🌱 Why Richmond’s license plate cameras were suddenly shut off citywide

Hey hey Richmond! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Why Richmond’s license plate cameras were suddenly shut off citywide
• How much more will Richmond–San Rafael commuters pay next year?
• How a Richmond search warrant unraveled a regional luxury car theft ring

Also on today's calendar: Women's Winter Solstice Dance Ceremony and 10 more events.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Areas of low clouds, then sun, with a high of 54 and low of 42 degrees.
• Friday: Areas of fog, then sun, temps: high: 60, low: 42.
• Saturday: Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny, with a high of 55 and low of 44 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Richmond police chief shuts down license plate readers after discovering specific plate-searching feature (richmondside.org) — Richmond’s new police chief has shut down the city’s automated license plate reader system after discovering a setting that made local data searchable by outside agencies nationwide. City leaders who previously questioned the Flock contract now say the move protects immigrant communities and public trust, while police weigh crime-solving benefits against privacy concerns and explore alternative vendors before the contract expires in February.
   

2. Bay Area Bridge Tolls Are Spiking Again on January 1. Here's How High They'll Go. Bay Area Telegraph (bayareatelegraph.com) — If you commute over the Richmond–San Rafael Bridge, get ready to pay more: tolls on all seven state-owned Bay Area bridges rise to $8.50 on January 1, 2026, with steady hikes planned through 2030. Transportation officials say the extra money is locked in for bridge maintenance and safety, but the increases will add hundreds of dollars a year for frequent Richmond-area drivers.
   

3. Teens Arrested In Connection With Car Thefts In Livermore, Danville (patch.com) — Two teens, including one from Richmond, were identified in a series of Infiniti thefts and attempts in Livermore and Danville, leading to a SWAT-served warrant at a Richmond home. Officers recovered a stolen Infiniti hood on the suspect vehicle, and one teen was arrested and booked into Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall as investigations continue.
   

4. Bay Area teams' road to state football titles might be paved by their ground game (sfchronicle.com) — A Bay Area prep football roundup highlights Balboa star Mekei Smith, who just broke former Salesian-Richmond standout Jahvid Best’s single-season touchdown record while leading Balboa into another state title game. The story spotlights several run-heavy offenses from San Francisco, Oakland, Concord, San Jose, and El Cerrito heading to Southern California this weekend, with brief previews and predictions for each state championship matchup.
   

5. Federal grant cut threatens Humboldt Bay project and Richmond's hope to join it (richmondconfidential.org) — Richmond’s ambitions to build a wind-turbine assembly hub—and create hundreds of local green jobs—are threatened after a key federal grant for the Humboldt Bay offshore wind terminal was cut. City officials and advocates say they’ll now rely more on state funding, including a new feasibility grant for offshore wind off Richmond’s coast, while hoping a future administration restores stronger federal support.
   

📸 Around Richmond

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Richmond

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday December 13

• Women's Winter Solstice Dance Ceremony
  Hillside, an Urban Sanctuary, 1422 Navellier St, El Cerrito
  9:00 am
• Christmas in Hercules 2025
  Valley Bible Church, 1477 Willow Ave, Hercules
  5:30 pm

Sunday December 14

• 5th Annual Procrastinators Holiday Pop-Up
  5220 Glenn Ave, Richmond
  11:00 am

Thursday December 18

• Pet Pictures with Santa
  400 Colusa Ave, Kensington
  4:00 pm

Monday December 22

• (Dec 22 - Dec 26) Winter Math Camp for Kids ages 6-16
  Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Ave, Piedmont
  9:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Friday December 12

• StoryWalkÂŽ with Dougherty Station and San Ramon Libraries
  San Ramon Library , 100 Montgomery St , San Ramon
• Tot Splash (Ages 7 and Under)
  Richmond Plunge , 1 E Richmond Ave. , Richmond
  9:00 am
• Code Club with ANova @ LEAP
  Leap , 440 Civic Center Plaza , Richmond
  3:00 pm

Saturday December 13

• StoryWalkÂŽ with Dougherty Station and San Ramon Libraries
  San Ramon Library , 100 Montgomery St , San Ramon
• Drop-in 3D Printing Information Booth
  San Ramon Library , 100 Montgomery St , San Ramon
  3:00 pm

Sunday December 14

• StoryWalkÂŽ with Dougherty Station and San Ramon Libraries
  San Ramon Library , 100 Montgomery St , San Ramon
• 5th Annual Procrastinators Pop-Up Shop
  San Pablo Avenue Sportsman Club , 5220 Glenn Ave , Richmond
  11:00 am
• BANG THE BAY!
  Baltic Kiss , 135 Park Pl , Richmond
  12:00 pm

📣 Richmond Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Lost Dog.
  Her name is Frida, she weighs about 22 pounds, is a brown female mixed-breed with chihuaha, and responds to her name. she es shy She was last seen in… (Nextdoor Maricopa)
• Shop ALL handcrafted goods from our team of 25 talented artisans!
  INDOOR VENUE * 5th Annual Procrastinators Pop-Up December 14th | Sunday 11:00am - 3:00pm 5220 Glenn Avenue Richmond CA There's something for… (Nextdoor North and East)

• The Stepping Stones Group, LLC posted a job opening for Paraprofessional / Educator in Richmond. Apply here.
• West Contra Costa Unified School District posted a job opening for English Teacher 0.6 FTE - Kennedy High - Starting School Year 2025-2026 in Richmond. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Richmond here.

Ok Richmond! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook