Politics
There is perhaps no more commonly spoken word in Oakland Unified School Board meetings than “equity.” The nebulous term discussed frequently on agenda items ranging from charter school access to climate change. There is an entire office devoted to the subject, with a specified board agenda. A new proposition on the ballot could help OUSD advance their equity mission by increasing diversity in hiring and contracting. The only problem—critics say these measures may violate federal civil rights laws. Voters will…
Reporters Qinghui Kong and Manish Kanal reporting from West Oakland this evening. Another “joyful” update from Poplar Street Michelle Pred, from Joy to the Polls, wants to inspire people to be “happy and joyful” while voting. She says musical vans like this one are going to be all over the country. “Let’s change our country,” Pred said. She’s going to be at the election watch party happening tonight at Oscar Grant Plaza and is looking forward to it. “We want…
In recent years, Oakland city officials have struggled to address the growing number of residents who have begun living in RVs on the city’s streets. One nearby community in the South Bay is grappling with a similar issue ahead of tomorrow’s election. Headquarters to Google and home to branches of companies like Microsoft and LinkedIn, Mountain View has some of the most sought-after real estate in Silicon Valley. A stroll past its manicured yards offers a glimpse of a high-tech idyll…
Dan Detzner watched in shock as the fire spread rapidly into Sleepy Hollow, a neighborhood near his home. In three hours, the flames engulfed 1,500 homes in Orinda, a suburb of Oakland. Detzner’s house could have been one of them – but the fire wasn’t real. It was a catastrophe model shown by the district’s fire chief. Later, the chief walked Detzner, a retired professor, and his neighbors around their properties to point out vegetation that could easily catch fire. …
SACRAMENTO — In early April, Republican congressional candidate Buzz Patterson was asked on Twitter if he supports “the Q movement,” a group on the fringe of GOP politics best known for its outlandish conspiracy theories accusing leading Democrats of being part of a secret Satanic cabal that engages in pedophilia and child trafficking. Patterson, a candidate for the seat representing California’s 7th district in suburban Sacramento, left no doubt about his support for the movement — also known as QAnon…
The measure represents a turning point for the Oakland Police Commission, the civilian body that oversees the Oakland Police Department.
Two years after California voters rejected Proposition 10, rent control supporters are trying again. This November, voters are considering Proposition 21, which would allow cities to set and manage rent control provisions. If Proposition 21 passes, local governments could establish rent control on residential properties over 15 years old. It would also allow rent increases on properties of up to 15% more than the previous tenant’s rent. The new rules would not apply to those who own fewer than two…
Encrypted social media allows a broad range of people to communicate safely, from organizers of protests against police brutality to LGBTQ+ youth looking for a community to reach out to when they feel unsafe. A potential new federal law threatens to take away many of these secure methods of communication.
Just how seriously are candidates for District 3 city council elections taking the air pollution problem in West Oakland?