City Government
New Supermarket in East Oakland
FOODSCO, the nation’s largest price-impact supermarket chain, opened its first store in East Oakland on Wednesday, becoming the first major supermarket in the community in more than 20 years.
“We believe East Oakland will be a great FOODSCO community and we look forward to offering our unique brand of friendly service to customers who appreciate quality and value at everyday low prices,” ,” said FOODSCO President Bryan Kaltenbach.
The80,000 square-foot supermarket is located in East Oakland’s Foothill Square Shopping Center at 10790 MacArthur Boulevard right off 108th Street and is open from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. The new store will provide local customers with a new, convenient and affordable option for their grocery shopping needs, including fresh produce, meat and seafood.

Larry Reid, District 7 council member and vice mayor, was the first customer and was given a FoodsCo jacket and cap as an honorary staff member. Photo courtesy of Howard Dyckoff, Oakland Local.
FOODSCO currently operates five stores in The Bay Area: two stores in San Francisco and one store each in Pittsburg, Redwood City and Richmond. The new Foothill Square FOODSCO store is expected to help boost East Oakland’s economic vitality and attract additional investment and development to East Oakland.
Oakland Vice Mayor Larry E. Reid, thanked FOODSCO for investing in East Oakland.
“It has been my honor to work with the representatives of FOODSCO to bring this dream to fruition. The relationship between FOODSCO and our residents in Oakland, will only serve as a true testimony of what can be accomplished with dedication and perseverance to bring quality to our neighborhoods, “ Reid said.
The store will employ 175 full and part-time associates, the majority of whom have been newly hired from the surrounding community.
The store’s grand opening celebration also featured the presentation of $15,000 in grants from FOODSCO to the following schools and community organizations: Grass Valley Elementary School, Elmhurst Community Prep School, Castlemont High School, Ile Omode School, Elevate Oakland Foundation, and Youth UpRising.
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Oakland Post: Week of June 25 – July 1, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 25 – July 1, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark
Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook
As a pastor and East Bay resident, I see firsthand how my community struggles with the rising cost of everyday living. A fellow pastor in Oakland recently told me he cuts his pills in half to make them last longer because of the crushing costs of drugs.
Meanwhile, community members are contending with skyrocketing grocery prices and a lack of affordable healthcare options, while businesses are being forced to close their doors.
Our community is hurting. Things have to change.
The most pressing issue that demands our leaders’ attention is rising healthcare costs, and particularly the rising cost of medications. Annual prescription drug costs in California have spiked by nearly 50% since 2018, from $9.1 billion to $13.6 billion.
Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.
Some lawmakers, however, have advanced legislation that would drive up healthcare costs and set communities like mine back further.
I’m particularly concerned with Senate Bill (SB) 41, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a carbon copy of a 2024 bill that I strongly opposed and Gov. Newsom rightly vetoed. This bill would impose significant healthcare costs on patients, small businesses, and working families, while allowing big drug companies to increase their profits.
SB 41 would impose a new $10.05 pharmacy fee for every prescription filled in California. This new fee, which would apply to millions of Californians, is roughly five times higher than the current average of $2.
For example, a Bay Area family with five monthly prescriptions would be forced to shoulder about $500 more in annual health costs. If a small business covers 25 employees, each with four prescription fills per month (the national average), that would add nearly $10,000 per year in health care costs.
This bill would also restrict how health plan sponsors — like employers, unions, state plans, Medicare, and Medicaid — partner with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate against big drug companies and deliver the lowest possible costs for employees and members. By mandating a flat fee for pharmacy benefit services, this misguided legislation would undercut your health plan’s ability to drive down costs while handing more profits to pharmaceutical manufacturers.
This bill would also endanger patients by eliminating safety requirements for pharmacies that dispense complex and costly specialty medications. Additionally, it would restrict home delivery for prescriptions, a convenient and affordable service that many families rely on.
Instead of repeating the same tired plan laid out in the big pharma-backed playbook, lawmakers should embrace Newsom’s transparency-first approach and prioritize our communities.
Let’s urge our state legislators to reject policies like SB 41 that would make a difficult situation even worse for communities like ours.
About the Author
Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.
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