Ana Tellez-Witrago

Three people and a child in a firefighter costume crowd around a table that has a blue tablecloth with square post-it notes on it. On the right side is a board where people stuck notes with their idea and on the left, there is what looks like a pink and white dart board. Behind the table are two people, slightly visible, a man with a dark shirt and a woman with a blue shirt.

What should Richmond do with its surplus land?

Richmond has a question for residents: What do they want built on unused city-owned land? RichmondLand, a community land trust, and city staff are working to gather community input on the public land policy.  “Affordable housing is really needed, but parks like this and different spaces for people to get together are also important,” said Leonardo Santana, a 20-year  Richmond resident, who talked to Richmond Confidential at a Halloween Land event on Oct, 28 at Unity Park. The park, at…

By on January 10, 2024
Gray smoke billows from the distance.

State agency cites Chevron for 4 violations from this week’s flare

A day after flaring at the Chevron refinery belched smoke and gas for nearly 12 hours over Richmond and into Marin County, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on Tuesday slapped the company with four violations.  The state agency issued three notices of violations for visible emissions, pertaining to a rule that limits the quantity of particulate matter in the atmosphere, and one for causing a public nuisance. BAAQMD lists the violations as “pending.”  BAAQMD cited Chevron dozens of…

By , , and on November 29, 2023
Gray smoke billows from the distance.

Veil of fire and smoke over Richmond from what Chevron says is a flare

The sky over Richmond turned black with billowing smoke around 4 p.m. Monday, with flames shooting skyward from the Chevron refinery in what the company called a flaring event. Chevron said a power outage caused the flare, which at 5 p.m. was still blazing and had not prompted an evacuation. The wind apparently was carrying the smoke away from Contra Costa County and into Marin County, according to a post on Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia’s Facebook page. “County…

By , , and on November 27, 2023
In a large room with a low tiled ceiling, adults and children in colorful costumes, some with feathered headdresses are in motion, dancing.

Richmond powwow honors Native American culture and veterans: ‘It helps the native community be seen.’

The atmosphere was joyous at Veterans Hall in Richmond Saturday, where more than 100 people celebrated Native American culture with drumming, singing, crafts, food and the traditional dancing contest.  This year’s 13th Annual Richmond Contest Powwow  was held during Native American Heritage Month and on Veterans Day, which organizers saw as an opportunity to honor the many native people who have served in the military.  “It is great that we are finally being recognized,” said Jordan Wilson of Stockton, whose…

By on November 13, 2023
A long shot of a brown and yellow apartment complex that seems to be about 8 stories high with a lot of cars parked outside the building.

Richmond works to meet housing goals after getting bad grade from grand jury

Lia Cortes paused as she walked past a group of girls admiring the trendy clothes displayed on mannequins leaning against a pink wall in a small clothing store. The streetscape at 22nd Street and Nevin Avenue has changed dramatically in the 23 years Cortes has lived in the neighborhood. “It is a main street. I used to drive through here but not walk because it used to be pretty sketchy,” Cortes said.  Cortes lives in Terraces at Nevin, one of…

By on October 21, 2023