Neighbor Featured In Newspaper Editorial

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Scott

Check out the great editorial in today’s Times Dispatch that features Oregon Hill’s own “Renaissance Man,” and Cherry Street neighbor Todd Woodson.

Todd was Correspondent for the Day with an eloquent letter asking Richmond to ban the use of bullhooks on circus elephants be banned in Richmond. Todd inspired a City Council resolution, still under consideration, to ban bullhooks on elephants in Richmond. This impending resolution was in part responsible for the Ringling Bros. circus to announce that they will retire their elephants by 2018.

To quote from today’s lead editorial:

Todd Woodson attended the March 4 event honoring The Times-Dispatch’s 2014 Correspondents of the Day. His Sept. 29 letter called on Richmond to ban the use of bullhooks when training circus elephants. On March 5, Ringling Bros. announced it would phase out elephant acts. It cited changing attitudes among the reasons for its decision. Woodson expressed sentiments embraced by a growing number of Americans. He made a difference.

After the Ringling Bros. announcement, Woodson forwarded an excerpt from Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamozov”: “Love the animals: God gave them the rudiments of thought and an untroubled joy. Do not trouble them, do not torment them, do not take their joy from them. Do not go against God’s purpose. Man, do not exalt yourself above the animals: they are sinless.”

Woodson also is one of central Virginia’s most accomplished jazz musicians. The designation “Renaissance Man” applies to him.”

Destruction of Private Property At Laurel and W.Cary

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Scott

From RAIDSonline.com:

DESTRUCTION PROPERTY/PRIVATE PROPERTY
X LAUREL ST CARY ST
Mar 10, 2015 at 8:00 am
Data provided by Richmond Police Department

Lost Beagle

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Scott

Received email notice of a lost dog:

FOUND March 10th! Lost pup in the Oregon Hill near Pine and Spring Street. 35-40lbs. Beagle mix, mostly white with brown ears and a brown butt. Sweet but timid, collar but no tags. Please contact thefester@gmail.com if you know where this dog’s home is!

Vigil and Protest At Dominion’s HQ On Wednesday

Posted on March 8, 2015 by Scott

Virginians are gathering on Tredegar Street this coming Wednesday morning, concerned about the ongoing tragedy of Fukushima and Dominion’s nuclear plans.

I expect a less noisy and more somber event than the recent pipeline protest, but perhaps as equally as important.

From FaceBook event page:

Please join us ~
Wed. March 11, 2015 from 7:30am-10:00am.
We will be participating in the global day of action ~ Commemorating the 4th year of the ongoing nuclear disaster in Fukushima and protesting against Dominion’s plan to build a 3rd nuclear reactor at North Anna on the fault line.

8:30am ~Vigil for the victims of Fukushima in plain view of Dominion Executives as they drive into work.
(will we be the next victims?)
10:00am ~ Moment of silence for the victims of Fukushima, followed by a brief memorial tribute and press conference.

Our State & Federal government is placing us at enormous risk!
Even with the past nuclear disasters (TMI, Chernobyl and the ongoing/uncontrollable disaster in Fukushima spreading radiation all over the world), nothing has stopped VA Dominion Power from moving forward with a plan for another reactor at North Anna.

Volunteer Rose Pruning And Maintenance Day

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Scott

From Hollywood Cemetery’s FaceBook page:

Over 100 historic rose bushes have been identified in Hollywood Cemetery to date. We’ll be meeting on March 21st to care for the bushes and you’re invited to join us! No rose experience is required.

http://www.hollywoodcemetery.org/events

Little Ramp

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Scott

Another old photo from William Pickett. He says it is from the 700 block of S. Laurel, overlooking the river.

New Nearby Development

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Scott

RichmondBizSense.com has an article on new townhouse construction planned for the eastern portion of Randolph neighborhood.

From the article:

Richmond’s own TriBeCa – a cluster of brownstone three-story homes on the easternmost edge of the Randolph neighborhood – has begun work on six more units, with nine additional detached homes planned next year.

The Lower Manhattan neighborhood’s name is an acronym for Triangle Below Canal Street, and its Richmond counterpart is short for Triangle Below Cary Street. Its inspiration is a triangle of land that is bordered by South Harrison Street and Grayland and Idlewood avenues.

It’s interesting that the article makes no mention of the Idlewood roundabout project, which should be starting construction also.

Neighborhood Storm Drain Marking Project/RVA CleanSweep On March 15

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Scott

From email announcement:

On Sunday, March 15, at 12:30 pm, we will be organizing a neighborhood-wide storm drain marking project to help raise awareness about the importance of keeping pollutants out of our storm drains and protecting the James River. We’ll gather for a light lunch at 12:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Community House (236 S. Laurel right beside the church) and then head out from there. All are invited to join us; please RSVP if you plan on volunteering by emailing me (abailey at standrewsoregonhill.org) so we will have enough food.

Click here for the event posting on the St. Andrew’s Church website.

Also, there is a MeetUp.com page for an Oregon Hill cleanup organized by RVA Clean Sweep for the morning of March 15.

We’ll be cleaning up surrounding streets and alleyways and will split up into groups depending on attendance. RVA Clean Sweep will provide trash bags, pickers, and gloves, but please wear sturdy shoes and bring water.

St. Andrew’s School Wins Fitness Award

Posted on March 4, 2015 by Scott

From St. Andrew’s School FaceBook page:

St. Andrew’s School is an ActiveRVA Award winner! Thank you, Sports Backers, for the recognition of our health and wellness focus at SAS.

VCU Community Engagement Celebrated

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Scott

Today VCU’s Division of Community Engagement hosted a lecture this afternoon by Dr. Barbara Holland, an expert on organizational change in higher education, with a focus on the institutionalization of community engagement.

Part of the impetus for the event was also celebrating VCU having received Carnegie Foundation’s designation as a “Community Engaged Campus”. Former First Lady of Virginia and education advocate Anne Holton attended and spoke also.
The only question that time allowed from the audience was in regard to adjunct professors’ pay and declining state support for education.
While it may be easy for Oregon Hill residents to question VCU’s local commitment given past difficulties and controversies (not that this event attempted to address specific neighborhood concerns), the declining financial investments on the part of corporations and government in research make it clear that VCU’s challenges for community engagement will be very real. Hopefully Dr. Holland’s lecture will spur more open discussion and action.

Separate from this keynote event, on an even more positive note, residents may want to mark on their calendars the upcoming opening of the RVA Toolbank (on March 19th), with support from VCU.

Oregon Hill

News For Oregon Hill, in Richmond, VA

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