A jury was selected Tuesday in the federal trial of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and three co-defendants, marking the opening day of a closely watched corruption case centered on allegations that Thao traded political favors for support during her 2022 mayoral campaign. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers questioned about 70 prospective jurors, with occupations ranging from software engineers to students. She asked about their jobs, family members and whether work, childcare, health issues would make it difficult for…
Oakland City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on the approval of data centers in the city, with a provision for extending the measure if needed. Introduced by Councilmember Carroll Fife, the temporary pause will prevent the city from approving land use agreements or entitlements for data center development, while allowing city staff to determine what regulations Oakland needs, conduct community engagement and study potential impacts, including energy and water use, public health and environmental concerns. Supporters of…
The four candidates for Oakland mayor talked about the city budget, economic revitalization and other issues at a voter forum Saturday at City Hall, but the discussion kept returning to public safety. Around 40 people attended the forum, which was organized with the League of Women Voters of Oakland. First-term Mayor Barbara Lee will face challengers Brenda Grisham, a business owner and longtime community advocate; Mindy Pechenuk, an educator and researcher; and Julius Robinson, a community investment executive, in the…