Community

Millennial Pastor Dr. Kenneth Anderson Opening First “Safe Car Parking” Site at Williams Chapel Baptist Church in Oakland

Published

5 years ago

March 21, 2019

“We’re not going to throw folks away,” said Dr. Kenneth Anderson at a press conference on Monday to signal the opening of the first “Safe Car Parking” site in Oakland.

Williams Chapel Baptist Church is offering space for 10 cars to park overnight, starting in about a week. Working with the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC) headed by Pastor Ken Chambers and community and foundation sponsors, not only parking, but other support services will be offered.

Funding for “Safe Car Parking” comes from Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan, who promised last year that she would offer $50,000 from her office budget to launch the Williams Chapel Site. Three additional churches signed on and March 18 marked the beginning.

Four sites will be open by mid-April starting with Williams Chapel, then West Side Missionary Baptist Church, Corinthian Baptist Church, and Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Daytime services and assistance will be offered at West Side Missionary Baptist Church.

The goal of the program is ultimately to find stable housing for all families. So far 105 families have signed up. Anderson is particularly committed to keeping students safe and providing services they need to finish their education.

When asked about the Williams Chapel 80-unit senior housing project, Chan’s Chief of Staff Dave Brown said Oakland funds, “went very quickly. We are searching for other funding now, perhaps from cities not using all their money.”

“We don’t just focus on Sunday morning,” said Anderson. “We are sorry when folks ask for help, that the answer is ‘you can park here,’ but we are making a four-to-six year commitment and it’s a start.”

For more information, contact Supervisor Chan’s office at (510) 548-1277.

Sue Taylor

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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.

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

1 week 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.

Oakland Post

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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

1 week 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.