food worth a little abuse at Mama ‘Zu

Josh Katz at richmond.com visits Mama ‘Zu and says of the service that:

“In all my years, I have never been treated as consistently awful as I have dining at Mamma ‘Zu, and I’ve been to Morocco. Everything, from the dank, subterranean inner ambience (great when trying to read the menu board, let me tell you) to the beyond-brusque attending service to their staunch refusal of every major credit card save American Express, works to make you feel glum.”

ACORN’s Researching the History of Your House

ACORN‘s 5th Annual Susan Carter Williams Memorial Seminar, Researching the History of Your House, this morning at the Library of Virginia included the presentations Architectural Eras, Styles and House Types by Kim Chen , Your Historic Property: Detective Work at the Library of Virginia by Vince Brooks, Resources available at your Main Public Library by Harriet Henderson, Property Record Evidence at the John Marshall Courthouse by Michael Dodson, and Uncovering Clues at the Valentine Richmond History Center by Meg Glass.

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Downtown Plan meetings set for neighborhoods

The City of Richmond Planning Commission invites property owners and interested members of the public to continue the discussion on the Draft Downtown Master Plan at neighborhood-oriented meetings. There are 6 meetings scheduled for Manchester, VCU/Monroe Ward/Carver/Oregon Hill, Shockoe, Broad Street & Jackson Ward, James River, and City Center.

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Open teacher gets National Board Certification

Clary Carleton at Open High School was one of three Richmond Public Schools teachers recently awarded the prestigious National Board Certification, a program offered through the nonprofit National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Program participants must develop a school-site portfolio of student work samples, videotaped lessons and reflective commentaries, and also pass test questions that demonstrate their subject matter knowledge. The program takes one to two school years and requires an additional 200-400 hours of preparation. [via]

next meeting on Downtown Plan set for Tues

The current draft of the Downtown Plan will be up for a public hearing at 6:30PM Tuesday in City Council Chambers at City Hall. The plan has seen very positive public support so far, with some developers expressing concern about the plan’s vision for some riverfront parcels. The plan covers Manchester and “the Broad Street corridor, including the Jackson Ward and Carver neighborhoods; VCU and adjoining neighborhoods, including Oregon Hill, Gamble’s Hill and Monroe Ward; City Center, which incorporates the central office district, VCU Medical Center, Virginia Biotechnology Research Park and the State Capitol; the James River, which has become a focal point of preservation and development; and Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom”. [via]

Survivor Day training at Landmark Jan.5

Richmond residents can register to receive free training in basic skills during an emergency as part of winter preparedness as part of Survivor Day training sponsored by the City’s Office of Emergency Management. The four-hour training session in fire safety, first-aid, anti-terrorism and weather response measures will take place from 9AM to 1PM on Saturday, January 5, at the Landmark Theater.

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