A promise by city leaders to cut roughly four percent of the San Leandro Police Department’s budget will be studied by a budget task force that could include city employees, such as police officers. San Leandro officials approved the formation… Read More ›
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Khanna, Sanders, propose medical masks for all
With the number of coronavirus cases surging in many parts of the country, including California, and locally, in Alameda County, Rep. Ro Khanna, along with Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a bill on Tuesday to mail a medical mask to all… Read More ›
Trish Spencer plots a return to the Alameda City Council
Alameda’s Trish Herrera Spencer was the self-proclaimed “people’s mayor,” but voters dismissed her from office two years ago after just one term. Perhaps, this fall Spencer is hoping to rebrand herself as the “people’s councilmember”? Spencer pulled papers earlier this… Read More ›
Alameda County tops 10,000 total covid-19 cases; Oakland exceeds 4,000
A spike in new coronavirus cases in Alameda County over the past month led to an inauspicious milestone on Friday after the number of residents testing positive surpassed 10,000 on Friday. Alameda County is the first in the Bay Area… Read More ›
Alameda police chief opts for retirement following arrest of black man dancing in the street
In the wake of an embarrassing incident in which Alameda police officers arrested a black man for dancing or exercising in the street, Alameda Police Chief Paul Rolleri announced his retirement on Wednesday. Rolleri notified the Alameda City Council of… Read More ›
Hayward: Task force to study lowering annual rent increase cap, but not before odd exchange involving mayor
During a somewhat routine update to Hayward’s rent stabilization ordinance last week in which certain tweaks and language intended to align the ordinance with changes in state law were offered by city staff, Hayward Councilmember Aisha Wahab sought a significant… Read More ›
Alameda ‘de-names’ park named after Andrew Jackson
Alameda’s first city park will no longer be named after President Andrew Jackson. The Alameda City Council voted Tuesday night to “de-name” Jackson Park because of his legacy of slavery and atrocities against Native Americans. The unanimous vote followed a… Read More ›
Hayward to ask voters to increase hotel tax, allow non-citizens to serve on boards
Hayward voters will be asked this November to increase its current hotel tax up to 14 percent. A charter amendment to allow non-citizens to serve on city boards and commissions will also appear on the fall ballot, the Hayward City… Read More ›
Trump wants more law enforcement in cities like Oakland
#BREAKING: President Trump says he may send "more federal law enforcement" to New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Baltimore, Oakland, and other cities to deal with unrest: "In Portland they’ve done a fantastic job." pic.twitter.com/Pe6aDv6AVt — The Hill (@thehill) July 20,… Read More ›
San Leandro: Council reinstates homeless task force previously cut from police budget
A narrow vote last month by the San Leandro City Council to pursue $1.7 million in cuts to its police department, in part, through the elimination of its lauded homeless task force, led to what some councilmembers deemed “buyer’s remorse”… Read More ›
Supervisors approve half-cent sales tax measure for the November ballot
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors will ask residents already struggling during a pandemic and economic downturn to give more to fund essential services after voting Tuesday to place a countywide half-cent sales tax measure on the November ballot. The… Read More ›
Alameda: DA will not press charges against police, black man arrested for dancing in the street
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley will not press charges against a Alameda man who was arrested in May while exercising and dancing in the street. Mali Watkins, a black man and resident of Alameda, was charged for resisting arrest… Read More ›
East Bay Insiders – Episode 24 – Raise your glass to freedom
Hamilton, baseball and politics, and another round of sneak peaks for the fall election season in the East Bay. In particular, two races that are big in both consequence and size-Oakland’s up-for-grabs District 7 council seat and the four seats… Read More ›
Alameda County: Pending state approval, outdoor dining, Oakland Zoo could reopen this week
Alameda County supervisors gave their support to an application asking the state for a variance that will allow outdoor dining to resume, perhaps within this week. If approved by the state, the variance will also allow the struggling Oakland Zoo… Read More ›
San Quentin inmates are being hospitalized in Alameda County; State eyes Glenn Dyer Jail to house inmates
Up to 16 inmates from San Quentin State Prison have been hospitalized in Alameda County hospitals, Health Care Services Agency Director Coleen Chawla said on Tuesday. As of Monday, there were 8-9 of those who remain hospitalized following a major… Read More ›
Alameda County Dems call on candidates to pledge they will not accept money from the sheriff, related police unions
A call from the statewide Democratic Party to rid itself of political contributions from police unions is filtering down to the local level. The Alameda County Democratic Party Central Committee approved a resolution on Wednesday that calls on elected officials… Read More ›
Alameda: Covid-19 testing site may open this month, mayor says
Alameda has one of the lowest reported rates of the coronavirus infections in Alameda County. Perhaps, Alamedans are especially cautious about the risks of contracting the virus, but the lack of testing on the island could have be a reason… Read More ›
San Leandro: AG will not investigate Steven Taylor police shooting
The California Attorney General’s office declined a request by San Leandro officials to launch an independent investigation in the fatal shooting by a San Leandro police officer last April of Steven Taylor, a 33-year-old black man, who was, at the… Read More ›
Alameda County health official asks state for clarity on reopening Oakland Zoo
A plea last week by Oakland Zoo officials to allow it to reopen soon or risk imminent closure due to the loss of revenue caused by the coronavirus has ignited great interest from the public and stoked financial efforts to… Read More ›
Alameda voters will soon have a chance to repeal 70s era ban on multi-family housing
Alameda’s Measure A, a charter amendment approved by voters in 1973, to ban new multi-family housing in the name of protecting the island community’s small town character, has divided the city’s politics for more than four decades. But with an… Read More ›
East Bay Insiders – Episode 23 – Season 2: Time travelers
A new election. A new season of the East Bay Insiders. Steve Tavares and Shawn Wilson travel from the future to fix a wrong that will occur on Sept. 20, 2020. Plus: November elections analysis of the Alameda County Board… Read More ›
San Quentin covid-19 outbreak is impacting Alameda County
A massive outbreak of covid-19 at the San Quentin State Prison is beginning to bring a rise in cases and hospitalizations to Alameda County, a county health official said on Tuesday. More than 1,000 cases of covid-19 have spread at… Read More ›
Alameda County supervisors backdate and extend countywide eviction moratorium
A countywide moratorium on evictions triggered by the pandemic and enacted in late April was backdated to Mar. 24, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors decided on Tuesday. During the same meeting, county supervisors also extended the same moratorium, set… Read More ›
Covid-19: Oakland Zoo says its running out of money and at risk of closure
The Oakland Zoo is bleeding money and at risk of closure if it does not reopen soon, its executive vice president said. The Oakland Zoo, which has been closed since the covid-19 shelter in place was ordered in mid-March, is… Read More ›
Rise in hospitalizations leads Alameda County to postpone next phase of reopening
The increase in new coronavirus cases and a recent rise in hospitalizations is leading public health officials in Alameda County to pull back efforts to allow additional businesses and activities to reopen. Similar to other counties in the Bay Area,… Read More ›
Schaaf vs. Trump
Hell is another four years of this racist in the White House.-Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf responding to President Trump, who said Oakland, Baltimore, Detroit, and Chicago, is “like living in hell.”
Lee for veep?
East Bay Rep. Barbara Lee has always been known as a stalwart progressive, although, her brand of lefty politics has not often proven popular outside the Bay Area bubble. But as the entire country begins to embrace her political values… Read More ›
Gail Steele, long-time Alameda County supervisor, advocate for children, dies
Gail Steele, one of the legends of Alameda County politics, died on Friday morning. Steele represented the Hayward and parts of Tri-Cities on the Alameda County Board of Supervisors from 1992-2010. She also served eight years on the Hayward City… Read More ›
Hayward school trustee calls out colleague for her white privilege
A proposal by a white Hayward school board member to create an “antiracist agenda” policy was met with resistance after the board’s sole black board member called out her “privilege” during a meeting on Wednesday night. The policy written by… Read More ›
Bas on budget
5 Councilmembers who passed Oakland budget tonight just killed democracy.-Oakland Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas tweeting on Tuesday night after the Oakland City Council approved its budget without properly noticing changes made earlier in the day. Bas had sought up to… Read More ›