It’s ok to think that 2025 was a long year because it was. It’s easy for some to forget that Oakland officially elected a new Mayor of Oakland because the recall of the previous one gained so much attention. And it’s easy to put that event at the back of Oakland’s collective mind because beloved and successful former Skyline High School Football Coach and Laney College Football Coach and Athletic Director John Beam was murdered in cold blood. That sad action saw a national outpouring of expressions of grief by everyone from politicians to NFL Players that continues as of this writing.
1. Murder Of Coach John Beam Is Top Oakland Story
And rightly so because Coach John Beam was a caring person who devoted his life to help those young and less fortunate via coaching football, then using that work to direct resources to make the lives of his players and their families better. For all of its big city markings, Oakland’s really a small town of 400,000 that feels like 40,000. Even if you never met John Beam you know someone who does, and that seemed like most of Oakland, a good part of California, and a far number of people in the world of NFL and college football. It seems to be Oakland’s want to reach the height of news interest for tragic events, and the Murder of John Beam was yet another example. His passing left an unpatchable hole in the Soul of Oakland.
2. Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee Voted The 52nd Mayor of Oakland
John Beam’s murder happened just as we were getting used to a new Mayor of Oakland, and putting the November 2024 Election behind us. But the November 2024 Election saw the ouster of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao at the same time that year was the backdrop of the FBI Raid on her home. We could not have an election for a new Mayor of Oakland in 2025 without the recall of Sheng Thao in 2024.
Former Congresswoman Barbara Lee became the 52nd Mayor of Oakland after a competitive special election pitting her against former District Six Councilmember Loren Taylor. It was an election that, for a time, looked like the prize would be that of the man who lost to Sheng Thao in 2022. Taylor caught up to, and then surpassed Congresswoman Lee in fund-raising for a time, before ultimately being outspent by her, but not by much.
That wasn’t the real reason Congresswoman Lee beat Loren, she did so because she tapped into the voices of Oaklanders in the flatlands. Meanwhile, Loren was content to capture the attention of Oakland Hills voters. Congresswoman Lee won, but what immediately alarmed many was her first official action as Mayor Elect: throwing a fund-raising party not for the needy, but for herself, and at Jack London Square. The party energy was short lived and quickly faded under the weight of problems the new Mayor Elect Lee had to deal with, some within her reach, like the homeless problem, others just outside of it, like OUSD.
An attached Top Story was the election of Charlene Wang as the new District Two Oakland City Councilmember. Charlene Wang took the base of support she generated running for the At-Large Oakland City Council Seat in the November 2024 Election, and used that to beat back an outstanding field of challengers like Kanitha Yaffa in the special election.
3. Oakland Unified School District’s Extreme Financial Woes
The OUSD AKA Oakland Unified School District’s worst financial year in its history was one of the top news stories of 2025. Zennie62Media, Inc. was blessed to have the written contributions of OUSD Board Member Mike Hutchinson. In a series of three entries, one a video livestream interview, and the other two news articles, Mr. Hutchinson used his platform to tell the public the truth about the Oakland Unified School District: that it was so badly mismanaged it was running out of money to operate itself.
In “OUSD Financial Crisis Worsens Because Of School Board Decisions” Mike wrote: More news on OUSD’s financial crisis. On Monday we received the 2024-25 Annual Report Regarding Fiscal Solvency of OUSD from the Alameda County Office of Education. It contains an executive summary, a narrative of key board decisions, and a conclusion. The executive summary is very similar to what I’ve been saying for months and states “The Board significantly and repeatedly deviated from its own budget-balancing timeline and plan, and is now in this same precarious fiscal position with its 2025-26 Adopted Budget, requiring the board to once again approve and implement significant budget-balancing solutions.”
Eventually, the Oakland Unified School District would vote to cut its budget by $102 million.
4. The Misunderstood Prospect Of The Bankruptcy Of The City Of Oakland
Michaal Killion, an Oaklander who’s a frequent reader and viewer of Zennie62Media’s Oakland news, thinks that the threat of the insolvency of the City of Oakland should be the number one story of 2025. The reason it’s not is that, first, unlike the murder of Coach John Beam, it did not happen. Second, it’s speculation of a possible future for our City of Oakland, but one that’s avoidable. Third, the reason I say its only speculation and is avoidable is that a good, development-oriented economic development policy would push an increase in Oakland’s revenue from property taxes to a level that points to a positive financial future.
The reason Oakland has this threat of not having enough money to pay its bills is we have went from an office and event focused economic development process, to one based only on housing, and nothing else. Housing does not yet produce enough economic output to replace other uses. And while remote work offers a possible future where housing can be give a better contribution to overall economic output, Oakland has not made the establishment of more remote work places a priority. The real problem is one too many in Oakland ignore because it’s masked by their own biases: the loss of three major sports teams has yanked sports tourism away from Oakland.
Sports Tourism is defined by Google as “is traveling to play, watch, or experience sports, a rapidly growing industry combining passion for sports with destination exploration, encompassing major events (Olympics, World Cup) and activities like skiing, golfing, hiking, creating significant economic boosts for destinations through infrastructure, jobs, and cultural exchange”
So what happens when you lose three major league teams – A’s, Raiders, and Warriors – in less than 10 years? You lose the “significant economic boosts for destinations through infrastructure, jobs, and cultural exchange” that Oakland has enjoyed since 1966, when the Oakl and Coliseum Complex was built. The hotels like the now-closed Oakland Airport Hilton enjoyed constant demand during Raiders games and Warriors basketball and Oakland A’s baseball contests at The Oakland Coliseum Stadium and Arena Now, all of that, and the Raiders Booster Clubs that dotted Oakland and the SF Bay Area, and all of the related economic activity, are largely gone.
The big reason why Oakland’s had a revenue generation problem is it hasn’t focused on revenue-generating economic development. Reverse that, and insolvency talk will stop.
5. The Controversy Over FLOCK Cameras And Oakland Councilmember Ken Houston’s Finger For The World To See
Oakland’s debate and eventual decision to use FLOCK Cameras is also a top story in 2025. This is so as much for the behavior of Oakland Councilmember Ken Houston is issuing an obscene gesture to a person in public, as the policy itself. And here’s the policy itself, courtest of The City of Oakland:
Background
Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) 9.64.040: Oversight Following City Council Approval requires that
for each approved surveillance technology item, city staff must present a written annual surveillance
report for the Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC). After review by PAC, city staff shall submit the
annual surveillance report to City Council. The PAC shall recommend to City Council that:
- The benefits to the community of the surveillance technology outweigh the costs, and civil
liberties and civil rights are safeguarded. - That use of the surveillance technology cease; or
- Propose modifications to the corresponding surveillance use policy that will resolve the
concerns.
Department General Order I-12 titled Automated License Plate Readers (DGO I-12) is the policy
that provides guidance on the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) at the Oakland
Police Department. This DGO was reviewed by the PAC and approved by City Council on July 16 th
,
2024.
2024 Annual Report Details
A. A description of how the surveillance technology was used, including the type and quantity
of data gathered or analyzed by the technology:
How the Technology is Used
The Oakland Police Department (OPD) utilizes Flock Safety (Flock) camera technology to
power its Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system. These cameras are mounted on
pre-existing city infrastructure, such as light poles or traffic light poles, or they can be
mounted utilizing a pole provided by Flock. Once mounted, these cameras take still photos
which focus on a vehicle to ensure a clear view of the license plate.
The Oakland Police Department primarily utilizes the Flock system in two ways.
- To assist in active criminal investigations which have just occurred. The OPD will
utilize ALPR to search where a crime just occurred. OPD personnel can enter a
vehicle’s license plate (if one was provided) or enter a partial license plate (if one
was provided) or search a camera location (if no license plate is provided) and
attempt to identify the suspect vehicle(s) or vehicle(s) of interest. The vehicle’s
images are then distributed to OPD Officers via interdepartmental email in attempt to
locate and stop and detain any occupant(s). These vehicles are then hot listed via
Flock in order to notify/alert officers when the vehicle passes an ALPR. Officers can
respond to the location of the alert(s) in an attempt to locate the vehicle.16 of 57
Page 2 - To assist in follow-up criminal investigations which have occurred in the past (30)
thirty days. OPD will search ALPR locations of areas where crimes have occurred to
attempt to identify vehicle(s) of interest that were involved in previous crimes. When
vehicle(s) of interest are identified, images are distributed via interdepartmental email
in attempt to locate and stop and identify any occupant(s). These vehicle(s) are then
hot listed in order to notify/alert officers when the vehicle(s) passes an ALPR.
Officers can respond to the location in attempt to locate the vehicle.
The Action Network wrote the following in opposition to the program and policy:
Oaklanders have stood up in overwhelming numbers to reject OPD and Flock Safety’s $2.25M surveillance expansion in Oakland. From everyday residents to city-appointed privacy experts, the Mayor and City Council has received compelling evidence and testimony showing the dangers posed from this private surveillance company:
- Over 5,000 letters to Mayor and Council expressing concernat the cost of Flock surveillance technology that the city’s own privacy experts warned lack meaningful protections for our privacy and constitutional rights.
- Over 70% of Public Safety Committee e-comments opposing Flockover its history of using stolen data points, it’s willingness to lie about the effectiveness of its technology, and it’s collaboration with the Trump Administration.
- Over 200 speakers waited over 6 hours to voice opposition to Flockwhile naming plenty of proven safety alternatives affordable for $2.25M.
- A joint letter from over 40 Oakland-based and Bay Area organizations highlighting the dangers Flock’s contract poses to our migrant neighbors, abortion-seekers, gender-affirming care patients, local workers and small businesses alike.
- A new lawsuit from privacy experts alleging OPD illegally used Flock technology that violated both Oakland and California’s sanctuary protection laws.
When OPD and Flock — aided and abetted by Councilmembers Ken Houston, Charlene Wang— attempted to force it through on November 20th, Council President Kevin Jenkins and Councilmember Roweena Brown promised the public that OPD and Flock would need to start over back at the Public Safety Committee and use the democratic process like everyone else. JENKINS AND BROWN LIED!!
Ultimately, the entire matter gained another source of controversy: the act of Councilmember Houston flipping the bird at a member of the public in the Oakland City Council hearing:
Fittingly, that action at the last City Council meeting of 2025, was the ultimate way to cap what has been a busy year.
After this top five list of top stories for 2025, what follows in what order can’t be agreed upon by more than four Oaklanders at a time. So, I will stop there and ask for your views.
In closing a Happy New Year, and thank you for your time and attention to Zennie62Media’s news platforms, Zennie62 YouTube, ZennieReport.com, OaklandNewsOnline.com, CESLasVegasNews.com, SanDiegoComicConNews.com, and OscarsMovieNews.com
And come to The Alley at 3325 Grand Avenue between Lake Park and Elwood, NYE night for dinner and singing!
Stay tuned.