A Festival A Stone’s Throw Away Tomorrow

Tomorrow Stone Brewing is throwing a festival down at Brown’s Island.

From the Stone’s Throw Down festival web page:

Paying homage to the people of Richmond and the one year anniversary of our first local brew, this festival entwines independent craft beer with a full day lineup of artists as vibrant and distinctive as the region’s beers themselves.

We’re proud to support the Richmond community by donating 100% of the proceeds from this event and by promoting a culture of social responsibility, collaboration and involvement.

Doors open at 12:00pm and show starts at 1:00pm. Craft beer from Stone Brewing & friends will be available for purchase. Folding chairs are allowed.

As for music, besides headliners Lettuce, the bill includes Oregon Hill-based No BS! Brass Band as well as The London Souls and Pontiak.

This is the time of year in Richmond when the amount of festivals really picks up and there’s a lot going on. Don’t forget PrideFest at Brown’s Island on Sept. 23, and of course, the Richmond Folk Festival Oct 13-15.

Yard Sale Tomorrow

A family yard sale is planned for tomorrow at 8 am at 523 S. Pine Street.

From organizers:

Our family is growing and we are trying to make room. We are selling a papasan chair, a desk, an accent table w/ shelves, lots of books, some work out stuff and some other odds and ends.

Are You Ready? VCU Alarm Test Today At Noon

From Times Dispatch article:

Outdoor sirens will sound, digital signs will light up and alerts will be sent to phones and computers when Virginia Commonwealth University conducts a test of its emergency communications and alerting systems.

The full test will be conducted Wednesday at noon. In addition to sirens, it will include text messages, mass emails, desktop alerts, and notifications through social media and VCU’s website.

In addition to the semester test, monthly checks of the siren system are conducted at noon on the first Wednesday of each month.

How’s Your Utility Bill?

There’s been a lot of discussion over email, FaceBook, and the NextDoor social media about City utility bills, including water.

A lot of citizens, including Oregon Hill residents, seem surprised by the amounts on their bills, as well as late fees.

Some have already called in to the City’s Utility Department. From one neighbor:

So I called the utility department and they removed my late fee.
They might remove yours too.
Their number is 646-4646.

It’s hard to pin the problems down, and there is a lot of speculation about what is causing the high bills. Some have anecdotal reports about checking for leaks and looking for high usage. It’s also hard to say how much can be related to previous reform efforts. But there’s something to be said for keeping abreast of the situation, especially as the City government attempts to address Utility concerns. Also , don’t forget the Larus Park/Chesterfield selling issues.