On July 14, 2023, Councilmember Doria Robinson posted the plea, https://www.doriarobinson.com/news/urgent-action-needed-to-address-dangerous-working-conditions-for-richmond's-public-safety-workers. I reposted it on Facebook at Everybody’s Richmond California with the...

Next Club Meeting Our next meeting will take place at the Richmond Country Club (address below) on Friday, July 21, 12:30pm. Creating the Black Wealth Builders Fund Susan Russell In response to long-standing barriers to homeownership, the Arlington Community Church...

One of the most memorable accomplishments of my 28-years of public service was establishment of the Richmond Promise, funded with $35 million from the $90 million Chevron and Community ECIA (Environmental and Community Investment Agreement) As you can see from the...

You might enjoy reading about our new but unusual family summer home in Sierra City. As you may know, I’m a sucker for historic buildings, and this one has a lot of history. Click here for a full description of The Old Sierra City Schoolhouse. Figure 1 - During the...

Remembering my younger brother - Martin Andrew Butt. Martin was three years younger than I. He joined the Marines and survived a year in Vietnam before coming home and dying in an automobile accident. Today, July 14, Bastille Day, would be his 76th birthday, but he is...

Not being mayor anymore and not having to attend other regional board and commission meetings almost every day gives me time to pursue other activities that I have neglected for a long time. Here is a collection of sketches of historic buildings in Sierra City, CA, a...

Next Club Meeting Our next meeting will take place at the Richmond Country Club (address below) on Friday, July 14, 12:30pm. Shay's Haircare Clinic Shay's Haircare Clinic is the first haircare clinic in Richmond solely dedicated to providing African-American children...

Point Richmond Music (PRM's) free summer concerts continue this Friday, July 14th with Blü Egyptian and Barrio Manouche! View this email in your browser This Friday ~ PRM Presents Blü Egyptian & Barrio Manouche! Watercolor of our June concert by Kate Merriman...

Public Meeting – To Comment on Chevron Refinery’s 2021 Wharf Oil Spill Evaluation Report Monday, July 17, 2023 The public has an opportunity to comment on a third-party consultant report on of the Root Cause Analysis of the Chevron Richmond Refinery’s 2021 Wharf Oil...

This story from the New York Times is a good explanation of how politics prevents local governments from regulating grade crossing blockages. By Peter Eavis, Mark Walker and Niraj Chokshi The reporters have covered railroad consolidation and safety practices and the...

In response to a California Public Records Act request for, “...copies of any documents or records in your possession, or possession of your office or agency, dating since July 1, 2022, until today, that include any discussion or mention of a plan or plans to preserve...

With Richmond’s premier event venue, the Craneway, slated to become a pickleball court, another prized waterfront venue, the Riggers Loft, is under pressure by the City Council pay up or go away to make way for the wind energy industry. Mayor Martinez and...

As cities and counties across the Bay Area step up enforcement and penalties related to sideshows, the RPA-controlled Richmond City Council continues to embrace them as a valuable cultural activity. Whether it’s illegal fireworks or sideshows, the City Council firmly...

There is an announcement at https://www.cranewaypickleball.com/ that the Craneway will open this fall as a membership venue that offers, “16 dedicated indoor pickleball courts, a premier pro shop, and a wellness lounge.” This is a substantial and significant departure...

Next Club Meeting - Club Assembly and review of 2023-24 activities Our next meeting will take place at the Richmond Country Club (address below) on Friday, June 30, 12:30pm. Oscar Garcia Richmond Rotary President 2023-24 Join us to learn about Oscar Garcia's plans as...

The City Attorney was handed yet another costly defeat in his effort to extricate the City of Richmond from litigation resulting from the RPA-controlled City Council’s failure to transfer the 30 percent developable area of Point Molate, including Winehaven, to Suncal...

I wrote about the General Warehouse in the February 7, 2023, E-FORUM, “The Sad Plight of the Historic Shipyard 3 General Warehouse.” Apparently, the situation has continued to deteriorate. The City has completely failed to effectively manage the lease of the General...

Next Club Meeting Our next meeting will take place at the Richmond Country Club (address below) on Friday, June 23, 12:30pm. Policy Priorities from the Mayor’s Office Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez Newly-elected Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez will present a summary...

This year, the American Institute of Architects held their annual national conference, AIA Conference of Architecture 2023 (A’23) in San Francisco. On the first day of the conference, a group of 40 attendees came over to Richmond via ferry as part of a field trip,...

In 2019, I authored the legislation that directed the city manager to pursue updating our business tax ordinance. Instead of City staff leading a transparent effort with public outreach, especially to the business community, the effort was highjacked by an RPA-backed,...