Politics

Drought persists, despite “Stormaggedon”

California is getting some much-needed relief from the drought. Recent rainfall over the last couple weeks picked up Wednesday night as the largest storm to hit the state in five years made landfall. But as the city of Oakland deals with the storm, water utility officials are warning residents that the region is still in a drought and will have to comply with existing—and new—water regulations.

Oakland protestors respond to decision not to indict in Eric Garner death

More than 400 protestors marched through the rain-soaked streets of Oakland Wednesday night in sympathy with the family and supporters of Eric Garner, an unarmed African American man who died at the hands of New York City police. On Wednesday morning, a New York City grand jury declined to charge a white police officer who used a banned chokehold that resulted in Garner’s death. The decision set off protests in several cities. Demonstrators in New York City tied up Grand…

Nuisance Eviction Ordinance changes regarding sex workers upset advocacy groups

Sex worker advocacy groups in the Bay Area have taken to social media and traditional media methods to express their outrage over Oakland’s recent updates to an existing “nuisance eviction ordinance” for housing. Advocates believe that the newest addition will allow landlords to unfairly evict those who are voluntarily working as sex workers in commercial and residential spaces. Oakland’s city council unanimously voted on October 21 to amend an existing eviction ordinance—originally instated in 2004—to allow landlords and/or the city…