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Well, I leave the city for one glorious working trip to New York for the NFL Draft and then to Atlanta for Mom, only to find the San Francisco Chronicle up to its own common, and not-well-disguised crack-smoking habits (read, "We don't want a black mayor"...Puff..."Pass that bong!") that wandered their way into an endorsement taken seriously only because of the size of the newspaper. The Chronicle, in the form of John Diaz as editorial page editor and Chip Johnson, who I easily best at Madden NFL 2000-whatever, backed the wrong horse for the wrong set of reasons. For Chip, the reason is simple: he doesn't want to lose his meal-ticket source of news and fodder for his columns. He knows this and knows I know this. Chip's not blind to the fact that Ron Dellums was drafted to run for mayor by 8,000 totally pissed off Oaklanders, mostly black. Chip's black, but -- as one who's seen this side of him in action -- seems to delight more in the kind of ...

This is from today's Oakland Tribune. This person is still at large. Robber kills restaurant employee Laos native slain on last day managing Bangkok Palace in Oakland By Harry Harris, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND — Monday was supposed to be Sonethavy Phomsouvanhdara's last day managing a Grand Lake district restaurant owned by family friends. It turned out to be his last day alive. Phomsouvanhdara, 29, who hoped to own his restaurant someday and was picking up the needed experience, died Tuesday morning from a gunshot wound he received during a robbery at Bangkok Palace, 3300 Grand Ave. Police said Phomsouvanhdara had managed the restaurant almost since it opened about a year ago. He and a few other employees were in the process of closing just before 10 p.m. Mon- day when a robber appeared. Police Sgt. Lou Cruz said a man with a gun entered the restaurant through a back door, confronted Phomsouvanhdara and the others and demanded money. The robber shot Phomsouvanhdar...

A visit to "Radio" on 13th Street, near Broadway was the scene of my latest information on a rumored new establishment to be located where the once-popular "Fifth Amendment" raged on weekend nights. The new establishment, to be owned by a combination of one of the current owners of Radio and others, is to be called "Easy." It's set to open on the second week of June. The new place is named after "The Big Easy" and because the lead owner hails from New Orleans. "It's totally different," I'm informed by Radio's DJ. "The drop-ceiling is gone and there's going to be a totally open atmostphere. You won't know the place. There's going to be way more space. There will be over-stuffed couches and in general a nicer atmostphere." Well, stay tuned. It's hard to replace a legend, but they seem to want to try. It's not easy. But rather than replace "The Fifth" I think they're reall...

I just returned from a trip to The Alley, on 3325 Grand Avenue, where I learned of yet another murder. This one just accross the street and at the famed Bangkok Palace Restaurant on 3300 Grand Avenue. Paul, one of my friends who plays a gig Tuesday through Wednesday night's at The Alley told me about it. "They thought it was a robbery, but now, no one's for sure," he said. "Police have been crossing by since last night." It's still a mystery why a crime of that magnitude would take place at -- of all places -- there. But it seems like in the Oakland of 2006, the reach of criminal activity is longer and broader than ever before. Stay tuned. And stay alert.

Brenda's right -- spot on here. Oakland's City Council has always had to deal with crime, but when crime problems are brought to them by white and / or well-moneyed Oaklanders, only then is it a state of emergency. But that written, I fit somewhere on the fringe of that, so as far as I'm concerned, there is a state of emergency. Too much crime in my hood. Plus, the whole "Beach Chalet" matter smells bad, in my view. Race has a hand in Oakland concerns Brenda Payton - Oakland Tribune RACE is the subtext of a number of issues in Oakland, unspoken yet unmistakable. Every now and then, the curtain falls, and there it is right in our faces. Some weeks ago a group of Oaklanders showed up at City Hall to protest an increase in crime in the city and inadequate police response. It wasn't the first time residents have come to City Hall to complain about crime. The racial composition of the group may have been a first in recent times. As depicted in a photograph of th...

This information came from our Yahoo! Message Board and it's well worth reporting. It seems that there's a lot of criminal or just plain annoying activity of late, and to counter all the fun things to do around here. This came from concerned residents. All of these incidents occured last Friday: 1) Last night at 4 a.m., at the corner of Bellevue and Van Buren, the black Acura-styled 2-door that was in the neighborhood a couple of weeks ago returned to again spin numerous doughnuts in the intersection. It has no license plate on back, and there are large white numerals on the right-front windshield. I'm pretty sure the numbers are "211." We called the non-emergency line, where someone picked up right away. When that car was last identified here in Adams Point, it seemed to match the description of a car that had been seen elsewhere in conjunction with other crimes. And even if it's not the same car, it's been through our area at least twice now, bringing...

The only thing the Oakland Tribune seems really good at covering are the police blotters and sports. Here's the police end. It's clear something must be done about this...like better jobs opportunities for parents and better schools and more community centers. Simple solutions. Sex biz sees troubling teen trend Conference will address local exploitation and trafficking issues By Harry Harris, STAFF WRITER, OAKLAND TRIBUNE, TUESDAY APRIL 25th OAKLAND — In a sting operation last week, Oakland police arrested more than a dozen prostitutes, including one who was just 15. In similar enforcement efforts, those arrested have been even younger. In what has become a disturbing trend in Alameda County and other areas, the number of underage prostitutes — or sexually exploited minors, as law enforcement officials call them — is growing, while the girls themselves are getting younger, authorities say. "It's been a terrible problem for five or six years, and it's getting wors...