Health

Community invests in proposed West Oakland grocery store

Ahmadi said he had no choice but to fundraise from residents, rather than taking a more traditional path such as a loan from a bank. On paper, the project showed a high risk of failure “both because it’s a start-up and a low-margin business—also because of the perceptions of the challenges of the neighborhood,” said Ahmadi.

Tens of millions of dollars pour into Prop 8 which seeks to limit dialysis center profits

Billion-dollar dialysis companies and a labor union are spending tens of millions of dollars to sway Proposition 8 votes their way on Election Day. Health experts say the proposition is unlikely to improve care for dialysis patients and may put care out of reach for patients in low-income areas.

But they also say risky practices in the industry put patients’ lives at risk.

Fresh and free produce, no strings attached

Every Tuesday morning, Max Cadji of Phat Beets drops off half a dozen boxes of fresh fruit and produce at Jasper P. Driver Plaza in North Oakland. The food is grown at several local urban farms and gardens and distributed to the community.