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Little Caesars Love Kitchen feeds families in need

Little Caesars warmed the hearts of the homeless when its 53-foot-long semi truck, known as the Love Kitchen, rolled into the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program’s (GRIP) parking lot on 165 22nd Street on Saturday to give away free slices of piping hot pepperoni pizza. Staff from nearby San Pablo, El Cerrito and Richmond Little Caesars franchises volunteered their time to serve 250 pizzas to those in need. It was the Love Kitchen’s first visit to the city of Richmond. “The…

Richmond Police Activities League hands out free backpacks

A surprise gift awaited children who visited Hilltop Mall in Richmond on Saturday: backpacks filled with school supplies just in time for the first day of school on Aug. 20. Volunteers with the Richmond Police Activities League (RPAL), a non-profit organization, partnered with Pacific Gas & Electric and KTVU to hand out 300 backpacks. Larry Lewis, the police league’s executive director, said the goal of the event was to build better community relations with the people of Richmond. “That’s what…

Breaking the fast at Masjid Al Rahman mosque

At 8:14 p.m., on Monday the mosque on San Pablo Avenue in Richmond suddenly bustles with activity. Adhan, the Islamic call for prayer, is said. When the men wrap up their Quran reading and spring from their seats, it is time to break the 16-hour fast that started at 4:45 a.m. Worshippers walk to a narrow alley inside the mosque and sit together to break their fast. With their first bite of the fruits and dates spread out on a…

Thousands march to Chevron days before fire anniversary

More than 2,000 people took part in the rally that started at Richmond BART station and ended with a sit-in at the main gate of the Chevron refinery at Richmond Point. When 90-year-old protestor Ellen Small was arrested at the sit-in, some people in the crowd started chanting “Let the people go, arrest the CEO.”

City Council rejects move of marijuana dispensary

Richmond residents cheered and clapped Tuesday night when the City Council rejected a proposal to move a medical marijuana dispensary from Richmond’s Hilltop area to 425 South Second Street, near the Santa Fe neighborhood. Residents expressed strong opposition about the move claiming that the dispensary would be too close to a residential area and that it would increase crime in the neighborhood.

A day in the life of a Richmond police officer

It’s noon at Richmond’s Regatta Boulevard police station. A few police officers are sitting in front of their computers working. Amit Nath, one of the city’s 187 officers, interrogates a 15-year-old girl who was picked up for prostitution on 23rd Street. In a juvenile processing room Nath, 31, sits in front of her. The girl looks down as the officer asks her questions. At times she gets emotional and doesn’t answer them. When Nath asks her whether she has sex…