Here’s what’s happening in the Bay Area, as curated by KALW news:
A few arrests in Oakland protests over limit on nighttime marches // SF Gate
For a second consecutive night, protesters took to the streets of Oakland on Sunday to challenge Mayor Libby Schaaf’s policy of cracking down on unlawful nighttime marches in an effort to prevent protest-related violence and vandalism.
More than 100 demonstrators — including several people in the faith community — gathered at Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza at 8 p.m., speaking their minds on a range of issues concerning oppression before marching several blocks to the Oakland Police Department, chanting along the way. They turned back toward the plaza after being blocked on Broadway by police on motorcycles.
Gritty City Repertory Theater creates a 1970’s-style Shakespeare for young Oakland performers // Oakland North
For Oakland’s artists, The Flight Deck, an arts and performance venue, is an open home. But for one theater group in particular, the space means much more than that. Tucked away in the back of The Flight Deck, Gritty City Repertory Theater prepares for their newest play, while its founder, Lindsay Krumbein, is preparing to play the role of company manager, ticket seller and costume designer.
Krumbein founded the group in 2012 after an 11-year career as an English and drama teacher, starting drama programs at public schools in San Francisco and Oakland. She then decided to create her own youth theater company for Oakland. “One of the things that I discovered early on was that kids really loved doing plays, doing Shakespeare,” said Krumbein. “It was sort of the great equalizer, since nobody understood it.”
San Quentin's Death Row is Running Out of Room // CBS San Francisco
San Quentin’s Death Row is home to some of the state’s most notorious criminals, but the prison may be running out of room for them, prompting Governor Jerry Brown to ask for millions of dollars to pay for more cells.
The governor is asking the State Legislature for $3.2 million to open 97 more cells on death row.
Council prepares to vote on future of Palo Alto mobile home // KRON 4
After two long years of fighting; the Palo Alto City Council could decide the future of the city’s only mobile home park Tuesday. On November 12, 2012, the owner of the Buena Vista Mobile Home Park submitted an application to close the Park.
Since then, residents have fought the closure of the mobile home park, located in the 3900 block of El Camino Real. According to the Friends of Buena Vista website, closing the mobile home park would result in the single greatest displacement of Palo Altans in the town’s history. About 400 people would lose their homes.
East Bay Restaurants Adapt to New Minimum Wage // KQED
On March 2, the city of Oakland raised its minimum wage by 36%. At $12.25 per hour, the new wage is the highest in the country — for now. San Francisco matched this wage on May 1, and Emeryville will leapfrog both cities in July.
The wage increase was voted into law last November as a part of Measure FF. Over 80% of Oakland residents supported the measure. And while all Oakland businesses are now required to abide by the new wage, conversations about its benefits and repercussions have been most active in the restaurant industry.
