The Public Safety/Public Services Standing Committee of the City Council will convene its first evening meeting today, January 23, 2003, at 5:30 PM in the Council Chambers. It was decided last year to hold half of the two regular monthly meetings in the evening to...

This Saturday evening, January 25, 2003, at 7:30 PM in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, the Oakland East Bay Symphony, conducted by Michael Morgan, will present this season's premiere concert, featuring award-winning Afro-Cuban jazz composer, pianist and recording...

It was only a couple of months ago that the hottest topic in Richmond was not casinos, crime, schools, drug treatment centers, graffiti, image, the camping ordinance or donuts. It was street sweeping. Richmond was divided into two camps: those who wanted their streets...

Richmond was featured on KRON Channel 4 Bay Area Backroads, yesterday, January 18, and the video can still be seen by going to the KRON4 website http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=633380 and selecting Video on Demand. The narrative appears below: There's a lot...

After taking over operation of the City of Richmond Sewer District No. 1 Wastewater Treatment Plant on June 17, 2002, U.S. Filter has earned an "A" for performance. Based on a report rendered to the City Council on January 14 by Public Services Director Rich McCoy:...

The plot thickens as the proposed "recovery facility" at the former East Bay Hospital vies with the casino as the most controversial project in Richmond this week. I believe I have received more phone calls and emails on these two projects than anything else I can...

The first shoe to drop in the future of casino type gambling in Richmond will fall at next Tuesday's City Council meeting. Item P-2 on the January 14, 2003, Richmond City Council Agenda is to "Authorize the City Manager to send a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to...

The article that follows from the January 11 West County Times has more information about a proposed project by Neighborhood House to create a "treatment center," than I have heard in all the rumors flowing over and out of central Richmond this past week. When I first...

The January 5, 2003, TOM BUTT E-FORUM commented on and reproduced an article in the Contra Costa Times about gross underreporting of flare pollution by Bay Area refineries. According to the article, "The largest Bay Area refinery, ChevronTexaco in Richmond, so poorly...

One of Richmond's unique tourist attractions (See Tourism in Richmond, 11/23/02 - http://www.tombutt.com/forum/021123b.htm) the Golden State Model Railroad Association has acquired a full size baggage car that will be moved to its facility in Miller-Knox Regional...

A jarring article in today's West County Times concludes that the Bay Area Air Quality Control District has been grossly underestimating pollution from refinery flaring for years. The actual level of pollution is over 100 times what had previously been reported by...

One of my New Year's resolutions is to maintain a full court press on my effort to bring the City into full and comprehensive enforcement mode for ordinances intended to reduce blight and improve the health, safety, welfare and quality of life in Richmond. See TOM...

If you are looking for a really upbeat Christmas Eve activity to get in the spirit, try the First United Methodist Church Christmas Eve Jazz Service (an annual favorite), featuring the Dan Damon Trio. See http://www.pointrichmond.com/methodist/home.htm. This...

The following response was received from Dan MacLean of California Oils Corporation in response to the December 15, 2002, E-FORUM:

The article that follows this E-FORUM appeared in today's West County Times. Although the story is accurate and detailed, I want to add some editorial comment about this project and the approach in general of the Richmond Planning Department to application of CEQA...

Richmond resident (and my neighbor) Pete Livingston filed suit in Federal court on December 5 to uphold his right to distribute a controversial documentary film entitled "Over 9 Billion Dead Served." The story was carried in the December 12, 2002, San Francisco...

One of the most important decisions the Richmond City Council will ever make involves the adoption of newly available retirement benefits as a part of contracts with public employee unions. The next shoe to drop is item K-1 on the December 2002 City Council Agenda,...

To find out who the top four polluters are in Richmond and what they expel into the air, go to <http://www.scorecard.org/> and <http://www.scorecard.org/community/index.tcl?zip_code=94804&set_community_zipcode_cookie_p=t> The top polluters are: 1....

After reading the October 4, 2002, E-FORUM, Richmond Police Mobilize to Fight Terrorism on Land and Sea, MSNBC asked Tom Butt to appear November 5 on the nationally televised Jerry Nachman show (hosted by Ashleigh Banfield) with Tanner Campbell of Washington Policy...

WHAT: Blanket Drive ? new, clean-used blankets, sleeping bags, comforters and quilts being collected WHO: Contra Costa Health Services Homeless Ombudsperson is collecting the blankets, which will be distributed to people who are living on the streets of Contra Costa....