Government

Richmond Confidential looks back on 2014, year for the ages

Long after the billboards come down, the campaign mailers rest in landfills and the New Year’s toasts come and go, 2014 may be remembered as Richmond’s big election year. We are honored to have been in Richmond’s streets and chambers, its homes and schools and everywhere else, helping write the first drafts of history in an important time and place. Chevron Corp. poured an unprecedented $3.1 million into the municipal races only to lose the open mayoral and city council seats to a progressive coalition on every…

Independence of independent expenditure groups called into question

Richmond’s 2014 election was defined by Chevron Corp.’s failed effort to get their favored candidates elected despite spending more than $3 million through an array of independent expenditure committees. Some have raised concerns about coordination between political candidates and these committees.

Retrospective: Archives show difficult road for Richmond middle class

As Richmond prepared to enter the 1960s, the city was about to encounter an era of rapid change. In November of 1959, readers opened the pages of the city’s daily newspaper, the Richmond Independent, to be confronted with Thanksgiving sales and headlines about next fall’s presidential race (“State GOP Supports Nixon”). The advertisements reflected an idyllic version of late 1950s America: A well-dressed businessman, hands clasped in his lap, dozes with a smile as a cherubic young boy gazes up…

Weekend marches turn violent as Berkeley protests police killings of unarmed black men

In reaction to the recent non-indictments of police killings of unarmed black men, hundreds marched throughout Berkeley Sunday night. Riots broke out around 10 p.m., as a mass of protestors vandalized and looted storefronts along the downtown corridor and Telegraph Avenue. Sunday night was also marked by clashes between violent protestors and non-violent ones.

Hundreds join first night of protests in Berkeley

Hundreds of protestors marched in downtown Berkeley Saturday night, protesting the recent non-indictments of the police officers involved in the deaths of the Eric Garner and Michael Brown. The protestors started from University Ave., caused North Berkeley BART Station to close, and marched towards UC Berkeley. Violence erupted at Telegraph Ave. while making their way to downtown Berkeley, chanting verses ranging from “I can’t breathe” to “Don’t shoot” to “the system is corrupt.”   University Ave.   Downtown Berkeley Telegraph Ave.