Oakland Report’s Newsstand is a daily roundup of Oakland news from across the spectrum — a one-stop destination for readers to keep abreast of what’s happening in The Town. “I got 5” features the top five headlines we found interesting or notable this week.
1. Oakland police officers indicted for conspiracy, fraud, obstruction of justice
Two Oakland police officers were indicted this week on charges of conspiring to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration. The accused officers work in the police department’s helicopter unit. An FAA safety inspector also was charged in the scheme. The indictments come after another Oakland police officer was criminally charged in a separate case last month, and less than three weeks before a major hearing in Oakland’s bid to end more than two decades of federal court oversight of its police department. Read more
2. “More bitches. Bring ‘em all here.” Kevin Jenkins caught on tape with Sheng Thao co-defendant
A phone call between council member Kevin Jenkins (District 6) and California Waste Solutions executive Andy Duong, co-defendant in the Sheng Thao bribery and corruption trial was revealed this week through court records. On the January 2024 call, Jenkins and Duong discuss the recalls of mayor Sheng Thao and district attorney Pamela Price; council member Carroll Fife’s (District 3) push for the city to buy modular housing units from Duong’s company; an invitation for Jenkins to attend a yacht party, and more. Jenkins opens the call with a greeting: “Andy, what’s up, brother?” Duong replies, “More bitches, more bitches, brother,” to which Jenkins responds: “More bitches. Bring ‘em all here.” Read more
3. Oakland’s city construction contracts riddled with problems, audit finds
The Oakland city auditor released a report on the city’s construction contracts which found that a small group of construction companies received most of the lucrative business. The audit examined $330 million in contracts issued by the city over three years from 2022 to 2025 for roads, buildings, traffic lights, sewers, and other construction projects. According to the report, the city lacked adequate controls over payment processes, was slow in issuing payments to contractors, provided insufficient oversight of voter-approved bond measure funds, and lacked a long-term plan for carrying out capital projects. Read more
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4. Oakland schools trustee VanCedric Williams got paid by California teachers union. He denied it, then voted to approve teachers union contract
Oakland Unified School District trustee VanCedric Williams (District 6) voted to approve a contract with the Oakland Education Association teachers union that will cost the district an estimated additional $104.8 million over three years. Prior to that June 24 vote, trustee Mike Hutchinson (District 4) told Williams he should recuse himself because he is a paid board member of the California Teachers Association, which receives dues from OEA. Williams denied that he had a conflict of interest, stating that “I do not take a paycheck from CTA. They do not pay me a salary at all.” A review of IRS records shows that CTA reported paying Williams in each of the last three years for which it has filed. Meanwhile, Williams’ financial disclosure forms for those years listed no income from CTA. Read more
5. Fruitvale stabbing spree suspect’s case suspended due to mental illness
The suspect in a series of multiple random knife attacks which left one dead and four injured in Oakland’s Fruitvale district last month was referred to psychiatric evaluation this week by an Alameda County judge. The evaluation will determine whether the criminal prosecution will continue, or whether the defendant will be indefinitely committed to a state psychiatric facility. The judge has suspended the criminal case pending the outcome of the evaluation. The next hearing is set for October 16. Read more
Oakland Report’s Newsstand reviews over 200 publications for items that Oaklanders may want to know or find interesting — including local government, politics, public safety, business, schools, arts and culture. Headlines are refreshed by hand daily.
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I’d love you guys to interview Barbara Lee about all these corruption issues.
Once again, thank you Oakland Reporter for your excellent coverage. It is time for a top down change in Oakland's leadership. The crime and corruption must be stopped and can be. Mindy Pechenuk for Oakland Mayor 2026