Tagged: East Bay Express

Chevron Corporation reaped $26.9 billion in profits last year. That's right: $26.9 billion. Yet for reasons still to be explained, the San Ramon-based company declined to spend any of that cash on replacing a small, aging section of pipe at its Richmond refinery during an inspection last fall. Last week, that eight-inch pipe began to leak oil profusely before igniting a fireball that could be seen throughout the Bay Area and unleashing a giant plume of smoke that sickened hundreds of nearby residents.

One thing you probably don’t think of when you think of hospitals is garbage. And yet, these huge institutions generate tons of garbage that goes straight into our landfills. According to this week’s East Bay Express cover story, on average it takes 33 pounds of garbage to treat each patient.  Reporter Kathleen Richards says the medical industry is one of the leading producers of waste, but has been slow to recycle.

Working in landlord-tenant law, Oakland attorney Clifford Fried has seen his fair share of bogus service animals. But one particular cat owner — unfortunately, or maybe presciently, named Kitty — was exceptional. While renting an apartment in San Mateo County, Kitty began amassing a brood of felines, despite the property's no-pets clause. She already had acquired four cats by the time her landlord got wind of them. By then, Kitty was habitually flushing cat litter down the toilet, posing a major threat to the building's plumbing system. The landlord finally confronted her.