Mark Andrew Boyer

Protestors demonstrate at Wells Fargo bank

About a dozen protestors carrying hand-drawn signs were locked out of the McDonald Avenue Wells Fargo bank branch in Richmond on Wednesday. The demonstrators went to the bank to show support for Genny Zentella, a San Pablo resident who is facing foreclosure.

Navigating the Affordable Care Act

Despite the government shutdown, open enrollment for health insurance begins today. About 5 million uninsured people are going to be newly eligible for insurance through Covered California, according to Morgan Westfall, a project coordinator with the Community Clinic Consortium, a group that advocates for nonprofit health clinics in Contra Costa and Solano counties. Another 2.6 million will qualify for subsidies.

Chevron installs new air monitor in North Richmond

Contra Costa County residents will soon have a better understanding of exactly what is in the air they’re breathing. Chevron recently installed a new air-monitoring station at Fire Station 62, in North Richmond, which will provide real-time data about what chemicals are in the air.

Eminent domain firm defends against Wall Street charges

As critics point out, the people behind Mortgage Resolution Partners bear some striking similarities to the Wall Street bankers they’re ostensibly fighting. Chairman Steven Gluckstern says that although all three of the firm’s partners have worked for financial institutions in various capacities, none of them have any connection to the mortgage-backed securities that created the financial crisis of the mid-2000s.

Cash buyers rule Richmond real estate market

The Richmond real estate market, like the rest of the state, is on the rebound. And some of that recovery is thanks to investors who are able to buy homes without taking out a loan. That’s great news for both sellers and real estate agents, but it leaves limited selection for buyers who don’t have access to a lot of cash.

Lawsuit against Richmond’s eminent domain plan dismissed

Richmond notched a victory in its effort to use eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages on Monday, as a federal court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank against the city. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer wrote that the case is not “yet ripe for adjudication.” In other words, the banks can’t sue the city for something it hasn’t done yet. The lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of using eminent domain to seize more than 600 underwater mortgages…

Nonprofit installs solar panels on inner-city homes in Richmond

A big smile spread across Raul Valencia’s face as he watched volunteer workers prepare to install solar panels on his house. The Valencias are one of eight families in Richmond’s Iron Triangle neighborhood to receive a free rooftop solar installation as part of the eighth annual Bay Area Solarthon. The Solarthon is a one-day event organized by Grid Alternatives, a non-profit organization that brings solar energy to low-income families. Work was briefly interrupted at one of the eight sites when…