By Aly Tamboura After eight years as a San Quentin teacher and administrator, William J. Reeves has been transferred to Solano State Prison as vice principal. Reeves started out at San Quentin as a volunteer in the Kairos religious program and took a full-time position in the Education Department in 2004. At one point he […]
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By Aly Tamboura The flock of Canadian Geese crowding San Quentin’s lower yard has near-doubled over the past few weeks. More than likely, the new residents are the same geese that previously lounged on H-Unit’s yard, until a duo of fanged guard dogs were deployed to run off the pesky honkers. The dogs used to […]
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By Aly Tamboura More than 160 Muslims and distinguished guests attended the San Quentin Eid-Ul-Fitr banquet, celebrating the end of the sacred month of Ramadan where all able adherents of the Islamic faith refrain from food and drink during daylight hours for approximately 30 days. Members of the San Quentin Muslim community who were allowed […]
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By Aly Tamboura Prisoners, their families, education volunteers and staff got a special treat in June, witnessing 50 men reach significant educational milestones despite being behind bars. “You have accomplished something remarkable, and for that we applaud you,” said acting Warden Kevin R. Chappell. The 2012 San Quentin graduation ceremony kicked off with the Vietnam […]
Read MoreBy Aly Tamboura The California Legislature is considering the most effective use of $68 million collected from state prisoners for their benefit. At issue is Senate Bill 542, introduced by Sen. Curren Price, D-Los Angeles. The proposal deals with allocating Inmate Welfare Funds, which are collected by adding a tax to products prisoners are allowed […]
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By Aly Tamboura The state Legislature is considering filling funding gaps in county services for former state prisoners with mental illnesses by redirecting millions of dollars raised by taxing prisoners and their families. The pending legislation, SB 542, would require an unspecified percentage of the Inmate Welfare Fund to be transferred to county probation departments […]
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By Aly Tamboura Last month was Black History Month. It passed by like any other month, but I should have given it more of my attention. This newspaper should have given it more attention. I read my usual daily newspaper, my national news magazines and even watched some television. None of this media seemed to […]
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By Aly Tamboura San Quentin State Prison welcomed a new warden after the Acting Warden, Michael Martel, retired after only 10 months on the job. Prison officials announced that Kevin Chappell, who served as chief deputy warden at Folsom State Prison, took over as acting warden for California’s oldest prison effective Jan. 3. Warden Chappell […]
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By ALY TAMBOURA A group of prisoners, sentenced as teenagers to life in prison, reached out to hospitalized children this holiday season, bringing joy into their lives. For the second year, the San Quentin activity group Kid C.A.T., the Vietnam Veterans Group of San Quentin, prison staff, and community volunteers of about 25 worked together […]
Read MoreBy ALY TAMBOURA Kerisiano Asuega’s wife lives in Los Angeles. Because she could not make the trip to San Quentin, it created a rift in their relationship. An innovative program run by Centerforce and its Back to Family class healed the rift. The program paid the expense for his wife to come to participate in […]
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