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News & Events
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March 2005 Press Release Archive An art school for all Oakland students on the hill - March 28 When mushrooms pop out of the lawn at Skyline High School, it's art education at work. They're big enough for a small child to sit upon, and they might be painted with red, blue and green polka dots and stripes. Whatever happens when an artist paints them … more >> Treasure Island, Oakland in spotlight - March 28 Rupert Holmes, an award-winning playwright, author and composer who, to his everlasting dismay, is perhaps best-known for his late 1970s hit, "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)," eschews foggy San Francisco to make some of Oakland and Berkeley's favorite landmarks the stars in his latest mystery novel … more >> Oakland Heritage Alliance celebrates silver anniversary - March 28 A display touting the advantages of historic preservation is on view in the lobby of the Elihu M. Harris State Building, 1515 Clay St. "As the Oakland Heritage Alliance embarks on its 25th year, we decided to highlight the organization's events, publications and pressing issues," said current president Naomi Schiff. "We are looking forward to an active year, with tours, programs, and our ever popular 'Partners in Preservation' awards." … more >> Child activists recognized as Oakland heroes - March 28 Students who fought for playground after fire earn Crissy Fields Center accolades. The Bella Vista Elementary School student body has been named Community Heroes by the Crissy Fields Center for their dedication to their school and playground … more >> Oakland sailor home after round-the-globe race - March 28 This a story of the Oakland man and the sea. After 25,000 ocean miles, 109 days and 20 hours bucking across 30-foot swells, dawdling in the doldrums, quarreling with mean storms, fixing the mast, avoiding icebergs off Antarctica, sleeping in 20-minute sessions and strumming his "back-up paddle" of a guitar to keep himself company, Oakland's Bruce Schwab is a man who has seen enough sea for a while and is back on relatively dry ground in the Bay Area … more >> 20th Anniversary of the Roundtable Associates - March 28 Changing the Landscape of Recreation, Parks, and Conservation through People, Parks, and Programs. The Roundtable Associates and The City of Oakland Office of Parks and Recreation present the 20th Anniversary of the Roundtable Associates, Inc. National Forum and Training Institute on May 4th ~ May 8th, 2005 … more >> Spicing things up in the East Bay - March 21 Oakland abuzz as Bollywood actress Rai, Hollywood actor McDermott bring Fremont woman's book to the big screen. Crews transformed a historic section of downtown Oakland into a tableau of bright lights and cameras this weekend … more >> Women's a cappella group finds harmony through love of eclectic music - March 21 The intimate acoustic environment of the Noe Valley Ministry seems a benign and appropriate setting for this Saturday's performance by the a cappella group Solstice … more >> Developer keeps on hammering - March 21 It's no wonder that after completing a $50 million renovation of the landmark Rotunda Building in downtown Oakland four years ago, hometown developer Phil Tagami dedicated it to the workers who built it … more >> Oakland Zoo makes strides in pachyderm care - March 21 In some people's minds, elephants are the ultimate symbol of strength and power. But on this particular Thursday morning, 36-year-old African elephant M'Dunda was more than content to stand in a restraint chute and eat carrots and potatoes … more >> Studio One Art Center is on the move for renovations - March 21 Staff and volunteers are in the packing-up stage at Studio One Art Center in North Oakland, as construction crews embark on the long-awaited retrofit and renovation of the 100-year-old facility … more >> Memorial park revives past for quake hero - March 21 The suffocating brown dust had not yet cleared when Robert "Raven" Majors and his wife, Chris, sprinted the half block from their West Oakland home to the double-decker Cypress Structure … more >> Family support for seniors - March 21 Kathy Connelly does many things for the seniors she's served for 30 years, but her first love is organizing family-like weekly get-togethers for many of her frail seniors in their 80s and 90s … more >> Builders raise the roof on eco-friendly homes - March 21 Architect Maurice Levitch remodeled his Berkeley home with green touches from skylights to recycled denim insulation to solar electric rooftop panels … more >> Chinatown housing agency celebrates 30 years - March 21 Not many people would have imagined a group of college students and neighbors could create a one-stop community service agency in Chinatown capable of operating for three decades … more >> Words and music meet on both sides of the bay - March 21 Some things in life just seem to get on exceptionally well with each other. "Words and music" come immediately to mind. Two local organizations will demonstrate this affinity of words with music during a couple of most unusual concerts this weekend … more >> Projects encourage bike riding in the city - March 21 Cyclists in Oakland are seeing improvements in amenities offered to those on two wheels, thanks to the city's effort to promote bike riding. Crews are installing racks and lockers citywide, and the first section of the Market Street Bikeway is open … more >> Boontling Gallery, run by art student buddies, is part gallery, part community center - March 21 Whenever they wanted their thoughts to run free, art-student pals Mike Simpson and Derek Weisberg used to knock around the nearest wilderness: the railroad tracks of San Francisco. Searching for nuggets of evocative junk amid the debris, they called themselves the 49ers … more >> Final phase of planting done - March 21 A week has gone by, but Erica Smith is still covered with poison oak. Smith, a senior at UC Berkeley, is president of the Cal Forestry Club. Last week, she and other club members were crawling on their bellies through the underbrush in the Berkeley and Oakland hills, planting redwood seedlings … more >> Piano prodigy to grace Lafayette - March 21 She was playing Beethoven's First Piano Concerto by the time she was 10. Last year, she became the youngest pianist ever to record Bach's "Goldberg Variations." … more >> Volunteers bring beauty to Oakland - March 21 No wonder Jim Ratliff and a group of about 100 volunteers are so excited these days. They can almost see the water flowing down the long-dry bowls of the Cleveland Cascade and know it's not a mirage … more >> County recognizes heroes for selfless deeds - March 21 Selfless acts by everyday heroes among us were recognized Thursday at the Alameda County Community Heroes Breakfast, sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Oakland Fire Department … more >> Berkeley kids show strokes of genius - March 21 It may not be evident in the budgets of public schools, but art is essential to young people and their education. The dynamic creations of young artists are on display this weekend at the Berkeley Art Center's 13th annual Youth Arts Festival and the Destiny Arts Center's production, "Tomorrow is Today." … more >> Local arts school is academic star - March 21 Brown's downtown Oakland charter ranks near top on state scale. The arts high school opened by Mayor Jerry Brown in downtown Oakland 2 1/2 years ago is now officially one of the best schools in California, at least according to the latest rankings assigned to all public schools by the state … more >> Program created for firefighters - March 21 The Peralta Community College District and the Oakland Fire Department have announced the creation of a fire services program at Merritt College to train future firefighters and paramedics … more >> Are you Prepared? - March 16 On Saturday, March 13, 2005, nearly 300 people turned up at Patten University in Oakland to receive free CPR Training from the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross hosted its annual CPR Preparedness Saturday this past weekend with a goal to train 2,500 people in CPR that day … more >> Women Up Front - March 16 Let us now praise socially conscious female musicians. The East Bay is blessed with a dedicated community of female musicians who have done much to promote a wide variety of musical scenes -- leaders and organizers such as … more >> New shop caters to cycling BART riders - March 16 Since November, Alameda Bicycle has helped make BART's Fruitvale Station a more convenient and safer place for your bicycle. With the sponsorship and cooperation of The Unity Council, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and the city of Oakland, Alameda Bicycle opened the Fruitvale Bike Station. It is located just to the left of the Fruitvale Plaza entrance when approaching from the BART station … more >> Don't have to be vegan to eat veggies - March 16 Animal or vegetable, what counts as a meal? A large portion of Americans see meat and dairy products as an integral part of their daily dish. Even the USDA considers animal products to be an important part of a balanced diet. But ask any average American on the street and most ofthem, if grudgingly, will agree they probably need to eat more vegetables and whole grains … more >> Raimondi Park to be renewed at long last - March 16 Raimondi Park may finally get the respect it has long deserved. Although it is West Oakland's largest park with 10 acres and a history as long as your pitching arm … more >> Resonja Can Read - March 15 The Oakland Public Library's literacy program helps adults turn the page on their limitations. About a year ago, Resonja Willoughby had a bum knee. She went to her doctor and sat in the X-ray room alone. As she waited, she eyed the mechanical equipment above her, focusing in on a sticker that had a long word in big black letters … more >> Faith and nature inspire hills artist - March 15 High in the Oakland hills, Lila Wahrhaftig is melding Judaism with art. Wahrhaftig, a Montclair resident, incorporates papermaking and objects into printmaking and hand-crafted amulets. She also recycles art. … more >> 54 Oakland students run in L.A. Marathon - March 15 Oakland Technical High School sophomore Xavier Sotto and other teens participating in the Students Run Oakland program learned this past weekend that it's the journey -- and not the end result -- that counts … more >> Musical theater is seeking cast, crew - March 15 The Woodminster Summer Musicals is holding auditions Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for community members who wish to perform in the 2005 summer season kicking off with "Oklahoma!" in July … more >> Daffodil blooms are springing in Oakland - March 15 As predicted last fall, Oakland is blooming with daffodils, said a very pleased Barbara Schaaf, a member of Keep Oakland Beautiful and one of hundreds of volunteers who fanned out across the city several months ago to plant 45,000 daffodil bulbs in street medians, parks and embankments … more >> Money pours in for Cleveland Cascade - March 15 Jim Ratliff of the Friends of the Cleveland Cascade, a volunteer group that unearthed and cares for Oakland's long-neglected historic waterfall, can almost hear the water pouring from its bowls again … more >> Black scientists' museum moves - March 15 Nomadic institution finds permanent address, launches fair for local students in late April … more >> Media ignored real-life hero's visit to city - March 10 Areal-life hero came to Oakland on Feb. 28 and most of the mainstream media ignored him — but the public did not … more >> Oakland Ballet will dance back this year - March 10 Oakland Ballet officials have balanced their books to provide a 2005 season full of pirouettes and pas marchs after taking an unprecedented year off for financial reasons … more >> A-camping we will go - March 10 You can learn about a lot of camps in a short time by visiting one of the 2005 American Camp Association fairs this weekend. Many local camps will have information booths and literature … more >> Discuss books, meet authors, more at library - March 9 Every month, the Oakland Public Library brings our community together for lively book discussion groups and author events. This month's column highlights some of these special and ongoing activities that you might not be aware of and that you can join. No fees or dues, just fun opportunities await you … more >> Kids' room at library improved - March 9 Project added more study space, enhanced multimedia collection, window nooks and colorful carpets. Gone are the days of cramped quarters for children … more >> How Much Is Too Much? - March 9 Team sports may be great for kids, but has family life been squeezed onto the sidelines? … more >> Hobbit Habitats - March 9 Montclair Storybook houses loom large in Oakland writer's memory. Dennis Cavagnaro hasn't lived in Montclair for 55 years, but a paper boy never forgets his route, especially when it involves the Middle Earth of gingerbread houses down by the Warren Freeway … more >> Film forges cross-cultural friendships - March 9 Neighborhood link sparks telling of Falcon Boys' story. Oakland documentary filmmaker Brian Lilla sets his lens on the philosopher kings of the underground. The renegade skaters who catch air in abandoned swimming pools. The longboard legends who know exactly how the waves curl at secret Mexican surf spots. The young medical student with a brain tumor, alive six years after doctors gave him just two weeks … more >> Canseco joins literary greats - March 9 Jose Canseco joined quite a lineup at Barnes & Noble on Monday night. The sign announcing his return to Oakland said "Meet the Writers'' and included black and white sketches of William Shakespeare, Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson and Frederick Douglass. They all have a lot in common … more >> Produce to the People! - March 9 "The No. 1 cause of death in West Oakland is heart disease," says Brahm Ahmadi. "It's not gunshots; it's food -- the way people eat." Twenty-nine years old, wearing a hoodie and baggy pants, Ahmadi exudes youthful urban energy. He's one of the founders of the People's Grocery … more >> Montclair Women's Big Band is breaking ground - March 4 Ellen Seeling got used to audiences being blown away by the 1970s all-female rock band ISIS, which recorded three albums and toured with big names such as Three Dog Night, Kiss and ZZ Top. After all, there weren't too many female horn sections back then … more >> Rotary Club chapters are to be commended - March 4 Oakland's Five Rotary Club chapters are to be commended for their gift of $100,000 that will supplement funds from Measure DD and will be used on a "multiuse gateway" to the Lake Merritt boathouse … more >> Zoo has a big reason to celebrate - March 4 Ten-year-old Osh is having his own soiree to celebrate his one-year anniversary of becoming a resident at the Oakland Zoo … more >> Aging doesn't slow group's creativity - March 4 The Senior Artists in the California Society of Printmakers don't need any advice regarding the elements of positive aging. By instinct they have created their own powerful potion. The pursuit of enriching activities, enduring growth of minds and talents, and enriching social ties are their daily fare … more >> Nonprofit group helps poor, talented kids get into top colleges - March 4 CollegeWorks of Oakland is a nonprofit organization with a simple goal. They are trying to make parents cry. In a good way … more >> 3 area high schools win $250,000 in aid - March 4 Three struggling East Bay high schools will receive a quarter of a million dollars each from the California Department of Education for their after-school programs … more >> Wok of Ages - March 4 Grace Young doesn't just talk the talk. She woks the wok, determined to preserve a 2,000-year-old tradition that she believes is on the brink of extinction. "In America, the wok has become an endangered cooking utensil in the home," says the native San Franciscan, whose new book The Breath of a Wok demystifies the big pan … more >> Historic station awaits preservation word - March 3 If anyone was going to settle the tug of war over restoration of the stately old Southern Pacific train station at 16th and Wood streets in West Oakland, the city's Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board seemed the likely body … more >> Farmers help Oakland eat healthy - March 3 Leroy Musgraves' hands move fast, arranging the crisp greens he picked before dawn onto his produce stand at Mandela Farmers' Market … more >> Lessons learned at public schools in Oakland - March 3 Six years ago, when our older daughter finished elementary school, my husband and I made a decision that deviated from our peers. Rather than leaving Oakland, using a false address or finding a private school, we joined others who were … more >> Fresh produce presented in cultural context - March 1 For six years, Kanika Ajanaku of Oakland has been going every Saturday to the Mandela Farmers' Market near the West Oakland BART station to get her fill of healthy foods while also helping to support struggling black farmers … more >> Oakland a rich source for satire - March 1 In the musical "Casino,'' a satire of Oakland City Hall, Mayor JB assumes a yoga position and spouts Latin while his special assistant Jack Az licks his chops and promises a young female aide a "Casanovian style'' experience she'll not soon forget … more >> Two residents honored for volunteering - March 1 Berkeley residents Dotty Fowler and Richie Smith were among those honored at a Feb. 12 award ceremony to recognize the volunteer work by California's seniors. The ceremony was held in Oakland's Jack London Square … more >> Red Cross offers free CPR classes - March 1 The Bay Area Red Cross will offer its once-a-year free adult CPR classes on March 12. The two locations in Alameda County are in Oakland and Livermore. The classes will also include rescue breathing, care for choking victims and how to prepare for disasters … more >> Oakland artist pays tribute to Grand's long, varied history - March 1 Artist Miron Murcury, a well-known personality in the Grand Avenue neighborhood, maintains an unmatched love affair with the historic Grand Lake Theatre … more >> |
Related links: - Contra Costa Times - Convention Center - East Bay Express - KTOP - Oakland Tribune - SF Chronicle - SF Examiner |
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