Oakland News, more of it today.
EVENT ALERT: On Saturday, June 15th at 5pm, MISSSEY will host its second Annual Inspire Change Gala at Individual tickets are now on sale for $125, couples for $200 and are available if you click on this link: MISSSEY 2nd Annual Inspire Change Gala
The program will include a no-host cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception with live music, silent auction, dinner, live auction, and dancing. Please contact Jude Wellington for event information or sponsorship opportunities at 510-214-3701 or [email protected] the beautiful Rotunda Building in Downtown Oakland. The event will raise money to support MISSSEY’s goal of “Motivating, Inspiring, Supporting and Serving Sexually Exploited Youth”.
This is a big problem in Oakland, and was underscored by this rally on International Blvd in April of 2011, and at what is said by Oakland Police to be a hot spot for child-trafficking, as seen in this video I created:
See you there.
David Glover Memorial A Celebration Of A Man And Of Oakland
The memorial for David Glover, long the Executive Director of The Oakland Citizen’s Committee For Urban Renewal, was celebration of a man and of Oakland. David Glover, the man, was remembered by his son Drew’s funny yet intense stories about his father. Current Oakland Economic Development head Fred Blackwell gave us another view into how David was away from the office, and remarked that there was never a time, except when he was a baby, that David didn’t take a picture without that giant beard of his. And Oakland Post Publisher and Editor Paul Cobb found his inner preacher, and gave a talk that will never be forgotten.
David Glover was the Soul Of Oakland. To me, he’s never gone from Oakland, just on vacation.
No Mayor Ruby For Oakland
Oakland City Auditor has announced that she’s not running for Mayor of Oakland. While Ms. Ruby says that this blogs take was just based on “rumors,” and that’s true, the fact is that behind the scenes, and from people who regularly talk to her, Courtney Ruby had, at one point this year, seriously talked about making a run for Mayor of Oakland. Instead, Ruby says she’s going to focus on running for re-election to the Office Of The Oakland City Auditor.
Even though Ruby’s made a massive mistake in allowing such a report to be released, and no single staff report has been so controversial since the Ebonics days, and I was close to that as the economic advisor to then-Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris.
That was 1997 and when Tony Cook, then of the Oakland School Board, had advanced the idea of teaching Ebonics, or ‘black english’ as a way to reach those African American students in Oakland who were under-performing. Elihu called me into his office at 7:30 AM specifically to talk about the report – we both disagreed with it, and Elihu released a statement against it.
That was what Oakland Mayor Jean Quan should have done.
With that, one would think Courtney Ruby’s beatable even in running for re-election as Oakland City Auditor. As one long-time friend and former elected official in Oakland said to me this week, “She is, but who’s going to run against her? Accountants aren’t known for being political.” My counter is that the right political campaign that bundles all of her personal attacks and uses them as a sledge hammer of sorts could cause even an unknown to beat her.
Aside from the wrongheaded report, my issue with Courtney Ruby’s tenure as Oakland City Auditor is that she’s used her power to issue a set of personal political attacks, most notably on California Commercial Investments Managing Partner Phil Tagami, says that she investigated how he met his wife in the process of what was supposed to be an audit on The Fox Theater Construction Project. While she cast an unusually personal eye toward the Fox Theater, Ruby has left the Oakland Coliseum untouched.
I have personally asked each Oakland Auditor to audit the Oakland Coliseum – from Norma Lau to Roland Smith, and now Courtney Ruby, none has. In fact, the last time “audit” and “Oakland Coliseum” were mentioned in the same sentence, was in 1998, when then state Senator-elect Don Perata threatened to have a state audit of the Coliseum conducted because he wasn’t getting straight answers regarding the legal battles with the Oakland Raiders at the time.
But the audit never happened, and that threat was 15 years ago. Ruby has said to me her office “lacked the resources” to conduct such an activity. But the truth is, as the elected City Auditor of Oakland, Ruby could approach a state representative like Rob Bonta, the newly elected official for Oakland and Alameda – but she’s done nothing at all.
If Courtney Ruby audits the Oakland Coliseum, she will have a regained a friend in this space, but not until then.
“Love Our Lake” Merritt This Sunday
The south end of Lake Merritt finally looks like many Oaklanders have wanted it to for several decades. On Sunday, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, Council President Patricia Kernighan and representatives from the Measure DD Community Coalition will meet their for a 2 PM celebration. Here’s my video of that newly redeveloped area:
See ya Sunday, June 9th
Help Retire Oakland Councilmember Libby Schaaf’s Campaign Debt
Oakland District Four Councilmember Libby Schaaf has a campaign debt left over from her successful first run for elected office in 2010. You can help Libby, who’s worked tirelessly to make her district and all of Oakland safe, by donating here: Libby Schaaf Office Holder Fund
Visit The New Parkway Theater In Oakland At 474 24th Between Broadway and Telegraph
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of visiting The New Parkway Theater at 474 24th between Broadway and Telegraph. Folks, you have to see a movie at this cool, tucked-away entertainment warehouse in the Uptown District of Oakland. It really does capture the spirit of the original Parkway Theater on 18th. Video coming today, but..
Stay tuned.
Bill Carroll