• Berkeley

    City of Richmond Thanks Community Volunteers

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Richmond News

    Mieasha Harris executive director of Girls Inc. West Contra Costa County with Board Vice President Vicki Winston holding her Meritorious Service Award in Education at the 2nd Annual Volunteer Recognition and Awards Ceremony at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium.

    By Carla Thomas Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, Richmond Community Foundation, and Richmond ESC, “Excellence Serving Our Community,” hosted the 2nd Annual Volunteer Recognition and Awards Ceremony in celebration of National Volunteer Week last Thursday at the Richmond Memorial Auditorium. The event honored the outstanding volunteers, organizations, and companies that promote positive change in the community...

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    White House Honors Student Working to Stop Human Trafficking

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

    Minh Dang, Champion of Change.

    By Gretchen Kell, UC Berkeley News Minh Dang, a UC Berkeley graduate student whose courageous personal story prompted her work fighting the commercial sexual exploitation of children and launched her into the national spotlight, was named by the White House today (Monday, April 29) as a Champion of Change. Dang and 14 other Asian...

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    Local Innovators Produce Winning Mobile Apps

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    County officials and staff pose with the creators of Green by Me, the app that won the Alameda County Apps Challenge at Berkeley High School on Saturday, April 27.  From left to right: Supervisor Keith Carson, Jonathan Wu, Evan Richards, Rachel Van Egmond, Fernando Romero, Interim Director of ITD/ROV Tim Dupuis, Samantha Ready of Salesforce, Eddy Perez of Salesforce, County Administrator Susan Muranishi.

    A clever mobile app that allows users to locate green businesses in Alameda County was the first-place winner in the Alameda County Apps Challenge 2013  on Saturday, April 27. The First Prize winner, called Green By Me, was the top selection of 20 apps and app concepts presented at the end of the daylong...

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    Life and Times of Ambrose Maxon

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    Pictured, from top left, L to R: John George, Ron Dellums, Leo Bazile, and Ambrose Maxon;

    Civil Rights Movement veteran Ambrose Maxon first became involved in the fight for equal rights in Ruleville, Mississippi. He was active in the campaign of Fannie Lou Hamer, the first Black person to run for governor in Mississippi. He was also involved with the Congress for Racial Equality (CORE), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee...

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    Faith-based Organizations Learn to Write Winning Proposals

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco

    Glen Price

    OCCUR and the San Francisco Foundation FAITHS Program present “Keys to Writing Effective Proposals,” conducted by expert Glen Price of the Glen Price Group, who will provide valuable proposal writing training for Bay Area faith-based organizations and their nonprofit partners. This is the fourth in a free series of workshops in the 2013 Model...

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    Frick School “Family” Fights for Principal Jerome Gourdine

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News

    OUSD Executive Officer Kimi Kean.

    By Ken A. Epstein The Oakland Unified School District is moving ahead with plans to remove Frick Middle School Principal Jerome Gourdine, who over the past 18 years has earned a reputation as one of the best and most loved educational leaders in the district. The district is also transferring popular assistant principal Jeffrey...

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    Police Monitor Warshaw: OPD Reforms “Stagnant”

    by  • May 3, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News

    Robert Warshaw

    By Post Staff The Oakland Police Department’s performance has improved slightly, though its progress in achieving federal court-ordered reforms is still stagnating, according to the latest report from the federal monitor who is evaluating the city’s police services. “We have noted in our past reports our serious dismay with the department’s stagnation in its...

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    Obray Van Buren, “Unionist of the Year”

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

    aubry

    Obray Van Buren, Community Enhancement Officer of United Association of Union Plumbers, Fitters, Welders & HVAC Local 342 and member of the Oakland Workforce Investment Board, was honored last Friday evening by the Alameda Labor Council as unionist of the year. Attorney General Kamala Harris was the keynote speaker at the annual award dinner,...

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    Officials Seek Changes in Aftermath of Chevron Refinery Fire

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Mayor Gayle McLaughlin.

      Loni Hancock By Danielle Savage Newly released results of two investigations into the causes of the fire at the Chevron Richmond Refinery have set off fresh discussions in Richmond and around the East Bay about what must be done to prevent future disasters. The fire, which took place in August, resulted in six...

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    Oakland Vocal Students to Perform

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Cultural Events, Entertainment, Events, Featured Events, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, SECTIONS, South County

    Vocal music students at the Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) are preparing to perform in “Spotlight,” a one-night show on Thursday, May 2 at the Fox Theatre in Uptown Oakland. The show will take the audience on a  journey into competitive singing reality TV shows such as American Idol, Making the Band, and...

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    Ethiopian Immigrant Realizes Dream as Owner of Salute Evita Ristorante

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Menbere Aklilu

    By Uche J. Uwahemu Upon arrival in the United States in 1995, Menbere Aklilu began living her American dream as a hostess at Salute Evita Ristorante in Richmond.  Little did she suspect that seven years later she would become the owner of Salute Evita. The restaurant is nestled at the Marina Bay in Richmond,...

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    Former Black Panther Leader Elaine Brown Speaks at Marcus Books

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Education, Events, Featured Events, Information, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Elaine Brown

    Elaine Brown, former leader of the Black Panther Party, will give the second in a series of lectures at Marcus Books on May 11, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Oakland  store, 3900 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Born in North Philadelphia, Brown’s story is one of a poor Black woman who managed...

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    Bonta Backs Bill to Reduce HIV/AIDS in Prisons

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Health, Healthy Living, HIV, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Rob Bonta

    Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) has announced that his bill to reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other STDs in California prisons passed the Assembly Public Safety Committee. The Prisoner Protections for Family and Community Health Act (AB 999) now moves to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. “Sexually transmitted disease is a tragic reality of life...

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    Gospel Play “For Every Mountain” Dramatizes Stigma of Mental Health Issues

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    For Every Mountain

    By Ashley Chambers Shedding light on modern day mental and emotional health challenges, the inspirational gospel play “For Every Mountain” is returning to the stage after a successful run last year. Presented by Totally Led Ministries under Rev. George Brown and Grace Baptist Church in Oakland under Pastor Charles L. Hopkins, the play is...

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    Castlemont Students Win “Write to Live” Essay Contest

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Left to right: Micaela Clark, Judge Trina Thompson, Zelana Smith, and Thomas Logwood. Photo courtesy of Tapestry Life Enrichment Programs.

    By Ashley Chambers At this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Fest, Zelana Smith, Micaela Clark, and Thomas Logwood from Castlemont High School demonstrated the power of young voices winning the 2013 “Write to Live” essay contest. Begun in 2011, the contest is based on the book “Write to Live, Telling Our Stories,”...

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    Mormon Helping Hands Community Service Projects

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Community Service, Marin County News, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Volunteers paint the Fred Finch Youth Center campus on Coolidge Avenue in Oakland.

    The Mormon Helping Hands program mobilized more 5,000 volunteers to conduct community service project on April 20 and 27 throughout the Bay Area. The largest project this year took place in Oakland where Mormon Helping Hands 2013, in partnership with Rebuilding Together Oakland and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led an...

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    Find Jobs, Careers at East Bay HIREvent

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Events, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Filing tax forms was a fresh reminder to many that both their income and employment status are in need of a boost. Whether that means rejoining the workforce, finding a better job or going in a different career direction, the East Bay’s HIREvent in Emeryville offers an ideal venue to explore a broad array...

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    Afternoon of High Tea and Vintage Fashion in San Leandro

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Events, Lifestyle, Oakland News Articles, South County, Special Interests Articles

    The Alta Mira Club is presenting a Vintage Fashion Show and Tea on Saturday, May 4 at the Alta Mira Club House, located at 561 Lafayette Ave. in San Leandro. High tea, which will be served at 12:30 p.m., includes tea or coffee and a spread of assorted tea sandwiches and desserts. Theresa LaQuey,...

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    Dr. Desmond Carson: “I work for the community I love”

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Community Service, Health, News Articles, Richmond News

    Desmond Carson

    By Post Staff To call Dr. Desmond Carson “committed to his community” would be an understatement. Carson, a Richmond native, is something of a hometown hero: an emergency room doctor in West Contra Costa’s only public hospital, a crusader for public health education, a mentor to youth and husband and father of two. In...

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    New Children’s Book “Finnegan and Fox: The Ten-Foot Cop”

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, Special Interests Articles

    By Terri Schlichenmeyer The Bookworm Sez It was the scariest half-hour of your life. You were somewhere with Mom or Dad and they let go of your hand for just a minute. Just a minute, and suddenly you were in a sea of legs with no idea what happened. You were totally, completely lost....

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    Postal Service Approves Sale of Downtown Berkeley Post Office

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    berkeley post office

    By Judith Scherr Despite the Berkeley community’s solid and vocal opposition to a postal service plan to sell the historic downtown post office, postal officials announced Monday they intend to move forward with the sale. Opponents have until May 7 to appeal the decision. “It’s outrageous that the postal service would take this unilateral...

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    Gary Yee to Serve as Acting Schools’ Superintendent

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    Dr. Gary Yee

    The Oakland Board of Education this week appointed Dr. Gary Yee as Acting Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). The board made the decision at its meeting Wednesday to replace current Superintendent Tony Smith, who is moving to Chicago. Smith, who said he was leaving for family reasons, announced his resignation on...

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    L.A. Mayor Holds Contractors Accountable for Hiring Blacks

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    antonio-villaraigosa

    By Kenneth Miller, L.A. Sentinel The Metro Transportation Authority (MTA) in Los Angeles pledged significant African American participation during the construction phase of the Metro Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor and also signed a project labor agreement to ensure that Blacks received adequate employment representation. But contractors have drastically underperformed in the hiring of African Americans...

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    Anthony Reese Graduates with MBA from DeVry

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    By Ashley Chambers Business professional Anthony J. Reese recently graduated from the Keller School of Management of DeVry University receiving his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in accounting. For Reese, a real estate agent for the City of Oakland, striving for academic success holds a deeper meaning. Though he battled with dyslexia throughout high...

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    Authentic African, Caribbean Drummers, Musicians Celebrate Olatunji’s Birthday

    by  • April 26, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, News Articles, Oakland News Articles

    If he had lived, master drummer Babatunde Olatunji would have been 85 years old. To commemorate his memory, his fans and admirers hosted a monumental musical feast at the Ashkenaz nightclub last Saturday in Berkeley. Pictured in this Afro-Caribbean salute to Olatunji are (L to R):  Sikiru Adepoju, Val Serrant, Mohamed Kouyate, Karamba Diabate...

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    The Celebration of Babatunde Olatunji An Invocation of the Spirit of the Drum

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Babatunde Olatunji, the greatest African drummer. Photo by John Werner.

    By Babatunde Harrison His name was Michael Babatunde Olatunji, and he is considered to be the greatest African drummer ever to step on the shores of the United States of America. During his 50-year stay in the U.S. Babatunde Olatunji established himself as the leading cultural ambassador of the continent of Africa in America....

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    Kamala Harris Backs Upgrade of Prescription Drug Monitoring

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Attorney General Kamala Harris this week praised the passage of a bill she is sponsoring to upgrade and expand California’s prescription drug monitoring program as an important step in combating a serious public health and law enforcement issue. The bill passed out of the Senate Business and Professions Committee on a 7 to 2...

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    The Secret Is Healthy Living, Says Olympics Boxing Trainer Virgil Hunter

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    By H. Geoffrey Watson, MD Local boxing trainer Virgil Hunter’s advice to young men on living a healthy lifestyle are recommendations that pack a punch. He began training champion boxer Andre Ward when he was nine years old and has influenced pro-fighters from around world who come to him for advice and training. “Starting...

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    Lee Opposes Social Security Cuts

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Barbara Lee

    Congresswoman Barbara Lee is opposing cuts to Social Security, called the chained CPI, that are included in the president’s 2014 budget proposal. The chained CPI is a cost index which helps to calculate the cost of living adjustments for benefit levels. The result is a lower measure of the impact of inflation on the...

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    George Receives Tennis Entrepreneurship Award

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    George & Arif

    Arif Khatib (right), the founder of the Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame,  ‘Jack London’ George Rowan, Jr. (center) and India Alston who was Mistress of Ceremonies, celebrated at the 13th Annual Multi Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame held at the Claremont Hotel & Resort on March 22. George received the Tennis Entrepreneurship Award. The...

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    Sheree Murphy is a Bay Area Champion for Change, Her Motto: Health is Wealth

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Sheree Murphy was honored as a Champion for Change and role model for her family and community by the Network for a Healthy California (Network)-Bay Area Region African American Campaign. Murphy knows “you are what you eat.” This is why she makes sure that she and her 10-year-old daughter Nia eat healthy every day....

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    Scepter Club Holds “Inspiring Women and Men” Scholarship Luncheon

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    The Scepter Club’s Regina Chapter #67, Order of the Eastern Star Prince Hall Rite of Adoption State of California, is presenting an “Inspiring Women and Men to Look and Feel Healthy and Beautiful” luncheon on Saturday, April 27, noon to 3 pm. at the at the Oakland Masonic Center, 3903 Broadway in Oakland. This...

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    Oakland’s Hebrew Day School Celebrates 65th Anniversary of Israel’s Independence

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Tal Kravitz (center, kneeling), Israeli musician, is surrounded by students of Oakland’s Hebrew Day School. He performed for children at the school to mark the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Israel’s Independence. This year, the Israeli Consulate decided that the best way to celebrate Israel’s Independence would be to embody the truth that...

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    Maudelle Shirek, 101, “Godmother” of East Bay Politics

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, News Articles, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    Maudelle Shirek

    Maudelle Shirek, who served 20 years as an elected  Berkeley leader and a lifetime as an advocate for justice, died last Thursday in a hospice in Vallejo.  She was 101. “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Maudelle Shirek, and my thoughts and prayers go out to her friends and family,” said Congresswoman...

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    Oakland Rotary Sponsors Zoo Trip for 250 Kindergarteners

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Linda Pitts, Transitiional Kindergarten teacher at Garfiled Elementary School, chaperones some of the 250 children who spent the day at the Oakland Zoo.

    250 students from Oakland School’s 11 Transitional Kindergartens spent Friday, April 12 at the Oakland Zoo, sponsored by the Oakland Rotary Club. Thirty-five Rotarians led the field trip, which focused on art and biology. This year, Oakland Rotarians and other partners provided $22,000 for classroom learning tools and supplies,  $15,000 worth of books, $11,000...

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    Drew Debro Awarded for Public Speaking

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County, Special Interests Articles

    Drew Debro

    Public speaker Drew Debro, 17, was recently presented with the Oakland Unified School District’s Distinguished Participation Award for “Demonstrating the importance of literacy and his eloquence of speaking in the style of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” A senior at Oakland Technical High School, Debro started his career in public speaking at the age...

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    Rowena Tatmon Wins “The Price is Right”

    by  • April 19, 2013 • Bay Area, Berkeley, Marin County News, Oakland News Articles, Richmond News, San Francisco, South County

    drew carey and rowena

    Rowena Tatmon, of Oakland, (pictured with show host Drew Carey) recently won over $11,000 in cash and prizes on “The Price is Right” game show, which aired Friday, April 5. A business partner of IVM1 Entertainment, her prizes included a hammock, outside grill, and designer sunglasses. Photo by Blake Kerentan.

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