Monthly Archives: September 2012

Week Long Protest Against Dominion Starts Monday

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From CCAN’s public sign-up page:

Even though Dominion Power hasn’t invested in a single wind or solar power facility in Virginia, the company is receiving $76 million in extra profit for its supposed renewable energy investments.

Monday, October 1, through Friday, October 5, join us for a sustained week of action outside of Dominion’s Richmond office to protest this huge rip-off and call for wind and solar power in Virginia. We’ll also send in a representative each day, asking for a personal response from Dominion’s CEO, Tom Farrell.

And every day we’ll highlight a specific way that Dominion’s actions are harming Virginians, from increased extreme weather from climate change, to mountaintop removal coal mining and fracking for natural gas, to health impacts of the company’s pollution. Then we’ll cap off the week with a rally on Saturday, October 6.

Still Time to Volunteer for the Upcoming Folk Festival

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This past Wednesday and Thursday evenings, the Virginia War Memorial hosted volunteer orientations for the upcoming Richmond Folk Festival. An Oregon Hill neighbor, Jamie Thomas, is serving as the volunteer coordinator for the festival. There is still time to sign up to volunteer. As the festival website states,

Last year, more than 200,000 people visited downtown Richmond’s riverfront to celebrate the roots, richness and variety of American culture through music, dance traditional crafts, storytelling and food. The Richmond Folk Festival has become one of Virginia’s largest and most-loved events of the year and has been voted as the best musical festival in Richmond, 2 years running. The 2012 Festival will bring a new and similarly amazing list of performers, artists and exhibitors.

In particular, I know the Green Team, which handles recycling, is in need of able-bodied volunteers. The nice thing about the Green Team is that, while there is hard work involved, you do get the chance to hear a lot of the music and interact with the crowd. Please do consider signing up today by clicking here.

New Bike Skills Training Area on Belle Isle Opens Saturday

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From City press release:

City to Open New Bike Skills Training Area on Belle Isle

Richmond, VA – The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will open its new Belle Isle Bike Skills Area on Saturday, September 29, at 10 a.m. with a celebration that will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, demonstrations, and tours. The public is invited to attend and to bring their bicycles to try out the mountain bike training area.

“I encourage residents and visitors to come discover the Belle Isle Bike Skills Training Area as it is another step Richmond is taking to create bike-friendly, outdoor tourist attractions, as we prepare for the UCI Road World Cycling Championships in 2015,” comments Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “The benefits of cycling are tremendous to our city in many ways, including our efforts to encourage city residents to get active and adopt a healthy lifestyle.”

The new training area is located within the James River Park on Belle Isle across from the Tredegar Street suspension bridge. It includes a beginner and expert pump track, rock gardens, and log and rock skinnies in addition to other features. Bicyclists can learn to handle these obstacles and challenges, which they will find on the trails throughout the James River Park, in a controlled environment.

“This site, which has been built largely with the labor of volunteers who love mountain biking, will provide a place to learn and practice mountain biking skills and introduce the fun of mountain biking as a recreational activity to a much larger audience,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the department.

In addition, while this new facility provides “off-road” training, the city also has plans to add an “on-road” training component on Belle Isle adjacent to this site. The on-road training facility will provide a place for children and adults to become competent bicyclists, as well as learn and practice the skills needed to ride safely in an urban environment.

“The James River Park is already known throughout the East coast and internationally for its outstanding network of urban mountain biking trails. Now with the addition of this skills area Richmond has enhanced its reputation as a ‘bike city,’” said Jakob Helmoldt, the city’s bicycle, pedestrian and trails coordinator.

Organizations that provided volunteers who helped construct the new training site, as well as in-kind donations, include the Friends of the James River Park, the James River Outdoor Coalition, the Richmond Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiasts, the International Mountain Biking Association, Virginia Bicycling Federation, Hands-On Greater Richmond, SportsBackers, Altria, Luck Stone, Tektonics Design Group, Sattler Creative, Alpine Trails, Dreaming Creek, and Green Side Up Landscaping.

The Belle Isle Skills Area is free to use and is open from sunrise to sunset. For more information, call (804) 646-5733 or visit www.RichmondGov.com/Parks.

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Support WRIR

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From email message:

Hi Oregon Hillians!

Many of you know that former Oregon Hill Resident Christopher Maxwell founded WRIR 97.3 and helped build the station while living on the Hill.

We at WRIR are in the midst of our fund drive- and sadly we have had to extend it for the first time ever because we haven’t met our goal.

Please consider donating to this public low power community radio station where many of our neighbors have volunteered their time and money.

If you haven’t heard our broadcasts, you’ve missed local news and public affairs programs like my husband John Richmond’s Richmond Education Today. Recently our neighbor Charles Pool discussed water rates during Open Source, another local news program.

Oregon Hill also is represented by multiple DJs airing music you seldom hear elsewhere on the airwaves- from our neighbor Derek Sunshine’s New Music Saloon and Greta B on River City Limits which plays music from Richmond Bands.

While our Oregon Hill neighbors volunteer their time, one of WRIR’s major expenses is paying for national programs like Living on Earth and Talk of the Nation. It was shows like these that other public radio stations weren’t airing that inspired Chris Maxwell to start work on WRIR with neighbors like Scott Burger and Tommy Birchett as well as former Oregon Hillians like Dustin Richardson.

Please support your neighbors and our community radio station. Anything helps- and we could always use more volunteers if you’re low on money.

Here’s our website
http://wrir.org/index.php?/ or just google WRIR Richmond Independent Radio.

You can donate on line, come into the station at 1621 West Broad St or call the office 622-9747 or the studio at 649-9737.

Yours,

Caroline Cox

Engaging Nature with St. Andrew’s Church

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From email announcement:

St. Andrew’s Church is hosting a series of gatherings engaging nature and creation as a way to connect more deeply to God, ourselves and others. Track a fox to its den. Discover God’s ancient wisdom. Create fire from friction. Contemplate scripture. Sense the approach of a hawk. Feel compassion, connect deeply. Learn more about this new offering over appetizers on Wednesday, September 26 at St. Andrew’s House (236 S. Laurel Street), 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Please RSVP to me at abailey at standrewsoregonhill.org or 648-7980.

OHNA Meeting Tonight

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From email:

Hello everyone

Just a reminder that we have an OHNA meeting tonight, Tuesday, September 25th at 7 PM at WBCH.

Susan Hill, from Richmond Region Energy Alliance (RREA), will be giving a presentation on energy efficiency issues for homeowners. She will also be offering $200 coupons for energy assessments.

http://www.rrea-va.org/

I talked to Marty Jewell at the Woodland Heights sponsored Candidate Forum. I invited him to attend an OHNA meeting. He said he would. I plan on reminding him today.

Thanks
Jennifer
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association

This Week At Byrd House Market

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From the email announcement:

this week…
Beautiful beautiful fall, autumn by the James, our fare’s days… vendor details and more at ByrdHouseMarket.blogspot.com

4 Oct: 2012 Hans S. Falck Lecture
Eradication of Poverty: Utopia or Reality? The Intersection between Housing, Livelihood and Transportation with opening remarks by L. Robert Bolling, WBCH Executive Director. Panelists: John Moeser (Policy), Youngmi Kim (Social Work), Garet Prior (Urban Planning), Michael Paul Williams (Journalism). Moderator: Ana Edwards, William Byrd Community House. Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, 7-9 pm, St. Andrew’s School Auditorium, Idlewood Ave. and S. Cherry St. 23220. More information and details at byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

6 Oct: Renovation Station!
Richmond Women in Design and The Storefront for Community Design host “Renovation Station” of FREE Design Consultation – an open house design day at WBCH – flier and easy application attached.

24 Oct: National Food Day at the Market
SAVE THE DATE and join us with VCU Wellness Department and the return of the After Market Film Night with Shalom Farms and Origins Farm: Ingredients film and discussion. Panelists to be announced.

A Month of Library Project Days
2 – 5 pm Thursdays Oct. 18 & 25 and 9:30 – 12:30 pm Fridays Nov. 9 & 16
The Grace Arents Library is undergoing a gradual and steady organizational and beautification overhaul. And its library manager would love to have the helping hands of those who love books, and quiet, thoughtful tasks. Our capacity is 5-10 volunteers for 3 hours on each day. And there is ongoing need for those who’d like to spend 1-2 hours per week. Great for service learning and community service! If you are interested please send a note to Ana at byrdhousemarket at gmail.com. Thanks!

Position Open – Finance Manager
William Byrd Community House is currently seeking a part time Finance Manager.
More at WBCH.org

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Ana Edwards, Manager
Byrd House Market & Library Programs
Grace Arents Library & Education Center
William Byrd Community House
www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717 ext.306

Virginia War Memorial’s U.S. Flag Stolen Last Night

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WTVR is reporting that the U.S. flag was stolen from the Virginia War Memorial

Excerpt:

The memorial, located at 621 S. Belvidere Street, is guarded by private overnight security, in addition to the State Capital Police who patrol the area.
Yet thieves managed to cut the rope system holding the flag and make off with it, around 3:30 in the morning.
The pole is pretty high, and it would likely take more than one person to steal the flag, Jeb Hockman, Director of Marketing of the Virginia War Memorial, said.
“I’m not sure why they would take an American flag, but I will say this, it’s kinda sad that they would take an American flag from here,” Hockman said.
“The Va. War Memorial, is the monument, the place where people honor those service men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our flag.”
There is no previous history of these flags being stolen, said Hockman.

Fundraising in 5th District City Council Race

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The Times Dispatch has an illuminating article this morning on the big fundraising going on in this year’s City Council election contests.

In regard to the 5th district race, the article says the following:

The biggest gain was reported in the three-way 5th District race between freelance museum consultant Parker C. Agelasto, incumbent E. Martin Jewell and Woodland Heights civic leader S. Lee Shewmake, who were scheduled to face off in a candidate forum at Woodland Heights Baptist Church on Thursday night.

Agelasto raised $15,004 in July and August, the most of any City Council candidate during that period, according to the latest campaign finance reports compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. Jewell reported just $200 in fundraising during that period while Shewmake raised $2,700. Agelasto also finished the period with the most cash on hand as of Sept. 1. He had $7,333, compared with Jewell’s $5,261 and Shewmake’s $685.