This past weekend Oregon Hill residents and businesses saw something new- a printed version of OregonHill.net. The special 4-page release was in part to welcome new residents to the neighborhood and in part to hopefully recruit new advertisers. Thanks to the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council for contributing to printing costs.
From VCU Police communication:
To the VCU and VCU Health Communities,
This Wednesday, Aug. 3, the Virginia Commonwealth University and City of Richmond police departments will conduct an active shooter training exercise on the Monroe Park Campus between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
This training gives police an opportunity to practice a coordinated response to a VCU building, which is critical in an active shooter incident.
This daylong exercise consists of a simulated emergency in which a single shooter is inside the Shafer Street Playhouse. The exercise will be realistic, with simulated sounds inside the building, including gunfire and crowd panic.
On Aug. 3, text messages will be sent to VCU Alert subscribers prior to and at the conclusion of the training. If you do not receive VCU alerts, please sign up for alerts online. Information about the exercise and a map of the area is posted on alert.vcu.edu. Questions can be directed to the VCU Police non-emergency dispatch line at (804) 828-1196.
Impacts to the campus will be minimal, but are necessary for training purposes.
· Franklin Street will be closed between Harrison and Laurel streets, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vehicle access will also be closed to Shafer Street between Franklin and Grace streets during the same time.
· The area around the Shafer Street Playhouse will be clearly marked with signs and security officers will be on-site to answer questions and direct pedestrian traffic.· Pedestrian traffic between Franklin Street and the Shafer Street Playhouse will be closed intermittently while the exercise is in session.
This exercise will take place in lieu of VCU’s monthly siren test. A full test of VCU’s alert system is scheduled for Sept. 7.
Throughout the year, VCU Police officers offer active shooter response training for groups of VCU and VCU Health students, faculty and staff. Training requests can be emailed to crimeprevreq@vcu.edu. Active shooter safety information and an educational video on the “Run. Hide. Fight.” method for personal safety during such incidents is always available on the VCU Police website.I ask that each and every member of the university community stay vigilant throughout the year and report any suspicious behavior to police immediately. All tips are investigated and we need each of you to help keep our campuses safe.
Sincerely,
Chief John Venuti, VCU Police Department
Assistant Vice President for Public Safety
I don’t know of any National Night Out celebrations in Oregon Hill tomorrow night (sometimes Pine Street Baptist hosts a community movie in Pleasants Park for NNO), but Randolph Neighborhood Association has extended an invite to Oregon Hill residents to join theirs. (One technical note: Oregon Hill is served by the Fourth Precinct, while Randolph is in the Third).
It’s a street cleaning week.
From a neighbor:
***PLEASE MOVE YOUR CARS*** On One Block Alone, I See 13 Cars About to Get Towed. Please TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS to move their cars. Street Cleaning begins today (Monday 8/1). (The illegally parked cars are residents, not commuters).
Also, Cherry Street neighbor Jimmy Blackford requests help-
Who’d Like to Help Me Augment the City Street Sweepers this Monday & Tuesday Morning? . . . Great opportunity to sweep the dead vegetation off the sidewalks & scrape the grass from around the storm drains (thus preventing thunderstorm drainage backups). Plus other tasks you might recommend. . . . . I’ll try to start @ 8:30 or 9:30 am each day. I have some heavy duty scrapers, shovels, rakes & push brooms, but could use more. . . . You may not be joining those mornings. Still, before the sweepers come along, I ask you to sweep the sidewalk in front of your homes (and beyond???). . . . . . Message me at prairiegates@hotmail.com.
