Keeping up with issues and events in Richmond’s diverse and far flung neighborhoods is much facilitated by the Internet. Many neighborhood councils either have websites or distribute newsletters via email. Those with websites include:

• North and East Neighborhood Council: http://www.northandeast.org/
• Richmond Annex Neighborhood Council: http://www.ranc.org/who.html
• Marina Bay Neighborhood Council: http://www.marinabaycouncil.com/

You can subscribe to the following newsletters distributed via email by request to:

• Point Richmond Neighborhood Council: birdwine@attbi.com
• Parchester Village Neighborhood Council: 19jd71@comcast.net
• El Sobrante Neighborhood Councils: perfectpage@compuserve.com

Although not neighborhood council sites, some neighborhoods have web sites that provide comprehensive information on news, events, services, movie reviews and political commentary. Each of these includes numerous links to related sites. Point Richmond appears to be the epicenter for these, with at least three:

• http://www.pointrichmond.com/
• http://www.brickyardrealty.com/gazette.htm
• http://pointofview.bluehighways.com/

I use the City of Richmond web site (www.ci.richmond.ca.us) often for such things as looking up items on archived City Council Minutes or finding the phone number or web page of a City department. A popular new attraction is “live streaming video,” where you can select agenda items and watch the actual video of City Council meetings at http://richmond.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2.

I also use the City’s on line GIS a lot to find parcel maps and aerial photos of specific properties in the City. When a particular property is the subject of a complaint or becomes an issue, I can pull it up at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/GIS/mappingservices.html if I know the address, parcel number or general location. Planning also has a good web page, with access to the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, land use applications and related information.

The City’s cable channel, KCRT also has an information packed website at http://www.kcrt.com/specialfeatures/neighbor/, including a list of neighborhood council contact information and meeting times and places.

Probably the one I use the most is the on line Richmond Municipal Code at http://bpc.iserver.net/codes/richmond/index.htm. Accessing the Zoning Ordinance is quicker at this site than the Planning web page because Planning has the Zoning Ordinance as a PDF file, while this is HTML. A word of warning – it is updated only every few months, so new or recently amended ordinances will not appear for a while.

You can get updated crime reports by neighborhoods and on-line crime report forms at the Police Department’s web site (www.rpdonline.net/main/home.htm), and you can obtain a comprehensive Identity Theft Victim Guide at http://www.rpdonline.net/main/documents/identitytheft.pdf. You can compare Richmond crime to other cities at http://richmondca.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm.

Many organizations have web sites chock full of information about Richmond’s most interesting activities, attractions, projects and oddities:

• East Brother Light Station: www.ebls.org
• Rosie the Riveter WW II/Home Front National Historical Park: www.rosietheriveter.org and http://www.nps.gov/rori/index.htm
• Richmond Environmental Defense Fund: http://www.pointrichmond.com/redf/index.html
• Trails for Richmond Action Committee: http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/trac/
• Richmond Main Street Project: http://www.richmondmainstreet.org/
• Richmond Museum of History: http://www.richmondmuseumofhistory.org/
• Red Oak Victory Ship: http://www.ssredoakvictory.org/
• Friends of Baxter Creek: http://www.creativedifferences.com/baxtercreek/
• Parents Resources and More – PRAM: http://www.pram.net/
• Point Richmond History Association: http://www.pointrichmondhistory.org (Great on-line collection of historical photos)

For information on the West Contra Costa Unified School District, visit the web site at http://www.wccusd.k12.ca.us and email Paul Ehara to subscribe to the Apple Bite newsletter at pehara@wccusd.k12.ca.us.

For business information, go to the Richmond Chamber of Commerce at www.rcoc.com. 

I am sure there are many more, and I would appreciate any additional resources that readers may suggest.