Government
By August, Richmond may have a new representative in Congress – and the city’s leaders are divided over whether that’s a step in the right direction.
The line outside Richmond Municipal Auditorium was long Wednesday morning. Real long. It ran in and out the front door as nearly 860 pairs of feet waited patiently for the day to begin. For these Contra Costa County residents it was a time to reacquaint themselves with county services.
An event aimed at helping Contra Costa County’s burgeoning homeless population is expected to draw nearly 1,000 people to the Richmond Municipal Auditorium Wednesday
If a redistricting plan moves forward as drafted, Richmond would find itself aligned with Berkeley and Oakland, and shifted away from sharing representation with Contra Costa County communities.
Councilman Tom Butt and other Richmond leaders want to ban plastic bags in retail and grocery stores, with or without the support of neighboring cities.
Rates of whooping cough in California have continued to climb this year, and in Contra Costa County, infection rates are lining up to top last year’s record-breaking number of cases, according to the county’s health department. There have been 83 confirmed cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, since January. Last year, the county saw more than 200 infections.
Richmond appears on its way to becoming the first city in Contra Costa County to issue its own municipal identification cards, which will be available to all local residents.
The North Richmond of today emerges from a history marked by bad reputation, bad luck and, often, bad intentions.
In July the city will approve a new general plan, a huge policy document that will shape the future of the city for the next couple decades. The draft plan adds a unique element to the plan that focuses city policy on efforts to improve the health of Richmond residents, putting the city at the forefront of combining city policy and public health.