Update: Percy has been found!
From FaceBook post:
MY CAT PERCY IS LOST I AM OUT IF MY MIND PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HIM. BLACK LONG HAIR WITH A WHITE TUXEDO SPOT AND A PINK BANDANA HE WILL LET YOU PICK HIM UP CALL ME IF ANYONE NEAR OREGON HILL HAS SEEN HIM 571-414-1700
Update: Percy has been found!
The Richmond Zine Festival is accepting applications for exhibition tables for its event at the end of September at the Main Library.
From the press release:
On Saturday, July 16, Richmonders will once again take to the James River for the 6th Annual James River Splash & Dash, presented by Swedish Match and sponsored by Riverside Outfitters. The event, a fundraiser for the James River Association, features a one-of-a-kind 6k trail run or 1 mile walk on Belle Isle followed by an inner tube race across the James ending at Historic Tredegar.
This year a new 1 mile walk option has been added for participants not up to completing a 6k, but still want to participate in the event.
Participants should be ready to have fun, get wet, and navigate an uneven trail with obstacles of all kinds, including rocks, roots, and mud. An after party at the finish line includes live music from Downriver, BackTrack and Sturgeon City, beverages from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, and food from RVA Street Foodies featuring Richmond’s best food trucks.
Racers age 10 and up are encouraged to participate. Registration is $50 per person, which includes an event t-shirt and beverage ticket.
To register for the event or to learn more about the James River Splash & Dash, presented by Swedish Match and sponsored by Riverside Outfitters, visit www.jrsplashanddash.org by Wednesday, July 13th.
Oregon Hill residents have had a real love/hate relationship with the annual fireworks displays surrounding the Fourth of July. And if asked, I am sure it would mostly be ‘love’.
That said, this year the RVA Fireworks on The James (usually on July 3rd) is not happening. Before everyone complains and accuses certain Oregon Hill residents of being NIMBY party poopers, it should be recognized that the reason that they are not happening is that major sponsors decided not to support the event this year.
So, fireworks fans can certainly attend other fireworks displays throughout the area, including the free one sponsored by the City at the Dogwood Dell on the 4th. What happens in future years is anyone’s guess, but one way to adjust is to change the nature of the fireworks displays themselves by making them more respectful of nature.
The New York Times has a wonderful recent article on the increasing popularity of ‘quiet fireworks’:
In parts of Europe, quiet fireworks displays have grown increasingly common. In Britain, venues close to residents, wildlife or livestock often permit only quiet fireworks. One town in Italy, Collecchio, passed a law in 2015 that all fireworks displays must be quiet.
By relying on rich color effects and tight visual choreography, designers of quiet fireworks programs can forgo the big explosions and still deliver a stunning show. The hope is that softer celebrations mean less stress for noise-sensitive children, veterans, older people, pets and wildlife.
“We’ve seen more competitors in the last decade or so,” said Rino Sampieri, a senior display manager at Fantastic Fireworks, a company based in England that started selling a quiet fireworks package 30 years ago. “Today, quiet fireworks are part of everybody’s inventory.”
Quiet fireworks are not a new invention. In fact, they are used routinely in classic firework shows as visual effects to accompany the loud bangs. Think of the “comet tail,” which shoots into the sky with a trail of sparkles before quietly fizzling out. Or the “flying fish,” which features tiny tadpole embers scattering away from a silent burst.
What is new is the emergence of a genre of low-key, quiet fireworks displays for audiences that want the fanfare of fireworks without the auditory disturbance.
In addition, there is more development being done on ‘green fireworks’ that do not dump as much heavy metal residue as regular ones. Still, there are a lot of compelling reasons to just not do fireworks altogether. Perhaps the City leaders can take more responsibility and promote better alternatives. Laser light shows, for example, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and crowd pleasing.
Style magazine has a short article on an upcoming benefit dinner for the Birdhouse Market (formerly Byrd House Market). Hopefully neighbors can attend even though the market is no longer in Oregon Hill.
From the article:
On Sunday, July 10, at 6 p.m., the market and Sub Rosa Bakery will throw a fundraising dinner to help keep those fees down. It’s a chance to experience the farmers’ wares transformed into a multi-course meal and served family-style. Tickets are $100, including drinks and gratuity. For more details and to buy tickets, visit subrosabakery.com/subrosasupper.
From announcement:
Hey Oregon Hill! I’m offering drum lessons to beginners of all ages, whether you want to learn academically or just for fun.
I’ve been playing drums and percussion for 13 years. I studied percussion from middle school through to getting my bachelor of music from JMU in 2014. I’ve also played in a progressive rock band called Fight Cloud since 2008 (fightcloud.bandcamp.com).
I’ll focus instruction on technique, rhythm, notation, and learning by ear. Having solid fundamentals will allow you to more freely play whatever you like, whether it be rock drum set, jazz, classical percussion, or drum line.
I would prefer to teach at the student’s home as mine is not ideal for teaching lessons. This also adds the benefit of being able to focus on your needs on your drums in your space.
If you’re interested, I’d love to hear from you, and we can negotiate time and price.
Thank you!
Miles Blunt
From Radio IQ report:
The city’s main public library hosted almost 300 kids and their families last year, as local authors Meg Medina and Gigi Amateau unveiled the books they had carefully curated for a not-your-average summer reading list.
Beth Morris is the city’s chief children’s librarian.
“Every year they get together and they come up with these 18 books, anywhere from picture book up through Young Adult, to really show girls strong characters and that we can just do anything the guys can do,” says Morris.
This year, the event will also feature New York Times best-selling author Carole Boston Weatherfood.
“It’s just giving everybody a chance to meet some authors, to ask questions – especially those kids that are interested in writing,” says Morris.
…
The unveiling happens Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the main branch of the Richmond Public Library. And whether you’re in Richmond or not, you can access the list at girlsofsummerlist.com.
From email announcement:
Hello all
OHNA will be holding its monthly meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, June 28th (ed. note: at 7pm). We will be meeting in the Parish House, next door to St Andrew’s, at 236 S. Laurel St. It is the yellow house.
Thanks
Jennifer
If you like the annual All The Saints Halloween Parade that rolls through our neighborhood then you might want to consider a donation to help All The Saints build a puppet barn.
From the gofundme.com page:
“Dearest friends and supporters of All the Saints Theater Company,
Although we are losing the present location of the Puppet Library, the show must go on! The puppet lending and puppet organizing and collaborating, parade making, spaghetti dinner hosting, and Lily performances will continue until the end of time..because it is just what we do.
But the way we do it needs to change in order to sustain Richmond’s raising cost of living and real estate. Sooo we have mastered a plan!
Our plan? To raise $$$ for a Puppet Barn in Lily’s backyard in Southside Forest Hill where the community can continue to have access to the puppets and workshops that she offers without the stress of month to month rent and the reality behind a gentrified Richmond.
Our goal is $7, 000 to…
-raise a barn big enough, dry enough, and warm enough that Lily can continue her work in a peaceful and productive way!
Please help us in the crucial time of transition to create a space that can always be the bastion of radical puppet theater in RVA!
Donations of $100 + can have an option of taking home your own puppet from the library current collection.
Many neighbors along S. Laurel Street are very excited and appreciative about the brick sidewalk work that is being done.
Neighbor Kathy Talley had this to day:
I am especially pleased at how the handicapped accessible corners were done at Laurel and Spring: as much brick as possible was preserved. It is a huge improvement over what was done at Pine and Spring a couple of years ago: just using all concrete. The new method should become the city standard.
Still to be done:
(I think we can cross off #7 off the old list.)