Community

Months after son was killed by Oakland police, Bluefords seek answers in police report

Adam and Jeralynn Blueford have been searching since late spring for details surrounding the killing of their son Alan, whose death in May—the 18-year-old was shot to death in East Oakland by a city police officer—was at the heart of the controversy that broke up the Oakland City Council meeting Tuesday night. Blueford, a senior at Skyline High, was found dead in a driveway on the 9200 block of Birch Street, blocks from a corner store where he and two friends…

Father, son paint murals to highlight lives of Oakland’s homeless

Mike and John Manente stand proudly together as they look up at their recent creation: Sheila, a dignified woman with a gentle face blended from yellow ochre, alizarin crimson, and earth tones. The setting sun gives her an amber hue. She’s the subject of the “The Gardener,” the latest in an ongoing series of murals entitled “The People of Oakland” by the father and son team. Last year the two men, both professional artists, created the “People of Oakland” to…

Shuttle fans gather at Chabot for Endeavour’s final flight

“Space is my middle name,” said elementary school student Cameron Weignant on Friday morning at the Chabot Space and Science Center as his mother adjusted the tinted visor on his helmet.  While about a hundred people of all ages had come up to the observatory above Oakland hoping for a glimpse of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final flyover of California, only Cameron had arrived in a full astronaut costume. “He’s been interested in space since he was 2,”…

Freedom House musical performance explores social issues in Oakland

Freedom House: Dancing in the Flatlands is a new performance work by Claudine Naganuma. The piece will be shown three times at East Oakland’s EastSide Cultural Center this weekend, starting with an 8 p.m. performance Friday night. Naganuma is the director of Danspace, a dance studio in Rockridge, and the founder of the dance company dNaga, which will be performing the piece.

Alameda County promotes walking, biking to local schools

“I like how this plant feels,” said Devynn Meleg, 7, as she paused to investigate a silver bush during her morning walk. “It feels so weird!” Her mother Brett, watching with a smile, wore a bright yellow vest with reflective strips and a “Safe Routes to School” logo printed on its front. Along their walk, they pointed out spiders spinning webs, a cat sitting in a window and a yard where chickens used to live. The two had set off…

Council considers new meeting policies after raucous protest in wake of Blueford killing

Reacting angrily to the protest that broke up Tuesday night’s Oakland City Council meeting, city officials said Wednesday that they were working to establish new policies designed to prevent further such disruptions during regular meetings. “It was my decision to close the meeting down, after I saw that there was no way that Occupy Oakland was going to leave the council chambers and allow us to conduct the business that we’re supposed to do, as elected officials,” City Council President Larry…