This week on Oaklandside 510, we're covering essential earthquake preparedness tips for Oakland residents, the Police Commission's vote on vehicle pursuit policy changes, major infrastructure investments in East Oakland, a parking ticket scam targeting Uptown drivers, and more.

Plus: We're in fundraising mode! Help us raise the final $5,000 of our $15,000 goal to keep the 510 going for another six months. Donate here.

Stories we cover in this episode:

• How to prepare for the next earthquake in Oakland — Resources and tips for staying safe, helping your neighborhood, and recovering from the Big One.
• Oakland Police Commission agrees with police chase policy changes — "We're going to hear criticism that you didn't go far enough and criticism that you're changing too much," said the commission chair.
• Oakland starts to restore shuttered Tyrone Carney Park — The half-acre lot in East Oakland's Sobrante Park was once a symbol of violence. It will reopen next summer with walking paths, play areas, and a new lawn.
• One of Oakland's most dangerous roadways is getting safety upgrades — A $30 million grant will transform Martin Luther King Jr. Way with a cycle track, lights, traffic islands, and bulbouts.
• Parking ticket scam targets Uptown Oakland drivers — Fake citations have tricked some into paying $74. The YMCA has warned the community to watch out.
• Tuscan cuisine and Filipino tacos coming to Prescott Market — Fatto a Mano Alimentari will feature fresh pastas, Italian wines, and cooking classes; plus, FOB West will bring Filipino fusion dishes to the food hall later this year.

Find all these stories and more at oaklandside.org. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected].

We can't cover Oakland—and produce this podcast!—without your help.

The Oaklandside is independent, nonprofit, and supported by everyday residents. We need to raise $5,000 more to reach our $15,000 goal to keep the 510 going for another six months. Every dollar helps us pay our producer, editor, and production costs. Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland.

Find all these stories and more at oaklandside.org. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected]. 

It’s the last episode of our 10-episode pilot experiment! Want to keep the 510 going? We just launched a fundraiser: we’re raising $15,000 to pay for six more months of weekly episodes. 

Learn more and chip in here: Donate to keep the 510 going for another six months!

In this episode: Reporter Ashley McBride has been covering Oakland schools for five years. She shares what she thinks more Oaklanders should know about OUSD.

And: traffic enforcement in Oakland is shrinking, Blue Bottle is leaving Temescal's WC Morse building, the hidden crisis in the Oakland estuary, East Oakland's food vendor hotspot, plus weekend events.

Stories in this episode:

Oakland police are disbanding the traffic enforcement unit

Blue Bottle to vacate WC Morse building

This East Oakland intersection is a food vendor hotspot. Here are 5 things to try

A trip to the Oakland estuary shines light on a hidden, dirty problem

Find all these stories and more at oaklandside.org. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected]

How Oaklandside fights for your access to information

And: Waymo's potential expansion to Oakland, how Oakland schools are handling AI in the classroom, hoping to save Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, the closure of beloved Edith's Pie bakery, and pairing picnic spots with takeout ideas around Oakland.

Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We'd love your thoughts.

Main story this week:

Host Tasneem Raja talks with Oaklandside news editor Darwin BondGraham and road safety reporter Jose Fermoso about The Oaklandside's transparency work. They discuss:

• The legal framework that gives journalists and residents access to government records and meetings
• Our 2023 lawsuit against the Alameda County Registrar of Voters over election transparency
• Jose's First Amendment victory in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals over the right to report on sideshows
• How Oakland police radio encryption impacts public safety reporting
• The costs and challenges of enforcing transparency laws through litigation
• Practical steps Oakland residents can take to support press freedom

Weekend and upcoming events

Arts reporter Azucena Rasilla closes with weekend and upcoming activities including:

• STUDIO 8 Film Festival at Shapeshifters Cinema, Friday, September 19th
• Urban Peace Movement's "That's Oakland, Baby!" Block Party in West Oakland, Saturday, September 20th at noon
• The East Bay Photo Collective's annual fundraiser at Shershow Studios, Saturday, September 20th at 5 p.m.
• A screening of "The Lemurian Candidate" at Grand Lake Theatre, Tuesday, September 23rd at 7 p.m.
• Tame Impala's Oakland Arena shows, Friday, November 14th and Saturday, November 15th at 8 p.m.)

Stories we cover in this episode

• Waymo robotaxis could be coming to Oakland
• Oakland teachers navigate AI policies in the classroom
• Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners fight to save their church
• Edith's Pie announces closure after five and a half years
• Perfect picnic pairings: Oakland parks + takeout guide
• Why an Oaklandside reporter is suing Alameda County over its sideshow law
• The Oaklandside is suing the Alameda County Registrar of Voters
• Oakland police radio encryption limits transparency

Oaklandside 510 is a weekly news show from The Oaklandside. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected]

Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland.

⁠Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We'd love your thoughts.⁠

Gun violence is dropping in Oakland, but it's still way too high. We take you behind the scenes into some intensive, on-the-ground efforts to bring the numbers down further — efforts that are funded by the city but led by civilians.

Host Tasneem Raja talks with Oaklandside’s public safety reporter Roselyn Romero about Oakland's gun violence prevention programs. They discuss:

• The Ceasefire strategy that identifies high-risk individuals and surrounds them with both support and accountability
• How violence interrupters like Youth Alive's Doral Myles mediate conflicts before they escalate
• How victims and perpetrators of violence often come from the same communities
• How teenagers with Youth Alive teach kids and adults about the root causes of violence and managing conflicts
• The challenge of maintaining these programs through political and funding changes

Plus: Oakland's nine-year struggle to regulate short-term rentals like Airbnbs, a controversial proposal that could criminalize homelessness, free field trips to the Oakland Museum, and restaurant openings and closures around town.

Arts reporter Azucena Rasilla closes with weekend activities including East Oakland filmmaker Anthony Lucero's hometown premiere of Paper Bag Plan, Brazilian jazz at The Sound Room, the Oakland Chinatown Night Market, and the 23rd Oakland International Film Festival.

We can't cover Oakland—and produce this podcast!—without your help. The Oaklandside is independent, nonprofit, and supported by everyday residents. Every dollar helps us file public records requests, interview sources, crunch data, and more. ⁠Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland.⁠

Stories in this episode

• ⁠Trump claims Oakland crime is out of control. But crime has fallen this year⁠
• ⁠Black boys and young men make up 48% of gun homicide victims in Alameda County, report finds⁠
• ⁠Oakland's violence prevention efforts and Ceasefire strategy⁠
• ⁠Youth Alive violence intervention programs⁠
• ⁠Nine-year delay in short-term rental regulations⁠
• ⁠Controversial homeless encampment policy proposal⁠
• ⁠Oakland Museum's free field trip program⁠
• Oakland restaurants: ⁠openings⁠ and ⁠closings⁠ around town

Find all these stories and more at ⁠oaklandside.org⁠.

Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We'd love your thoughts.

Mayor Barbara Lee just hit her first 100 days in office, facing enormous expectations from residents who want immediate solutions to crime, illegal dumping, homelessness, and Oakland's budget crisis. She also has to navigate federal threats from President Trump while working to heal a deeply divided city—and she has just 16 months left in her term.

Host Tasneem Raja talks with City Hall reporters Eli Wolfe and Natalie Orenstein about their extensive interview with Mayor Lee. They discuss:

• Unity efforts across Oakland's geographic and political divides
• Response to potential ICE raids and National Guard deployment
• Public safety strategies and dropping crime rates
• The mayor’s methodical approach to rebuilding trust in city government

Plus: Oakland's second-ever Michelin starred restaurant, a Temescal motel transforming into affordable housing, and an in-depth interview with Oakland's fire chief about staffing challenges and mental health in the department.

Lastly, arts reporter Azucena Rasilla closes with weekend activities including the big Mexico vs. Japan soccer match at the Coliseum, the Black Liberation Walking Tour, the Oakland Magic Circle's 100th anniversary gala, and a "Home Alone" screening with Macauley Culkin. 

We can't cover Oakland—and produce this podcast!—without your help. The Oaklandside is independent, nonprofit, and supported by everyday residents. Every dollar helps us file public records requests, interview sources, crunch data, and more. Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland.

Stories in this episode

• Full interview with Mayor Barbara Lee
• Sun Moon Studio earns Michelin star
• Maya Motel conversion
• Oakland Fire Chief Damon Covington interview

Find all these stories and more at oaklandside.org

Oaklandside 510 is a weekly news show from The Oaklandside. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected]. 

Three easy questions to make Oaklandside 510 better? We’d love your thoughts.

When a toxic metal foundry finally shut down in East Oakland after years of community organizing, residents celebrated a hard-won victory. But as our environmental reporter discovered, a new polluter was allowed to move in with the city's blessing. This story reveals how environmental enforcement works—or doesn't work—in Oakland, and showcases the powerful force of engaged residents fighting for their neighborhoods.

Host Tasneem Raja talks with environmental reporter Callie Rhoades about her investigation into the AB&I foundry saga, the broken coordination between city and county agencies, and the broader pattern of Oakland residents taking environmental justice into their own hands.

Plus: Headlines on downtown hotels, an East Oakland teacher's insights about his students' understanding of power, new coffeeshops, and more. Arts reporter Azucena Rasilla rounds out the show with weekend activities and upcoming events.

We can't cover Oakland — and produce this podcast! — without your help. The Oaklandside is independent, nonprofit, and supported by everyday residents. Every dollar helps us file public records requests, interview sources, crunch data, and more. Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland.

Oaklandside 510 is a weekly news show from The Oaklandside. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected].

Stories in this episode:

• A toxic foundry finally left East Oakland. Then the city allowed in a new polluter
• The state of Oakland hotels: a conversation with the downtown Marriott 
• This week in Oakland: The Paranormal Cirque circus, and the Reel Queer Flix short films screening
• Town Fare folk opening two-story cocktail lounge; new creative coffee options in the East Bay
• I teach in deep East Oakland. My kids are experts in how power works
• AB&I Foundry: After announcing permanent closure, owners file plans to redevelop East Oakland site

How does Oakland decide who gets millions of dollars in city contracts? And is the process fair and transparent? Host Tasneem Raja talks with City Hall reporter Eli Wolfe about his investigations into Oakland's contracting system.

Plus: Oakland Animal Services’s new policies, street design in Chinatown, universal transitional kindergarten, and how Oakland city councilmembers spend their "special" bank accounts.

And: arts reporter Azucena Rasilla shares weekend activities and a preview of exciting fall events in Oakland—from popular festivals like Glowfari that sell out fast to hidden gems.

We can’t cover Oakland—and produce this podcast!—without your help. The Oaklandside is independent, nonprofit, and supported by everyday residents. Every dollar helps us file public records requests, interview sources, crunch data, and more. Donate to the only newsroom fully dedicated to Oakland. 

Stories in this episode:

Weekend roundup by Azucena Rasilla

Fall events roundup

What did Oakland buy last year? Much is a mystery

Despite political pressure, Oakland director sticks to his guns on lucrative city contract

Records shed new light on Sheng Thao's possible involvement with Oakland security contract

A pricey city contract was slipping away. Then a call was made — and it may be linked to Oakland FBI investigation

All Oakland 4-year-olds are eligible for transitional kindergarten 

Chinatown 'Complete Streets' concept plan moves to design and funding

With more animals and fewer resources, Oakland Animal Services rethinks its strategy

'I have people in line to give me money': how Oakland councilmembers spent their officeholder funds

The 510 is on a break this week. Back next week with a great conversation on public safety in Oakland. Thanks for tuning in—and letting us catch our breath!

While Oakland has said goodbye to all of its major sports franchises in recent years—the Warriors, Raiders, and A's—a whole new generation of minor league and grassroots teams has been taking root in the city. 

From soccer to basketball to baseball, Oakland's sports scene is experiencing a renaissance.

Host Tasneem Raja talks with Tommy Craggs, former Deadspin editor and current Oaklandside contributor, about this exciting chapter in Oakland athletics. They explore the Oakland Roots soccer team's passionate fanbase, the Oakland Ballers' throwback baseball experience, the Golden State Valkyries WNBA team, and other emerging teams that are building genuine community connections.

What's driving this boom? How are these teams different from the corporate franchises that left? And what does community ownership mean for the future of Oakland sports?

Plus: Headlines on Sequoyah Country Club's plan to cut 175 redwoods, Oakland's transparency gaps in city spending, a rare bald eagle nest captivating East Bay residents, and the farewell to First A.M.E. Church's historic Telegraph Avenue sanctuary.

The episode closes with Oakland sports writer Dan Moore sharing his top 5 "most Oakland" sports moments of all time.

Links to stories mentioned:

How’d the Ballers get so good, so fast?

Dan Moore on the rise of the Oakland Roots

Sequoyah Country Club redwood controversy

Oakland city spending transparency issues

East Bay bald eagle nest discovery

First A.M.E. Church demolition and celebration

Oaklandside 510 is a weekly news show from The Oaklandside. Have feedback or story ideas? Email us at [email protected]. 

Last August, Oakland families began to receive disturbing reports about high amounts of lead in the drinking water at their children’s schools. Ashley McBride and Callie Rhoades get the receipts, going deep inside the Oakland Unified School District’s haphazard efforts to fix the problem — and its total communication meltdown when it came to informing principals, teachers, parents, and students. They also explain what the district is doing now to make things right — and guarantee safe water for its 34,000 students.

Also in this episode: Esther Kaplan and Darwin BondGraham catch you up on more recent headlines, including a clubowner taking over Oakland’s abandoned Greyhound station, why the bar Couchdate is leaving downtown, and why stolen cars keep racking up Oakland parking tickets.

Plus: Our arts and community reporter, Azucena Rasilla, lets you in on some of the coolest Oakland events happening over the next week and beyond. It’s the third episode! We’re experimenting with 10 episodes of a new weekly news show. This is a pilot — if we can keep this going, we will! Love it? Hate it? Want to sponsor it? Let us know: [email protected].

Temple nightclub group buys historic Oakland Greyhound station
Lakeshore Avenue protected bike lane honors Oakland girl who died in collision
Why is couchdate leaving downtown? It depends on who you ask
Oakland will continue ticketing stolen cars for the foreseeable future
OUSD lead crisis: Internal records reveal panic and confusion among school leaders
Inside OUSD's haphazard response to an escalating lead crisis
Oaklandside events