Category Archives: community

Editorial: Free Press Article On Monroe Park Both Vindicates and Condemns City Council

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There was a great piece of reporting this week from the Richmond Free Press on Monroe Park financial wrangling. From reporter Jeremy Lazarus:

After telling City Council in December that the projected $6 million Monroe Park project — half to be paid by private donations — had adequate funding, the city’s chief administrative officer, Selena Cuffee-Glenn, quietly shifted $833,569 to the project in recent months from reportedly unused capital funds.

The shift was made without notice to City Council and was disclosed as the result of queries from Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, 5th District, and the council’s budget staff.

Mr. Agelasto also was surprised to learn that nearly half of the money shifted, $394,000, was listed as coming from two paving projects in his district that already had been completed and paid for — one involving Allen Avenue and the other involving paving at Meadow Street, Colorado Avenue and Harrison Street.

As the article mentions, this vindicates City Council’s amendment to Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s proposed budget that requires the administration to seek council approval before shifting funds between programs in major departments. Despite some previous editorials’ characterizations, City Council is not ‘overreaching’ by trying to get a handle on the City’s finances. (Special appreciation to 5th District Councilperson Agelasto for his dogged questioning.)

On the other hand, these revelations reflect City Council’s poor judgement in turning historic Monroe Park over to the Monroe Park Conservancy in the first place. Many citizens and the Sierra Club Falls of the James have previously called for a termination of the Conservancy’s lease and a return to public investment and public oversight of renovations of this public park. Many are questioning why corporations seem to have special tent rights for park use. While it’s too late to save many park trees, it’s not too late for City Council to do the right thing.

The Foundry Market At Tredegar This Sunday

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The American Civil War Center at Tredegar Iron Works is hosting ‘The Foundry Market’ from 12 pm to 4 pm this Sunday (and also June 11).

From event description:

The American Civil War Museum’s Foundry Market is an artisan craft fair with an emphasis on handmade, local products. We’ll have vendors from across the state, demonstrations of craftsman at work, and food trucks.

Bring the whole family down for a Sunday at Historic Tredegar and imagine what our bustling ironworks might have been like 150 years ago.

PARTICIPATING VENDORS:
Beego Handmade
Flourish Creative
Grid+Love
Liberatus Jewelry
Matthew Pellman
Morris and Norris
MudLOVE
New Custom
Nicholas Creek Forge
PaperFreckles
Paper Rose
Petite Shards Productions
Renan Banjos
Robin’s Egg Jewelry
Ruby Belle Adornments
Sew Brave Designs
The Bird & Elephant
The Timbered Wolf
The Wild Wander
thimbleberry

….and more!

‘Dirtwoman’ Documentary Benefit

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There is documentary being filmed for one of Oregon Hill’s most infamous progeny and Richmond’s most famous drag queen, Donny Corker, aka ‘Dirtwoman.’ In order to raise funds and capture memories, the Sound of Music studio, now in Scott’s Addition (1710 Altamont Ave.), will be holding ‘Dirtwoman Toast’ on Sunday, May 21, at 7 pm. The admission cost is $10.Part of the proceeds will go to producing the documentary and part of them will go to Corker to help defray medical cost hardships.

Excerpts from recent Style article:

Everyone over a certain age has a Dirtwoman story. Corker’s antics as Richmond’s most well-known 400-lb. drag queen are legendary, from the 1993 pin-up calendar to running for mayor, to his years as Mrs. Claus at the annual Hamaganza. Just as noteworthy is Corker’s pre-Stonewall role-modeling: He’s been unabashedly out as gay since he was a teenager.

In the works is a documentary about Dirtwoman that began 15 years ago on the occasion of Corker’s 50th birthday with an event at Caffeine’s featuring go-go boys, drag queens and people sharing their own Dirtwoman tales. Now at 65 and with major health issues, Corker’s life story is on track to finally be completed by local video producer, Jerry Williams.

“This is the culmination of my 45 years as a video producer and director,” Williams says of the passion project. “I’ve never had a story that I was willing to commit a year of my life to making, but this is it.”
…
For those who missed Dirtwoman’s glory years, the Toast is also an opportunity to hear anecdotes from a life so colorful that even John Waters’ biggest star, Divine, was a fan. And for those curious about how the name Dirtwoman originally came about, let’s just say it involved some inappropriate behavior in the back seat of a cop car and leave it at that.

From the FaceBook event page:

The TOAST is being held to compile stories from Donnie’s fans for the documentary. Everyone who attends will be invited to spend a few minutes on stage with Donnie to pay tribute and share their favorite memories. There will also be a special “private” studio for people who would prefer not to go on stage. People are encouraged to bring any pertinent photos or other memorabilia.
To have an idea of timing, Williams requests that people who want to speak, please email him at TVJerry@TVJerry.com.

Special Recycling Today/Litter Pickup Tomorrow

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Reminder- Today
May 6 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
The City of Richmond , Clean City Commission and Department of Public Utilities- Stormwater Utility will be hosting a special recycling collection event on Saturday, May 6 from 10 am – 2 pm at 6807 Midlothian Turnpike (former Kmart store location). Electronics, document shredding ( up to 5 boxes) , and pesticides, herbicides, and *oil based paints (*ONLY) will be accepted for recycling.
City recyclers can drop off their 24 gallon green bins for reuse in city schools since residents now have 95 gallon green recycling cart with a blue lid.
There are fees to recycle CRTs televisions and CRT monitors. CRTs require special handling due to the leaded glass and mercury they contain.
$10 fee for CRT Items < 27” diagonal width $20 fee for CRT Items = or > 27” diagonal width
Pay by cash or check.
Bring unwanted electronics such as:
Computer systems (hard drive, CPU)
Computer accessories (cables, wires, keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.)
Printers, scanners & copiers
Fax machines
VCRs & camcorders
Stereos
Telephones

As for tomorrow, Cherry Street neighbor Jimmy Blackford is calling for a litter cleanup-

I invite you to join our Oregon Hill Litter Pickup this Sun. 5/7 at 11am. We’ll meet in parking lot of Fine Foods Market 700 Idlewood Ave. I will supply grabbers, bags & gloves. Enjoy the nice
weather & get some exercise. Will take about an hour. But you can cut out whenever you want. (best, jimmy & joe)

Oregon Hill “Neighborhood Shrine”

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Style Magazine has an article this week about artist Barry O’Keefe, who wants to build a series of public sculptures or edifices that provide “a way for people to connect as part of building a neighborhood sense of community”.

The article makes it sound like it is already happening:

Grants provided the funding to build the first five boxes. Ultimately, he’d like to start casting the shrines in bronze so that they can become permanent neighborhood fixtures, but in the meantime, he’s looking for funding to build more of them out of wood.

And right now, he’s working with the Richmond Public Arts Commission to get permission to place others, hopefully this summer. Currently, he’s looking at Patrick Henry Park in Church Hill, Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward, Oregon Hill Park in Oregon Hill and the McDonough Community Gardens in Woodland Heights. O’Keefe grew up on Forest Hill Avenue, so he’d like to see more on Southside.

Opening Day at Birdhouse Market on Tuesday

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While the “Byrdhouse Market” is no longer in the neighborhood, its still a great thing to visit and support.

From the FaceBook event page:

Birdhouse Farmers Market opens for the season on Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017 at 3 pm. Here’s what’s new and happening:

Our website! It’s beautiful and has pages to feature our vendors, partners, activities and the food! Check it out, sign up for our weekly the newsletter and tell us what you think! BirdhouseFarmersMarket.org

New vendors! Joining your familiar, fabulous farmers and food-makers at Birdhouse Market. New vendors include Josh’s Jungle, Dragonfly Farm, Ellwood Thompson’s, River City Bakery, J.M. Stock Provisions. Check them all out on our new website’s Vendor page! BirdhouseFarmersMarket.org/vendors

New Cooking Demos! Starting on Opening Day (Tuesday, May, 2nd) J. M. Stock Provisions, a local butchery, joins the market to host cooking and food preparation demonstrations. Every other week, JMSP (an ardent supporter of BFM since its retail store opened at 1531 West Main St. 23220) will pair up with BFM vendors to demo recipes you can prepare at home from market ingredients.

New Weekly Concert Series! Opening Day kicks off the first Tiny Nest Concert Series with THE BUSH LEAGUE @ 5:30 pm: This season we have transformed our occasional music performances at the market into a concert every week. The opening act is The Bush League which combines rock, soul, funk, and gospel to create “RVA Blues” which has been heard from NYC to the Gulf of Mexico and their latest CD may be up for a Grammy for Best Blues Album. www.thebushleague.com

Celebrate National Asparagus & Strawberry Month @ BFM! Shop at BFM for fresh local Asparagus and Strawberries and be sure to check the BFM’s schedule of food demos by J. M. Stock Provisions featuring recipes for both these popular early spring crops.

Birdhouse Farmers Market is convenient to VCU, Oregon Hill, Byrd Park, and the Fan via bicycle or foot, our new spot is next to the Randolph Community Center Pool, at 1507 Grayland Avenue between Allen and Randolph, just south of the Downtown Expressway. Hours: Tuesdays 3 – 6:30 pm. SNAP EBT, Credit/Debit cards, and cash accepted.

And many thanks to our 2017 sponsors and partners: Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream, Ellwood Thompson’s, Enrichmond Foundation, J. M. Stock Provisions, Randolph Community Center, Second Baptist Church, Shalom Farms, and Tricycle!