Even with the election of President Barack Obama, America is still plagued by racism, according to author Tim Wise.

A slew of community meetings, two this month, will let Oaklanders chime in about the future of Oakland's Office of Parks and Recreation.

Oakland's Public Art Program is looking for creative ideas from Bay Area artists for two new entrance gates to the gardens by Lake Merritt.

A new “pedestrian plaza” at a busy Oakland intersection on Lakeshore Avenue near Interstate 580 is the among the major safety improvements planned in the area. Construction on the project is expected to begin by this time next year.

Located at the intersection of Lakeshore and Lake Park avenues and Rand Avenue, the plaza will consist of a greatly broadened sidewalk, as well as new street furniture and landscaping. Rand  Avenue at that intersection will be closed off to vehicle traffic.

The City of Oakland will soon begin a view corridor study in order to preserve scenic views of downtown. This is occurring at the direction of the City Council, given in July, 2009.

The missus and I took advantage of the beautiful weather and hopped on bikes for a quick ride around Lake Merritt today. Since we are recent returnees to the area we're looking for changes that have been made in the community since departing 15 years ago. We were delighted to find that there are well marked bike lanes nearly the entire route around the lake.

Oakland merchants are making it easy to buy unique goodies this season with extended hours, a thriving online marketplace and holiday shopping events galore.

D. Scot Miller is a Bay Area writer, visual artist, teacher and curator. He sits on the board of directors of nocturnes review, and is a regular contributor to The East Bay Express, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Popmatters, and Mosaic Magazine.

The rainy season is about to begin which means the "dirty season" is about to commence for Oakland's cherished landmark, Lake Merritt. The cleanliness of this urban body of water depends in part on the activities of residents of the city--and from November to March, rainwater carries trash from streets to storm drains and into the lake.

Oakland, CA (October 30, 2009) – A new report released today  by Urban Food.org, with support from the HOPE Collaborative and City Slicker Farms, identifies 1,200 acres of vacant and underutilized public land in Oakland, California, that could potentially be used for food production.