Bay Area

IN MEMORIAM: Longtime KTVU Anchor Dennis Richmond, 81

Richmond was one of the first African Americans to anchor a mainstream TV news station when he got his start in 1976, and even more rare was staying on the air for 36 years.

Published

1 year ago

February 10, 2025

Oakland Post

Dennis Richmond. Facebook images.

By Post Staff

Dennis Richmond, who rose through the ranks from typist to reporter to become KTVU TV’s longest-serving news anchor, died Wednesday. He had suffered a heart attack two months ago.

Richmond was one of the first African Americans to anchor a mainstream TV news station when he got his start in 1976, and even more rare was staying on the air for 36 years.

The 81-year-old Ohio native, known for his calm baritone and signature mustache, was much admired by colleagues, elected officials and, most of all, his viewers.

“Dennis was a strong presence in the KTVU newsroom for decades, guiding the team and setting high standards for himself and his colleagues in everything they did,” the channel’s general manager Mellynda Hartel said. “His impact is still felt in the KTVU newsroom today.”

Former Congresswoman and current Oakland mayoral candidate Barbara Lee said that Richmond’s loss “is felt by all of us.

“I join so many in Oakland in mourning the passing of Dennis Richmond — a legend, trailblazer and dear friend,” Lee wrote on social media. “For decades, he was the voice who shined a light on our city, breaking barriers in broadcast news.”

When heiress Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974, and put on trial two years later, Richmond handled the celebrity crime story with a seeming ease. In 1978, he similarly handled the assassinations of San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone for an audience that was in shock.

And 11 years later, his most important audience was survivors of the Loma Prieta earthquake who, listening on battery-operated radios, trusted Richmond to provide information and instructions on what to do.

Over the years he became known as a ‘dean’ of television news, mentoring many who came behind him. Among them was Darren Zulberti, a KTVU assistant news director.

“He always reminded me and those around him to treat the viewer with respect, reporting oftentimes difficult news in uncertain times with clarity, context and straightforward delivery,” Zulberti said in a KTVU news story.

When he retired in 2006 on his 65^th birthday, Richmond’s audience surpassed Oprah Winfrey’s with 400,000 viewers. The winner of several awards, among them the Humanitarian Award, Oakland’s highest honor, Richmond appeared in four movies where he played a news anchor.

According to the Mercury News, Richmond gave no credit to himself. “What makes me proud is that if the rest of the people hadn’t pulled together, I’d have fallen flat on my face.”

Richmond grew up on Rossford, Ohio, served in the Army with the 82^nd Airborne Division and graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in 1969 while he was already employed at KTVU.

During his years on television, Richmond lived in San Ramon, but moved to Grass Valley after he retired. He passed away there on Feb. 5 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Deborah, a daughter, and a stepson.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

6 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.