Las Positas Launches Living Gallery as Waymo Expands and PWHL Debuts

Student creativity in Livermore, autonomous transit connections across the South Bay corridor, and a milestone in California professional sports highlighted regional news this week as Las Positas College introduced its collaborative “Living Gallery” art exhibition, Waymo expanded its driverless territory to 350 square miles, and the Professional Women’s Hockey League unveiled the San Jose Sea Lions.

Las Positas College Launches Sustainable ‘Living Gallery’ Expo

In Livermore, the Art on Campus Taskforce—a subdivision of the Las Positas Arts and Humanities Department—launched the “Living Gallery” expo in the first week of November, inviting students across all academic pathways from theater to computer science to collaborate on kinetic and immersive artworks ahead of an open-call submission deadline on November 8. Organized by Dean of Arts and Humanities Amy Mattern and Professor Elizabeth Wing-Brooks, the exhibition requires student pieces to incorporate movement, primarily consist of recycled and sustainable materials sourced from Bay Area thrift stores or recycling centers, and focus on themes of nature, conservation, wildlife, and local landscapes, with optional audio or video components.

Drawing inspiration from kinetic sculptors Alexander Calder and Jean Tinguely, the project aims to represent the flora, fauna, and landscape surrounding the Las Positas campus while encouraging students to work individually, with friends, or through campus clubs. Wing-Brooks and Mattern noted that the exhibition builds upon the college’s year-round gallery spaces—including artworks displayed in the 1000 building—by fostering environmental reuse and interdisciplinary artistic expression.

Waymo Expands Autonomous Service to 350 Square Miles

Commuters traveling between the Tri-Valley and Silicon Valley gained new first- and last-mile connections following a November 3 expansion that brought Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service to the Berryessa Transit Center in East San Jose, the Great Mall, the San Jose Fairgrounds, and additional neighborhoods in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno. Company representatives stated that the rollout increases Waymo’s total Bay Area service area to 350 square miles.

While Valley Transportation Authority officials welcomed additional mobility options without formal coordination plans and some riders expressed caution regarding affordability and job impacts, Waymo launched a transit rewards program offering riders $2.85 in credits when they take a Waymo trip and use public buses or light rail within two hours of each other.

San Jose Sea Lions Unveiled as California’s First PWHL Franchise

In downtown San Jose, the Professional Women’s Hockey League officially unveiled the San Jose Sea Lions on Tuesday as California’s first professional women’s hockey team and one of four expansion clubs joining the league for the 2026-27 season. Scheduled to open their inaugural season at home on December 5 at SAP Center alongside the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, the Sea Lions will wear orange and blue uniforms featuring a coastal logo created by women-led PWHL design teams. Mayor Matt Mahan and goaltender Tia Chan celebrated the launch following the Golden State Valkyries’ recent championship run at Chase Center, noting that the Sea Lions name also honors the 1946 San Francisco Sea Lions of the West Coast Negro Baseball Association and pioneering roster member Toni Stone.