Community

Reporter Magaly Muñoz Begins 2-Year Fellowship at Oakland Post

Magaly Muñoz recently began a two-year fellowship covering local news for the Oakland Post as a full-time reporter, supported by the California Local News Fellowship. “As a journalist of color from an immigrant, low-income background, I’ve seen firsthand how little vulnerable communities are covered in the media,” said Muñoz, who is settling into her new job in the Post newsroom in downtown Oakland.

Published

6 months ago

November 3, 2023

Oakland Post

Magaly Muñoz is a graduate of Sacramento State University where she was the managing editor for the student-run newspaper. Courtesy photo.

By Ken Epstein

Magaly Muñoz recently began a two-year fellowship covering local news for the Oakland Post as a full-time reporter, supported by the California Local News Fellowship.

“As a journalist of color from an immigrant, low-income background, I’ve seen firsthand how little vulnerable communities are covered in the media,” said Muñoz, who is settling into her new job in the Post newsroom in downtown Oakland.

“Throughout my own journey as a journalist, I’ve been determined to elevate the voices of the unheard so that they may one day feel comfortable telling their, often neglected, truth,” said Muñoz.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have helped share these communities’ stories at both the local and national levels over the course of my career and cannot wait to continue to do that for the next two years through this fellowship,” she said.

A graduate of Sacramento State University, Muñoz’s journalism experience includes working for the State Hornet, the university’s student-run newspaper and conducting research and producing projects for “All Things Considered” at National Public Radio. She also was a community reporter for El Timpano, serving Latino and Mayan communities, and contributed to the Sacramento Observer, the area’s African American newspaper.

Muñoz is one of 40 early career journalists who are part of the California Local News Fellowship program, a state-funded initiative designed to strengthen local news reporting in California, with a focus on underserved communities.

The fellowship program places journalism fellows throughout the state in two-year, full-time reporting positions.

“This program directly addresses the crisis in local news across the nation. In California alone, a quarter of news publications ceased operations between 2004 and 2019, as reported by the University of North Carolina Hussman School of Journalism and Media,” according to a written statement on the fellowship’s website.

A 2022 study from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University found that three of California’s 58 counties have no local newspapers, and 13 counties have only two, according to the fellowship’s statement.

Among the negative consequences of the decline in local news reporting on local communities are reduced accountability, increased borrowing costs for municipalities, elevated government expenditures and deficits, as well as fewer people running for public office and lower voter turnout, according to the fellowship’s research.

The loss of news reporters and news outlets also means that local communities are more vulnerable to disinformation, and many people – especially those historically underrepresented in decision making – are deprived of information and therefore less able to advocate on their own behalf, the research said.

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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

22 hours 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.

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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

5 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.

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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

5 days 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.