Bay Area

East Oakland Stadium Alliance Update

When asked about railroad safety, given the active railroad lines that run along the front of the entire Howard Terminal site, Jacobs said, “We know the importance of rail to the port and we know the importance of rail safety. It’s reckless to ask people to cross the tracks to get to a baseball game without providing fully grade separate crossings at all intersections.”

Published

3 years ago

April 17, 2021

Mia Lane

The East Oakland Stadium Alliance (EOSA) hosted a community meeting on Wednesday to educate and engage West Oakland residents on the impacts of the Oakland Athletics’ proposed ballpark stadium and luxury condo and office development at Howard Terminal on Market Street, in the heart of the industrial working port.

After over a year-long delay, the City issued a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the project at the end of February. The DEIR identifies a number of significant and unavoidable impacts that the project will have on the local environment, such as air quality, noise, and transportation hazards. With only 60 days to review a very technical and complex, 6,000-page document, West Oakland stakeholders and industry leaders came together during an open forum to discuss the project, review the DEIR process, and answer community members’ questions.

West Oakland Resident Mercedes Rodriguez said the project would result in a “real big impact” on the community. She expressed concerns about the impacts on local residents due to increased traffic on game days and for special events.

“We will have to pay for residential parking permits and that’s not fair,” said Rodriguez. “The A’s have not adequately addressed this concern.”

Melvin McKay, Vice President of ILWU Local 10, which employees represent Longshoremen at the Port of Oakland, emphasized the significant disruption the development would cause for the port and the jobs that would be threatened because of it.

Aaron Wright, another ILWU leader, displayed life live footage for attendees to see the Port in action and explained how the loss of Howard Terminal would delay trucks coming in and out and lead current port customers to seek other, more reliable options.

“We know what it is to make a good living and I know for a fact this will be bad for our industry,” said Wright.

“We have been at the Port for a long time and we know what it takes to move containers, and we know once the hotels and condominiums are built, the residents will go back to the City and complain about the noise and try to limit our hours or shut us down,” McKay added.

When asked about the purpose of Howard Terminal, McKay explained the Terminal has helped to get idling trucks waiting to pick up a container off West Oakland streets. Taking away this space will once again create congestion In West Oakland that residents have fought to minimize.

Mike Jacob, Vice President & General Counsel for Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, noted air quality is a major concern. Given the changes Port businesses have made to become more environmentally sustainable, a ballpark at Howard Terminal would create a “new emission source” and undermine investments businesses have made.

“It’s pretty shameful,” he added.

The City of Oakland Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the DEIR for the Oakland Waterfront Ballpark District Project on Wednesday, April 21 at 3:00 p.m. The hearing will be held online via Zoom and meeting information can be accessed on the following website: https://www.oaklandca.gov/boards-commissions/planning-commission

The final day to comment on the DEIR is April 27th. Comments can be submitted electronically at https://comment-tracker.esassoc.com/oaklandsportseir/index.html.

For more information about EOSA or to submit a petition opposing the Howard Terminal ballpark, go to www.eastoaklandstadiumalliance.com.

Mia Lane

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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

2 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

6 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.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”