Tuesday, May 15, 2012
State Redevelopment Letter Makes No Mention of Oakland’s Kaiser Center or Coliseum City
Media / Politics / Sports Robert Gammon — Tue, May 15, 2012 at 9:49 AM
Oakland’s receipt of a warning letter from state Controller John Chiang on the use of redevelopment funds last year has been making headlines over the past week. Chronicle columnists Matier and Ross have repeatedly made a big deal out of the letter, contending that Chiang is demanding that Oakland pay the state more than $30 million for redevelopment expenditures involving the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center and the proposed Coliseum City project. However, the letter from Chiang, obtained by the Express, makes no mention of either the Kaiser or Coliseum City, nor does it demand that Oakland pay the state any money. Instead, Chiang’s missive is merely a form letter that he sent to cities and counties throughout California. In fact, the letter is not even specifically addressed to Oakland.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Undeterred by Raid, Occupy the Farm Plans to Reconvene Tomorrow
Occupy Rachel Swan — Mon, May 14, 2012 at 10:32 AM
A missive sent this morning amid the raid at Albany's Occupy the Farm protest said the group would reconvene tomorrow afternoon to plan its next step. But the future is a little hazy for this rogue group of well-intentioned agriculturalists, who spent roughly three weeks tilling two acres of arable land on a parcel owned by UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources, and commandeering additional space for its makeshift encampment. The protesters argued that the 10 acres at Gill Tract, which contain Class 1 soil, evidently the best kind for growing edible crops. It's currently being allocated for agricultural experiments, many of which involve corn.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Quan Recall Backers Should Pull the Plug on Last Petition Drive
Politics / People Robert Gammon — Thu, May 10, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Now that two of the three efforts to recall Oakland Mayor Jean Quan have failed, backers of the remaining one should abandon their foundering campaign as well. The recall campaigns have been a distraction, and have caused unnecessary divisiveness in the city. And they’ve been costly, especially for the supporters of the remaining campaign. According to the most recent campaign finance reports, the Committee to Recall Mayor Quan Now — has racked up $26,166 in debts, and has virtually no money to hire paid signature gatherers. In fact, the group has only raised about $17,000, far short of the money it needs.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Video of the Year: Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage
Politics / People Robert Gammon — Wed, May 9, 2012 at 1:23 PM
A watershed moment:
Updated: Signs Point Toward a Raid of Occupy the Farm
Occupy Rachel Swan — Wed, May 9, 2012 at 10:48 AM
As of an hour ago, no arrests had been made at Occupy the Farm, the agricultural encampment set up more than two weeks ago at Gill Tract, a university-owned parcel of land at the intersection of Marin and San Pablo Avenues. But a raid may be imminent. Occupiers received dispersal notices and a threat of "chemical agents" at around 6:30 a.m. this morning. They say that UC police also brought a bulldozer to raze the farm and concrete barriers to inhibit vehicle access to the property. Police say that time has run out for the 200 urban farmers to leave voluntarily, and at this point, UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources needs the land for research.
- courtesy of @occupythefarm
- Watering at Occupy the Farm
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Piedmont City Council Rescinds Blair Park Approval
Breaking News Nate Seltenrich — Tue, May 8, 2012 at 3:08 PM
The Piedmont City Council formally withdrew its approval of the controversial proposal to build a sports field at Blair Park, Piedmont Patch reported this morning. Council members voted 5-0 at last night's meeting to rescind approval of the plan, as requested by project proponents Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization. City Administrator Geoffrey Grote and City Attorney Tom Curry also recommended that the council withdraw approval of the project, Piedmont Patch reported.
Lew Wolff and John Fisher Should Sell the A’s
Business / Sports Robert Gammon — Tue, May 8, 2012 at 9:08 AM
The years-long attempt by Oakland A’s owners Lew Wolff and John Fisher to move the team to San Jose appears to be fizzling out. All the rumors that the move was to be brought up at Major League Baseball owners’ meetings in the past few months have proven untrue. The San Francisco Giants reportedly have made it clear that they have no intention of giving up — or selling — their territorial rights to the South Bay. It’s also seems obvious that the league’s ownership is not going to overrule the Giants and allow the A’s to build a ballpark in San Jose. In short, the A’s have nowhere to go — other than leave the Bay Area. And since Wolff and Fisher don’t want to keep the team in Oakland, they should sell the A’s to an ownership group that will.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan Deserves a Mixed Review
Politics / People / Law Enforcement & Crime Robert Gammon — Mon, May 7, 2012 at 8:30 AM
When Mayor Jean Quan and City Administrator Deanna Santana appointed Howard Jordan last October to be Oakland’s new police chief, we were skeptical. We understood that Chief Anthony Batts’ sudden resignation — in the wake of another scathing report from federal court monitors — had left OPD in a difficult situation and that the department needed a leader right away. We also knew that Jordan is a smart guy, and well-liked in the department. But we were concerned whether someone who spent his entire career within OPD’s highly dysfunctional system would be able to reform it. After Jordan’s first seven months on the job, we’re still skeptical.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Oakland's Treasurer Recommends Terminating Goldman Sachs Deal
Business / Religion Darwin BondGraham — Fri, May 4, 2012 at 9:35 AM
In a recent memo, Oakland's Treasury Manager Katano Kasaine advises that the city council approve a negotiating effort to terminate Oakland's costly interest rate swap deal with Goldman Sachs no later than the end of the next fiscal year. The swap currently costs Oakland taxpayers about $4 million per year and has put serious pressure on the city's budget. As such, Kasaine is recommending that the city attempt to terminate the swap "at a below market value cost."
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Oakland Planning Commission Rejects Lake Merritt Dog Park Proposal
Breaking News Nate Seltenrich — Thu, May 3, 2012 at 8:00 AM
After fourteen years of planning, the Lake Merritt Dog Park may be dead for good. Nearly 100 people attended last night’s Planning Commission meeting to weigh in on the proposal, and by 11:10 p.m. the four commissioners finally issued their pained decision: denial. Speakers, who each had a minute at the mic, were split nearly down the middle. For every pro there was a con, and for every argument a rebuttal. But in the end the commissioners decided by a vote of three nays and one abstention that the open lawn near the corner of MacArthur Boulevard and Lakeshore Avenue, at the northeastern corner of Lakeside Park, was wrong for a fenced-in dog run.
