Kitty Missing

One my three 5 week old kittens is missing. Sarah, a sweet little gray kitty has been gone for 4 days now. These are strays that were born under my porch but I am keeping and providing a home for all of them. If someone nabbed her (as they and their mama play outdoors) please note that she shouldnt be taken from mama so soon. I would like to have her back…

Todd Woodson
302 S Cherry
783 8829

Brookfield Group Home Story Has Oregon Hill Roots

Richmond BizSense carried this story today: Glen Allen nonprofit shuts down

Here is an excerpt:

Brookfield Group Home, a rehabilitative facility for teens and young women, shut down in June. The organization on Brook Road has been around since 1874, and until recently provided housing, counseling, transportation and other services to female youth with behavioral and emotional problems.
Executive director Tim Reading wrote in an email to BizSense that the nonprofit had ceased operations effective June 30. He would not comment further on why the nonprofit was closing or whether the residents would be transferred to another home.

How does this relate to Oregon Hill?

Neighbor Charles Pool has the local history:

Yes, there is a direct link between Brookfield and the Parsons House, which took some tracking down. Here is some info from my Parsons House report:
In 1874 the Magdalen Association established the Spring Street Home at the Parsons House as a home for rehabilitating “women of the street,” and later provided care for unwed mothers. In 1932 the Spring Street Home moved to the 90 acre “Brookfield Estate” off of Broad Street where the Richmond Hyatt is today. The Brookfield name was adopted and the agency continued to care for unwed mothers. The new president of the agency announced that, “We wanted to call it ‘Brookfield’ instead of the Spring Street Home to save the girls from any embarrassment in being in a ‘home.'” In 1968 Brookfield sold this valuable property at the I-64 interchange for $1,280,000 and moved to the location on Brook Road near the Henrico-Hanover boundary. Brookfield maintained the original motto of the Magdalen Association: “Ut Misercordiam Obtineant” (They Shall Obtain Mercy). In 1975 the mission of Brookfield changed from working with unwed mothers to helping adolescents of both sexes.

Ask Questions Of New City Bicycle and Pedestrian Official

RVANews.com is going to be meeting with Richmond’s new bicycle/pedestrian
coordinator
and they thought it might be a good time to try out using
Google Moderator to solicit questions from residents from all over Richmond.

Click here to read, rate, or submit a question.

Here’s one I submitted (in reference to my neighborhood issue #4):

What is going on with my neighborhood’s new canal bridge? Its more than a bit frustrating, given that it was the neighborhood association that applied for the state transportation grants.

Late notice: Gypsy Band Plays In Monroe Park This Afternoon

The Petrol-Free Gypsy Carnival Tour are in Richmond right now and they are playing in Monroe Park at 4 pm during the Food Not Bombs meal. Click for Facebook event page.

From the Tour’s website:

The Petrol-Free is a bicycle-powered music and art tour to promote peace, social justice, and a healthy planet. On the tour, musicians carry only the essential instruments from city to city on their bicycles. At each venue, amplifiers and other large or heavy equipment are provided by a local band.

Girls Rock! at St. Andrew’s

RVANews.com posted a story today about a recent “Girls Rock! RVA Rock Camp held at St. Andrew’s School. An excerpt:

There were fundraising events: songs were played, poetry was slammed, and the camp grew in the minds of its makers. The desire to create far-reaching varied impacts in the lives of area girls grew as well — not only would the camp focus on music, but it would include workshops on things like self defense, mural painting, zinemaking, healthy foods, and creative writing.