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.
A resident gave me permission to post the following:
Last night (Thursday night) or early this morning (Friday morning), a red, 1994 Pontiac Firebird was broken into on the corner of Holly and South Pine. Most likely, the thiefs were trying to steal the T-Top, which may make this somewhat of an insolated incident: driver-side window was busted out and then the T-Top was also smashed in.
If you have any information, please call 646-4105 (case # 201003120160).
With this said…
1) Obviously lock your doors and remove items from your car.
2) Call in grafitti when you see it by calling the city at 311 or going online to make a request: http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/citizensrequest/frmNewEntryType.asp (Studies have shown that grafitti invites crime)
3) Pick up trash…again, the more trash around, the more likely that thiefs think that residents don’t care about their property and less likely to respond to crimes.
Overall, our neighborhood has never had any major problems, but if we consistently do the above, we can help keep it this way!!
One highlight is the April 10 History Hounds Explore Oregon Hill, which allows dogs to join owners.
Check it out.
The first hint of tragedy was a dull, prolonged roar from the direction of Brown’s Island, a mound of dirt in the James River at the base of Seventh Street. The island, described two years earlier as a pretty little wilderness of bamboo and brush wood, had been transformed into a collection of one-story, frame buildings in which several hundred employees, most of them young girls, produced much of the ammunition that kept the Confederate army fighting.
The roar startled some Richmonders, but many, used to hearing explosions from the testing of ordnance at the nearby Tredegar Iron Works, paid scant attention. Several minutes later, dense smoke made townsfolk aware that something indeed was wrong. The telltale smoke came from the destruction of a department of the Confederate States Laboratory, an installation referred to in early 1863 as the salvation of the Confederacy.
—
Gorgas knew what had become common knowledge in the capital; the tragedy had been caused by an 18-year-old girl, Mary Ryan.
The colonel wrote in his diary: “The accident was caused by the ignition of a friction primer in the hands of a grown girl by the name of Mary Ryan. She . . .gave a clear account of the circumstances. The primer stuck in the varnishing hoard and she struck the board three times very hard on the table to drive out the primer. She says she was immediately blown up to the ceiling and on coming down was again blown up.”
Ryan, a native of Ireland, suffered with her injuries until the Monday after the explosion. She died at her father’s home on Oregon Hill, a residential area within a mile of the laboratory.
“The Flying Brick is hosting a potluck this Friday, March 12th at 7pm! Bring food and friends! There might be some board games and with any luck we’ll be having a fire later on in the evening. This is a dry event, so pretty please no booze!”
and
“SynerGeo welcomes our neighbors to join us in our monthly community dinner
on Monday, March 15th at 6pm. Please bring a dish to share. We hope to
see you next week.” (This event is no alcohol also).
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).
Just a couple of quick pics from around the neighborhood late yesterday after taking part in the cleanup:
A pickup soccer game near Ethyl (Afton Chemical)
An attempt at sculpture or just destruction?
The crowd queues at Mama Zu's.
Nothing like a little sidewalk piano.
This past week the City put up many ‘No Parking’ signs up for performing vacuum leaf removal on Monday morning.
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 *