Downtown Oakland; Neighborhood Oakland

Reported on an email list: Yesterday I was downtown in front of De Lauer's bookstore, and there were several teens out front smoking dope and speaking intimidatingly to passersby. One had a boom box so loud that people could not speak to each other anywhere near it. I asked him to please turn down the boom box. He just laughed and ignored me. I went inside and asked the clerk who is always there why they allow this right outside their door. He said, "They don't listen to us. They do what they want." I asked him if they ever called the police? He shrugged and said, "They don't come, they are too busy." This is a block away from the mayor's office.

Reported on a Maxwell Park email list: At 7:05 p.m. this evening our neighbor was shot at by an impatient driver while he was trying to parallel park his car. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Shooter (driver) description: AA male, silver teeth, shaved head, late teens to early 20's, 6 feet tall, lanky. Car: Light blue Olds 98', no license plates. Weapon: Believed to be a .22 caliber handgun.