Development

Richmond nonprofit tackles new approach to urban renewal

James Anderson has a habit of peeking out of his house, day or night, constantly checking on his unofficial front yard. From his front door or upstairs window, he can scan the half-acre park known as Elm Playlot, just to make sure there’s no trouble. He grew up in the Iron Triangle, a notoriously high-crime neighborhood in central Richmond named for the train tracks that create its distinctive borders. More than year ago Anderson started working at Elm Playlot, located…

Locally Richmond: Move Around Fitness

Locally Richmond is an occasional series of profiles that highlights the small businesses that contribute to making Richmond a unique community.  The dark and treacherous battle with cancer leaves some people helpless and weak. For Sarita Evans, it put things into perspective. It reinforced in her the importance of her relationship with her daughter as well as the importance of her health. “I was very scared and I was a single parent and became very focused on trying to build a future for…

The Head Start program turns 50 this year in Contra Costa County

County officials, parents, children and alumni gathered at George Miller Center in Richmond on Friday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Head Start in Contra Costa County. Dozens of families were on hand to tour school facilities and discuss the evolution of the child care program.

City forced to increase debt, rethink its finances

Last week, Richmond’s City Council faced a painful choice between paying a $30 million bond termination fee or taking on an extra $10 million in debt over the life of the bond. Neither of these options help the city handle its deficit, but council members opted for continuing payment through the life of the bond.

PG&E to incorporate safety initiatives, remove obstructing trees

After the deadly San Bruno pipeline explosion five years ago, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. launched a statewide upgrade to its gas safety program. Richmond will receive its PG&E pipeline safety makeover in the upcoming weeks. PG&E said it was introducing its Community Pipeline Safety Initiative to improve access to transmission lines for first responders in the event of an emergency, partly by removing or replacing trees. The utility said Richmond has 43 trees on public property needing replacement, while…