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  Latest on Richmond's Baron of Blight
March 24, 2013
 
 

Eye on the East Bay:
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   03/24/2013 12:00:00 AM PDT
Junkyard or gemyard?: Eyes are always trained on the never-dull Richmond Councilman Corky Boozé, especially since news broke that the city is demanding that he clean up a junk-strewed property to which he is linked.
The city's attorneys say 22 Carlson Blvd. is a public nuisance and is being maintained in violation of a court order. Boozé disputes their conclusions but does concede that his metal fence is peppered with bullet holes.
Boozé holds a business license for "auto towing, storage, repair, restoration/painting and sales."
The Eye has taken several peeks at the 28,000-square-foot lot. There's a lot of rusty chassis there, but it doesn't appear that any "restoration" is on the agenda. On Thursday, The Eye went on a reconnaissance mission, acting on tips that Boozé was on site hauling away rust buckets ahead of an inspection.
Instead, The Eye spotted Boozé, who appeared to be giving City Prosecutor Trisha Aljoe and a code enforcement officer a guided tour of his yard, which resembles a 21st-century version of Sanford and Son's Salvage. The Eye couldn't decipher the conversation, but Aljoe appeared nonplused.
In an email statement, Aljoe said she has "confirmed that the responsible parties are actively abating the violations. ... We will continue to closely monitor and conduct compliance inspections on an ongoing basis until all violations have been abated."
Staff writers Denis Cuff, Robert Rogers, Sam Richards and Tom Barnidge contributed to this column.

 
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