by Lauren Quinn and Theo K. Auer

Support for the residents of Haiti has been rolling in from around the world in the last two weeks with contributions coming from the largest organizations to the smallest individuals.

Are school gardens a crock or what? is the question writer Caitlin Flanagan asks in the latest issue of The Atlantic Magazine and its online site.

On Jan 14 the Youth Arts Festival (3-5 pm) kicked off the launch of a brand new center for expression and empowerment of Oakland-area youth.

The Green Youth Art & Media Center (2781 Telegraph, Oakland) focuses on the idea that “urban youth, if supported by a positive, dedicated and creative community, can fulfill their dreams and help lead a movement across the nation for urban revitalization and holistic health.”

Here's a taste of the preparations for this event...

Given the kind of year we've had, celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King's memory and purpose this weekend in Oakland, CA seems like a pretty good idea.  Deep in the middle of a tough economy, city budget cuts,  a disaster in Haiti, and many local folks having a tough time getting by, celebrating King's purpose and spirit--and our own understanding of his work, might be just the thing.  Oakland Local takes a look at what's happening around town and hopes that at least one of these events can rock your world enough to get you out and into the spirit of the day.

Can Oakland art galleries achieve both critical and financial success?

The art scene along Telegraph Ave is exciting but ever changing. Sometimes it seems like a new gallery is born monthly and every first Friday large crowds from Oakland's Art Murmur descend on the intersection of 23rd St and Telegraph Ave. swarming around Johannson Projects and the surrounding spaces. But for all the buzz this area has received, financial rewards have never quite matched the high quality art.

Duane Deterville has spent the last 30 years researching the history and arts of the African diaspora and it’s influences on the larger cultural landscape.

Friday marks the one year anniversary of the death of Oscar Grant and many are taking these next few days to reflect on not just Grant's case, but the situation from which the incident emerged. Although Mehserle is in custody and his trial is scheduled to begin in January, several questions remain.

Hungry for fresh-baked buttermilk biscuits topped with tender bacon and succulent sausage, foodies lined up early Sunday morning to pay top dollar for 5- or 10-pound shares of very special swine.

And when the pig ran out early, there were some very long faces.

The new year is almost here and there are tons of ways you can say goodbye to the 1st decade of the century and get ready to usher in the next. There's a long list of events from the wild ruckus to quiet reflections.

Oakland has a reputation for producing fiery female soul singers and La Toya London is one of the latest to grab onto the flame. After making it to the finals of American Idol in 2004, London released her debut album Love and Life in '05 and has spent the last 3 years performing touring around the country, most recently as one of the stars of the Broadway musical The Color Purple.

It has been nearly a year since the shooting death of Oscar Grant by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle and judging from the low attendance at last week's BART public input session, it seems that much of the public's attention has shifted to other issues.