Facial Recognition is banned
By Lucas Martin,
August 1, 2019
The pros of banning the threatening use facial recognition software from Oakland I recently watched an episode of Black Mirror--a dystopian technology-focused show on Netflix--which depicted a world similar to ours. In it, the government of the United Kingdom has secretly adopted facial recognition...
Harris thought the Ghost Ship was safe
By Jeff Shuttleworth,
August 1, 2019
Defense attorneys for Ghost Ship warehouse master tenant Derick Almena and creative director Max Harris said on Tuesday that Almena and Harris should be found not guilty of the charges for a 2016 fire that killed 36 people because they had no idea the Oakland building was unsafe. In their closing a...
Mayor issues emergency proclamation
August 1, 2019
The aftermath of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Gilroy Mayor Roland Velasco issued an emergency proclamation early Monday morning in the aftermath of a mass shooting at the Garlic Festival on Sunday afternoon. Four people, including the suspect, were killed and 12 others injured in the attack. Police conti...
ICE raids
By Alli Weseman,
July 18, 2019
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALLI WESEMAN | THE PIONEER Across the Bay Area, Immigration activists held rallies to denounce President Trump’s plan ICE raids scheduled for Sunday, July 14 in San Francisco and other U.S cities. Protesters in San Francisco on Friday, July 12 shut down the United States Appraisers B...
Oakland Rollers create local community
By Lillian Lee Follrath,
July 18, 2019
Sporadically, at the end of First Avenue in Oakland, alongside Lake Merritt, a large group of skaters roll around the nearby roundabout. If you are an avid skater or roller enthusiast that asks to join the event; there is no doubt that the answer will be a resounding “yes.” The skating group is k...
City council bans facial recognition technology
By Scott Morris,
July 18, 2019
The city of Oakland on Tuesday banned the use of facial recognition technology by city employees, including the Oakland Police Department. The City Council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance, which would prohibit police from both acquiring the software or using it at all, including if used ...
BART fares set to increase in 2020
By Oscar Torres,
July 11, 2019
The Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART, has been a staple of Bay Area transportation since its opening on September 11, 1972. The silver and blue cars screeching down the tracks is as well known to the Bay Area as Mac Dre or Oakland’s murals. But if there was anything BART has been known for, is its ...
Haircuts With Hearts for the homeless
By Kathleen Kirkwood,
July 11, 2019
PHOTOS BY ALLI WESEMAN/THE PIONEER An event next weekend in Oakland will bring together several organizations to provide services to the homeless community, including free haircuts, organizers said. The July 13 event, organized by Oakland nonprofit Sharon's Wings of Love, will feature a pop-up hair...
Action against plastic in Palo Alto
By A.J. WOOD,
July 11, 2019
Palo Alto became the first Bay Area city to ban plastic grocery bags in a decision on June 10, 2019. The 6-0 approval of the ordinance, as reported by the Palo Alto Weekly, was part of a larger plan that includes a ban on disposable straws, as well as requirements for restaurants to provide reusabl...
Witness testifies in Ghost Ship Fire trial
By Jeff Shuttleworth,
July 11, 2019
A two-time felon who is a friend of Ghost Ship warehouse master tenant Derick Almena testified on Monday that he heard what sounded like an argument and bottles being broken shortly before a fire at the Oakland building in December 2016 that killed 36 people. Darold Leite, who lived in a sauna in a lo...
Gentrification in Oakland on the rise
By Megan Cove,
June 27, 2019
The gentrification of Oakland has had detrimental effects on the city and people who call it home. The culture, norms, diversity, and life they have grown up with or have become accustomed to are seemingly disappearing in front of their eyes. With the decrease of affordable housing driving the loss o...
City council considers gun violence intervention
June 27, 2019
The Richmond City Council was briefed on municipal efforts to stem gun violence and historical trends affecting their goal of going one year without a homicide at their meeting Tuesday night. The city's Office of Neighborhood Safety staged 57 gun violence interventions in 2018 as part of their ongo...
