Stephen Hobbs

Oilers basketball season shows promise

Can you hear it? The sharp squeaks of sneakers across the shellacked hardwood and the echoing buzz signaling the end of a period? That’s right, it’s basketball time, and the Richmond Oilers are ramping up to for a season of success that could turn the tables on their recent history.

School Board Election 2012: Antonio Medrano

It’s 9:10 a.m. and school started two hours ago. Antonio Medrano stands in Richmond High School’s foyer giving a slightly disapproving look to three students who walk in late. “Buenos tardes,” says Medrano, smiling. “Buenos tardes,” say the kids as they sheepishly grin back. He tells them to get to class and strolls into the front office. He checks with the late students to see that they are making their way to class. Medrano’s easy demeanor with students shows a…

School Board Election 2012: Randy Enos

Randy Enos, the son of a teacher, the father of a teacher, a 37-year-veteran of the classroom himself, is not much of what you’d call a politician. But the candidate for the West Contra Costa Unified School District board has retired from teaching, so maybe this is the next best thing.

Richmond rabbits hop to new homes

The House Rabbit Society is a no-kill shelter in Richmond. They save rabbits from around the area from being euthanized. When you walk in, it neither smells like a shelter, nor looks like one. With carpeted floors and bright open enclosures, it looks more like a rabbit hotel.

Eagles crush Cougars for second league win

The Kennedy Eagles shut down the Albany Cougars 36-0 on Friday for their second win in a row. “I think they are starting to remember what they are playing for,” said Head Coach Mack Carminer. The scoring came quickly for the Eagles. They punched in a touchdown from the 2 yard line just five minutes into the game. On their second possession, number 81, Raysean Walker, caught a long pass at the 40 and ran it in for the second…

Steelers play for a better Richmond

Terry Bell paces the sidelines on the Kennedy High Football Field, calling to his players on the Richmond Steelers midget football team, presiding over a sea of black-and-yellow helmets and a group of young boys that remind him always of his own son. It’s just before kickoff on a Saturday afternoon, and Wiz Khalifa’s hit song “Black and Yellow” blasts in the background as the players and cheerleaders dance around. Bell, who has coached the under-14 division for the recreational…

Peres Elementary Dental Clinic reopens with major changes

The Peres Elementary Dental Clinic has come a long way from its modest start as a janitorial closet with a dentist chair. Twelve years, $500,000 and 412 square feet later, a new dual dentist chair clinic has emerged. Following a major reconstruction, the 12-year-old clinic reopened on Friday in a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Dr. Daniel Tanita, the dentist who will continue to maintain it. With brand new equipment, Dr. Tanita and the nine other volunteer dentists will now have…

Solano stroll draws Richmond crowd

Richmond residents Lesley Riley and Pam Pruitt have visited the Solano Stroll on the Berkeley and Albany border for many years, and while they said they’d love to see a similar event in Richmond, they enjoyed seeing Richmond groups expanding their reach to the 38-year-old street fair. Lesley Riley feels that the Solano Stroll is mostly for the residents of Albany and Berkeley, as many of the vendors are from there, however she also feels there is plenty to enjoy…

Richmond high school exit exam scores released

The results of the state’s high school exit exams, released near the end of August, show that students in the West Contra Costa County School District lag behind the state average in combined English and math scores. On the English Language Arts part of the test, 58 percent of Kennedy High seniors, 66 percent of Richmond High seniors, and 72 percent of De Anza seniors passed. On the math part, 51 percent of Kennedy seniors, 61 percent of Richmond seniors…