Two Saturday events happening close by- the first ever “Shiver in The River” at Tredegar, which is sort of a volunteer cleanup/winter carnival/chilly dip fundraising event, and the winter edition of the ‘artifacts roadshow’ at the Virginia War Memorial, where you can bring in military objects for examination by experts.
This photo appeared on the Visual and Vintage Virginia FaceBook group page:
From Virginia War Memorial website:
Commonwealth’s Veterans Day Ceremony 11/11/2014 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
We honor all veterans who served our country and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Governor Terry McAuliffe is the invited speaker. This event coincides with the signing of the WWI Armistice on November 11, 1918, with the playing of Taps at the conclusion of the ceremony. The 100th Anniversary of WWI is also commemorated. Co-hosted with the 11th District American Legion.
From Richmond.com article:
Many of us in Richmond watched the train tank cars burn as they rested precariously on the banks of the James in Lynchburg and could easily envision the same type of accident happening here in the capital city. What if a few of those highly flammable tanks dropped off the nearly three-miles long CSX Viaduct onto Brown’s Island during Friday Cheers or the Richmond Folk Festival?
…
(Editor’s note: see earlier posts on this subject by clicking here and here.)
The article continues:
For the next session of the General Assembly, the JRA will be pushing for stricter management and oversight and will be asking the public for support for the following issues:
-Rail transport of highly volatile Bakken crude oil from the Midwest. Crude oil by rail transport has increased 450 percent over the past five years. These trains are carrying over a million gallons of crude oil through our watershed two to five times per week. Governor McAuliffe convened a rail safety task force which will solicit input from industry stakeholders, local governments and members of the public and produce a report of recommended state and federal actions to prevent railroad accidents and ensure that Virginia is prepared as possible to keep communities safe in the case of a future incident.
-The James River watershed is home to coal ash ponds capable of holding 5 billion gallons of coal ash stretching from the headwaters to the mouth of the river. Despite being a highly toxic material, Virginia does not regulate coal ash as a solid or hazardous waste product and is not acting to stop contamination from coal ash ponds.
-The storage of the majority of chemicals in Virginia is not covered by any regulatory program. Review current industry practices and determine range of standards. Fill any gaps identified in the existing industry toxic storage policies and procedures with standards that ensure adequate safeguards and inspections for the storage of all chemicals.According to a release, “We must learn from these events and take immediate action to protect public safety, the environment, the economy that the river supports and its recreational value. Our safety requirements and procedures need to be up to date to address current threats and to prevent a crippling event from happening in the future. Now is the time to begin the conversation on how to protect our waterways and our citizens from the threats posed by the storage and transport of hazardous materials.”
If you’d like to have your voice heard, join the forum Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Virginia War Memorial. Your James River needs you.
From Councilperson Agelasto’s FaceBook page:
City Council will meet on Monday, September 8, at 6:00 pm. The agenda can be found on the City Clerk’s website. Please be mindful that any ordinance or resolution could be continued during the docket review at City Council’s informal meeting at 4:00 pm.
The agenda currently includes 47 items, many of which are of interest to the public and have received significant media attention. These include:
Ordinance No. 2014-94 – Special Use Permit for The Camel at 1619/1621 W. Broad Street.
Ordinance No. 2014-121 – Special Use Permit for a historic property located at 1650 Overbrook Road. An application for historic tax credits is currently under review by the Department of Historic Resources as there is information that may prohibit the project from proceeding as submitted.
Ordinance No. 2014-125 – To appropriate new revenue to the city as a result of expiring rehabilitation tax abatement to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund up to $1,000,000 annually.
Ordinance No. 2014-152 – To establish the MetroCare Water Assistance and Conservation Program to provide financial assistance to certain qualified customers for plumbing repairs and the replacement of water-inefficient appliances.
Ordinance No. 2014-153 – Special Use Permit for the Leigh Street Armory (122 W. Leigh Street) to be used as a museum for the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.
Ordinance No. 2014-155 – To received funds in the amount of $417,418 from VDOT to pay for the construction of the Floyd Avenue Bike Boulevard. This is the primary vote that City Council will take to approve or deny this project.
Resolution No. 2014-R157 – To assess exist policies and budget resources to support anti-litter initiatives and to establish a campaign to be called “Keep RVA Beautiful” that could be supported regionally.
Resolution No. 2014-R158 – To develop a Rental Inspection Program and submit proposals to City Council for further consideration. [This resolution simply seeks more information on specifics for a program that could be implemented in Richmond. Details such as budget implications, possible footprint of districts, rollout of communication to property owners are all necessary. We are looking at making the development of the proposal an inclusive process. We are not seeking to rush this. We are waiting for Code Enforcement staff to inform City Council of a reasonable timeline for developing the program details and guidelines and will amend the resolution as necessary. This will likely result in a continuation of the resolution until the October meeting of City Council.]
Resolution No. 2014-R161 – To approve a budget for the Economic Development Authority. [Not sure what the funds will be used for as there has been no presentation to City Council on this request. I will ask that it be sent to Committee for further review.]
Ordinance No. 2014-71 and No. 2014-78 – Special Use Permit for 2801 E. Main Street (aka Pear Street). The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported this morning that Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille does not support the current proposal. This may or may not be voted on by City Council.
Ordinance No. 2014-148 – To reinstate the Career Development program for Fire and Police and to amend the budget to equal the number of pay periods each department will receive.
Also, notice was recently sent out about City Council’s planned retreat. From press release:
On Monday, September 29, 2014, Richmond City Council will hold its annual planning meeting/retreat, beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial, 621 South Belvidere Street, Richmond, Virginia. The morning session will include a bus tour of Richmond Voter Districts.
While many citizens will remain focused on the hot button issues (the Camel’s SUP, Pear St., Shockoe stadium proposal), there are other ones worth following also…
In regard to Ordinance No. 2014-152, Better Government Richmond has some questions (Ed.’s disclosure: I serve on BGR’s board and have helped lead earlier utility reform efforts).
From the Virginia War Memorial website:
Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony* 5/26/2014 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Co-hosted with the American Legion 11th District – Virginia’s official commemoration of the national holiday to honor and remember valiant men and women who gave their lives in service to America will be held in the Heilman Amphitheater (rain or shine). This is an inspirational tribute dedicated to the proposition that Freedom is Never Free and includes a guest speaker, patriotic music, wreath laying and the playing of TAPS. Extended open hours.
Virginia War Memorial
The Virginia War Memorial will be holding a program this evening to commemorate Black History Month and honor the contributions of African Americans in the U.S. Armed Services. It will include a reception and presentation of the motion picture, Veterans of Color. It will include a tribute to the late Admiral Gravely, a Richmond native and the first African American to command a U.S. Navy ship. For more information, please click here to see a press release by the Virginia War Memorial.
With a nod to the City Hall Review:
City of Richmond
January 21, 2014
1:30pm – Planning Commission Meeting
3:00pm – Land Use Standing Committee Meeting
7:00pm – Richmond Riverfront Plan Projects Public Forum
Also, from Fans of Monroe Park Facebook Page:
On Tuesday, January 21, 2014, Alice Massie, president of the Monroe Park Conservancy, will make a presentation to Richmond’s Land Use Committee at 3PM. This is the first step in turning the park over to this private entity. There is a public comment period. This will take place at city Hall, 2nd floor council chambers.
Click here for previous post on Monroe Park privatization.
Also note how the Riverfront Plan Public Forum will happen AFTER Venture Richmond’s Tredegar Green amphitheater plan goes to the Planning Commission.