Category Archives: community

Tuesday @ Byrd House Market

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From announcement:

No Chocolate and no Greenhouse Bus this week, but we have the 3rd Tuesday Acoustic Jam with Sunny Gardener and maybe Thea or Nadine…and besides the fruit and vegetable and garden plant offerings are getting lusher every week. TOMATOES are beginning to crop up, the tipping point approaches. The KIDS last day of school is TODAY! What will they do? Come to the market with you! Make dinner once a week with good stuff from Byrd House Market, eh?

Last Saturday’s Cooking as a 2nd Language class was fantastic! Raidah conducted her students like an orchestra leader and we were seated and eating in record time. Oh, it smelled so good in the WBCH lobby – you had to be there. Recipes and photos will be posted this week. Next class is July 16 (3rd Saturday) – Traditional Holiday Jewish Dishes with Rabbi Andrew Goodman.

Here’s a fun site: Useful Weeds

See you at the market!

byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

Top Ten Issues For The Neighborhood

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Its been a little over two months since the “Mayor’s Walkthrough”. During that event, I handed each member of City staff and the Mayor a sheet of paper with a list of what I considered the top ten issues for Oregon Hill, in order of priority and importance. I should emphasize that this list represents my personal opinion, though I did present and discuss it at last month’s Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association meeting.

1. Signed, binding agreement that VCU will not encroach into Oregon Hill any further. Note: OHNA has voted for this.

2. Extend urban business district zoning on W.Cary to Belvidere. Note: OHNA has voted for this. Community Development has worked on this.

3. Keep R7 zoning except where urban business (old storefronts) makes sense.

4. Where is the new canal bridge? Note: OHNA raised almost half a million in grant money for greenway.

5. Traffic circle/roundabout on Idlewood off of 195 exit that allows commuters coming off 195 to go west in addition to east on Idlewood, also adding an egress from Oregon Hill to the west on Idlewood (making the street two way again). Note: OHNA has voted for this. VCU said they would support, with financial help. Randolph and other groups attended planning meetings.

6. Noise ordinance needed.

7. Brick sidewalk repairs (Notice how this area, which is in Oregon Hill, is marked as VCU!)

8. Empty tree wells need filling

9. public trash/recycling cans needed on corners- the Fan has them, why not Oregon Hill?

10. Look at 4 way stop signs for some intersections to slow down commuters speeding on Laurel, trying to beat Belvidere lights.

Again, this list is not exhaustive. There are other issues that compete for the top slots. You will notice that I did not mention some of the more controversial ideas of parking permits/tags or going for City Historic District status (Oregon Hill already has federal/state recognition).

You will also note that none of my priorities target any particular residence or deal with property code violations. Although I understand the fear that my lobbying here brings in the CIty inspectors, I refute any insinuation that it is my intention, and I share the concern that officious action may be in retribution for publicizing issues). Please feel free to list some of your ideas in the comments below.

In the next few weeks I will be focusing on each of these issues more and hopefully have news of progress. THE top issue, a permanent land use written accord with VCU, may get an update as soon as this next week since VCU President Michael Rao has asked for neighborhood leaders to come to a “Monroe Park Campus Advisory Council” (not to be confused with MPAC, Monroe Park Advisory Council) meeting this Tuesday. I know OHNA leaders plan to attend.

Pescados China Street with SCAN on Monday

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From the event’s FaceBook page:

Stop by Pescados China Street after 5pm on June 20, 2011 and help us celebrate SCAN’s work to protect area children! 15% of all dinner and drink purchases will be donated to SCAN to help continue our vital child abuse prevention and treatment services in Richmond. Pescados China Street is located at 626 China Street, Richmond, VA.

Lost Camera at Squirrels Game

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Yeah, I am not sure what exactly this has to with neighborhood either, but I did get a request to post this:

LOST: NIKON D40 Camera with 35mm lens attached. Camera has an orange and black woven “hippie” style neck strap. Camera was taken from section 103 of the Squirrels game at the Diamond on the night of 6/15, at the very end of the game. Please contact info at Craigslist link: http://richmond.craigslist.org/laf/2443344165.html
THANKS!!!

Byrd House Market News This Week

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Remember Byrd House Market on Tuesday behind the William Byrd Community House.
From announcement:

GREAT NEWS for SNAP customers
As of this Tuesday, customers using SNAP EBT cards will be able to shop at our farmers market. BHM is one of more than 30 markets statewide that will begin accepting EBT cards this month thanks to a federal grant providing funding for the programs’s first year. This is part of the effort to ensure that fresh, wholesome food choices are available to EVERYONE in our community. Thanks to the ongoing economic crisis, more and more Richmond area families are utilitizing this resource to help them supplement their food budgets. Please share this information with your social and professional networks.

This week our vendors are featuring an abundance of produce that boggles the palate, including something for (just about) every Food Dogma you can fathom: Check out 2011 Vendors list for details.

CSL #11: Arabic Cuisine
Saturday, June 18 – Raidah Hudson will share three dishes from her family cupboard for this month’s Cooking as a 2nd Language class. Palestinian in origin but familiar to anyone who has enjoyed Lebanese or Jordanian food, ALL the dishes also happen to be vegan: Mujadarah (lentils and rice cooked in aromatic spices with caramelized onions) and I ask you, is there anything more delicious than carmelized onions???; Fatoush (arab salad with pita bread croutons, mint and sumac spice) oh, YUMM; Baba Ganoush (eggplant dip two ways, with tomatoes and parsley and one with tahini) ok Ok OK already, I’ll sign up!. Register today at EatGoodGrowGreat.blogspot.com (scroll down to registration form).

Field trip to the White House
24 WBCH kids will visit the White House on Tuesday and share their growing knowledge of growing. Along with 6 adults from the agency, our Early Childhood and After School programs kids will spend the day touring the White House and its Kitchen Garden and then enjoy a bus tour of significant sites throughout the city. Maybe they’ll meet the First Lady? Maybe they’ll see the First Daughters? Perhaps the President? One thing we do know, like the group pictured above, they’ll have their own gardening lessons to share and do themselves proud, so join me in wishing them a great trip!

And remember, there’s no shade like Mulberry Tree shade… see you at the market!

Byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

Scooter For Sale

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From the Craigslist ad:

2008 Buddy 125 in great condition both cosmetically and mechanically. New inspection and very low miles (460mi). Loved this scooter but have to sell it because we’re moving. Rated at 90 MPG and to fill it up with today’s gas prices costs about $4 – pretty awesome.

It can get up to highway speeds pretty easily. Since it’s a 2008, it has a 12v accessory outlet to charge your cell phone while you’re scooting around. Very fun to ride!!