Bay Area
ICAC to Host Benefit Concert Jan. 20 to Keep Safe Car Park for Unhoused Open
It was chilly Monday evening at the reopening of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County’s (ICAC) Safe Car Park Program in West Oakland – a stark reminder of just how cold the night would be for those in the community without shelter. The safe car park has been temporarily closed due to lack of funding, and ICAC needs money to bridge the gap during these cold months until additional financial support from the city kicks in several months from now. To help bridge that gap, ICAC is sponsoring a concert at the Oakland Temple Hill Auditorium at 4780 Lincoln Ave. on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. The whole Bay Area community is invited to join this cause.
By Debbie Bromley
Special to The Post
It was chilly Monday evening at the reopening of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County’s (ICAC) Safe Car Park Program in West Oakland – a stark reminder of just how cold the night would be for those in the community without shelter.
The safe car park has been temporarily closed due to lack of funding, and ICAC needs money to bridge the gap during these cold months until additional financial support from the city kicks in several months from now.
To help bridge that gap, ICAC is sponsoring a concert at the Oakland Temple Hill Auditorium at 4780 Lincoln Ave. on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. The whole Bay Area community is invited to join this cause.
This special evening of top-notch entertainment will feature Billboard artist Lena Byrd Miles, the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, and Destined2Dance.
Attendance will help support the ICAC in their charitable efforts in the community, especially their work to improve community health and safety and to feed and care for those in need of food and shelter.
Tickets are $20-35 and are available online at TempleHill.org.
At the Safe Car event on Monday, Miles stepped to the mic to share a song with the poignant lyrics, “If I can help somebody, as I travel along, if I can help somebody, with a word or song…my living shall not be in vain.”
Miles said she is honored to lend her gift to this effort. “We are to do as much as we can to help the needy and God repays us. And as we give to them it’s as if we are giving unto the Lord.”
As the cars began to roll in for the night, warmth began to emerge from all the service being rendered, making the chilly evening more bearable.
The portable trailer from WeHope was standing ready to offer showers, laundry facilities and a caseworker.
Paul Bains, CEO of Project WeHope and pastor of St. Samuel Church of God in Christ commented, “WE ALL help make this happen, as it truly does take a village to positively impact a community!”
LaMel A. Smith, director of the nonprofit Helping Others Win was also on hand. Smith helps provide a food distribution service at the site that serves about 3,000 people per week.
Dr. Kenneth Anderson William, pastor of Temple Baptist Church, added, “It was with joy to see families living in their cars return back to a Safe Car parking site. Safe car parking is needed in every city to provide resources for more sites.”
Dr. Michelle Myles Chambers, assistant pastor of West Side Missionary Baptist Church and director of the San Francisco Foundation’s FAITHS program, has been there from the beginning. “The San Francisco Foundation was excited to be on the ground floor with ICAC,” she said. “We’re all in on housing and fully support innovative supportive housing models.”
ICAC is grateful to the Walter and Elise Haas Fund and the Kapor Center for funding support, along with The San Francisco Foundation for supporting the reopening.
Other supporters attending were Natalie Walker of WeHope, Lena Byrd Miles’ manager Tina Carter, representatives from the office of Oakland City Council members Rebecca Kaplan and Nikki Fortunato Bas, and CBS News reporter Itay Hod.
As Dr. Ken Chambers, founding president of the ICAC and pastor of West Side M.B.C. and often reminds us, “Working together works!”
Attending a concert is an easy way to show support for these efforts.
Debbie Bromley is the Oakland Temple Hill communication co-director of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Alameda County
District Attorney Pamela Price Will Face Recall Election on November General Election Ballot
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors scheduled the recall election against Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price for November 5, coinciding with the 2024 General Election. The decision comes after weeks of controversy and drawn-out discussions amongst county officials, recall proponents, and opponents, and legal advisors.
By Magaly Muñoz
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors scheduled the recall election against Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price for November 5, coinciding with the 2024 General Election.
The decision comes after weeks of controversy and drawn-out discussions amongst county officials, recall proponents, and opponents, and legal advisors.
Recall proponents submitted 123,374 signatures before the March 5 deadline, which resulted in 74,757 valid signatures counted by the Registrar of Voters (ROV).
The recall election will cost Alameda County $4 million and will require them to hire hundreds of new election workers to manage the demand of keeping up with the federal, state and local elections and measures.
Save Alameda For Everyone (SAFE), one of the two recall campaigns against Price, held a press conference minutes before the Board’s special meeting asking for the Supervisors to schedule the election in August instead of consolidating with the November election.
Supporters of the recall have said they were not concerned with the $20 million price tag the special election would’ve cost the county if they had put it on the ballot in the summer. Many have stated that the lives of their loved ones are worth more than that number.
“What is the cost of a life?” recall supporters have asked time and time again.
Opponents of the recall election have been vehemently against a special date to vote, stating it would cost taxpayers too much money that could be reinvested into social programs to help struggling residents.
A special election could’ve cost the county’s budget to exceed its current deficit of $68 million, which was a driving factor in the three supervisors who voted for a consolidated election.
“Bottom line is, I can’t in good conscience support a special election that is going to cost the county $20 million,” Board President Nate Miley said.
Many speakers asked Miley and Keith Carson to recuse themselves from the vote, claiming that they have had improper involvement with either the recall proponents or Price herself.
Both supervisors addressed the concerns stating that regardless of who they associate themselves with or what their political beliefs are, they have to do their jobs, no matter the outcome.
Carson noted that although he’s neither supporting nor opposing Price as district attorney, he believes that whoever is elected next to take that position should have a reasonable amount of time to adjust to the job before recalls are considered.
Reports of recall attempts started as soon as April 2023 when Price had only been in office three months.
Price and her campaign team Protect the Win have been adamant that the voters who elected her to office will not fall for the “undemocratic” practices from the recall campaign and they are prepared to put all efforts forward to guarantee she stays in office.
Bay Area
Radical Proposal to Limit the Power of Oakland’s Police Commission
Since February 2023, several stakeholders, including the Coalition for Police Accountability, began to work on amending the Enabling Ordinance of Section 604, Article VI of the Oakland City Charter. The Enabling Ordinance was approved by 83.19% of Oakland voters and established the civilian membered Police Commission (the Commission), the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The recent process to amend was focused on addressing some of the inefficiencies and disruptions that have occurred with the Police Commission and to establish guard rails and procedures to mitigate such issues in the future.
By Coalition for Police Accountability
Since February 2023, several stakeholders, including the Coalition for Police Accountability, began to work on amending the Enabling Ordinance of Section 604, Article VI of the Oakland City Charter. The Enabling Ordinance was approved by 83.19% of Oakland voters and established the civilian membered Police Commission (the Commission), the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The recent process to amend was focused on addressing some of the inefficiencies and disruptions that have occurred with the Police Commission and to establish guard rails and procedures to mitigate such issues in the future. Councilmembers Dan Kalb and Kevin Jenkins are the authors of this legislation which is still in process.
A counter proposal was presented by Councilmember Jenkins to drastically amend Article VI, Section 604 of the City Charter. The proposal would remove the selection process of the police chief from the Commission and give that power solely to the mayor. Currently, the Commission selects the candidates from which the mayor chooses the chief and presents them to the mayor who selects the final candidate. The proposal also moves the OIG to the Auditor’s Office. These proposals would rob the Commission and the OIG of independence from City Hall which 83.19% of Oakland voters sought in voting for Measure LL in 2016 and Measure S1 in 2018.
Our position is that the issues that have been raised about the hiring of the Chief, the appointment authority of Commissioners, and the scope of CPRA can all be incorporated into the ongoing collaboration of all the stakeholders working on the Enabling Ordinance. Those stakeholders are the two authors, the Coalition of Police Accountability, the Police Commission and the community members who have participated in this extensive work which has yet to be completed and approved by the City Council. The Charter is very clear that the Commission hires the IG and that the IG is supervised by the Commission. The ordinance cannot override that provision of the Charter.
Amending the Charter is not the vehicle that should be used to make amendments. The proposed Enabling Ordinance should be given a chance to effect positive change before making radical and undemocratic revisions.
For further information, please contact the Coalition for Police Accountability by reaching out to Mariano Contreras at puralata1@gmail.com.
Bay Area
Oakland International Airport Will Now Be Called ‘San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport’
The Port of Oakland Commissioners voted unanimously to rename the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland Airport at their board meeting last week. Despite a six-week battle with San Francisco leaders, residents and even Oaklanders, the Port remained steadfast in their decision to change the airport name in order to bring more revenue to Oakland’s economy.
By Magaly Muñoz
The Port of Oakland Commissioners voted unanimously to rename the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport to San Francisco Bay Oakland Airport at their board meeting last week.
Despite a six-week battle with San Francisco leaders, residents and even Oaklanders, the Port remained steadfast in their decision to change the airport name in order to bring more revenue to Oakland’s economy.
The Port reassured all parties that the airport will continue to have its OAK three-letter code and ‘I Fly OAK’ phrases, to minimize confusion among travelers.
“Our Board came to these discussions with a shared love of Oakland and a desire to see our city and airport thrive. Since our initial vote, the Port has met with dozens of community leaders and stakeholders and heard their concerns. We are moving forward with a commitment to honoring our past while building a stronger, more inclusive future,” Board President Barbara Leslie said in a statement.
The Board had delayed their decision by a month in order to listen to community members’ concerns about the name change. Bay Area residents accused the Port of trying to rewrite history and hide their current problems with public safety and crime behind a big tourist attraction.
The Port stated that their intention is to boost the number of people who fly into Oakland, which will allow for travelers to get to know the city and spend their money in the local businesses.
According to reports, Oakland Airport (OAK) is the closest major airport to 58% of the Bay Area population.
In the days following the announcement for change consideration, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a lawsuit against Oakland to protect San Francisco.
The lawsuit argues that Oakland airport’s attempt to “unlawfully incorporate” the San Francisco trademark leaves the city with no choice but to sue for trademark infringement, false designation of origin and unfair competition.
San Francisco city leaders and Oakland residents have insisted that the new name will create confusion and chaos for travelers who are not familiar with the area or the distinction between the two airports.
The Port has since responded with a countersuit of their own, asking the courts to rule that their name change does not violate San Francisco Airport’s (SFO) trademark.
The counterclaim says that the Port “seeks to increase awareness of Oakland Airport’s geographic location on San Francisco Bay among potential travelers and thus increase passenger traffic at Oakland Airport, create jobs, and boost economic activity in Oakland and the wider San Francisco Bay Area.”
Two days before the Port meeting, Chiu sent another letter to the Port offering to collaborate with Oakland to find alternative names for the airport and avoid litigation.
Oakland Port Attorney Mary Richardson said in a statement the following day that the Port is willing to partner with SFO to bring as many options as possible to travelers and have an open dialogue on how to move forward, but ultimately will still change the Oakland airport name.
The ‘San Francisco Bay’ rebrand has already made its way to the airport’s website and physical changes such as signage will be coming in the following months. The name swap will cost Oakland about $150,000.
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