Pat Kernighan—city council member for District 2, which includes the Grand Lake business district—writes that she does not believe the proposed Out of the Closet thrift store would be a good fit for Lakeshore Avenue. She is working with the broker to encourage a more suitable tenant. Council member Kernighan will convene a meeting to facilitate greater, and proactive, community involvement in the future of the business district.

James Vann, a representative of the Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt, cheers the recent court decision overturning the city council’s approval of the Oak-to-Ninth project, which he sees as giving Oakland, and its city council, a second chance to do the right thing at that site.

Recent coverage of the proposed Emerald Views project mentioned an East Oakland boxing program being considered for support by Emerald View’s developers. Longtime East Oakland activist—and the program’s board chair—Frank Rose explains what the East Oakland Boxing Association/Smartmoves Program is all about and why it deserves support.

Chief of Police Wayne Tucker announced that his department would not meet its goal of 803 officers by the end of this year, or even next. Why is OPD having such trouble meeting this highly prioritized goal? Don Link, chair of Oakland’s Community Policing Advisory Board, shares his thoughts.

Lakeshore/Greater Mandana resident Graham Drake opposes the FatBurger proposal because it would devalue the neighborhood and is ill-suited to the target market of Lakeshore Avenue.

Mandana Circle residents Don and Bette Spagel express their concern that the intersection at Lakeshore Avenue and Mandana Blvd. is so confusing that “it’s an accident waiting to happen.”

James Vann explains why he is “in total sympathy with the mass show of disgust and outrage at the nomination and election of Mr. De La Fuente for a 9th and 10th year as president.”