From announcement:

Hey everyone! Please don’t forget that our next Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting will be Tuesday, February 26th at 7pm inside St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Below is the agenda sent by OHNA President Todd Woodson. Hope to see you all there!!!

“First, for those of you that have cats or small dogs that go outside, there is a grave danger to them existing within and adjacent to the neighborhood. 16 months ago, I was “adopted” by two mated feral cats. The male I could eventually pet while the female always ran at the sight of humans. They were not coming inside so I built an insulated house on my porch with an outdoor heating pad and fed and watered them. They went under the house during bitter cold. The female went missing 1 1/2 weeks ago, then yesterday at 5am, my indoor cat woke me up screaming but not wanting to go out. I checked the porch and my other outdoor cat was gone. A night watchman at Hollywood Cemetery confirmed last night that there are at least 7 coyotes in the cemetery that they have seen and are aware of. Right now is mating/gestation season so there will be even more coyotes coming. There was a confirmed sighting some months ago a couple alleys east of me of a coyote with a cat in its mouth. Coyotes will establish a “prey profile” of the easiest, most available food source available which they will seek with keen senses of sight, sound and smell. After research on the internet, I determined loss of cats to coyotes as well as attacks on small dogs is at an epidemic rate in the city and being near the river and an open space like Hollywood compounds the problem. Coyotes are classified as nuisance animals by the Va Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and can be killed at any time (with the exception being with a weapon on Sundays). They are not native to Virginia but populations have exploded since they have moved here. PLEASE take all measures available to safeguard your pets! I am shocked and saddened by my horrible loss and don’t want to see it spread.
Our meeting will start at 7pm with the usual updates from Police and VCU. I will then introduce Dr. Ghazala Hamshi who will speak regarding her candidacy for Virginia Senate in our district, a position currently held by Senator Glen Sturtevant. Dr. Hamshi is a lifelong democrat and she has worked as a college professor and administrator as her career calling.
I would then like to discuss the 2000 Riverfront apartment building’s Special Use Permit Application for an illuminated “2000” sign on their building. This is the apartments next to the river directly across the Lee Bridge from us. Concerns have been noted in the past on light pollution, especially near the river, and the need for such illuminated signage.
We will also have updates from Councilperson Agelasto’s office.
Take care and I look forward to seeing you Tuesday.”