Daily Archives: June 20, 2012

Tri State Gang Event Cancelled; But Gamelan Show This Evening

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From VCU Library blog:

The “Tri-State Gang in Richmond” book talk with Selden Richardson, scheduled for Wednesday, June 20, has been cancelled because of the speaker’s illness. We apologize for the cancellation and hope to reschedule the event for later this summer. Stay tuned for updates.

In better news, from FaceBook event page:

Free Gamelan Show @ The Anderson Gallery @ 5 pm

The Richmond community group Gamelan Raga Kusuma presents music of the gamelan gong kebyar, the gamelan semara dana and the gamelan gender wayang with Balinese dancers from the Indonesian embassy. Check out the Gallery’s latest offerings and grab some $2 beers.
Hope to see you there! We’ll be playing outdoors in the shade during Richmond’s sweltering 100 degree heat.

Drip…Drip…

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Correspondent of the Day in the Times Dispatch:

Water rates target smaller users

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

You ran two Op/Ed columns on Richmond’s water rates. The column by Gloria LeRose, “Water’s worth the cost and effort,” explains that the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) does a needed job protecting our water quality, and what it spends to do so is worth it.

An earlier column by Scott Burger, “City proposes outrageous water rates,” relates to the amount of service charge DPU has in its rate structure, which results in a lower volumetric charge, which in turn discourages conserving water.

While both of these are valid concerns, the main issue with a high service charge is the inequality of cost for small consumers. Someone using 3 to 5 ccfs (1 ccf = 100 cubic feet) of water per month ends up paying about 79 percent of his total bill for service charge, while someone using 100 ccfs per month pays only about 11 percent. The purpose of the service charge is to recover certain fixed costs and should be recovered proportionally based on the amount each consumer uses. Lowering the service charge requires increasing the volumetric rate to compensate for the reduced revenue. There would be no less money for the DPU. There would be no lost revenue.

I raised this issue in 2006 with the DPU after a study recommended reducing the service charge. At that time the DPU indicated it agreed the service charge was disproportionate to the small user and planned to gradually reduce it and increase the volumetric rates. The DPU needs to renew this plan.

Robert Bedell.

Richmond.

Recognition for Officer Nathanson

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Although there were no crimes in Oregon Hill on today’s Richmond Police report, there was recognition and congratulations for Officer Jonathon Nathanson, who has done a lot of work in the Fourth Precinct and Oregon Hill in particular.

Kudos to Officer Jonathan Nathanson who was named Fourth Precinct’s Officer of the Month for May! Officer Nathanson is still racking up the arrests – 42 for the month–and taking the calls – responding to 48! He’s also initiated more than 70 encounters just from his own observation while patrolling his assigned area. Officer Nathanson also seized two firearms and illegal narcotics last month; wrote 55 incident-based reports, conducted 16 field interviews and did more than 60 hours of bike patrol!

He was also selected to conduct DUI selective enforcement, resulting in numerous DUI arrests. Somehow, he still manages to find time to mentor a recruit from the 107th class and work with the Homeless Outreach Program with the Daily Planet and Richmond Behavioral Health Authority. Officer Nathanson is an all-around great officer and that’s why he’s been a frequent flier for Fourth Precinct’s Officer of the Month honors. Congratulations!

R.I.P. John Campbell Crouch

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A neighbor sent this in:

Oregon Hill lost a great friend in the passing of John Crouch, a descendant of John Jacob, the first known occupant of the house for whom the Jacob House at 619 W. Cary Street is named. Mr. Crouch worked tirelessly for the preservation of the house when VCU made plans to demolish the structure. Thanks to Mr. Crouch we became aware that the Jacob House was older than was previously known. The house would not have survived if not for Mr. Crouch’s hard work and advocacy. He will be missed.

Obituary, as printed in the Times Dispatch:

CROUCH, John Campbell, 93, of Richmond passed away June 16, 2012 in Front Royal, Va. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Evelyn Post Crouch; son, Robert J. Crouch of Front Royal; daughter, Mary C. MacKercher (Brian) of Warrenton; four grandchildren, Mark D. MacKercher of Washington, D.C., Brian C., Benjamin B. and Mary Elizabeth MacKercher all of Warrenton. He was preceded in death by his parents, William J. and Mary Jacob Crouch; a sister, Mary Crouch Condrey and a son, William Campbell Crouch. He graduated from John Marshall High School and the University of Richmond. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the U.S. Army as a Cryptographer in Company A, 3217th Signal Service Battallion assigned to the Supreme Allied Headquarters in London. He worked with the Enigma Coding Machines and decoded the surrender message from Heinrich Himmler. He was an accountant with Dupont, Inc. for 42 years at the Spruance Fiber Division. He was active in politics and historical preservation. He was an advocate in the preservation of Pelham Chapel, The Conferderate Section of Oakwood Cemetery and the Jacob House on Cary Street. (He was the great-grandson of John Jacob). He was the former Vice Chairman of the Richmond City Democratic Committee, Treasurer of the Virginia Conservative party, President of the Richmond Society of the Son’s of the American Revolution and Commander of the Lee-Jackson Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. He ws a member of the American Legion, the Navy League and The Virginia Historical Society. He was a proud Virginian and an avid genealogist. The family will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Blileys-Central, 3801 Augusta Ave. A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday at All Saints Episcopal Church, 8787 River Rd. A private graveside service will be held at Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of Forest Hill Park, 951 E. Byrd St., Richmond, Va. 23225