Karina Gutierrez was born in Mexico and was brought to the United States by her parents when she was four years old. She is not a U.S. citizen and has no legal right to be here. Now 24, Gutierrez graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2010, where she double majored in political science and psychology, and is a second-year law student at Golden Gate University, focusing on her favorite topic—the Constitution. Gutierrez says that because of her accomplishments, and because…
The first time Javier Campos saw his sister Barbara Rojas’s new house—just a couple of weeks ago — he pulled up and said, “Oh this is perfect.” Perfect, for BBQs, for big family get-togethers, for the kids. In short, perfect for Campos’ favorite pastime—hanging out with the people he loved. Barbara said her brother had big plans for a Labor Day barbecue at her house. But just days before the party, on Sept. 1, he was shot and killed during…
Kennedy High football coach Mack Carminer walked slowly to the 50-yard line on Friday — minutes before the team’s first home game — to hold a brief ceremony in honor of “a fallen soldier.” Followed by members of the school administration Carminer carried the framed Eagles jersey of Ulises Grijalva, a player who was killed on August 5. Taking the microphone, Carminer bowed his head and called for a moment of silence. The sound of teenagers’ laughter and teasing that…
The number of homicides in Richmond this year rose to 14 on Saturday when a deadly shooting occurred in the Taco Bell parking lot on 23rd St. and Barrett Ave. Richmond Police spokeswoman, Detective Nicole Abetkov, said the victim was shot in the abdomen and died later at the hospital as a result of his injuries. The Contra Costa County Coroner’s office confirmed the identity of the victim as Javier Campos, 38, of Richmond.
“Homicides are down over 40% already,” said Richmond Police Captain Mark Gagan, cautioning that in the face of Campos’ murder just days earlier that statistic holds little comfort.
Over the last five weeks, seven Richmond teens—under the guidance of two adults, Loriana Valente and Pancho Peskador—have spent hours spray painting the walls of a building in Richmond. On the corner of 41st Street and Macdonald Avenue they worked, transforming the dull brown walls of the West Contra Costa County Children’s Services building into a vibrantly colorful depiction of their vision of life in Richmond.
Just days after a fire at the Chevron refinery sent Richmond residents scurrying for cover indoors, on Saturday hundreds of people gathered outside to celebrate the re-opening of a community park.
Throngs of Richmond residents, upset and ready to be heard, gathered at a town hall meeting held by Chevron on Tuesday night, following the refinery fire that cloaked Richmond in a dark cloud of particulates the night before.
Energy as tangible as an electric current charged through the Craneway Pavillion on Saturday night as people flowed into the glass-lined room by the bay. The cavernous space was converted into a derby stadium for the 2012 B.ay A.rea D.erby (B.A.D.) Girls Championship showdown between the San Francisco ShEvil Dead and the Richmond Wrecking Belles.
When he was 20 years old, John Roulac had no idea that the pain and sluggishness he was experiencing while shooting hoops would lead him to found Nutiva, one of the fastest-growing health food companies in the United States, which will soon move into a new warehouse in Point Richmond and expects to hire about 100 local workers.
On Tuesday night, at the last city council meeting before a month-long recess, the council wrapped up by approving nearly a dozen expenditure items, most notably the resurrection of Richmond’s only beach—Point Molate.
The city council Tuesday night approved two contentious campaign finance ordinances that, taken together, limit the influence of people and businesses that contribute to a candidate or sitting councilmember. These ordinances will likely reshape the way candidates approach fundraising in this year’s election.
In an unusual move, last week after a particularly heated city council meeting Mayor Gayle McLaughlin sent an email to her online supporters entitled “The situation at City Council meetings,” in which she castigated “one councilmember’s” behavior during meetings, urged the public and other councilmembers to recognize to her authority as mayor and assured everyone that she will be tightening the reigns.
On Saturday night in downtown Richmond, the unmistakable beats of Latin Jazz, followed by cheers and laughter, poured out of a small office tucked away in a row of other non-descript offices. The little space on Macdonald Avenue by the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts was illuminated with ambient lighting and filled with people. In the back corner the band played while people twirled on the dance floor. This is how the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) was helping two of its own candidates—Marilyn Langlois and Eduardo Martinez—raise money.