Business

In an unexpected twist, BART unions will be going on strike at midnight after federal mediators announced they are returning to Washington after failing to help broker a deal.

A strike by the bus line would have left thousands of riders without their usual transportation on Thursday.

At the annual Spirit of Halloween party, patients at the Children’s Hospital don costumes donated by the seasonal store Spirit of Halloween, which pops up in warehouses across the U.S. in the weeks leading up to the holiday.

If there was one clear message at the West Coast Economic Summit in downtown Oakland last week, it was this: Latino businesses are booming.

This Thursday kicks off the American Dream Event, a free, five-day financial fair for homeowners who are looking for ways to lower their monthly mortgage payments and for homebuyers who want to take out a loan.

Governor Jerry Brown is weighing a request by AC Transit management for a 60-day cooling off period in the planned strike by the bus line’s workers, which otherwise could happen as early as this Thursday.

BART talks will continue into Tuesday, despite union threats to strike at midnight Monday.

The Bay Area’s Monday commute won’t be affected by a BART strike, but workers make no promises about Tuesday.

A Friday morning BART strike was averted, but the possibility remains as talks between union leaders and BART management will continue through the weekend.