Environment

Oakland’s Superintendent Guarantees Clean Drinking Water at McClymonds High School

Published

7 years ago

September 7, 2017

Left to right: Star, a student, parent volunteer Tolani King and John, an Alhambra Water employee, stand next to a new water dispenser that was installed last Friday in the hallway at McClymonds High School. Photo by Ken Epstein.

Though tests found lead in the drinking water at several spots at McClymonds High School in West Oakland, the Oakland Unified School District did little to respond during the last year of the administration of Supt. Antwan Wilson, who left the district early in 2017.

The tests, conducted in August 2016 at the 100-year-old school, found unsafe levels of lead in three places on the campus, including in the showers in the boys’ and girls’ gym. As a result, the district closed the showers, which means the students have not been able to dress for gym for the past year.

But when Ben “Coach” Tapscott, a former Mack teacher and long an advocate for the school, raised an outcry last month, the district responded. He went to the Oakland Post, which published an article about lead in the water in drinking fountains on McClymonds football field. He also went to new district Supt. Kyla Johnson-Trammell, only on the job since July, who took action as soon as she became aware of the situation.

“I immediately called the superintendent’s office and told her that this has been going on for a whole a year,” he said. “She told me, ‘Coach, it will be fixed.´”

In the past few weeks, the district has made a number of immediate but mostly temporary fixes to make sure that students have a plentiful supply of clean water, free of toxic lead and sediments, which –though safe – discolor and cloud the water.

Water faucets by the bleacher area of the football field, which had tested positive for lead, have been fixed. The district replaced the faucets, installed a water filter and ran a new pipe out to the street.

Lead was also found in water faucets in the cafeteria, which have been replaced, and water filters have been installed to reduce the sediment, according to the district. The showers in the gym – the third place lead was found – are still closed, but new showerheads have been ordered to replace the old ones, which were discovered to be the source of the lead, according to the district.

Water in the main school building was found to be lead free but discolored by sediment. All the water faucets have been shut off and covered with plastic. The district contracted with Alhambra Water to place and supply water dispensers on all three floors of the school.
Coach Tapscott said he discovered the water problem when he went to watch Mack´s football team practice before school started.

“(Coach Mike Peters) told me water out there was not safe, and it contained lead. He said he had been going to his mother’s house for a year to fill up water containers, running up her water bill, to make sure the players had safe water.”

Coach Tapscott is outraged that district staff who were responsible for health and safety at the schools allowed students to drink contaminated water for at least a year, and he is determined that the district repair McClymonds to the standards of other schools, not to settle for stop-gap measures.

“Kids have been drinking that water for (at least a year) while people in this district sat on their butts and did nothing for the children,” he said. “Whoever is responsible for this should be fired.”

“They wouldn’t do this in a white school,” Tapscott added.

Tapscott said the district should replace its old galvanized pipes immediately. That would mean hiring a contractor and working weekends to put in new pipes inside and outside of the building.

“You can begin having water in three weeks, digging trenches and crews replacing all the pipes,” he said. “The main building is a challenge because kids are there, and the crews would have to work on weekends.”

According to the district, replacing the piping throughout the campus is now in the planning stages. The district estimates that the project will cost about $2.3 million and take a year or more to complete.

In a press statement, Supt. Johnson-Trammell pledged to the community that the district would do what is necessary to fix McClymonds.

“We will keep you, our students, staff, families and other stakeholders, apprised of the process. We will also be engaging the community to ensure that your voices help us determine the best, fastest and most cost effective way to complete these changes for the school.”

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Bay Area

Map Reveals Measure X Fuel Reduction Progress Throughout Richmond

Passed by voters on Nov. 3, 2020, Measure X is a 0.5% tax on taxable purchases for general purposes, with the County Board of Supervisors determining how it will be used. The tax generates approximately $120 million annually in support of county services.

Published

1 day ago

December 29, 2024

Oakland Post

Image courtesy of the City of Richmond.

By Kathy Chouteau, The Richmond Standard

A new interactive map spotlights the City of Richmond’s efforts to reduce fire hazards on City-owned parcels through the Measure X Fuel Reduction Program.

This Fuel Reduction Initiative is one-way Measure X funding is being applied, looking to improve community safety by “managing vegetation and mitigating fire risks across high-priority areas,” according to the City of Richmond.

On the map, community members can see parcels that have been completed, approved for treatment, or are currently under review, according to city sources. It added that the map also offers people a transparent view of the program’s progress.

Check out the map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b17c829f94e249719f9191291a0bcae4/?org=cityofrichmond to see where various parcels in Richmond stand as part of the program funded by Measure X.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Electric UPS Delivery Fleet Coming to Oakland, Richmond, and SF

The project will replace the current Class 6 UPS delivery trucks with ZE battery electric vehicles. It will also install chargers at the Bay Area logistics centers. In total, 40 vehicles and chargers are coming to the facility near Oakland, another 10 in San Francisco and 10 more in Richmond.

Published

6 days ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of the Port of Oakland.

The Richmond Standard

A total of 60 UPS delivery trucks serving logistics centers in Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco will be replaced with electric versions as part of a partnership between the delivery business and the Port of Oakland.

The Port will use a newly announced award of $10.5 million in Environmental Protection Agency grants and $5 million from UPS to advance the fleet conversion.

The project will replace Class 6 UPS delivery trucks with ZE battery electric vehicles. It will also install chargers at the Bay Area logistics centers. In total, 40 vehicles and chargers are coming to the facility near Oakland, another 10 in San Francisco, and 10 more in Richmond.

The project will feature opportunities for green career pathways through workforce development and training.

“The Port of Oakland is grateful for additional investments to transition freight equipment and infrastructure to zero emissions,” Colleen Liang, the Port’s director of environmental programs and planning.

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez said the “bold investment” will curb pollution, protect public health and provide good-paying green jobs.

“The City of Richmond welcomes this bold EPA investment in zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles,” Martinez said in a statement.

For more information, see the 2024 EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Grant Project.

Oakland Post

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California Black Media

Gov. Newsom Goes to Washington to Advocate for California Priorities

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation. During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

Published

1 month ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Newsom visits the White House on Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of Gov.Ca. Gov

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation.

During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

“California is continuing our work to secure additional tools and resources to improve access to health care, clean air and water, and secure critical funding to support communities recovering from disasters,” said Newsom.

At the White House, Newsom met with President Joe Biden and key officials, advocating for disaster relief funding, healthcare expansion, and environmental protection. He also engaged in discussions with senior Biden-Harris officials, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, to address water quality improvements and the San Luis Dam project, which will support water supplies for two million Californians.

“Building on our strong partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, California is working closely with the White House over the next two months to deliver the critical protections and resources our communities need,” Newsom said.

On Capitol Hill, Newsom met with California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with other Congressional leaders, to emphasize the need to approve pending disaster funding, healthcare programs, and environmental protections. He also previewed California’s upcoming special session to proactively address potential federal challenges when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

Newsom’s discussions also focused on securing Medicaid waivers from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to enhance behavioral health services and reduce homelessness. The state seeks approval for the BH-CONNECT waiver, which would address behavioral health and homelessness, and the MCO Tax Waiver, which would provide over $20 billion for Medi-Cal to improve healthcare access.

Additionally, California is pushing for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are crucial for enforcing air quality regulations. These measures are projected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths and provide $116 billion in health benefits over the next three decades, according to the Governor’s office.