First in a three-part series about Oakland agencies preparing for major federal funding cuts. Oakland is bracing for nearly $25 million in federal funding cuts — a blow to the cash-strapped city that has been grappling with budget deficits. The cuts represent a 34% decrease in federal funding from the previous year, according to an Oct. 1 memo from the city administrator. The city expects to receive about $49million in federal funds in the current fiscal year, which ends June…
When Oakland teenagers voted for the first time in the city’s 2024 School Board election, the moment was hailed as a breakthrough for youth voice and local democracy. But nearly a year later, that excitement has turned into reflection and a push for reform. Passed by voters in 2020, Measure QQ made Oakland one of the first major U.S. cities to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in school board elections. The measure came after years of organizing…
Three years after California launched a savings program to help children pay for college, most families still haven’t claimed the money — and many don’t even know it’s there. The more than $2 billion program is designed to close the college access gap, especially for low-income families. But many Californians are missing out simply because they haven’t heard of it, said Cassandra DiBenedetto, executive director of the state-run ScholarShare Investment Board, which oversees the program. “Our biggest challenge is also…
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee held a news conference Thursday urging calm and unity as federal enforcement threats loomed over the Bay Area. “Oakland is and will continue to be a welcoming city for our immigrants and our refugees,” Lee said. “We will remain calm, focused, and united. We will not allow outsiders to create chaos or exploit our city.”. Her remarks came moments before President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he was calling off plans for a federal…