Business

Newsmaker Becomes Center of News After Break-In at The Oakland Post

According to publisher Paul Cobb, three thieves spent over three hours rummaging through drawers, shelves, files, and boxes. For Cobb, owner of the Post News Group, which produces nine weekly newspapers, the theft comes at a sensitive time. “We just honored and celebrated the renaming of an area on 14th Street, where our celebrated editor Chauncey Bailey was slain in 2007.”

Published

4 years ago

March 31, 2022

Carla Thomas

By Carla Thomas

The Oakland Post, the oldest African American publication in Northern California, is used to producing the weekly news. Thieves changed that on Tuesday night when they ransacked, vandalized, and burglarized the office in Downtown Oakland making the organization the center of the news.

While Cobb hopes there is no connection to the break-in, he’s especially glad that his staff was unharmed.

As Office Manager Brenda Hudson oversees the cleanup, she mentions how OCCUR, their upstairs neighbor in the Greenlining Building at 360 14th St. was also broken into. “They lost checkbooks and thousands were taken out of their account and we had cameras, recorders, and other supplies stolen,” she said. “Our surveillance cameras show one of the thieves with his bicycle breaking in.”

Among broken glass, Cobb also said a coin collection and a monitor was stolen. As a Civil Rights Movement activist who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and advocated for much of the trailblazing infrastructure and programs BIPOC millennials enjoy today, Cobb is no stranger to challenges.

“The world is strained, and our City of Oakland has its fair share of homeless and the disenfranchised, so we have to be mindful of the times we’re living in.”

Cobb, who sees theft as an economic issue, says the best way to prevent theft is to create sustainable jobs and plans to use the incident to promote change in the community.

“The break-in is alarming, and our City is under siege economically with far too many left on the sidelines of the economy,” Cobb said. “I’m going to dedicate a series of articles on available jobs and job creation. Again, I’m glad the break-in occurred when no one was on site.

“Our staff is safe and looks forward to continuing to cover the news and not being at the center of it in this light,” Cobb said.

Carla Thomas

Posts by Carla Thomas

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

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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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC