Community

Squirrel photographers showcase Oakland’s furry residents in new exhibit

Hella Damn Squirrels has been in full operation since 2013. The group only consists of two people, Hale and her boyfriend Toppano, partners in squirrel photography from the very beginning. They focus solely on the squirrels at Lake Merritt: Toppano, the squirrel feeder and “wrangler” of the duo, brings them over with the bag of walnuts and Hale, a professional photographer, snaps their photos to be posted on social media.

Local boutique owner designs clothing with sustainable materials

Field Day and Friends is a local boutique that is part workshop, part brick and mortar store. Trinity Cross, owner and designer, creates her own patterns for women’s clothing using reused and sustainable fabrics. Cross searches for a variety of different fabrics, which means many of her designs are one-of-a kind.

In Oakland, students have a voice as school board directors

Darius Aikens, a junior at Oakland High School, and Bianca Ramirez, a sophomore at Fremont High School, are student directors for the school board for the 2015-2016 school year. They attend all board meetings and act as intermediaries between the board and the All City Council, the district-wide student union.

OPD chief points to reduction in police uses of force

At a meeting of the Oakland City Council’s public safety committee Tuesday night, Oakland Police Chief Sean Whent pointed to a “very significant” reduction in uses of force by police. He said new policies, training and body cameras all contributed to the reduction.

Annual Lunar New Year Bazaar held in Oakland’s Chinatown

It was a rainy week, and people were itching to head outdoors by the time Saturday rolled around. Many found themselves drawn to the hubbub at the center of Oakland Chinatown, where the annual Lunar New Year Bazaar was held. Offered two weeks shy of Chinese New Year, the street fair is meant to usher in the popular holiday as Chinese American families began their preparations.

East Bay gears up for bike-sharing this fall

Hundreds of brightly colored bikes will appear in Oakland, Berkeley and Emeryville this fall, as bike-sharing rolls into the East Bay. San Francisco launched bike-sharing in 2013, when 350 blue-green bikes were placed in SoMa, the Financial District and along the Embarcadero. Since then, locals and tourists alike have checked out the bikes, taken them on short rides, and returned them to bike stations, paying by the day, month or year. According to Motivate, the company that runs Bay Area…