Councilmember Ken Houston filed a charter amendment to curb the Police Commission’s hiring and IG‑appointment powers, setting up a November ballot fight. The change would shift key oversight roles to elected officials.

Measure C would give many small Oakland businesses a one‑year break from the city's gross‑receipts tax; the question appears on the June 2, 2026 ballot.

California AG Rob Bonta joined 23 attorneys general in asking a federal judge to permanently block Executive Order 14399, which would shift control of mail voting to federal agencies.

Alameda County public defenders wore black in Oakland, saying surging caseloads and chronic underfunding have hollowed out the Sixth Amendment right to counsel.

A video from a Berkeley Law teach‑in shows students applauding Israa Jaabis, convicted in a 2015 attempted car bombing. The clip has reignited campus debates over speech and safety.

California has spent hundreds of millions to add in‑state seats at Berkeley, UCLA and UCSD — and the bill could top $460 million. Analysts and lawmakers now disagree on a cheaper way forward.

A Prop 64‑funded Berkeley cannabis education program fell short of promised deliverables, yet the nonprofit and a subcontractor were paid roughly $607,000, records show. Evaluators and city documents raise oversight questions.

Oakland Unified has paused its search for a permanent superintendent while officials scramble to close a multi‑million dollar budget gap and answer county demands for clearer projections.

Alameda County supervisors will vote Tuesday on a sheriff‑requested extension of the county’s Flock Safety license‑plate reader contract. The debate pits crime‑fighting claims against privacy and data‑access worries.

The Alameda City Council is set to appoint Gerry Beaudin as city manager; his contract lists a $383,111 starting salary and a June 30 start date.

A state report and sweeping raids show the legal cannabis industry still supplies only a fraction of statewide demand amid entrenched illicit growing.

Ursula Jones Dickson, Pamela Price and Gopal Krishan will meet at Oakstop on April 29 for a forum that puts public safety and prosecutorial philosophy on stage.

The City Manager’s budget plan would cut 138 positions and shrink police patrol teams, with a possible fire station closure on the table unless voters OK a sales tax.