North Oakland Now: March 13, 2009
on March 13, 2009
Good morning, North Oakland!
The Chron’s Oakland columnist, Chip Johnson, reports that major crimes – particularly killings – have subsided so far this year just as more officers and new outreach workers have been deployed in the city. Since Jan. 1, felony crimes against people and property have dropped 23 percent; homicides alone decreased by 50 percent, to 14 slayings from 29 over the same period a year ago and robberies fell by 16 percent during the same period, while auto theft dropped by one-third. Home burglaries, though, have increased by 1 percent compared with a year ago.
But as these crime statistics come out, murders continue to happen, the Oakland Tribune reported a shooting in Oakland Thursday afternoon claimed the city’s 14th homicide victim this year and left two others injured, according to police. No suspects have been arrested.
City Attorney John Russo’s office has filed five lawsuits against banks and real-estate brokers, alleging numerous illegal evictions under Oakland’s tenant-protection law.
Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums and City Council President Jane Brunner sent a letter to Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig on Thursday asking him to name a point person from his office to work with city officials on a plan to keep the A’s in Oakland.
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