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1st District Most Clicked
We are offering a fun, new feature each month to show the top 3 most clicked links in the previous month's 1st District
E-newsletter!
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Westhampton Merchants Association
At the combined Patterson Libbie Business District/Libbie Grove Association meeting on November 7th, the groups held a discussion after months of deliberation to name the newly combined groups the
Westhampton Merchants Association.
Their next meeting will be on December 5th at 8:30 am at the Retail Merchants Association's offices at 5101 Monument Ave (map).
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1st District Twitter Picture of the Month
We are featured in this months Martha Stewart Living magazine. Thanks @MS_Living! #rva #rvadine
(This was actually in October
but we missed it!)
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5805 Grove Ave.
Special Use Permit
A meeting was held Wed., Nov. 20 at St. Christopher's to discuss the special use permit at 5805 Grove Ave. More than 70 people heard from the applicants, planning staff, the traffic engineer, and residents and neighbors in a productive discussion.
Planning staff will draft a response in the next few weeks and the issue will likely be scheduled for a public hearing at the Planning Commission in January or February followed by another hearing before City Council. We will let everyone know those dates when they
are scheduled.
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Reporting a Neighborhood Issue
There are multiple ways that you can report neighborhood issues that you need us to address.
1. You can call my office (804-646-5349) and speak to either me or my liaison, Eli.
2. You can log on and use
SeeClickFix to report issues such as potholes, non-functioning lights, bulk pick up requests, etc.
3. You can also log in to the Citizens Request Service (CRS) to report more serious needs (or again, call my office).
If possible, please send us a picture(s) with your request for service or issue. Many times, a picture snapped with your cell phone goes a long way to helping us relate your request to City staff so they can easily identify the issue and correct it!
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Get regular updates and news on my 1st District Facebook page!
(You don't need a Facebook account to access the page)
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UPCOMING MEETINGS
--Mon., Nov. 25
-- Mon., Dec. 9
1st District Town
Hall Meeting
Tue., Nov. 26 at 6pm
Albert Hill Middle School
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Link Up on LinkedIn
Follow updates on social network for work professionals, aka "the safe-for-work social network"
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If You Use Gmail.....
 Gmail accounts will notice the tabs at the top of their inbox and if they do not see their regular newsletters or email sent to a list from a service such as Constant Contact, they can click on the Promotions Tab and should find the emails under that heading. You can set your preferences to have the email land under the "Primary" tab but you must do so manually.
Learn more about the new Gmail layout here.
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Updates & Retweets!
Keep up to date with my Twitter feed for news, updates and retweets from other city officials and departments and personalities around RVA!
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Important Numbers
Police Sector 311
Lt. Mike Stith Sector
804-646-1412 - E-mail
Finance Department
Kevin Ervin
804-646-6452 - E-mail
West End Library
804-646-1877
Web site
Belmont Library
804-646-1139
Web site
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Contact Me
804-646-5349 (Office)
804-592-1060 (Cell)
900 E. Broad St. Ste. 303
Richmond, VA 23219
Eli Wong, Council Liaison
804-310-1738 or
Social Media   
Committee Assignments:
- Land Use, Housing & Transportation (Chair)
- Government Operations
- Organizational Development
- Education & Human Services (alternate)
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Mail Updates
If you know someone who would like to receive these e-mail updates via U.S. Postal Service, please e-mail me here or call 804-646-5349 and provide their name and mailing address.
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Cary St. Delays Sat., Nov. 23 
Please be on the lookout for delays on Cary St. between Three Chopt & Wilton Rd.
Saturday, Nov. 23 between 9:00am & 9:00pm.
The eastbound lane will be milled and repaved to correct a "washboard effect" that occurred in the initial re-paving process. This will be done at the contractor's expense and not the City's. Please share with your friends and neighbors!
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Town Hall Meeting
Tue., Nov. 26
Please join us for a Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, November 26 at 6pm at Albert Hill Middle School (3400 Patterson Avenue - map). 
We will be discussing issues pertaining to the 1st District, as well as an update on the Westhampton School property, the Mayor's Shockoe Ballpark proposal (although a specific ballpark meeting will be forthcoming), the special use permit at 5805 Grove Ave., parking issues, updates from Fire and Police, Schools news, and other topics.
For more information, please contact my office at 804-646-5349 or via this e-mail.
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Shockoe Baseball Proposal
The Mayor released his proposal for a baseball park and economic development strategy on November 11. I have lived in Richmond my whole life and never seen an issue galvanize the public (one way or the other) as much as baseball, especially as this discussion has been ongoing for more than a decade.
I have linked to many relevant news stories on this proposal in the left column.
While the proposal at first glance is intriguing, there are far more questions than answers at this stage. The two committee meetings this week and ensuing public comments and discussion have led to even more questions that will need to be answered before any action is taken.
The City Administration has pledged they will hold four special meetings (which are yet to be scheduled) and I am working with President Samuels to hold a joint First & Second District meeting (likely in January 2014).
There is no firm timeline for consideration, but more public input will be sought, more questions asked and answered, and no one anticipates any action on the proposal until spring 2014.
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Westhampton School Update
Last week, the site around the Westhampton School was fenced off as contractors have begun a general cleaning of the buildings by removing old window AC units, replacing broken glass, and cleaning the site.
The playground and the playing fields are not affected, however, the parking area by the auditorium is no longer accessible.
Bon Secours and the City's Parks and Recreation department are working on providing facilities for the short term until longer term solutions can be found. I will have more information about this property next week after a meeting with Bon Secours that I will post on the web site and Facebook.
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Police Update & Holiday Safety
There have been some recent robberies in the Museum District. A woman in the 3300 block of Monument Avenue was exiting her vehicle around 9:30 p.m. on November and was robbed at knife point. The robber made her get back into her car, took her cash, and left.
She used her car's On-Star system to contact the police with a description and direction of travel and the robber was caught within ten minutes near Scott's Addition. The Museum District is a current focus area of the Police due to a recent increase in property crimes.
As we head towards the holidays over the next six weeks, Police note that it is their "busy season" where this and similar crimes increase. They remind us to be safe when out shopping and bringing packages into your home during the holiday season. They encourage us to avoid suspicious persons, always trust your instincts, to always be alert and aware of your surroundings, and never leave items or packages in your car!
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Holiday Cooking Safety Tips
As the holidays are upon us, the Richmond Fire
Department has a friendly reminder list of safe cooking
tips. Cooking fires are the leading cause of house fires in Richmond (and across the
nation), and they would like to make sure no accidents occur in your kitchen so your family enjoys a delicious meal instead of a visit from the Fire Department!
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First of Two City Stadium City Studies
that "perhaps surprisingly recommends residential use of the property."
It also quotes the story in the Times-Dispatch that mentions "City Stadium site could best be developed as a residential project, according to a panel of mostly out-of-town developers who spent two days this week studying possible uses for the roughly 20-acre site in central Richmond.
According to the six-member panel organized by the Urban Land Institute's Richmond council, the stadium site has market potential for three concepts: a mixture of apartments and single-family housing; a senior community; or a purely single-family development with detached homes and/or townhouses."
Full-scale community engagement to discuss all of the site possibilities will follow the final report. The final highest and best use report will consider all prior work, including work by the consultants, the City, and citizen input. You may contact the City's project manager, Brendan Williamson by phone at 804.239.8261 or email brendan.williamson@richmondgov.com.
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Mary Munford Meeting
There was a spirited meeting on November 6 to discuss the proposal for a Gym/Community Center at Mary Munford.
While rumors spread before (and since) the meeting that such a project was a fait accompli, they are nothing more than rumors and have no basis in fact. The meeting's goal was to - and did - accomplish a starting point of the discussion, hear residents' and parents' concerns, and explore ideas as to how to help our district's neighborhood school. No plan has been chosen, no course has been decided, and no money has been budgeted.
A working group is being formed to discuss the needs and possible solutions, so please contact me if you are interested in contributing. School Board representative Glen Sturtevant and I will be meeting with neighborhood associations in 2014 to gather more input.
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Albert Hill Barnes & Noble Book Fair
The Albert Hill Barnes & Noble Book Fair will be held December 13, 14 & 15 at the Libbie & Broad location. If you purchase at store that weekend, vouchers will be available at checkout when you ask or you can look for a Hill parent or teacher. Albert Hill will receive a portion of all purchases and proceeds benefit the Albert Hill PTA. It's a great way to finish up holiday shopping and benefit our Middle School!
Principal Jones will be there at 9:00 am-10:00 am Sat., Dec. 14 for coffee with the principal to discuss the school or any questions you may have.
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Mary Munford Barnes & Noble Book Fair
The Mary Munford Barnes & Noble Book Fair will be held December 6th & 8th at the Libbie & Broad location. Details are similar to Albert Hill's book drive above.
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Munford Lego Robotics Teams
 All three First Lego League teams from Mary Munford did well at the regional competition on Saturday, November 9. Team Tropic Thunder won 2nd place overall and are headed to the state competition. Team Lava Donkeys won 1st for Core Values/Teamwork and Team Too Much Intelligence won for Project/Creative Solution. Congratulations to all team members and the coaches!
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School Payroll Audit
The new School Board asked for several audits beginning in January and the reports have been released late in October and early November and shows the determination of the new School Board to do things differently than the past to improve the trajectory of Richmond Public Schools.
City Auditor finds flaws, fraud at RPS "This newer school board voted to allow City Auditor Umesh Dalal access to the school system to conduct an audit. One had not previously been done by Dalal because the school system had its own auditors. Dalal started by saying that better payroll transparency is needed; who is on payroll and what they are getting paid.
He noted that RPS staff was not even able to provide basic information for the audit, such as exactly how many people work for the school system.
The report also said that the way the district hires employees without contracts is concerning and opens the door for favoritism, waste and fraud. It details that many times individuals or schools are given hiring authority that goes out of sight of the school board."
School Benefits Audit
It also showed that administrators have little control over the system's healthcare program, into which it has paid $30 million during a period in which a signed contract has not been in place."
Read the Benefits Audit here.
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T.J. Earns 1st Playoff Bid Since 1976!
Congrats to Coach Hornick and the Thomas Jefferson football team that earned their first high school playoff bid in nearly 40 years! While the Vikings came up short against Central (Woodstock, VA), they should be commended and proud of their accomplishments this year. Watch out in 2014!
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Sports & The Arts in the 1st District
Richmond is blessed with many sports and arts activities throughout the City, and we have our own offerings right here close to home in the First District!
The Modlin Center for the Arts regularly offers outstanding performances from performing arts groups and artists from all over the world.
In December you can see world-renowned jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli & Swing 7 (Thursday, Dec. 5), the world-famous Salzburg Marionette Theatre perform Mozart's "The Magic Flute" (Friday, Dec. 6), or see the encore broadcast of National Theatre Live: "Macbeth"
Saturday, Dec. 7 with the Manchester International Festival's electrifying production starring Kenneth Branagh.
-- Sat, Nov. 30 - James Madison - 6:00 p.m.
-- Sat, Dec. 14 - Coppin St. - 6:00 p.m.
-- Sun, Dec. 22 - Ohio - 1:00 p.m.
-- Sat, Dec. 28 - Old Dominion - 6:30 p.m.
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Holiday Happenings
FIRST DISTRICT
Sat., Dec. 7 - Westhampton Merchants Santa Visits and Carriage Rides
-- 8:00 am - Santa Breakfast at Westwood Fountain
-- Noon-4:00 pm - Santa at The Toy Center
-- 11:00 am-3:00 pm - Free carriage rides
Sat., Dec. 7 & Sun., Dec. 8
Thur., Dec. 12
Fri., Dec. 13
RICHMOND Sat., Nov. 23 - 6:00 pm Nov. 29-30 Mon., Dec. 2 Fri., Dec. 6
Sat., Dec. 7 & Sun., Dec. 8
Sun., Dec. 8
Fri., Dec. 13 Ongoing: |
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