Hills and Heights blog has a post about the ‘new red light cameras’ that the City of Richmond will be installing at various busy intersections. Although nothing is confirmed, there is some speculation that these will go on some of the most ticketed intersections, including several on Belvidere.
There’s been a lot of debate surrounding these. Civil libertarians worry about ‘Big Brother’, but police say that these will free up their resources and allow them to concentrate on other crime matters.
The above view is looking east towards downtown. It looks like the fire might have started at a homeless encampment that’s in the trees just a few feet to the east of the site, but that’s just conjecture.
I also have heard unofficial accounts that, around the same time last night, there was some wine stolen from the 7-11 on Belvidere and a subsequent car hit and run, plus a suicide threat to jump off the Lee Bridge- but again, no official word as of yet.
A longtime Oregon Hill resident reports:
12:30AM April 10, 2010
8 RPD patrol cars (2 were unmarked) were in the rear and
front of the houses on 200 block S Cherry where an out of control VCU
party was taking place. I would estimate that between the people
outdoors in the back yards and the people spilling into the street
out front there were 300-400 students or more that dont live in the
neighborhood. The noise was amazing with the screaming sounding like
a huge sporting event and music through some kind of PA. One kid had
a bullhorn he was screaming through. Most of the kids looked
underage and carried cases or 12 packs of beer or open containers-
many 40 oz bottles.
As I sat on my porch, a student came within 10 feet of me and
started urinating in my yard until I screamed for him to get the h*ll
out of there.
It took the officers well over an hour to disperse the crowd
and they circled the block for another hour or so as hangers on tried
to start the party back up at other houses on the 200 block. This
was a huge endeavor and use of resources for the City Police who have
their hands full elsewhere.
Oddly enough, a VCU student escort bus delivered 6 or so
party goers to the location that disembarked before they realized the
cops were shutting down the party. They sure looked bewildered. I,
for one, dont appreciate VCU using this shuttle to transport party
goers into Oregon Hill after midnight. It compounds the problem and
it has happened before.
These houses are owned by Hugh Edmunds (some by he and his
brother) and are the site of chronic out of control VCU parties. His
only interest seems to be keeping them full of VCU students.
From announcement:
.The Community Assisted Public Safety (CAPS) meeting will be held:
. Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Linwood Holton Elementary School
1600 W Laburnum Avenue
We look forward to seeing you there..
Thank you
Jacki Page
Sr. Customer Services Representative
804-646-4150
This morning’s police blotter reported this assault from this past weekend:
4th Precinct
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT (x2)
4/3/10 8:23 p.m.
700 block of Oregon Hill Parkway
Two males reported they were assaulted by approximately 15 males.
While parking is still of concern, VCU is taking steps to become more of a residential university. Recent articles contain announcements of new developments and feedback.
There is also news on VCU’s recycling front.
And if that was not enough, there is also this email from Oregon Hill resident and Monroe Park Advisory Council member Todd Woodson, which expresses concern over the way VCU crime is reported, and can be seen in the context of the latest (2008) postings of crime in Virginia colleges by FBI:
Friends-
I left our last meeting with more questions than answers regarding safety statistics and in particular, enforcement statistics for Monroe Park. Please find below a link for VCU’s 2009 Safety Report. It is odd that although VCU includes statistics for Cumberland ave, 100 block Pine St and 100 block Cherry St which are all part of the Historic Oregon Hill Neighborhood and not campus, there is no mention of statistics within Monroe Park itself:
http://www.vcu.edu/police/campussafetyreport2009.pdf
Of interest are the statistics for non-student liquor and drug offenses on unspecified public property which essentially doubled from 2007 to 2008 (block by block figures for public property provided by RPD) :
2008: non student liquor offenses on public property: 168
” ” ” drug ” ” ” ” ” 151
2007: non student liquor offenses on public property: 80
” ” ” drug ” ” ” ” ” 78It would be most helpful to address safety issues in Monroe Park if offenses in the Park could be logged and consequently tracked by the Council and/or a Richmond Police entity. I know we have asked for these statistics many times in the past and as was discussed, we really havent had any consistent presence at meetings from either RPD or VCU Police during our tenure.
In addition, I have included an eye opening report from the Commonwealth Times October 2008 issue regarding VCU crime statistics:
http://eblackstock.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/campus-crime-statistics-subject-to-interpretation/
I think that considering the amount of money hopefully being directed toward the park, the safety issues are something we as a group really need to focus on- especially the ever present substance abuse and collateral safety issues. As we’ve said before, there seems to be an absence as well as major confusion over day to day law enforcement in Monroe park. I believe we should address this at our next meeting and of course invite RPD and VCU police. Hopefully someone from higher up in those respective organizations will attend.
thanks,
Todd.
A resident gave me permission to post the following:
Last night (Thursday night) or early this morning (Friday morning), a red, 1994 Pontiac Firebird was broken into on the corner of Holly and South Pine. Most likely, the thiefs were trying to steal the T-Top, which may make this somewhat of an insolated incident: driver-side window was busted out and then the T-Top was also smashed in.
If you have any information, please call 646-4105 (case # 201003120160).
With this said…
1) Obviously lock your doors and remove items from your car.
2) Call in grafitti when you see it by calling the city at 311 or going online to make a request: http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/citizensrequest/frmNewEntryType.asp (Studies have shown that grafitti invites crime)
3) Pick up trash…again, the more trash around, the more likely that thiefs think that residents don’t care about their property and less likely to respond to crimes.
Overall, our neighborhood has never had any major problems, but if we consistently do the above, we can help keep it this way!!
From the Richmond Dispatch, January 18, 1896:
The youths on Oregon Hill have recently started quite a money making scheme at the expense of the city. It seems that a certain junk-dealer has offered to buy bricks at four for one cent. Little by little the sidewalks on Oregon Hill have dwindled away, until now many of them present quite a dilapidated appearance. It is said that more than twenty boys are members of the enterprising exchange.
Apart from the regular New Year’s Eve noise, there are several residents’ reports that New Year’s Eve parties at VCU students’ houses last night on Cherry and Laurel Streets were out of control and lead to street brawls and vandalism. Police and ambulances were on the scene, but no word on any arrests or specific injuries.
The Times Dispatch reports that a man convicted of sexually assaulting a jogger on Belle Island could be facing 40 years in prison. The victim in the case has been lauded for her courage in facing her attacker and testifying in his prosecution.