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City juvenile detention center re-certified
The Richmond Juvenile Detention Center has passed its latest state review with flying colors. Richmond officials said the center was notified last month that it had been recertified to operate for another three years after receiving 100 percent passing grades on all elements of the audit.
RRHA submits revised annual plan to HUD; details not public
Seven months after getting a rejection letter, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has submitted changes to its 2020 annual plan in a bid to win approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
City Council to deal with budget deficit
Mayor Dwight C. Jones wants Richmond City Council to allow him to tap the city’s piggy bank to keep red ink from staining the city’s books.
Private money dries up for Kanawha Plaza project
Last July, Richmond City Council gave Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ administration the green light to overhaul 35-year-old Kanawha Plaza, the three-acre park that sits across from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The council acted after being assured that virtually all of the $6 million cost would come from gifts from big corporations and law firms located near the park.
Health systems securing naming rights to GRTC’s Pulse
Richmond area taxpayers apparently will not have to spend as much to subsidize rides on GRTC’s new bus rapid transit service, also known as Pulse, thanks to two area health care giants, VCU Health System and Bon Secours Richmond Health System.
Stoney offers $681M budget
Spending plan raises trash fee, utility rates but avoids tax hike
Richmond Public Schools teachers and city police officers and firefighters would gain pay raises, but most city employees would have to make do with their current wages.
Special education troubles continue for Virginia
VDOE labeled ‘deficient’ in its efforts to curtail learning loss
The Virginia Department of Education continues to shirk its responsibility to ensure students with mental and emotional disabilities secure a free, appropriate public education, or FAPE in educational jargon, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Scooter legislation advances in City Council
Electric scooters are headed to Richmond, but this time legally. After two months of talks and review, Richmond City Council appears poised to approve legislation that would authorize scooter companies such as Bird and Lime to begin offering rental service.
Coliseum referendum appears doubtful for Nov. 5 ballot
A nonbinding referendum on the $1.5 billion Coliseum replacement plan more than likely will not be on the Nov. 5 ballot despite claims that the city’s voter registrar wrongly disqualified the signatures of hundreds of registered Richmond voters who signed petitions seeking to allow the vote.
State Jails Board creates improvement plan for City Jail
Investigation cites 6 deaths, inconsistent inspections and other unmet standards
Only a small staff of deputies is working in the Richmond City Justice Center on any given day, the Free Press is being told, as the number of sworn officers under the command of Sheriff Antionette V. Irving continues to fall.
Grace Street changing to two-way in Downtown
Traffic alert: Expect disruption on East Grace Street from 4th Street to 9th Street in Downtown for two months. The reason: Five blocks of Grace Street are being transformed from a one-way street to two-way, the Department of Public Works announced this week.
Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club becomes temporary shelter for homeless
The Salvation Army this week turned its recently renovated Boys and Girls Club in Church Hill into a temporary 75-bed shelter for homeless people.
Richmond registrar needs money for Jan.10 special election
Richmond Voter Registrar Kirk Showalter is gearing up for the Richmond special election Tuesday, Jan. 10, when voters will pick a new state senator to replace A. Donald McEachin, who is heading to Washington to represent the 4th Congressional District.
Runoff election for mayor will require dollars
Richmond might need a runoff election for mayor if none of the eight candidates wins the Nov. 8 election outright. One problem: No money has been set aside to cover the projected cost.
Unsheltered
Plans to house the homeless in Shockoe Valley disappear
Plans for a year-round shelter open around the clock for the homeless have suddenly evaporated seven months after being announced.
Grand Illumination, Love Lights to ignite holiday spirit
The holiday spirit will envelop Richmond this weekend with two big events — the joint Grand Illumination and Love Lights skyline lighting Friday night, Dec. 5, and the Dominion Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Federal judge upholds city ambulance monopoly
Richmond has won its legal fight to maintain a monopoly over providing emergency and non-emergency ambulance service after Richmond City Council forced Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration to mount a vigorous defense.
City refuse collectors halt work, forcing talks on better pay
Richmond’s refuse collectors once again proved they can be a powerful force when they stand up for themselves. For about five hours Tuesday, the city’s 25 trash trucks stood still at the South Side depot as 70 refuse collectors pushed for better pay and aired other grievances — forcing city officials to scramble to soothe their concerns as calls began pouring in from residents whose trash was not picked up.
Va. Supreme Court rejects contempt charge for governor
Gov. Terry McAuliffe is now free to keep restoring the voting rights of felons who have served their time — a relief to more than 18,000 people whose rights he has restored since Aug. 22. The Virginia Supreme Court refused to wade further into this increasingly partisan battle and threw out another Republican attempt to restrict the governor’s constitutional authority to restore voting rights.
City budget amendments reflect reduced revenue anticipated from pandemic impact
Richmond residents would not see any hikes in utility rates that would have added $5.56 a month to the average bill beginning July 1.
