Good morning, Oakland.

Comedian Mario Hodge won first place at the 2020 Bay Area Black Comedy Competition on Feb.

10 after a five-year delay due to COVID-19. He began his career on Facebook and now performs locally (including at Calvin Simmons Theatre), growing his presence in Oakland.

A Culture Makers panel at the New Parkway Theater discussed the steep costs of preserving Oakland’s historic sites.

Experts estimated that restoring landmarks like Peralta Hacienda and the Dunsmuir mansion could cost between $3M and $10M and cautioned that deferred maintenance will lead to higher repair expenses.

In July, Oakland saw several new eateries open - Shibam Coffee in Fruitvale, Itsumo Japanese bistro in Laurel, Sweet Fingers in Uptown, and King Kitchen in Chinatown now offer fresh dining options for local residents.

Monster Jam

1-3 p.m. — Oakland Arena — Cost Info Not Available — Experience the excitement of custom-built monster trucks in thrilling racing and freestyle competitions.

Little Feat Concert

8:00 – 9:30 PM — Fox Theater — Tickets required — Enjoy an evening with the legendary rock band Little Feat at a top-rated venue.