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3/1/19 -- Celebrating Stockton Avenue
In celebrating 15 years on Stockton Avenue, the Jenny K. Gifts shop is also bucking a national trend by going from online startup to mom-and-pop, brick-and-mortar business.
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1/24/19 - MLK Humanitarian Award
MARTINEZ, CA — The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Tuesday named a Richmond preacher who's been active in preventing violence and reducing the city's homicide rates as Humanitarian of the Year during the 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in Martinez. PATCH
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1/21/19 - MLK Day El Cerrito
Supervisor John Gioia called the El Cerrito celebration “the biggest and best” in Contra Costa County.
“I think it’s really important to be out here and to be part of things today because so often what we’re hearing is that we can’t be silent, we can’t stand by,” Gioia said. EAST BAY TIMES
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1/15/19 -- Gioia Becomes New Board Chair
Gioia, has been representing District 1, or West County, as a supervisor since he was first elected in 1998. This is his fifth term as Board Chair. RICHMOND STANDARD
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1/15/19 -- New Day for Ferry Services
The Craneway Pavilion, next to the new terminal, was packed full last Thursday afternoon for the official opening of Richmond’s new ferry service. Thousands of guests lined the water’s edge for a first glimpse of the newest edition to the Richmond waterfront, and to take a short ride around the harbor. RICHMOND PULSE
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1/10/19 -- Ferry Service Again
State lawmakers and local leaders celebrated the launch of regular daily ferry service from the Port of Richmond into San Francisco for the first time since the late 1950s Thursday. BAY CITY NEWS
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1/10/19 - Water Ferry Links Bay
The new ferry route from Richmond to San Francisco debuted today to rave reviews. Commuters who are tired of fighting their way to San Francisco everyday say they have been waiting for this. ABC7
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1/10/19 - San Francisco and Richmond Linked
State lawmakers and local leaders celebrated the launch of regular daily ferry service from the Port of Richmond into San Francisco for the first time since the late 1950s Thursday. SFGATE
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1/10/19 - Ferry Service Returns to Richmond
The excitement on the Richmond waterfront Thursday was palpable, as hundreds gathered to celebrate the launch of brand new ferry service to downtown San Francisco. RICHMOND STANDARD
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12/19/18 - Census Resources Available
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — The Decennial Census is looming in April 2020, and a new question about citizenship is fueling concerns that Contra Costa County could lose out on federal funding over the following decade if hard-to-count populations like undocumented immigrants are left out. PATCH
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12/14/18 -- Verde Holiday Giveaway
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia and his staff expressed gratitude to the community this week for pulling off yet another successful holiday drive at Verde Elementary.
Sup. Gioia has been holding a holiday drive for the North Richmond school for two decades. RICHMONDSTANDARD
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12/5/18 -- Polystyrene Ban
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to implement a ban on certain polystyrene products, often called sytrofoam. RICHMOND STANDARD
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12/5/18 -- Guns at Fairs
MARTINEZ — Deciding that gun shows don’t belong at the county fairgrounds, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to ask the state to ban them.
The supervisors will send a letter to the president of the 23rd District Agricultural Association — which owns and operates the fairgrounds and hosts the annual county fair — requesting that the agency consider banning the “possession of firearms and ammunition, including the purchase, sale, and discharge of firearms and ammunition.” EAST BAY TIMES
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11/6/18 -- Air Quality Monitor
Richmond is about to begin a unique process to identify a group of community leaders to work with the state and local air resources boards to determine key drivers of the city’s pollution and put together a plan to reduce it. RichmondConfidential
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11/2/18 -- Duane Chapman
Robert Rogers, district coordinator for Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia’s Office, said Chapman remained committed to community advocacy even as he battled with his illness.
“…Even though he was confined to his bed and in terrible pain, he still mustered the energy to tell me about the plight of the homeless in our communities, and how he was fortunate to have a roof,” Rogers said. RICHMOND STANDARD
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10/26/18 -- Economic Summit
“We’re right on the bay, great transportation infrastructure, rail and the new ferry service set to start on Jan. 10 next year,” Contra Costa County John Gioia told the assembled group of local leaders and business owners. “We have highways, great proximity, and a great trained and ready workforce.” RICHMOND STANDARD
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10/20/18 -- CCC Advocate
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia told the assembled, “As children and teenagers you should not be ignorant to the fact that you have influence on your parents.” CCCADVOCATE
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10/3/18 -- CARB Votes to Strengthen Emission Rules
Sacramento - At its meeting on Friday, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) officially confirmed that it will stick with planned increases in emissions and fuel economy standards for cars sold in the state. DIGITALJOURNAL
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10/2/18 -- Tar Sands Loom Over Bay Area
Communities have specifically identified the proposed reconfiguration of the Phillips 66 Rodeo refinery near San Francisco to process more oilsands crude as a sign of things to come — and are already fighting back. THE NARWHAL
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10/2/18 -- ICE Backlash Throughout Nation
Activists in Alexandria, Va., are pressing the sheriff to drop an agreement to detain migrants for ICE. The sheriff in Contra Costa County, Calif., canceled a similar contract in July, soon after at least 1,000 protesters marched on the local jail. WASHINGTON POST
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9/26/18 -- Unions Donate to Shields Reid
Late Wednesday morning, it was difficult to miss the large plots of bright yellow paint when driving past the Shields-Reid Community Center at 1410 Kelsey St. RICHMOND STANDARD
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9/21/18 -- Canada's Trans Mountain Pipeline
“Building a pipeline to transport Canadian tar sands to Vancouver, BC-area ports would flood the global market with large amounts of higher polluting heavy crude. This would have serious negative impacts in our fight against global warming and could increase emissions around refineries in the Bay Area. That’s why we need to keep tar sands in the ground, stop the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion project, and prevent this dirtier crude from being processed in local refineries.” -John Gioia, member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and board member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Yubanet.com
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9/19/18 -- Racial Justice Task Force Seeks Diverse Members
Public Protection Committee Chair, Supervisor John Gioia, commented on the process, “We value diversity, inclusion and racial equity in Contra Costa County, and we welcome interest from residents all across our County who want to serve the community in the cause of racial justice.” EAST COUNTY TODAY
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9/12/18 -- County Public Defenders Request Pay Raise
MARTINEZ — In what they call an issue of racial justice, attorneys from the Contra Costa County public defender’s office are urging the Board of Supervisors to close the pay gap between the entry-level lawyers who defend most residents accused of misdemeanor crimes and their counterparts in the district attorney’s office who prosecute them. MERCURY NEWS
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8/23/18 -- Prefabs for Homeless
The first MicroPad development for homeless people may be built in Richmond, California, where the county government has federal funding for new supportive housing. The county has yet to choose a developer, but sees several advantages of a design like the MicroPad. “Prefabricated small units provide a smart and efficient way to spend one-time funds from HUD for housing our homeless population with dignity,” says John Gioia, vice chair of the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors. FASTCOMPANY
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7/31/18 -- Soda Tax Ban Could Plant Seeds for Future
After more than a decade of failed attempts at both the state and local levels to impose soda taxes, health advocates scored a watershed victory in 2014 when Berkeley voters approved by a two-thirds majority a one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages sold within the city limits.
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7/10/18 -- ICE Contract Stopped ABC7
RICHMOND, Calif. -- It's being hailed by some as an historic day in Contra Costa County, while others are warning of unintended consequences. Sheriff David Livingston announced Tuesday that his department is canceling its contract with ICE at the Richmond jail. ABC7
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7/10/18 -- ICE Contract Ended AP
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A Northern California jail will cancel its profitable contract with federal immigration officials to house suspects facing deportation, authorities said Tuesday.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department is the third local law enforcement agency in California to cut ties in recent months with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials amid continued protests over federal detention policies.
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6/27/18 -- ICE Protest at Jail
A broad coalition of political action groups gathered outside the Richmond jail on Tuesday to protest an array of immigration issues and promised continued demonstrations in Contra Costa County, which is home to the Bay Area’s only ICE detention center. EAST BAY TIMES
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6/26/18 -- North Richmond Incorporation
RICHMOND — North Richmond, a 1.5-square-mile unincorporated pocket surrounded by Richmond, could be annexed into the city — if its residents are OK with that.
Annexation would mean access to city programs such as rent control, more direct political representation and possibly more public safety for North Richmond residents, but that would come at a cost. Annual property taxes would rise by $140 per $100,000 of a home’s assessed value.
City and county officials want North Richmond residents to decide for themselves whether the benefits are worth paying higher taxes. EAST BAY TIMES
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6/23/18 -- KTVU Rally Against ICE
East Bay activists and elected officials are planning a town hall and a rally in response to the Trump administration's purported plans to place as many as 47,000 immigrants in a detention camp at the Naval Weapons Station just outside Concord. KTVU
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6/22/18 -- Naval Weapons Site Eyed as Deportation Center
East Bay leaders responded Friday afternoon to the Trump administration's purported plans to have the U.S. Navy place as many as 47,000 immigrants in a mass-detention camp at the Naval Weapons Station just outside Concord. The city of Concord issued a statement on social media saying city officials were "very concerned" to learn of Friday's news, and that the Navy has not yet communicated its intentions to the city. CALIFORNIA NEWS WIRE
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6/22/18 -- SFGATE Detention Center Report
East Bay activists and elected officials are planning a town hall and a rally in response to the Trump administration's purported plans to place as many as 47,000 immigrants in a detention camp at the Naval Weapons Station just outside Concord. SFCHRONICLE
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6/22/18 -- ABC7 Detention Center Report
There is much opposition against a proposal to build large-scale detention centers for undocumented immigrants across the country including in the Bay Area.
"No local officials including the sheriff had been informed about this," said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia says he was blindsided by the news the US Navy is considering the former Concord Naval Weapons Station property as a possible detention center site to house up to 47,000 migrants. ABC7
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6/22/18 -- NBC Bay Area Detention Center Report
Time Magazine reported Friday that it has obtained exclusive documents which shows that the U.S. Navy is planning to construct detention centers to house tens of thousands of immigrants in Alabama, Arizona and California, including the former Naval Weapons Station in Concord, about 30 miles from San Francisco. NBCBayArea
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6/22/18 -- KRON4 Concord Detention Center Report
CONCORD (KRON)- - The U.S. Navy plans to construct immigration detention camps on bases throughout California including one in the Bay Area, Times Magazine revealed.
The former Naval Weapons Station in Concord could house as many as 47,000 people under President Trump's 'zero-tolerance policy,' according to Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. KRON4
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6/4/18 -- Fire Inspections Needed
Calling California’s broken system of fire safety inspections intolerable and a threat to public safety, a state senator on Monday said he will introduce legislation to force local fire departments to notify the public how well they are following the state mandate to inspect schools and apartment buildings each year. East Bay Times
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5/10/18 -- Block Party Today
A community-driven effort to beautify a central North Richmond grocer will culminate on Friday with a block party.
From 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., a new mural covering the exterior of the Rancho Market & Deli at 500 Market Ave. is set to debut, and there will be food, music, live performances, kids activities and resource booths.
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5/4/18 -- Celebrating Heritage Point
It may have taken over 15 years, but affordable housing is at last being built in North Richmond.
In a well-attended ground-breaking ceremony at 1540 Fred Jackson Way on Thursday, Supervisor John Gioia, community leaders and project officials praised the community partnerships that formed the Heritage House, a 42-unit multifamily affordable housing development that is being constructed on several parcels between Grove and Chesley avenues. Richmond Standard
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5/4/18 -- Block Party Mural
A mural depicting jazz musicians playing on saxophone, butterflies, red roses and a medicine wheel is taking shape at North Richmond's Rancho Market, a storefront that was once distinguished only by bullet holes and painted-over graffiti. NBC Bay Area
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4/26/18 -- Heritage Point Groundbreaking in North Richmond
A groundbreaking ceremony is set for Thursday, May 3 for the Heritage House, a 42-unit multifamily affordable housing development that will be built on Fred Jackson Way between Grove and Chesley avenues in North Richmond. Richmond Standard
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4/19/19 - New 10.5 Megawatt Solar Farm
RICHMOND — The city and Marin Clean Energy hosted a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday for a new, 10.5-megawatt solar farm built on a brownfield that was the site of a former landfill. East Bay Times.
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4/19/18 - Bay Area's Largest Public Private Solar Project
Pproject partners MCE and sPower commemorated Earth Day 2018 early with a ribbon cutting for MCE Solar One, a 60-acre solar farm in Richmond, California, that provides enough renewable electricity to serve 3,900 MCE customers annually. Solar Power World
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4/18/18 - Solar Farm Opens on Chevron Property
In advance of Earth Day, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday for one of the Bay Area’s most significant environmental achievements: the construction of a 60-acre solar farm on land provided by Chevron Richmond. Richmond Standard
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4/14/18 - Alleged Deputy Sex with Inmates Seeps into DA Race
MARTINEZ -- The head of the District Attorney's Office sexual assault unit -- who is running for DA -- was told last week not to participate in the case review of a sheriff's deputy accused of having unlawful sex with two jail inmates. East Bay Times
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3/21/18 -- Rapid Response from Gioia
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who represents West County, has released a video promoting a new program launched March 1 to help local immigrant families in fear of deportation under the Trump administration.
“We’re standing up to Trump’s effort to deport hard working immigrant families and split our communities,” Gioia stated in the video. “On March 1, we launched Stand Together Contra Costa to provide Rapid Response Legal services to immigrant families at risk of deportation.” Richmond Standard.
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3/20/18 -- Methadone Clinic Looks for Home
BayMark Health Services’ BAART Richmond clinic withdrew its application to the Richmond Planning Commission to relocate its drug treatment facility from 1313 Cutting Blvd. to 3563 San Pablo Dam Road, and is no longer considering the site.
The decision followed opposition by El Sobrante business owners and residents and a pledge by Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia to assist in identifying an alternative location. Gioia confirmed to the Standard today that he worked with BayMark to get them to withdraw their application last month. Richmond Standard
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3/16/18 -- Stand Together Contra Costa by RC
On March 1st , Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia announced the launch of the Deportation Defense Hotline. The new service is part of Stand Together Contra Costa, a county initiative that offers information that can help people navigate the complex immigration system. The County Public Defender’s office provides educational and administrative support with “know you rights” workshops for community members. Richmond Confidential
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3/10/18 -- DeSaulnier Calls for ICE Detention Halt
U.S. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier says it's time for Contra Costa County to end its relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Democratic congressman from Concord, who recently toured the Richmond jail that the county leases to the federal government for detention of undocumented immigrants, said that the Contra Costa County sheriff's office's move this week to ban volunteers from visiting immigrants inside the jail - to check on their well-being - was the last straw. SF Chronicle
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3/8/18 -- Bill Lindsay to Retire
RICHMOND — City Manager Bill Lindsay, who is credited with helping to pull Richmond out of financial ruin, has announced he will retire later this year.
Lindsay, 62, is leaving Richmond on July 31 and said he is not looking for another job.
“I came to Richmond because I wanted a challenge,” Lindsay said Thursday. “Richmond certainly offered that.”
A former city manager of Orinda, Lindsay arrived in Richmond in 2005, recruited by former Contra Costa County Administrator Phil Batchelor, who served as interim city manager. He entered a city that looked much different — in budget reports and around city streets and buildings — than the one he is leaving. EAST BAY TIMES
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3/7/18 -- Group Banned from Touring Jail
RICHMOND — The advocacy group that last year went public with allegations of ICE detainee mistreatment is no longer welcome at Contra Costa jails, the Bay Area News Group learned Wednesday and the nonprofit calls it retaliation.
Sheriff David Livingston’s department banned volunteers from CIVIC (Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement) from entering the jail Tuesday. An email to the group obtained exclusively by this news agency accuses it of having “habitually violated numerous policies and procedures,” and that the organization “poses a security and safety hazard” to the West Contra Costa Jail in Richmond. EAST BAY TIMES
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3/2/18 -- Contra Costa Protects Against ICE Raids
MARTINEZ — As Northern California feels the heat from stepped up ICE raids, Contra Costa County has responded with a deportation defense hotline offering legal help, notifications and community support.
The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Stand Together Contra Costa rapid response hotline for immigrant families to access legal services or report Immigrants and Customs Enforcement raids in the county at any hour. East Bay Times
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2/28/18 -- Smoke and Toxic Fire go Together
RICHMOND -- On Jan. 30, multiple Richmond neighborhoods became enveloped in a heavy, black cloud of toxic smoke. The fire had sparked at the Sims Metal Management facility at 600 S. 4th St., and it prompted a shelter-in-place order that lasted nearly 11 hours.
In the weeks following the blaze, residents, elected officials, and environmental groups have raised serious questions and concerns about Sims' handling of flammable materials and its lack of preparation for dealing with industrial fires.
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2/27/18 -- Investigators Can't Find Source of Fire
RICHMOND -- The cause of a major fire at a metal recycling facility in Richmond that sent high levels of toxic smoke into the air last month may never be known.
Investigators have spent weeks interviewing employees of the Sims Metal Management site and sifting through large amounts of burned debris, but in the end they could not find conclusive evidence of what exactly sparked the Jan. 30 blaze, according to Inspector Eric Govan of the Richmond Fire Department.
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2/15/18 -- State Senate Bill to Increase Emission Penalties
State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, wants to triple some of the most serious penalties local air districts can levy against oil companies when their refineries violate emissions regulations.
Dodd, who represents a district that’s home to refineries owned by Shell, Tesoro and Valero, introduced legislation on Wednesday that would raise the limits on certain fines for the first time in decades. EAST BAY TIMES.
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2/7/18 - Coal Impacts Local Health
In October 2014, Sylvia Hopkins first noticed the line of coal cars sitting on tracks close to her home in Richmond's Atchison Village. Shortly thereafter, she began to discover black, greasy deposits on her windowsills. "I went on the 'Toxic Tour' of Richmond in 2015," she said. "I saw the uncovered coal piles directly in the line of winds blowing from the bay." East Bay Express
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2/5/18 - Richmond Launches Fire Investigation
Richmond city officials have begun to scrutinize the Sims Metal Management facility, where a smoky fire forced thousands of residents to stay indoors last week.
The city’s Planning and Building Department will review whether Sims is complying with rules governing its work near the Port of Richmond, according to Richard Mitchell, the department’s director. East Bay Times.
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2/4/18 - Tick Tock of Fire Emergency Response
In Richmond, response to Tuesday night’s scrap yard fire is in the eye of the beholder. Richmond Mayor Tom Butt was no fan of the Contra Costa Community Warning System, and never has been. “As far as I’m concerned, it never worked,” Butt said of the system that came under, er, fire during the Chevron refinery release in 2012 — to the point that supervisors John Gioia and Federal Glover were tasked with reviewing the system. East Bay Times.
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2/2/18 -- Benzene in Air from Scrap Fire
RICHMOND — Air quality tests from a metal scrapyard fire this week were released on Friday and showed elevated levels of benzene, a chemical known to cause cancer and to damage the central nervous system. The Contra Costa Health Services Department released the test results from air samples that showed the higher levels of benzene taken around Point Richmond after the large fire Tuesday night at Sims Metal Management. East Bay Times.
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2/2/18 - Worst Air in Decades from Fire
The smoke from Tuesday’s two-alarm blaze prompted a 10-hour shelter-in–place for residents in the area. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District will investigate whether particulates were present that were too dangerous to breathe, and whether Sims Metal Management, a metal and electronic recycling facility may face fines for violations, officials said.
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who sits on the air district board, said some of the readings he’s already seen indicate levels of toxic air matter that for periods of time were similar to the readings during the North Bay fires in October. East Bay Times.
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2/1/18 -- Smoke From Sims Fire May Have Violated Air Laws
Air samples from smoke that wafted through Richmond Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from a large fire at a scrap metal yard included high levels of toxic particulate matter that were too dangerous to breathe, according to a top local air official.
“For a shortened period of time there were some levels of smoke from this fire that were similar to the North Bay fires,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who sits on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District board. KQED.
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1/30/18 -- Benicia Reader Supports Industrial Ordinance
According to a May 23 KQED article regarding the May 5 Valero Benicia Refinery incident: “The refinery should be held to higher safety standards, the same standards that the four refineries in Contra Costa are held to,” Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia said. The number of serious refinery accidents in Contra Costa have dropped since the industrial safety ordinance was adopted in 1999, according to Gioia. Benicia Times Herald.
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1/23/18 - Sup. Gioia Thanks Community for Helping Verde
With support from West County residents, businesses and nonprofits, Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia said his annual Book & Hoodie Drive benefiting Verde Elementary served all of the North Richmond school’s 330 students. Richmond Standard.
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1/9/18 -- North Richmond Mural Moves Forward
An ongoing community project to beautify Rancho Market in North Richmond is moving forward after receiving a neighborhood mini-grant from the Richmond Arts & Culture Commission. Richmond Standard.
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1/8/18 -- County Refunds Parents of Incarcerated Youth
One California county is giving its citizens something that’s not typically on offer from the US justice system: a refund. This week, the Contra Costa County probation department will begin notifying and mailing checks to families who, since 2010, were wrongfully billed for their children’s incarceration. Vice News
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11/14/17 -- Micropad to Reduce Homelessness
On any given night, there are about 1,600 homeless people on the streets of Contra Costa County and getting roofs over their heads has proven difficult like in most areas. KRON4
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11/14/17 -- Micropads Touted in Richmond
An East Bay city is looking to take people off the streets
by creating tiny homes for the homeless, but some say it won’t even make a dent
in dealing with the issue. CBS Bay Area
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11/14/17 -- Micropad Development Hailed
Panoramic Interests has been working with the city of Richmond and Contra
Costa County to find a location to build a MicroPAD development. Richmond Standard.
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11/10/17 -- Veterans Saluted at Craneway
Hundreds of community members came to the Craneway Pavilion on Friday to
pay homage to past, present and future military members during a heartfelt
ceremony. Richmond Standard.
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11/10/17 -- Dream Act Rally In Richmond
One year after President Trump’s election, Dreamers and activists walked out of their schools and jobs to demand that Congress pass a “Clean Dream Act” before the winter recess. Organizing for Action (OFA), a Bay Area advocacy group and others gathered in solidarity at Richmond City Hall. RichmondConfidential.
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11/9/17 -- Inhumane Treatment at Jail Alleged
At the West County Detention Facility, federal immigration detainees alleged that they have been denied access to bathrooms and forced to relieve themselves in bags or clothes in their cells. East Bay Times.
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11/8/17 -- Calls to Investigate ICE Jail
Contra Costa County sheriff’s officials said it was news to them last week that female detainees at their jail in Richmond were complaining that they were locked in their cells for 23 hours a day — with no bathroom access. SFGATE.
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11/2/17 -- Jail Conditions Draw Complaints
On Tuesday, I got a rare tour of the West County Detention Facility — and
even rarer access to some of the female ICE detainees there. It’s true — the jail
cells have no toilets. SFGATE.
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10/30/17 - County Considers Airbnb Regulations
Contra Costa County's board of supervisors is considering taxing operators and implementing new laws to regulate short-term Airbnb rentals in unincorporated areas. RichmondConfidential.
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10/29/17 -- Gioia Leads Makeover of North Richmond Market
Community members and leaders gathered at Rancho Market at 500 Market
Ave. on Saturday to provide North Richmond’s only non-alcohol selling grocer
with an exterior paint job. The Paint Party event was a partnership between Supervisor John Gioia’s office and the city of Richmond’s Love Your Block initiative. Richmond Standard.
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10/25/17 - Rancho Market Beautification
North Richmond’s only non-alcohol selling community grocer — the Rancho
Market & Deli at 500 Market Ave. — is about to receive several coats of
community love this Saturday. Richmond Standard.
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10/24/17 - Award Winning Journalist Credits Gioia
The idea to follow this line of reporting came from an offhand comment that county Supervisor John Gioia made to the newsroom about certain lawsuits surrounding dispensaries in Richmond. Thebault decided to look into those lawsuits which led him to a string of public documents and court reports that eventually became this series of stories. Richmond Confidential.
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10/21/17 - Richmond Council Votes to Proceed with Annexation Process
In a 5-2 vote, it was decided that the city will formally begin the application process with the county, the first step in correcting what many say was a historic injustice. In addition, informational material and a non-binding city ballot will be sent to North Richmond residents in order to gauge public opinion. RichmondConfidential.
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10/19/17 - Council Moves Toward One Richmond
The City Council this week gave the go-ahead to launch the process of
annexing North Richmond, and simultaneously conduct public outreach to gauge the
unincorporated enclave’s support for such a move. East Bay Times.
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10/18/17 - North Richmond Annexation Possible
The Richmond City Council voted in favor Tuesday of moving forward with the
state application to annex unincorporated North Richmond, but not without
simultaneously voting to conduct extensive outreach and polling of North
Richmond residents which, depending on the results, could end up derailing
annexation. Richmond Standard.
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10/13/17 - Gioia's Op-Ed on Future of North Richmond
North Richmond now has a chance to advance these improvements, and build a
better future by becoming part of the City of Richmond, instead of remaining an
isolated pocket of unincorporated community governed by the County. Richmond Standard.
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10/9/17 - North Bay Fires Impact Local Air Quality
Significant fires in Sonoma, Napa and Yuba counties have impacted air quality
throughout the Bay Area, including in West Contra Costa County where
residents posted photos to social media of smoke-hazed city streets and ash
coating parked cars. Richmond Standard.
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9/27/17 - Gioia Hosts Housing Townhall
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia will co-host a town hall meeting on the subject of housing Sept. 30 at Church of Christ, 1501 Florida Ave. Co-hosts of the 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. meeting are the Ensuring Opportunity campaign to end poverty in the county, and the Multi-Faith Action Coalition, which seeks to address the root causes of poverty through advocacy and public policy change, according to its website. East Bay Times.
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9/27/17 - San Pablo on the Rise
On Monday, the city held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new nutritional
center for families with young children that the city is building just behind the
West County Health Center, a county-run regional clinic that opened in 2011. SFGATE.
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9/26/17 -- Community to Beautify North Richmond Grocer
Supervisor John Gioia’s office is partnering with the city of Richmond as well as
sponsors The Home Depot and Kelly-Moore Paints to “put a new paint job on
this important community grocer” at Market Avenue and 5th Street, according to
Robert Rogers, district coordinator for Supervisor Gioia. Richmond Standard.
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9/26/17 -- County Considers Short Term Rental Regulations
Recognizing that different parts of unincorporated Contra Costa have
widely differing tastes and circumstances regarding short-term rentals, the Board of
Supervisors will ask local panels to weigh in on a countywide ordinance regulating
Airbnb-type rentals. East Bay Times.
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9/25/17 -- County Supports Legal Aid for Undocumented
The Contra Costa board of supervisors voted unanimously to help fund Stand Together CoCo, establishing the first rapid-response legal aid program
for its estimated 65,000 unauthorized immigrants. RichmondConfidential.org
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9/24/17 -- North Richmond Annexation Debate Heats Up
Public opinion is divided. Officials are mostly tight-lipped. And after more than 50 years, Tuesday night could bring political isolation to a close for North Richmond: City council is scheduled to decide on whether to incorporate the community into Richmond at-large. RichmondConfidential.org.
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9/20/17 - Contra Costa Supports Rubicon Funding
Two weeks after Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston questioned whether to fund Richmond-based prisoner re-entry organization Rubicon Programs, prompting accusations of political retaliation, supervisors voted unanimously to approve a $400,000 contract with the longstanding group. RichmondConfidential.org.
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9/13/17 -- State Bill Could Save Alta Bates
It’s the final week of this year’s legislative session, and East Bay lawmakers are pushing a bill that could stop Sutter Health from shuttering its Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley. Richmond Confidential.
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9/12/17 -- Judge Becton Hailed as New DA of Contra Costa
Diana Becton was one of five finalists for the job. She was selected as the first choice of supervisors John Gioia, Diane Burgis and Federal Glover during the initial vote, with Deputy District Attorney Paul Graves getting picked by supervisors Candace Andersen and Karen Mitchoff. KTVU.
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9/12/17 -- Russian Consulate Cited by Air Regulators
After the mysterious burning of materials at the Russian consulate
on the eve of its closure earlier this month, Bay Area air quality investigators formally cited the foreign government agency for violating burn restrictions. East Bay Times.
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9/9/17 -- Sheriff, Supervisor Clash Over Re-entry Policy
Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston and county Supervisor John
Gioia, who clashed over the controversial West County jail expansion, are at odds again — this time over the contract renewal for a Richmond-based prisoner re-entry program. East Bay Times.
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9/2/17 -- Richmond Changing
NPR's Richard Gonzales grew up in the blue collar city of Richmond, Calif., just east of San Francisco. On his trip home, he found a city in transformation in the local businesses and the neighborhoods. National Public Radio.
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9/1/17 -- Russian Consulate Smoke Draws Ire
Acrid, black smoke was seen pouring from a chimney at the Russian consulate in San Francisco Friday, a day after the Trump administration ordered its closure amid escalating tensions between the United States and Russia. East Bay Times.
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8/30/17 -- North Richmond Levees Project Kicks Off
As the nation stood in awe over catastrophic floods in Texas produced by Hurricane Harvey, a group of officials and community volunteers this week were taking steps to protect against lesser but nonetheless significant flood dangers in North Richmond. East Bay Times.
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8/29/17 -- Workers Bolster North Richmond Levees
As families in Houston seek shelter from the flooding left behind by Hurricane Harvey, local officials in North Richmond are gathered in a creek bed, where they appear to be gardening. "It's gonna be bit by bit to remove these," said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, as he snipped thick vines with a large pair of
shears. KGO
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8/28/17 -- Soulful Softball a Home Run in Richmond
Hundreds of community members attended an afternoon of softball games at
Nicholl Park in Richmond on Sunday. During the games, participants and fans
had the option to dine on free soul food courtesy of Richmond’s CJ BBQ and
Fish, and could also tap resources from information booths promoting health,
wellness, education and jobs. Richmond Standard.
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8/15/17 -- Saranap Village Housing Development Approved
Saying the project will provide needed housing and almost singlehandedly rejuvenate a threadbare commercial corridor, Contra Costa County supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved the $100 million Saranap Village commercial/retail mixed use project that figures to transform a tired commercial strip between Walnut Creek and Lafayette. East Bay Times.
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7/31/17 -- Las Deltas Loitering Prompts Robust Response
To combat littering, sideshows and other illicit activities, county officials are
proposing to restrict vehicles from stopping, standing and parking along
stretches of Silver Avenue and North Jade Street near the Las Deltas Housing
Project in North Richmond. Richmond Standard.
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7/31/17 -- Las Deltas Restrictions Enhance Safety
Contra Costa supervisors are considering new restrictions to help reduce unsafe driving and loitering along a 500-foot section of North Jade Street near the Las Deltas apartments, and an adjacent stretch of Silver Avenue. East Bay Times.
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7/18/17 -- Cannabis Policy Studied by Board of Supervisors
The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors continued their education on how to regulate cultivation, delivery, manufacturing and dispensing of medical and recreational cannabis in unincorporated areas throughout the county. East Bay Times.
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7/12/17 -- DMC Records Available to Former Patients For Limited Time
Get your patient records from Doctors hospital before they are destroyed — that’s the message that went out Tuesday from Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia’s office to anyone ever treated at the former Brookside Hospital, which became Doctors Medical Center before it was declared insolvent and closed its doors to patients in April 2015. East Bay Times.
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7/12/17 -- County Board Restricts Flavored Tobacco
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to prohibit the selling of flavored tobacco products near parks and schools in unincorporated areas of the county. CBS Bay Area.
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7/11/17 -- Cap and Trade Deal Sparks Controversy
A new deal to extend California’s landmark climate program known as cap and trade was met with both praise and condemnation Tuesday a environmentalists, business groups and lawmakers worked furiously to untangle — and wrangle over — the complex proposal that could be up for a vote within days. East Bay Times.
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7/6/17 -- New East Richmond Festival Set for July Debut
The East Richmond Heights neighborhood is gearing up for a brand-new street
festival that it plans to make into a yearly celebration, enlivened by the
countless artists and musicians who call the area home. Richmond Standard.
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6/29/17 -- Low Profile Grand Jury Investigation
It was an unusual and erroneous way to refer to one’s “favorite politician,” and Jim Mellander got the attention of those in the room as the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors on June 23 discussed how to go about replacing District Attorney Mark Peterson. East Bay Times.
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6/23/17 -- Imagine No Jail Expansion
Imagine. On a recent Tuesday, my day began as the Board of Supervisors focused
again on Sheriff David Livingston’s plans for the West County Detention Facility. My day ended in the El Cerrito City Council chambers. East Bay Times Opinion.
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6/21/17 -- GHG Cap Decision Must Wait
Bay Area air regulators on Wednesday postponed adopting the nation’s first limits on greenhouses gases from oil refineries because of complaints that the public wasn’t given enough time to review 11th-hour changes. Vallejo Times Herald.
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6/20/17 -- Jail Expansion Approved on Divided Vote
A $25 million grant for a controversial expansion of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond was approved Tuesday by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, the last major hurdle for this project. Supervisor Gioia opposed the jail expansion. East Bay Times.
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6/14/17 -- Contra Costa Considers Banning Flavored Tobacco
In a push to prevent tobacco and e-cigarette companies from targeting youth and
minorities, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is considering adopting a
slew of provisions that restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products and electronic
and menthol cigarettes. NBCBayArea.
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5/31/17 -- Planned Parenthood to Close 3 Bay Area Locations
Planned Parenthood officials will close three Bay Area clinics by the end of June, and it could get worse. Facilities in Richmond, Pittsburg and Vacaville will close June 30 as health reimbursements for the state’s poor continue to shrink. East Bay Times.
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5/26/17 -- Opposition to Jail Expansion Simmers
The subject: A $25 million expansion plan for the West County Detention Facility in North Richmond that the supervisors approved in February. The ongoing message: Reverse that approval, and pay for other community services instead of more jail space. East Bay Times.
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5/23/17 -- Refinery Outage Prompts Talks of New Rules
City officials would have greater oversight over the Valero refinery under a proposal set to be unveiled at the Benicia City Council meeting on Tuesday—a potential reform prompted by the major outage at the facility earlier this month. KQED.
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5/10/17 -- East Richmond Spring Fling Gathering
A bustling Spring Fling BBQ celebration on the afternoon of Sunday, May 7,
brought about 100 residents of East Richmond Heights for a neighborhood bash
highlighted by fantastic pot-luck food and an appearance by Contra Costa
County Supervisor John Gioia. Richmond Standard.
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5/4/17 -- Board Approves MCE in County
On a 4-1 vote, with supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill casting the lone dissenting vote, Contra Costa supervisors selected San Rafael-based MCE Clean Energy to develop solar power plants preferably in the county’s sprawling northern waterfront area to lower PG&E electric rates for residential and commercial electricity customers. Antioch Herald.
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4/28/17 -- Standing Up For Sanctuary Policies
Speaking on public radio station KQED’s Forum program April 26, Contra
Costa County Supervisor John Gioia called the decision “a victory for those
of us at local government in cities and counties to pursue the practices we
believe are the most effective in keeping our communities safe and making
them stronger. Frankly, also, a victory for policies that bring us together, not
divide us.” People's World.
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4/17/17 -- El Cerrito, Sheriff Clash Over Jail
Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston pledges to back out of a five-year deal to provide police dispatch services to the city because of its formal opposition to a proposed expansion of the West County jail. East Bay Times.
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04/12/17 -- Knox's Bipartisan Legacy
John T. Knox, who spent 20 years in the California Assembly and whose name is attached to several landmark laws and structures, died April 3 in Richmond at age 92. As Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia pointed out in the newspaper, “There is a reason things are named after him; he got things done.” East Bay Times.
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04/10/17 - El Cerrito Denounces Jail Expansion
The city last week joined Richmond in formally opposing the planned expansion of the West Contra Costa Detention Facility. The City Council on April 4 unanimously approved a recommendation by Councilwoman Rochelle Pardue–Okimoto “authorizing the mayor to send a letter to the California Board of State and Community Corrections opposing the $70 million grant proposal from the
Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office for the expansion of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond.” East Bay Times.
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04/04/17 -- John T. Knox, 92, Dies
Former state Assemblyman John T. Knox, a liberal Democrat who was a driving force behind the 1970 creation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission in 1965, died Tuesday at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Richmond after a long illness. He was 92. East Bay Times.
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04/04/17 -- State Law Could Bar ICE Contracts
Long-standing lucrative jail contracts between California sheriff’s departments
and federal agencies could unravel if state legislators pass a bill barring local
law enforcement from cooperating with immigration authorities, critics of the
legislation said Tuesday. SFGate
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3/20/17 -- Gioia's Poetry Eases Tension
Things were a little tense in the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors meeting room last Tuesday when the supes took up whether to give the operators of Keller Canyon landfill near Pittsburg more time to conform to rules governing the handling of construction waste. After all, the dump operators had sued the county last year over it. East Bay Times.
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2/13/17 -- Livingston Schmoozes with Jeff Sessions
On the same day the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office requested approval from the Board of Supervisors for a jail expansion, the agency’s top cop, Sheriff David Livingston, was in Washington, D.C., schmoozing with Jeff Sessions, the recently confirmed attorney general. SFGATE.
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2/8/17 -- Tempers Flare During Controversial Approval of Jail Expansion
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted 4-1 to move forward with a controversial proposal to build a new wing at the West County Detention Facility, an expansion that would result in hundreds of inmates at the Martinez jail shuffled to new units in Richmond. NBC Bay Area.
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2/8/17 -- County Board Votes to Expand Jail
Despite pleas from community activists, educators, nurses and others, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to move forward with a controversial plan to expand jail services at the West County Detention Facility, a project that will cost the county $25 million in construction costs and $5 million a year thereafter. East Bay Times.
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2/7/17 -- Contra Costa County Supervisors Approve Jail Expansion
During a crowded and occasionally unruly meeting that lasted several hours, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 Wednesday to approve a proposal to expand a jail in Richmond. Supervisor John Gioia cast the sole dissenting vote against the proposal. PATCH.com
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1/14/17 -- County Supervisors Encouraged by Positive Economic Report
A new economic outlook report commissioned by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors offered mostly good news but reflects enough uncertainty over the possible ramifications of a Donald Trump presidency and regional housing and transportation concerns to keep the elected leaders on their toes. East Bay Times.
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1/6/17 -- Chevron Likely Source of Foul Odors, Fine Likely
Air district officials are zeroing in on the Chevron refinery in Richmond as the source of foul odors detected in San Francisco and Richmond, with fines against the company likely, according to one member of the district’s board of directors. East Bay Times.
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12/27/16 -- Forum Addresses Increase in Hate Crimes
In the wake of reports of two hate crimes in West Contra Costa County and hundreds
throughout the country since the election of Donald Trump, West County residents
came together to address the recent increase and discuss ways to deal with them
locally. Richmond Pulse.
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12/22/16 -- Local Official Wants to Close Richmond Auto Yard Involved in Fire
Supervisor John Gioia, who represents the unincorporated area where the fire broke out, was among those caught in the smoke and had to stay indoors at one of the nearly 30 schools under the temporary shelter order. The property is located at Gertrude Avenue and Richmond Parkway, close to Chevron’s Richmond refinery. KQED.
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12/7/16 -- El Sobrante Forum on Hate Crimes Set
A month after the shocking murder of a young African-American man at an El Sobrante pool hall by a group of white men, an incident prosecutors have called a hate crime, local organizations are planning a forum to address intimidation and harassment in West Contra Costa. East Bay Times.
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11/23/16 -- Extensive Renovations Underway at El Sobrante Library
Extensive renovations are underway at the El Sobrante Library, including landscape and parking lot improvements. The project began earlier this month and will continue through the spring. The library will remain open during the work, although the parking lot and Reading Garden will be closed to the public. East Bay Times.
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11/1/16 -- North Richmond’s Newest Farm to Sell Fresh Food
Richmond nonprofit Urban Tilth hosted a celebration to introduce North Richmond’s newest farm. The Oct. 15 event marked the beginning of construction at the new three acre farm site at Fred Jackson Way and Brookside Drive. But the land won’t only be used to grow food. Urban Tilth executive director Doria
Robinson said she envisions it as a community gathering place. Richmond Pulse.
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3/8/04 -- Take Responsibility
Did you ever notice that when things go bad the people most responsible for the particular demise are the first to propose that 'we will not cast blame?' West County Times
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3/27/97 -- Marina Bay Call to Action
A last minute deal proffered by local developers and power broker Darrell Reese has some City Council members and residents fuming. West Count Times
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