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Safe Streets! Safe Kids! March in San Antonio
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| Events |
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Saturday-Sunday, August 27-28 |
Oakland Chinatown StreetFest 2011 - 7th St to 11 St, Broadway to Harrison St in Chinatown - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
The two-day event offers more than 200 booths in its ten blocks of Chinatown. Small businesses and community organizations from all over California come to showcase delicious foods, unique Asian products, and special services. There will be arts & crafts, entertainment on two stages, and a Cultural Village presented by the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. Go here for more information. | |
Saturday, August 27 |
San Antonio Park Community Clean-up - Sign-in and pick up tools at the Bandstand, 17th Ave at E 19th St - 8:30 am to 11am. | |
Sunday, September 4 |
Oakland Pride - LGBTQ Celebration, Music and Street Fair - 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, 19th St and Franklin St in Uptown. Click here for more information on featured festival events. | |
Tuesday, September 6 |
Unveiling of Remember Them: Champions for Humanity Monument
- Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park in Fox Square, 19th St between Telegraph Avenue and Rashida Muhammad Street, Uptown - 1:00 pm
Maya Angelou will help unveil the long awaited first three sections of the Remember Them: Champions for Humanity Monument, which honors the lives of humanitarians throughout history. The unveiling will also feature Ruby Bridges, the first black student to attend an all-white school in the South, and a performance by the Oakland East Bay Symphony and a local youth choir.
Go here to learn more about each of the champions of humanity represented in the monument. Remember Them is a non-profit project of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. | |
Monday, September 12 |
Lake Merritt BART Station Area Plan: Open House to Review the Draft Emerging Plan
- Laney College Student Cafeteria, 900 Fallon St. at 9th
- 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm
This public meeting will be in an open house format, so participants can arrive at any time. There will be various stations with information on the draft plan's concepts. A staffer will be at each station to answer questions and participants will be invited to make comments on the displays and share their ideas about future development of the area. Go here for more information on the Lake Merritt BART Station Area Plan.
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Thursday, September 15 |
Community Workshop on Off-Street Parking
- Oakland Main Library, West Auditorium, 125 14th Street - 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
The City of Oakland is updating its off-street parking regulations, which have not been comprehensively updated since 1965 and need to be updated to be consistent with current City policies. The Community Workshop will focus on parking that is located on private or public property off City streets, such as parking structures and surface parking lots. This introductory workshop is the first step in the process of updating the City's off-street parking regulations. Parking that is on public streets will not be the focus of this process.
Come learn about off-street parking and provide feedback on what should be considered during the parking update process. The City will not be presenting any new regulations at this community workshop. Proposed new regulations will be presented at future public meetings.
What will be discussed?
- Overview of off-street parking update project
- Parking in Oakland
- Break out stations to discuss and get feedback on specific issues
- Open question and comment period at the end of the meeting
If you would like more information or to receive future updates, call 510.238.7299 or email strategicplanning@oaklandnet.com (please include "parking" in your subject line). | |
Saturday, September 17 |
Oakland's 16th Creek to Bay Day 2011, the annual creek and Bay cleanup and beautification event - 9:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Participants in this event will be taking part in International Coastal Cleanup Day, when volunteers around the world clean up waterways and beaches.
This year's event will take place at various creeks throughout the city, at Lake Merritt and on the Oakland Estuary. View the list of volunteer locations and project descriptions for more information by clicking here.
- The first 1,000 volunteers will receive a reusable aluminum water bottle. All volunteers will receive seed packets and other treats from our event supporters.
- Be sure to dress appropriately. Wear long pants, sturdy closed-toe shoes and bring gloves if you have them.
- There is no pre-registration for Creek to Bay Day. Just show up at any location and sign in with the site coordinator. If you are organizing a group of 10 or more volunteers or want to know which sites need the most help, please contact the Event Coordinator at 510.238.7630 and press option 3 or email here.
Coastal Cleanup Day is sponsored statewide by the California Coastal Commission. Creek to Bay Day is organized by the Public Works Agency Environmental Services Division, with funding from the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. | |
Sunday, September 18 and 25, October 2 and 9 |
Sundays in the Redwoods at Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road
- September 18 - World Music Day
- September 25 - Soul of the Symphony
- October 2 - The Rhythm Section
- October 9 - Talking All That Jazz
For information on artists appearing on each Sunday, go here. |
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Safe Streets! Safe Kids! March to Protect Oakland's Children from Sex Trafficking |
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Photo by Sarah Lin, District 2 Council Assistant
On Thursday, August 4, I joined community members for the Safe Streets! Safe Kids! March against sex trafficking in the San Antonio neighborhood.
Residents who live on International Boulevard see women and girls selling their bodies right outside their front doors every day. Many students in Oakland walk to school through this environment, and are harassed or coerced into sex trafficking. The average age of entry of sexually exploited minors is 12 years old. Children and families are deeply affected by living in this environment. Ming Ho, a long-term resident stated, "My kids had to grow up looking at this every night. We had to constantly try to re-focus on what is a normal life for us." Ming continued, "Some young adults feel they could not wait to grow up and get out of the neighborhood. This isn't helping our City thrive the way it should. It overshadows everything that is good about us. It is not what we represent at all."
The march was organized by the East Bay Asian Youth Center and the Oakland Community Organizations. Groups which joined in support were the Oakland Police Department, Alameda County's Interagency Children's Policy Council, Alameda County Sexually Exploited Minors network, MISSEY and the Alameda County Human Relations Commission. Also participating in the event were OUSD Superintendent Tony Smith and Oakland Police Chief Tony Batts.
The County Human Relations Commission paid for two billboards in the neighborhood that discourage customers of the sex trade from coming here. Funding for the billboards is running out at the end of the month, so EBAYC is soliciting contributions to continue it. The discounted cost from Clear Channel is $1,200 per month.
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Photo by Sarah Lin, District 2 Council Assistant
I strongly support the community's campaign to eliminate the blatant sex trade in their neighborhood and to combat sex trafficking of minors in general. I am happy to report that the Oakland Police have been very cooperative, devoting a great deal of effort to undercover operations in the area. (When juveniles are arrested for prostitution, they are connected with resources to help them get away from their exploiters.) The police enforcement activities have lessened the sex trafficking problem in the area, but not completely eliminated it.
Additional action by the City is a lawsuit against two International Boulevard motels that have been chronic sites for prostitution activities. There will be a hearing on the preliminary injunction against these motels on September 14 at 2:30 in Superior Court in Hayward.
You can help in aggressively pursuing and prosecuting those who harm our Oakland families and children. Here's how: identify motels, businesses and individuals that profit from sexual exploitation by calling the OPD anonymous prostitution/human trafficking tip line at 510.238.2373.
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| Gun Violence in Oakland | | |
The death of three-year-old Carlos Nava shocked us all and re-awakened our community to the on-going tragedy of gun violence in Oakland. There is no doubt in my mind that the City needs to use some new strategies and tools if we expect to get a better result. Though I am supportive of long-term strategies geared toward dealing with the root causes of crime, I also firmly believe that assertive and effective law enforcement is critical in order to reduce the amount of crime and violence we are seeing.
Based on my observations as a Councilmember over the past six years, I am convinced that having more police officers on the street reduces the incidence of crime and makes the City safer. My preference would be to dramatically increase the number of police in Oakland, however, the money is not there to pay for as many as we need. I do think it is feasible to hire the 22 police cadets that completed the Academy but were not hired last year, particularly if the parcel tax passes in November. I am advocating that the City hire them back.
Realizing that the number of officers is not going to be as many as needed, I am open to considering some of the other tools being discussed, including a curfew, and possibly a gang injunction in East Oakland. Proposals on a curfew and on a further gang injunction will be coming to the Council in September or October. My decisions on these methods will be based on whether there is evidence that the measure will be effective and is a wise use of resources.
If you have opinions on the subject of violence in Oakland and best solutions, I am interested to hear your thoughts. Oddly enough, public safety is the topic that I hear the least about from the general public. It seems odd to me, given that safety is the issue that most people say is the first priority when they are asked the question. |
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Metered Parking Coming in September | | |
Parking meters are coming in September to the I-580 Parking Lot and to the East Lake neighborhood
I regret to report that metered parking will be installed soon in two locations in District 2: The parking lot under I-580 between Grand and Lakeshore, and in the Eastlake retail neighborhood, on International Blvd and E. 12th between 5th and 8th Avenues. The parking rate will be the same in these locations as it is everywhere else in the city, $2.00 per hour. Meters will be in effect from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. The decision to install these new meters was made as part of the City's adopted budget for 2011-13, which I voted against.
Starting Tuesday, September 6, the meters will go into effect in the Lake Park parking lot located under I-580. Payment kiosks will be installed where parkers will pay by entering the space number of the stall they are parked in. Parkers will be able to park for up to four hours in this lot. Monthly parking permits will continue to be available for a limited number of spaces. To inquire about monthly parking permits, please contact Linda Gillette at lgillette@oaklandnet.com or 510.986.2681. Later in the Fall, meters will be installed in the East Lake district on E.12th Street and on International Boulevard between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue.
I did not support adding parking meters because I do not agree with the City's one-size-fits-all approach to meter pricing--currently $2/hour regardless of location. I believe that the price for parking meters should be based on several factors, including the level of demand for the parking, the impact on the local merchants, and the average income level of the surrounding neighborhood. I am particularly dismayed by the $2 meters in the Eastlake, where the great majority of residents and shoppers have low incomes. I anticipate that many of the parking spaces will sit vacant because people will not be willing to pay $2/hour and/or many people will get tickets that they cannot afford to pay.
Almost two years ago, I led the Council to direct that a parking study be done so that the Council could base parking policy on comprehensive and rational considerations, not just revenue generation. Due to lack of money, the parking study still has not been done, although a small pilot study is underway. I will press for completion of the pilot study and urge that action be taken to adjust pricing based on demand and other factors. Even without a comprehensive study, it is not hard to see where parking spaces have a high vacancy rates (such as the Grand Ave./Walker lot on weekdays), and thus should have the prices reduced.
The other side of the equation is that rates could go higher than $2 in places where demand is keeping spaces occupied at 100% most of the time. |
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Free Shuttle Bus between Lake Merritt BART Station/Laney College and the College of Alameda | |
Good news for bicyclists and Laney College students! A new Estuary Crossing Shuttle Bus now runs between the Lake Merritt BART Station and the College of Alameda and its satellite campus at Marina Village, offering free transportation among the these points. Envisioned as an alternative to biking and walking through the Posey Tube, the shuttle can carry about 25 passengers and 12 bikes. The shuttle operates every 30 minutes during peak commute hours on weekdays. You can catch the bus on Madison Street between 8th and 9th Streets in Oakland. Go here for hours of operation. The shuttle is grant-funded by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
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Oakland's Own, Andre Ward, Middleweight Boxing Champion | | |
Oakland's own boxing phenomenon, Andre Ward, World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Middleweight Champion, and Carl Froch, World Boxing Council (WCB) Super Middleweight Champion, have formally announced the Final of the Super Six World Boxing Classic. The Final fight will take place in Atlantic City on October 29. The winner will become the Super Middle-Weight Champion of both world championship belts. After a two-year, grueling journey, Ward, America's last Olympic Gold Medalist, will face British superstar Froch to determine the world's best 168-pound fighter. The winner will claim both world championship belts, the vacant The Ring magazine championship and the inaugural Super Six World Boxing Classic Cup.
Ward began boxing in 1994. He had a record of 110 wins to 5 losses as an amateur and from 1998 to 2004 he didn't lose a single match. In 2002, he won the Under-19 National Championship and was also a two time U.S. National Champion in 2001 and 2003 at Middleweight. Tickets go on sale on August 26 through Ticketmaster. The fight will be broadcast on Showtime. For ticketing information, go here. |
| Saturday Morning Tours of the Gardens at Lake Merritt | | |
Any Saturday morning at 10:00 am you can join a 30-45 minute tour of the Gardens at Lake Merritt, the dozen or so gardens next to the Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue. The tours are led either by Ronald Krause or Nancy Swearengen. Nancy Swearengen is the former volunteer manager of the UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens. Tours include the Bonsai Garden with its rare specimen trees, the Sensory Garden renovated several years ago, the more recently created Mediterranean Garden, the Palm garden, the community garden, the ecology center and more. In addition to learning about the plants, you'll hear about the ecological interactions of plants with their environment and with birds and bees. Go here for more information about the Gardens at Lake Merritt.
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