Upcoming…

Really Really Free Market Saturday
School choice group meets Saturday
Disney’s Beauty and The Beast continues at the Landmark Theater
Pine Street yard/garage sale on Saturday-

May Day Paradeer…Celebration on Sunday
Pescados brunch service starts on Sunday
Monday is City Council budget meetingperhaps we will see if Patrick Henry School gets more funding.
And don’t forget that Tuesday is the first official Byrd Market of the year!
Also Tuesday, there’s a meeting about Richmond’s transportation policyI might have a few thoughts on that.

Parental Choice Group Forms in Richmond

From Richmond Magazine article:

A new organization has emerged from the seemingly perpetual public-policy dust-up surrounding Richmond’s first public charter school and last year’s state law changes that simplify the process of creating new charter schools in Virginia.

The Greater Richmond Education Reform Alliance will hold an organizational and informational meeting this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at the Anointed Worship Center, at 4909 Government Road, located in the Fulton area of Richmond’s East End. The event is open to all, says Keisha Cummings, chairwoman of the board of the newly formed advocacy group.

“What it is is a call to action,” says Cummings, who previously served as the first Parent Teacher Association president at the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, where her daughter attends. “We want to inform people about what we’re talking about … and help them to advocate for whatever it is that they want for their children.”

By focusing its advocacy efforts on the more broad “whatever” that parents may seek, Cummings says, the new group seeks to avoid endorsing a single option — or even to risk appearing to be advocating against more traditional public schools.

“The organization was started to educate parents and to advocate for education reform, and to do that by educating parents in Richmond and the metro area,” she says. “It’s not so much we’re advocating for charter schools, but education options.”

May Day Parade Controversy

Despite the American Civil Liberties Union’s assistance, the memorandum opinion 4-28-11 came out today against the plaintiff.

From the Times Dispatch article:

A federal judge on Thurday morning turned down an ACLU bid that would allow an activist group to hold a May Day parade in Richmond without paying for off-duty police escorts.

“Obviously we’re very disappointed with the ruling, and our clients will have to make a decision on how to proceed,” said Rebecca Glenberg, legal director of the ACLU of Virginia.

In a ruling, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson wrote, among other things, that the group failed to show the Richmond police decision to deny the parade permit “was based on anything other than reasonable public policy considerations.”

The ACLU asked Hudson to allow the Richmond May Day Coalition/Organizing Committee to hold a May Day parade Sunday without paying $294 for off-duty police officers to serve as escorts.

The “May Day International Workers Day” was expected to draw 200 or more participants and involve marching bands, banners, flags, a bull horn and a small public address system, said city officials.

The parade would start at Monroe Park, proceed west on Main Street, north on Lombardy Street, east on Broad Street, south on Laurel Street and end back at Monroe Park.

Again, Congratulations to Mamma ‘Zu and Pescados

Mamma ‘Zu wins Style’s Best of Richmond Readers’ Pick for Best Italian Restaurant.

From the article:

This ain’t no red sauce joint, and pizza is not listed on the blackboard. Mamma ‘Zu charms the purist looking for a taste of real Italy with classic preparations and ultrafresh ingredients. Some diners claim to abhor this strange little place, but its list of devotees is way longer.

Also, note that Pescados won for Readers’ Pick Best Local Seafood.

Urgent Request For Patrick Henry School

I received this request via email:

We Need Parents to come to City Council Monday, May 2nd at 6pm
It is URGENT that families, friends and neighbors show up in support of Patrick Henry at the next City Council meeting. $500,000 hangs in the balance! This money would help so much with renovating the school building on Semmes. Councilman Marty Jewel is requesting $500,000 to go to PHSSA. Not every request is honored, but by showing how much we care about our school we help our chances. Please make every effort to go to City Hall, 2nd floor this Monday night.

PS. Live in Marty Jewel’s district? Get your neighbors involved! A renovated and active school adds to the neighborhood!

For more on the Patrick Henry School, click here.

The Future of Victory Rug Cleansing?

In what may truly mark the end of an era, the Times Dispatch is reporting news that some have already heard- Mercer Rug Cleansing, Inc. is filing for bankruptcy (though I will note that Victory Rug Cleansing is a separate corporation and has not filed bankruptcy).

From the article:

Mercer Rug Cleansing is the operating entity for the business. George-Marshall Corp. owns the Mercer Rug Cleansing real estate at 3116 W. Moore St. as well as the Victory Rug Cleansing property at 407 S. Cherry St. and 811 Albemarle St.

Victory Rug Cleansing is a separate corporation and has not filed bankruptcy.

A motion will be filed shortly with the bankruptcy court requesting a consolidation of the three pending cases — Ferguson, Mercer and George-Marshall.

A foreclosure sale for the Victory Rug Cleansing property by Union First Market Bank was scheduled for April 27 but was postponed because of today’s filings.

April Really Really Free Market (3rd Year Anniversary!)

From the Facebook page:

Richmond’s Really Really Free Market is celebrating 3 years this April!

Come join the community on Saturday April 30th from noon until 3pm at the corner of Main and Laurel in Monroe Park. Bring your excess and unwanted things- food, books, cds, movies, clothes, furniture, knick knacks, paddy whacks (no live animals though), to share with other people. Its good for the environment, its good for your wallet, and its good for building community.

This weekend is also May Day weekend, which includes workshops on Saturday and Sunday, as well as a rally and parade on Sunday. There will be out of town people around, so hopefully the RRFM will be a fun place to hang out. You can find out more about these events at www.maydayrva.org

Please bring games to play, music to play, balls or frisbees to throw around etc.
Anyone interested in performing, giving workshops, tabling with free literature etc. is more than welcome to.
As always, folks are encouraged to make their own fliers to advertise this event.

This event and more can be found at www.rvaradicalendar.blogspot.com

Sam’s Big Time

Richmond Magazine has a short interview/profile of Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam

Before singer-songwriter Sam Beam of Iron & Wine rose to folk-music stardom in the mid-2000s, he was a VCU undergraduate living on Laurel Street in Oregon Hill.

He says that river references serve as the binding imagery for his latest album.

“It’s the classic cross-cultural metaphor for the life journey,” Beam says, adding that he used to frequent Pony Pasture and Belle Isle when he lived here in the mid-’90s.

“My memories of Richmond are so fond,” Beam says. “I met my wife there, it was a big time for Sam.”

Iron and Wine plays The National next week.