WHAT IF THERE WERE A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE?

From announcement (sorry about the caps):

WHAT MIGHT YOU DO TO WIN THAT AWARD?
YOUR IDEAS ABOUT PEACEMAKING COULD WIN $100. THERE ARE OTHER CASH PRIZES, TOO.

YOUNG PEOPLE FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL CAN ENTER THIS YEAR’S RICHMOND PEACE EDUCATION CENTER ESSAY CONTEST. PRIZES ARE AWARDED IN FOUR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS. THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS APRIL 18.

FOR INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.RPEC.ORG OR CALL THE PEACE CENTER AT 232-1002

Also, don’t forget-

Please join the Richmond Youth Peace Project this Friday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m., at the main branch of the Richmond Public Library, 101 E. Franklin St. for an Educoncert honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Inspirational music, dance, spoken word poetry by young Richmond area performers. Don’t miss it!

Main branch is Oregon Hill’s City library.

Gun Volleys In Hollywood This Sunday

From David Gilliam of Hollywood Cemetery:

Scott,
I hope this message finds you well.
I am writing to inform you that a memorial ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, February 6th at 3 p.m. at the J.E.B. Stuart’s grave site. There will be volleys fired as a part of the service.
Thank you for getting this message out to the surrounding neighbors.
Take care,
David

For more on General J.E.B. Stuart, click here.

I will also note that this Friday, University of Richmond President Edward Ayers, will be giving a talk called “Why Should You Care About the Civil War?”

Local Community Mental Health Group To Hold Benefit at the Flying Brick Library

From press release:

Richmond, VA—On Saturday, February 19, starting at 6 p.m., Mind(ful) Liberation Project will hold a speak out event and benefit dinner about mental health at the Flying Brick Library. There is a suggested donation of $8 for dinner. Raffle tickets are $1 each.

Since it’s inception five months ago, the Mind(ful) Liberation Project (MLP) has garnered interest from all walks of life, including local social workers, current and former psychology students, mental health professionals, and mental health consumers alike. Like all independently-run initiatives, the Project is raising its own funds. To help raise funds to support future events and self-publish a mental health speak out independent magazine, they’ve decided to hold a benefit dinner and speak out at the Flying Brick Library.

Everyone knows at least one person that experiences what society deems a “mental illness.” MLP seeks to break the stigma that comes with viewing and experiencing life differently from the supposed norm. The speak out event will include readings, artwork, and acoustic musical performances to celebrate psychological diversity. The theme of the night is speaking out about experiences existing in an institutionalized society of psychiatry and psychology. “In a world gone mad, no one is alone.”

Dinner will include vegan, vegetarian, and meat dishes labeled with ingredients used. Along with readers, artists, and other performers, Alison Self, Erin Kemmerer, Herschel Stratego, Jean-Baptiste Stowell, and Black Liquid will be gracing us with some acoustic songs. There will be a raffle for mental health and psychology-related books donated from Chop Suey Tuey Books. Raffle tickets will be $1 each.

Mind(ful) Liberation Project is Richmond’s Icarus Project chapter. The Icarus Project is an international network of people living with and/or affected by experiences that are commonly diagnosed and labeled as psychiatric conditions. By joining together as individuals and as a community, collaboration can inspire hope and transformation in an oppressive and damaged world. Participation in the Icarus Project helps members overcome societal alienation and build a community mental health support system. The Icarus vision is brought to reality through an Icarus national staff collective and a grassroots network of autonomous local support groups and Campus Icarus groups across the US and beyond.

The Flying Brick Library is a radical lending library, community space, and venue located in the historic neighborhood of Oregon Hill.

DATE & TIME: Saturday, February 19 · 6 – 9 p.m.
LOCATION: The Flying Brick Library
506 S. Pine Street Richmond, VA 23220

VCU Siren On Wednesday

From Richmond Times Dispatch article:

Virginia Commonwealth University will test its emergency communication systems, including 10 sirens throughout the Monroe Park and MCV campuses, at noon Wednesday.

The test will include the sirens as well as text messages, digital signs, e-mails, classroom alert devices and website information.

The sirens will be audible beyond the boundaries of the two campuses and will sound an up-and-down wail for three minutes. After a one-minute pause, a steady wail will signal the end of the test.

Art 180 Day at Pescados This Monday

From announcement:

Pescados China Street (in Oregon Hill) is generously donating 15% of their sales ALL DAY on Monday, Jan. 31 to ART 180! Stop by for lunch between 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., or for dinner from 5 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and ART 180 gets a pretty penny—15%—at no cost to you.

ART 180 is a local non profit that has been serving Richmond’s young people since 1998. They build art-related after school programs for young people living in challenging circumstances. More info available on their website at www.art180.org or become a fan on Facebook.

4th Precinct MPACC Meeting Thursday

From MPACC (not to be confused with MPAC) announcement:

Please join your neighbors and community leaders for the 4th Precinct MPACC (Mayor’s Participation and Communication Corp) meeting at 6:30 PM on Thursday, January 27th at the 4th Precinct Police Headquarters, Community Room, 2219 Chamberlayne Ave. This monthly meeting is an opportunity to hear from City Leadership about plans to address citizen issues and to discuss with your neighbors pressing issues in your community. MPACC is designed to deliver results to high priority citizen requests and to highlight pressing issues of community members. These monthly meetings provide a chance for citizens to hear what requests have been handled and to dialogue with the City Leadership on neighborhood concerns.

Please consider joining the MPACC team for the 4th Precinct every 4th Thursday at 6:30 PM at the 4th Precinct Police Headquarters.

Charles W. Finley, Co-chair
Sector 413

School News: Open Wins Another Award; Patrick Henry Looking For More Applicants

Open High School won a 2011 Board of Education Competence to Excellence Award for having met all state and federal benchmarks for at least two consecutive years and are making progress toward the goals of the Governor and the Board of Education.

Click here for more on that award.

Also, Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, a Richmond Public Charter School, has begun accepting elementary student applications for the upcoming 2011-12 school year.

Continue reading

Meanwhile In The General Assembly…McEachin Powers on

Oregon Hill’s State Senator Donald McEachin is doing great work to push forward a clean energy agenda for Virginia in the current General Assembly session.

Sadly, his bill to limit offshore oil drilling (while promoting offshore wind), SB814, died in committee yesterday. This is particularly galling to those concerned about the undue influence of the fossil fuel corporations and their disasters.

Fortunately, there are other bills to root for. In particular, SB907, also sponsored by McEachin, which is now scheduled to come up (again) in the Senate Commerce and Labor committee next week. SB907 would direct the State Corporation Commission to order utilities to develop an appropriate pricing strategy to incentivize residential customers to reduce their consumption. Inclining block rates (IBR) is just such a strategy and is designed so that the more electricity consumers use, the more they pay, sending a price signal, especially to high-use residential customers, to reduce their consumption.

Does this sound familiar? It should, because it is similar to the municipal water reform that Oregon Hill residents have lobbied for in the recent past. Paying for what you use and rewarding conservation makes the sort of common sense that many citizens want to see on all levels of our government.