Good Morning, RVA: What do you want?

From the next mayor? From the unseasonable weather? For breakfast?

February 4, 2016; 7:12 AM • by Ross Catrow

Photo by: taivasalla

Good morning, RVA! It’s 61 °F, cloudy, and so shall it remain. Tomorrow, temperatures drop back down to a more seasonable 48 °F. Are we done with winter? Are y’all ready to call it?

Water cooler

Yesterday the RTD hosted their 62nd public square which focused on what Richmonders want from their next mayor. For 90 minutes folks stood up and talked regionalism, education, and leadership. The general vibe seemed to be “We love Richmond! Buuuuuut Richmond’s government is pretty crappy.” There were at least three potential mayoral candidates in the room as well as a bunch of people who make it their beeswax to be in the know about this city’s goings on (myself included). So keep in mind, as you read through the recap, it was a pretty specific and self-selected group.

As the vote for BRT creeps closer (contact your councilfolk before Monday!), it looks like the project has picked up another “yes” vote. From Councilman Agelasto’s 5th District newsletter: “I am therefore prepared to support BRT on Broad Street with the expectation that a bus route restructuring will benefit the entire City and BRT will eventually expand to Henrico and Chesterfield counties.” He goes on to say he’s unwilling to increase the amount Richmond gives GRTC each year to cover the new costs. That’ll sure make for some interesting budget conversations come spring.

The Urban Design Committee meets today and will consider the final plans for transforming the 17th Street Market into more of a public square type thing. If you’re looking to spend time deep in some PDFs, may I recommend the 52-page UDC application (PDF)? If that couldn’t sound more boring, click this link to see an architectural rendering of the space.

WRIC is reporting February’s first murder, although the police have yet to send out an official release. Unrelated, Ericelle C. Coleman, who was shot on January 27th, died on Monday, bringing Richmond’s murder count for 2016 to five.

Don’t freak out about Zika virus, instead read this very dry and reassuring Q&A from the CDC or this one specifically for pregnant women.

If Oklahoma is not part of the Midwest then where the heck is it? North Texas?

FYI, there’s another Democratic debate tonight: MSNBC, 9:00 PM.

Sports!

• Rams picked up their 12th win in a row and moved to 9-0 in the A-10 with an easy win over La Salle, 88-70.
• Spiders dropped a close one at home to George Mason, 74-78. Richmond has now lost four of the last five.
• #9 Wahoos rolled Boston College, 61-47.

This morning’s longread

Millions of Teachers Minting Millionaire Teachers

Like Etsy, but for classroom activities.

Of the 186 products Jones has available in her online store, her most popular is the Ultimate Printable Phonics Pack, which sells for $10, twice the amount of TpT’s average sale. Jones created it while teaching kindergarten, working nights and weekends over several months to organize the activities she was using with her students into a sellable format. She’s sold more than 8,000 units in the two years the pack has been available in her online store.

This morning’s Instagram

https://instagram.com/p/BBVoAgcEyd_/

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February 4, 2016 7:12 AM 0