June 6-13 Oakland Political & Community Events

I’m again pressed for time so a list of events with links will have to suffice again this week. Hopefully next week I’ll bring back the fuller format.

Tuesday, June 8 – Election Day: Don’t forget to vote!

Wednesday, June 9 – AC Transit Board Meeting

Wednesday, June 9 – Alameda County Democratic Central Committee Meeting

Thursday, June 10 – Oakland Mayoral Candidates Forum

Thursday, June 10 – Mix It Up East Bay

Friday, June 11 – Go Public Schools End of Year Celebration

Friday, June 11 – Dancing Under the Stars (Cha Cha)

May 10-16 Oakland Political & Community Events

Tuesday, May 11th – Making History Reception for Victoria Kolakowski for Judge

(Disclosure: I proudly work for Victoria Kolakowski’s campaign.) Michael Colbruno, Oakland City Attorney John Russo, Berkeley Councilmembers Darryl Moore and Kriss Worthington, Board of Equalization Chair Betty Yee, Michael Lighty, and John Gooding invite you to a fundraising reception to support Judge Victoria Kolakowski for Alameda County Superior Court Judge. We need your help to make history! An Administrative Law Judge with the California Public Utilities Commission, Vicky has over four years judicial experience and over 20 years of legal experience, primarily with complex civil litigation. Only 29% of Alameda County’s almost six-dozen Superior Court judges are women, and none are openly LGBT. There has never been an openly transgender trial court judge anywhere in the U.S. The reception will take place from 5:30-7:00pm at Clear Channel Outdoor, 555 12th Street, Suite 950. Find more info and RSVP on Facebook or email events@kolakowskiforjudge.com. Donations may be made securely online at http://kolakowskiforjudge.com.

Wednesday, May 12th – Happy Hour for Rebecca Kaplan

Rebecca Kaplan’s Exploratory Committee for the 2010 Oakland Mayor’s race invites you to join us for a happy hour and celebration! Rebecca will discuss the challenges facing our city, and invite your feedback and ideas. We can provide economic revitalization, public safety, and effective government by working together to “build an Oakland we can all be proud of.” The event will take place from 5:30-7:30pm at The Historic Cathedral Building, 1615 Broadway. Contributions welcome but not required. Find out more info and RSVP on Facebook or on Rebecca Kaplan’s website.

Thursday, May 13th – Bike to Work Day

This year’s Bike to Work Day, as usual, sounds awesome. Enjoy pancakes, prizes, all day valet bike parking, AC Transit demonstrations on loading bikes onto buses, biking with your councilmember, fuel at energizer stations, and much, much more. The main events take place from 7-9am at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland. For a full listing of events and more details, visit the Bike to Work Day website.

Thursday, May 13th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. Dr. Anthony Smith, Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District will be the featured speaker of the night. Come hear about OUSD’s new strategic plan for the district and the vision for a vibrant public school district that meets the needs of all Oakland families. Free Snacks! Drink specials ’til 7 pm! Speaking program begins at 7 pm. 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. For more info and to RSVP, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Friday, May 14th – 4th Annual Oakland Indie Awards

I judged the Oakland Indie Awards for the second time this year, and I was blown away by the nominees. Trust me, this is an event you won’t want to miss! Join us to celebrate Oakland’s innovative, socially- and environmentally-responsible businesses and artists. Winners will be announced at the event—come help us celebrate! This year we’ve brought together jerk fish tacos, pambasos, hand dipped chocolate, art subscription services, edible gardening product manufacturers, a full bar, the unveiling of our WINNERS, and so much more!  The event will be held from 5:30-9:00 pm at Jack London Pavilion, 98 Broadway in Oakland (formerly Barnes & Noble). Tickets are $20 and you can find out more at the Indies website.

Saturday, May 15th – Streetfilms Screening Party

The premiere screening of three new films, produced by Streetfilms from their Bay Area Street Portraits series. The films were directed by local filmmaker Charlotte Buchen, and feature Bay Area individuals who have unique relationships with bicycles and cycling. One of the films just happens to be about Sal and the Actual Cafe! The screening will take place from 7-10pm at Actual Cafe, 6334 San Pablo Avenue. For info about the films being shown and to RSVP, see the Facebook event page.

Sunday, May 16th – Oakland on Two Wheels

Explore Oakland and its environs with the Oakland Museum of California’s bike-tripping docents the third Sunday of the month as we leisurely wend our way through Uptown, Downtown, Fruitvale, Port of Oakland, West Oakland, Brooklyn, or the Lake Merritt area. Reservations are a good idea: docentcenter@museumca.org or 510-238-3514. Participants must be 12 or older. Bring your own bikes, helmets, and repair kits. Meet at the main entrance to the Museum on Oak Street at 10 a.m. Free.

April 5-11 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, April 5 – Social Networking Made Easy

Do you realize you need to know about Social Networking, but get overwhelmed when you try to figure it out?  Help is on the horizon!  Dave Casuto, Director of Senior Surf, is an expert at explanations that are easy to understand!  In addition he brings a great handout so you can go over the material again later!  Dave will cover Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Linked In and more; plus he will show you how to create your own blog!  Come and bring lots of friends!This event takes place from 6:00-7:30pm at Buttercup Grill, 229 Broadway at 3rd Street. The event is sponsored by the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC).

Monday & Tuesday, April 5th & 6th – BART Community Meetings

BART is holding community meetings throughout the Bay Area this month. From BART’s website: “These series of community meetings will target minority and low-income communities along with those who have limited English skills.  The purpose is to ask these typically underrepresented communities the most effective ways BART should reach out to them so agency officials have a better understanding of their needs before making major transportation decisions.” You can probably imagine that I’m skeptical about this exercise since no major changes have been made at BART and this appears to be a way for them to meet Title VI obligations without making these changes. But who knows, maybe these meetings will make a difference, and at the least, it’s important to show up to express concerns about this process and BART in general.

Monday from 6:30pm-8:00pm at Mandela Gateway, 1350 7th Street, across from West Oakland BART.
Tuesday from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm at the San Antonio Neighborhood Community Center, 2325 East 12th Street, near Fruitvale BART.

Find more info on BART’s website.

Wednesday, April 7th – Public Ethics Commission Meeting

This week’s Public Ethics Commission meeting should be interesting and contentious. Among other items, they’ll be discussing Ignacio De La Fuente’s proposal to raise contribution limits for city elections, a report on City Council pay, and a new complaint by Marleen Sacks. The meeting will be held at 6:30pm in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. You can read the meeting agenda here.

Thursday, April 8th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. Esperanza Tervalon-Daumont, the Executive Director of Oakland Rising will be the featured speaker of the night. Oakland Rising is a formation of four community-based organizations that have come together to build a progressive city-wide electoral base that forwards an agenda which addresses the needs and issues of low-income communities of color in Oakland. Free Snacks! Drink specials ’til 7 pm! Speaking program begins at 7 pm. 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. For more info and to RSVP, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Thursday, April 8th – Rockridge NCPC Town Hall Meeting with Chief Batts

The Rockridge Community Planning Council, the Rockridge NCPC, and the Oakland Yellowjackets will jointly meet to offer a special guest speaker, Chief Anthony Batts of the Oakland Police Department.  Chief Batts will be speaking and taking questions from the audience for the first hour of the meeting. We encourage you to come to the meeting to share your questions and concerns regarding crime and public safety in Rockridge with the Chief. This event will take place from 7-9pm at Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Avenue at Manila, Community Room (upstairs).

Thursday-Sunday, April 8th-11th – Bookmark Bookstore’s Spring Sale

The Bookmark Bookstore, operated by the Friends of the Oakland Public Library, will have its 30% off spring sale April this week. All proceeds benefit the Oakland Public Library. Sale pricing is offered to the public from Thursday, April 8 through Sunday, April 11, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.  The Bookmark is located at 721 Washington St in Old Oakland. When you shop the Bookmark, you are supporting the Oakland Public Library! Call 510-444-0473 for more information, or visit the Friends online.

Friday, April 9th – Farley’s Non-Profit of the Month Happy Hour Benefiting WOBO

Farley’s monthly “Non-Profit of the Month” Happy Hour celebrates/benefits WOBO this month! Join us at Farley’s East to eat, drink and be merry. Superstars Chris & Amy at Farley’s are not only donating proceeds from the Happy Hour to WOBO, but they’re going to put their culinary magic to work for *you* and provide free appetizers. If there’s one thing that people can agree on, it’s free, tasty food, and since it will be there, so should you! No dress code, no cover, just bring a good attitude and an appetite/thirst. For conversation if not for food and drink. The happy hour takes place from 5-9pm at Farley’s East, 33 Grand Avenue. Please RSVP on Facebook so WOBO can get a head count to prepare for food for the evening.

Friday, April 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.

Mix It Up with Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan

This week, Mix It Up East Bay is relaunching with a new format. If you’ve never been to Mix It Up, you’ve been missing out on the premier monthly happy hour bringing together young (and not so young) activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. It’s been going strong for nearly three years, featuring several speakers each month on various issues, including transportation, criminal justice, water policies, Oakland arts, marriage equality, and much, much more.

But starting this month, Mix It Up will shift to featuring just one dynamic feature at each event. And who better to launch this new format than Oakland’s At-Large City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. She’ll be giving a speech entitled “It’s the Economy, and We’re not Stupid: Creative Approaches to Job Creation.” From green jobs in transit and building to the other kind of green jobs in Oaksterdam, Kaplan knows her stuff when it comes to thinking outside of the box on economic issues.

The speaking program begins at 7pm, but come early to enjoy free food and ridiculously cheap drink specials. Stay late to mix it up with active community members from around the East Bay.

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

March 8-14 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, March 8th – Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board Meeting

This month’s Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board (LPAB) meeting has several items of interest on the agenda. First, there’s the report of the initial staff research into view corridors. Staff analyzed 5 corridors across the lake — 3 views to City Hall and 2 views to the Tribune Tower. Staff will present on their determined maximum heights that could be allowed to preserve the view corridors. Next, there’s an item on proposed heights in historic districts as part of the commercial corridor zoning process. Also, there will be a sub-committee report on the Broadway-Valdez Specific Plan. This is important because there will be a full LPAB review of the plan for April and public input can help guide the 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, see the meeting agenda.

Monday, March 8th – Oakland LGBT Roundtable

Topics will include:
– The Survey Committee will give an update about the status of the needs assessment survey.
– Oakland Pride committee will give an update on the developments of East Bay Pride.
– Presentation about the history Oakland’s 1879 “Immoral Dress Code.” And update on getting this ‘cross dressing’ law ended in 2010.
– Councilmember Kaplan’s intern, Stephanie McLeod, will give a presentation about her trip to Washington DC’s LGBT Community Center.

This meeting takes place from 5:30-7:30 pm in Hearing Room 4, Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. Contact Ada Chan in Councilmember Kaplan’s office at 510-238-7083, or Achan1@oaklandnet.com, if you have any questions about the roundtable.

Wednesday, March 10th – Public Meeting to Discuss Options for Setting Bay Area’s Target For Curbing Greenhouse Gases from Cars and Light Trucks

MTC and ABAG will host a public meeting to learn about and comment on options for setting a “target” or goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks for the San Francisco Bay Area. To reduce greenhouse gases, a major goal set by state legislation, regions will be given specific targets by CARB to meet for reducing vehicle-related emissions. Senate Bill 375, signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2008, requires that CARB set such a target by September 30, 2010. A draft target is expected by June 30, 2010. The law also, among other things, calls upon regional agencies to develop a Sustainable Communities Strategy, or SCS, in conjunction with the long-range regional transportation plan. That effort is slated to begin this spring, with an SCS and updated transportation plan adopted in 2013. This meeting takes place from 2-4pm at Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter, Lawrence D. Dahms Auditorium, 101 Eighth Street (across from the Lake Merritt BART Station).

Thursday, March 11th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan will be the featured speaker, giving a talk entitled, “It’s the Economy, and We’re not Stupid: Creative Approaches to Job Creation.” Free Snacks! Drink specials ’til 7 pm! Speaking program begins at 7 pm. 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. For more info and to RSVP, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Friday, March 12th – 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, March 13th – Screening of FRESH:  New thinking about what we’re eating

Come see a screening of FRESH the MOVIE, food-friendly documentary. Sign up for a CSA that delivers fresh food in your neighborhood like Eatwell Farm featured on the History Channel or Shooting Star CSA located only 40 miles from Berkeley. Talk to Farm Fresh to You about having a CSA box delivered to your door, or sign up for a special heirloom tomato CSA with Tomatero Farm of Watsonville. Volunteer for a community garden like Funk Town Farm or meet urban farmers from Phat Beet Produce, a North Oakland non-profit. Enjoy food from Oakland vendors like Taco Grill, proudly serving Neiman Ranch Beef in Fruitvale. Free Valet Bike Parking! Doors open at 6pm for “DIGEST” an Art Show , Food Vendors, CSA Info booths, community garden booths and other Oakland food organizations. The event takes place at Regeneration Church, 238 E 15th St. Oakland. Suggested Donation at the door: $5-$10. Proceeds will subsidize CSA food boxes for low income families.  For more info and to RSVP, visit the Facebook event page.

February 8-14 Oakland Political & Community Events

Wednesday, February 10th – Walking Tour: New Era/New Politics

If you missed Saturday’s walking tour, not to worry because it’s being held again this week (and on February 27th). Stroll through downtown and discover the places where Oakland African American leaders have made their mark. Learn how Lionel Wilson, Delilah Beasley, Robert Maynard, the Dellums family, Josephine Baker, and others changed the Bay Area and California. This free tour begins at 10:00 a.m. in front of the African American Museum and Library at Oakland, 14th Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Visit Oakland’s walking tour site for more info.

Wednesday, February 10th – AC Transit Board Meeting (in person or via audio!)

As V Smoothe announced last month, starting this Wednesday, AC Transit will be audio-casting their Board meetings and standing committee meetings and will be posting archived audio of all meetings. I couldn’t be much more excited about this, as it means it will now be very convenient to keep up with AC Transit business. At this week’s meeting, the Board will be addressing the very important issue of what to do about service reductions if AC Transit is unable to transfer Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds from BRT to operations. They will also discuss a contract for on-board video surveillance and receive an update on BRT. This meeting will take place at 6pm in the 2nd floor board room, 1600 Franklin Street. You can read the agenda and see the relevant memos here and you can listen online here.

Thursday, February 11th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. ‘Tis STILL the Season for Giving! The holiday season is over but issues of hunger are still dire. Come hear (brief) presentations on eradicating hunger in the East Bay:

• Betsy Edwards, Alameda County Food Bank
• Lisa Sherrill, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
• Eric Manke, CA Association of Food Banks

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, February 11th – Oakland Heritage Alliance Lecture: The New Deal and its Impact on the East Bay

As part of the monthly OHA lecture series, popular lecturer Gray Brechin will once again highlight the New Deal’s cultural and historical contributions to the East bay landscape. This lecture will be held at 7:30pm at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave. in Oakland. Admission: $10 OHA members/$15 non-members. Find out more about this lecture series at OHA’s website.

Friday, February 12th – 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, February 13th – Inside Buffalo Screening

The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) will screen Inside Buffalo, an award winning feature film documentary about the Buffalo Soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division, the all-African American segregated combat unit that fought with outstanding heroism in Italy during the Second World War. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Fred Kuwornu. Writer Tullio Bertini, author of Trapped in Tuscany: Liberated by the Buffalo Soldiers, and 92nd Infantry Division veteran Ivan Houston, author of Black Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers of World War II, are also scheduled to appear and sign copies of their books. The screening will take place at 1:15pm at AAMLO, 659 14th St. Find out more at AAMLO’s website.

Sunday, February 14th – Valentine’s Day

Love it or hate it, there’s tons to do on Oakland on Valentine’s Day. If someone doesn’t beat met to it, I’ll post a round-up of events later this week. If someone does beat me, I’ll post the link to it here. So check back later in the week if you’re looking for something to do.

December 7-13 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, December 7th – Oakland LGBT Roundtable

From Jean Quan’s newsletter: “Topics to be discussed include  Port of Oakland Commission appointment; report back on Chicago LGBT Community Center visit; Oakland LGBT Community Center next steps and Oakland Pride Update. Bring unwrapped NEW toys to support the Oakland Mayor’s Community Toy Drive.” This meeting takes place from 5:30-7:30 pm in Hearing Room 3, Oakland City Hall.

Tuesday, December 8th – Oakland City Council Meeting

Among other items, the Council will be voting on granting eleven Mills Act contracts to historic buildings, extending the eminent domain authority under the Coliseum Redevelopment Plan, implementing a solar financing program modeled after Berkeley’s program, increasing the fee for residential parking permits, approving the City’s 2010 federal and state legislative agendas, approving a contract with an independent monitor for the police department under the negotiated settlement agreement, and hearing updates on several stimulus projects. 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, December 9th – Joint Annual Holiday Party

Several local elected officials are joining together to throw a holiday party. Hosts include Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Senator Loni Hancock, Assemblymember Sandre Swanson, Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, Mayor Ron Dellums, AC Transit Director Joel Young, and Peralta Community College Trustee Abel Guillen. This event is free and refreshments will be served. This party will take place from 5:00pm – 8:00pm at Uptown Body & Fender, 401 26th St. For more info and to RSVP, visit the Facebook page.

Wednesday, December 9th – WOBO Volunteer Potluck and Social

Come share food, conversation and holiday cheer at the inaugural Walk Oakland Bike Oakland Volunteer Potluck and Social. Don’t let the name fool you, you don’t have to be a volunteer – all WOBO supporters and enthusiasts are welcome. WOBO’s new partner, Xtracycle, has generously donated the use of their space, and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and Linden Street Brewery have donated some of their specially crafted winter beer, so you won’t want to miss out on the fun. It is a potluck so you’re asked to bring something in the way of food or a non-alcoholic beverage. WOBO’s trying to be light on the planet so you’re encouraged to bring your own plate, glass/mug and utensils if possible. There’s plenty of bike parking in the gated Xtracycle lot and places to lock up to, so if you bike, definitely ride over. The party takes place from 6pm-9pm at Xtracycle, 1078 60th Street. Find more info and RSVP on Facebook.

Thursday, December 10th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. ‘Tis the Season for Sustainable Giving! The holiday season is upon us – instead of heading to the mall, come hear (brief) presentations on shopping sustainably in the East Bay:

• Libby Wenger, Fair Trade Towns USA
• Oakland Unwrapped!
• Eric Kos, Alameda Sun Newspaper & Greater Alameda Business Association
• Amy Thomas, Buy Local Berkeley

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 & Friday, December 10th & 11th – Holiday Buy Night

Who needs a boring mall when we’ve got an amazing variety of shops, artisans, and locally made items right here? Get your holiday shopping all wrapped up at the Holiday Buy Night, hosted by Oakland Unwrapped, in collaboration with Jack London Square, ProArts, and Oakland Grown. Two floors, two nights INSIDE the warm & cozy Jack London Market! An Oakland shopping mall-ternative featuring the best of local and indie gifts, art, accessories, clothing and more from Oakland Unwrapped!, Pro Arts and Oakland Grown. Choose from Oakland shops, artisans, fine artists and products that are manufactured here in Oakland! Items for all ages, genders and tastes. The event takes place on Thursday and Friday nights from 5pm-10pm at Jack London Market, 300 1st St. Find more info on vendors and entertainment on Facebook.

Saturday & Sunday, December 12th & 13th – Temescal Skate & Stroll

From the Temescal District website: “Popcorn, candy canes, hot chocolate, carolers, and lively merchants await you on Telegraph Ave., all weekend long. Show your moves at the outdoor ice skating rink (skates available) at 49th and Telegraph. Drop in on your favorite local merchants for a little last minute holiday shopping. And don’t forget to smile when you take your picture with Santa! On Sunday: celebrate the work of Oakland artist Mark Brest van Kempen at the community dedication of Views of the Greenbelt. This public art project, commissioned by the City of Oakland, is a series of sculptures focused on the flora and fauna of the Rockridge Temescal Greenbelt. The dedication event starts at the art sculpture podium adjacent to the DMV parking lot (5300 Claremont Avenue) at 11 AM. Enjoy a brief walking tour of select sculptures ending with light refreshments at Hardy Park.” This event takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30-4:30pm in Temescal.

Saturday & Sunday, December 12th & 13th – The Crucible Holiday Gifty Art Sale

This weekend, the Crucible will be hosting its annual Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House. I try to make it to this event every year because I find it’s one of the best places to find unique gifts for your friends, family, and of course, for yourself. They have a little bit of everything – glass, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, and all sorts of stuff you’d never find anywhere else. Though there are plenty of artsy holiday sales going on at this time of year, the Crucible’s generally has the best entertainment. Where else can you go to shop and see fire dancing stilters? They also will be doing demonstrations of the fire arts that are taught at the Crucible, like glass blowing and welding, so you can get a sneak peek of classes. This event will take place on Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm at The Crucible, 1260 7th Street. The Crucible is accessible by the West Oakland BART station or by AC Transit lines 13, 19, or 62.

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.

October 5-11 Oakland Political & Community Events

Monday, October 5th – Commercial/Corridors Technical Advisory Group Meeting

Thus far, the TAG has reviewed a framework for ten new zoning districts for the City’s corridors and commercial. The TAG has also reviewed detailed activity tables and design regulations for each of the proposed zones and a framework for appropriate height limits. At this TAG meeting, staff will present a conceptual map showing the proposed location of these new zones and a methodology for determining the location of the different height areas. The next meeting will be devoted to a discussion of a proposed map of height areas. The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. in City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, in Hearing Room 4 (this is on the 2nd floor). For more information, visit the Zoning Update website.

Monday, October 5th – Title IX: Gender Equity in Sports & Educational Programs 37 Years Later, We Still Have a Way to Go

Diane Milutinovich had served as a coach and athletics administrator at California State University Fresno for 22 years when she was told her position was being eliminated due to budgetary reasons.  Yet in the next 2 years, the university’s athletics budget went up $2 million, and they added 17 new positions.  Spending per male athlete went up $17,000; for female athletes, $8! It took 5 years, but she won her gender discrimination lawsuit.  Diane will share her experience and paint a broad picture of the state of compliance today.  While she will focus mainly on sports programs, she will also discuss the other areas Title IX covers including admission to universities, sexual harassment, and discrimination due to pregnancy or marital status. This event takes place from6-7:30pm at Buttercup Grill, 229 Broadway at 3rd Street. The event is sponsored by the National Women’s Political Caucus.

Tuesday, October 6th – Oakland City Council Meeting

After the last Council meeting, I posted a poll asking if you’d like to see more in depth coverage of Council meetings either before or after them. More than half of you said you’d like to see coverage before, so I’m going to start that feature tomorrow or Tuesday and will cover the full Council agenda in depth. But so you can plan, the two most contentious items of the night are the rollback of parking meter hours to 6pm and a resolution opposing the Oakland Airport Connector. It should be a very long night again for the Council. 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, October 7 – Alameda County Democratic Central Committee Meeting

Every month, the Central Committee meets to discuss party business and to make plans for the future of the Democratic Party in Alameda County. This month’s program sounds extremely interesting and informative – “Eye on Alameda County Water Boards” featuring Andy Katz from EBMUD and Marty Koller from Alameda County Water District. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Democratic Party, this is a great way to do so. The meeting will be held from 7-9pm in the San Leandro Main Library, Dave Karp Room, 300 Estudillo Ave., San Leandro, CA 94577.

Thursday, October 8th – Rebecca Kaplan’s Birthday Party

Celebrate Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan’s birthday! Join us for a “happy hour’ reception (with great food and birthday cake) to celebrate Rebecca’s 39th birthday!   Socializing, fun people, and time to share in the events of the past year, and hear about Rebecca’s plans for the coming year. The party takes place from 5pm – 7pm atJoyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th Street (Next to Geoffrey’s Inner Circle), near the corner of Broadway and 14th st in downtown Oakland. Suggested contribution, sliding scale $390 – $39. Visit Rebecca’s website to contribute, or to RSVP, contact Earp Events & Fundraising at 510-839-3100 or laurie@earpevents.com.

Thursday, October 8th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. The challenges of foster and former foster youth impact communities across the Bay Area. Come out and hear (brief) presentations on the range of local work supporting foster and former foster youth by:

• Letitia Henderson-Souza, Casey Family Programs
• Kevin Bristow, Renaissance Scholars Program, Cal State University East Bay
• Reed Connell, Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance

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-Sunday, October 8th-11th – Big Sale at Bookmark Bookstore

The Bookmark Bookstore, operated by the Friends of the Oakland Public Library, will have its 30% off fall sale October 8 – 11, 2009 (Thursday – Sunday). The Bookmark will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day this sale is happening. The Bookmark is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Bookmark is located at 721 Washington St in Old Oakland. When you shop the Bookmark, you are supporting the Oakland Public Library! Call 510-444-0473 for more information, or visit the Friends online.

Friday, October 9th – Special Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board Meeting

LPAB is holding a special meeting this Friday to discuss a proposal to “Develop more restrictive Demolition Findings based on Historic Preservation Element.” This is the first step to address demolition findings that along with view corridors were omitted from the recent passage of the downtown Oakland Zoning Update rules. The meeting will be held at 5pm in City Hall, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Hearing Room 2.

Friday, October 9th – 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, October 10th – Oaktoberfest

Oakland’s Dimond District hosts this one-of-a-kind Fall Festival, welcoming thousands with entertainment, arts, and ecology. The Dimond continues a tradition as an entertainment destination, begun in the early 1900’s when Beer Gardens and German vacation resorts lined the boulevard. Oaktoberfest will bring world-class beer to the giant tented beer hall, serving steins of traditional German flavors regional brew pub favorites. Highlighting this years festival will be a traditional Biergarten, the Eco Fair, a Kid’s Area with Root Biergarten, a homebrew competition, and vendors from around the Bay. Celebrate Oktoberfest, Oakland style, in the Dimond at Fruitvale and MacArthur. The festival takes place from 11am-6pm on MacArthur Blvd. at Fruitvale Avenue. Visit the Oaktoberfest website for more information.

Saturday, October 10th – Life is Living Festival & 3rd Annual Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle

Life is Living is a FREE concert and caucus to affirm urban life through hip hop, intergenerational health, and environmental action. Activities will include a concert featuring Phroahe Monch, Kev Choice and Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, Mighty 4 B-Boy Battle,the 3rd Annual Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle, youth town hall on health care sponsored by President Obama’s non-profit wing, Organizing for America, the Official opening of Town Park featuring Hood Games, a Skate and Bike competition, environmental Service Learning project with The Natural Builders, writing, visual Art and fashion Workshops, health screening for elders, healthy food/ healthy planet models presented by the Oakland Food Connection, City Slicker Farms, Food and Water Watch, and The People’s Grocery, and much, much more. The festival takes place from 11am-5pm at deFremery Park, 1651 Adeline St. For more info and to RSVP, see the event’s Facebook page.

Saturday, October 10th – Jane Brunner’s October Community Advisory Meeting: Meet Oakland’s New Chief of Police

This Saturday, Council President Jane Brunner will be introducing Oakland’s new police chief, Anthony Batts, to Oaklanders and he will be there to answer your questions. This meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon at Peralta Elementary School, 460 63rd Street. To learn more, call 238-7001.

Sunday, October 11th – Sundays in the Redwoods – Ledisi

This free concert features Ledisi. 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.

After a two month long recess, the Council is back in action this week and this first meeting is full of important and contentious issues. Among many other items, the Council will discuss and vote on an emergency moratorium on nail salons and laundromats, the Public Works Agency performance audit, the City Auditor’s whistleblower program report, and the authorization of incoming Chief of Police Anthony Batts’s salary. That is, they’ll be discussing all of those items if they can get past the most contentious topic of the night – parking. Pat Kernighan, after being targeted by a pro-parking mob, has proposed rolling back meter hour to 6pm from 8pm. The problem is that this would blow a $1.3 million hole in the city’s incredibly tight budget. Kernighan’s solution is to crack down on disabled placard parking fraud, but staff recommends not rolling back the meter times and Rebecca Kaplan sent the Council a copy of Donald Shoup’s presentation on “The High Cost of Free Parking.” 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.

September 7-13 Oakland Political & Community Events

Thursday, September 10th – Mix It Up East Bay

Join us for a monthly happy hour bringing together young activists, organizers and leaders in the East Bay. Climate change is no longer something that only the polar bears have to worry about – and it’s something we can all do something about. Come out and hear (brief) presentations on the range of work on the range of local work on climate change issues by:

• Debra Berliner, The Ecology Center
• Alex Cotton, Rising Sun Energy Center
• Hilary Moore, Mobilization for Climate Justice

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, September 10th – Oakland Community Economic Leadership Forum: “Oakland Bill of Rights”

This forum should be interesting. Hosted by D&N Institute with The East Bay Social Justice Center & East Bay Small Business Council, the forum is intended to “plan and discuss Oakland residents and small business participation on some Major Oakland Projects.” The list of projects to be discussed includes the Army Base, several hospitals, and… the Oakland Airport Connector. Because you know, BART has promised this will bring jobs to Oakland so we should just trust them and assume it will. Speakers will include Councilmembers Larry Reid and Rebecca Kaplan, BART Directors Carole Ward Allen and Lynette Sweet, and OUSD Board Members Chris Dobbins and Alice Spearman. The event takes place from 6-8pm at Lafayette School, 1700 Market Street.

Saturday, September 12th – Community Workshop on AC Transit’s Proposed Service Changes

AC Transit will hold a community workshop to present its proposed Service Adjustments Plan and gather feedback from the public. If you’re concerned about losing your bus line or just want to hear more about the extensive service adjustments, this will be an important meeting to attend. In October, the Board will likely make its final decision on the service adjustments, taking into consideration all public comments received. The Board could accept, modify, reject, or defer each of the proposed changes. If service adjustments are adopted, they likely would be implemented in January 2010. Take the bus: All lines serving downtown Oakland (also BART to 19th Street). The meeting will be held from 10:30am-12pm at the AC Transit offices, 1600 Franklin Street, 2nd Floor Board Room. Find further info at AC Transit’s website.

Sunday, September 13th – Bike Love Festival & Swap Meet

Need a new seatpost? Looking for a better set of handlebars? Considering a custom frame? Pick up sweet deals on gear, check out local handbuilt frames and enjoy the biketopia that is the first-annual Bike Love Festival. This “swap meet plus” features discounted and used gear from bike shops and bike geeks, free coffee and donuts, and a raffle. WOBO is the beneficiary of this first-time event, so they’ll be on hand to talk about their mission (or bikes and walking, if you like), hand out popular (free) WOBO-brand stickers and send out positive vibes. And if you’re not a WOBO member, the Bike Love Festival is the perfect time to join as WOBO will be offering an event-special annual membership for just $20! The event will take place from 8am-2pm at 2400 Valdez St. For more info and to RSVP, visit the Facebook page.