Two years after Newsdesk.org first examined high levels of air pollution in West Oakland, progress towards helping this community breathe easier is moving slowly. Thorny projects, including cleanups at the port and a local Superfund site, are hard to keep moving.

This past weekend was the Eat Real Festival in Jack London Square. It featured food and drink from Bay Area producers, music, crafts, and a variety of food-related demonstrations, from cheese making to backyard chickens. With food trucks and vendors from all over the Bay Area, there was a lot to choose from.

I got a different look at things this year, as I volunteered to help with setup and beverage service.

Saturday was the 16th annual Oakland Creek to Bay Day to cleanup waterways and shoreline in Oakland. It was part of the International Coastal Cleanup effort around the world.

It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.

On April 30, Oakland emergency response agencies, community groups and volunteers will be simulating the aftermath of a major earthquake. It's the sixth annual citywide emergency response functional exercise - and it's a crucial tool for making sure local responders, systems and equipment are ready to spring into action to help people in need.