Good Morning, RVA: Long weekend!

How will you spend your extra time off?

August 29, 2014; 7:04 AM • by Ross Catrow

Good morning, RVA! It’s 66 °F, and things look pretty much like they did yesterday: highs could break 90 °F late in the afternoon, the sun will burn down angrily from its place in the sky, and the humidity will coat our every surface.

Water cooler

The RTD’s dynamic duo of Graham Moomaw and Zachary Reid have combined forces to put together this new piece on the failing state of the RPS facilities. Together, they look at the money budgeted toward maintaining City Hall over the last seven years ($23.4 million) and compare it to the amount budget toward maintaining schools over the same time period ($32 million). There are over 40 schools. There is on City Hall. Someone with a bunch of time on their hands should figure out the number of dollars spent per square foot for each.

The RTD also has good breakdown of how the Governor’s requested budget cuts will affect public universities. He’s asking that the 5% cuts (7% next year) go into effect immediately and not be funded by tuition increases.

It’d been awhile since I’d seen a good, local fail.

Closing arguments in the trial of former governor McDonnell are set to begin today. With any luck, that means the nearly month-long media salivation over this story is almost over.

Yesterday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a letter to team owners detailing new punishments for domestic abusers (PDF). The short of it: first time offenders will be suspended for six games, repeat offenders will be banned from the NFL with an option to petition for reinstatement in one year. Deadspin has a more cynical take on what’s changed.

This coming Monday is Labor Day. If you’re looking for some haps, we’ve got you covered.

Sports!

• Squirrels couldn’t get it done against Altoona and lose, 2-3. They open their final regular-season series tonight against Binghamton at 7:05 PM. Tickets are available online.
• Kickers travel to the other side of the country to face the Orange County Blues FC on Saturday at 10:00 PM. You can watch live on their YouTube channel.
• Nats take on the Mariners at 10:10 PM tonight.
• Hokies open their season against William & Mary at 4:00 PM on ESPNews.
• Wahoos look to upset #7 UCLA at 12:00 PM on ESPN.

This morning’s longread

Building Blocks

Here’s a good editorial from RPS School Board member Kim Gray in Style Weekly.

Every year that passes without our city leaders’ cooperation to address these critical facilities concerns, the crisis grows. Old buildings grow older. Neglect becomes decay. Decay becomes dangerous conditions. Eventually we’re forced to spend more money than had we simply and responsibly addressed maintenance on the front end.

Photo by: vastateparksstaff

This morning’s Instagram

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August 29, 2014 7:04 AM 0