Public meeting on Airbnb-type rentals

Oakland is starting to craft rules for short-term Airbnb-type residential rentals, and plans a workshop Jan. 12 where residents can voice their opinions.

Oakland does not currently regulate renting spaces in private homes for a short term through platforms such as Airbnb, FlipKey and VRBO.

In Oakland and other cities with high housing demands, many have expressed concern about the effect of the rentals on neighborhoods, housing availability and affordability.

The City Council has asked its staff to come up with options to regulate the short-term rentals through such platforms.

The workshop is designed to allow residents to weigh in on the issue. It will be 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Council Chambers, Oakland City Hall, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza.

For more information, go to www.oaklandnet.com/strr.

Emergency preparedness training scheduled

The Oakland Fire Department will hold an emergency preparedness training session Jan. 18 at the Rockridge Branch Library.

The training is designed to teach skills so neighborhoods can create response teams to handle emergencies such as an earthquake aftermath until professional help arrives.

The Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE) class will cover home and family preparedness.

The class will be 6 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at the library, 5366 College Ave. To register for the free training, go to www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/OFD/s/CORE/index.htm.

For more information, email core@oaklandnet.com.

Blood drive at the Main Library

A blood drive will be held Jan. 10 at the Oakland Main Library.

The blood drive, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is being held in conjunction with the American Red Cross. Cookies and juice will be provided.

The library is at 125 14th St. For more information, call 510-238-3134.

Farmers market closed for holiday

The farmers market at Jack London Square will be closed Sunday, New Year’s Day.

It will return to its regular 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. schedule Jan. 8.

Passenger volume increases at Oakland airport

Oakland International Airport saw more than 1 million passengers in November.

More than 12 million passengers used the airport in the past 12 months, its highest traffic volume in nine years. The airport has had three years of consecutive passenger volume growth.

The airport is the fourth busiest in the state.

Earth2Trump plans Oakland stop

Earth2Trump, a cross-country roadshow heading to Washington, D.C., will be in Oakland on Monday.

The tour is organized by the Center for Biological Diversity in coordination with 350 Bay Area, Sierra Club, Global Exchange, Food and Water Watch, Rainforest Action Network, Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace and Justice and other local groups.

Beginning in Oakland and Seattle, a pair of roadshows will tour the country featuring speakers and musicians at 16 cities as they progress toward the presidential inauguration Jan. 20.

It will be 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Omni Commons, 4799 Shattuck Ave.

The Oakland event will include music performances by Namorados Da Lua and Casey Neill.

Those attending the roadshow will be encouraged to write messages that will be carried to Washington in a large globe and delivered to Trump. A protest is planned in Washington on Inauguration Day.

For more information, go to www.Earth2Trump.org.