Politics

What do the Chabot Space and Science Center, PGAdesign, Red Oak Realty, The Tip Top Bike Shop, Mr. Sparkle Window Washers, and Baja Taqueria have in common? They are all “green” businesses in Oakland.

Kelly Carlisle is the founder of the Acta Non Verba Youth Urban Farm, a program that teaches young people about growing food by using a garden as a classroom. The kids, most of whom are between the ages of 7 and 13, get to take the vegetables they grow home to their families, or donate them to the neighboring community.

In the Tuesday afternoon sunshine, a line of people formed on 10th Street outside Oakland’s downtown Marriott Hotel while inside, hundreds of volunteers—including Mayor Jean Quan—bustled back and forth in the banquet hall, preparing to serve over 2,000 people at the city’s 20th annual Thanksgiving dinner.

A week after Occupy Oakland protesters were evicted from Frank Ogawa Plaza for the second time, the city is still paying for the cleanup and security. Currently, the city provides 24-hour patrolled security to make sure no more tents are pitched in the plaza and has upgraded its security systems, as well. As things begin to calm down, many residents are left wondering: How much did Occupy Oakland cost the city? And was it worth it?

INFOGRAPHIC: How much did Occupy Oakland cost the city? And was it worth it? Using information released by the City Administrator’s Office, city budget reports and our own reporting, Oakland North reporters have created an infographic that weighs the costs of Occupy Oakland.

Oakland residents gathered outside St. Columba Catholic Church on Friday to honor the 102 people who have died because of violence in the past year.

As parents, students and teachers at Oakland schools grapple with the school board’s recent decision to close five elementary schools, the Adult and Career Education program in the district has already come to terms with cuts that closed two campuses and decimated the program’s funding.

Every year, more than 700 million plastic bags are given away by stores and restaurants in Alameda County, but that could all change if a ban on one-time use plastic bags is approved in January.

Oakland joined the Transgender Day of Remembrance memorial this past week, with a mournful roll call honoring more than 200 transgendered people who died in different countries last year, many the victims of hate crimes.