Laura Bush at the Landmark Tomorrow Night

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The Richmond Forum is presenting Laura Bush at the Landmark Theater tomorrow night.

From the website:

The role of First Lady has been called the “highest unofficial office in the land.” Over the years, the roles and duties of the American First Lady have remained officially undefined, leaving each lady since Martha Washington to create her own role, often including hostess, campaigner, public face, and most recently, policy advocate. Laura Bush was one of the most popular first ladies in American history, and she will be the first to address The Richmond Forum. From her time in the White House to her continuing personal commitment to education, women’s health and human rights, Laura Bush has a unique and wide-ranging perspective.

Her memoir is scheduled for release in May.

Times Dispatch Reviews the 821 Cafe

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The Richmond Times Dispatch ran a review of the 821 Bakery Cafe today. Here’s a portion:

821 Café’s menu boasts casual fare but plenty of flavor — wraps, croissant sandwiches, subs, burgers, pasta and breakfast (served until 5 p.m.).

We tried 821’s signature fried artichoke sub ($7.25), a pork loin sandwich ($6.75) and Fetabello ($10), angel hair pasta topped with portabellas and feta.

The big crusty sub roll held perfectly fried pieces of artichoke, spinach, spicy mustard and plenty of provolone. If you’re tired of most menus’ bland vegetarian options, this simple sub packs plenty of pungency.

Thick-cut slices of roasted pork were gussied up with a boatload of caramelized onions, melted Swiss and a jolt of tangy honey mustard. The flavors were in perfect balance; however, the spongy bun was not. I wouldn’t recommend it if finger-licking good isn’t your style.

The pasta was tasty stuff. Fresh basil, crumbly feta and tons of garlic enhanced the simple toppings: spinach, Parmesan, portabellas and tomatoes. Accompanying garlic bread was so-so, but it did its duty in soaking up the white wine sauce.

821 has long catered to its immediate audience — college kids happy to exist on sandwiches and pasta. But its menu has enough diversity and pizzazz that those not toting textbooks are loyal fans as well, no matter what the address.

Click here for the full review.
Got this from the restaurant’s Facebook page:

…cooking roasted corn and chicken chili w/ fried tortillas. meatball sub w/ roasted garlic and bacon mayo topped with field greens and fried bourbon onions. BBQ Tofu. Tis thirsty thursday yall! check our review in todays Times dispatch and prepare for Fridays tapping of Bells hopslam @ 5 pm!!!

Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association Kicks Off A New Year

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From announcement:

Who: All residents of Oregon Hill, eligible for membership in OHNA

Where: William Byrd Community House (Library)
224 S. Cherry Street

When: Tuesday, January 25th
7 pm to 8 pm

Agenda Items:
Pot Luck (Bring a favorite dish), OHNA will provide the basic set up and supplies.
Annual Elections of the OHNA Officers – President, one or more Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Discussion regarding the future of the 5 Standing Committees (Beautification Committee, Resident Assistance Committee, Community Relations Committee, Housing Committee, Public Safety Committee). Membership signup for Committees.
Update from on the Holly Street Playground Committee.
Open Discussion
Bylaws of the Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association are posted here https://www.oregonhill.net/oregon-hill-neighborhood-association-ohna/ You may want to print out a copy to bring to the meeting.

All positions are open and available. Announce your intention to run for an office via email to the Yahoo Oregon Hill Group oregonhill@yahoogroups.com or at the January OHNA meeting. All positions will be voted on at the January meeting.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there! Please forward this email and pass the word…..

Sincerely,

Debbie Anderson
OHNA Secretary

SATURDAY RALLY & MARCH FOR JOBS, PEACE & JUSTICE

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The following is not particular to Oregon Hill, but this event is close by in downtown where I am not sure there is another community blog to cover it. Besides, this neighborhood does have a history of activism…

From announcement:

On Saturday, Jan. 15, the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., community advocates and supporters from across Virginia will gather in downtown Richmond to tell the 2011 General Assembly:

Reform the prison laws!
Equal rights for immigrants!
Reclaim Richmond’s African Burial Ground!
Don’t balance the budget on the backs of Virginia’s working people!
Money for jobs & education, not for wars & occupations!

1 p.m. – RALLY – Kanawha Plaza, 8th & Canal streets, Richmond, VA
2 p.m. – MARCH – to the Virginia State Capitol and the African Burial Ground

The “Forty Thieves” organization

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From The Daily Dispatch: January 12, 1864:

Stealing money from a negro.
–Mr. Alexander Gill yesterday made oath before the Mayor that on Saturday last he sent his little negro boy to the mill to buy some meal, but that while he was on his way thither he was set upon by John Bastin and some other white boys, who held him and took from his pocket a ten-dollar note, with which he was to purchase the meat. Bastin has the reputation of being a very bad boy, and is said to be attached to an organization on Oregon Hill, known as the “Forty Thieves.” The Mayor continued the case, in order to have before him other parties implicated in the affair.

Editor’s note: I left the term “negro” in this account as that what was printed in the record and what was commonly used in that time period. Certainly, I do not mean any offense with this historical post, nor do I intend to romanticize the criminality.

RVANews Covers City Council on Nearby Controversies

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RVANews.com features an article on recent City Council meeting. In the meeting, there was much discussion on two issues that resonate near Oregon Hill, the Monroe Park renovations and a film scheduled for the Civil War Center (Tredegar).

Excerpts:

Speaking with 5th District Councilman Marty Jewell (pictured above) after the meeting presented a different view point from the council. “Monroe park is and has always been a public park, and it should remain a public park,” said Jewell, who has been seen attending some of the charity events held every Sunday in Monroe park. He said he sympathized with those involved in helping the homeless who come to Monroe Park for food and shelter.

“If you look at the master plan wordage from [the year] 2000, the language was there that we need to ‘reduce the visibility of homeless people,’” he said. “That’s always been the intent of certain corporate types who simply don’t want to see poor people.”

No part of the plan was to be voted on that night, so no issues concerning the park or the master plan were directly addressed in the meeting.

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“If they want to show it there as historical fact, then that’s one thing, but to show this in a sponsored event and in a movie theater and get everyone to come out for it,” said Hilbert, “We need to move forward with our city.”

However, 1st District Councilman Bruce Tyler (pictured in the main image of this story) brought up the fact that it was not City Council’s job to be a censor.

“There is nothing in this film that I wanna see or have shown,” said Tyler, “But I have to sit here and say that freedom of speech is what makes our country great, and i don’t think its our right to censor freedom of speech.”

The Monroe Park issues have been previously covered on this site quite a bit.