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OP-ED: PG&E Should be Fined But Not Forced into Bankruptcy by

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By Wil Hardee

PG&E is about to receive a hefty fine for their role in the San Bruno tragedy – and it should. The Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce believes PG&E should pay. However, we also believe the men and women who benefit from the company, as a job creator, economic engine and supporter of diversity and inclusion in the work place, shouldn’t pay the price too.

PG&E may reportedly be fined up to $2.25 billion and if it is forced to pay that much, we should assume the company won’t be able to pay for the billions of dollars it is investing to improve crucial infrastructure.

In fact, it has been reported that PG&E may have to file for bankruptcy if the fine is so high. The money that goes to make infrastructure improvements – the jobs they create and the revenue they generate – is money East Bay businesses big and small can’t afford to see go away.

Additionally, if PG&E can no longer afford to invest in our communities, we will lose a partner with a proven track record of supporting diversity. The company was ranked as the top regional utility for diversity efforts in 2012 and is among the top ten companies in the entire nation when it comes to supplier diversity, according to Diversity Inc. We need companies like that to remain on sound fiscal ground.

The CPUC should recognize that a fine of $2.25 billion would be 40 times that of any similar fine in our nation’s history – and that seems excessive. Perhaps if the agency realizes that it is not just PG&E who will pay a price, it will reconsider that figure.

PG&E should be fined and forced to pay help San Bruno rebuild and recover and to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. Let’s make sure the fine it receives does not imperil its ability to improve our infrastructure, create jobs, spark local economic activity and foster diversity and inclusion in the work place.

Wil Hardee

Wil Hardee

Wil Hardee is president & CEO, Oakland African-American Chamber of Commerce

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Bay Area

Richmond’s Growing Bay Trail Boasts Bountiful Beauty

The Standard recently enjoyed a sunny-day stroll through Richmond’s Barbara and Jay Vincent Park and an exquisite section of the city’s ample share of San Francisco Bay Trail. Near Vincent Park’s entrance, the Bay Trail offers locals a front-row view of Richmond’s Marina, with an eclectic mix of boats and some of the city’s shoreline eateries like Lara’s Fine Dining and Anh Restaurant & Bar.

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Richmond has over 32 miles of shoreline, more than any other city on San Francisco and San Pablo bays. Photo by Kathy Chouteau.
Richmond has over 32 miles of shoreline, more than any other city on San Francisco and San Pablo bays. Photo by Kathy Chouteau.

By Kathy Chouteau
The Richmond Standard

When was the last time you used the Bay Trail in Richmond?

The Standard recently enjoyed a sunny-day stroll through Richmond’s Barbara and Jay Vincent Park and an exquisite section of the city’s ample share of San Francisco Bay Trail.

Near Vincent Park’s entrance, the Bay Trail offers locals a front-row view of Richmond’s Marina, with an eclectic mix of boats and some of the city’s shoreline eateries like Lara’s Fine Dining and Anh Restaurant & Bar.

Stroll further into the park on the trail and you’ll spy the Craneway Pavilion and Rosie the Riveter Park’s Visitor Center across the water, as well as ample geese—and if your timing is right—a few sailboarders getting ready to launch into San Francisco Bay.

A great kids’ playground and BBQ grills also await in the well-used park. Follow the trail around the western bend to see the park’s small but picturesque beach and clear-day views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and more. The Bay Trail will lead you to Berkeley and beyond if you’ve got the energy.

To this reporter, who has spent lots of time here, Vincent Park and the Bay Trail are some of Richmond’s most stunning outdoor gifts for its people.

‘Gifts’ because our outdoor views don’t cost a thing yet deliver a quiet joy ready to reenergize you for the week. And for your kids and four-legged friends, there’s a world of sea creatures, shells, and other outdoor ephemera to discover after a dig in the sand.

Take it from someone who originally hails from a land-enclosed state, and a city where the most interesting hyper-local views were of the Bethlehem Steel mill in Bethlehem, Pa.

While my native city’s steel might have been used to build the Golden Gate Bridge and WWII ships, and this reporter has deep love for her hometown, trust me when I say that people in ‘the Rich’ are privy to some of the best views I’ve ever seen in our country.

According to the Trails for Richmond Action Committee (TRAC), Richmond has more than 32 miles of shoreline, which is more than any other city on San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. The Bay Trail currently has more than 300 miles completed of 500 planned for the trail around both bays. Enjoy Richmond’s bounty!

Want to learn more about the Bay Trail in Richmond? Check out TRAC.

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California Black Media

After Severe Storms Kill 12, State Warns of Ongoing Dangers

State authorities and elected officials around California are thanking 8,500 first responders for their combined efforts over the past weeks to save lives during severe storms that killed 12 people, contributed to intense flooding, led to power outages, downed trees and caused more than $10 million in damages.

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On Feb. 4, the Governor declared a state of emergency in eight counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Diego.
On Feb. 4, the Governor declared a state of emergency in eight counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Diego.

By California Black Media

State authorities and elected officials around California are thanking 8,500 first responders for their combined efforts over the past weeks to save lives during severe storms that killed 12 people, contributed to intense flooding, led to power outages, downed trees and caused more than $10 million in damages.

They are also directing Californians to resources to address losses they may have suffered during the storms and warning them of ongoing dangers.

“We mobilized an all-of-government response, including our swift water rescue teams that have made 47 rescues,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “We’re grateful to our thousands of first responders who have saved countless lives and kept our state going in the face of record-breaking rainfall and snow.”

On Feb. 4, the Governor declared a state of emergency in eight counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Riverside and San Diego.

On Feb. 7, Newsom followed up by requesting a major disaster declaration from the White House to support San Diego County as it recovers from the storms.

“The late January storm saw record-breaking rain in San Diego, where the worst impacts were felt in lower-income neighborhoods. Many folks saw damage to their life’s work that can’t be recovered without federal support,” the Governor said.

 On Feb 10, the Governor’s Office for Emergency Services (CalOES) provided safety tips for returning home aimed at Californians who had to evacuate, including how to deal with accumulated muck, mud and debris.

In Sacramento County, a 63-year-old woman was found dead under a large fallen tree in her backyard.

Effects of recent storms can weaken trees, leading to falling branches or even entire trees, which can cause damage to homes, and vehicles and pose a threat to public safety, according to Cal OES.

The sudden occurrence of toppled trees, fallen branches or uprooted trees saturated by standing water creates hazardous conditions for pedestrians, motorists, power lines and homes.

CalOES is urging Californians to stay informed about whether forecasts, and informed the public that it is still assessing storm damages.

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California Black Media

Calif. Park Advocates Want More Green Spaces in Black Neighborhoods

Some advocates say the state is not developing and maintaining community recreational facilities equally. They point out that green spaces in neighborhoods where Black Californians live remain underfunded even though the state has invested billions of dollars over the last decade-and-a-half to improve them.

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Lincoln Cunningham Park in Seaside, Calif.
Lincoln Cunningham Park in Seaside, Calif.

McKenzie Jackson

California Black Media

Some advocates say the state is not developing and maintaining community recreational facilities equally. They point out that green spaces in neighborhoods where Black Californians live remain underfunded even though the state has invested billions of dollars over the last decade-and-a-half to improve them.

“They need to have a system to get money to the Black communities,” said Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., a Los Angeles-based businessman, civil rights activist, and philanthropist.

“They will tell you they have a system to make sure it’s not unfair, but the way they do the funding is not fair,” continued Bakewell, the only Black member of the California State Park and Recreation Commission.  “Black people are not getting that money.”

Bakewell expressed concerns the scoring system employed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation’s Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) to determine how funds are distributed does not benefit African American cities and neighborhoods.

Defending its operations and application process, the SPP says giving all Golden State residents access to open outdoor spaces is its main goal.

State Parks Deputy Director for Community Engagement Sedrick Mitchell said SPP has, “placed green spaces in places where they weren’t before.”

SPP’s grants initiative, according to Mitchell, is the largest parks-related program in California history. It has funded $1.16 billion in construction, expansion, or renovation of 299 parks since 2009.

Applications are evaluated in a competitive process. Project approval is determined by a scoring system that awards a maximum of 100 points.

SPP says, the main qualifying criterion for funding is the ratio of park acreage per 1,000 residents living near the park, the median household income of those residents, and the number of residents living below the poverty line.

“If you have zero acres, you are likely to get the most points,” Mitchell explained.  “If you have two acres, you are going to get less. The law requires us to look at two things — acres per 1,000 and income,”

Bakewell, who has been a parks commissioner for two years, said Seaside, a small Monterey Bay city with a Black mayor and a significant Black population should have received SPP funds.

Seaside Recreation Services Director Dan Meewis said the city has decades-old parks with deteriorating sidewalks.

“It’s a centralized hub for kids from a variety of neighborhoods,” he explained. “The walking trails throughout the parks are horrendous, tripping hazards.

The city’s two applications for SPP funding, the latest in 2021, were denied.

Mitchell says, state legislation directed the Parks’ initiative to prioritize funding for the creation of new parks over rehabilitations.

Mitchell and his staff met with Bakewell, Meewis, and Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby to review the city’s denied proposals. Meews said he wished Seaside would have received guidance on how to improve their bid before their second application was rejected.

Mitchell said an area’s racial or ethnic makeup plays no part in how SPP monies are dispersed.

Bakewell wants to do more but said the commission he serves on doesn’t have a say in which projects are funded.

“Black communities at a minimum need stellar parks and recreation,” said Bakewell.

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