Category Archives: Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe

Nonprofit Fights for Oakland School Libraries

Posted on April 2, 2013 by

One-third of the libraries in the city’s public schools remain closed due to budget cuts, but a nonprofit is working to reopen them. (first appeared in the East Bay Express, March 27 edition) By Pamela Drake It’s hard to keep … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Chronicle Editors Outraged, Mayor Reads News Online!

Posted on December 23, 2011 by

The San Francisco Chronicle is on a tear. They have spent years and presumably thousands of their hard-earned dollars paying columnists to trash Oakland. I think the only mayor we ever had that they didn’t attack with such ferocity was, … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe, Oakland City Council, Occupy Oakland, Port of Oakland | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Occupy Oakland-What’s Next for the Movement?

Posted on November 18, 2011 by

I am a poster child for the 99%. I am a woman, an older person with no retirement savings, and I raised two kids by myself. My kids experienced chronic illnesses as children and one of them still struggles with … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe, Oakland City Council, Occupy Oakland | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Occupy Oakland: There is a There There.

Posted on October 18, 2011 by

Despite millions of dollars and decades of planning, the city center was never vibrant until now- Occupy Oakland is in its 8th night as I write this. I have visited the site every day since the first rally on October … Continue reading →

Posted in Lake Merritt, national politics, Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Oakland’s Frail Seniors At Risk Due to Brown’s Veto

Posted on July 14, 2011 by

Back in the late 70’s when California was flush and the governor rode a moonbeam into town, legislation was created to establish pilot programs to provide day care for the frail elderly. By 1978, that fateful year when Proposition 13 … Continue reading →

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Now is the Time for Adult Education

Posted on June 17, 2011 by

This week is the first anniversary of the last graduation of the Edward Shands Adult School. I had written last year that, “Thursday night may have been the last graduation the Edward Shands Adult School puts on. After 139 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Librarian Talks Back to Oakland Trib Anti-Public Employee Rant

Posted on June 9, 2011 by

Jane Courant has been a full time Oakland librarian since 1998. She’s worked as a children’s librarian and is now the Adult Services Librarian at the Dimond Branch. Previous to moving to the Bay Area, she was an actor/singer in … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe, Oakland City Council, Public Workers | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Why the Gang Injunctions Got Funded and What to Do about it.

Posted on May 18, 2011 by

Last night the City Council finally decided to vote on the gang injunctions, the original ones in North Oakland and the new ones proposed for most of the Fruitvale. I say “finally” because the City has spent big bucks on … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe, Uncategorized, youth | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Thank an Oakland Public Worker Today

Posted on May 5, 2011 by

I know it’s not fashionable these days to praise public workers, but I just have to do it anyway. Given layoffs, attrition, and furlough days, city employees are working harder than ever before. A trio of folks from the Community … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Grand Lake Neighborhood, Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe, Public Workers | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How to Pick a City Attorney, Oakland-style

Posted on March 31, 2011 by

This morning I finally made it down to Cana, our wonderful new café and restaurant on Lake Park Avenue near Lakeshore, for a café con leche. Unfortunately, they had just run out of that sweet mild drink (sorta like me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Oakland & National Budget Catastrophe | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment