A testy exchange between a judge and the defense attorney for  former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle Wednesday perked up an otherwise dry  hearing on the defense's motion to move Mehserle's high-profile trial away  from Alameda County. Mehserle, 27, is charged with murder for the shooting death of  unarmed passenger Oscar Grant III, 22, at the Fruitvale station in Oakland  early New Year's Day after he and other officers were called to the station  in response to reports of a fight on a train.

BART directors voted unanimously Thursday to approve contract  agreements with two of the agency's largest unions, bringing to an end a  long-running drama that nearly led to a strike last month. The contracts approved are for Amalgamated Transit Union  Local 1555, which represents about 900 train operators, station agents and  power workers, and American Federation of Local, State and Municipal  Employees Union Local 3993, which represents roughly 200 middle managers.

BART's board of directors voted unanimously today to unilaterally implement terms and conditions of employment for members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, a move that could lead to a strike. BART management held a special meeting today and in a 9-0 vote approved imposing the terms after the union rejected BART's final contract offer in negotiations Wednesday night.

BART management has declared an impasse in contract talks with the  transit agency's second-largest union, a move that could set the stage for a  possible strike. BART chief spokesman Linton Johnson said management ended its  talks with leaders of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555, which represents  about 900 train operators, station agents and power workers, at 9:45 p.m.  Wednesday night after the union rejected BART's "last, best and final"  contract offer.

Bay Area Rapid Transit’s largest union is voting today on management’s latest contract offer. Carlos Rivera, spokesperson for Local 1021 of the Service Employees International Union, says the results will be available sometime after 8 p.m. Thursday. He declined to predict the outcome of the vote, however, saying the union’s leaders want to let the membership decide.