• Bay Area

    Identical Twins Kirstie and Kristie Bronner Named Spelman Co-Valedictorians

    by  • May 17, 2013 • Bay Area, Education, News Articles, Oakland News Articles • 0 Comments

    Identical twins Kirstie and Kristie Bronner. Photo courtesy of Bronner family.

    By Kunbi Tinuoye A pair of identical twins at Spelman College in Atlanta  have achieved a first in the school’s 132-year history. Kirstie and Kristie Bronner, both music majors, have been named co-valedictorians for the class of 2013. The sisters will each graduate with a perfect 4.0 GPA, the highest grade point average out...

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    Street Academy Students Celebrate Senior Projects

    by  • May 17, 2013 • Academia, Bay Area, Education, News Articles, Oakland, Oakland News Articles • 0 Comments

    Nkosi Richardson

    Seniors at Oakland’s Emiliano Zapata Street Academy recently celebrated  completion of their senior projects, giving 10-minute presentations on the social issue of their choice to an enthusiastic audience of the school’s parents and staff- Their projects were the culmination of two quarters of hard work, anxiety and worry, since a completed senior project is...

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    Shake-Up at Oakland Police Department

    by  • May 17, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, Oakland News Articles • 0 Comments

    Thomas Frazier

    By Ken A. Epstein Most of the Oakland Police Department’s top commanders have resigned or been replaced, just a week after Oakland’s new federal overseer issued a blistering report criticizing Oakland police leaders for the department’s failure to institute policies and practices that protect residents’ constitutional rights. “All the top people were removed or...

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    Groups Want State to Investigate Tagami’s Army Base Financing Scheme

    by  • May 16, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, Oakland News Articles • 0 Comments

    phil Tagami

    City Audit cited Tagami’s CCIG for “failure to deliver projects on time and within budget” Frantic Negotiations Continue to Save Army Base Businesses By J. Douglas Allen-Taylor While construction groundbreaking is still months away, Oakland’s massive Gateway Army Base development project moved forward on three separate fronts last week, with the project winning key...

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    Attorney General Kamala Harris Sues JPMorgan Chase for Fraud and Unlawful Debt-Collection Practices

    by  • May 16, 2013 • Bay Area, News Articles, Oakland, Oakland News Articles • 0 Comments

    Kamala  Harris

    Attorney General Kamala  Harris  filed an enforcement action against JPMorgan Chase & Co. (Chase)this week  alleging that the bank engaged in fraudulent and unlawful debt-collection practices against tens of thousands of Californians. The suit alleges that Chase engaged in widespread, illegal robo-signing, among other unlawful practices, to commit debt-collection abuses against approximately 100,000 California...

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    Lynette McElhaney Wants to Improve West Oakland’s deFremery Park

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Civic Duty, Marin County News, Oakland, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Lynette McElhaney

    DeFremery Park, which was the home to the USO for African Americans in World War II, will be receiving a facelift and a makeover of its historic grounds. Friends of deFremery Park held a reception May 3 to recognize McElhaney’s work and last month’s Earth Day cleanup of the park. More than 175 volunteers...

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    HIV Research Must Include African American Participants

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    By Jesse Brooks For over a decade, Blacks have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Although they account for over half of new infections each year in the United States, African Americans account for a low percentage of experimental vaccine participants. According to Dr. Susan Buchbinder, director of Bridge HIV research department at the San...

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    Ora “Carol” McClendon, 90

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Obituary, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Ora McClendon

    Ora McClendon, affectionately known as “Carol” to family and friends, passed away on April 14 at the age of 90. She was born Ora Hopkins on Dec. 15, 1922 in the Jackson Parish of Quitman, Louisiana to Green and Rose Hopkins. She graduated from Chatum High School in Quitman and was a faithful member...

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    Mills Grove Christian Church Revival

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Church Events, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Rev. Clarence L. Johnson announced that the annual revival of the Mills Grove Christian Church, 5410 Fleming Avenue, Oakland, will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. on  Friday, May 17. Praise Dancers will perform and sermons will be delivered by Rev. Elvis Knox and B.K. Woodson.  A continental breakfast with music by the...

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    Obama Dumps FHFA’s DeMarco, Appoints Watt; New York Sues Wells Fargo and B of A

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Mel Watt

    By Tanya Dennis Representative Mel Watt, Democrat Representative from North Carolina was named to replace Ed DeMarco on May 1st as the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) after a year of protests from housing activists. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley called Demarco’s actions “inexplicable” and joined New York’s Attorney General Eric...

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    Kaiser Permanente Invests $11.7 Million in Youth Programs

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Regina Jackson

    Kaiser Permanente, the largest health-care provider in Northern California, has announced that it will invest  $11.7 million in the Oakland community. The investment will help keep children and teens healthier year-round by expanding school-based health centers, and will also enhance programs that promote learning and job-related opportunities. Through funds established by Kaiser Permanente at...

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    Malcolm Shabazz, Grandson and Namesake of Malcolm X Killed

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Malcolm Shabazz

    Amsterdam News Staff The Amsterdam News has learned, and the U.S. Embassy has confirmed, that Malcolm Shabazz – grandson of Malcolm X, was killed in Mexico. Several reports around the circumstances of his death, stilled unconfirmed, have rummored that he died early Thursday morning, May 9, 2013 from injuries sustained after he was thrown...

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    SANKOFA

    by  • May 11, 2013 • African American, Art, Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Pictured from left to right: Ellen Bimpeh, Ashley Chambers, Brenda Hudson, and Maxine Ussery at Sankofa African Arts. Photo by Adam Turner.

    By Ashley Chambers With Mother’s Day approaching, Sankofa African Arts & Jewelry at 120 Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland has pieces fit for a Queen. One of a kind amber, silver, and gem stone jewelry fill the display in this local shop accessorized with unique handbags, African fabrics and artifacts, handmade masks, drums, incense,...

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    Temple Hill Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Entertainment, Featured Events, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Dr. Scott Holden, head of the BYU Music Department.

    The Temple Hill Symphony Orchestra is presenting its Spring Concert, “Blast Off,” on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Oakland Temple Hill’s Inter-stake Center Auditorium. Presented by Jay Trottier, the orchestra’s new conductor, with help from Dr. Scott Holden, head of the BYU Music Department, and the Golden Gate...

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    Author of “Beyond Heroes and Holidays” to Speak

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Margo Okazawa Rey

    By Post Staff Professor, author, and East Bay resident, Margo Okazawa-Rey, became known to thousands of educators with her 1998 co-edited book, “Beyond Heroes and Holidays.” This collection of analytical essays and curricular materials for K-12 educators challenged the prevailing approaches that focused on a list of famous figures and ethnic holidays during the...

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    HIV Research Must Include African American Participants

    by  • May 11, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Dr. Susan Buchbinder with Dr. Hyman Scott, who is doing a study to see if home testing can reach the group of MSM (men who have sex with men) who normally wouldn’t test elsewhere, and if they test positive, link them to care.

    By Jesse Brooks For over a decade, Blacks have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Although they account for over half of new infections each year in the United States, African Americans account for a low percentage of experimental vaccine participants. According to Dr. Susan Buchbinder, director of Bridge HIV research department at the San...

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    Auditor’s Political Move to Lobby Council’s Help

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, City Government, Featured, Government, News Group Publisher, Oakland News Articles, Open Government, Post News Feature Story, Socialmedia • 0 Comments

    Rashidah Grinage

    City Auditor Courtney Ruby has sent out an email “Call to Action” asking Oakland residents to defend her audit that accuses two city council members of interfering with staff in awarding a $6 million Army Base development contract. Ruby’s email was sent on April 26, after the council’s Rules Committee placed an item on...

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    Santana’s Quandary, Jordan Rolls

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, City Government, Government, Open Government, Politics and Government, Public Safety, Socialmedia • 0 Comments

    Some of the those who have had a say on how the Oakland Police Department is run are (from Top, L to R): Consultant Bill Bratton, Consultant Chief Patrick Harnett, Acting Chief Anthony Toribio, Consultant Robert Wasserman, Commissioner Thomas Frazier,  U.S. Judge Thelton Henderson, former OPD Chief Howard Jordan, Mayor Jean Quan, City Administrator Deanna Santana, Acting Chief Toribio. Collage by Adam L. Turner.

    City officials scramble to make city feel safe and secure as police changes occur   By Ken A. Epstein Police Chief Howard Jordan’s decision to retire from the Oakland Police Department, effectively immediately, took police and city officials by surprise this week. He made his announcement Wednesday morning right before a press conference scheduled...

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    Fish Fry in Marin City

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Marin County News, News Articles

    The People’s Inter-Cities Fellowship Women’s Ministry is raising funds for its annual women’s retreat. A Spring Yard and Bake Sale Extravaganza will be held on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will be near the tennis court on Drake Avenue in Marin City. There will also be a fish...

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    Marin City Fatherhood Council Hosts Fathers Day Breakfast, June 15

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Special Interests Articles

    MCP 05-07 Celebrating Our Fathers photo

    Marin City Fatherhood Council will present “Celebrating Our Fathers,” a Fathers Day breakfast and awards celebration at the Marin City Marguerita Johnson Senior Center on Saturday, June 15, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. The goal of the event is to promote responsible fatherhood in a strong community. Organizers of the event encourage the Marin...

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    Reyhan Griffin, 14, Plays the Course With Golf Pro Rickie Fowler

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, San Francisco, Sports

    After Reyhan Griffin (above) finished his round at the May 1 Wells Fargo Championship, he received this souvenir of a photo with former Wells Fargo CEO Dick Kovacevich and Wells Fargo Championship 2012 winner Rickie Fowler. Photo credit: Wayne Thompson, Wells Fargo.

    By Ashley Chambers Chatting with golf-lover Reyhan Griffin, 14, one can notice that the young man is wise beyond his years. A 4.0 student from San Francisco’s Bayview district, he was the grand prizewinner of Wells Fargo’s Succeeding Together video essay contest, playing in the 2013 Wells Fargo Championship Pro-Am last week alongside Rickie...

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    BAPAC Hosts Sixth Annual Judge George Carroll Community Service Awards

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Richmond News

    Vice Mayor Courtland “Corky” Booze, Otheree Christian, Joan Davis, Barbara Becnel, Michael Davenport, and Lydia Stewart. Photo byStephen V. Brooks Photography, svbrooksphoto@aol.com

    By Kia Croom More than 200 people attended the Black American Political Action Committee’s (BAPAC) Sixth Annual Judge Carroll Community Service Awards reception and fundraiser held on May 2 in Richmond Sanitary lobby. The annual event is a fundraiser that recognizes outstanding citizens for community service, leadership and dedication to the Richmond Community. This...

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    Fifth Grade Teacher Inspires Students with “Love of Learning”

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Education, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News

    Fifth grade teacher Shaundra Miller.

    By Post Staff As educators across the country are responding to the call to teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in K-12 classrooms, one local teacher is making extra efforts to make sure her students receive the best in science education. Fifth grade teacher Shaundra Miller, who was raised and educated in Richmond...

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    Berkeley Workshop for Eighth Grade Parents

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles

    The Berkeley Alliance will hold an 8th grade workshop to help students and families understand the challenges students may experience as they transition from middle school to high school on Thursday, May 16 at Willard Middle School, 2425 Stuart St. in Berkeley. The workshop will also provide some basic information about post-secondary opportunities  and...

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    Lee Backs Law to Repeal Discriminatory HIV/AIDS Policies

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

    Congresswomen Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) this week introduced H.R. 1843, the Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal (REPEAL) HIV Discrimination Act. The REPEAL Act expresses the sense of Congress that federal and state laws, policies, and regulations should not place a unique or additional burden on individuals solely as...

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    Street Academy Students Discuss Youth Violence

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    The Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy’s Youth Action Team (Y.A.T.)  recently hosted a school-wide assembly to discuss violence in the city, bringing the message  “It’s NOT whatever!” to their classmates on Thursday, April 18.. Students at the school were assigned the task of creating and leading a project to address youth violence in Oakland....

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    Hero Charles Ramsey: “You Do What You Have to Do”

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Featured, News Articles, Oakland News Articles • 0 Comments

    Charles Ramsey

    By Josh Levs, Phil Gast and Steve Almasy, CNN Within hours of becoming a national hero, a viral video star and the top topic on Twitter, Charles Ramsey talked about having trouble getting sleep. It wasn’t because of all the excitement that followed his knocking down a Cleveland neighbor’s door, freeing three women and...

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    Frazier: Police Reform a Rocky Road

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, City Government, Featured, Government, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Open Government, Post News Feature Story, Public Safety, Special Interests Articles • 0 Comments

    Thomas Frazier

    By Post Staff The new independent Compliance Director who oversees the Oakland Police Department has released a sweeping  “Remedial Action Plan” that requires broader reforms than those that were part of the original settlement that led to the federal takeover. “This action plan…goes well beyond the issues contained in the 11 Negotiated settlement Agreement...

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    Centerforce Helps Formerly Incarcerated Find Jobs

    by  • May 10, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Ron Davis

      Centerforce, a leading organization that serves youth, families and formerly incarcerated adults – will hold a celebration and fundraising event Wednesday, May 15 from 5 p.m.- 8 p.m. at Coliseum Lexus of Oakland, located at 7273 Oakport St. For over 30 years, Centerforce has been a national leader in providing evidence-based programs to...

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    Linda Dorcena Forry for Senate Seat in Boston

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Linda Dorcena Forry

    Democrat Linda Dorcena Forry, a Haitian-American from Dorchester, Boston, won her party’s nomination in the race for the First Suffolk state Senate seat. Her opponent will be Joseph Anthony Ureneck in Boston’s May 28 election. If elected, Forry will be the first woman and minority to represent the Boston district and the first Haitian-American...

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    Oakland Premiere of “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners”

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Featured, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Angela Davis

    The premiere of “Free Angela and All Political Prisoners,” written and directed by Shola Lynch with questions and answers by Angela Davis, will take place Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at the Landmark Piedmont Theater, 4186 Piedmont Ave. in Oakland. In this historical vérité style (observational) documentary marking the 40th anniversary of Davis’...

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    City Should Regulate Crematoriums, Say Community Groups

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Tranquil Oaks Cremation Garden in Maryland owned by Stewart Enterprises.

    The Oakland City Council will decide Tuesday, May 7 whether to extend an ordinance that requires crematoriums to obtain a Major Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in order to operate in Oakland, a rule that was adopted last May. Among those urging the council to make the ordinance permanent are East Oakland residents, Allen Temple...

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    Acts Full Gospel’s “Diamonds in the Rough” Debutante Ball

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Church Events, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    From left to right: Ruben and  Kammilah Hayes;  Joshua D’Tiole and Kazaria Phillips;  Je’Leese Yabuki and   Theory Dunwood.

    By Carla Thomas Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ’s Youth Department presented a “Diamonds In the Rough” Debutante Ball last Saturday night at HS Lordships Restaurant in the Berkeley Marina. Themed “Celebrating our Strengths and Accomplishments,” the black tie gala showcased over a dozen young women in white ball gowns with matching...

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