Business owners take damage done during anti-Trump protests in stride

Joshua Gause, security guard of 1544 Events, guards the door during the "Hope Art" project on Sunday, November 11, 2016. (Yesica Prado/Oakland North)

On election night, protesters gathered in downtown Oakland after midnight yelling angry things like “Not my president!” and “Fuck Trump!” in the quiet streets. Others took it a step further and lashed out against nearby businesses, breaking glass doors and windows and spray-painting graffiti anywhere visible, like on the windows of the Chase bank, the walls of the BART public elevator and the pillars of the Oakland federal building.

Garbage cans were set on fire and worried faces peeked out through doors after the angry crowd passed. Confused bystanders were upset at the damage to their property, and others worried about their safety, while the rest followed the trail of fires left on Broadway, trying to catch up to the mob either by running or riding their bikes. By the next morning, garbage, broken glass and graffiti covered the downtown.

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Bay Area top female chefs cook up $500,000 for local youth

Guests enjoy their meals at Taste, an annual culinary event to fundraise money for Girls Inc. programs on October 15, 2016. Photo courtesy by Girls Inc. of Alameda County.

Piles of dishes clatter behind the red big curtains and dozens of waiters, as chefs and their assistants try to move around the small back room, quickly coming in and out of the kitchen. Assembly lines surround three tables, where one by one, each chef adds a piece to the dish. Caramel. Powdered sugar. As they prepare for the finale, they swiftly clean the small white plates. No one hesitates. It’s time for dessert.

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A swim to fight cancer

Swim A Mile

The sun was shining this weekend as Swim A Mile swimmers of all ages, colors, shapes, and sizes donned swimsuits, swim caps, and goggles in rainbow colors and dove into the sparkling blue water of the pool. At the Mills College Trefethen Aquatic Center, the event arena, the large outdoor pool was able to accommodate the 400-plus participants swimming throughout the weekend.

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Political action on two wheels

State budget cuts slashed $300,000 of funding to Claremont Middle School. What did the school do about it? They rode their bikes 100 miles. Claremont parents organized a century-ride from Oakland to the State Capitol, on May 4, to raise public awareness and money for their children’s school. If they cannot raise these funds, the…

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Gambling for one of Oakland’s small schools

Tamara Arroyo, a young woman with her hair in a ponytail, pulled up the corners of the two cards she’d been dealt, an ace and a jack, and then looked at her dwindling pile of chips. With a gleam in her eyes and a slight smile, she obviously did not know the meaning of a…

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