Here are a couple of spring photos to lighten the mood: wild columbine flowers on Belle Isle and spring painting on Spring Street. Photos by Charles Pool
Spring
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Holly Street Playground Closed
People are still allowed to visit the space, but the basketball hoops have been taken down and playground equipment has caution tape to let people know that things are not sanitized for the pandemic.
Photos courtesy of neighbor Chris Hughes
W. Cary Street Closure This Weekend
From the City’s Department of Public Works:
For Immediate Release
March 30, 2020
Media Contact:
Paige Hairston – 804-646-3659 (Office)
804-385-0409 (Cell)Street Closure – West Cary Street
WHO: City of Richmond Department of Public Works (https://twitter.com/DPW_RichmondVA)WHAT: Street Closure
WHEN: Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 3 ending at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 5
WHERE: West Cary Street between South Harrison and South Linden streets
BACKGROUND: The area will be closed to allow a crane to work at 1000 West Cary Street. Traffic will be detoured to avoid the closure.
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Skipping April Fool’s Day This Year
Sorry, folks, no April Fool’s day stories on oregonhill.net this year. Things are just grim and crazy as is with the pandemic, and I think people are too on edge. I had some wacky ideas, and Charles Pool had some too, but I don’t think they would have gone over well in this climate. This is not the first time I have decided to skip, see this 2014 post. Everyone work on staying healthy, be glad the coliseum scheme was beaten back, find laughs elsewhere, and we will do next year.
Riverfront Events Cancelled Or Postponed
From Venture Richmond’s webpage:
Friday Cheers fans are devoted and unwavering, but in these times we must all be mindful that the COVID-19 virus has dramatically changed our daily social interactions and we must all follow the directives of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s stay-at-home executive order through June 10.
The governor’s order prohibits all public and private in-person gatherings of more than 10 individuals.
With these guidelines, and for the safety of both our patrons and staff, we have made the following changes to the May Friday Cheers schedule:
Jade Bird with Sweet Potatoes that was previously scheduled for Friday, May 1, 2020 is cancelled.
Billy Strings with Andrew Alli and Josh Small is rescheduled for Wednesday, August 26, 2020.
RVA Music Night – Palm Palm is rescheduled for Friday, May 21, 2021.
Jay Som with Angelica Garcia – We are working to reschedule this show for Friday Cheers 2021 and will provide details when finalized.
Venture Richmond Events staff is working to reschedule Friday Cheers’ early June artist performances, and remain cautiously optimistic about performances later in June.
From the Riverrock Festival’s webpage:
In conjunction with Governor Northam’s recently-issued statewide Stay At Home Order, Sports Backers and Venture Richmond are very disappointed to announce that the 2020 Dominion Energy Riverrock festival planned for May 15-17 at Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar is cancelled.
Authorities Issue New Orders In Response To Pandemic
March 30, 2020— Governor Ralph Northam today issued a statewide Stay at Home order to protect the health and safety of Virginians and mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The executive order takes effect immediately and will remain in place until June 10, 2020, unless amended or rescinded by a further executive order.
The order directs all Virginians to stay home except in extremely limited circumstances. Individuals may leave their residence for allowable travel, including to seek medical attention, work, care for family or household members, obtain goods and services like groceries, prescriptions, and others as outlined in Executive Order Fifty-Three, and engage in outdoor activity with strict social distancing requirements.
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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced the city would restrict access to certain public spaces in response to Gov. Ralph Northam’s stay-at-home order.
In a release, Stoney announced playgrounds and courts at public parks, as well as on Richmond Public Schools properties, are closed beginning Monday at 5 p.m. Access to the James River would be limited as well. Certain activities – swimming, sunbathing or congregating in groups – are now forbidden. Residents can still exercise along the river.
Police will enforce the restrictions, the release stated.
Editor’s comment- history does tend to repeat.
Utility Work Planned For 600 Block of S. Laurel
Beating The Traffic
One silver lining of the pandemic is that car traffic is way down, and with it, hopefully air pollution as well…
Trash/Recycling Pickup 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 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, as with everything else, there are many concerns about the pandemic. From WasteDive.com: “Concerns persist about infection exposure while social distancing requirements are changing how collection routes and MRFs are operated. Labor unions are calling for answers around paid leave policies.” Thankfully, medical waste volumes from COVID-19 not as high as Ebola so far…also, per updated OSHA guidance, collection workers can treat all municipal waste and recycling with possible COVID-19 contamination with standard safety precautions that have been put in place to guard against broader contamination or infection issues.
Flag Auction
A recent announcement from a neighbor:
Hey Yall! I’m Haleh, upholsterer and textile artist on Pine Street. I, like many others, am concerned about how I’m going to make money in the current situation while my fabric vendors are shutting their doors and my clients as well.
I make flags, in fact, I made the banner that St Andrews hangs to advertise the OHNA meetings. I have a cool flag up in my window right now and it is available through a raffle, if you want a chance of winning it for $10!
the link is 800dollarstore.bigcartel.com and there are three options for purchase. It is high quality and durable, like all of my work, and available to be seen in my window until the auction ends on March 26 2020. Thanks for your time, please share if you think you have people who would like a chance to own this, and stay safe and healthy. Love to you and your people.