Culture Makers Q&A: What is it like covering Oakland? Local journos weigh in
Our recent panelists answer more audience questions from our live event.
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Recent news
city hall & policing
Ex-Oakland employees file lawsuit over COVID vaccine mandate
Two dozen former city workers claim the city didn’t accommodate their Christian beliefs against abortion when it fired them for refusing the vaccine.
Parking meter enforcement has begun at Lake Merritt
When do you have to pay to park at the lake? How much will it cost?
‘I was not truthful’: Murder conviction overturned after witness says Oakland police officer paid for her testimony
A star witness who sent a man to prison for life in a 2011 slaying revealed recently she felt “pressured” to lie by an OPD officer.
How should Oakland divvy up Measure U’s $350 million in affordable housing bond funds?
A widely supported plan to distribute $63 million emerges from tensions around whether one West Oakland project is jumping ahead of the line.
All the East Bay restaurants that opened in March
The new restaurants that opened in Berkeley, Oakland and beyond in March 2023.
Where to find Easter meals and specials in the East Bay
From dining out to pick-up, here’s a list of exceptional Easter brunch, lunch and dinner options in Berkeley and Oakland.
Oakland’s dangerous roadways
An investigative series looking into traffic and pedestrian safety in our city. Read more.
Education equity
Marcus Foster, Oakland’s first Black superintendent, is being honored this week
The trailblazing educator who was assassinated by the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1973 would have turned 100 on Friday. The organization he founded is celebrating his legacy by honoring those who’ve walked in his footsteps.
What’s happening with OUSD union negotiations? It depends who you ask
The Oakland school board says cutbacks are necessary to afford raises, the teachers union disagrees, and some parents want more transparency.
Oakland students are helping to reimagine the Coliseum site
The African American Sports and Entertainment Group will be incorporating ideas from students in Castlemont High’s urban design academy into its development plan.
Arts & Community
‘The guys I started with’: Oakland High seniors started playing basketball together at 7
The Wildcat’s first-ever boys CIF state championship was a long time coming for these childhood friends.
Housing & Homelessness
Residents of tiny-home village by Lake Merritt told shelter will close in June
An affordable housing project is planned for the E. 12th Street parcel, which is currently the site of a city-run homeless shelter.
Health & Environment
Mask mandate for Alameda County hospitals could end next week
Officials say a less-strict masking policy, including at clinics, is appropriate as COVID outcomes improve. But some worry it will put high-risk populations in harm’s way.
Oakland ‘bomb cyclone’: Over 15,000 without power, 1 person dead
Neighbors in Dimond, Skyline hills, and deep East Oakland are among the most affected.
Can Lake Merritt be saved from another fish kill?
Stewards of Oakland’s wildlife refuge are fundraising to create oxygenated refuges where fish can escape harmful algae blooms.
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Built on a foundation of listening

How do we build an outlet for local journalism that is rooted in, representative of, and responsive to communities in a city as diverse, complex, and powerful as Oakland?
Hundreds of Oaklanders told us what they want from local journalism. Here’s what we learned.
HOW WE WORK
We want to hear more from Oaklanders, in their own words. Here’s how
Since 2020, our “Amplify Oakland” series has featured personal stories by community members navigating COVID, gun violence, homelessness, prison reentry, and more.
Introducing The Oaklandside’s inaugural cohort of community advisors
The seven members, one for each Oakland district, will be reading our stories and giving us feedback to ensure we stay true to our founding values.
From text messages to flyers, how we’ve been helping Oaklanders get vaccinated
In February, The Oaklandside launched a vaccine information equity campaign. Here’s what we’ve done so far.
How is The Oaklandside living up to our values? Introducing Mission Metrics, our pilot program to keep learning from community
With support from the San Francisco Foundation, we’re working with paid community advisors to help us track and grow the impact of our journalism.

Values guiding our work
News organizations don’t always tell you–or know–what drives their decisions.