RVANews

Vote! Vote! A thousand times, vote!

Valerie Catrow — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:58:44 +0000

Don't forget to head out to your polling place today and cast your vote in the election. Polls close at 7pm, so make time to get out there.

Here are some handy links should you need them:

Find where you vote
Follow the real time results (starting after 7pm)
@VirginiaSBE (the State Board of Election's Twitter)

Statewide Candidate Websites

Governor: McDonnell • Deeds
Lieutenant Governor: Bill Bolling • Jody Wagner
Virginia Attorney General: Ken Cuccinelli • Stephen Shannon

Be sure to head back here and fill us in on the scene out there. And if you're of the Twittering persuasion, tag your tweets with #rvavote so your fellow Tweeters can keep up.

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Deeds at Crossroads in the Fan

Ross Catrow — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:49:22 +0000

Gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds stopped by for a quick chat this morning at Crossroads in the Fan to talk about higher education.

After a brief introduction from Del. Jennifer McClellan (who gave props to young voters for their help in getting President Obama elected), Deeds spoke briefly about his higher education plan. You can read specifics about his plan here.

Deeds also insisted that, despite what the polls say, he is not "toast."

Please note that should McDonnell show up in our vicinity at some point today, we'll go and see what he has to say as well.

Councilman Marty Jewell arrested for DUI

Valerie Catrow — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:34:04 +0000

According to an email issued by the Richmond Police Department's Public Affairs Unit, Marty Jewell, councilman for District 5, was arrested at 1:30am this morning near Byrd Park for driving under the influence.

No additional details are being released.

Don’t forget to register to vote!

Valerie Catrow — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:10:42 +0000

Election time is coming up, so if you haven't registered to vote yet, you best get crackin'.

Your registration form must be postmarked at least 29 days before the election, putting the due date at Monday, October 5th.

Download a PDF version of the form here.

For more information, stop by the Virginia State Board of Elections web site.

Reactions to Obama poster at Club Velvet

Valerie Catrow — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:47:02 +0000

Clearly there has been a huge response to Sam Moore's decision to hang a poster on the side of Club Velvet depicting Barack Obama as The Joker, captioned with the word "SOCIALIST." Here's a brief roundup of some helpful links, as well as some insight from community members at Monday's protest...

Here's what a few people had to say at this afternoon's protest...

"We need justice - [Moore] needs to come out here like a man and face the media. This is about justice. If I could go up there myself I would rip the sign down. This sign needs to come down!"

"The KKK doesn't have to put their hoods on in America any more. We know who you are."

"This is not about color, but a mentality of color."

"Were still fighting the civil war."

"It's time for separation - I'm ready to die, y'all want to bring it, I'm going too bring it."

"We are free to be against this sign. We are free to be put it up. We are free in this country. Don't people understand that by us being out here, we have given Moore what he wants? Grow up - this is giving a titty bar too much attention - We all ought to just go home."

"You are not free to hate us for the color of our skin, just as you are not free to hate people due to their disabilities." (in response to the previous speaker)

"If this was a picture of Bush, we know it would have been taken down immediately. This breaks my heart and I'm sorry this is happening."

"The letter that Mr. Moore wrote doesn't justify his actions. This is unacceptable! This is not appropriate for the community!"

Go to River District News for updates.

Some parents opposed to Obama’s back-to-school speech

Valerie Catrow — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:00:29 +0000

At noon on Tuesday, September 8th, President Obama will deliver a speech directed to students across the country on the importance of them taking responsibility for their education.

But, it seems that some parents in Virginia (and across the country, for that matter) are opposed to students watching the speech. Consequently, many school districts are giving students the chance to opt out.

According to Sandra Abrevaya from the Department of Education, “This isn’t a policy speech... It’s designed to encourage kids to stay in school. The choice on whether to show the speech to students is entirely in the hands of each school. This is absolutely voluntary."

Henrico County spokesperson Mychael Dickerson was quoted in the TD as saying, "We view this as a message from the president in his role as the president of the United States, not as a political speech," Dickerson said. "But out of respect to our parents, students can opt out."

Please share your thoughts. We'd love to hear what parents of school-age kids think of this. Ok, really, we'd love to hear what everyone thinks of this.

Privatizing ABC stores to pay for roads

Valerie Catrow — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:28:37 +0000

Republican gubernatorial* candidate Bob McDonnell has proposed an interesting alternative to a bill calling for a tax hike to pay for road improvements: placing 330 state-run ABC stores into the hands of private owners. He claims that this move, in addition to adding tolls along interstates 85 and 95 and pooling a portion of sales tax collected in Northern Virginia, will yield about $1.5 billion over a 10-year period.

The Washington Post article brings up an interesting point:

But the plan was notable for what it lacked: a permanent new source of money big enough to pay for the state's mounting transportation needs. McDonnell said his proposal is "outside the box" because Virginians aren't warm to the idea of a tax increase during such troubling economic times.
Much of that money represents existing state revenue that currently pays for other services. For example, privatization of the liquor stores would generate at least $500 million in one-time payments to the state, plus income and property taxes over time, according to McDonnell. But about $100 million in annual earnings generated by the stores that goes to the state's general fund would be lost.
Similarly, McDonnell's proposal to divert a fraction of sales tax receipts collected in Northern Virginia to regional road projects would leave a $105 million annual hole in the state's budget that pays for schools, public safety and other core services.

Read McDonnell's transit plan here.

*"Gubernatorial" is the most ridiculous word ever. I can't say it without shouting "GOOOOOOOOOOBER-natorial!" Perhaps another platform to be considered for the GOOOOOOOOOOBER-natorial election should be to adopt another word.

Council approves Union Hill zoning, Downtown Master Plan

Church Hill People's News — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:39:20 +0000

City council tonight, at their last meeting of the summer, approved rezonign for Union Hill, adopted the final amendments to the Downtown Master Plan, and agreed to purchase the Lehigh Cement property on Dock Street.

The meeting began with an Awards and Presentations Period. Jennifer Tillery from Armstrong HS and Victoria Jones from Franklin Military were [...]

Preliminary primary results in Richmond

Ross Catrow — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:21:53 +0000

With polls closed and almost all of the precincts reporting we find ourselves with the following results:

Governor -- Deeds: 49%, McAuliffe: 26%, Moran 23%
Lt. Governor -- Wagner: 76%, Signer: 20%
House of Delegates 69 --Carr: 45%, Brown: 41%, Green: 14%
Sheriff -- Woody: 81%, Irving: 18%

A look at the 2009 Democratic Primary

John Murden — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:30:03 +0000

You've seen the signs hanging out on street corners around town for past few weeks. Perhaps you've seen their annoying bigger brothers on the television, the back-to-back-to-back campaign adverts that attempt to differentiate this particular older white guy from that other older white guy in the race for governor. Thankfully all of the hubbub will be over for a little while come Tuesday. Here is what you probably ought to know if you'd like to a part of the process.

The Democratic primary will be held on Tuesday, June 9th. The purpose of this election is to nominate political party candidates to be on the ballot in the November general election. Voters across the city will select candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Richmond City Sheriff. Some voters will also be choosing a candidate for the Sixty-Ninth District House of Delegates seat. Any voter registered in Virginia can vote in a primary election. You vote at your regular polling place.

While all of the races are important in some way or another and the statewide races are getting the money and media attention, the local races here are really the more interesting. The local candidates are the ones that will be making decisons more likely to affect your day-to-day experiences and the ones most likely to show up at your civic association meeting or respond to your call or email. A matter of tens of votes will probably separate the winner from the loser in these elections, so your participation will make a difference.

Richmond City Sheriff

Mention this contest and the inevitable question is "what does the sheriff do, anyway?". If you've read this far, here is your reward: The Richmond City Sheriff oversees the city jail, the serving of civil documents, and security for the city courts. Go forth and sound knowledgeable.

Major Antionette Irving, a resident of the city's East End, is challenging with a campaign emphasizing an impressive career with the Henrico Sheriff’s office, a record of community involvement, and a desire to “[raise] the standards of the Sheriff’s office”. Don Coleman, School Board 7th District representative, said of Irving's community service that she "is a true citizen [...] her sincere concern and actual participation in serving young people through her foundation are to be commended".

Sheriff C.T.Woody is running for re-election on a platform of promises kept, and a record of “improved jail security and fiscal responsibility”. Woody has about every local politician of note endorsing him, including all of the members of Richmond City Council.

Perhaps unique in a local election, the race for sheriff boasts two eminently qualified candidates. Woody has made genuine progess putting the house in order in the Sheriff's Department in his first term, and seems poised to build on this given more time. Irving would bring perspective and experience from one of the few jails accreditated by the American Corrections Association.

House of Delegates 69th District

All three candidates for this position are running on similar platforms that include improving public education, economic development, and public safety. You'll need to choose instead between steady experience, youthful desire to be a part of the process, and naked political ambition.

One-time schoolboard candidate and blogger James River Maven hits the nail on the head for Carlos Brown in "Carlos Brown, Where DOES He Live?". Brown has a history of moving into districts so that he can run for office. Back in December he moved to the 70th District, but lost with 17% of the vote. When Delegate Hall accepted Gov.Kaine's appointment to the ABC Board, Brown moved yet again so that he could run for the seat in the 69th District. Given Brown's naked desire to be in office *somewhere*, his endorsement by Mayor Jones, Senator Henry Marsh, and Senator McEachin only further underscore the blatantly political (as compared to civic) nature of his run.

Betsy Carr is a current Richmond Schoolboard member, having represented the 5th District since 2006. Her official bio touts her service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, her work establishing the Micah Initiative, and the fact that she is a grandmother.

In direct contrast to Carr, Antione Green is a young man (late 20s) without much of a resume, but with much poise, presence, and ambition. He is a past president of the Richmond Crusade for Voters, having taken leave from the position during his 2nd term to run in this primary. He has been endorsed by the Richmond Voice and the Richmond Crusade for Voters.

As of the weekend before the election, Brown is reporting having raised $59,130, Carr is claiming $26,383, and Green has reported $0.

The 69th House District is heavily Democratic, having gone for Obama 6 to 1 in 2008 and Kerry 3 to 1 in 2004. The district includes portions of Southside, Carytown, Byrd Park, Maymont, Randolph, the Carillon district, a small piece of Henrico County and part of Chesterfield County. Just under 80% of the district is inside Richmond City limits.

Lieutenant Governor

The lieutenant governor serves as the President of the Senate of Virginia and is first in the line of succession to the governor. The lieutenant governor is usually seen as leading candidate for governor the following election cycle.

The two candidates for lieutenant governor are Jody Wagner and Michael Signer. Jon Bowerbank withdrew from the race on May 18, but his name will be on the ballot. Somebody somewhere described an essential difference between the two remaining candidates by saying that Wagner is running on her experience and Signer is running on issues, and this rings trueish.

Michael Signer says that he will make the office of lieutenant governor more of a platform to push progressive ideas. And while he is putting idea and action at the forefront of his run, Signer has an impressive resume for a man under 40. He comes across as incredibly intelligent and knowledgeable, and has in the past written both a book and for the Washington Post. Signer has worked as a legislative aide to Deeds and deputy counselor for Warner. Signer recently sat down with F.T.Rea and proudly described himself as "a Jim Webb Democrat".

Jody Wagner is currently the Virginia Secretary of Finance and previously served as Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Virginia under Warner. Her official biography details the minutiae of her experience. Before working in state government, she was a lawyer and a small business owner. Wagner seems to be the estabishment candidate and locally has been endorsed by the Richmond Free Press, Congressman Bobby Scott, the Richmond Crusade for Voters, Mayor Jones, Delegate McQuinn, and Councilpersons Trammell, Jewell, and Squire.

Governor

The three candidates for Virginia governor are Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe, and Brian Moran. As F.T.Rea put it so directly, "the choice between the three is more about style and character than it is about sharp contrasts in policies". Deeds and Moran both stress their experience in public service and tout how they've worked with Governors Warner and Kaine, while McAuliffe casts himself as in the same vein as these executives with his "pragmatic, businessman’s approach to politics".

Creigh Deeds is the current state senator representing the 25th District, a largely rural district that stretches west from Charlottesville to the West Virginia border. Deeds has served in public office since 1987, when he was elected to the position of Commonwealth's Attorney of Bath County at age 29. He then served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 9 years and has served in the Senate of Virginia since 2001. He was a candidate in the 2005 attorney general race but lost to McDonnell by 323 votes. Deeds has a history of bipartisanship and reads as the least "liberal" of the 3 candidates -- no one would argue against describing Deeds' record as closest to the center. He recently received a high-profile endorsement from the Washington Post, something of a surpirse given the NOVA ties of his two opponents. He is also the only one of the 3 candidates to come up into the 'hood as far as I know.

Terry McAuliffe is the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and served as chairman of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. He is a businessman and Democratic Party leader from Fairfax County, but has never run for or held office before. Supporters, including the Richmond Free Press, counter that his experience working in high level political circles is meaningful and describe him as a high spirited candidate that "thinks big, progressively". McAuliffe says that he will be "the job creator-in-chief" and wants to be seen as a leader and executive. Because of his work at the national level, McAuliffe has a different kind of name recognition than the other two candidates and has been able to bring in folks like will.i.am and Bill Clinton to help spread the word.

Brian Moran served as a representative of the inside-the-beltway 46th District in Virginia's House of Delegates for 14 years, a seat from which he resigned to be able to raise money for this race. Brian Moran is the youngest of seven children; his elder brother Jim Moran represents Virginia's 8th congressional district. Moran is to the left of Deeds, and as Deeds has gained the momentum, has begun attacking Deeds on his support for gun ownership. Moran had earlier come out swinging on McAuliffe, saying that McAuliffe was of the "big money and those who raise it" and not of the people. In recent days, Moran has been positioning himself as the better liberal of the three, saying that he will use the pulpit of the governorship to work to overturn the Marshall-Newman Amendment and pointing out his stands against both construction of a coal-fired power plant in Surry County and drilling for oil off of Virginia’s coast.

Interestingly, the governer's race has split the local Democratic establishment. Senator Marsh and Delegate McQuinn have endorsed Deeds, McAuliffe has been endorsed by the Richmond Free Press and City Council 5th District representative Jewell, while Moran is supported by Mayor Jones and Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Herring.

I've heard a location to get a photo of a Wagner sign, but too late to get the photo before I lost the light yesterday. I'll add that this afternoon.
I've donated to the Deeds campaign, but I think that I was fairly objective above.
Surprisingly enough, I made it all of the way through this without calling anyone a douche bag.

Will.I.Am hearts Terry McAuliffe?

Valerie Catrow — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:13:03 +0000

While perusing the upcoming events at The Camel, I noticed that on May 11th they've got a town hall meeting scheduled with gubernatorial (that word always makes me snicker... mmmmm Snickers) candidate Terry McAuliffe and... Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas?

After looking at his website doing some intensive research, I discovered that not only is Will.I.Am a supporter of McAuliffe, he's also got his own entire section on the site.

Do you think Will.I.Am (Can we talk about how annoying that is to type?) will release a hit song for McAuliffe as well? Is Will.I.Am (Yep, still annoying) the key to getting elected?

Tell us your thoughts on this because it is fascinating.

Richmond Democrats turn out for Deeds Fish Fry

Church Hill People's News — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:11:48 +0000

Hundreds of East End residents and a bevy of Richmond Democratic Party standard-bearers turned out for the gubernatorial hopeful Creigh Deeds Fish Fry at the Robinson Theater today, including City Council members Ellen Robertson, Betty Squire, and Chris Hilbert; School Board members Chandra Smith and Evette Wilson; and State Senator Henry Marsh and Delegate [...]

Fish Fry for Creigh Deeds

Church Hill People's News — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:55:47 +0000

All are invited to join State Sen. Henry Marsh and Delegate Delores McQuinn for a Fish Fry Meet and Greet for Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate State Sen. Creigh Deeds at the Robinson Theater Community Art Center this Saturday.

Event Highlights
· Free Food
· Meet and Greet with State Sen. Creigh Deeds
· Local Elected Officials
· Community Activists
Robinson Theater Community [...]

Petersburg to send 30 delegates to Va. Republican Convention in May

brenda p — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:24:45 +0000

Linas Kojelis, Chairman of the Petersburg Republican Committee, announced today that the Cockade City will send thirty delegates to the Virginia Republican Convention in Richmond this May. As per the official call, as fewer than 55 persons filed to serve as delegates, the mass meeting tentatively scheduled for March 12 is canceled.

“We are thrilled with the continued growth and activism of our unit,” stated Mr. Kojelis, noting that only eight city delegates went to the state convention last year. “This is one of the toughest cities in America for the GOP,” he continued, noting that Petersburg – known in its heyday as the Rock of Gibraltar of Virginia Republicanism — gave Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain the third lowest percentage of votes nationally last year.

At the state convention, delegates will nominate candidates for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. The hottest race is for attorney general, with former U.S. Attorney John Brownlee, Senator Ken Cuccinelli and former Arlington school board chairman Dave Foster all campaigning actively for the nomination.

“We invited all three candidates for attorney general to visit Petersburg, meet with city Republicans and other voters, and then tour the high crime, prostitution, drug and gang areas,” explained Mr. Kojelis. “I told each one, ‘I promise you two things. First, that Petersburg will deliver the lowest percentage of votes for you in November, and second, that we will ask for the greatest amount of help should you win.’ City Republicans are extremely pleased that all three candidates accepted those conditions.”

The Po-Po is hiring.

Scott — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:19:11 +0000

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA - The Chesterfield County Police Department will offer its police officer entrance exam on Saturday, Feb. 21, beginning at 7:45 a.m. The exam will be held at the Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center, 6610 Public Safety Way (in the Chesterfield County government complex).

The exam is for people who are interested in careers in law enforcement with the Chesterfield County Police Department. In addition to a written test, participants will be tested on physical agility, including a 1.5-mile run, sit-ups and push-ups. This will be the final entrance exam for the June academy.

Anyone interested in taking the entrance exam is encouraged to go online to www.chesterfieldpd.com and complete an application prior to the exam date.

The starting salary for a police officer in Chesterfield County is $39,000. Benefits include a take-home-car program, career-development program, fully paid training, pension plan with the Virginia Retirement System, and furnished uniform and equipment.

Preliminary qualifications to be a police officer include being a U.S. citizen, being 21 years old prior to the completion of the training academy, and having at least three years of stable employment or 60 college credits, or two years of either active-duty military or law-enforcement service.

For a complete list of qualifications, detailed information about applying or more information, visit www.chesterfieldpd.com.

UR’s Tom Shield’s to Seek General Assembly Seat in Near West End

Near West End News — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:43:02 +0000

Today I got to sit down and talk to Tom Shields Ph.D, who is running against incumbent John O’Bannon for the 73rd House District seat, representing the most of the Near West End.
Shields hasn’t formally announced his campaign, but he’s looking to run on a platform that emphasizes the new face of a more diverse [...]

The Tenth Commandment

FTRea — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:08:17 +0000

With a new year underway, a new mayor in City Hall and new president about to sworn in, this piece I wrote for STYLE Weekly 10 years ago is offered for the Fan District Hub readers to consider. Although much has changed in the last decade, I think there’s enough in the little rant that still applies that it’s worth a second look.

According to the Old Testament, Moses heard directly from God about standards of behavior. A portion of the instructions Moses is purported to have heard, The Ten Commandments, is still well known and even in the news frequently.

There were several other rules offered atop Mount Sinai that we hear less about. If you read much of the book of Exodus, it won’t take long for you to see why. Let’s just say that some are rather old world, including the regulation of established practices such as slavery and burnt offerings.

However, the Ten Commandments are to-the-point and very basic stuff: Honor your God and your parents. Be willing to make sacrifices for what matters most to you. Don’t kill, lie, or steal, and don’t cheat on your spouse(s). Of course, even then, it depended on what “cheating” meant. In the final of the ten, Moses claimed God said people should not “covet” their neighbors’ goods.

Well, I find it interesting that after a simple list of shalt-nots, the last rule is against even thinking about a shalt-not. It seems redundant. Covet? Come on Moses, what’s the problem with a little coveting? Why not stick to Nine Commandments?

Hopefully, the reader will permit me the post-modern license to move directly from the Bible to a Hollywood thriller, in order to help Moses with his answer: In “Silence of the Lambs,” the brilliant but evil psychiatrist, Hannibal Lecter, instructs the movie’s detective heroine, who is in search of a serial killer, that people only covet what they see all the time.

Bulls-eye!

Of course the ravenous doctor was right about what fuels obsessive cravings. If one hasn’t seen it, how can one lust for it? To dwell on wanting something, to the point of no return, one must see it regularly. Coveting is a festering of the mind; it’s a craving for that which one cannot, or should not, have. No good can come from it.

Today, because of the modern media, everyone sees how wealthy/powerful people live all the time. One sure thing movies, sitcoms, soaps, and the celebrity news all do — in addition to telling a story — is to show us how well off some people are. Then, every few minutes the advertisements tell us where to buy the same pleasures and accouterments the stars in those stories possess.

If you’ve got the dough to buy the stuff, that’s one thing. If you don’t that’s another. That might spawn some coveting.

The lifestyle of a celebrity is constantly sold to consumers as the good life. Wanting that good life is a carrot on the stick that helps drive our consumer culture. Therefore, in some ways, it has been good to all of us. My thesis for today’s rant is that there is a dark side to this strategy.

When powerless/poor people see that same contrived entertainment they want the good life too. However, if they are trapped in their circumstances and have no hope, they don’t believe the good life is available through legitimate channels. So, instead of feeling motivated to work overtime, to earn more money, the powerless are left to covet.

Eventually all that desire for the unobtainable can lead to trouble. I’m convinced that some part of the violence we have seen from teen-agers, lately, stems from their exaggerated sense of powerlessness. In the worst cases, their impatience boils over while waiting for what they imagine to be an adult’s awesome power over life and death.

The good news is that kids grow up. Most of our children won’t shoot up their schools because of frustration with having so little say-so over their schedule. The bad news is that for many of the world’s underdogs their sense of powerlessness is something that isn’t going to dissipate so easily. In the so-called Third World, the longing for First World goods and options is festering as you read this.

Meanwhile, these powerless coveters aren’t thinking about where to shop for knockoffs of what they see flaunted on the tube. Watching the images on television and the Internet — as everyone in the world now does — they are coveting, and at the same time, they don’t see a way for them to get over being poor in their lifetime. A hundred years ago, 50 years ago, the world’s underclass wasn’t wired into the rest of civilization. Now it is. (more…)

What do you Envision for Richmond?

Near West End News — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:06:04 +0000

Envision Richmond’s first meeting to discuss the future of the city is January 15. Go ahead, get involved, help the city, share your brilliant ideas with Director of Community Development Rachel Flynn.
2009 Envision Richmond Kick-Off Meeting to Feature Rachel Flynn, Citizen Brainstorming, River City Band
We passed the Downtown Master Plan! Now what?
Do you want to [...]

Regional cooperation is THE issue

FTRea — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:54:59 +0000

It was true last year.

It’s true today: Lack of regional cooperation lies at the heart of many of Richmond’s problems. And, it’s getting worse all the time because it’s costing taxpayers’ money in a time when governments all over the commonwealth are dealing with shortfalls.

Eventually, greater regional cooperation is bound to come about for the Richmond metropolitan area. One day, it will happen simply to save money on duplication of services.

Given the checkered history the concept has in these parts — together with Virginia’s peculiar set-up, which has independent cities landlocked without the ability to expand — and you know it’s still going to take an altogether fresh approach in leadership to make it happen.

Like it, or not, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s capital city needs the enthusiastic cooperation of Chesterfield County and Henrico County in order to build a modern mass transportation system for the Greater Richmond Community. That isn’t going to change.

Whether folks in Short Pump like it or not, that transportation system’s main hub will need to be in the city, probably as close to Main Street Station as it can be.

Likewise, Richmond needs the cooperation of the surrounding counties to plan a sensible baseball stadium for the imaginary minor league team that will someday call it home. By the way, so far, the counties of Henrico and Chesterfield won’t touch the Shockoe Bottom deal with a ten-foot pole.

In the future it’s going to be more and more difficult to provide clean water, proper schools, adequate fire and police departments, and all sorts of costly but unavoidable budget items, without genuine cooperation from all the governments of the metropolitan area.

The question is: How long will it take?

Since the densely populated suburban counties have developed — to some extent — on the backs of those who moved there hoping to avoid dealing with urban problems, their elected officials are accustomed to being automatically against most boundary-blurring notions.

Furthermore, the City of Richmond’s officials are accustomed to looking at the counties as lesser-than entities. For instance, the Board of Directors of the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which was formed in 1966, has 11 members. Six of those members are appointees from the City of Richmond. Chesterfield and Henrico have two each. The eleventh is appointed by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Transportation Commissioner.

The RMA owns and operates The Diamond, the Expressway, and several other things. If you want to see all of what the RMA does, click here. My own sense of this body is that in the future the counties will need more representation. Acting together, Henrico and Chesterfield ought to be at least equal to the City’s delegation in number. Shouldn’t Hanover County be included, as well?

While the RMA has paved the way for cooperation, it can‘t be expected to reform itself. Its members get their direction from the governments that appoint them. Unfortunately, some of those officials who make policy are stuck in tradition like its cement. They just go on fighting old battles.

So, from here on the real push for more regional cooperation is likely to have to come from the bottom up, instead of the top down. It’s going to take an informed citizenry to sweep another us-pitted-against-them attitude, leftover from the days of Massive Resistance, onto history’s compost heap.

It’s time to let all that go. Hopefully, Richmond’s new mayor, Dwight Jones, will not carry on the “my way or the highway” style his predecessor used in such matters.

In the Richmond metro area, we’re all facing hard times. We’re all hoping not to lose too much of what has been sweet about our way of life. We’re all looking at a future suddenly less certain, a future that will surely call upon us to change, to be smarter with our limited resources.

This screed isn’t proposing we do away, altogether, with jurisdictional boundaries. It is proposing that the changes we are going to have to make, aren’t going to take place until we — meaning “we” the people — get started looking for every way this metro area can invest wisely in crafting greater regional cooperation.

This should be the year the million people living in or near Richmond take great strides toward learning to look out for what are their mutual best interests. “We” need to act to push our so-called “leaders” toward more regional cooperation, pronto.

– Words and art by F.T. Rea

Henrico County to Change School Attendance Zones

Valerie Catrow — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:20:14 +0000

I got an email this morning telling me that my neighborhood will be affected by the school attendance zone changes currently being proposed by Henrico County. The Near West End, roughly from the city line to Horsepen could be affected, and rezoned from Freeman High School to Tucker. Although there are three proposals, in any of [...]

New school board now in place

Valerie Catrow — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:27:50 +0000

The 2009-2013 RPS School Board members were sworn-in yesterday in ceremony at City Hall. The new board has four returning and five freshman members, including the new 7th District School Board member Don Coleman. [via]

RPS board members from left to right: Adria A. Graham Scott (4th district); Dr. Norma H. Murdoch-Kitt (3rd District); Kimberly B. [...]

Sunlight in 2009

Valerie Catrow — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:48:17 +0000

“Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.”
– Justice Louis Brandeis

Over the last year, what had been an ambient longing for cultural and political change coalesced. The voters willingly took a leap of faith. But what happened on election day, with its dramatic mandate for change, wasn’t the fickle result of a tidal wave. It came from what had been a long steady rain.

With high-profile executives under fire in many quarters, 2008 has proven to be a bad year for bad leaders. In both the private and public sectors incompetent leadership has been denounced bitterly.

Just as the nation is now eagerly watching President-elect Barack Obama for signs of hope that change will mean brighter days ahead, Richmonders have their eyes on Mayor-elect Dwight Jones. Coincidentally, or not, Obama and Jones are both following executives whose once-shimmering luster of popularity has faded to black.

Now Dwight Jones has the power to make a savvy move that would put him in a good light, as he prepares to take office with the new year. He could act boldly to show everybody in town, including current and future employees of The City of Richmond, just how willing he’s going to be to break with the yesterday’s cloistered way of doing the people’s business.

Jones could say, “Let there be sunlight.”

Or, Jones could blow off the opportunity, to stick with the traditional way of running governments that has wanted as little kibitzing from John Q. Public as possible.

Whatever Jones does, “sunlight” is a political issue that is only going to get bigger.

Today’s technology makes it possible for City Hall to open itself up to scrutiny from any citizen with access to the Internet. If Richmond wants to do it in 2009, this city could allow the taxpayers to follow their money through the machinery of government to where it gets spent.

Of course most of us wouldn’t actually put in much time doing that, even if we could. While some of us couldn’t make much sense out of looking at such data, in the first place, some watchdog individuals/groups will understand it just fine. They will be more than willing to take the time to do it, too.

As fresh as that concept might seem to some readers, it’s been bubbling in the blogosphere for some time. One noteworthy and innovative step has already been taken toward more citizen oversight of routine government business. Last year Waldo Jaquith, one of Virginia’s best known political bloggers, launched a website to track bills through the General Assembly. It’s called Richmond Sunlight (click here to see it).

Yes, the same Internet that offers unlimited opportunities to waste time, could also be the key to making democracy function properly in the 21st century through swift and greater accountability. Besides, since the government already watches us all the time, why shouldn’t we be able to watch it?

Mixed in with all the gibberish spewed out by blogs, especially political blogs, there are cutting-edge ideas being discussed and pertinent new issues are solidifying. Attacking and defending ideas is a healthy exercise, whether it is done stylishly or not. Only Luddites, who are deliberately ignoring the blogging phenomenon, are still saying political blogs don’t matter.

In Richmond no one has written more eloquently about the beauty of sunlight/transparency into matters involving the use of public funds than freelance writer Don Harrison, who publishes Save Richmond (click here to see it), which won the Laurence E. Richardson Freedom of Information Award (it was Harrison and two partners then) in 2005 for its investigative journalism.

Harrison knows how to wield Freedom of Information Act requests and he’s earned a following in the local blogosphere with his revealing posts about the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation/CenterStage, in particular, and about local politics, in general. He has argued convincingly that if public money is being used, the public has the right to see the books.

Yet, the VAPAF — even after having been caught fudging money matters — still seems to be resisting the call to stop concealing what money it has, or how it is being/will be spent. Harrison says the game has now been rigged to shield VAPAF from future FIOA requests.

It would be a sure sign of brighter days ahead if Mayor Jones moves to undo that particular mistake on his first day in office. (more…)

Murden announces bid for council seat

Valerie Catrow — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:10:53 +0000

When there is an election for the 7th District council seat being vacated by Delores McQuinn, I will be a candidate. [via]

The timeline for how all of this might work still seems to be up in the air. It is likely that an interim council person will be appointed. As the appointment is likely to [...]

New baseball stadium in The Bottom? No way!

FTRea — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:20:00 +0000

At SLANTblog there’s a post on baseball as a local political issue.

Lately, when I hear somebody talking about building a baseball stadium in Shockoe Bottom, I laugh. You see, I’m past the point of arguing that it’s a terrible location and that too many of what were R-Braves fans — the Little Leaguers in the uniforms, church groups, veterans in wheelchairs, parents with their children, etc. — won’t go to that neighborhood after dark, in sufficient numbers to make it work.
Now the reason not to build is more obvious and less debatable. No one in their right mind would prop up a zillion dollar development on anticipated revenues from shops around a baseball stadium. That concept isn’t working in DeeCee and other cities that have hitched their wagons to that star.

Click here to read “Baseball in Richmond moving to the back burner” at SALNTblog.

Update: There are more comments under the SLANTblog post than here.

Changing city streets

FTRea — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:27:01 +0000

During the recent mayoral campaign candidate Paul Goldman floated an idea about making Cary St. in the Carytown neighborhood off limits to cars, maybe even all vehicles on wheels. Since then I’ve read that some boosters for Downtown want to turn some one-way streets into two-way streets.

As for what the traffic engineers think about theses notions, I can’t say. But here’s what comes to mind when I read bloggers and other experts acting as if they do know what would happen if The City did put such experiments in play.

In 1981 a small but busy group of Fan District real estate speculators and merchants in the VCU area got what they were sure was a bright idea. They wanted to change a portion of W. Grace Street — Belvidere to the Blvd. — from being a one-way street heading west to two-way.

They held meetings and congratulated one another on the perfection of their plan. They shrugged off anyone’s questioning of it.

At the time I managed the Biograph Theatre at 814 W. Grace, so I attended some of those meetings. The majority of the merchants became convinced it was a good idea. I was not so sure. It wasn’t that I knew any more about it than anyone else, I simply didn’t believe those for the change really knew what they were talking about.

A while after the change was made, maybe a year, the man among the merchants group who led the push told me the change had been a big mistake. It had caused all sorts of problems he hadn’t anticipated. He said it had hurt his business.

So, I did a little informal survey of other merchants in the neighborhood. As I remember it, few, if any of them, supported the change. Maybe people feel differently about it now, but 25 years ago, if they could have, most of the merchants in the 800 and 900 blocks of W. Grace would have undone the one-way to two-way change. They would have told The City to put it back like it was.

My point is that just because somebody starts talking about changing the traditional traffic patterns of streets, at a civic association or merchant meeting, doesn’t necessarily mean they know what all the consequences will be if they get their way. Truth be told, sometimes they have no idea at all of what they are talking about.

5th District School Coffee & Tea on Monday

Oregon Hill — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:30:48 +0000

According to email below, Richmond Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Brandon will be hosting four coffee sessions Monday, Dec. 8, (tomorrow!) to discuss the proposed budget and to get as much public feedback as possible. Click on coffee sessions PFD link below to see when and where.

My quick thought:
ADA-compliant, historically-sensitive elevator addition for Open High, along with energy audit, window treatments, and roof solar panels .

Thanks,
Scott

Begin forwarded message:

From: Betsy Carr
Date: December 6, 2008 10:37:33 AM EST
To: Fifth District Schools Advisory Group , Fifth District Schools
Subject: Coffee & tea

Dear Fifth District Residents:
If you have thoughts about priorities for the proposed budget for the school system, please consider attending one of these sessions or let Dr. Brandon hear from you.
Betsy

–
Betsy B. Carr
School Board Representative, Fifth District
City of Richmond
804-355-6852

—— Forwarded Message
From: Alfonzo Mathis
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 16:06:57 -0500

Subject: coffee & tea

Board Members,

Interim Superintendent Dr. Brandon will be hosting four coffee sessions to discuss the proposed budget and to get as much public feedback as possible.
I am attaching a flyer detailing the session locations and times. Please distribute this flyer through your constituent email lists to ensure a good cross section of opinions.
Thank you for your assistance.
coffeesessions

—— End of Forwarded Message

Silver Makes Front Page of TD

Oregon Hill — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:58:11 +0000

Silver Persinger, Pine Street resident, makes it in the newspaper again.

I wonder what the final numbers were on his Presidential bid?

I will wait for his website update.

Del. McClellan Gets Married

Oregon Hill — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:29:58 +0000

Old news at this point, but congratulations to the nuptials: The Honorable Jennifer McClellan and David Mills were married on Nov. 15.

Murden in the 7th?

FTRea — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:57:20 +0000

Special elections are called when a vacancy occurs, such as the one the election of Dwight Jones as mayor of Richmond has caused. It is said that before the week is over he will have resigned his seat in the General Assembly’s House of Delegates, which he has held since 1994.

That move has prompted Richmond’s 7th District Councilwoman Delores McQuinn to consider running for Jones’ seat. If she does run and win that would mean she would resign and leave the 7th with the task of replacing her. Falling dominoes style, another special election would/should ensue. However, with the new charter some say it’s not clear how she would be replaced.

Nonetheless, names to replace McQuinn are already being bandied about. While not casting aspersions in anyone’s direction the name that stands out for me is John Murden.

Murden, a teacher by profession, is known to many in the local blogosphere as the founder of the neighborhood blog/community news website movement in Richmond. His Church Hill People’s News was the first of such websites in this area and he has had a hand in creating several others.

If the opportunity presents itself, and should John decide to run, the voters of the 7th District would be wise to support him. Moreover, the citizens of the 7th District would be fortunate if John Murden ends up representing them.

City Council Agenda for Nov.24, items related to WOTB

West of the Boulevard News — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:50:47 +0000

The agenda for the November 24th City Council meeting (PDF) includes a few local items:

Ord. No. 2008-235 (Patron: President Pantele, By Request) - To authorize the special use of *** 107 South Colonial Avenue for the purpose of permitting a new multi-family dwelling consisting of no more than four units ***.

Res. No. 2008-R181 (Patron: Mr. Tyler) - To approve an expenditure *** of $5,068 from the Council Districts Funds for the First District to pay the Museum District Association for 24 trees to be planted in the Museum District.

Ord. No. 2008-286 (Patron: Mayor Wilder) - To *** accept *** $557,882 from the Virginia Department of Transportation and to appropriate the increase to the *** Department of Public Works’ Broad Street *** Traffic Signal Modernization project *** for the purpose of modernizing traffic signals on Broad Street between Thompson Street and Roseneath Road.