Columnists

Scanning through my recent e-mails, I came across one with the subject line “Gallicentral News.” It was from news@gallicentral.com. -more-

I’m always a little startled when I get a response to one of these pieces. Sometimes it’s about something that requires correction, like the incident of the owl in the Embarcadero BART station. Other comments call for amplification. -more-

When my good friend, Wilson Riles Jr., ran against Jerry Brown for mayor of the City of Oakland four years ago, I thought he made two major mistakes. The first mistake was that he waited too long to go after Brown’s record as mayor. The second was that he did the going himself. -more-

Siempre Aqui. Always here. Two words that simply convey a tome-like history. Aqui referring to California and more specifically the area around greater Richmond. From the early 19th century days of California’s Rancheros to 20th century jobs in mining and railroads up through today, the Hispanic presence has been an integral part of California. This saga is well showcased in the current exhibit at the Richmond Museum of History. -more-

In the 19th century and the very early parts of the 20th, coal burning was a common way of heating our homes. It seems amazing to us now that such a wasteful, dirty and downright dangerous method of heating would be, not only the choice of a generation, but literally built into the homes of the era as permanent systems. -more-

There’s a certain set of people who fancy succulents, and, as the judge famously said about pornography, “I know it when I see it.” -more-