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Shields Nursing Center warms up hearts with free coats

At around nine on a chilly Saturday morning a line of nearly 300 people wrapped around the corner of Cutting and 20th Street as they giddily waited for a Christmas present that would keep them warm. Shields Nursing Center was turned into a winter wonderland as community members and staff gave out 200 free coats and candy canes to Richmond youth during their annual Warm Coat Giveaway. The event started at noon and by 2pm every child in line had…

Richmond mosque provides safe space, education for Muslim families

The last thing you’d expect to sit opposite Jerry’s Cocktail Lounge in Richmond is a family-oriented, Muslim place of worship, let alone a full-fledged Islamic school. Yet every Sunday, over 150 parents, students, elders, and teachers pile out of their cars or from the closest bus stop to walk over to Richmond’s Masjid Al-Rahman. Many families come from as far as Albany and Emeryville. Mosques in West Contra Costa County are sparse – the only other Muslim place of worship in…

Restorative Justice offers Richmond High students alternatives to suspension

Sofia Paredes, a senior at Richmond High School, has always been an outspoken student, but exercising her freedom of speech hasn’t always been received in the way she hoped. “I had trouble communicating and being patient with my teacher,” Paredes said. “Participating in RJ allowed the problem to be fixed before it escalated and maybe put me in real trouble.” “RJ” is the nickname given to Restorative Justice, an in-school program Paredes participated in with her teacher this year. By…