Posts Tagged ‘Larry Reid’
Oakland residents lead the fight to rename and reclaim public spaces
At Oakland’s inner harbor near the water’s edge stands the bronze statue of Jack London—a famed 20th Century author, labor union advocate and racist who promoted eugenics and white supremacy. Communities of color make up 75% of the population in Oakland. This summer, Oakland residents petitioned to remove a monument dedicated to London and to…
Read MoreOakland council passes ban on flavored tobacco sales
In an unanimous decision, on Tuesday night the Oakland City Council voted to ban of sales of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, in Oakland.
Read More“Mega-crematorium” still sparking controversy
Community activists and environmentalists want the City of Oakland to permanently block a proposed giant crematory proposed near the airport.
Read MoreNewly sworn-in Oakland City Council says resources should be shifted to public safety
Oakland’s new city council members, who were inaugurated at a ceremony at City Hall Monday, set the stage for the elected body’s biggest policy focus of the next four years—public safety. While it’s no secret that crime is Oakland’s number one problem, with the city’s homicide rate reaching 131 on the last day of 2012,…
Read MoreAfter room reaches capacity, Blueford protestors shut out of city council meeting
About 100 people packed in to Oakland City Hall during Tuesday night’s council meeting before police temporarily barricaded the doors to prevent the possibility of a raucous protest, similar to the one that shut down the meeting two weeks ago.
Read MoreCity council postpones voting on contentious items with two councilmembers absent
With two councilmembers absent, Tuesday night’s Oakland City Council meeting was brief, and much of the agenda was postponed.
Read MoreMourners gather to commemorate victims of Oikos University shooting
Over 800 people gathered Tuesday night at Allen Temple Baptist Church in East Oakland to commemorate the seven killed in Monday’s shooting at Oikos University. The diversity of the victims, who included immigrants from Korea, Nigeria and Nepal, was mirrored in the crowd, which represented all facets of the community. During the two-hour vigil several…
Read MoreCouncilmembers, Occupy Oakland protesters spar over port policing resolution
After waiting for more than five hours for their chance to voice their opposition to a resolution intended to prevent another shutdown of the Port of Oakland, a large contingent of Occupy Oakland supporters weren’t going to go away just because the Oakland City Council decided against even hearing the measure.
Read MoreDespite promises, the $484 million Oakland Airport Connector yields few local jobs
One year after construction began, has the controversial, $484 million Oakland Airport Connector project created the jobs it promised? “It requires a lot of physical strength and it wears on the body,” said Tiffany West, 31, of her work as a carpenter’s apprentice. Every Monday through Friday, from 7 am to 3:30 pm, West is somewhere along Hegenberger Road between the Oakland Coliseum and the airport shoveling debris, fine-grading sites for paving or building the footings for the connector’s elevated guideway.
Read MoreIn tense press conference, resigning Batts calls bureaucracy “an obstacle to do my job”
At a tense press conference at City Hall shortly after delivering his letter of resignation to the City Council, Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts criticized a bureaucracy that he said failed to “let the Chief be the Chief.”
Read MoreOakland residents propose initiative to implement term limits for councilmembers
A coalition of Oakland residents is pushing for an initiative that would impose term limits on the city council. Under the proposal, councilmembers could serve up to three four-year terms and then would be forced to step down, which proponents say would help add new voices to the city council and thus improve policy making on crime, budget deficit and other pressing issues in the city.
Read MoreHotly debated proposal for teen curfew to be voted on by city council
Forget about being grounded. Beginning next week, Oakland’s young people could be violating city laws if they’re not home on time. In response to the spike in violence by and against youth, the city council will be voting this Tuesday on a proposal to implement a citywide teen curfew.
Read MoreOakland City Council reconvenes, hears complaints
One after another, Oakland residents approached the City Council podium Tuesday night to share their horror stories in dealing with the Building Services Department, part of the city’s Community and Economic Development Agency.
Read MoreProposal to double medical marijuana dispensaries passes city committee
The Oakland City Council’s Public Safety Committee passed an ordinance by consensus Tuesday evening that will double the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, if approved by the city council.
Read MoreAt the last moment, Oakland City Council votes in new budget
Three hours ahead of the new fiscal year, Oakland’s city council finally voted in a budget. The council, by a narrow vote, approved the biennial budget resolution during a special council meeting on Thursday evening.
Read MoreAfter five-hour meeting, still no council vote on Oakland city budget
On Tuesday night the Oakland City Council once again postponed a vote to adopt a biennial budget, pushing the decision back until this Thursday, hours before the new fiscal year begins on July 1. With the divergence between councilmembers on the each others’ budget proposals, the timely adoption of a budget resolution remains uncertain.
Read More