More donated gravel was spread this morning on the 600 block alleys. This follows previous volunteer work.
Correction: Neighbors actually raise money for this gravel. Volunteers donated their time though.

More donated gravel was spread this morning on the 600 block alleys. This follows previous volunteer work.
Correction: Neighbors actually raise money for this gravel. Volunteers donated their time though.

Republican member of the House of Delegates, Nick Freitas, is introducing a bill which would give Instant Runoff Voting for statewide Virginia elections. It would provide for instant runoff voting in elections for statewide offices, the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and the General Assembly.
https://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2017/hb2315/
The initial language is from the Piedmont, Virginia Green Party group.
Please contact the privileges and election committee members of the House of Delegates here to urge them to pass HB2315! You can get there contact information through this link:
http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?committee=H18
Also see previous post here:
https://www.oregonhill.net/2016/11/15/some-election-thoughtstime-for-rcvirv/
Oregon Hill Funk All-Stars founder/musician Scott Frock (upper right) will be on Saturday Night Live tonight, playing with Sturgil Simpson.

Also, local favorites No BS! Brass Band is having a ten year anniversary celebratory local gig tonight as well. And Hotel X is playing…
From CommunityCrimeMap.com:
HIT AND RUN
7XX CUMBERLAND ST
Jan 11, 2017 at 3:28 pm
Data provided by Richmond Police Department
From FaceBook event page:
Come be bad with all your friends. The end is near, you’ve been couped up all week, it’s two days before Aaliyah and Sade’s birthday. I could write a four page letter filled with the sweetest taboos, but I don’t wanna rock the boat. I cherish the day we’re gonna have together, the tots we’re gonna eat, the drinks we’re gonna drink, the tail feathers we’re gonna shake.

From email announcement from Rev. Bailey:
It’s still happening! Tonight, 5:00 pm (Sunday, January 8). Join us for sacred story and song in this service of Lessons and Carols. Stunning music in a space of beauty and mystery. Light refreshments to follow.
Definitely have seen an uptick in graffiti.
From CommunityCrimeMap.com:
DESTRUCTION PROPERTY/STATE GRAFFITI
2XX S LAUREL ST
Jan 6, 2017 at 1:29 am
Data provided by Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department

Looking down S. Laurel Street. 4-5 inches thus far. Snow should stop later today.
It does a good job of exploring the concerns and the responses. In conclusion, the City does not disallow dogs on the new bridge, but there are reasons for dog owners to be careful.
This might be a good time to remind everyone of the meeting next week on riverfront development.
(Ed. note: my own personal experience is that when I walked my dogs on the bridge, I did not see any evident injury, but did notice their apprehension. I will certainly be more careful in the future and may not take the dogs on the bridge again.)
The Times Dispatch had an article this morning on the Council meeting last night, where new members were sworn in and 3rd District Councilperson Chris Hilbert was elected President of City Council.
The article reported that 5th District Councilperson Parker Agelasto (Oregon Hill’s representative) had a pointed statement released after the meeting:
However, in a departure from what is typically a unanimous, nine-member vote for council president, Agelasto opted to abstain.
After the meeting, Agelasto distributed a statement saying he didn’t vote for Hilbert because he was disappointed Hilbert didn’t appoint him to any leadership positions on the council’s committees and, instead, stripped him of the position he had held as vice chair of the council’s finance committee.
“During my first four years on City Council, I attempted to bring greater transparency to council operations and greater accountability over how taxpayer monies are spent,” he said. “I realize this new way of doing things was not greeted with open arms by some on council, who were wedded to past council actions that too often led to spending abuses and fixations on shiny projects at the expense of funding for schools, public safety and basic city services.”