This week in Oakland: Laurel StreetFair World Music Festival marks 25 years, plus Porcelain at Thee Stork Club
Other events include a 2000s themed day party at For the Culture, an interactive exhibit at The Lowdown, and the AfterGlow Chorus concert at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
Recent news
PUBLIC SAFETY
National Night Out returns to Oakland with 175 block parties
City leaders, firefighters, and police will visit neighborhoods to meet residents and share public safety and emergency preparedness resources.
city hall
Why won’t Oakland release transparency reports about city contracts?
City officials have repeatedly refused to disclose details about hundreds of contracts for three years, despite a city law requiring transparency.
Hear the latest episode
Education equity
A new youth writing lab lands in Uptown Oakland
Writopia Lab expanded its footprint to Oakland this summer, offering creative writing workshops and programs. They’re offering 20 scholarships to East Bay students to celebrate the grand opening.
roads & transit
Public blasts AC Transit report as ‘undemocratic’
After years of contentious relations between board members, a consulting group recommended changes to the transit agency’s meetings. The response was overwhelmingly negative.
Arts & Community
Big dogs need forever homes. Adopt for free in Oakland this weekend
Oakland Animal Services is at capacity for big dogs, so the shelter is waiving fees on Aug. 1 and 2. You can view adoptable dogs on their website.
Pucquio announces abrupt closure, and 2 shuttered Oakland restaurant spaces are revived
A running list of restaurants that have recently closed in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.
Housing & Homelessness
Roaches, busted elevators, fraud allegations prompt Oakland Station tenants to sue
The 180-page lawsuit makes a slew of allegations about the East Oakland affordable housing that was initially designed for seniors.
Health & Environment
Podcasting from a boat, a couple preserves the San Francisco Bay’s amazing history
Mike Herz, founder of SF Baykeeper, and his wife, Kate Josephs, are sharing estuarine stories from their home upon the waves.
Business
How Oakland’s Courtsmith is growing its business
With support from ICA Fund and JPMorganChase, founder Courtney Smith is strengthening his supply chain, creating jobs and expanding local production.
About The Oaklandside
How we work
We embedded high schoolers in our newsroom to report on OUSD. Come hear what they found
The Oaklandside’s education reporter Ashley McBride will moderate a conversation May 20 between students and OUSD leaders on academic equity, artificial intelligence, and other big storylines shaping the district.
We’re working with Oakland students to deepen our schools coverage
12 Oakland public high schoolers are getting journalism training, mentorship, and an opportunity to collaborate on reporting through a paid fellowship at our newsroom.
Values guiding our work
News organizations don’t always tell you–or know–what drives their decisions.