Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Bay Citizen to Merge with the Center for Investigative Reporting
Media Rachel Swan — Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 4:41 PM
A lot of hand-wringing followed last week's announcement that The Bay Citizen had entered merger talks with the Center for Investigative Reporting, the Berkeley-based nonprofit run by former San Francisco Chronicle editor Phil Bronstein. Launched by the late San Francisco philanthropist Warren Hellman as a potential replacement for the money-losing Chronicle, The Bay Citizen had been poised to become the daily paper of note in San Francisco. Yet it was crippled not only by Hellman's death in December, but also by the departure of several top employees, including interim editor-in-chief Steve Fainaru and founding chief executive Lisa Frazier. Its contract with the New York Times, which currently runs Bay Area news on a weekly basis, was apparently not sufficient to halt the merge, announced this afternoon.
East Oakland Boxing Association Might Have to Shut Its Doors
Sports Rachel Swan — Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Just months after local hero Andre Ward took the Super Six Middleweight Title, a venerable boxing center in his home town might have to shutter. For 25 years, the East Oakland Boxing Association has provided free after-school programs for kids, teaching everything from nutrition to academics to sparring. But in the last few years the organization has been crippled by the deaths of four leaders — head trainer Paul Wright passed away in 2008, youth intern Phillip Wright was fatally shot the following year, founder Stanley Garcia died in 2010, and last year marked the death of board president and esteemed social activist Frank Rose. Diminished funding and a paucity of resources have only exacerbated the EOBA's woes and imperiled operations. The directors are now appealing to civic leaders and community members to come visit and support; they'll hold an Open House tomorrow, 1-3 p.m. at EOBA, (816 98th Ave., Oakland).
BREAKING NEWS: Prop 8 Ruled Unconstitutional in Federal Court
Ellen Cushing — Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 10:01 AM
YAY: a The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal just voted to uphold an earlier decision that said California's voter-approved same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional. In a 2-1 vote, the three-member panel essentially validated Vaughn Walker's 2010 decision, writing that Prop 8 violated the equal protection clause and "served no purpose...other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California." At this point, the stay on same-sex marriages is still in place, pending another appeal, so don't all rush out and get gay-married right now. In the meantime, if you're bored and looking for some light reading, here's a PDF of the full decision, all 128 pages of it.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Shit Oakland Says
Ellen Cushing — Mon, Feb 6, 2012 at 5:57 PM
Well, it was only a matter of time: Now joining the venerable "shit [subculture] say(s)" meme is our fair city, with this video, starring self-proclaimed Oakland natives Kathreen Khavari and Jaevon Marshall and referencing such Oakland institutions as Lake Merritt, Bakesale Betty, Occupy, and the omnipresent smell of weed. Personal favorite line: "Hey, can you check and see if the riot's over? I need to go grocery shopping."
Friday, February 3, 2012
Friday's Best Quotes: On Komen, Using Taxpayer Funds to Lobby, and the Bay Citizen Merger
Politics / Health & Medicine / Transportation Robert Gammon — Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Best quotes of the day:
1. “We want to apologize for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” tweeted by Susan G. Komen foundation.
Friday’s Top Stories: Komen Changes Mind on Planned Parenthood; Bay Citizen and California Watch Are in Merger Talks
Media / Politics / Health & Medicine Robert Gammon — Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 9:58 AM
Today’s top stories:
1. The Susan G. Komen foundation, a breast cancer organization that was under siege for its decision earlier this week to defund Planned Parenthood, reversed course today, The New York Times reports. In a statement, the Komen foundation said it had changed its policies and would continue to fund Planned Parenthood. Earlier this week, Komen had said that it wouldn’t give money to any nonprofits that were under “investigation.” But today, Komen said it was altering that policy to clarify that the investigation would have to be criminal in nature and not political. Congressional Republicans, who want to kill Planned Parenthood because it provides abortion services, had launched an investigation of Planned Parenthood, but the probe is widely considered to be nothing more than a political stunt.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Thursday’s Best Quotes: On No Snow, SmartMeters, and HoJo
Politics / Environment / Occupy Robert Gammon — Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Best quotes of the day:
1. "It's time to be concerned," said Maury Roos, the state's chief hydrologist on the fact that this year's snowpack is only 37 percent of normal.
2. "We're not going to stop. We're not going away," said Josh Hart, a Santa Cruz County resident and organizer of a grassroots group called Stop Smart Meters. "People are going to refuse to pay these fees. You're going to see personal injury lawsuits and class-action lawsuits."
3. "If one house on a block opts for an analog meter, the question is, should all the homes on the block share the cost for sending a meter reader to that one house?" said PG&E Chief Customer Officer Helen Burt. "We don't think so."
In Light of the Komen-Planned Parenthood Flap
Politics Ellen Cushing — Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 9:48 AM
Here's a friendly reminder:
(h/t Xeni and everyone else in the universe)
Also: everyone should read this great MoJo piece from '09 about pinkwashing!
Thursday’s Top Five Stories: No Snowpack, No Water; SmartMeter Opt-Out Criticized
Law Enforcement & Crime / Health & Medicine / Environment Robert Gammon — Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 9:27 AM
Stories you shouldn’t miss:
1. State water officials are worried about the meager snowpack in the Sierra as Northern California continues to experience a bone-dry winter. The Chron reports that measurements yesterday showed that the snowpack is only 37 percent of normal for this time of year. The state’s reservoirs are still in good shape, but that will change if the dry weather continues. California may need another “Miracle March” of wet weather to stave off water rationing this summer.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
City of Berkeley Takes Steps to Move Its Money to a Local Bank
Politics / Occupy John C. Osborn — Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 4:03 PM
In what could well be one of the more significant consequences of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Berkeley may become one of the first cities in the country to pull its assets out of a major bank — in this case, Wells Fargo — as response to its role in the financial meltdown.
The city council unanimously decided to review the feasibility of transferring its $300 million or so in assets from the bank to either a local bank or a credit union, and whether an institution of that size would be able to handle the banking transactions required of a medium-sized city.
