Oakland Focus News | Oakland News Online Blog

This is welcome news after an episode of bad relations between the City of San Bruno and PG&E. Read the press release, below: SAN BRUNO, Calif.—The City of San Bruno and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced an agreement for PG&E to pay San Bruno $70 million in restitution to support the City and community’s efforts to recover after the Sept. 9, 2010 PG&E pipeline tragedy. “I am pleased to announce that San Bruno has reached a settlement with PG&E for restitution for the community of San Bruno,” said Mayor Jim Ruane. “This money will be used for the benefit of all the citizens of our city and to help us, as a community, get beyond the tragedy and devastation caused by PG&E’s explosion and fire.” “The community of San Bruno has suffered through a terrible tragedy and we understand that this accident will affect this community forever,” said PG&E President Chris Johns. “We committed the night of the tragedy and continue to commit...

Folks, be aware of this man. An Oakland (California) Adams Point resident posted a message that was completely horrifying. So, without further delay, here it is, in full: I;m posting snips from an email a friend sent me last night. She wants to remain anonymous, but agreed to letting me post these details. Please, be careful when you're out on our streets-- Subject: Re: Screaming on Jayne Avenue about 3 this afternoon. Yes...It was me. Thanks for your kind words... (M)y throat's awfully sore, but I think I'll be okay. Right now, I'm more furious than frightened. I too am sorry you didn't call 911, but I'm thankful lots of other neighbors did. I wish I'd had the presence of mind to scream something like Rape or Fire or Call 911 like you suggested, but frankly, I was so scared, all I could do was scream and keep screaming. ... So here's a description, for those of you who might be interested in keeping an eye out for (and let your neig...

[caption id="attachment_16537" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan"] [/caption]Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan, concerned that the public has the wrong idea about the redeployment of what the City of Oakland calls "Problem Solving Officers", wrote "a letter to the community" which appears below. It essentially says that 35 police officers are still placed in each of the City's 35 police beats, but 22 officers were reassigned to what is called the Crime Reduction Team. That group works in the same 100 block area, but where Jordan's letter misteps a bit is in its explanation from there. What he should have said was that the officers were "wild" - could go wherever the threat is. (Well, maybe "wild" is not the best term to use in the wake of the OPD's "wild" reputation, most recently enhanced during the Occupy Oakland protests.) Here's...

The race for the California 18th District Assembly Seat currently held by the termed-out Sandre Swanson recently lost a candidate that this blogger thought had a chance because she was the only woman: Kathy Neal. The reason for Neal's departure, according to my sources, was simply that Neal didn't think she could win. "It was not enough support and not enough money," my source said. "She didn't want to just be in the race; she wanted to win it. After the poll, she didn't see a reason to stay in." The head of Kneal Resource System, former Port of Oakland Commissioner, and former wife of former Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris (Neal was married to Elihu when I was his economic adviser), Kathy was not only behind Rob Bonta ($161,883), Joel Young ($154,078), and Abel Guillen ($118,584) in contributions, but had came up third in one poll behind only Guillen, with Bonta, the Democratic Alameda councilman, out in front. Neal's departure makes the pos...

The State Of California has just issued its Final Environmental Impact Report for the 173-acre vineyard owned by Artesa Winery in the Sonoma County town of Annapolis, Calif. Artesa Winery is wholly owned by the Codorniu Group, a family-owned company based in the Penedes region of Spain since the 16th Century. Ironically and sadly, a small and rather controversial group, "The Friends of Gualala River", is taking an anti-immigrant, anti-Spanish stand against the vineyard, even though Artesa and Codorniu Group, based in Spain, have gone out of their way to preserve and protect the entire property. In the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Chris Poehlmann, president of The Friends of Gualala River, which opposes the project, based his criticism on the Spanish origins of the small, family owned Codorniu, saying "This is a foreign corporation coming into the coastal forests of California wanting to cut down our forests for their corporate gain." Something not true at all...

Kathy Neal has announced that she is now formerly the candidate for the 18th District California Assembly Seat, which represents a good portion of Oakland, California. Here's the letter Ms. Neal issued just moments ago: 18th Assembly District race. As the only woman in a field of three known candidates, she entered the race much later than her opposition yet garnered considerable traction. “I am proud of the progress we made in such a short period of time and greatly appreciate the help, partnerships, and backing that emerged from a widely diverse base of support. While I will not be an active participant in the race at this time, I will continue to be involved in state and local politics, because I am committed to improving the lives of those in our community, especially for those among us who are less fortunate or disenfranchised,” Neal said. Neal, who currently serves as the 16th AD Vice Chair of the Alameda County Democratic Party, has previously worked beyond the...