Berkeley

DAs Becton and O’Malley Win Some Races Still Too Close to Call

Published

8 years ago

June 8, 2018

Vote tallies in the June 5 election are not yet final, but the results of most races are clear.

Mark Leno holds a slight lead over London Breed for mayor of San Francisco; incumbent Nancy O’Malley defeated attorney Pamela Price for Alameda County District Attorney; the county Measure A childcare tax is close but so far failing to reach the two-thirds majority it needs to pass; and Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb and Jovanka Beckles are neck in neck for the November runoff with first-place Buffy Wicks for the Assembly District 15 seat.

One-hundred percent of the precincts have reported, but the counting of mail ballots could shift the results in close races, changing who is first place or who comes in second, winning a spot in November between the two highest vote getters.
Vote totals are based on Thursday morning tallies.

Alameda County
In the race for Alameda County District Attorney, incumbent Nancy O’Malley defeated attorney Pamela Price, 59.06 percent to 40.35 percent. Price was backed nationally by supporters of police accountability, while police unions backed O’Malley with hundreds of thousands of dollars in independent expenditures.

The hotly contested election was the first challenge to an incumbent district attorney in Alameda County for at least 50 years.

Melissa Wilk received 59.31 percent of the vote for County Auditor-Controller, while 39.52 percent of the voters backed Irella Christina Blackwood.

The City of Oakland’s Library Tax, Measure D, was approved 75.94 percent to 24.06 percent.

By 64.63 percent to 35.37 percent, Measure A childcare sales tax is falling short. The measure would tax one-half of one percent gross receipts from retail sales to fund childcare and pre-school programs, programs for homeless and at-risk children, programs to prevent child abuse.

The tax measures need a two-third majority of yes votes in order to pass.

State
Democrat Gavin Newsom led the governor’s race with 33.4 percent of the vote. Republican John Cox received 26.2 percent of the vote, winning a spot on the November ballot. Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, came in third with 13.4 percent.
In the Lt. Governor race, Democrat Eleni Kounalakis is leading with 23.4 percent, followed by Democrat Ed Hernandez with 20.8 percent and Republican Cole Harris with 18.3 percent.

Former Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, a progressive, received 3.6 percent of the vote.

For attorney general, Democrat Xavier Becerra received 45.3 percent, Republican Steven Bailey 25.3 percent and Democrat Dave Jones, 14.6 percent.

In the race for State Supt. of Instruction, Marshall Tuck, with 37.1 percent of the vote, will face Tony Thurmond, with 34.3 percent, in the November runoff. Tuck’s campaign has received huge donations from pro-charter school billionaires.
Democrat Buffy Wicks leads the race for Assembly District 15 seat with 31.1 percent of the vote. Oakland City Councilmember Dan Kalb follows with 14.9 percent, while Richmond City Councilmember Jovanka Beckles closely trails with 14.6 percent – a difference of 182 votes.

U.S. Senate
Longtime incumbent U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is heading into the November election with 43.8 percent of the vote. She is followed by Democrat Kevin De Leon with 11.3 percent and Republican James Bradley with 8.8 percent.
Contra Costa D.A.

In the race for Contra Costa County District Attorney, incumbent Diana Becton won 49.59 percent of the vote, while Paul Graves is trailing with 42.06 percent.

San Francisco
With thousands of mail ballots left to count, Mark Leno is winning the race for mayor of San Francisco, beating London Breed 50.40 percent to 49.60 percent. Third place contender Jane Kim was defeated in the ranked choice instant runoff.

Voters approved Local Measure E, “Prohibiting Tobacco Retailers from Selling Flavored Tobacco Products,” 68.41 percent to 31.59 percent.

Local Measure F, “City-Funded Legal Representation for Residential Tenants in Eviction Lawsuits,” passed 55.56 percent to 44.44 percent.

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Activism

Black Repertory Group Needs Volunteers to Help Shape the Next Generation of Artists and Leaders

Legendary performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover worked with and were inspired by BRG’s founders. More recently, Grammy award-winning artist Kehlani attended the Black Repertory Group Summer Day Camp for several years.

Published

3 months ago

June 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy image.

By Sean Vaughn Scott, Special to The Post

For more than 60 years, the Black Repertory Group (BRG) has changed lives through the arts.

Founded in 1964 by educators and visionaries Birel L. Vaughn and Nora Vaughn, BRG has become one of America’s oldest continuously operating Black theater institutions. For generations, it has preserved culture, developed talent, and provided opportunities for young people to discover their voices and their potential.

The results speak for themselves.

Long before international recognition, Kehlani performed on the BRG stage. During a summer day camp production of “Princess and da Frog,” she portrayed Ray, the lovable firefly whose light guided others through the darkness. Her journey is proof that today’s camper may become tomorrow’s artist, entrepreneur, educator, or leader.

Located at 3201 Adeline St. in Berkeley, BRG continues that mission through its Youth Summer Day Camp of the Arts.

BRG is currently accepting applications and maintains an open enrollment program. Students may enroll throughout the summer as space permits and immediately become part of the BRG family.

We are also proud to be a multicultural opportunity program, welcoming children and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Through theater, music, dance, public speaking, visual arts, technical theater, and leadership development, students gain confidence, discipline, creativity, and lifelong skills.

As our programs grow, so does our need for volunteers.

We are seeking community members to assist with youth mentoring, registration, costumes, set construction, painting, props, ushering, photography, social media, marketing, technical theater, and fundraising activities. Whether you volunteer for a few hours or throughout the season, your support directly impacts the lives of young people.

BRG also partners with churches, civic organizations, alumni associations, fraternities, sororities, and community groups through theater party fundraisers, group sales, and buy-out performances. These partnerships have helped organizations raise funds while supporting arts and cultural programming.

The theater also serves as the home of the Berkeley NAACP Chapter, which meets every second Saturday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more than six decades, the Black Repertory Group has remained committed to one belief: every child deserves an opportunity to shine.

The next great artist may already be among us.

The next Kehlani may already be walking through our doors.

We invite you to volunteer, enroll, participate, and become part of the legacy.

For more information please go to www.blackrepertorygroup.com, call (510) 652-2120, or email info@blackrepertorygroup.com

Sean Vaughn Scott is the director of the Black Repertory Group.

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

3 months ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Arts and Culture

Farwest Region Deltas Celebrate Centennial With “September Breakfast” Honoring Vivian Osborne Marsh

The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.

Published

1 year ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Farwest Regional Director, Kimberly Usher, Mayor Barbara Lee, US Representative Lateefah Simon, and Farwest Regional Representative, Radiya Ajibade. Photo courtesy of Farwest Regional Photographer Vicki P. Love.

By Antoinette Porter

Hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley, to mark the 100th anniversary of the sorority’s Farwest Region.

Marsh went on to serve as Delta Sigma Theta’s 7th National President, where she launched the sorority’s National Library Project to expand access to books in underserved Black communities in the South. During her presidency, the organization also became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, lobbying Congress to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Bak in the Bay Area, Marsh devoted her career to advancing educational opportunities, mentoring young people, and strengthening community life. That commitment continues to shape the region, which supports initiatives in education, social justice, and economic development. Current projects include raising scholarship funds for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, voter education campaigns, and health and wellness programs.

A century after its founding, the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta remains active across California and other western states, carrying forward Marsh’s vision of service and advocacy.