Community
Mother Vera M. Baggett Celebrates 99th Birthday
Mother Vera M. Baggett celebrated her 99th birthday on May 5, with family, friends and members of her 6 a.m. prayer group.
Mother Baggett, as she is known at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in West Oakland, has been a member of the church for 75 years and held many leadership positions. She has a long legacy of caring and praying for individuals and the world at large.
Her celebration was held at the Home of Chicken and Waffles in Jack London Square, attended by loved ones from around the Bay Area. She was honored by her pastor, Rev. Michael Wallace, who presented her with a 99th birthday certificate from Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
Dr. Norma Francisco, a prayer group member for 20 years, read a proclamation from Vice Mayor Annie Campbell-Washington. Joan Fountain-Banks, also a prayer group member, led a responsive reading about Mother Baggett.
Her longtime friend Joyce Allen performed a rendition of “Yes, Jesus Loves Me.” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf proclaimed May 5 as Vera Baggett Day.
Born in Gandy, Louisiana, she moved to Quincy, CA, a lumber mining town, when she was 8 or 9 years old. She relocated to Oakland in the 1940s and was happily married to Everett Willie Majors until he passed away. She was subsequently married to Mathew Baggett, until his death.
In Oakland she worked as a third cook (bakery and confectionary) for Southern Pacific Railroad. She catered special events, and she proudly displays her cosmetology diploma.
She helped empower citizens by providing a voter polling station at her home for many years. For decades she showed love and compassion to the needy by passing out food, clothing, and the New Testament every Friday at Mt. Zion’s food pantry.
Until two years ago, she visited rest homes monthly, taking the elderly gifts and the gospel. Even now, she gets up every morning at 6 a.m. to lead a telephone prayer group that she started 30 years ago.
Mother Baggett has travelled extensively to places such as Jerusalem, Australia, Panama, Hawaii, and South Korea as well as all over the U.S. for church conventions.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
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.
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 27 – April 2, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Community1 week ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
-
City Government2 weeks ago
LAO Releases Report on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in California Child Welfare System