Susan Greenbaum at Richmond Public Library Park on Thursday
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Author Archives: Scott
GRTC Task Force Meets Thursday
First, from the City’s press release:
All residents are invited and encouraged to attend
WHAT The Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force will hold a meeting. The purpose of the Task Force is to make recommendations to Richmond City Council with regard to enhancing mass transit in the Metro-Richmond area and the efficiency and effectiveness of the GRTC Transit System. The meeting is free and open to the public and all residents are invited and encouraged to attend.
WHEN Thursday, July 12, 2012
4:00-6:00 p.m.WHERE Richmond Department of Economic Development
Richmond Main Street Station – 3rd Floor Conference Room
1500 East Main Street; Richmond, Virginia 23219
(PARKING: Free parking is available on the west side of the building by using the Franklin Street Entrance and using the lot below the Interstate. When facing the Train Station from the Franklin Street Entrance, make a right and park towards the Clock Tower end. When facing the building from the parking lot, the entrance door to the Richmond Department of Economic Development is located on the right of the building.)WHO Members of the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force
CONTACT For more information, please contact Councilman Bruce W. Tyler, Richmond City Council, West End 1st District, at 804.357.6007; or bruce.tyler@richmondgov.com.
Secondly, and with disclosure here as a GRTC Task Force member, I will mention a few of the suggestions that are starting to emerge from the Task Force meetings so far:
1. There seems to be consensus that the City Code needs reform in regard to how GRTC’s routes are determined.
2. There needs to be some sort of inner city circulator that is inexpensive or even free. It needs to be much more frequent and reliable than standard GRTC buses and it must be designed to serve citizens and not just tourists. How this is implemented, and perhaps more importantly, paid for, still needs to be determined.
3. Task force members have been asking for regular updates on new signage for GRTC bus stops.
4. The GRTC Task Force has asked for assistance from the Green City Commission on initiatives like bus stop recycling, green fleet usage, connections with other organizations and multimodal transportation.
Also, I will say that while task force members agree that there needs to be more regional transportation efforts, the surrounding counties have not been attending meetings with GRTC or the task force, so the task force has been focused on what the City can do to improve GRTC.
Good Morning
Get ready for another hot one. Hopefully rain soon.
Sweet Frog Suffers Cornhole Caper
From ‘Sweet Frog Monroe Park’ Facebook page:
Richmond Times Dispatch has now become involved in helping us find the thieves that stole the Cornhole game. There is a reward of one free month of Sweetfrog for anybody with information that leads to the return of our Cornhole game! Pass it on :)
From the Times Dispatch article:
The owners of the store at 815 W. Cary St. turned a vacant lot next door into a park, complete with grassy areas, a volleyball court and, until Tuesday night, a bean bag toss game.
“We absolutely wanted to create a nice green space for the area,” general manager Clark Hirt said. “We’ve had a great response for the neighborhood — most every night there were people playing cornhole.”
The cornhole equipment doesn’t usually stay out overnight. But because fireworks were going off the night before the Fourth of July and people were still playing, the employees left the game out later than usual, Hirt said.
The store’s surveillance cameras at 9:42 p.m. Tuesday captured three men dragging away the bean bag toss game.
“It was disappointing,” said James Maloney, one of the investors in the store. “It was unfortunate because it’s part of the stuff that we had provided for the community. There was no cost to play, no charge.”
‘Big Miracle’ Tomorrow Night
Community Movie Night
Friday, July 6
8:45 PM in Pleasants ParkRefreshments served:
Grilled hot dogs, chips, and beverage
Don’t Swim In The James River Right Now
From the Times Dispatch article:
About 2.6 million gallons of partially treated sewage flowed into the James River on Saturday when Lynchburg’s sewage-treatment plant lost power from Friday’s thunderstorms, officials said.
The sewage was disinfected with chlorine, but it did not get full treatment, which includes using microbes to break down waste, said Fred DiLella, a water compliance manager for the state Department of Environmental Quality.
The risk to swimmers and paddlers from Lynchburg to Richmond is unclear, but a state Department of Health official said it was probably low.
“I don’t think there is a significant risk, but we want people to be aware that there certainly is a risk from swimming in any water body that is not treated,” said Rebecca LePrell, the department’s director of environmental epidemiology.
People generally should avoid swimming in streams for three days or so after a sewage release or after a heavy rain, which can wash pollutants into waterways, LePrell said. Today is the third day after the Lynchburg release.
People who do get in the James or other rivers should try to avoid swallowing water and avoid swimming with open wounds, LePrell said.
Human and animal waste contain bacteria that can sicken people who ingest river water. Open wounds can become infected.
Health officials did not make an announcement after the sewage release but responded to questions from paddlers and others, LePrell said.
“Deal of A Lifetime”: Landmark Theater Gets ‘Center Stage’d
Don Harrison, of SaveRichmond.com fame, has a back page editorial in this week’s Style magazine that revisits Center Stage saga and it’s next victim, the Mosque, sorry, the Landmark, no, sorry, the Altria Theater (?).
Excerpt:
Now I’m no forensic accountant, but the foundation’s financial track record and recent lack of success raising private dollars suggest that there might be other motives behind the Landmark project, which City Councilman Marty Jewell recently called “the deal of a lifetime.”
If it’s so great, why shield its true cost to taxpayers? It’s been reported that only $14 million in public dollars will be invested. But the figure actually is closer to $30 million. Included in what’s called the private-fundraising side is an estimated $18 million in state and federal historic tax credits, which the foundation plans to use to finance the deal. This deal also hands over millions in Landmark corporate naming rights to the foundation, and since the theater is a city-owned facility, this is public money that is being given away (the city could independently sell these rights). Meanwhile, the mayor insists that he can’t address the city’s high meals and admission tax rates because the city is hurting for revenue.
Neighborhood Deals With Lingering Power Issues/Braces For ‘Fireworks On The James’
Oregon Hill, like much of the Richmond area, is still cleaning up after recent storms. The downed trees on S. Cherry Street in front of the William Byrd Community House in the picture below were removed this morning.
Thankfully, it seems like the neighborhood did not suffer as much damage as other places. Still, Pescados restaurant suffered a power outage along with some residential blocks. There are still a few houses on the 400 block of S. Laurel that do not have power.
At the same time, residents are getting ready for expected crowds for tomorrow night’s ‘Fireworks on the James’. A couple of notes on that-
Fireworks to begin at approximately 9:15 PM
Enjoy music simulcast on WRIR-FM, 97.3 during the evening.
In case of rain, the event will take place on Thursday, July 5th.
Tuesday’s Byrd House Market
From email announcement:
A Cool 96 Degrees…
byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com – Market Map and Product Search under “For Market Goers” tab…Visit the Farmlet
– a learning laboratory and “we feed our community” project! a greenhouse under construction! a scarecrow guarding the gourds! a second childhood paradise!Raffles & Massage????
Byrd Farm Raffle for the market and is this week’s featured vendor for Masseuse Robin Raver’s weekly special offer: For every $10 you spend you get 1 minute of chair massage! Different vendor every week! Support them all!First Tuesday Films: Urban Roots
Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/events/152005824935523/ – Outdoor film/discussion/potluck salad series after Byrd House Market. Richmond City Community Gardens and Richmond Behavioral Health Authority reps Duron Chavis and John Lewis discuss the alignment of self-sufficiency, urban gardening & farming in Richmond following this noted documentary on the reclaiming urban lands for food movement of Detroit. 7:30 – 10pm (in the cooling of the evening…). Trailer at www.urbanrootsamerica.comCooking Class Returns
Visit EatGoodGrowGreat.blogspot.com to register by July 18! Honduran Tamales con Pollo and Something Cool to drink from the Farmlet!This Week and Every Week ! with You !
Facepainting, Storytelling, Great Food, Great Shade, Great Nutrition, Great People!—
_____________________
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
July’s I Know Hollywood Cemetery and Women Tour
From the Valentine Richmond History Center:
July 4 I Know Richmond: The Bus Tour (10am-1pm) BUS TOUR
An overview of the history of Richmond, including Court End, the James River and the Fall Line, Church Hill, Jackson Ward, the Fan and Monument Avenue. Tour drives by St. John’s Church, Hollywood Cemetery, Main Street Station, the Jefferson Hotel and the Museum and White House of the Confederacy. Tour the State Capitol, walk Capitol Square and see the Civil Rights Memorial. Reservations required: (804) 649-0711 x301. Meet at the History Center.July 8 Hollywood Cemetery (2-4pm) WALKING TOUR
An extension of the daily “Highlights” tour, this version covers in more detail the cemetery’s unique history, landscape design, architecture, symbols and residents. Meet at the cemetery entrance at Cherry and Albemarle streets.July 21 NEW! Hollywood Cemetery: The Women of Hollywood (2-4pm) WALKING TOUR
Explore the significant role that women’s groups played in Hollywood Cemetery’s history from the Civil War to the present. Stops include gravesites of female residents who led independent lives as educators, authors, preservationists, suffragists, humanitarians or as the power behind the scenes of famous men. Meet at the cemetery entrance at Cherry and Albemarle streets.