[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6616520,"mediaKeyId","2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06","parentId",2852409,"title","Newark recognizes new hires and promotes Andrew Masantri to police sergeant","audioSeconds",160,"startMs",260000,"endMs",420000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06&start=260&end=420","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06/thumbnail_260000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6616520/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Newark-recognizes-new-hires-and-promotes-Andrew-Masantri-to-police-sergeant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616520-689a9e801ca86ef509c2f5210d870bd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1777280399&Signature=A4bTEWevqVYOPjJ-yWHOK5Xwn8CQhn11jQrzU1KMefsR5i6P1aTc3y3FPuGEwYSmd2v42HzXjrgi~1bH2mRPdy6-rTepHojjOXxVLM0cylxbeQhSpBQOrzP5Tau~uENsav9qWx5z01WGILgtGUjlgtqYlbGTwNkPRORKLHTcxPPYM8gaUMcEwwtzyS3kfkUdOHn5gtWJUVFGUH4LVwXTbJAV8QJfnfBWYlEcOG~zexsV4HyX9vXadNbeEts2-9XUkOSKlp9dkw7pf4VoEzdL8XAEJpHoXlXwHHKF0vIANQGpg2gFHcPFgsg2nP9V2Sen8b5dgzKI7O11Bh1-yoIalQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-02T20:24:14.843Z","article","Mayor Michael Hannon introduced new city employees and announced the promotion of Andrew Masantri to sergeant at the Newark City Council meeting on Feb. 25.

Hannon said Masantri was promoted to sergeant effective Jan. 1, 2025, and summarized his background: raised on the East Coast as a second-generation police family, college degree from Cal State Northridge (bachelor’s in sociology with criminology concentration), prior experience as an intelligence analyst at Facebook, and a law-enforcement career that began with the San Jose Police Department in 2013 and included service with the New York Police Department. Hannon cited Masantri’s prior roles as a detective, acting sergeant, field training officer and SWAT and negotiations assignments; he noted departmental recognitions including multiple awards and a medal of valor.

The council also introduced several other recent hires: Jason Masters, hired Jan. 13, 2025 as a public safety dispatcher; Morgan Peterson, a lifelong Newark resident joining community development as a management analyst; and Naz Jaladin, a business liaison with a PhD in disaster studies who previously volunteered with Newark and assisted small businesses post-pandemic. Hannon and councilmembers thanked the new employees for choosing public service.

No formal action or vote was recorded for these introductions; the presentations were ceremonial recognition of personnel changes and promotions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Newark / City Council Regular Meeting 02-13-25","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Michael Hannon introduced new city employees and announced a promotion for Andrew Masantri to sergeant in the Newark Police Department; other new hires included a public safety dispatcher and community development and recreation staff.","taxTitle","Newark, Alameda County, California","taxId",55039,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6616525,"Newark issues Black History Month proclamation, honors long-time community leader Jean Ficklin",504,897000,1401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06&start=897&end=1401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06/thumbnail_897000.jpg","/articles/6616525/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Newark-issues-Black-History-Month-proclamation-honors-long-time-community-leader-Jean-Ficklin","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616525-1c9fb67d3e0b0cdf5106516365acf9f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1777280399&Signature=TdLF7OEanwfweuWgcf~vDYWNroeCWrVOvmOIjKag8FVlPW6gJe00TXKZKjBCOrCORpttQwaa0LxSu0GeSvftlGWden9Hr89qQubE9f8Yf5ezexrYl3T4LC5wJ4OV~4YcUd0EWbu8Trv31HjrBUAOdwf0iEznqh44WXkQymTX3kL~SAbJ~fsCwqcaNy8G5BWA5wMDFQ57fptXUTBsSZRc2PNBdpaXBLmaQZPCLPS~P6gYHjfNccPEMMevPNVdGYQ~fTikQCwv9oB3TLvrmDk0ufzjOpvvN8vAmkPlwkNYARv5pMrZQWcXjW3f4pM0Pqz5aLX3y3U~L1O-PfDyN2RK7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Michael Hannon presented a proclamation recognizing Black History Month and honored Jean Ficklin and members of the Afro American Cultural and Historical Society during the Feb. 25 Newark City Council meeting.

Hannon read portions of Proclamation No. 1930 (Black History Month), referenced the 2025 national theme “African Americans and Labor,” and described Ficklin as a longtime local leader and founder of the Afro American Cultural and Historical Society. The mayor noted that the Story Time Room at the Alameda County Library bears Ficklin’s name and said Ficklin retired after 33 years as an educator with the Newark Unified School District.

Jean Ficklin, joined by Raquel Thomas, Adrianna Frazier Burrell and Tatiana Jones, accepted the proclamation and thanked the council and the community. In remarks, Ficklin and other speakers described Black History Month as an opportunity to reflect on contributions, resilience and the work of ancestors, and one speaker connected the month’s labor theme to the lifetime dedication of family members who ran small businesses.

Councilmembers and residents gathered for a group photo after the proclamation, and Mayor Hannon encouraged residents to celebrate the month’s events and cultural activities in Newark.","Mayor Michael Hannon presented a Black History Month proclamation and recognized Jean Ficklin and the Afro American Cultural and Historical Society for community work; several speakers accepted the proclamation and reflected on labor and resilience themes.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6616529,"Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity briefs Newark council on tenant services, rental-assistance program",820,4106000,4926000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06&start=4106&end=4926","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06/thumbnail_4106000.jpg","/articles/6616529/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Eden-Council-for-Hope-and-Opportunity-briefs-Newark-council-on-tenant-services-rental-assistance-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616529-40b1a5f536b265c912bf71a59e74dfe3/orig.mp4?Expires=1777280399&Signature=FCYnE3Dn0KLoeEGBgLo1paoPElFgbd7qOA5m3a2sZXivyJxFViSaj5545uEKaEhlHHVKrR-LY5v-7G2BrHK8iHvYMUNpBH0cA7CJmUHE4HxewzgYI2WRy4SU0y6793W5QAl0bxfBnm2tz5YjQXhQddVl6P6a5c~C5O1tdsd6OvtVmWVjyKnUoUqWPqM3FeJFw89zGAhLE9IVHYCSmQ4-g9BzDw0hReBy4LqEJPf18nRnzvWz9pnd7qtOZIFnhtezzOhwfjN6TJDROcmb7gEsDu3Hyo6w0QVsIrTv16uDn5tsaKxKdiLY7UY1PjgOeux3S8308POw6R2T8-9Bx-bl3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Christina Soto, executive director of Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity (ECHO) Housing, presented an overview of the nonprofit’s services to the Newark City Council on Feb. 25, describing fair-housing counseling, mediation, a rental-assistance program, homebuyer education and shared-housing initiatives serving Alameda and other Bay Area counties.

Soto said ECHO is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and a qualified fair-housing enforcement organization. She outlined services including monthly regional fair-housing workshops, tenant–property owner mediation at no cost, and a rental-assistance program in Alameda County that refers applicants to a funding entity, Seasons of Sharing. Soto said rental assistance awards typically range from $2,600 to $5,000, subject to case review and fund availability.

Councilmembers asked questions about program operations. Councilmember Del Contanzio asked whether ECHO’s weekly list of 20 names for rental assistance is randomized or subject to a waiting list. Soto explained that callers are prequalified by phone each Monday; the list fills within minutes. Starting March 3, she said, ECHO will move to an automated system that processes callers who leave messages.

Councilmember Grundahl asked whether ECHO conducts routine inspections of units in Newark that are rented with vouchers. Soto said ECHO handles inspections on a complaint basis and does not perform routine annual inspections; she offered to supply complaint-inspection counts to the city manager for follow-up.

Soto also described ECHO’s homebuyer education (an eight-hour quarterly class followed by free pre-purchase counseling), a project that matches homeowners with prospective housemates, and ECHO’s role administering rent-review and just-cause ordinance programs for several local jurisdictions including Alameda County, Albany, Concord, Emeryville and Union City. She said ECHO operates offices in Hayward, Livermore and Oakland and maintains program sites in Monterey County.

Council members thanked Soto for the presentation and noted interest in promoting homebuyer education and in coordinating inspection or voucher-quality checks to protect tenants. No formal council action was recorded on the presentation.","ECHO Housing described fair-housing services, mediation, rental-assistance processes and homebuyer education to the Newark City Council and answered council questions about inspections and program operations.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6616534,"Newark City Council unanimously reaffirms 'welcoming city' resolution amid resident concerns over immigration fear",1953,1627000,3580000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06&start=1627&end=3580","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2852409-60782512df8a425f46941876d50e2d06/thumbnail_1627000.jpg","/articles/6616534/Newark/Alameda-County/California/Newark-City-Council-unanimously-reaffirms-welcoming-city-resolution-amid-resident-concerns-over-immigration-fear","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6616534-56ec88384aa4ade28bf2c76c7050d989/orig.mp4?Expires=1777280399&Signature=b9RmG9SeFga4FqqTRptZX1IeOLxIttAbwAwczeI7Z3RwfdGt3YgYp8cGPBpBHTpe55uOS0sQ73PQG5HM2cGiUf3nbeGc~91cUzGX~6GsTR9FBwDbe1Qk7Hem3wbQPaa4MgqKzjWYi31ndoaFhjKFqwVLpKUC3eFOy8~6IN7VGDAy38ttRKqYVKahaOt1Xzf9~07isSTe2I~McB0assE1ALQF2prfUzA3LAfgRTWjDqr984lgzH0MoWR7z1mT5e217FF2n1ftLQSDcAks10XUcNqx-a4m4t~YQ2p9AMrLynKhRHeaL~WnwmU8FvkbQhYFAdweWDw~2gCn8qRfV9POUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newark City Council on Feb. 25 unanimously reaffirmed a 2017 resolution declaring the city a welcoming community, restating that local law enforcement will not assist in federal immigration enforcement and urging outreach to residents after recent reports of fear in immigrant communities.

Mayor Michael Hannon opened the discussion by describing the reaffirmation as a reminder to residents that “your immigration status does not matter to us,” and saying local authorities want all residents to feel safe calling 911 and using city services. Hannon cited the original 2017 resolution (Resolution 10.598) and referenced state law (referred to in the meeting as section 7284.6) that bars local agencies from using personnel or resources for immigration enforcement.

The reaffirmation matter drew comments from council members and residents. Vice Mayor Eve Little described the topic as “very, very sensitive” and recounted conversations with students and community members who reported fear about attending school or leaving home. Councilmember Contanzio spoke about the record-high participation in Newark’s 2020 census outreach and said ensuring people are counted is important to community funding. Councilmember Grundahl urged clarity and stressed that “our taxes should never be used to attack our residents.”

Several community leaders spoke in support. Former council member and business owner Susie Koyasa said she had received a phone call from a mother whose third-generation daughter refused to attend school because she feared immigration agents would come to the campus. Resident Miss Ortega thanked the council for taking action and said the reaffirmation made her community feel safer.

City Manager Boonen and council members emphasized the limits of local authority while emphasizing the council’s role in communicating inclusion and protections. Hannon asked council colleagues to help spread the message that Newark stands by the resolution and urged local leaders to get that information to communities that may be fearful.

Vice Mayor Little made the motion to reaffirm the resolution; Councilmember Del Contanzio seconded. The council voted 5-0 to reaffirm the resolution. Mayor Hannon then called a five-minute recess.

Votes at a glance
- Reaffirm resolution declaring City of Newark a welcoming city (Resolution 10.598, originally adopted 2017). Motion by Vice Mayor Eve Little; second by Councilmember Del Contanzio. Vote: 5-0, approved.

Why it matters: Council members framed the reaffirmation as both a legal and practical declaration: it aligns the city with state law prohibiting local participation in immigration enforcement and seeks to reassure immigrant residents so they will use city services, be counted in the census, and report crimes without fear.

What the resolution says: As read into the record during the meeting, the resolution affirms Newark’s commitment to inclusiveness, mutual respect and cooperation; states the Newark Police Department does not actively participate in enforcement of federal immigration laws; and declares the city a welcoming community.","The Newark City Council voted 5-0 to reaffirm a 2017 resolution declaring Newark a welcoming city, restating that local police will not enforce federal immigration law and urging community outreach after recent reports of fear among immigrant residents.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Newark recognizes new hires and promotes Andrew Masantri to police sergeant

Newark issues Black History Month proclamation, honors long-time community leader Jean Ficklin

Eden Council for Hope and Opportunity briefs Newark council on tenant services, rental-assistance program

Newark City Council unanimously reaffirms 'welcoming city' resolution amid resident concerns over immigration fear