Shreya Jaikumar Menon

We asked people in Richmond: What should replace the Hilltop Mall?

“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: What would you like to see at the Hilltop Mall site? “Having been part of when that mall first opened, and knowing that a lot of people don’t go to malls anymore because it is too hard to compete with online shopping, having more community outreach programs like services for the surrounding…

What’s being done to bring equitable tree coverage to Richmond neighborhoods?

On a bright October morning in Lucas Park, dozens of community members — some with silver hair and some younger — move around in dirt, sweat and chatter. Loosely divided into small groups, the volunteers hold onto pots and branches to lift up small trees — each around 8 feet tall — and carry them to designated locations.  And then they circle around with shovels, and dig. This was an Arbor Day activity for Groundwork Richmond, an environmental and youth…

People of Richmond: Why do you think teens are so sad?

“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: Why do you think chronic sadness is so prevalent among WCCUSD high school students? “I’m a student athlete and I work. Sometimes I feel like I ignore my own feelings so I can get through the day.” (Alejandra, high school senior) “The environment is not safe, so definitely the schools aren’t safe…

People of Richmond: What type of business does the city need more of?

“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: What type of business would you like to see more of in Richmond? “Get us a small town pharmacist here. … A bakery, little floral shop would be nice. Give businesses an incentive to open here.” (Sam Charles, barbershop owner, pictured above) “I would like to see more entertainment-type businesses. That’d be…

People of Richmond: Are you getting the new COVID vaccine?

“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: Will you get the new COVID-19 booster when it becomes available? “I don’t think I’m going to take it because I don’t need it. In the place I work, they don’t require me to take the vaccine. I can go to stores to buy things and they don’t ask me to prove…

Richmond installing cameras to crack down on illegal dumping

A dirty red couch. An old pink baby stroller. Broken appliances. Rusted car parts. These are just some of the biggest pieces of illegally dumped trash spotted this month in a Richmond neighborhood.  City crews can’t keep up with the work. “We go to a street and pick up garbage,” said Victor Mejia, a Richmond Public Works Department cleanup worker. “Then after 20 minutes, we go back to the same spot and they dumped it again.” To fight the problem,…