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Richmond city council fails to announce Bell vacancy as meeting ends in stalemate

A meeting that began with warm sentiments as the city council praised Salute restaurant owner Menbre Akililu for her Thanksgiving Day meal giveaway for the homeless quickly spiraled into arguing, showmanship and—at the very end—confusion. As the time ticked down for the meeting—which according to city bylaws officially ends at 11 pm, unless a majority of the councilmembers vote to extend the session—Mayor Gayle McLaughlin expressed concern that they might not get to her last agenda item: officially announcing a…

Richmond, Oakland leaders supporting proposed state regulation of ammunition sales

In the wake of recent mass shootings—including one in December at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, which took 26 lives, and one in late July at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater, which left 12 dead—an East Bay politician is pushing for new state restrictions on the sale of ammunition in California. The move has received widespread support from city and school officials in cities like Oakland and Richmond, which struggle with high rates of violent crime.

LBNL opens comment period for Richmond Bay Campus

What should the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) take into account as it begins the environmental review for its new Richmond Bay Campus? Wildlife and birds? Noise pollution and new traffic? These are question for Richmond residents, who have until February 4 to make suggestions. Last January, LBNL chose Richmond as the preferred site for its second campus, which will consolidate several bioscience facilities now scattered throughout the region. Richmond aggressively sought the lab–which city officials hope will be an…

World Series trophies, black and orange, displayed at Richmond Memorial Auditorium

Erik Lopez is not your ordinary San Francisco Giants fan. By day he’s your regular good guy from Hercules. By first pitch he saves the day as Giants-Wolverine; a five-foot-something wolf-like creature wearing a black and orange Giants cape, mask and foam knuckle blades. The baseball fan-superhero hybrid said his idea to become a “badass character” evolved during the 2010 postseason when he decided to combine his favorite team with his favorite Marvel character. “It’s all about the black and…

Eagles fight to the end, Hercules escapes with the win

On Friday, the Hercules Titans boys’ basketball team marched into the Coach Dolly Felix Gym and defeated the Kennedy Eagles 70-55. It was the Eagles’ fourth loss in a row, dropping the team to last place in the league. The game started out promising for the Eagles as swingmen Charles Smith and Kevin Snowden knocked down several three-pointers. By the end of the first quarter, Kennedy held a five-point lead. But things fell apart for Kennedy in the second quarter when…

Rift emerges in Richmond as Bell seat falls vacant

An empty chair sat on the dais of Richmond City Hall Tuesday night during the inauguration of re-elected councilmembers Tom Butt and Nat Bates. Outpourings of well wishes for its intended occupant, Gary Bell—who won the November race but is in a medically induced coma following a bacterial sinus infection—dominated public speeches and the hushed conversations in the gallery.