Community

Mac-and-cheese joint opens in time for winter’s late arrival

If the week’s sudden turn to winter has you hankering for some comfort food, you’re in luck. Homeroom, Oakland’s newest restaurant, specializes in everyone’s favorite comfort food: macaroni and cheese. After a scrape with McDonalds, and a couple years of planning, building and recipe-testing, Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade opened the doors to cheesy goodness on Tuesday.

Oakland’s newest sex shop is cut from a different cloth

Feelmore510, Oakland’s newest adult store, opened—somewhat appropriately—on Valentine’s Day this week, but it has not been universally welcomed. When Nenna Joiner applied for permits to open the store two months ago, opponents complained that Feelmore510’s Uptown location would put it within 500 feet of several major gathering places for young people, including Youth Radio, a foster housing agency called First Place for Youth, and Oakland School for the Arts. But not everyone objects to the store.

Oaklandish calls for applicants in its search for 2011 Innovators of the Year

Oaklandish is on the hunt for its 2011 Innovators of the Year. Oaklandish, a non-profit organization that focuses on arts promotion and community building, gives out several grants each year to non-profit groups doing pioneering work in the community. Whether your non-profit focuses on art, education, technology, or business, this grant may be for you.

Rare birds spotted during Golden Gate Audubon’s annual bird count

On a rainy December day, almost 200 bird watchers fanned out across Oakland in search of birds. They were participating in the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count. Since then, its employees have been busy tallying up the numbers from the count. The final results were released Monday.

Adoptable Animal of the Week: Melissa

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