Category Archives: politics

Mandatory Homework for Mayoral Candidates

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Photo by Julia M Cameron via Pexels.

New school year, but you know the drill…

If you are a candidate for political office (state or City), and in particular a City mayoral candidate, please submit via official campaign email to info@oregonhill.net both a pledge (to defend the neighborhood from more VCU disrespect and encroachment, to recognize the demands already made to Richmond300 and the City of Richmond’s Planning Commission, and to do everything in your power to get VCU to make a written Memorandum of Understanding (aka MOU or commitment) to Oregon Hill, including but not limited to requesting a meeting with VCU Board of Visitors), but also a description of how you personally plan to defend and help this historic neighborhood if you win your election. In other words, what will you do to protect and defend, but also help and improve the Oregon Hill neighborhood.

This work will be accepted up to October 15. Late work will NOT be accepted. Grades will NOT be on a sliding scale.

By October 16, neighbors will know who NOT to vote for. We are looking for candidates who we CAN vote for. And make no mistake about it, Oregon Hill votes strongly and can be a deciding factor for the 5th District.

This comes at a time when the historic Oregon Hill district is under incredible pressure from developers (and let’s make no mistake about it, some of these people are little better than gangsters) and a new, corporate, riverfront amphitheater. Neighbors see the high-rise apartment buildings in Manchester and Scott’s Addition and don’t even recognize those neighborhoods anymore.

Neighbors are also watching the campaign contributions and making lists. Many of you may have taken part in the OHNA zoom meetings, but we know talk is cheap. Let’s see how your writing fares.

Historic preservationists have worked tirelessly to protect this small neighborhood’s historic streetscapes for decades. If you believe in historic preservation, now it is a good time to make the commitment.

“No Votes For Genocide VA”

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This yard sign appeared on W.Cary Street.

From corresponding website:

Since the start of the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, residents have been demanding Richmond City Council call for an immediate ceasefire and acknowledge and divest all city funding tied to Israel. Citizens have been drafting resolutions, meeting with council members, and attending and speaking at countless biweekly public meetings.

Richmond City Councillors have refused to take action. Richmond’s Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, and both Senator Tim Kaine and Senator Mark Warner, have also refused to take action to divest from Israel and protect Palestinian lives. They ignore our pleas and continue to send billions of dollars of military aid and weapons to Israel.

As Pennsylvania Congresswoman Summer Lee stated, “Opposing genocide is good politics and good policy.” It’s time to tell our representatives that actively opposing genocide is not only a moral imperative, but a political necessity.

We are joining the growing number of people across the United States working to send a clear message to all candidates and elected officials on local, state, and national levels who are unswayed by our appeals to their humanity – we will NOT support you while you continue to support genocide. #NoVotesForGenocide

It’s worth mentioning that according to recent polls, over two-thirds of voters want any administration to work towards a permanent ceasefire and de-escalation of conflict in Gaza. That goes along with last year’s “Banner of The Year”.

Primary Voting Today

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Democrats – Sen. Lamont Bagby (Richmond) and Katie Gooch — are vying for the party’s nomination in the 14th Virginia Senate District

The district stretches from Richmond’s border with western Henrico into the eastern part of the county. It extends from Lakeside down to South Richmond, including Manchester. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, nearly 79% of the district is made up of voters from Richmond.

Gooch is the director of the Pace Center, described on her campaign website as “an inclusive, multicultural student community at Virginia Commonwealth University supported by the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church.” She is an ordained United Methodist Pastor.

Bagby, chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, served in the House of Delegates before replacing Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.) in the Virginia Senate. While he’s technically considered an incumbent, he’s running in a different district than the one he did when winning McClellan’s seat.

Polls will be open for the June 20 primaries from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. People in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Virginians have already been casting ballots for the primaries as the early-voting window opened on May 5.

Virginians need to show an accepted form of ID to vote, but it doesn’t have to include a photo. Those without an ID at their polling place can sign a confirmation statement or vote using a provisional ballot.

Oregon Hill’s voting location has been moved from Clark Springs Elementary to the VCU Commons.

VCU Green Action! Demonstration Friday

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From VCU Green Action! invitation:

Hello All,

My student organization, Green Action!, is hosting a peaceful demonstration on Friday the 21st from 12-1, starting at the Compass and walking to President Rao’s office, where we will demand that the university begin to take climate change seriously, and I’m humbly asking you to attend.

VCU has a responsibility to its students, the greater Richmond area, and as an institution of higher learning wielding power in our society, to look out for our futures. Last semester, when faculty met with Rao’s administration about declaring a climate emergency, they said they didn’t want to get political. Our future isn’t political.

Please consider setting aside just an hour of your time. All you need to do is show up – the more people there are, the harder it will be for the administration to ignore us.

Thank you, first of all, for signing the petition to encourage President Rao to declare a climate emergency. Every signature matters, and we expect to reach our goal of 2,000 before earth Day! If you want to review the petition in detail, you can read it here. It includes nine action items that accompany the emergency declaration for VCU to accomplish.

Secondly, thank you for opening and reading this email. You’re a trooper for that.

I hope to see you on Friday the 21st at 12:00 in the Compass. You can follow @greeanactionrva on Instagram for reminders on when and where the protest will take place in the following week.

Let’s show Rao and his administration that student voices can’t, and won’t, be ignored.

Carolyn Hindle

$1,000 RCV Prize for a Richmond University

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I am not a wealthy man. That said, sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is.

While I don’t think money should equal speech (I support www.MoveToAmend.org), in this case, I am willing to make an exception.

Given the FAILURE of Richmond City Council to fully consider and debate ranked choice voting earlier this Fall season, I am upping the ante for local political reform.

I, Scott Burger, pledge to reward whichever Richmond university student government is the first among Richmond university student governments to conduct a campus wide election of student government officers using ranked choice voting and incorporate ranked choice voting into its constitution/bylaws with a $1,000 prize.

So, a couple of notes on this-

No stipulation on how the prize money, once awarded, is spent. Although one suggestion- maybe a giant pizza party, free for all students, with toppings decided by ranked choice voting (see https://www.rcv123.org)

This contest is eligible for Richmond university student governments, meaning University of Richmond SGA, Virginia Commonwealth University SGA, or Virginia Union University SGA.

Although I am a Green Party member and board member of Fair Vote Virginia, this contest is not in any way affiliated with those groups. I alone am responsible for holding this contest and rewarding the prize money.

And since it is my hard-earned money, I reserve the sole right to judge who qualifies first for the prize. I will also decide on the time and method of payment (despite the post photo, most likely a personal check). If I detect insincerity and/or lack of commitment, I also reserve the right to withhold the prize money.

Talk it over during the Thanksgiving holiday break. Remember, this city, state, and country need young people to lead.