Crowdfunding Love
by C.J. Hirschfield – Ain’t Love Grand – – Avenue
A bookstore. A bar. A beloved storybook park. What do they all have in common? A community that can’t imagine the world without it and that rallied to keep itself alive through highly successful online crowdfunding campaigns. And in each case, a special “angel” arrived to help—right on time. Continue Reading
Lakeshore BID: Welcome to April 2021
by Kira Pascoe – Lakeshore welcomes spring with a bounce in its step! We are delighted to welcome four new businesses, have greater shopping and dining capacity in the Orange Tier, and now it is possible to shop and dine with more capacity. It is also easier to get safe services done, such as a professional haircut. Read all about how … Continue Reading
Grand Avenue Merchant News – April 2021
by Ken Katz – The biggest single news item for Grand Avenue is that the vacant Aisle 5 space has been leased and remodeling is already well underway. It’s going to reopen as a “tapas and champagne lounge” called “Mimosa on Grand.” We had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Chris Rachal, on Tuesday, and he gladly posed for a photo next to a new mural … Continue Reading
Chalk it Up to Splash Pad Park’s History
by Ken Katz – One very special event that isn’t mentioned on the About page took place in September 2000. By way of introduction, in late 1999 the Splash Pad Neighborhood Forum was formed at the tail end of a long, divisive battle over the future of the park CalTrans had constructed in the early 1960s as part of the new MacArthur Freeway … Continue Reading
Parklets: Past, Present, Future
by Ken Katz – The parklets now springing up all over town in response to the pandemic actually had their genesis in September 2011, when the East Bay Bicycle Coalition introduced the City of Oakland to International PARKing Day – an annual celebration during which parking spaces are temporarily reclaimed for… Continue Reading
Farmers Market Update – April 2021
by Dan Foster – New and returning vendors include: Koda Farms (California’s oldest rice farm and mill, Fenella’s Berries (organic strawberries, raspberries and blackberries), True Love Nursery based in Oakland , Raised Roots Farms with locations in Oakland and Livermore, Lucia’s Pizza and Moi Eat. Continue Reading
A Resilient and Equitable Food and Farming System in California
by Andy Naja-Riese – Assembly Member Robert Rivas (D- Hollister) made an exciting announcement about a bill he introduced called the Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act (AB 125). If you missed it live, you can watch the press conference here. Continue Reading
Help Shape The Future of Grand Avenue
by Ken Katz – Oakland’s Department of Transportation (OakDOT) is in the midst of a long-term planning process for Grand Avenue that they summarize as follows: “The City of Oakland is creating a comprehensive transportation plan on Grand Avenue to strategize an inclusive, safer, and sustainable transportation network for the future, without displacing existing residents and businesses. Continue Reading
Odds and Ends
In this month’s News: 1. Council approves new rules for Lake vending, etc. 2. Andrew Alden blogs about a new Rock Garden. 3. Terry Smith and Tora Rocha on monarch butterflies. 4. C.J.Hirschfield reviews “Bedlam: The Shame is on Us.” 5. Rotary Nature Friends talk about what needs doing. Continue Reading
Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Council Update – April 2011
by Ashley Ragus – “In order to create the city we want, we all have to be a part of the solutions to the issues we all face.” The Friends of Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Council came together in March with this as our stated purpose. Our neighborhood’s 2021 priorities, as determined via surveys of our neighbors … Continue Reading
Rotary Nature Center Friends Lakeside Chats
by David Wofford – The Rotary Nature Center Friends, primary stewards of the wildlife refuge at Lake Merritt, presents
Lakeside Chat #4: “Nature vs. Nasty, from our Hands to planet Earth” – a discussion of trash at the lake and what we can do about it. Please join us on April 9th, 7-8 pm for our free online program featuring Dr. Bailey of Lake Merritt Institute and Vanessa Pope of MudLab. Register here.
Oakland Rotary Club’s Civic Thursdays
April 1: Tim Hon from graffiti vandal to community builder
April 8: Trish Anderson from OUSD’s McKinney-Vento Program
April 14: HR McMaster – U.S. National Security Advisor 2017–2018.
April 22: Shekhar Mehta – Rotary International President discussing the Rotary Clubs’ focus on protecting the environment.
April 27: Oakland Police Chief Leronne Armstrong.
Contact Rotarian Isaac Kos-Read if you’d like to join as a guest on Zoom or tune in live on Facebook (or catch the “rebroadcast” on the Rotary Club of Oakland YouTube Channel). Click here for the full schedule.
Splash Pad Park’s California Native Plant Garden
Under the stewardship of plant whisperer Mary Jo Sutton, Splash Pad Park’s California Native Plant Garden has more than doubled in size and it’s never looked as glorious as it does right now, with virtually everything in full bloom. Of special note is the Mahonia which was part of the original 2003 landscaping but … Continue Reading
Calendar
April 1 – Camron Stanford House: “Fans in Fashion and history” – 5:30 pm
April 3 – Oakland Library veggie nutrition cooking classes 6 – 7 pm every Wednesday in April
April 13 – Oakland Library migrating birds EBRPD naturalist talk.
April 21 – Grand Lake Neighbors Zoom meeting 7 – 8:30 pm.
April 22 – Oakland Main Library: “Saving Money and the Environment With Electric Vehicles”
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