Darrell Reese was sentenced yesterday for felony income tax evasion. In case you do not get the West County Times or the Chronicle, you can read more in: 

http://www.contracostatimes.com/community/wct/stories/darrell_20010203.htm  

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/03/MNC133064.DTL   

One surprising thing that is coming out of this story is that Darrell Reese, Richmond Firefighters Local 188 and the BMW (Black Men and Women - a Richmond Political action committee) are taking an active role in supporting the proposed secession of Hercules from the West Contra Costa Unified school District. It is surprising that Richmond organizations that presumably have Richmond's best interests in mind would support the secession. It is opposed by all five members of the WCCUSD Board of Trustees. More of the WCCUSD schools are in Richmond than any other West County city, and a Hercules secession would harm Richmond schools and Richmond students in many ways, including weakening the financial condition of the WCCUSD, lowering average test scores, raising the average age of schools and lessening economic and ethnic diversity. There is absolutely nothing in the secession that would benefit Richmond, so why are Richmond politicians involved? We would like to know.