News

Oakland Acura Opens State-of-the-Art Showroom on Coliseum Auto Row

Published

6 years ago

October 5, 2018

From left to right: Senior Manager of National Field Sales of Acura, Mamadou Diallo, Managing Partner Gordon Walton of Acura, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Managing Partner of Oakland Acura Eileen Walton, Oakland City Council member Lynette Gibson-McElhaney and City Council President Larry Reid.

A few dozen influential community leaders and long-time residents of East Oakland’s District 7 gathered in the Acura showroom to celebrate a new chapter for business and community.

Oakland Acura has been a long time business in Oakland since 1986 and has recently moved to a new facility at 6701 Oakport St., which will soon be changed to Coliseum Auto Row in hopes of attracting more auto dealerships to the location. The location is great for the dealership, customers and the community.

“This is Oakland’s moment, this business is incredibly Oaklandish. We care about our environment and community,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.

The new facility is environmentally friendly with solar panels, energy efficient heating and cooling, energy efficient insulation and windows and uses recycled water for the car wash. The parking lot has bio retention systems designed to capture rain runoff and keep pollutants out of the storm drains.

The construction began in April 2017 on the new 38,000- square-foot facility with that includes an expansive showroom, 18 service bays, a large detail shop with a car wash and 335 parking spaces for the dealership’s inventory, customer and employee parking.

City Council President Larry Reid’s Office, and staff from the City’s Economic & Workforce Development Department identified a 3.6 acre, City-owned parcel on Oakpart Street that offered unparalleled freeway visability. The team worked tirelessly with Oakland Acura to negotiate the sale, at fair-market value.

“Oakland Acura is a family- owned business. Both owners ( Gordon Walton and Dave Robb) families’ have been in the auto industry for four generations. In 1856, my great- great-grandfather immigrated from Canada to Oakland,” said Eileen Walton, Managing Partner of Oakland Acura.

Walton continued to speak about the importance of engagement in this new community and hopes of partnering with more community groups and leaders in their new home.

The retention of Oakland Acura was very important for well-paying jobs and sales tax revenue.

“We can’t afford to lose auto dealerships. Plus, Gordan and Dave Rob are just great people with great families who love the city of Oakland,” said Reid.This is a great move for the community and business moving forward. In this time of hyper prosperity for Oakland, it’s vital for this to happen.

“This is wonderful to see. It’s quite amazing to see what can happen when businesses and commities come together. I couldn’t help but think about our founding father Mr. Honda, our philosophy is rejoice.

The joy of creating products that society wanted and a product that will enrich people’s life. The joy of selling and the joy of buying. The second-biggest purchase other than a home. On behalf of our executive team, we would like to say thank you for your commitment and we will support you so you can have great success,” said Mamadou Diallo, Senior Manager, National Field Sales, Acura.

As a token for the dedication and commitment to the City of Oakland. President of the City of Oakland Larry Reid presented a proclamation for “Oakland Acura Day” to Oakland Acura’s Managing Partner Gordon Walton.

Notable attendees recognized were assistant city administrator Maraskeshia Smith, Alameda county board of education trustee Amber Childress, President of National Coalition of 100 Black Women Sheyl Perry Lee, President and CEO of Oakland Chamber of commerce Barbara Leslie, longtime residents Sylvester Gisby and Jean Blackshire, City council member Lynette Gibson McElhaney.

Tymeesa Rutledge

Posts by Tymeesa Rutledge

Activism

NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention Highlights Black Voter Engagement, and More

A Friday panel featuring NAACP Chairman Leon W. Russell and Regina Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media, examined Project 2025, an initiative perceived as a potential threat to civil rights, healthcare access, and environmental protection. This session emphasized Project 2025’s projected impact on Black communities, noting that policies within the initiative could diminish gains in civil and environmental rights over decades. Russell and Wilson highlighted the need for vigilant monitoring and community mobilization to address these challenges.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

NAACP State Conference President Rick Callender (right) engages in a discussion on voter engagement and community advocacy with NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson during the 37th NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention in Los Angeles. Photo by Rich Woods.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The 37th NAACP California-Hawaii State Convention concluded on Sunday, Oct 27, following four days of discussions and workshops at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott. Bringing together civil rights leaders, policymakers, and advocates from California and Hawaii, the convention operated under the theme “All In.” The participants discussed critical issues impacting Black communities, including criminal justice reform, health equity, economic empowerment, education, environmental justice, and voting rights.

On Saturday, the President’s Fireside Chat brought together NAACP President Derrick Johnson and CA/HI State Conference President Rick Callender, who discussed the urgency of voter engagement and community advocacy.

Guest speakers included Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), who spoke at the Women in NAACP (WIN) Labor Luncheon about the intersection of labor rights and civil rights. California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond delivered remarks at the Leadership Dinner on education equity, focusing on policies to ensure all students have access to high-quality education.

Honors were given to longtime social justice advocate and former Assemblymember Mike Davis for his work in community activism. At the same time, actor and activist Danny Glover and the Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown received the 2024 Legacy Hall of Fame Awards, recognizing their lifelong commitments to advancing civil rights.

The convention also offered practical workshops, including “What’s On Your Ballot?,” where coalition leaders provided analyses of California propositions, explaining their potential impacts on community rights and resources. The Voter Turnout Workshop provided background and encouraged participants to promote voter turnout through community-centered outreach strategies.

Sunday’s events closed with a Prayer and Memorial Breakfast honoring the contributions of past and current civil rights leaders.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Alameda County Judge Blasts Defendants Over Delay in West Oakland Fire Trial

Judge Kimberly Lowell excoriated the RadiusRecycling/SchnitzerSteel defendants in court for causing delays in prosecuting this case. Since the defendants first appeared in court on July 23, they have obtained three extensions of the arraignment date.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Criminal charges announced this week are related to the August 2023 scrap metal fire at Radius Recycling Inc., formerly Schnitzer Steel. Photo courtesy of Oaklandside.

Special to The Post

District Attorney Pamela Price announced that a hearing was held on October 30 in the criminal prosecution of the Radius Recycling/Schnitzer Steel involving a fire at the West Oakland facility on Aug. 9-10, 2023.

The Alameda County criminal Grand Jury indicted radius Recycling and two of its corporate managers in June 2024.

The court clarified that the defendants will not receive more extensions on their arraignment and plea.

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price agreed with the court that defendants should not get preferential treatment. Price and her team appreciated the court for clarifying that future delays by Radius will not be tolerated.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s (BAAQMD) public data shows that during and after the fire, the smoke plume traveled across Alameda County with high levels of PM 2.5 (Particulate Matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter) detected around Laney College in Oakland, Livermore, Pleasanton, and West Oakland.

PM2.5 is particularly harmful to infants and children, the elderly, and people with asthma or heart disease.

“This fire posed a great health hazard to the people of Alameda County,” said Price. “High, short-term exposures to a toxic smoke plume have been shown to cause significant danger to human health.

“Additionally, in this case, Oakland firefighters battled the blaze under extremely dangerous conditions for 15 hours with assistance from a San Francisco Fire Department fireboat and a fireboat from the City of Alameda Fire Department,” Price observed.

The team prosecuting the case from the DA’s Consumer Justice Bureau looks forward to resolving any future motions and having the defendants arraigned in court on Dec. 9.

The media relations office of the Alameda County District Attorney’s office is the source of this report.

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

D.A. Price Charges Coliseum Flea Market Vendors in Organized Retail Theft Case

The charges against Octavio Ambriz Valle, 52, Devora Ambriz Valle, 49, and Felipe Del Toro Trejo, 54, include multiple felony counts of possessing stolen property and organized retail theft in concert. It is alleged that the trio of vendors possessed stolen property valued at $348,466 from nine different retailers, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, PetSmart, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, TJX, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Alameda County courthouse. Courtesy photo.

Alameda County Courthouse File photo.

Special to The Post

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced today that her office charged three people in connection with multiple organized retail theft crimes stemming from a sophisticated criminal enterprise operating at the Oakland Coliseum Flea Market from March 26, 2023, through April 17, 2024.

It is alleged that the trio of vendors possessed stolen property valued at $348,466 from nine different retailers, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, PetSmart, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, TJX, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Last year, the District Attorney’s Office successfully competed and received a $2 million grant from the California Department of Justice to combat organized retail theft. Price added another $2 million to bolster the Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) unit which is fully operational and collaborating with numerous law enforcement agencies.

“For over a year, this enterprise supported criminal networks by requesting and buying specific products from brazen boosters who repeatedly terrorized retailers,” said Price. “I want to acknowledge our Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) Vertical Prosecution Unit for its great work and the role they played in this multi-jurisdiction investigation, which included the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, and San Ramon Police Department.”

If convicted and sentenced on all charges, Octavio Ambriz Valle faces a maximum sentence of nine years in County jail; Devora Ambriz Valle faces a maximum sentence of five years in County jail; and Felipe Del Toro Trejo faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in County jail.