Little Free Libraries have sprung up across the Bay Area in recent years in curbside boxes that are as unique as their stewards, from a Victorian steampunk-style version in San Jose to a midcentury mod in Pinole. They’re not outliers, either. The nonprofit that promotes these little book-filled houses has registered more than 150,000 throughout the world.

The idea began in 2009, when Todd H. Bol erected a book-sharing box outside his home in Hudson, Wisconsin. Word spread. Soon, other book lovers began making their own curbside libraries. By 2012, the Little Free Library had incorporated as a nonprofit to promote and inspire neighborhood book exchanges.

The goal is simple: Encourage literacy and the joy of reading by providing free access to books of all kinds. Stewards of the curbside libraries implore their visitors to take a book and to leave one, too. You can keep a book for as long as you like, then pass it along to a friend, return it to the library or replace it with a different one. No one is standing guard or levying late fines.

The Bay Area has hundreds of Little Free Libraries scattered through neighborhoods in every city. You can find a Little Free Library — or the inspiration to create one yourself — via littlefreelibrary.org. Meanwhile, let us introduce you to some of the stewards in Bay Area neighborhoods.

The Victorian steampunk library

Michael and Lori Tierney, 368 N. 64th St., San Jose

Established: 2014

Michael and Lori are both chemists, although Michael is semi-retired. Their Little Free Library, built by Michael with a nod to steampunk and San Jose’s Hensley Historic District, was one of the first 2,000 libraries registered. It’s officially No. 1,878.

“My wife and I both love libraries and books,” Michael says, “and we thought it would be a neat thing to do.”

The couple put stickers in each book that passes through the library, and have so far seen more than 7,000 books come and go.

A few years ago, the library was vandalized — twice — and Michael considered taking it down. When neighbors heard, they rallied behind the little library, encouraging him to continue it and donating money for repairs and books to restock. Michael needed no other convincing.

What’s in the library: At the moment, options include “Hey Ranger 2: More True Tales of Humor & Misadventure from the Great Outdoors” by Jim Burnett, “Red Storm Rising” by Tom Clancy and “CMOS VLSI Design” by M.S. Suma.

A cottage of books

Gillianna Diaz, 430 Boulder Drive, Antioch

Established: 2020

Gillianna’s Blessing Library, contained in a cottage-style box, is the work of 13-year-old Gillianna Diaz, a seventh grader at Antioch’s Holy Rosary Catholic school. Gillianna has always wanted to help others in her community. When she learned about the Little Free Libraries, she told her mother she wanted to open one.

To raise funds for the library, Gillianna used the money she’d earned doing chores to buy chocolates that she sold outside her house, lemonade stand-style. When word got out about what she was trying to do, people from all over Antioch began contributing. She raised $500 in three days.

Sticks and Stones Creations, a local company that does custom carpentry, offered to make Gillianna’s library box on two conditions: that she help build it and that she donate the money she would have paid for the box to charity. No problem. Gillianna enjoyed learning how to build the box. Already a volunteer for Hijas Del Campo, a group that assists migrant farm workers, she used the money to purchase Christmas baskets for the workers and their families.

Although Gillianna has struggled with her own reading, she recognizes the importance of books and literacy, says her proud mother, Nereida Sarat.

What’s in the library: “Dune” by Frank Herbert, “A Feast for Crows” by George R.R. Martin, “Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville

The Miniature House

Rynn Liana Boyden, 263 Sullivan Court, Pleasanton

Established: February 2022

When COVID shut down communities, many people found themselves with a lot of free time. Rynn, a barista who attends Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, began taking walks around their neighborhood, which boasts several Little Free Libraries.

An avid reader, Rynn decided to open their own library. Embarking on a little research beforehand, Rynn checked out all the libraries they could find, taking note of the style of the box, the colors used and the selection of books inside. They borrowed a book from each library to include in theirs, then purchased a custom-made box from Etsy, painting and decorating it to match their own suburban home.

The library is stocked with Rynn’s own favorite books and those they purchased thrifting.

“Reading is very important for our community. I love doing it,” Rynn says. “I think (this) is also a good place for people to donate books and to share what they read.”

What’s in the library: “Richard Scarry’s Best Storybook Ever” by Richard Scarry, “A Light in the Attic” by Shel Silverstein, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins

The Midcentury Modern Library

Nicole Botha, 960 Barkley Court, Pinole

Established: 2020

Nicole was still a newcomer to Pinole when she came across her first Little Free Library. She thought it was not only a great idea in general, but a good way to get to know her neighbors and become part of the community.

“I’ve lived in areas where I never got to know my neighbors,” she says. The Little Free Library “has been a bright spot for the community.”

Nicole and her husband built the library box themselves, giving it a midcentury modern feel, and keep it well stocked with help from random donations, including boxes of books left alongside the library.

What’s in the library: “Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff: Stories of Tough Times and Lessons Learned” by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, “A Time for Mercy” by John Grisham; “Port Mortuary” by Patricia Cornwell

The Eagle Project

Brian Coons, 557 Kahrs Ave., Pleasant Hill

Established: 2018

The Little Free Library outside Pleasant Hill’s Episcopal Church of the Resurrection is one of the larger libraries in the area, with six shelves packed with a variety of books. The library box was an Eagle Scout project done by then College Park High student Brian, who did all the planning, fundraising, construction and initial stocking of the library.

Now that Brian is at UC Davis, his dad, Richard Coons, has taken over stewardship of the library. He says it is organic and pretty much takes care of itself. People take books and drop off books. The shelves always are filled, and Richard just keeps an eye on it to make sure nothing is amiss.

What’s in the library: “Treasure Island” by Robert Lewis Stevenson, “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown, “Dancing in the Light” by Shirley MacLaine

Little Free Libraries by the numbers

Some 250 million books have been shared through registered Little Free Libraries, profoundly increasing book access for readers of all ages and backgrounds.

More than 1,500 Little Free Libraries have been opened at no cost in communities where they are needed most, through the organization’s Impact Library Program.

Eleven cities have adopted the Read in Color initiative, which has distributed more than 30,000 diverse books celebrating BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized voices, and other communities have joined the Native American initiative to provide books on reservations.

Worldwide, 115 countries have joined the Little Free Library network.

The Paradise Skate owner and his staff were caught off-guard by the all-day New Year’s Eve rain that pummeled the region, having no time to add sandbags and spray foam in the cracks to fortify the business before water poured in, flooding the building and effectively shutting it down the only roller rink in eastern Contra Costa County for months to come.

“There was lots of water everywhere and it penetrated the building and came through the drains that normally shouldn’t have anything in them,” manager Bob Bruce said. “And once it gets in, the wood will soak it up.”

Warrenburg, who was away at the time, said the building had six inches of water surrounding it.

“The problem was when it came so fast like it did, we did not get time to seal all the doors like we normally do,” he said.

Warrenburg’s staff later added some 200 sandbags around the building and was able to seal the doors to prevent more water from seeping into the rink and are now standing by to pump it out if needed when the next storm hits.

“It comes in very minimal and you just take a shop vac and suck it up and then you pour the water out … and we can keep the damage minimal if we can do that,” he said.

In the meantime, his 16 employees – some just hired – are out of work until the rain stops, the fixes are made and they can reopen. It’s a timeframe Warrenburg is unsure of at this point while he waits for estimates to replace the rink’s 9,300-square-foot maplewood floating floor and the surrounding carpet among other items.

He’s also had to cancel dozens of parties, classes and other events that were scheduled, the rink owner said.

“I’m giving refunds like crazy,” he said.

Michelle Higby of Concord coaches an artistic roller skating club and runs classes four times a week at the Antioch rink and was disheartened to hear of the water damage and temporary closure.

“We’ve worked really hard to build the club,” she said. “And, it’s mostly heartbreaking for those kids since this was going to be our first full season since before COVID.

“It’s pretty hard on some of the kids because they’re getting old enough to be committed on their own (to the sport),” Higby added. “It’s not just fun; they’ve got goals that they’re trying to meet.”

Bruce suggested that it would be eight to 12 weeks before the rink can reopen, and that also depends on the supply chain, and how fast materials can be shipped.

“It’s a major guess,” he said, noting they’d keep customers aware of progress on their Facebook page.

Warrenburg, who bought the business – formerly called Roller Haven – in 2008 and leases the building from the state, is no stranger to flooding. Operating as a roller rink since 1969, the structure is located at the county fairgrounds, near a creek that flows to the San Joaquin River and is prone to flooding during high tides and torrential rain storms.

In 2009, more than a quarter of the rink’s wooden floors were damaged when 18 inches of rain surrounded his building, but even so, there was less damage because they were able to protect the building with sandbags and foam before the deluge hit.

“We’re not flooded around our building at this point – the water comes and goes – so water comes up and floods us and then after the tide goes down and the water goes out, the water goes away from our buildings,” he said. “ When the water is up against our building, whether it’s one inch, two inches or six inches, we have water coming through some of the cracks, and we use shop vacuums and sump pumps to get the water out.”

Bruce said he’s hoping the rain will stop long enough to dry things out and get back in the building and make some repair estimates.

“Mother Nature needs to stop raining right now,” he said. “We’ve got (the building) sealed and barricaded and sandbagged just to keep everything else from getting ruined.”

Rainwater causes seasonal flooding around the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds area. The county’s flood control district made improvements to the stormwater system in 1993, but a gap was left near the area of 10th and O streets because of a lack of funding. Additional culverts were added in 2012, paid for from a Department of Water Resources fund for flood prevention.

Now Warrenburg is hoping there will be federal or state disaster relief funding to help him renovate the flooded-out center, which he estimates will cost somewhere uo to $400,000 in repairs. Unfortunately, his flood insurance lapsed while he was changing insurance companies, he said.

“We don’t know when it’s gonna flood again. … We’re just kind of watching the news. We keep watching the creek, so we stay on top of it.”

Despite the challenges, the hardy business owner has no intention of leaving because he said he really enjoys running a family entertainment business.

“Yeah, we do have to put up with this flooding, and usually, it’s a lot of work every winter, especially when there’s wet winters, but it’s worth it,” Warrenburg said. “It’s been like 15 years (since significant rain damage); however, this time the rain got us.”

Paris Baguette: This Asian-inspired Parisian bakery and cafe concept continues its Bay Area expansion with its first and only Contra Costa County location. Tri Valley and South Bay residents already have a taste for Paris Baguette’s large variety of fresh-baked breads, gourmet pastries — hello, curry croquette and sugar mochi doughnut — salads, gourmet sandwiches and cakes. Soon, you will, too. Opening: Mid-February. 124A/B Crescent Drive, Pleasant Hill; www.parisbaguette.com

Morgan Territory Brewing: Tracy’s state-of-the-art craft brewery is making its way west. At the second location, you’ll be able to partake in a large and comprehensive program of award-winning beers, including porters, hazy IPAs, amber ales and much more. The Tracy location has Taco Tuesdays with food trucks and weekend events, too. Opening: Early summer. 14A Crescent Drive, Pleasant Hill; https://morganterritorybrewing.com

Small Cakes: This small Danville bakery is bringing its wide variety of cupcakes and dessert jars to downtown Pleasant Hill. In addition to a rotating cupcake of the day, they offer a dozen flavors, some quite unique, including Caramel Crunch, Boston Cream Pie and Hot Fudge Sundae. They do gluten-free and minis cupcakes as well. Opening: April. 9B Crescent Drive, Pleasant Hill; https://smallcakesdanville.com

Gregory Prokopowicz, 44, pleaded guilty last year to murdering Roselyn Policarpio, a Walnut Creek resident who had dated Prokopowicz for two years and told family members she was planning to break up with him that day. But Prokopwicz’s lawyer argued he should be found legally insane at the time of the shooting, which would have resulted in Prokopwicz being sent to a mental institution in lieu of prison.

Prokowicz launched an appeal of Judge Charles “Ben” Burch’s ruling last Dec. 21, court records show. His attorney declined to comment.

Deputy District Attorney Rachel Piersig, who prosecuted the case, praised Burch’s decision.

“This was a horrific domestic violence-related murder in which a young woman was senselessly murdered,” Piersig said in an email to this newspaper. “Prokopowicz will be serving 25 years to life in prison for his actions. It is our hope that his sentencing will bring a sense of justice to the family members of the victim.”

Under state law, prosecutors must prove that a person understood the nature of his or her act, or understood that it was wrong, in order to establish a criminal defendant was legally sane. Knowledge of wrongdoing can be proved by evidence the defendant tried to cover up the crime or elude police.

After the murder, Prokopowicz told Policarpio’s son over the phone that he’d killed her. He fled the area, and was located that evening in Martinez, where police initiated what became a standoff that lasted 19 hours and ended with Prokopowicz’s arrest.

Prokopowicz remains in the Martinez Detention Facility on a no-bail hold, pending transfer to state prison, court records show.

State must acceleratewater-storage projects

Water, water everywhere and nary a drop to drink. A parade of atmospheric rivers is drenching California with an estimated 22 trillion gallons of rain, enough to cover the entire state with up to six inches of water. Tragically, we’re capturing only a fraction of it while $2.7 billion approved by voters in 2014 to expand water storage sits largely idle.

The seven projects included in Prop. 1 have the collective capacity to increase the state’s water storage by 900 billion gallons, enough to supply up to 2.7 million homes for a year. But nearly five years after initial funding was awarded, none of the projects has yet broken ground.

It’s absolutely critical we accelerate these projects to begin storing water that can help us blunt future droughts. California and the federal government must work together on ways to streamline permits for infrastructure projects essential for adapting to climate change.

Jim WundermanPresident and CEO, Bay Area CouncilPleasant Hill

Concord should reopenNWS project to bids

The East Bay Times hit the nail on the head with its editorial on Jan. 6 calling for a better master developer than Seeno for the Naval Weapons Station (“Concord can do better than the Seeno III group,” Page A6).

Seeno and its Concord First Partners have proven incapable of meeting promises made to Concord during the selection process and those negotiated with construction unions over one year prior. Now Seeno wants Concord residents to bear the burden of its shortcomings by changing the specific plan to incorporate over 30% more homes, resulting in mind-boggling traffic in North Concord and the 680/242/4 highway interchange.

Changing the specific plan requires allowing other developers to submit competitive term sheets for comparison. It’s not possible to know if Concord is getting the best deal without having another developer make a counteroffer to Seeno’s.

Council must let the exclusive negotiating agreement with Seeno expire and proceed with a competitive process to get the best deal.

Hope JohnsonConcord

FTB is wrongfullyreporting inflation relief

As if delays and glitches in sending state Inflation Relief payments weren’t bad enough, the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is causing more headaches by notifying the IRS that many of the payments may be subject to federal income tax.

In its November Tax News newsletter, FTB stated recipients of payments of $600 or more will receive IRS Form 1099-MISC. This alerts the IRS to look for the income on your tax return. However, these payments are most likely not taxable for federal, and definitely not taxable for California, but few taxpayers will be aware of these rules and may pay taxes they don’t owe. FTB has not explained why they are treating these payments differently from previous years’ Golden State Stimulus payments, for which they did not report anything to the IRS, nor why they have not just asked the IRS for guidance.

Thanks for nothing, FTB.

Mark BoleWalnut Creek

House Republicansplot political revenge

So here we are in 2023 with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. This clown car includes names like Greene, Boebert, Jacobs, Gaetz, Scalise, and of course, McCarthy from California.

What is their agenda for America with an ongoing pandemic, climate change, police violence, gun control, voting rights, abortion rights, and so on? Political revenge.

The minority party led by an insurrectionist has no plans to improve the lives of anyone but themselves: greed, anger and power. And while they’re at it, good luck ever explaining George Santos.

Stuart ShicoffMartinez

Let’s celebrate heroesof the Jan. 6 breach

Re. “Survey: Few in GOP see Jan. 6 as a tragic day,” Page A1, Jan. 7:

Last week, House Republicans, some of whom were complicit in the attempt to change the presidential election outcome, took control of Congress because regular people seemed to have forgotten the horror of that infamous day and reelected these traitors.

Let’s remind everyone which party (Republicans) tried to destroy our democracy and which party (Democrats) saved it. Let’s start commemorating January 6 as “Defend Democracy Day.” If we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

Sandy WhiteFremont

The new law is intended to ensure that seniors and other adults — in particular those who rely on cannabis for medicinal reasons — have access marijuana vaping products. Proposed by Supervisor Diane Burgis, the ordinance allows permitted cannabis retailers located in unincorporated areas to sell and deliver the products.

The ordinance passed 3-2 with supervisors Federal Glover and Candace Anderson voting no.

During the first reading of the ordinance on Dec. 6, Burgis said the motivation behind the revised ordinance was that the 2019 law hurt seniors and other adults who rely on cannabis vaping products for both recreational and medical reasons. In particular, it affected homebound seniors in unincorporated areas, she said.

“What we’re trying to do by having policies here in Contra Costa County is to give people a way to access safe products,” Burgis said.

At the December meeting, both Glover and Anderson voted against the ordinance, saying it would send mixed messages to the public and betray an effort led by Contra Costa youth who wanted the ban in the first place.

“We clearly took a leadership position back in 2019 when we had a number of our students throughout this county that came before us and asked for the leadership to put this ban in place,” Glover said. “And I’m not going to turn away from that. I think it’s important that that we listen to our youth when they cry out and ask for this help.”

Glover said there is no evidence “that vaping does not cause problems to individuals” and partially lifting the ban would send “false messages or confusing messages to our public that it’s OK to do this this while at the same time saying that we want to prevent it.”

On Tuesday, groups advocating for cannabis access told the Board of Supervisors that banning pot vape products has created an illicit black market for the product and disproportionately affected vulnerable populations who rely on cannabis primarily for medical reasons.

Renee Lee, a resident of the retirement community of Rossmoor who runs an organization with a mission to help seniors legally access and safety use cannabis, said the majority of medicinal cannabis users in the unincorporated community near Walnut Creek prefer vaping.

“I am so happy,” Lee said after Tuesday’s vote. “It’s like a big weight off my shoulders … (the ordinance) had been very unfair.”

Sarah Armstrong of American for Safe Access, the country’s largest and oldest advocacy organization for medical cannabis patients, said forcing people to travel medicinal marijuana “often stimulates a black market because they simply cannot go to the nearest dispensary if they don’t have one near them.”

Before the vote, Burgis emphasized that the ordinance makes no change to the current ban of tobacco and flavored tobacco vaping products; nor does it allow for new dispensaries in unincorporated areas.

“This does allow the sale of one particular set of cannabis products, which are already sold in many cities of Contra Costa County and are available to purchase in nearly every other part of the state that has approved cannabis retail sales,” she said.

In passing the ordinance, the board also directed Contra Costa Health Services to begin working on an awareness program about the dangers of youth cannabis vaping. Supervisor John Gioia said creation of such a program was a major factor in his decision to support the new legislation.

#TurnAroundDontDrown is the social media message being blasted by the National Weather Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the AAA Northern California. Even seemingly shallow water from an overflowing creek can be deadly, especially if the current is moving swiftly. More than half of flood-related drownings occur when someone drives into hazardous water, the NWS and CDC say.

Know how to drive safely around floodwater:

Don't drive into flooded areas & standing water. #TurnAroundDontDrown
Don't move or drive around roadblocks.
Don't drive over a downed power line.

Learn more: https://t.co/iBzztwnvWJ. #PrepYourHealth #WeatherReady pic.twitter.com/Tf2VdGdwRP

— CDC Emergency (@CDCemergency) January 7, 2023

It appears that a number of motorists haven’t been aware of these dangers since the first of the series of record-setting atmospheric rivers hit on New Year’s Eve. Images of cars, stalled and abandoned in rising waters, have been abundant in the news and on social media over the past week.

The NWS says to “NEVER” drive through flooded roadways, using capital letters to emphasize that message. That’s because a motorist can’t know the condition of the road under the water; it may be washed out.

As few as six inches of water can reach the bottom of most passenger cars and cause drivers to lose control or their vehicles to stall, putting them and their passengers at risk of drowning, the NWS said. Twelve inches of water will float many vehicles, and two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles, including larger and heavier SUVs and pickups.

If you end up in a flooded area, and water begins rising around your car, the NWS says you should abandon your vehicle immediately and move to higher ground. Amid rising floodwaters, you’re danger that you and your vehicle will be swept away.

There also are other dangers from going near floodwaters — a reality that seemed lost on people who were recorded climbing on rafts to ride the floodwaters that had suddenly turned their neighborhood streets into rushing rivers.

In fact, those floodwaters may be teeming with household or industrial hazardous waste, sewage and other contaminants — all of which can make people very sick, the CDC said. People also can be injured by branches, lumber, sharp glass or metal fragments and other debris swirling around in the water water. If you must enter floodwater, wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles, the CDC also said. People also should never go near power lines or drive through standing water if down lines are in the water.

Here are photos from around the region:

The National Weather Service said 5.46 inches of measured rain fell in downtown San Francisco between midnight and 8 p.m., making it the second-largest day of rainfall ever in that city. According to meteorologist Jan Null, the only day to see more rain in downtown San Francisco was Nov. 5, 1994, when 5.54 inches fell. Saturday’s rain surpassed the 4.67 inches that fell on Jan. 29, 1881.

In downtown Oakland, the 3.69 inches that fell between midnight and 3 p.m. set a mark for the most rain on the final day of a year. The previous mark, set in 2005, was 1.81 inches, according to the weather service. Records have been kept since 1849.

The nonstop rain created chaos throughout the Bay Area, from San Ramon, where police deployed an armored vehicle to help evacuate residents from flooded roads and homes, to Santa Cruz County, where flooding hit downtown Soquel in the early evening.

Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies and fire department personnel rescued 19 elderly patients from a long-term care facility in Castro Valley.

The California Highway Patrol closed Highway 101 in South San Francisco for much of the day because of major flooding and diverted all traffic to Interstate 280. The northbound lanes were reopened around 8 p.m., and southbound lanes were reopened around 9 p.m.

The CHP also closed Interstate 580 in both directions at the 150th Avenue exit because of flooding. Three lanes were closed on westbound I-580 at Eden Canyon Road for two hours after a mudslide.

In the Santa Cruz Mountains, an active slide closed Highway 9 between Bear Creek Road and Riverdale Boulevard. The CHP reported it would take several days to clear the debris.

A large tree fell onto westbound I-580 east of Keller Avenue just after noon and blocked at least two lanes of the freeway.Later, the same thing happened on westbound I-580 at Highway 13 in the East Bay and on southbound I-280 near the Westborough Boulevard exit on the Peninsula.

In Palo Alto, police said Pope Chaucer Bridge was flooded by 11:30 a.m. and told residents to take precautions as the water levels of the San Francisquito Creek rose. That same creek runs past Stanford Shopping Center, the Vi retirement center and the Ronald McDonald House for families of kids under treatment at Stanford hospital.

The El Camino Real underpass at University Avenue also was flooded and not passable, police said. Also closed were Quarry Road between Palo Alto Avenue and El Camino Real; Palo Alto Avenue between Chaucer and Seneca streets; and University Avenue between Middlefield Road and Woodland Avenue.

Alameda Creek near Fremont also had gone above its flood stage levels, according to the weather service. The creek was 4 feet above flood stage before noon and was expected to rise another foot before peaking. The Tice Creek in Walnut Creek also flooded, forcing the closure of Tice Valley Boulevard and trapping one person’s car.

In Pleasant Hill, 88-year-old Patsy Costello was rescued after being trapped in her vehicle for over an hour on Astrid Drive. She had driven her car on the flooded street, thinking she could make it, when it stalled in 2 feet of water. Nurse Katie Leonard, who lives down the block, used her kayak to bring Costello hot tea, blankets, food and a phone to call a friend.

Wind advisories remained in effect throughout the day. Wind gusts whipped up to 63 mph at Loma Prieta in the Santa Cruz Mountains; 60 mph at the Black Diamond Mines in Antioch; 55 mph on the Peninsula; and 50 mph in Livermore.

“It’s what we expected,” NWS meteorologist Ryan Walbrun said of the storm. “We don’t expect it to stall or lose strength. It’s moving steadily.”

The storm was having its most powerful impact in the mountains and hills. By 3 p.m. Saturday, about 8 inches of rain had fallen over a 24-hour period in Ben Lomond in the Santa Cruz Mountains and close to 5 inches fell over the same time on Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County.

Danville received almost 5½ inches of rain over the same period, while 3 ¾ inches dumped at the Oakland and San Francisco airports. A bit more than 3 inches fell in Richmond, and 2 ¾ inches fell in Walnut Creek and Concord.

San Jose received less than a quarter-inch of rain during the 24 hours before noon, while an area near Coyote Creek received barely more than a half-inch. Those areas were hit harder later Saturday.

“The main part of the rain is pretty much over most of the Bay Area, and the areas from Marin, Alameda and Contra Costa (counties) were getting the brunt of it,” Walbrun said Saturday morning. “We expect it to stay that way roughly through noon to 2 p.m., then it will shift more toward the South Bay and the Central Coast.”

Even before then, flooding closed Niles Canyon and mudslides did the same to Morris Canyon east of Canyon Heights. Niles Canyon was expected to be open by 8 p.m., but Morris Canyon might be closed for days, police said. Police also closed Paseo Padre Parkway after power lines collapsed and fell at Olive Avenue.

The CHP shut down Highway 92 between the lower lakes and Main Street in Half Moon Bay from about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All lanes on southbound Highway 17 also were closed near the Alma College Road exit because of flooding, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP’s daily log of highway incidents remained above 100 through the morning and early afternoon. Most of the incidents were minor vehicle collisions and traffic hazards caused by the rain.

The Bay Area’s most famous flood-prone river, the Russian River, didn’t get enough rain to flood. And Coyote Creek in San Jose, which flooded in February 2017, causing $100 million damage to downtown San Jose, also was in OK shape throughout the day. It was forecast to peak around 9 p.m. Saturday at 1 foot below its flood stage.

Multiple rockslides shut down Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo County to within 2½ miles of Big Sur in Monterey County. The California Department of Transportation did not have an estimate for when it would reopen.

The weather also made for miserable going on BART. The system endured a major delay about 1:30 p.m. because of trains with mechanical issues and the rain. Flooding forced part of the Montgomery Street station in San Francisco to be closed, and BART also had to stop its Oakland Airport Connector service for about a 15-minute stretch.

The rain will clear out of the region by Sunday, Walbrun said. But the appearance of the sun will be only a brief one, with more light rain expected on Monday before a third atmospheric river storm bears down on the region.

“We’re already watching that one,” Walbrun said.

That third storm is expected to arrive by Wednesday.

Staff writers Paul Rogers, Martha Ross and Julia Prodis Sulek contributed to this report.

Police arrested the 58-year-old man on suspicion of felony arson after the blaze in the 1400 block of Contra Costa Boulevard, Pleasant Hill police Corp. Allan Roan said in a statement. One officer shot the suspect with a non-lethal bean bag during the incident, Roan said.

Fire crews extinguished the blaze.

The suspect was the only person who came away injured in the blaze, Roan said. Those injuries were caused by self-inflicted knife wounds that were not life-threatening, he said. The suspect remained hospitalized early Wednesday and will be booked into the Martinez Detention Facility upon his release, Roan said.

Police and fire crews responded about 9 p.m. to a report of an explosion and smoke at a first-floor apartment and arrived to find the unit engulfed in flames.

Several people called Pleasant Hill police to report seeing a man limping away from the apartment complex with two large kitchen knives, Roan said. Police located him shortly after arriving.

The suspect refused officers’ commands and began to cut himself with the knives, Roan said. That’s when the officer used the bean bag to detain the suspect, he said.

Police did not identify the officer who fired the bean bag.

Roan said arson investigators with the Contra Costa Fire Protection District located evidence at the apartment that indicated the suspect intentionally set the fire. Police later confirmed the suspect was the only resident of the unit that burned.

The two other apartments were damaged by fire and smoke.

Police continue to investigate and encouraged anyone with information to contact them at 925-288-4630.