On the first Friday of the month, Telegraph Avenue fills with the sounds of music, conversation and laughter as crowds move between rows of food stands, clothing vendors and live performances. The smell of grilled meat and fried foods wafts through the air, while children take turns dancing in the middle of the street, drawing cheers from a circle of onlookers. Nearby, vendors greet customers by name, while people stopped to browse colorful displays of Oakland-themed apparel, and handmade art…
Oakland Unified School District narrowly avoided a teachers’ strike in late February by agreeing to raises of up to 13% over three years. But as the deal moves forward, it remains unclear how the district will finance it. The agreement came as OUSD faced a projected deficit of roughly $100 million and had approved layoffs of more than 400 positions. School Board President Jennifer Brouhard said in late March that the cost of the agreement was still being finalized and…
The smell of popcorn drifted through Oakland’s Grand Lake Theater, but the tubs in the audience members’ hands sat untouched as people sat in tense silence, watching graphic scenes in an Alabama prison unfold before them. About 100 people attended the one-night screening last Wednesday of HBO’s “The Alabama Solution,” which included a panel discussion about corruption and abuse in the penitentiary system. The screening was organized by the nonprofit For the People, as part of a broader effort to…