Community

Beards, panda hats and a citywide party

San Francisco threw a giant party Wednesday, as hundreds of thousand of Giants fans flooded downtown to celebrate their baseball team’s first World Series title since moving to the Bay Area more than a half-century ago.

With Mehserle sentencing approaching, peacekeepers train to avert violence

As Oakland awaits this Friday’s sentencing of Johannes Mehserle, civic leaders and residents alike are working together to keep the city’s reaction peaceful. The former BART police officer was convicted in July of involuntary manslaughter in the January, 2009, shooting death of Oscar Grant. In the wake of Grant’s death, as well as of Mehserle’s conviction this summer, protests in downtown Oakland turned violent.

Cheer the beard: Giants win first S.F. World Series

Looking up at the bar’s television and surrounded by strangers Monday night, Marie Bolten was wiping away tears moments after the San Francisco Giants won the first World Series title in the city’s history. “Oh my god, I’m so excited,” said Bolten, 35, at Barclay’s Restaurant and Pub in Rockridge. “I’ve been a Giants fan for 15 years. Baseball is such a beautiful game, and the Giants have played amazing ball. Seeing them win is like giving birth for me.”

Raiders ruin homecoming for Oakland Tech’s Lynch

Marshawn Lynch, the often written and talked-about NFL player who graduated from Oakland Tech High School, made his hometown pro football debut during a trip to Oakland this weekend as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.

He was fresh off a trade that sent him from the Buffalo Bills to the Seahawks. But the visit home didn’t go quite as he had expected.

Adoptable Animal of the Week: Aspen

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 Aspen the dog.

Local boxing gym hosts weekend “Showdown in Oakland”

Former professional boxer Roberto Garcia, who moved here from the Philippines, is the head boxing trainer at Pacific Ring. Garcia has held the position for nearly two years, but has had more than a three-decade-long history with the sport, spending the last 16 as a trainer.

Celebrating Halloween with Oakland North

This Halloween Oaklanders dressed up in their holiday finest. They went out to parks, bars, costume contests and parties, wherever there was Halloween fun to be had. Above are some of their submissions.