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Oakland City Council voted Tuesday to reopen three fire stations that were temporarily closed to save money amid a $130 million budget shortfall. The resolution passed unanimously, signaling a push to restore critical fire and medical services to impacted neighborhoods. “There is nothing more vital to the voices of Oakland residents than preserving essential, public safety resources, which absolutely includes each and every single one of our fire stations,” said Councilmember Janani Ramachandran. The vote comes days after the city…
The East Bay newspaper Street Spirit did something this year that few, if any, papers have been able to accomplish — it staged a comeback after going out of print. For eight months, Street Spirit — which featured articles by and about those who have experienced homelessness and the economic policies that perpetuate poverty — did not print issues, while its director, Alastair Boone, and its editor, Bradley Penner, tirelessly fundraised to get the paper up and running again. “All…
Organizers and activists gathered Friday for a discussion on the election’s implications on justice and safety in Oakland. But despite certain results that horrified the crowd, the gathering focused on the opportunities for change. “When there’s a crisis or an emergency in our community, it’s an opportunity to come together and choose how we respond, and to learn,” John Jones III, the discussion host and director of programs at Urban Strategies Council, told the 40 of so people gathered. The…
Early election returns showed incumbent District 5 City Councilmember Noel Gallo with a strong lead over challengers Erin Armstrong and Dominic Prado Tuesday night. Gallo began his day walking the streets of District 5 accompanied by his wife and daughter. He stopped to visit homes, churches and schools, handing out flyers and door hangers and urging his constituents to vote. He planned to watch election results at home with family and friends. For Armstrong, Election Day started like any other…
(Update: When the votes were certified on Dec. 5, Nikki Fortunato Bas was declared the winner, by 425 votes.) Emeryville City Council member John Bauters was ahead of Oakland City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas in the Alameda County supervisors race, early vote tallies showed Tuesday night. Both candidates promised to prioritize housing, homelessness, and public safety. They are running for the seat that Keith Carson has held since 1992. He announced in December that he would be retiring. The seat…
Incumbent Carroll Fife led a crowded field in the Oakland City Council District 3 race after the first vote counts came in Tuesday night. Fife is seeking a second term against five contenders. Her main priorities have been affordable housing, community safety, improving the city’s economy and environmental justice. She did not respond to requests for an interview. If re-elected, her campaign website says, she will work toward implementing more affordable housing, protecting tenants from high rents, and investing in…
Oakland firefighter Zac Unger made a strong showing in early returns Tuesday, with more than three-quarters of the votes for the District 1 City Council seat at 9 p.m. He is running against Len Raphael, an accountant and owner of a bicycle store and auto repair shop, and Edward Frank, a homemaker led early in the returns tuesday night in his efforts to represent the city council District 1 The seat will change hands for the first time since Dan…
A tax that would fund wildfire prevention in Oakland was winning in early returns Tuesday night, with 70% of the votes. Measure MM would fund efforts in Oakland’s Wildfire Prevention Zone, an area most acutely at risk for wildfire damage, through an annual parcel tax of $99 per single-family home and $65 per multifamily unit or condominium. The tax would last 20 years. The measure needs a two-thirds majority to pass. It was put only to voters in the Wildfire…
(Update: After the votes were certified on Dec. 5, these were the results: Voters recalled Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price; Lateefah Simon won the 12th Congressional District seat; Oakland Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas won a seat on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors; Oakland City Council seats were won by Rowena Brown, Zac Unger, Noel Gallo, Carroll Fife and Ken Houston; Ryan Richardson is the new city attorney. In the Oakland Unified School District,…