Residents discussed ways their community can prevent forms of gender-based violence and exploitation.

Author Archives: Eli Wolfe
Eli Wolfe reports on City Hall for The Oaklandside. He was previously a senior reporter for San José Spotlight, where he had a beat covering Santa Clara County’s government and transportation. He also worked as an investigative reporter for the Pasadena-based newsroom FairWarning, where he covered labor, consumer protection and transportation issues. He started his journalism career as a freelancer based out of Berkeley. Eli’s stories have appeared in The Atlantic, NBCNews.com, Salon, the San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere. Eli graduated from UC Santa Cruz and grew up in San Francisco.
Oakland City Council in conversation: Janani Ramachandran talks District 4
The first-term councilmember said she wants to restore trust in City Hall, rejuvenate business corridors, and make roads safer.
Oakland gets sued after ransomware hack
City workers exposed in the cyberattack demand compensation, and at least one has filed a class action lawsuit
Have questions or concerns about Oakland’s budget? Don’t miss this meeting
Oakland City Council holds its first major meeting on the budget this afternoon to discuss Mayor Sheng Thao’s $4.2 billion plan.
Fierce competition among billboard firms boils over at Oakland council meeting
Accusations of monopoly and deceit flew at a council committee meeting where a $68 million plan for new billboards across Oakland was approved.
Oakland Police Commission needs applications
The powerful oversight body has gotten only one applicant so far for a vacant seat.
Federal grant could offset planned Oakland Fire Department budget cuts
A $27.4 million federal grant will help alleviate OFD’s staffing crunch amid a historic city budget deficit.
Oakland is renaming a street after Tupac Shakur
The West Coast rap legend known for “Keep Ya Head Up” and “Dear Mama” will get a section of MacArthur Boulevard named after him.
Oakland ethics commission reckons with “devastating” budget proposal
Oakland’s ethics watchdog might scale back the “Democracy Dollars” initiative while its enforcement program stagnates.
New rules for Oakland sideshows could mean jail time and fines for promoters
Oakland’s Public Safety Committee also discussed replacing OPD’s helicopters with a new surveillance airplane.
Oakland Mayor picks Atlanta native Jestin Johnson as city administrator
Johnson most recently worked for IBM but has a long track record helping manage cities and counties. If confirmed, he would take over during a severe budget crunch.
Oakland Public Ethics Commission hires new executive director
The city’s political watchdog agency hired Nicolas Heidorn, a leader in the popular but potentially stalled “Democracy Dollars” campaign.
Oakland mayor starts search for new fire chief
Oakland Fire Chief Reginald Freeman’s surprise resignation is the latest turnover atop critical city departments.
Reactions to Thao’s $4.2 billion budget range from optimism to unease
We asked elected officials, labor leaders, and advocates to share their thoughts about the mayor’s budget plan.
Thao’s plan makes big changes to the city’s departments to address Oakland’s budget crisis
In her first budget proposal, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao wants to attack the city’s $360 million deficit by restructuring departments and tightening some services.
Oakland City Council in conversation: Kevin Jenkins talks District 6
Jenkins, who took the seat after Loren Taylor, is excited about economic development opportunities from the Coliseum site to small businesses. But gun violence and traffic safety are big concerns.
In her first budget as mayor, Thao stares down Oakland’s biggest deficit ever
COVID relief money has run out. Home sales—and their tax revenue—have slowed. An already understaffed city reckons with where else to cut.
Eli Wolfe joins The Oaklandside to cover City Hall
Wolfe, who previously covered local government in San Jose, shares his vision for the beat and why he wants to hear from Oakland readers.