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This is shocking and hurtful news.  Diane was a force in the Oakland business community, not just for Blacks, but for Oaklanders.  Her Black Business.  The Globe Newspaper reports: Renowned throughout the Bay Area for her steadfast commitment to the African American community, Howell used Black Business Listings, Black Expo and SEEDS as her platform on which to advocate on behalf of African American businesses. A social and political powerbroker in her own right, Howell used her multifaceted enterprise to promote issues of economic empowerment, education access and political and social activism in every way conceivable. A native of Chicago, Howell was born on July 20, 1950, to Doris Howell and the late William Howell. She was baptized at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., and was confirmed at St. Edmond’s Episcopal Church in Chicago. Ever active in her faith community, Howell was a longstanding member of the Oakland-based East Bay Church of Religious Science, under the l

More at the Tribune From Tribune: ANTIOCH, Calif.—As more and more black renters began moving into this mostly white San Francisco Bay Area suburb a few years ago, neighbors started complaining about loud parties, mean pit bulls, blaring car radios, prostitution, drug dealing and muggings of schoolchildren. In 2006, as the influx reached its peak, the police department formed a special crime-fighting unit to deal with the complaints, and authorities began cracking down on tenants in federally subsidized housing. Now that police unit is the focus of lawsuits by black families who allege the city of 100,000 is orchestrating a campaign to drive them out. "A lot of people are moving out here looking for a better place to live," said Karen Coleman, a mother of three who came here five years ago from a blighted neighborhood in nearby Pittsburgh. "We are trying to raise our kids like everyone else. But they don't want us here." -- Antioch has been known for a kind of c

This really entertaining video brings attention to the work of a group called "The Lost Kids" who hold fundraisers locally in Oakland. This workshop raised $900 for Children's Hospital. For more information, visit http://www.myspace.com/thel0stkids

More at Inside Bay Area and at Piedmont USD : “Three 12-year-old Piedmont boys are waiting to learn their punishment for spray-painting the "N" word across a Havens Elementary School wall. Police are calling it a hate crime targeting teacher Marjorie Lawson, since it was scrawled outside her office. Lawson is one of two African-American educators in the Piedmont Unified School District. It's still not clear why the young suspects came forward on Dec. 4, but Piedmont Police Department Capt. John Hunt said the boys voluntarily gave statements to both school officials and a detective about the crime. "We then contacted the victim (Lawson) again, to let her know what we learned," he said. "She already had some information from Havens, but we wanted her to know we notified the juvenile probation department and it's up to them how they proceed legally," explained Hunt, who couldn't give too many details since the suspects are underage. "I can te

By The Blue Screen - NY Daily News : “The Giants have won 22 games in two seasons, and followed up a Super Bowl championship by earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC. So really it’s no wonder that other NFL teams would be interested in raiding their coaching staff. And apparently defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo isn’t the only one drawing interest. The Oakland Raiders are reportedly going to contact the Giants about speaking to offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, too. Gilbride, who was the Giants’ quarterbacks coach from 2004-2006 before stepping up to offensive coordinator last season, was instrumental in the development of Eli Manning and helped turn the Giants into one of the most powerful and diverse offenses in the NFL.He also has head coaching experience, with the San Diego Chargers in 1997-98.” -- For some reason I'm not excited about Gilbride and that's because I view his offenses as static and inflexible. I also don't think he has the right temperment to coach

See Jaeson Ma This is a touching account by Ma and has a great video at the site as well: “This past weekend after Christmas, I went with my sister to West Oakland to pass out food, clothes and prayers to the homeless. We went to Wal-mart the day before and bought a bunch of warm sleeping bags, got warm clothes from Goodwill and loaded up our car to do what we could the next morning. When I got out to the streets, my heart was shocked and broken at the same time. People were lined up waiting for us to give them any kind of help they could get. As I opened up my bag full of clothes the homeless swarmed quickly to take what was best for themselves. All the clothes disappeared in a matter of minutes. I was sad, because I wish I had more clothes to give but I only had so much.”

See: OaklandNews: An open letter to Jean Quan I really miss Jeannette Sherwin's candor, regardless of who it was aimed at. In this case, it was in an "Open Letter To Jean Quan" that bears repeating because Councilmember Quan thinks she's going to be Oakland's next Mayor and because what Ms. Sherwin wrote below still applies today, unfortunately. I think Councilmember Quan would do well to follow what's written here: “Dear Jean, If you want truly fair and democratic processes, and if you want to feel less defensive, then you might do these things: An Open Letter to Jean Quan 1) Don't make up your mind in advance about development in your district, such as a replacement for the Hillcrest Motel. Residents have very, very good instincts and ideas about what they want and what will work Trust your constituents. 2) Don't take credit for things you haven't done. It pisses the real workers off. 3) Stop talking. 4) Listen. 5) Demand that the city counci

From - “At midterm, Dellums faces growing criticism” : Of all of the people who tossed grenades at Mayor Ron Dellums, we have Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente saying this: “City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente, who ran against Dellums in 2005, said the mayor has shown an unwillingness to make decisions. While the two men meet weekly, De La Fuente said many of his suggestions fall on deaf ears. "It's our job to manage and respond with more or less money," De La Fuente said. "Until someone says 'I want it tomorrow,' it won't happen."” -- Ok. This means that Ignacio is gearing up to run for Mayor again. Yes, he's shooting from the hip and that was not a calculated statement, but I know Ignacio well enough to assert that he feels Dellums is vulnerable, Perata would give his blessing, and the Mayoral prize would be his. Now if Robert Bobb were to run against him, Bobb would win. City Attorney John Russo could beat both

More at Inside Bay Area : “Essential work in the Bay Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project will not go forward today while a Port of Oakland labor dispute is negotiated, according to the California Department of Transportation. A ship carrying steel supports for the project has remained unloaded at Pier 7 since its arrival in Oakland on Friday, Caltrans reported. Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union blocked the unloading work at about 5 p.m. Friday, protesting that Caltrans and its construction partner, American Bridge Fluor Enterprises, awarded the job to other port workers in violation of longshoremen rights, a union member said.” --

This brief interview with Congressman Honda is interesting to me because he talks about who he thinks the next Asian American elected official to rise to stardom will be: California Controller John Chiang.

More at Big Vinny's Bay Area : “A 'good tip' from someone in the biz: not confirmed, but developing...Monday, Dec. 22, 2008 Ted Robinson, a prominent national and Bay-Area broadcast veteran, is set to become the new radio voice of the San Francisco 49ers, according to an industry source. Robinson, who is NBC's lead announcer at Wimbledon and who also covers the US Open Tennis Championships for USA Network, is set to take the prestigious spot vacated by Joe Starkey, who announced he is leaving after the conclusion of this season, Starkey's 20th year. He will continue to announce Univ. of California college football.” -- Big Vinny's the source for all that's happening in Bay Area media! Check him out!

More at Inside Bay Area : “Jon Gruden will be on the sideline with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with general manager Bruce Allen in a suite. Rich Gannon will be in the television booth, lending commnentary for CBS. Rumor has it that even Lane Kiffin may attend, with his dad Monte in his final home game as the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining his son at the University of Tennessee. The only thing missing when the Raiders visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium Sunday will be the man responsible for bringing them all to Oakland _ Al Davis. Davis, with leg and ankle problems, has heeded the warnings of his physicians, did not make the trip, and reconsidered the idea of taking a private plane Saturday, Raiders executive John Herrera confirmed. "The doctors told him it's probably not the best thing to spend 10 or 12 hours in the air," Herrera said, referring to the roundtrip from Oakland to Tampa.” -- Get well, Mr. Davis!

More at Inside Bay Area : “The resolutions are in, and it's shaping up as a lean, mean new year for the Port of Oakland, which also operates Oakland International Airport. Despite layoffs and other cost-cutting measures this year, the port's number crunchers say the predicted gross revenues of $298.7 million this fiscal year will fall $12.1 million short unless steps are taken to reduce costs or increase operating revenues before then. Given the global economy, the dire state of the airline industry, and the declining number of shipments coming in and going out of the port's marine terminals, the former seems a more likely solution, said Marilyn Sandifur, the port's public information officer.”

There's an idea out there that there are more male than female video-bloggers and an anecdotal scan would seem to confirm that. My video explains how we can change that by encouraging women to vlog, and protecting them from harm and harrasment online to the extent that's possible.

Something the media doesn't cover much at all: the happenings in the East Oakland culture. This a typical Sunday worship service.

This is one of those videos friend and Oakland City Attorney John Russo thought that would be never found, but it's a great view of him as a person without the suits and with his real priority: his kids.

In this YouTube video, Annalee Allen, the longtime Oakland historical expert, talks about the Anthony Holdsworth Painting in City Hall.

'Don't Let Me Drown' headed to Sundance : “When screenwriter and film producer Maria Topete, 34, was a senior at Oakland's Skyline High School, she and two friends decided to make a movie. They borrowed some equipment and set out to find subjects to interview on the topic of being biracial.” -- Congratulations!

More at Sports at - Inside Bay Area” : “OAKLAND — Swingman Stephen Jackson straggled from the shower and took a seat at his locker. Tape recorders and microphones descended upon him, looking to get his reaction to the Warriors' biggest win of the year. But his expression contradicted the atmosphere at Oracle Arena after he scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Warriors' to a 99-89 upset of the Boston Celtics on Friday. He slumped in his chair, spoke with a drag and didn't smile once.”

More at Inside Bay Area : “OAKLAND — Skeletal remains found Nov. 7 behind Skyline High School have been identified as those of an 18-year-old woman who was a former student at the school, authorities and relatives said Friday. But how Johnikka Jackson died has not yet been determined, and homicide Sgt. Lou Cruz said police are still "trying to determine if foul play was an element of her death." Her remains were found in a canyon behind the school by students who took some of the bones to the principal's office before police were called. The bones were found near a crude shelter made of wood and sheets. Personal items found at the scene and dental records led to Jackson's positive identification last week.”