On July 17, 1944, sailors were loading two liberty ships at Port Chicago in Suisun Bay, nearly 30 miles northeast of Oakland, when an explosion went off and killed 320 people, 200 of whom were Black. Among the 390 who were injured, nearly 60% also were Black. After the explosion at the port, which served as a major facility for supplying ammunition during World War II, 258 sailors protested returning to work because of the dangerous conditions and were warned…
(Update: When the votes were certified on Dec. 5, Nikki Fortunato Bas was declared the winner, by 425 votes.) Emeryville City Council member John Bauters was ahead of Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas in the Alameda County supervisors race, early vote tallies showed Tuesday night. Both candidates promised to prioritize housing, homelessness, and public safety. They are running for the seat that Keith Carson has held since 1992. He announced in December that he would be retiring. The seat…
Three Oakland council members are giving up their seats, paving the way for new leaders to join the City Council. Council Members Dan Kalb and Treva Reid, and Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan are not running for reelection in November. Their exits have created an opportunity for three new members to join the eight-member council, putting the newcomers in a pivotal position for what is shaping up to be a tough budget season. “Three new members, replacing long-standing and experienced council…
The Oakland City Council has given Oakland its own official cocktail — shaken, on ice. The Mai Tai. Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, who introduced the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, said the council’s move honors the city’s history as a center of entertainment, culture, arts, food and drink. “Honoring and supporting our innovators helps expand our economy, jobs, opportunity, revenue, and uplifts the community,” Kaplan said. According to the resolution, the Mai Tai was invented by Victor J. “Trader Vic” Bergeron,…