Community
Coliseum Vaccine Site Will Remain Open Through Contra Costa, Alameda Partnership
The state’s Office of Emergency Services and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency opened the drive-thru vaccination site in February as part of a federal effort to establish 100 large-scale vaccination sites nationwide in President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office.

The COVID-19 vaccination site at the Oakland Coliseum will remain open in the coming weeks and will be operated by Alameda and Contra Costa counties instead of state and federal agencies, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday.
The state’s Office of Emergency Services and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency opened the drive-thru vaccination site in February as part of a federal effort to establish 100 large-scale vaccination sites nationwide in President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office.
The two counties will jointly operate the site once state and federal emergency management personnel leave in roughly four weeks.
The site is expected to be able to administer up to 6,000 vaccine doses per day once the two counties take over. The state will contribute half the supply of doses required to operate the site while the two counties will contribute the other half.
“The only change is that we’re not going to get the direct allocation of vaccines from the federal government,” Newsom said during a briefing at a San Francisco vaccination site.
“Otherwise there’ll be no perceptible change in a meaningful way to the public,” he said.
The site was on track to close April 11, but local, state and federal officials in recent weeks called for an extension of vaccinations at the Coliseum, particularly as more supply becomes available, and more groups of people become eligible.
Officials in both counties praised the extension of the vaccination site, arguing that it will be an important resource in ensuring that enough residents in both counties get vaccinated.
“The Coliseum site has already delivered more than 100,000 doses to Alameda County residents, and this extension will allow us to complete transition feasibility planning without disrupting service to the community,” Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chair Keith Carson said in a statement.
“Having a mix of large vaccination sites, alongside smaller community sites and mobile pop-ups, is critical for our vaccination infrastructure and meeting our goals for equitable distribution,” he said.
Vaccine appointments at the Coliseum can be made through the state’s My Turn scheduling tool at https://myturn.ca.gov or by calling (833) 422-4255.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025

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Remembering George Floyd
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OP-ED: Oregon Bill Threatens the Future of Black Owned Newspapers and Community Journalism
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
President and CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
For decades, The Skanner newspaper in Portland, the Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium have served Portland, Oregon’s Black community and others with a vital purpose: to inform, uplift and empower. But legislation now moving through the Oregon Legislature threatens these community news institutions—and others like them.
As President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), which represents more than 255 Black-owned media outlets across the United States—including historic publications like The Skanner, Portland Observer, and the Portland Medium—l believe that some Oregon lawmakers would do more harm than good for local journalism and community-owned publications they are hoping to protect.
Oregon Senate Bill 686 would require large digital platforms such as Google and Meta to pay for linking to news content. The goal is to bring desperately needed support to local newsrooms. However, the approach, while well-intentioned, puts smaller, community-based publications at a future severe financial risk.
We need to ask – will these payments paid by tech companies benefit the journalists and outlets that need them most? Nearly half of Oregon’s media outlets are now owned by national conglomerates with no lasting investment in local communities. According to an OPB analysis, Oregon has lost more than 90 news jobs (and counting) in the past five years. These were reporters, editors, and photographers covering school boards, investigating corruption, and telling community stories, until their jobs were cut by out-of-state corporations.
Legislation that sends money to these national conglomerate owners—without the right safeguards to protect independent and community-based outlets—rewards the forces that caused this inequitable crisis in the first place. A just and inclusive policy must guarantee that support flows to the front lines of local journalism and not to the boardrooms of large national media corporations.
The Black Press exists to fill in the gaps left by larger newsrooms. Our reporters are trusted messengers. Our outlets serve as forums for civic engagement, accountability and cultural pride. We also increasingly rely on our digital platforms to reach our audiences, especially younger generations—where they are.
We are fervently asking Oregon lawmakers to take a step back and engage in meaningful dialogue with those most affected: community publishers, small and independent outlets and the readers we serve. The Skanner, The Portland Observer, and The Portland Medium do not have national corporate parents or large investors. And they, like many smaller, community-trusted outlets, rely on traffic from search engines and social media to boost advertising revenue, drive subscriptions, and raise awareness.
Let’s work together to build a better future for Black-owned newspapers and community journalism that is fair, local,l and representative of all Oregonians.
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President & CEO, National Newspaper Publishers Association
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