Many people love the holiday season for its chilly weather, twinkling lights and scent of fresh fir trees. But respiratory viruses love it too, spreading through increased travel, family gatherings, and the colder weather driving people indoors. Across California, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising. According to the latest Public Health Department data, the average number of cases diagnosed per day in California has quadrupled since mid-October, when case counts were trending downward, and doubled in the past month, to…
In a recent survey , San Pablo residents and commuters made one thing abundantly clear: They want more opportunities to own a home in the city. Dyett & Bhatia Urban and Regional Planners, consulting for the city, conducted the survey from December to late February, asking respondents to rank economic and business priorities in San Pablo. Homeownership was the second-highest priority among both residents and non-residents, just behind well-paying jobs. Among solely non-residents who work or go to school in…
“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 should Richmond do to attract and retain businesses? “There’s a lot of things they could be doing. Probably revamp the downtown area. The old bank is still empty. … Taxes are very high for businesses so lowering taxes and providing incentives for new businesses is a start. Bigger businesses like the…
A man in a baseball cap repeatedly slams his balled up fist against a large, red button. He reaches into the back pocket of his jeans, pulls out a thick wad of $20 bills, and feeds the electronic bingo machine in between his frustration-filled hits. Next to him, a middle-aged woman in a bejeweled T-shirt and pink hoodie raises her arms in the air with pure joy, excitedly stamping her feet. Her machine dings and flashes bright, colorful lights, like…
“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: Should the California Constitution be amended to guarantee the right to an abortion? “Ultimately, yes. I do, personally, although I have family who feels very differently. So it’s always such a heated topic in my family, so I was thinking about them. But on a personal level, I do feel very strongly…
“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 should be done to address the teacher shortage in the West Contra Costa Unified School District? “Pay them a living wage, increase taxes on corporations so we can pay them a living wage, and also of course housing. Housing is so expensive here…a lot of teachers can’t afford to live here. Cost…
“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: Have you or will you get the new booster shot against the omicron variant? “I am. My father is immunocompromised. It’s really important in order to keep my family safe. It’s important for us all to do our part to keep our community safe. At the end of the day, it is…
Family, friends, co-workers and community members gathered at Lucky A’s North Richmond Baseball Field on Saturday to celebrate the life and legacy of Henry Arthur Clark, a pioneer of the environmental justice movement in Richmond and beyond. Clark passed away on June 2, at 77 years old. To a gathering of more than 50 people, speakers recounted the leadership that would be a hallmark of Clark’s life. He grew up in the shadow of the Chevron Refinery and Richmond’s industrial…
Emotions boiled over at the West Contra Costa Unified School District board meeting Wednesday when administrators of the Bright Futures Growth and Development Center in Richmond asked why they no longer had a contract to provide after school and other services to students. Bright Futures President Idrissa Lattier lobbed cutting accusations of selfishness and dishonesty at each of the board members, as she scolded them for their inaction on the contract, saying, “I don’t need to sell Bright Futures. ……
“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: Should Richmond increase police pay to make it easier for the city to recruit officers? “Yes, but only if it goes to training. We shouldn’t be defunding the police. They should be given moretraining. You know, we can all use a little more training in our jobs. They should be trained in…