A Better Oakland | The Continuing Story of a City

The Continuing Story of a City

Posted by V Smoothe on Aug 27th, 2010 in Ignacio De La Fuente, Nancy Nadel, Ron Dellums, elections, oakland | 23 comments

Oakland Mayor debates, past and pres...

So, on Wednesday night, I went to the “Green Oakland” Mayoral forum sponsored by the Sierra Club and the East Bay Young Democrats. I’ll write more about the forum next week, but for those...

Posted by V Smoothe on Aug 26th, 2010 in elections, oakland | 17 comments

You know what I love? Voting!

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. 90 years ago today, Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby certified the...

Posted by V Smoothe on Aug 23rd, 2010 in elections, oakland | 27 comments

Who’s on your ballot?

Okay folks, we’ve got 10 weeks left until this fall’s election. During that time, I plan to take a closer look at all the local elections (some closer than others, depending on how much that...

Posted by V Smoothe on Aug 20th, 2010 in elections, oakland | 170 comments

Dear candidates for Oakland Mayor: N...

Have you guys been following this ridiculous brouhaha about the Sierra Club Mayoral forum next week? If you haven’t, consider yourself lucky. It’s a bunch of headache-inducing nonsense. You can go...

Posted by V Smoothe on Aug 18th, 2010 in blogging, oakland | 67 comments

What do you want to read about?

Okay, readers. I need your help. My morning routine, Monday through Friday, goes pretty much like this. The alarm goes off at 4:45, I hit the snooze button twice and roll out of bed a little after 5. I make...

Posted by V Smoothe on Aug 4th, 2010 in oakland | 2 comments

A fun opportunity to learn more abou...

A lot of people I know, myself included, have a tendency to complain about the sparse coverage of Oakland City government in the media. While it’s true that there isn’t as much reporting on Oakland...

Page 1 of 13912 3 4 5 »10 20 30...Last »

In the News

Top Five Reasons Why West Oakland's image is More Dangerous than the Reality
Teenagers who are actually not gang members get to act like big, dangerous thugs for being from there. […]
Alternative car fuel arrives in Oakland
The station, operated by Propel Fuels, is in the Adams Point neighborhood, at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Perkins Street. […]
Children's Fairyland turns 60
When adults return to Children's Fairyland in Oakland, there's a question many ask. […]
Peralta Board of Trustees November 2010 Election Preview
Three of the Peralta Board of Trustees seven seats will be up for reelection on Tuesday, November 2. With three incumbents running, one trustee is running unopposed while the others each face one challenger. […]
Down the Drain: Oakland's Middle Class
When Oaklanders complain about gentrification, City Council member Ignacio De La Fuente begs to differ. […]
Banning books: Oakland libraries mostly closed next week
If you want to go to an Oakland branch library next week, go on Wednesday, or you won’t be able to get in. […]
Peralta college district report should remain closed, judge rules
A Superior Court judge on Tuesday denied public access to an inspector general's report exploring former Peralta Community College District Chancellor Elihu Harris' role in awarding a no-bid contract to a business partner, saying he interpreted instructions from appellate justices to mean the document should remain secret. […]
Oakland’s Gentrification Accelerates
Amid all the bad news since the recession and housing crash began, the world has taken on a grayish hue. […]
AC Transit considers slashing weekend service
The AC Transit board will hold a special workshop at 3 p.m. Wednesday to discuss options for more service cutbacks, including wiping out nearly half of its weekend bus service. […]
Oakland goes back to school
Oakland schools reopened Monday after the summer holiday -- and some students found a different-looking campus than what they left in June. […]
Measure Y Oversight Committee Smells The Coffee
I have to hand it to the Measure Y Oversight Committee - some of them are perking up. […]
2 Oakland schools extend school day to 9 hours
School became a full-time job for sixth-graders at two Oakland middle schools where students clocked in on the first day of school Monday at 8 a.m. and headed home at 5 p.m., about three hours later than other students in the district. […]
Oakland schools' longer school day a good step
Oakland is a city where at-risk youth are all too often caught in the crosshairs of street violence, and any after-school program that keeps them engaged and away from potentially dangerous situations is a step in the right direction. […]
September closures
Stock up on your holiday weekend reading now — in addition to its regular Monday closure September 6th, the Montclair branch (and all Oakland Public Library branches) will be closed Sept 7, 9, 10 (but open Wednesday, Sept. 8) for a combination of Labor Day holiday, Admissions Day and budget cutbacks. […]
AC Transit pushes severe service cuts
AC Transit could slash its weekend service by half, eliminate all but two of its overnight bus lines and shorten service hours on all routes in a series of budget cuts the transit agency is blaming on its drivers' union. […]