Community

Former Super Longs to close amidst extensive redevelopment plans

Long loved by East Bay residents, North Oakland’s mega-drugstore will close this summer due to plans to demolish and redevelop the shopping center where it is located. For decades this one-stop-shop has been a neighborhood institution, but now the store’s landlord has declined to renew its lease, slating it to close by the end of June.

Runners brave rain to prepare for marathon day

It was early, raining and Sunday, but about 300 people still gathered in front of the Oakland Marriot City Center last weekend for the final official training run for the Oakland Running Festival’s marathon and half-marathon races.

Oakland Museum’s White Elephant sale and the ladies who make it happen

Now in its 52nd year, the Oakland Museum’s “White Elephant” sale is legendary. So are the lines to get in and the lengths that folks will go to to be the first inside. What’s not so legendary – or the unsung heroes of the annual sale – are the ladies (and a few gents) of the Oakland Museum Women’s Board.

Community leaders gather to celebrate the Khadafy Washington Foundation’s 10th anniversary

An intimate gathering was held Thursday night to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Khadafy Washington Foundation for Non-Violence, an organization founded by heartbroken parent turned community leader, Marilyn Washington Harris. In August 2000, Harris’ 18-year-old son Khadafy Washington was shot and killed. In 2001, she started the foundation to meet the needs of homicide victims’ family members.

Gang injunction hearing continues as more witnesses take the stand

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Robert Freedman heard testimony from three more witnesses on Wednesday about the proposed Fruitvale gang injunction. There’s still no end in sight as to when the hearing will conclude and the judge will decide whether to impose the injunction against 40 alleged Norteño gang members in the Fruitvale neighborhood.

Oakland students don pajamas in honor of Dr. Seuss on Read Across America Day

On Wednesday, the International Community School put on a Dr. Seuss pajama party—with the help of local PBS affiliate KQED—during the time when their after school program normally meets. The party started out with an appearance by a costumed avatar of the Cat in the Hat (the real deal if you ask any of the students) and branched off into story time in each of the Kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms.