Will There Even Be Schools In Oakland Ten Years From Now?

Every year it seems like another Oakland school ends up on the chopping block. At the end of ever school year there's at least three or four school that are mentioned to headed toward being on what I called the "Endangered School List". Two years ago my alma mater Life Academy High School of Health and Bioscience, engaged in a battle with the OUSD over relocation due to the original site not being disaster safe. Eventually the school was moved to where Calvin Simmons Middle School use to be (Calvin Simmons was closed a few years prior). Now there's news this week that an elementary school in my neighorhood could be closed, due to the school board not renewing their contract. It simply depressing that this seems to be a recurring issue for the city, in a time where education seemed to be the only thing we had. Now they want to take that away from children, it forces to me to ask the question. Will there even be schools in Oakland ten years from now?



Cox Academy is an charter school literally right across the street from where I live currently. Every morning I watch parents taking their children to school, and then watch those same parent bringing them home in the afternoon. Many of these kids are to young to understand what's going on, but if they could understand what I think it would truly their hearts. The school has 530 students and has only been in existence for five years. Before that it was Cox Elementary, my brother attended the school briefly before they changed was made, several other members of my family including my uncle and cousins attend the school back in the day.


In an Oakland Tribune article wrote by Katy Murphy, it said that the charter school had unachieved when it came to federal test scores. Despite a 78 point increase on the state's 1,000-point Academic Performance Index last year. I'm truly sick of everything have to do with the state test scores and their expectations. How do they expect these children to meet their ridiculous standards when the state itself doesn't nothing to give them the resources they need. With Govenator cutting and taking money from education, how does closing schools help the situation?




In a city that is overflowing with violence, and struggling with unemployment. What will these children have to look forward to in the future? OUSD should be trying to do more to help keep these children off the streets and doing something positive and productive. Instead they close schools thinking that they saving money, which might be true but we all know those millions of dollars saved won't go into anything important. How do you tell a child "Stay in School", when they don't have school to actually attend?

New Stadium In Oakland 's Future?

So last week I wrote a blog about the future of bay area sports teams, and this morning there's some promising new to report regarding the futures of both the Raiders and 49ers. $125,000 has been approved to fund a study into whether new football stadium could be built next to Oakland Coliseum. The new facility could potential be the premanent address of both the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers, that is pending the November ballot vote on a new stadium proposal by the city of Santa Clara. This has been seen for a long time now as possibly the only option for the two teams. The Raiders last year renewed their lease with the Coliseum until 2013, while the 49ers and San Francisco have been in bitter battle with Santa Clara to keep the team in the bay area.


It seems that this news of the approved funds isn't enough proof that the plan will work for some. Oakland Tribune columist Cam Inman is very critical of the idea of the two teams sharing one stadium. In an article he wrote this week he gives an "seven-step plan" for why it won't work. This includes serious issues like; Naming rights for the new stadium, Ticket prices and private funding. He even goes as far as to say, "But don't let that stop you all from dreaming about a three-stadium hub — one for football, one for baseball (assuming the A's can't flee to San Jose) and one for whatever it is the Warriors do indoors to scam money off basketball fanatics."


Mr Inman seems to forget or refuse to acknowledge this point, the New Giants and Jets of the NFL both shared a stadium since 1984. Something the New York teams will do again when their new stadium opens up on April 10, 2010. If its work for them why can't it do the same for us? , Though the Jets and Giants situation their splitting the cost of what it will take to build their new stadium. If both Oakland and San Francisco figured out how to crunch the financial numbers, it could be an investment that pays off not just for the teams involved, but the cities as well. This could create hundreds of jobs, which in turn helps the struggling state of California. Both cities are suffering to do their own budget crisis' and unemployment. This while it won't solve all the problems, but might help slightly.

Future of Bay Sports

The Bay Area has a very rich history when it comes to sports. The San Francisco 49ers won five superbowl championships, The Oakland A's won three World Series titles, the last coming in 1989. The Giants have won five of their own championships and last made the World Series in 2002. The Golden State Warriors won a NBA championship in 1957, and last made the playoffs in 2007 after a 14th year absent from the postseason. Countless great athletes have made their names here in the bay area, guys like Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, Vida Blue in baseball. Jerry Rice, O.J. Simpson, Steve Young and Joe Montana in the NFL. Wilt Chamberlain, Robert Parrish and Nate Thurmond in the NBA. All are hall of famers in their respective sports and have the bay area's sport history one that is truly golden.








Fast forward to 2010 and things look drastically different, at least three teams (49ers, A's and Raiders) have contemplated their possible exodus from the bay area. The 49ers are exploring the idea of building a new stadium in Santa Clara, The A's are bouncing around the idea of moving to San Jose or Fremont. The Oakland Raiders who have renewed their lease until 2013, were one of many NFL mentioned to be headed to Los Angeles. (Something they did in 1982)



If you want to include the Sacramento Kings and rumors of them leaving for Las Vegas, then thats four teams looking to abandon their loyal fans for "greener" pastures. Almost all these teams are talking about leaving due to the lack of money to build new stadiums. The A's have proposed several different sites in Oakland for a new home, for example Jack London Square and the old army base. If money is really at the root of the all potential evil of these teams leaving then there's gotta be a reasonable solution to keep these teams in the region.



Its been proposed that the Raiders and Niners share a new stadium, a cost effective alternative that I think would only add to great rivalry the two teams have. The same solution could keep done with the A's and Giants, which would keep fans of the two teams very happy. Along with keeping jobs in the bay area, which seems to be an issue not really addressed in the matter.



Oracle owner Larry Ellison, who this week celebrated his team's America's Cup victory at city hall in San Francisco. Now has the power to bring the sporting event to the bay area, something that Gavin Newsom seems to support with comments he made at the ceremony this weekend. The pay-off could be tremendous for San Francisco if Ellison can bring the event to the bay area. Previous cities that have held the sailing competition have seen $1 million in revenue. San Francisco could somewhere in the range of $4-6 million, which would be a needed boost of income to city.







Ellison has also been had at work trying to purchase the Golden State Warriors, in which Oracle owns the naming right to Oakland Arena in where the team calls home. Ellison has been a bidding battle with the Warriors current owners and has said that if he fails in his attempt to aquire the team, that he would focus his effort on bring another NBA team to bay area.







The sport of soccer is also trying to make the bay area home, The Oakland Coliseum could be home the FIFA world cup in 2018 or 2020. Huge crowds gathered at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto to watch several games in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.



The future could be very bright for the next generation of bay area sports fans. To borrow the motto used by the Warriors back in 2007,"WE BELIEVE".

Oakland's "Green" Future and Legalization

I'm the last person that needs to be writing a blog about marijuana, after getting caught recently for possession in Hayward. This though is about my hometown of Oakland, and what I believe is slow progression towards not only legalization of "the plant" (It is not a drug, as many anti-marijuana supporters like to argue). I think it could lead to the growth of what already seems like an established pot culture in the city. We already have Oaksterdam University, the "college" and marijuana dispensary in downtown Oakland, as well a new dispensary that recently opened off Hegenberger. There's even been a Newsweek artice entitled "Welcome to Potopia", wrote about how the nine block of section of downtown which Oaksterdam home. The article praises our city as being, "model for what a legalized-drug America could look like" and a "modern marijuana mecca".



We already approved a huge tax policy on marijuana dispensaries this year, with hopes of big "green" being made off the green plant. $18 for every $1,000 grossed— which many believe will generate up to $1 million in the first year. This was approved by 80 percent of voters. We are the first vity in the nation to accomplish this feat, which has me wondering if Oaklanders will flock to polling booths in November to vote for legalization

I'm also wondering if other cities will follow in our footsteps, ultimately creating a sustainable movement. With all the measures being taken to rid cities of cigarette smoking in public places, and the proposed $ 1.00 tax on cigarettes. Will we finally see the day where cigarettes and tobacco companies are put out of business in favor of alternative that has better financial and medical benefits.

With the health care reform battle still being fought in Washington, and many people suffering while democrats and republicians throw political knives at each other. Will marijuana legalization provide us a solution until there is a solution?

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Mr.Dellums Please Find The Nearest Exit

So last night I caught the news segment on Mayor Ron Dellums, and the possibility of him running for a second term. I think that would be huge mistake for him and the city of Oakland. He's been in office for the last five years and the city has suffered greatly. Crime and employment remain two of the cities biggest problems, along with the yearly school closures and various other issues. His answer for crime is putting more police on the streets, but we saw from last year's horrfic shooting of four OPD officers that solution only created a bigger problem. It also showed a lack of respect for those who are supposed to "protect and serve". Though Oakland's homicide rate in 2009 was only 100, 40 less than in 2008. Dellums has failed in my opinion to do more regarding getting guns off the streets, and creating policies that keep guns out of the hands of these indivduals that seem to have a "black market" on speed dial.


I've noticed and other citizens probably have as well, that our mayor doesn't make a lot of public appearances. Now that may be due to his health, but when compared to his mayorial counterpart cross the water Gavin Newsom its kind of disturbing that Dellums doesn't make more of any effort to show his face more. I think it creates a huge disconnected with the citizens of Oakland. He's sort of a "Phantom Menace", the borrow a term from George Lucas. How can he expect the people of this city to re-elect him, if he doesn't do the things a mayor should be doing.

Dellums and Oakland Raiders' owner Al Davis have a lot in common and can learn valuable lessons from each. Both are bad for business. Their two indivduals that are hurting the city of Oakland and its citizens, both should be escorted to the nearest exit. Imagine if Davis were mayor, this city would "Just Lose Baby". Kind of what its doing right now.

When Will It Stop! RIP Dewey Tucker

I wrote earlier this weekend about Oakland's first homicide of the year. Soon after we experienced our second, followed by the freeway shooting on Interstate 80.




My condolences go out to the family of Dewey Tucker, as his career as a bass player had come to an end fatally. Tucker, who toured the world with Lauryn Hill and had also done work with Bay Area hip hop group The Coup, will be truly be missed.



I can't describe how depressing this week has been. A man is gunned down in front of his wife and young children, another stabbed by a woman, and finally Tucker been gunned down by semi-automatic handgun in what CHP believes at the moment was a random incident.



This week serves as an example, that the issue of violence isn't just an Oakland thing, b rather a dark cloud that is currently enshrouding the entire Bay Area.



It really does seem like there's no value on human life, that people who believe violence is the answer.



Where did we go wrong? Where were the warning signs that society was heading in such a destructive direction, One that takes hundreds of life every year all over the Bay Area?



Families torn apart by senseless homicides, parents having to bury their sons and daughters even before someone does the same for them.



I can't imagine what the families of Dewey Tucker, Alvaro Ayala and the Oakland stabbing victim which resulted in our second homicide of the year are going through this week.



It must be difficult to cope with the loss of their love ones. Especially when it seems like these murders will get the same treatment from law enforcement and the media.

First Bang Of The Year

So Oakland has it first homicide of the year. 2009 opened with the now highly publicized Oscar Grant shooting. While in 2010 the victim was Alvaro Ayala, who was shot and killed Sunday night in front of his wife and two children. Ayala who was only 28 years old was killed by an armed robber who had originally attacked his wife. His 5-year old daugther and 10 year old son witnessed what must be a very traumatic experience. But also were victims of another senseless shooting, a problem that neither our Mayor or the police can't control. Last year Oakland total homicide rate was only 100. Far lower from previous high like 1992's 172 or 2008's 124 homicides. But just because the number are slightly lower doesn't mean the problem is any closer to being solved.








Four of the 100 homicides from 2009, were OPD officers that were gunned down in cold blood. In what was the darkest moment in the history of the city and it's department. The major issue not the number of homicide but rather but lack of respect and concern for human life. It's understandable that in the current ecomomic times, that survival is everyone's number one goal. But when harming others and taking innocent lives becomes the response to the hardships is when something needs to be done. Almost all this senseless murders go unsolved, their reported on the news stations and thats all. While the residents seem to be tight-lipped when it comes to assisting the police in solving these crimes.







Putting more police officers on the streets, or tougher gun laws help but won't solve what seems to be a internal problem inside these indivduals. Who don't value their own lives, or the lives of their neighbors and fellow Oakland citizens. Its truly depressing, where did we go wrong Oakland? What will the future be like for the next generations? Will there be anything left of this city?