The Oaklandside
Why is Oakland always in a budget crisis?
- Title
- Why is Oakland always in a budget crisis?
- Runtime
- 27:04
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Fiscal cliff. Structural deficit. Unanticipated emergency. If you've lived in Oakland for any length of time, you've heard the warnings — firehouses closing, academies canceled, the biggest deficit ever — and then watched the city keep running anyway. So what's actually going on?
City Hall reporter Eli Wolfe and housing and City Hall reporter Natalie Orenstein help untangle why Oakland lurches from one budget crisis to the next, why it never quite goes over the edge, and who absorbs the damage when it doesn't.
Stories we reference in this episode:
Oakland's big budget crisis: what you need to know (https://oaklandside.org/2024/06/28/oakland-big-budget-crisis-what-you-need-to-know/)
In her first budget as mayor, Thao stares down Oakland's biggest deficit ever (https://oaklandside.org/2023/04/24/in-her-first-budget-as-mayor-thao-stares-down-oaklands-biggest-deficit-ever/)
Police and fire cuts may be needed to fix Oakland's longterm b...
- Title
- Oakland First Fridays fights for its future
- Runtime
- 23:14
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- For 20 years, Oakland First Fridays has turned a stretch of Telegraph Avenue into a monthly street festival. Now organizers say a false media narrative, one that ties off-site, late-night violence to the event, has driven away sponsors and put the festival's future in doubt.
Arts and community reporter Azucena Rasilla and public safety reporter Roselyn Romero join us to explain what's happening, why the blame is misplaced, and what it would take to keep First Fridays going.
Stories we cover in this episode:
First Fridays at risk as sponsors pull out amid false links to violence (https://oaklandside.org/2026/05/15/oakland-first-fridays-uncertain-future-lack-of-funding/)
False media narratives threaten Oakland's First Fridays, say organizers (https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/18/oakland-first-fridays-safety-narratives-violence/)
'Nobody's crazy budget' avoids layoffs and includes film incentives, shelter beds, and illegal du...
- Title
- Oakland's World Cup moment — and the Mount Rushmore of Oakland sports
- Runtime
- 21:59
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- The Australian men's national soccer team — the Socceroos — are calling Oakland home for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, training at the Oakland Roots and Soul facility in Alameda. Oaklandside freelance sports reporter Anne Marks tells us what that means for the city, how Oakland is welcoming fans from around the world, and what local restaurants are doing to celebrate.
Then: who belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Oakland sports? Anne asked mayors, coaches, journalists, team executives, and historians — and got some great answers and some great arguments.
Plus: Barbara Lee launches her re-election campaign, new data on Oakland's Flock surveillance cameras, a deadly crash in Fruitvale, turmoil at a homeless services nonprofit, Oakland Carnival, and new food openings.
Find all these stories and more at oaklandside.org. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at editors@oaklandside.org.
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The Oaklandside is a small but mighty team of local j...
- Title
- Measure E looks set to fail. What that means for Oakland politics
- Runtime
- 32:48
- Date posted
- 2 months ago
- Description
- Oakland voters appear to have rejected Measure E, the $192 parcel tax that city leaders and unions had counted on to fund police, fire, homelessness services, and illegal dumping cleanup.
We break down what happened, what it means for the city budget, and what it signals heading into the November election.
Plus: Remembering Wilson Riles Jr., the 580 truck ban, cell phones and girls sports in OUSD, Sable Lounge opens, and more.
News editor Darwin BondGraham joins host Tasneem Raja.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Measure E looks set to fail. What does that mean for Oakland politics? (https://oaklandside.org/2026/06/03/measure-e-looks-set-to-fail-what-does-that-mean-for-oakland-politics/)
Measure E: Oakland voters are being asked to approve a new parcel tax (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/27/measure-e-oakland-parcel-tax-public-safety/)
Oakland Measure E: Early results show voters skeptical of parcel...
- Title
- Oakland goes to the movies
- Runtime
- 18:15
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Mayor Barbara Lee's proposed budget includes restoring a $250,000 film rebate program — a small but meaningful step toward making Oakland a filmmaking hub.
Arts reporter Azucena Rasilla explains what it would take to get more films made in Oakland, and why local filmmakers are cautiously optimistic.
Plus: Oakland's speed cameras have issued 82,000 fines in their first 40 days, San Francisco police smash down the door of Elaine Brown's West Oakland building, rescue dogs sent from Oakland to a Humboldt County shelter were allegedly killed, and Art Murmur celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Why more filmmakers could soon be eyeing Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2026/05/27/tax-incentives-for-oakland-filmmakers-mayor-proposed-budget/)
Boots Riley's raucous 'I Love Boosters' premieres in Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/29/oakland-i-love-boosters-boots-riley-grand-lake-movie-premiere/)
...
- Title
- Trees, towers, and tents: recent Oakland housing stories
- Runtime
- 27:00
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- What happens when Oakland's tree protection laws are broken — and does the city have the will to enforce them? What does a proposal to replace the Rockridge Trader Joe's with senior housing towers say about Oakland's development moment? And can the city make a real dent in homelessness when two competing plans are pulling in different directions?
Housing reporter Natalie Orenstein joins editor Tasneem Raja to work through all of it.
Plus: Dan Fontes, Oakland's giraffe muralist, has died. Several Oakland Catholic churches are closing. The DA race heats up financially. And Mosswood Recreation Center is back after nearly a decade.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Housing and development
• Landowners who cut 38 trees in Oakland hills hit with $915,000 fine (https://oaklandside.org/2026/05/05/trees-illegally-cut-fine-oakland/)
• Rockridge Trader Joe's could be replaced by 415-uni...
- Title
- Illegal dumping in Oakland is a mess. Why?
- Runtime
- 23:04
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Today: illegal dumping in Oakland. Why it keeps getting worse, what the city has tried, and what might actually work. Reporter Eli Wolfe joins us to sort out the mess.
And, we’ll talk about Boots Riley’s new film that debuted in Oakland, how the search for OUSD’s next leader got delayed again, who’s paint-bombing Flock cameras, and what you need to know before you vote in the primary election on June 2nd.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Illegal Dumping
• Oakland’s illegal dumping strategy isn’t working. A new report explains why (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/23/oakland-illegal-dumping-audit-2026-waste-management/)
• AI drones to spot illegal dumping? Oakland is considering a pilot project (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/10/drones-illegal-dumping-oakland-aerbits/)
• Illegal dumping fines could go up a lot in Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2026/03/16/illegal-dumping-f...
- Title
- Oakland in 2026: The biggest stories so far
- Runtime
- 34:01
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Editor-in-Chief Tasneem Raja sits down with Oaklandside's deputy editor Esther Kaplan and news editor Darwin BondGraham to take stock of the biggest stories of 2026 — crime, schools, road safety, Mayor Lee's first year, and the state of Oakland's arts and culture scene.
Plus: a major housing program for homeless families at Children's Hospital, a whistleblower shaking up the DA's office, a pothole settlement, a sideshow ordinance that's never been used, and OPD's ongoing transparency problems.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Crime and public safety
• Oakland ended 2025 with the fewest homicides since 1967 (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/07/oakland-homicides-crime-down-public-safety-2025/)
• Sideshow participants can be fined in Oakland. Why has the city never done this? (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/20/sideshow-participants-oakland-penalties-citations/)
• Oakland police illegal...
- Title
- Encampment changes, EZ's Lounge warnings, airport expansion fight
- Runtime
- 11:18
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The City Council passed a new encampment policy giving Oakland more power to tow RVs and close camps. Our public safety reporter found that neighbors had been warning the city for years about the operator of EZ's Lounge before last month's mass shooting. And environmental groups are in court challenging plans to expand Oakland's airport.
Plus: the I-980 reimagining project enters its next phase, the city considers AI drones to fight illegal dumping, Sunday parking tickets are here, former Mayor Libby Schaaf takes over the Bay Area Council, restaurant closings, and Prince tributes around town.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Housing and homelessness
• Ken Houston's homeless camp policy passes, after months of debate (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/14/ken-houston-encampment-abatement-policy-passes-oakland/)
Public safety
• Before the EZ's Lounge mass sho...
- Title
- Fire at Camron-Stanford, charter reform guide, renaming César E. Chávez library
- Runtime
- 10:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- This week, we're keeping things short and sweet, with a round-up of recent reporting from our newsroom.
A fire damaged one of Oakland's most beloved historic landmarks. Oakland voters may get to decide in November how their city government is structured.
Environmental justice advocates’ decade-long fight to stop a coal terminal enters a new phase.
A nonprofit bought a building to make it permanently affordable housing for Oakland teachers. A Fruitvale library may be getting a new name.
And Earth Day is coming up, with some great options for getting outside.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Camron-Stanford House fire
• Fire damages Oakland’s historic Camron-Stanford House (https://oaklandside.org/2026/04/04/oakland-camron-stanford-house-fire/)
Charter reform
• A quick guide to the Oakland charter reform deb...
- Title
- Speed cameras are real now: What the data tells us
- Runtime
- 20:34
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland's 60-day warning period ended March 15th. Road safety reporter Jose Fermoso breaks down what 140,000 warnings revealed about where speeding is worst in Oakland — and what comes next.
And later in this episode, I’ll tell you about more recent news: thousands of Oaklanders joined the nationwide No Kings march, a strong-mayor proposal gets a cool reception at City Hall, three homeless shelters close as the city grapples with a shelter shortfall, Oakland schools are nearly lead-free, the city wants your input on its first General Plan update since 1998, Oakland sports news, and new restaurant openings.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Transportation
• Which Oakland streets saw the most speed camera warnings? (https://oaklandside.org/2026/03/13/oakland-streets-most-speed-camera-warnings-broadway-hegenberger-73rd/)
• New Oakland speed cameras send 70K warnings in first month (https://oakl...
- Title
- Is your Oakland City Council member showing up?
- Runtime
- 22:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- City Hall reporters Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein tracked every Oakland City Council vote in 2025 — all 138 of them at full council meetings, plus 519 more at committee meetings — to find out how your representative is doing the most basic part of the job.
Plus: a deeply sad update on the mass shooting at a downtown Oakland nightclub, one in five funded city jobs sitting vacant, a push to raise Oakland's minimum wage to $30 an hour, how license plate thieves are gaming the Flock camera system, ICE agents at airports across the country but not yet at OAK, and Oakland high schoolers are about to start publishing stories with our newsroom.
Stories we cover in this episode:
City Council voting records
• Which Oakland councilmember had the best voting record in 2025? (https://oaklandside.org/2026/03/26/oakland-city-council-voting-records-2025-wang-brown-fife/)
Public safety
• ...
- Title
- OPD overtime changes after Oaklandside's investigation
- Runtime
- 23:26
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- After The Oaklandside's blockbuster investigation into runaway overtime spending at the Oakland Police Department, real policies were changed.
Investigative reporter Beck Klein and news editor Darwin BondGraham break it down.
Plus: Oakland's speed cameras start issuing real tickets, schools across California — including OUSD — hand out thousands of layoff notices, the City Council demands hospitals continue gender-affirming care, pro women's football comes to Oakland, and more.
Stories we cover in this episode:
OPD overtime
• OPD overtime: Superhuman hours, fat checks and sparse records (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/29/oakland-police-overtime/)
• 6 takeaways from Oaklandside's investigation into OPD overtime (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/30/opd-overtime-investigation-oakland-takeaways/)
• Oakland police say they're investigating overtime issues revea...
- Title
- Oakland schools in crisis
- Runtime
- 21:21
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Teachers nearly went on strike. More than 400 positions were cut. And the district still has $50 million in budget cuts left to find. Education reporter Ashley McBride breaks down everything happening in Oakland Unified right now — and what it means for students, educators, and the city.
Plus: a mass shooting at a downtown nightclub leaves two dead, Oakland's speed cameras issue a stunning 70,000 warnings in their first month, thousands of immigrant truck drivers lose their licenses overnight, a new state bill aims to crack down on illegal dumping, the public defender makes a stand over a jury with no Black members, a vivid walking tour of Bruce Lee's Oakland, and your guide to all the Oakland sports teams to root for in 2026.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Education
• Oakland teachers avert strike, reach tentative deal with OUSD (https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/27/oakland-teachers-avert-strike-reach-ten...
- Title
- Black Joy Parade
- Runtime
- 21:19
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Oakland on February 22nd for the city's ninth annual Black Joy Parade. We took our microphones out to meet some of the people who showed up and heard what the parade means to them — and what they want the world to know about Oakland.
Plus: a federal arrest near the Port of Oakland puts immigrant communities further on edge, Mayor Lee's office releases a draft plan to cut unsheltered homelessness by 50%, Oakland's struggle to collect illegal dumping fines, the search for the city's next police chief, a new West Oakland outpost from FOB Kitchen chef Janice Dulce, and a new mural honoring Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu.
Stories in this episode:
Black Joy Parade
• Black Joy Parade enlivens downtown Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/23/black-joy-parade-enlivens-downtown-oakland/)
First Amendment Award
• Oaklandside...
- Title
- What’s going on in Oakland City Hall?
- Runtime
- 27:27
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How is Mayor Barbara Lee handling homelessness, crime, housing, and other issues? Can private funds make up for the city’s budget shortfall? How are local leaders preparing to respond if there’s another federal immigration surge in the East Bay? And who’s going to run for mayor this year?
City Hall reporter Eli Wolfe and news editor Darwin BondGraham on recent City Hall and politics reporting.
Plus: Oakland Pride has a new home and new date, filtering the air in West Oakland with walls of vegetation, a look at one year of lobbying shaping city policies, an end to the Kaiser nurses strike, and a potential Oakland teachers strike.
Stories we cover in this episode:
City Hall
• Barbara Lee is relying on big companies and foundations to raise millions for the city (https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/12/barbara-lee-foundation-raising-millions-oakland/) — Lee hasn’t proven quite as prolif...
- Title
- Sex trafficking in Oakland: what's changing
- Runtime
- 25:05
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Preventing sex trafficking, supporting survivors
Sex trafficking has been a problem in Oakland for decades, but new legislation, a new mobile clinic, and a growing chorus of young survivors are reshaping how the city responds. Public safety reporter Roselyn Romero breaks it all down.
Plus: Oakland's oldest queer bar becomes a site of immigrant resistance, Mayor Lee's philanthropic fundraising strategy, a West Oakland street safety project, new food spots, and a tribute to Betty Reid Soskin.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Sex trafficking
• Sex trafficking survivors would get financial support under new Oakland proposal (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/12/oakland-human-trafficking-survivor-support-fund/)
• Oakland has a sex trafficking problem. Young people have ideas to solve it (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/30/oakland-sex-trafficking-dream-youth-clinic-town-hall/)
- Title
- Falling in love in the Town, and Valentine's Day ideas
- Runtime
- 25:58
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland couples share how they found love in real life — at protests, festivals, schools, and house parties. Plus, where to eat and what to order this Valentine's Day, whether you're single, coupled up, or celebrating with friends.
Arts and community reporter Azucena Rasilla profiled couples whose relationships are deeply rooted in Oakland, and Nosh editor Tovin Lapan guides us through Valentine's desserts, singles spots, and dining recommendations for every relationship status.
Plus: Ghost Town gang members sentenced, BART warns of potential shutdown, Cenaduria Elvira opens its first brick-and-mortar, OUSD layoffs threaten attendance staff, support workers win living wage contract, volunteers build islands for endangered terns, and weekend events celebrating art, Black history, and Black Joy.
Headlines:
• Nine Ghost Town gang members sentenced to combined 60 years in federal prison (https://oaklandside.org...
- Title
- One Oakland police officer made $500k in overtime. Where are the records?
- Runtime
- 29:54
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- This week, investigative journalist Beck Klein and news editor Darwin BondGraham walk us through Oaklandside's blockbuster investigation into OPD's runaway overtime spending, a story that has nearly 300,000 readers.
Plus: A councilmember's conflict-of-interest questions, the latest on Ken Houston's controversial encampment policy, students walk out to protest ICE violence, Mayor Lee's strong mayor proposal, and where to watch the Super Bowl and Bad Bunny's halftime show around Oakland.
Stories we cover in this episode:
OPD overtime investigation
• One Oakland police officer made $490,000 in overtime. The city can't find records detailing much of what he did (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/29/oakland-police-overtime/)
City Hall
• Councilmember Janani Ramachandran solicited donations from city contractor and lobbyists (https://oaklandside.org/2026/02/03/oakland-councilmember-ask...
- Title
- What Minneapolis means for Oakland, and a devastating downtown fire
- Runtime
- 27:12
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- News editor Darwin BondGraham reflects on what’s happening in Minneapolis—where federal immigration agents have killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti—and what it means for Oakland, where ICE has already injured residents, chased people near our schools, and taken people from our courthouses.
Plus: Housing reporter Natalie Orenstein reports on a devastating fire at a downtown Oakland apartment building that displaced 50 residents, and the landlord’s controversial response of immediately terminating their leases.
Also in this episode: Oakland hires a new cultural affairs manager, Oakland Airport sees troubling passenger decline, hot dogs return to an iconic Temescal building, and thousands of Kaiser nurses go on strike.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Immigration enforcement
• Reflections on Minneapolis and Oakland: Federal immigration agents have killed two U.S. cit...
- Title
- Crime drops in Oakland, privacy debates rise
- Runtime
- 30:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland saw a historic drop in homicides in 2025—the fewest since 1967. But even as violent crime falls citywide, debates intensify over surveillance technology, federal immigration enforcement, and civilian oversight of police.
Public safety reporter Roselyn Romero and news editor Darwin BondGraham help us make sense of Oakland's public safety moment.
Plus: AC Transit tweaks its bus schedule, OUSD enrollment exceeds projections while newcomer students plummet, Vanderbilt buys the old CCA campus, the Oakland Roots compete for Howard Terminal, Teni East Kitchen finds a bigger space, and Oakland hosts the Bay Area's only official Super Bowl watch party.
Stories we cover in this episode:
Public safety
• Oakland ended 2025 with the fewest homicides since 1967 (https://oaklandside.org/2026/01/07/oakland-homicides-crime-down-public-safety-2025/)
• Oakland police surveillance ex...
- Title
- Oakland roads: progress and peril
- Runtime
- 34:06
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland's roads are in crisis—871 stretches have zero years of remaining life left. But there's also progress: bond money is finally flowing, bollards on International Boulevard have eliminated pedestrian deaths, and speed cameras are coming online.
Oaklandside road safety reporter Jose Fermoso takes us deep into the data, the success stories, and what's next for Oakland's streets.
Also in this episode: Oakland needs 200 more volunteers for the homelessness count, MetWest High School's impressive academic gains, the city's failure to publish transparency reports, Floyd Mitchell's refusal to talk to the press, new cafes and bookshops, and Sunday's protest against ICE raids.
Stories we cover in this episode
Main story: Oakland's roads
• Oakland's road conditions investigation (https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/23/list-worst-roads-in-oakland-data-official/)
• Oakland finally sel...
- Title
- What to expect in Oakland in 2026
- Runtime
- 22:58
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Deputy editor Esther Kaplan and news editor Darwin BondGraham join host Tasneem Raja to preview the biggest stories The Oaklandside will be covering in 2026—from OUSD's superintendent search and brutal budget cuts, to the mayoral and DA races, the FBI corruption trial, Oakland's budget crisis, and whether the city's historic drop in crime will continue.
Stories we cover in this episode:
OUSD superintendent search and budget crisis
• Who will be OUSD's next superintendent? The search starts soon (https://oaklandside.org/2025/08/27/ousd-board-to-launch-search-for-a-permanent-superintendent/) — The district is hoping to hire a permanent superintendent by mid-April.
• Oakland school board chooses superintendent search firm (https://oaklandside.org/2025/10/23/oakland-school-board-chooses-superintendent-search-firm/) — Hazard, Young will lead a national search with candidates presented in January and February.
...
- Title
- Big school budget cuts, OAK and ICE, Costco plan, and more
- Runtime
- 24:20
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland Unified School District faces brutal $102 million in budget cuts that will impact every school. Education reporter Ashley McBride breaks down what's getting cut, why the district is in crisis, and what happens next.
Plus: Oakland airport's new guest pass program raises concerns about TSA sharing passenger data with ICE, the ethics commission dismisses Ken Houston's complaint against a city official, Mills College Children's School finds a new home, the West Oakland Costco proposal moves forward, new restaurants open, and Oakland Tech unveils a stunning $1.4 million auditorium renovation.
Stories we cover in this episode:
OUSD budget crisis
• OUSD has $100M in cuts to make. School sites won't be exempt (https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/10/ousd-oakland-budget-cuts-school-site-staff/) — Interim superintendent Denise Saddler proposes $32 million in cuts from school site budgets as part of a broader $100...
- Title
- Best restaurant in Oakland, best bar, coffeeshop, and more: the Nosh awards
- Runtime
- 17:47
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The Nosh food awards are in! Hear about Oakland’s Best New Restaurant (Lucuma), Best Bar Overall (Tallboy), Best Coffee Shop (Mother Tongue Cafe & Bar), and much more.
See all the Nosh winners in 2025. (https://oaklandside.org/tag/2025-nosh-awards/)
Also in this episode: Oakland finally sells $285 million in Measure U bonds for roads and housing after years of delays, OUSD's school board faces tough decisions on $100 million in cuts, the city attempts to reform its notoriously difficult permitting system, and we round up holiday markets across The Town.
Stories in this episode:
$285M for roads, parks, and housing finally a go in Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/09/oakland-sells-285-million-measure-u-bonds/) — After 16 months of pressure from OakDOT and years of deferred maintenance, Oakland successfully sold bonds that will fund street repairs, affordable housing, libraries, senior centers, ...
- Title
- Who is Mario Juarez?
- Runtime
- 33:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In this week’s episode, we catch you up on speed cameras coming to Oakland's most dangerous roads (https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/01/oakland-will-get-18-speed-cameras-over-the-next-six-weeks/) , share some good news (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/24/oakland-coal-company-bankruptcy-judgment-vacated/) about Oakland’s costly coal terminal lawsuit, and tell you about a City Hall clash (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/25/oakland-ken-houston-ethics-complaint-contracts-public-works/) between a city council member and a high-up city staffer accusing each other of ethics violations.
Plus, holiday gift guides (https://oaklandside.org/oakland-holiday-gift-guides/) to help you shop local in three Oakland neighborhoods.
But first, a deep dive into one of the most important stories we've published all year — a major investigation into Mario Juarez (https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/01/mario-juarez-oakland-fbi-corruption-sheng-thao-david-duong/) , the...
- Title
- Coach Beam is gone, Skyline walkout, police chief news, and Cabaret
- Runtime
- 21:32
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- This week, Oakland is mourning a legend. John Beam, Laney College's beloved athletic director and football coach, was shot and killed on Thursday morning in the school's field house.
Host Tasneem Raja talks with Oaklandside reporters Azucena Rasilla and Roselyn Romero about Beam's extraordinary legacy (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/20/coach-john-beam-skyline-laney-football-tributes/) , the circumstances of his death, and what we know about the suspect (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/18/coach-john-beam-shooting-suspect-oakland-arraignment-cedric-irving/) who's been arrested.
Then we catch you up on some other stories The Oaklandside reported this week.
There was a student walkout (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/18/skyline-high-school-oakland-students-stage-walkout/) at Skyline High School after last week's on-campus shooting, which involved a ghost gun (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/14/suspects-skyline-high-school-shoot...
- Title
- Parking ban at Lake Merritt, coal terminal, explaining the Oakland Police Commission
- Runtime
- 16:55
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- In today's episode:
Oakland faces a potentially massive legal judgment (https://oaklandside.org/2025/10/28/oakland-legal-defeat-kentucky-coal-bankruptcy-case/) over its efforts to block a coal terminal in West Oakland.
The state finds Oakland Unified discriminated (https://oaklandside.org/2025/10/31/state-finds-oakland-unified-discriminated-against-jewish-students/) against Jewish students.
A popular Lake Merritt hangout spot is getting new parking restrictions (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/10/an-epic-lake-merritt-hangout-spot-faces-restrictions-after-gun-violence/) after gun violence.
The old Lake Merritt Lodge is reopening (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/07/solara-house-lake-merritt-lodge-oakland/) as a shelter for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking.
What it's been like for one Palestinian American woman living in Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/03/...
- Title
- Crime is dropping, affordable housing is booming, and more good Oakland news
- Runtime
- 27:32
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland’s surprising affordable housing boom, dropping crime rates, a new health center for East Oakland youth, huge fixes coming for Oakland sidewalks, and much more good news in this week’s episode.
We spend a lot of time on this podcast covering Oakland's challenges — budget crises, crime statistics, political turmoil. That's important.
But it’s not the full story of what's happening in this city.
When we launched this newsroom, we made a commitment to reporting that reflects the value of Oakland. (https://oaklandside.org/2020/06/16/our-founding-values/) Along with our accountability and watchdog journalism, we share real news about real change that’s making Oakland better.
Today’s episode rounds up some of our latest reporting on good news in Oakland.
Also: Vote in the 2025 Nosh Awards! (https://oaklandside.org/2025/11/04/east-bay-nosh-awards-restaurants-bars-v...
- Title
- What happened at Coast Guard Island?
- Runtime
- 19:36
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Last week, federal agents arrived in the East Bay for what was expected to be a major immigration and law enforcement operation. Then President Trump called it off—for now. But the impact on Oakland students, families, businesses, and protestors was stark.
In this episode, we walk you through everything that happened that Wednesday and Thursday, from Coast Guard Island to Fruitvale Village to Oakland schools with large immigrant populations. You’ll get a sense of where things stand now. And you’ll understand what we should all take away from this experience.
Plus, reporting on developments in Oakland's ongoing debates over police oversight, some good news about enrollment in Oakland schools, and a longtime Lakeshore institution that's closing its doors.
Links to Oaklandside stories we cover in this episode:
On Thursday, Fruitvale was empty (https://oaklandside.org/2025/10/23/fruitvale-oakland-ice-ra...
- Title
- Oakland City Council is blatantly breaking transparency laws
- Runtime
- 25:16
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Note: this episode was recorded Wednesday, before Thursday’s whirlwind news of a Bay Area “surge” in federal enforcement that didn’t materialize—for now. We’ll talk about it in next week’s episode.
This week on Oaklandside 510, our investigation into how Oakland City Council members routinely ignore public records laws, good news on lead contamination progress in Oakland schools, a guide to local “resistance” activism, and new cafes and restaurants around the Town.
Oaklandside reporting in this episode:
Oakland officials have flagrantly violated transparency law (https://oaklandside.org/2025/10/16/oakland-cpra-council-public-records-requests-act/)
Drinking water at most Oakland schools now meets safety thresholds (https://oaklandside.org/2025/10/17/oakland-schools-lead-drinking-water-tests/)
Oakland turns out for 'No Kings' protest against Trump (https://oaklandsi...
- Title
- Preventing fights in Oakland schools
- Runtime
- 22:52
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How violence interrupters make OUSD schools safer.
Plus: Who’s to blame for the police chief leaving?, OAK refuses to screen partisan video, remembering Allen Temple’s Pastor J. Alfred Smith, Sr., Tommy Orange wins a genius award, is a new tax the best way to plug the city’s budget hole?, and why Oakland hasn’t sent more homegrown talent to the WNBA?
First, thank you! We’re incredibly grateful to all our contributors — you helped us hit our $15,000 goal. That means Oaklandside 510 can continue bringing you the news for six more months!
This week’s main story:
The Oaklandside’s news editor, Darwin BondGraham talks with reporter Ashley McBride about a safety program that pays for violence interrupters working on OUSD campuses. They discuss:
• Why the city and school district partnered to try to make schools safer
• What violence prevention work looks like on the gr...
- Title
- Vigilante squatter removal, police chief resigns, and a green belt for Oakland?
- Runtime
- 28:02
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell surprised the city this week by resigning after just 18 months on the job.
We talk with Oaklandside news editor Darwin BondGraham and public safety reporter Roselyn Romero about what might be behind his decision, the challenges of the job, and Oakland's troubled history of police chief turnover.
Plus: a vigilante business that removes squatters using swords and "melee weapons," the city's struggle to balance sanctuary laws with basic services, and an ambitious proposal for a citywide network of car-free greenways.
We're so close to our $15,000 goal to keep the 510 going for another six months! Donate here. (https://oakland.fundjournalism.org/?campaign=701QO00000qVdIUYA0)
Stories we cover in this episode:
• A profile of ASAP Squatter Removal (https://oaklandside.org/2025/09/30/asap-squatter-removal-oakland/) , a business that uses swords and tactical gea...
- Title
- Uptown parking ticket scam, Prescott Market’s new vendors, East Oakland improvements
- Runtime
- 15:47
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- This week on Oaklandside 510, we're covering essential earthquake preparedness tips for Oakland residents, the Police Commission's vote on vehicle pursuit policy changes, major infrastructure investments in East Oakland, a parking ticket scam targeting Uptown drivers, and more.
Plus: We're in fundraising mode! Help us raise the final $5,000 of our $15,000 goal to keep the 510 going for another six months. Donate here. (https://oakland.fundjournalism.org/?campaign=701QO00000qVdIUYA0)
Stories we cover in this episode:
• How to prepare for the next earthquake in Oakland (https://oaklandside.org/2025/09/25/oakland-earthquake-emergency-preparedness-big-one/) — Resources and tips for staying safe, helping your neighborhood, and recovering from the Big One.
• Oakland Police Commission agrees with police chase policy changes (https://oaklandside.org/2025/09/26/oakland-police-pursuit-policy-vote-commission/) — "We're go...
- Title
- What’s really going on in Oakland schools?
- Runtime
- 35:09
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- It’s the last episode of our 10-episode pilot experiment! Want to keep the 510 going? We just launched a fundraiser: we’re raising $15,000 to pay for six more months of weekly episodes.
Learn more and chip in here: Donate to keep the 510 going for another six months! (https://oaklandside.org/2025/09/23/oaklandside-510-podcast-fundraising-goal/)
In this episode: Reporter Ashley McBride has been covering Oakland schools for five years. She shares what she thinks more Oaklanders should know about OUSD.
And: traffic enforcement in Oakland is shrinking, Blue Bottle is leaving Temescal's WC Morse building, the hidden crisis in the Oakland estuary, East Oakland's food vendor hotspot, plus weekend events.
Stories in this episode:
Oakland police are disbanding the traffic enforcement unit (https://oaklandside.org/2025/09/19/opd-traffic-enforcement-motorcycle-unit-disbanding/)
...
- Title
- How Oaklandside fights for freedom of information
- Runtime
- 31:44
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How Oaklandside fights for your access to information
And: Waymo's potential expansion to Oakland, how Oakland schools are handling AI in the classroom, hoping to save Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, the closure of beloved Edith's Pie bakery, and pairing picnic spots with takeout ideas around Oakland.
Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We'd love your thoughts. (https://airtable.com/applNXPrvAlvNAPwp/pagbPoQVij6VFuxXq/form)
Main story this week:
Host Tasneem Raja talks with Oaklandside news editor Darwin BondGraham and road safety reporter Jose Fermoso about The Oaklandside's transparency work. They discuss:
• The legal framework that gives journalists and residents access to government records and meetings
• Our 2023 lawsuit against the Alameda County Registrar of Voters over election transparency
• Jose's Fir...
- Title
- Stopping gun violence in Oakland
- Runtime
- 33:58
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We'd love your thoughts. (https://airtable.com/applNXPrvAlvNAPwp/pagbPoQVij6VFuxXq/form)
Gun violence is dropping in Oakland, but it's still way too high. We take you behind the scenes into some intensive, on-the-ground efforts to bring the numbers down further — efforts that are funded by the city but led by civilians.
Host Tasneem Raja talks with Oaklandside’s public safety reporter Roselyn Romero about Oakland's gun violence prevention programs. They discuss:
• The Ceasefire strategy that identifies high-risk individuals and surrounds them with both support and accountability
• How violence interrupters like Youth Alive's Doral Myles mediate conflicts before they escalate
• How victims and perpetrators of violence often come from the same communities
• How teenagers with Youth Alive teach kids and adults about the root causes of v...
- Title
- Oaklanders vs. pollution
- Runtime
- 26:26
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We’d love your thoughts. (https://airtable.com/applNXPrvAlvNAPwp/pagbPoQVij6VFuxXq/form)
When a toxic metal foundry finally shut down in East Oakland after years of community organizing, residents celebrated a hard-won victory. But as our environmental reporter discovered, a new polluter was allowed to move in with the city's blessing. This story reveals how environmental enforcement works—or doesn't work—in Oakland, and showcases the powerful force of engaged residents fighting for their neighborhoods.
Host Tasneem Raja talks with environmental reporter Callie Rhoades about her investigation into the AB&I foundry saga, the broken coordination between city and county agencies, and the broader pattern of Oakland residents taking environmental justice into their own hands.
Plus: Headlines on downtown hotels, an East Oakland teacher's insights about his students' underst...
- Title
- Barbara Lee's first 100 days
- Runtime
- 28:43
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We'd love your thoughts. (https://airtable.com/applNXPrvAlvNAPwp/pagbPoQVij6VFuxXq/form)
Mayor Barbara Lee just hit her first 100 days in office, facing enormous expectations from residents who want immediate solutions to crime, illegal dumping, homelessness, and Oakland's budget crisis. She also has to navigate federal threats from President Trump while working to heal a deeply divided city—and she has just 16 months left in her term.
Host Tasneem Raja talks with City Hall reporters Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein about their extensive interview with Mayor Lee. They discuss:
• Unity efforts across Oakland's geographic and political divides
• Response to potential ICE raids and National Guard deployment
• Public safety strategies and dropping crime rates
• The mayor’s methodical approach to rebuilding trust in city government
...
- Title
- Investigating Oakland city contracts
- Runtime
- 21:22
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- How does Oakland decide who gets millions of dollars in city contracts? And is the process fair and transparent? Host Tasneem Raja talks with City Hall reporter Eli Wolfe about his investigations into Oakland's contracting system.
Plus: Oakland Animal Services’s new policies, street design in Chinatown, universal transitional kindergarten, and how Oakland city councilmembers spend their "special" bank accounts.
And: arts reporter Azucena Rasilla shares weekend activities and a preview of exciting fall events in Oakland—from popular festivals like Glowfari that sell out fast to hidden gems.
We can’t cover Oakland—and produce this podcast!—without your help. The Oaklandside is independent, nonprofit, and supported by everyday residents. Every dollar helps us file public records requests, interview sources, crunch data, and more. Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland. (https://oakland.fundjournalism.org...
- Title
- Oakland sports, rare bald eagle nest, golf vs. redwoods
- Runtime
- 20:45
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- While Oakland has said goodbye to all of its major sports franchises in recent years—the Warriors, Raiders, and A's—a whole new generation of minor league and grassroots teams has been taking root in the city.
From soccer to basketball to baseball, Oakland's sports scene is experiencing a renaissance.
Host Tasneem Raja talks with Tommy Craggs, former Deadspin editor and current Oaklandside contributor, about this exciting chapter in Oakland athletics. They explore the Oakland Roots soccer team's passionate fanbase, the Oakland Ballers' throwback baseball experience, the Golden State Valkyries WNBA team, and other emerging teams that are building genuine community connections.
What's driving this boom? How are these teams different from the corporate franchises that left? And what does community ownership mean for the future of Oakland sports?
Plus: Headlines on Sequoyah Country Club's plan to cut 175 ...
- Title
- The lead crisis in Oakland’s schools
- Runtime
- 17:47
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Last August, Oakland families began to receive disturbing reports about high amounts of lead in the drinking water at their children’s schools. Ashley McBride and Callie Rhoades get the receipts, going deep inside the Oakland Unified School District’s haphazard efforts to fix the problem — and its total communication meltdown when it came to informing principals, teachers, parents, and students. They also explain what the district is doing now to make things right — and guarantee safe water for its 34,000 students.
Also in this episode: Esther Kaplan and Darwin BondGraham catch you up on more recent headlines, including a clubowner taking over Oakland’s abandoned Greyhound station, why the bar Couchdate is leaving downtown, and why stolen cars keep racking up Oakland parking tickets.
Plus: Our arts and community reporter, Azucena Rasilla, lets you in on some of the coolest Oakland events happening over the next week and beyond. It’s t...
- Title
- Fixing Oakland streets, guerrilla style
- Runtime
- 18:03
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Sideshows, speeding, “optional” stop signs: road safety is a big issue in Oakland—and some residents are taking matters into their own hands. From DIY guerilla tactics to pressuring city officials, Jose Fermoso reports on how neighbors in San Antonio and Rockridge have recently tried to make their streets safer. (Links to these stories and all reporting mentioned in the episode are below.)
Jose also explains how the tragic death of Marvin Boomer, a Castlemont High teacher who was killed by a driver fleeing California Highway Patrol vehicles, led to improved road design on a stretch of E. 21st.
Darwin BondGraham and Tasneem Raja catch you up on more recent headlines from The Oaklandside: city security contract drama, new funding for big fixes to sidewalks and curbs, the latest in the Oak Knoll development saga, and more.
Plus: you loved hearing Oaklanders share messages about their “third spaces”—not home, not work, a different place ...
- Title
- Mayor Barbara Lee and Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill”
- Runtime
- 15:09
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oaklandside City Hall reporters Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein dissect how Oakland’s new mayor is responding to the wrecking ball of federal cuts heading for city and county programs. What do Barbara Lee’s decades in Congress mean for Oakland now?
And we explain how we’re covering the mayor’s first 100 days. Will she run again? Here’s what we know.
Darwin BondGraham and Tasneem Raja catch you up on more recent headlines from The Oaklandside: police scanner controversy, a key arts position gets cut, and more.
Plus: what’s your “third place” in Oakland? Not home, not work—we’re sharing famous and not-so-famous local gems beloved by Oaklanders, in their own words.
It’s the first episode! We’re experimenting with 10 episodes of a new weekly news show. This is a pilot—if we can keep this going, we will! Love it? Hate it? Want to sponsor it? Let us know: editors@oaklandside.org.
- Title
- Oakland's city administrator resigns after Oaklandside reporting on his texts
- Runtime
- 28:38
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- Oaklandside's reporting directly led to a major shake-up at City Hall: the resignation of Oakland's city administrator, one of the most powerful figures in the city. City Hall reporters Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein explain who Jestin Johnson is, what the city administrator does, how The Oaklandside obtained the text messages that forced his resignation, and what this means for Oakland.
Plus: three people are killed in a devastating East Oakland crash, First Fridays faces a funding crisis, AI use in Oakland schools is a "Wild West," AC Transit ridership rises as gas prices spike, Oakland's Planning Commission keeps canceling meetings (and why that might be a good thing), and a new barbecue spot is drawing lines before it even opens.
For full show notes, please visit:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2520580
--
The Oaklandside is a small but mighty team of local journalists working for Oakland. We amplify community voices, share the power o...
- Title
- Oakland’s June 2 primary election: Measure E, Measure C, district attorney’s race
- Runtime
- 31:45
- Date posted
- 3 months ago
- Description
- The June 2 primary is coming up fast. We help Oakland voters get oriented: the Alameda County DA's race, two Oakland ballot measures, and everything you need to know about how and where to vote.
Come to our student journalism event at the New Parkway, May 20. Tickets here!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-student-lens-reporting-inside-oakland-schools-tickets-1988504386148
For full show notes, please visit:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2520580
Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at editors@oaklandside.org.
--
The Oaklandside is a small but mighty team of local journalists working for Oakland. We amplify community voices, share the power of real information, and investigate systems, not just symptoms.
Website: https://oaklandside.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oaklandside
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoaklandside/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoaklandside/
- Title
- Alameda County District Attorney Forum Hosted by Berkeleyside & The Oaklandside
- Runtime
- 1:31:49
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- DA Candidate forum hosted by Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside featuring the candidates for Alameda County District Attorney.
At a pivotal moment for public safety and criminal justice, hear directly from Ursula Jones Dickson, Gopal Krishan, and Pamela Price about their priorities for the office—from addressing violent crime to advancing accountability, prevention, and rebuilding public trust.
Moderated by The Oaklandside’s Senior city hall and housing and homelessness reporter, Natalie Orenstein, and Berkeleyside’s senior public safety reporter, Alex Gecan, the forum will include questions from our journalists as well as questions submitted in advance by community members, with additional opportunities for live audience participation.
Come get informed, ask questions, and hear where the candidates stand.
- Title
- The Oaklandside Live Stream
- Runtime
- 0:00
- Date posted
- 4 months ago
- Description
- --
The Oaklandside is a small but mighty team of local journalists working for Oakland. We amplify community voices, share the power of real information, and investigate systems, not just symptoms.
Website: https://oaklandside.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oaklandside
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoaklandside/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoaklandside/
- Title
- Change Makers: Oakland youth activists tell their stories
- Runtime
- 3:56
- Date posted
- 6 months ago
- Description
- In 2024, The Oaklandside spearheaded a reporting project highlighting stories of youth-led change in Oakland public schools. We capped the initiative with a community event centering the voices youth and student advocates who are driving meaningful change in their communities.
ABOUT US:
The Oaklandside is a small but mighty team of local journalists working for Oakland. We amplify community voices, share the power of real information, and investigate systems, not just symptoms.
Website: https://oaklandside.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oaklandside
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoaklandside/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoaklandside/
- Title
- The Oaklandside Mayoral Candidate Forum Feb. 26, 2025
- Runtime
- 2:04:06
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- The Oaklandside hosted a forum with seven candidates running for mayor in the April 15 special election. Candidates present were Barbara Lee, Mindy Pechenuk, Suz Robinson, Eric Simpson, Elizabeth Swaney, Loren Taylor and Renia Webb.
For two riveting hours, the candidates tried to prove that they’re best equipped to tackle Oakland’s toughest challenges, from public safety concerns to the budget deficit and shrinking support for the arts.
Oaklandside reporters Azucena Rasilla, Eli Wolfe and Roselyn Romero peppered the candidates with a wide range of questions, not shying away from holding them accountable for past statements and positions that haven’t aged well. In crafting our questions for the candidates, we took inspiration from the more than 500 Oaklanders who submitted a question in advance that they wanted us to ask.
Read more about the forum: http://bit.ly/4ifAW3w
Read more about the April 15 Special Election: https://oaklandside...
