Sara Bernard

Marin Clean Energy program to launch in Richmond

This past June, Richmond’s City Council voted to join the Marin Energy Authority, a nonprofit energy provider that derives its electricity from a minimum of 50% renewable sources.

This means that in July 2013, all Richmond residents will be automatically enrolled in the Marin Clean Energy Community Choice Aggregation program’s Light Green package.

For those in combat overseas, a taste of home

Susan Fisher’s ink-black eyes reddened with tears as she described her two nephews who are deployed overseas. “One nephew is my blood nephew,” she said, “and the other, I’m like his other mom, especially after his real mom passed away a year ago.” Joe, who’s on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan, and Kristopher, who will celebrate his 27th birthday in Afghanistan on November 27, are about to receive special care packages filled with snacks, magazines, pens, cards, and other personalized…

Richmond remembers Barbara Vincent, lifelong advocate for city parks and shoreline

“We come together in grief,” said Pastor Dan Damon as he opened a memorial service Friday for Barbara Moore Vincent — but the day brought few tears. Instead, Vincent’s family and friends laughed and joked at the Richmond Yacht Club as they celebrated her long, rich life as a sharp-witted muckraker and tireless advocate for Richmond. Vincent, who helped create public access to miles of Richmond shoreline and served nearly three decades as a board member for the environmental group…

Gunshots halt Richmond homecoming

Gunshots fired close to Richmond High School on Friday night put an abrupt end to the school’s homecoming dance and football game against the Kennedy Eagles. Eight minutes were left in the game and the Eagles were up 16-6 when a gun was fired near 23rd and Maricopa, a stone’s throw from school grounds. Police stationed at the school for the game responded immediately, but by the time they got to the scene, everyone had scattered, Lt. Michael Booker said. No…

City Council Election 2012: Anthony Green

Richmond native Anthony Green spent 13 years in the Air Force – first as an Aerospace Ground Equipment mechanic, then as a loadmaster for the C-5 airplane, which he told me was one of the best jobs he ever had. “I still got to fly around everywhere,” he said. “I just wasn’t flying the plane.” The Air Force took him from battlegrounds in Iraq and Afghanistan to training grounds at Travis Air Force Base, as well as to Washington, Texas,…

Art on the Greenway exhibit a community effort to celebrate Richmond

The Richmond Greenway got a huge makeover this summer – from colorful murals to mosaic benches to hand-welded bike racks – thanks to $65,000 in grants through Richmond’s Neighborhood Public Art program. The summer’s projects culminated in a multimedia exhibit at the Richmond Art Center called Art on the Greenway that will remain until November 9, 2012. The Richmond Arts & Culture Commission awarded NPA grants to three different entities this year: The Community Rejuvenation Project for eight murals and…

Hundreds of volunteers expected this weekend at annual coastal cleanup

Hundreds of volunteers will collect thousands of pounds of trash Saturday at Shimada Friendship Park as part of an annual statewide effort to clean coastlines and educate the public about healthy watersheds. Unlike other ocean contaminants, “Trash is a pollutant you can see, so it’s less abstract,” said Juliana Gonzalez, the Healthy Watersheds Program manager for The Watershed Project, which co-sponsors the event with Supervisor John Gioia and the City of Richmond from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday. At noon, volunteers…

Baykeeper to launch massive toxic debris cleanup at Point Molate

About 125 tons of toxic debris cluttering the shoreline between Point Molate and Point San Pablo will be removed this fall by the San Francisco marine watchdog Baykeeper. With the help of volunteers and some heavy machinery, the nonprofit group plans to clean up trash and take out hundreds of pilings soaked with creosote, a wood preservative and possible human carcinogen, starting in late September or early October. “There are old derelict docks and piers along Point Richmond and Point…