Category Archives: schools

OHNA Asks VCU To Preserve Historic Baths Building

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From email today:

Dear President Rao,

At the October meeting of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association (OHNA), a resolution was passed to request that VCU preserve the facade of the historic Branch Baths building on the site of the Gladdings Residence dormitory on Main Street. We also resolved to express our appreciation for the work of Tito Luna who has done an admirable job in keeping the neighborhood informed regarding the new residence dormitory. According to Mr. Luna, the contractor for the project has been selected. But, unfortunately, the RFP for the replacement dormitory made no mention of preserving the facade of the Branch Baths building.

Attached to this e-mail is an article on the construction of the second Branch Baths on Main Street from the May 15, 1912 edition of the Times Dispatch. The article notes that no expense was spared by architect Mitchell in constructing the baths with an elegant facade of Indiana limestone.

Also attached is a summary of the Branch Bath #2 annual reports from 1915 – 1918. In 1918, the report indicates that 47,433 bathers used the facility in the previous calendar year. This remarkable figure is an indication of the bath’s importance historically in the life of Oregon Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods, whose residents relied upon the public baths before private indoor-plumbing was ubiquitous.

Also attached is the a 2006 photograph of the Branch Baths from the Valentine Collection. The facade of the Branch Baths #2 should be preserved because of its historical and architectural value to the city of Richmond.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hancock
President
Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association

New Branch Baths, Richmond Times Dispatch, May 15, 1912. copyBranch Bath #2, Valentine Collection 2006Branch Bath #2 1918 annual report

State Senate Political Debate Set For VCU on Oct. 20

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From VCU press release:

10th District Virginia Senate candidates to face off at VCU

RICHMOND, Va. (Oct. 14, 2015) – The leading candidates for the 10th District seat in the Virginia Senate will field questions from young voters at a town hall on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Republican Glen Sturtevant and Democrat Dan Gecker will discuss key issues from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 303 of Hibbs Hall, 900 Park Ave., on VCU’s Monroe Park campus.

The event is sponsored by Virginia21, a nonpartisan group representing the state’s young voters; the VCU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists; and VCU’s Department of Political Science and the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture in the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Gecker, a member of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, and Sturtevant, a member of the Richmond School Board, are vying to succeed Republican Sen. John Watkins, who is retiring.

The outcome of the Nov. 3 election could determine whether Republicans continue to control the Virginia General Assembly. The GOP dominates the House of Delegates and has a 21-19 advantage in the Virginia Senate.

Watkins is considered a political moderate who has sided with Democrats on some issues, such as expanding Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income residents. In recent statewide elections, the 10th Senate District has leaned Democratic.

The district includes parts of the VCU campus, part of Chesterfield County and all of Powhatan County. For a full map of the district, go to: http://www.vpap.org/offices/state-senate-10/district-map/.

During the town hall, Sturtevant and Gecker will answer questions from a panel of young voters assembled by Virginia21. They will include VCU, community college and high school students. The candidates will also take questions from the audience.

The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Guests must RSVP at: bit.ly/VA21TownHallatVCU.

Libertarian Carl Loser and Independent Marleen Durfee also are running for the 10th Senate District seat. It is among a half-dozen Senate races that are considered especially competitive this fall.

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RPS Open Enrollment

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From a neighbor:

If anyone in the neighborhood is looking at applying for Open Enrollment with RPS for the 2016-2017 school year the schedule has been moved up. The application process use to take place in January but now will be held September 28-October 9. If you want to apply for your child to attend an out of zone school for the next school year this is your only window for the application. Information is at the link below:

http://web.richmond.k12.va.us/Departments/PupilPersonnelServices/OpenEnrollment.aspx

Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Meeting Thursday

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Open to the public:
The Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium Authority (VNECA) Board is meeting Thursday, August 20 at 10am at the VCU East Engineering Hall, Room E3218. 401 West Main Street, Richmond, VA.

Additionally, as a reminder the last meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, November 5th at 10am in Richmond. Please mark your calendars if you have not already.
As you may have seen, the Governor announced five appointments to the VNECA board last week. In addition to reappointing David Christian, Mary Alice Hayward and Matthew Mulherin, Dr. William Briscoe of GWU and Mr. Woody Lawman of Flowserve were appointed to the Board.
All five appointments are for four years running until June 30, 2019. Their titles and contact information is listed below.
William J. Briscoe of Charles Town, West Virginia, Chair, Department of Physics, George Washington University and Director, GW Institute of Nuclear Studies, GWINS;
David A. Christian of Toano, CEO, Dominion Generation;
Mary Alice Hayward of McLean, Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, AREVA INC.;
Woody Lawman of Midlothian, Director of Sales for Navy and Nuclear Products, Flowserve-Limitorque;
Matthew J. Mulherin of Yorktown, President, Newport News Shipbuilding;

See proposed minutes from previous meeting by clicking here.

Some additional nuclear news:

“$19 Billion for Dominion’s New Nuclear Reactor? Huge cost involved to expand North Anna plant.”

“Low-dose radiation exposure slightly increases leukemia risk: study”