Blogs

Bike story from Afghanistan

I just read this story in the Los Angeles Times about Abdul Hibib, a one-legged bike mechanic. His story is really interesting — he’s a man who has lived through a lot of war and has since dedicated his life to fixing bicycles. What strikes me about Hibib is that he seems to think about bikes and getting around a lot like we do here in the U.S., “With a bicycle, you don’t sit in traffic,” he says. I hear that.

3.24.2010 New Facebook fan page, radio podcast

Happy spring break, everybody! Here at Oakland North, we’re doing a little spring cleaning, getting the place spruced up and adding a few new treats. We’ve just launched Oakland North Radio, our brand-new audio podcast. For our first report, Sam Laird brings us the story of a 60s radical turned kiddie songwriter — give it a listen! We’re also renovating our Oakland North Facebook fan page — we’ll be updating it daily with news links and other information, and using…

3:22:10: The Hunger

Grub O.N. will return shortly. In the meantime, feel free to send us requests, tips and recipes at staff@oaklandnorth.net and join us on our Facebook page.

3.22.10: One year after the Oakland Police Department shootings

Lovelle Mixon,a 26-year-old parolee, killed four Oakland Police Department officers on March 21, 2009 after a traffic stop.  Mixon was shot dead later by other officers on the scene.  The friends and family of the slain OPD officers are coping as best as they can. Mixon was wanted for skipping out on a meeting with his parole officer.  DNA tests showed that Mixon had raped a 12-year-old girl a month earlier, and had raped two women on the morning he…

3.18.10: Let the Sunshine in!

What a lovely day in the East Bay! According to our fabu bike blogger the weather forecast calls for sunny days ahead.  Whether you get out on two wheels or two legs we hope you’re planning to take advantage of it. The tug-o-war regarding the Oakland waterfront is back in the news. The Oakland Community and Economic Development Committee will have a discussion about it next Tuesday at 2 p.m. at 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. Do your homework before you…

Hot days ahead

Look at the weather forecast for the next four days–Spring has finally arrived. Add in day light savings’ longer days and you’ve got the perfect combo for bike riding. Now, after all those weeks of rain, the hills are green and flowers are everywhere. Sunset rides in shorts, night-time rides without a jacket–it’s weeks like this that living in the East Bay couldn’t be better.

3.15.10: Oakland residents, 100 years ago

The 13th U.S. census, taken a century ago, provided an interesting snapshot of the Bay Area, including that 415 of its residents were bartenders and 173 residents were employed as actors/actresses.  With 2010 census forms arriving in homes, it’s an opportunity to reflect back on what historical information can be gleaned from looking at past census. Oakland Police say a person was stabbed following a car accident Sunday night. The recent collapse of the housing market put many people in…

3.14.10: Oakland man fatally shot, OPD supports cancer patients

The Oakland Police Department said a man was shot and killed early this morning on the 800 block of Mead Avenue, an area that has been the site of several killings over the past few years. Sixty members of the Oakland Police Department shaved their heads to support young cancer patients at a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital Oakland St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The proceeds will benefit the hospital’s Hematology/Oncology Department. Some of the University of California’s lowest-paid union workers –…

03.13.10: UC ordered to pay, young mother charged with murder

The University of California has been ordered to pay $38 million in refunds and interest to 2,900 former students whose fees were raised thousands of dollars despite UC’s promise to keep them level. This ruling of a San Francisco judge applies to students who accepted an offer of admission in one of several professional programs – law, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing, pharmacy or business – by August 2003. Payment of the funds could mean an additional burden for current…