Article by Susan Mernit.
Last updated at Fri, 25 May at 11:38pm.

By Debi Mason

Billed as the place where "the suits meet the tats," the Sixth Annual Oakland Indie Awards takes place this Thursday, May 31, and promises to be a playful and true celebration of the best of Oakland.

Blog entry by Gene Anderson.
Last updated at Fri, 25 May at 1:43pm.

You may already know that Lake Merritt isn't a lake, but a tidal slough that various creeks and countless storm drains feed into. What you may not know is that it was originally freely connected with the estuary via a 600' wide opening, and early Oakland and nearby towns took advantage of the tidal action to use it as a sewer.

Article by Susan Mernit.
Last updated at Thu, 24 May at 11:55pm.

From the Oakland Local Editorial Team

This Saturday, May 26, the Fifth National Queer Arts Festival takes place - promising an intimate evening of art and conversation, which celebrates traditions of dissent and Queer Black Aesthetics!

Blog entry by Susan Mernit.
Last updated at Thu, 24 May at 7:40am.

As a local, community news nonprofit, Oakland Local works with local, community contributors to tell stories and share news that's important - whether it's going to interest big business advertisers or not. This means that we rely on you, community members, readers, and local businesses - to help keep us going.

Article by Juan Antonio Mart....
Last updated at Thu, 24 May at 6:59am.

With summer quickly approaching, the city of Oakland's Office of Parks and Recreation wants to improve the experience for residents interested in playing one of the most physical outdoor recreational sports.

Blog entry by Gene Anderson.
Last updated at Wed, 23 May at 8:16am.

If there's a "must read" for people interested in Oakland, it would have to be Oakland: The Story of a City, by Beth Bagwell. In order to fully understand Oakland in the present, it helps to know the story of the people and events that shaped it. As Living in the O blogger Rebecca Saltzman says, "it should be required reading for anyone who cares about Oakland." Unfortunately for Oakland supporters and history lovers, it's been out of print for many years, but thanks to the Oakland Heritage Alliance, not only is it back in print, but it's been updated to bring the story of Oakland up to the present.

Blog entry by Gene Anderson.
Last updated at Wed, 23 May at 7:44am.

A surprisingly quiet week. Or maybe I just haven't heard about all the good stuff going on? Let me know in the comments!

Memorial Day Hike - Monday, May 28, 9am. Join Friends of Sausal Creek for a vigorous hike through Joaquin Miller Park. Meet at Joaquin Miller Court at the Palos Colorados Trailhead. (free)

Article by Susan Mernit.
Last updated at Tue, 22 May at 7:25am.

What's happening with tech innovation around Oakland this week? Some big news - and some small - but all worth a read:

May 24: BAAMA morning meet-up focuses on mobile data collection technologies