Government
Richmond is suing two global banks over a $66 million financial deal it says violated California law and strapped the city for money needed to cover vital city services. Last week, the banks asked the case to be transferred from California Superior Court to federal court. The case, filed by Richmond on March 17, claims the city lost the money on interest rate swaps signed in the early 2000s. These deals were once promoted as a way to manage borrowing…
Two Richmond residents are vying to represent Area 1 on the Contra Costa County Board of Education: Area 1 covers the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Anthony Caro and Daniel Nathan-Heiss are running for the seat held by Consuelo Lara, who served one term and is not running for reelection. The board, alongside the county superintendent of schools, provides oversight of the county’s 18 school districts. Its duties include monitoring districts’ financial obligations, overseeing transfer and expulsion hearings, and…
Seuy Karnsouvong remembers going to the fire station by Crescent Park in Richmond with her late husband, Boonthong, to vote. Since she wasn’t familiar with English like he was, he would walk her through filling out her ballot. That was decades ago, but Karnsouvong still needs help dissecting the complicated language used in measures and other parts of the ballot. She isn’t alone in needing assistance with voting. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Richmond has 1,667 Laotian and 182…
Jovanka Beckles and Jesse Arreguín are running for the District 7 California state Senate seat, which covers Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Incumbent Nancy Skinner, who is not seeking reelection, represents the same geographic region, which was called District 9 before redistricting occurred in 2021. Richmond Confidential interviewed the two candidates, both Democrats. Here is a summary of their responses. Jesse Arreguín, Berkeley mayor Jovanka Beckles, AC Transit director What are your top three priorities as state senator? Arreguin said…
On Election Day, Richmond voters will decide between two ballot measures that could reshape elections for the foreseeable future. On the ballot are two options: Measure J’s two-round primary system or Measure L, an instant run-off, otherwise known as ranked-choice voting. Both address concerns over representation but through vastly different approaches. Measure J, which is supported by local unions and known as the Richmond Election Reform Act, would maintain the familiar two-round primary election where a candidate must secure a…
George Ellis walked down Sixth Street, greeting neighbors he passed in a community he has called home for decades. While he and his wife hung a poster of the City Council candidate they both planned to vote for, Ellis couldn’t remember the candidate’s name. “I need to get more in-depth and do more reading. I know I should,” he said, confessing his lack of knowledge about this year’s election. At the nearby Nevin Community Center, which also is an Election…
“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: If you were on Richmond City Council, what one thing would you try to change or improve? Lyz Luke “If there’s one thing I could change about City Council, it’s how they fund the arts in the city of Richmond. I run a nonprofit, and we do a ton of great public…
District 5 City Council candidates fielded questions Tuesday night on issues ranging from police funding and environmental concerns to plans for diversifying city revenue and reducing reliance on Chevron, Richmond’s largest employer. The chairs in Richmond’s Eastern Hall Methodist Church were just over half full, with about 40 community members, organizers, and journalists. Another 30 people joined the discussion virtually. The forum was co-hosted by Richmond Confidential, Richmondside, The Contra Costa Pulse, and El Tímpano, and was moderated by Richmondside…
On Tuesday, the two candidates running for Richmond City Council in District 5 will meet for an election forum co-hosted by Richmond Confidential, Richmondside, The Contra Costa Pulse and El Tímpano. Residents are invited to hear candidates talk about their positions on a range of issues facing the city, and will have an opportunity to pose questions. Two candidates are running for the District 5 seat: Ahmad Anderson, a nonprofit director, and Sue Wilson, a community nonprofit adviser. Incumbent Gayle McLaughlin, a longtime council…