Beach Boardwalk Opens | 800 Teddy Bears Donated: Saturday Smiles

The holiday weekend is here and as Bay Area counties slowly progress to less restrictive tiers more attractions are open. This week, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk officially welcomed guests back and the Monterey Bay Aquarium announced reopening plans.

Patch has 12 uplifting Northern California stories guaranteed to make your weekend even better.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Announces Reopening Plans

• Find out when you might be able to snag tickets for one of California's most renowned, beloved aquariums.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Reopens; Reservations Now Open

• Find out which rides might be up and running again as the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk looks to reopen.

Concord Officer Credited With Saving Toddler's Life With Narcan

• On Friday night Officer Aaron Khamosh was on patrol when he was stopped on Salvio Street by a driver frantically asking for help.

800 Teddy Bears Donated To San Ramon Valley Group Homes, Shelters

• For some recipients, hugging a teddy bear was the first hug they'd had in a year, said Mayor Renee Morgan.

Over 1 Million Meals, Food Boxes Provided To NorCal, Nevada

• From March 2020 to March 2021, The Salvation Army provided 1,073,096 meals and food boxes throughout the North Bay, East Bay and beyond.

San Anselmo’s Abel Liu Breaks Barriers At UVA

• The San Anselmo resident became the nation’s first openly transgender student government president at any university.

Fremont Native Karen Chen Secures USA Skating Spots For Olympics

• Chen, 21, skated at the 2021 World Figure Skating Championship in Stockholm's Ericsson Globe Friday.

'Spread More Love': Peninsula March Stands Up To Anti-Asian Hate

• The family-friendly event, organized by five mothers and Peninsula residents, saw a large turnout from people of all ages.

SSU Theatre Arts & Dance Presents 'Sonnets For An Old Century'

• The completely virtual production debuts April 8 and runs through April 11. See the trailer here.

Philz Coffee Opens San Ramon Location

• The much-anticipated Bay Area favorite known for its pour-overs and signature mint springs opened up shop this week in the Tri-Valley.

Za'atar Rack Of Lamb + Pistachio-Mint Sauce: Recipes Of The Week

• Danville chef Aly Romero is sharing a delicious lamb recipe perfect for Easter Sunday. Get the recipe and find out how to submit your own.

Dreamy Green Tahini Dressing: Cooking With Courtney

• A 4-ingredient dressing or dipping sauce for salads, Buddha bowls, veggies, wraps, sandwiches or pretty much anything. Get the recipe.

If you have an idea for a nice news story in your town, let us know. Email your story tips to autumn.johnson@patch.com.