Coliseum City.
1. The Oakland City Council voted 6-1 to extend a pact with the development team of Coliseum City after the team introduced it’s new deep-pocketed investor — Floyd Kephart, whose company advises hedge funds, the Trib$ reports. The Coliseum City project would include a new stadium for the Oakland Raiders, and perhaps a new facility for the A’s. However, A’s co-owner Lew Wolff quickly criticized the council’s move, saying the Coliseum City plan doesn’t work for the A’s. Wolff has expressed interest in being the developer of the project. The lone vote against the pact came from Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, who is running for mayor against Jean Quan and has developed a close relationship with Wolff. Quan, meanwhile, is touting the new investor.
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2. The Oakland City Council voted unanimously to grant $577,000 in legal aid to child migrants who have fled violence-plagued Central America, the Bay Area News Group$ reports. Oakland is now the third city — after New York and San Francisco — to provide such aid. The bill was co-sponsored by Quan and Councilmembers Noel Gallo and Larry Reid.
3. Law enforcement officials raided a Black Muslim temple in Oakland and arrested seven people connected to a security firm that allegedly defrauded Alameda County and the Los Angeles Housing Authority, the Bay Area News Group$ reports. The company, BMT International Security, also attempted to defraud the Port of Oakland.
4. Golden Gate Bridge officials are considering whether to charge cyclists and pedestrians a toll for crossing the span — a proposal that has drawn fierce criticism, the Chron reports.
