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Elaine Brown, Famed Oakland Black Panther, Gets $21 Million To House Formerly Incarcerated

October 28, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Congratulations to Elaine Brown, the famed and legendary Oakland Black Panther, who is now CEO of the nonprofit Oakland & the World Enterprises, successfully gained $21 Million in Homekey program funds. Brown and her team will use the money to purchase the former Traveler’s Hotel at 392 11th Street, at Franklin, in downtown Oakland, from owner NDO Group, LLC.

The purpose of the innovative Homekey program is to fund the “purchase and rehabilitation of hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings and other properties to convert into housing for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.” Brown, who has been a prisoner advocate for decades, stated, “There is no population at greater risk of homelessness than people being released back into society, who suffer wholesale denial of housing and employment solely because of their former incarceration, most of whom are black men and women. We are grateful to have this opportunity to provide a place for some of them.” The building will be renamed The Huey P. Newton.

Partners Ali Kashani and Adhi Nagraj thanked the Governor, the State Department of Housing and the City of Oakland’s Housing Department, under the leadership of Director Shola Olatoye, not only for facilitating the award process but also for providing $7 Million of the total award from City funds, as required by the State Housing Department. The group also thanked the Oakland City Council for unanimously approving the City’s contribution.

All participants acknowledged the critical role in this effort of the nonprofit organization BOSS, Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency, and its Executive Director Donald Frazier. Frazier worked hard to secure agreements with both the County Probation Department and Health Care Services Agency to house the men and women returning to the community from prison. BOSS is committed to operate and oversee supportive services for the newly-housed residents at 11th and Franklin.—Frazier stated he is constantly hunting for decent, affordable housing for vulnerable individuals and families, and applauded this opportunity.

Note: this post based on a press release issued by Elaine Brown.

Walter Wallace Jr. Mentally Ill Black Man Shot Multiple Times By Phili Police, But Mom Called Cops

October 27, 2020October 27, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Walter Wallace Jr. Mentally Ill Black Man Shot Multiple Times By Phili Police, But Mom Called Cops

ONN – Walter Wallace Jr. Mentally Ill Black Man Shot Multiple Times By Phili Police, But Mom Called Cops – vlog by Zennie62 YouTube

Walter Wallace Jr. Mentally Ill Black Man Shot Multiple Times By Phili Police, But Mom Called Cops

It’s for reasons like this that Oakland City Council At Large Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan and Berkeley City Councilmember Ben Bartlett and many others have called for major reforms in how police departments work with the black population. As this vlog shows, the left side is where Walter Wallace Jr. was shot, but the right shows an officer not shooting a white man brandishing a knife.

Now, Philadelphia is the focus of police versus protestors and just days before the 2020 Presidential Election.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media’s Zennie62 YouTube and Oakland News Now Today Blog SF Bay Area: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/Pu5FY_3S844

Remembering My Friend Oakland Tribune Columnist Peggy Stinnett, Who Passed Away Jun 9, 2009

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Remembering My Friend Oakland Tribune Columnist Peggy Stinnett, Who Passed Away Jun 9, 2009
From YouTube Channel: June 9, 2009 at 07:33AM
ONN – Jun 9, 2009, Oakland – This morning, I’m attending a funeral for my friend Oakland Tribune Columnist Peggy Stinnett at Our Lady of The Lourdes Church at 2809 Lakeshore here in Oakland. I think I’ll walk and remember Peggy as I do. This is hard as it’s the fifth funeral of a friend or family member this year and it’s just June. Too much for me.

At any rate, I met Peggy in late 1993 at the Lakeside Park Garden Center on 666 Bellevue Avenue next to Lake Merritt. I kid you not; that’s the address.

The Oakland City Council meetings were there because the City Hall was being rebuilt after considerable damage due to the Loma Piereta Earthquake in 1989. But the Garden Center, with its small size litterally brought everyone close together and made for a kind of government / community togetherness not seen since.

As I am remembering her, I also recall something she said to me about being a news columnist, and It applies to news vloggers and news vlogging today. “You can’t be good unless you’re angry about something, she said. And she was right. The stuff that resonates with readers is the same vlog that hits the viewer, and that’s when you’re completely pissed off about something.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a YouTube channel. When the video is “liked” by Zennie62 YouTube, then it is automatically uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective here, on top of our is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours – is the use of the existing YouTube social graph on any subject in the World. Now, news is reported with a smartphone and also by promoting current content on YouTube: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary, or having a camera crew to shoot what is already on YouTube. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XCCxgddMMs

Oakland City Council’s Weird Agenda: Oakland A’s Coliseum Closed Session Thursday Is Black NFL Group

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Oakland City Council’s Weird Agenda: Oakland A’s Coliseum Closed Session Thursday Is Black NFL Group

ONN – Oakland City Council’s Weird Agenda: Oakland A’s Coliseum Closed Session Thursday Is Black NFL Group – vlog by Zennie62 YouTube

Oakland City Council’s Weird Agenda: Oakland A’s Coliseum Closed Session Thursday Really Black NFL Group

The Thursday October 29th, 2020 Special Oakland City Council Closed Session Meeting is worded as if the attendees would be representatives of the Oakland A’s. But the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) headed by Ray Bobbitt was under the impression the meeting was supposed to be a first-introduction of their proposal and a progress report to the Oakland City Council.

So, the naming of the meeting is a head-scratcher to the group – and to this vlogger.

According to one person connected with the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Oakland District 7 Councilmember Larry Reid told them that the title of the meeting was “a place-holder”. That would seem to imply the name would be changed to point to the business of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG). But there’s another complication.

Rick Tripp, a man with a history of trying to get involved in sports economic development in Oakland, and whom I talked about in this livestream, wrote on his Facebook page that…

First response is already in regarding our Oakland stadium redevelopment proposal. For those of you who might be interested, I’m going to be a bit more diligent about posting the progress of the proposal. With that said, a multi-term Councilmember emailed me today that he had passed the proposal on to staff in the Economic Development Dept. That’s it for now. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

On top of that, Tripp explained that he was asked to submit a proposal, but he wrote that he could not say who asked him to do so. On Sunday, Councilmember Reid revealed that it was he who advanced Tripp’s proposal to Oakland’s economic development staff.

But why?

Why is an African American Oakland Councilmember advancing Tripp’s proposal and allowing by appearances others to think, or at least me, that he’s not for the African American Sports and Entertainment Group? Knowing Larry, my spider-sense tells me he’s a bit miffed that African American Sports and Entertainment Group did not include him directly in the group, from the onset. I want to be wrong here. I hope I am. Larry should be concerned about African American economic development first, even beyond matters of protocol.

Oakland has to rid itself of its crabbarrel mentality, especially where it applies to us: to Blacks in Oakland. Too often we’re ready to not support each other economically, and for the most ridiculous reasons. Too often, too many Blacks in Oakland have been all too willing to do anything to discredit someone else who’s black, even if it’s “Oh, he can’t do it” or “She doesn’t have any money”. Why do I think the reasons behind black-on-black crime are the same ones causing the Oakland crabbarrel problem? (And for the record, neither me nor Zennie62Media has either Ray Bobbitt or his group as a client. But, we are all friends, and I once worked for Robert Bobb when he was the Oakland Chief Administrative Officer. Bobb put me in charge of Oakland’s Super Bowl Bid Project. Given no chance to win, Oakland emerged from 11 cities to be one of three finalists for the right to host The 2005 Super Bowl that eventually went to Jacksonville.)

Toward A New Oakland Sports Economic Development Process

The problem is that, absent a process, other competitors like Tripp will step forward and claim they have a proposal – and many of them will be white, if not all of them. So, all of this should go through a task force within the office of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf (which technically includes the Oakland Chief Administrative Officer). Oakland has to take a pro-active stance and say that it wants to see the first black NFL ownership group represent Oakland. That can’t happen just by words – it has to happen by legislation, too. (And since this does not involve public contracting, one can’t claim such a focus violates California Proposition 209. Moreover, the group Bobbitt’s formed includes black millionaires and billionaires, so it would stack up to any other team, regardless of color. That said, given the history of racism that’s clouded NFL team ownership and blacks, a coherent process is needed.)

Given that there’s a ton of case law favoring an elected official publicly stating they want a particular developer for a project (and with that rules against “pay to play” relationships) what the City of Oakland should do is draft a new agreement structure that recognizes the Oakland A’s first, and then the African American Sports and Entertainment Group as a subordinate, and then a process where any other interested developer or investor has to send their materials to a designated person at The Oakland Mayor’s Office, who then informs both the A’s and the African American Sports and Entertainment Group, and goes about a process of vetting.

That would help bring clarity to the Oakland Coliseum Stadium and Coliseum City issue, and at the same time, reduce the ambient political noise that’s already audible with Ray Bobbitt’s effort.

Stay tuned.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/izwJ3TajGmI

ONN – Seneca Scott Runs For Oakland City Council District Three With “Overgrow Oakland Part 2” Video

October 26, 2020October 25, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Overgrow Oakland Part 2
From YouTube Channel: October 24, 2020 at 05:46PM

ONN – Seneca Scott Runs For Oakland City Council District Three With “Overgrow Oakland Part 2” Video

Mr. Scott is running, but given the way his team tagged his YouTube video, you’d have no idea. This should help, because the video is worth your attention.

He writes:

West Oakland has an amazing climate. One that allows us to grow healthy food year-round. D3 is already home to many thriving gardens and urban farms. We all have one big thing in common. We believe in the importance of growing our own food, for our health and community resilience.

Video by Chatmandidit

Stay tuned.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN1CXk-LRHQ

4K60 BART 3077 Millbrae Train Arriving at 12th St Oakland

October 25, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

4K60 BART 3077 Millbrae Train Arriving at 12th St Oakland
From YouTube Channel: October 24, 2020 at 09:28PM
ONN – 4K60 BART Fleet of the Future D Car (mod) 3077 leading a Richmond-Millbrae Train at 12th St Oakland City Center

Possibly the first day of service for some of these cars

10/23/2020

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXtqETq5ocU

Treva Reid 2020 Oakland City Council District 7 Candidate Interview On Zennie62 YouTube

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Treva Reid Oakland City Council Interview 2020

Treva Reid 2020 Oakland City Council District 7 Candidate Interview On Zennie62 YouTube
From YouTube Channel: October 15, 2020 at 02:04PM

ONN – Treva Reid 2020 Oakland City Council District 7 Candidate Interview On Zennie62 YouTube

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFqSRuSYsjs

City of Oakland To Enact New Homeless Encampment Management Policy EMP Policy – by Derrick Soo

October 21, 2020October 21, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

City of Oakland to enact new EMP Policy by Derrick Soo

ONN – City of Oakland to enact new EMP Policy by Derrick Soo

City of Oakland City Council APPROVED a new Encampment Management Policy that will change current policy. Oakland Administrators did this before, FORCING people to live in close proximity to dangerous Street Gang Members, Rapist, Criminals and violent people without proper safety at those sites. Currently Administrators are going to COMPRESS 142 Homeless Encampments into a “Proposed” 40 Sanctuary Sites.

Oakland also has placed size Limitations on Shelter “Footprint” of 12’x 12’. Not possible in most instances, too small. City demanding that ALL of ones possessions fit into that shelter.

EMP now BANS, Propane tanks, appliances, grills, heaters, lights from ALL sites at all times. With Winter coming, Administrators tell us to wear extra clothing to keep warm. Very Unreasonable!!! Solar is discouraged and out of most peoples ability to buy. People begin dying on the streets during the winter, this camp has lost 3 to FREEZING to DEATH.

I’ve been working tirelessly to turn this CRISIS around! My PATH Program (Permanent Access To Housing) addresses our CRISIS with proven solutions to the Affordable Housing Crisis everywhere. But, Mayor Schaaf and City Council Members are negligent in at least looking into these viable solutions that are working in other parts of our country. These Programs deal with all issues of Housing Affordability across every income level, including ZERO income.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/NRS3GBXpikg

Oakland City Council: Councilmember Loren Taylor Leads Passage Of Homeless Encampment Policy

October 21, 2020 by Councilmember Loren Taylor

Oakland Councilmember Loren Taylor District Six

Oakland – On Tuesday, October 20, 2020, the Oakland City Council unanimously passed its first Encampment Management Policy clarifying how it will ensure health and safety for those living in and around homeless encampments. As Chair of the Council’s Life Enrichment Committee, Councilmember Loren Taylor, guided the 8-month process for developing the policy which included broad engagement of diverse community stakeholders, including housed and unhoused residents, business and nonprofit leaders, public health professionals and city employees who have worked closely with the unhoused community. “I am grateful to the more than 1200 Oakland community members who contributed their ideas and perspectives throughout this process, ensuring that we live up to our values of compassion and equity while ensuring standards of health and safety that protect all Oaklanders,” Councilmember Taylor said.

The goal of the policy, presented by the City’s Homelessness Administrator Daryel Dunston, is to reduce the negative health and safety impacts associated with homeless encampments – for both unhoused and housed residents. Even though an administrative policy has existed since 2017, it was not formally reviewed nor adopted by the Council, leading many housed and unhoused Oakland residents to complain about the lack of transparency, inconsistent application of the policy, and mixed messages coming from different departments of the City.

As acknowledged by the over 150 public speakers during last night’s council meeting, the status quo has not worked, on the contrary it has allowed an increase in public health and safety issues including excessive fire hazards, confirmed cases of infectious diseases, excessive vermin vector hazards, excessive amounts of waste/garbage/debris, and pervasive criminal activities in and around encampments. “Residents of Oakland have been asking us to lead on this seemingly intractable issue and we finally have. I am grateful to all of my Council colleagues for their contributions to this policy and unanimous support to move forward in response to overwhelming community demand for action,” said Taylor.

Key aspects of the new policy include:

1. Identification of high and low sensitivity areas based on the likelihood of health and safety impacts, and it defines how the City will address unsafe conditions or activities while respecting the rights and needs of our unsheltered neighbors

2. Clarification of public health and safety standards that will be upheld for the well-being of encampment residents and their neighbors alike

3. Clarification of how we will work as hard as we can to provide health and hygiene supports, services, outreach and offers of shelter

The Encampment Management Policy was unanimously passed by the Council and the policy will be reviewed in four months.

Councilmember Loren Taylor represents Oakland Council District 6 and serves as the Chair of the Oakland City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee, as well as a Commissioner on the Youth Ventures Joint Powers Authority and the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Joint Powers Authority, and the Association of Bay Area Governments Executive Committee.

The Oakland City Council Votes To Oppose Proposition 22

October 21, 2020 by Rebecca Kaplan

Oakland — Today, the Oakland City Council unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Council member Rebecca Kaplan in Opposition of Proposition 22.

Oakland stands with app-based drivers, gig workers and communities statewide who want a fair playing field. The proposition, funded by a consortium of gig companies, would deny their employees the benefits to which California workers are entitled.

In addition, the supporters of Prop 22, Uber and Lyft among them, spent approximately $184 million dollars to flood the airwaves with political advertisements to deceive the public with false claims about what the proposition would do for drivers. These companies spent a significant amount of money trying to influence the course of election that could have instead been invested in the well-being of their drivers.

At the Council Meeting, several of the speakers during Public Comment made statements and urged the Council to support the resolution. Some speakers were drivers for one of the companies supporting Prop 22, they spoke passionately of her opposition to Prop 22 due to the lack of labor protections and the economic insecurity that comes with being a gig driver. Many expressed their solidarity with drivers and their opposition to Prop 22.

As the pandemic continues, it is as important as ever that workers’ rights are protected. These gig workers are essential workers, and we must do our best to ensure that they have the benefits they need and want.

Tonight, the Oakland City Council voted to Oppose Proposition 22. We took a stand against corporate bullies and for the labor rights of the countless people statewide who value truth and fairness.

Ex Oakland Coliseum JPA Boss Scott McKibben’s Plea Deal In Conflict-Of-Interest Case Covers For Board, City Attorney

March 15, 2022October 17, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

On Wednesday, Scott McKibben, now the former Executive Director of The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Joint Powers Authority and currently President Of The Oakland Panthers of The Indoor Football League, accepted a misdemeanor plea-bargain deal in the case where he was accused of violating a government law prohibiting self-dealing. The problem is, the case and the mainstream media reporting, masks a great deal of facts that, in total, show an organizational system beyond the control of McKibben, and where he was asked to be an actor in it, then burned by it.

Scott McKibben was accused of violating California Government Code Section 1090, which prohibits public officials and public employees from “making” public contracts in which they have a financial interest. The fact is, Scott was asked by the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Joint Powers Authority Board to secure a naming-rights marketing agreement with Ring Central. Scott was, contrary to the law, listed contractually as an independent consultant – just like the other marketing consulting firms the Coliseum JPA has hired over its existence, since its creation in 1996.

That Scott asked for, but did not receive, a $50,000 fee from a $4 million deal with Ring Central, should not have raised any eyebrows considering that the Coliseum JPA Board asked him to do the deal, he’s an independent contractor, and the City of Oakland and the County of Alameda at no point at all gave Scott any instructions regarding the law. Indeed, the persons who should have done that are Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker and Alameda County Counsel Donna Ziegler.

Moreover, the other persons who should have done that comprise the same Board of Directors of The Oakland Coliseum JPA, and many of whom are friends of mine, and should not have let Scott take a fall like that, and they know it. Folks like Alameda County Supervisors Scott Haggerty and Nate Miley, Oakland City Councilmembers Larry Reid and Loren Tayor, and JPA Commissioners Yui Hay Lee (famed Oakland architect), Ignacio De La Fuente (himself a former Oakland Councilmember), and Chris Dobbins (everyone’s favorite local lawyer), and Christine Smith, both who are no longer on the JPA Board.

And I add myself to that list, because, in 2019 for the NBA Finals Game 4, Scott gave me a ticket – way up in the damn rafters, but it was a ticket. When he invited me to visit the Coliseum JPA Box, my friend Chris was there, as was Barbara Parker, among others.

It’s no wonder that the law firm of Brown, White, and Osborn wrote “Government Code Section 1090, Prohibiting Conflicts of Interest, Is Now Even More of a Hazard For The Unwary.” (https://brownwhitelaw.com/government-code-section-1090-prohibiting-conflicts-of-interest-is-now-even-more-of-a-hazard-for-the-unwary/) Brown, White, and Osborn said:

“California Government Code Section 1090 (“Section 1090”) – which prohibits public officials and public employees from “making” public contracts in which they have a financial interest – is notoriously vague, broad, and malleable. Section 1090 provides that California’s elected and appointed public officials and public employees may not be “financially interested” in “any contract made by them in their official capacity. California courts have interpreted these terms broadly, making it dangerously easy to violate the statute without even knowing it. Most troublingly, Section 1090 does not require bad intent for a conviction or a fine. A public official, public agency, or employee may violate the statute if they act knowingly – that is, knowing about their financial interest and knowing what they are doing in connection with the contract – even if they don’t realize that their conduct is prohibited. In fact, because of that low general intent requirement, California courts have rejected the defense of “advice of counsel” or that they obtained prior approval from an attorney. In other words, a California official or employee might violate Section 1090 even if the public entity they work for, and its attorneys, told them that their conduct was lawful and not a violation of Section1090.

And in Scott McKibben’s case, no one told him about Section 1090 to start with. For Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley to seek to charge McKibben for a felony makes me wonder if her office was aware of how poorly the law was written and just decided to go ahead and go after Scott, anyway? And why? Well, to answer that question, read on.

The Warriors Playoffs And Coliseum Sports Ticket Distribution Scandal That Should Not Be, But Is

And in addition, the JPA Board was served by the Oakland Chief Administrator’s Office, and I attended a meeting where then Oakland Chief Administrator Sabrina Landreath served as the secretary for the meeting. But did you know Sabrina Landreath scored a Warriors playoff ticket valued at $5,000 in 2016? And did you know Yui Hay Lee was signed up for and received $35,000 in Warriors playoff tickets? And before you say Scott McKibben signed off on them, I instruct you to look online at the many Form 802 filings going back to 2016, because Councilmember Reid, and Yui Hay Lee signed off on some of them, too. http://oraclearena.s3.amazonaws.com/doc/OACCA-Form-802-May-2016-5576c104a9.pdf

And did you know Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker scored $840 worth of Oakland A’s tickets in 2016, as did my friend Coliseum JPA Commissioner Chris Dobbins? (And this is something Barbara Parker herself admits too, so there, but its wrong for some news media to blast Oakland Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney for the same perk that Barb Parker herself obviously enjoyed. Moreover, its wrong for Reid and Parker to make Scott McKibben look bad, when they could have defended him, and put him in the bad position to start with.)

Barbara Parker got $9,250 worth of Golden State Warriors regular season tickets for free, March 2016.

And I happened to randomly find that information about Yui Hay Lee in opening the link to the Form 802 page. I wasn’t going on a witch hunt against Yui Hay Lee (even though he did use part of my Oakland City Hall Plaza Design Concept I made at Skyline High School in 1979 for the actual plaza). I’m only demonstrating that the truth is the entire Coliseum JPA culture, and that of the City of Oakland and The County of Alameda, is to blame for what the Alameda County Coliseum District Attorney accused Scott of doing with respect to Ring Central. You can see all of the ticket request reports here: https://www.theoaklandarena.com/about-us/coliseum-authority/public-information

Now, I have long argued that the law should allow for public officials who run a giant sports complex should, to enjoy some small benefit of doing so, like occasionally scoring tickets to events – just don’t sell them. Look, how the heck is any official to see how their facility is managing a large sports event it that person can’t even attend the event? Logical, right?

Anyway, here’s a newsflash: doing that – getting sought-after-tickets – failed to become an big issue for years – or until The Golden State Warriors got real good at NBA Basketball. Prior to that, the Oakland Coliseum had not enjoyed a team that won so much, tickets to their playoff games were valued over gold.

Then, when Golden State became the daring of the NBA, those who did not score Warriors playoffs tickets and were somebodies, were railing over those who did – particularly public officials. Moreover, the public officials were getting seats so good that Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi wound up on national television during the 2016 NBA Finals.

And she too had an appetite for $8,650 worth of regular season Warriors tickets, all in March of 2016…

Then, while the Oakland Public Ethics Commission was formed in 1996, it did not became the new cultural tool for use against elected officials that the folks in control of it did not want to protect, until the last seven years. So, rather than defend themselves and explain the rationale for having tickets, the officials who were enjoying that ability to get tickets went into hiding.

And then had no problem trying to remove the one person they went to for tickets: Scott McKibben. Think about that. Rather than help their “ticket friend”, if you will, they stabbed him in the back, in my humble opinion.

The trouble with the mainstream media is its institutionally racist and when its not that, it’s myopic. One news organization was all too willing to try and take down Scott because some of its editors remember him from when he ran ANG Newspapers and they worked for him in the early 2000s. So, for them, making Scott look bad was a just reward for low pay they received as journalists, back then. Fact is, they did not tell you that, and it masks the truth I’m telling you. (And why I am a blogger and not a journalist.)

The real truth is that public governance in Oakland and in California has degenerated into a culture where someone is always looking to use poorly written California laws to take down someone else, for whatever reason. It chases away good people like Mr. McKibben, my friend who ran The Rose Bowl, and was the one reason the Oakland Coliseum managed to land rent agreements with the then-Oakland, now Las Vegas Raiders that put the organization in the black after years of red ink. And it covers up the truth: that when something like Warriors playoffs tickets are to be had, the culture will figure out a way for someone to land them, and then blast someone like Scott.

You know the saying that rules are made to be broken? Well, in California, the rules are made to be used against those people who were set up by others to break them. The Coliseum JPA Board of Directors set Scott McKibben up to fail, and is the worst for it.

Scott McKibben Was The Best Sports Business Negotiator In Oakland’s History

In Scott McKibben, the Coliseum JPA lost the best sports negotiator it ever had. And, starting in 1996 when I represented Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris as his Economic Advisor, I have worked with and advised to some extent all of them since 1996: Ezra Rapport, Denna McClain, Mark Kaufmann, Ann Haley, Doug Thornton, Denna McClain again, before Scott McKibben came in (and even though the original first choice was a former elected official who had zero experience in the business of sports).

Moreover, I defend Scott because he bailed out the City of Oakland’s 2005 Super Bowl Bid in May 10th of 2000. I was the head of the Super Bowl XXXIV Bidding Committee and Executive Director of the Oakland-Alameda County Sports Commission, which I formed in 1999.Paul Tagliabue, then The NFL Commissioner, had invited us to give a presentation at NFL Headquarters in New York. After showing up 20 minutes late, then-Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown left our meeting with then NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue early, and unexpectedly.

Commissioner Tagliabue, who budgeted two hours of his valuable time for us, was fuming.

Thus, we were left with just Scott McKibben and two other board members from the Oakland-Alameda County Sports Commission to be there, in addition to me, as head of the meeting. At the other side of the room and for the NFL were Tagliabue, Executive Vice President Of Football Operations Roger Goodell, then-NFL Head of Special Events and Mr. Super Bowl Jim Steeg, and then-head of NFL Legal Derrick Haggens, Jennifer Gonsalez, and Sue Robichek. Scott spoke up for the Oakland / East Bay business community and saved our meeting with Paul. A good thing, because Tagliabue was so upset over Jerry Brown’s actions, he threatened to stop the meeting. An action that would have killed our chances to land the Super Bowl Game.

Just 10 days after that meeting, The NFL selected Oakland as one of three finalist cities (the other two Jacksonville and Miami) for the right to host the 2005 Super Bowl. As then-Oakland District One Councilmember Jane Brunner told me later that year “none of us gave you a chance.” Ultimately, we lost to Jacksonville.

On the way to that NFL meeting, I had to create the damn Oakland sports commission from scratch, and because then Oakland City Attorney Jane Williams had stood in Oakland City Administrator Robert Bobb’s way (as did McClain) with roadblocks explaining why Oakland could not even do a bid! On top of that, the Coliseum was managed by SMG and Sally Roach, who, with Deena McClain, famously told Mr. Bobb that a former employee of the Coliseum I was working because he was the architect, had stolen the facility’s drawings. Everyone believed them but me. As I told Bobb then, how can we operate the Coliseum without the drawings? The whole claim just smelled bad to me.

So, I went on my own investigation and found the drawings (which we needed for our NFL Super Bowl Bid) via an engineer with HNTB in Marin County, Ca.. That same person then said “Sally Roach says you can’t have the drawings”! I hit the ceiling, called Robert Bobb, and Sally was removed from running the effort, and Bobb told her to work with me. I wanted her fired.

Point is, Oakland had many stories of people trying to stop other people from making government work for the people, and doing great things (take Phil Tagami, Insight Terminal Solutions, and the whole Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal coal issue, for example). Scott McKibben is the latest casualty in this.

Stay tuned.

Post script: The giant list of $139,013.50 worth of sports ticket issued by the Coliseum JPA and that (I was told by a source who does not wish to be named) claimed were approved by the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, but the docs show the Coliseum JPA did as well:

2016-137 events=$139,013.50 + ???

January-0 events

February-3 events=$2,500.00

02/06/2016-Warriors v OKC=$1,100.00

02/09/2016-Warriors v Rockets=$1,100.00

02/14/2016-Charlie Wilson Concert=$75.00 x 4

March-16 events=$13,074.00

03/01/2016-Warriors v Hawks= $700.00

03/03/2016-Warriors v OKC =$1,100.00

03/04/2016-Prince: Piano and a Microphone=$600.00 x 4= $2400.00

03/05/2016-Festival of Laughs Comedy Show=$93.00 x 4= $372.00

03/07/2016-Warriors v Orlando=$600.00

03/09/2016-Warriors v Jazz=$700.00

03/11/2016-Warrior v Portland=$600.00

03/12/2016-Warriors v Phoenix=$600.00

03/13/2016-Bruce Springsteen= $158.00 x 4= $632.00

03/14/2016-Warriors v New Orleans=$800.00

03/16/2016-Warrior v Knicks=$1,100.00

03/23/2016-Warriors v Clippers=$1,300.00

03/25/2016-Warriors v Mavericks=$700.00

03/26/2016-Andre Ward v. Sullivan Barrera=$105.00 x 4= $420.00

03/27/2016-Warriors v 76ers=$350.00

03/29/2016-Warrior v Wizards=$700.00

April-23 events=$20,608.50

04/01/2016-Warriors v Celtics= $700.00

04/02/2016-Oakland A’s= $112.50

04/03/2016-Warriors v Portland=$500.00

04/04/2016-Oakland A’s= $100.00

04/05/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/05/2016-Warriors v T’wolves=$600.00

04/06/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/07/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/07/2016-Warriors v Spurs=$1,200.00

04/10/2016-Carrie Underwood Concert= $134.00 x 4=$536.00

04/11/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/12/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/13/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/13/2016-Warriors v Memphis=$650.00

04/15/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/16/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/16/2016-Warriors v Rockets (Game 1)=$5,000.00

04/17/2016-Oakland A’s= $90.00

04/18/2016-Warriors v Rockets (Game 2) )=$5,000.00

04/23/2016-The Class Reunion Concert= $75.00 x 4= $300.00

04/27/2016-Warriors v Rockets (Game 3) )=$5,000.00

04/29/2016-Oakland A’s= $80.00

04/30/2016-Oakland A’s= $100.00

May-24 events=$37,568.00

05/01/2016-Warriors Playoffs=$5,000.00

05/02/2016-A’s v Seattle= $90.00

05/03/2016-Warriors Playoff)=$5,000.00

05/03/2016-A’s v Seattle= $80.00

05/04/2016-A’s v Seattle= $80.00

05/04/2016-Hill Song United= $32.50 x 4= $130.00

05/07/2016-Rihanna=$157.50 x 4 = $630.00

05/11/2016-Warriors Playoffs=$5,000.00

05/16/2016-Warriors Playoffs=$5,000.00

05/16/2016-A’s v Texas= $80.00

05/17/2016-A’s v Texas= $80.00

05/18/2016-Warriors Playoffs=$5,000.00

05/18/2016-A’s v Texas= $80.00

05/19/2016-A’s v NYY= $90.00

05/19/2016-The Who= $149.50 x 4= $598.00

05/20/2016-A’s v NYY= $100.00

05/21/2016-A’s v NYY= $100.00

05/22/2016-A’s v NYY= $100.00

05/26/2016-Warriors Playoffs=$5,000.00

05/28/2016-A’s v Detroit= $80.00

05/29/2016-A’s v Detroit= $90.00

05/30/2016-Warriors Playoffs=$5,000.00

05/30/2016-A’s v Detroit= $80.00

05/31/2016-A’s v Detroit= $80.00

June-17 events = $41,130.00

06/02/2016-Warriors v Cavaliers=$10,000.00

06/05/2016-Warriors v Cavaliers=$10,000.00

06/08/2016-Warriors Watch Party=$20.00

06/10/2016-Warriors Watch Party=$20.00

06/12/2016-KMEL Summer Jam=$62.50 x 4= $250.00

06/13/2016-A’s v Texas= $80.00

06/13/2016-Warriors v Cavaliers=$10,000.00

06/14/2016- A’s v Texas= $80.00

06/15/2016- A’s v Texas= $80.00

06/16/2016-Warriors Watch Party=$20.00

06/17/2016- A’s v Angels= $90.00

06/19/2016-Warriors v Cavaliers=$10,000.00

06/19/2016- A’s v Angels= $90.00

06/21/2016- A’s v Brewers= $80.00

06/22/2016- A’s v Brewers= $80.00

06/29/2016- A’s v Giants= $120.00

06/30/2016- A’s v Giants= $120.00

July-11 events = $1,080.00

07/01/2016-A’s v Pittsburg= $90.00

07/02/2016-A’s v Pittsburg= $90.00

07/03/2016-A’s v Pittsburg= $80.00

07/09/2016-Louis C.K.= $60.00 x 4+ $240.00

07/15/2016-A’s v Toronto= $80.00

07/17/2016-A’s v Toronto= $90.00

07/18/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

07/19/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

07/20/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

07/21/2016-A’s v Tampa Bay= $80.00

07/23/2016-A’s v Tampa Bay= $90.00

August-11 events = $2,962.00 + ?

08/02/2016-Adele= $274.00 x 4 = $1,096.00

08/03/2016-Dream Team= $156.50 x 4 = $626.00

08/05/2016-A’s v Cubs= $90.00

08/06/2016-Andre Ward v. Alexander Brand= $165.00 x 4 = $660.00

08/07/2016-A’s v Cubs= $90.00

08/08/2016-A’s v Orioles= $80.00

08/11/2016-A’s v Orioles= $80.00

08/14/2016-A’s v Mariners= $80.00

08/22/2016-A’s v Cleveland= $80.00

08/23/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

08/27/2016-Raiders v Titans = ?

September-18 events= $2,821.00 + ??

09/01/2016-Raiders v Seahawks=?

09/02/2016-A’s v Boston= $90.00

09/03/2016-A’s v Boston= $90.00

09/04/2016-A��s v Boston= $90.00

09/05/2016-A’s v Angels= $90.00

09/06/2016-A’s v Angels= $80.00

09/07/2016-A’s v Angels= $80.00

09/09/2016-A’s v Seattle= $80.00

09/11/2016-A’s v Seattle= $80.00

09/15/2016-Black Sabbath= $205.00 x 4 = $820.00

09/18/2016-Raiders v Falcons= ?

09/19/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

09/20/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

09/21/2016-A’s v Houston= $80.00

09/24/2016-A’s v Texans= $90.00

09/24/2016-Sonu Nigam & Atif= $88.00 x 4 = $352.00

09/25/2016-A’s v Texans= $90.00

09/30/2016-Bad Boys Concert= $137.25 x 4 = $549.00

October-10 events= $6,623.00+ ??

10/01/2016-Sia=$149.50 x 4 = $598.00

10/04/2016-Warriors v Clippers= $675.00 x 4 = $268.00

10/07/2017-Dixie Chicks=$89.50 x 4 = $358.00

10/09/2016-Raiders v San Diego= ?

10/10/2016-WWE Raw=$99.75 x 4 = $399.00

10/14/2016-Golden State Music Fest=136.50 x 4 = $546.00

10/16/2016-Raiders v Kansas City=?

10/21/2016-Warriors v Trail Blazers= $675.00 x 4 + $2,700.00

10/25/2016-Warriors v Spurs= $1,350.00

10/26/2016-Disney on Ice= $50.50 x 8 = $404.00

November-0 events

December-4 events= $10,657.00

12/03/2016-Warriors v Suns= $1,000.00 x 4 = $4,000.00

12/18/2016-KMEL Hip Hop Holiday House of Soul= $125.00 x 4 = $500.00

12/24/2016-Raiders v Colts= $275.00 x 4 = $1,357.00

12/30/2016-Warrior v Mavericks= $1,200.00 x 4 = $4,800.00

Here’s the record of who approved what tickets; there are 62 results:

OACCA-Form-802-March-2016-8… by Zenophon Zennie Abraham

Moms 4 Housing Now A Community & Land Trust-Owned Home – Oakland Councilmember Bas

October 17, 2020 by Nikki Fortunato Bas

Nikki Bas Oakland City Council District Two Councilmember

Oakland District Two Councilmember Nikki Bas’ Digitized Newsletter

Last week, I was so moved to see #MomsHouse on Magnolia Street finally become community-owned as permanently affordable, transitional housing for unsheltered mothers.

Congratulations to Dominique Walker, Tolani King, Misty Cross, Sameerah Karim and Carroll Fife for leading this movement to end corporate speculation and house more Oaklanders. I am proud to have stood with them over the last year to call attention to making housing a human right, together with Council President Rebecca Kaplan, Councilmember Dan Kalb and Assemblymember Rob Bonta.

Sustainable, Healthy Use of Lake Merritt – Lake Merritt Vending Pilot Program Update

Coming out of the second weekend of our Lake Merritt Vending Pilot Program, we were excited to be joined by Parks and Recreation Advisory Commissioner Dwayne Aikens, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kev Choice, the Oakland Black Vendors Association and neighbors to:

• Promote health and safety during COVID-19,
• Support struggling small businesses and entrepreneurs in this difficult time, and
• Ensure sustainable, equitable and inclusive long-term use of the Lake.

This pilot program for merchandise vendors will take place through November 22nd on El Embarcadero and along Lakeshore to Beacon from 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
This weekend, Community Ready Corps (CRC) will be joining the pilot to promote public health during COVID. Volunteers will distribute COVID kits that have face masks, hand sanitizer and gloves to help promote compliance with the County Health Order.

My team is grateful for the collaboration of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC), the Oakland Black Vendors Association, James “Old School” Copes, city departments, and the community to ensure access, safety and equity at the Lake for everyone in our city.

This is what an Oakland for all of us means to me — working with a coalition of diverse stakeholders to ensure the Lake, as our city’s pride, is an enjoyable public space that each of us can use.

TUESDAY 10/20: Oakland City Council Meeting Preview Homeless Encampment Management Policy and Community Safety

Tuesday, October 20th’s 1:30pm City Council meeting will include the following important agenda items:

Item 6: COVID-19 Emergency Response And The Creation Of Clean Air Buildings For Use Of The Community During The COVID-19 Shelter In Place Emergency.

Thanks to our awesome District 2 constituent and outgoing Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Council Co-Chair Rachel Broadwin for introducing us to Dr. Rupa Basu, Section Chief for the Air and Climate Epidemiology Section of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment at CalEPA. At our September Council meeting, I expressed concern that our air quality and temperature triggers were too high to fully protect the health and safety of our most vulnerable residents. At my urging, our Fire Department staff met with Dr. Basu to discuss recommendations for activating extreme weather Emergency Respite Centers (ERC) in Oakland. As an outcome of the conversation and further discussions with internal stakeholders and community feedback, the activation triggers for the City of Oakland have been lowered to an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200 – Very Unhealthy (versus what was previously 250) and temperatures forecasted to reach/exceed 95 degrees for 2 consecutive days or 100 degrees in one day. We are grateful for Dr. Basu and Rachel’s important expertise as we navigate these challenging times!

Item 7: Gun Violence Top Law Enforcement Priority resolution from President Kaplan to prioritize the decrease in illegal guns and gun violence by increasing gun tracing, improving response time to shooting notifications, and prioritizing response to gun crime.

Item 8: Homeless Encampment Management resolution, which proposes to designate priority areas for encampment management and outlines actions including the criteria for assessing what locations will be prioritized for enforcement or other homelessness interventions from the city.

Item 14: Adopt either the resolution proposed by the Oakland Police Commission or Oakland Police Department banning the carotid restraint and all forms of asphyxia.

Item 16: I’m co-sponsoring with President Kaplan, a resolution Terminating the Oakland Police Department’s Participation In The Joint Terror Task Force to ensure compliance with our local and state laws and focus on threats based on evidence, not bias or racial profiling.

See details to join the meeting and provide public comment. You can also share e-comments here.

TUESDAY 10/27: Community & Economic Development Meeting – Impact Fees, Economic Recovery Recommendations

On Tuesday October 27th at 1:30pm, the Community and Economic Development Committee will discuss two important items:

Item 2: Informational report on Impact Fees for Affordable Housing, Jobs/Housing, and Transportation and Capital Improvements, and
Item 3: Informational report on the Economic Recovery Council’s Draft Recommendations.

Oakland Workers, Know Your Rights! COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave

Thank you to East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) for creating Know Your Rights materials on the emergency protections for Oakland workers passed by Council earlier this summer, which I was proud to co-sponsor.

The City’s Emergency Paid Sick Leave policy requires certain employers to provide leave to workers who test positive for COVID-19, present symptoms, are caring for family members who were exposed or present symptoms, or are at high risk from an infection. Check out and share the flyers in English and Spanish so that Oakland workers are aware of their rights!

City of Oakland; District 2 News and Resources
County Reopening Updates, Small Biz Legal Support, Grants for Home-Based Business

New County Health Orders Allow Additional Business Operations: Effective October 9, Alameda County now allows: hotels & lodging for tourism with their fitness centers and indoor pools restricted; museums, zoos & aquariums indoors at < 25% capacity; personal care services indoors with modification (services requiring removal of face covering still prohibited); gyms and fitness centers indoors at < 10% capacity with restrictions on aerobic exercise and classes. While the update allows partial reopening of libraries, Oakland Public LIbrary will remain closed for indoor services until plans are in place for safely reopening the buildings.

Beginning Friday, October 16, Alameda County will permit additional outdoor activities, including playgrounds, that follow the State’s guidance. Additionally, Alameda County is preparing to update the local Health Officer Orders to permit additional activities during the week of October 26. These activities will include: indoor dining up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less; indoor worship services up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less; indoor theaters up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less; expansion of indoor retail and malls at up to 50% of capacity and permitting limited food courts.

County Guidance on Safe Halloween Practices: Bay Area health officials recently released guidance on how to celebrate Halloween and Dia de los Muertos safely. Gatherings, celebrations, events or parties with non-household members are not permitted unless conducted in compliance with local and state health orders. Please avoid participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door and do not have trunk-or-treat where treats are handed from car trunks lined up in large parking lots.

Many traditional Halloween celebrations, such as parties and door-to-door trick-or-treating, pose a high risk of spreading COVID-19 and are strongly discouraged by CDPH
Not only do traditional celebrations pose a spread risk, they would also result in great difficulty in conducting appropriate contact tracing
Local Health Departments may have additional, more stringent restrictions
CDPH recommends that families begin planning for safer alternatives.

Legal Help for Oakland Small Businesses with Lease Negotiations: Oakland has allocated $150,000 of California CARES funding to the nonprofit Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the SF Bay Area to provide legal advice and assistance on lease negotiations to small businesses that have suffered revenue losses due to COVID-19. Business owners can access these free, multilingual legal services here, such as commercial leasing webinars through mid-December, 1:1 one-hour consultations and longer-term assistance which may include lease negotiation, pre-litigation and settlement negotiations or representation in a court proceeding.

$2-4K Grants for Home-Based Businesses: Income from a home-based business is often a big source of household income for our city’s entrepreneurs. The Oakland CARES Act Home-Based Business Grant program will distribute $500,000 to home-based, for-profit businesses. Apply here by 11:59pm on Monday, November 2 in 4 languages. Priority will be given to businesses representing a broad geographic diversity in Oakland, especially those located in low-income areas or otherwise historically vulnerable communities; those who have received $4,000 or less in funding from the Paycheck Protection Program; and those with annual gross business revenue under $150,000.

Several Grants Extended:

The Oakland CARES Act Small Business Grant Program will accept applications until 5 p.m. on Friday, October 23. This program will provide $10,000 grants to qualifying Oakland small businesses that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and have gross revenues under $2 million. Online applications and eligibility requirements in four languages are available at: mainstreetlaunch.org/oakland-cares-act-grant/
The application deadline for the Oakland CARES Nonprofit Grant Fund has been extended to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. This program will award grants of up to $25,000 to qualifying community-serving nonprofits with annual budgets of less than $1 million that address the impact of COVID-19 and the needs of low-income residents and businesses in the following areas: Health & Human Services; Economic & Workforce Development; Legal Support; Food Security; Homeless and Renter Support Services; and Education. Online applications and eligibility requirements are available at: communityvisionca.org/oaklandcares/

The application deadline for the Oakland CARES Fund for Artists and Arts Nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 has been extended to 1pm Friday, October 23. The program will distribute awards of up to $20,000 to arts nonprofits with annual budgets of less than $2.5M, while supporting individual artists with grants of up to $3,000 each. Learn more here.

Oakland Parks & Recreation Foundation’s 1st Citywide Parks Workshop: Whether you’re an experienced community leader or a new volunteer, join this free workshop taking place on Saturday, November 14, from 9:00am to 1:00pm to collaborate and learn about strategies and tools to improve Oakland parks. Learn more and register here.

East Bay Community Energy’s Resilient Home Program: Oakland has partnered with nonprofit public electricity provider East Bay Community Energy to launch a solar + battery backup program for homeowners. EBCE has partnered with Sunrun to provide no-cost / obligation-free consultations and will provide a proposal for your consideration. If you decide to move forward, there is a $1,250 incentive to homeowners that enroll their battery in the program and share power with EBCE during peak times when there isn’t a power outage. Since launch in August, nearly 700 homeowners countywide have registered for consultations. Sign up for your consultation and learn more at upcoming webinars.
Voting Reminders
Vote Early!

Given the pandemic and the threats to our democracy, please vote early. All registered voters will be sent an absentee ballot automatically to limit COVID exposure. You must register to vote to receive an absentee ballot!

You can vote in person or drop off your ballot at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters: 1225 Fallon Street, Room G1, Oakland, or put it into one of the official, free 24-hour drop boxes anytime by November 3rd 8pm. If you use a USPS mailbox, postage is free, and it’s critical to vote early!

You can also sign up to track your ballot.

October 19th is the last day for regular online voter registration.
October 20th – November 3rd, you can do same day voter registration.

On November 3rd, you can vote in person or drop your ballot off at your polling place by 8pm.

With many measures on the ballot, my go-to guides are Oakland Rising’s Voter Guide and the CA AAPI Voting Guide in seven AAPI languages.

With Oakland Love,

Nikki Fortunato Bas
Councilmember, City of Oakland, District 2

Oakland Community Leaders Speak Up With Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan: Press Conference

October 17, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Community Leaders Speak Up With Kaplan: Press Conference 10/5/2020
From YouTube Channel: October 6, 2020 at 10:58PM

ONN – Oakland Community Leaders Speak Up With Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan: Press Conference

Rebecca Kaplan is joined by Community Leaders speaking out against the attempt by wealthy corperations to buy our elections in Oakland and in California. With the recent big money attacks against Kaplan by Lyft, community leaders stand in solidarity and in support for Kaplan’s re-election for the Oakland At-Large Council seat, and also for the importance of voting NO on Prop 22.

Speakers in order of appearance:
Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan
Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez
Assemblymember Ash Kalra
Labor Leader Art Pulaski
Candidate for Oakland City Council District 3 Carroll Fife
VP Alameda Labor Council Gary Jimenez
Sierra Club Representative Igor Tregub
OUSD Board District 1 Candidate Sam Davis
OUSD Board District 3 Candidate VanCedric Williams

Press Conference held Monday October 5, 2020 via Zoom.

kaplanforoakland.org

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtOaOeJRVHQ

Elias Ferran 2020 Oakland City Attorney Candidate Interview On Zennie62 YouTube

October 15, 2020October 15, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Elias Ferran 2020 Oakland City Attorney Candidate Interview On Zennie62 YouTube
From Zennie62 YouTube Channel: October 14, 2020 at 03:24AM

ONN – Elias Ferran 2020 Oakland City Attorney Candidate Interview On Zennie62 YouTube

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymT3TCuI0Sg

Rep Barbara Lee Issues Statement On Nov 2020 Endorsements Counters Oakland Mayor Schaaf Voting Guide

October 15, 2020October 14, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Rep Barbara Lee Issues Statement On Nov 2020 Endorsements Counters Oakland Mayor Schaaf Voting Guide

ONN – Rep Barbara Lee Issues Statement On Nov 2020 Endorsements Counters Oakland Mayor Schaaf Voting Guide

I received an email that contained a statement from U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and here’s the text, verbatim:

Statement regarding Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Endorsements for the November 2020 Election

Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s campaign released the following statement today regarding Rep. Lee’s endorsements in the 2020 election.

“Congresswoman Barbara Lee has not endorsed any candidate running for the Oakland City Council, nor has she endorsed any candidate running for the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees. Any reference to Congresswoman Lee on a voter guide or slate card endorsing Councilmembers or Trustees, or any reference to prior Congressional recognition by any of the candidates or the candidates’ supporters, is inappropriate and misleading and should not be viewed as an endorsement in any form.”

For a list of Congresswoman Lee’s official endorsements please see below:

President & Vice President: Joe Biden & Kamala Harris

Yes on 15; Schools and Communities First

Yes on 16: Opportunity for All

Yes on 17: Free the Vote

Yes on 18: Vote for Our Future

No on 20: Stop the Prison Spending Scam

Yes on 21 : Keep Families in Their Homes

No on 22: Protect Drivers and Customers

Yes on 25: End Money Bail

Yes on Measure SS: Oakland Police Accountability

Yes on Measure II: Berkeley Police Accountability

Yes on Measure Z: For an Inclusive, Affordable, and Livable Alameda

Yes on QQ: A Vote for Oakland Youth

The statement is a direct counter to this paragraph by Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf in Oakland News Now, here: https://oaklandnewsnowblog.com/oakland-mayor-schaaf-picks-lynette-gibson-mcelhaney-treva-reid-more-in-2020-voters-guide/u-s-news/13/10/2020/63626/

…and from her letter that’s a voting guide:

“I’m also super passionate about electing Derreck Johnson for At-Large City Council – as is Kamala Harris. A 3rd-generation, gay, African American Oaklander raised by a single mother in the Acorn housing projects, he graduated from an HBCU and started House of Chicken & Waffles in Jack London Square, where 70% of employees have been formerly incarcerated. He’s the former Chair of Oakland’s Workforce Development Board and in 2012 Congresswoman Barbara Lee presented him with the City of Oakland’s Citizen Humanitarian Award. His life experiences are particularly needed as Oakland meets this moment to advance racial justice and help our economy recover.”

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

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Nov 2020 Election: Candidate Forum Oakland City Council District 7

October 13, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Nov 2020 Election: Candidate Forum Oakland City Council District 7
From YouTube Channel: October 10, 2020 at 06:11PM
ONN –

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffQyD5V0cPE

Nov 2020 Election: Candidate Forum Oakland City Council District 5

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Nov 2020 Election: Candidate Forum Oakland City Council District 5
From YouTube Channel: October 1, 2020 at 11:56PM

ONN – Nov 2020 Election: Candidate Forum Oakland City Council District 5

Hear the candidates for Oakland City Council District 5 speak about their plans and approach for the seat.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z53TsGr5was

Oakland City Council Candidates Forum

October 13, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Oakland City Council Candidates Forum
From YouTube Channel: October 12, 2020 at 10:43AM
ONN – The Forum is being hosted by the NAACP and the Faith Community and covers all districts. Come join us in engaging with the candidates who are vying for our vote to become the next District City Council Person

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2gr_Wfwhog

Oakland Mayor Schaaf Picks Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Treva Reid, More, In 2020 Voters Guide

October 24, 2020October 13, 2020 by Libby Schaaf

LIBBY’S ELECTION GUIDE

Dear Oaklanders,

Earlier this week, I ended my 2020 State of the City address by recognizing that this November’s election is so consequential it could chart a new path for our state and our nation. I meant it.

I hope you’re as fired up as I am about this Presidential race, and how proud we can all be to vote for native Oaklander Kamala Harris for Vice President along with Joe Biden.

If you want to help turn out voters in critical states it is easier than ever to do right from home. Check out these easy phone banking options with SwingLeft or Indivisible. If you’re too shy to phone bank, www.voteforward.org is an easy way to send personalized, nonpartisan letters out to simply encourage folks to vote.

And there are some transformational California Measures on the 2020 ballot! I’m most excited to vote for Schools & Communities First – Prop 15! It will close corporate property tax loopholes to reclaim nearly $12 billion every year for schools and vital services for our local communities, while protecting residential properties and small businesses. (In fact, with Prop 19 seniors and disaster survivors will have more residential property tax protections than they have today). We also need Prop 16 to pass, so we can consider diversity and racial equity in public decisions and level the playing field. And to advance criminal justice reform, vote for Props 17 & 25 and against Prop 20.

I’m also super passionate about electing Derreck Johnson for At-Large City Council – as is Kamala Harris. A 3rd-generation, gay, African American Oaklander raised by a single mother in the Acorn housing projects, he graduated from an HBCU and started House of Chicken & Waffles in Jack London Square, where 70% of employees have been formerly incarcerated. He’s the former Chair of Oakland’s Workforce Development Board and in 2012 Congresswoman Barbara Lee presented him with the City of Oakland’s Citizen Humanitarian Award. His life experiences are particularly needed as Oakland meets this moment to advance racial justice and help our economy recover.

Since Oakland created the At-Large seat 40 years ago, it has never been held by an African American. Its current incumbent Rebecca Kaplan has made budget proposals deemed “reckless” and “designed to appease special interests.” She tried to kill Oakland’s Department of Transportation, which not only is fixing Oakland’s broken and dangerous streets, but is nationally recognized for its commitment to equity. And the East Bay Express criticized her for a “shady political campaign” and “poor decision-making” which “raises concerns about her ethics.”
Here’s my complete Voter’s Guide:
I’m supporting all of Oakland’s Congressional, State and Special District Board incumbents, with the exception of challenger Jean Walsh for AC Transit.

Here’s where I stand on State & Local Propositions & Measures:
Yes on Prop 14 to expand stem cell research.
Yes on Prop 15 to permanently increase public school and local services funding by closing a big corporate property tax loophole.
Yes on Prop 16 so our public institutions can consider diversity and racial equity in our work to lift-up ALL Californians.
Yes on Prop 17 to restore the right to vote for parolees.
Yes on Prop 18 to let 17 year-olds vote in primaries if they’ll be 18 before the general election.
Yes on Prop 19 to allow seniors, people with disabilities and disaster survivors to maintain their tax base on a replacement home.
NO on Prop 20 sentencing reform rollback because over-incarceration don’t work.
Yes on Prop 21 to expand rent control options for cities.
NO on Prop 22 to protect new hard-earned rights for gig workers.
Yes on Prop 23 to improve standard of care at Dialysis Centers.
You decide Prop 24 RE: Consumer Privacy. There are pros & cons.
Yes on Prop 25 to end the unjust money bail system.
Yes on Measure V to extend a utility tax on unincorporated Alameda County for their services.
Yes on Measure W to increase sales tax by a half-cent to fund county services, especially public health and homelessness.
Yes on Measure Y to upgrade & repair our classrooms.
Yes on Measure QQ to allow youth to vote for School Board members.
Yes on Measure RR to allow city fines to exceed $1000.
Yes on Measure S1 to strengthen Oakland’s Police Commission.

Oakland City Council Races

You know I love Oakland. Please trust my careful assessments in these Oakland City Council Races:

At-Large: Derreck Johnson – deeply-rooted Oaklander and small business & workforce leader made for this moment.
District 1: Dan Kalb – ethical, progressive hard-working legislator and environmental champion.
District 3: Lynette Gibson McElhaney – grieving mother & grandmother herself, a powerful advocate for violence prevention & community development.
District 5: Noel Gallo – with deep roots & decades of public service, a tireless worker for clean streets and public education.
District 7: Treva Reid – East Oakland couldn’t ask for a more competent, deeply experienced & compassionate new leader. Marchon Tatmon has my #2 for his Budget Advisory Commission & homeless services experience.

Oakland School Board

You know I’m passionate about public education and OUSD’s success. Please support these Oakland School Board candidates:

District 1: Austin Dannhaus – former teacher, focused on educational equity, quality schools for all students and results; Board and finance experience critical for during this time. Sam Davis has my #2 due to his past experience with families in Oakland and commitment to dialogue.
District 3: Maiya Edgerly and Mark Hurty (Dual Endorsement)-
*Maiya-founder of an non-profit that supports students to get into HBCUs, that is aligned with Oakland Promise’s vision to support students be first in their family to complete college.
*Mark-former Oakland teacher, passionate about educational equity; kind and open to dialogue, presently helping to lead an non-profit aligned with #OaklandUndivided’s vision to close the digital divide.
District 5 – Leroy Gaines and Jorge Lerma (Dual Endorsement)-
*Leroy- a former teacher and OUSD principal for >10 years – selected OUSD principal of the year, kind, demonstrated leadership, strong relationships with educators, students & families, history of results.
*Jorge- a former Oakland teacher, principal and leader for decades, founded Latino Education Network; a gentle soul, committed to equity, pre-K, K12 experience, and a champion of Oakland Promise.
District 7: Cliff Thompson -a teacher and principal for >40 years with deep roots, Oakland education experience; kind soul who cares deeply for equity & quality schools for all students, demonstrated leadership.

So much is at stake this election! As I said in my State of the City, we must vote — and volunteer — like our lives depend on it.

With Love for Oakland & Democracy,
Libby

Michelle Dione Snider, You Rep Oakland Post, A Black News Site, Yet Blast Me For Pointing Out Racism

October 12, 2020October 11, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Michelle Dione Snider, You Rep Oakland Post, A Black News Site, Yet Blast Me For Pointing Out Racism

ONN – Michelle Dione Snider, You Rep Oakland Post, A Black News Site, Yet Blast Me For Pointing Out Racism

Michelle Dione Snider is the Associate Editor of the Oakland Post, and even though we’ve never actually met or talked on the phone, was a friend of the Facebook variety. She’s best known as the person who made the famous BBQ Becky video from 2018. With that, I believed she was sensitive to racism against blacks in America. Apparently, and shockingly, I learned I am mistaken.

For reasons best known to her, Michelle elected to get on Facebook and attack me for pointing out that an Oaklandside entry on Oakland City Council Race At-Large Candidate Derreck Johnson explaining that he filed for bankruptcy while running his business was racist. As I said before, it tried to make him look bad in an area that’s the focus of many black business problems: being under-capitalized. I do not support Derreck Johnson’s run against my friend Oakland At Large Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, but that does not mean I’m going to sit by and watch an attack I view as racist from my own experience as a black man in America.

But, even though Michelle Dione represents The Oakland Post, a black news website and news paper, she just decided to attack me on Facebook, and say “That’s a non-profit journalism organization”, as if that buys Oaklandside the place to be unassailable. Then, she went off and accused me of making bots to inflate my web traffic. That, right there, showed me she has no idea how the web works. And she’s trying to put me in the typically racist place of being the black guy who does something criminal. On top of that, she obviously has no respect for what I’ve done for The Oakland Post over the years.

If you go and look at the sidebar for Oakland News Now, you will see that Post Newsgroup Publisher and friend Paul Cobb is presented as a special person, and because he is. Paul Cobb can say that he knew Martin Luther King, Jr. In fact, Paul and I talked about that in 2007. Have a look:

Also, in 2016, I was hired to boost The Oakland Post website’s traffic and also correct a vast number of problems. The Oakland Post was not on key news aggregators (and now it’s not, again after my work to put it back on them), and did not understand how to use basic search engine optimization practices. I boosted The Oakland Post web traffic by as much as 300 percent. Now, if Michelle Dione thinks I make traffic bots, as she claims, then one would think she would be happy I used them to help the The Oakland Post, right? What a riot!

Michelle must understand that she can’t represent a black news organization and have white sensibilities. Media is the last bastion of white supremacy. For Michelle to throw the typical “they’re better than you” and “what you do is criminal” take on me, begs for a fight I’m happy to wage. I’m sick and tired of institutional racism. I will not put up with it. And for a person who represent a black news organization, and yet is white and seems to have little sensitivity at all to racist images in media, is all kinds of wrong – it’s racist. I am not saying a person has to be black to recognize racism in media, but I am saying one can’t say they represent a black media publication, yet are demonstrably blind to see racism in media.

As an update, another colleague who’s with the The Oakland Post, also white and female, also took to Mark Zuckerberg’s site to attack me, and this time for the post you’re reading. That both can’t at all see what racism in media looks like is sad, but even sadder is they are allowed to present such a problem of blindness to racist media images and stories while representing a black-owned publication. (And it’s even more disturbing to see a black person in media advance such classic institutional racism).

I fear for Oakland’s future because it points to an environment where any black person who points to institutional racism draws a white-led attack on their point of view, rather than any desire to want to see change.

I am not expecting an apology. I am very disappointed to learn that, all of this time, Michelle has issues, personal issues, with me. And I’ve never met her.

In closing, I add these words from one of my favorite songs, Private Idaho by The B-52’s, and it is a message for Michelle, and the obviously racially unsympathetic view she expressed:

Keep off the path, beware of the gate
Watch out for signs that say “hidden driveways”
Don’t let the chlorine in your eyes
Blind you to the awful surprise
That’s been waitin’ for you at
The bottom of the bottomless blue, blue, blue pool
You’re livin’ in your own Private Idaho, Idaho
You’re out of control, the rivers that roll
You fell into the water and down to Idaho
Get out of that state
Get out of the state you’re in
You better beware

According to Songfacts, “In this song, the fine state of Idaho is used to represent a case of paranoia – the lyrics “get out of that state” meaning to get out of that state of mind.” What I am pointing to is a state of mind that protects the idea that white-ran traditional media is beyond reproach.

And now, I think I’ll close with this fun addition, and because we need a giant dose of levity, with some mix of irony:

Stay tuned.

Zennie

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/kfKWdK7fbfc

Re-Elect Rebecca Kaplan Over Sidebotham, Johnson For Oakland City Council At-Large In 2020

October 14, 2020October 10, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Rebecca Kaplan Oakland City Council At-Large

In the 2020 Oakland Elections, Oakland City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan is facing a major challenge from friend and perennial campaigner Nancy Sidebotham, and newcomer Derreck Johnson.

Nancy is an incredible member of the Oakland political world, but her main advantage is in pointing out problems, less than offering solutions. I like Derreck Johnson, and his run represents a need for more black male participation in Oakland politics. That said, he has no previous Oakland political experience at all, and no knowledge of municipal governance. As much as his efforts and his errors in business are good teachers for him, and for anyone entering politics, and draw media racism he’s not ready to lead Oakland at this point in time, Moreover, he’s the latest manchurian candidate offered up by my godsister Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Libby should just work to make friends with Rebecca. I’ve said that before, I’ll say it again.

Anyway, when I think of Rebecca, I think of what I contend is her signature, lasting effort. The one that shows good Oakland City Council work in action: The Broadway Free Transit Shuttle that’s now an Oakland institution.

I also think of the many ideas she’s formed to help Oakland’s budget, as well as the many, many small efforts she has made to ease the lives of Oaklanders. It does not matter if it’s a City Council motion that passes, or co-authoring legislation to get Oakland’s speeding problem under control, the fact is, the total number of legal changes she has made for Oaklanders has not been effectively chronicled. The point is, experience matters.

The Oakland City Council faces the very real prospect of having a membership consisting of no one with over one year of experience. And that’s in the middle of a Pandemic. Rebecca must be re-elected to assure the maintenance of institutional memory, so that current political biases don’t cause a misunderstanding, and there fore a mishandling, of government. How to work with Oakland City Staff is more important than anything. Hiring the right people to represent the councilmember is equally more important than anything. We’re in the dark with Derreck Johnson, and even my friend Nancy Sidebotham – but not with Rebecca Kaplan, the Oakland City Council President.

With all of that, why is Rebecca opposed? Well, I will say that she gained the backing of the Democratic Party, as well as a list of notables the party pointed to: “SEIU Local 1021, the Sierra Club, Block by Block Organizing Network (BBON), Former State Assemblyman Sandre Swanson, California Nurses Association (CNA), Firefighters Local 55, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, Black Women Organized for Political Action PAC, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Alameda Labor Council, Alameda County Building Trades Council, Sprinkler Fitters Local 483, Former Mayor Elihu Harris, Vice Mayor Larry Reid, President Pro Tem Dan Kalb, Councilmembers Sheng Thao, Nikki Fortunato-Bas and Noel Gallo, Oakland Port Commissioner Michael Colbruno, Founder of She the People Aimee Allison, Pastor J. Alfred Smith Sr., Reverend Harold Mayberry, California Young Democrats National Committee Representative Igor Tregub, Cat Brooks, and many more endorsing Rebecca Kaplan.”

I add myself to that list, and I am proud to endorse my long time friend. Rebecca and I have three things in common: first, we’re both ostracized to some extent for being ourselves, me as a straight, black, tech-oriented guy with a Jewish last name who “talks white”, she for being butch lesbian and Jewish. Then, we’re both urban planning and economics grad school grads from MIT for her and Berkeley for me, and we both love Oakland.

Vote for Rebecca Kaplan.

Oaklandside’s Attack On Derreck Johnson In Oakland City Council Race Was Racist – UPDATE

December 5, 2022October 10, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Oaklandside’s Attack On Derreck Johnson In The Oakland City Council Race Was Racist

ONN – Oaklandside’s Attack On Derreck Johnson In The Oakland City Council Race Was Racist

The Oaklandside, a new online publication by the person who owns Berkeleyside and that has a $3 million grant from Google, owes Derreck Johnson, a candidate in the Oakland City Council race for the At-Large Seat occupied by Rebecca Kaplan (who I endorsed), an apology (and just maybe a chunk of that 3 million). It’s recent post attacking him for filing bankruptcy was nothing short of racist in my view as an Oakland black media entrepreneur in the time of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

UPDATE: As I wrote here, this must be reported:

In this case, some who are white, just could not accept that my actions were out of anger for the racist Oaklandside post, and first assumed that I was backing Derreck Johnson, when I openly said I was supporting Rebecca Kaplan, and then, on their own, guessed that Derreck, Mayor Schaaf, and I all went to Skyline High School together.

When a friend of mine who’s white texted me with that question about Skyline High School (where I am Class of 80 and Libby is Class of 1981), I called and let him know how upset with him I was. I said “You can’t accept the fact that my concern for what was written about him was purely because I perceived it as racist, huh? Do you realize that’s racist?”

As my friend is prone to do, he laughs nervously and tries to change the subject, but this time I kept focus. The problem was the Oaklandside post was truly institutionally racist, and it doesn’t matter what a person thinks to the contrary, even if they’re black. In Oakland, too many of us black folks are too willing to put down someone else black anyway – it’s a crabbarrel problem of massive proportions that helps no one.

The fact is that, according to Derreck himself, he went to Bishop O’Dowd High School, not Skyline High School. And so that leads back to my point: the desire to not see a racist act and deflect eyes from view keeps it as justifiable. That’s what my friend was trying to do, and he needs to stop doing it. As I said to him “We can’t allow a point of view like yours to fester because, little by little, these racist stories build up, until we get George Floyd all over again.”

No more racial profiling in media. If Derreck’s run has done anything, it’s shown a spotlight on that problem. It has to stop.

Donald Trump’s Businesses Have Filed For Bankruptcy Many Time Yet He’s Considered Successful

The Washington Post reported that Donald Trump’s businesses filed for bankruptcy six times. In all of the media coverage, no reporter or columnist ever blasted Donald Trump for bragging about his success. By contrast, Derreck Johnson’s business filed for bankrupcy and here is the Oaklandside’s Darwin BondGraham (and its editors hiding behind him) to say he’s not successful. Johnson is black. Trump is white. There should be one standard of fact: both started and ran businesses that employed people. And in Johnson’s case, he gave black men and women out of prison another chance at life. That’s successful.

Derreck Johnson Oakland City Council At Large 2020 Candidate Interview

And, as a momentary aside, I’m proud to report that Zennie62Media’s OaklandNewsNow.com that you’re reading is twice the size of Oaklandside in online traffic, and with a fraction of it’s budget. And it’s black owned and operated, whereas Oaklandside has a black editor, but is white owned, and the person who wrote the post is white and male.

Oaklandside’s Attack On Derreck Johnson Reflects A Classic Pattern Of Media Racism

Anyway, Oaklandside accused Derreck Johnson of being so proud as a black man to run television commercials saying he’s “successful”, that he needed to be taken down a notch by getting out “the truth”. The truth as Oaklandside saw it. The truth as Oaklandside was presented with by a source. I say that because I know where the information came from, and who gave it to Oaklandside, regardless of what it claims. Moreover, it’s no secret: bankruptcy information is publicly available, folks.

What Oaklandside did was simply make phone calls around town to form a story around the information it was given. If Oaklandside were truly interested in “the truth” it would have produced an article with information about the businesses of all of the candidates, without sensationalism. If Oaklandside was were truly interested in “the truth”, it would have worked with Mr. Johnson to run a positive story about what problems he experienced as a black man keeping his business going.

The story Oaklandside’s racist lens caused it to miss was one that needs to be told at a time when everyone from Facebook to Google has some kind of initiative focused on financing black businesses, in the wake of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Think about it. As Marcus Burke put in for The World Economic Forum “Following the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many other Black people at the hands of police, companies have started to take a stand against systemic racism.” Obviously, Oaklandside showed itself to be completely tone-deaf to the times.

In the paper “Media Representations and Impact on the Lives of Black Men and Boys”, by the Topos Partnership with The Opportunity Agenda, the authors observe:

A robust body of research documents how the overall presentation of black males in the media is distorted in a variety of ways, relative to the real-world facts. While individual studies tend to focus on a single genre or medium — such as TV fiction shows, magazine advertising, or video games — the research taken as a whole reveals broad patterns, including:

Negative associations exaggerated — particularly criminality, unemployment, and poverty. The idle black male on the street corner is not the “true face” of poverty in America, but he is the dominant one in the world as depicted by media.
Positive associations limited — particularly, sports, physical achievement in general, virility, and musicality. While the media’s version of America is populated by some black males intended to inspire, they tend to represent a relatively limited range of qualities to the exclusion of a variety of other everyday virtues.
The “problem” frame — Due to both distortions and also accurate and sympathetic discussion, black males tend to be overly associated with intractable problems.
Missing stories — Many important dimensions of black males’ lives, such as historical antecedents of black economic disadvantage and persistence of anti-black male bias, are largely ignored by the media.

In Derreck Johnson’s case, Oaklandside missed a great chance to have him tell his story of what led to the problems he experienced with his business. Moreover, Oaklandside worked to, as the authors wrote about media bias against black men, “Negative associations exaggerated — particularly criminality, unemployment, and poverty.” In other words, the Oaklandside’s seems to be upset that Johnson didn’t say he had been in financial trouble. Note, Johnson didn’t break any law, so that was the best it could do in attacking Derreck Johnson.

The Times Are Changing – The LA Times

In these times, America is beginning to wake up to the media racism that has worked to constantly paint blacks in a negative light. The kind of media racism that has been active in Oakland and San Francisco Bay Area media for far too long. And, let’s face it, the kind of media racism that was served up to feed the desires of some in Oakland who are white for the most part, and just don’t want to believe anything positive about anyone black who dares say they’re successful, or holds a title. Those persons want to push blacks into the familiar image of being poor, downtrodden, and criminally inclined. The kind of media The Oaklandside produced makes them oh so happy. Sad stuff that must stop.

In that, I must say it’s great The Los Angeles Times called out its own history of racism.

But, even then, The Los Angeles Times leaves out the racist lens that’s still applied today, and one that Oaklandside uses. Moreover, one would think that other mainstream media news publications would follow the Los Angeles Times’ lead, (like The San Francisco Chronicle, which has its own problems with racism as one can see here, and here, too.) but to this date, crickets. For many who are white, racism only exists when the n-word is used or a black person is physically harmed. But real racism is evident in all aspects of life, and in many ways, and in media, it’s expressed in how blacks are portrayed.

As I saw it, here’s the truth: Derreck Johnson did establish and run a business in Oakland that employed people, most notably black ex-prisoners who needed help. Stop it right there: that’s the success story that should be told, and that Derreck has the right to crow about. It’s clearly a story Oaklandside didn’t even think to try to tell, even though it was starring them in right in the face. Oaklandside was way too focused on putting a cyber-knee in Derreck Johnson’s online neck.

I got wind of this via a phone call from a friend. I called Derreck Johnson and we talked extensively. I told him that my first introduction to him was from an email from Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. I said it wasn’t the first time my godsister advanced a candidate to challenge Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan. I also told him that, for those reasons, I thought of him as a Manchurian candidate. He laughed and understood and because I gave him a video platform to talk about running for office and about himself. I never sought to put him down. Blacks in America have had enough of media racism.

Unlike Oaklandside, I asked and gave Derreck Johnson a chance to tell his story:

And in this update, media racism comes from, of all places, a black publication’s representative.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/g__gdRYMCrY

Ray Bobbitt, Bill Duffy, Robert Bobb, Alan Dones, Loop Capital: Black Developer Group Bidding $92 Million For Oakland Coliseum

October 26, 2020October 7, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Oakland News: A letter was passed to me moments ago that outlines the interest of the African American Sports & Entertainment Group in purchasing the Oakland Coliseum site for $92 million. The group consists of Ray Bobbitt, who spearheaded the African American Oakland NFL Expansion effort, which is part of this group’s focus, famed sports agent Bill Duffy, who was also part of the Ronnie Lott Group development team that tried to retain the Raiders in Oakland but lost them to Las Vegas, Oakland developer Alan Dones, former Oakland City Manager and one of my mentors Robert Bobb, and Chicago’s Loop Capital, where a family friend of mine, Darrell Williams, is good friends with former President Barack Obama, and is in the photo below with Loop Capital’s Chief Executive Officer Jim Reynolds.

UPDATE: An Old Personality From Oakland’s Problem-Laden Sports Stadium Development History Is Back: Rick Tripp

I also know through a source that Oakland District Seven Councilmember Larry Reid has talked with Ray Bobbitt about this proposal as recently as last Friday. Here’s the letter, below, after the photo.

President Barack Obama and Darrell Williams Of Loop Capital — President Barack Obama and Darrell Williams (right) Of Loop Capital

AFRICAN AMERICAN SPORTS &
ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

ECONOMIC EQUITY THROUGH SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEVELOPMENT

1423 Broadway #183, Oakland, CA 94612

October 6, 2020

The Honorable Mayor Libby Schaaf

& Members of the Oakland City Council
City of Oakland, California

One Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Oakland, CA 94612

Dear Mayor Schaaf and esteemed Oakland City Council Members,

The African American Sports & Entertainment Group (“AASEG”) has been working over the last several months to lay the groundwork for bringing a National Football League (“NFL”) franchise back to Oakland. One of the critical factors in our ability to attract a new NFL franchise is a viable home field location for the team. As well, we recognize the interests of city leadership in the holistic redevelopment of the Coliseum area consistent with the vision articulated by the 2015 Coliseum Area Specific Plan. We also recognize the City of Oakland’s interest in maintaining a home for its Major League Baseball (“MLB”) franchise, the Oakland Athletics. We believe that all these objectives can be achieved and to these ends, we have assembled a Master Development Team well-capable of marshalling the resources and expertise necessary to transform our mutual interests into reality. Our team, described as the “AASEG Team”, is pleased to submit this non-binding, indication of Interest, proposal to purchase the City of Oakland’s interest in the Coliseum property for a total of Ninety Two Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($92,500,000), payable per the schedule provided in Exhibit A.

The AASEG Team

In addition to the enormous community support for our mutual vision, AASEG has assembled a Master Development Team fully capable of executing the development of the Coliseum property (the “Project”).

Bill Duffy With Yao Ming

▪ BDA Sports Management – Led by respected sports agent Bill Duffy, BDA is one of the world’s top ranked sports agencies focused, specifically on basketball. Bill has agreed to apply his extensive network and decades of experience toward execution of the Project, including assembling some of the leading names in sports and entertainment in support and endorsement of the Project. Bill was one of the architects of the Ronnie Lott/Fortress Capital plan that offered a viable option to build a stadium on the Coliseum site.

▪ Strategic Urban Development Alliance – One of Oakland’s largest African American real estate development firms, SUDA has executed millions of dollars’ worth of projects in the Bay Area. SUDA Chief Executive Officer, Alan Dones, has led development projects both in the United States and Africa. He will provide development consulting to the Project.

▪ The Robert Bobb Group, LLC – With specialty capabilities in economic development, urban planning and community and neighborhood engagement, RBG is an African American owned national consulting firm to both public and private sector clients. Chief Executive Officer Robert Bobb will provide consulting services to the Project.

▪ Loop Capital – The largest African American owned, full services investment banking brokerage, financial advisory and investment management organization, Loop Capital boasts a 23-year history of developing financial solutions for America’s largest public sector institutions and private sector firms. In addition to its global capital markets, Loop Capital is an experienced advisor on Public-Private-Partnership and infrastructure transactions. As well, Loop Capital is part of a team developing a 100+ acre parcel owned by the City of Chicago and the Metropolitan Pier Authority. Finally, Loop Capital’s Chief Executive Officer Jim Reynolds is a partner in JLC Infrastructure, a private asset manager with over $800 million under management targeting investments in various publicly owned assets. Loop Capital is the capital partner for the Project.

Stakeholder Interests

The AASEG Team is well aware of the aspirations of the citizens of Oakland and other stakeholders with respect to the Project and is prepared to engage the City as a partner in the execution of a mutually-agreed upon vision embodied in a Community Benefits Agreement that includes:

• Local hiring with priority on racial equity

• The engagement and inclusion of local and small business contractors
and businesses

• Environmentally friendly landscaping and sustainable, energy efficient
design

• Anti-displacement assistance and housing preservation policies for
residents in the development area

• The inclusion of affordable housing

• Project Labor agreements and labor peace

• Local employment and job access provisions, workforce training,
retention of existing workers, and apprenticeship policies

• Living wages, benefits, and stable employment opportunities

• Environmental mitigation measures

• Open space elements

• Sustainable and healthy development

• Transportation infrastructure and transportation demand management
programs, including transit affordability and accessibility

• Potential impact fee’s (housing, transportation, capital improvements)

• Other community benefits as needed and feasible, to be negotiated

Finally, we are keenly aware of the interests of the Oakland Athletics organization in a second option for a baseball stadium should current objectives not come to fruition. The AASEG team is prepared to maintain development space in the Project toward those ends and looks forward to engaging the A’s to fully understand and address their interests.
The AASEG Team is excited to work with the City of Oakland to develop a definitive agreement for the purchase and Master Developer control of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex and is prepared to engage staff and leadership to craft an agreement that reflects the provisions in this indication of Interest. We are eager to begin due diligence activities and formal discussions upon the City of Oakland’s acceptance of this non-binding offer. We believe that this historic undertaking will be a perfect example of the African American community being supported by the larger community in achieving economic equality. We are extremely grateful to be in a position to provide jobs and housing for the citizens of Oakland, and to continue to provide world-class sports and entertainment facilities for the entire East Bay region.

As America wrestles with social change, social justice, and economic justice, Oakland can lead the way in demonstrating what real impact is. As proud Oaklanders, it is a part of our DNA. It is simply who we are, and what we do best. We look forward to helping lead that change in the City of Oakland.

Sincerely,

Ray Bobbitt

African American Sports and Entertainment Group

cc: The Honorable Rebecca Kaplan, Council President

The Honorable Councilmember Dan Kalb, District 1

The Honorable Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas, District 2

The Honorable Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney, District 3
The Honorable Councilmember Sheng Thao, District 4

The Honorable Councilmember Noel Gallo, District 5
The Honorable Councilmember Loren Taylor, District 6
The Honorable Councilmember Larry Reid, District 7
City Administrator Ed Reiskin

AASEG, LLC

BDA Sports
7

The Robert Bobb Group
SUDA, LLC

Loop Capital

Exhibit A

AASEG Team

Oakland Coliseum Property Purchase Proposal
Schedule of Proposed Payments

Schedule of Proposed Payments:

At closing: $10,000,000

At the end of year one: $10,000,000
Year 2: $12,500,000
Year 3: $15,000,000
Year 4: $17,500,000
Year 5: $15,000,000
Year 6: $12,500,000

Again, with respect to the NFL, the same lawsuit that Ray Bobbitt invested $40,000 to start and against the former Oakland Raiders now Las Vegas Raiders and the NFL is not only still active, but restarts October 8th. For the group to have a snow-ball’s chance in hell with the NFL, that lawsuit would have to be dropped.

That said, if the group can gain some kind of joint control with the Oakland A’s, then the prospect of the NFL returning to Oakland becomes that much more realistic. Why? Because they will have control of land to build a new stadium for an NFL expansion team, or an existing organization.

Stay tuned for updates. Here is the letter on file:

AASEG Formal Letter of Intent to City of Oakland by Zenophon Zennie Abraham on Scribd

Oakland Public Ethics Commission Complaint On Lane Partners Not About Lynette Gibson-McElhaney

October 7, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

This Oakland Public Ethics Commission Complaint comes under the subhead-line of ‘bone-headed reports by fake news folks with racist agendas” and refers to an Oakland Public Ethics Commission Complaint that was filed against a firm called Lane Partners, represented by Andrew Haydel. The matter was before the Oakland Public Ethics Commission, and in it’s agenda for October 5th 2020.

What happened was that Lane Partners was encouraged to make a contribution to the Lynette Gibson-McElhaney Legal Defense Fund, and not by anyone directly connected to Lynette, but by, according to PEC records, my friend (at least I think we’re still friends, but in this town shit gets weird for weird reasons) Greg McConnell, the founder of the Oakland Jobs and Housing Coalition. A 2018 email reported McConnell’s plan to get donations for her 50th Birthday.

And Now This Aside…

Now, if you go an assume that Lynette herself established that plan, then you know less about Oakland politics than you think, and are contributing to the crab-barrel, game-playing that causes Oakland to lose out big on matters like retaining sports teams. Oakland has a major-league loser mentality that has to be addressed. Character assassination is sport in Oakland and I find that it’s a proxy for professional competence. But that aside, there are any number of political players in Oakland and San Francisco wiling to, what we call on the streets, “run a game” on someone. Some of them rest in the media.

Seriously, there are some media-types who live for documents that make black Oakland elected officials look bad, but when the elected official is white, they look the other way. Want evidence? Go back to 2013 and the claims of Oakland City Staff Tampering that were leveled against Oakland Councilmember Larry Reid of District 7 and Desley Brooks of District 6 – claims that, as former Oakland City Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente will tell you, apply to every Oakland City Councilmember in history. But when the white media got involved, they didn’t want to see that, and just saw a chance to paint black elected officials as bad, and so they did.

The trouble with a lot of black folks here in Oakland and in America is they complain about the white media types but are by inaction afraid to counter them, and don’t back black media. And so we get the social climate painting black folks so negatively that the result is George Floyd’s death.

The Los Angeles Times recently took itself to task for decades of racism, but I was waiting for San Francisco Bay Area white mainstream media to follow its lead. I’m still waiting and I’ve made some accounts in the process.

Anyway Back To The Action, I Mean The Oakland PEC Complaint

The Oakland PEC Complaint about Lane Partners reads, in part, this way:

Respondents violated the Oakland Campaign Reform Act by contributing $1,000 to Lynette Gibson-McElhaney Legal Defense Fund in October2018 at a time when they were subject to the City’s ban on contributions from City contractors to candidates, in violation of Oakland Municipal Code section 3.12.140

And here’s the rest:

In June 2019, Commission Staff initiated a pro-active investigation after Andrew Haydel’s lawyer called to report that Haydel, a commercial real-estate investor and principal at Lane Partners LLC, “may have made a contribution” to an Oakland political candidate’s defense fund during a time when he and Lane Partners, a City contractor, was subject to the contractor campaign contribution ban.
Between 2016-2018, Lane Partners was involved with several different development projects with the City of Oakland. One such project was the Eastline project.

PROCEDURAL FACTS:

The Respondent and Staff reached a settlement agreement in February 2020. Staff prepared a Stipulation recommending that the Public Ethics Commission (PEC) impose a penalty of $2,000. In the Matter of Haydel was scheduled on the PEC’s March 2020, Agenda. At the PEC’s March meeting, the Commissioners rejected the recommended penalty of $2,000 and instead informed the Respondent that a $5,000 penalty was a more appropriate penalty based on the facts and experience of the Respondent. The PEC instructed Staff to renegotiate the Stipulation with a penalty of $5,000. Staff reached out to the Respondent who initially agreed to sign a revised Stipulation and pay the increased penalty of $5,000.

Oakland Public Ethics Commission vs Lane Partners Case Summary by Zenophon Zennie Abraham on Scribd

As a note, this is way not the first time Lane Partners has made a donation that was viewed as having violated Oakland’s Campaign Reform Act, but the simple fact the PEC caught this means good for the future. I must also report that there have been so many alleged violations of the type that Lane Partners is accused of, that it may be time to revisit the law from the perspective of laws that cause entrapment. Because one can replace Lynette Gibson-McElhaney with the Mayor or any other Oakland City Councilmember, and some idiot with a keyboard (who may be running a smear campaign on behalf of another Oakland City Councilmember) would jump to the conclusion that Libby did something wrong, when she had nothing to do with the action.

Anyway, it goes on to report via documents like this one that Lane Partners acted on the advice of their lawyer, Zack Wasserman (Another long-time friend of mine who now former Oakland City Attorney John Russo used to call “Zack-A-Potatos”). Wasserman is asking for the PEC to consider his error to his client, and also for the standard $5,000 fine to be reduced to $2,000, and Lane Partners would pay it.

And there’s the real story. A true mistake admitted to.

The point of all of this: it’s really important to look before one takes any leap and makes negative assumptions about someone else. Also, some electeds in Oakland should be real careful about passing information they deem negative about someone else. After a time, that crap will back fire. God does not like ugly.

Just saying.

Stay tuned.

Oakland Council President Rebecca Kaplan Challenges Lyft to Debate Her

October 6, 2020 by Rebecca Kaplan

OAKLAND, CA – Yesterday, October 5th, at 10:30AM Oakland City Councilmember at-large Rebecca Kaplan, held a press conference together with a coalition of leaders, to denounce the lies of billionaires who are trying to buy our elections – both in the City of Oakland, and throughout California. Large corporations, including Lyft and Uber, are spending big in this election, seeking to undermine our democracy, harm workers, and undermine our communities, while demanding sweetheart deals and special loopholes for themselves. In this upcoming November election, they are spending big, at the local level in Oakland and Statewide in California — where they also recently gave large sums to the State Republican Party.

Rebecca challenged them to “put their mouth where their money is” and debate her. Kaplan demanded they tell the voters directly why they think they should not pay their fair share for the roads and infrastructure they rely on every day.

Said Kaplan: “Locally they are demanding special treatment, tax loopholes, and monopoly power. The big money they are spending to attack me is less than the millions of dollars they could cost the people, if billionaires get to hurt workers and community. These huge corporations are trying to undermine our democracy, for California, and locally in Oakland.”

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez added: “We can’t allow billionaire corporations to buy politicians and policies, either directly or indirectly. I’m standing up with Rebecca Kaplan because I know she will stand with regular folks against corporate greed. She’s already proven that, and that’s why they are targeting her.”

Gary Jimenez, Vice President of SEIU 1021 stated: “We are living in uncertain times and working families remain under attack. We cannot let large corporations continue to dump tons of money into our elections supporting anti worker politicians. I support Kaplan who supports working families.”

Sam Davis, Candidate for Oakland Unified School District Board said of this overreach, “We’ve seen how the huge expenditures by billionaires in our Oakland school board elections have corroded our democratic process, and we need to take a stand and say this stops here and now. Only by building a truly grassroots campaign, with thousands of voices, can we drown out the money megaphone that we are up against. I support Rebecca because she stands with our teachers and students.”

And Art Pulaski, CA Labor Federation Executive Officer, said: ““Oakland voters aren’t going to stand for Lyft’s brazen attempt to strip workers of basic rights, smear a champion of working people and buy elections.”

Randy Shaw, journalist and housing advocate, sent: “A company spending tens of millions of dollars to deprive workers of benefits via Prop 22 is now targeting a councilmember who has fought for increased affordability in Oakland. Prop 22 would make Oakland’s housing crisis much worse.”

The Facebook Live link can be found here and: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=371874683949862

HIgh resolution video of the event can be found here and: https://click.email.vimeo.com/u/?qs=f6c83dd7bbe8a3047149e1e50c76c819213151acf43d4d7dc859afdf277a41ce0741598c316ed686d86a25cacfbdffc48a9400cd91b6042e3b5ac4fe84cbacae

Re-Elect Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker To Protect Oakland Tenants

October 14, 2020October 6, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Since taking over for the three-times-elected Oakland City Attorney John Russo, Barbara Parker has consistently worked to protect tenants in Oakland at a time when the City’s very cultural fabric has been damaged by gentrification. One search for “Barbara Parker” and “tenants” in my email feed revealed 50 results. Time after time, news releases of actions taken to avenge tenants who’s rights were violated by landlords. This is not intended to be a tenant vs landlord post, but the fact is some of the homeless Oaklanders on the streets are there because of actions by property owners who did not give them a break, or actively worked to remove them illegally. It’s time to re-elect Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker.

Here’s an example of what I mean:

City Attorney Wins Court Orders to Stop Owners and Operators of Oakside Independent Living from Illegally Evicting Tenants, and to Appoint a Receiver to Protect Resident Safety.

In August, I filed an emergency tenant protection lawsuit and request for a restraining order against the owners and operators of an Independent Living Facility (ILF), Oakside Independent Living, for exploiting and threatening their elderly and disabled tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic. ILFs are virtually unregulated lodging for adults who need help with daily responsibilities like meal preparation and housekeeping. This month, the Alameda County Superior Court granted our motion for emergency relief, ensuring that Oakside’s owners and operators can no longer illegally evict or otherwise harm their tenants. In addition, the Court granted our request to appoint a receiver, an extraordinary remedy to ensure the property is managed in a fashion that protects its residents.

In the past, Oakside Independent Living has subjected the elderly and disabled tenants to unsafe and unhealthy conditions at the facility, including severe infestations of bed bugs, cockroaches, and rats. The owner and operators also rented out $900-a-month converted storage spaces too small to stand up straight in as “units,” as if they are fit for human habitation. If tenants complain of poor treatment or conditions, some have been threatened with transfer to Christopher’s Care Home, another ILF managed by one of the defendants. And this summer, tenants have been evicted in violation of the local moratorium. One tenant illegally evicted from his unit described his time at Oakside Independent Living as “the worst experience of my entire life.” We are grateful the Court has taken these issues seriously and acted to protect Oakside’s tenants.

This case was filed by the Neighborhood Law Corps and Community Lawyering and Civil Rights Unit as part of my Housing Justice Initiative. Read more here.

And another one:

City Attorney Secures Court Order Prohibiting Retaliation in Emergency Tenant Protection Suit During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Oakland, CA – On Friday, July 10, an Alameda County judge issued a court order under the Tenant Protection Ordinance and the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act enjoining defendants Afamefuna and Anwulika Odiwe from retaliating against their former tenants. The court found that the City was likely to prevail on its Tenant Protection Ordinance and Tom Bane Civil Rights Act claims that the defendants, who are investors with a history of flipping houses for profit, engaged in an unlawful self-help eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic in violation of state and local laws. Among other things, under the guise of a fraudulent City notice, the landlords removed all of their tenants’ belongings from their home and changed the locks.

Defendant Anwulika Odiwe threatened to proceed with unpermitted construction work in response to the tenants asserting their rights, declaring that if tenants wanted to live “with no windows and no doors and no toilets … that’s on them.” After the City filed a lawsuit against the Odiwes, the moving company, and the master tenant, the City sought an injunction preventing the defendants from engaging in further harassment of the tenants. Defendants Pete’s Moving Company, LLC, and Rigomero Manzanarez, the master tenant, agreed to stipulate to such an injunction. Because the Odiwe defendants did not stipulate to the injunction, the City sought a court order against them. “Tenant harassment is on the rise as some landlords turn to unlawful actions to drive tenants out while the courts are closed to evictions,” City Attorney Barbara J. Parker stated. “There is no place in Oakland for these illegal and harmful self-help measures. We stand with tenants to prevent such appalling misconduct and secure their basic right to safely shelter in place during this pandemic.”

In late April, a counterfeit City of Oakland “red-tag” notice was posted on the front door of the property, telling the tenants that the house was unsafe for occupancy and that they needed to leave within ten days. The City never authorized a red-tag for the property. Yet in May, movers entered the property and removed the tenants’ belongings, including their beds, furniture, and clothing, without notice or the tenants’ permission—and despite their protests.

For over a week, the tenants remained without their possessions, forced to sleep on the floor and without locks on their doors. Defendants only returned the tenants’ beds, clothing, and other personal items after the City issued a demand letter and filed this case. The City’s lawsuit also seeks civil penalties, punitive damages, and fees, to be determined by the court.

This case was filed by the Neighborhood Law Corps and Community Lawyering and Civil Rights Unit as part of City Attorney Parker’s Housing Justice Initiative. The City Attorney launched the Housing Justice Initiative to significantly expand her office’s work protecting vulnerable tenants in Oakland’s diverse neighborhoods and holding abusive landlords accountable.

I think you get the idea. Re-elect Oakland City Attorney Barbara Parker. ‘

Also, given that Zennie62Media has not yet interviewed either Barbara Parker or her challenger Eli Ferran, this should not be interpreted as a stoppage of video interviews. The interviews are done so you can gain some feel for what each person is like and decide for yourself.

Stay tuned.

Carroll Fife Wages Class Warfare In 2020 Oakland City Council District 3 Race

October 6, 2020October 6, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Carroll Fife Wages Class Warfare In 2020 Oakland City Council District 3 Race

ONN – Carroll Fife Wages Class Warfare In 2020 Oakland City Council District 3 Race

Carroll Fife Wages Class Warfare In 2020 Oakland City Council District 3 Race

I am all for progressive taxation but this is the first time I have ever seen an Oakland City Council District Elections Candidate use class warfare as part of her campaign strategy.

In other words, from this Twitter post, the idea is to go after those perceived as wealthy to fund healthcare. Forget about using an creative financing tools like tax increment financing to get the job done.

Ok, since you asked, the simple explanation of tax increment financing is property tax is collected from building owners within a pre-determined boundary, added in a formula that causes a doubling function, and that projected annual revenue is used to retire a bond issue. In the case of Oakland, it could be a bond that pays for local health care, but in a way that does not call for class warfare.

Remember where you saw this first, because Carroll never called me. All I am providing is an example of understanding how to make government work for people. You gotta know what levers to pull and buttons to push.

Well, let’s see how a message more appropriate for a run for Congress works here in Oakland.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/1DVVoj6KqoE

2020 Election: Re-Elect Oakland City Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney For District Three

November 24, 2020October 5, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Oakland Councilmember Lynette Gibson Mcelhaney

Oakland City Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney has served the residents of perhaps the most complicated Oakland City Council District in our city very well. Understand that while District Three is commonly thought of as being only West Oakland, in reality it’s also Downtown Oakland, Uptown Oakland, and Adams Point / Lake Merritt, where I live.

So, Lynette has a big job, and on balance has served all of the residents well. She deserves to be re-elected, and particularly at a time where Oakland, Alameda County, California, America, and The World is in the clutches of The Pandemic. Changing horses in the middle of the stream is never a good idea, so why do it now? Besides, the reasons I’m hearing why some are not voting for Lynette are such that I’ll bet no one else will fair better.

The specific reasons are these:

1) Lynette is not accessible, and her aide responds rather than her – As one who represented Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris from 1995 to 1999, I find that aides to elected officials get treated like crap by Oakland residents far too often. The job of the aide is to represent the, in this case, Oakland City Councilmember. And Lynette’s aides have done that very well. News-flash: she can’t be everywhere, and her representatives help her.

2) She wasn’t present for Moms4Housing – As Lynette told me during our interview of 10 days ago now, the Moms4Housing Representatives did not approach her ahead of time with their plans, even though the entire matter happened in her council district. The full interview:

The ultimate sign of disrespect is for someone to launch a campaign around the issue of housing that focuses on a property in an Oakland City Council Member’s district and not consult them. The reasons can’t be good ones, because, by design, they are assumptive. How does anyone know she would not have been receptive to their objectives of a type of taking of property, and tried to help so that they would not be framed as criminals?

Lynette believed that, because they did not approach her, to then show up at their events uninvited would cause her to be seen as trying to steal their message. My take on Moms4Housing was that their effort pointed to a giant problem, but did nothing to solve it: the market failure that’s still with us in super-high-housing-costs and illegal evictions of black Oakland residents that a sustained California Redevelopment Law would have thwarted.

Instead, Oakland Mayor Jean Quan allowed former Mayor of Oakland Jerry Brown to get rid of California Redevelopment Law, and now Oakland’s once formidable affordable housing construction budget of over $100 million annually was cut off in 2011, never to return and at the time of SF Bay Area Tech Boom II, from 2012 to 2019.

In the middle of this, Moms4Housing tried to pick sides prematurely. For example, from my perspective, it’s minders failed to respond to my request to run their press releases or interview them, so I had to end-run them many times using tech. Their idea seemed be to try and paint me as against them, when my thoughts were the opposite. That said, I did run press releases from their opponents, and because they sent them. It’s called news. Moreover, I’ve never been a fan of what’s called a “taking without just compensation” (and the U.S. Constitution doesn’t allow it either), and that, in effect, is what Moms4Housing tried to do.

Their assumptions amounted to a type of picking of fights that are not there, and their words, more often than not, were hurtful. And, on top of that, we’re talking about a black-on-black affair, where folks like Lynette and myself were the focus of wrongheaded derision, and by some other folks of the same skin color. And on top of that, many of the folks are ones I really like, just to be real here. In my view, anyone white was treated better, for the most part – even those who openly opposed them.

The fact is that in Oakland, we as black folks are far too willing to assume something negative about someone else who’s black, but not in what’s perceived as that person’s group. It’s a horrible crab-barrel social problem that has plagued Oakland for decades, and with no end in sight. Moms4Housing spotlighted that problem that the white media missed, even as it was in their face.

What Lynette Did Was Spot Light The Violence Problems Black Women Face In Oakland

What Lynette does not get credit for is spotlighting the problem of violence against black women. That was the focus of her push to establish the Oakland Office Of Violence Prevention. And while I remain assertive that the real problem is lack of good jobs and an economic development effort that’s dead, I have seen the advantage of the Oakland Office Of Violence Prevention: it gives a much-needed place in Oakland government for people, and again in particular black women, to go for real, comprehensive help. That this is forgotten that Lynette created the Oakland Office Of Violence Prevention is one more example of the many actions that, collectively, caused a performer like Megan Thee Stallion to get on Saturday Night Live and point to the consistent disrespect and disregard black women receive in America, and that includes Oakland.

It’s worse when other blacks in Oakland don’t give Lynette that credit. That’s got to stop.

Lynette Makes Her Case For Re-Election And It’s Worth Reading

In her most recent campaign newsletter, Lynette made her case for re-election. It’s worth a read, even though she left out the Office Of Violence Prevention. But, overall, one has to ask, what does she have to do? It’s as if some people want to find some reason to oppose her.

For example, some will mention the Oakland Public Ethics Commission’s recent investigation not of her, but mentions alleged laundered money given to her campaign in the past, as well as that of Oakland councilmembers Sheng Thao and Dan Kalb. Well, I challenge any candidate to prove that they know anything about who gives them money, why, and where they got it from to give. Moreover, why would the Oakland Public Ethics Commission choose an election period to release news about a lawsuit and investigation that’s not primarily focused on Oakland councilmembers, but names some? That action, alone, is illegal in several states – it looks like the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and the Oakland City Attorney are trying to influence voters. Not a cool look.

What does Lynette have to do? Well, she’s done this, from her newsletter:

Partnered with our County Supervisor Keith Carson to pioneer the Compassionate Communities initiative
Co-authored Measure JJ – expanding Just Cause Eviction and Rent Increase protections
Secured 10s of millions of dollars in new homelessness funding by pushing to include $150 Million for Affordable Housing in the Infrastructure Bond (Measure KK) and the Parks Measure (Measure Q) – offering amendments that guaranteed set asides for no and extremely low income housing
Engaged Congresswoman Barbara Lee and led the effort to turn back draconian reductions in Section 8 vouchers
Pushed to protect single room occupancy transient hotels – housing of last resort that does not discriminate for credit worthiness or for lack of substantial deposits
Demanded increased coordination to respond to encampments and improve service delivery to the unhoused.

As your representative on the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) I have:

Helped pass AB1487 (2019) the bill that established the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA). BAHFA, and the expanded regional housing portfolio, is rooted in the “3Ps” framework that comprehensively addresses the housing crisis through a combination of production, preservation and protection. Specifically:
Production of rental housing for lower-income households (at or below 80% of the area median income or AMI)
Preservation of affordable housing for low-or moderate-income households (up to 120% of AMI)
Protecting tenants from displacement and preventing homelessness
Stopped an effort to impose a regressive sales tax on Oakland households, demanding that large employers pay their fair share to fund housing and relieve transportation stress caused by job growth

I am currently working with OUSD on a plan to house all homeless students and their families and this year I was selected by ABAG President Jesse Arreguin to serve on the newly established Regional Housing Committee. In this capacity I make sure Oakland’s needs are at the center of identifying regional solutions. And now, after five years of persistent advocacy, the Council is now positioned to take action on many of the efforts I have championed.

COVID19 lays bare the dire needs for housing security and hunger – two issues that have begged for attention amongst the organized campaigns for many good causes. By partnering with my Council colleagues that represent Oakland’s flatlands, I was able to direct nearly $30 million of CARES ACT funds to addressing these critical needs in the flatlands, allowing the City to purchase hotels and an abandoned dormitory to house more of our houseless constituents.

If the challengers think they can match her, I would offer that we as Oaklanders would have to sit and wait for that person to learn the Oakland legislative ropes before they could be effective, whereas the saying “been there, done that” applies to Councilmember McElhaney.

Re-elect Councilmember McElhaney for District Three.

John Russo On Politics: Stranded in Centerfield #3: No Monopoly On Misogyny

October 4, 2020October 3, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Stranded in Centerfield #3: No Monopoly on Misogyny
From YouTube Channel: October 3, 2020 at 02:35PM

ONN – John Russo On Politics: Stranded in Centerfield #3: No Monopoly On Misogyny

John Russo is the former Oakland City Council Member (District Two), and was its first elected City Attorney. He’s also the former City Manager of Alameda, Riverside, and Irvine California. John is now the Founder and President of Synchronicity Associates.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exa7LSMm3oA

Sustainable, Healthy Use Of Lake Merritt – Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland District 2 Councilmember

October 3, 2020 by Nikki Fortunato Bas

Sustainable, Healthy Use of Lake Merritt: Pilot Program Beginning this Weekend

The issues at Oakland’s Lake Merritt are complex, with groups having different needs and perspectives, all of which are important and that we are working to honor — families and elders facing challenging issues living at the Lake, entrepreneurs / vendors of color seeking economic stability during uncertain times, park users, and wildlife conservationists. In a recent update, I shared the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission / PRAC’s recommendations for sustainable use of Lake Merritt, which sought to balance the two perspectives below:

What is going on around the Lake is not sustainable and must change ASAP.
People need healthy outdoor places to gather and engage in commercial activity, especially during these unprecedented times.

On September 16th, PRAC voted to recommend a pilot program to deter illegal parking and vending; promote compliance with park rules and County rules during COVID; and address challenges such as late night noise.
The City, in coordination with the Oakland Black Vendor Association, is developing this pilot for merchandise vendors to take place along El Embarcadero and in the Lakeview Library parking lot on weekends beginning this Saturday, October 3rd, 10am – 6pm. Note: If air quality reaches the 150+ Unhealthy level, the program will be postponed until next weekend.

The City of Oakland is working to resolve concerns related to late night noise, large gatherings prohibited under COVID, etc. in coordination with the launch of the pilot. Our goal is to reset the tone at the Lake and address the core issues that we’ve heard from neighbors, while also maintaining an inclusive, equitable and safe public space during COVID and beyond.

Oakland Police Department will work with our municipal code officers this weekend to warn vendors of increased enforcement action as the pilot begins, and my office will continue to engage and encourage vendors to participate in this new pilot.

We welcome your feedback. We are grateful to the Oakland City Administrator’s Office, City Departments, James “Old School” Copes, Oakland Black Vendors Association, and PRAC Commissioners for helping make this pilot happen quickly and supporting multiple, complex interests.

In addition, the Downtown Streets Team, has relaunched its Oakland Team to support unhoused individuals providing them with work beautifying Lake Merritt, including litter pick up around the Lake. In return for their volunteer services, Team Members receive a basic-needs stipend, case management, employment services, and a support network. Team Members are giving back to Oakland while working to overcome barriers to housing and employment. You may see the team beautifying the lake as they relaunch their program this month.

Note: post based on newsletter dated October 3rd, 2020.

Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan Calls For New Solutions To Speeding Problem

October 2, 2020 by Rebecca Kaplan

Rebecca Kaplan Calls for New Solutions to Oakland’s Speeding Problems & Requests Support From the State Legislature at the October 6, 2020 Oakland City Council Meeting

Oakland, CA —It seems that every day there is a report of a fatal hit and run or reckless speeding that has resulted in serious injury on Oakland’s streets. It has become a precarious endeavor for anyone, but especially the elderly and children, to cross the street or even walk on the sidewalk. We need stronger action to make our streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and others.

The practice has been to rely exclusively on police officers for speeding enforcement, but this has not been working well. In a city the size of Oakland, it is not possible for the police to create a sufficient presence to catch speeding violations or be a deterrent that would discourage dangerous driving activity that has caused serious injury and fatalities. The discretionary, disparate treatment of African Americans, and the ways that traffic stops have sometimes resulted in people being killed by police during traffic stops, are also reasons that the more effective options of civilian and automated traffic enforcement is desirable.

Oakland Council President Rebecca Kaplan is proposing Oakland adopt a resolution requesting the State Legislature to enact legislation that would give municipalities the flexibility to adopt more effective methods for speeding enforcement, at the October 6th Oakland City Council meeting.

We need strategies that avoid racial disparities, prevent traffic stops from escalating into police shootings, while making speeding enforcement more effective and more broadly implemented. The answer is alternative traffic enforcement. Alternative traffic enforcement is the use of cameras and/or civilian personnel, such as Department of Transportation staff, to enforce traffic laws. This approach to traffic enforcement frees up the police to focus on serious crime, reduces likelihood of problematic police interactions, and improves reliability and fairness of enforcement. It also represents a potential savings for a city since it costs more for sworn officers to address these violations.

These systems can reduce racial disparities. “Driving While Black,” is the familiar term to describe the racial profiling used by law enforcement when an African American driver is stopped for little to no reason. The fear of a traffic stop escalated with no apparent reason is well-known in communities of color. With the use of cameras looking at license plates rather than individuals, automated systems, and local civilian staffing, communities of color could get a ticket for speeding, and it would no longer be a potentially life-threatening situation.

The City of Berkeley has already taken steps in this direction. In July, Berkeley approved the use of transportation personnel to conduct traffic stops. The City of San Francisco has also previously expressed interest in alternative methods of speeding enforcement. Oakland is also now working on strategies to provide for options beyond using an armed officer for these situations. But allowing cities flexibility for these solutions requires a change in State law in California.

The California Legislature needs to assist municipalities like Oakland and Berkeley and beyond with more flexibility to innovate as we address this danger on Oakland’s streets. Alternative traffic enforcement is one place where that assistance could begin. The Legislature needs to amend State laws, to allow cities the discretion to use methods for speeding enforcement that are fairer and more effective.

SFMTA efforts for an Automated Speed Enforcement Project:

https://www.sfmta.com/projects/automated-speed-enforcement

This resolution is scheduled to be heard at the October 6, 2020 Oakland City Council meeting at 1:30pm.

Agenda: https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=806460&GUID=1D9852E1-3E39-4E7F-9489-25AE58173ABB

Memo: https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8811254&GUID=E64BE5E4-85BE-43BF-92F6-3639585AE48F

Legislation: https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8811255&GUID=2B7C7DBD-01BB-476F-9959-683E70408B9A

Oakland City Auditor Lowers Boom On Oakland Fire Department In Just Issued Report

September 30, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

The Oakland City Auditor just sent a blazing press release. Here’s what she and her office wrote about the Oakland Fire Department:

Oakland – Today, Oakland City Auditor, Courtney Ruby, released a performance audit of the Fire Prevention Bureau (Bureau), a division of the Oakland Fire Department (OFD). This report examines whether the Bureau implemented the 2017 recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force established after the tragic Ghost Ship Fire in 2016 and whether the Bureau has established adequate controls to ensure all state mandated inspections are completed and fire safety laws are adequately enforced.

The mission of Oakland’s Fire Prevention Bureau is to reduce the risk of fire throughout the City. The Bureau conducts fire safety inspections of the City’s buildings, structures, and vacant lots and performs “state-mandated inspections,” which include buildings used for public assemblies, educational purposes, institutional facilities, multi-family residential dwellings, and high-rise structures. The Bureau also oversees the City’s commercial inspection program of smaller apartment buildings and retail businesses, inspects cannabis operations, and reviews building and tenant improvement plans to ensure new construction includes all required fire safety components. Furthermore, they are responsible for fire safety in the high danger zone of the Oakland hills.

The audit found that more than three years after the City launched a major reform effort to improve fire and life safety throughout the City of Oakland, the City has made only limited progress in fully implementing the reforms set forth by the Mayor’s Task Force. The Fire Department implemented processes to identify and address high risk properties and improve communication between the Bureau and the engine companies to report potentially unsafe properties for further investigation.

The Fire Department, however, has yet to fully implement critical organizational improvements such as filling staff vacancies, creating permanent supervisor positions, implementing more robust quality control processes, establishing performance measures for inspectors, and developing operating procedures for inspections.

The audit found the Bureau inspected only 26 percent of all state-mandated facilities between September 2018 and September 2019, even though the Bureau’s staffing for fire inspectors has increased significantly. Furthermore, the audit revealed the Bureau had not inspected 51 percent of the state-mandated facilities in the last three years we reviewed. The audit also noted the Bureau lacks sufficient staffing to inspect the growing number of cannabis operations in the City. The nature of cannabis operations poses significant fire risks to the operators, neighboring properties, firefighters, and the community.

Additionally, the Bureau’s enforcement efforts are often ineffective. The Bureau’s practice has been to try and coax property owners to correct fire safety violations by re-inspecting properties. Between September 2018 and September 2019, the Bureau conducted over 800 re-inspections of state-mandated properties to ensure property owners corrected various fire safety violations. Although 236 properties implemented the appropriate corrective action, inspectors re-inspected these properties up to seven times to obtain corrective action. On the other hand, the Bureau was unable to obtain corrective action on another 493 properties, even though inspectors re-inspected these properties up to seven times.

The audit also found the Oakland Unified School District has not been responsive in correcting fire safety violations such as missing fire extinguishers and non-functioning fire alarm systems. Also, the Bureau has not operationalized its appeal process to provide property owners an opportunity to dispute the Bureau’s findings of violations in the City’s wildlife interface areas. Not operationalizing the appeals process delayed the assessment of approximately $300,000 in inspection fees in 2018 and 2019 has yet to be assessed as a result.

In response to the audit results, Auditor Ruby noted, “Two of the deadliest fires in US history have been in Oakland: The 1991 Oakland Hills Fire and the 2016 Ghost Ship Fire. Collectively these fires killed 61 of our residents. Completing this audit has been of the utmost importance to me to ensure the City is doing all it can to protect our residents—unfortunately, the audit found OFD has been slow to learn from the past and critical work remains to be done—a sense of urgency and accountability must be ignited in OFD—there is no excuse for the lack of progress.”

During this time, the Bureau’s personnel have been stretched thin from meeting its annual state- mandated inspections by other work, such as inspections required by the City’s building boom, addressing safety issues at the many homeless encampments throughout the City, and the hiring and training of new inspection staff. Additionally, the Bureau’s practice to repeatedly re-inspect properties to bring them into compliance has also diverted significant time away from conducting mandated inspections.

While the lack of progress can be partly attributed to high turnover in the Fire Department’s leadership (since 2017, the City has had three Fire Chiefs and three Fire Marshals), Auditor Ruby, stated, “In 2013, I released an audit reviewing the Department’s vegetation management inspection practices and some of these very same problems were identified, such as the need for consistent training, stronger supervision, quality control measures and clear policies and procedures to ensure the accuracy and completeness of inspections. Almost 10 years later, the current audit shows these same issues persist with building inspections.”

On a positive note, the Department has agreed to implement 29 of the 30 recommendations in the audit report. Moreover, the Department and the Bureau have begun employing a more strategic focus on implementing management and accountability systems called for by the Mayor’s Task Force and the Bureau is in the process of converting to a more advanced database, which will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Bureau’s inspection efforts.

To read the full report please read below:

Oakland City Auditor Performance Audit Oakland Fire Department Prevention Bureau FINAL by Categories California, National News, News, Oakland Community, U.S. News, usa, World Tags App, Business, CA, Cannabis, CES, Chiefs, City Auditor, City of Oakland, Courtney Ruby, HBO, homeless, Homeless Encampment, Inc, ISSUES, Oakland, Oakland City, Oakland City Auditor, Oakland Fire Department, Oakland Unified School District, Press Release, Rowing, RPO, RT, Train, US, WE, Zennie Abraham

Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council President: Gun Violence Should Be Law Enforcement Priority One

September 29, 2020 by Rebecca Kaplan

Oakland – Today, the Oakland City Council, CPAB, SSOC, and the Police Commission will discuss the concept, introduced by Council President Rebecca Kaplan, to make guns the top law enforcement priority in the City of Oakland. If Oakland can deter illegal guns and gun violence by increasing gun tracing, improving response time to shooting notifications, and prioritizing response to gun crime, the city will be a safer place to live.

The Oakland City Council has previously adopted policies to set law enforcement priorities in the direction of “low priority” issues — designating which topics it would be the policy for OPD not to prioritize, such as cannabis.

“I am calling for the City of Oakland to Declare Gun Violence as the Top Law Enforcement Priority for the City of Oakland, to decrease the number of illegal guns and gun violence in the city. By increasing gun tracing and prioritizing action to respond to gun crime,” states Council President Rebecca Kaplan. “We must recognize the easy availability of illegal guns increases violence and harm, and in order to reduce gun violence, we need to crack down on illegal guns, and have a timely and effective response to shooting notifications.”

The City of Oakland is experiencing an increase in the amount of guns shots fired. According to the Oakland Police Department’s ShotSpotter Activations Report, the Oakland Police Crime Analysis Division reported approximately 2,807 ShotSpottter Activations from gunshots fired in 2019. As of September 20, 2020, there have been approximately 4,104 ShotSpotter activations from guns fired. This number is a forty-six percent (46%) increase from the year prior, and that many gunshots don’t show up in 911 call statistics.

As of August 23, 2020, the Oakland Police Department Crime Analysis reported thirty-four (34%) percent increase in reported gunfire in Oakland. In 2019, there were 953 occurrences of gunfire. This year, 1,281 occurrences of gunfire were reported, with a quarter of the year still to be determined. In a single weekend from August 6th-9th, 2020, ten shootings were reported across the city, which resulted in five fatalities, many of the cases are unsolved, with the assailants remaining at-large.

Currently, there is also a grave need for an effective and robust gun tracing program to curb the amount of gun violence and reduce the number of illegal guns on the streets. Kaplan has been a consistent advocate for increased efforts around gun and shell tracing. She fought for the funding to acquire the gun and shell tracing equipment. She understands that gun tracing is essential to shutting down sources of illegal guns on Oakland’s streets.

In order to ensure that illegal guns can be tracked down and to deter gun crime, it will be important to have timely response on notifications of shootings, and more consistent tracing of guns and shell casings. Kaplan has requested information from OPD about the frequency of providing an immediate deployment in response to notifications of shootings, and about how often there is the ability to collect shell casings or other materials to help identify and shut down sources of illegal guns.

The goal is to make smart and effective choices about deployments, and timely response to urgent situations like armed robberies in progress. The recent choice by the Oakland Police Chief to order hundreds of Police Officers to stay downtown watching peaceful protesters was not the most effective and efficient use of law enforcement resources, while urgent needs for response and follow up on armed robberies was lacking. A better use of sworn personnel would have been to ensure presence in community and commercial corridors facing armed robberies throughout the city. A discussion about making gun violence a top law enforcement priority for the City of Oakland will help ensure that resources are distributed in a more effective and just manner.

September 29, 2020 Meeting Agenda:

https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=805626&GUID=980C217F-33D1-4EC8-BCF2-F48FB2B406D3

Full Memo:

https://oakland.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8810214&GUID=493A6B35-3A36-4912-B2DD-00F32D272B0A

Seneca Scott Oakland City Council District 3 Candidate Interview Zennie62 YouTube

September 29, 2020September 28, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Seneca Scott Oakland City Council District 3 Candidate Interview Zennie62 YouTube
From YouTube Channel: September 26, 2020 at 08:05AM
ONN – Seneca Scott Oakland City Council District 3 Candidate Interview Zennie62 YouTube

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veD1s2v7khc

“Daniel’s Story By Seneca Scott” Oakland City Council D3 Candidate YouTube Video

September 27, 2020September 27, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Daniel’s Story by Seneca Scott
From YouTube Channel: September 23, 2020 at 07:30PM
ONN – “Daniel’s Story By Seneca Scott” Oakland City Council D3 Candidate YouTube Video

Note: not an endorsement, but this YouTube video by the candidate for the Oakland City Council District Three Seat that’s held by Lynette Gibson McElhaney is a must watch.

Seneca writes:

Currently, D3 is home to 56% of Alameda County’s unhoused and this has more than doubled in the last two years. All while $340 million dollars has been allocated toward homelessness for the fiscal year 2018-2020.

Thank you Daniel and everyone else who has been helping keep our streets clean.

It’s time to elect a real voice in City Hall. A voice that speaks for D3.

Stay tuned.

Source: Regional Meeting on Homelessness, 2019 and homelessness.acgov.org

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJPVQ3-qkog

Oakland’s Future: Solving Homelessness, Housing for All!

September 27, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Oakland’s Future: Solving Homelessness, Housing for All!
From YouTube Channel: September 25, 2020 at 01:00PM
ONN – Listen and engage with homelessness & housing experts to create comprehensive solutions for Oakland’s housing crisis. Create a dialogue with the community to ensure all people of Oakland are housed. Join Tri Ngo, Candidate for Oakland District 1 City Council, in a Town Hall to discuss envisioning a new future for Oakland and finding real solutions to ensure housing for all. We want to encourage support and solutions during these changing times and can respond to your questions during the Virtual Town Hall.

The Oakland City Council has the power to change housing, public safety, homelessness, transportation, and community involvement. Now more than ever it is important to stay engaged with our government and promote democracy as a powerful tool of the people. It is a critical time to elect someone who speaks for the people. Tri Ngo is committed to creating a government that profoundly engages citizens by reducing barriers to political involvement. He will create a government that encourages communication and understanding. Tri wants to champion (with your support) resolutions for fair housing and fair government.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAAimO3PaNc

To Seneca Scott, Running For Oakland City Council District Three, Sorry For The Mixup

September 26, 2020September 26, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

To Seneca Scott, Running For Oakland City Council District Three, Sorry For The Mixup

ONN – To Seneca Scott, Running For Oakland City Council District Three, Sorry For The Mixup

To Seneca Scott, Running For Oakland City Council District Three, Sorry For The Mixup

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/MrPK4cmZZEg

Lynette Gibson McElhaney Oakland City Council District Three 2020 Race Interview On Zennie62 YouTube

September 26, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Lynette Gibson McElhaney Oakland City Council District Three 2020 Race Interview On Zennie62 YouTube
From YouTube Channel: September 25, 2020 at 02:14AM
ONN – Lynette Gibson McElhaney Oakland City Council District Three 2020 Race Interview On Zennie62 YouTube

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD9YVzpJY64

Lyft Commercial Attacking Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council At-Large Incumbent, Was Stupid

September 26, 2020 by Zennie Abraham

Lyft Commercial Attacking Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council At-Large Incumbent, Was Stupid

ONN – Lyft Commercial Attacking Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council At-Large Incumbent, Was Stupid

Lyft Commercial Attacking Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council At-Large Incumbent, Was Stupid

Ok. So what do you call a corporate political strategy which calls for attacking an incumbent elected official who tried to get that firm to pay more taxes and treat its workers better – the same workers who are voters in that city? I call it stupid.

That’s what Lyft did in this case of Oakland At-Large Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Stay tuned.

Note from Zennie62Media and Oakland News Now: this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile media video-blogging system network that was launched June 2018. This is a major part of Zennie62Media , Inc.’s new and innovative approach to the production of news media. What we call “The Third Wave of Media”. The uploaded video is from a vlogger with the Zennie62 on YouTube Partner Channel, then uploaded to and formatted automatically at the Oakland News Now site and Zennie62-created and owned social media pages. The overall objective is smartphone-enabled, real-time, on the scene reporting of news, interviews, observations, and happenings anywhere in the World and within seconds and not hours. Now, news is reported with a smartphone: no heavy and expensive cameras or even a laptop are necessary. The secondary objective is faster, and very inexpensive media content news production and distribution. We have found there is a disconnect between post length and time to product and revenue generated. With this, the problem is far less, though by no means solved. Zennie62Media is constantly working to improve the system network coding and seeks interested content and media technology partners.

via IFTTT
https://youtu.be/1zdFjZ_1Ywk

Lyft Spends $100K On TV Ads Against Rebecca Kaplan In Oakland City Council At-Large Race

September 25, 2020 by Rebecca Kaplan

Oakland – Just hours after it was announced that Lyft had dumped $100K into television ads against Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan, allegedly lying about her record on housing, the At-Large Councilmember has received a number of new endorsements in the fight to stop the oligarchs from buying Oakland.

“This is not about housing,” Kaplan said of Lyft’s financial contribution to the campaign committee opposing her. “This is about a billionaire corporation that doesn’t want to pay its fair share in taxes and wants to abuse its workers.”

Rand Shaw – journalist, and pro-housing advocate – endorsed Rebecca’s re-election saying in an email, “Rebecca, I am absolutely horrified that YIMBY’s are using Lyft money to oppose you. I never make Oakland endorsements but feel compelled to show my support for you. So please list me as an endorser. Thanks, and on to victory!” and then followed with a tweet denouncing the lies by Lyft “IN 2018 @Kaplan4Oakland sought to increase housing density on transit corridors and upzone Rockridge. Yet some East Bay YIMBY’s have taken $100K from Lyft to help defeat this strong housing advocate. Terrible move.“

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez who is a champion for working people and their families and who was the Primary Sponsor of Assembly Bill 5 which is now being fought by Lyft in a statewide ballot measure – Proposition 22 – funded by the same oligarchs that are running attack ads on Rebecca also endorsed her re-election to the At Large seat.

Finally, Assemblymember Ash Kalra, who was a co-sponsor of Assembly Bill 5, re-tweeted his colleague and showed support for Rebecca’s campaign.

These types of dirty campaign tactics should be unacceptable in Oakland politics. Oaklanders deserve better. What is most important right now is to help people make a plan to vote. It is so important to mail your ballots early this year or find your local drop box. Ballots drop on October 5th so people should be checking their mailbox, and if they plan to mail their ballot to get it in the mail by October 10th to assure it makes it to the Registrar in time.

(https://kaplanforoakland.org/how-to-vote-by-mail-and-more/)

Rebecca is proud to have the endorsement and support of many community organizations, leaders, grassroots advocates, and residents. For endorsement information please visit http://kaplanforoakland.org/endorsements/.

Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan is an honors graduate from MIT, and holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School. Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember, she was re-elected in 2016, Rebecca is Oakland’s first openly LGBTQ+ elected official and she serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC).

Follow Council President Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland and Facebook.

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Anyway Back To The Action, I Mean The Oakland PEC Complaint

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Rebecca Kaplan Calls for New Solutions to Oakland’s Speeding Problems & Requests Support From the State Legislature at the October 6, 2020 Oakland City Council Meeting

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