Tag Archives: RVA

Who Will Be Richmond’s Next Mayor?

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With a lot of voting already underway, many Richmonders are confronting the reality that they still don’t know who to vote for Mayor.

Sadly, as with the last Mayoral election, the corporate media is trying to paint the election as being between two headline candidates, incumbent Mayor Stoney vs. challenger City Councilperson Gray, and a litmus test on Stoney’s tenure.

But for many Richmond citizens, its not nearly so cut and dried. Many find the frontrunners in both the Mayoral and Presidential elections to be extremely unpalatable, and it has not been unexpected in that regard (and I can’t help but wonder how different these elections would be with needed reforms like ranked choice/instant runoff voting). For Oregon Hill residents, questions still zero in on what ALL the candidates can and will do for THIS neighborhood.

For example, both Stoney and Gray have failed to act on the Monroe Park debacle, which is a fiscal and environmental disaster under the private ‘Conservancy’. The Sierra Club Falls of the James recently endorsed Alexsis Rodgers, based on some sort of green promise. But it is not very well defined and says nothing about Monroe Park, Richmond’s most historic PUBLIC park.

Oregon Hill residents know how important it is to exact promises now, especially given the existing threats and still-existing threats.

Only mayoral candidate Justin Griffin has said he will act to terminate the Conservancy’s lease on Monroe Park. Furthermore, Griffin has also stated:

This is not an out-right endorsement, for we still need to know more about Griffin’s overall stances, but his tagline does ring true, “Because we deserve better”.

We know Richmond overall deserves better, and we would love to hear specifics on what candidates plan to do about many other issues, including everything from the water to the sun.

Former Governor and Mayor Wilder has also made this observation. Hopefully his upcoming debate will bring the fire.

As has been made clear from past elections, Oregon Hill residents vote and their votes matter- if Mayoral candidates want to win, they need the Central 5th District, and thus they need Oregon Hill.

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

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

Richmond’s Style Magazine recently had a feature on how many localities are struggling with their recycling programs.

This is a good time to remind neighbors who are moving that there a number of thrift stores in the area that will take used items for resale, which is a much better option that throwing them in trash/recycling bins. In addition, there are some neighbors who have expressed interest in holding a neighborhood-wide yard sale later this month. More details on that should be forthcoming.

Bikes Stolen On S. Pine

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From CommunityCrimeMap.com:

ALL OTHER LARCENY
6XX S PINE ST
Jun 24, 2019 at 5:00 pm
Data provided by Richmond Police Department (VA)

From neighbor:

Be on the lookout for bike thieves. I just had 2 bikes in my back yard stolen in the last 3 days on the 600 block of Pine. A green Gary Fisher “Mountain Bike” and a Black Schwinn Ocean Breeze ” old school bike”!with basket.

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

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This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. 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, Colgate-Palmolive corporation recently announced its creation of the first-ever recyclable toothpaste tube. The tube has been five years in the making and was just recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers. It will hit store shelves by 2020 under the Tom’s of Maine brand, which Colgate-Palmolive owns, and eventually the company plans to convert all of its tubes to the recyclable kind. Hopefully this will reduce the 20 billion tubes that go to landfill every year.

Belle Isle History Hike This Saturday

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The James River Park is holding a Belle Isle History Hike this Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm.

Here is some information:

Join us for a family friendly hike to one of Richmond’s historic gems, Belle Isle. Learn about the geologic and human history of the area and the role Richmond played in the development of our nation. Please bring water, a snack and good shoes.

Ages: 8 and Up
Price: $5
Location: Tredegar Parking Lot

Pirate History

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“Arriving at the gallows, which were at the north side of the State Penitentiary on the western outskirts of Richmond, a massive crowd estimated at 7,000 gathered on a nearby hill called “Oregon,” then ogled and strained to watch the hapless prisoners ascend the platform. A Priest and a Protestant Minister prayed with them through an interpreter. The three requested in Spanish that the people pray for their souls and their bodies be properly buried.
After the ropes around their necks were fastened to the heavy oak crossbeam, an officer pulled the cord that dropped the platform.
But things did not go as planned.”

So reads a portion of a new Medium piece by local writer Dale Brumfield, entitled “Frankenstein and the Three Spaniards”. Brumfield, a Throttle magazine alumnus, has a knack for finding juicy Virginia history- he wrote a book on Oregon Hill’s former neighbor, the Virginia State Penitentiary. He also has a new novel out called “Naked Savages”. While the pirate story has been written about before, Brumfield’s account adds the tantalizing detail that the executed pirates were reinterred in a single unmarked grave in Oregon Hill, where they have remained undisturbed. There’s more history to be uncovered…

‘Terminate The Lease’ Rally On Friday

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From email announcement:

Dear Friends

This Friday, May 17th at 4PM there will be a peaceful rally asking to TERMINATE THE LEASE on Monroe Park held by the Monroe Park Conservancy. This will occur at Monroe Park across from the big tent. We will gather on Main st.

All members of the community are invited. The Monroe Park Conservancy holds a 30 year lease (since 2014) on the City’s oldest and most historic municipal park, purchased in 1851 by the City. The Park was reopened last Autumn after a 22 month renovation overseen by the City and the Monroe Park Conservancy. During that “renovation”, a substantial portion of the historic tree canopy was destroyed, ALL public restrooms were removed, the WWII Memorial was desecrated by a large electrical box and poorly planned and executed pathways were installed that wash gravel dust into the sewer system whenever it rains. Its time for the City to terminate this lease and start fresh on a new plan to fix all the things that went wrong under the Monroe Park Conservancy. Additionally, a recent City audit found that $345,000.00 used in the botched “renovation” was billed to the City’s School Building Fund. We ask that City officials work in partnership with the stake holding community to achieve positive changes in the Park.

Thank you,
Todd Woodson, director
Fans of Monroe Park

(Editor’s note: The Sierra Club Falls Of The James has previously called for ending the lease.)