Administrative update: I’m using Buttondown for emails now! Very little changes on your end, but you will get prettier emails and over time there will be an archive of previous newsletters available at www.buttondown.com/theflyer.

Well, well, well! I have been gone for way too long. It turns out when life gets busy and you miss one month of the newsletter, you actually don’t get to send an email for like, 2 months. Not my favorite lesson to learn because these are some of the only emails I enjoy writing!

Invitation of the month: come hang out at Good Times Oakland for their Grand Opening Party! I’m a big fan of Bryan for spinning up a good, chill third space in the neighborhood (and one open until 10PM, no less). They’ll have DJs, drinks, and “silly stuff of the TV” all day, which sounds like… well, a good time. If that’s not your thing, there are a couple other events on the calendar this month – an open mic at La Peña, a history exhibition at Local Economy (another cool new third space on College), and a block party with Monster Pho.

This issue of The Flyer (which you can find online now and in the little orange holders around the park, as usual) has a lot to do with common resources – food, park, and gardens:

• Food Resources: In the wake of all this madness with SNAP benefits, I decided to compile a quick list of North Oakland specific free/cheap food resources (which you can also add to). Of course, if you or someone you know needs to know where an Alameda County food pantry is, www.foodnow.net is your best bet.

• Letting the Fields Rest: This came out of a Bushrod Park meeting that another neighbor shared with me, and held by our park director. Basically: when the athletic fields are closed (where all the dog owners, baseball players, etc currently gather), please don’t force your way in. Rest supports the natural ecosystem and gives everyone in the area better fields to play on!

• Community Garden Applications Are Open: Also a general PSA from the park director. If you’re looking for a plot, email either CommunityGardens@oaklandca.gov or maybe just George at ghenderson@oaklandca.gov.

And last but not least: there’s a new version of the zine library up! It behaves similar to one of those old newspaper boxes; you just pull down the little compartment and grab a zine. Still need to make a few adjustments to make it properly waterproof, but it’s at least more water resistant than the last one (just in time for rainy season).

Alright, I think that’s actually it! Thanks for following along, and if you enjoyed reading this and/or learned something new, please forward to your neighbors (and if you got this forwarded to you, please subscribe)!

Your neighbor,

Humphrey

P.S. – Nick’s Pizza has some great slices this season, including a persimmon one that is swell. Go check them out.