Mitzi Pérez-Caro

People of Richmond: With the RPA now in charge, what’s in store for the city?

“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: With the Richmond Progressive Alliance gaining a super-majority on City Council, what do you think the future holds for Richmond? “Although it is a RPA majority, they are still individuals. I don’t want to do to them what a lot of people have done to the African American and Latino community, box…

California leads nation in catalytic converter thefts, which Richmond motorists know all too well

Catalytic converter thefts have been rapidly climbing since 2019, with California leading the nation in thefts. And Richmond is no stranger to the surge, as auto repair shops cite a steady stream of vehicles that need catalytic converters. To address the problem, legislators passed three laws this summer that would put trackable labels on converters, impose harsher criminal penalties for those selling or buying converters without documentation, and prioritizing vehicle parts thefts for the California Highway Patrol’s Regional Property Crimes…

PHOTOS: Helping others in his memory — slain teen’s family holds coat drive in his honor

Jazmine Perkins and her family were busy last weekend, collecting loads of sweaters, coats, shoes, blankets, socks, hats, scarves and gloves. Every year since 2019, Perkins has done something to honor her brother, Jamarrea “JMac” Frazier, an aspiring artist and basketball player at De Anza High School who was fatally shot Nov. 26, 2019, in North Richmond.  “Last year I fed the homeless. I set up out here and I had turkey, all type of food. And what I had…

People of Richmond: What should the city do to attract businesses?

“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…

People of Richmond: Should voters amend the state Constitution to protect abortion right

“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…

Richmond gets $6 million to tackle rising gun violence

Aiming to curb gun violence before it begins, the California Violence Intervention & Prevention Grant Program recently awarded $6 million to Richmond. Allocated by the Office of Neighborhood Safety, the money will support education and life skills programs, employment training, street outreach and stipends for would-be offenders of violent crime. Those programs fall under the office’s Operation Peacemaker, which will receive about a third of the grant money.  Operation Peacemaker launched an 18-month fellowship program in 2010 that incentivizes those…

People of Richmond: Will you get the new COVID booster?

“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…