Remembering Belinda Ricklefs, who taught the Bay Area to do the Lindy hop
Always happy to subvert expectations, Ricklefs adventured in France, taught generations of social-dancing students, and did a stint at KPFA.
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Oaklandside 510
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city hall
Oakland Police Commission shakeup continues at City Hall
A City Council committee fast-tracked two new mayoral appointees, while the fate of two incumbent commissioners awaits another contentious vote.
Oakland fails again to publish contract transparency reports
The city administration’s spending has been kept secret from the public while city staff continue to delay releasing a tally of contracts.
City Hall shuffle: Here are the big moves that happened in 2025
Oakland lost a police chief, hired a former councilmember, and saw other major changes in the people who run city affairs.
Big changes to Oakland City Council meeting rules — not everyone’s happy
A decision to hold hearings on big-ticket legislation before 5 p.m. has triggered concerns over public participation.
Indictments, fires, police scandals, riots: The crises Oakland’s mayors have faced
We looked at 100 years of Oakland history to see how different mayors dealt with or were doomed by upheavals.
Know the hot spots before they’re hot.
Get the Nosh newsletter for the latest news on the East Bay food and drink scene.
The top 12 East Bay food stories of 2025
It was a flavorful year, with dinner parties, Michelin stars, ice cream revivals and breakfast comebacks.
Growlers, grub and good times: The East Bay’s favorite beer garden does it all with a death motif
Ghost Town’s Laurel location attracts a crowd with award-winning beer, big salads and juicy burgers, and a spacious, skull-adorned beer garden.
At the East Bay’s best wine bar, the bathroom wins as much praise as the French vibes and vintages
A newcomer on the scene, La Loulou crushed the competition and elicited effusive praise from Nosh voters.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Oakland saw a historic drop in homicides in 2025. City leaders aren’t declaring victory yet
Murders fell 27% last year, driven in part by the city’s Ceasefire program and community partnerships, Oakland officials say.
Education equity
Oakland school board re-elects leadership as senior staff exit in contentious departures
Oakland Unified School District loses its top business officer as the board navigates a $100 million deficit and a superintendent search.
After school shooting, Skyline community explores new safety ideas
With Oakland Unified School District facing steep budget cuts, students and parents worry that reducing investments in security and safety could cause families to leave.
In the face of steep budget cuts, negotiations stall between Oakland Unified and teachers union
Following failed mediation, the next step for Oakland Unified School District and the Oakland Education Association will be a fact-finding period.
Arts & Community
Cazadero camp heavily damaged by winter storms
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said the director of the music camp north of Guerneville that serves Bay Area public school students. The camp is seeking donations and help clearing toppled redwoods and debris.
Housing & Homelessness
Oakland calls for 500 volunteers for homeless count
The Point-in-Time Count determines how much money Oakland gets for shelters and services, and helps policymakers and community groups understand the scale of the crisis.
Meet the sword-wielding man hired to kick squatters out of empty Oakland homes
A squatter removal cottage industry has grown out of California’s housing crisis, catering to property owners who don’t want to go to court.
CARE Court was created to help California’s toughest homeless cases. Why that’s been so hard
CARE Court was supposed to be a new way to help homeless Californians in the grip of psychosis. But people are still falling through the cracks.
$285M for roads, parks, and housing finally a go in Oakland
Oakland issued the Measure U bonds last week after two years of delays over concerns about the city’s financial outlook. They all sold in less than a week.
Health & Environment
Restored Richmond marsh is a haven for all kinds of birds, from rare ducks to hovering kites
While bird populations are declining precipitously across the country, restoration efforts such as those at the Dotson Family Marsh show that it’s possible to bring back fowl-friendly habitats.
Sunken boats will get pulled from Oakland estuary
The City Council approved a $1.5 million contract for vessel removal, part of a big estuary clean-up effort supported by a federal grant.
Federal cuts are expected to carve a $100M hole in the Alameda Health System’s budget
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is forcing an unprecedented $1 trillion cut to Medicaid spending. At the East Bay’s safety-net healthcare provider, staff cuts are in motion.
Business
This grant keeps small businesses open, but more funds are needed
$2.5 million donated by Kaiser Permanente went to 170 Oakland businesses this year — but 500 applied.
Local builder Type Five makes it easier to build backyard homes
Clients can design the ADUs themselves using the company’s software.
West Oakland Costco plan inches forward, to enthusiasm and dismay
Councilmembers signaled early support for bringing the bulk goods store to the old Army base, while some residents pushed back.
About The Oaklandside
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Built on a foundation of listening
How do we build an outlet for local journalism that is rooted in, representative of, and responsive to communities in a city as diverse, complex, and powerful as Oakland?
Hundreds of Oaklanders told us what they want from local journalism. Here’s what we learned.
HOW WE WORK
Everything that happened in Oakland in 2025
Corruption charges, beloved teachers lost, scrappy baseball wins, and federal agents on Coast Guard Island. Yeah, it was a lot. Here’s everything you need to know about Oakland’s chaotic 2025.
Oaklandside’s Alejandra Armstrong, Roselyn Romero, Darwin BondGraham receive journalism honors
All three are being honored tonight by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Armstrong will receive the Unsung Hero Award.
The Oaklandside is launching a reporting fellowship for high schoolers
The program will pay 12 OUSD high school students to collaborate with the newsroom and help shape our education coverage. Students must apply by Nov. 30.
Uptown parking ticket scam, Prescott Market’s new vendors, East Oakland improvements: on the podcast
Catch up on Oakland news while walking the dog or cooking dinner.
Values guiding our work
News organizations don’t always tell you–or know–what drives their decisions.
