Hundreds Gather to Listen to Obama Speech

By Gene Hazzard

Hundreds of Oaklanders gathered at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle in downtown Oakland last Thursday to hear Barak Obama officially accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for President.  The event brought out the cities politicians, religious and community leaders and families with their children, all anxious to witness the historic occasion.  The Post was there to take picture and document the event.

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Harvesting Hope Celebration Sept. 11

Harvesting HOPE, a celebration of Food, Community, and Oakland’s Future, will take place on September 11th from 4-8pm at Club Oasis in downtown Oakland at 135 12th Street.

HOPE (Health for Oakland’s People and Environment) is hosting a community celebration of efforts to increase access to fresh, healthy, and affordable local foods and safe places for people to play and be active in Oakland’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.

Performers will include Ise Lyfe, Silence the Violence, Youth Speaks, and DJ Be Brown, with Chef GramCrackah firing up a free BBQ. The event is free and open to the public. [Read more]

Obama’s acceptance speech

Following is the text of Barack Obama’s speech accepting DNC nomination for president.To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;

With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest - a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours — Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.

To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia - I love you so much, and I’m so proud of all of you. [Read more]

Rosia Lee Ivey’s 96th, Her “Recipes for Life”

John Ivey (right) with mother and author Rosia Lee Ivey recently celebrating her 96th birthday and book signing of her book “Recipes for Life” at Clancey’s Cantina in Oakland. Photo by Gene Hazzard.

$50,000 Reward Offered “Restaurant Robberies Are Unacceptable”

From left to right - Deputy Chief Jeffrey Israel, Mayor Ronald Dellums, Jeffrey Thomason, and Oakland Police Chief Wayne Tucker. Photo by Gene Hazzard.

Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums issued the following statement on weekend takeover robberies in Oakland:
“The fact that the city of Oakland has had to endure yet another spate of restaurant robberies are unacceptable. The safety of Oakland residents is paramount. The residents of Oakland deserve better than to be victimized by the acts of individuals who tear at the heart of our communities.
“I am working closely with the Oakland Police Department and they are working extremely hard to bring these people to justice. We’ve increased deployment of patrol officers in strategic areas, we have garnered the assistance of the Guardian Angels, and are working out the details on a partnership for private security in our business corridors. Our public safety director will continue to reach out to businesses and merchant associations to discuss additional services that we may provide. [Read more]

Oakland Athletic League Public Hearing

From left to right: Oakland School Boardmember Chris Dobbins, Michael Moore Sr., recently appointed OAL Commissioner and Oakland School Boardmember Noel Gallo listen to speakers at public hearing on the future of the Oakland Athletic League. Photo by Gene Hazzard.

By Ken Epstein

Speakers at a school district public hearing overwhelming opposed a proposal to dissolve the 89-year old Oakland Athletic League as an independent section in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
If dissolved, the Oakland Athletic League (OAL) teams could become part of the larger North Coast Section, which contains 168 schools and is based in San Ramon.
The OAL, smallest of 10 sections in the CIF, is in charge of varsity-level competition at the city’s six public high schools, serving more than 2,000 students a year in 22 men’s and women’s sports, with an annual budget of about $800,000.
“As far as the OAL maintaining its autonomy, it’s an absolute must,” said Robert Perry, former Oakland Fremont High basketball coach, one of the community speakers at the hearing, held Aug. 21 at the school district headquarters. [Read more]

Thousands Celebrate Back to School

Oakland Tech High School graduate and Boston Celtics superstar basketball player Leon Powe with some of the Oakland school students who participated at City Hall on Sunday in the all-day event of “Attend and Achieve” 2008 Back to School Rally. More than 600 back-to-school backpacks were provided to students from “Native Oaklanders Give Back”. Photo by Gene Hazzard.

Leon Powe’s Basketball Camp

Boston Celtics superstar Leon Powe and Rap artist Mr. Fab with students attending the two day Leon Powe’s basketball clinic at the campus of Merritt College in Oakland. Photo by Gene Hazzard.

By Ken Epstein

Leon Powe, former Cal All-American, helped the Boston Celtics win the NBA title in June. Now, the Oakland Technical High School graduate is back in his native city to share his expertise with young people.
Last Friday and Saturday, he put on the second annual Powe Folk’s basketball camp for 200 young men and women ages 7 to 18. Held in the Merritt College gymnasium, it cost $25 for the two days.
“We want to bring something positive to Oakland, especially for the kids,” Powe said. “We want to give them something that they can take into their in everyday lives.”
Before they broke for lunch on Friday, some the young athletes told Powe what they learned that was new. [Read more]

Obama’s Electric Moment in Denver

From left to right: Post Publisher Paul Cobb, Kevin Jefferson, Conway Jones and Gay Plair Cobb in “the Post Situation Room” at the Sheraton Hotel in Denver. Photo by Ace Washington.

By Paul Cobb
Special from Denver, Co

The Post News Group converted the Denver Sheraton Hotel’s main lobby into its “situation room” during the Democratic national Convention. Many impromptu interviews and photo-ops were available. Senators, Governors, Mayors, Congresspersons, other electeds and many of the selecteds, along with “other ordinary greats” were “Posterized.” From the Post’s perch we were able to see the passersby; from Willie Brown to Rev. Amos Brown, from Jesse Jackson Sr. to Jesse Jackson, Jr., from Ray Taliaferro to Wade Woods from Desley Brooks to Dezie Woods Jones, from Alice Huffman to Chris Jackson, from Tom Hayden to Charles Rangel, from Barbara Lee to Bill Clinton from Delores Huerta to Gloria Allred, from Vernon Jordan to Percy Pinkney, from David Chai to Gay Plair Cobb, from Jean Quan to Alicia Wang, from Angela Glover Blackwell to Danny Glover and many more volunteers and political aficionados were interviewed, photographed and given bottles of H2Obama water to quench their thirsts for “Change”. [Read more]

Faces Around the Bay: Akaysha and D’Asia Calhoun

Berkeley Schools resumed classes on Wednesday, August 27Th. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are minimum days. Monday, September 1st is the Labor Day Holiday.
Akaysha and D’Asia Calhoun are reflecting on the fun of summer and anticipating returning to school.
’Asia recalls, “Summer was fun; I loved Camp Winnarainbow. We had classes in hip hop, gymnastics, stilt walking, and we were never bored.” She anticipates school (she’ll enter the 6th grade) because, “I love to see my friends and enjoy shopping for school supplies.” Akaysha, entering first grade says, :”I played on the Computer, ‘Games For Girls “ and adds, “The games are free!”, “I made a huge paper umbrella this summer.” As for returning to school, “I will have a new partner this year. I love to play wall ball and spider, and I like Phonics because it’s harder than other things

Photo and text by Barbara Fluhrer.

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