Housing

Oakland Ghost Ship fire claims at least 9 lives, with more feared missing

A fire that broke out during an electronic music party at an artists’ warehouse space in the Fruitvale late Friday night has claimed at least 9 lives, and an estimated 25 more people are feared missing. A joint statement by the Oakland Police Department and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office released mid-day on Saturday tallied 9 known fatalities, although the death toll is expected to rise once law enforcement officials are able to more closely search the building. Friends and family…

Oakland turns out on Election Day 2016 to choose a new president

Oakland voters hit the polls today to cast votes for, among other things, a new president, city council members, school board seats, a potential soda tax, and a citizens’ commission to oversee the Oakland Police Department. Many voters exiting Oakland polling stations said they had voted for Hillary Clinton; not surprising considering more than 57 percent of registered Oakland voters are registered as Democrats. More than a quarter have not declared a party affiliation, according to data collected by the…

The Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program, 50 years later

The Black Panther Party (BPP) was founded on October 15, 1966 in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. The party was a political organization that agitated for greater rights for Black people in the United States. Seale and Newton captured the attention of the country (and of law enforcement) through their tactic of openly carrying rifles and shotguns while observing police officers in their community.