Tom Goulding

From drug baron to faith leader: a Richmond redemption

Eleven years ago, Bridget Gaines was driving through North Richmond with her son, and as the police pulled her over, her life was at one of many turning points. She had not slept for days due to smoking crack cocaine. She had been selling heroin that night on 2nd street and had both crack and heroin on her person. “I was scared to death, and high as a kite,” she says. “I though this was it, I was going to…

Weekend marches turn violent as Berkeley protests police killings of unarmed black men

In reaction to the recent non-indictments of police killings of unarmed black men, hundreds marched throughout Berkeley Sunday night. Riots broke out around 10 p.m., as a mass of protestors vandalized and looted storefronts along the downtown corridor and Telegraph Avenue. Sunday night was also marked by clashes between violent protestors and non-violent ones.

Hundreds join first night of protests in Berkeley

Hundreds of protestors marched in downtown Berkeley Saturday night, protesting the recent non-indictments of the police officers involved in the deaths of the Eric Garner and Michael Brown. The protestors started from University Ave., caused North Berkeley BART Station to close, and marched towards UC Berkeley. Violence erupted at Telegraph Ave. while making their way to downtown Berkeley, chanting verses ranging from “I can’t breathe” to “Don’t shoot” to “the system is corrupt.”   University Ave.   Downtown Berkeley Telegraph Ave.

A day in the life of Hilltop Mall

Hilltop Mall is in a period of transition, with its struggle for business well documented. We looked deeper into the problems, prospects and potential of Hilltop Mall.

The Hacienda housing project was declared uninhabitable. Why are tenants still living there?

The troubles at the Hacienda housing project were made public in February. The Richmond Housing Authority promised a tenant relocation in April. The initial application was sent in May. It’s now October—and mice still crawl at residents’ feet and cracks still spider up the walls. “I thought this place was coming down on my head during that Napa quake,” said Clarence Malbrough, a 16-year resident of the notorious Iron Triangle apartment complex on Roosevelt Ave. Residents and city council have…

OPINION: Must we tolerate intolerance?

The city council has a job to do — run the City of Richmond — and council meetings are one of the primary vehicles by which to do so. Section 2.12.030 makes provisions for the silencing of speech that is disturbing or disruptive to this function.