More Than 31,000 Health Care Workers in California, Hawaii Continue To Strike A panel of union members call on the health care giant to return to the bargaining table in “good-faith” for contracts.

Over 31,000 Kaiser health care workers in California & Hawaii are still on strike—fighting for safe staffing, manageable workloads, and patient care over burnout.

Frontline union members speak from the picket line with @maximillianalvarez.bsky.social.

Oakland police make ‘significant dent’ in disciplinary hearing backlog OPD reported a 73% reduction in pending Skelly hearings in a 15-month period. But questions linger over who should run the process.

The Oakland Police Department reported a 73% reduction in pending Skelly hearings between October 2024 and January 2026.

OPD attributed the backlog to understaffing, strict recusal requirements, and outdated technology. oaklandside.org/2026/02/25/o...

California police are far more likely to use force against homeless residents, new data shows While most drivers are stopped because over traffic violations, 64.8% of the stops of homeless residents were based on “reasonable suspicion” — a less-demanding standard.

While most drivers are stopped because over traffic violations, 64.8% of the stops of homeless residents were based on “reasonable suspicion” — a less-demanding standard.

The Trump Administration Is Trying to Prosecute Its Way Out of Bad Media Coverage The arrests of journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort threaten more than just their First Amendment rights as journalists.

The First Amendment's fundamental democratic safeguards do not exist if journalists are not free to cover uprisings against government abuses without fear of state retaliation

ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...

Google to pay $68 million over allegations its voice assistant eavesdropped on users Class-action lawsuit alleged that Google's voice assistant illegally recorded and shared private conversations with advertisers.

Do you remember when people were saying "I think my phone is listening to me, i'm getting ads for stuff I spoke about" and people said "They arent listening to you, they're just this good at predicting your interests"?

Well, it happens they were doing exactly that.
www.cbsnews.com/news/google-...

Oakland has a sex trafficking problem. Young people have ideas to solve it Teens and young adults urged Mayor Barbara Lee and other local leaders to invest in prevention, education, and survivor services at a town hall hosted by Dream Youth Clinic.

Oakland youth shared their experiences with sex trafficking — and their ideas for solutions — with city and county leaders at a town hall hosted by Dream Youth Clinic.

I attended the event and wrote about it for The Oaklandside: oaklandside.org/2026/01/30/o...

Violent Crime Is Down in Oakland | KQED Violent crime is down in Oakland, along with most major U.S. cities. In 2025, Oakland’s homicide rate dropped 22% compared with the previous year.

I was on @kqednews.kqed.org’s “The Bay” today to talk about Oakland’s drop in violent crime.

You can listen here: www.kqed.org/news/1207125...

Racial disparities in officer discipline complicate OPD’s push to end federal oversight A federal judge praised progress toward ‘constitutional policing’ but said the Oakland Police Department has not yet earned full independence from court supervision.

The Oakland Police Department appears near the finish line in its 23-year federal court oversight program — but there’s still work left to do, said U.S. District Judge William Orrick.

I attended yesterday’s hearing at the federal courthouse and wrote about it: oaklandside.org/2026/01/28/o...

Crime drops in Oakland, privacy debates rise...on the podcast Catch up on Oakland news while walking the dog or cooking dinner with Oaklandside 510.

Catch up on Oakland news while walking the dog or cooking dinner with Oaklandside 510.

The White House is just outright admitting that it's posting fake and misleading information about a defendant who has been criminally charged by the feds.

Did Oakland’s police union convince the City Council to block OPD oversight picks? The council declined again to reappoint two commissioners in a move that some say could shape the police oversight board in ways friendlier to OPD.

Oakland councilmembers have declined for the second time to reappoint two incumbents to the Police Commission, the civilian board overseeing OPD.

Did the Oakland police union sway the council’s decision?

My latest for The Oaklandside: oaklandside.org/2026/01/21/p...

incredible

Sex trafficking survivors would get financial support under new Oakland proposal Councilmember Charlene Wang wants to create a Human Trafficking Survivor Support Fund, which would use fines levied against buyers and exploiters.

Councilmember Charlene Wang wants to create a Human Trafficking Survivor Support Fund, which would use fines levied against buyers and exploiters.

Sex trafficking survivors would get financial support under new Oakland proposal Councilmember Charlene Wang wants to create a Human Trafficking Survivor Support Fund, which would use fines levied against buyers and exploiters.

For years, survivors of sex trafficking in Oakland have struggled to secure financial support.

A new proposal could change that, creating a dedicated revenue stream for survivors of sexual exploitation while penalizing those who buy and sell victims.

My latest: oaklandside.org/2026/01/12/o...

semi-regular reminder that ICE was only created in 2003

when you are asked to imagine a world without ICE, you're basically being asked to remember where you were when Lilo & Stitch came out

Immigration Agents Are Shooting People. Is It Legal? A law professor explains whether the agent who fatally shot Renee Good could face prosecution.

Videos appear to contradict the White House’s defense of a fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis.

A law professor explains when deadly force is legal and whether the agent who killed Renee Good could be charged.

My colleague @chroniclesofazu.bsky.social wants to hear from couples who met in unconventional ways in Oakland to share their stories ❤️

Submit your meet-cute by the end of January: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Former OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell refused to sit down with the press. Will the next chief be more accessible? During Mitchell’s 19-month tenure, he ignored multiple invitations from The Oaklandside to answer questions about his job running the Oakland Police Department.

During Floyd Mitchell’s 19-month tenure, he ignored multiple invitations from The Oaklandside to answer questions about his job leading the Oakland Police Department.

My latest story: oaklandside.org/2026/01/09/o...

A woman with black hair and black dress holding up an award certificate in front of a step and repeat backdrop that says "San Francisco Press Club"

A paper award with black and orange colors that says "Momo Chang First Place print/digital small newsroom general news story San Francisco Press Club"

A black background with the words "General News Story First Place: Momo Chang, Roselyn Romero, Tommy Craggs ' Since Stop AAPI Hate, some Oakland Chinatown residents are rethinking crime prevention' Oaklandside and Oakland Voices; Second Place: Ted Andersen ' Big property tax bills start to roll in from Prop. 19 reform' San Francisco Business Times"; Third Place: Gabe Stutman: 'Tension over hiring an Israeli Counselor Roiled a Bay Area Music Camp and Ended Friendships' The Jewish News of Northern California"

Honored to have won a first place at SF Press Club ceremony last night, shared w/co-writer @roselynr.bsky.social & editor @tcraggs22.bsky.social. Thanks to @oaklandside.org @oaklandvoices.bsky.social @maynardinstitute.bsky.social for co-publishing the story.

Minnesota ICE shooting live updates: Driver fatally shot by immigration agent Follow the latest news after an ICE agent fatally shot a 37-year-old woman after a group of individuals began to block an immigration-related operation.

“.. they carried her body out, just like by her limbs, they didn’t even have a stretcher," Heller said. "She was carried out like a sack of potatoes."

“This was horrific and will change my life forever,” she said. “I feel so scared."

@nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Oakland saw a historic drop in homicides in 2025. City leaders aren’t declaring victory yet Murders fell 27% last year, driven in part by the city’s Ceasefire program and community partnerships, Oakland officials say.

My first story of 2026: Oakland saw a historic drop in homicides and other categories of crime last year — but city leaders aren’t declaring victory just yet.

My latest: oaklandside.org/2026/01/07/o...

I’m at Hoover Elementary where there was some ICE presence earlier. The school is on lockdown and community members are chanting “say it loud say it clear immigrants are welcome here”

No obvious sign of any federal agents in the area now

No bail for Cedric Irving, the man accused of fatally shooting legendary coach John Beam Irving, who was arraigned Tuesday in Oakland, did not enter a plea. Dozens of Beam’s family and friends packed the courtroom.

Cedric Irving Jr., the person accused of killing beloved football coach John Beam at Laney College in Oakland last week, will be held without bail, an Alameda County judge ruled Tuesday morning.

My latest story: oaklandside.org/2025/11/18/c...

3 teenagers wounded in shooting at Colorado high school A suspected shooter was also wounded in the shooting at Evergreen High School, about 30 miles west of Denver, authorities said.

Three teens were critically wounded Wednesday in a shooting at a high school in the foothills of suburban Denver, including the suspected shooter, authorities say.

The Definition of Prison Contraband Might Surprise You Contraband is anything that a prisoner is not supposed to have. But, in practice, the definition is more complex.

"Willie James has been incarcerated longer than I have been alive — a little over 45 years. He said having photos seized is heartbreaking. We’re only allowed to have 50 photographs, according to state prison rules."

Trump Admin Bans Coverage For Trans Govt Employees, Mandates Conversion Therapy Coverage The OPM memo states that all health plans for government workers must cover faith-based approaches to gender dysphoria while banning gender affirming care coverage.

1. In an alarming move, the Trump administration has banned trans coverage for federal employees and their families, including youth and adults.

It mandates faith-based conversion therapy coverage.

It is one of the largest removals of coverage in the US.

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Sexual assault survivors in Oakland: A guide to resources after BRAVE Bay Area Legal aid, 24-hour hotlines, bedside support, and other services are still available to survivors of rape in Oakland and Alameda County.

After BRAVE Bay Area (formerly BAWAR) closes next month, what resources will remain for rape survivors in Oakland?

I’ve compiled a list of services for survivors of sexual assault and gender-based violence in Oakland and Alameda County. You can find them here: oaklandside.org/2025/08/21/r...

How conservatives help their young thinkers — and why liberals don’t Liberalism has a serious pipeline problem.

In this morning's newsletter, I wrote about an under-appreciated problem for liberalism — its total failure to cultivate young talent www.vox.com/on-the-right...

Rape survivors relied on BRAVE Bay Area. Whistleblower documents claim it was destroyed from within Two government agencies opened investigations into BRAVE, formerly Bay Area Women Against Rape, last year. Current and former employees describe an organization in free fall.

BRAVE Bay Area, formerly Bay Area Women Against Rape, announced it is shutting down due to financial constraints.

But current and former staff told me the nonprofit has been under investigation for alleged fraud and mismanagement.

My latest investigative story: oaklandside.org/2025/08/12/b...

I’ve read the book (Darwin’s my editor)!