Blogs

Train splits bus in half; no one hurt

After stalling on the tracks, an empty AC Transit bus was rammed by Amtrak train, splitting it in half. The Oakland Tribune has the story, plus some after-the-accident video. That buzz from your morning coffee isn’t harming your heart, according to a new study by researchers at Kaiser Permanente. Even at four cups a day. Five, though … Speaking of Kaiser, its health records are now wired. When it comes to boys hoops, “This time of year is all about…

Trial of Your Black Muslim Bakery leader begins

The trial of Richard Lewis, a former Your Black Muslim Bakery leader, is underway. Lewis is charged with taking part in the kidnapping of two women, and the torture of one. The Chauncy Bailey Project has the story. At tonight’s meeting, the City Council will continue its discussion about the budget, and the potential cutting of more city jobs. Here’s a link to the agenda. The Community and Economic Development Committee meets this afternoon to consider a draft Central Estuary…

Jerry Brown finally entering the race

It looks like former Oakland mayor and current California attorney general Jerry Brown is finally going to announce one of California’s worst-kept secrets: He’s running for governor of California again. Brown is making a “major announcement” at 11 a.m. today. A day after high-ranking feds toured Oakland to see how stimulus money is being spent, the Oakland city council faces some painful budget cuts at its meeting tonight. A ferris wheel right next to the Bay Bridge in Oakland? A…

Tonight: ethics complaints about Perata, Quan

Tonight, Oakland’s Public Ethics Commission will hear two complaints about city resources being used to benefit the mayoral campaigns of Don Perata and Jean Quan, respectively. A Better Oakland has the background. Officials from the White House will be at Oakland City Hall at 9:30 this morning to talk about the benefits of the federal stimulus package. Then they will join Mayor Dellums, who has been touting the economic benefits of public infrastructure projects, for a 10:30 bus tour. The…

Oakland: unequal parking policy over

Oakland says it has ended its policy of unequal parking enforcement, the Chronicle reported today. Yesterday, the Chronicle reported on a leaked memo instructing parking officers to issue courtesy notices, rather than tickets, in two upscale neighborhoods. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will appear in Oakland tonight for a White House Community Forum on Responsible Fatherhood and Economic Stability. The forum is from 6:30  to 7:45 p.m. at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 Ninth Street. Author and Nobel laureate Wole…

Pride and joy

Lately, I’ve been taking pictures of people posing with their bikes. These cyclists seem to put a lot of love and care into their pedaling machines—from the paint jobs, to quirky components to customization. I’m the same way about my vintage Mondonico, so can understand the lengths people go to in order to keep their bikes pretty. Here’s some of my recent photos. And beware, I’m hunting more of you down.

Discriminatory parking enforcement alleged

Oakland parking officers received instructions to loosen enforcement in two wealthy neighborhoods–Montclair and Broadway Terrace–while maintaining stricter policies in the rest of the story, according to a memo obtained by the Chronicle. In response, SEIU Local 1021, a union that represents parking officers, tells Oakland North it is holding a protest today at noon at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. AC Transit wants to hear from bicyclists and pedestrians tonight about updates to its driver training program. It will have a…

Nic Nak Liquors fight returns

The debate over whether to allow Nic Nak Liquors to re-open at 6400 Shattuck Ave reopens March 16, when the City Council takes up the question. Last October, Oakland North reported on the background behind this contentious issue. The Alameda County Budget Workgroup is holding a public workshop Thurs, Feb. 25 to “discuss the economy, the federal and state budgets and their possible impacts on Alameda County.” The workshop is at 9 a.m. at the Elihu Harris State Building Auditorium,…