Knowles Adkisson

Non-profit Lao Family celebrates 35 years helping immigrants achieve self-sufficiency

In 1980, refugees from Laos gathered in the living room of a modest three-bedroom Richmond apartment. Their daunting goal was to help their growing community find jobs and housing in America after fleeing the destruction wrought by the Vietnam War. On Wednesday last week, Lao Family Community Development, Inc. celebrated its 35th anniversary at Maple Hall in the San Pablo Civic Center. Each year, the non-profit organization helps 15,000 people from more than 30 countries become self-sufficient. From its humble…

Richmond High boys soccer overcomes slow start, looks toward postseason

Addison Escobar had never lined up at forward for Richmond High School before Thursday night. But when his coach, Rene Siles, asked the senior to move up from midfield, he didn’t ask questions. “Wherever I play I put it in, a hundred percent, I give my all,” Escobar said. “Because the team comes first.” Escobar’s goal just before halftime helped the Oilers overcome heavy legs en route to a comprehensive 5-0 win over Hercules Thursday night at Richmond High School….

Richmond Confidential looks back on 2014, year for the ages

Long after the billboards come down, the campaign mailers rest in landfills and the New Year’s toasts come and go, 2014 may be remembered as Richmond’s big election year. We are honored to have been in Richmond’s streets and chambers, its homes and schools and everywhere else, helping write the first drafts of history in an important time and place. Chevron Corp. poured an unprecedented $3.1 million into the municipal races only to lose the open mayoral and city council seats to a progressive coalition on every…

Retrospective: Archives show difficult road for Richmond middle class

As Richmond prepared to enter the 1960s, the city was about to encounter an era of rapid change. In November of 1959, readers opened the pages of the city’s daily newspaper, the Richmond Independent, to be confronted with Thanksgiving sales and headlines about next fall’s presidential race (“State GOP Supports Nixon”). The advertisements reflected an idyllic version of late 1950s America: A well-dressed businessman, hands clasped in his lap, dozes with a smile as a cherubic young boy gazes up…

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.

Booze settles with city over alleged junkyard

Outgoing Richmond City Councilman Courtland “Corky” Booze has reached a settlement to resolve a lawsuit brought against him by the city for failure to clean up a property he has maintained for several decades, and which the city considers a junkyard.

Event helps Asian and Pacific Islanders enroll in health care

The Richmond Memorial Convention Center was the site recently of a health care enrollment event directed at Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities are some of the least represented in healthcare enrollment, yet represent about 12 to 13 percent of the population in West Contra Costa County, said Sean Kirkpatrick, Co-Interim Executive Director of Community Health for Asian Americans (CHAA). But because they are divided by many different languages and cultures, it can be difficult…