The Mayor's Corner: A Few Recent Highlights

Week of July 20, 2009:

Free Computer and Internet Access across the City: Mayor Dellums announced that free computer and internet access are now available to residents throughout the city at 24 recreation centers. Oakland Technology Exchange worked with the Oakland Park and Recreation Department to set up the service at every recreation center. Said Mayor Dellums, “I want our residents to communicate with people in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, and I want them to have access to job information.” The Mayor reminded the assembled crowd that this event represents the implementation of another of the Mayor-initiated task force recommendations.

Mayor Dellums welcomes Volaris airlines to Oakland: 156 passengers arrived on Volaris airlines Thursday, July 16 in its first flight from Toluca, Mexico. Mayor Dellums greeted the CEO of Volaris, who made the unusual announcement that passengers will receive a full refund on any flights which do not arrive at their destination within 30 minutes of their scheduled arrival. The new airlines will bring $30 million in new revenue to the Oakland airport.

Improving Food Access in All Parts of the Oakland Community: At a U.S. Department of Agriculture West Coast Summit, Mayor Dellums praised grassroots Oakland efforts to create innovative food policy and expand urban food production so that fresh health food will be easily available to all residents.

“I am proud to say that Oakland has become a model for the nation in terms of greening a city,” said Mayor Dellums, as Oakland was named the 4th greenest city in the country by the Natural Resources Defense Network and Mother Nature Network. They also noted that Oakland has the cleanest tap water in the country. (Berkeley was named #7)