The Hayward Police Department's bid to join a small group of East Bay cities that deploy Unmanned Aerial Systems, commonly known as drones, will be delayed after the Hayward City Council postponed a vote Tuesday night for its purchase. Hayward city staff pulled the item prior to Tuesday night's meeting following discussion of whether greater … Continue reading Hayward PD’s proposal for four drones is delayed
Boosted by an emboldened group of progressives and activists, Hayward's sprawling 13-candidate race for four seats on the City Council could be a once-in-generation reconfiguration of its political power structure. The field of 13 candidates this November, includes three incumbents, and a field of newcomers baptized by Hayward's dramatic push to the left stoked over … Continue reading Large, energized field of candidates in Hayward
Hayward voters may be asked this November to amend its City Charter and allow non-citizens to serve on city boards and commissions. The Hayward City Council unanimously voted to move forward the proposal on Tuesday night by directing staff to begin an analysis for placing the proposed charter amendment on the Nov. 3 ballot. The … Continue reading Hayward may ask voters to allow non-citizens to serve on boards
Hayward Councilmember Francisco Zermeño apologized for diminishing the Black Lives Matter movement by previously using derivatives of the phrase, such as Latino Lives Matter and Police Lives Matter. The statement was made through social media accounts connected with Zermeño's re-election campaign and after a large Black Lives Matter rally in front of Hayward City Hall … Continue reading Hayward: Zermeño apologizes for previously saying ‘Police Lives Matter’
As Hayward councilmembers thanked its executive team and firefighters on Tuesday night for foregoing two percent cost-of-living increases to help lower the city's ballooning covid-related deficit, in addition, to their own two percent cut in council pay, Hayward Councilmember Aisha Wahab, instead, pushed for further generosity from her colleagues. "I, personally, am willing to forego … Continue reading Hayward: Wahab tried to lower council pay by 5%, colleagues were cool to the idea
Workers earning a minimum wage in Hayward will not receive a previously promised $2 an hour raise for, at least, another six months, the Hayward City Council decided on Tuesday. A majority of the council, some voicing regret for delaying the scheduled increase from July 1 to Jan. 1, 2021, made the decision in order … Continue reading Hayward officials ‘regrettably’ delay minimum wage increase for six months
Since the coronavirus outbreak took full force last week, Hayward Councilmember Mark Salinas said he's received numerous phone calls from small business owners in Hayward who are extremely worried about the dramatic loss in revenue due to the coronavirus, and specter of permanent closure of their local businesses. As a result, he said, many have … Continue reading Amid COVID-19 crisis, Hayward may delay recently passed minimum wage increases
In hindsight, the fact four-term Hayward Assemblymember Bill Quirk had attracted an early handful of potential primary challengers last fall may have been a subtle hint that a level of disenchantment exists among progressives in the 20th Assembly District. Just three challengers finalized their candidacies for the March primary, including the perfunctory Republican sure to … Continue reading AD20: Quirk is 195 votes from facing a challenge from the left in the fall
In a surprise move, Hayward Councilmember Al Mendall announced he will not seek re-election to his seat on the City Council in November. Mendall, who was first elected to the city council in 2012, notified the public of his decision at Tuesday night's meeting. "I love this job. I've been doing it for seven years … Continue reading Hayward: Mendall will not seek re-election to city council
Hayward is nearing an increase in the city's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022, one year earlier than the state-mandated increase set for January 2023. The direction made by the Hayward City Council Tuesday night during a work session comes at a time when its neighboring cities have already accelerated their own local … Continue reading Hayward moves toward $15 an hr minimum wage by 2022
The three Hayward councilmembers who proposed regulations on flavored tobacco and vaping products last month are each up for re-election next year. Hayward Councilmembers Al Mendall, Francisco Zermeño, and Elisa Márquez will undoubtedly use any new restrictions on teenage vaping as a feather in their caps during next year's fall campaign. But it's notable that … Continue reading Why Hayward’s most fervent anti-smoking official was cut out of council’s vaping referral?
Hayward officials extended a $75,000 pilot program for a surveillance robot that has roamed a parking garage across the street from City Hall for the past year. But while Hayward city staff argued the white, bullet-shaped robot had successfully decreased crime in the area, it also did not yield a single citation or prosecution. The … Continue reading Hayward is spending $75,000 for Robocop that yielded zero citations during one-year pilot program
Over the past year, East Bay cities such as Oakland, Richmond, Livermore, Alameda, and San Leandro have moved toward some type of restriction on the sale of flavored tobacco products, including those used for vaping. "We have all seen it nationally, and here in Hayward, the epidemic of teen vaping that is just growing and … Continue reading Hayward is preparing to join the list of cities snuffing out teen vaping
A 37-acre parcel of hillside land near Cal State East Bay in Hayward, long ago envisioned by CalTrans as part of a freeway extension, moved closer to development on Tuesday, but not without concerns the future neighborhood will cater to the rich at a time when housing displacement is becoming rampant in the city. The … Continue reading As housing crisis rages, Hayward aims to build only 74 homes on 37 acres of prime land
With frustrations from the family of the man slain by Hayward Police last November running high, the Hayward City Council unanimously, but cautiously, approved a referral asking city staff to prepare an independent investigation policy for instances when deadly force is used by its police officers. The proposal requested by Councilmember Aisha Wahab requires the … Continue reading Hayward: Council moves along Wahab’s referral for third-party oversight of fatal police shootings
