Selected Reporting

The Science of Fog: Meet the researchers exploring this delicate relationship—and how climate change is disrupting the balance. (Redwoods magazine, Autumn-Winter 2024)

How Redwood Rides helps close the nature gap: League program connects underrepresented communities with redwood parks. (Redwoods magazine, Autumn-Winter 2024)

Hunger on the North Coast: Geography, poverty, and housing costs contribute to food insecurity in Humboldt County. (Alta Journal, July 6, 2023)

Creem Queen: Jaan Uhelszki’s hard rock life. (Alta Journal, March 23, 2023) *This story won a first place award in the online category, Personality Profile, Music Personalities, in the Los Angeles Press Club’s 16th Annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.

Anti-Asian Violence in America Is Rooted in US Empire: If we are to stop anti-Asian hatred in the United States, we must recognize how US foreign policy perpetuates it. (The Nation, March 19, 2021)

The Forces Driving Gentrification in Oakland: The East Bay has seen a widening gap between rich and poor and the displacement of people who are low-income and of color. But it doesn't have to be this way. (East Bay Express, September 19, 2018)

Can Cannabis Be Considered a Psychedelic? With all the attention being paid to the potential therapeutic uses for psychedelic drugs, where does cannabis fit in? (East Bay Express, July 11, 2018)

The Advocate: Jon Eldan runs the only nonprofit dedicated to helping exonerees throughout the country — out of his Lower Rockridge home. (Oakland Magazine, February 2018)

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland pediatrician Nooshin Razani says nature is essential to human health.

How Nature Heals: Why doctors are prescribing the outdoors to people of color. (East Bay Express, May 18, 2017)

Accelerating Toward Equity: Oakland wants low-income communities to benefit from bike- and car-sharing. (Oakland Magazine, December 2016)

Oakland Steers Away from Cars: Two recent decisions could help encourage smart growth, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the cost of housing. (Oakland Magazine, November 2016)

How Does Discrimination Affect People's Health? A UC Berkeley professor is studying the dynamics of how African-American women are affected by racism—and why socioeconomic status matters to health. (Oakland and Alameda Magazines, October 2016)

Why Black Families Are Choosing Homeschooling: An increasing number of African-American families say public schools have failed them. (East Bay Monthly / Oakland Magazine, September 2016)

A Not-Always-Rosie Road to Renown: Betty Reid Soskin became famous as "the nation's oldest park ranger," but her contributions to America's parks run much deeper than that. (Trail Posse, 8/25/16)

Why 30 North Korean Defectors Were in San Francisco: And why their testimonies get highly politicized. (SF Weekly, 8/3/16)

Betty Reid Soskin and general superintendent Tom Leatherman speak to reporters at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. Photo by Kathleen Richards — Betty Reid Soskin and general superintendent Tom Leatherman speak to reporters at Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park. *Photo by Kathleen Richards*

Classes You Can Take As an Adult to Liven Up Your Brain and Care About the World Again (The Stranger, 9/23/15)

The Hidden Reason Behind Seattle's Skyrocketing Housing Costs: Do you realize how much it costs to build a single parking space? (The Stranger, 7/29/15)

How to Swim in a Lake If You Are Afraid of Open Water: Advice from someone who is afraid of slimy things (The Stranger, 7/8/15)

Lake-swimming doesn't have to be scary. Photo by Kathleen Richards — Lake-swimming doesn't have to be scary. *Photo by Kathleen Richards*

Is Marijuana Addictive? A look at the scientific research (The Stranger, 4/13/15)

A Last-Ditch Effort to Preserve the Heart of the Central District: As gentrification remakes Seattle, the owners of an entire block at 23rd and Union are looking to sell. Neighborhood activists are talking about buying it. Can they succeed? (The Stranger, 2/25/15)

Driving on the Viaduct While Imagining It Collapsing: Is the Alaskan Way viaduct another Cypress freeway disaster waiting to happen? (The Stranger, 2/18/15)

Hey, You Know Those Fragrances Stores Use to Lure You Inside? No one seems to know what they're made of or how they affect your health. Have a nice day. (The Stranger, 11/26/14)

Hunting with a Rat: What happens when the leader of one of Oakland's most notorious motorcycle clubs tries to convince a squeamish reporter to shoot a wild boar. (East Bay Express, 6/25/14) *This story won a first place award for feature storytelling in the 2014 Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter contest. It also won a first-place award in the light feature category in the 38th Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards contest.

East Bay Rats Motorcycle Club president Trevor Latham with the wild boar he shot and killed and later ate. Photo by Kathleen Richards — East Bay Rats Motorcycle Club president Trevor Latham with the wild boar he shot and killed and later ate. *Photo by Kathleen Richards*

Improving Lake Merritt: While Measure DD projects have resulted in a revitalized tidal lagoon, advocates of the lake say water quality and monitoring could still be better. (East Bay Express, 6/11/14)

The Future of Redwood Forests: Less fog coupled with a very dry winter may spell trouble for young trees. (East Bay Express, 5/7/14 )

Musician Jason Becker, who has ALS, photographed at his home in Richmond, Calif. Photo by Kathleen Richards — Musician Jason Becker, who has ALS, photographed at his home in Richmond, Calif. *Photo by Kathleen Richards*

Lotta Heaven, Lotta Hell: Richmond virtuoso guitarist Jason Becker was supposed to be a star. Then the unthinkable happened. (East Bay Express, 9/18/13)

Is UC Berkeley's Plan to Cut Down 54,000 Trees Necessary? A respected environmental contractor has questioned the university's controversial fire-prevention proposal and contends that it could create a new fire hazard. (East Bay Express, 6/12/13)

How Much Garbage Does It Take to Treat a Patient? At least 33 pounds, according to a conservative estimate. The medical industry, in fact, is one of the leading producers of solid waste and has been slow to recycle. (East Bay Express, 8/15/12) *This story won third place in the long-form news story category for papers under 50,000 circulation in the 2013 Association of Alternative Newsmedia Awards.

Hate Man: How a New York Times reporter dropped out and became a hate evangelist in Berkeley. (East Bay Express, 3/2/11) *This article won second place for feature story of a light nature in the non-dailies division at the San Francisco Peninsula Press Club’s Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards in 2012.

Swimming in Sex Abuse: A recent Berkeley criminal case and a new lawsuit suggest that sex abuse by swim coaches is widespread and that officials aren't doing enough to stop it. (East Bay Express, 4/7/10)

Flying to the Doctor: The lack of insurance coupled with skyrocketing medical costs has led many Korean Americans to seek cheaper care in their homeland. (East Bay Express, 1/20/10)

Understanding North Korea: For years, East Bay activists have been trying to influence US policy toward North Korea. Finally, Washington may be listening. (East Bay Express, 11/4/09)

Yelp and the Business of Extortion 2.0: Local business owners say Yelp offers to hide negative customer reviews of their businesses on its web site ... for a price. (East Bay Express, 2/18/09) *This article won first place for in-depth, investigative reporting at both the 2010 East Bay Press Club's Excellence in Print Journalism Contest and the 2010 Society of Professional Journalists awards.