City Government

Rebecca Kaplan Wins Funding and Air Quality Improvements and Funding for Oakland

Published

6 years ago

November 3, 2017

Ever since the north bay fires killed many residents, ravaged thousands of structures and trees we have become more aware of the value of fresh air. We still see many wearing masks to help cope with their breathing. Those fires reminded us of our history of bad air quality and high asthma rates

Therefore it is important that the work in the region be redoubled to improve the air quality and strengthen the clean air efforts to protect the public health of our hardest hit neighborhoods.

Oakland has struggled with air pollution issues for years with West Oakland recording patients with high asthma rates. Bad air quality and emissions have also affected and damaged the disproportionately impacted African American and low-income neighborhoods in East Oakland, Richmond and more.

Last year, Oakland’s Citywide Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, successfully won a seat on the Board of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), and has been taking successful actions to clean the air and winning funding for important projects.

Kaplan’s work is helping to bring attention, and funding for real solutions, to the region’s hardest hit communities. This includes winning money to replace an old diesel locomotive engine with a new cleaner one, on the train that moves freight around the army base in West Oakland, to reduce the health dangers.

The BAAQMD Board has approved Kaplan’s proposal to launch a new program to buy out older heavily-polluting diesel trucks, and is expanding support for cleaner vehicles.

Kaplan won new Air District funding for the Broadway shuttle, a free transit service connecting downtown Oakland, Uptown, Jack London Square and more, along with connecting BART, Amtrak, and key destinations. This service helps people get around the core of Oakland for free, and reduces traffic and pollution.

Currently, Kaplan is working to launch a program of community-based mitigations, including installing better filtration systems in buildings in sensitive communities, to help protect people from the health impacts of air pollution. Most recently, when the air quality was very bad due to the smoke from the north bay fires, Kaplan was able to work with BAAQMD to get air filtration masks to key communities in Oakland, including for senior centers and for the homeless.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

20 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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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.

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

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.

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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.

Published

5 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

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.