Oakland Focus News | Oakland News Online Blog

Apply for Commission to Redraw CA Election Lines - oh, yeah it pays $80K too. Get the scoop tonight 5:30pm. Adam Briones of the Greenlining Institute is heading an effort to expand the pool of people of color applicants for a citizen's redistricting commission being formed (read http://bit.ly/9B6wxV for more). Redistricting is directly responsible for the amount of money that goes to schools, jobs and neighborhood in the community. It's one of those obscure but powerful groups that will define the political power and future of California communities like Oakland. So apply - and for more information attend the Greenlining Institute's seminar TONIGHT at 5:30 pm at their office at 1918 University Ave, Berkeley. Or go to www.wedrawthelines.ca.gov and submit the short application. From the Greenlining website's Q&A: Q: What does redistricting mean? A: Redistricting means to redraw the lines of an election district. In California these districts must be adjusted every te

My endorsements are "right down to the wire" but here they are and I explain my selections in my video above and I will update the text with my reasons. Barack Obama / Joe Biden - President of the United States Barbara Lee - Congressperson District Nine Loni Hancock - California State Senator Sandre Swanson - California State Assemblyperson Dennis Hayashi - Alameda County Superior Court Judge Rebecca Kaplan - City of Oakland At-Large Council Seat Chris Peebles - AC Transit Board Greg Harper - AC Transit Board Proposition 1A - NO on High Speed Rail Proposition 2 - NO Proposition 3 - Yes Proposition 4 NO (What about homeless kids) Proposition 5 - Yes Proposition 6 - Yes Proposition 7 - NO Proposition 8 - BIG NO Proposition 9 - NO Proposition 10 - YES Proposition 11 - NO Proposition 12 - Yes Oakland Measures Measure N - Yes Measure MM - Yes Proposition OO - Yes Proposition VV - Yes Proposition WW - Yes

  At the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland, Congressional Candidate Cindy Sheehan took time to talk with me about how her campaign was going and what she's learned along the way. Her son was killled fighting in the Iraw War.

Someone's watching my blog posts about Chevron and its battle to clear its name in Ecuador and Nigeria, and sent an email I can't trace, but it provides a good counter to the East Bay Express' article which reads as a clear attack piece on the oil giant. This is what the person who calls themselves "Blind Emailer" -- anything but -- sent to me: The Richmond City Council has an excellent opportunity to improve the quality of life for its residents on July 15. That’s the day when it will meet to decide whether to allow Chevron to make important improvements at its Richmond Refinery. Chevron is proposing to make upgrades to its machinery that will enhance environmental controls, reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency and increase the amount of gas produced that meets California’s tough environmental standards – all without expanding the refinery or increasing the overall amount of fuel it produces. One would think that any responsible elected official w