The RVA Environmental Film Festival (RVA EFF) raises awareness of environmental issues relative to all residents of our planet and central Virginians in particular. Beginning February 4th and running through February 16th, the Ninth Annual RVA EFF is a 10-day event that celebrates a commitment to independent, Virginia filmmaking. Film screenings are FREE but some of the events require advance tickets.
For details, please visit www.rvaeff.org.
It looks like the City is doing street cleaning in the neighborhood this week. According to the signs, they will be starting with the west side of S. Laurel Street tomorrow. Don’t forget to move cars the night before.
Cherry Street neighbor Jimmy Blackford is organizing some sidewalk cleaning to go along with the street cleaning.
Oregon Hill Street Cleaning/Leaf Collection Finally Happens Next Week. (Mon. 1/28-Thurs 1/31). Who can join me on Mon. and/or Tues. Morning to get our pretty brick sidewalks extra free of leaves? I’ll start the raking at 10am on Monday morning. (Maybe earlier depending on how much sleep I get the night before). I’ll concentrate on the intersections and heavily leaf-strewn areas of the sidewalks. Pushbrooms, especially extra wide ones, are a huge help. I only have 2 rakes, so…
From event page:
It comes down to this: our state government made a promise to us in the Constitution to provide free, high-quality schools for all children in Virginia. As teachers, we know that an equitable and high quality public education system is the cornerstone of the type of society we all want to live in.
The time is now. January 28 parents, teachers, students and community members will march on the capitol to tell our General Assembly to #FundOurSchools. We need you to join us. #RedForEd #Red4Ed
RSVP here: https://www.virginiaeducatorsunited.com/march-rally-details
From Richmond Police Department:
Also:
Ed. note: this neighborhood is very familiar with these issues:
The American Civil War Museum and the John Marshall Foundation are holding an event at Historic Tredegar this Thursday at 6 pm.
Even during the Civil War era, political parties attempted to influence the makeup of the Supreme Court to further political agendas. Uncover how Lincoln and the Republicans reshaped the Court to advance the twin causes of liberty and union.
Featuring:
Dr. Timothy Huebner, Rhodes College, Memphis
Moderated by Dr. Henry L. Chambers, University of Richmond School of LawCost:
$10; $8 for Members
The RVA Clean City Commission has announced that it is rescheduling the event that was scheduled for this Saturday to the following Saturday.
From ore information, please click here.
Pine Street neighborhood Stephenie Harrington, following up her New Year’s Day walk, has scheduled another community walk to Belle Island.
**Group Walk to Belle Island**
Sunday, January 6th
10amWe plan to meet up with friends and neighbors for a group Walk this Sunday.
Start at gazebo
(700 block S. Pine St) at the overlookI will have my dogs with me so we walk a bit slowly….but others will be a brisk pace
We plan to do two loops around the island but just do as you please…no set pace or distance. We will start down the hill at 10am
Hope to see more neighbors this week…on Jan 1st we had 8 walkers and 3 pups
Mojo’s restaurant is advertising a New Year’s Brunch (might be good after the First Day Walk)…
This Thursday evening there are two events that local activists may find enticing. First is a protest against the influence of money on our government from corporate interests, and in particular Dominion Energy.
From the event description:
Governor Northam is holding a fundraiser with Dominion Executive Bob Blue and Dominion’s Law Firm McGuire Woods (among other corporate interests) for his “The Way Ahead” PAC – this is corruption on display, and this corruption is the reason projects like both the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines, Tom Farrell’s Navy Hill proposal, and others that harm Virginia communities for private profit are allowed in our state.
PLEASE JOIN US for a demonstration outside of the reception to send a message to Governor Northam and any future candidates in Virginia: Corporate corruption in our government will not stand – The Way Ahead for Virginia will be free of corrupt money, like from Dominion, and free of corporate shills like Northam!
We will demonstrate outside of the McGuire Woods building (800 E Canal St – where the fundraiser reception is being held), from 5:30-7:30 (the time of the fundraiser). Bring your signs and banners to make the message visible (we will have some signs to share).
Come for all or part of the event and send a clear message to Northam and any future politicians – this type of corruption will no longer stand. Dominion’s days in our government are over!
#NoACP #NoMVP #NoPipelines #DumpDominion
One future possibility to consider is a constitutional amendment for both the Virginia and federal constitutions against corporate money, a la www.MoveToAmend.org It’s noteworthy that Mayor Stoney has evidently gone in an opposite direction- stating just this past month that he would continue to accept donations from Dominion Energy.
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A second progressive event that should also generate a lot of political discussion is a Ranked Choice Voting Info Session at the Richmond Main Library, hosted by FairVote Virginia. That begins at 6 pm.
From event description:
Our Richmond local action group is officially up and running! Join us at the Richmond Public Library to meet local FairVote supporters, debrief on our latest legislative efforts, and learn how you can help bring ranked choice voting to Virginia in 2019.
FairVote Virginia is VA’s chapter of the national FairVote movement to advance ranked choice voting. Visit our website at fairvoteva.org to learn more.
Richmond Times Dispatch columnist Michael Paul Williams recently caught up with Christy Coleman, the CEO of the American Civil War Museum. She has just been recognized by Time Magazine as one of “31 People Who Are Changing the South.”
Included in the piece is some of what’s new at Tredegar:
Five years after the merger of the American Civil War Center and the Museum of the Confederacy, the American Civil War Museum is preparing to open a new building in May at Historic Tredegar. The nearly 30,000-square-foot space will house the museum’s collections, including a new core gallery called “A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America.” The new building will also include storage space and five offices. The Tredegar foundry building will be converted from an exhibit space into an events venue. The exhibits are being installed now in the new space.
“Every day I go in there, I’m just so ecstatic to see this vision we’ve worked on for years now really come into fruition,” Coleman said. “This is another game-changer.”
The Museum continues to chin out some noteworthy events. It’s Foundry Series is pretty weighty. On January 24th it will have a program on Politics and the Supreme Court that features Dr. Timothy Huebner, Rhodes College, Memphis and will be moderated by Dr. Henry L. Chambers, University of Richmond School of Law. But it’s (free) “History Happy Hours” should also not be overlooked. On January 14, the Museum’s own Morgan Floyd will be hosting one called “Fight Like A Girl” at the Capital Ale House.
