Many Oakland residents are using the OAK311 app to report the poor conditions of their community parks, where debris is dumped, benches are splintered and children are playing on rusted equipment. The city says it hears the complaints but does not have the budget or manpower to address all the issues. That frustrates residents like Meredith Triplet, who lives near Lafayette Square Park downtown, where trash cans are overflowing, grass is overgrown and the playground equipment is chipped, peeling or…
Over 300 public service workers marched from the Lake Merritt Amphitheater to the Alameda County Administration Building Monday, demanding that county officials fill thousands of vacant positions. “Staff up Alameda County. Alameda County staff up!” chanted members of Service Employees International Union, which represents about 4,200 county workers. The picketers included nurses, clerical and library staff, health care and social service workers, eligibility technicians and employment counselors. With contract negotiations under way, they also demanded wage increases, a more flexible…
Hundreds of Oakland Technical High School students skipped classes, cordoned off 45th Street and Broadway, played music with themes of anti-police brutality, and painted murals Monday to honor Tyre Nichols, who died Jan. 10 after being beaten by Memphis police officers. “Hey hey! Ho ho! White supremacy has got to go!” they chanted, outside the school building. Nichols’ death has led to a spate of protests across the country. After attending a protest last week led by the Anti-Police Terror…