and growl. Much of their communication is about reinforcing the social hierarchy of the pack, according to the NWF.

This communication also includes submissive behavior. A wolf not willing to challenge the hierarchy will often crouch and whimper, tuck in its tail, lick the other wolf’s mouth or roll over on its back, the organization said. If the opposite is true and a wolf wants to challenge the status quo, it will often growl and lay its ears back.

Some of the firefighters are already hours into their battle against destructive flames in Southern California.

Bea Karnes, Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Jan 8, 2025 at 4:59 pm PT

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Northern California firefighters have answered the call to save lives, homes and other buildings, along with the canyons and forests of Southern California. Dozens of firefighters and their equipment from the Bay Area, the Sacramento area and beyond are on the fire lines or en route to lend assistance where needed.

The news from Southern California is devastating, with five people reported dead, 70,000 people forced to evacuate their homes, and 20,000 acres charred by 3 p.m. Wednesday. The three most destructive fires, thus far, are the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, the Eaton Fire in Altadena, and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar.

From the Bay Area, a team from CAL FIRE San Mateo - Santa Cruz Unit (CZU), got a jumpstart on the fires. They were pre-positioned in Southern California because of a Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service. The CZU Unit was put to work on the Palisades Fire soon after it erupted.

The Alameda County Fire Department reported on X, "On January 8, 2025, Alameda County Firefighters are joining county area fire agency partners, including Oakland Fire (OFD), Hayward Fire (HFD), and Fremont Fire (FFD) as part of a @Cal_OES Strike Team headed to Southern California."

The City of Alameda also sent firefighters, as reported on Facebook, "Overnight, the Alameda Fire Department deployed 4 members on OES Engine 409 to the #PalisadesFire in Los Angeles as part of the California Mutual Aid System."

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The Sacramento Fire Department said Tuesday night, "Tonight, a @Cal_OES Strike Team consisting of members from @CosumnesFire, @metrofirepio and Sacramento Fire were deployed to the Palisades Fire. This team consists of 22 members that will drive through the night to provide assistance battling this fire."

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) uses strike teams and task forces to respond to wildfires.

Prior to the outbreak of fires, OES has 65 fire engines, 8 water tenders, 9 bulldozers, 8 helicopters, and 105 support personnel pre-positioned in the Red Flag Warning Area — from Santa Barbara County all the way to the Mexican border.

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ALAMEDA, CA—Raley's announced a new grant program on Monday to help small local food banks and pantries with infrastructure such as food storage, transportation and other costly items needed to safely provide food to local communities.

Partner food banks and their supporting networks, including Alameda County Community Food Bank and multiple pantries in the Alameda area, are encouraged to apply for the grants. Through its nonprofit, Raley's Food For Families, the grants start at a minimum of $5,000 to support the purchase of refrigerators, freezers, warehouse racking, transportation crates, shipping vehicles and any other food bank necessities.

The initiative represents an expansion of the longtime Food For Families effort made possible by Raley’s and donations from throughout the community. Each month for the past several years, donations from customers and team members have been converted by Raley’s nonprofit, Food for Families, into food for more than 2.2 million people through 12 partner food banks.

Donations to support the new grant program are now being accepted online through the Sacramento Region Community Foundation website.

"For years, Raley’s customers have provided unwavering support with their generous donations to our Food for Families program," said Chelsea Carbahal, executive director of Raley’s Food For Families. "Through experience with our ongoing programs, we recognized the need to support further the crucial food distribution needs within our existing food bank family. This new Food for Families grant program will enable our current partners to more effectively and efficiently serve their communities by equipping them with resources that otherwise may have been out of reach financially."

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Grant applications are accepted through Feb. 7, with application forms provided directly to and through Raley’s Food for Families 12 Feeding America food bank partners and their expansive network of more than 2,400 partner agencies, such as smaller food banks, food closets and church distribution sites.

Raley's anticipates awarding up to $500,000 in grant funding in the first year of the new program. Funding will be made available in two waves, including this current grant application phase and another scheduled for later in the year.

"Our goal at Raley’s is to help get food in the hands of as many people in need as possible," Carbahal said. "We know the food that we and our food bank partners provide is only helpful if there is a means to safely store and distribute it. This new Food for Families grant funding effort is all about growing the positive impact in our communities and helping provide the physical means to do so."

Growing from a single store opening in 1935, The Raley’s Companies now includes brick-and-mortar locations under Raley's and Bashas' family of brands, including Raley's, Bel Air, Nob Hill, Raley's ONE Market, Bashas', Food City, AJ's Fine Foods, and Bashas' Diné Markets.

In Alameda County, the regional grocery retailer operates Nob Hill stores in Alameda and Livermore, and Raley's stores in Fremont and Pleasanton.

If you need food, find a pantry.

Between 2022 and 2023, The Raley's Companies organization donated more than $3 million to local and regional nonprofits. Read more at Raley’s Food for Families.

ALAMEDA, CA — With the holidays behind us, there’s no better way to kick off 2025 than by hitting the dusty trails to fulfill New Year’s resolutions of staying active and connecting with nature.

Recent studies have highlighted the numerous health benefits associated with lacing up your hiking boots for an adventure.

Hiking regularly can enhance cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles and bones and improve balance. A 2023 study published in BMC Public Health found that participants in a winter hiking intervention increased their physical activity levels, which led to better sleep and less stress.

But it isn't all about physical health. Spending time in nature — especially while hiking — has also been linked to better mental health. According to 2024 research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, exposure to green spaces can boost mood, reduce anxiety and lower the risk of depression.

Heather Eliassen, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard, says even those who live in cities and work indoors can and should try to reap the health benefits of nature.

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“If there are some green spaces a short or medium distance from home, try walking or biking to the green space to get the benefits of exercise while getting [there],” she said. “Or, find green space you could incorporate into your commute to or from school or work.”

AllTrails, a website and app that was "founded on the idea that we’re all made better by spending time in nature," makes it easy to find nature areas and hiking trails of varying levels near you.

While searching, the website allows users to set the distance, difficulty level, length, suitability and more.

In Alameda and throughout Alameda County, the website lists dozens of scenic trails — from steep mountainous terrain that can take hours to ascend to quick and "easy" trails along babbling brooks and wildflowers. Here are five trails in and around Alameda to explore:

Search for more hiking trails near you.

ALAMEDA, CA — As the clock ticks toward 2025, Alameda is gearing up for several vibrant celebrations to ring in the New Year.

Whether you're drawn to a lively countdown or a more relaxed toast in a romantic setting, Alameda is setting the stage for a memorable transition into 2025.

Here is a look at some additional events happening in and around town:

If you're looking to make reservations for dinner, the following Alameda restaurants will be open, according to OpenTable:

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In the United States, one of the most popular New Year’s Eve traditions is the dropping of the giant ball in New York City’s Times Square. Other U.S. cities have their own versions of this celebration, such as the Peeps Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho.

The transition from one year to the next is often marked by the singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” a Scottish folk song whose title roughly translates to “days gone by,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com.The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who made promises to return borrowed items and repay debts at the beginning of the new year, which was in mid-March when they planted their crops.

According to legend, if people kept their word, the pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. However, if they broke their promises, they would lose favor with the gods.Many secular New Year’s resolutions focus on imagining new, improved versions of ourselves.

The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report. There are many reasons, but a big one is they’re made out of remorse — for gaining weight, for example — and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude or a plan for coping with the stress and discomfort that comes with changing a habit or condition.