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  I attended the opening event for what promises to be a great restaurant called Pican, when Councilmember Larry Reid informed me that Cleveland Bellow, a long-time friend who I got to know first when I was a columnist for The Montclarion between 1993 and 1996 passed away and his memorial is tomorrow, Thursday, at Taylor Methodist Church.   It's sad when a person who was known for so much life leaves this Earth.  Cleveland was a ball of creative, expressive energy who never seemed to age and was always a joy to be around.  This description of him on his website says it all: Oakland Bay Area artist, Cleveland Bellow, began his lifelong career as an "activist" artist back in the heady days of the Civil Rights Movement. Influenced by the words and deeds of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, the leaders of the Black Panther Party, and campus reformers, he became a dedicated and tireless contributor to the community. Edu...

More at EBE : “San Francisco Chronicle columnist Chip Johnson said today that the City Of Oakland should sue the Oakland A's to keep the team's name and uniform colors in Oakland, now that the team has reiterated its intention to leave. ” -- Hmm.. I wonder if now the City will not do it because of Dellums relationship with Johnson?

From the California Assembly YouTube channel: (Sacramento) Led by Assemblymember Manuel Pérez (D-Coachella), the Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy conducted today its first hearing on an Economic Development Recovery Strategy for California. JEDE Committee Chairman Pérez said as the hearing began, California stands at an important junction in its history and with the passage of the federal stimulus package the state has the responsibility to maximize the impact of federal stimulus dollars. Assemblymember Pérez says numerous hearings will be held throughout the state over the next several weeks and he expects a final blueprint to reinvigorate Californias economy will be completed by mid-May. Heres more in this Assembly Access video. -- As far as I'm concerned this spending plan should have been done weeks ago. Why is this a hearing? People should be outraged over this strategy. Just get it done.

Darren McFadden for Yardbarker, where he talks about his return to the Oakland Raiders for offseason workouts this year.

Girls in Tech is a social network enterprise focused on the engagement, education and empowerment of like-minded, professional, intelligent and influential women in technology. read more | digg story

After a tumoultous on again off again flritation between the Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars free agent offensive tackle Khalif Barnes, they have reached agreement one year deal. read more | digg story