Sat Nov 20: Noche De Gala Latino Concert

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Bruce Beyaert wins Cox Conserves Heroes Award for Bay Trail Advocacy

The Trust for Public Land and Cox Enterprises announced during a reception in KTVU studios last night that online voting awarded the 2010 Bay Area Cox Conserves Heroes award to Bruce Beyaert for the accomplishments of TRAC, the Trails for Richmond Action Committee. I made the nomination that led to Bruce's selection as one of the five finalists for this award.

In his acceptance remarks, Bruce made it clear that the City of Richmond, East Bay Regional Park District, ABAG's San Francisco Bay Trail Project, BCDC and the private sector all share credit for Bay Trail successes in Richmond:

" Thank you very much for this award on behalf of the Trails for Richmond Action Committee. TRAC's mission is to complete the San Francisco Bay Trail in Richmond; and by year end, Richmond will have 30 miles of Bay Trail in place. That represents an astounding 10% of the Bay Trail built in the entire nine-county Bay Area. TRAC credits this accomplishment to the City of Richmond and East Bay Regional Park District with critical support from ABAG's San Francisco Bay Trail Project and the Bay Conservation & Development Commission. The private sector also has played a major role. Auto Warehousing Company just rolled out the 2.4-mile Shipyard 3 Trail, Republic Services is completing a scenic three mile loop around their former landfill on San Pablo Bay, and Chevron has committed to provide easements needed by both the City and Regional Park District to close major gaps in the Bay Trail. I urge you to explore the Bay Trail in Richmond and discover its spectacular necklace of national, state, regional and local shoreline parks."

This award brought $5,000 to the San Francisco Bay Trail Project, and TRAC will be recommending a use that enhances enjoyment of the Bay Trail in Richmond.

For more information, contact:
———————————————————
Nancy Strauch, TRAC Vice Chair
tracbaytrail@earthlink.net
http://www.pointrichmond.com/baytrail/
http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/TRAC
http://www.explorerichmondca.com/baytrail.htm

World Series at the BoilerHouse: SF Giants Baseball

All World Series Baseball Games will be featured in the BoilerHouse Restaurant. We will feature a special World Series menu with food and drink specials.

Sun Oct 31: Hallopalooza

Click on image to zoom in

Sat Oct 30: Bay Area Derby Girls, Trick or Beatdown

Thurs Nov 11: Urban Punk

October 6, 2010, Hollywood, California - Urban Punk, formerly known as Prototype,
launches its fresh new look and sounds at Craneway Pavilion, Richmond Marina,

Thursday, November 11 at 8 p.m.

Urban Punk
- noun
2. Electro, Europop and Hip Hop with a punk fusion;
3. A new genre.


Urban Punk, formerly known as Prototype, launches its fresh new look and sounds at
Craneway Pavilion, Thursday, November 11 at 8 p.m.

Coming off a successful tour with the Blackeyed Peas (as Prototype), Urban Punk has found new energy and direction with the addition of two new members La Toya London and Kat Ouano and is backed by amazing musicians from the Bay Area.
Urban Punk is:

Helmed by musical artist H2O. “H” has been writing and rhyming for most of his life. A naturally gifted songwriter and musician, H2O started rapping as a solo artist, then joined forces with DJ Q-Bert/ Mix Master Mike, DJ Appollo and another MC named FMD, naming the group FM20. FM20 pushed the boundaries of alternative rock mixed with rap, and 3 DJs. H has released mixtapes and 2 solo albums and has performed on tracks featuring Fergie, Jully Black, Black Rob, Nate Dogg, and La Toya London, among others. H20 recently completed a successful tour with Sergio Mendez and played in Curacao, New York and at the Hollywood Bowl in Los
Angeles.

La Toya London, one of American Idol’s Three Divas, went on to capture the attention of audiences everywhere with her delivery of Nettie, the spirited and infectious sister of Celie in Broadway’s first national tour of Oprah Winfrey’s The Color Purple musical. Among other ongoing projects, La Toya collaborated on the album "Love & Life" which debuted on Billboard’s Top 100.

Kat Ouano (Kat 010), a graduate of the Berklee School of Music, is an acclaimed bay area hip-hop keyboardist/DJ and recording artist who is a master of the Fender Rhodes, Moog Synthesizer and other amazing tools. Kat was the official keyboard sorcerer for local artists, the live-band hip-hop sensation, Crown City Rockers, delivering the melody without stomping on the groove's toes.

This special night is not to be missed. Tickets available at the outlets listed below.

WHAT: Urban Punk Launch Party

WHERE: Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond, CA 94804

Phone: (510) 735-1133

WHEN: Thursday, November 11, 2010. Doors: 8:00 p.m. Show: 9:00 p.m.

COST: $10.00 in advance via CranewayBlog.com and Brown Paper Tickets
Day of the Show: $12.00 at the door.

AGE: 21 and over. ID required.

Please visit www.urbanpunkmusic.com

Sat Nov 13: Girl On Girl Dodgeball

For additional info visit GirlOnGirlDodgeball.com

This Weekend's Exotic Erotic Ball and Expo Has Been Cancelled

This Weekend’s Exotic Erotic Ball and Expo Has Been Cancelled
Drop in ticket sales, unexpected cost overruns and operational issues cited as the causes for the cancellation

SAN FRANCISCO—The Exotic Erotic Ball and Expo has announced that the event, which was scheduled to run today (Expo) and tomorrow (BALL) at the Craneway Pavilion in the Richmond Marina district, with the San Francisco Belle as the VIP area, has been cancelled.

The organizers want to make clear: there will be no event this weekend at the Craneway Pavilion and no event this weekend on San Francisco Belle.

The producers cite a drop in ticket sales during the pivotal final days leading up to the event, plus unexpected cost overruns and operational issues as the causes for the cancellation.

Ticket holders are encouraged to file their refund claims by following the appropriate bank card procedure.

The producers said in the announcement that they would like to extend their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the contractors, and entertainers who worked so hard to try and make this year’s Ball an extraordinary experience. In addition, they deeply regret causing any disappointment to those fans who have enjoyed attending the Ball as a source of entertainment and celebration of personal freedom for the past 30-years.

Organizers report that more details will be forthcoming shortly.

Visit www.exoticeroticball.com for more information.

Green Drive Expo Highlights

The Green Drive Expo - Bay Area, presented by Autobytel, came to Richmond, CA's Craneway Pavillion October 9, 2010. The Bay Area's first consumer expo dedicated to hybrid, plug-in, EV and other high-tech, ecofriendly vehicles included panel discussions, exhibits and displays from area green businesses, as well as Ride & Drive's of some of the newest hybrid and electric cars from Toyota, Ford, Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi and many others. Video produced by Matt Kelly.

Recap: Pema Chodron's "Smile At Fear"

The Bay Area Weekend Retreat with Pema Chödrön, one of the most distinguished Tibetan Buddhist teachers of our time. This event hosted 3,200 guests and took place Oct 15-17, 2010. It sold out months in advance.

In one of her final teaching appearances in the San Francisco Bay Area, beloved teacher Ani Pema Chödrön taught us how to work with our fear and anxiety using gentleness and inquisitiveness. We do this through the practice of meditation which leads us to befriend our fear and helps us find peace in our lives.

Ani Pema plans to spend more time in retreat in the coming years. This was a rare opportunity to spend a full weekend with her in person. This retreat includes additional meditation sessions led by Carolyn Rose Gimian, the editor of Smile at Fear, a book of teachings by the great Tibetan master Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche.

Pema Chödrön’s accessible style and deep understanding of meditation practice and her insight into how to apply the teachings to every day life makes this program suitable for those new to meditation as well as longtime practitioners.

For more info visit www.SmileAtFear.com

Interactive Resources Wins National Renewable Energy Laboratory Contract for Roof Structural Assessments for Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Arrays

From TOM BUTT E-FORUM

Richmond CA, October 19, 2010 – Richmond architecture and engineering firm Interactive Resources was recently awarded a contract by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide solar feasibility studies for 24 California K-12 school buildings in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The Sequoia Foundation Solar Schools Assessment and Implementation Project in Berkeley, California requires that a feasibility roof structural assessment be conducted to determine the potential of school roofs to support a solar photovoltaic (PV) array. The Sequoia Foundation is preparing a "Solar Master Plan" that will plan and deploy the installation of PV systems on all appropriate district schools and administrative buildings. The success of this Solar America Showcase demonstration project can lead to the development of best practices and potential replication in other school districts. NREL is responsible for the Solar America Showcase technical management efforts.

Interactive Resources will provide structural engineering services in the rapid evaluation of 24 buildings for the application of photovoltaic arrays, which could also lead to additional school sites. All of the sites are existing school facilities located within California. Each site (building) will be evaluated to determine the maximum permissible number of PV modules that can be placed on the existing framing without triggering a Code mandated seismic upgrade to the existing lateral load resisting system or creating localized over-stress conditions resulting from the added weight of the array.

For each school roof analyzed, Interactive Resources will provide a written report that will include a summary of design parameters, assumptions and analysis results including any structural deficiencies. The report will also include the maximum number of generic PV modules that the existing school roof structure is able to support, as well as structural calculations prepared as part of the structural rapid engineering analysis.

“As a school district develops its master plan for future solar projects, it’s important that the district determine if a school building can handle the additional weight of solar panels. An inexpensive structural analysis done by a professional engineer is one important aspect of determining which school buildings are ready for standard, high efficiency PV panels or which would be better suited for light-weight thin film PV,” said Tom Kelly with KyotoUSA.
Paul Westermann, SE, Structural Engineer for Interactive Resources, is project manager for the NREL Roof Structural Assessments.

About Interactive Resources
Interactive Resources is an award-winning architecture, engineering and planning firm founded in 1973 and located in Point Richmond, California. Our professional staff is comprised of architects; structural engineers; supported by specialists in diagnostic, forensic and investigative services, roofing and waterproofing; building code analysis and compliance; historic preservation; accessibility; sustainable design; and solar energy installation services. This combination of resources has given the firm a reputation for versatility and efficiency and enables our staff to effectively handle the full range of assignments that often arise under architecture and engineering services contracts. Interactive Resources maintains in-house LEED Accredited Professionals and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Interactive Resources provides cutting-edge structural engineering services in support of the photovoltaic (solar) industry. These services include the evaluation of existing structural elements to support a solar array and the anchorage of the array to resist code-specified wind and seismic loads through design of the solar racking system, as needed.
We continue to provide photovoltaic services that benefit dozens of large and small projects, both roof and ground mount, from commercial to utility scale – totaling more than fifty megawatts thus far. These projects are located throughout the United States and abroad; mainly in California and New Jersey because of substantial interest in energy conservation, attractive economic incentives, and overall environmental preservation. We have extensive experience working with DSA not only on solar projects, but also in the design of new school facilities, modernizations and additions.
Interactive Resources is Licensed to practice engineering in the following jurisdictions: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, MA, MD, NJ, NV, OR, PA, WA and the District of Columbia.

WANT TO RECEIVE TOM BUTT E-FORUM AND OTHER ACTION ALERTS ON RICHMOND POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY ISSUES DELIVERED TO YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? EMAIL YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS AND/OR THE NAMES AND EMAIL ADDRESSES OF OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE PLACED ON THE MAILING LIST AND THE MESSAGE "SUBSCRIBE" TO tom.butt@intres.com. COMMENTS, ARGUMENTS AND CORRECTIONS ARE WELCOME. TOM BUTT IS A MEMBER OF THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL WHEN OPINIONS AND VIEWS EXPRESSED, WITHOUT OTHER ATTRIBUTION, IN TOM BUTT E-FORUM, THEY ARE THOSE OF TOM BUTT AND DO NOT REFLECT OFFICIAL VIEWS OR POSITIONS OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND OR THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. VISIT THE TOM BUTT WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT TOM BUTT'S ACTIVITIES ON THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL: http://www.tombutt.com. PHONE 510/236-7435 OR 510/237-2084. SUBSCRIPTION TO THIS SERVICE IS AT THE PERSONAL DISCRETION OF THE RECIPIENT AND MAY BE TERMINATED BY RESPONDING WITH “UNSUBSCRIBE.” IT MAY TAKE A FEW DAYS TO REMOVE ADDRESSES FROM THE DISTRIBUTION LIST

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar talks renewable energy in Richmond

By: Kerri Connolly October 15, 2010 – 7:10 pm

From Richmond Confidential, www.richmondconfidential.org

From the roof of SunPower Systems, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar surveyed Richmond’s solar industry – and liked what he saw.

“Impressive, and the wave of the future,” he said, looking around the massive facility, which, with its high-walled spaces filled with natural light, was more reminiscent of an aircraft hangar than a manufacturing plant. “Light on the land and creating the pathway for the energy future for country. I’m very impressed.”

Secretary Salazar spent part of the afternoon at the Richmond-based solar solutions company, located adjacent to the Craneway Pavilion on the Richmond waterfront.

Salazar was impressed by SunPower's facilities; CEO Tom Werner (right) plays tour guide at the Richmond plant.

Joined by Representative George Miller (D-CA) , Salazar explored the manufacturing floor where T5 solar roof panels are constructed, and inspected the roof of the facility where SunPower gets much of its own energy.

One of the major challenges facing the Department of the Interior – which is in charge of managing one-fifth of the American landmass and encompasses the National Parks, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Geological Survey – is decreasing American dependence on foreign oil.

CEO Tom Werner said that alongside renewable energies, job growth was the theme of the Secretary’s visit. Many of the Secretary’s questions and comments over the course of the visit were concerned with job creation during these lackluster economic times.

”The question came up probably six times,” Werner said of his conversation with Miller and Salazar.

Secretary Salazar (center) and Representative Miller (left) are shown the manufacturing plant where SunPower's T-5 solar panels are made.

For Werner, the visit was the chance to show how his company represented real opportunities to create some of those jobs.

Despite California’s struggling economy, SunPower has grown in recent years, creating 300 jobs this year alone, with a revenue growth of 35 percent. A new facility planned in the South Bay would allow the company to triple the number of its employees.

California leads the country in green job growth, according to a study by Next 10, a non-profit that examines intersections of economy and environment. Between 1995 and 2008, the green jobs in manufacturing increased by 19 percent statewide. The boost in green technologies has been the most pronounced in the Bay Area, with green manufacturing surging 55 percent over the thirteen-year period.

For Werner, it’s all about the local implications of national energy objectives.

“How can his department make solar real in practical ways? And the key is: at the same time, create jobs.”

B.A.D. Girls' Demolition Derby

The Richmond Wrecking Belles and the Oakland Outlaws duke it out in women's roller derby.

By Ellen Cushing


Belles versus the Outlaws.
This week, the Raiders are playing the Rams, the 49ers are battling the Saints, the Bears, Giants and A's are taking on various rivals, and countless amateur athletes will no doubt be taking advantage of the late-summer sun to duke it out in various ways all around the Bay. But the most riveting and rough-and-tumble sporting event in the Bay Area this weekend won't be taking place at the Coliseum or Candlestick — instead it'll be at Richmond's Craneway Pavilion (1414 Harbour Way South, Richmond) on Saturday, September 18, as the Richmond Wrecking Belles and the Oakland Outlaws battle it out for the unofficial league title in women's flat-track roller derby.
Both teams (as well as two others, the San Francisco ShEvil Dead and the All-Stars, an all-league team) belong to the Bay Area Derby (or B.A.D.) Girls, a nonprofit women's league that has garnered a cult fan base since its inception in 2004. The league was founded as part of a larger national renaissance of all-female new-wave derby, a new breed of the game that, while still steeped in nostalgic theatricality, is hipper and harder-hitting than the cheesy TV spectator sport of the Sixties and Seventies.
The game itself is simple enough for first-timers to follow, but stimulating enough to keep veterans and casual sports fans alike entertained. Each bout consists of two thirty-minute periods, divided up into two-minute "jams," which are pretty much exactly what they sound like — a frenzied and furious hundred and twenty seconds wherein each team's designated "jammer," or scorer, weaves through the line of players, attempting to pass the pack while essentially being body-checked by the other team's blockers. As a spectator experience, it's less like a baseball game and more like a wrestling match — physically brutal, intensely athletic, and loud as hell. Michelle Kirian, a coach and jammer for the Belles, said the Girls expect to draw between 1,000 to 3,000 people — mostly twenty- and thirtysomethings, though she said they do get some old-school derby fans. And at an event where five bucks gets you a beer, and a shot and the inter-league rivalry runs long and deep, the crowd can be expected to get rowdy.
Saturday's matchup, aptly titled the "homecoming brawl," is the first this season between the Belles and the Outlaws, who have been trading the championship title for the past three years and who Jen Atherton of the Outlaws said have a "huge interleague rivalry." Going into Saturday's game, the Belles are the favorite, although Atherton, a coach and captain whose derby nickname is Jane Hammer, is quick to emphasize that her Outlaws won't be going down without a fight. She doesn't mince words: "We want to completely destroy each other," she said. "Tensions have been building for months. That energy is thick. It hangs over the venue like a dark cloud. It's pretty amazing and ominous and fantastic."
Kirian, who goes by the alias Astronaughty on the track and makes her living as an epidemiologist by day, concurred. "There'll be some shit-talking going on." See for yourself at 8 p.m., $10 in advance or $12 at the door (cash only). BayAreaDerbyGirls.com.

Sat Oct 16: Comedy at the Craneway, Every 3rd Saturday Night

Click on image to zoom in

Strange cars, new tech: Hello, Green Drive Expo

Luscious Garage brought in a hand-painted Prius hybrid which it converted to a plug-in. You can see the layers of batteries in the trunk.

By: Bo Kim | October 11, 2010 – 6:27 pm | Filed Under: Economy, Front

Related Articles

• Gearheads meet green tech
• MPG Challenge takes a slow run through Richmond
• Official event website: Green Drive Expo

Want more eyecandy?

To see more photos of greenie gearheads, click the photo above.

Biodegradable, soybean foam, coconuts: are these words that say “car” to you? They would be if you caught the Green Drive Expo at Craneway Pavilion Saturday.

The Bay Area’s first eco-friendly car showcase for consumers gave people the chance to talk to manufacturers and owners of green cars and find out for themselves how practical these vehicles are.

“The point of the show is really about education and dispelling some of the rumors, because there still is — after the ten years that hybrid cars have been around — just so much misinformation,” said Eric Powers, the founder and manager of the expo.

Ford, which showed off four of its “green” vehicles, had a produce stand to get people wondering what coconuts, soybeans and beets have to do with cars.

There were several companies offering plug-in conversions for Prius hybrids.

“In many of our vehicles, the seats are made partially out of soy-foam, which eliminates a great deal of petroleum when making the foam inside the seats” said Ford spokeswoman Jennifer Moore. “We’re also constantly looking at fibers like wheat straw that can be made into plastics that are sustainable and durable, and more biodegradable.”

Among the innovative cars on display, Think City garnered attention for its small, two-seater, zero-emissions car. What else makes it so unique? The body is made out of plastic. The Nissan Leaf attracted a crowd, especially around its backside, as it has no tailpipe.

Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin test drove the all-electric Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid.

Drivers could test the torque on more than ten vehicles—some of which haven’t hit showrooms yet—through the streets around Craneway Pavilion. Prius-owner and Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin took the all-electric Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) for a spin.

“It’s really the way to go, it was so much fun and so quiet,” McLaughlin said as she stepped out of the vehicle. She said the size of the car surprised her, as she had expected the electric cars to be more like the Toyota Prius Plug-In (PHEV) rather than the Ford crossover SUV she had just driven.

The plug-in Prius is not available in car dealerships yet, but companies like San Francisco-based Luscious Garage can do it for you.

Luscious owner and lead technician Carolyn Coquillette said her company replaces the battery, rather than adding onto the original battery pack.

With the new larger battery, she said, the kitted plug-ins could drive up to 70 mph on all-electric power. The cars have roughly a 25-mile range before they need to be plugged in.

Several do-it-yourself car buffs had their own eco-friendly car solutions.

Two years ago, Patrick Mackey took a Miata with a blown engine and rebuilt the engine so that the car ran on electricity. It is quick off the line and can hit up to 93 miles-per-hour.

Patrick Mackey, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Richmond, was showing off his electric Mazda Miata.

“I had a ’68 Mustang with a big V8 (engine) in it,” Mackey said. “Our garage is right underneath our house so every time I would fire that thing up you would smell it for a few hours. So I started thinking about that and saw ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and ‘Who Killed the Electric Car’ and started researching how to make an electric car.”

Mackey says his Miata is quick off the line, can hit 93 mph, and goes from 0 to 60 mph in about 11 seconds. He now has a company called EV Miata, which sells electric conversion kits. Though he’s obviously a fan of electric cars, he says people should think about what they need from a car when deciding to go electric.

“You have to think about where you’re going to go, how far you need to go and where you’re going to charge and drive it,” he said. “I use my car as the commuter,” Mackey said. “I wanted a fast little car; I didn’t want to be in a golf cart.”

Frank Bletsch shows off his invention, the Joe Car. The three-wheeled electric motorcycle is made mostly from surplus components.

Not everything at the expo was car-centric. There were also electric motorcycles, scooters, and regular and electric bikes. Frank Bletsch built a “Joe Car”, a three-wheeled contraption classified as a three-wheeled motorcycle that looked compact, boxy, and a little alien.

“It’s electric and designed for city speeds, 40 miles-per-hour and it’s got a 20-mile range,” he said. “It’s completely my own design and I did most of the fabrication. It’s built with a lot of surplus components, motorcycle wheels from eBay and aluminum from metal yards.”

“When I was a kid, there was a cartoon character that had a three-wheeled bicycle with a house on the back and I thought, ‘God, I want to make something like that.’”

Though the expo was a good place to see green cars, car aficianados still have to wait for the eco-friendly Porsche Carrera RSR.

Green Drive Expo draws changing crowd

From Inside Bay Area, www.insidebayarea.com

By Janis Mara
Staff Writer
Posted: 10/11/2010 01:11:43 PM PDT

RICHMOND -- Frank Bletsch slid one foot into his 4-foot-9-inch aluminum car, then slowly eased the rest of his 5-foot-10-inch frame inside and grasped the mountain bike handlebars that steer the electric vehicle he made from scratch.

The Oakland resident was one of many individual owners exhibiting their goods alongside major car companies Saturday at the Green Drive Expo.

"It used to be only the Berkeley hippie fringe that was interested in alternative fuel vehicles," said John Mahoney, of Piedmont, as he checked out a row of electric bicycles. "Now the movement has multibillion-dollar companies behind it."

Indeed. The Green Drive Expo-Bay Area, presented by online car site Autobytel, drew 3,000 visitors and showcased such vehicles as the Ford Focus, Think City and Mitsubishi iMiEV all-electric vehicles, Toyota's plug-in Prius and the Ford Escape plug-in hybrid.

A gleaming blue all-electric Nissan Leaf, a car that has garnered 20,000 online reservations and is slated for December delivery, drew crowds throughout the day. The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the car is $32,780, though there are tax incentives and rebates for buying the car.

"I'm lusting after an electric vehicle," said Laurel Eber, of Richmond, as she ogled the Leaf. "We need to get off Mideast oil and at the same time use clean energy."

Or, as an electric car exhibitor's bumper sticker read: "Powered by American electrons." Its owner, Tom Keenan, of Alameda, bought his vintage 1970s-era yellow school bus-colored Citicar, a collector's item, on Craigslist.

Fittingly, the event was held in the city's Craneway Pavilion, a converted Ford auto assembly plant in a cluster of buildings that house such companies as solar firm Sun Power. Just outside the pavilion, the sun glittered on the waters of the Bay as folks test-drove vehicles including a 2012 PHV (for "Plug-in Vehicle") Toyota Prius prototype.

Hybrid vehicles such as the Prius run on both electricity and gasoline but cannot be plugged in. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles have rechargeable batteries that can be plugged into an ordinary electrical outlet for charging.

"Richmond has historically had an industrial base for its economy and is moving aggressively toward a green economy," Mayor Gayle McLaughlin told the crowd. Other speakers included Chelsea Sexton, who was prominently featured in the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?" and is co-founder of Plug In America.

Beside Toyota, event sponsors included Ford Motor Co., Mitsubishi, Nissan, the city of Richmond, Clean Cities East Bay, plugincars.com, hybridcars.com, Luscious Garage and Plug In America.

While interest in alternative fuels such as electricity, hydrogen and biodiesel is running high, obstacles to widespread adoption remain.

"The price of an electric car is what stops me," said Rosana Francescato, of San Francisco, who drove her Smart Car to the event. "Even with the rebates, it's upwards of $20,000. Once there are used electric cars, I'll buy one."

"We're currently in the Model T era of electric cars," Mahoney said. Concerns about issues such as range have dogged electric cars. Most such cars on the road today cannot go very far without a charge, though officials say the Nissan Leaf will have a range of 62 to 138 miles with a new battery.

"The important thing about this (event) is that it's making people aware of alternatives," Mahoney said.

The Green Drive Expo in Richmond, CA - PriusChat Forums

The Green Drive Expo in Richmond, CA - PriusChat Forums
By xinsight
We had a wonderful time today at the Bay Area's first 'Green Drive Expo' in Richmond's Craneway Pavilion (a portion of a restored 1920's era Ford factory right on SF Bay).

Toyota & (appropriately) Ford were well represented and, along with Mitsubishi and Think, were offering test rides in their current and future plug-in vehicles. I drove the new Prius plug-in (drives just like our Gen III's, but with no under floor storage or spare tire), the current Fusion (a really nice larger car and a better drive than the Camry), and the Mitsubishi MiEV (which is just amazing). Nissan had their Leaf on display ( for 'looking at and sitting in' - but no test drives). There are some really neat cars that will be coming out in the next year. Even though we were just across the harbor from Honda's Richmond Port of Entry (where all their imports to the US from Japan now arrive) - they were noticeably absent. Perhaps Honda was feeling uncompetitive. Many friends and exhibitors were driving their original Insights though - so I felt right at home.

The Expo was very well organized, and held in a super venue with a large & sunny area for the exhibitors. Free espressos (!!), modern & clean bathrooms (!!!) and we even had the Blue Angels doing their aerobatics out over the Bay in the afternoon as a part of Fleet Week. Lots of people and enthusiasm - what a great day!

I'll edit this thread to post some photos when I get time in the next couple of days, if any turn out OK.

-Xinsight

Read more PriusChat Forums - http://priuschat.com/forums/

Make a night out of it!

Make a night out of it!

The BoilerHouse Restaurant on the waterfront at Ford Point is a seagull’s cry from the Red Oak Victory. Come before the show to enjoy great food, vintage ambience and spectacular Bay views; then explore the history and architecture of the old Ford Factory, now renovated and featuring the Craneway Pavilion – a one of a kind events venue.

Reservations recommended at 510-215-6000.

The BoilerHouse Restaurant

The BoilerHouse restaurant is located in close proximity to the Red Oak Victory- still, please plan for 30 min to comfortably arrive from the BoilerHouse to the Red Oak Victory and be seated. Please plan even more time to tour the ship and explore its rich history before the show.

FunCheap SF

Green Drive Expo is the Bay Area’s first consumer expo dedicated to hybrid, plug-in, ev and other high-tech, ecofriendly vehicles. Explore the full range of green alternative transportation from concept cars to purchase-ready vehicles, including electric cars, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, biodiesel, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and more.

Whether you are a dedicated EV motorhead, or simply considering your family’s first hybrid, Green Drive Expo – Bay Area l is the place to explore technology, fuel efficiency, cost savings and eco-conscious transportation. Event includes the following:

• Presentations on clean transportation & environment on Main Stage.
• Free green vehicle test drives in the West Parking lot, adjacent to the Pavilion.
• Informative exhibitor and vendor booths inside Pavilion.
• Green Drive Owners’ Showcase.
• Hourly “Talk to and Owner” sessions.
• MPG Challenge vehicles on display.
• Meet and Greet fellow owners.

Expo is $10 or Free Admission if you pre-register

Read more, http://sf.funcheap.com/green-drive-expo-bay-area/

Richmond residents celebrate Rosie

From Richmond Confidential,richmondconfidential.org



By: Emily Bender, Julia Chan, and Christopher Connelly | October 2, 2010 – 10:00 pm | Filed Under: Front, History, Richmond Faces, Uncategorized

Hundreds of people took a step back in time Friday night to celebrate Richmond’s role in World War II.

Organizers of the Rosie the Riveter 1940s USO Dance transformed Craneway Pavilion into an old-fashioned dance hall, featuring live music by Robin Gregory, the Singing Blue Stars, and the Junius Courtney Big Band.

Most of those who attended arrived in Big Band era attire, either in military uniforms or vintage dresses.

The annual dance honors the real-life “Rosie the Riveters,” American women who went to work in shipyards and factories at home while men went off to fight in World War II.

Betty Sutherland was only 15 when she started working in the Kaiser shipyards as a bookkeeper. She said she had to put on extra makeup to make herself look old enough to be hired.

“I never thought I was making a contribution,” Sutherland said. “Now people thank me, and it’s nice to be thanked.”

The event also paid tribute to Lena Horne, who died this spring. The actress, singer, and dancer visited the Richmond shipyards in 1943 to launch the SS George Washington Carver.

The USO dance was part of the Home Front Festival by the Bay, an annual weekend-long event that commemorates Richmond’s wartime efforts.