Last month, we shared Eric Hughes’ large photo of the new mural on the side and rear of the building that houses Walgreens and Trader Joe’s.  A few days later, while the artist, Norman “Vogue” Chuck, was putting on the finishing touches, we took two more.

• The East Bay Express had an excellent article about the murals that are flourishing citywide as a result of the pandemic and the protests against police violence. The article features Chris Granillo, the artist who painted the Heron for the Private Mailbox and is now also a regular at the farmers Market.
• Chris Rachal, the co-owner of M2 on Grand has another project in the works. Namely, the rebirth of Mexicali Rose with a new identity and a pink coat of paint. Read all about it in this Oaklandside article.
• With the Tree Division of the Public Works Department so badly understaffed, they’re typically consigned to removing dead trees and fallen limbs and not much else. That said, it was a pleasant surprise to see them at Splash Pad Park several weeks ago removing all the dead palm fronds which, in addition to being unsightly, also posed a major hazard when they fell without warning. Our compliment and sincere thanks!

The tragic death of County Supervisor Wilma Chan came as a shock to everyone but was especially hard for all who had worked alongside her during her twenty-seven year political career as a County Supervisor and member of the State Assembly. Her focus was primarily on health care, senior services, early childhood education, environmental health, jobs, and economic development. A community memorial in tribute to her life and legacy that was held in the gardens at the Oakland Museum on December 8 is available on this link.