Author: Steven Ferguson

Josie Fontana knew when she saw the North Catholic girls basketball team’s defensive approach that Oakland Catholic would be in good shape. The Eagles senior forward immediately recognized the full-court defense the Trojanettes had chosen to employ. When the teams met in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals Tuesday, North Catholic chose a different approach than when the teams clashed in their two section encounters. “We noticed it was kind of like our press,” Fontana said. “We used our weaknesses, how teams break it down against us, and we threw it right back at them.” The second-seeded Eagles smothered the Trojanettes…

The Stoney Creek girls basketball program has been a whirlwind of emotions, especially from Friday to Monday, after major changes were made to the team’s leadership. Coach Columbus Williams and most of his coaching staff were dismissed on Monday, just ahead of the Cougars’ postseason run. The decision came after the team’s heated loss to Rochester on Friday, which was marked by a series of disciplinary issues, including a total of seven technical fouls and an ejection of a parent. Athletic Director Todd Negoshian, a former North Farmington Boys Basketball Coach, has stepped in as the interim coach for the…

Oakland, often seen as San Francisco’s cooler, warmer counterpart, is at a crossroads as it emerges from the pandemic and a fiscal crisis. Despite its vibrant food scene, rich cultural history, and notable events like Alysa Liu’s Olympic gold, Oakland’s journey to recovery is filled with both challenges and wins. The city has made significant strides in crime reduction and economic development, yet it faces ongoing struggles that reflect broader social and economic trends across the Bay Area. From the continued pressure of high office vacancies to the rise of local green job initiatives, Oakland’s transformation is a complex, multifaceted…

A revolver used in the killing of 34-year-old Dexter Appleby in Emeryville sat unexamined in the Oakland Police Department’s (OPD) custody for nearly two years before investigators connected it to the crime. The silver Colt revolver was seized during a raid at a home on Ney Avenue in Oakland, as part of the investigation into a separate homicide — the November 2023 shooting death of Johnny James Johnson Jr. The gun, found in the home of 44-year-old James Wheeler, was initially linked to Johnson’s killing, for which Wheeler, a former UPS driver, was arrested and convicted of manslaughter. However, authorities…

A tragic triple homicide unfolded on the early morning of January 3, 2026, at Oakland’s Sky Market liquor store. The senseless violence, now linked to a petty street marijuana transaction, claimed the lives of three men, adding to a particularly deadly period in the city. The fatal incident began over a mere $10 marijuana deal between two victims, brothers Luis Antonio Valdez-Gomez and Kevin Andrew Valdez-Gomez, and a street dealer, 58-year-old Jamaal Myers. According to the latest police findings, Myers, who was armed at the time, was allegedly involved in the altercation that escalated into violence. Myers, a convicted felon…

A robbery at a Southfield hotel has led to the arrests of two individuals in connection with a larger human trafficking investigation. Kylee Lynn Berry, an Inkster resident, and Jowuan Lawrence Shorter, a Pennsylvania native, face several charges, including operating a human trafficking enterprise, accepting earnings from prostitution, and drug-related offenses. Berry, in addition to the human trafficking charges, is also facing a possession charge after police discovered illegal substances during the investigation. The incident began on Saturday, February 21, when a 47-year-old Detroit man reported being robbed at a local hotel where he had arranged to meet a sex…

After nearly twelve months of tense negotiations, the Oakland Education Association (OEA) and the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) have reached a tentative agreement, successfully averting a strike that could have disrupted schools across the city. The deal comes following a resounding union vote authorizing strike action and a looming district plan to lay off roughly 400 employees. Union representatives announced the agreement early Friday morning, noting that the negotiations extended for 18 hours and concluded shortly before 3 a.m. The settlement aims to stabilize staffing, enhance support for students, and address long-standing structural issues within the district. “This agreement…

Oakland, Calif.  Oakland teachers have narrowly avoided a strike after nearly a year of contentious negotiations with the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), culminating in a late-night agreement early Friday. The deal ends months of uncertainty for thousands of educators and families while addressing long-standing concerns over pay, workloads, and student support. The Oakland Education Association (OEA), which represents approximately 3,000 teachers, counselors, social workers, nurses, and librarians, reached a tentative two-year contract with the district after an 18-hour bargaining session that extended into the early morning hours. Under the agreement, OUSD’s most experienced educators will receive a 13% salary…

Educators in Oakland have moved a step closer to a possible strike after union members overwhelmingly approved a strike authorization vote following nearly a year of tense negotiations with the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). The Oakland Education Association (OEA), which represents district educators, says its members are seeking a contract that would raise salaries, strengthen special education services, and bring stability to schools grappling with high staff turnover. Union leaders argue that Oakland teachers earn less than their counterparts in neighboring Bay Area districts, contributing to an estimated loss of hundreds of educators each year. According to the union,…