January 18-24 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, January 18th – Candlelight Vigil for Haiti Earthquake Victims

Congresswoman Barbara Lee in collaboration with the Haiti Action Committee will hold a candlelight vigil for Haiti earthquake victims. The vigil will be held, rain or shine, from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm in the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building Courtyard, 1301 Clay Street. Please bring a candle.

Monday, January 18th – Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrations

There are several MLK Day celebrations happening throughout the city, too many to possibly list here. From service projects to concerts, there’s something for everyone. See Jean Quan’s thorough listing of MLK day events.

Tuesday, January 19th – Oakland City Council Meeting

It looks like it’s going to be another long and contentious Council meeting this weekend. Even the consent calendar has a contentious item about free parking for city employees, which several advocates plan to speak out against.  Then, Mayor Dellums, for the first time, will break a Council tie and appoint Michael Lighty to the Port Commission. Another mayoral appointment, to the Paramount Theater Board, will also be debated, as one of the proposed appointees, Lorenzo Hoopes, was a big donor and supporter of Prop 8. If the Council can make it past all of that, they’ll also be discussing a hiring freeze, appointing a Vice Mayor, the 2010 federal legislative agenda, a Measure Y report, and more. See the full meeting agenda and check out my post about how to watch and understand City Council meetings if you need some guidance on how or where to view the meeting. The non-ceremonial parts of the meeting start at 7pm in the Council Chambers in City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Wednesday, January 20th – Keep Barack Rollin’ Inauguration Anniversary Party

Last year’s Barack n’ Roll inaugural ball was such a success that East Bay Young Democrats decided to celebrate, again. Come join EBYD and our friends at Organizing For America to enjoy the beats of DJ Sake1 as we celebrate the one year since change happened– and what is still to come. $5-25 sliding scale, suggested donation; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. The party will take place from 7-10pm at Paradiso Lounge, 2272 Telegraph Avenue. Visit the Facebook event page for more info, to RSVP, and for public transit directions.

Wednesday, January 20th – Central Estuary Plan at Planning Commission

After months and months of public planning meetings, the Central Estuary Plan is making its way to the planning commission this week. It first went to the planning commission in December, but the commission asked for more information on economic assumptions and analysis to be brought back. The planning commission meeting will be held at 6pm in Hearing Room One, Oakland City Hall, One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza. For more information, read the staff report on this item.

Thursday, January 21st – Oakland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting

Oakland’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meets monthly to discusses bicycle and pedestrian issues. This month’s agenda looks very exciting, including discussions of stops for the new downtown shuttle, Bike to Work Day, and the Alta Bates/Summit Hospital EIR. The BPAC is extremely inclusive – any Oakland resident who attends three consecutive meetings becomes a voting member of the committee – so if you’re interested in bike and ped issues, you should consider attending. The BPAC will be meeting from 5:30-7:30pm in Hearing Room 4 of City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Thursday, January 21st – Oakland Food Policy Council Meeting

The mission of the Oakland Food Policy Council (OFPC) is to establish an equitable and sustainable food system in Oakland, California. At OFPC’s first meeting of the year, they will set their course for the rest of the year. Each work gropu will give reports, there will be a discussion of the strategic planning process, and a guest presentation will be given on youth engagement. The meeting will be held from 5:00 – 7:30 pm at 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 4th Floor, Conference Room 1. Find out more about OFPC at their website and see the agenda here.

Thursday, January 21st – East Oakland Neighborhood BRT Meeting

Oakland is preparing its recommendation for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system running through the heart of the East Bay from San Leandro through Oakland to Berkeley. Throughout the month of January the city will be seeking the input of Oakland residents on what they want to see from the Bus Rapid Transit program and how they want this new service to run through their communities. This process will culminate in the submittal of Oakland’s Locally Preferred Alternative to AC Transit to be included in the range of options they consider when they build the BRT system. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of Oakland’s plan at December’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting, and it’s pretty astounding, especially the significant pedestrian improvements. Tuesday’’s meeting is part of a series of seven meetings throughout Oakland, and I highly recommend attending at least one to see the plan for yourself and to ask questions.This meeting will be held from 6-8 PM at the East Oakland Youth Development Center, 8200 International Blvd. You can read more about the BRT proposal at dto510’s excellent post about this issue and at OaklandBRT.com.

Friday, January 22nd – State Controller John Chiang at Alameda County Budget Workgroup

State Controller John Chiang will be at the Alameda County Budget Workgroup meeting to discuss the state budget. The meeting will be held at 2:00 PM at the Alameda County Conference Center, 125 – 12th Street, 4th Floor. For more information, email caobudgetrsvp@acgov.org.

Sunday, January 24th – “Silence Please” at the Oakland Main Library

Via the library newsletter: “On Sunday, January 24, from 1 to 4 p.m., visitors to the Oakland History Room will be treated to an unusual art installation, called “Silence, Please.” And, no, it does not involve a shushing librarian. The Oakland History Room is on the 2nd floor of the Main Library, at 125 14th St. “Silence, Please” is a site-specific installation created by Chris Kubick for the Oakland Public Library. Drawing from time spent in locations around the city, Kubick has created a catalog of the names of “sounds which border on silence” – empty or unnoticed sounds which are often ignored or mistaken for silence. This catalog, written out on transparencies, attempts to represent peace, tranquility, and emptiness, but is inevitably a record of the disturbances and fantasies that interrupt the notion of silence. Visitors will be able to view and manipulate layers of these transparent silences on an array of light boxes in the Oakland History Room.”

November 9-15 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, November 9th – Town Hall with Mayor Dellums and Police Chief Batts

Come hear Mayor Dellums and Chief Batts share their vision of public safety. Topics include:

• Mayor Dellums — public safety strategy: PIES (Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, Sustainability)
• Chief Batts — vision for the Oakland Police Department
• Crime statistics: crime is down double digits citywide,but more must be done
• Community policing: how can OPD work with the community to enhance public safety?

The meeting will be held from 6:30-8 pm at Cesar Chavez Educational Center, 2825 International Blvd. An additional meeting is set for  Wednesday, November 18, 6:30-8 pm, Tassafaronga Recreation Center, 975 85th Avenue. For details, call the Oaklanders Assistance Center at 444-CITY (2489) or OAC@oaklandnet.com. You can read a review of last week’s town hall at A Better Oakland.

Monday, November 9th – Citywide Zoning Update Meeting for Historic Preservation Issues

As part of the Citywide Zoning Update Staff will be giving a presentation at the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board (LPAB) meeting. Staff will present some background on existing issues of zoning and historic preservation and how the Citywide Zoning Update will work towards implementing the Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan. Staff invites you to attend to gain knowledge about historic preservation methods being considered for incorporation in the Citywide Zoning Update.  Your feedback will be incorporated into the overall Citywide Zoning Update process. The meeting takes place at 6pm at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Hearing Room One. You can also watch it on KTOP. For more information, read the staff report on this item.

Tuesday, November 10th – East Bay Democracy for America Meetup

At their November meeting, Democracy for America will be focusing the marijuana taxation ballot initiative and higher education. The two featured speakers are both East Bay Young Democrats and good friends of mine. Abraham Kniesley from Oaksterdam University will give the status on what the next steps will be to make The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 a reality and what we can do to help out. Edie Irons is the communications director for the Institute for College Access and Success. She’ll be talking about funding for higher education here in California and what impact California’s decisions are having on students. There will be an action item that will give you a chance to walk out after the meeting feeling like you’ve done more than just get some information on education funding, you’ll know that you’ve done something to help frame that debate. The meeting will be held at 7:00 at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave, Berkeley. RSVP here.

Thursday, November 12th – State Legislature Joint Select Committee on Government Reform Hearing

This year’s state budget set the record for being the latest, and probably the worst, in California’s history. This disastrous process has demonstrated loudly and clearly that the current system is not working and that major change is needed to make the Legislature more responsive to the needs of Californians. Because of this, Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg recently established a new special legislative committee – the Joint Select Committee on Government Reform – which our State Senator Loni Hancock been appointed to as a member. This fall, the Committee, comprised of 10 Senators and 10 Assemblymembers, is hosting a series of hearings throughout the state and is expected to deliver a legislative reform package by January 15, 2010. The next scheduled Joint Select Committee hearing will focus on the topic of ballot box budgeting and initiative reform. They will be hearing from experts about the problems created by our current initiative process and finding real solutions to these obstacles to create better governance in California, as well as a more educated and informed electorate. The hearing will be held from 2:00pm – 7:00 pm, at the Elihu Harris State Building, 1515 Clay Street, in Oakland.

Thursday, November 12th – Community Workshops (Round 3): Zoning Draft Proposals

Are you an Oakland Resident, Property Owner, Business Owner, or Developer? Learn about and discuss proposed zoning changes for Oakland’s residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors! Planning staff will be hosting its third round of Community Workshops. This workshop will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center, 3301 E. 12 St., Suite 2001 (Meeting room is on the 2nd floor). For more info, read John Gatewood’s guest post on the zoning update.

Thursday, November 12th – 2nd Annual Wellstone Club Award Reception Honoring Debra Bowen

The Wellstone Club is excited to present its second “Wellstone Award” to California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, our state leader in the fight to ensure that every citizen gets to vote, and every voter’s ballot is counted. She has set a national standard in the battle against voter suppression and illegal efforts to manipulate our democratic process. Paul and Sheila Wellstone’s oldest son, David Wellstone, will present this year’s award. Event co-hosts include Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Senator Loni Hancock, Assemblymembers Sandre Swanson and Nancy Skinner, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson. This reception will take place from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Silver Dragon Restaurant, 835 Webster Street. Tickets are $50. Find more info at the Wellstone Club’s website.

Thursday, November 12th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. California voting is an art and a science, but we’re here to help! Come out and hear (brief) presentations on proposed ballot measure initiatives by:

• Abraham Kneisley, Tax Cannabis 2010
• Courage Campaign [invited]
• Repair California [invited]

Mix It Up East Bay is held every 2nd Thursday of the month from 6-9pm at Shashamane at 2507 Broadway. It’s accessible by 19th Street BART station or by AC Transit lines 1/1R, 51, 59.

Friday, November 13th – Estuary Art Attack

First Fridays are not the only day of the month to check out art galleries. Jingle Town and Alameda artists have joined together to start the Estuary Art Attack, a monthly event held on second Fridays to showcase the area’s galleries, restaurants, and bars. The Art Attack will be held from 6-9 pm throughout Jingle Town and Alameda. Check out their website for more details.

Saturday, November 14th – Central Estuary Plan Community Workshop #6

The sixth public workshop will focus on identifying a preferred alternative for the Plan Area.  At this workshop, you will be asked to consider which alternative, or pieces of various alternatives speak to your vision for the Central Estuary Area.  Please familiarize yourself with the draft alternatives and come to the next community workshop to participate in hands-on mapping exercises in the very important task of developing a preferred alternative! Three draft alternatives for the Plan Area were presented at Workshop #5.  Information about these alternatives and all meeting materials can be found on the CEDA website in the Schedule+Meeting section. This workshop will be held from 9:00 am-12:00 pm at Beacon Day School, 2101 Livingston Street, 2nd Floor Auditorium.

Monday, November 9th – Citywide Zoning Update Meeting for Historic Preservation Issues

As part of the Citywide Zoning Update Staff will be giving a presentation at the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board (LPAB) meeting. Staff will present some background on existing issues of zoning and historic preservation and how the Citywide Zoning Update will work towards implementing the Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan. Staff invites you to attend to gain knowledge about historic preservation methods being considered for incorporation in the Citywide Zoning Update.  Your feedback will be incorporated into the overall Citywide Zoning Update process. The meeting takes place at 6pm at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Hearing Room One. You can also watch it on KTOP. For more information, read the staff report on this item.

September 28-October 4 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, September 28th – The Story of How Copenhagen Became a Cycling City

In the 1970s, Copenhagen was an automobile-centric city, even though it had a substantial cycling population. Huge public demonstrations in the early 1980s resulted in significant changes in the city’s transportation infrastructure. Since that time, Copenhagen has become of one the world’s preeminent cycling cities. How did this transformation happen? What changes in policy and design made Copenhagen such a pro-cycling city? What benefits have the city and its people seen as a result? WOBO is a local host to delegates from the German Marshall Fund’s Transatlantic Cities Network. They’ll be sharing their experiences and expert opinions on how and why Oakland can become a world-class cycling city. This even will be held from 5:30-7:30pm at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza – Hearing Rm 4.

Tuesday, September 29th – Free Urban Bicycle Safety Class

consists of a 3.5 hour Traffic Safety 101 Classroom workshop (formerly Day One Street Skills) and a 6.5 hour Traffic Safety 101 Road Class (formerly known as Day Two Road I class) of on-bike instruction. We encourage you to take both Day One and Day Two and to entice you to do so, we’ll give you a free front/back bike light upon completing the class. If, however, your time is limited, sign up for a Day One class. You can always take a Day Two class later. The class will take place from 6-9:30 pm at Kaiser Medical Center, 3801 Howe St, Fabiola Building Room G65B. Register online at: www.ebbc.org/safety.

Wednesday, September 30th – Meet the New OUSD Superintendent

OUSD Director Jody London invites the public to a Town Hall Meeting with new Superintendent Tony Smith. Learn about Oakland’s education priorities, provide your ideas and compare notes with other public school supporters. Refreshments provided. The town hall will take place from 7-8 pm at Oakland International High School, 4521 Webster Street. Contact Jody London for details at 459-0667.

Thursday, October 1st – Central Estuary Plan Community Workshop #5

This Thursday, the fifth meeting will be held for for the Central Estuary Plan, which is designed to build a vision and provide a framework to support development and enhancement of the Estuary from Adeline Street to 66th Avenue.  Community Workshop #5 will include an in-depth presentation of three draft land use alternatives. Come share your thoughts about the draft land use alternatives! You can read about the first meeting at Oakland Streets or at A Better Oakland. (The CEDA website also includes meeting presentations and other materials.) This workshop will be held from 6:30-9:00 pm at The Unity Council, Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center, 3301 East 12th Street, Suite 201 (Fruitvale Transit Village).

Thursday, October 1st – Full Moon Buy Night

Join Oakland Unwrapped for Oakland’s first Full Moon Buy Night – an indie night bazaar featuring shops and artisans from Oakland Unwrapped!, food and drink from Jack London Square Restaurants, a twilight farmer’s market, and lots of music, fire, dancing, ice skating and more. Bike Valet provided by Bay Area Bikes! This event will take place from 5:30-9:30 pm at Jack London Square, Broadway and Embarcadero. For more info, visit the Oakland Unwrapped website.

Friday, October 2nd – Art Murmur

Check out the monthly evening of art gallery shows and entertainment in Uptown. Read my review of the art murmur here. The Art Murmur runs from 6-10pm but individual art gallery times vary. The galleries are mostly located in Uptown, between Broadway and Telegraph, and Grand and 29th. Visit the Murmur’s website for more info.

Friday, October 2nd – FilmNight 4.0 at Swarm

Swarm Gallery is pleased to announce the fourth in a series of monthly screenings of experimental, documentary, short, feature-length and animated film, video and all formats in between, curated by filmmakers and film enthusiasts from the Bay Area and beyond. There is a new home for film in Oakland! FILMNIGHT 4.0 features an evening of artifacts from the Bay Area’s live cinema milieu with a spotlight on the work of musicians who are making unique statements in the world of film. Including work from: Liz Allbee, Elise Baldwin, Jordan Glenn, epic[ABRIDGED], Kadet Kuhne, Daniel Popsicle, WetGate, Wiggwaum, and small, intense surprises. FILMNMIGHT 4.0 is curated by Suki O’Kane, Project Coordinator for ILLUMINATED CORRIDOR, a collision of public art, live music and film. “Doors” open at 7:30 and screening begins at 8:00 pm in the Oakland Ironworks parking lot [behind Swarm Gallery], 3rd Street between Jefferson and Clay. Find more info at Swarm’s website.

Saturday, October 3rd – State Reps Host Day of Financial Planning

Join Assemblymember Sandré Swanson, State Contorller John Chiang, Senator Loni Hancock, the City of Oakland and other sponsors for a day of free financial advice and planning assistance. Hear from certified financial planning professionals through a series of free workshops and clinics. This event will be your chance to learn information about 401ks, mortgages, savings accounts, IRAs, loans, estate planning, foreclosures, and tax preparation for personal finance needs and/or the financial needs of non-profit and religious organizations. Certified public accountants will be available for private consultations, so please feel free to bring necessary financial documents if you have questions or concerns. The services provided at this event are free and confidential and participating professional advisors will not solicit their services or promote themselves in any way. Private financial institutions will NOT be included in this event as this program is free of any kind of promotion. This event will be held from 10am-4pm at Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. For additional information or to RSVP, call: Iesha Powell, (510) 286-1670 or email clinicregistration@yahoo.com.

Saturday, October 3rd – 8th Annual Walk Against Domestic Violence

Walkers meet at the Lake Merritt Boat House in Oakland for a Walk Against Domestic and Teen Dating Violence. This is a collaborative effort by Communities-N-Concert, and Progressive Transitions, with support from the Alameda County Domestic Violence Coalition. The walk takes place from 8am-12pm.

Sunday, October 4th – Sundays in the Redwoods – Jon Jang & James Newton

This free concert features the Jon Jang & James Newton. Bring sunscreen, hats and water– it can get very hot in the sun. Gates open at 1:30– concerts start at Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road. To reserve a picnic table, contact Renee Tucker at 238-4720. Find more info at the Sundays in the Redwoods website.

July 6-12 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, July 6th – Musical Mondays at Jack London Square – Carlos Godinez

This summer, Jack London Square is holding a two month series of Musical Mondays. Jack London Square hosts live musical entertainment to enjoy while playing favorite board games. Check out chess, checkers, scrabble and much more. Build up an appetite and check out the prefix dinner menus that the JLS restaurants will feature to help you ease into another work week. This event will be held from 5:30-8:00 pm at the foot of Broadway in Jack London Square.

Tuesday, July 7th – Oakland City Council Meeting

Finally, the budget discussions are over (for now), and the Council can move on to a myriad of other important issues, and judging from the lengthy agenda, they have a lot to catch up on. Among other items, they’ll be discussing updates to Central Business District Zoning, the MacArthur Transit Village, many stimulus grant applications, and civilianization of internal affairs of the police department. See the full meeting agenda and check out my post about how to watch and understand City Council meetings if you need some guidance on how or where to view the meeting. The non-ceremonial parts of the meeting start at 7pm at the Council Chambers in City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Wednesday, July 8th – Oaktown Meetup

This event will highlight numerous non profits and volunteer based organizations in Oakland that need our help. Meet representatives from each organization and learn about the type of help they need. Interested parties will have the opportunity to sign up to volunteer with these organizations on-site. This is a great opportunity to find out about the ways to help make Oakland a better place, and a unique chance to network with community service minded individuals and organizations. The event will be held from 5:00-7:30pm at Levende East, 827 Washington St. RSVP and find more info on Facebook.

Wednesday, July 8th – East Bay Democracy for America Meetup

At their July meeting, Democracy for America will be focusing on Prop 13 and recent changes in the Democratic Party. John Burton, newly elected Chair of the California Democratic Party, will be speaking about his vision for the CDP, and this will be your opportunity to meet him and ask him questions. San Francisco County Assesor Phil Ting will then be discussing his “Close the Loophole” campaign to create greater equity in our tax system, shut down corporate tax loopholes and bring back fiscal sanity to the California budget. The meeting will be held at 6:30 at the Rockridge Library, 5366 College Avenue. RSVP here.

Thursday, July 9th – Mix It Up East Bay Two Year Anniversary Party

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. This month will be extra special and fun because it’s Mix It Up’s Two Year Anniversary Party. There will be free food, a raffle, and drink specials. Mix It Up East Bay is held every 2nd Thursday of the month from 6-9pm at Shashamane at 2507 Broadway. It’s accessible by 19th Street BART station or by AC Transit lines 1/1R, 51, 59.

Thursday, July 9th – Broadway Auto Row Planning Meeting

Ugh, I really, really want to go to one of these meetings but they keep conflicting with other events! So I hope one of you will attend and tell me all about it. This will be the second in a series of meetings to help plan the revitalization of Broadway Auto Row. This meeting will focus on existing conditions and a market demand report. If you’re interested in this corridor (and you should be), please attend this meeting. It will be held from 6-8pm at First Presbyterian Church, 2619 Broadway at 27th. And when it’s done, walk down to Shashamane to join the Mix It Up party. More info on the Auto Row planning process can be found here.

Friday, July 10th – Estuary Art Attack

First Fridays are not the only day of the month to check out art galleries. Jingle Town and Alameda artists have joined together to start the Estuary Art Attack, a monthly event held on second Fridays to showcase the area’s galleries, restaurants, and bars. The Art Attack will be held from 6-9 pm throughout Jingle Town and Alameda. Check out their website for more details.

Saturday, July 11th – Central Estuary Plan Community Workshop #4

This Saturday, the fourth meeting will be held for for the Central Estuary Plan, which is designed to build a vision and provide a framework to support development and enhancement of the Estuary from Adeline Street to 66th Avenue.  At this workshop, you’ll be asked to “roll up your sleeves” and participate in a mapping exercise to develop alternatives that reflect your ideas and what you’d like to see in the Central Estuary area in the future.  You will have the opportunity to present your ideas to the project team and fellow community participants. You can read about the first meet at Oakland Streets or at A Better Oakland. (The CEDA website also includes meeting presentations and other materials.) The meeting will be held from 9am-noon at Beacon Bay School, 2101 Livingston Street.

June 15-21 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, June 15th – Musical Mondays at Jack London Square – Jump City

Last week, Jack London Square started its two month series of Musical Mondays. Jack London Square hosts live musical entertainment to enjoy while playing favorite board games. Check out chess, checkers, scrabble and much more. Build up an appetite and check out the prefix dinner menus that the JLS restaurants will feature to help you ease into another work week. This event will be held from 5:30-8:00 pm at Palm Tree Plaza (yes, they really call it that) in Jack London Square.

Tuesday, June 16th – Port Commission Hearing on Oakland Airport Connector Funding

Two weeks ago, the Aviation Committee of the Port Commission voted to move move the OAC funding issue onto the full committee, and then for some reason the full commission delayed the hearing. On Tuesday, the full commission will vote on taking the first step on funding the OAC to the tune of $44 million. You can read all about this issue in my post about this hearing. The meeting starts at 4:30 pm and will be held at 530 Water Street in Oakland (accessible by the 72, 72M, or 72R buses).

Tuesday, June 16th – Oakland City Council Meeting on Budget (note special time)

Tuesday’s Council meeting, which starts in the afternoon and should be very long, is all about the budget. Councilmembers Jane Brunner, Ignacio De La Fuente, Pat Kernighan, and Jean Quan will be presenting their alternative budget proposal to Mayor Dellums’ proposal, and I think it’s a huge improvement.  They’ll be discussing a mix of taxes, fees, and cuts, which is a refreshingly well-rounded approach compared to what’s going on in Sacramento. See the full meeting agenda and check out my post about how to watch and understand City Council meetings if you need some guidance on how or where to view the meeting. The meeting starts at 3pm at the Council Chambers in City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Wednesday, June 17th – Special Community Meeting for Zoning Issues in the Oakland Hills

The City is updating its zoning regulations, which govern the physical development of land.  Zoning regulations affect many people living and working in Oakland. We urge you to become familiar with the zoning update process and get involved. The purpose of the meeting is to familiarize you with the issues and zoning in the Oakland hills as well as to obtain input about additional issues with development in the hills, and the preliminary zoning outline for the Oakland hills. This meeting will be held from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at Skyline Community Church, 12540 Skyline Boulevard.

Thursday, April 18th – Uptown Unveiled & Taste of Uptown

On Thursday night, several blocks in Uptown will be closed to car traffic and instead filled with music, food, and tons of people. There are going to be three stages on Telegraph from 16th to 20th featuring incredible music, including Damon and the Heathens, The Kev Choice Ensemble, and John Santos. Franklin will also be closed to traffic between 21st and 22nd and will be showcasing Uptown’s finest food. And if you haven’t checked out the Fox Theater, they’ll be doing tours for the public. I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else on Thursday night. So head to Uptown from 5-10pm to enjoy what the area has to offer. More details can be found here (PDF) and I’ll likely be writing a more detailed post about it early this week because there’s far too much to cover here.

Thursday, April 18th – Central Estuary Plan Community Workshop #3

If for some bizarre reason you’d rather stay inside than hang out on the street in Uptown, you can check out the third second meeting for the Central Estuary Plan, which is designed to build a vision and provide a framework to support development and enhancement of the Estuary from Adeline Street to 66th Avenue.  The workshop will be in an “open house” format where project staff will be available to answer questions and discuss information gathered on Plan Area existing conditions. You can read about the first meet at Oakland Streets or at A Better Oakland. (The CEDA website also includes meeting presentations and other materials.) Please drop by any time between 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. to visit the open house information stations at your leisure. Light refreshments will be served. This workshop will be held at The Unity Council, Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center, 3301 East 12th Street, Suite 201 (Fruitvale Transit Village).

Friday, June 19th – Dancing Under the Stars at Jack London Square

Via Angela Woodall: “Free Outdoor Classes from May 1 to July so you can Dance the Night Away on Oakland’s Waterfront. On Friday nights this Spring and Summer, Jack London Square will see sizzling salsa, tight turns, and elegant waltzes. But on this dance floor, there will be no judges and no one will be voted out. Jack London Square today announced Dancing Under the Stars, a summer of free outdoor dance classes open to the public. Over ten Friday night sessions, visitors will be treated to professional instruction in a range of popular steps, all on Oakland’s waterfront and by the light of the stars. Dancing Under the Stars will begin at 8:30 PM each Friday at the foot of Broadway from May 1st to July 3rd.” This Friday, they’ll be teaching the Hustle.

Saturday, June 20th – 4th Annual Laurel Summer Solstice Festival

For the fourth year in a row, the Laurel Village Association is coordinating a Summer Solstice Music Festival on June 20, 2009.  Amateur and professional musicians perform for free in unconventional public spaces such as street corners, merchant parking lots, and residential driveways.  Join us at numerous sites along MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland’s Laurel neighborhood from 1:00 – 7:00 p.m. on June 20th! Find more details at their website.

Saturday & Sunday, June 20th & 21st -The Oakland-East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus Presents: Cabaret – Zoot Suit!

The Oakland-East Bay Gay Men’s Chorus and Swing Fever of San Francisco is proud to present Cabaret-Zoot Suit! on Saturday, June 20th, 7:30 pm and Sunday, June 21, 5 pm at First Christian Church of Oakland, 111 Fairmount Ave., Oakland, CA.  Proceeds from this event are used to produce the chorus’s concerts and community projects throughout the year.  Visit their website for map, directions, tickets and more!

April 20-25 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, April 20th – City Visions Radio presents “What’s Next for Oakland’s Downtown – Ten Years After the 10K Project”

So the title of this show sounds pretty inacuous and interesting – I think it’s a good idea to reflect back on former plans to see how they went. But the description I received from the producer and the one on their website are a bit overboard, calling the current situation a “crisis” and ominously stating: “But now units are standing empty, with potential buyers unable to get mortgages, while other projects are in limbo as developers struggle to keep solvent.” Look, we all know that units are empty in the DTO, but they’re also empty throughout the city (and the state, and the country). We’re in the middle of an economic crisis and it seems unfair to look at the DTO in a vaccum and to blame the vacancies on the 10K plan alone. And nowhere in the description of the show did it mention the enormous success of entertainment venues, bars and restaurants in dowtown over the past few years so I hope they won’t gloss over that. Oh well, guess we’ll just have to wait and hear how it goes tomorrow. The show will run from 7-8 pm and you can call in with questions and comments to (415) 841-4134 or email questions to feedback@cityvisionsradio.com. Tune in at City Visions Radio, 91.7 FM, KALW or online at www.cityvisionsradio.com.

Monday, April 20th – Budget Town Hall

This will be the second of three budget town halls the City is hosting throughout Oakland in the next few weeks to get feedback from residents on the budget and budget cuts. V Smoothe wrote some background info on the budget, and I couldn’t agree more with her take on these town halls: “Go to the town halls and go to the budget meetings and tell them what your priorities are. If you don’t, I guarantee, somebody else will, and you can take a wild guess who’s more likely to get what they want.” This town hall will be held from 6:30-8pm at Edna Brewer Middle School (tentative location), 3745 13th Avenue (at Park).

Tuesday, April 21st – Oakland City Council Meeting

Taxes, taxes, taxes!!! That’s a pretty good summary of what the Council will be addressing this Tuesday night. They’ll be considering raising the sales tax, placing a special tax on gross revenues of cannabis sales, a creating a new parcel tax on park maintenance and landscaping, and amending the property transfer tax. And if they get through all those taxes before 2am, they also will be discussing some other issues, like the East Oakland private security pilot program. See the full meeting agenda and check out my post about how to watch and understand City Council meetings if you need some guidance on how or where to view the meeting. The non-ceremonial parts of the meeting start at 7pm, and if you’d like to see the meeting in person, head to the Council Chambers in City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Tuesday, April 21st – Walk Oakland Bike Oakland Monthly Meeting

Join WOBO as we prepare for Bike to Work Day, May 14th! We need your help to get ready for WOBO’s energizer stations, as well as to support the 1,000 participants expected throughout the O. We will be prepping materials and making plans to set up, staff, and take down our two energizer stations at 27th & Broadway and Oak and 14th St (right at the corner of Lake Merritt). We hope you can make it, and that you are ready. Check the WOBO website for information and a link to our BTWD volunteer Google doc. This meeting will be held from 6:30-8:30 pm at Bay Area Wilderness Training, 2301 Broadway, Suite B – enter on 23rd Street. For more info, visit WOBO’s website.

Wednesday, April 22nd – Central Estuary Plan Community Workshop #2

Via City Homestead: “The second meeting is coming up for the Central Estuary Plan, which is designed to build a vision and provide a framework to support development and enhancement of the Estuary from Adeline Street to 66th Avenue. The project examines land use along the Estuary and the associated environmental, economic, quality of life and health-related impacts. This month you’ll have a chance to discuss the vision and the healthy development of the area, according to the website. I didn’t go to the first meeting, but luckily the folks over at Oakland Streets did, so you can read up on it there. (The CEDA website also includes meeting presentations and other materials.” For another take on the first meeting, check out Tom Thurston’s post at A Better Oakland and the extensive discussion that followed. The meeting will be held from 7-9pm at The Unity Council, Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center, 3301 East 12th Street, Suite 201 (Fruitvale Transit Village).

Thursday, April 23rd – Harrison Street/Oakland Avenue Community-Based Transportation Plan

Via City Homestead: “This is the second meeting for this project, too. (Future Oakland has a post about the first meeting.) The Caltrans-funded plan looks at Harrison Street and Oakland Avenue from the Piedmont border to Grand Avenue.  DC&E consultants and city staff will be presenting alternatives for the corridor to address access and safety for pedestrians, bicycle facility improvements, traffic calming, I-580 signage and modified access, and AC Transit stop improvements.” I’m very interested in this planning process but unfortunately cannot make it to this meeting so if you attend, please share how it went. The meeting will be held from 6-8pm at Westlake Middle School Gym, 2629 Harrison Street (at 27th).

Sunday, April 25th – Tribute Show for OPD Officers at the Uptown

Via Angela Woodall: “On Sunday, April 26th at 5PM, the Uptown Nightclub will be hosting a benefit/tribute event featuring live music and entertainment acts with all door proceeds benefiting the four families of the recently slain OPD officers. This event is being done with the blessing and support of the Oakland Police Officers Association.” Entertainment for the evening will include the Badmen, Charlie Roman & the Teenage Werewolves, Borstal Holiday, and Special Guests. The Uptown is located at 1928 Telegraph, and they’re asking for a $10 donation.