General
“People of Richmond” is a regular series in which reporters pose a question to people in the community. Answers are presented verbatim, though sometimes edited for brevity. Q: How do you de-stress in Richmond? Tiffany Jenkins (administrative analyst) “I like to go on hikes and go on walks. There are some really nice neighborhoods, and I really enjoy the beach.” Andrew Clark (rancher and construction worker) “I’m the type of person that likes the water. It is relaxing, therapeutic.” (Pictured…
“The Stakes” is a UC Berkeley Journalism project on executive orders and actions affecting Californians and their communities. On a hot morning in late June, Gabriel Biddler came to River City Food Bank’s distribution center in Sacramento’s Arden-Arcade neighborhood in his wheelchair and with his dog. He stocked up on non-perishables like soup, pre-cooked chicken and macaroni, as well as fresh carrots, celery, asparagus, tomatoes and bananas. Because of disabling scoliosis, Biddler said, most of his money goes to medical…
Update: On Jan. 21, after a second reading of the ordinances, the City Council unanimously approved the pay raises. Richmond City Council is poised to get a big salary bump this year, under an ordinance introduced Tuesday that would increase the salaries of council members and the mayor by 80%. Only a couple residents questioned the salary boost, which the council spent half an hour defending, with each presenting an argument to justify the motion. “These jobs actually are 24/7…
Contra Costa County certified the 2024 election counts on Dec. 5. At the county level, voter turnout was 72%, with 519,078 ballots cast out of 722,861 registered voters. This high level of engagement was reflected in the presidential race, where Contra Costa County voters showed strong support for Alameda County native Vice President Kamala Harris, with 67.3% casting their ballots for the Democratic candidate. Here’s how Richmond voted on city, school board, county and state ballots: City Council seats went…
The Richmond Art Center buzzed Sunday with visitors, as they explored handcrafted goods and engaged with artists and artisans at the Holiday Arts Festival. The festival began 62 years ago as a craft-focused event and has blossomed into an annual tradition, celebrating the spirit of creativity, said Amy Spencer, the community engagement director who helps organize the event. Richmond Art Center has expanded its vision of bringing the community together to support independent artists and small businesses. “Nearly half the participating…
It’s been more than 80 years since former Richmond resident Bruce Howard Brown was killed in a plane crash during World War II. But after spending decades in a grave for unknown soldiers in France, 2nd Lt. Brown finally returns today, to Houston National Cemetery. “You know, it’s celebratory and sad at the same time,” said Winnifred McNamara, a Houston resident who is one of Brown’s sole surviving relatives and the organizer of the service. “But I’m so happy that…
If the West Contra Costa Unified School District doesn’t pass a Local Control Accountability Plan by Aug. 15, it’s not clear what would happen next because the school board’s decision to reject the plan last week was “unprecedented,” said Contra Costa County Schools Superintendent Lynn Mackey. The parent-led plan sets the course for about $64.8 million in district spending, particularly for the most vulnerable students. Without an LCAP, the board could not pass the proposed $509 million operating budget, which…
For the fifth straight year, the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and The CC Pulse are giving aspiring journalists an opportunity to hone their skills in the classroom and on the beat. Applications are now being accepted for the Reporter in Residence program, which is open to Contra Costa County residents with a strong interest in journalism and a willingness to share their knowledge of the community with Berkeley Journalism students. No job experience or journalism training is required….
Richmond has an image problem. And its residents are well aware of it. They see it in outsiders’ faces, hear it in their derogatory comments and sense it when they tell others where they are from. The image of Richmond as a rough-and-tumble town was solidified in the movie “Coach Carter,” about a Richmond basketball coach who inspires his scrappy but talented players to succeed athletically and academically, against all odds. That descriptor, apt as it may have been, also…