Saying Goodbye To An Old Tree
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Author Archives: Scott
Tell City Planners HANDS OFF!
From OHNA President Valerie L’Herrou:
It’s interesting that the city zoning folks keep telling us that the city doesn’t consider those blocks of the neighborhood north of the expressway to be part of Oregon Hill. But these pennants in the 100 block of S Laurel seem to indicate otherwise.
Also see earlier post: Pine Street ‘Heights’
Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt on April 20th
From Rev. Turner:
Join us for our Easter Brunch and Easter Egg Hunt in Pleasants Park on Easter Sunday, April 20, at 9:45 am. The Brunch will be inside Pine Street (Baptist Church), followed by the Egg Hunt in Pleasant Park. Register your children for the Egg Hunt using the link below. Feel free to stay for our 11:00 am worship afterward, but do not feel obligated if you come to the brunch and egg hunt.
Cherry Street Yard Sale This Saturday
Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow Morning
NO JOKE:
Tomorrow is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup.
Please go over what can be recycled.
NOTE: CVWMA (Central Virginia Waste Management Authority) has announced that all curbside recycling must now be INSIDE the CVWMA containers with lid closed. Items beside the container or on top of it will not be collected. In fact, incorrect setouts may not be collected at all. This is new as of July 1 for all our curbside recyclers, with the exception of townhomes/condos still using small bins. (And yes, this also applies to flattened cardboard boxes.)
Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. More CVWMA information can be found at this link:
https://cvwma.com/cvwma-locations/richmond/
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news, recycled steel price crosses $500 per ton threshold -steel mills in the northern U.S. have been paying $501 per ton for prompt ferrous scrap in March, according to RMDAS (Raw Material Data Aggregation Service).According to U.S. Census Bureau data aggregated by the U.S. Geological Survey, 71 percent of imported ferrous scrap purchased by American steel mills and foundries earlier this decade came from Canada.
King Ponders Passports
While the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association is reviewing its bylaws and considering updates in regard to membership and agenda making, the King of Oregon Hill is re-visiting and re-contemplating what it means to be a subject and citizen.
“Given the dismantling of the administrative American state and the corporate takeover accompanying it, as the United States cancels more than 300 student visas, as over 50 universities are under investigation as part of Trump’s anti-DEI crackdown, as free speech and civil rights come under increasing pressure, all people residing in North America should be asking themselves what they can do to protect the more vulnerable, the targeted, the ‘invisibled’, the next-on-the-list,” The King said.
He went on-
“It’s not clear if a printed document from a small, relatively poor, internal micronation would be seen as anything more than a joke, but I am thinking of our humanitarian duty to do something, even if merely symbolic, to offer shield, escape, or hope. It’s important to remember that the United States once served as a beacon to the world. Of course, ideally, I would wish that Burgerian citizenship would come with additional benefits such as universal, single payer health care and distributed renewable energy, but these would also require more contracting, allegiance, and actual sacrifice. As the United States falters, more trappings and tools of statehood may need to be implemented here, without directly challenging the host country. Despite past racism, intimidation, and its roots as a ‘company town’ for Tredegar Iron Works, Oregon Hill has, at least in theory, ‘open borders’ and a sense of liberty which ideally can still be defended.”
Gathering The Wood…
Oregon Hill residents, knowing what time of year it is, have started gathering branches and wood scraps for this year’s neighborhood Wickerman.
The Beltain festivities’ location will be in Parsons Linear Park along the 600 block of S.Belvidere (across from the Virginia War Memorial).
Valerie, the current neighborhood association president, says the Wicker Man’s construction will be undertaken by a subcommittee of the Friends Of Oregon Hill Parks, and questions should be submitted to that group. Faidra, one of the main members, has already volunteered that they are in the midst of deciding on a selection of local produce, unruly dogs, and either a first year student from either VCU or the Virginia Theological Seminary.
“We were asked about babies, but we are drawing the line on them, at least for this year”, she added.
Click here to see footage from previous years’ Wicker Man in Richmond Sister City, Summerisle, in southwestern Scotland.
‘Richmond300’ Committee Expresses Concerns About Neighborhood and City’s Alignment
Reeling from accusations that new ‘pattern books’ contain multiple serious errors with growing neighborhood concerns, the City’s ‘Richmond300 Committee has declared that grave misalignments must be identified and corrected.
New development on W.Cary Street in the Fan.
In order to dispel the acridity and seek more harmony, the Planning Commission has called on Maria Peach, a globally recognized teacher, speaker, healer, and writer, who known for her work on the chakra system and its connection to human psychology and spiritual growth.
Her fees were not available at press time, but City planners have expressed great confidence in this expert’s ability to properly diagnose and channel the root lines and ultimately help the City discover, decode, and harness its life force.
“We believe that by addressing the subtle energy matrix, we can open a powerful path for sustainable healing,” stated a member of the City’s Code Refresh Task Force. “We are putting all of our crystals on the table and going back to the maps so that we can solve blockages and imbalances. We want to clear the negativity for not just Oregon Hill, but all neighborhoods and residents.”
For their part, Oregon Hill neighbors have signaled that they are willing to do the meditation, breathing exercises, and shadow work necessary to realign and eventually come to an understanding.
“There is no direct mention of the chakras in the City Code. While this might seem like a cause for concern, it is important to note that viruses, hormones, ultraviolet rays, or even “the Trinity” cannot be found in the City Code either!” explained one enlightened neighbor.
First Annual ‘Bola-Hoop’ Postponed
Photo by Gene Gallin on Unsplash
Due to expected rainy weather and scheduling issues, Richmond’s first annual ‘Bola-Hoop’ has been postponed to later this month.
The event, which was originally scheduled for this Saturday in Monroe Park, would have featured bola throwing and hoop dancing
While most people around the world are familiar with hoops, many Americans are just now becoming re-acquainted with bolas.
Just earlier this month, the Richmond Police Department issued this press release:
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The Richmond Police Department has trained and equipped officers to use a new device that allows for brief control of non-compliant individuals.
The BolaWrap 150 Remote Restraint Device (pictured) is a handheld tool designed to be used as a method to control from a distance a non-compliant individual in instances when the officer would be justified in handcuffing the subject but doing so could escalate into a struggle which could cause harm to the subject or the officer.
The device deploys a Kevlar cord with weighted anchors designed to wrap around a subject’s body to temporarily limit their mobility and ability to cause harm to themselves or another. Officers will immediately apply handcuffs to the subject and remove the cord and anchors, when possible.
“This technology will allow for the safe control of a subject without a use of force,” said Chief Rick Edwards. “This reduces the likelihood that officers would need to escalate their response to higher levels of force to control a situation. It allows for safer outcomes for all.”
When practical, the officer will loudly announce “Bola, Bola, Bola” before deploying the device. The deployment produces a loud bang sound as the cord and anchors wrap around the subject – but is designed not to cause injury.
A video of Chief Edwards and Major Ronnie Armstead being wrapped by deployment of the device:
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It was unclear who was going to sponsor the event, although it seems likely that the City Parks & Rec Department and the Richmond Police Department would have been involved, and then perhaps VCU criminal justice program.
Word is that ‘Bola-Hoop’ may make an appearance at the Monument Avenue Easter Parade.
Although the ‘Bola-Hoop’ will not take place this Saturday, there is a mass protest march planned for Saturday at historic Monroe Park.
TV/Movie Productions Return To Oregon Hill
Oregon Hill is no stranger to the filmmaking and entertainment industries.
In 2011, Spielberg’s Lincoln movie was shot in Richmond, and Oregon Hill is featured in some deleted scenes that are on the DVD release.
National Geographic reality tv show “Doomsday Preppers” supposedly also came to the neighborhood, though the appearance was never broadcast, despite the series continuing till 2014.
Oregon Hill was also part of The Walking Dead Universe, and was featured in 2022 in AMC’s Walking Dead World Beyond. The Belvidere (Lee) Bridge area represented Omaha.
Now, according to various unnamed sources, a revived production of “Parking Wars” will be coming to Oregon Hill this summer. The original A&E tv series let viewers get behind-the-scenes on-the-street perspective, as employees of Philadelphia Parking Authority went on their daily rounds, frequently dealing with irate locals as the workers issued citations, booted vehicles and towed cars. The series also followed the ticket-writers and booters of Detroit’s Municipal Parking Department.
With the new amphitheater and other riverfront events adding to existing VCU and downtown parking pressure in Oregon Hill, the show will take advantage of growing Richmond tourism interest and capture any parking contention in this neighborhood on camera.
Additionally, there are unconfirmed rumors that the new hit Discovery tv show “Filthy Fortunes” may be visiting a site in the neighborhood.
This reality series, which has been airing on Sunday nights at 10 pm and is also available for streaming, features treasure hunter Matt Paxton as he searches cluttered homes across America for valuable items. He cleans properties and sells rare finds for profit.Some memorable episodes include a hoard of collectible marbles and a stash of rare dirt bikes. Although it goes all over the country , the production includes some local Richmond connections and co-stars. According to sources, because the rumored Oregon Hill site is a unidentified smaller house, it may be just portion of an episode rather than a full one.