History

Better clinic, better care

Two weeks ago, hundreds of staff and movers transported the Richmond Health Center to its new home in San Pablo. This was one of the last steps in opening the doors to the West County Health Center, and it had been preceded by years of preparation. The long-term planning process was fed by focus groups that considered staff and patient needs. Dr. Chris Farnitano, the WCHC ambulatory care medical director, said planners wanted a building that would “encourage a team-based…

Open Carry Ban in Richmond

Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill late last month making it illegal to visibly carry loaded or unloaded shotguns or rifles. In San Francisco the open carry ban has spurred debates and some protests by open carry advocates. But across the Bay in Richmond, the response has been more muted, and some citizens said the ban won’t have a substantial impact on their city. Kevin Muccular, a change agent with the Office of Neighborhood Safety, said that his organization hadn’t…

Oysters in for a comeback at Point Pinole

Olympia oysters, whose slender, two-inch shells can be found in historic Native American sites across the Bay Area, are believed to thrive in the shallow water below the tide. But more than a century after nearly disappearing, the Olys could make a comeback at Point Pinole.

Home Front Festival 2012

Richmond is a city that celebrates its history. On Saturday, the sixth annual Home Front Festival in the Craneway Pavilion at Ford Point, paid homage to the importance of World War II in the shaping and growth of the city. Hundreds came and went throughout the sunny day, enjoying the interactive history booths, live music, and displays.

Richmond hears El Grito de Dolores loud and clear

The Mexican flag, carried carefully without touching the floor, dwarfed Marco Negrete, a diplomatic attaché from the Mexican Consulate General in San Francisco, as he carried it onto the stage in Richmond’s Restaurante la Revolución. From the stage, Negrete stood before the band’s instruments, and gazed out at hundreds of people who had gathered from all over the Bay Area to celebrate El Grito de Dolores – Mexican Independence Day. “¡Mexicanos!” he yelled. “¡Vivan los héroes que nos dieron la…

Park searches for funds to build Pinole interpretive center

The East Bay Regional Park District is looking for $5.2 million to fund a first-of-its-kind interpretive center at Point Pinole, which would help tell the environmental and cultural history of the area through educational programs for school children and the public.

Community remembers ‘superhuman’ pediatrician Dr. William Jenkins

When Dr. William Jenkins Jr.’s home was threatened by the Oakland Hills fire of 1991, the last thing on his mind was saving his house. “All he cared about was saving one suit so he could go to work,” said Dr. Brian Blaisch, Jenkins’ former colleague and friend. “And that was literally the real meaning in his life – making sure that he could get to work the next day.” Superhuman, perfectionist, giver, father: These were the words friends and…

Splish, splash—Point Molate beach will re-open

On Tuesday, the city council approved funding that it will re-open Point Molate beach—the city’s only public beach. The beach closed in 2004 due to budget cuts and then was slammed in 2007 by the Cosco Busan fuel spill. The public space has been under lock and key ever since. In anticipation of the beach’s re-opening, we thought it would be fun to see what the area looks like today.