By Samson Reiny/Oakland North Ever wondered what Oakland’s Lake Merritt sounds like at 4am? Without being there, you could have listened any time of the day if you were within a mile’s range and tuned in to 87.9 FM from April to July of 2007. Normally a jangle of static on the dial, the frequency was temporarily the site of “Talking Homes,” a radio program where 12 to 15 residents living near Lake Merritt volunteered to set up low-power transmitters…
As the California heat begins to usher in the summer, as well as usher water enthusiasts into the swimming pools, counties, including Alameda County, are integrating a new federal law that will further protect people from accidental drownings in public pools and spas.
Many of us in the Bay Area love animals. I can’t help petting dogs when they’re sitting with their owners outside a cafe or waiting patiently for them outside the grocery store. It’s not a surprise that I would gravitate toward volunteering at the local humane society, and it’s perfectly okay–dogs and cats are so so cute. But if you’re maybe interested in caring for the less-championed of the animal kingdom, there are lot’s of opportunities. Ever thought your neighborhood…
It’s the little things that count, and boy, do we need a lot of little things right now.
Hawaiians struggle in their native islands against the forces of tourism and militarism, according to Ikaika Hussey, publisher of the Hawaii Independent, a Honolulu-based newspaper devoted to in-depth coverage of local issues. On Sunday, March 15, at the Eastside Cultural Center in downtown Oakland, Hussey, joined by Malia Connor, founder of the Malia Movement Company, presented “Hawaiian Native Lands: Seized, Not Ceded,” a combination dance performance and discussion focused on Native Hawaiian struggles.
Her water broke. They grabbed what they needed, scrambled out of the house and hit the road. The couple finally arrived, and it wasn’t a minute too soon. The husband jumped out of the car and rushed inside to the counter. “I’ll take two hot dogs please—to go!” he said. “I can’t tell you how many times that’s happened, how many pregnant women wanted Kasper’s hot dogs before they went to the hospital,” said a smiling Harry Yaglijian, third generation…
History could very well be in the balance as the state supreme court hears arguments on the constitutionality of Prop 8, the measure that define marriage as between a man and a woman. According to San Jose Mercury News, there’s quite a ruckus in the city. And the Associated Press reports that the Cook County, IL. (which includes Chicago) sheriff is filing a federal lawsuit against the popular website Craigslist for promoting prostitution on a major scale. Regardless of merits of the…
If you’re looking for a project that will have a sure and immediate impact on someone’s quality of life, you might be interested in Rebuilding Together, a non-profit committed to improving the lives of low-income senior citizens and disabled persons through free repair work or improvements to their homes. Next month is National Rebuilding Day, when volunteers nationwide spend two days rehabbing homes in a blitz of positive and transformative work. Whether it’s installing grab bars, fixing leaky roof, or…
Good morning ya’ll. For all you exhibitionists out there, according to the San Mateo County Times, SFO has introduced full-body image scanners as another option for passengers to gain security clearance. A 3-D makeup of your body is rendered on a screen, naughty bits and all. I haven’t been to the gym lately, so I think I’ll pass. Speaking of showing some skin, according to the Contra Costa Times, skin melanomas are on the rise in the United States. It’s increasing…
Jason Witt is an Olympian of recycling—he can recycle up to 800 pounds of bottles and cans a day. “He’s the captain of his ship,” said Amir Soltani, a writer and activist who has been following Witt for the past year as part of his upcoming documentary on West Oakland recyclers. Soltani said there is a lot of physical effort and finesse involved in manning a cart the size of Witt’s, which, at the end of each day, is stacked…
Winter has finally arrived, and it’s making its presence known. According to the Tribune, the rough weather has created flight delays at both SFO and Oakland airports today. And tax credits seem to be raining down in California particular hard as well lately. According to the San Mateo County Times, for whoever can manage, buying a home in the Golden State now might be a good bargain, with both state and federal incentives providing some nice savings. I suppose some profit is…
According to the Tribune, UC Berkeley journalism student Rhyen Coombs has won the Dorothea Lange Fellowship for her work and photography on what people leave behind in their foreclosed homes. And it’s nice to see empowered youth take a stand in West Oakland to improve public health.
Who can think about installing alternative energy resources at home with an economy like this? Well, according to the Chronicle, some Berkeleyans are doing it as a part of the city’s new solar financing program. With some major tax credit and rebate assistance, you too can go solar too. Just hurry when the next application window opens–nine minutes was the time it took for all available spots to be filled last cycle. But for the 1 million people laid off,…
Good afternoon everyone. There’s a few things of note in today’s news, and it’s all BART. First is its $34 million debt, as reported by the Contra Costa Times. But, contrary to what you might think, they’re not raising fares or reducing services! (Not this time around at least) But despite the financial reprieve, BART board of directors have other issues to face. The same article reports on the controversy involving BART’s hiring of a law firm performing an independent investigation into…
Many of Oakland’s community health problems can be traced to a history of bad city planning and land use, an expert from the Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD) said last Wednesday during a panel discussion at the American Institute of Architects East Bay offices in downtown Oakland. Sandra Witt, the County’s deputy director of planning policy and health equity, referred often to a report published last year called “Life and Death from Unnatural Causes: Health and Social Inequity in…
By SAMSON REINY Oct. 29–With grandeur befitting the opening ceremony of the Tour de France, BART officials and employees staged a decorous introduction to the new BikeLink Bicycle Locker System this morning near the front entrance of the MacArthur BART station. With the new system, bicyclists can now store their bikes and gear in large lockers at various BART locations in the East Bay. Members of BART’s board of directors and Bicycle Task Force representatives commenced the event by pedaling…