It was pointed out to me that I missed the Berkeley Daily Planet article on Point Molate. Richard Brenneman of the Planet has taken a great deal of interest in the subject and provided some of the most detailed coverage. The Planet can be found on the web at...

The proposed residential component of Campus Bay (see http://www.campusbay.info) may have been snagged in a debate about the technical aspects of the environmental cleanup. The controversy involves differing perceptions of several public agencies, including the...

Fay_Jones.pdf When I studied architecture at the University of Arkansas in the mid-1960s, the chairman of the Architecture Department (not yet elevated to the status of a "school") was a quiet man named Euine Fay Jones. He went by "Fay." He taught design studios and...

My home Internet access has been down most of this week, so E-Forum activity ground to a halt. However, on Friday, an electronic swat team from Comcast and City of Richmond IT descended on my residence and got me back on line. I give special thanks to Henry Lei of...

Following today"s hearing on ChevronTexaco"s request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) prohibiting the City of Richmond from moving ahead on a vote to approve the proposed Point Molate Land Disposition and Development Agreement (LDDA), the Court technically...

After two weeks battling an infection that was probably Salmon Poisoning Disease (See Tom Butt E-Forum, August 23, 2004, "Something Fishy"), but may have been something else, Lodi succumbed this morning. He had been back at Abbey Pet Hospital on an IV for the last...

Citing the "first responders" argument, port cities, such as cash-strapped Richmond, have continued to seek federal funds for homeland security. Security funds rained on California recently, but in the Richmond area, most of the money went to Chevron. Chevron received...

Unable to assemble a quorum for a live meeting, the City Council will "meet" via conference call this morning at 9:00 AM in an executive session to discuss what the Agenda describes as "CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL: EXISTING LITIGATION (Government Code Section...

The Richmond City Council has been informed that Chevron has filed, presumably with Contra Costa County Superior Court, and served the City of Richmond with an action seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting the City of Richmond from entering into an...

The Richmond political machine is rapidly gearing up for an August 31 showdown over Point Molate. Fed by big money interests including Chevron, Nevada gambling businesses, California cardrooms and a host of lobbyists, labor unions, consultants and affiliates of...

Next time you think it would be a good idea to take your dog fishing, think again. In late May, we ventured with friends to a back-country cabin on the South Fork of Battle Creek east of Red Bluff for some trout fishing. With us were our two Labrador Retrievers, Tess...

CHEVRON ACCUSES CITY OF IMPROPER ERN EXTENSION (Also attached as a PDF file) Point_Molate_ERN.pdf Chevron Complaint Regarding Modification and Extension of the Exclusive Right to Negotiate (ERN) with Upstream Investments LLC A review by Tom Butt, Richmond City Council...

See articles in today"s San Francisco Chronicle and Sacramento Bee: San Pablo casino plan cut back, Burton says -- State Senate leader John Burton said Friday that Democrats had blocked plans by a Bay Area Indian tribe for a mammoth, 5,000-slot casino in the heart of...

Emails Against Just Cause.doc Just Cause.doc just cause rebuttals.doc Advocacy for a "Just Cause" ordinance in Richmond that would expand the rights of residential tenants beyond state law has been moving forward for several months. The leader in this move is Richmond...

THE MORNING AFTER Schwarzenegger signed the compact making Casino San Pablo possibly the world"s largest casino, politicos are speculating on what will happen next and whether other Bay Area casino dreams, including Richmond"s will turn to dust. Meanwhile, the draft...

MORE ON CASINO SAN PABLO from the Berkeley Daily Planet Governor"s San Pablo Casino Deal Fulfills Hopes of GOP Operatives By RICHARD BRENNEMAN (08-20-04) Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger"s award of exclusive Bay Area casino gaming rights to Casino San Pablo gives a...

The draft Land Development and Disposition Agreement, including a site plan in full color, between the City of Richmond and Upstream Point Molate LLC is posted on the City website at http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/press.htm. Review and comments are encouraged. Please...

As a surprise to everyone close to the project, the governor may have dealt a death blow to an ambitious plan build to a destination resort at Point Molate that could mean some $400 million in sorely needed revenue for the City of Richmond. Schwarzenegger announced...

Despite speculation that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has cut a deal that would cut Richmond out of lucrative casino action, the California legislature has final authority to sustain or reject a compact. See...

Riding_Rails_with_Richmond_Pacific.pdf Over the past year or so, I have continued to look for solutions to the honking of train horns in Richmond in a manner that many citizens believe are unnecessary or excessive. I have also explored ways of mitigating the excessive...