Sen. Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Removal of Democratic Election Commissioners ... see page 2
Assemblymember Mike Gipson: Tragic Compton Shootings Drive Home Need for Stronger Gun Control Legislation... see page 2
Oakland City Council Approves New $125 Million Coliseum Deal .. see page 1
Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative ... see page 1
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
63nd Year, No. 28
Weekly Edition July 15 - 21, 2026
postnewsgroup.com
Neighborhood Activist Says Coliseum Deal is an Opportunity for Blacks to Rebuild East Oakland Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant displays watermelons from her Sacramento farm at the Temescal Festival in Oakland. Photo by Carla Thomas. John Jones III, Jonathan Fitness Jones, Mayor Barbara Lee, Ray Bobbitt, Samantha Wise, and Cecilia Cunningham. Photo by Gay Plair Cobb.
Oakland City Council Approves New $125 Million Coliseum Deal
By Ken Epstein and Carla Thomas
The Oakland City Council has approved a restructured $125 million agreement to sell the city’s remaining 50% stake in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, marking a major step forward in long-term redevelop-
ment plans for the historic site. The deal transfers ownership to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) and its affiliate, Oakland Acquisition Company (OAC), with a new strategic partnership that includes entertainment executive Irving Azoff’s Oak View Group (OVG).
City officials described the agreement as a forward-looking move that balances immediate financial relief with long-term economic opportunity. Azoff, co-founder of OVG and a legendary figure in the global music and entertainment indusContinued on page 8
Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs Law Streamlining Affordable Housing Rules
John Jones III, a third generation East Oakland resident. By Post Staff Neighborhood activist John Jones III gives credit to the vision of the Board of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) while remaining cautious about the real impact the acquisition of the Oakland Coliseum complex will have. Approved by a 6-1 vote in Oakland City Council this week, the news of the $125 million sale of the 112-acre plot ends a long journey that began several years ago but another one begins: just how will the vision be implemented and what difference will it make to the long-term Black residents nearby? That’s what Jones wants to know. “Sure, I am proud as a single parent for my son and community Continued on page 8
From left to right: Jesse Arreguín, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sharon Quirk Silva, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, and Janelle Chan. Photo courtesy Sarah Henry. By Post Staff In Oakland on July 13, Gov. Newsom signed AB 179 — the state’s new housing budget trailer bill that cuts red tape, modernizes how California finances affordable housing, and lowers the cost of building a unit by up to $70,000. The legislation builds on the gov-
ernor’s efforts that have reversed decades of inaction on housing and homelessness — creating more homes and the largest reduction in unsheltered homelessness in more than 15 years. Oakland is the first pro-housing city in the Bay Area, and it’s not slowing down. Oakland is cutting through bureaucracy, unlocking
Artist Pete Escovedo with daughter Zena celebrate his 91st birthday at The Grand Gallery in Oakland where Escovedo’s paintings are exhibited.
Percussionist Pete Escovedo Celebrates 91st Birthday with Art Exhibit at Oakland’s Grand Gallery By Carla Thomas
Pete Escovedo, a world-renowned trailblazing percussionist and father of musical icon Sheila E. has spent decades bringing vibrant music to audiences across the globe. Yet long before his musical acclaim, Escovedo’s creative journey began with painting, an art form he first explored as a youth while attend-
ing Oakland’s McClymonds High School. Now 91, Escovedo recently celebrated his birthday in Oakland with a remarkable weekend of six concerts, alongside the debut of his visual artwork at The Grand Gallery in Jack London Square. The exhibit, which opened Thursday, July 9, offered a rare glimpse into another
new financing, and clearing the path for more affordable homes to get built faster. Special thanks to East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBADC), State Assemblymember Sharon Quirk Silva, and California Housing and Community Development Director Gustavo Velasquez. dimension of his artistry. The opening reception felt like a family reunion, drawing together Escovedo’s loved ones, fans, and a cross-section of the Bay Area’s creative and business communities. “It’s great to celebrate one of Oakland’s greatest musicians,” said event promoter Erroll Jackson, who attended alongside producer Marcus King. Guests also included members of Bay Area Productions and Oakland entrepreneur Mistah F.A.B. Curator Eric Murphy emphasized that many attendees were discovering Escovedo’s visual art for the first time. “People are still surprised that Pete has this additional extension of his creativity,” Murphy said during the reception. The Grand Gallery owner Bill Weber echoed that sentiment. “It’s quite an honor to host his paintings here,” he said. Artist and author Monica Faith Walker added, “His work really tells a story.” The exhibit features a vibrant collection of acrylic paintings that draw viewers into Escovedo’s world through bold color and expressive forms. His subjects range from people and instruments to scenes and abstract compositions, each layered Continued on page 8
Agricultural Engineer Effie Gant Plans Bay Area Farmers Market Initiative
By Carla Thomas
In her 80s and still actively working as an agricultural engineer, Effie Gant continues to break barriers in urban farming and community leadership. The certified USDA grower and respected urban farmer, based in South Sacramento, was recently spotted vending at the Freedom Farmers Market by the Temescal Street Fair on Saturday, July 11, where she proudly displayed dozens of sweet, juicy watermelons. Festivalgoers gathered not only to purchase her produce but also to enjoy activities like the popular watermelon-eating contest. Yet beyond the festive atmosphere, Gant has a larger vision. Gant is now setting her sights
NPRC Heads to Washington to Elevate Adult Guardianship Reform at National Whistleblower Summit
Valarie Bachelor.
Opinion: Board VP Valarie Bachelor Rick Black, a member of NPRC Says OUSD is the executive director and founder of the Center for Estate is Moving Administration Reform (CEAR) Ahead Under which combats predatory practices and fiduciary abuse Committed in the adult guardianship, Leadership conservatorship, and probate
By Valarie Bachelor Vice President Oakland Board of Education
As I reflect on this past year serving on the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Board, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together. While there is still important work ahead, this year demonstrated what is possible when we stay focused on students, collaborate through difficult challenges, and refuse to lose sight of our goals. We inherited one of the most difficult financial situations in OUSD’s history. Together with Interim Superintendent Dr. Denise Saddler, the Senior Leadership Team, our Continued on page 8
on the Bay Area, where she plans to launch a farmers market aimed at increasing access to fresh, locally grown food. Known for her leadership in sustainable agriculture and food justice, she brings decades of hands-on experience and community advocacy to regions where food access remains inconsistent. She has built a strong reputation through her work with Meadowview Urban Farm and the Yisrael Family Urban Farm, cultivating crops such as watermelons, honeydew melons, and collard greens. Her approach emphasizes sustainability, education, and empowering residents to grow their own food, even in small urContinued on page 8
systems. Courtesy photo. By Tanya Dennis
Members of the National Probate Reform Coalition (NPRC) will join whistleblowers, investigative journalists, filmmakers, attorneys, and citizen advocates from across the country at the 2026 Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival in Washington, D.C., to spotlight one of the nation’s most overlooked public policy issues— adult guardianship abuse and the need for meaningful reform. Held July 24 through Aug. 2, with its principal live events taking place July 27–30, the summit brings together individuals committed to exposing fraud, corruption, abuse of authority, and government waste. A featured event
on July 27 at the Rayburn House Office Building will include a screening of “The Bad Guardian,” followed by a panel discussion examining adult guardianships and the growing movement to protect vulnerable seniors and adults from financial exploitation and abuse. NPRC members will attend the screening and participate in discussions alongside nationally recognized advocates, including Rick Black of Center for Estate Administration Reform (CEAR), “The Probate Trap” authors Luanne Fleming and Robin Austin and other organizations working to increase public awareness of guardianship reform. Producer Elizabeth Stephen has expanded her role beyond filmmaking to become an advocate for public education on guardianship issues. The discussion will also feature director Ray Contreras, whose documentary tells the story of his family’s experience after his father became the subject of a contested guardianship, and Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Adam Walser, whose reporting has examined elder exploitation and public accountability. For probate reform advocates, this year’s summit represents an important shift in how adult guardianship is viewed. For many years, families raising concerns about questionable guardianships often found their complaints dismissed as private family disputes. Today, advocates argue that when allegations involve Medicaid billContinued on page 8