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City Council greenlights Maggie Walker statue at triangle
Forget Monument Avenue and Abner Clay Park. The future statue of Richmond’s great lady, Maggie L. Walker, will stand at the intersection of Brook Road and Broad and Adams streets, the gateway to historic Jackson Ward where Mrs. Walker lived and won acclaim for her entrepreneurial spirit. Richmond City Council voted 6-1, with two abstentions, Monday night to reconfirm that decision for the third time in 15 years, clearing the way for the project.
Richmond Christian Center now home for other churches’ services
The Richmond Christian Center, is living up to its name. After nearly four decades as an independent church, RCC’s congregation has begun sharing its South Side property with four other nondenominational churches.
Broken promise?
City seeks bids only for 3 new schools
Earlier this year, Mayor Levar M. Stoney stumped to raise $150 million to help replace obsolete and decaying schools.
Council committee blocks entry of medical transport company into Richmond market
A City Council committee has rebuffed Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s attempt to end the Richmond Ambulance Authority’s 28-year monopoly on emergency and non-emergency medical transports.
Official: City has fallen short on lead abatement efforts, contractor training
City Hall has confirmed a Free Press report that it has failed to hire a qualified trainer to offer mandatory classes for small contractors seeking to compete to remove poisonous lead paint from Richmond residences.
$13.5M surplus
That’s what city expects this year after crying money blues
Just like last year and the year before, financial officials at City Hall were singing the hardship blues in May in reporting to Richmond City Council that revenues were barely keeping up with expenses. They warned the council not to expect any big surplus.
AG opines that gun-toting militia groups can face arrest under certain circumstances
Openly carrying weapons is not illegal, even on the grounds of the State Capitol. But members of privately organized militias who assume law enforcement duties without permission can be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor “of falsely assuming or pretending to be” a sworn officer of the law.
Va. minimum wage goes to $9.50 on May 1
Saturday, May 1, will usher in a major jump in pay for tens of thousands of hourly workers across Virginia.
$1 City selling home sites for low, moderate income families
Vacant property for $1. That’s the price that City Hall is setting to clear out its inventory of home sites and to help cut the future purchase price of the houses to be built on them. This effort also will help finish partially completed developments that have been on hold since the economic recession began in 2008. In a first step, at least 16 lots are being prepared for sale, primarily in Southern Barton Heights. A few lots in Swansboro on South Side and in Newtowne West near Virginia Union University also are part of the sale. The board of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, the properties’ nominal owner, helped clear the way by approving the transfer of the properties to the city at its meeting last week.
10,000 consumers to benefit from state deal with loan company
Thousands of desperate Virginia consumers who borrowed money from a supposed Native American company called Western Sky Financial soon will have their loans forgiven or will get a refund of the illegal sky-high interest they paid. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced the refunds and loan forgiveness for borrowers Tuesday in disclosing a settlement with the company, CashCall Inc., that posed as the now defunct Western Sky in what he described as a deceptive and illegal borrowing scheme.
Public comment sought on new location for police stables
Glenwood Burley once again is seeking the public’s help for Richmond Police. This time, the retired police officer wants people to offer their views on a site for a new regional stable for police horses. The new site would replace the city’s old stables on Brook Road near Gilpin Court in North Side.
Blackwell gets historic designation
A large swatch of the Blackwell neighborhood in South Side just gained official designation as a historic place.
RPS attendance officers cut without placement assistance
Butler Peterson has spent the past five years visiting families of truant Richmond Public Schools students to improve their attendance. That’s just one of the jobs he has held in his 18 years with RPS and why he hoped to be considered for one of the school-based attendance liaison positions that is to replace his role as an attendance officer.
Mayor Stoney proposes 5 new city parks for South Side
Thirteen years ago, City Hall spent about $400,000 to tear down the decrepit Madison Arms apartments at Lynhaven Avenue and Drake Street in South Side.
Ryland Roane, 58, AIDS educator and HIV hotline supervisor dies
Ryland Restee Roane Jr. was a pioneer in HIV/AIDS education in Central Virginia. After being diagnosed with HIV in 1987, the Richmond native devoted his life to providing information and assisting others through his work for the Richmond and state health departments. A graduate of Wake Forest University, his contributions during his 28-year career are being remembered after his death Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. He was 58.
Fourth Baptist Church votes to keep trustees, finance team
A two-year battle for control of historic but fractured Fourth Baptist Church ended Monday night with a stinging defeat for the pastor, Dr. William E. Jackson Sr., and his deacon allies.
Leroy Mason, a voice for prison reform, dies at age 83
Leroy Mason is being remembered for helping to change the Virginia prison system where he spent most of his adult life and for helping other prisoners make a successful transition after their release.
Policy issues involving machine games, guns and minors to greet General Assembly
Will Virginia continue to raise the minimum wage? Will the sale of marijuana through retail outlets gain approval? Will a ban on “skill” games be replaced by a taxing regime that would allow the machines to be turned on once more in bars and retail stores? Will gun owners be held criminally responsible if a minor takes their weapon and shoots someone?
Lawsuit over disabled access to apartments ruled premature
A federal judge has thrown out a high-profile lawsuit seeking to force a new apartment complex going up in Church Hill to be altered to accommodate persons with disabilities. Senior U.S. Judge James R. Spencer ruled the suit was premature because the 151-unit Shockoe Valley View Apartments is still under construction in the 1900 block of Cedar Street.
Nation of Islam moves mosque to Downtown
The Nation of Islam has quietly settled its Richmond mosque into a new home in Downtown. Forced to give up its large, steepled space on South Side, Muhammad Mosque No. 24 currently is operating out of leased space at 408 E. Main St.
