Meet & Greet With Incumbent McClellan on Wednesday

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Another flyer went around the neighborhood for “A Meet & Greet” with the 71st District incumbent Delegate Jennifer L. McClellan. Its happening this Wednesday from 6:30 pm to 8pm at the Finches’ house, 411 S. Cherry Street. Its described as a casual light food and drink mixer, no campaign contributions required. R.S.V.P. by Sept 1 to rosarf40@hotmail.com.

I wonder if her competition, Silver Persinger, will make it. Unfortunately, I doubt I will be able to make it due to prior commitments. I do have some questions for the Delegate though, questions that I have asked before…

Since she serves on the House Education Committee, can she encourage VCU to take a positive step for community relations?

As a Verizon attorney, can she make sure the neighborhood gets its fair share of service, including FIOS?

Since her main contributor is Dominion, what can she do to make sure Dominion utilizes more renewable energy vs. dirty coal?

I am sure other Oregon Hill residents and 71st constituents have questions. Please feel free to leave some in the comments below.

OHHIC Flyers

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Oregon Hill residents may notice a yellow flyer in their mailbox this weekend. Its the reminder for the Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council‘s upcoming annual meeting on Sunday, Sept. 27. One of the topics of the meeting will be the status of the 600 block of S. Laurel development, and there will also be a discussion of making Oregon Hill an official City Old & Historic District. And yes, OHHIC is still looking for new home buyers, especially affordable first home buyers!

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Pardon me while I climb on the soap box a bit- OHHIC is not just the oldest and the only surviving neighborhood-based community development nonprofit left in Richmond, its also one of the few remaining nonprofits to still be under the control of a voting membership. In this day and age of greed and concentration of power, OHHIC stands as a true democratic community institution. Make sure you turn your membership application in and show up to vote for new OHHIC Board members.

A Mad-stone Here

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From the Richmond Planet, August 29, 1896:

There is a mad-stone in Richmond and it is claimed that it will prevent hydrophobia. It seems that Henry Hammel, a colored man residing in Henrico County, was bitten by a mad dog, and the stone was secured from its owner Mr. John Fogarty of Oregon Hill for use upon him. It may be seen at the office of the Board of Health, Clerk Aurthor Mayo having charge of it.

The Gospel Wagon

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From the Richmond Times Dispatch, August 27, 1901:

Services were held with the Gospel Wagon Sunday afternoon at Oregon Hill, at Eighth and Cary streets, and on Seventh and Franklin streets. They were conducted by Rev. G.F. Williams, who was aided by several speakers and a good company of singers. There were several requests for prayer and two professions of faith.

These newspaper archives have many reviews and announcements like this.

The Food is Slammin’ and the Music is Jammin’ at the Byrd House Tomorrow

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Byrd House Market – corner of Linden and Idlewood

This time of year, the produce is heaving at the market so don’t miss out on all Virginia farmers have to offer you and your family. Don’t feel like cooking? Enjoy prepared food to go or sit in the shade of our cafe tables. Listen to the Byrd House Open Jammers play acoustic bliss from guitar to autoharp, to violin and this week – Irish bagpipe!!! To find out what our vendors are bringing this week, go to www.byrdhousemarket.blogspot.com

Activities:
Storyteller in the garden 4 to 5 p.m.
Facepainting 5 to 7 p.m.
Open Jam Music 5 to 7 p.m.

Bad Boys of 1900

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Times Dispatch, August 24, 1900:

Fathers Place Sons in Jail

G.T. Vaughan and Thomas E. Farmer, two white men who live on Oregon Hill, marched their two sons, Thomas Vaughan and Walter Lee Farmer, into the Second Police Station between 9 and 10 o ‘clock last night and swore out warrants against the lads, charging them with being incorrigible and beyond the control of their parents.
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From what can be learned regarding these boys, they are simply bad. Tommy and Walter live on Oregon Hill, and are members of the famous organization known as the “Oregon Hill Cats”, a juvenile fraternity that enjoys the old custom of throwing stones at everything and everybody, and of committing mischievous and nasty little acts which tend to make burdensome the lives of those persons who are thrown into contact with them.

Learn To Recycle

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Memo to 200 block S. Laurel residents and property owners, this is NOT the proper way to recycle. For one thing, recycling and trash pickup is on Wednesday morning, not Saturday when the above picture was taken. Also, though it may be hard to make out in the pcture, about half of the stuff is recyclable, while half is trash and food waste. Maybe VCU needs to offer a class on living in the city, but certainly landlords should know better also.

For example, the owner of 231 S. Laurel Street, according to City property info, is
INVESTMENTS ETC INC
ASSESSMENT MAILING ADDRESS: 1 S BOULEVARD
ASSESSMENT MAILING CITY: RICHMOND
ASSESSMENT MAILING STATE: VA
ASSESSMENT MAILING ZIP CODE: 23220

Graffiti Related To Best Friends Day?

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A neighbor saw someone putting this graffiti on the Overlook this
morning. She described offender as a “bff scenster kid”.

“I saw him doing it. I was totally enraged…tired of all the beer
cans tossed everywhere, (am planning to go out and pick up some
later.) Two people in the townhouses came out though could not hear
exactly what was going on. I got home fairly quickly and called the
police. They got here fairly quickly.They drove around and ousted some
campers…I asked them to make sure they made them pack their trash up
too. He said that was his plan and he had been in the area all day
yesterday dealing with them. I just find the whole bunch so self-
centerred and oblivious of any community consciousness/respect.”

I will note that the Overlook was destroyed after Tropical Storm Gaston a few years ago. FEMA money paid for replacing it. It has been tagged by graffiti repeatedly. The Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association has asked for security cameras, because the graffiti situation has also become worse underneath the Lee Bridge.

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A new alley stop sign also got tagged recently.

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I am not sure if this upsurge in damage is related to Best Friends Day this weekend or simply that VCU students are back in town. What I do not know is that the neighborhood association will seek the greatest punishments possible (including expulsion from school) for vandals. This all really puts a damper on a beautiful Sunday.