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Well, no sparks here. But just wait Mayoral candidates look to city's future De La Fuente, Dellums, Nadel discuss schools, policing and revitalization By William Brand, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND — The three candidates for mayor offered differing visions of the future of the city Saturday at a well-attended town hall meeting at St. Lawrence O'Toole Catholic Church. Candidates Ignacio De La Fuente and Nancy Nadel emphasized their years of experience on the City Council to combat the star power of retired congressman Ron Dellums. Dellums, who retired from Congress in 1998 after serving the East Bay since 1971, said he would greatly augment Mayor Jerry Brown's plan to bring 10,000 new residents to downtown Oakland to revitalize the area. "Ten-thousand people doesn't get you there," Dellums said. "You've got to think big; there should be 100,000 people downtown; there should be new office buildings, with mixed-use commercial. With 100,000 peo...

This is shocking as it's too close to home. But the guys who did this are still around, so be alert. Also, look around and get to know your neighbors. Some think that by keeping their head down it keeps others away. Nope. Best to keep your head up and observe! Here's the Oakland Tribune article below: Killing sends chill through Grand Lake Insurance agent gunned down inside office in area generally thought safe By Kristin Bender and Harry Harris, STAFF WRITERS OAKLAND — The fatal shooting Friday morning of an insurance salesman in his Grand Lake district office has residents and merchants wondering whether the bloodshed usually seen in East and West Oakland is seeping into typically safe areas. Police said Mark Kharmats, 46, of Oakland was shot about 11 a.m. inside his Cal West Insurance office at 3661 Grand Ave. He was rushed to Highland Hospital Oakland, where he died a few hours later. Witnesses said they saw two men running from the two-story office building where th...

I just talked to a long time friend who's a well-known figure in Oakland Politics. When I asked him who he was backing for Mayor, he said "Ignacio's my friend, but he can't beat Ron Dellums (pictured to the left). In polling he's way ahead (of Ignacio) by factor of three-to-one. Dellums has 51 percent, but Ignacio can't get pass 17 percent." When I asked why Ignacio (who's at the left) didn't just drop out of the race considering the terrible poll numbers, my friend says "Ignacio knows this, but is going forward anyway. Ron (Dellums) may have a harder time with (Oakland mayoral candidate Nancy) Nadel." Nancy Nadel's (pictured at right) the true dark horse in this campaign. The District Three Councilmember appeals to the same progressive base as Dellums, doesn't have anywhere near the number of naysayers as De La Fuente, and is female -- an advantage in a city well-known for electing women elected officials. Nancy's one ve...

I understand that Congresswoman Barbara Lee is holding an anti-war meeting at the Grand Lake Theater this Saturday at 9 AM.

The sign of things to come. Dellums is a legend to many regardless of race By Heather MacDonald, STAFF WRITER- OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND — Former U.S. Rep. Ron Dellums traveled Wednesday into the heart of the Fruitvale district — his main rival's home turf — and touched off a discussion about the role of race in the race for mayor. At a rally, Dellums enthusiastically picked up the endorsement of Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers. "We're not going to vote for someone who has been there and didn't do the job," Huerta said to applause and cheers. "Ron Dellums is a man of courage who gets right in the middle of difficult issues." As he has throughout the campaign, Dellums pledged to turn Oakland into a model city by increasing the amount of affordable housing to ensure people who live in Oakland are not forced to move by the skyrocketing cost of living. "Each day I get stronger," Dellums said. "We are going on a magnificent...

I went again to talk with Peter Van Cleef, the mercurial owner of Cafe Van Cleef, who orginally claimed he was with Mayor Jerry Brown when the reported conflict between he and an African American woman took place early Sunday morning. On my second visit Van Cleef told me that while he was with Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, it was after the nightclub occurence. He now says didn't see the reported altercation between the Mayor and the patron in front of "17" , the dance club in downtown Oakland. Remember, he specifically stopped me to explain that he was with the Mayor. I'm glad I went back to make sure. He said he talked to Gil Duran, who claimed the Mayor's innocence. But Duran works directly for Jerry, and it is his job to protect his boss reputation and image. I know this, having served as Economic Advisor to Mayor Elihu Harris, and then for Jerry when I worked to bring the 2005 Super Bowl to Oakland. You back your boss, sometimes even when he's not...

After a work session that went on longer than I could stand, I pulled away from equations, blogs, and my computer to venture over to Van Cleef's Cafe for a glass of wine over jazz Tuesday night. After one cocktail I was ready to head back home. But as I walked out the door, my friend, Peter Van Cleef, who owns Van Cleef's Cafe -- check the last name -- said "Hey, the night's young, don't go. Besides, I got something to tell you. Jerry's innocent of those charges. I was with him when it happened. He said nothing racist to anyone, at least nothing like what's going to be reported by that woman." Peter then continued to recount their steps, as he was with Mayor Brown, a couple of Oakland Police representatives, and a man that Van Cleef claimed was the doorman at 1015 Folsom. "We walked with Jerry. I was with him the whole way. Nothing like that happened. Yes, Jerry did say something to them, but nothing like that at all." Frankly, I ...