Rodriguez Alameda Fire Chief Ed Rodriguez is retiring from the post he's held since 2017. Rodriguez made his decision known to Alameda city officials on Dec. 30, according to a memo sent by City Manager Eric Levitt. Any short-term effects on the Alameda Fire Department's chain of command will be minimal. Rodriguez has been out … Continue reading Alameda fire chief, out on leave since last spring, is retiring
Alameda County Supervisor District 1 Alameda County District 1 supervisorial candidates, Fremont Councilmember Vinnie Bacon and Dublin Mayor David Haubert at an Aug. 17 virtual candidate forum. This race has already been the East Bay's most punishing for months. The Alameda County race for District 1 supervisor pits candidates from both halves of the roughly … Continue reading East Bay’s Top 10 November races to watch
A progressive majority on the Alameda City Council was solidified two years ago with the defeat of its moderate mayor and the addition of a fourth lefty councilmember. But in a city that once represented a conservative island in the liberal East Bay, the past is destined to clash with the present this fall. Two … Continue reading Alameda’s progressive majority will be challenged this November
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 his decision via a letter on Tuesday evening. Rolleri was elevated to police chief in … Continue reading Alameda police chief opts for retirement following arrest of black man dancing in the street
And just to be clear, I didn't tell you who to hire. And I don't think Malia did, either.-Alameda Councilmember Jim Oddie speaking to former City Manager Jill Keimach in an audio recording released Wednesday that she secretly made in an effort to catch Oddie and Councilmember Malia Vella illegally pressuring her.
Audio of a secret recording made by Alameda's former city manager of a meeting between her and two councilmembers released Wednesday highlights a lobbying effort on behalf of a labor-friendly candidate for the then-open fire chief position, but also immense divisions between the city manager and the powerful firefighters union president. The 55-minute recording, highly … Continue reading Alameda: Release of secret audio recording yields little new information
A certain segment of Alameda clamoring to learn the contents of a secret recording made of two councilmembers will have to wait a few more days. Transcripts and audio of the infamous 2017 recording made by former City Manager Jill Keimach of a meeting with Councilmembers Jim Oddie and Malia Vella is expected to be … Continue reading Alameda secret recording won’t be released until next week
Alameda Councilmember Malia Vella said the transcript of a secret audio recording set to be released soon by the city should include as few redactions as possible. She also suggests in a statement that some context could be omitted from the 55-minute meeting made by former City Manager Jill Keimach of her and Councilmember Jim Oddie. … Continue reading Vella: Secret audio recording should be released in its entirety
A secret audio recording by Alameda's former City Manager Jill Keimach made two years ago in hopes of gathering evidence that two former Alameda councilmembers were illegally pressuring her to hire a fire chief of their choosing is again in the city's consciousness. Alameda Councilmember Jim Oddie said Saturday that he welcomes the release of … Continue reading Oddie: Release the recording
When Alameda's former city manager made shocking allegations two years ago that Councilmember Jim Oddie threatened her employment if she did not select a candidate for fire chief preferred by the city's firefighters union, the charge not only kickstarted a scandal that still resonates today, but led to exorbitant legal bills for the accused. Oddie … Continue reading Alameda: Oddie pulls claim for city to reimburse him for legal bills
With a segment of Alameda residents fuming over a scathing civil grand jury finding that two Alameda elected officials violated the city charter, the Alameda City Council on Tuesday night voted to accept its findings and recommendations. Jim Oddie and Malia, the councilmembers alleged by the Alameda County grand jury of violating the charter each … Continue reading Alameda City Council agrees that two members violated the charter
An Alameda County grand jury last month determined, among other findings, that two Alameda councilmembers violated the city charter by exerting undue influence on the city manager's decision to hire a new fire chief. The civil grand jury also faulted the city for allowing the councilmembers to participate in the editing of the independent report … Continue reading ALAMEDA: Proposed responses to grand jury limit exposure to Vella on charter violation finding
People dying at Santa Rita Jail. Seems fine, says Alameda County grand jury.
Two Alameda councilmembers violated the city's charter by interfering in the city manager's duties to independently hire a new fire chief, the Alameda County civil grand jury concluded in a report released Monday. In the case of one of the councilmembers, the determination runs counter to prior investigations into the matter that rocked Alameda politics … Continue reading Grand jury finds Alameda councilmembers violated charter
A forthcoming Alameda County civil grand jury report will include an investigation into allegations that Alameda councilmembers violated the city charter by exerting undue influence on its then-city manager to hire a fire chief candidate of their choice, according to sources aware of the section in the report due to be released this week. The … Continue reading Civil grand jury will not recommend removing Alameda councilmember
