Oakland Focus News | Oakland News Online Blog

Today marks the end of a long and exciting Oakland Mayor's Race. This blogger has talked extensively on and off camera with all 10 of the candidates, created over 300 minutes of video interviews, and read a lot of information on all of them. Former State Senator Don Perata who will be the best choice for Mayor. The simple reason is, for all of the issues lobbed at him, Perata is a leader who gets things done. That written, political newcomer Joe Tuman is the second choice, followed by At-Large Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. This was tough, because for a long time, Perata's run for Mayor was a surprise in that a higher office seemed the more logical direction - like Senator. But Perata, for some years now, has expressed desire to be Mayor of Oakland, got an early start, kept his focus, and never looked away. Perata followed the advise then-Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris gave to me more than once: make sure they're always talking about you. And everyone has. Meanwhile, P...

Arnie Fields is, from this bloggers view, the unofficial Mayor of Oakland. The block of 7th Street that runs next to the BART tracks and contains the BART West Oakland Station, is marked by "Fields For Mayor" signs, all over the place. Only a billboard for "Marcie Fields For Mayor" provides a momentary break from the "Fields For Mayor" images. That, and Fields owns the popular Revolutionary Cafe that's in the middle of the block at 1612 7th Street, which also has his signs. Arnie Field may not win the race for Mayor of Oakland, but Fields is certainly a force in Oakland. Arnie Fields is an energetic, friendly, and knowledgeable Oaklander who's primary reason for running for Mayor is his anger with former Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, who he describes as a "kook." This blogger reminded Fields that that "kook" was about to become Governor of California - or so it looked - and Fields said "I hope not." Arnie Field...

Peralta Community College District Board Member Marcy Hodge has labored as one of the lesser known candidates, who's activity in the Oakland Mayor's Race was punctuated by having her sister Nicole Hodge file a defamation lawsuit against The East Bay Express . In the video interview, Hodge talks about why she decided to run for Mayor and her approach. Hodge says she decided to run for mayor because she didn't think any of the candidates were talking about the issues Oaklanders were dealing with. "I didn't really feel really excited about the candidates." She's ran a campaign that features billboards and lawn signs all over Oakland.  What's interesting is as this day approached, more and more "Marcie Hodge" lawn signs have appeared around Oakland.  A signal that some Oaklanders had not decided on a candidate and were swayed toward Hodge. The East Bay Express and Hodge Robert Gammon has, for some reason, consistently and dangero...

If you haven't made up your mind on who to vote for in the Oakland Mayor's Race on election day, today, this series of Zennie62 on YouTube videos should help a little. They comprise over 300 minutes of conversations and 15 videos that in total make up the most ambitious video blog effort I've ever done.   The idea was to give you a view of all of the candidates, not just some of them.  (That effort's the biggest example of local print and television media prejudice and attempt to control information I've ever seen.  And if someone calls them by a name that brings up Nazi Germany, they'll start whining and crying, but at this stage, given their antics, I don't care what they think.) So in honor of The San Francisco Giants as World Champions and Tim Lincecum, this blogger says FUCK YEAH! (OK. Lots of San Francisco street party hoping and killer videos in celebration last night, but I digress.) The videos represents all of the candidates: Councilmembe...

Followers of this space will remember that this blogger interviewed Oakland Mayor's Race candidate Don Macleay earlier in the campaign, and for about 20 minutes in front of Merritt Station Cafe at 614 Grand Avenue. But Don wanted to talk again, and this space doesn't refuse such requests. The result is the funniest and most fun of all of the interviews I've conducted thus far. It is so, because the Green Party candidate who calls himself the "People's Mayor," has a good, natural sense of humor that smooths over a wonkish tendency. That quality makes him accessible across race and class lines. Regardless of how the election turns out, Don Macleay has created a good foundation for his political future. The Mayor Of 40th Street Already, Don Macleay is arguably the Mayor of 40th Street, where he lives on 40th and Opal. He's right next to what he calls the "new Temescal Neighborhood." Don owns what could be called a compound on that cor...

Alta Bates Summit Medical Center held a ground breaking ceremony this week for its new 11-story Patient Care Pavilion on the Summit Campus. This milestone marks the next generation in a 100-year legacy of patient care in the greater Oakland community. The ceremony was held Monday at 400 Hawthorne Ave., the former site of Samuel Merritt University’s Bechtel Hall. Nearly a decade in the making, this project includes 238 new, private patient rooms, a new Emergency Department and a new 1,000-space parking garage - all designed to meet or exceed state seismic safety requirements. The $350 million dollar project is funded completely by Sutter Health and Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - with no cost to local taxpayers - as a commitment to health care in the greater East Bay. This project merges state-of-the-art technology in a what they call a "calming and healing environment" that will continue Alta Bates Summit’s 100-year tradition of providing quality patient care. ...

Today is the first game of the 2010 World Series and I hope you're as excited as this blogger is. To you Texans from the DFW Metroplex, welcome to the San Francisco Bay Area. (For those of you who don't know, "DFW Metroplex" refers to the metropolitan area that includes the two large cities of Dallas and FTWorth Texas, with Arlington in the middle, all served by DFW Airport.)  Here's some tips for you visiting Texans. (And a special welcome to anyone who attended the University of Texas At Arlington, where my undergrad degree was earned before going to Cal Berkeley for my Master's Degree In City Planning.) Now, this: the San Francisco Giants are going to kick The Texas Rangers ass. Cliff Lee doesn't stand a chance against two-time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum. Still, it's a dream match-up. Here's my tips for enjoying your stay. First, don't rent a car. I don't mean to take money out of their pockets, but you don't ...