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Ulster Justice Center Opens With Ribbon Cutting

HUDSON VALLEY PRESS — Doors were opened to the public for the new Ulster County Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center.

Published

6 years ago

January 4, 2019

Oakland Post

By The Hudson Valley Press

KINGSTON – Doors were opened to the public, at the ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday in Midtown Kingston, for the new Ulster County Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center.

County Executive Michael Hein was joined by judges, legislators and other members of the community.

The $3.2 million construction project renovated an aging former county DPW storage building, located adjacent to the county probation department offices at 733 Broadway. Previously, the structure was used as a discotheque.

Restorative Justice comes in response to the Raise the Age Law, passed in 2017, which took effect on October 1 of this year. The state legislation eliminates automatic charging of 16-year-olds as adults. Next year it will also include 17-year-olds, Hein noted.

“I know right now, today, there’s a 16-year-old that’s going to make a mistake,” Hein said. “Why? Because they’re 16 years old, and that’s what they do, okay? And instead of starting down a path that in many ways will define their life and ruin their life, we’re going to provide hope.”

“Everybody makes mistakes, and everybody should have an opportunity to change,” explained Kim Mapes, Youth and Family Engagement coordinator for the Center. “They could make a minor mistake, they could make a major mistake, but it shouldn’t hurt them in the long run; they should have an opportunity to turn around.”

Right now, Mapes is the only employee, she said. Online job posting describes the job as case management and advocacy for minors involved in the justice system, at-risk youth, and families. The center official opens for business on January 2.

Adding that the concept of restorative justice helps eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline, Hein said “the goal cannot and should not and will never be, to simply delay a young person’s entrance into the criminal justice system – the goal is to change lives. This isn’t just about generational poverty, it’s about generational opportunity. We acknowledge and react to the reality that some things may have helped cause these situations,” Hein said.

The center plans to utilize other county services, mentoring, higher education and job opportunities, to help break bad patterns and restore young offenders to a more positive future path.

This article originally appeared in the Hudson Valley Press.

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IN MEMORIAM: Eddie Abrams, Community Historian

Eddie leaves to mourn Rose, his wife of 60 years, four children, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and a host of relatives and friends.

Published

2 months ago

January 10, 2025

Oakland Post

Edward Earl Abrams. Photo courtesy of the Abrams family.

Special to the Post

Mrs. Rose Abrams and family is mourning the passing of Edward Earl Abrams. Mr. Abrams passed on Monday, Jan. 6. The Oakland Community knew him as Eddie Abrams, the man with a video camera in his hands, always prepared to capture history as it was being made.

Eddie was born in Hub, Mississippi, and came to Oakland, CA in 1946 at the age of 15. He attended McClymonds High School and was also a member of the Army Reserve. Although Eddie did not play sports, he could give you history and stats on all the great ball players who came through McClymonds’ doors.

In 1950, Eddie worked at the Naval Air Station as a warehouse supervisor until he retired in 1985. After his retirement, he organized and provided leadership to the Family Resource Community Center known by many as The House of Unity. He also hosted a show with Soul Beat TV titled “O.U.R.S. Hour,” for One United Resource System.

The mission was to provide Black empowerment and unity by bringing Black leaders to speak. Comedian/Activist Dick Gregory, educators John Henry Clark, and Frances Cress Welsing were often invited guests.

The House of Unity was a place for local leaders in Oakland to also speak to provide encouragement to students, seniors, and its residents. Eddie loved his community and wanted to provide it with as much history and education as possible through his hand-held video camera.

Eddie leaves to mourn Rose, his wife of 60 years, four children, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, and a host of relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held Monday, Jan. 20 at Beth Eden Baptist Church at 1183 Tenth St. Oakland, CA at 11 a.m. For more information, please contact Kim Abrams via text at 510-757-6366.

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Oakland Awarded $675,000 Grant to Reduce Lead Hazards

Published

3 months ago

December 29, 2024

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Post Staff

The City of Oakland has won a $675,800 grant from Partnership for the Bay’s Future (PBF) that will fund a two-year fellow to work in the Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department to support the development of lead hazard abatement and proactive rental inspection initiatives.

The award will assist in Oakland’s work to reduce lead hazards in older rental housing, especially in communities most impacted by housing instability. The City hired a consultant, Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, in 2024 to lead the technical aspect of the lead abatement work. By exploring the integration of lead hazard abatement with proactive rental inspections, the fellow’s work will aim to improve living conditions for families at risk of exposure and create safer homes for Oakland’s residents.

“We are grateful for the support of Partnership for the Bay’s Future for this award,” said Emily Weinstein, HCD director. “Housing safety and habitability are top priorities for our work in the coming year, and this fellow will ensure specific attention is paid to creating equitable solutions.”

The fellow will be dedicated full-time for the next two years to facilitate collaboration between HCD, Planning and Building Department (PBD), and a coalition of community partners. The total benefit to the City of Oakland is at least $675,800, of which $220,000 goes to a collaborative of community organizations to support the work.

The Healthy Havenscourt Collaborative brings essential community expertise to the project, connecting Oakland residents with resources and ensuring the program aligns with their needs.

These partners will engage residents directly to shape the program and make sure their voices are central to its design and implementation.

Coalition partners include Regional Asthma Management and Prevention (RAMP), La Clinica de la Raza, EBALDC, and Black Cultural Zone – all of which form the Healthy Havenscourt collaborative.

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Richmond Fire and Police Holiday Program Gives Toys, Food to 600 Families

The Richmond Fire and Police Holiday Program was inspired back in 1989 by now-retired Richmond firefighter Rod Woods, who organized a toy drive. Around that time, the Richmond Police Department had been running a food drive. After many years of growing their separate programs, Fire and Police united as one, with the Chevron Fire Department also stepping up and adding its continued support.

Published

3 months ago

December 29, 2024

Oakland Post

Richmond residents accept the goodwill of the members of the Richmond Police and Fire departments. Photos by Mike Kinney.

By Mike Kinney, The Richmond Standard

About 600 local families received not only toys but also food, fresh poultry, and bicycles this holiday season, courtesy of a Richmond community that has banded together every year since 1989 to ensure children and their families in need can have a happy holiday.

The Richmond Fire and Police Holiday Drive, which takes several months and many volunteers to pull off, culminated Saturday with the annual giveaway event at the DeJean Middle School auditorium.

“We couldn’t have done it without the support of our incredible partners like Chevron, Mechanics Bank, Chevron Fire, the Richmond Police Officers Association, the Richmond Firefighters Association, the Richmond Rotary which donated bikes, the Fire Academy, the Richmond Police Explorer Post 110, Touch of New Life, and so many other volunteers and organizations who stepped up to help,” Richmond police officials said.

The annual program involves setting out toy donation bins at police and fire stations and donations from individuals, businesses and organizations. For a third year in a row, East Brother Beer Co. hosted a benefit event or the holiday program.