I'm @hyphy_republic on Twitter, aka The Oakland Observer, an Oakland journalist. Newsletter @ https://oakland-observer.ghost.io/ :One time contributions to the OO instead of subscription https://oakland-observer.ghost.io/#/portal/support
OO is posting the public court records that are the source of the "bombshell" revelations you've been reading about. Feel free to make up your own mind about whether media have accurately reported them
OO Special: Document Sources for Thao Trial Released This WeekCriminal court reporting is not OO's wheelhouse, and for the most part this publication has left the reporting of the Thao/Jones/Duong trial to others. Having read the source motions myself, my personal opinion is that no local news agency is doing justice to the claims and counter-oakland-observer.ghost.ioWrapping up the legislative season with the last In the Details. We'll have focused reporting throughout the summer tho, so stay tuned
In the Details, Week Ending 7/26/2026 (2): Gallo Reverses Coliseum Sale Agreement Vote on 2nd Reading; CAO Pulls OPC AppointmentsThis is the last In the Details of the legislative cycle. There will be no Council meetings until mid September. OO will have direct reporting on several issues in the upcoming weeks, however, including a process at the Police Commission to create procedures for OPD's interaction with federal immigrationoakland-observer.ghost.ioSo glad these tenants are moving forward on their own. They've been coming to City Council meetings for months and getting nowhere
Roaches, busted elevators, fraud allegations prompt Oakland Station tenants to sueThe 180-page lawsuit makes a slew of allegations about the East Oakland affordable housing that was initially designed for seniors.oaklandside.orgHouston now has a big rep for doing this to those engaging with him in good faith as an elected official. His Council-mates cover for him, local media avoids the eye-popping stunts, things they'd absolutely feature if done by a left-of-center rep oaklandside.org/2026...
OPD complains about how understaffed it is, particularly in those areas that require long term investigations like theft rings and homicides, and this is what they spent your tax dollars doing [other than redirecting overtime luchre to their suburban mcmansion dreams] oaklandside.org/2026/07/24/m...
Mistah F.A.B., rapper and activist, charged for possession of illegal fireworksOakland police say they recovered fireworks and two guns after conducting a nearly three-week investigation.oaklandside.orgI'm at a loss for how little reporting there's been on state of Oakland's Flock. Normatively, OPD promised surveillance lovers a full panopticon, w/city-owned PTZs and a resident cam network. That's never happened, despite being widely reported as approved
In the Details, Week Ending 7/19/2026 (4): Coliseum Deal Amendment Brings Deal Closer; OPD Bunts on Flock Expansion; CED Forwards $4.5 MM Loan Forgiveness with Little Commentary1) OPD Bunts on ALPR Expansion
At Public Safety Tuesday, OPD withdrew proposed changes to its Flock use policy embedded in its 2025 annual report. OPD generally presents all of the annual technology reports required by the City’s Surveillance Ordinance as a package to Council for block approval. Duringoakland-observer.ghost.ioSelection Panel has once again submitted Ricardo Garcia Acosta for appointment to OPC. Garcia Acosta has now prevailed over 50 candidates in at least 5 separate Panel votes. Open question how Council will face this after two visibly politicized rejections
At Council, 7/21/2026It’s a dense agenda for the last meeting of the legislative session, but also a fairly light one in terms of controversial issues. The Non-Consent calendar has only three items, and almost half of the items on the Consent Calendar are second readings. Here’s the rundown ofoakland-observer.ghost.ioThis week's In the Details covers the Coli sale & Houston's here-today-gone-tomorrow severance package for Johnson. But also startling loan forgiveness for an absentee developer in East Oakland, & OPD's bunt on a radical Flock expansion
In the Details, Week Ending 7/19/2026 (4): Coliseum Deal Amendment Brings Deal Closer; OPD Bunts on Flock Expansion; CED Forwards $4.5 MM Loan Forgiveness with Little Commentary1) OPD Bunts on ALPR Expansion
At Public Safety Tuesday, OPD withdrew proposed changes to its Flock use policy embedded in its 2025 annual report. OPD generally presents all of the annual technology reports required by the City’s Surveillance Ordinance as a package to Council for block approval. Duringoakland-observer.ghost.ioI definitely get the feeling that there is more to the issues with Flock than we are hearing about, even from civil liberties advocates. LAPD's letting contract lapse comes as OPD is wary of executing contract
LAPD was one of Flock Safety's biggest government customers. Now it’s renegotiating its partnership over ‘serious concerns around civil liberties’ | FortuneThe department recently announced it would not renew its contract due to how Flock collects and shares data.fortune.comRashidah Grinage points out that we know nothing of the person the OPD killed last week.
SAY HIS NAME!but we can't.rashidahgrinage1.substack.comThis odd post from OakDOT Director was published yesterday, but nobody seems to have noticed. Despite the heading as a response to Oaklandside "hit piece" there appears to be no actual comment on the OS reporting. substack.com/@josh69...
