Echoing Debbie’s comment, thanks to the VCU Paint the Town Green initiative for yesterday’s neighborhood cleaning. Here’s a photo of the trash collected:
Some of the student volunteers, along with soldier volunteers from Ft. Lee, deserve extra credit for helping pick up bottles and litter that were thrown off the Overlook after already working their way down Pine Street.
From Fan of the Fan’s post:
VCU students and neighbors will work together to beautify the neighborhoods around the college during Paint the Town Green this Saturday, April 14. Meet at in Monroe Park at 8:30AM for breakfast, community service projects begin at 9AM. Participating neighborhoods include Jackson Ward, The Fan, Oregon Hill, Randolph, and Carver.
All of the volunteers assembled at Monroe Park before breaking up into teams to work in neighborhoods surrounding campus. Photo by John Venuti. (Paint the Town Green 2011)
“We hope to have close to 500 volunteers this time,” said program director and Community Coordinator, Ron Brown. “This year we have partnered with more neighborhoods [including Jackson Ward] and the City of Richmond’s Love My Block initiative,” said Brown. This year’s Paint the Town Green Event will include both the Monroe Park and Medical campus. To register for the event or for more information, email neighbors@vcu.edu.
Paint the Town Green, a community service and partnership initiative, is held tentatively on the second Saturday of every April and October. Paint the Town Green is sponsored by the VCU Council for Community Engagement, the neighboring VCU communities, the Monroe Park and MCV Student Government Associations and The Alumni Association.
Submitted by Jose Menjivar
It’s been weeks since the fire, and the Times Dispatch’s Bill Lohmann has a good report on the aftermath:
An excerpt:
“A lot of happy days in this store,” said Jean Carter, as we stepped around piles of charred debris with the help of a portable lamp.
Carter’s family owned and operated the small store on Idlewood Avenue in Oregon Hill for almost 70 years until they closed it in 1993, advancing age and a drop-off in business leaving them little choice. Since then, the family has used the building for storage.
On the night of March 6, Carter, who lives in the house, as she always has, at the other end of the backyard from the store, heard sirens that sounded ominously close. She raised the shade on her kitchen window and saw flames shooting from the back of the store and into the top of a nearby tree.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it apparently started in a shed in the next yard and spread to the store. The fire became so hot it melted the siding on a house across the alley. No one was injured, but the store was damaged beyond repair, so it will have to come down, said Carter and Jim Poe, a longtime family friend and contractor who will oversee the demolition.
“It was like home,” said Carter, who was a baby when her parents opened the store in 1926 and who worked there as a child and off and on through the years. “People in the neighborhood would come in and buy … and sit and talk. It was just a friendly place.
“I’ve tried to keep going,” she said, her voice breaking, “but it’s my life.”
Though the store hasn’t been open for almost 20 years, those of a certain age in Oregon Hill remember it fondly and can scarcely imagine the corrugated metal building gone from Idlewood.
Allan Davis of the 400 block of S. Laurel died last week. A graveside service was planned for today (Thursday) at Hollywood Cemetery at 11:00 am.
DAVIS, Allan Holderness, 68, of Richmond, died on Friday, March 30, 2012. Allan was graduated from St. Christopher’s School in 1962 and Duke University in 1966. He lived in the San Francisco area much of his life, returning to Richmond about six years ago. While in California, he owned and managed The Book and Bean, one of the country’s first bookstore cafes. He also was the proprietor of Yard Art, a nationally known store specializing in antiques for the garden. He is survived by his sister, Patsy Davis, of Washington D.C.; three nieces, Lloyd Spruill of Richmond, Harriet Kendall of Charleston, S.C. and Julia Klein of Sandpoint, Idaho; two nephews, Evan Davis of Richmond and Keith Davis of Charlottesville; and seven great-nephews and nieces. A graveside service will be held at Hollywood Cemetery on Wednesday, April 4, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Christopher’s School or the Virginia Historical Society.
Since the Disney movie came out and the local connections were written about, more questions have been raised. Are neighborhood dogs getting through holes in Hollywood Cemetery‘s fence?
By the way, folks, I hope I don’t spoil the fun for you late-risers by letting readers know that the past few posts have been made in fun and satire for April Fool’s Day.
A resident neighbor of Albemarle Street, who will only give his name as “John”, is appearing on the National Geographic cable channel show ‘Doomsday Preppers”. From the show description:
“Doomsday Preppers explores the lives of otherwise ordinary Americans who are preparing for the end of the world as we know it. Unique in their beliefs, motivations, and strategies, preppers will go to whatever lengths they can to make sure they are prepared for any of life’s uncertainties. And with our expert’s assessment, they will find out their chances of survival if their worst fears become a reality.”
Although “John” says he does not want to give away more information beyond what the show reveals for security reasons, he started ‘prepping’ after George W. Bush was appointed President by the Supreme Court in 2000. Due to his renewed concerns about a nuclear accident, “John” has created a bunker within his large basement. In addition to food, water, anti-radiation suits, and guns, he has added at least one comfort snack- many, many bags of pork rinds, bought one bag at a time from local convenience stores. “John” is currently single, though he is searching for a like-minded mate on the dating site, Survivalist Singles. There is no confirmed date when “John”‘s episode will be aired, though he suspects his neighbors will be be asking him more questions when it does. He said he received an “excellent” rating from the show’s experts on his preparations. In the meantime, he may start doing some writing for SurvivalBlog.com.
VCU’s Off Campus Living Fair is coming up on Thursday March 29th from 10am to 3pm at the VCU Student Center Commons.
Click here for more information.
Councilperson Jewell has a district meeting later that evening in Randolph.
Fourth Tuesday of the month means there is an Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting at the William Byrd Community House at 7 pm.
Agenda will include Victory Rug building and Holly Street playground developments.
Photo blog PicRichmond.com has a great post on Oregon Hill. Click here to see it!
From Craigslist ad:
Yardsale this Saturday March 17th on the side of Fine Foods in Oregon Hill. We will start around 9am! Got a lot of stuff for sale: ladies clothes, shoes, household items, kitchen stuff, holiday decor, a few baby girls clothes, glass top kitchen table with four chairs very nice, kerosene heater, tapes and dvds, jewelry, plants and terrariums, 2 type writer’s from the 70’s, music, 8mm camera/video, clown stuff, knick knaks, and a bunch more! Come early in case it rains in the afternoon! Cheers!