Ized Stewart, “Bag Man,” dies at sixty-four

Joseph Newkirk recalls seeing the weathered face of Ized Stewart often along Barrett Avenue. Known to some as George, and known to others in the Richmond community as “the bag man,” Stewart was a fixture in the neighborhood. Stewart had a distinctive look. He wore layers of tattered clothes. He had a scraggly beard and…

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Richmond seeks to regulate cash-for-gold businesses

Cash-for-gold businesses may soon see tougher rules as Richmond officials mull over a proposal that would give them more authority to regulate the dealers.    City planners are drafting an ordinance amendment to establish new zoning regulations for the specialty businesses that offer customers cash in exchange for selling their gold. Once complete, the Planning…

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Little Caesars Love Kitchen feeds families in need

Little Caesars warmed the hearts of the homeless when its 53-foot-long semi truck, known as the Love Kitchen, rolled into the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program’s (GRIP) parking lot on 165 22nd Street on Saturday to give away free slices of piping hot pepperoni pizza. Staff from nearby San Pablo, El Cerrito and Richmond Little Caesars…

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Ride of Silence honors cyclists injured or killed on the road

He doesn’t remember the exact street he was on when he flew into traffic. But Najari Smith does remember riding in a shared lane—a section of road without a bike lane—when a truck behind him honked incessantly, signaling frustration with Smith’s slower speed. Smith tried to speed up, but his chain slipped off the gears,…

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Richmond school is gifted thousands of free books

A program that gives away free books to school children has touched down on the West Coast, and one of Richmond’s schools was the first to host the event Wednesday night. Through the Newark-based program, My Very Own Library, more than 2,000 books were available for all students at Making Waves, a charter middle and…

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