East Bay Yesterday

09/10/2025

If you like reading, being outside, and good music, come to this (free) event I'm hosting on Sunday...

Come enjoy a lazy Sunday surrounded by native plants, chill music on vinyl, and good vibes. Bring a book, relax in the sun, meet new friends

08/23/2025

This turned out better than I could have possibly imagined...

Crazy critters run amok at the Oakland History Center’s diorama exhibit

08/22/2025

The Oakland Library's diorama exhibit is bananas! My newsletter dropping tomorrow will cover this miniature madness...

08/21/2025

"Oakland school kids in 1931 were going everywhere from the neighborhood grocery store, the nearby park, the fire station, the airport, the shredded wheat factory, the museum, the railroad tracks, Joaquin Miller’s house, the Tribune Tower, and more..."

Looking back at Oakland school field trips from 1931, and looking forward to upcoming class visits to the Oakland History Center.

08/21/2025

"We will miss his unrivaled talent as a storyteller and a dreamweaver..."

Writer, editor and publisher Malcolm Margolin, who promoted Indigenous cultural renewal across California, died Wednesday. He was 84.

08/20/2025

RIP to the founder of Oaksterdam....

After he was paralyzed in an accident, his use of ma*****na for medical purposes led him to become one of the nation’s most influential cannabis activists.

08/18/2025

Hopefully the next owners come up with a better plan...

As of 2024, they were still determining whether the project made financial sense.

08/14/2025

"One of Richmond’s most iconic wartime-era structures..."

The Port of Richmond issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the lease and redevelopment of the iconic General Warehouse at the Point Potrero Marine Terminal (PPMT), officials announced Tuesday. […]

08/13/2025

Why is there so much garbage in Oakland? As usual, I turned to history for answers...

In recent years, volunteer-led groups like Urban Compassion Project have struggled to deal with illegal dumping in Oakland. Despite removing more than half a million pounds of trash this year, piles of garbage continue to plague our streets. How did this problem get so bad and why is it so hard to f...

08/08/2025

"A pair of lanterns designed by John Galen Howard that used used to light up the intersection of Hopkins Street and The Alameda went missing over half a century ago...."

A pair of lanterns designed by John Galen Howard lit up a busy intersection. After reconstruction, a relighting ceremony is being held Saturday.

08/01/2025

I'll be selling a bunch of my records this weekend. If you're a vinyl collector, come check this out...

Record swap featuring rare and obscure music from the finest vendors the Bay Area (and beyond) has got to offer!

07/23/2025

Long overdue...

Russell City was a thriving Black and Latino community. Decades after officials razed it, they’re putting nearly a million dollars toward repairing the harm they caused former residents.