While parking is still of concern, VCU is taking steps to become more of a residential university. Recent articles contain announcements of new developments and feedback.

There is also news on VCU’s recycling front.

And if that was not enough, there is also this email from Oregon Hill resident and Monroe Park Advisory Council member Todd Woodson, which expresses concern over the way VCU crime is reported, and can be seen in the context of the latest (2008) postings of crime in Virginia colleges by FBI:

Friends-

I left our last meeting with more questions than answers regarding safety statistics and in particular, enforcement statistics for Monroe Park. Please find below a link for VCU’s 2009 Safety Report. It is odd that although VCU includes statistics for Cumberland ave, 100 block Pine St and 100 block Cherry St which are all part of the Historic Oregon Hill Neighborhood and not campus, there is no mention of statistics within Monroe Park itself:

http://www.vcu.edu/police/campussafetyreport2009.pdf

Of interest are the statistics for non-student liquor and drug offenses on unspecified public property which essentially doubled from 2007 to 2008 (block by block figures for public property provided by RPD) :

2008: non student liquor offenses on public property: 168
” ” ” drug ” ” ” ” ” 151
2007: non student liquor offenses on public property: 80
” ” ” drug ” ” ” ” ” 78

It would be most helpful to address safety issues in Monroe Park if offenses in the Park could be logged and consequently tracked by the Council and/or a Richmond Police entity. I know we have asked for these statistics many times in the past and as was discussed, we really havent had any consistent presence at meetings from either RPD or VCU Police during our tenure.

In addition, I have included an eye opening report from the Commonwealth Times October 2008 issue regarding VCU crime statistics:

http://eblackstock.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/campus-crime-statistics-subject-to-interpretation/

I think that considering the amount of money hopefully being directed toward the park, the safety issues are something we as a group really need to focus on- especially the ever present substance abuse and collateral safety issues. As we’ve said before, there seems to be an absence as well as major confusion over day to day law enforcement in Monroe park. I believe we should address this at our next meeting and of course invite RPD and VCU police. Hopefully someone from higher up in those respective organizations will attend.

thanks,

Todd.

In response to the earlier, mysterious disappearance of one of its international student…well, the Times Dispatch has the story:

Virginia Commonwealth University yesterday offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the location of Jonathan S. Dorey, a foreign-exchange student who has been missing more than a week.

From the Commonwealth Times, Virginia Commonwealth University’s student newspaper:

The search continues for the missing 22-year-old exchange student from Guernsey, England, who was last seen on campus on March 2. The VCU Police Department is joined by students, family and friends in their efforts to locate the student.
Jonathan “Jonny” S. Dorey is a geography major who lives in the Gladding Residence Center.
According to press statement issued by VCU Police Chief John Venuti, Dorey is between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet tall, weighs between 180 and 200 pounds and has brown hair. Dorey wears glasses and was last seen wearing a blue and white plaid jacket with a hood and dark blue jeans. He was riding a black mountain bike.
Venuti stated police have no reason to believe foul play is involved in Dorey’s disappearance, but would like to talk to anyone who has seen Dorey.
Lorna Yarberry, a friend of Dorey and a communication arts major stated in an e-mail she was informed of his disappearance Wednesday afternoon when mutual friends called asking if she had seen him. Yarberry stated Dorey was a frequent bike rider and the search had extended to trails Dorey had been known to ride.
“A friend works for the K-9 Alert search and rescue for Henrico and she and her dog and the rest of the team with state-certified search dogs were out around the river today looking for him,” Yarberry stated. They didn’t find anything yet they’re going to continue to search the area and the river.”
Yarberry stated some of Dorey’s friends, including an officer, covered all the paths and grounds at Belle Isle (north and south ends) and the trails of Hollywood Cemetary (sic).

In a recent VCU’s Telegram for Students, this bullet point appeared:

2. Changes to Parking on West Cary Street
VCU is considering requesting the City of Richmond change the parking restriction on the south side of West Cary Street, the 900 and 1000 blocks, from no restriction to 2-hour parking, similar to the majority of campus streets. The change is being considered because of the opening of the Cary Street Recreation Center and the demand for parking near this new facility (I added boldness here- ed.). Please direct comments to Paul Walker, manager of Parking & Transportation, at prwalker@vcu.edu no later than March 12.

While this is in congruence with making the Cary Street corridor more urban-business-friendly (something that the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association is in favor of), it stands in contrast to what the VCU administration said during its campaign against the neighborhood:

E. Objection to parking. This project will not increase the enrollment at VCU, and therefore does not increase campus parking requirements. .

Of course, most Oregon Hill residents are not surprised in the least by this. It fits in with the rest of the Student Recreational Center controversy. (Again, OHNA was never against VCU students getting a new facility. The location and implementation were the issues). Hopefully, someday soon, VCU will take more positive steps to allow healing.

From announcement:

Neighborhood Clean Up/Litter Patrol with VCU SGA, Green Unity 4 VCU, & Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association

March 6, 2 pm / meet outside Mojo’s at 1:50 pm

For more info, contact Leah Fremouw (fremouwla at vcu.edu or Elle Chang (change at vcu.edu)

*pizza will be served afterwards for clean up volunteers *

Dear Monroe Park Community Advisory Group Members,

I want to advise you that VCU will conduct a tornado preparedness exercise on Tuesday, March 2, as part of statewide emergency preparedness efforts.
The VCU exercise will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the activation of 10 sirens on the Monroe Park and MCV campuses along with text messages, digital signs, Web site information and social media that are part of a multi-channel system for communicating emergency information to VCU students, employees, parents and neighbors.

Tuesday’s test is a departure from the regular noon tests each semester and will serve as the Spring 2010 full-scale test. The sirens will sound a fast, up and down wail for four minutes, and after a three minute pause, the sirens will sound a steady wail for two minutes to signal “all clear.”

In addition, VCU is conducting its first Campus-Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) class with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia Department of Transportation. Student volunteers will simulate tornado “victims” at a designated site on campus, providing the C-CERT students an opportunity for the triage portion of their final class drill.

The tornado “victims” will be staged at Park Plaza, between Cabell Library and Hibbs Hall on the Monroe Park Campus. The location also will serve as the site for an incident command post location. Emergency personnel from VCU and the City of Richmond will participate and their equipment, including vehicles, will be staged in the area.

I also would like to remind you that you and your neighbors may sign up for text messaging in order to be notified about emergencies, closings and delays due to inclement weather, and the monthly and semester emergency tests. There is no cost for enrolling, and you can sign up for text messaging now at www.vcu.edu/notify. Emergency information also is available on the VCU Alert Web site at www.vcu.edu/alert.

We hope you will find that our emergency communications are beneficial to you, and we will continue to work together to provide as safe an environment as possible. As always, we will communicate with our community neighbors when there is any enhancement or change about which you would want to know. And please, do not hesitate to forward this email to your neighbors, to help spread the word about the siren test.

Sincerely,

John M. Bennett
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration
Virginia Commonwealth University

804-828-6116
jmbennett@vcu.edu

From the Art180 blog:

This past fall, Sukenya Best and Mike Dulin led a printmaking program at St. Andrew’s School in Oregon Hill. Throughout the program, the young artists explored the theme of pressure in interesting ways. They experimented with new methods and new materials with some impressive results. This is a video taken last November of a drawing exercise where they reacted to music on paper.

It was announced last month that Oregon Hill resident Maurice Henderson was planning to run for the 5th District seat of the Richmond City School Board. Now, this month, Henderson was appointed to the Board to fill out the rest of departing Board representative’s term. Henderson has told supporters that he still plans to stand for election to the seat this November.

A lot happened at this past week’s Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting.

A representative from Patrick Henry Charter School Initiative made a short presentation and answered questions.

VCU announced the opening of the controversial student recreational center at the corner of W. Cary and S. Cherry Streets. It was also announced that Oregon Hill residents who wished to buy monthly prorated membership to the new Student Recreational Center on W. Cary Street would pay a rate roughly equal to that of VCU alumni ($281.67 per year). VCU suggested that a monthly list of interested residents be kept by OHNA. (The attendance list from this past meeting was dutifully sent to VCU Community Development.) All eligible residents who purchase a membership will be required to got to the VCUCard office (located at 701 West Broad Street) to purchase a VCU Recreational Sports ID. All VCU Recreational Sports rules, policies, and guidelines apply.

Scott Burger, citing new responsibilities outside the neighborhood, voluntarily stepped down as President. Jennifer Hancock volunteered to serve as OHNA’s interim President for a few months until new leadership can be elected. She did note that she is already volunteering as the President of the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council’s Board of Directors. One possibility that was mentioned was for OHNA to change its bylaws to rule by an elected board.

Some other issues that were discussed included a new greenway grant by City, the light from the new Mead WestVaco building(I understand that company officials may have had the light turned down a bit since the meeting), and a proposed tree removal on Pine Street.

Local political blogger Jonathan Mallard has both the City’s proposed Richmond Public Schools budget link and some commentary. Former elected school board rep Carol Wolf has even more commentary on her blog, Save Our Schools.

From the proposal, it looks like Open High will have less field trips and staffing development.