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Black Orgs Converge on California State Capitol for Legislative Day... see page 2
Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh Praises U.S. Senate for Voting to End Taxes on Service Workers’ Tips ... see page 7
Popular Castlemont High Teacher Killed After CHP High-Speed Chase ... see page 8
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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Weekly Edition May 28 - June 3, 2025
Anna Lee Blackman, 83
$100 Million Granted to the Deep East Oakland Community for the Community-Led Improvement Process Called Rise East Smoke rises from a fire at Radius Recycling in West Oakland, August 2023. Photo courtesy Nik Altenberg/KQED.
New District Attorney Drops Criminal Charges Against West Oakland Recycling Plant
At the announcement on the success of the Rise East fundraising effort last week, Mayor Barbara Lee, speaking, praised the organizers. From left to right are: Tracy Wilson, of the 40x40 People’s Advisory Council; Kevin Hill, Brotherhood of Elders Network; Carolyn Johnson, Black Cultural Zone, Mayor Barbara Lee; Selena Wilson, East Oakland Youth Development Center; and Gregory Hodge, Brotherhood of Elders. Photo from Mayor Barbara Lee’s Facebook page. By Paul Cobb
ing would put their East Oakland community-led initiative in a position to trigger institutional partnerships and investments. Hodge said the incredible success of the leadership of the Black Culture Zone, East Oakland Youth Center as well as the emergence of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group serve as networking examples to build upon. “This is an historic milestone,” Mayor Lee said. “The Rise East Initiative has reached its $100 milContinued on page 8
62nd Year, No. 22
Special to The Post
Radius Recycling, located at 1101 Embarcadero in West Oakland, and two of the company’s employees for alleged recklessness, conspiracy, and concealing evidence. Recently appointed Alameda County DA Ursula Jones Dickson said she withdrew the charges because she was not sure she could prove the case and convict those responsible. Prosecutor Casey Bates, a spokesperson for the DA’s office, said, “We took a deep dive in the Continued on page 8
Anna Lee Blackman was born on Oct. 23, 1941, in Earlsboro, Oklahoma to proud parents Elgie Lee Perry and Clarence Yates. She enjoyed the early years of her life in Oklahoma prior to her mother and Aunt Esther making a historic move during the Great Migration to settle in Santa Maria, California. Anna Lee’s family was joined by many other families of the era; the Fosters, Joneses, and later the Hamiltons and Gilders, and a close-knit small community was born. With it came friendships that would last a lifetime. As Anna grew up, she showed signs of being musically inclined; especially in playing the piano. And being a natural born leader, she taught piano lessons to the other children in the community. She attended Monterey Bay Academy and then Pacific Union College (PUC) in Angwin, California. After graduating from PUC, she began her career teaching German at Golden Gate Academy in Oakland, California. The Market Street Seventh-day Adventist Church in Oakland became her home. Anna utilized her musical Continued on page 8
‘This terrible decision is a sign of the return to the old days of a double standard of justice in Alameda County,’ said former D.A. Pamela Price
By Post Staff
Anna Lee Blackman. Photo courtesy of the family.
Mayor Barbara Lee and the leaders of Rise Oakland announced that the community had raised $50 million to match a foundation grant challenge to provide funds to assist a comprehensive development strategy to improve the quality of life in Deep East Oakland. After more than 10 years of planning, organizing and educating community organizations around potential solutions for schools, employment, affordable
housing, business development and anti-violence programs a steering group composed of leaders of the Black Cultural Zone, Roots Community Health Center, the 40x40 Initiative, Oakland Thrives and the Brotherhood of Elders led an intensive two-year fundraising effort that Greg Hodge of the Brotherhood of Elders said “allows us to raise enough money to make a down payment on the future of Deep East Oakland.” Hodge says the collective sweat equity and volunteer-led fundrais-
By Tanya Dennis
ence, lack of mental capacity and
witnesses present when Dr. Head
Ten individuals testified and/or
forgery came from Della Ham-
signed her trust and will. Despite
wrote a declaration that they did
lin, Head’s sister, utilizing the
these facts, Judge Bean ruled that
not witness Jendayi unduly influ-
hearsay of Dr. Head’s colleague
Jendayi named herself beneficia-
ence Dr. Head. Not one person
Eunice Aaron, who passed away
ry and that Jendayi unduly influ-
testified that Jendayi unduly in-
before the trial. To hold a trial
enced Head to execute the trust.
fluenced Dr. Head. Nonetheless,
Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson this week dropped charges against Radius Recycling, a West Oakland metal crushing plant formerly known as Schnitzer Steel, which was facing a criminal indictment and $33 million in fines for a 2023 massive fire that spewed a plume of dark smoke across Oakland and the East Bay. Before she was recalled, former District Attorney Pamela Price had filed charges against
The Case Against Probate: Wills and Trusts Versus Judge’s Opinion Part 3 People with assets are advised
to obtain a will and trust to avoid probate, as wills and trusts assure that the wishes of the deceased regarding their estate are met. However, when family members disagree with the documents, too often, judge’s opinions overrule the wishes of the deceased and trusts and wills are nullified.
based on allegations from some-
Attorney Lee, Notary Trina E.
Bean ruled that Jendayi unduly
one who can’t authenticate alle-
Jackson and Jendayi’s testimony
influenced Dr. Head, based on
gations and be cross-examined
fell on deaf ears regarding undue
fact that Jendayi called Attorney
is against the law. Della Hamlin
influence. Judge Bean ruled that
Lee to request trust preparations,
and Helaine Head, Head’s sis-
Jendayi unduly influenced Dr.
filled out the client intake form
Head, even though both of Dr.
and signed the attorney client fee
Head’s sister’s, Della Hamlin and
agreement, which Jendayi did at
Helaine Head testified that they
Head’s request.
ters, also accused me of unduly
Dr. Laura Dean Head, a Black
influencing Dr. Head, of writing
Studies professor at San Franciso
the trust and will and signing her
State University, left her estate to
name which I didn’t do, and that
former student Zakiya Jendayi in
Dr. Head lacked mental capacity
the last days of her life. The judge
and that Head was admitted into
invalidated the trust stating Dr.
John George Psychiatric Hospital
Head was unduly influence by Jendayi.
Zakiya Jendayi had been named beneficiary of the trust of the late Dr. Laura Dean Head. Courtesy photo. 2023, the court ruled that Laura
Attorney Lee, Dr. Head’s Es-
Dean Head had capacity. The
tate Planning Attorney testified
court also ruled that Laura Dean
she wrote the trust and will and
Head signed the trust. Judge Bean
witnessed Dr. Head signing. No-
for a three-day observation which
stated, “the court has no credible
tary Trina E. Jackson submitted
proved untrue.”
evidence of forgery and thereby
two declarations and testified that
finds that Laura Dean Head did execute the trust.”
Jendayi says, “The three alle-
In Judge Sandra Bean’s State-
gations against me -- undue influ-
ment of Decision dated March 28,
did not witness Jendayi unduly in-
Says Jendayi, “Judge Bean
fluence Dr. Head, as did Dr. Dere-
ruled I had no rights to Head’s es-
thia DuVal, Dr. Head’s colleague,
tate. She made this ruling based
Dr. Fowler, Dr. Head’s previous
upon her opinion despite over-
student, Jennifer Hopping, Kaiser
whelming facts to the contrary,
social worker, Dolly Woodson,
which is no due process. That’s
she witnessed Dr. Head signing
Kaiser nurse, Jenna Noe, hospice
why I’m taking my case to the Su-
her trust and will. There were two
social worker, and Dr. Sarafian.
preme Court.”
San Francisco Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Hosts Scholarship Brunch to Empower Local Students
Pictured are six of the scholarship recipients. Photos courtesy San Francisco Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. See the full story starting on page 2...