Celebrate Winter Solstice on Belle Island Tonight
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Mark Your Calendars: Riverfront Plan Meeting Jan. 11
From email announcement:
The Department of Planning & Development Review would like to invite you, as someone who has previously attended Downriver public meetings, to a public meeting to discuss the results of the Downriver concepts developed over the last 10 months with your input. Please forward this invitation widely within your networks and among interested parties:
What: Public Meeting on Downriver Riverfront Plan Amendments
Where: City Council Chambers, City Hall, 900 E Broad Street
When: Wednesday, January 11, 6-8 PMThat page now opens with a picture of the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge – the first completed implementation project of the Riverfront Plan. We hope that you all have an opportunity to enjoy the Bridge over the holidays (and maybe even show it off to your guests!) and look forward to seeing you on January 11 to discuss the Downriver sites and next steps.
Happy holidays,
City of Richmond Department of Planning & Development Review
Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow
This Wednesday is a red Wednesday, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
Treehugger.com reminds us that recycling will not fix the fast fashion problem.
Good Reminder: RPD Vacation Watch Program
Actually, the home and business watch program is active year-round. Sgt. Carol Adams, head of the Community Care Unit at the department, said once a home or business is added to the department’s list, a patrol officer will stop by the location daily to ensure it is secure.
“Every night when there is roll call, (police) will read out the addresses saying that family is away on vacation and no one should be there,” Adams said.
This is a timely reminder to use these services to help keep crime out of the neighborhood.
Rest In Pieces Shop To Replace Bunnyhop
From Rest In Pieces’ Instagram page:
Some of you already know, but it’s finally official. Rest in Pieces is moving to Oregon Hill. The new location is significantly larger, and will give us the space we need to continue to grow. We want to personally say thank you to each and every one of you, YOU made this possible. We’re sad to be leaving our spot in the fan, but it’s time to move onto bigger things. This move is scary. But if it doesn’t scare you, it’s not worth doing. We’ve been hoarding inventory and fixtures for months in preparation for this, and we cannot wait to share what we have in store for you guys.
Check out their website to learn more about “Richmond’s Only Oddity Shop”.
‘Bad Kids’ Night’ at Mojo’s On Saturday
City Encourages Hazard Mitigation Planning; Meeting Friday
From City press release:
Richmond, VA – The City of Richmond’s Office of Emergency Management invites public comment on a regional Hazard Mitigation Plan that is presently being updated.
A meeting will be held on Friday, December 16, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.at the Richmond Regional PDC, Board Room, 9211 Forest Hill Ave, Suite 200, Richmond VA 23235.Disasters can devastate a community’s economic, social, and environmental well-being. Hazard mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the potential impact of future disasters.
Mitigation planning is a key process to break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. It positions local leaders to take action prior to a disaster, to reduce impacts when a disaster occurs. Using local knowledge and expertise to plan today, allows localities to plan, design, and build their community and builds partnerships for risk reduction throughout the community.Having a hazard mitigation plan will:
· increase awareness of hazards, risk, and vulnerabilities;
· identify actions for risk reduction;
· focus resources on the greatest risks;
· communicate priorities to state and federal officials; and
· increase overall awareness of hazards and risks.The 26 localities of the Richmond and Crater regions work together to update the Richmond-Crater Multi-Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan to identify vulnerabilities associated with natural disasters and develop long-term strategies to reduce or eliminate long-term risks.
While nothing can be done to prevent natural hazard events from occurring, the region is poised to minimize the disruption and devastation that so often accompanies disasters, increasing the region’s resiliency.Attend the meeting below to help break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Please come to provide comment on the plan.
Friday, December 16
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Richmond Regional PDC, Board Room
9211 Forest Hill Ave, Suite 200
Richmond VA 23235
For additional information please contact Bill Lawson, Emergency Planner, Office of Emergency Management, at 804-646-5281 or William.Lawson@Richmondgov.com.
Weapon Law Violations
From CommunityCrimeMap.com:
WEAPON LAW VIOLATIONS
6XX S BELVIDERE ST
Dec 9, 2016 at 5:45 am
Data provided by Richmond Police Department
Support The Recounts – for Monroe Park and National Election
The Sierra Club Falls of the James has joined some Oregon Hill and Fan neighbors in calling for a community review and ‘recount’ of the trees that have been removed recently from Monroe Park.
As one neighbor, Turk Sties, put it,
The conservancy should be following the approved master plan. The master plan was clear on what trees would not be removed. I don't know if the removed trees were to stay per the master plan. But the plan should be followed.
Funding was obtained to effect the master plan. How can it be spent for anything else, especially for removing trees the master plan deemed integral to the rejuvenated park?
The tree work should be investigated by the city auditor to determine whether or not the conservancy has removed any trees that were to remain. If the conservancy has caused the removal of "spared" trees, the conservancy board members should be removed for cause and replaced with other people who can follow instructions. If that is not possible, it is time to require the addition of three "at-large" board members who can represent the citizens' interest.
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On the national front, the courageous Jill Stein continues to push forward for recounts of Presidential ballots in key swing states, despite setbacks. Using fundraised money, the state recount efforts have not found evidence of foreign actors, but have found many systematic problems. Perhaps the most troubling of these is a preponderance of undercounting in predominantly black Michigan districts.
At the same time, Clinton emerged to condemn ‘fake news sites’, while some established newspapers have published unverified, anonymous CIA leaks that claim Russian intervention in the election. Regardless of veracity, foreign agents installing a right-wing leader? You can almost hear other countries such as Argentina, Chile, and Iran singing in their best Bob Dylan (and for the record, I am not a big fan) voice, “How does it feeeeeel?” As Glenn Greenwald of the Intercept put it, it’s also “a good indication of how confused and lost U.S. political culture has become in the wake of Trump’s victory.”
How will this all be sorted out going forward? Not sure, but in my book, trees and votes do matter and deserve more attention.
Free Poem
This particular one is “We Lived Happily During The War”, by Ilya Kaminsky