Community
Tyra Watkins’ Family and Friends Blood Drive
Did you know that one pint of blood can save up to three lives? That is what Eileen Randle tells everyone she comes into contact with, hoping to encourage more people to participate in donating blood.
On Saturday, March 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Randle and Watkins families are sponsoring the 8th Tyra Watkins Friends and Family Blood Drive in partnership with the Second Baptist Church Health Ministry.
Tyra, 15, has sickle cell disease and has received many blood transfusions, so many that now she can receive only very specific blood that has to be matched beyond the traditional blood typing.
Tyra’s struggle inspired her family to start the blood drives in her honor.
“It’s very hard to see Tyra go through this pain,” said Randle, Tyra’s great aunt. “She’s a trooper, though. I really admire her.”
A total of 100 units of blood were collected at the first three blood drives. The family is ambitious to collect 50 to 100 or more units of blood at the upcoming blood drive.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that sickle cell disease occurs in one out of every 500 Black or African American births. Its prevalence in the African American community means that African American donors can provide blood that is the best match for those who suffer with the disease.
The Blue Tie Tag program with the American Red Cross is designed to increase the diversity of the local blood supply. It allows blood that is collected from African American donors to be matched to patients with sickle cell disease.
If a donation collected through the program is not needed for a sickle cell patient within 21 days, then that unit of blood becomes available for any patient in need.
Five million patients in the U.S. need blood every year and every two seconds someone is in need of a blood transfusion, according to the American Red Cross.
To be eligible to donate, donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental permission), in good health, and meet height and weight requirements (at least 110 pounds based on height).
The blood drive will be held at Second Baptist Church, 1170 Benicia Rd. in Vallejo. Donors are encouraged to sign up by calling (800) 733-2767 or visiting www.redcrossblood.org (enter sponsor code: TYRABTT).
For more information, call Eileen Randle at (707) 315-1900.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
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Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
City Government
Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Special to The Post
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.
Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”
According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.
“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”
When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.
At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”
While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.
On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.
“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.
The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.
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