Local Events

Events in Oakland


The Search for the Retro Man 2

Looking Back, Looking Forward A Shared Journey By Kevin Heffernan Part 1 The Search for the Retro Man A very close friend once suggested that I spend too much time in the past to which I lamely said, “Really.!?” That mixture of denial and confusion over the gentle remark was […]


Janesville: An American Story

Amy Goldstein. Janesville: An American Story. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2017. As Reviewed by Ted Odenwald Janesville, Wisconsin, population 63,000 was the home of the oldest working GM plant. For eight and a half decades, the plant had operated “like a mythy wizard, order[ing] the city’s rhythms.” But two […]


The Tower on Top of Skyline Drive 3

The Tower on Top of Skyline Drive By Kevin Heffernan On the top of Skyline Drive there is a massive stone tower which seemingly is lording over Oakland below as a sentinel of the valley. Everyone has seen it and many have strolled by it going to Ramapo Lake. However, […]


Being Mortal

Atul Gawande. Being Mortal. New York: Thorndike Press, 2014. As reviewed by Ted Odenwald Dr. Gawande’s study is both a challenge to the medical profession and an alert to patients and their families. He states that advances in medications and technology have “…turned the process of aging and dying into […]