Category Archives: News

Underwater Choir Recording Scheduled for August

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As the new group RVA League of Leisure and Public Pool Appreciation takes shape, some events are starting to be scheduled. This one is for August 11 at 1 pm in the bottom of the Randolph Public Pool. Practice, practice, practice.

From the Facebook event page:

This event’s platform is continuing to re-envision our public space while providing a recognizable pastime in performance. The direction of this recording situates the group in a circle formation dialoging to one another. Submerging together the group screamingly sing which will be received through the condenser microphones in the center of the ring.

Advancing towards this event I realized that this pastime of underwater vocal projection is enjoyed through basic achievement in absurdity. The enlarged statement making of the group dilutes any talent, content, or exacted consciousness. This fundamental encourages participation whether cloaked or not and now being said i hope to see you, my friends, at Randolph Public Pool 1pm sharp for a musical collapsing of classical reservations. hahaha ♥

Ground Broken For Byrd House Farmlet Greenhouse

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From the WBCH site:

Ground has been broken for a new greenhouse out by the Byrd House Farmlet. Josh McVeigh, one of our Associate Board members is leading the effort. Josh has been laying the groundwork (no pun intended) for this project for several months. He arranged for Richmond Window Corp. to donate old windows that otherwise would have been destroyed. He also drew up the plans and is coordinating with Home Depot who is generously supporting this effort. The greenhouse will allow us to start seedlings as early as January each year for transplanting to our Farmlet. The Byrd House Farmlet is a 1/4 urban production farm located behind William Byrd Community House. All the produce harvested from the Farmlet goes directly to our on-site Food Pantry for distribution to individuals and families seeking food assistance.

WBCH Receives $50,000 from the Pauley Family Foundation

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From the Times Dispatch article:

The Community Foundation, in collaboration with funding partners The Pauley Family Foundation and Richmond Eye & Ear Foundation Fund, awarded nearly $1.3 million in grants to 33 local organizations.

The Community Foundation supports programs through the endowments of local donors that focus on the health of central Virginia. The community grant-making program addresses needs and opportunities as they emerge and engages philanthropic partners in the advancement of regional solutions. The grants include:
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William Byrd Community House: $50,000 to partially support staff salaries for the early childhood education and after-school programs.

Speaking of WBCH…a new greenhouse is being built…see upcoming post…

The Bohemian Brigade Art Program at Tredegar

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From The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar’s Facebook page:

Want an artistic way to spend the day?

Don’t miss The Bohemian Brigade art program Wednesday July 18 (Middle School) and July 25 (Homeschoolers).
Cost is $8 per participant. Materials are included. Read on for details. Contact skane at tredegar.org to register.

During the Civil War the art of photography was still new. The long exposures times meant cameras couldn’t capture movement and photos couldn’t be reproduced in the newspaper.
The job of providing the public with images of battle as well as scenes of camp life fell to brave men known as Special Artists. These Special Artists called themselves the “Bohemian Brigade” and with pencil, crayon, and brush they provided the world with firsthand depictions of the American Iliad.

In this program students will learn of the adventurous lives of such Special Artists as Alfred Waud and Frank Vizetelly. Then they will take up the tools of the Special Artist themselves to improve their skills under the guidance of an experienced art teacher.

Letter on “Richmond’s Monroe Park: The Unfolding Tragedy”

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Open letter from Oregon Hill resident and Monroe Park Advisory Council member Charles Woodson:

Dear Friends,

Two years or so ago when the Monroe Park Advisory Council stopped meeting and an exciting Monroe Park Master Plan was delivered to our City Government, I figured the Park was at its most downtrodden. It was impossible to fathom Monroe Park – our first City Park and one that just oozes with fascinating history and promise of a great rebirth, falling even further into a rotting, even more trash filled and untended and dangerous corpse of a place. On Sunday, July 15, 2012 at around 3PM, that realization slapped me in the face. Three RPD cruisers were parked by the overgrown fountain with blue lights flashing, responding to reports of a “crazy man screaming and brandishing a gun” in the Park (their words). I felt afraid for my life.

Historic Monroe Park is situated equidistant from the James River, the soon to be refurbished $50,000,000.00 Altria Theatre (nee Mosque) project and VCU’s beautifully planned $32,000,000.00 Institute of Contemporary Art but there is no word on poor Monroe Park with its terrific $6,000,000 plan of redemption. No website for either the Park itself or the phantom Monroe Park Foundation exists on the web. Nothing… Nada … just Yelp.com’s disturbing descriptions of drunks and hobos and a few other meaningless entries.

The many feedings continue to pour trash into the Park. Trashcans full after one or two feedings, the patrons sit on the benches beside the fountain and just throw refuse on the ground where it gets blown with the trash can overflow into VCU and the neighborhoods surrounding the historic Park.
The trees need maintenance, some need removal and a hundred or so need planting.
The barren brown grounds, devoid of grass in many areas need work to revive.
The decrepit sidewalks and pathways crumble beneath your feet.
Substance abuse is rampant. I wouldn’t want my kids playing here.

Im ashamed mostly at myself for not being a more consistent voice for this great Park. But im also ashamed of you, Charles Samuels, since this is your district and you were a champion for the Park at one time. And there is shame for the Mayor who I know to be aware of the dire situation. Im also upset with VCU for not putting a boot in our rear ends for not making ANY progress – this is weak leadership on their end as well. This is, after all, their face for the newbies that come crashing into Gladding, Johnson and Rhodes Halls, etc, each August and have to live with this mess.

It’s time to get rid of the running mouths and roll up our sleeves and crack open the city wallet to address these issues.

Sincerely,

Charles Todd Woodson.

His letter included the following photos:

Upcoming: Brunch is for the Birds

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From email announcement:

An invitation to explore the practice of backyard bird language based on the new book by Jon Young, “What the Robin Knows.” Three Sundays, starting July 29, from noon to 1:30 pm at St. Andrew’s Community House, 236 S. Laurel Street. July 29, Aug 5, and Aug 12.

Brunches: Brown bag or $5. (Please RSVP regardless)

The last weekend, August 11-12, we’ll be joined by Michael Blackwell, a trained naturalist (including work with Jon Young) who has been learning and teaching bird language for over a decade. Michael will lead several optional bird language “group sits” throughout the weekend ($10 per sit).

Contact Abbott Bailey for more details. (abbottbailey at comcast.net or 687-0122).

Link to Flyer: Brunch is for the Birds

A Two Person Yardsale This Saturday

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From the Craigslist ad:

Hello! Having a two person yardsale this saturday, one of us is is moving so there is a little bit of everything you could hope for
Where : Albamarle Street in Oregon Hill, between laurel and pine
When: 8:30am- 1:00pm

We will have—
Lot’s of vintage items
Nintendo DS
Cannon SLR
Retro Dinning table and chairs
Outdoor furniture
Tons of crafting supplies Knitting Needles, yarn, crochet supplies, paper goods
two kitchen tables
ikea tables
shoes
clothes
tools
kitchen goods
Furniture
Books
Electric Heater
Dress Form
Room divider
Assorted Baskets/ Boxes
Glass Sets
Plates
Records
Clothes
Lots of vintage linens
Christmas stuff
Housewares
Knick Knacks
and more!

cash only no checks please

City Council and 2nd Street Connector

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Despite letters of concern from citizens, neighborhood association, and the local Sierra Club, an ordinance was introduced for the 2nd Street Connector this past Monday. C. Wayne Taylor’s questions have not been answered and there is no word on alternatives.

Ord. No. 2012-152 (Patron: Mayor Jones) – To declare a public necessity for and to authorize the acquisition of the property identified as the “Project Area” in a certain Gift and Dedication of Real Property and Development Agreement between Gamble’s Hill, LLC, Venture Richmond, Inc., the City of Richmond, Virginia, and Dominion Resources Services, Inc., currently owned by Gamble’s Hill, LLC and to be conveyed to Venture Richmond pursuant to such Agreement, for a purchase price not to exceed $916,640.00, for public right-of-way purposes. (Planning Commission, Monday, July 16, 2012, 1:30 p.m.; COMMITTEE: Land Use, Housing and Transportation, Tuesday, July 17, 2012, 3:00 p.m.)

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

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This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night. They do not belong on the sidewalk after tomorrow night.

In recycling news, recycling company Newark Group VP Jonathan Gold offers views on single-stream collection and processing at a Congressional hearing.

“As an industry, we now collect two-thirds of all paper available for recycling and have increased the recycling rate for paper by 81 percent over the past 20 years,” said Gold in his testimony. “Despite this, there is still an enormous amount of paper that is not being collected and there remains quite a bit of misinformation in the data that suggests that more of what is collected for recycling is actually used in the creation of new products. That’s where the need for better information enters.”

In commenting about the practice of single-stream recycling, Gold remarked that recovered single-stream recyclables often contain materials that contaminate the usability of the paper. “The EPA does the best job they can at the moment in reporting on the tonnage of collected recyclables, but information isn’t really available to them regarding how much of that tonnage is later diverted to landfills. Better information on this could impact future decisions regarding single vs. dual stream recycling while leading to better solutions to maximize sustainability and continue the kind of economic job growth that results from new product development of recycled materials,” Gold stated.

Byrd House Market This Afternoon

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From the Byrd House Market blog:

A Cool 86 Degrees…
– Market Map and Product Search under “For Market Goers” tab… Stanley Rayfield is back to draw your face! Nadine Delano draws ON your face! Freeman High intern (Jodie) will draw you to your favorite vendor – just ask! Natasha will give you tokens for “swiping” your SNAP/CC/Debit card! Shop, eat, drink, relax, enjoy – your pantry, your tummy, your mind’s eye view on the world will thank you.

Visit the Farmlet
– a learning laboratory and “we feed our community” project! a greenhouse under construction! a scarecrow guarding the gourds! a second childhood paradise!

Raffles and Massage? Yes!
Byrd Farm Raffle for the market and is this week’s featured vendor for Masseuse Robin Raver’s weekly special offer: For every $10 you spend you get 1 minute of chair massage! Different vendor every week! Support them all!

First Tuesday Films: Urban Roots
Great film, moving and pragmatic! Goodies from the market and a great conversation with our guests Duron Chavis about McDonough Community Garden and John Lewis of Renew Richmond about food access, urban self-sufficiency, commitment and good food. Join us for next month’s film, and stay tuned to find out what it will be!

Cooking Class Returns
Visit EatGoodGrowGreat.blogspot.com to register by July 18! Honduran Tamales con Pollo and Something Cool to drink from the Farmlet!

This Week and Every Week ! with You !
Facepainting, Storytelling, Great Food, Great Shade, Great Nutrition, Great People!

Check out a slideshow from last week’s BHM by clicking here.