Jennifer Chaussee

Oakland’s century-old midnight market in images

When Oakland’s century-old wholesale produce market opens around 1:00 a.m. near Jack London Square, a world of family fruit and vegetable sellers comes alive to supply cafes and taco trucks with ingredients for the day’s menu, long before diners are awake.

Timing of Medicare and Covered California enrollment collide, causing confusion among seniors

When Barbara Witney, a 65-year-old marriage and family therapist, tried to sign up for Medicare last week, she was dismayed to find herself baffled. “I’m a pretty educated person and it was confusing for me,” she said. Witney, whose existing health insurance premium is expected to double this January, had the misfortune of turning 65 during the debut of Covered California, the state’s online healthcare marketplace – which for the first time will overlap with the annual enrollment window for…

Food stamp cuts mean a nearly $6 million loss for Oakland’s poor

Despite an increased demand for food assistance in Oakland and other cities across the US, food stamp benefits have been cut as the federal economic stimulus came to an end this month, marking the end of a four-year period that brought additional funding to social welfare programs. Marcshea White, an East Oakland resident who became permanently disabled with two herniated discs in her back, and her family are just one of the 30,000 households in Oakland that receive benefits from…

BART strike ends with another late-night press conference

At a little after 10 p.m. Monday night, officials made the announcement the Bay Area had been waiting for: the BART strike is officially over. Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555 President Antonette Bryant said the unions and management reached “a tentative agreement.” BART General Manager Grace Crunican said the offer was more than management wanted to pay. The end of the strike marks the near-immediate beginning of renewed BART service. “We are trying to get all trains running as early…