For the first time in the Bay Area Oakland will be host to the Patchwork Indie Art and Craft Festival Holiday 2012 on Sunday Nov. 18^th from 11a.m.-5p.m. at Jack London Square Pavilion 98 Broadway. All Patchwork festivals are free to attend. Read the full story

If you are looking for somewhere to go for laidback weekend, why not try the Oakland Museum!
The Oakland Museum is a fabulous choice for families to share their artistic ideas while reconnecting with one another.
Centrally located, and just a step away from Bart and right next to Laney College, on 1000 Oak Street, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) was established in 1969. According to its website, it was then called, “The museum for the people.” This year the museum is about the story of California with a focus on individual culture, which is reflected in its new slogan: “The story of California, the story of you!”
OMCA’s new “Front Porch” was designed by architect Mark Jensen and is named “Chairs of the Board.” According to OMCA, Jensen is “their to-go designer for spaces that enhance the relationship between museums and the public.”
The museum has many new exhibits that reach out to illustrate the various cultures in and around the Bay Area by revealing small pieces of their past, present and future using photography, jewelry, clothing and more. So, if you are from an Asian culture or from Native American culture or from a Mexican culture the Oakland Museum has the stories of you – of us! In addition, the museum also has upcoming exhibitions like, “The Space-Light-Structure: The Jewelry of Margaret De Patta” that is presented in conjunction with the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, which is currently open and will run through May 13, 2012. “The Gallery of California Art,” which showcases more than 800 works from OMCA’s collection – one of the largest and most comprehensive holding of California art in the world will be opening May 1 and runs until Dec. 2, 2013. So take a weekend and have an adventure!
The Museum is a place where you can dive in and explore many types of art, from the “Ohlone Basket Project” to the “Documentary Photography” to “Domestic Furnishings” to “Tools and Technology” from all walks of life! The sky’s the limit!
In addition to art displays, the Oakland Museum holds many programs and events that benefit the community and celebrate the unique culture and diversity of the Bay Area.
Tickets are $9 for seniors and students with valid identification; $6 for ages 9-17 and general admission is $12. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
For more information, please visit the Oakland Museum website http://museumca.org.

By April Chen & Khadijah Ford

6/6/11 Update: OAS final numbers were 166 adoptions and Hayward Animal Services final numbers were 38 animals adopted.

6/4/11 Update: Oakland Animal Services (OAS) is reporting 118 adoptions so far, totally $71,500. Still waiting on reports from other shelters, but stay tuned for numbers. Tomorrow the adoptathon will continue and there are still plenty of kittens and puppies waiting around the bay for their forever home.

Thousands of cats and dogs will be adopted for free this weekend, June 4 and 5 around the East bay at over 40 different rescue groups and over 70 locations. The organization responsible for this amazing event if Maddie’s Fund, who has designated $2 million for this event.

Every adopted animal will earn participating shelters $500 – $1500 per adoption. In addition the public will receive a new household member for free.

Some local shelters that are participating in this event are Hayward’s own city shelter off Barnes Court near Soto Road and Jackson Blvd. Additionally Oakland Animal Services (OAS) off 29th Avenue near Fruitvale station is participating. For a full list of shelters participating go to, http://www.maddiesadoptathon.org/e/Adoptathon_Locations.html.

Last year OAS had the most adoptions, totaling 133 dogs and cats. This year they have just under 200 available dogs and cats for adoption. OAS adoption hours will be Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..

Hayward Animal Service hours will be Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m . -  5 p.m..

To find out the requirements to adopt a pet go to the shelter or rescue website of where you plan to adopt. These websites can be found on the Maddies Fund website.  Additionally log on to petfinder.com to view available dogs and cats in your area.

Joaquin Miller Park: Lush forest, tons of fun, fresh air, a space for the intermediate hiker or biker

Take a trip to Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland hills for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life and venture down one of the many trails of the 500-acre park.

Joaquin Miller is a great place to hike, bring your dog and also bicycle for an exhilarating and technical mountain bike ride through the sometimes narrow passages. “I love bringing my boys (dogs) here to walk around. I love the tall trees here, its very beautiful,” said hiker Nancy Walker.

Tall Redwood trees and Oak groves make the area very relaxing and beautiful to the eyes. Ferns and over 200 other species of plants are abundant in the lush creek sides and meadows that scatter throughout the area of the park, according to the Joaquin Miller Park website. Also, many different types of animals scurry about through the green wilderness, such as lizards, snakes, deer and an occasional grey fox if you get lucky to see one.

These trails will surely give you a great workout as there are a lot of uphill climbs throughout the park, but like Sir Isaac Newton reasoned, what goes up must come down, so there are also many steep downhill experiences. So if this one of your first times biking on a trail, I DO NOT suggest these trails for you as these trails are meant for intermediate and experienced bikers only. A bike with good shocks on it would be a great help as the trails can get pretty bumpy with rocks and tree roots sometimes sticking out of the ground.

If you take the Big Trees trail, as I did, you’ll find the name of the trail is pretty self explanatory; incredible Redwood trees surround you as you make your trek. It reminded me much of the tall redwood forests of Northern California where I used to camp as a boy, which was very refreshing. From there I merged onto the also aptly named Bayview trail, which feathers great scenic views of the Bay Area overlooking Oakland, viewing all the way to San Francisco.

For a great workout, fun and enjoyment, great views of the bay and also an experience through a thriving wildlife area, the Joaquin Miller Park is the place for you to go.

For more information about the park go to www.oaklandnet.com/joaquinmillerpark and for a direct map of the park for you hikers and bikers go to http://www.oaklandnet. com/joaquinmillerpark/map.html

On Sunday, Feb. 20 WWE will be holding a Pay-Per-View event in Oakland for the very first time.

WWE has held many of its events in California, including Oakland, but has never held a PPV event in Oakland.

This is the time of year when wrestlers shorten their careers with expected injuries in the “Elimination Chamber.” This PPV event, now known as “Elimination Chamber,” got its name from the match also known as the “Elimination Chamber.”

The “Elimination Chamber” is a match where six wrestlers enter but only one leaves as the champion.

As described by WWE.com, two participants begin the bout in the ring while the remaining four are held within each inner enclosure and released into the match at five-minute intervals.

The objective is to eliminate each opponent from the match via pinfall or submission.

The match ends when only one man remains.

This match was founded in 2002 at Survivor Series, a former WWE/PPV event in mid-July.

The first match was held with Triple H (current champion), Booker T, Chris Jericho, Kane, Shawn Michaels and Rob Van Dam.

The match was won by Shawn Michaels, current hall-of-famer in the WWE.

What makes this match so unique is that six men enter and fight for a championship inside of a black-painted steel structure of 16 frames, each weighing 300 pounds.

The chamber is 16 feet high and 36 feet in diameter. It weighs a total of 16 tons, 10 of which consist of steel.

Usually this match would have two championship matches where both the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship are defended in the chamber, but this year it will be held a little differently.

On Raw, one of the WWE’s primetime shows and brands, the “Elimination Chamber” will consist of men who are trying to move on to WrestleMania XXVII.

WrestleMania is a yearly show, similar to the Super Bowl, where the greatest wrestlers show their talent in historic matches to make their mark in wrestling history.

The other match being brought from Raw will be a WWE Championship bout between the champion, The Miz, and the new number one contender Jerry “The King” Lawler. This will be a normal, one on one match.

On SmackDown, the other primetime show of WWE, there will be a match for the World Heavyweight Championship in the “Elimination Chamber” match.

Not all of the matches for the event have been announced yet, but so far the list is:

WWE Championship Match

Jerry “The King” Lawley vs. The Miz

RAW Elimination Chamber

John Cena vs. Randy Orton vs. Sheamus vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. R-Truth

Winner gets a title shot at WrestleMania XXVII SmackDown Elimination Chamber

Edge vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Wade Barrett vs. Kane vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Rey Mysterio

Lineups for the event will continue to be posted at WWE.com.

“Elimination Chamber” will be held in Oakland at the Oracle Arena at 4:45 p.m. Tickets are still available via ticketmaster.com starting at $35.

Besides the fact that a huge percentage of Americans, an estimated 16 million, already smoke marijuana illegally, making it legal would do wonders for our economy.

According to economics.about.com, legalizing marijuana “would save $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expediters on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like most consumer goods.

That’s just per state. I’ll let you do the math nationally, but just think about what California could do with an extra $7.7 billion.

Marijuana also has many medical benefits known to help with the treatment of glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, loss of appetite and patients under palliative or terminal care. Marijuana can provide relief from pain, nausea, spasticity and many other symptoms.

Many Americans have chosen marijuana over alcohol in recent years for various reasons. Most just use the substance for relaxation or socializing.

Marijuana also has a relatively low dependence liability, making it instantly popular with many. Not to mention marijuana is not a lethal drug.

Nobody has ever died from marijuana use. It’s much safer than that of alcohol or tobacco. It’s an established fact that marijuana is in no way toxic to the human body.

The chart below, obtained from drugwarfacts.org, shows just how safe marijuana is in comparison to what else is out there. These numbers show yearly deaths per drug.

Tobacco	435,0001
Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity	365,0001
Alcohol	85,000 1
Microbial Agents	75,0001
Toxic Agents	55,0001
Motor Vehicle Crashes	26,3471
Adverse Reactions to Prescription Drugs	32,0002
Suicide	30,6223
Incidents Involving Firearms	29,0001
Homicide	20,3084
Sexual Behaviors	20,0001
All Illicit Drug Use, Direct and Indirect	17,0001, 5
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Such As Aspirin	7,6006
Marijuana	07

The greatest risk of using marijuana is that of being arrested. It’s estimated somewhere around 750,000 people are arrested for marijuana possession yearly.

Arresting someone for marijuana possession makes the justice system more expensive and less efficient by wasting jail space, slowing court systems and taking time away from police and other correction officials that could be going after “real” crimes.

After legalizing marijuana a tax will follow, which will provide needed funding of many important criminal justice and social programs for the state and its residents.

It’s that time of the year again, time to return to a tradition as old as time.

Introduced in 1869, tailgating first took place from audience members’ carriages. This is a little different compared to the more modern way that began in the 1950s when alumni would gather in parking lots before a big game or waiting to hear their favorite musicians.

What you do is park the car or camp wherever you can enjoy cooking up a good bite. All that is really required is a grill, food, a few chairs and company.

People usually eat a variety of things including ribs, sandwiches, chips and even gourmet dishes. There are usually alcohol beverages for the adults and fruity drinks for the kids.

Tailgating usually turns into a party and sometimes all the action is in the parking lots, meaning tailgaters may not even attend the event.

It’s parking lot fun and games with this subculture, and this tradition has always been a great social event and a nice pregame warm up.

Practiced almost religiously across the nation, tailgating has become especially popular among colleges where students gather for outings. However, the experience and environment has gone far beyond just an event.

Tailgating has even expanded into the media where you can catch your favorite announcers in the parking lots on any given football Sunday bringing the folks at home the real time experience.

The art of tailgating has evolved so much that products and even automobiles have been adapted to fit the needs of the tailgater.

Want to get in on the fun? The following is a list of suggested items for a tailgating event:

1. Portable grills

(Highly recommend)

2. Binoculars

(To see of course, unless you have good seating)

3. Rain gear/Umbrella

(To block sun and rain)

4. Drinks

(Beer, water, juice, etc.)

5. Collars

(For the drinks)

6. Blankets

(Might get chilly, or to lay on the ground)

7. Music

(Music and food? Why not?)

8. Games

(bean bag toss football, etc.)

9. A big appetite!!!

Spectator staff writer and photographer Abraham Rodriguez describes his accounts of Thursday night in the streets of Oakland.

The word traveled quickly around the East Bay Thursday that the jury behind the Oscar Grant shooting case was ready to deliver a verdict. The Major news networks broke the news around 3 o’clock in the afternoon and following the announcement, most employees in the downtown Oakland area were allowed to leave work early. The news stations showed overhead shots of the city jam packed with cars leaving the area hoping to avoid any fall out from the verdict.

Fredia Smith, an Oakland resident, felt that “the whole thing was like a set-up. How can you have no on there [the jury] of black?” she asks.

The protest was one of the stranger things seen in Oakland. There were as many white youth as there were blacks and Latinos. Older whites mingling with younger inner city kids. A band was there playing music, a man was throwing a football back and forth and bunch of college kids were cutting up pictures of Oscar Grant on the pavement. The protest seemed more like Oakland’s version of Lovefest minus the ear-numbing music. In front of the Tully’s coffee were speakers expressing their disdain for the verdict, an occasional “f*** the Police!” and people just trying to diffuse the situation.

The Mayor was nowhere to be seen and in front of City Hall a sound stage was set up. Music was being played over the speakers, Bob Marley’s “One Love” was being played and someone was even dancing, all this just 500 feet away from Broadway and the protest. To add to the surreal feeling in the area, the constant hum of helicopters rang overhead.

On either side the police set up a barrier preventing anyone or anything from spilling onto the rest of Downtown. As soon as nightfall started rearing its head,the crowd became wilder. The crowd in the rear not immediately entangled in the non-violent protest rushed towards police. A glass liquor bottle was thrown, and when the police barricade pushed up the crowd came running back. A Subway window was broken on video, the culprit posed for the camera before running off.

By now, the non-violent crowd speaking out gave up and moved up towards Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.The crowd rushed again, this time towards the Telegraph-Broadway blockade and taunted police there. It erupted and started breaking into shops, like the Footlocker. Graffiti was being tagged on the walls and Nikes and shirts from the footlocker were being thrown from the store and into the crowd.

A man nearly slapped a news anchorwoman as they got into a heated argument about the shoes being thrown. It’s unclear if she tried to take a spin on what was going on, but she clearly upset him to the point where he and another man got into an argument.

On 14th Street, the barricade of Police officers began putting on gas masks and other riot gear. They eventually moved in on the crowd on Broadway still vandalizing, maintaining a formation as a commanding officer from a smaller golf-cart like vehicle shouted orders over a loudspeaker. Those who got arrested were being hauled towards City Center, a mall of sorts with an entrance to BART.

At some point a bunch of younger white kids started spouting off anarchist messages and even tried to the rally the mob at some point. The smell of vinegar filled the street, probably from the tear gas, and to the right on 14th the remaining line of Riot Cops guarding the rear were being flipped off by a masked man.

Oscar Grant was a resident of Hayward attending Mt. Eden High School at one point. Eventually Grant became a stereotype of just another young black man with a record in Alameda County. What started out as a new years BART ride home turned into a Bay Area wide disappointment in the system.

For those who don’t recall Oscar Grant was unarmed and shot in the back “accidently” by BART officer Johannes Mehserle New Years morning 2009.The past 18 months have been a rollercoaster of events and emotions following that early morning at Fruitvale BART station.

The events following Thursday afternoon’s announcement that the Mehserle trial had a verdict resonated around the Bay Area. There was a conflict of actions. Thousands fled the city of Oakland early in anticipation of rioting and looting. While hundreds more headed into Oakland to prepare for a protest, some for rioting. Hundreds gathered around the court house and when the verdict of involuntary manslaughter was announced and outcry of detest and anger was felt through the crowds.

Many people immediately stepped up in front of the crowd preaching peace and praying for a civil protest through the streets. Oscar Grants aunt, Yolanda spoke with tears “This is not justice, what am I going to tell my niece when she gets older.” These feelings of deep sadness spread across the state.

Protesters were present not only out on the streets of Oakland but out by the court house in Los Angeles where the court case took place.

Oakland was prepared for this inevitable conclusion to the Mehserle trial, weeks before a verdict was reached it was known that the police would get notice of the verdict in advance to prepare and notify local business if any action would need to be taken. A little before 3 p.m. Thursday business and city services around the Oakland area were notified that a verdict had been reached and should close up shop early. Many businesses didn’t want to risk it and decided to board up their shop windows. This may have seemed extreme but considering the damage caused after the Oscar Grant shooting that was caused by peaceful protesters who soon turned into violent rioters.

By 4 p.m. Thursday Broadway started to fill will protesters holding signs and flyers some wearing signs on the back of their shirts that said “don’t shoot me”. The energy of the crowd though angered was relatively calm. Many local groups had organized various opportunities for the public to express themselves in a non violent way in front of an audience. Stages and microphones were open for speakers.

As the evening began the number of people grew but still remained peaceful, it wasn’t until after nightfall when people who were mad or simply needed a reason to vent their anger took to the streets in a violent way. A footlocker and beauty supply store was broken into and looters were present. People were throwing things at the riot police who showed up just before night fall.

The police did quickly squelch the disturbance arresting just under 100 people. But the damage has been done and police were having difficulties dispersing the crowds after the violent outburst.

The streets of Oakland are now left with a mess to clean up and many business owners who didn’t board up their windows will have wish they did. Those who boarded their windows are surely relieved.

It is highly unlikely that the anger and uprising of the public from last night is over with. IN less than a month on August 6 Mehserle will have a hearing to determine his sentencing. There is speculation on whether or not the court will attach a higher sentence due to the use of a gun in the crime. Mehserle could serve any where from 4 years to 14 years.

Friday, August 6 Oakland may have another protest on its hands if Mehserle is not sentenced to the public’s liking. Till then things seem to be calm in Oakland during the daylight hours.

—-Stay tuned for more news updates

One mans view on the issues plaguing our youth

I at one point in my high school career was in a class with Oscar Grant at Mt. Eden High School.

I’m not here to take sides just to give my opinion.

Grant is no stranger to crime and had previously served two state prison terms for different felonies. Not to say that what happened to Grant was just but I just want to clarify who he was before this all happened. He had a life that wasn’t easy but he also made his choices.

Tonight as I write this I want it to be heard again, that the only people responsible for what has happened are all of us. It’s the fault of the drug dealers who go out and corrupt kids with false hopes. It’s the fault of the state for failing to so many students making them turn to from education to the streets.

Look at his record, if he would have been in a different environment where America fights to give its children a fighting chance.

I look at my people, I look at all these “minorities” and I ask myself what the hell are we doing? I look around and see our kids have no one to look up to. Right now in Oakland I see many people speaking with a purpose of anger, when they should be speaking about uniting, speak from our hearts with love not hate.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

If we call what happened to Grant an act of racism, then damn all of us for not banning together more often. All I see is people wanting the officer’s head on a platter but that isn’t going to bring Grant back.

I see the history channel talk about civil rights groups in the 60’s and 70’s. They banned together to become a power that was looked up to. Men like Martin Luther King Jr. and civil rights groups like The Panthers and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) fought for civil rights in the black community. The 60’S and 70’s had groups of people honorable enough to fight. What do we have now with all our great power and technology? We have Lil’ Wayne, Flava Flav and kids with no dreams.

If you don’t think justice was done, then turn in anyone you know who deals drugs, go out and make sure your government doesn’t make decisions for you. Why not host a sit in or host a boycott of business and places you feel don’t help the problem but make it worse.

Let’s fight the problems on the home front, be parents and not let our kids sell drugs and let’s make sure we take care of our kids. I see many mother with 3, 4, 5 kids walking down the street. I went to school with kids who didn’t know there dad. It’s our fault.

We have a black president, but not an un-racist America.

We need to give our kids morals instead of just giving up on our kids, that’s why I blame everyone. Because there are only two sides to this when there actually three. People either said he did it or he didn’t do it. When in fact I don’t think he did it on purpose. To kill a man in cold blood in front of a vast group of people and put his freedom and job on the line? And although given a guilty verdict, people still want more.