Wes Freed R.I.P.

As with Dave Brockie, Donnie Corker, and Dika Newlin, Richmond is seeing some of its more interesting ‘outsider artists’ pass away. Freed’s illustrations and music certainly captured some of the ‘abandoned’ and haunted vibe of late 80’s/early 90’s Richmond (and especially Oregon Hill). He contributed greatly to Throttle Magazine and so much other local media.
Hopefully he is reunited with his dear wife, Jyl, who preceded him in death.

Jim Bland, of Plan 8 Music, posted some of his artwork, past and recent press in remembrance.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/wes-freed-drive-by-truckers-dead-obit-1234586844/

https://pitchfork.com/news/wes-freed-drive-by-truckers-artist-dies-at-58/

https://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/lead-singer-of-dirt-ball-painter-actor-meet-wes-freed-youve-never-met-anyone-like-him/Content?oid=1384917

http://swampland.com/articles/view/title:the_wes_freed_interview

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Freed

Shooting Injures Two

From WRIC television news report:

Richmond police responded to a reported shooting on the 200 block of South Laurel Street, three blocks from Monroe Park, just after 8 pm.

According to a Richmond police officer, two young men were hit by an unknown assailant who fired from a vehicle, “A car drove by, cracked off a couple of rounds.”

According to other reports, the drive-by shooting was related to an altercation at a near by college student party. Two young men suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Oregon Hill residents are greatly disturbed and upset by this incident.

Trash/Recycling Tomorrow

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup.

Please go over what can be recycled. 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.

If it seems like pickup did not happen, use this online form:
https://cvwma.com/programs/residential-recycling/recycling-service-request-form/

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news… a Virginia Tech researcher has developed a new method to recycle polystyrene, a major component of Styrofoam.

Also, its worth mentioning that there is an Oregon Hill neighborhood-wide yard sale in the works for September 24th & 25th- a great way to recycle!

Please Send An Email/Letter For Oregon Hill

Dear Oregon Hill friends,
On Monday, Aug. 15th, the Richmond City Planning Commission will vote on a wonderful amendment to the master plan that will simply acknowledge what we all know: that Oregon Hill is a Residential neighborhood, Please send a short note in support of this master plan amendment, which has already been unanimously approved by City Council.

Below is a draft letter for your consideration, and please feel free to elaborate on your love of Oregon Hill, which has been a Residential neighborhood for over 150 years. Send your comment to: PDRLandUseAdmin@richmondgov.com

Dear Members of the Richmond Planning Commission,
I urge you to support the common-sense amendment to the master plan (agenda item CPCR.2022.094) that would designate the future land use of the Residential R-7 zoned area of Oregon Hill as Residential. Oregon Hill’s master plan amendment (2022-R033) has already been approved by the unanimous vote of the Richmond City Council.
Within Oregon Hill’s R-7 zoning, 99% of the buildings are two-story Residences. The two- story Residential future land use designation is appropriate for Oregon Hill and will allow the Oregon Hill neighborhood to continue to thrive.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME and ADDRESS

Trash/Recycling (Might Be) Tomorrow

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which hopefully means trash and recycling pickup. I say hopefully, because the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority has struggled to maintain its schedule due to a shortage of workers and has missed some pickups recently and had to reschedule. That said, as neighbors, we should do our best to help.

One tool that might help ameliorate the situation if pickup does not come is this online form:
https://cvwma.com/programs/residential-recycling/recycling-service-request-form/

Please go over what can be recycled. 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.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, mattress recycling! Troy, VA company Van der Linde Recycling has a new program for mattresses, box springs, carpet, and carpet padding.
Roughly 40 million mattresses and box springs end up in landfills each year. About 75% of mattresses are recyclable. Each mattress is $25 to drop off, unload, and recycle.

Also, the company Autocar has begun a program of field testing on two cabover refuse truck alpha units featuring a zero emission, all-electric powertrain. The two E-ACX electric cabover refuse trucks, also known as battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs), are going through a strict validation testing process to ensure the trucks are built to handle the same challenges and requirements as its diesel and CNG counterparts.
Electric could mean quieter trash/recyling pickup!

Pool’s Presentation To Planning

On July 18th, neighbor Charles Pool, on behalf of the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council, made a presentation the City’s Planning Commission.












Since that presentation…

The Planning Department is tasked with drawing a revised master plan land use map to correspond with the Res. 2022-R033 that was unanimously approved by City Council in advance of the next August 15th meeting of the Planning Commission.

Please provide a copy of this revised master plan land use map as soon as possible so that we can check to be sure that your map accurately represents the unanimously approved Resolution of City Council 2002-R033.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Charles Pool