Op-Ed
Oakland’s 420,000 residents will go on with their lives in the days following the Mehserle trial, the verdict, and whatever protests that may occur. They will continue to live peaceful and productive lives, working, playing, raising their families, and enjoying one of the most beautiful cities on the planet.
Urban planner Garlynn Woodsong writes in with an idea for making Oakland’s streets safer while making the city a little greener. In this essay, he re-imagines Market Street after a “road diet” and some strategic replanting.
With a bicycle fatality, a little girl hit by a car and multiple car accidents along Market Street in the past couple of months, it’s high time that this community begin a dialogue about the relationship between pedestrians, bicycles, automobiles, safety and the design of roadways and our public spaces.
As the tale goes, “Oakland has more artists per capita than anywhere outside of New York City.” It seems though, like that should be worth a lot more than we’re getting for it.
Losing Bus Rapid Transit in North Oakland would assure that the inevitable increase in traffic congestion will reduce the reliability of public transportation. Not only would this be a setback for the East Bay’s public transportation users, but it would also hurt pedestrians and bicyclists.
Many of us are thrilled that our part of North Oakland was chosen as the pilot site for the gang injunction. We know that it is no magic pill or panacea that will rid us of crime once-and-for-all, but it is an innovative tool for the city to curb the rampant crime here.
On March 4, hundreds of protesters marched from Berkeley to Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland to rally with students and educators from across the region. After the rally, a group of some 150 protesters marched onto the I-880 freeway, shut down traffic and were arrested by police. Some reporters got the story — but four of them, including Oakland North correspondent Jake Schoneker, got arrested. Schoneker shares his account of the day, in pictures and words.
Oakland Director Kim Luqman sent out the following message to encourage members of the Oakland community to donate to Haitian relief efforts.
By Jilala Foley/Special to Oakland North My son was shot this week; one bullet lodged in his back, beneath his kidney, and the other went through his arm, breaking the bone as it passed. He had made the not-too-wise choice to attend a side show in East Oakland. Consistent with past events, there were gun shots and my son was this week’s unfortunate victim.