Front

Peacemakers mentor Rodney Brown Helps Struggling Richmond Kids Find Their Feet

Six children in blue collared shirts and khakis stand at the starting line of an asphalt track. Rodney Brown, the children’s mentor, paces the side, eyes and teeth glinting in the sun. Brown yells, “Ready. Set!” Three kids lunge forward. “No sir, no sir, back behind the line,” Brown says. The kids disqualify themselves about three more times. Brown sees himself in these Caliber: Beta Academy students, who are struggling to succeed. A Richmond native, he attended Kennedy High School….

Evacuation of local animal rescue group following October wildfires reveals challenges for animal shelters

After drawing a tube of blood from the front left leg of Diana, an 8-year-old American bulldog, outreach coordinator John Fonseca commended her as she laid on the bench at the adoption center of Milo Foundation, an animal rescue group based in Point Richmond. “You did good, Diana,” Fonseca said. Bethany Sullivan, Diana’s foster parent, was constantly caressing the dog’s abdomen. Although Sullivan’s own dog was sitting on the ground a couple of yards away, the deep concerns on her…

Bay Area air-quality board approves aggressive, ‘unprecedented’ toxic-emissions regulations

The Bay Area air-quality board approved some of the most aggressive toxic-emissions regulations in California on Wednesday, a move one official described as “unprecedented.” The rule, passed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), reigns in toxic emissions at facilities varying from oil refineries to mom-and-pop dry cleaners. The unanimous vote is considered a victory for local environmental groups and communities living in the shadow of the Bay Area’s worst polluters, such as Chevron in Richmond. The rule…