Health
Most healthcare bills have a hefty price tag attached, but Senate Bill 562 may have one larger than some Californians are willing to take on—an estimated $400 billion a year, according to an analysis from the California Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill, commonly called a “single payer plan,” is being pushed by members of the California Nurses Association, which is headquartered in Oakland. Should it pass, all healthcare costs would be covered under the expansive umbrella provided by the state…
Three volunteers slosh through John F. Kennedy Park in Richmond as they do each school day. The sounds of hail hitting the thin tin roof of the pavilion almost drown out the soft, squeaking sound of the trash pickers pinching packages of blunt wraps and flattened cans of beer. The brief, but heavy, downpour adds a dramatic flair to the garbage collection session. “We make sure over the wild weekend, there are no needles left here,” says Bendrick Foster as…
Kava, kratom and caffeine — the stories in this episode of our podcast dive into obsession, addiction and habits. We follow reporters Susie Neilson ad Padmini Parasarathy as they goes to Melo Melo Kava Bar where people consume Kava, a Polynesian root-brewed tea, helping people with their anxiety and overcome addiction. Alexa Hornbeck takes us to Sacramento as she speaks with a mother fighting to keep kratom, a controversial herbal supplement, from being made an illegal substance in the United States….
Richmond joined in the nationwide effort against gun violence. Students led the March for our Lives, which ended at Richmond City Hall, where young people expressed expressed how gun violence affects their lives. Click the story above to see the video by Abené Clayton. You can read the text story and see the photo gallery by Annabell Brockhues here.
Hundreds of thousands of marchers rallied across the United States on Saturday to protest gun violence. More than 800 events were planned, one of them in Richmond initiated by the mayor’s office. Some 400 people were expected to come—but in the end, almost 1,000 joined the “March for our Lives,” estimated Mayor Tom Butt, showing the community’s urgency for actions against gun violence.
Since the 1970s, psychologists and neurologists have been studying what happens in the brains of meditating children and adults. Now, hospitals and non-profits like Kaiser Permanente and Mindful Life Project are turning to mindfulness and yoga training for it’s ability to heal.
Almost five years after Richmond filed a lawsuit against Chevron for damages in response to the massive 2012 fire at the oil company’s local refinery, the case is finally moving forward to the trial phase.
Proposition 64, which voters passed in November 2016, not only legalized the adult use of cannabis, but also established protocols for reducing, dismissing and sealing old marijuana-related convictions. That means Californians convicted of cannabis crimes can wipe them away—if they file a petition.
Tobacco products like Swisher Sweets and Backwoods are mainstays in corner stores across the country. Some say that the bright wrapping and flavors like peach and fruit punch make these products attractive to the kids who encounter them while buying snacks. That’s why the city of Richmond bans menthol cigarettes and flavored tobacco products.