Oakland Post

Celebrated the 4th of July

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price celebrated the City of Alameda’s Fourth of July Parade, which is the largest in the nation.

She told the Post Publisher that while riding down Park Street she thought of the tremendous privilege of living in a democracy that has endured for more than 200 years.

“Today, we are still fighting for those basic freedoms, and more: the right to vote, the right to control one’s own body, the right to define one’s sexual identity,” she said. “In 2020, a significant portion of the Republican Party refused to unambiguously accept the results of a democratic election, or reject vicious attacks on our elected officials, or break with extremist groups.

“As the ‘People’s DA,’ I believe that we have a new opportunity to create a more just and equitable society. Reforming our criminal justice system is the major civil rights issue of this season. Let’s continue to fight for a better future for Alameda County.”

Councilmember Janani Ramachandran, who represents Oakland District 4, is strongly opposed to the proposed increase in [Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao’s] salary by $75,000 per year, given the difficult fiscal environment the city is facing, and the urgent need to focus our City’s limited financial resources on providing basic constituent services to our residents.

At Tuesday’s Finance Committee meeting, Councilmember Ramachandran was the only

Committee Member to vote in opposition to the proposed salary increase. She is open to increasing the Mayor’s salary, but not by the amount proposed, which is from the current $202,999.94 per year to $277,974.54.

Oakland’s Charter permits (but does not require) City Council to increase the Mayor’s salary every two years, in an amount between 70% and 90% of the average salary of the City Manager or Administrator (not the Mayor) across six

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By Ken Epstein

A community celebration was held Saturday, July 8, commemorating the life of former Oakland Board of Education member, civil rights leader, and parent activist Sylvester Hodges.

Many lifelong friends and loved ones came out to join the celebration of his life at the Cypress Mandela Training Center in

East Oakland. Hodges, 78, died on May 21, 2020, but the event was postponed until this month due to the pandemic.

Hodges’ son, LaRone Hodges, organized the event.

Alvin Moore Sr., who hosted the celebration, remembered Hodges as a man of courage who was unafraid to stand alone when he was fighting for what he knew

Interfaith Council, No Coal in

access to health care or the means to see a doctor regularly. This has disproportionately impacted lowincome people and people of color, who have historically faced higher barriers to health care. Making the pill available over the counter allows women to take back control over their reproductive health, bodies, and lives.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12) announced that she is celebrating the Federal Drug Administration’s approval of the first overthe-counter birth control pill in the United States.

She said, “This is amazing news. For far too long, contraception was unavailable to those who don’t have

“This is a win for health equity, but we have more work ahead. Nine states have already restricted access to emergency contraception, and this is just the beginning. We must pass the ‘Right to Contraception Act’ to guarantee and protect access to affordable, safe, birth control. Until the right to contraception — and the right to an abortion — are enshrined in law, the fight for true reproductive justice continues.”

By Niara Savage, Published in the