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BART Protest Set For 5 PM in San Francisco - Why SF?

There's a planned BART Protest set for 5 PM in San Francisco, but why the heck someone would try San Francisco is weird to me. Whatever the case, this is what KGO put out: SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A different kind of obstacle is expected in downtown San Francisco Monday night, when BART protestors are expected to take their outrage across the Bay for the first time. The latest noisy protest over the shooting of Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale BART station will be held in San Francisco around 5:00 p.m. and could affect traffic. There could also be a vocal turnout when BART explains a new review of its police Monday afternoon. Monday morning, BART riders found a quieter form of protest in their seats waiting for them as they boarded. They found flyers that look like something BART might issue, until you read the text. The anonymous author compares BART Police to a violent gang saying, "All members of this gang, which refers to itself as the "BART Police" are known...

DOJ sends conciliation team to Oakland - washingtonpost.com

More at washingtonpost.com : “WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Justice Department has sent mediators to Oakland, Calif., to help resolve tensions arising from the fatal New Year's Day shooting of an unarmed black man by a white transit police officer. The officials are from the department's Community Relations Service, which was created by the 1964 Civil Rights Act to help resolve and prevent racial and ethnic conflict and violence. DOJ notified California's U.S. senators and  Rep. Barbara Lee on Thursday of the deployment, according to a department memo obtained Monday by The Associated Press. The memo says Justice officials will "meet with law enforcement officials and African American community leaders in response to community racial tension." The officials will conduct an assessment and provide needed follow-up.” -- Personally, I'm not sure what good they're going to do unless it's to make sure that all of this is quickly resolved.

BART Mtg: Oakland City Council Desley Brooks v. BART Board

Oakland City Councilmember Desley Brooks takes on the BART Board and BART Board Member Carol Ward Allen at the community meeting held on Sunday, January 11th at 101 Eight Street. Ward Allen walked out of the meeting. Councilmember Brooks anger is understandable. There's too much in the way of meetings and no action that anyone can point to that shows progress. She's right. IF anyone else shot another person, charges would have been filed by now. Still, the process must be respected and must take place. The person who calmed Ward Allen down was none other than former Oakland City Manager Henry Gardner. We went into his office for a spell, then Allen emerged and went back to the meeting. Gardner has and always has been a class act.

2009 California Democrat 16th District Delegate Election

This video covered the 2009 California Delegate election for the 16th District. The event was held on Saturday, January 10th at The Alameda Hospital. For those who think this is not important at all. Not so. The delegates vote on matters impacting California State Elected Officials and often determine who you get to vote for before you vote for them. The delegates set the party platform and for all practical purposes are the "Face" of the local Democratic Party. I talked to a number of people running for the 12 delegate positions, and even talked to a couple of people about the matter of the BART Shooting and the Oakland Riot. WINNING DELEGATES: WOMEN: Ronnie Caplane Alice Fried Frieda Edgette (Glantz) Sumi Paranjape Esperanza Tervalon-Daumont Tara Marchant Wilson MEN: Mark Briggs Joel Freid Abel J. Guillen Wayne Nishioka Dan Rush Jakada Imani

Zennie Abraham Takes On CNN's Ali Velshi On Economic Stimulus

For me this was a ton of fun to do. But it's even better when someone takes time to let folks know you did a great job. Such was the case with the CNN iReport and CNN.com, who contacted me regarding my question for CNN's Ali Velshi on what he thought of giving $3,500 to each American taxpayer under $100,000. Here's the video: Embedded video from CNN Video This is what CNN iReport's Rachel8 wrote : Would you go head-to-head with CNN's top economic expert on an economic stimulus plan? How about live on the air? Fearless iReport superstar Zennie Abraham did. After submitting an iReport suggesting a taxpayer stimulus package, he discussed his plan with CNN chief business correspondent Ali Velshi on CNN.com/live. Velshi said the plan -- which calls for a $3,500 stimulus check to those making less than $100,000 a year -- was not targeted enough to work. But Zennie courageously defended his idea. "I disagree, with all due respect," he said to Vels...

Robbery at Gunpoint On Euclid Between Lagunitas and Van Buren, Adams Point

This was from the Yahoo Adams Point Message Board: A friend called this a.m. to say he and two others were walking home yesterday mid-evening and were held up at gun point by one man: black, wearing black hoodie and black pants. This occurred on Euclid between Lagunitas and Van Buren. Thankkfully, no one got hurt. He will post more details himself when he gets to a computer with Internet service, but in the meantime, I wanted neighbors to be alert.