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Cinco De Mayo: Five Interesting Facts You Should Know About the Popular Mexican American Holiday ... see page 8

Exploring the Remarkable Journey of Percival Everett: Author, Scholar, and Creative Visionary ... see page 8

Rajah Caruth: Young Trailblazer of NASCAR ... see page 7

California Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler Back Local News Resolution ... see page 2

Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18

61st Year, No. 18

Weekly Edition. Edition. May 1 - 7, 2024

postnewsgroup.com

Special Recall Election of DA Price Could Cost Taxpayers $20 Million Board of Supervisors will decide at their May 14 meeting whether to set a special or regular November election schedule

Proponents and opposers of the recall election against Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price argue outside of the County Administration Office minutes before the Board of Supervisors discusses how to move forward with a special recall election. Photo by Magaly Muñoz By Magaly Muñoz

The Alameda Board of Supervisors unanimously accepted the certification of the results of the valid signatures submitted for the recall of District Attorney Pamela Price on Tuesday evening. The Board will set the election date at a special meeting on May 14.

District Attorney Pamela Price ‘Protect the Win’ supporters held signs outside of the County Administration Office to ask the Board of Supervisors to not schedule a special recall election. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

Before the meeting, recall proponents and opponents held separate press conferences to plead their cases to the Board and residents of Alameda County. Price, who up until this point has made little public comment about the recall, held her press conference in Jack London to an-

An Oakland Homeless Shelter is Showing How a Housing and Healthcare First Approach Can Work: Part 1

Oak Days shelter, once a Days Hotel, resides in the Hegenberger corridor of Oakland. It is used as a temporary home to 60 residents who have experienced chronic homelessness or are medically vulnerable. Photo by Magaly Muñoz. By Magaly Muñoz

Hundreds of tents and abandoned vehicles now dot major streets and neighborhoods of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, this problem is expected to worsen as the housing market

skyrockets and the cost of living becomes unattainable for most Americans.

As one of California’s biggest

public policy challenges, over the

past four years, the state has allocat-

Henry Texad was 23 when he was slain in 2020. Courtesy photo.

Justice for Henry Texada Family Seeks Justice for Murdered Son on Fourth Anniversary of His Death

Special to The Post

Henry Texada was known as a

leader, a role model, godfather, and

a friend to all. He enjoyed mentoring younger members of his fami-

ly and participants at the Boys and Girls Club. He was always giving and present in the lives of others with a kind word or suggestion. Henry used the skills gained at Youth Radio as a digital media

nounce that the California Fair Political Practices Commission has opened an investigation into the finances of the Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE) recall campaign. The political action committee (PAC), Reviving the Bay Area, has been the largest contributor to the

SAFE organization and has allegedly donated over half a million dollars to the recall efforts. “Between September 2023 and November 2023, [Revive the Bay Area] donated approximately $578,000 to SAFE without complying with the laws that govern all political committees in Califor-

ed nearly $20 billion to housing and homelessness initiatives. Despite this substantial investment, the issue does not seem to be easing. Instead, the number of people without stable housing is surging. A 2022 Point In Time (PIT) Count showed that there were 9,747 homeless individuals living on the streets in Alameda County, an almost 22% increase from the 2019 count of 8,022 homeless individuals. Many reports estimate that this number will rise once the 2024 data is released. Amongst the many initiatives to end homelessness, the 2016 Senate Bill 1380 established California as a “housing first” state that would provide assistance, programs and funding to those experiencing homelessness. The bill recognized that the evidence-based model of prioritizing housing could end all types of homelessness and is the most effective approach to ending chronic homelessness. In the years following the passage of the law, doctors, county officials and a community organization

By California Black Media

photographer to inspire others. He wanted to learn as much as he could to be a supportive person for youth, so he enrolled at Laney College for the fall of 2020 for classes in Early Childhood Development. He was killed when several people exited a 2020 silver Nissan Armada and shot him around 2 p.m. on April 28, 2020, on 68th Avenue in East Oakland. Police were able to recover the vehicle, which had been rented in Reno, Nev., but have been unable to solve the case. Henry’s senseless murder continues to deeply impact his loved ones who are suffering from his loss. “I hate the phrase passed away or died,” his mother says. “My son, Henry, was very protective of me, and we had a bond that could not be broken. I miss him so much. “I hate April 28th because I feel Henry should be here, because he had a purpose helping others and Continued on page 10

By Post Staff

Continued on page 10

California has failed to monitor state spending and evaluate the outcomes of homelessness programs, according to a report issued last week by the California State Auditor’s Office. California State Auditor Grant Parks urged Governor Gavin Newsom to continue to hold local governments accountable in an open letter dated April 9. The audit highlighted that tracking programs and collecting accurate data could help the state save money. “The state must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its homelessness programs,” Parks said. The report showed that California spent approximately $20 billion on programs and initiatives addressing homelessness in the past five years. Although state funds were allocated to fund shelters and subsidized rent, homelessness in the state increased by 65 during the last year. In 2021, Gov. Newsom signed a law that required organizations that received state funds to collect Oakland natives and esteemed members of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), Jonathan P. Jones and Dr. Maritony Efua Jones, recently embarked on a significant journey to Ghana as guests of the World Martial Authority Ghana. This trip signifies a crucial opportunity to bolster partnerships, explore new avenues of collaboration, and contribute to impactful initiatives in Ghana. Upon their arrival at Katota Airport in Accra, Ghana, the Joneses were warmly received by His Royal Majesty Okatakyie Asafo Boakye III, the distinguished king of Sanzule Kingdom in the Eastern Nzema, and Etse Nyamedi of World Martial Authority, Ghana. Nyamedi accompanied the Joneses to the city of Mepe, which had recently experienced flooding, to assess damages and engage with local leaders, elders, and youth regarding the city’s urgent needs after major floods last fall. Key concerns and priorities identified by the community in-

Recall campaign Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE) held a press conference before the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday afternoon that was quickly interrupted by the Pamela Price ‘Protect the Win’ campaign. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

nia,” Price said. Price accused the recall campaigns of using irregular signature-gathering processes, such as paying gatherers per signature, and using misleading information to get people to sign their petitions. SAFE held their own press conference outside of the Alameda

County Administration Building at 1221 Oak St. in Oakland, once again calling for the Board to certify their signatures and set a date for the recall election. Their press conference turned contentious quickly as Price’s “Protect the Win” supporters atContinued on page 10

Photo: iStock photo.

Audit: California Is Poorly Monitoring Homelessness Spending

data and evaluate the progress of programs they implement. California auditors revealed that only two out of five action plans were cost-effective. One was Project Homekey, which converted hotels into housing during COVID-19, and CalWORKS, a housing support that offered financial assistance to low-income residents. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concern after the report was released.

“The biggest conclusion that the

auditors came back with is there’s

just inadequate transparency and

data and information available,” said Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) in a statement.

Republican Sen. Roger Niello

(R-Roseville) said, “These audit results are a wake-up call for a

shift towards solutions that prioritize self-sufficiency and costeffectiveness.”

Oakland Ambassadors Strengthen Ties and Aid Efforts in Ghana

Elder Jorg Klebingat, Flint Mensah, Richard Burton, H.E. Dr. Maritony Jones, Amb. Jonathan Jones, Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, Elder Alfred Kyungu. Courtesy photo.

clude comprehensive flood mitigation measures, agricultural support, housing initiatives, educational enhancements, improved healthcare access, and the development of communal recreational spaces. The Joneses were also graciously invited to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at their headquarters in Accra. This meeting

provided insights into ongoing humanitarian efforts in Ghana and explored avenues for collaboration to further assist Ghanaian communities. The LDS leaders shared their prompt response to the recent flood, demonstrating their commitment to humanitarian aid by dispatching substantial supplies including medical provisions, Continued on page 10