Pay remains the main outstanding issue as doctors describe unmanageable situations such as signing death certificates for patients they’ve never treated.
Category: Health
Posted inCommunity
EPA announces $93.4M plan to rid Heckathorn Superfund site of dangerous chemicals
But Richmond residents who’ve long advocated for a more extensive cleanup say the government’s plan is vulnerable to sea level rise and ultimately falls short.
Posted inCommunity
New mental health center in Richmond will be first in county
While the Brookside Mental Health Rehabilitation Center will offer much-needed care for severely ill patients closer to home, some question whether an institution is the best solution.
Posted inCommunity
Cal Fire cancels prescribed Angel Island burns due to air quality
Controlled fires for Wednesday and Thursday were called off after Tuesday’s smoky skies. A heat advisory is in effect until Thursday night.
Posted inSchools
PCE at Kennedy High isn’t currently a health risk, doctors say
WCCUSD officials and medical experts emphasized that the dry cleaning chemical hasn’t been found in Richmond’s drinking water and medical testing is not necessary.
Posted inSchools
Update: If Kennedy High can’t be reopened by Aug. 18, classes could move to Craneway, Contra Costa College or elsewhere
State officials confirmed Thursday that the source of the underground chemical is a plume from the Miraflores housing site.
Posted inHealth
26,000 residentes de Contra Costa se quedan sin seguro dental
Medi-Cal va a recortar la atención dental rutinaria para las personas indocumentadas en California a partir del 1 de julio. A continuación le indicamos dónde encontrar alternativas económicas en Richmond y en otras localidades del condado de Contra Costa.
Posted inCommunity
26,000 Contra Costa residents are losing dental insurance. Dentists fear ‘the worst’
Doctors say the loss, a result of federal and state reductions, will have dire consequences and burden the healthcare ecosystem.
Posted in2026 Election
Updated election results show $900M Contra Costa college district facilities bond got more ‘yes’ votes but not enough to win
Voters rejected Measure B sales tax, according to final election results. Measure G appears to have fallen short of 55% threshold.
Posted inCommunity
From helping Laotian refugees to fighting Chevron: How APEN became a Richmond environmental powerhouse
The Asian Pacific Environmental Network, founded in Richmond three decades ago, has grown into a formidable three-office organization that has racked up some big wins against the refinery.
Posted inCommunity
Update: 4 Californians exposed to cruise ship hantavirus risk; Contra Costa officials say risk locally is ‘low’
While state health officials are monitoring a “very small” number of people who may have been exposed, there are no reports of anyone in California who’s become sick.
Posted in2026 Election
Measure B: Should county residents pay a higher sales tax to fund healthcare?
Pinole and El Cerrito would pay the most if voters pass the sales tax on June 2. Richmond’s would be 10 cents per $1.
Posted inCommunity
After 50 years LifeLong Medical says its mission remains the same — caring for the underserved
Under the leadership of CEO John Jenkins Jr., son of beloved Richmond pediatrician William Jenkins Jr., the provider now trains doctors. It’s braced for a rocky future as a health insurance crisis looms.
Posted inCommunity
Up to 93K Contra Costa County residents could lose health insurance under Trump cuts
Undocumented residents would especially be impacted by the loss of Medi-Cal coverage. County leaders are scrambling to find a solution.
Posted inCity
Richmond area poised to receive nearly $40M to improve air quality, public health
Residents at a community meeting in North Richmond weighed in on what they’d like to see the money spent on, including more parks, safer streets and cleaner air.
Posted inCommunity
Deadly lookalikes: Mushroom poisoning surge hits immigrant communities harder
One Contra Costa man has died, and more toxic shrooms are sprouting, putting more people in danger during what has already been a record season for hospitalizations.
Posted inCommunity
Los mortales parecidos
Un aumento de hongos tóxicos ha enfermado de manera desproporcionada a las comunidades hispanohablantes e inmigrantes de California, con la mayor concentración en el Área de la Bahía. Entre las víctimas se encuentra un hombre de Contra Costa que murió.
Posted inCommunity
Richmonders with dementia have few care options. One woman is offering support
The granddaughter of the city’s first Black police sergeant, who died of Alzheimer’s, created a foundation in her grandparents’ name to support families impacted by dementia.
Posted inCommunity
Contra Costa County resident dies after eating wild mushrooms
California is experiencing an
“unprecedented outbreak” of severe illness and deaths associated with people accidentally eating death cap mushrooms.
Posted inCommunity
The Bay Area’s most-fined air polluters: Explore 10 years of environmental violations
We scoured Bay Area Air District records to find out who the worst violators are.
