Oakland Post, week of January 18 - 24, 2023

State Supreme Court Deals Blow to Oakland A’s Howard Terminal Real Estate Deal

By Post Staff

The state Supreme Court dealt a blow this week to the Oakland A’s 55-acre waterfront real estate plan when the court rejected the A’s appeal to halt the operations of Schnitzer Steel’s metal recycling center, which has operated for decades near the proposed development at Howard Terminal.

The Supreme Court denied the A’s request without comment, upholding an earlier decision by an appeals court rejecting the lawsuit by the A’s against the state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control, which had decided that Schnitzer’s operations sufficiently reduce the possibility of environmental contamination.

Schnitzer Steel’s recycling center, at 1101 Embarcadero West, is located next to Howard Terminal, where the A’s want to build a mini city on the Oakland waterfront

with a baseball stadium, hotels, condos and offices.

The Supreme Court’s decision leaves standing an appeals court ruling in September that said state law allows the Department of Toxic Substances Control to make its own determination whether treated waste is dangerous to humans and the environment and upheld the department’s decision that “there is no threat to human health or the environment from managing treated metal-shredder waste as non-hazardous,” according to the appeals court.

At its metal-shredding recycling center, Schnitzer separates scrap metal, including junked autos and appliances into recyclables and non-recyclable waste. The nonrecyclable waste is mixed with silicates, water and cement before it is sent to landfills.

Concerns Continue Over Oakland’s Election Results

By Post Staff

The Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ admission late last month that he had mistakenly declared the incorrect winner in one school board race has set off a torrent of concerns and objections about the conduct of Oakland’s elections, many of them focused on the pros and cons of rankedchoice voting.

In the wake of the error in the

for office and has deeply impacted who has been elected to public office in Oakland. Ranked-choice voting has also been implemented in San Francisco and in Berkeley, Richmond, and Albany in the East Bay.

Jumping into the fray, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, which oversees the Registrar of Voters, passed a resolution recommending a recount in close elections in Oakland and San Le-

Opinion: Will Barbara Lee Run for Senate?

Oakland, District 4 school board race, many organizations and individuals have challenged local voting practices. Some criticisms called into question the legitimacy of ranked-choice voting and others called for a recount because the Oakland mayoral election had been extremely close, with less than 700 votes separating firstplace Sheng Thao from secondplace Loren Taylor.

Ranked-choice voting, sometimes called “instant runoff” elections, has been in effect in Oakland since 2010 and has allowed for a greater diversity of BIPOC and less affluent candidates to run

andro, though they presented no evidence of errors or irregularities in the elections. Further, the supervisors did not recommend doing anything to repair the error in the District 4 school board race, the only race the registrar said the wrong person had been declared the winner.

Some of those who are opposing the Oakland election results are Republicans from Fremont and Dublin and other parts of Alameda County who are against a vote by mail or want to see voter ID required.

Results of the Nov. 8 were officially certified early in December,

COMMENTARY: The Price of Victory

Older Adults Experience Food Insecurity as They Transition Back into Community

By Michelle Gerome

Members of the Thriving Transitions, led by Oakland-based Nourish California, unite to raise awareness about how food insecurity impacts older adults leaving the criminal justice system.

Adults over the age of 50 often face numerous challenges as they age, including lack of access to housing, nutritious meals, and other resources to support their wellbeing. Advocates say these struggles are compounded for those older adults who are leaving California’s legal system and returning to their communities without comprehensive support systems.

Food insecurity is a prominent concern among this demographic, according to a 2018 report published by the Food Research and Action Center, more than 2.9 million food-insecure households in the United States included an adult 65 or older. Older adults transitioning out of the legal system are at a higher risk for food insecu-

rity which can contribute to poor health, mental illness, and accelerated aging. All of these effects can significantly impact the quality of life as well as their transitions back to community for older adults.

“Older adults often fall through the cracks when it comes to accessing the resources and support they need to thrive in their communities,” said Trinh Phan, Director, State Income Security, Justice in Aging. “This holds especially true for those who have been involved with the criminal legal system and are returning to their communities. More than half of seniors who qualify to receive SNAP are missing out on benefits, totaling an astonishing 5 million people in all.”

Studies show that people who have been formerly incarcerated are twice as likely to experience food insecurity as the general population. Recognizing how food insecurity impacts those who are leaving California’s prisons or

By Richard Johnson

In the aftermath of the November elections, there seems to be some simmering, lingering effects that are causing a rift between the winners and losers, causing the voters to rethink their own decisions at the voting polls. Previously, I mentioned that the voters elected the mayor of their choice, but now it appears that the entire process is being questioned by some who contend not only the mayoral race is questionable, but also all the races.

There may be some irregularities, as nothing is absolutely perfect under the best of circumstances; does this mean that because a nail or two was missed that we tear down the entire building and

rebuild it again?

Oakland and Alameda County made history in the last election by electing the first Black woman as the district attorney — this wasn’t a mistake. The people’s voices were heard loud and clear. All this bitter negativity and these unfounded accusations are being hurled by those who desire to undo history in order to revisit a failed past.

A new day has dawned, as the people have spoken.

Oakland has a profound history of being the first, as the last election plainly demonstrated.

Now is the time for the people to take a stand and announce they are concerned about what is really

By Emil Guillermo

You may have noticed if you’re a CSPAN watcher, local Congresswoman Barbara Lee is getting more face time. She was in front of the House floor as one of the “tellers” counting the votes in the dramatic 15-round vote for the speakership of the 118th Congress. She was one of the speech givers objecting to the biased Republican house rules, especially the GOP’s hardline against abortion.

Now, Barbara Lee wants to step up from the House to the Senate and it’s about time.

Lee has told colleagues in a closed door Congressional Black Caucus meeting that she is seeking the job of California Senator Dianne Feinstein, according to Politico. And she will officially announce “when it’s appropriate.”

But official or unofficial, now we know.

Lee wants the job. And she deserves it.

But first, comes the hard decision of Feinstein to announce either a retirement at the end of this term or to leave now. And of course, there are still some who want Feinstein to stay on.

At age 89, Feinstein has seniority and that means power in the Senate. Without that, you’re just biding time. Look at Alex Padilla. Replacing Barbara Boxer hasn’t been easy, not when you have just a fraction of the power she had. And that takes time.

Yet there are many who want Feinstein out now. Her detractors—mostly anonymous-- claim age has affected her effectiveness. Feinstein denies it, but media stories have persisted on the perceived decline of her abilities.

I first met Feinstein when I was growing up in San Francisco, when she was a supervisor. She’s served California and has earned the right to determine her future in the Senate.

Lee, ever respectful, has contacted Feinstein about the possibility of running for her Senate seat. In turn, the Senator has acknowledged Lee will have to figure out her own path.

And it’s not just Lee who is waiting in the wings. Some other politicians are circling over Feinstein looking for opportunity. Southern California’s Rep. Katie

Porter, a darling of progressives, has already announced and has reportedly raised a million dollars. Then there’s another Southern California liberal, Rep. Adam Schiff, whose profile was lifted during the impeachment hearings. When you can rack up appearances on Colbert Show’s late at night, you have a fund-raising edge.

What does Lee have? Community cred and history. Mills graduate. UC Berkeley, MSW. She was a young firebrand backing legendary Congressman Shirley Chisholm’s run for president and was a Chisholm delegate.

Lee served in the California Legislature before she replaced Ron Dellums in the House in 1998.

When I mention Barbara Lee to my politically savvy friends around the country, they know her instantly for her integrity.

In Congress’ 2001 vote to authorize use of military force against terrorists, she made her name by taking a stand. She was the only member of congress to vote no to an open-ended war that she said had “neither an exit strategy nor a focused target.”

“It was a blank check to the president to attack anyone involved in the September 11 events—anywhere, in any country,” Lee said then. “I could not support such a grant of war-making authority to the president; I believe it would put more innocent lives at risk.”

Given all the lies we’ve seen in government, doesn’t integrity sound refreshing? Lee is the kind of principled person you want representing the whole state in the Senate, isn’t it?

Whatever Feinstein decides, Lee has been vetted. Gov. Gavin Newsom has already indicated that in the event of a Feinstein retirement, he’d appoint a Black female replacement. That would be Lee, naturally. It would also give her an advantage to run as an incumbent.

But what of Newsom? He’ll be termed out as governor in 2027. If he doesn’t want to run for president now, does he want to be a U.S. senator?

And what if Feinstein hangs on and runs. That spoils all the timing. But does Lee challenge DiFi? Or does she let Porter try, lose, then come sweeping in as an appointee when Feinstein retires?

At age 76, Barbara Lee’s career is again full of possibilities as she waits to make her next step.

Emil Guillermo is a veteran journalist and commentator. He does a talk show on www.amok. com

Studies show that people who have been formerly incarcerated are twice as likely to experience food insecurity as the general population. Photo iStockphoto

Schnitzer Steel at the Port of Oakland. Photo courtesy Herb Lingl/ aerialarchives.com.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA)

Jonathan Jones, Tandia Jones, Richard Johnson, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Dr. Maritony Yamot during election celebration. Photo courtesy of AASEG.

Mike Hutchinson (left), Nick Resnick (center) and Tim Dupuis

Big U.S. Cities Fail to Provide Data for New FBI Hate Crimes Report

By Stacy Brown NNPA Newswire

Critics immediately threw cold water on a new FBI 2021 Hate Crime Statistics Act Report released by U.S. Department of Justice officials on Monday, Dec. 12.

Margaret Huang, the president, and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said while underreporting of hate crimes to the FBI remains an ongoing problem, the failure of state and local jurisdictions to report data makes the new report worse.

Over one-third of the nation’s 18,000 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies failed to report data to the FBI.

In 2020, the number of agencies reporting was 3,300 fewer than in 2021.

The latest reporting year counted as the first in which the FBI required every agency to report all crimes, including hate crimes, through its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).

Huang said that even though the FBI provided technical assistance and funding for its new requirement, many jurisdictions were unable or unwilling to report through the new system.

She said the result is dramatically incomplete.

It needs more data from major population centers, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, and the entire states of Florida and California.

“While the FBI’s annual Hate Crime report has been the nation’s

best available snapshot of hate violence in America, this year’s data is woefully incomplete, inaccurate, and simply cannot be trusted – certainly not to compare to previous years. Victims and communities affected by hate crimes deserve better,” Huang asserted.

“The failure of thousands of police agencies across the country to participate in this report is devastating for the individuals and communities harmed by these crimes and our ability to understand and prevent them,” she said.

Huang added that accurate, comprehensive national data is integral to addressing the root causes, designing prevention strategies, and providing support to victims and communities.

“There may be a temptation to draw conclusions from this woefully incomplete and flawed report about the rate of reported hate crimes, especially those targeting Black and AAPI communities, Sikhs, and LGBTQ people,” Huang continued.

“But comparing this piecemeal national data to previous years would be wrong. This first NIBRS reporting year data is simply too unreliable.

“We cannot outlaw hate, but we can do more to support victims of hate violence by ensuring they are heard and to confront the problem by measuring it accurately.

“As the transition to NIBRS continues, SPLC and our coalition partners will be urging the Justice Department and FBI to focus attention and resources on community-based prevention and

response strategies.

“And, until legislation requiring hate crime reporting can be enacted, federal funds to law enforcement agencies should be conditioned on credible HCSA reporting, or meaningful community hate crime prevention and awareness initiatives. We can and must do better.”

The latest report found more than 7,000 hate crimes committed in 2021.

The FBI defines a hate crime as a “committed criminal offense which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias(es) against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”

Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, called the report “woefully inadequate.”

He said 35 major U.S. cities failed to report hate crimes in 2021, while the country’s two largest cities, New York, and Los Angeles, did not provide data.

The third-largest, Chicago, reported zero, according to the FBI’s report.

According to the report, more than 7,000 single-bias incidents were recorded involving more than 8,700 victims.

Sixty-five percent of victims were targeted because of the offender’s race, ethnicity, or ancestry bias; 16% occurred because of prejudice against the individual’s sexual orientation; 13% was religious bias; 4% gender identity; 2% disability; 1% gender bias.

The report further found 188 multiple-bias hate crime incidents

involving 271 victims, and more than 5,700 hate offenses were classified as against persons, with 44% intimation, 36% simple assault, and 18% aggravated assault.

Officials classified nine murders and 13 rapes as hate crimes.

The statistics revealed that nearly 56% of the offenders were white, and about 21% were African American.

Since January 2021, the United States Department of Justice said it had taken several actions in response to a rise in hate crimes and incidents, including aggressively investigating and prosecuting hate crimes.

“The Justice Department is committed to prioritizing prevention, investigation, and prosecution of hate crimes,” Associate U.S. Attorney General Vanita Gupta stated.

Gupta added that the Justice Department continues to work with the nation’s law enforcement agencies to increase the reporting of hate crime statistics to the FBI to ensure they have the data to help accurately identify and prevent hate crimes.

“No one in this country should be forced to live their life in fear of being attacked because of what they look like, whom they love, or where they worship,” Gupta insisted.

“The department will continue using all the tools and resources at our disposal to stand up to biasmotivated violence in our communities.”

Caution and Equity Are Hallmarks

of

Gov. Newsom’s First Budget Under Black Director

By Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media

On Tuesday Jan. 10, at a press conference held in Sacramento, Gov. Gavin Newsom presented his first draft of the state’s 2023-24 budget to the Legislature.

The proposal, which totaled $223.6 billion, is the first spending plan developed under the supervision of Joe Stephenshaw, the first Black director of the California Department of Finance. The state’s budget for the next fiscal year presents a more modest outlook than last year’s, which totaled $240 billion.

In his presentation, Newsom assured Californians that the state has $35.6 billion in reserves, which the governor says he intends not to touch.

Stephenshaw, who took the podium after the governor, explained that the decrease in the budget and the decision not to tap into the reserves are not actions taken in anticipation of an impending recession.

Instead, he said, the state is practicing “moderation” due to witnessing “slower growth” revenue than was expected last year.

An assessment of Newsom’s budget proposal by the independent Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) determined that a recession is not an unlikely possibility and praised the proposed budget for making financial sense.

“Notably, the Governor does not propose using any reserves,” LAO’s statement read. “This approach is prudent given the downside risk to revenues posed by the current heightened risk of recession.”

The statement also cautioned lawmakers.

“We recommend the Legislature maintain this approach during its own planning process,” the statement continued.

Sen. Steve Bradford (D-Gardena), vice chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) said the state’s more cautious spending plan for the next fiscal year is a “step in the right direction” but promised to continue to fight to fund priorities that are critical for California’s most “marginalized” and “vulnerable” communities.

of the general fund.

About 36.3% is allotted to K-12 education and 10.1% is earmarked for higher education.

Chair of the CLBC Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) praised Newsom for specifically committing $300 million to K-12 education to close the academic achievement gap of low-income students.

“Thank you, Governor @ GavinNewsom for including this funding in the budget and shout out to my colleague Asm. Akilah Weber, MD, for her tireless work on this issue,” Wilson tweeted.

Some Republican lawmakers issued brisk criticisms of Newsom’s spending plan and Democrats’ endorsement of it.

“Democrat politicians have wasted a record surplus on new social programs and pork projects, while allowing our aging infrastructure to crumble. Now, we are faced with a $22 billion deficit as a result of their fiscal recklessness. It’s high time we refocus our budget on the core functions of government,” said Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (D-Yuba City).

“As California bounces between flooding and drought, it is abundantly clear that we need new water storage, and yet there is still no dedicated funding this year or next to meet that need. Instead, the Governor protects failed programs that haven’t made a dent in our state’s highest-in-the-nation poverty rate.”

In his presentation, Newsom evoked Proposition 98 which requires a minimum funding level for community colleges and other schools.

After education, the secondhighest funded priority is health services and initiatives at 23.4% of total spending.

If the Legislature approves, some of the monies for health funding will go toward mental health for programs like CARE Court and CalAim.

There are also funds dedicated to reproductive care.

In a statement, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California stood behind the governor’s decision.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Federal Legislative and Policy Advocacy Services (RFP No. R23-0009)

The Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) is seeking proposals for a contract to commence services in July, 2023, or as indicated in the RFP and/or appropriate addenda.

Key Dates:

- Proposal due date: February 22, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. PT

Proposals are subject to Alameda CTC’s Local Business Contract Equity Program. The Program goals for professional services are 70% for Local Business Enterprise (LBE) and 30% for Small LBE. For Program requirements and forms, visit Alameda CTC’s website. Any contract resulting from this RFP will be awarded without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.

All RFP documents are available at www.alamedactc.org/contracting-opportunities and may also be obtained by contacting Alastair Powell at apowell@alamedactc.org. All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to apowell@alamedactc.org, no later than 3:00 p.m. PT on February 3, 2023.

Submittals must be made in accordance with the instructions in the RFP. Any contract awarded must be in compliance with the local, state, and/or federal requirements.

“As many Californians are struggling to pay for groceries, housing, and gas, the state faces its own money concerns. A projected budget shortfall of about $24 billion will challenge the Legislature and the Governor to ensure our investments will provide services to those Californians who need them the most,” he observed.

“I look forward to the budget process and will work to make sure any adjustments to investments in jobs, healthcare, education and public safety are viewed under a lens of equity,” Bradford added.

Some observers praised Newsom’s draft budget because it did not come with new taxes.

“I was pleased to see that taxes are not part of the new state budget,” Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D-Highland) said in a statement released by his office on the day of the announcement.

“Even though California faces a budget deficit, we will continue moving forward to improve education, reduce homelessness, and combat fentanyl use, especially among our children and youth to ensure public safety and economic development in the face of threats from flooding, wildfires, drought, and other climate extremes,” Ramos promised.

The budget proposal focuses heavily on education, with provisions for public schools, colleges, universities and other academic support, accounting for about 46%

“Maintaining and pursuing new investments is critical in the pursuit of accessibility and equity for California patients and those forced to seek care here,” the statement read.

Another 8.6% of the budget will go toward human services, 4.3% will go to natural resources, and 10.7% will go to other efforts.

“With our state and nation facing economic headwinds, this budget keeps the state on solid economic footing while continuing to invest in Californians,” said Newsom.

Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) — also a member of the CLBC — expressed her support on Twitter.

“Governor Newsom’s proposed 2023-24 state budget preserves a lot of the progress we’ve made over the past few years and helps navigate short term fiscal issues while maintaining our longterm vision for CA,” she tweeted.

During the press conference, Newsom indicated that he believes continued investments in things like universal healthcare will bring about radical change for the state.

Over the next five months, the Governor and the Legislature will work to hash out their differences and present an updated draft proposal, commonly known as the “May Revise.”

By law, Legislators have until June 15 to approve the final budget, which takes effect July 1.

Gov. Newsom presenting the 2023-24 state budget Jan. 10 (Facebook page).

The Lunar New Year: Treasuring an Asian American California Tradition

Huff. “It’s a tradition to dispel all the demons and monsters to bring peace and health to the family.”

Some other traditions include elders giving out red envelopes that contain money to children. Red-paper couplets, intricate red paper-cut art, and red posters decorated with calligraphy messages of good health and fortune are placed on the doors, windows and around the homes.

Jaivon Grant California Black Media

Although it is celebrated in many countries around the world like Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam, the Lunar New Year is widely recognized as an important social and economic holiday in China and places with significant Chinese populations.

In the Golden State, people of Chinese descent comprise 23% of all Asian Americans and that subgroup in aggregate accounts for about 20% (5.8 million people) of the state’s population.

In Los Angeles, there are nearly 678,000 Chinese immigrants (not counting Chinese Americans who are second-generation Americans and beyond.)

Mei Mei Huff is the Executive Director of the ACT Against Hate Alliance (AAHA), a Los Angelesbased organization that is working to eliminate hate by targeting its root causes.

According to Huff, the Lunar New Year is a time when families get together and celebrate traditions over a warm dinner and fond memories.

“People get together to have family reunions and dinner. While

different areas prepare different dishes to celebrate New Year, the sumptuous meal will include different kinds of meat, fresh vegetables, different seafood, dumplings, rice cakes, etc., and each item is designed to bring prosperity and abundance to our family members,” Huff said. “It is truly an important day in Eastern cultures, and it’s about celebrating the most meaningful things to you.”

The Lunar New Year, also referred to as the Spring Festival, signifies the arrival of spring and the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar (based on the positions of the moon and sun).

The 2023 Lunar New Year begins on Jan. 22 and traditionally the celebration runs for 15 days.

“Each year, the Lunar calendar is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals included in the cycle of 12 stations or ‘signs’ along the apparent path of the sun through the cosmos,” according to History.com.

The 12 zodiac animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. 2023 is the year of the Rabbit.

In addition to the animals, five elements — earth, water, fire, wood

and metal — are also mapped onto the traditional lunar calendar. Each year is associated with an animal that corresponds to an element.”

The Chinese New Year is thought to have originated in the Shang Dynasty in the 14th century B.C., but its exact start day is unknown. It serves as a time for grand feasts to honor heavenly deities and ancestors. Hundreds of millions of people travel worldwide to go home and celebrate with their families.

Huff says fish is usually eaten as the last course of the Lunar New Year’s Eve meal to symbolize good luck. In the Chinese language, the pronunciation for “fish” is the same as the word for “abundance” or “surplus.” Because of this, the fish will not be totally eaten to signify that there will be surplus in the year to come.

Families frequently prepare for the Lunar New Year by thoroughly cleaning their houses, which represents ridding the area of evil spirits and opening space for goodwill and fortune.

“We would wear new clothes, and my father would light fireworks to ward off any evil spirits or demons around the house,” said

Hongxia Xiao — going by the American name Sammie — is a San Francisco resident who emigrated from China more than 10 years ago. She says, since moving to the United States, she still cherishes the Lunar New Year traditions.

“No matter where I am, I will always celebrate the [Chinese] New Year,” said Sammie. “It represents getting rid of the old and bad, and bringing in the new.” She also celebrates by having leftover fish symbolizing that one will have a surplus in money, luck, love, and fortune in life.

San Francisco is reported to have the biggest Lunar New Year parade outside of Asia. It is a tradition that began during the Gold Rush era in the 1860s, when an influx of Chinese citizens immigrated to that region of the state.

The Lunar New Year celebration concludes with the Lantern Festival, which includes parades, dancing, games, and fireworks.

This California Black Media feature was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Storms Set 3-Week Rainfall Records in 3 Bay Area Cities

By Bay City News

The series of atmospheric rivers that flowed over the Bay Area and the state in recent weeks produced record rainfall totals for a 22-day period for many locations in the state, according to a graphic map released early Thursday by the National Weather Service.

The graphic shows rainfall totals recorded between 4 a.m., Dec. 26, to 4 a.m., Jan. 17, in map form and on a brief list of 11 locations in the state.

Three in the greater Bay Area saw records: Oakland (18.33 inch-

es); San Francisco International Airport (15.28 inches); and Stockton (10.79 inches).

Three other local areas appear on the list but not noted as records: North Boulder Creek, in Santa Cruz County along Route 9 north of Ben Lomond (35.39 inches); Cazadero, in Sonoma County (33.11 inches); and downtown San Francisco (17.64 inches).

The highest totals provided by the service were recorded in tiny Honeydew in Humboldt County, which received 47.74 inches of rain.

2023 WAIT LIST OPENING FOR OAKLAND HOUSING AUTHORITY PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AT LOCKWOOD

GARDENS AND PERALTA VILLAGE

2023 WAIT LIST OPENING FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AT LOCKWOOD GARDENS AND PERALTA VILLAGE

The 2023 Waiting List for Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) Public Housing at Lockwood Gardens and Peralta Village is for one, two, and three-bedroom units only. OHA will place selected applicants onto the waiting list based on a computerized random lottery selection process. The waiting list will be active for 12 to 18 months

2023 WAIT LIST OPENING FOR OAKLAND HOUSING AUTHORITY PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS AT LOCKWOOD GARDENS AND PERALTA VILLAGE

How do I apply?

The 2023 Waiting List for Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) Public Housing at Lockwood Gardens and Peralta Village is for one, two and three-bedroom units only. OHA will place selected applicants onto the waiting list based on a computerized random lottery selection process. The waiting list will be active for 12 to 18 months.

Fill out a pre-application online. Pre-applications will only be accepted Tuesday, January 17, 2023, starting at 8:00AM through Tuesday, January 31, 2023, ending at 4:00PM.

Housing Authority (OHA) Public Housing at Lockwood Gardens and Peralta Village is for one, two, will place selected applicants onto the waiting list based on a computerized random lottery be active for 12 to 18 months.

1. Go to www.oakha.org or https://myohaportal.oakha.org/ to submit a pre-application. You must have a valid email address to submit a pre-application. If you do not have an email, you will have the opportunity to create an email address in the portal. There is no fee for completing the pre-application. THIS IS NOT A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE PROCESS.

How do I apply?

2. Applicants can submit a pre-application for only one of the Public Housing communities listed below.

Fill out a pre-application online Pre-applications will only be accepted Tuesday, January 17, 2023 starting at 8:00AM through Tuesday, January 31, 2023, ending at 4:00PM.

3. You must complete and submit your pre-application prior to Tuesday, January 31, 2023, 4:00 PM.

4. SAVE YOUR CONFIRMATION EMAIL when you successfully complete and submit the pre-application.

1. Go to www.oakha.org or https://myohaportal.oakha.org/ to submit a pre-application. You must have a valid email address to submit a pre-application. If you do not have an email, you will have the opportunity to create an email addres s in the portal. There is no fee for completing the pre-application. THIS IS NOT A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE PROCESS.

applications will only be accepted Tuesday, January 17, 2023, starting at 8:00AM through 4:00PM.

5. If you need assistance, please visit one 1327 65th Ave., Oakland, CA 94621 (Lockwood Gardens), 935 Union Street, Oakland, CA 94607 (Peralta Village) or 1540 Webster St. Oakland, CA 94612 (Leased Housing) January 17-20, 23-26 and 30, 31, between 10am-3pm or call (510) 587-2100.

2. Applicants can submit a pre-application for only one of the Public Housing communities listed below.

3. You must complete and submit your pre-application prior to Tuesday, January 31, 2023 4:00 PM.

4. SAVE YOUR CONFIRMATION EMAIL when you successfully complete and submit the pre-application.

The Public Housing locations are in following areas in Oakland:

• Lockwood Gardens: 1327 65th Avenue Oakland, CA 94621 http://www.oakha.org/Residents/Pages/Lockwood-Gardens.aspx

• Peralta Village: 935 Union St. Oakland, CA 94607 http://www.oakha.org/Residents/Pages/Peralta-Village.aspx

5. If you need assistance, please visit one 1327 65th Ave., Oakland, CA 94621 (Lockwood Gardens), 935 Union Street, Oakland, CA 94607 (Peralta Village) or 1540 Webster St. Oakland, CA 94612 (Leased Housing) January 17 -20, 23-26 and 30, 31, between 10am-3pm or call (510) 587-2100.

Occupancy Standards

The unit size for which an applicant family qualifies, depends on their household size and composition and any verifiable special needs.

The Public Housing locations are in following areas in Oakland:

• Lockwood Gardens 1327 65th Avenue Oakland, CA 94621 http://www.oakha.org/Residents/Pages/Lockwood-Gardens.aspx

• OHA will assign one bedroom for each two persons within the household, regardless of age or gender.

• Peralta Village 935 Union St. Oakland, CA 94607 http://www.oakha.org/Residents/Pages/Peralta -Village.aspx

Occupancy Standards

The

• The Head of Household, if single, will be assigned their own bedroom and then one bedroom will be assigned for each remaining two persons within the household.

• Single person families will be allocated one bedroom.

https://myohaportal.oakha.org/ to submit a pre-application. You must have a valid email address to submit have an email, you will have the opportunity to create an email addres s in the portal. There is no application. THIS IS NOT A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE PROCESS. application for only one of the Public Housing communities listed below. your pre-application prior to Tuesday, January 31, 2023, 4:00 PM. EMAIL when you successfully complete and submit the pre-application. one 1327 65th Ave., Oakland, CA 94621 (Lockwood Gardens), 935 Union Street, Oakland, CA Webster St. Oakland, CA 94612 (Leased Housing) January 17 -20, 23-26 and 30, 31, between in following areas in Oakland: Avenue Oakland, CA 94621 http://www.oakha.org/Residents/Pages/Lockwood-Gardens.aspx Oakland, CA 94607 http://www.oakha.org/Residents/Pages/Peralta -Village.aspx

Income Limits

family qualifies, depends on their household size and composition and any verifiable special needs. each two regardless of age will be then one remaining two allocated one

The

Dellums and Simarashe Sherry Fair Chance Access to Housing Ordinance No 13581 C.M.S. (O.M.C. 8.25). For more information, visit http://oakha.org/AffordableHousing/HowDoIApplyForHousing/Documents/Fair-Chance-Ordinance.Tenant-Notice.10.5.2020.pdf

Social Security benefits, pensions, child support, unemployment benefits, CalWin (TANF), net persons listed on the pre -application must not exceed the following:

Molly

Aldon Thomas Stiles California Black Media

Over the last few weeks, storms have torn through many of California’s communities, prompting evacuations in areas like Planada and Merced due to widespread flooding.

There have been at least 19 fatalities due to storm-related incidents, according to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Friday Jan. 13, marked the end of the seventh storm and beginning of the eighth storm in a series of nine storms.

That day, Gov. Newsom paid a visit to Santa Barbara, joining first responders, volunteers and members of Cal Guard as they filled sandbags in preparation for the storm to come.

“The magnitude of this is not isolated to smaller communities, it is scaled across the largest state in our union,” Newsom said at a press conference held in Santa Barbara.

Newsom said that Californians can expect these storms to continue through at least Jan. 18.

But what does this mean for the state’s long-standing drought?

Since 2019, California has been experiencing its driest period in 1,200 years, according to a study published by Nature Climate Change.

“We’re certainly, across the state, seeing an increase in storage with this storm activity,” White said during a presentation hosted by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

year; others rely more heavily on surface storage.

Tim Godwin, DWR Supervising Engineering Geologist at the Sustainable Groundwater Management Office, talked about how the framework for groundwater storage is outlined in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).

Signed in 2014, SGMA was conceived to protect water present below the earth’s surface by requiring local agencies to form groundwater sustainability agencies to manage water in their respective regions.

“Groundwater is best managed locally,” Godwin said during the online presentation. “It also acknowledges that groundwater and surface water are intimately connected.”

The Flood Operations Center (FOC) has identified six focus areas critical in the flood prevention effort: the Pajaro River in Santa

“Decent People” by De’Shawn Charles Winslow c.2023, Bloomsbury,

it.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

It’s a small world, isn’t it?

Someone you’re acquainted with knows your old roommate’s former girlfriend who used to work in your building but is now married to your aunt’s babysitter’s brother in Tupelo. Yeah, it’s complicated and in the new novel, “Decent People” by De’Shawn Charles Winslow, it’s twice as hard to untangle.

Josephine Wright had been around the block a time or two.

Eunice Loving should have kept her mouth shut.

mentions that there are about a thousand people in the small town of West Mills.

However, there are variations in water storage from county to county.

This has much to do with how areas get their water supply as some areas rely on groundwater — which usually accounts for about 30% to 60% of the state’s total water supply, depending on the

Cruz and Monterey County, the Salinas River in Monterey County, the Cosumnes River in Sacramento County, Bear Creek River in Merced County, the Russian River in Mendocino and Sonoma County, and the State-Federal Flood

In her 60s, she’d been married and divorced twice, and she’d had her share of affairs but she never met a man quite like Olympus “Lymp” Seymore. She could see his heart, and Lymp was a good man. Yes, he could lose his temper, but he wasn’t like that and there was no way he could have killed his half-sisters or his half-brother like folks say he did.

It was 1976, and Jo had just moved to the small town of West Mills, North Carolina. She didn’t know a lot of people there, but she was about to. Somebody had to clear Lymp’s name because the local sheriff sure wasn’t going to do

But no, she had to go and have an argument with Dr. Marian Harmon, whose idea of therapy for Eunice’s son, La’Roy was to have him beaten up by Savannah Russet’s boys. All Eunice wanted was for La’Roy not to be gay, and Marian said she could fix him. Eunice had words with Marian and now Marian was dead. People said Lymp did that, and people liked to whisper.

Lovely blonde-haired Savannah Russet wanted to raise her boys in the town where she grew up but her racist father never stopped making that hard. He figured that Savannah’s mistake was falling in love with a Black man; having children by him was even worse. And so Ted Temple had written Savannah out of his will — partly because his Mama insisted on it.

But few knew the truth: Ted had been sleeping with Marian Harmon for years...

At one point in this novel, author De’Shawn Charles Winslow

Seems like you meet them all. But here’s some help on that end: pay them no mind, most of them don’t matter here. “Decent People” is overpopulated but it’s really mainly about a triple murder and a handful of characters, every one of which is a sleuth and any one of which could be the killer. Still, this really isn’t a mystery novel: while the stories revolve around the killing of three siblings, the whodunit seems secondary, as the finger-pointing and crime-solving happen mostly through gossip.

And Winslow’s characters do like their gossip.

And that’s also where the fun lies: watching the small-town mechanics unfold with a bit of dark humor kind of almost makes you wish the book wasn’t going to end.

Running out of pages in “Decent People” and having to leave West Mills feels like a let-down after immersing yourself in this wonderful small world.

White, the State Water Project’s Water Operations Manager, says that the statewide reservoir storage sits at 87% of the historical average, surpassing the 2021 and 2022 levels.

De’Shawn Charles Winslow. Photo by Julie R Keresztes

The California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System in action! California

Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Swift Water & Flood Team

rescuing approximately 175 residents impacted by rising flood waters in San Joaquin County.

&

Americans faced, MLK reminded the marchers that Jim Crow discrimination had ended legally — but not in practice. It had been nearly a century since the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, but Black Americans were far from being “free,” he proffered.

King advised that those leading the charge on civil rights not let “bitterness and hatred” let their movement “degenerate into physical violence.” He encouraged his followers not to see their White supporters as enemies because Americans from all backgrounds and races need to act in solidarity.

2. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

This is MLK’s call-to-action to take an active role against injustices that are faced in society. Being passive and hoping for the best is no way to fight a problem that will cause exponential damage to the unity that so many civil rights activists have fought to achieve today and onward.

3. “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”

Every positive contribution — big or small — counts in the fight towards achieving equality. It’s easy to notice the bigger aspects of an object or idea and miss the smaller pieces that comprise them.

4. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”

It takes true mental fortitude to establish trust with a perceived en-

emy. MLK was encouraging us to look past the negative things that people have done to us. It’s important to consider that even friends commit acts that you do not condone. Friendships are built on acceptance and succeed because of forgiveness between two parties. It is a nearly impossible feat without love in one’s heart.

5. “If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation.”

Constantly seeking revenge will inevitably lead to an endless downward spiral of destruction for all who are involved in that dynamic. Within the same speech, King noted that “violence ends by defeating itself.” Rather than destroying enemies, we should give them perspective and understanding.

6. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere… Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

When one offense is overlooked somewhere else in the world, it makes it possible for many other injustices to be swept under the rug — especially the ones that affect us directly. For example, it should not take losing a loved one to an act of violence for us to care about everyone’s right to living in a safe community.

7. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

This quote speaks for itself. Perseverance is tested through hardship, not times of peace — and this applies to all aspects of life. Will you be in the trenches when confronted by adversity?

8. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

King often spoke of having love in one’s heart. In his sermon — mirroring the light-driving-outdarkness metaphor — the civil rights icon expressed that only love could drive out hate. Loving your enemies is the only way to close the rift that separates — and in this case segregates — different racial and ethnic communities.

9. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Disappointment does not last forever. Eventually, it ends. Despite challenges one faces, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel — when hope is in the heart.

10. “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

No matter how you do it, continue to grow and move towards progress. King preached that nonviolence can be achieved. He encouraged his followers, and those who looked up to him, to not give up — press on, no matter how impossible the goal may seem. A little progress is better than none at all.

This California Black Media feature was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Stormy Weather...

Control system in Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valleys.

Even when the storms slow, state officials claim that water levels will remain high due to the fluctuations in some of these target areas.

On Jan. 14, President Joe Biden approved the state’s emergency declaration, making federal funding available for Merced, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz.

Additionally, Newsom proposed $202 million in flood prevention in the 2023-24 budget proposal.

“Megadroughts. Wildfires. Historic floods and atmospheric rivers. This whiplash weather is not an anomaly. California is proof that the climate crisis is real, and we have to take it seriously,” Newsom tweeted.

Newsom commended those who have been at the front line of these treacherous storms.

Registration Open for Actors Workshop in Downtown Richmond

Flo Wiley, award-winning actress/producer/director, and former Chair of the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission (RACC) is bringing her Actors Workshop with Flo Wiley to downtown Richmond CA. The 8-week, 90-minute sessions take place on Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., during February and March at CoBiz Richmond, 1503 Macdonald Avenue, conveniently located by Richmond BART. The deadline to register is Jan. 28, 2023.

The workshop provides training in basic acting techniques — movement and breathing, terminology, individual and group work in monologues, scenes, and improvisation. Class size is limited to 25

persons, and is open to ages 18 and older, all races, genders, and levels of experience.

“Theater is my ancestral home in the arts, and I am eager to share the benefit of my experience and connections,” says Wiley. “When I left the RACC in June 2022, and started Spirit & Image Entertainment LLC, it was because I wanted to actively participate in creating a bigger presence for theatre in the Richmond cultural mix. “

Flo Wiley has appeared at Woodie King Jr.’s New Federal Theatre, the Public Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, the Buriel Clay Theater, the Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall, has trained at the Negro Ensemble Company

and NY Mime Theatre. She has a BA in Drama from Cal State East Bay and has been teaching acting since 1977. Flo has directed her own productions at Mills College Lisser Theatre, the Julia Morgan Theatre, Memorial Baptist Church of Harlem, and Reader’s Theatre at Allen Temple Baptist Church.

So, if you or someone you know is a beginner, a veteran in need of a refresher, or is ready for the big time, fully participating in this workshop can provide the tools needed to succeed. The $240 workshop fee is due by Jan. 28, 2023. Registration is free and by application, which can be requested by email to flowiley@ spiritandimage.org

By Angela Hill

In stressful times, many feel overwhelmed, maybe hopeless. Yet there is hope from a dependable source.

To learn more, you’re invited to a free, in-person talk titled, “Why Everyone is Needed: Finding Value Through Feeling God’s Love,” at 2 p.m. Jan. 29, 2023 at First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1880 Mountain Blvd., Oakland, in the Montclair neighborhood.

The talk will be given by James Shepherd, an international speaker and practitioner of Christian Science healing. He will focus on universal healing precepts found in the Holy Bible, especially in Christ Jesus’ life and teachings, showing how they are available for anyone to understand and experience through the lens of Christian Science.

“I love exploring the nature of God, infinite Love, as the only cause, and our unbreakable connection to God as God’s offspring,” says Shepherd. “This connection gives us our purpose and worth by seeing everyone from a more Godlike, or spiritual, point of view. I’ve experienced how this has an impact on my life and on the lives of others.”

The talk is free and open to the community. Parking will be available across the street from the church at Montclair Elementary School. The lecture will also be available online for those who can’t come in person. Please visit www.ChristianScienceOakland. org for more information.

Newsom claimed that these storms — and other tumultuous weather conditions are not happenstance, but a symptom of climate change.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the first responders and everyday Californians stepping up across the state to help support communities impacted by these ongoing storms,” Newsom said in a statement. “With more difficult days ahead, it’s critical that Californians stay alert to conditions in their area and follow guidance from local emergency responders to stay safe.”

ACTORS WORKSHOP

James Shepherd

Older Adults Experience Food Insecurity... Concerns Continue Over Oakland’s Election Results

have come

launch the Thriving Transitions campaign. They are advocating for the CalFresh application prior to Californians leaving jail or prison.

Founding members include Nourish California, Justice in Aging, Root & Rebound and Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.

“The initial year of someone coming home is a critical time for formerly incarcerated people, especially the elderly,” said Dorsey Nunn, Executive Director, Legal Services for Prisoners (LSPC) with Children and one of the founding members of All of Us or None, “We are talking about a population that has spent most if not all of their active working years incarcerated with little to no pay. This takes an emotional and psychological toll on people. Our elders deserve better.” This year LSPC is opening its first reentry home specifically for the elderly in Oakland.

The Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California, is the state’s largest nutrition program and can help individuals purchase nutritious foods and connect to other services, such as Medicaid, without affecting additional resources

like Social Security Retirement and Supplemental Security Income. The average amount of CalFresh for older adults is $105-110 per month, providing them with the resources needed to obtain nourishing meals.

“A Thriving Transition includes access to food and other supportive services - and these services must be readied prior to the transition out of the criminal justice system and back to community,” said Kameron MimJones, Policy Advocate, Nourish California. “Everyone in California should have the food they need to thrive.”

Today, federal law deems individuals who are incarcerated for more than 30 days ineligible for SNAP benefits during their incarceration. However, states may request waivers to begin processing SNAP applications from incarcerated individuals before their release, allowing individuals who are eligible to receive benefits sooner upon release. California currently only operates a CalFresh Pre-Enrollment of Inmates Pilot Program. This time-limited pilot program is only implemented in Orange County for allowing inmates to apply for CalFresh benefits up to 30 days prior to their release.

Continued from page 1

and the period for asking for a recount expired after 30 days. Under current laws, those who want to see a recount must put up the money to pay for it.

Another question that has been raised is whether voters in Oakland’s mayoral race should have been allowed to choose between all 10 candidates who ran for the office and not five. It is not clear that allowing voters to rank all 10 candidates would have had any impact on election results.

However, the city charter explicitly says all 10 should have been ranked. The charter reads: “The ranked-choice voting ballot shall allow voters to rank as many choices as there are candidates.”

Dominion Voting Systems

election software, which is used by Alameda County, allows for ballots to include 10 choices, according to County Registrar Tim Dupuis.

Prior to the November election, Dupuis met with the city and decided to raise the number of choices on the ballot from three to five, though there was no public announcement.

As for the issues around the error in the District 4 school board race, the winner, Mike Hutchinson, has had to hire a lawyer at his own expense. Neither the county nor the registrar stepped in to correct the error. The second-place candidate, Nick Resnick, who was a certified winner, has taken a seat on the Oakland Board of Education.

The Price of Victory

Continued from page 1

going on behind the scenes.

The disgraceful attacks by some disgruntled, unsatisfied voters upon the winners need to stop and the business of confronting the woes in Oakland shouldn’t be hindered by these unwarranted, spiteful, disparaging allegations

being spread by some individuals with harmful intent. We need to stand together and focus on building, solving and creating for the future of Oakland. This can only happen if we bond together and work as one. Without it, nothing of worth will suffice; only a repeat of the past will be the old norm.

Man Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for Defrauding Investors in Residency Scheme

By Bay City News

A federal judge sentenced an Oakland man to 16 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to defraud foreign investors looking to obtain U.S. residency, prosecutors said.

Thomas Henderson, 72, pleaded guilty in July 2021 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to making false statements to federal officials, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

In his plea agreement, Henderson admitted his role in a scheme that raised more than $100 million between 2011-2017 from foreign investors who were looking to obtain green cards through a legitimate federal program by investing

in qualifying U.S. businesses and creating jobs.

In his plea agreement, Henderson admitted that he conspired with his business associate, Cooper Lee, and others to defraud investors who sought to avail themselves of the program. Henderson admitted that in 2014 he began to use investors’ funds for other projects they had not approved, and that he lied on federal documents he was required to submit.

Henderson’s sentence includes three years’ probation following his prison term, plus paying $20,000 restitution to a receiver appointed by the court in a separate action to recover assets for the victim investors.

Coroner Records 186 COVID Deaths in Oakland in 2022

According to the California Department of Public Health, antiviral COVID-19 treatments, including Paxlovid, are available to those who are 12 years of age or older and meet a wide range of criteria that could put them at risk for worsening symptoms. These include but are not limited to being 50 years of age or older, being unvaccinated, and/or having any of the following health conditions: high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking (past or present), asthma, and mental health conditions like depression.

Biden

Sunday Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta for MLK Weekend

By Antonio Ray Harvey California Black Media

President Biden delivered the sermon this past Sunday at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on what would have been the 94th birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Biden was invited to speak by Sen. Raphael Warnock, the current senior pastor at the church where King presided until his passing in 1968. Biden evoked King’s legacy, speaking on the continued struggle for progress on civil rights. Though other sitting presidents spoke at the church, including former President Obama, Biden became the first to deliver a Sunday sermon, according to CNN.

“[King] had every reason to believe, as others in his generation did, that history had already been written, that the division be America’s destiny — but he rejected that outcome,” Biden remarked in a video of the sermon. “So often, when people hear about Dr. King, people think his ministry and the movement were mostly about the epic struggle for civil rights and voting rights. But we do well to remember that his mission was something even deeper — it was spiritual. It was moral.”

He continued: “On this day of commemoration, service and action, let us hold up a mirror to America and ask ourselves: What kind of country do we want to be… will we honor Dr. King’s legacy by

rising together — buttressed by each other’s successes, enriched by each other’s differences, and made whole by each other’s compassion? I believe we can.”

Daily Atlanta newspaper the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported this on the president’s visit: “Biden, a Catholic, reveled in the pageantry of the Black Baptist Church. He swayed as the massive choir sang hymns and gospel songs. He paused and smiled midway through his speech when someone from the congregation — in the great Black church tradition — told him to ‘preach.’” At one point in the service, Biden joined hands with Warnock, former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (now an advisor to Biden on public engagement) and others.

Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968 at the age of 39. Biden met with members of Dr. King’s family while in Atlanta, the White House said. He also gave the keynote address during the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network’s MLK Day breakfast on Monday.

Biden joined Warnock at Ebenezer after a congressional election campaign in which Warnock distanced himself from the president, who, according to CNN, was disapproved of by most voters in Georgia at the time. Biden narrowly flipped Georgia in the 2019 election with the support of Black voters.

By Zack Haber

The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau recorded 186 deaths last year in Oakland that were caused by COVID-19, determining the count by referring to death certificates where COVID was listed as an immediate or underlying cause of death.

The 2022 COVID death count showed a decrease from 2021, which saw 314 such deaths, and was Oakland’s deadliest year for the virus.

The decrease comes as COVID-19 vaccines and boosters have become increasingly available. Data from the 2021 coroner’s count show that as vaccines became available to more people, deaths related to COVID-19 became less common.

The vast majority of 2021’s COVID-19 deaths occurred before the vaccine was available for most Californians in April of that year. In September 2022, a bivalent booster shot became available that targets Omicron variants of the virus, but less than 15% of US citizens had taken it by December.

Starting last year, antiviral oral anti-COVID treatments became widely available for the first time.

In an interview, Dr Noha Aboelata, an Oakland-based family physician and founder of Roots Community Health Center, expressed concern that COVID-19 deaths are still common in Oakland despite the increased availability of treatment.

“The thing that’s worrying is we’re still having deaths even though we now have COVID-19 treatment that reduces death significantly,” said Dr Aboelata. “Every other day someone died of COVID in the City of Oakland last year.”

On Dec. 22, 2021 the FDA authorized the use of the first oral antiviral COVID treatment, which is distributed under the brand name Paxlovid. Studies have shown that Paxlovid significantly reduces the risk of developing severe COVID-19 and death both for vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

One study last year showed that out of 146,256 people who were over age 50 and took Paxlovid within five days of testing positive for COVID-19, only 18 died. Ultimately, the study showed those who took Paxlovid were four times less likely to die of COVID-19 than those who did not.

In March of 2022, President Joe Biden launched a program allowing those who test positive for COVID-19 to receive antiviral oral treatment for free.

Since antiviral COVID treatments must be taken within five days of developing COVID-19 symptoms in order to be effective, Dr Aboelata recommends people plan ahead in case they get the virus

“My advice is to get a doctor before you need one,” she said. “You need to have a relationship with someone before you get sick. Then make a [COVID-19] plan with them because with antivirals, you want to nip it in the bud as soon as you can.”

Public health experts have said that antiviral COVID treatments are going unused across California and the USA due to doctors, who are sometimes uneducated about their benefits, being reluctant to prescribe them. One report from four public health policy experts from June of last year suggested that access to COVID-19 treatments could be more difficult to obtain for people who are Black, Latinx, and/or Indigenous.

“If someone dies from COVID 19 these

days, we need to be asking why,” said Dr Aboelata. “The antivirals are very effective.”

In Oakland, Black and Asian people likely died of COVID-19 in 2022 at a disproportionately high rate. While census data show Black people making up about 22% of Oakland’s population, they made up about 37.1% of the listed COVID deaths. While Asian people make up about 15.7% of Oakland’s population, they made up about 18.3% of COVID-19 deaths.

White and Latinx people appear to have made up a disproportionately low percentage of the 2022 COVID deaths. While census data show white people as making up about 33.4% of the population, they made up about 25.3% of last year’s COVID deaths. Latinx people make up about 27.2% of Oakland’s population and about 14.5% of last year’s COVID deaths.

As was common worldwide, old age made Oakland residents more susceptible to death from COVID-19. The coroner’s data show people over 80 made up about 45.7% of the 2022 COVID-19 deaths. However, younger people made up a significant minority of COVID-19 deaths. Those under 50 accounted for 5.4% of the deaths. One girl who was 15 years old died from the virus. Those 60 or under made up about 16.7% of the deaths. Those 70 or younger made up about 32.2% of the deaths. Those 75 and younger made up about 42.5% of the deaths.

It’s likely COVID-19 killed some of Oakland’s oldest residents in 2022, as seven people aged 100 or over died of the virus last year. The oldest person was a woman who died at age 105.

President Biden and Sen. Raphael Warnock, a senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, during Sunday’s MLK Day Weekend service. Warnock invited Biden to speak. Source: White House / Instagram

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) logo. seal (Department of Justice via Bay City News) Background (Joe Gratz via Bay City News)