Health

Olive trees given to lucky shoppers

Richmond residents shopping at the farmers market for fresh produce Saturday snapped up 1,000 free organically grown olive trees alongside their bags of fruits and vegetables. The giveaway was a collaboration between McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma and the environmental group Self-Sustaining Communities. “We’re not only trying to change the scenery of Richmond by having more trees but also change people’s internal lifestyles,” said Mayor Gayle McLaughlin. “Gardens are fabulous places for people to get to know each other and for…

County seeks tighter safety measures in wake of new findings

As Richmond  Fire Department and Chevron firefighters complete joint search-and-rescue training operations at the Chevron refinery this week — a sign of cooperation between the two agencies at a time when residents and regulators are demanding answers about refinery safety — Contra Costa County is taking steps to tighten its industrial safety standards. The county’s Board of Supervisors last week appointed Supervisor John Gioia and District 5 Supervisor Federal D. Glover to  consider amendments to its Industrial Safety Ordinance and…

Main street market: both sides of the tent

On Wednesdays a vibrant civilization springs from trucks and vans to Nevin Plaza, bringing fresh goods to the locals. Fragrant peaches, colorful heirloom tomatoes and delicate cannoli are among the many treats to be found between the 10 or so tents that sit snugly in the courtyard. And as for quality, the produce is spray, pesticide and hormone-free. Yet what some of the more prominent Bay Area markets boast, this one lacks – USDA-certified organic products.

Police combat rise in prescription drug abuse

You won’t find a pair of shoes hanging from the power lines high above 8th and Lincoln in Central Richmond. Instead, orange and red cough syrup bottles dangle from ropes flung across the wires, a signal that hits of codeine are sold on this street.

Free Healthcare: Zumba

Feet stepped and hips swayed at last Thursday’s free Zumba class in the Iron Triangle.  Though the building on the corner of Macdonald Avenue and 9th Street reads “Karate,” this space is the new home of Main Street Zumba Fitness. The bi-weekly class, located in the heart of historic downtown Richmond, began in March and ran through July.  But after a successful first season, Richmond Main Street and Contra Costa Healthy Eating Active Living Collaborative (HEAL) decided to sponsor a…

Kaiser Permanente’s Live Well Be Well program doesn’t just happen over night

The folks at Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center want their employees to be big losers. Not in a bad way, but in a healthy way. For eight weeks Kaiser hires a boot camp instructor to come in on Monday and Wednesday to make their employees sweat. Like NBC’s popular reality weight loss show, “The Biggest Loser”, results can be dramatic. But it’s never easy. So far 20 women have signed up for the challenge. They use their lunch hour to…

Cut down on salt, sugar and fat

Drinking juice sounds healthy. But even a small bottle of apple juice can contain 10 teaspoons of sugar, a nutritionist told seniors at the Healthy Eating Event at the Richmond Auditorium Wednesday morning. About 50 people attended the free event, organized by the Richmond Commission on Aging and aimed at educating the elderly in Richmond on the benefits of eating and living healthily. “Instead of drinking juice and sweetened drinks, drink water,” said nutritionist Cheryl Davis. “And it’s not just…

Chevron failed to check pipes despite internal policies

Chevron failed to check pipes despite internal policies. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has found that sections of pipe that were measured following the August 6 fire at Chevron’s Richmond refinery had thinned in thickness by 80 percent. Chevron would have had to replace those sections to comply with its own standards, but the company did not inspect these sections in November 2011, despite internal policies to check all segments, CSB’s Don Holstrom said Tuesday night at the City Council…