Dis.
Libby Schaaf: Guilty ... see page 16
How Mobihealth Drives a Telemedicine Revolution in Africa ... see page 6
A Life of Inventions: Engineer and Physicist George Alcorn ... see page 9
The Divine 9 Educate Voters at Vote Smart Summit ... see page 10
Mayor Sheng Thao Delivers State of the City Address, Cites Substantial Investments in Public Safety Technology By Magaly Muñoz
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao delivered her State of the City
Mayor Sheng Thao delivered her State of the City address at a City Council meeting Tuesday evening where she celebrated all her accomplishments and improvements since her last city address. Photo courtesy of the mayor’s office.
since her previous city address,
There was also no mention of
But at her speech Tuesday
saying that the change is “noth-
the recall she is facing in a few
night, she celebrated the hiring
ing short of inspiring.”
short weeks or the FBI raid on her
of current chief Floyd Mitchell,
address at a City Council meet-
Her 2023 city address was
ing on Tuesday evening, laying
filled with acknowledgments of
Thao dedicated the majority of
out her administration’s accom-
her administration’s failures, in-
her 2023 speech talking about her
plishments over the last year and
cluding not securing funding for
priority on public safety. She had
outlining how she intends to con-
retail crime prevention, loss of
fired the former Oakland Police
tinue the progress during the rest
businesses, risk to public welfare
Chief LeRonne Armstrong eight
of her term.
and much more, but this year’s
months prior. She then became
speech focused on her accom-
the face of the rising crime the
plishments.
city was struggling to manage.
Thao boasted about where the
home in June.
who joined the department this spring, and the reinvestment into the Ceasefire program to prevent violent crimes. “I can tell you today that crime is down,” Thao said. Homicides in particular are down nearly 30% from 2023. One hundred and twenty people were Continued on page 16
Oakland Post city has improved in the last year
“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
Oakland City Councilmember atlarge Rebecca Kaplan. File photo.
Hydrogen’s Promise a Path to Cleaner Air and Jobs for Oakland By Rebecca Kaplan, Vice Mayor of Oakland
As California accelerates its shift to a clean energy future, the debate around how to best reduce emissions often focuses on the merits of one technology over another. But the truth is, to meet our ambitious climate goals, we need a comprehensive approach—one that includes both electrification and clean hydrogen solutions. We cannot afford to choose one over the other if we want to ensure a cleaner, more equitable future for all.
That’s why I was honored to welcome state and federal leaders to Oakland for the official launch of the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), a groundbreaking project that marks a turning point for our city and the greater Bay Area. The event showcased Oakland’s leadership in hydrogen adoption, demonstrating how Oakland is implementing innovative technologies that have practical benefits for our community. This includes a hydrogen sea ferry that will reduce emissions in our bay, AC Transit hydrogen buses that will improve air quality on our streets, and the NorCAL ZERO First Element Hydrogen Fueling station, the largest in the nation, which will significantly reduce harmful air pollution from our hardest-hit neighborhoods. Why does this matter for Bay Area residents? For too long, Black, Latino, and lower-income communities, particularly those in industrial truck corridors along West and East Oakland and near busy highways, have been subjected to a disproportionate share of harmful air pollution caused by emissions, especially diesel particulate emissions, from trucks and other sources. A recent study authored by researchers at UC Berkeley and the Continued on page 16
2024 Local Elections: Q&A for Oakland Unified School Candidates, District 1
61st Year, No. 42
Weekly Edition. Edition. October 16 - 22, 2024
At Oakland Symphony’s 202425 Season Opening, Music Director Kedrick Armstrong Will Make History
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said the loans would be in amounts up to $20,000. Courtesy photo. Music Director Kedrick Armstrong. Photo by Scott Chernis. By Oakland Post Staff
Music Director Kedrick Armstrong will make history with his debut performance at the Oakland Symphony’s 2024-25 Season Opening Concert on Oct. 18, at 8 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland. Armstrong, who is from Georgetown, South Carolina, is the ninth music director in the organization’s almost 100-yearhistory. His appointment follows in the footsteps of the late Oakland Symphony Music Director and Conductor Michael Morgan. Armstrong, 30, is not a new
face to Oakland as he has been an active partner with the Oakland Symphony over the last few years both on and off-the-stage. From 2022-24, Armstrong led three Oakland Symphony programs and guest-conducted the orchestra, showcasing his broad knowledge of the classical repertoire and enthusiasm for spotlighting diverse voices. On his Oakland Symphony subscription debut on Feb. 16, Kedrick led the World Premiere of “Here I Stand: Paul Robeson,” an oratorio by Carlos Simon Continued on page 16
Harris Promises One Million Forgivable Loans for Black Businesses
By Jackson Walker CBS News Austin
As she continues to try to connect with Black male voters, Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday promised to offer 1 million business loans to Black entrepreneurs. The Harris campaign announced the plan via its website, which notes “Donald Trump is a serious threat to the lives of Black men.” These forgivable loans
could reach as high as $20,000 in value, the site reads. “Vice President Harris is laying out an agenda to give Black men the tools to build wealth and achieve financial freedom, lower costs for themselves and their families, and protect their rights—addressing the issues that Black men across the country have told her are their top concerns,” the campaign wrote. Harris’ economic plan centers Continued on page 16
Alameda County D.A. Price Learns Cause, Offers Solution to End Backlog of Misdemeanor Cases
(L-R) Richard “Razor” Johnson, plaintiff and hunger strike survivor; JoeBill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey, director and producer, respectively, of the film documentary “The Strike;” and event host Caitlin Henry, Criminology and Justice Studies lecturer at Sonoma State University. Photo by Jonathanfitnessjones. Oakland Unified School District 1 candidates Rachel Latta and Ben Salop. Photos courtesy of candidates. By Magaly Muñoz Oakland residents will soon vote for new school board directors in four separate districts across the city. The Post reached out to the eight candidates across Districts 1, 3, 5, and 7 to see what their views are on various topics concerning the OUSD community. Below are questions and answers from District 1 candidates Rachel Latta and
Ben Salop. Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Q1: What do you think the biggest challenge will be to address while on the board? Salop: The biggest challenge that we have to address as a board, and as a district, is the lack of trust that our parents and our community members have in the district. In a lot of issues, we’ve seen that Continued on page 16
ESSAY:
A Survivor Relives ‘The Strike,’ a Moving Film Capturing Injustices at Pelican Bay State Prison
Read the full story on page 13
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price. File photo. Special to The Post Today, Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced that missing data has been causing the backlog of misdemeanor cases recently reported at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland. A tech solution to the problem will go into effect on Oct. 21. When Price hired Senior Assistant District Attorney Evan-
thia Pappas as the new branch head at the Family Justice Center in early 2023, the team discovered significant backlogs in domestic violence cases, which pose the highest risk of lethality if left unaddressed as well as UVisa applications. The new team addressed the problem at the FJC, and since August of this year, the same model used to clear the backlog of these Continued on page 16