Richmond Area News Feed

The East Bay Regional Park District appointed Chris Wyckoff as the new assistant general manager of Facilities and Infrastructure, a newly created role resulting from the agency’s December 2025 reorganization. Wyckoff will oversee capital projects, facility design, construction, and maintenance across the park system.

Wyckoff first joined the Park District last year and previously led the Maintenance and Skilled Trades division, managing 107 employees and a $40 million budget to maintain park buildings, roads, trails, and water systems. Before his time with the district, he served as the director of Facilities and Asset Management for Mooresville, N.C., where he oversaw $80 million in capital projects.

“Chris has already made a meaningful impact on our organization, and I am excited about the leadership he will bring to this new role,” said Max Korten, acting GM. “He brings people together, builds strong partnerships, and focuses on practical solutions. Those strengths will help us improve coordination across the Park District and better serve East Bay communities.”

Wyckoff said he looks forward to working with the district’s “talented team to advance major initiatives, support operations and maintenance, and ensure facilities and infrastructure serve the East Bay for years to come.”

The public can track the district’s construction, replacement, and renovation work through the agency’s online Capital Improvement Project Dashboard.

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A running list of restaurants that have recently closed in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

By Lily Hamson

An iconic slice of Iron Triangle neighborhood history marks 100 years today since its grand opening as the New Hotel Carquinez.

The building at 400 Harbour Way, which currently houses seniors, was erected July 17,1926 as a first-class hotel amid the city’s economic growth period following World War I. It became the center for social and civic life, operating as the conference place for the Chamber of Commerce, Standard Oil Company (now Chevron), and Santa Fe Railroad. While the Hotel Carquinez has changed titles, ownership, and purpose over the last 100 years, it remains a reminder of Richmond’s history of prosperity.

According to historical documents provided by the Richmond Museum of Culture and History, the hotel was outlined to be a “community project.” Stocks were offered to Richmond citizens at $10 per share to develop a “Mecca for the traveling public as well as the center of our social activities,” as written in the official 1925 statement by the Richmond Community Hotel, Inc., prior to its construction. It reflected the need of the buzzing city as Richmond’s importance as an industrial center and shipping port continued to surge.

And so, a five-story, fireproof building was designed by Berkeley architect James Plachek and leased to Hamilton Hotel Operating Chain for 30 years. In the full spirit of a community effort, the hotel’s name was offered in a contest to Richmond high school students, as advertised in the former Richmond Independent in May 1925, according to the Museum’s archives. Evoking the area’s Spanish Californian heritage and nearby strait, Robert Wren’s “Hotel Carquinez” was selected as the winner.

On July 17, 1926, the grand opening welcomed 1,000 attendees and a 200-person banquet under the music of a seven-piece orchestra.

However, much like many American buildings of this era, the financial health of the hotel was strained amid the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression. It was refinanced and purchased from Hamilton’s lease by the Richmond Community Corporation in the summer of 1929, announcing that it would remain open as long as the financial losses did not justify closure.

The state of the hotel continued to mirror that of the city it sat in, and the next wave of economic prosperity came with the onset of World War II. Richmond experienced an industrial recovery in the early 1940s, hiking the population from 23,600 in 1940 to 93,700 in 1943, according to information provided by the city.

The “boomtown” atmosphere improved traveler demand, and so the hotel was purchased by Vallejo hotelier and Rotarian Harry Handlery for $65,000 in 1942. Handlery proposed a comprehensive remodel to breathe new life into the building – improving the hotel rooms, restaurant, and banquet hall. It was closed for renovations in 1949 and reopened as the Hotel Don. The Oakland Tribune reported that when newly elected Vice President Richard Nixon “swept through town on Oct. 11, 1954, on a Republican fundraising junket, he took a suite at the Don.”

The success of the Hotel Don would ebb, flow, and eventually start its decline over the next two decades. Deindustrialization in Richmond was impactful, and the 1976 opening of the Hilltop Mall in the northern corner of the city drew business away from the downtown area. The 1970s and ‘80s were difficult years that roughed the hotel’s former elegance. A third turnaround for the venerable Hotel Don occurred in October 1991 when the structure was rehabilitated as a senior housing community by BRIDGE Housing, renamed closer to its original designation “The Carquinez.” The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places the following year under reference number 92000466. The Carquinez remains today, undergoing a $9.5 million upgrade in 2011 that modernized the housing units while respecting its historic status.

The century-old Iron Triangle building has been the meeting ground for industry leaders across major historical moments, depleted and resuscitated twice over, and now offers care to Alzheimer’s patients. It’s a figure that symbolizes the most optimistic and trying years of Richmond’s history. This complex and cascading history started 100 years ago today. The primary sources used in this article and more can be accessed at the Richmond Museum of History and Culture at 400 Nevin Ave, Richmond, CA 94801. The museum is open from Thursday through Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more about local history here, on the museum website.

“Historic buildings are more than bricks and mortar—they are tangible reminders of the people, vision, and perseverance that built our community,” said Evelyn Santos, executive director of the Richmond Museum of History & Culture. “By preserving them, we honor our past, strengthen our sense of place, and ensure that future generations can learn from and be inspired by Richmond’s story.”

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The filing period for the Nov. 3 election, which includes Richmond's Contra Costa College board seat, closes Aug. 7.

Jerry D. Kent, who is credited with helping drive the massive expansion of the East Bay Regional Park District over his 41-year career, died on July 14, 2026 at age 88.

Kent started working for the district in 1962 as a groundsman. Over the next four decades, he was promoted to park supervisor, firefighter, maintenance supervisor, and finally assistant general manager. While he worked there, the park district grew from 6,000 acres and six parks to 93,000 acres and 63 parks.

As assistant general manager for many years, Kent oversaw day-to-day park operations, public safety, education programs, planning, and construction. He guided the district through major challenges like the budget cuts of Proposition 13, labor disputes, and the 1991 East Bay Hills firestorm. Kent also served twice as acting general manager. During one of these periods, he led the successful effort to pass the 1988 Measure AA, the largest local park funding measure of its kind at the time.

After retiring in 2003, Kent continued to support regional parks and wildfire safety. He helped with later funding campaigns, researched fire management, and advised environmental groups like the Sierra Club, the Regional Parks Association, and the Hills Emergency Forum. In 2005, Kent led a volunteer effort to create the Park District Archives. He worked with retirees and historians to save and organize tens of thousands of historic records and photos.

Acting General Manager Max Korten said Kent’s careful planning and leadership are a big reason for the district’s success today.

“Jerry’s thoughtful approach to leadership and planning is evident in the success of the Park District over the many years that he was connected with it,” Korten said. “I especially appreciated the opportunity to bounce ideas off of him, learn from his deep experience, and hear how past planning efforts can help inform future ones.”

To honor Kent’s work, flags at all East Bay Regional Park District properties were ordered to be flown at half-staff.

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The Fresh Approach Mobile Farmers’ Market is expanding its Wednesday service in Richmond by adding a new regular stop beginning next week. The addition builds upon the mobile market’s existing weekly presence in the community, providing residents with more local options for fresh agricultural produce.

The mobile market will now operate at two distinct locations every Wednesday. The long-standing morning session remains scheduled from 10-11:30 a.m. outside the Richmond Public Library, situated at Nevin Avenue and Civic Center Plaza. Following this stop, the market truck will debut its new afternoon location at Hacienda Heights, a Mercy Housing property, where it will run from noon to 1 p.m. at the corner of Barrett Avenue and 13th Street.

For residents looking for alternative options during the week, Fresh Approach also coordinates services at the year-round Richmond Certified Farmers’ Market. This stationary market takes place every Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Civic Center Plaza in Richmond. Operating in partnership with Fresh Approach since 2019, the Friday market features a wide array of local farmers and vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and prepared foods.

To help make healthy food affordable, both the mobile market truck and the Friday Civic Center market offer a 50 percent discount to qualifying shoppers. Customers who participate in assistance programs such as CalFresh/EBT, WIC, SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal/Medicaid, unemployment benefits, or local food pantries can receive the discount on their produce purchases.

Additional information regarding route schedules, vendor details, and program eligibility is accessible through the Fresh Approach organization website.

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BART had its highest number of riders since the pandemic this June, largely because of the World Cup and San Francisco Pride events. Ridership went up 18.6 percent compared to June 2025.

For the entire fiscal year, BART recorded 59.5 million exits, which is a 13 percent increase from the year before. This continues a steady comeback that gained speed earlier in the spring. Back in March, BART set an earlier daily record of 227,300 exits on Giants Opening Day, and it was the first month since the pandemic that average weekday trips stayed over 200,000.

June beat those March records across the board. The system reached a new weekday average of nearly 210,000 exits. Tuesday, June 9, was the busiest single day since the pandemic, with 236,785 trips. In fact, the five busiest days since the pandemic all happened this June. The San Francisco Pride weekend also set major records, with Saturday seeing 158,944 exits, and Sunday 171,342 exits. That Sunday total was about 30,000 more trips than Pride Sunday the year before, which is a 24 percent increase.

Even with more people riding the trains, BART says it does not collect enough money from ticket fares to keep the system running. The transit agency faces a funding gap of $350 million to $400 million, mainly because remote and hybrid work has permanently changed daily commute habits.

The post BART sets new ridership records in June appeared first on Richmond Standard.

An 18-year-old man was arrested Tuesday, two days after a suspected road rage shooting occurred in the 100 block of Harbour Way South, according to police.

Richmond police detectives took Anderson Marroquin of Vallejo into custody this week in Palo Alto with assistance from the Palo Alto Police Department.

The investigation determined that the violence originated from a minor traffic collision that escalated into gunfire. Officers initially responded to the scene at approximately 9:41 p.m. on Sunday, July 12. During the preliminary investigation, officers determined two vehicles were involved in a minor crash. For unknown reasons, an occupant of one of the vehicles shot at the other, striking the driver before fleeing the scene on foot, according to police.

The wounded victim was subsequently transported to a local hospital and is currently reported to be in stable condition.

Following the shooting, the Richmond Police Department Homicide Unit responded, assumed responsibility for the investigation, and quickly identified Marroquin as the suspect. Detectives located Marroquin in Palo Alto two days later.

Marroquin was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide, and officers also determined he had an active murder warrant from the Vallejo Police Department. The Vallejo Police Department took Marroquin into custody and subsequently booked him into the Solano County Jail on the outstanding warrant.

The attempted homicide case will be forwarded to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for review and potential charges.

Members of the public with any information about this incident are encouraged to contact the Richmond Police Department Investigations Bureau at (510) 621-1288.

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Richmond police are investigating a shooting in the 400 block of Wilson Avenue in Richmond Wednesday night. There were at least two victims, and one was airlifted to a trauma center for treatment.

Further details of the incident were not immediately released. Check back for updates.

The post Richmond police investigate shooting on Wilson Avenue appeared first on Richmond Standard.

Also: Theater group brings "A Chorus Line" to El Cerrito High; unique wooden art show at NIAD; and an open mic night downtown.

BART police arrested a 27-year-old fugitive wanted for murder following a routine stop for fare evasion at the El Cerrito del Norte Station on Tuesday morning.

According to BART police, officers observed Davonte Fore attempting to bypass the fare gates at 8:53 a.m. When officers approached, Fore allegedly fled the station on foot. Police pursued him and apprehended him several blocks away from the transit center.

Upon his capture, Fore presented a false identification card to the arresting officers. Authorities conducted a routine fingerprint check, which confirmed his true identity and revealed an active warrant, according to BART police.

Fore was wanted in connection with a 2021 homicide in Covington, Georgia. Law enforcement records show he was convicted of the crime in 2024 but had been evading authorities since his conviction. Fore remains in custody.

The post BART police apprehend Georgia murder fugitive after fare evasion stop appeared first on Richmond Standard.

Richmond police stepped up enforcement over the July 4 weekend, making six arrests, seizing illegal fireworks and recovering a stolen loaded firearm.

WestCAT reports that one of its buses, LYNX Bus No. 1201, recently reached one million miles of service since beginning active service on Sept. 19, 2008.

The bus operates on the LYNX route, providing regional commuter service between the Hercules Transit Center and the Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco.

Over the years, Bus No. 201 has provided consistent daily transportation for thousands of passengers traveling across the Bay Area. To contextualize the total distance traveled, one million miles is roughly equivalent to completing 40 full trips around the Earth.

WestCAT credited its maintenance team for keeping the bus in good condition. The agency also recognized the drivers who have operated the vehicle for over 10 years, as well as the support staff who ensure the fleet runs safely and reliably every day.

The post WestCAT LYNX bus surpasses 1 million miles in service appeared first on Richmond Standard.

Fifty people reported being the victims of gun violence in the last months of 2025. Here’s how one of them is fighting to recover.

The San Pablo City Council voted Monday to place a proposed rent stabilization and tenant protection initiative on the Nov. 3 ballot rather than adopt it directly into law.

The decision came after members reviewed an independent report prepared by consulting firm RSG under California Elections Code Section 9212. The report examined the initiative’s potential fiscal impacts, consistency with the city’s General Plan and Housing Element, and possible effects on housing and land use.

Council members unanimously voted to send the measure to voters and amended the ballot question to include RSG’s estimate that administering the ordinance would cost the city between approximately $1.08 million and $2.36 million annually. The report estimated the city would need between 3.2 and 7.9 full-time employees to administer the program.

RSG estimated the ordinance would apply in some form to approximately 7,189 rental units citywide, including about 4,079 fully covered units subject to both rent stabilization and tenant protections and about 3,110 partially covered units subject only to certain tenant protection provisions under current state law. The partially covered units include an estimated 2,273 renter-occupied single-family homes.

The proposed ordinance would limit annual rent increases for covered units to 60 percent of the change in the Consumer Price Index, with a minimum increase of 0 percent and a maximum of 3 percent in any year. It also would establish just-cause eviction requirements, relocation assistance for qualifying no-fault evictions, regulations governing Ellis Act withdrawals and tenant buyout agreements, tenant safety plan requirements for some rehabilitation projects, and new petition, hearing and enforcement procedures.

Public comment reflected a sharp divide over the proposal.

Representatives of the California Apartment Association, property management companies and local housing providers urged the council to reject the initiative. They argued the ordinance would impose extensive administrative and legal requirements on housing providers, including owners of single-family rental homes, accessory dwelling units and some affordable housing. Several speakers warned that rising compliance costs and liability could encourage small property owners to sell their rental properties, reducing the city’s housing supply.

Tenant advocates and community organizations, including Rising Juntos, urged the council to adopt the ordinance immediately instead of waiting for the November election. Speakers said the initiative would provide stronger protections against excessive rent increases and displacement, arguing that housing is a human right and that renters should not have to wait months for additional protections after residents gathered enough signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot.

Along with placing the measure on the ballot, the council authorized the mayor and vice mayor to prepare the official ballot argument opposing the initiative.

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A running list of restaurants that have recently opened in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

Whether breaking up fights, mediating conflicts or simply listening, Robert Turner was a mentor who impacted generations of WCCUSD families.

Forty-seven acres along Richmond's western shore will become available in a few years, and Bay Trail advocates say it should become a regional park.

Divan, Dropo Sushi and Jjamppong Zizon are some of the several recent East Bay restaurant openings.

Celebrating its 70th year, the central Richmond activity center known as "The Club" serves about 400 children a year on shoestring budget.

Highlights include: North Richmond celebrates the grand reopening of Shields-Reid Park; Little Shop of Horrors opens at Masquers Playhouse; Point Richmond Music Festival returns.

Sales tax increase in five counties would help fund transportation agencies around Bay Area.

Discussions about police military equipment and a proposed ballot measure to create an ethics watchdog commission are among a series of postponed council topics.

The free July 11 festival at Shields-Reid Park doubles as a tribute to the neighborhood's blues legacy and the debut of a $7 million park makeover.

A running list of restaurants that have recently opened in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

Iron Triangle resident Wanette Foreman got her life back on track with support from her church community and assistance from county programs. Today she’s giving back as an organizer with Richmond Rising.

Join the Nosh team July 18 at Temescal Brewing for an afternoon of food, music, prizes and more.

KoBold Metals, which is prowling the world for critical minerals needed for artificial intelligence, is backed by the company that's opening a facility on Richmond's waterfront.

Central Stage launches monthly sessions where melodies made from quartz bowls promise to lull listeners into a deep meditative state.

From gluten-free pizza to grain-free wontons, we sampled takeout dishes from Paltrow's latest wellness venture.