This Week At Byrd House Market

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Scott

From the email announcement:

this week…
Beautiful beautiful fall, autumn by the James, our fare’s days… vendor details and more at ByrdHouseMarket.blogspot.com

4 Oct: 2012 Hans S. Falck Lecture
Eradication of Poverty: Utopia or Reality? The Intersection between Housing, Livelihood and Transportation with opening remarks by L. Robert Bolling, WBCH Executive Director. Panelists: John Moeser (Policy), Youngmi Kim (Social Work), Garet Prior (Urban Planning), Michael Paul Williams (Journalism). Moderator: Ana Edwards, William Byrd Community House. Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, 7-9 pm, St. Andrew’s School Auditorium, Idlewood Ave. and S. Cherry St. 23220. More information and details at byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

6 Oct: Renovation Station!
Richmond Women in Design and The Storefront for Community Design host “Renovation Station” of FREE Design Consultation – an open house design day at WBCH – flier and easy application attached.

24 Oct: National Food Day at the Market
SAVE THE DATE and join us with VCU Wellness Department and the return of the After Market Film Night with Shalom Farms and Origins Farm: Ingredients film and discussion. Panelists to be announced.

A Month of Library Project Days
2 – 5 pm Thursdays Oct. 18 & 25 and 9:30 – 12:30 pm Fridays Nov. 9 & 16
The Grace Arents Library is undergoing a gradual and steady organizational and beautification overhaul. And its library manager would love to have the helping hands of those who love books, and quiet, thoughtful tasks. Our capacity is 5-10 volunteers for 3 hours on each day. And there is ongoing need for those who’d like to spend 1-2 hours per week. Great for service learning and community service! If you are interested please send a note to Ana at byrdhousemarket at gmail.com. Thanks!

Position Open – Finance Manager
William Byrd Community House is currently seeking a part time Finance Manager.
More at WBCH.org

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_____________________

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

Tomorrow is PARK(ing) Day in RVA

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Scott

…On which a bunch of planners, landscape architects, engineers, and other creatives descend upon Monroe Park and hopefully good DIY planning for Richmond takes place. Click for link here.

From the main Park(ing) Day website:

ABOUT PARK(ING) DAY
Providing temporary public open space . . . one parking spot at at time.

PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public places. The project began in 2005 when Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, converted a single metered parking space into a temporary public park in downtown San Francisco. Since 2005, PARK(ing) Day has evolved into a global movement, with organizations and individuals (operating independently of Rebar but following an established set of guidelines) creating new forms of temporary public space in urban contexts around the world.

The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!

Richmond Water Rates Protest On Monday

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Scott

There is a water rate protest planned for this coming Monday outside City Hall before the formal City Council meeting. The All the Saints Theater troop, the same group that organizes the Halloween Parade in Oregon Hill, is planning to attend with puppets and posters.

From the Facebook Event page:

This is an important demonstration to be held at Richmond City Hall at 5:00 p.m on Monday Sept. 24th to protest the city of Richmond’s outrageous minimum water/sewer service charge of $49.40, which is the highest in the nation. This is a real burden for every social security grandma and other low income residents to have to pay $592 annually just to be connected to the water supply. The city utility raises over $30 million annually from this residential water/sewer service charge, and almost half of this, $12 million is, paid directly into the city’s general fund. This is the most regressive means possible to raise general funds for the city– putting an outrageous service charge on the most basic necessity — water. Furthermore, Richmond’s water rate does not promote conservation because the city utility gets more than half of its revenue from the minimum service charge instead of the volume charge.

This protest is part of campaign that has seen over 1300 people sign an online petition that demands the City adopt the rate schedule used by Henrico County, which buys water from Richmond’s water utility.

From the petition:

Henrico’s water/sewer rates are equitable and promote conservation. Henrico’s minimum monthly water/sewer service charge is about a third of Richmond’s. To encourage conservation, Henrico offers a volume use discount for customers who use 6 ccf or less of water, while customers using over 6 ccf pay a premium water/sewer volume rate. Richmond can receive the same total revenue from its water works by slashing the minimum monthly service charge, eliminating the high volume discount, and charging a premium for customers using over 6 ccf of water/sewer.

The City of Richmond has a long-term financial incentive to adopt Henrico’s rate schedule. By giving customers genuine incentives to conserve water, Richmond will reduce the need for future treatment facilities and reduce pollutants downstream.

Neighbor Charles Pool is scheduled to speak on the water rate issue during the Citizen Comment period at the City Council meeting. The campaign to reform the CIty’s water rates goes back at least five years.

This Tuesday At The Market

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Scott

From email announcement:

Greetings all
Well, we’re on weather watch, specifically the threat of damaging winds. As a result, the 3rd Tuesday Jam is canceled; Amy’s Garden and Wild Heaven Goat Soaps will not be present. We’ll try to keep you posted if others will also not attend. The Byrd House Information tent will be up, but we will not set up the cafe tables and umbrellas, and there will be no storytelling or face-painting. We’ll be streamlining operations to the essentials, just in case. So, like our stalwart vendors, our hardy shoppers will come to get their weekly good stuff, while keeping an eye on the weather.
Ok, voting for Richmond Unite is over and we don’t know our standing yet. In the meantime, the Amazing Raise begins Wednesday at 6 am and lasts through Thursday 6 pm. Donate to WBCH your little pocket out for 36 hours. Go to WBCH.org and click on the Amazing Raise link.

Eradication of Poverty: Utopia or Reality?
WBCH hosts the annual Hans S. Falck Lecture on Social Responsibility on Thursday, October 4, 7-9 pm. Panelists include John Moeser (policy), Youngmi Kim (social work), Michael Paul Williams (journalism), Garet Prior (urban planning). Learn more and RSVP at hanssfalcklectures.blogspot.com.

National Food Dayat the Market!!!
Byrd House Market celebrates National Food Day on Tuesday, October 23rd, 3:30-7pm. Eat Good Grow Great with 25+ food vendors. $10 and a Student ID gets you a Student Food Box! VCU’s Wellness Center, World Chiropractic, Robin Raver’s Chair Massage, Food Rescue activities and a Film+Discussion: “Ingredients” – Our partners are Shalom Farms and Victory Farm. Many thanks to Slow Food RVA for loaning us their copy of the film (and for being the Richmond coordinator of National Food Day!)

I talked a little bit about dog poop last week and things have improved. This week I get to talk about Parking! Geographically our market is bounded by S. Linden St. on its west (downhill) side and the gravel drive on its east (uphill) side. Turning left onto the gravel drive from Idlewood Ave, there are 3 or so spots that face the community garden fence. The tenants of the apartments along Cherry St. have the parking on the other side of the gravel drive and have recently let us know that they often come home to find their spots filled by shoppers or vendors off-loading. Legally, they have the right to have cars towed from their spots just as we have the same right if they park on market grounds or in our spots. But I would not like for any of us to take that path. So we thank you in advance and for the remainder of the season, for keeping to Idlewood Ave., S. Linden St., the soccer field, and the 3 spots facing the community garden fence. Thank you.

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

School Board Candidate Forum

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Scott

From the flyer:

Richmond School Board Candidate Forum

This November, elections will decide who will represent you. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the candidate’s vision for education.

September 20th 7:00 PM
VCU Student Commons Theater 907 Floyd Ave
(Between Main and Floyd at Cherry)
moderator Dr. Kim Allen

Sponsored By
L Douglas Wilder School of Government in partnership with
A Philip Randolph Institute – Richmond Alliance for Progressive Values – Coalition to Stop Gun Violence – People of Faith for Equality – RePHRAME – Richmond NOW – Sierra Club – Fall of the James Southerner on New Ground S.O.N.G. – Unite Women-Va – Virginia Organizing – Virginia New Majority – Central Virginia Chapter

For more information roland.winston@gmail.com

Yard Sale on S. Laurel Street Saturday

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Scott

From Craigslist ad:

Yard Sale on Sat., Sept. 15, from 8 am to 1 pm at 612 S. Laurel Street, Richmond, VA 23220 in Oregon Hill

NO EARLY BIRDS!

Books
DVD’s
CD’s
Records
Comics
Tools
DVD players
Light fixtures
Toaster Oven
Vintage toaster
Mid-century items
Household electronics
Camping gear
Furniture
Art/decorative items
Vintage toys
Cartoon character drinking glasses from the 70’s/80’s
Jewelry
Etc, Etc.

There’s a lot going on downtown this Saturday, including 43rd St. Festival, River City Sheds Music Festival, etc. Make some time to swing through this yard sale!

VCU Visiting Writer Series Begins With Larson

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Scott

2012 Levis Reading Prize Winner Katherine Larson will be at the Grace Street Theater on Thursday, September 20 at 8 pm.

Katherine Larson’s Radial Symmetry (Yale University Press, 2011) was also selected by Louise Glück as the winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets. Larsen’s work has appeared in AGNI, Boulevard, The Kenyon Review, The Massachusetts Review, Poetry, and Poetry Northwest, among other publications. She is the recipient of a Ruth Lilly Fellowship, the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation Poetry Prize and the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. In addition to her literary career, Larson has worked as a molecular biologist and field ecologist. She lives in Arizona with her husband and daughter.

Open High Benefit At Sweet Frog (Oregon Hill)

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Scott

The Open High school PTA is putting on fundraiser through the new Sweet Frog that just opened here. It’s this Friday the 14th from 4:00 to 10:00. A flyer is necessary for the fundraiser so print one out by clicking here.

City’s Bicycle and Trails Coordinator To Speak Wednesday at Sierra Club Meeting

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Scott

If you would like to hear about the Mayor’s Bike and Ped program as well as current and future pedestrian/bicycling projects in Richmond and the region (including the 2015 World Cycling event), Jakob Helmboldt, AICP, Pedestrian, Bicycle and Trails Coordinator from the City’s Chief Administrative Office will be speaking at the Sierra Club Falls of the James general meeting on Wednesday evening, Sept. 12, at 7 pm at the Science Museum of Virginia (2500 West Broad Street). SCFOJ general meetings are free and open to public.

Also, speaking of the Sierra Club, the group is sponsoring a contest for Richmond Area Elementary and Secondary Schools. The goal is to foster greater recycling participation throughout the Richmond metropolitan area. First prize is $1,000! For more information, please click here.

City Council Candidate Forum

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Scott