Good Morning, RVA: Bundle up

I got new gloves for Christmas, did you?

January 6, 2015; 6:54 AM • by Ross Catrow

Photo by: outpostbabu

Good morning, RVA! It’s 30 °F, and that’s cold–cold enough that destinations west of here could see flurries this morning. In Richmond, we’ll see plenty of scarves, boots, gloves, and clouds through to the afternoon as things heat up to the upper-40s. Tomorrow and Thursday the highs will hover around 30 °F, and that makes me sad/freezing.

Water cooler

A federal judge will sentence former Governor Bob McDonnell today. The prosecution wants 10 years, the defense wants community service, I imagine the reality lies somewhere in the middle. The WaPo also has a handy explainer in case you were wondering “What’s it Really Like Inside ‘Club Fed’ Prisons”.

Last night, Richmond City Council elected, as predicted, Councilwoman Michelle Mosby (9th District) as the first black female council president in they city’s history. Councilman Chris Hilbert (3rd District) will serve as vice president. Richmond’s school board stayed the course, and both Chairman Don Coleman (7th District) and Vice Chair Kristen Larson (4th District) will keep their posts.

School board also heard Superintendent Bedden’s long-awaited plan for improving Richmond Public Schools last night. The RTD’s Zach Reid has an overview. Sure to create the most angry internet comments: a proposal to push back school start times, especially for the dang teens.

Reported.ly launched yesterday, and I’m fascinated. It’s a online news…organization?…that doesn’t have a website. They’ll do all of their reporting through existing channels like Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and Medium without the goal of pushing users anywhere.

Sports!

VCU made their way back into the top-25 yesterday, coming in at #20 and #21 in the AP and Coaches polls respectively. The Rams’ three losses are to #3, #8, and #25. Whoa.

• Hokies face the Semionles tonight at 7:00 PM.

This morning’s longread

How to Read Egg Carton Labels

What do all those words on the side of an egg carton mean? Not nearly as much as they appear to mean, but at least now you know.

The vast number of consumer labels affixed to egg cartons can leave a shopper feeling dazed and confused. One carton may label its eggs “Natural.” Another carton may call them “Free Range,” while yet another may claim its eggs are “Certified Organic.” How are thoughtful consumers supposed to know what these labels and claims really mean?

The truth is that the majority of egg labels have little relevance to animal welfare or, if they do, they have no official standards or any mechanism to enforce them. This page is intended as a primer on the main components of good welfare for egg-laying hens, as well as an introduction to what the terms on egg carton labels actually signify. For more specific information, we encourage you to do some research into the hen welfare practices of particular egg producers to get a better sense of how they treat their hens.

This morning’s Instagram

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January 6, 2015 6:54 AM 0