On this rainy Friday morning, here's some of what Twitter has been saying from, and about, Oakland:

• JoshViertel: "Cheese grits & waffles and fried chicken with @nikkichenderson of @peoplesgrocery at Brown Sugar Kitchen in West Oakland. AKA heaven."
• Majeeda: "It's raining in Oakland. I'm sitting in front of my open oven reading In Search of Respect by Philippe Bourgois. How's your Friday so far?"
• BronwynAnn: "Got my first-ever March 15 letter (pink slip for teachers), and wow does Alameda do it more nicely than Oakland!"

Oakland Local has some reads:

Check out the great story we have about Oakland treasure Betty Marvin, who is so valuable as the person behind the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, a specialized library in the Community and Economic Development Agency, many people called her out by name when protesting budget cuts at a City Council hearing.

Oakland! It's never boring. I'm sitting at Woody's Cafe & Laundromat, doing the OL update, surrounded by original articlework by DESI W.O.M.E  & Ras Terms and noting how the gas prices are going up as the weather warms.

Nothing like finding something in your email that totally grabs your attention--for me, this morning, it was this list of facts from The Organic Center's March 2009 report --  That First Step – Organic Food and a Healthier Future

Almost spring

"It is not quite spring here in the Bay Area but is very, very close. It's the one place that I've lived where the official season start-dates nearly hold true. March 21 will just about be officially spring in our garden, at the farmer's market, in the nearby park where the cherry blossoms bloom, and also in our tiny orchard where the peach tree lives. Oh, heart! Oakland is almost full of intoxicating blossoms and the most vibrant greens and the palest pinks, peaches, and mauves."

Days after the March 4th education Day of Action, activists and concerned citizens around the city are having discussions about the value and impact of the protests, especially the movement onto the 980 Freeway that led to 150 arrests, many of young people.

Well, yesterday was certainly exciting in Oakland. People protesting budget cuts at all levels of public education turned out en masse in downtown Oakland, at UC Berkeley, and in other locations around California and the nation. They briefly shut down I-880 in both directions.

Here's some of what Twitter was saying yesterday about the Bay Area protests:

March 4 Education Day of Action events are happening throughout the state. Here's a way to follow along, via flickr:

Today is the March 4th Day of Action, with demonstrations, protests, and events throughout the public education system.  OL will be following the demonstrations at local high schools and colleges and bringing you coverage.