Frank McWorter Used Earnings to Buy Freedom for Himself, Many Others
Black Biz Owners Push for Equal Access to Trillions of Dollars in Upcoming Fed Spending
Under Shirley Weber’s Guidance, California Continues to Set Standard for Voting Rights
LA Mayoral Race: Black Women Leaders Promise to “Provide Cover” for Rep. Karen Bass
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Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
Weekly Edition: October 6-12, 2021
Coliseum Dream Development Group Proposes to Rebuild on Coliseum Site Will the Oakland City Council Consider any new proposals?
By Post Staff
The Oakland Post this week received the following media release from Elaine Brown, former Black Panther Party leader and CEO of Oakland & the World Enterprises (OAW), who has teamed up with master developer McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) to create The Coliseum Dream development project. Highlights of the Dream project are: readiness to purchase the city’s 50% interest; positive discussions with the Oakland A’s; installation of Black Panther Studios as development anchor, which will be the first Black-owned
film studio on the West Coast; ability to finance the entire development, estimated at $5 billion; building of hundreds
of affordable housing units; development of a luxury hotel and department store; creating and supporting youth tech, arts
and business training centers; construction of a supermarket in a food desert; making Oakland a tourist destination. Vince Bennett, president and CEO of MBS, a multi-billion-dollar housing developer based in St. Louis, said: “MBS is ready to immediately enter into a purchase and sale agreement with the City of Oakland and become the master developer of the entire site.” The Coliseum Dream Development Group (CDDG) recognizes the impossibility of developing the Coliseum site solely by purchasing the city’s 50% interest. Partnership with Continued on Page 10
Oakland Businesses Get Boost From Comcast California
58th Year, No. 16
A’s Owner John Fisher Port Proposal No Good for Oakland By Kitty KellyEpstein
Billionaire John Fisher, owner of the A’s, has things to do before he can take over Oakland’s public port property to build malls and housing for the rich. It is such a bad idea and the costs to the public are so ridiculous that logically it shouldn’t happen. But this right-wing, Trump-supporting Republican has a boatload of money and a few corporation-oriented politicians to help him push it through So, Oaklanders need to be active, or he might get it. Here are two of the things we need to act on: 1. Fisher won’t spend his own money. So, he wants Alameda County to give up spending on things like the COVID-19 pandemic, so we residents can pay for his project with taxpayer money. The vote on this will come up to the Board of Supervisors on Oc-
Opinion
tober 26. If you’d prefer that the County fund health care, housing and other resident necessities, ask them to vote “No.” Call your supervisor at 510-208-4949 and/or attend the meeting. 2. The Oakland City Council will make the ultimate decision about Fisher’s project and there are a zillion reasons they should say “No.” Among them: a) Fisher’s project requires that thousands of people run across the tracks of a busy railroad, which killed a number of people even before there were big crowds needing to get to their condos or a stadium b) And Fisher’s project would wreck Oakland’s Port. The “Seaport Compatibility Measures” necessary to keep the Port alive would cost hundreds of millions of dollars which would not be needed if it were not for Fisher’s project. So, Fisher, not taxpayers, should Continued on Page 10
John George Democratic Club to Hold Social Justice Awards on October 16
Comcast California held a virtual press conference to announce a major new investment fund that will soon be available for small businesses owned by people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and Asian American, among others in the city of Oakland. Present were: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, California Assembly Member Mia Bonta, Alameda County Assessor Phong La; Cathy Adams, president and CEO of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce; and Judy Townsend, RISE recipient, owner of Mannequin Madness and Ken Maxey for Comcast California. See page 5 for more information.
When the A’s Moved to Oakland, They Ripened into World Champions, Now Some Wonder If They Are Rotten to This City Opinion
By Paul Cobb, Publisher, Post News Group
The Oakland Coliseum is imper-
iled. The last of the three Oakland-based professional sports teams to play at the Coliseum, the Oakland A’s, is heading for the exit. The A’s have demanded that Oakland pave the way to build a new waterfront stadium at Howard Terminal, or they will follow the Raiders and the Warriors out of town. Construction was completed on the state-of-the-art Oakland Coliseum in 1966. The Raiders were the first team to play at the Coliseum in 1966. The A’s relocated from Kansas City to Oakland in 1968. Despite numerous attempts to leave the city throughout the years, the A’s have remained in Oakland until now. Oakland has been lucky for the A’s. Fans cheered them to victory in three consecutive World Series in the 1970s and stood by their side through many less than stellar years more recently. The Oakland Coliseum and its companion Oakland Arena
Activists for social justice are often unsung heroes. To help remedy that, the John George Democratic Club will virtually hold its Eighth Biennial Social Justice Awards ceremony on Saturday October 16 at 3 p.m. to recognize local social justice activists. The tireless work for racial and economic justice by the late Alameda County Supervisor John George stands as a model for elected officials. The John George Democratic Club strives to keep George’s spirit alive by getting progressive candidates elected to posts in Oakland. The keynote speech will be delivered by newly elected State Assemblymember Mia Bonta, on the topic “Advancing Democracy for the 2022 Election and Beyond.” Clearly, reactionary forces on the right are attempting to undermine voting
John George rights and overthrow democracy itself, so all progressives need to mobilize to defeat this attack. This year the Club will honor Pamela George, daughter of John George, who was the first African American elected to the Alameda Board of Supervisors Continued on Page 10
Left to right: Joun “Blue Moon” Odom, Vida Blue, Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart celebrated Jackie Robinson by wearing number 42.
have been the site of many jubilant celebrations throughout the years. But now, many Oakland residents question whether corporate greed will drive the team away from the loyal fans who have supported them in good and bad times. The A’s threaten that they will leave unless they are given public funds that are desperately needed to fill potholes, fix playgrounds and help with a variety of services needed in East Oakland and other lowincome areas of the city. The monolithic gray structure – albeit not the most at-
Curt Flood
tractive piece of architecture today – has brought feelings of pride and victory to many an Oakland resident. But now the A’s say the Coliseum area is not fit for development.
Rickey Henderson, who lived in my neighborhood and attended school with my brother, stole our hearts and made us love going to the games with my family and friends. Not anymore. They told us that the Coliseum was unfit for the A’s and then they doubled the price of tickets. Despite its perfect location, with a BART station, proximity to the airport, easy freeway access, ample parking and space for epic tailgate parties, the A’s have publicly stated Continued on Page 10
Join them on Zoom using the following link on your computer or phone: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89656104788 Meeting ID: 896 5610 4788. Call in to Zoom on your phone: +16699006833,,89656104788# US (San Jose)