Whirley Crane Docks
Berkeley Daily Planet Tuesday November 8, 2005 Historic Crane Docks At Richmond Park By J. DOUGLAS ALLEN-TAYLOR From the far end of the pier, the newest addition to Richmond"s Rosie the Riveter National Historical Park seemed, as it hung suspended from the crane of a...
Bay Nature Magazine Sponsors Point Pinole Walk Tomorrow
This Saturday, November 5, beginning at 10 AM, Bay Nature magazine is sponsoring a naturalist-led, four-mile walk at scenic Point Pinole Regional Shoreline where you may learn about "angel buggies" and other tales concerning 80 years of explosives manufacturing...
Richmond Police Department Annual Christmas Fund
The Richmond Police Department has begun its annual Christmas food drive, with a goal of feeding 700 very low income families again this year. The all-volunteer effort is being joined by the Richmond Fire Department, which will provide toys again this year. We need to...
Big Week Coming Up for Historic Preservation in Richmond
With the timing entirely coincidental, two big moves are scheduled this week for some of Richmond"s historical icons. On Friday, November 4, the 210-ton Whirley Crane, the only one remaining from the WW II Shipyard days, will be barged from Levin Richmond Terminal to...
Going South
Tomorrow, we"ll be heading first for the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where on Friday I will receive the Arkansas Alumni Association 2005 Community Service Award. My friends in the San Francisco Chapter of the Arkansas Alumni Association were kind enough to...
Commercial Versus Residential?
The following story in today"s West County Times discusses what appears to be a trend of converting property intended for commercial use to residential use and cites what some construe as adverse impacts on jobs, taxes and city services. The story focuses on the Pulte...
Lucretia Edwards Memorial Service
Restaurant Reopens in Historical Baltic Building
After a year of refurbishing and a change of ownership, the restaurant in the venerable 100 plus-year old Baltic Building in Point Richmond will open again for a reception and music on Thursday, November 3, and for dining and music on Friday, November 3, 2005. The new...
Library and Budget Update
cor_budget_summary.pdf In the context of Measure Q (November 2005 ballot) sales tax debates, several people have asked why they should support additional sales tax if the proceeds from the Measure Q of 2004 haven"t yet been utilized to restore hours at the Main...
Youth Curfew Ordinance Enforcement Resonates with E-Forum Respondents
Following are all the responses from the October 26 E-FORUM "REVIVING YOUTH CURFEWS?" The response was overwhelmingly in favor of enforcing Richmond"s youth curfew ordinance. " Yes. " Yes, Tom, I will vote for it. " YES! Parents need to be more responsible for their...
Investing in Richmond with Measure Q
Measure Q is a voter initiated amendment to add an additional "% to the City of Richmond Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance (sales tax). Over six thousand residents of Richmond signed petitions for this measure aimed at providing an improved level of vital city...
Reviving Youth Curfews?
Now here is what we thought was an outdated concept being revived. East Palo Alto, which is experiencing a homicide epidemic even higher than Richmond (13 so far this year " 50/100,000 population extrapolated annually), is going to enforce its youth curfew, which has...
Mary Otani 1923-2005
announcement_corrected.pdf Only after losing Lucretia Edwards did I find out that another Richmond icon of roughly the same generation, who had also participated in creating parks in Richmond, had died. Mary Otani was another of those wonderful women who dedicated...
Art Events
See attached for "Hands for Peace" and "Art Heals Exhibition." HANDS FOR PEACE flier 10-19.doc rmsposter1.pdf
Paint Up – Fix Up Assistance to Richmond Homeowners
There are several City-sponsored programs available to provide qualifying Richmond homeowners with low interest and no interest loans, grants, and other assistance to improve the quality of housing and to improve the appearance of the City. Four of these programs are...
Waste, Corruption and Lack of Results in the WCCUSD Construction Bond Program?
I received a few negative reactions to my E-FORUM "I SUPPORT MEASURE J." Whether or not to support any tax is a personal decision that each voter must make based on his or her own value system and ability to pay, and I respect that. I was, however, a little surprised...
I Support Measure J
Measure J is the next bond issue to be used to upgrade school buildings in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. Measure J is an opportunity for West County voters to upgrade and repair old and sometimes unsafe schools. Funds will be used to: " Repair leaking...
Budget Comparison Project Underway
cor_budget_summary.pdf Last week, I hired Kevin Morsony to undertake the General Fund Budget Comparison project that will compare Richmond to 15 other cities for revenue and expenditures. Kevin is a recent graduate of U.C. Berkeley with a BA in Political Science. He...
The Passing of a Richmond Legend – Lucretia Edwards 1916-2005
Lucretia Edwards, who might best be remembered as the mother of Richmond"s magnificent 3,000 plus acres of shoreline parks, died peacefully on October 12, 2005, at her home. She was 89 years old. Lucretia is survived by her daughter, Hannah Edwards, two sons, John...
Under the Radar Businesses in Richmond
I routinely read about businesses in Richmond that I didn"t know existed or I am reminded of businesses I know but which seldom show up at Chamber of Commerce mixers or City events. There is a whole universe of Richmond businesses that hire lots of people, pay lots of...