Community

Van Hook, Evans, Scoggins Receive Judge Carroll Community Service Awards

Published

11 years ago

May 9, 2015

The Black American Political Action Committee’s (BAPAC) Eighth Annual “Judge George D. Carroll Community Service Awards Reception and Fundraiser” will be on Thursday, May 14, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

George Carroll was elected to the Richmond City Council in 1961. In 1964, he became mayor of Richmond, the first Black man to hold such an office in a major U.S. city, and in 1965, he was the first Black man appointed Judge to the Richmond Municipal Court.

Over six years ago, BAPAC created the Judge George D. Carroll Community Service Award. This distinguished award was established in honor of the judge’s public service record, his belief in family values, individual integrity, personal responsibility, public service and concern for the welfare of others.

This year’s event will be held in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium Lobby, 403 Civic Center Plaza. Tickets are $45, and a reserved table of 8 is $400.

At the event, BAPAC will honor five community leaders who have demonstrated unselfish commitment to public service, family values and tireless work in the community for the common good.

The 2015 honorees are Pastor Alvin C. Bernstine, Charles Evans, Gloria Scoggins, Florene VanHook and Kyra Worthy.

This week’s Richmond Post features Florene Van Hook, Charles Evans, and Gloria Scoggins

Florene Van Hook

Florene Van Hook came to Richmond as a young child with her grandmother Ida Bell Spears, who worked on the Richmond Shipyards. Ms. Van Hook graduated from Richmond High School and attended Contra Costa Community College before transferring to University of California, Berkeley. She married Randolph Van Hook and is the mother of two sons, and the great-grandmother of four.

Van Hook worked as a legal secretary and secretary for the West Contra Costa Unified School District where she distinguished herself by making sure parents of low achieving students received assistance to help them advance.

For more than 35 years she devoted time with other community organizations such as the School Advisory Committee (SAC), School Site Council (SSC), and the District Advisory Committee (DAC). The DAC honored her for “Outstanding Leadership and Commitment.”

She was elected to the National Coalition of Title 1 Parents, and has testified before the U.S. Congress and the Sacramento legislature.

She is an active member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, pastored by Rev. Ulis Redic. She serves as the Youth Director and helped establish after-school tutorial programs. Some of her other church service activities include the Inspirational Choir, Scholarship Committee and as a Mission Sister, she visits and prepares meals for the sick.

She also volunteers to visit and deliver gifts to the residents of the Vale Health Care Center in San Pablo.

Charles Evans

Charles Evans is an award winning chef and visionary behind CJ’S BBQ & Fish, 3 of the Bay Area’s most well known eateries. Evans is known for his humble, sincere demeanor, warmth and unshakeable work ethic, which has allowed him to win many nationwide cook-offs.

Inspired by his Arkansas family, he learned how to prepare gourmet meals and created his own seasonings and sauces. Mr. Evans launched his first restaurant in 1997, called CJ’s in Fairfield, CA. In 2002, he established his second restaurant in Richmond and later his third in Vallejo.

His exceptional catering is sought after by many officials, including Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Black Firefighters of Richmond, retired Oakland Raiders, Super Bowl XI champion George Atkinson, singer Lenny Williams, Richmond’s Dwayne Patton and his band. Many companies patronize his business, such as AT&T, Chevron, ILWU local unions, Kaiser Foundation, Richmond’s PAL organization, the George Miller Youth Fund and Congressman George Miller’s Birthday Extravaganza.

He has received many awards for hiring local residents and for his donations to charitable organizations. He is a member of Antioch Baptist Church. His numerous volunteer activities include: Richmond’s Crime Prevention Task Force, Richmond PAL and Richmond Main Street initiative. He received the Republican of the Year 2003 Gold Medal award for his leadership in business.

Mr. Evans, a celebrated grandfather, is also an active community leader who sponsors youth baseball teams, 100 Black Men of America, church organizations, prison rehab programs and mentors juveniles.

At the end of a busy day, Mr. Evans always makes time to sit with his 96-year old mother at her table to eat dinner where, with a smile, he always says, “Today was a good day.”

Gloria Scoggins

Gloria Scoggins, a Richmond native, has been active in education for 44 years. She has continued the legacy of her mother Ernestine Martin, a longtime Richmond resident, business owner and civic leader.

She earned her undergraduate degree in Child Development from California State University, Hayward and Masters Degrees from the University of San Francisco and Mills College in Oakland.

Scoggins has been recognized for her commitment to social justice and public service to the underrepresented and disadvantaged families in West Contra Costa County.

She has been active with the following community organizations and initiatives: the Blackboard of West Contra Costa, Emerging Young Leaders, ASCEND, Girls Inc. of WCCC, Richmond Pioneers, College Bound Girls, RCF (Richmond Community Foundation), Focus Group on Violence, Teacher Training and Mentoring and Church Ministries.

Presently, she serves as the President of the Blackboard of West Contra Costa, an organization that works to eliminate the opportunity gaps of underserved students. She also serves on the RCF Board of Directors where she seeks to build the capacity of the Richmond community.

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Marin City Public Housing Residents Demand a Voice in County’s Renovation Plans

Representation has been a continuous struggle for the Residents Council, she said in an interview with the Post News Group. In 2014, the tenants took the county to federal court over this issue, and prevailed, resulting in an MOU that was in effect from 2014 to 2024, said McLemore. “Now, they are not responding to our rightful requests to participate. They are not giving us a legal justification for their position.”

Published

5 days ago

May 10, 2026

Oakland Post

The largest housing complex in Marin County, Golden Gate Village residents are for predominantly Black and low-income. Courtesy image.

Tenants say the County of Marin is ignoring federal law requiring resident council participation

By Ken Epstein

Marin City public housing residents say the County is illegally depriving them of their rights to participate in renovation decisions that affect the future of their housing, raising deep concerns over whether the county ultimately will find a way to displace them.

According to regulations established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Marin City public housing residents have the right to organize, elect resident councils, and hold public housing agencies accountable for involving them in management decisions.

Without resident participation, the Board of Housing Commissioners, made up of the five Marin County Board of Supervisors and two resident comissioners, has approved a $226 million project. The plan calls for renovation of the 296 units in Golden Gate Village (GGV) and focuses on interior improvements. The project is scheduled to start in July.

Residents’ concerns have a long history, said Royce McLemore, president of the Golden Gate Village Residents Council and a 50-year resident of Marin City,

With no current MOU mandating training and participation of residents, the legal basis for all the redevelopment decisions made by the county since 2024 is questionable, said Terrie Green, executive director of Marin City Climate Resilience. “We are experiencing voicelessness. If residents had a voice, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” she said.

County decisions include a plan, in line with federal regulations, to convert GGV from public housing to a public-private enterprise that allows for private investment. The Marin Housing Authority has created a limited partnership that includes Burbank Housing – which will renovate the units and manage the property – and Wells Fargo Bank, the investor.

This change in federal policy regarding public housing, which includes a shift to a Section-8 voucher system, has resulted in gentrification across the country, particularly affecting African Americans in cities such as San Francisco.

Shifts in criteria of what is considered affordable could also end up pricing residents out of their living units. At present, low income in Marin County is officially considered $156,000. But the median household income in Marin City is significantly lower at $68,846.

Damian Morgan, a community advocate with Marin City Climate Resilience, questioned why the county is renovating apartments without fixing toxic infrastructure that is impacting the lives of people in GGV.

Morgan said tenants have filed a class action lawsuit because of unsafe conditions at Golden Gate Village.

Residents are also concerned that the County still does not have an adequate family plan for temporary displacement while their apartments are being renovated. Although the County has suggested other community apartments as alternatives, nothing concrete has developed except vacant public housing units that have the same toxic conditions, such as mold and mildew.

Green said it doesn’t make sense. “…Why are we moving people around into temporary housing that’s uninhabitable, when you should be dealing first with the infrastructure, the foundational work, replacing old and rusted water pipes and new sewers.”

Morgan questions the County’s motivation for neglecting infrastructure repairs. “They’re remodeling the units but leaving the decayed infrastructure in place. I feel like they’re just setting this up for it to fail.”

“What slowed it down a little is that GGV is a historic preservation district, but I think what they’re striving for is demolition by neglect,” he said. “The neglect has always been on their part.”

Architect Ora Hatheway said her concern is about cutting corners. “You have to deal with the land issues. You have to deal with grading and drainage, and that’s being brushed under the rug.”

In an interview with KGO TV, Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters responded to some of these concerns. She said residents are guaranteed the right to return to their homes.

“This is a concern that we take seriously,” she said. “Every resident will move back into their own unit, and we’ve given this to them in writing. Before they leave their unit, we will sign a document together that guarantees their right to return.”

In response to residents who feel left out of the planning process, she said community input has focused on those affected by the first phase of the project. “So other residents may not have heard quite as much or felt like they had as much contact. But if there are residents who have concerns, we’re happy to hear from them. You can contact my office or the housing authority directly,” she said.

While County leaders may be giving some updates to some tenants, they are not sitting at the table with the Residents Council nor giving residents a voice in decision-making, said McLemore.

Without a voice in decisions, tenants are worried that Black people may be forced out of public housing, resulting in gentrification, she said in an interview with ABC 7. It’s still paternalistic, she said. “It’s still that ‘We know what’s best for you.’’’

Several years ago, the Residents Council proposed a land trust plan that would give tenants homeownership rights. Though the plan had broad support throughout the county, it was rejected by the Board of Supervisors

In the final analysis, Green said, for Marin City tenants the fight is not just for decent housing but to maintain their community with dignity under conditions of mutual respect.

“We’re talking about people who came here to work in the shipyards during World War II to bring about peace and safety to this country,” she said. “Look at the discrimination we’ve faced down through the years. Look at the life-span issue of Marin City folks – almost 20 years less than the rest of the County.”

“We want educational equity so our children will have decent schools. We need a land trust, property ownership, so we can have wealth creation. Marin City needs the same quality of life as other communities in Marin County.”

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Oakland Post: Week of May 6 – 12, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of may 6 – 12, 2026

Published

5 days ago

May 10, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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