Is "sloth" still a sin?

We at the Tazer get hit from time to time about how critical we are, or even that we don't know what we're talking about, but now you don't have to take our word for it. Today's Times says what we've been saying.

File this under "not quite news to us": Violence prevention is being talked about, but little is being done about it.

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Violence prevention efforts lag
RICHMOND: Organizers forming new city office to work on problem but warn that solutions will come slowly

By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Neither snappy acronyms nor promises of police crackdowns accompanied a report this week to the City Council about recent violence-prevention efforts.

That alone made it unusual for Richmond city government, where discussions of how to combat endemic street violence traditionally begin and end with a Police Department tactical operation.

But the group of consultants hired to create a new Office of Violence Prevention offered an assessment starkly different from those heard around City Hall last summer, when a spate of shootings left many calling on the council to declare a state of emergency.

This effort will require a sustained political commitment from community leaders as well as uniformed officers. And the problem will take a long time to fix, they said.

"People want immediate, urgent responses, but that's not what this is about," said David Muhammad, director of the Mentoring Center, an Oakland nonprofit that works with at-risk youth.

Muhammad; Oakland Unified school board member Greg Hodge; and DeVonne Boggan, director of Oakland youth group Safe Passages, updated the council Tuesday on their work to develop the new Richmond office's structure and define what it does.

The city's yet-unhired violence-prevention coordinator will find ways to encourage cooperation among Richmond's patchwork of anti-violence stakeholders and serve as a collection point for public funding that individual groups might not attract on their own, the consultants said.

The office also will coordinate empirical analysis of local violent crime trends to better direct resources.

"Every day that a young person loses their life in this city, we know is a day we have not done what we are supposed to do," Hodge said. "We have gotten too accustomed to the fact that young people kill each other in the street. In many ways, it has gotten too normalized ... the burial of 15-, 16-year-olds."

Consultants already have begun a series of meetings with various constituencies in Richmond's anti-violence community to learn more about how the city can help them accomplish their goals, Muhammad said.

That will require diplomacy. The nonprofits, faith groups and city departments working on violence prevention in Richmond historically have competed for resources and attention.

For example, when the Mentoring Center received its one-year, $185,000 contract in June to create the office, some grumbled of perceived "outsourcing."

Muhammad lives in Richmond and serves as minister of the city's Nation of Islam mosque. But his work in violence prevention is best known in Oakland, where he serves as director of the Mentoring Center, a nonprofit that works with at-risk youth.

"Everything is going to Oakland. It's been months and there's not even an office for people to go to," said Corky Booze, a City Council candidate. "I think this was a gift to the Mentoring Center, and it's unfair to the people of Richmond."

Others worried that the ethnic composition of the consulting team that the Mentoring Center assembled for the project -- all black -- might send signals in a city where race plays an important role in city politics.

City Councilman John Marquez noted that a list of community leaders invited to advisory meetings for the project included no Southeast Asian presence and few Latinos. He recommended several people. Muhammad said his group would gladly include them.

"An ongoing theme has been that all of our services and programs are not coordinated, and we need to address that problem. They really get that," Richmond police Chief Chris Magnus said. "It seems like a good approach."

Andres Soto, a Richmond resident and Alameda County's violence-prevention coordinator, agrees that the city could benefit from better organization.

"I think the challenge ... is the paucity of infrastructure, and the funding for that infrastructure, for implementing a broad-based community response that addresses the root causes of violence in Richmond," Soto said.

Oakland and Alameda County have more and better-established programs, Soto said, but they need constant help to avoid redundancy and resource competition and to find collaborative opportunities.

Oakland in particular tends to dominate regional discussions about violence prevention. A dedicated city office will give Richmond more presence at that table, Muhammad said.

IF YOU GO: Richmond invites residents to hear about development of the city Office of Violence Prevention at a 6 p.m. meeting Sept. 28 in the Bermuda Room of the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza.

Staff writer John Geluardi contributed to this article. Reach Karl Fischer at 510-262-2728 or kfischer@cctimes.com.

Thugs. What are they good for? Absolutely nothing.

Richmond shootings kill one, wound one
RICHMOND - The city saw its fifth killing in as many days as one man died and another was injured in two separate shootings Thursday.

The first incident occurred at 4:15 p.m., when officers responded to 911 calls of shots fired in the 800 block of Ninth Street, Sgt. Bisa French said.

Inside a home, police discovered a man bleeding from a gunshot to his stomach. The victim, whose identity was not released, was flown to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek in stable condition, French said.

A few blocks away, officers detained two young men who fit witnesses' description of the suspects. Investigators were questioning the pair late Thursday, but it was not clear whether the men had been charged.

Shortly before 9 p.m., officers went to a second shooting at the corner of Fourth Street and Macdonald Avenue. Police found no victim at the scene, but a man turned up later at the Kaiser Permanente emergency room in Richmond with gunshot wounds. He died shortly after.

Authorities had no further information on either shooting Thursday night.

-- Cassandra Braun

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EDIT 12:03 PM: Update...

Fatal victim ID'd in Richmond shootings

By Cassandra Braun
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

RICHMOND - The city saw its fifth killing in as many days as one man died and another was injured in two separate shootings Thursday.

31-year-old Reginald Collier of Richmond died Thursday night at Kaiser Permanente's emergency room in Richmond, Lt. Enos Johnson said this morning.

Collier was involved in a shooting shortly before 9 p.m. at the corner of Fourth Street and Macdonald Avenue, Johnson said. Police found no victim at the scene initially, but a man turned up later at the Kaiser Permanente emergency room in Richmond with gunshot wounds. He died shortly after.

In a separate incident at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to 911 calls of shots fired in the 800 block of Ninth Street, Sgt. Bisa French said.

Inside a home, police discovered a man bleeding from a gunshot to his stomach. The victim, whose identity was not released, was flown to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek in stable condition, French said.

A few blocks away, officers detained two young men who fit witnesses' description of the suspects. Investigators were questioning the pair late Thursday, but it was not clear if the men had been charged for the crime.

Happy Trails

Council veteran to retire
After serving Richmond for 24 years, health outweighs re-election campaign

By John Geluardi
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Longtime Richmond City Councilman Richard Griffin announced Tuesday night that he will not seek re-election because of health reasons.

Griffin, 72, a retired Oakland middle school principal, has served on the council for 24 years, including three terms as vice mayor. He said he has been contending with health issues for the last few years and decided it would not be wise to run a rigorous re-election campaign.

"My health isn't as good as it used to be, and I've been thinking about retiring for quite some time," he said. "So I'm going to step down and see if someone else can make a difference."

Griffin will serve out his current term, which expires Jan. 17.

Known as "Grif" by his friends, Griffin is well-respected by his colleagues and has a reputation for finding common goals among opposing council and community factions. He also has the unusual ability to remain in the good graces of political opponents.

"Grif is one of the few council members who could vote in opposition to a guy and after the meeting, the guy would come up to him and shake his hand," said Councilman Nat Bates, who is a colleague and close friend. "I don't know if it's his smile or personality, but he's got some kind of magic. People just can't stay angry with him."

Mayor Irma Anderson, who has lived in the same neighborhood as Griffin for 30 years, said she was saddened to learn that he is retiring from the council.

"I'm glad he's taking care of his health, but he will be missed," Anderson said. "He spent his 24 years on the council trying to make sure the city reached the best decisions possible, and he's always been fair and frank."

In recent years, Griffin has been a strong advocate for seniors. During the city's 2004 budget crisis, senior centers were closed and programs drastically cut back, said Arnie Kasendorf, chairman of the city's Commission on Aging.

"He's always been supportive of seniors, and whenever they have issues with the city, they would call him because he listens and he is responsive," Kasendorf said.

Griffin's withdrawal from the council race will undoubtedly have an impact. There are now five candidates -- including incumbents Jim Rogers and Maria Viramontes -- running for three four-year seats.

The conventional wisdom is that Corky Booze, who has run seven failed council campaigns, will pick up Griffin's votes, which could carry him onto the council. Booze is the only other African American in the race and has been cultivating support, including that of Bates.

The other candidates for the four-year terms are Parks and Recreation Commissioner Jim Jenkins and Planning Commissioner Ludmyrna Lopez. Councilman Tony Thurman, who was appointed in July 2005 to fill out the unexpired term of Mindell Penn, is running unopposed for a two-year seat. Griffin said he is not yet ready to endorse anyone.

Griffin said this is a good time for him to step down. The city's budget has been stabilized, there are good people on the council, and there are competent and professional city staff taking care of the city's business.

And he is glad that he had an opportunity to serve on the council.

"I'm proud of all the ways I was able to contribute," he said. "I'm proud that people would call me when they had problems, and I'm proud that I was able to serve them."

But he regrets the city is still struggling with violence.

"It's important that people know that we're not going to give up, we are going to keep working to find a solution," he said.

Contact John Geluardi at 510-262-2787 or at jgeluardi@cctimes.com.

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The Tazer bids farewell to Mr. Griffin. We've always found him firm and fair, and his wisdom will be sorely missed.

Whoever takes his seat has large shoes to fill, so good luck to the candidates as well.

Tuesday Drag

Some interestingly poetic prose to lead off this piece from Mr. Fischer this morning. I guess even he (or an assisting Mr. Geluardi) wants to bring some life to the tragedy that was yesterday afternoon.

To all candidates, to all in power, and to anyone reading this who can make a difference: MAKE THIS STOP!

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25-year-old shot dead on front stoop
RICHMOND: Neighbors outraged by fourth killing in just two days

By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Richmond's third daylight street killing in two days left hundreds seething near Nevin Park on Monday afternoon, hot from the September sun, hot from the shattered peace.

"I heard the gunshots," said 21-year-old Tasha Jones, who parked beside the crime tape with her two toddlers. "It just ain't safe in Richmond no more."

Police spent the afternoon collecting crime-scene evidence, holding back screaming relatives and enduring the angry taunts of onlookers as the region's two-day casualty total rose to four dead and two wounded by street violence.

Monday's victim, 25-year-old Sedrick Lionel Mills, was sitting on the front stoop of a two-story house near the corner of Fifth Street and Nevin Avenue in the Iron Triangle neighborhood when someone walked up and shot him about 1:15 p.m. Police said they have identified a suspect and were searching for him Monday evening.

The killing does not appear to be linked to violence a day earlier, Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan said. Three died in 10 hours Sunday, including two in successive drive-by shootings at rival drug-dealing corners. In the first, the gunmen opened fire with a law enforcement officer across the road in plain view.

Community leaders grasped for answers Monday afternoon and called for the shootings to stop.

"I'm trying to find out what's going on so we can get out to some of these neighborhoods and talk to people," said the Rev. Andre Shumake, president of the Richmond Interfaith Council. "We're trying to have some dialogue to see how we can stop this."

The killing started a few minutes before noon Sunday, when gunmen in a car peppered a crowd with handgun and assault-weapon rounds in front of Rancho Market at the corner of Fifth Street and Market Avenue in unincorporated North Richmond.

One round struck 16-year-old Sean Melson's head, killing him at the scene. Another round struck a 17-year-old on the hand, Contra Costa sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said.

A half-hour later, 19-year-old Thomas Edward James Jr. died near the corner of Seventh Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in a probable retaliatory shooting, police said, and a 27-year-old man went to the hospital with a leg wound. Other rounds narrowly missed a 4-year-old.

Several hours later, at 9:48 p.m., the family of 48-year-old Mariano Morales-Velasquez reported finding his body inside his home on 39th Street between Macdonald and Nevin avenues. He was shot more than once, and police believe the killing occurred during a home-invasion robbery.

Melson and James both died near long-established rival hangouts notorious for drug dealing and street violence. Police do not know whether either was targeted by his attackers; James' family said he was not involved in crime.

"We had some information that there may be a relationship between the shootings, but we have received no corroboration," Richmond Detective Sgt. Lee Hendricsen said.

Melson died near one of North Richmond's most active gang corners. It was not the first time someone shot him.

Detectives had identified Melson as a member of a south Richmond gang mired in a bloody feud with a rival faction last year, Detective Sgt. Mitch Peixoto said. In March 2005, when he was 14, Melson went to the hospital with a leg wound from a shooting near the Easter Hill housing project.

The following month, police said they saw Melson flee from a traffic stop while carrying an AK-47 assault weapon, which was later linked to a double homicide. Police arrested him on suspicion of weapon possession, and he went to Juvenile Hall.

After his release, Melson lived outside the area, in part because of a geographic restraining order, police said. But he had been seen locally recently, particularly near the North Richmond market.

Lee confirmed that a Contra Costa Animal Services officer, in uniform and in a marked vehicle, was parked across the street from the market when the shooting happened. Detectives are pursuing leads in the case, he said.

James, who had attended high school in Fairfield, came to visit family on Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after noon Sunday. Relatives said a Cadillac parked in front of the house prevented further tragedy by absorbing rounds that would have struck James' 4-year-old cousin, who was playing next to the car when the shooting started.

"He was not here five minutes. He was just standing outside on the sidewalk when they shot him," said Janice Hudson, James' aunt.

"He was hit right there," she said, pointing to a spot beside a bullet-riddled Cadillac, "then he ran down the block and collapsed.

"They don't care who they're shooting at," she said. "They just come down here and shoot."

Monday's killing was the 28th homicide in Richmond this year. At this time last year, there were 25.

Staff writer John Geluardi contributed to this article. Reach Karl Fischer at 510-262-2728 or kfischer@cctimes.com.

HOW TO HELP

Richmond police ask anyone with information about Sunday or Monday's shootings to call Detective Esteban Barragan at 510-231-3053, Detective Sgt. Lee Hendricsen at 510-620-6616 or the anonymous tip line at 510-232-TIPS.

Sunny Foggy Monday

Rise and shine, Tazerville!

Before we start this week, we'd just like to bow our heads and pray a bit for the tragedy that was 9/11. We don't care what political set you claim or what you think of whom, lots of people are still hurting from it and there are troops out there standing between us and the enemy. Don't forget. Amen.

Now, for an interesting letter in today's Times opinion page...

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Candidates must follow law on signs

What's the difference between someone tagging an abandoned lot with spray paint and one plastering it with campaign signs? Isn't it all vandalism and a blight on our community?

When Richmond's three mayoral candidates were recently chastised by the city for their failure to take out the required sign permits and for costing the city precious resources to remove the illegally placed signs, their excuses all sounded hollow.

All three candidates are campaign veterans and there's no excuse for them not knowing what the laws are regarding their campaign signs.

Blaming it on overzealous volunteers is really sending the message the candidates don't have control over their campaigns and can't control the people working for them.

Let's not forget that most candidates also hire companies to blanket the city with signs; these people either don't know our laws or don't care.

In any case, the candidates don't take the appropriate steps to ensure our laws are followed. Adding insult to injury, they don't even hire local workers.

Why should I vote for candidates who think they're special and above the laws they've sworn to uphold? And why should I vote for anyone who can't control the people working for them?

Don Gosney
Richmond

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Well, candidates, how about it? Mr. Gosney has questions. Do you have answers?

Very interesting...

Sad news, Tazer Faithful, but we'll note a few things after you read this...

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Two dead, two hurt in Richmond shootings

By Cassandra Braun
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

In the deadliest day in months, two teens were killed and two other young men were injured Sunday in two separate drive-by shootings that occurred within a half hour.

The first shooting occurred in unincorporated North Richmond shortly before noon near the corner of 5th Street and Market Avenue, said Contra Costa sheriff's Sgt. Darren Hobbs

A group of men were standing in front of a grocery store near the corner when a dark four-door sedan, carrying three to four men, pulled up and the occupants sprayed a barrage of shots into the group. Numerous shots were fired with at least two weapons, Hobbs said.

A male approximately 15 or 16 was shot in the head and died at the scene. A 17-year-old boy, was treated and released from a local hospital for a hand wound.

A half hour later at about 12:26 p.m., Richmond officers responded to 911 calls of several shots heard at the corner of 7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, said Richmond police Lt. Enos Johnson.

Police at the scene found a 27-year-old man who had been shot through his upper left thigh. He was treated and released from a local hospital. About a half-block down Pennsylvania, officers discovered another victim, a 19-year-old man with several shots in his upper torso. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, Johnson said.

Similar to the earlier shooting, the two men were standing with a group of others when a dark sedan, possibly green, drove up and the occupants inside began firing and then sped away, Johnson said.

Police have no suspects in either shooting, and Richmond and sheriffs investigators were working to determine if the two incidents were related.

Authorities did not release the victims names Sunday.

Richmond has been grappling with ways to stem violence. The city has had more than two dozen homicides this year, according to police.

The 2004 shooting death of college-bound former De La Salle High School football star Terrance Kelly outraged Richmond and reinvigorated the city's anti-violence movement.

Then came the Black-on-Black Crime Summit in June 2005, a gathering of community members and faith leaders who began planning ways to attack the roots of street violence, such as poverty, lack of education and lack of economic opportunity.

Reach Cassandra Braun at 925-945-4782 or cbraun@cctimes.com.

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First, we wonder about the nature of the "dark sedan." Is there some sort of organization to that madness? We're sure that RPD is looking into similarities to past crimes, and hope that they can clear the matter quickly.

Second, anyone else catch the extraneous info that are the last three paragraphs? Is that just framing text, or is it some sort of editorialization? It could've stopped at the number of homicides. The rest, however, doesn't wrap up into anything that brings us to the present, and the current spate of violence. We only wonder what you're trying to say, Ms. Braun.

From Tazerville with love, we'll go ahead and say it for you: The community and clergy are doing what the city government isn't.