Neighbor Mary C. Daly Uses “Escape Velocity” to Increase Economic Mobility
by C.J. Hirschfield – Quick—describe what you think the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco would be like. If you answered a former high school dropout, an enthusiastic texter, someone with a flair for dressing hip, a lesbian podcaster, and a neighbor of the Grand Lake Theater, you’d be right. Continue Reading
Lakeshore BID: 
by Kira Pascoe – Summer is starting on Lakeshore with more movement and anticipation than usual. Business is picking up and California is on track to fully open on June 15th. While we do not know what all the new rules will be and it is a long road back to “business as usual” on Lakeshore and Lake Park Aves, planning and positive change is in the air. June on Lakeshore includes Father’s Day, Giving Back, Accolades, National Donut Day, Working on Lakeshore and more! Continue Reading
Grand Avenue Merchant News – June 2021
by Ken Katz – As we reported last month, Alyce on Grand owner Alyce Preston was about to move (for about the fourth time) to a new location. This one is two doors up the block at 3231 Grand—the former home of Oak Common. When interviewed on Friday (three weeks after reopening) Alyce confided that this may be her final destination. Continue Reading
Farmers Market Updates – June 2021
by Dan Foster – While there is no set date yet, we anticipate the return of seating, tables, and entertainment to the Grand Lake Farmers Market in the near future! New Market Participants: Raised Roots – One-man operation farming in Livermore and in Oakland at Castlemont High School. Check him out in the center aisle across from Alexandre Family Farms and next to J & J. Coolinaria – Oakland-based, inspired Mexican cuisine food truck… Continue Reading
The Names in Lights Have a Tale to Tell: Part 2
by Ken Katz – Last month, Part 1 of this series of articles about the twenty-seven Names in Lights panels in the Splash Pad Plaza focused on three panels listing the Grand Avenue businesses that donated to the Splash Pad fountain fundraising campaign. This month, we’ll be focusing on three additional panels that list businesses on Lake Park, Santa Clara, and Lakeshore Avenues. Our goal is to document …Continue Reading
Odds and Ends
by Ken Katz – Doug Stonebreaker has had a presence at the Grand Lake Farmers Market going back to 2003, when Prather Ranch introduced us all to dry-aged grass-fed beef. Two years ago, he and Gary Root formed an innovative partnership operating as StoneRoot Field & Sea. Unfortunately, seemingly out of the blue, Gary made a surprise announcement in an email this past Tuesday: Doug Stonebreaker’s last day as an employee of StoneRoot Inc. is Sunday, May 30, 2021. Continue Reading
Calendar
Ina Coolbrith: Poet, Mentor and Oakland’s First Public Librarian
June 3, 5:30-6:30 – Camron-Stanford House – Virtual History Happy Hour
Ina Coolbrith’s passion was poetry, but she made a living as a librarian in Oakland where she mentored Jack London, Isadora Duncan, and Calla Shasta Miller, Joaquin Miller’s daughter. Years before Coolbrith was named California’s first poet laureate in 1915, she encouraged youth seeking knowledge at the Oakland Public Library. Register here.
Oakland Rotary Civic Thursday: Bernard Schlager
Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 – 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Dr. Bernard Schlager, Associate Professor of Historical & Cultural Studies, Pacific School of Religion (PSR) https://www.psr.edu and Executive Director, The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) https://www.clgs.org , received his PhD from Yale University in the history of medieval and Latin American Christianity. He has taught at the University of New Hampshire, Trinity College, Middlebury College, and Yale. Click here for details.
Lakeside Chat #7: Sharks and Rays in Lake Merritt?
Rotary Nature Center F- Friday, June 4, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Learn about regional species and how scientists are trying to understand strandings. Register here before 6 pm on the 4th.
Tenth Oakland Youth Poet Laureate Announcement and Performances
Friday, June 4, 7:00 pm – FACEBOOK LIVE
The Oakland Youth Poet Laureate program is a citywide effort to celebrate literacy through poetry and connect young writers to far-reaching opportunities. The Laureate earns an educational scholarship. The Laureate will, and all the Finalists are invited to, serve as ambassadors for literacy, arts and youth expression with ongoing opportunities for performances, projects, and peer support. All seven 2021 Finalists will perform: Anna Chard; Dara Kashayar; Kaylan Black; Maya Looney; Myra Estrada; Nadia Elbgal; Siara Edmond. View LIVE here.
Live Streaming Free Music Festival
Freight & Salvage – Saturday June 5, 11:30am-8:00pm
Artists include: Edgardo Cambón and his sextet playing salsa; SoVoSó, an a cappella ensemble that sings a unique, rhythmic mix of jazz, gospel, world and R&B music; Skip The Needle, a politically astute hard rock/funk quartet; The High Water Line, a quintet playing West Coast Bluegrass. Click here.
Naturalist Talk: Edible Stories – Oakland Library and East Bay Regional Parks
Tuesday June 8, 6:30-7:30 pm – FACEBOOK LIVE
What are the flavors of the Bay Area, and what can they teach us about the area we live in? Join naturalist Constance Taylor from the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) to hear some stories of common edible plants in our local ecosystem, how they’ve helped people through history, and get some basic plant identification tips. View here. https://www.facebook.com/Oaklibrary/
Oakland Rotary Civic Thursday: Jonathan Becher – President of the San Jose Sharks
Thursday, June 10th, 2021 – 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Jonathan Becher is president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, the parent organization for the San Jose Sharks, the San Jose Barracuda, three Sharks Ice facilities, and the Sharks Foundation. Becher is responsible for the organization’s overall strategy with a particular focus on the end-to-end customer experience. Click here for details
The Oaklandside Live-Ish Virtual Event Series:
Equity in Journalism; Gun Violence in Oakland – June 15, Noon – 2 pm – Register here.
Youth Leadership in a Year of Protest; Race, Space and Lake Merritt; The Pandemic and Oakland’s Housing Crisis – June 16 from Noon – 2 pm – Register here.
What’s Next for the Arts in Oakland?
The Oaklandside: Behind the Scenes – Thursday, June 17, Noon – 2 pm. Register here.
Candymakers of Oakland
Oakland History Alliance – Thursday, June 17, 7 pm
Kathleen DiGiovanni will sweeten the evening with a history of Oakland’s confectionary industry. DiGiovanni is a long-time Oakland Heritage Association walking tour leader and a regular contributor to the OHA News. Register here.
Oakland Rotary Civic Thursday: Brad Howard, Rotary International Director
Thursday, June 17th, 2021 – 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Brad will be sharing information about Rotary’s Peace Mural with a planned unveiling at Jack London Square on 6/17/21. This is a project supported by all three Oakland Rotary Clubs – Oakland # 3, Oakland Uptown and Piedmont/Montclair. Add to Calendar.
Oakland Museum: Free Reopening Weekend
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 18-20, 11 am-5 pm
Details here.
Oakland Rotary Civic Thursday: Demotion of President Ces Butner
Thursday, June 24th, 2021 – 12:30pm to 1:30pm
Celebrate the great leadership of President Ces Butner and the accomplishments of Oakland Rotary 2020-21. Add to Calendar.
