Sixteen years after starting her public service career as an intern for Oakland government, Deanna J. Santana returned to City Hall as its new city administrator.

On Wednesday, Mayor Jean Quan formally introduced Santana as her selection for the position.

(Editor's note: Oakland Local and Make Oakland Better Now - MOBN - have teamed up to take a close look at the accuracy of candidates’ response to an online questionnaire from MOBN.

Two weeks ago, the East Bay Express’ Bob Gammon wrote an excellent article revealing some odd financial mingling between the campaign of former State Senate leader Don Perata for mayor of Oakland with Mr. Perata’s project to put an initiative on the statewide California ballot taxing cigarettes to benefit cancer research (“The Cancer In The Oakland Mayor’s Race” February 10, 2010). 

More than a year after BART Police officer Johannes Mehserle shot and killed Oscar Grant III, a protester who was arrested on Jan. 14, 2009, after the long and emotional rally attended by thousands in front of City Hall, will be tried in Alameda Superior Court for felony assault on an officer with a deadly weapon.