Free online course about climate change

   ITHACA, NY - Cornell University will be offering a free online course about climate change beginning Sept. 11 and ending Oct. 1.

      University officials say participants should plan on about 3-4 hours of coursework per week.

Hurricane Harvey flooding

    Course materials will be delivered via video lectures and assigned readings. The learning management software Canvas will be used for all videos, readings, assignments and discussions. 

    There will also be a closed Facebook group for an optional discussion area.

  The course was designed for educators, volunteers, state and local governments and anyone else interested in an introduction to climate change science - and how to communicate effectively on the topic.

   For more information and a link to register, click here: CLIMATE CHANGE COURSE.

PRNC to hear updates on BART safety and Richmond-San Rafael bridge improvements

   POINT RICHMOND - The Point Richmond Neighborhood Council will hear updates on Bay Area Rapid Transit safety and progress on improvements to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge when it meets Wednesday, August 30.

Rojas

     The meeting - which is open to the public - begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Point Richmond Community Center on Washington Street.

     The briefing on BART safety will be presented by BART Chief of Police Carlos Rojas. He is scheduled to speak just before 8 p.m.

    The update on the bridge will begin at about 7:45 and will be given to the council by Chris Lillie, of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Bannon, Coulter and Yiannopoulos speaking at UC Berkeley in September?

Bannon

   BERKELEY - Former White House strategist Steve Bannon, conservative columnist Ann Coulter and provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos might be coming to the UC Berkeley campus in September, the East Bay Times reported this morning.

Coulter

    The three would be coming at the invite of a student organization called Berkeley Patriot and would be speaking as part of a free speech gathering Sept. 24-27.

    Earlier planned speeches by Coulter and Yiannopoulos were canceled after protests were lodged.

For the full East Bay Times story, click here: Bannon, Coulter, Yiannolpoulos.

Authors' readings to benefit the SPLC

   POINT RICHMOND - A series of readings by writers featured in Speak and Speak Again (a resistance anthology published by Pact Press) will be doing free readings in the Bay Area in the wake of the Charlottesville attacks and the double-digit rise in hate crimes in California.

     The readings are a fund raiser for the Southern Poverty Law Center. All book sales proceeds will be donated to the SPLC.

     The Point Richmond event will be at Kaleidoscope Coffee Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. Other events will be at Book Passage (Tuesday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.) and A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland (Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.).

   The writers who will be presenting include:

Laurie Ann Doyle, author of World Gone Missing and writing instructor at UC Berkeley: www.laurieanndoyle.com

Stephen D. Gutierrez, American Book Award winner and teacher at Cal State East Bay: http://www.stephendgutierrez.com

Lily Iona MacKenzie teaches writing at the University of San Francisco’s Fromm Institute of Lifelong Learning and is author of All This (a poetry collection), and two novels (Fling! and Curva Peligrosa). https:// lilyionamackenzie.wordpress.com

Cheryl A. Ossola, poet, dance writer, teacher, and editor; debut novel forthcoming from Regal House Publishing. http://cherylaossola.com

Rob Waters, journalist and travel writer who writes about health, science, world culture and criminal justice: rob@robwaters.co

Temple Beth Hillel school starts Aug. 20

   HILLTOP - Temple Beth Hillel will begin its religious studies school Sunday, August 20.
     
     The school offers an exploration of Jewish history, culture, holidays, customs and Hebrew from toddlers (2 1/2) through Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation and beyond, according to Marilyn Hertzberg.
     
     The classes begin at 9:30 a.m. with a special free class for toddlers (2 1/2 through four years old) beginning at 10 a.m.

     Parents and children are welcome to visit the school, meet the teachers and students, participate in classroom activities and learn more about the religious school's educational programs.

     For enrollment, more information, or to plan a school visit here are the contacts: 

510-223-2560 or tbh@tbhrichmond.org.  The Temple website is: www.tbhrichmond.org

 
    Temple Beth Hillel is located at 801 Park Central (I-80 Hilltop Exit), Richmond 94803.

Plunge West Project fundraiser a success

POINT RICHMOND - The July 15 fund-raiser for the Plunge West Project was a great success, organizer Maryn Hurlbut reports.

"Our cash gate was better than $1400. + advance sales that amount to over an additional $2000," Hurlbut said.  "This, plus our existing funds allow us to begin the construction phase of the Plunge West Project."

Hurlbut said etched pavers can still be purchased online or by sending a request directly to her at this email address: Maryn Hurlbut.

A story with more details about the Plunge West Project that was published prior to the event can be found here: Take The Plunge

Paramount TV comes to Point Richmond

Special to The Point

Story and photos by Laura Paull

Point Richmond residents out and about early Sunday July 9 found the town center and Ferry Point tunnel blocked off by orange cones, police cars, and lots of strangers standing around.

The reason? 

Paramount Television was filming scenes for the second season of Thirteen Reasons Why, a Netflix dramatic series  popular with the young set. It is based on the 2007 novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and adapted by Brian Yorkey for Netflix.

Although email and other communications from the production company had led some to locals to imagine they'd see a motorcycle chase scene through the Ferry tunnel, the action mostly entailed two young actors on an old green Vespa putt-putting through the tunnel at the usual speed. 

As is the way of Hollywood filming, it took hours of preparation just to get those few shots. Many curious Point Richmond folks stopped and watched for a while, then moved on.

When the second season begins in March 2018  Point residents will have to wait to find out when the ferry tunnel shot will appear.