Keepingitreal

RECESS a weekly soulful getdown with soul.profess and guests

You know the rules: music enjoyment not defined by the radio. This is common ground for all music heads and non-music heads alike. All dancers, great conversationalist, supporters of the arts and all positive people come together to be the foundation of this weekly get together.

808kids & soul.profess present

(((RECESS)))
Every Wednesday inside Somar Bar 
1727 Telegraph Ave @ 17th, Oakland
dj soulprofess playing music that lives through you 
No cover / No limits / No stress/ All love

Event Information

Wednesday June 01, 2011

Every Wednesday

9:30 pm - 2:00 am

21+

Cover: FREE

Music: Soul

 

SF Afrolicious Thursday June 02, 2011 Elbo Room

Afrolicious
With DJs/Hosts
Pleasuremaker and Señor Oz& Special Guests

Afro-Tropi-Electro-Dub-Disco-Samba-Funk-House-Bass and more to make your body move!

Check out the brand new mix that captures the kind of musical journey that Afrolicious takes you on.

About Afrolicious

For the last three years the Afrolicious party has established itself as a worldwide destination for dancers, djs, bands and music lovers. Afrolicious is a weekly party, a series of mixtapes, and a remix team made up of brothers Pleasuremaker and Señor Oz (who are founders and hosts of the weekly party), Afrolicious offers a broad appreciation of groove oriented music from around the globe, and the people and cultures this music is derived from. Afrolicious began as a weekly party every Thursday night 3 years ago at the Elbo Room in the heart of the Mission district of San Francisco. The infectious mix of tropical and electronic beats, live drummers, live musicians, live remixes and seductive dance floor along with the brothers party rocking dj skills and crowd pleasing antics brings out hundreds of the most diverse party seekers every week.

Afrolicious stands out by including original Pleasuremaker material, live percussionists, dubbed out effects, live remixing of classic funk, disco, Afrobeat, Latin, electronic and polyrhythmic grooves that derive from the funky Afro-diaspora. The relaxed and playful vibe between dj’s, musicians, and the crowd at Afrolicious keeps loyal music lovers coming back week after week. There is a sweet and down to earth joy created at an Afrolicious event born out of the love of quality music, good people and good times; more a legacy than a fad. It is through deep love of the music and bringing folks together that Afrolicious carries on the live/dj/organic/electronic tradition and pushes it forward.

Afrolicious productions have been released on Six Degrees Records (Issa Bagayogo, Brownout), Bagpak Records (Nappy G) and through their own Afrolicious label. Pleasuremaker has put out an EP featuring his own band and has performed on recordings for distinguished producers J-Boogie, Beatfanatic, Janaka Selectah, DJ Smash. Afrolicious has been invited to perform at the Harmony Festival, Lighning in a Bottle, Sea of Dreams, Turntables on the Hudson (NYC), and the Waxpoetics showcase at SXSX in Austin TX. Previous guest artists have included Nickodemus, DJ Smash, Spam All-Stars, Chico Mann, Groupo Fantasma, Orgone, Delhi 2 Dublin, Dunklebunt, J.Boogie, DJ Sabo, Jeremy Sole and many more.

 

Event Information

Thursday June 02, 2011

Every Thursday

9:30 pm - 2:00 am

21+

Cover: TBD

Cover Notes: Doors 9:30p; $5 b4 11, $6 after

Music: Afro-Cuban, funk, soul, hip hop & latin

 

Ise Lyfe Pistols and Prayers Book Signing Barnes Nobles Emeryville

ART N SOUL FESTIVAL 10TH ANNIVERSARY

OAKLAND,CA - It was the 10th Anniversary of the Arts & Soul Festival held in the downtown Oakland. In true fashion the event brought out both young and old to celebrate summer in downtown Oakland. The weather did not disappoint as well. There were several food vendors, artists, handicraft as well as corporate entities present at this year's festival. You did not see much visible police present as in previous years, which is probably due to the current budget mishmash going in the City of Oakland. Nonetheless it was truly apparent that everyone was having a great time. There was a great abundance of diversity at this year's festival as it is at all festivals. There is so much rich diversity in the East-bay its infectious. I attended Sunday's festival and the talent for Sunday, was split between three stages. On the Plaza stage was a mix of jazz, contemporary music and salsa provided by Pete Escovedo and family. There was also the Blues and Heritage stage where a host of talented musicians performed for the more mature audience. On the main stage were most of the excitement was generated due to performances by Tony, Toni,Tone minus Raphael Saadiq, PopLyfe, Club Nouveau, Sheila E. and En Vogue. The main stage emcee was Mark Curry, who through his comedy kept the audience amused especially when there was a short wait between each set. Dwayne Wiggins formerly of Tony, Toni, Tone served as the music director on stage and did an excellent job of keeping the music flowing. Of course the anticipated performance by En Vogue was what everyone was waiting for. After about 36 minutes after the set was to begin the four "Funky Divas" come on to the stage, they received a rousing introduction by Renel a popular local DJ. All four of the group performed a melody of songs that were synonymous for in past years. There electrifying  performance brought the audience to their feet. At times the stadium sound audio did overpower the vocals however for the most part it was a great performance and sort of a homecoming for these four young ladies of Oakland. The last set was performed by Shelia E. who definitely did not disappoint her fans. Her rhythmic latin music with the congas, and other instruments that you have come to expect to see when Sheila E. performs. Check out some pictorial highlights from this year's event shown below:

PICTURES FROM THE SUNDAY, ART N SOUL FESTIVAL

HIGHLIGHTS ART n SOUL FESTIVAL

HIGHTLIGHTS ART N SOUL FESTIVAL

Bishop Walter Hawkins Ticket Giveaway

OAKLAND, CA. by Ronald Fulcher ~ When I arrived at the Paramount I was initially shocked by the sheer number of people but I wasn't surprised because Walter Hawkins meant so much to so many people, in Oakland young and old. He was a celebrity to a lot of people and he was a messenger of faith to so many. In many ways he is and will be identified by his music and his charismatic presence on stage and on his recordings. The line wrapped around the block on both sides of Broadway and Telegraph streets in Downtown Oakland. The tickets were free of which each individual would get 1 ticket per person for each event if they so choose. When speaking with people in the crowd I really didn't have to ask why they were here that was self evident. Many people had been here since 6am the day prior. They had prayer, food, chairs and some people likened this event to Michael Jackson's farewell. Bishop Walter Hawkins, who I refer to as the Mr. Hawkins, was someone I met several years ago, and initially was so mesmerized by his presence. He was a soft spoken man but very powerful in the pulpit and on stage. If you ever had been to Love Center especially in the earlier years when the church was on MacArthur prior to its present location, when you left you were moved not only by the wonderful gospel music, but the message and the people. Love Center Ministries  was a non-traditional church of sorts, because people came and still do as they are. Love Center Ministries embraces people young and old, from all walks of life. People in the crowd were very joyful and glee while waiting for the distribution of the tickets, not knowing exactly whether they would get one or not. The Paramount holds about 3,040 people and given the church members, family, friends and guests there were not very many tickets to be given out. When asked of the Paramount management on how many would be given out. I couldn't get an answer to that question. In the crowd you see so many people, some I have known for years and have not seen in so long. The passion on their faces amidst the chaotic ticket distribution. Bishop Hawkins and his family have contributed so much to the City of Oakland, its residents, and the city as whole. They are truly the first family of gospel music in this City. It is truly phenomenal that this event is being held at one of the city's premier concert halls. The guest list of the potentially the whose who of Gospel music throughout the country will be in attendance for this momentous event. Although the ticket distribution was little out of sorts, and disorganized we have to remember that this event is out of love and put aside the bad stuff and focus on the good. Having this event at the Paramount Theater will be truly a "Home Coming" for Bishop Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Family.

Netta B @ the Air Lounge

This Week's Performance Features:
Urban Pop Artist "NettaBrielle"

http://twitter.com/NettaBrielle
http://www.myspace.com/nettabmusic

S.F. woman guilty of punching parking officer

(10-19) 14:18 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A San Francisco woman tearfully pleaded guilty Monday to a 2006 assault that dislocated the shoulder of a city parking control officer, and left her punishment in the heated case up to a judge.San Francisco prosecutors have sought as much as a two-year prison term for Lina Magailalio, 33, on assault and other charges stemming from the attack Nov. 21, 2006, on parking control officer Angelina Barsi. Her attorney is seeking probation, saying Magailalio has no criminal record. On Monday, Magailalio entered what is known as an open guilty plea - one made without any agreement with prosecutors - that will allow the judge to decide how to sentence her. "My client apologized to Barsi and was crying," Joe O'Sullivan, Magailalio's lawyer, said outside Superior Court. "She said the reason she lost it that day was that her 8-year-old son was having heart problems and was put on cholesterol medication, probably for life." Magailalio admitted to two counts, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and battery causing serious injury. Superior Court Judge Jeff Ross set sentencing for Dec. 1. Prosecutors had stressed that assaults on parking officers must be taken seriously and that Magailalio deserved prison time. Magailalio's legal troubles began when she took her 8-year-old son to see a doctor at St. Luke's Hospital. When her meter on Tiffany Avenue expired, she rushed out with her son to feed it and found Barsi writing a ticket. Barsi told Magailalio that she could protest the citation and drove off. Son in tow, Magailalio drove after Barsi and confronted her three blocks away. At a preliminary hearing, Barsi testified that the 280-pound Magailalio had told her, "You're lucky I don't f- you up," then had punched her in the face. Barsi said she had suffered a shoulder injury as she tried to push Magailalio away. She was off work for eight months. O'Sullivan had conceded his client "just lost it."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/20/BA161A7O3V.DTL#ixzz0UaJhjG3U

The Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival

The Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival is right around the corner, enjoy a "StayCation Weekend" with hotel accommodations and Gold Passes.

The festival is September 12 & 13 and held on the banks of the Russian River in Guerneville, only 70 miles north of the Bay Area. Enjoy the weekend in Guerneville, the West Sonoma town where the Russian River winds through vineyards, grassy coastal hills and forests of giant redwood trees. There are over 50 wineries in the nearby area, the Armstrong Redwood State Park, many small hotels and B&Bs, and a quaint Main Street with antique stores and eclectic restaurants.

Join KBLX's Kevin Brown as we welcome an incredible list of performers on September 12 & 13, including the incomparable Al Jarreau, New Orleans legends The Neville Brothers & Dr. John, the supergroup Jazz Attack with Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler & Richard Elliot... there's a total of 16 performances during the weekend! Plus, enjoy selections from local wineries, an expanded Vendor Village, tasty food offerings... all on the scenic banks of Johnson's Beach.

For all of the event details, visit RussianRiverFestivals.com or call (707) 869-1595.

Is Hip-Hop Too Materialistic?

EXCERPT FROM EASTBAY EXPRESS ~ Let's face it: many rap songs celebrate, if not downright glorify, materialism. To signify baller status, you're encouraged to have a "Rollie" on your arm like Snoop Dogg, "cashmere thoughts" like Jay-Z, and "mustard & mayonnaise" like E-40. Otherwise, as Too $hort might say, you's a "broke biatch." This trend isn't even a new one; back in the old-school days, Grandmaster Melle Mel exclaimed, it's all about the money/ain't a damn thing funny, Jimmy Spicer shouted out, "dollar bill, y'all," and Trouble Funk succinctly stated, "I need some money."The desire for cake, paper, and scrilla isn't limited to hip-hop, by any means; it's surely a reflection of our values as a society. Economics can't easily be avoided in today's economy; the bottom line in America is the bottom dollar, whether we're speaking on Lil' Wayne, Lil' Kim, or Little Orphan Annie. So why should hip-hop be any different?It shouldn't, says Clyde Smith, webmaster of ProHipHop.com, who's been documenting advertising and marketing trends in urban street culture since 2004. According to Smith, "Marketing's always been a part of hip-hop ... as soon as they started doing shows in the clubs, marketing became a normal part of business, as it does in all fields."Okay, but it's a big jump from hand-drawn Phase 2 fliers promoting Kool Herc's block parties to 50 Cent's rumored $300 million deal with MySpace. As Smith notes, hip-hop's economic development has been a gradual process. Flashpoints along the way include Run-DMC's endorsement deal with Adidas, Ice Cube's St. Ides commercials, KRS-One's Sprite and Nike ads, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' gangsta rap soundtrack, Fitty's link-up with Vitamin Water, and Jay-Z's role as pitchman for Hewlett-Packard. CONTINUE READING...

BART Cops Too Ashamed to Identify Themselves?

In the wake of the black eye BART received after one of its cops fatally shot an unarmed passenger in the back, BART police chief Gary Gee has removed the word "BART" from the shoulder patches of officers' uniforms. According to the Chron, instead of saying, "BART Police" in bold letters, the new patches only say "Police," surrounded by a barely readable "Bay Area Rapid Transit" spelled out in very small letters. In other words, BART is attempting to downplay whom its cops work for. The agency, which is facing a huge deficit and plans to raise fares next month, spent $2,500 on the new patches. BART board member Lynette Sweet called the move "one of the stupidest things I've heard." Agency spokesman Linton Johnson said the new patches were in the works before BART cop Johannes Mehserle shot Oscar Grant to death, but you gotta wonder how Gee continues to keep his job. — Robert Gammon

Take 6 Breezes into Yoshi’s

They’re smooth, suave and impeccably in tune. They’re also the most Grammy-nominated vocal group in history. During the last two decades, the six-man a cappella jazz group known as Take 6 has received, in addition to this year’s NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist and three Grammy nominations, 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards and one Soul Train Award.It’s hard to pigeonhole Take 6’s music.One listen to the group’s recent Telarc release, “Take 6: The Standard,” and there’s no question that they are the rightful successors to the doo-wop and gospel groups of the 1950s.The line between gospel and jazz, however, is often blurred.These six men who appear at Yoshi’s this week, take on everything from Ella Fitzgerald’s classic “A Tisket A Tasket” (complete with Ella’s voice dubbed in), the Gershwins’ “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and classics by Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye and Quincy Jones to the gospel classic “Shall We Gather at the River.”While there’s no question that the men of Take 6 share a strong faith — each of their bios begins by praising God — they inherit a tradition in which jazz, soul and gospel merge into one. Hence their most recent Grammy nominations include best contemporary jazz album and best gospel performance.Take 6 began at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Ala., when freshman Claude V. McKnight III formed the Gentlemen’s Estate Club quartet in 1980.Various members came and went, and the group changed its name to Alliance. By 1987, their frequent performances of traditional spirituals and newly composed gospel material led to a contract with the Warner Bros. label, and a name change to Take 6.One year later, the group gained instantaneous fame, as its self-titled debut album scored two Grammys after reaching the top 10 of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz and Contemporary Christian charts.“While we sing lyrics that always exemplify our spiritual and moral convictions, what we really are at the core is a jazz vocal group,” says 24-year veteran Take 6 David Thomas.Their ability to attract such jazz and R&B stars as George Benson, Al Jarreau, Jon Hendricks and Aaron Neville to join them on some of the latest album’s tracks is proof of their versatility.In the end, the best way to describe Take 6’s harmonious, soothing vocal blend is “fabulous.”
IF YOU GO
Take 6
Where: Yoshi’s, 1330 Fillmore St., San Francisco
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday; 8 and 10 p.m. Wednesday
Tickets: $35
Contact: (415) 655-5600; www.yoshis.com

Parkway Theater to close

(03-19) 18:07 PDT Oakland -- When the curtain falls on the Parkway Theater Sunday night, the heart of Oakland's cross-dressing, noir-loving, kitschy core will go dark, forlorn theater patrons said. "You could sit on a couch, drink beer and watch a movie. What could be better?" said Lisa Brown, a longtime Parkway patron and Maxwell Park resident. "It's hands-down my favorite place to see a movie. It's an Oakland institution. I'm in shock." In the age of faceless multiplexes and $12 movie tickets, the Parkway movie theater provided low-cost entertainment that extended far beyond Hollywood celluloid. The 1926 theater showed classic films, TV extravaganzas like the Obama inauguration, Oscars and Super Bowl, film festivals ranging from educational porn to the African diaspora, midnight showings of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and a full spectrum of vintage slasher, noir, monster and horror flicks.But the best part, patrons say, was not just the $5 tickets for shows - it was that that the Parkway served beer, wine and pizza, which the staff delivered to your seat during the movie. And the seats were couches and lounge chairs, each accompanied by a coffee table perfect for resting one's feet. It was also home to the nationally renowned Baby Brigade, in which weary, isolated parents could bring their infants to the movies Monday nights.SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

Debut Performance: TOWN BIZ

Oakland police chief to resign

Oakland Police Chief Wayne Tucker, whose department has been rocked by controversy, said Tuesday that he will resign next month and blasted the City Council for paying "lip service to their commitment to public safety." Tucker, 65, said at a news conference at Oakland City Hall that he will step down Feb. 28 after serving more than four years as chief. He stressed that he has not been fired - nor has he been asked to resign - but that he is leaving because that is what is best for the city and that "quite frankly, I've lost faith in this council." "I think when the council and the chief of police, regardless of who's making the decision, are finding themselves with irreconcilable differences, that it's time for one of them to go, and I've chosen myself to be the one to go," Tucker said. He made the announcement hours before four City Council members prepared to discuss their plans to hold a vote of no confidence in Tucker, citing spiraling violent crime, a below-average rate of crimes solved and a stream of negative publicity. Tucker described the council's criticism of him as "for the most part inaccurate." The leaders of the proposal, Council President Jane Brunner and members Larry Reid, Desley Brooks and Pat Kernighan, called off their news conference after Tucker's announcement. The chief, whose salary is $205,000, serves at the pleasure of Mayor Ron Dellums. The mayor said he accepted Tucker's resignation with regret and that an interim police chief will run the department after Tucker leaves. Dellums did not say who that will be or how the chief will be selected. Dellums praised Tucker's work in overseeing changes in the department in the wake of the "Riders" scandal. In that case, several officers were acquitted of criminal charges that they had planted evidence and beat suspects in West Oakland in 2000, but the city paid a $10.5 million civil settlement and agreed to implement reforms under the supervision of a federal judge. "If history is recorded correctly, Chief Tucker has been an instrument of change moving forward, has been committed to reforms in the Oakland Police Department, has been respectful of the role of the courts in moving that mandate forward. Many of the changes that now have taken place have moved Oakland well forward in a very dramatic way," Dellums said.SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

New video shows BART officer shooting Hayward man in the back

A BART police officer struggling to handcuff a 22-year-old man stood up over the facedown Hayward resident and fired a single shot into his back while a handful of officers watched, a video taken by a train passenger apparently shows. The attorney for the family of Oscar Grant III, fatally shot by an unidentified BART officer early New Year's Day, said Sunday he plans to file a $25 million lawsuit against the department and asked prosecutors to consider filing murder charges against the officer. The shooting occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday after five officers responded to the Fruitvale station to reports of a fight on a train, officials said, though they have not confirmed whether Grant was involved in the fight. The new video, obtained by television station KTVU, shows two officers restraining a struggling suspect. While the man is lying face down on the ground, one officer appears to be seen pulling out a gun and firing a single shot into his back.Civil rights attorney John Burris, known for his work in several high-profile cases involving police abuse and corruption, said at a Sunday news conference that the shooting was "the most unconscionable" he has ever seen. He said the Alameda County district attorney should consider filing charges of second-degree murder or manslaughter against the officer. I've drafted a notice of claim against BART for $25 million I plan to submit officially," Burris said, adding that the officer had violated Grant's civil rights and wrongfully caused his death.The Police Department is in the early stages of a thorough investigation, BART police Chief Gary Gee said Sunday at a news conference. He declined to discuss many details, as doing so "before all the facts are in could compromise individual recollections and do disservice to the truth and the answers we're all seeking." BARRT police are cooperating fully with a parallel investigation by the Alameda County district attorney's office, Gee said. Gee declined to identify the officer but said he is a two-year BART police veteran. The officer was given drug and alcohol tests before being sent home on administrative leave Thursday, Gee said. The last BART officer-involved shooting occurred in May 2001, Gee said. Mario Pangelina Jr., whose sister had a 4-year-old daughter with Grant, said he was on the same train as Grant that night, but on a different car. He said he saw Grant's interactions with police immediately before the shooting. CONTINUE READING..

Oakland hip-hop quartet BRWN BFLO makes it political

By Angela Woodall -- Bay Area rappers BRWN BFLO took their name from the 1972 autobiography by Oscar Zeta Acosta, "Brown Buffalo" — a tale of an alienated Mexican-American lawyer in Oakland whose Chicano pride and sense of history are awakened.The story is a familiar one to the quartet of first and second-generation Mexican Americans who go by the stage names Somos One (Julio Magana, 30), Giant (Luke Soriano, 29), Big Dan (Daniel Mora, 23) and Jacinto (Jacinto Mingura, 19).Except their barrio story is set to a hip-hop beat.On stage, BRWN BFLO is fun and energetic but always political with the intellectual creativity of old-school rappers like Afrika Bambaataa."If you feeling what we feelin' put your hands to the ceiling" they chanted during a rehearsal for their Wednesday night Oakland Metro show in the basement of Somos One's North Oakland house.In the background Jacinto worked his AKAI sampler like Charles Mingus playing bass and the guest DJ Oja resembled Thelonious Monk on the piano, only his fingers were flying across vinyl."They can't kill us all and they can't deport us," rapped Big Dan, his long black hair flying about his face as he sang about coming up Chicano in the United States.Hip-hop, ethnicity and a dedication to political activism brought together the quartet of college-educated Californians who characterize BRWN BFLO as a Chicano-conscious revolutionary group."We're all on the hip-hop tip," So using hip-hop was the logical choice as their medium to communicate with young people grappling with broken schools, broken homes and a broken system. "It was natural for us," Somos One said, sitting on a sofa surrounded by political posters and handwritten Muhammad Ali and Carol Mosley Brown quotes. "We are part of the hip-hop generation. My heart beats to it." Calling themselves "edu-tainers" and block educators, they try to stay close to their community roots and preach the gospel of violence prevention, cultural pride and La Raza resistance that they said students in dysfunctional schools learn piecemeal — if at all. as Jacinto put it.nly they do it through music and multimedia — an approach that has won them recognition.Their music has also gotten attention. They have shared the stage with Goapele, Ise Lyfe, Frontline, Blue Scholars and Zion I, who they credit as one of their influences along with WAR, Fuga, La Collectiva, Entre Musicos, Los Rakas and Wu-Tang Clan. As their success grew and number of shows increased, the group decided to create a board whose members are DJs, students, community advocates and others. "We want to stay relevant to what's going on," said Big Dan, who learned the hard lessons of a Fruitvale district gangbanger with some serious brushes with the law. Now he and the other members of BRWN BFLO try to reach youth for whom gangs seem like a better option than school. Somos One likened their role to a storyteller who brings history alive and turns the "you're at risk of failure" mantra upside down. "We're all survivors."SOURCE:OAKLAND TRIBUNE

Palo Alto chief to retire amid controversy

(11-20) 21:53 PST Palo Alto -- Palo Alto Police Chief Lynne Johnson announced her retirement today, citing the strain of a controversy she sparked nearly a month ago with comments that appeared to endorse racial profiling. Johnson said at an Oct. 30 public meeting at City Hall that she had directed officers to broadly question African American men while searching for suspects in a string of recent street robberies. She later said she had misspoken and had intended to say that officers should focus on men who fit more detailed descriptions and who acted suspiciously in areas where robberies had happened. But Johnson's words - preserved on videotape - prompted broad outrage, and many black men came forward to complain that they had been unfairly treated by Palo Alto police in recent years, a charge Johnson denied. "It's been kind of rough," Johnson said today. "I've always told my staff that when it comes to the time when you don't look forward to getting up and going to work in the morning, it's time to leave," said Johnson, a 58-year-old Fremont resident who became the city's first female chief in 2003 after 28 years in the department. City Manager James Keene said Johnson's last day of work will be on Dec. 19. Assistant Chief Dennis Burns, a 26-year department veteran, will become the acting head of a department with a staff of 170 and a $28 million annual budget. Keene said Johnson, who is white, had not been forced out. "We didn't even get to that point or that conversation," he said. "She's been here for a long time and I think she's earned the right to choose to leave on her own terms. I support her in her decision, but it's a tough day for people in the department and across the city." The Rev. Jeff Moore II, president of the San Jose/Silicon Valley branch of the NAACP, said he was not surprised by Johnson's retirement considering the community outrage. He had not called for her ouster, but many others had."But the problem's not going away," Moore said. "She wasn't the one driving around stopping people. It's the troops. The Police Department still needs cultural diversity training. We need a promise from the city manager and the City Council that that'll still happen." CONTINUE READING...

18 arrested in raids on violent Richmond gang

Eighteen people, including a Richmond parks and recreation employee, were arrested Thursday in connection with a crackdown on a violent street gang in the city, authorities said. Kaisha Hill, 29, who works as a juvenile group counselor with the parks department, was found at a home on the 400 block of Eighth Street with a kilo of cocaine and three guns, one of which was a MAC-11 automatic weapon, investigators said. Hill is an associate of a Richmond gang called Deep C or Deep Central, authorities said as they announced arrests wrapping up a yearlong investigation led by state drug agents. Some 200 state and local law-enforcement officials conducted raids in two waves, serving 43 arrest warrants in Richmond - predominantly in the city's crime-plagued Iron Triangle neighborhood - as well as elsewhere in Contra Costa County and Alameda, Marin and Sacramento counties. The 18 people in custody were arrested on suspicion of a variety of crimes, including murder, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at a vehicle and drug possession. About two dozen suspects are being sought. Investigators seized more than two pounds of cocaine, a pound of marijuana, $17,000 in cash and eight guns, including a fully automatic weapon, said Sara Simpson, a special agent in charge with the state Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. Members or associates of the gang have been linked to more than half the city's 47 homicides and 350 shootings last year, authorities said. The gang has about 100 members and associates and engages in drug trafficking, robbery, assault and prostitution-related activities, said state drug agent Michael Mattson. The investigation began after two suspected gang leaders, Todd Gillard and Rohnell Robinson, allegedly tried to kill a rival gang member in a drive-by shooting at the Hilltop Mall in Richmond, authorities said. Instead, they ended up shooting the rival's 17-year-old girlfriend in the neck, leaving her a quadriplegic, police said. Robinson and Gillard are in custody and are awaiting trial. Not all the gang's alleged crimes involved violence. Some members pulled a scam known as "rocks in the box" by selling for $300 what they advertised as plasma-screen televisions worth $3,000, Mattson said. In fact, the supposed TV sets were nothing more than pieces of plywood, he said. At a news conference Thursday at the Richmond Police Department, agents displayed drugs, gun magazines, pictures of arrested gang members, Cincinnati Reds baseball caps featuring the "C" favored by gang members and a fake plasma TV. Police Chief Chris Magnus warned that no single operation will put an end to crime in the city. "But smart, targeted crime suppression efforts of this kind are critical to bring a sense of safety back to our neighborhoods and to send a message that gang members and other criminals are not in control of Richmond's streets," said Magnus, who was flanked by state Attorney General Jerry Brown and Contra Costa County District Attorney Robert Kochly. Magnus said the raids would have "a significant disruptive impact" on the gang. SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

Oakland police tax fails

(11-05) 10:23 PST OAKLAND -- A measure to raise property taxes to beef up Oakland's police force failed to get enough votes to pass, according to final voting results today. City officials including Mayor Ron Dellums said passage of Measure NN was critical in the battle on crime. The measure garnered 54 percent of the vote, far short of the two-thirds majority required for it to pass. The measure would have added 105 police officers and 75 police-service technicians to Oakland's force. Supporters said the initiative was sorely needed, while opponents said city leaders must manage existing tax funds better before asking for more money. "The issue is implementing community policing honestly, which has not been done," said Oakland resident Don Link, an opponent of NN. Last week, Dellums strongly urged voters to support NN, saying failure to do so would lead to a smaller police force. Without the $41 million the measure would raise over four years, the city would not be able to maintain the force at 803 officers, which was promised under Measure Y, a property and parking tax that voters approved in 2004. That measure costs the average property owner $88 a year. But opponents of the new parcel tax questioned its timing, just four years after Measure Y and amid a national economic crisis. The Police Department now has 772 officers. NN would have expanded the department to 908 officers. Beginning in 2009, it would cost single-family residential property owners an additional $113 the first year, with the amount increasing to $276 by the third year. Dellums said the city will surpass 803 officers on Nov. 14, when new trainees graduate from the Police Academy. But with officers leaving for other departments and older officers retiring at a rate of five per month, Dellums said the city needs taxpayers to dig a little deeper into their pockets to offset attrition and improve public safety. Two weeks ago, the City Council voted to close a $42 million budget deficit by shutting city offices one day a month through June, dismissing dozens of city workers and reducing park maintenance. Deputy Chief Jeff Loman said Measure NN would have enabled the department to increase the number of investigators for all crimes, beef up the city's community policing and provide faster response times to 911 calls. SOURCE:STGATE.COM

Police's lawsuit against Oakland is shameful

THESE ARE HARD times for the city of Oakland. To get out of a deep financial hole, the City Council set to cut libraries and museums, eliminate civilian police department employees, slash public works and make other cuts in services that our residents need. In the middle of this financial crisis, a Pleasant Hill law firm has decided to hit Oakland taxpayers with a lawsuit that amounts to little more than a shakedown. The class action lawsuit, instigated by Mike Rains, an attorney best known for representing Barry Bonds, would force Oakland to pay millions of extra dollars in overtime to cops — but not for patrolling the city's streets or investigating crimes. Instead, the lawsuit contends that Oakland cops, rightfully among the highest paid officers in the state, should be paid more for getting dressed, polishing their medals and doing other menial tasks before and after their shifts. If the lawsuit is successful, Oakland taxpayers will be on the hook for untold millions of dollars in overtime. Make no mistake — that would only mean more cuts in important services. One plaintiff in the lawsuit, a sergeant making $115,000, is demanding overtime for the few minutes of reading e-mail and making phone calls he does before his shift. At the same time, he admits making personal phone calls and reading personal e-mail on the city's dime. This same sergeant drives an unmarked police vehicle One veteran testified that it takes him 30 minutes to put on his uniform — including 10 minutes to pin on his medals. One lieutenant wants overtime for the few seconds he spends shaking his pepper spray before each shift.Incredibly, three of the lead plaintiffs were fired for cause: One for threatening an elderly couple with his service handgun, one for watching pornography while on duty and one for providing police investigation information to the criminals under investigation. Yet plaintiffs' attorneys want Oakland residents to pay these three former officers for the time they spent putting on and taking off their uniforms. CONTINUE READING..