One of the benefits of living next to the largest state university in Virginia is that we often receive feedback from its students on the neighborhood. We see a lot of art projects, historical interpretations, musical dedications, and social essays. And while it’s true some of it can be burdensome, most is appreciated.
Here’s one of the latest finds ‘on the internets’, an OH guidebook by Kelsey de Sostoa.
taken from northeast corner of China and S. Pine
It is sad that City Council continues to put the wishes of developers and corporations over that of residents and historic neighborhoods. Council members have sometimes justified their decisions by claiming that people no longer want to live in small houses. Some of the counties even use such prejudices as an excuse to spurn affordable housing.
The fact of the matter is they are wrong. A global movement continues to grow that recognizes small houses for their desirability and sustainability. As more and more McMansions go up for foreclosure and energy conservation becomes more and more important, small, affordable houses are due for a serious comeback in the Richmond area.
If it really snows tonight, upload your photos to Flickr and tag ‘em with “RVAsnow”.
As stated earlier, Oregon Hill appreciates the cleanup efforts of the VCU Student Government.
The February Really Really Free Market will be on Saturday February 28th from noon until sunset-ish.
The Really Really Free Market takes place on the last Saturday of every month in Monroe Park, at the corner of Main and Laurel Streets in Richmond, Virginia.
The RVA Really Really Free Markets provide people with a chance to share the excess that they possess, to prevent the landfills from filling with stuff that will never decompose and is nowhere near the end of its usefulness, and to offer the community a chance to come together for a day of free fun in the sun! (or rain!)
So the last Saturday of every month, bring your music, your skills, your stuff, your food, and your friends and family, and help us prove that there is enough stuff in the world for everybody!
I have been watching this case unfold in our neighbors’ lap up in Church Hill.
Without commenting specifically on the developer or the proposed development (because we have seen what can possibly happen if we do), I will say that it sadly reaffirms what Oregon Hill neighbors have long suspected- voting to put our neighborhood under the Commission for Architectural Review will not protect Oregon Hill’s historical assets as long as City Council continues to live by its undeclared ‘Leave No Developer Behind Act’. We always knew that VCU is exempted from City code, but evidently so are others. In other words, our own City Council does not live by CAR’s decisions, so why should we?
As King, I have already declared my own version of historic preservation protection. I swear to do my best to defend the neighborhood from disrespectful development and I continue to ask my neighbors to join me in doing so. Of course, the door is still open if my neighbors do eventually decide they do want to become a “City Historic District”.
By the way, even though I already annexed Belle Island, I will honor City Council’s decision to support the James River Conservation Easement.
Craig’s List has a FOUND CAT in Oregon Hill:
A very young, female cat has been hanging around our place this weekend. She is a very cute medium haired white and grey cat, approximately twelve to fourteen weeks or so with green eyes. She looks to have been lost awhile ago.
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Using a mix of parables, philosophy and provocative post-modern Christian theology, Irish writer/lecturer/philosopher Peter Rollins brings his “Lessons in Evandalism” tour to Richmond on Feb. 21-22. His visit is sponsored by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.
Rollins is currently visiting churches and universities across the U.S. to share his thoughts about an emerging, organic movement within the Christian faith. These “pockets of resistance,” as he calls them, are unafraid to buck tradition and proclaim the death of God, church and religion as we typically know them in preparation for their “resurrection” in a radically different form.
Rollins will hold a public lecture at Baptist Theological Seminary, 3400 Brook Road, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21. A reception and book signing will follow the lecture. At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, Rollins will address the Adult Forum class in the chapel of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 240 South Laurel Street in Oregon Hill (at the corner of Idlewood Avenue). He also will deliver the sermon at the church’s 11 a.m. service before resuming his American tour.
Philospher/Theologian Pete Rollins will speak at St. Andrew's Church, Oregon Hill at 11 a.m., SUnday, February 22.
5:30 pm tonight at SynerGeo, corner of Idlewood and Albemarle:
We will have a special guest at our community dinner Monday, Mr.
Kovit Boonjear. Boonjear is a social worker, community organizer, and
social activist who has worked and lived in Khon Kaen, Thailand for
the greater part of his life. Most of his work has revolved around
working with Khon Kaen’s urban poor communities and informal labor
sector, helping to organize and mobilize groups to address the social
and economic issues that they face, such as their rights to fair
labor, adequate housing and land, and protection and support from the
local and national governments. He has also worked with various
education communities, such as the local public school system and
with the CIEE program located at Khon Kaen University. His intention
in visiting and studying in the U.S. is that he will learn to speak
more fluent English and gain useful experience working with social
workers, activists, organizers, and NGOs who are working in a similar
field as he. Shayne Thomas is working in conjunction with Educational
Network for Global and Grassroots Exchange (ENGAGE) on an the
initiative to help our colleague and mentor, Mr. Kovit Boonjear,
embark on this extended study trip to the United States. Shayne
Thomas spent the fall 2007 semester studying globalization and
development in Khon Kaen, Thailand with the Council on International
Education Exchange (CIEE). There will be photographs from this
project, the images are the result of a collaboration with a
community that lives and works at the city landfill in Khon Kaen,
Thailand. Ban Kambon Noi has existed on the edge of Khon Kaen city
for over 30 years. It is located beside the municipal landfill;
families who scavenged there eventualy decided to settle, and now 60
families (approx. 235 individuals) have homes next to the waste. In
2002, 50 percent of the villagers residing in the landfill were born
there, and at least one person from each household makes their living
by scavenging. More than 70 people work among the garbage, earning up
to 150 baht per day. Khambon Noi villagers are entirely dependent on
the landfill for their income. They are aiding Thailans’s recycling
efforts, as well as providing a great service to the city- so far
they have extended the life of the landfill by 7 years. They took
these pictures to show others what they wanted them to see about
their lives.