Economy

Libraries, seniors, feel the bite of recession

Several fat books stacked on Deborah Cunningham’s lap spilled over the edges of her wheelchair.  As an aide wheeled her away, the dark-haired, elderly woman, a retired English professor in her mid-eighties, grasped them tightly.  She is one of ten or eleven repeat customers at Mercy Retirement and Care Center that look forward to the monthly Bookmobile visits from the Oakland Library system. The Bookmobile, a large, multicolored bus that traverses Oakland streets two days a week to visit under-served…

Temescal Library thinking outside the tool box

Books?  No, give me a wrench, ask many Oakland residents who use the Temescal Library. The branch holds 29,000 books, and rents out 4,000 books, CDs and movies a month.  Its Tool Lending Program, started in 2001,  checks out 3,000 tools a month and that number is growing.

Take me out to the $2 ball game

There’s a disparity between the sport Americans love to play but can’t afford to watch. The Oakland Athletics are changing that one Wednesday at a time. By STEVE SALDIVAR

Oakland’s May Day, from a youth perspective

  Youth Perspective of May Day from Betty Bastidas on Vimeo. 17-year old Lupe from Oakland, whose parents were recently deported, gives us her perspective on the meaning of May Day for young people in this part of the world and shares her reasons for becoming involved. 

Celebrating Earth Day, Oakland-style

In easy view of crisscrossing highways and towering industrial parks, dozens of people marched through East Oakland’s flatlands wearing white surgical masks on Saturday. Families pushing strollers, men in suits, and kids with skateboards walked from Tassafaronga Recreation Center to Acorn Woodland Elementary School to celebrate ‘Love Yo Mama’ Earth Day and to call attention to environmental degradation in inner city neighborhoods.