OL’s top stories of the week - Sept. 18–24

Published on Sunday, September 25, 2011
Last updated on 07:55AM, Monday, September 26, 2011
The Museum of Children’s Art cancelled an exhibit by Palestinian children due to complaints by parents, community members.

The Museum of Children’s Art cancelled an exhibit by Palestinian children due to complaints by parents, community members.

Did you miss local news recently? Catch up here with our most-viewed stories of the week.


1.
Our top story by reporter Jennifer Inez Ward is about the Neighborhood Safety Summit scheduled for Oct. 15. OPD Chief Anthony Batts had this to say during a discussion with a social justice organization: “We as an organization (OPD) are not ready to acknowledge that we are part of the pain being caused in this community. We have to grow, at some point in time, to be able to say we are part of the trauma that has occurred in this community. Until we are there we are not going to close that relationship with this community because we have to own that.”

What do you think? Is this a good start or a good sound-bite?

2.

Community manager CB Smith-Dahl wrote about the recent controversy around Yelp reviews. Does the review site help or hinder small business?

3.

OL Contributor Niema Jordan brought you some sad news. The Museum of Children’s Art has cancelled an exhibit by Palestinian children due to complaints by parents and community members that the artwork depicts graphic violence. Where do children that suffer trauma get to have a voice? Not in Oakland this week … .

4.

Alan Lopez contributed a piece about a sex shop (Good Vibrations) to open up on Lakeshore Avenue. The Planning Commission has since voted to allow it.

5.
A citizen showed up at the City Council meeting to accuse Mayor Jean Quan of having a blighted property – then had his cars towed later in the week. Was it a coincidence? Read the facts and decide for yourself. OL editor/publisher Susan Mernit gave you details.



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About

Tehea Robie is a contributing writer to Oakland Local, a novelist and a spoken word artist. She loves genre bending, gender benders and interactive media tools. She was a finalist for the 2005 Glimmer Train Short Story Award for New Writers; she's been published in Rad Dad, Five Fingers Review, Controlled Burn and various sites online. She composes her poems by heart, without writing them down and has been featured at venues all around the Bay, such as the 2009 Nectarena stage at San Francisco Pride, I Am A Man Fundraiser and ShePeoples. Tehea was raised by an exquisite, fierce, working-poor mother. She received her MFA in Writing and Consciousness.