A “food desert” is a trendy term for an area that might have lots of grocery stores, typically corner markets, but have a serious lack of nutritious food offerings. Instead they may offer junk food, soda, liquor and tobacco products. What we have in Richmond is a...

Apparently, on March 18, the City Council will be asked to approve placing a ballot measure on the November ballot that would increase the minimum wage in Richmond. There are three potential levels proposed: · $11.00/hour · $12.30/hour · $15.00/hour Businesses with...

Attached is a flyer discussing the AltCar Conference on March 14-15 that ABAG is helping to sponsor. ABAG would like to extend invitation to use the promo code "ABAGAC14" during the registration process. Some of the topics covered: -Best Practices for Deployment of...

Richmond to hire independent investigator to audit troubled housing agency By Robert Rogers Contra Costa Times Posted: 03/04/2014 09:33:09 PM PST Updated: 03/04/2014 09:33:09 PM PST RICHMOND -- Faced with systemic problems throughout its public housing authority and a...

Another heated election looms in Richmond By Robert Rogers Contra Costa Times Posted: 02/28/2014 08:44:05 PM PST Updated: 02/28/2014 10:56:36 PM PST RICHMOND -- Two years ago, when the behemoth beverage industry set up shop here and poured millions into local politics...

Usually I really like what Robert Rogers writes, especially his Facebook movie reviews. But, hey, every once in a while even the best have the journalistic equivalent of a bad hair day. February 28 was Robert’s. Regarding the story below, Let’s start with his quoted...

Mayor and City Councilmembers: This is the weekly report for the week ending February 28th, 2014. 1. Meeting Notes The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4th beginning with a Housing Authority Commission meeting at 6:00 PM, followed by the...

The Agenda/Packet for the Tuesday, March 4, 2014, Regular Richmond City Council Meeting is on the web. Follow the link below to view: http://sireweb.ci.richmond.ca.us/sirepub/meet.aspx Want to receive TOM BUTT E-FORUM and other action alerts on Richmond political and...

"Rosies" kick off Women's History Month in Richmond By Lisa P. White Contra Costa Times Posted: 03/01/2014 06:20:29 PM PST Updated: 03/01/2014 07:04:49 PM PST RICHMOND -- Five members of the dwindling sisterhood known affectionately as the "Rosies" gathered Saturday...

Eye on the East Bay Contra Costa Times Posted: 03/02/2014 12:00:00 AM PST Richmond's councilman journalist: The Eye has written before about the explosion of journalistic endeavors in Richmond, where every City Council meeting borders on slapstick and the streets are...

I found out today That I had been selected to receive the American Institute of Architects California Council 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award. See below. The American Institute of Architects, California Council (AIACC) is the voice of the architecture profession,...

When the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) listed numerous HUD criticisms of the Richmond Housing Authority, they neglected to mention that all of them had been distilled into a Recovery Plan prepared by HUD and adopted by the Public Housing Commission (City...

Introduction The 150-unit Hacienda is the ground zero poster child of Amy Julia Harris’ sensational expose of Richmond’s Housing Authority, so on Friday, February 21, I went to the scene of the crime to see for myself. Resident Manager Debra Holter said she had been...

One of the issues raised by Center for Investigative Reporting journalist Amy Julia Harris was security at Richmond’ public housing projects, particularly at Hacienda. She also reviewed HUD’s criticism of procurement by the Richmond Housing Authority (RHA). While I...

I received several emails the last couple of days from persons who had been paid $100 and a sandwich to sit in on focus groups apparently to evaluate the impact of Chevron’s full court public relations press in Richmond. I’m not sure this is surprising, or even news....

Mayor and City Councilmembers: This is the weekly report for the week ending February 21st, 2014. Meeting Notes The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25th beginning with a Closed Session at 5:30 PM, followed by the regular agenda at 6:30 PM....

The Agenda/Packet for the Tuesday, February 25, 2014, Special Richmond City Council Meeting is on the web. Follow the link below to view: http://sireweb.ci.richmond.ca.us/sirepub/meet.aspx Want to receive TOM BUTT E-FORUM and other action alerts on Richmond political...

In the wake of the shark feeding frenzy at the Richmond City Council last Tuesday night set off by a series of articles by a single journalist, I submit that the subject is sufficiently complex to deserve a more objective approach by the City Council. This is, first...

Mayor and Members of the City Council: This email is to provide you with a summary of what I am proposing as the short-term, medium-term, and long-term steps to improving the services provided by the Richmond Housing Authority. Richmond Housing Authority Improvement...

The City Council will request a report on this as an emergency item tomorrow night. Financial abuse, mismanagement leave housing agency on verge of takeover Feb 17, 2014 Amy Julia Harris From KQED News RICHMOND, Calif. – Richmond’s public housing agency has been...