Richmond Ignores its Rental Unit Inspection Ordinance
On May 3, 2005, the West County Times ran an extensive story (following this email) on Richmond"s failure to implement a rental inspection ordinance. The fact is that Richmond has a rental inspection ordinance, RMC 6.40...
Nature in Richmond?
Richmond is rich in history and natural resources. Attached in a PDF file are photos and brief descriptions of three events involving nature and cultural resources that took place in Richmond over the past week, attracting visitors from not only around the Bay Area...
Not Too Late for Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour
This Sunday, May 1, 2005, we will be participating in the much heralded BRINGING BACK THE NATIVES GARDEN TOUR. Our yard, which features over 150 different native plant species, will be one of four Richmond locations on the tour. Registrants on this free tour will...
Betting All the Chips on DTSC May Backfire
The Campus Bay project and its high profile toxic remediation component has spawned a widespread reaction that seems almost totally focused on the designation of DTSC as the sole regulator for toxic cleanups in California. See the following article from the Berkeley...
Now’s Your Chance to Investigate All Those Things You’ve Been Complaining About – Join the Grand Jury
COMMUNITY BRIEFS: WEST COUNTY Posted on Wed, Apr. 27, 2005, West County Times COMMUNITY DIGEST West County Residents sought for grand jury seats Residents are being sought to serve on the Contra Costa County grand jury. To ensure that the grand jury reflects the...
Quintero Calls it Quits
Embattled and tormented for months by her boss and an unsympathetic City Council, Assistant City Attorney Adrianna Quintero closed one chapter of her employment saga with the City of Richmond by resigning earlier this week. Until then, she was being paid on a...
Music and History Together
The first public event of Richmond"s Centennial takes place tomorrow. The Oakland East Bay Symphony will make only a single visit to Richmond this year, Saturday, April 23, 2005, at 3:00 PM in the Richmond Convention Center. Admission is free, having been underwritten...
Rare Grass at Point Molate
No, this is not an outing for pot-heads. This is the real thing. Point Molate happens to be a rare coastal prairie remnant with some of the best examples anywhere of native California grasses in the Bay Area. On Sunday, April 24, 11:00 AM, the Marin County Chapter of...
Richmond Centennial Website Debuts
A new website, designed by Sincere Design, chock full of information about Richmond"s history and the various events scheduled to mark the City"s 100th year is now available at http://www.richmondcelebration.com. Enjoy!
Masquers Draws Rave Reviews at 50
The Masquers Theater turned 50 recently, and it is drawing rave reviews from Bay Area media as a fitting birthday present. The San Francisco Chronicle today devoted nearly two whole pages to The Masquers...
Richmond Planning Director Barry Cromatie Leaves for American Canyon
City Manager Bill Lindsay announced today that Planning Director Barry Cromartie has resigned his position with the City of Richmond effective April 22, 2005. Mr. Cromartie has accepted the job to be the Planning and Building Director for the City of American Canyon....
Local Government Commission Presentations Available on the Internet
For the first time ever, the Local Government Commission is making PowerPoint presentations from the Fourteenth Annual Building Livable Sustainable Communities Conference in Yosemite National Park available on the Internet. This year"s conference was attended by...
Red Oak Victory and Shipyard Activities in April
The Red Oak Victory is in an exciting new location at historic shipyard 3, which has never before been open to the public. There are two events this month of note: Sunday, April 10, 9 AM to 1 PM - Pancake breakfast on the SS Red Oak Victory Ship. A hearty breakfast is...
Centennial Celebration Includes Free Symphony Performance
The Oakland East bay Symphony will make only a single visit to Richmond this year, Saturday, April 23, 2005, at 3:00 PM in the Richmond Convention Center. Admission is free, having been underwritten by the Lesher Foundation, the City of Richmond Centennial Committee,...
City Budget Now Available on Internet
I want to thank City Manager Bill Lindsay for making the City"s current budget available on the Internet. I frequently get questions about where our revenue is coming from and where it is going. This provides a resource where the curious can delve into the budget at...
East Brother Makes 7 Wonders of the East Bay List
The April 2 edition of the Contra Costa Times listed the "7 Wonders of the East Bay," with East Brother Light Station being the only Richmond wonder to make the list. The Times, however, is soliciting additional nominations, so if you know of potential Richmond...
Three Richmond Locations Chosen for Best of the East Bay
The East Bay Express publishes annually a list of the "Best of the East Bay," an eclectic assortment of people and places selected in a process that is not entirely clear. This year, Richmond rang in three winners, shown below. Last year, I was selected as "Best Local...
Healthy Cities and Smart Growth: Planning for Healthier Communities
This year"s "Healthy Cities and Smart Growth: Planning for Healthier Communities," conference put on by California Healthy Cities and Communities will be held April 21-22 in Berkeley. It looks like a really good program that should be useful for Richmond staff,...
Railroad Grade Crossing Super-Conference
Coming up on may 1-4, 2005, in Costa Mesa, CA, is "The Crossing Zone " A Decade of Progress, the Western Regional Safety Grade Crossing Training Conference," a sort of super-conference featuring every aspect of railroad grade crossings, of which we are much too...
Planning Crisis at Marina Bay
The current plan to swallow up the Ford Peninsula in a sea of imported Toyotas is the latest planning crisis to hit the Marina Bay and Ford Peninsula area. As if frequently blocked railroad grade crossings and betrayal of the dream of a Marina Bay a village center...