Richmond Leaders to Host Town Hall,
Rally to Save Historic Downtown Richmond Post Office

Richmond, CA — Following a public hearing convened by the United States Postal Service on May 31, Richmond leaders have announced a community-wide Town Hall meeting.

The town hall meeting is being hosted by the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council and co-organized by the Office of Mayor Tom Butt, the Office of Congressman DeSaulnier, and Richmond Main Street Initiative.

“The community really spoke loud and clear at the public hearing. They were very concerned about the USPS proposal to relocate the Richmond Main Post Office and the lack of information about the whole process, especially the public comment portion,” says Alicia Gallo, Outreach Coordinator, Richmond Main Street Initiative.

In January a notice announcing that the historic Richmond Main Post Office had been “determined to be in excess by the Postal Service and is no longer necessary for Postal operations” was posted. The notice advised the public to submit written comments no later than February 8. Upon receiving inquiries from local leaders and elected officials, the USPS reverse course citing an error in procedure.

In mid-May, a second notice and two-page letter to Richmond Mayor Tom Butt was posted at the office. This notice announced a proposal to relocate retail post office operations from the Richmond Main Post Office (1025 Nevin Avenue) to the McVittie DDU facility (2100 Chanslor Avenue), as well as details regarding a public hearing and a public comment period.

More than fifty community members attended the public hearing, with roughly half offering comments to Dean Cameron and Augustin Ruiz of the USPS. Attendees included Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, representatives from John Gioia and Mayor Tom Butt’s office, Councilmember Eduardo Martinez, Richmond Main Street Initiative, Downtown businesses, residents, and retired postal workers. Also in attendance were organizers from Save the Berkeley Post Office.

All speakers passionately spoke out against the proposed relocation, citing that the relocation proposal would create severe hardships for residents and businesses. Many expressed concerns about the environmental and human impact of relocating services to the McVittie site, which is not accessible by public transportation, is located in a residential area, and sits at the intersection of two dead-end streets.

In addition to praising the Richmond Main Post Office for its central location, longtime residents also spoke about the local landmark for its historic and cultural value. Built in 1938 as a New Deal project, the building is a rare example of a one that has retained both its original form and function.

Amanda Elliott, Executive Director of Richmond Main Street Initiative, spoke about new development projects planned for the Downtown district. In the next five years, new infill projects will bring nearly 1000 new housing units and 60,000+ square feet of retail, all located just blocks from the current main post office.

Community members also questioned the decision making process used by the USPS to arrive at the relocation proposal. Data supporting the USPS assertion that the Downtown post office is not economically viable was not presented. Also not provided were reasons for deciding against relocating or consolidating services of other post offices in the area, including the McVittie facility, or exploring creative revenue generating ventures.

All community members are invited to attend this town hall to learn more about the USPS proposal and how to submit public comments. Organizers will have instructions and sample letters available. Those who are not able to attend the town hall meeting are encouraged to visit www.RichmondMainStreet.org/Save-Richmond-Main-Post-Office to learn more, read letters of support from local leaders and others, and to access the online petition.

About
Richmond Main Street Initiative is a community based non-profit dedicated to revitalizing historic Downtown Richmond. RMSI partners with the City of Richmond, merchants, and residents to develop and improve downtown Richmond as a pedestrian-friendly urban village that offers products, services, arts and entertainment that reflect the community’s rich and diverse heritage. www.richmondmainstreet.org and www.facebook.com/richmondmainstreet.


Letters of Support:
Mayor Tom Butt, Congressman DeSaulnier, Supervisor John Gioia, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Richmond Main Street Initiative

Stay Connected

       
www.richmondmainstreet.org

Richmond Main Street Initiative
Revitalizing Historic Downtown Richmond
1015 Nevin Avenue, Suite 105

Richmond, CA 94801
(additional entrance at 402 Harbour Way)

A History of California Prisons

Every month, we invite members, non-members, activists, organizers, lawyers and legal workers to join us for the NLGSF “Join the Conversation” Membership Meeting

Each month will feature a political discussion. This month we will hold a discussion onBodies and Bondage A History of California’s Prisons with Jared Rudolph of the Prison Advocacy Network. Jared Rudolph is a criminal defense attorney and the founder of Prisoner Reentry Network,a nonprofit that supports successful transitions from incarceration to the community. California’s prison system started as a privately-run barge anchored in the Bay, and was embroiled in corruption, political scandal, and violence. Since then, our system has grown to incarcerate more people than the population of Berkeley. Prisons represent the power of the state in its most raw and basic form, and 165 years later Californians are still confronting the same fundamental questions: Why do we incarcerate people, what happens when they leave, and can we do better?

Refreshments Provided

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR!!!

Click HERE for the job description.

Applications due June 15th!

Though we didn’t make our fundraising goal by our intended deadline … we have decided to extend our campaign.

We must extend our campaign because it is solelythrough the generosity of our members that we are able to sustain ourselves. This means we are not accountable to corporations or foundations.

We are accountable to the people. We are accountable to you.

If you didn’t donate, stop what you are doing and donate today.

If you did donate, forward this request with a personal note to all of your contacts and ask them to donate today.

The work demand is high. Our coffers are low. Resistance requires resources. If we don’t support our movements – who will?

Donate a little or a lot. But DONATE TODAY!!

Nat Bates For Mayor tells the story of the outrageous 2014 mayor’s race in Richmond, home to the second largest refinery in California. In a brazen move, Chevron spent more than $3 million to back 83-year-old African American stalwart Nat Bates.

Bates makes a Faustian bargain with the city’s corporate behemoth in a cagey attempt to preserve the long-standing but waning power of Richmond’s African-American working class community, whose rich history dates back to the formation of the Kaiser shipyards during World War Two. It’s black against white. It’s pro-development forces against eco-friendly Progressives. It’s David versus Goliath. Is Nat Bates the savior or stooge? The movie is a wacky ride with some of the most entertaining and offbeat political characters you’ll ever meet.

The guerilla-style documentary (with extraordinary access) follows the candidates on the campaign trail, in revealing personal moments, and during the city’s audacious Jerry Springer-like city council meetings, as they lock in a battle for the mayor’s seat and the future of the Bay Area’s overlooked oil town.There are cameos by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and legendary civil rights leader Andrew Young. The documentary is a potent mix of corporate influence, race, gentrification, homophobia, political self-determination, and humor–all told through the lives of bigger-than-life small-town characters.

Co-presented with KQED’s Truly California.

Join Alameda for Black Lives and community and faith leaders as we honor the two-year anniversary of the white supremacist terror attack that claimed the lives of nine people as they attended a church service in Charleston, SC. We will meet at the southwest corner of Webster Street and Atlantic Avenue. Speakers will include Rab’ia Keeble of Qual’bu Maryam Women’s Mosque and Robbie Wilson of Alameda Black Achievers Alliance. State Rep. Barbara Lee has been invited to speak also. All are welcome to this free event. Please share widely.

Peace in the Park is reaching out to your community to come out and experience peace in YOUR park. Enjoy a fun, relaxing, mindful day with us free of stress and cost. Children and youth are strongly encouraged to attend. Lets get to know each other!

11-12 pm Arts & Crafts, Games
12-12:20 pm Meditative Movement w/ Dr. Marcus Penn
12:20-12:35pm Pancho Ramos, Peace Activist and founder of Casa de Paz
12:35-12:50 Pause for World Peace Meditation
12:50-1:10 pm Mai’saan hip-hop of Youth Speaks
1:10-1:40 pm Lunch
1:40-2 pm Nature Walk

DJ Brandon

To find us in the park, look for couple Peace in the Park flags. Check the pics posted for landmark on where to park closest to us.
Hosted by Peace in the Park Festival https://www.peaceintheparksf.org/

Bring family and friends and come enjoy some BBQ and talk about the future of your neighborhood (District 2). We are a group of Oaklanders who have come together around the causes we all believe in, including: Jobs, Displacement, Homelessness, Education, Public Safety, Healthcare, Immigration

Join state legislators @TonyThurmond @RobBonta @NancySkinnerCA for a Town Hall this Saturday on CA's recent leadership on important issues! pic.twitter.com/TvuqqdZa1A

— Keith Carson (@Keith_Carson) June 13, 2017

You are invited!
Richmond Progressive Alliance Membership Meeting

As always, members can join or renew at the meeting, and all RPA supporters are welcomed, too.

Volunteers Needed Before the Meeting! Consider joining us from 11 am – 2 pm to help distribute the latest issue of The Richmond Sun.

We’ll feed volunteers a late lunch before the meeting starts.  Click here to sign up for a volunteer shift.

Occupella will have our monthly BART sing for Black Lives Matter/Protect the Vulnerable from 5:15-6:15 at the San Leandro BART station. We’re at the Tax the Rich Rally on Solano every Monday from 5-6. Songbooks provided at all events. For a full calendar, visit www.occupella.org.

Annie Danger, Mike Esmailzadeh, and Heather will lead a two-hour workshop on the basics of intervening in public as a bystander. They will cover the basics of stance, assertiveness, and situational awareness as well as go into depth about different potential scenarios, legality of bystander intervention, physical and social skills and tactics for successful intervention, de-escalation, police involvement, knowing your place, and aftercare.

This workshop cannot cover all possibilities of intervention, but will provide a baseline for reducing harm and acting in effective solidarity with people being harassed or assaulted.

If you have any physical disabilities or differences in ability organizers should know about, please email basebuilding@surjbayarea.org.

Hello, Comrades!

First off, we would like to thank EVERYONE for their participation in the#DefundOPD Campaign. Your actions have spoke loudly and have clearly influenced the City’s decisionmaking process when it comes to allocating money to the Oakland Police Department.

That being said, the fight is not over! City Council plans to announce and vote on its proposed budget, and we want to be there in full force to hold them accountable!

On Monday, June 19 at (tentatively) 5 pm we need folks to TURN UP to Oakland’s City Council Meeting. Please bring your DefundOPD signs, share this on social media, and participate in the #DefundOPD social media campaign (instructions below!):

1) Print your handy dandy “Less cops, more _______” or “Menos policías, más _______” from www.defundopd.org or make your own
2) Use your imagination. What would you fund with all those millions?
3) Snap a photo
4) Post and tag #DefundOPD, city council members and some friends!
http://www.defundopd.org/

The Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland will be out in full force at the council meeting next Tuesday. Please find us in our bright green shirts to receive signs. We will also have t-shirts available for sale. If this is your first time participating in something like this, please find us and we will help you get oriented.

Attend our outreach event before the council meeting.

Time: 4:30PM

The Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland is organizing a political action an hour before the full council meeting. We will be making money grow on the Coastal Live Oak in the Plaza by taping paper bills onto the leaves to symbolize the revenue the city of Oakland can earn for our community if it creates a public bank. Please join us and support the movement!

The regular Council meeting will begin sometime after the Special Council Meeting on establishing a Department of Violence Prevention, which begins at 5:00 PM.

Item S13

Subject: Feasibility And Economic Impact Of Establishing A Public Bank

From: Finance Department

Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution (1) Amending The City Of Oakland’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17 Midcycle Budget (Which Was Adopted Pursuant To Resolution No. 86250 C.M.S. On June 21,2016) To

(1) Appropriate One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), From The Fiscal Year 2016-17 General Purpose Fund (1010) Balance For A Contract To Complete A Feasibility Study On Public Banking In Oakland, And

(2) Authorizing The City Administrator Or Her Designee To Negotiate A Scope Of Work, Terms And Execute A Contract With Global Investment Company In An Amount Not To Exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000)

1. View Report, 2. View Supplemental Report, 3. View Supplemental Report, 4. View Supplemental Report

Special Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland

Subject: Establishing The Department Of Violence Prevention

From: Councilmember McElhaney, Kaplan And Council President Reid

Recommendation: Adopt A Ordinance Amending Chapter 2.29 Of The Oakland Municipal Code Entitled “City Agencies, Departments And Offices” To Create The Department Of Violence Prevention Focusing On Ending The Epidemic Of Violent Crime In Oakland And Healing Trauma In Impacted Communities

A winding, two-month push for the new city department meets its conclusion Tuesday. The proposed department would be put under the control of the city administrator. Last week, its tenuous future was defended by Councilmember Lynette Gibson McElhaney who unleashed a highly emotional call for its creation amid a proposal by some of her colleagues for a blue-ribbon commission. – East Bay Citizen

On Tuesday May 16 more than 200 people turned out to the Berkeley City Council in anticipation of the Council’s vote on whether or not to continue Berkeley’s participation in Urban Shield. After waiting six hours for the agenda item to be heard and after giving powerful testimony, we were told that the Council once again decided to postpone the vote. The coalition and supporters staged a walkout to show the Council that we won’t stand for this kind of manipulation.

The Council has rescheduled the vote for June 20th at 6pm at Longfellow Middle School, 1500 Derby St in Berkeley.

LET’S TURN OUT STRONGER AND MORE ORGANIZED!
We want to redouble our efforts at the upcoming meeting in showing the Berkeley City Council that they need to stand on the side of the people and not on the side of militarization and oppression.

presspasslettertocityofberkeley

Mark Your Calendars
Special Berkeley Hearing on Urban Shield:

The Berkeley City Council will be voting on the city’s participation in Urban Shield.

On Tuesday May 16 more than 200 people turned out to the Berkeley City Council in anticipation of the Council’s vote on whether or not to continue Berkeley’s participation in Urban Shield. After waiting six hours for the agenda item to be heard and after giving powerful testimony, we were told that the Council once again decided to postpone the vote. The coalition and supporters staged a walkout to show the Council that we won’t stand for this kind of manipulation.

LET’S TURN OUT STRONGER AND MORE ORGANIZED!
We want to redouble our efforts at the upcoming meeting in showing the Berkeley City Council that they need to stand on the side of the people and not on the side of militarization and oppression.

In the meantime, please call and email the mayor and Council people to urge them to vote No To Urban Shield!

Mayor Jesse Arreguin/ (510) 981-7100/ mayor@cityofberkeley.info

District 1/Linda Miao/(510) 981-7110/  lmaio@cityofberkeley.info /

District 2/Cheryl Davila/ (510) 981-7120/ cdavila@cityofberkeley.info

District 3/  Ben Bartlett/ (510) 981-7130/  bbartlett@CityofBerkeley.info

District 4/ Kate Harrison / (510) 981-7140 kharrison@CityofBerkeley.info

District 5 / Sophie Hahn/ 510) 981-7150 shahn@CityofBerkeley.info

District 6 / Susan Wengraf / (510) 981-7160 swengraf@CityofBerkeley.info

District 7/ Kris Worthington / (510) 981-7170 kworthington@CityofBerkeley.info

District 8/  Lori Droste / (510) 981-7180 ldroste@CityofBerkeley.info