Community

Searching by feel: A window into the world of forensic diving

A middle-aged swimmer paused at the end of the pool, between laps, and studied the man in the next lane fiddling with his goggles, who had just frog-kicked the length of the 100-foot-long pool, along the bottom, in one breath. She had been wondering about him for weeks. His swimming habits were unique. For example, she had never seen him swim on the water’s surface. More unusual—disconcerting, actually—was what he did when he reached the deep end. He would sink…

Adoptable animal of the week: Boots

Oakland North is continuing with our feature. Every week, Oakland Animal Services will spotlight an “Animal of the Week” that’s up for adoption at their facility. This week it’s a dog named Boots.

Supporters “Swim A Mile” for women’s cancer research

Sporting a pink scarf around her newly shaved head and a black baseball cap with pink rhinestone accents, Debra Hagan watched her sister swim Saturday afternoon.

Hagan, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, was moved to tears as she supported her sister at the 17th annual Swim A Mile for Women with Cancer. “I’m here as her cheerleader,” Hagan said. “I’m not a swimmer, but I can sure can cheer her on.”

Elementary students walk, roll to school

Wednesday marked International Walk and Roll to School day. Alameda County’s Safe Routes to School program coordinator Nora Cody said the event was being celebrated by 99 schools county-wide. Peralta Elementary was one of 22 Oakland schools participating.

Art gets political at West Oakland gallery

With the election season underway, nine artists will have the chance to express their political beliefs through art on Friday night at the Transmission Gallery in West Oakland.

The show, titled “Unrestricted,” aims to not only raise political awareness of this year’s presidential election, the environment and immigration issues in the United States, but to also help give artists a chance to show work that typically doesn’t get shown, said Ruth Santee, the gallery’s owner and director. “With the energy of the elections, we decided to have a political show,” she said. “Political work doesn’t usually get seen. If you are too overt, people have the tendency of not showing it.”