1st District Newsletter
June 2016
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NEWS ROUNDUP

CITY HALL



ELECTION 2016
EDITORIALS



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Kehinde Wiley Exhibit at VMFA

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking art with Kehinde Wiley at the opening of his exhibit at VMFA Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Click here to read the article about the opening.

"He went from being a talented Yale University graduate student, thinking he had an idea for a new way of adding minorities to classical images of art, to an internationally acclaimed conceptual artist enjoying his first career retrospective.

The VMFA is one of just seven museums on the national tour of "Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic." The show, created and curated by the Brooklyn Museum, features 57 pieces - mostly paintings but also stained glass and sculpture - from the New York-based artist.

It will be the VMFA's largest exhibition ever of works by an African-American artist."


RVA Street Art Festival Video Recap
If you missed the RVA Street Art Festival in Manchester in April, you can take a quick video tour via drone of all the art, community, and creativity that defines this unique Richmond event. Stay tuned to find out when and where the next festival will be held! 



Farmers' Markets 
in the First
There are two convenient farmers' market options for the 1st District. 

Tuesdays you can visit Grow RVA's Farmer's Market and Food Trucks from 4-7 PM in the surface parking lot next to The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design located on Monument Ave at Robinson Street. Come on out, shop for local produce, meats, eggs, sweets and eat a great dinner!

On Saturday's you can visit The Farmers Market at St. Stephen's from 9:00am-noon. There are more vendors than ever this year with a focus on local farmers and producers. Come enjoy the live music, activities for children, cooking demonstrations and more at the market.


Scoring Points for Schools and Youth
The Richmond Flying Squirrels 
Charities have teamed up with group of local businesses to create Renovating Richmond's Recreation and refurbish baseball fields across the city. The group includes Richmond International Raceway Cares, the Barton Malow Foundation and 53 other companies with plans to renovate 16 baseball fields in the coming years. Ground was broken last week at the Blackwell Community Center off Hull Street should begin work at the Bellemeade Community Center later this summer. 


Also, six Richmond Public Schools will receive new athletic equipment, apparel, and footwear through Good Sports and the Redskins Charitable Foundation.

RPS launched a Middle School Sports Program and applied for grants to help offset costs and keep the program sustainable. 

Albert Hill Middle School, Franklin Military Academy, George Wythe High School, Huguenot High School, John Marshall High School, and Woodville Elementary will receive the donations, which is immeasurable given that uniforms, gear, even footwear are desperately needed for the schools, with some students unable to afford even their own shoes.



"The Merchant of Venice" Comes to RVA

RVA is one of, if not the only place in America where you can watch some of the Bard's greatest plays with a 15th Century Tudor home as the stage background for Quill Theatre. Arrive to Agecroft Hall early and stroll through the gardens, or bring your picnic dinner to enjoy on the lawn while being serenaded with songs and monologues from our Festival Young Company actors.

"The Merchant of Venice" runs July 7-July 31. A controversial tragicomedy set in the divided world of Renaissance Italy: the glittering golden privilege of the Christian aristocracy and the powerful underworld of the Jewish ghetto. To court the wealthy heiress Portia, Bassanio asks for a large sum from his devoted friend, Antonio, who must borrow the funds. Shylock, the lender, strikes a deadly deal: if Antonio does not repay the loan, he must forfeit a pound of his own flesh. The insidious venom of prejudice poisons all, and mercy's love is held hostage to the mighty sway of justice.



Jammin' on the James and Events at Wilton House Museum
The Jammin' on the James concert series continues at Wilton House and offers a free and fun way to enjoy the afternoon.

The free concerts will take place on Saturday's July 13, and August 13 from 6:00-8:00pm. Bring a picnic dinner and a lawn chair or blanket for family-friendly music on the terrace overlooking the James River as well as complimentary evening tours of Wilton as well as face-painting, games, and crafts for kids. Rain or shine.

There are also two more Family Day events that take place on Wednesday, July 13, and August 17 from 1:00-2:30pm. Bring the family by for a tour of the historic house, geared for elementary and middle school aged children, followed by activities. Advanced reservations are required for Family Day..

Click here for information.


"The Good Dinosaur"
Movie in the Park at Humphrey Calder July 22
 
The Department of Parks & Recreation will host a free "Movies in the Park at Humphrey Calder field featuring "The Good Dinosaur" (rated PG) on Friday, July 22nd at 8:00pm.


Redskins Training Camp 
July 28 - August 14

The Washington Redskins 2016 training camp schedule will take place in Richmond from July 28 through August 14. The schedule features a total of 22 public on-field sessions available to fans, highlighted by Fan Appreciation Day on Sat., Aug. 13.

Admission is free for all fans. Following practice, Redskins players and coaches will be made available to sign autographs and take pictures with fans, schedules permitting. All scheduled dates and practice times are subject to change.
 


Food Trucks in the First
There are FOUR choices to skip dinner and socialize with the neighborhood at the food truck courts in the district each week (weather permitting).  

Wednesdays:
St. Giles Presbyterian Church 
200 Grove Ave.

Immanuel Baptist Church
3601 Monument Ave.

Thursdays: 
Mary Munford Elementary 
211 Westmoreland St.

Fridays:
Virginia Historical Society
428 N. Boulevard
 

1st District Twitter Picture of the Month

Check out these photos of Muhammad Ali by Gordon Parks. Don't miss an exhibition of Parks' work at VMFA this July.

Posted: June 20

Follow me on Twitter
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! 

1st District Most Clicked
A fun feature each month to show the top 3 most clicked links in the previous month's E-newsletter! 

May 2016


View my profile on LinkedIn

Link Up on LinkedIn 
Follow updates on social network for work professionals, aka "the safe-for-work social network." 


Find A Missing Pet

Richmond Animal Control (RACC) has a new site that provides descriptions and photos of each stray animal housed at RACC. Enter basic descriptive information (date missing, breed, color) and search through the database of animals in our care. Additionally, users can post found animals that are not residing in the shelter. Users can view both lost and found animals with a quick search. 



RPS Schools App

There is a Richmond Public Schools app on iTunes and Google Play that parents can download so that they can receive information via their phones (search for "Richmond Public Schools"). The application includes links to news, menus, social media accounts, calendars, the RPS directory and more.


 Click here to learn more. 


UPCOMING MEETINGS

City Council Meetings
-- Mon., July 25 - 6:00pm

Next 1st District Town 
Hall Meeting
--  Tue., July 26 -  6:00pm

If you have not already done so, you might consider joining the neighborhood social network called NextDoor. It is a great way to connect with your neighbors to meet, talk online, and share information that can make your neighborhood better and safer. 

Many people are using Nextdoor to spread word about suspicious activity or break-ins, organize a neighborhood watch group, find a trustworthy babysitter or handyman, requesting help in looking for missing pets, and find nearby neighbors! 

You can join from your laptop or download the app and stay connected with neighbors through your phone or iPad.  


Track Crime Online


RAIDS Online helps make it much easier for you to keep track of crime anywhere in the city and communicate with officers.

 

Get updates for your neighborhood within a certain radius of your address, get email alerts, as well as report crimes or issues in your area and improve communication between the public and the department. You can also analyze the data you select via a map, graphs and analytics, as well as a data grid and data layers.


 Click here to see a video tutorial. 


SeeClickFix App
You can always email us or call to report them, but you can also download the handy SeeClickFix app for your phone that lets you report potholes and other issues such as non-functioning street lights, bulk pick ups, etc. Look for the  SeeClickFix in your app store.  

Reporting Neighborhood Issues
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!

Important Numbers

Police Sector 311
Sector Lt. Nathaniel Bynum
804-646-1945 -  E-mail

Finance Department 
804-646-6452

West End Library
804-646-1877
Belmont Library
804-646-1139


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 
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Committee Assignments:
- Government Operations (Chair)
- Land Use, Housing & Transportation
- Organizational Development
Funding for Schools or Funding for Something Else? 
There is an old saying that the devil is in the details, and that certainly applies to the final report issued this week by the Mayor's "Multi-Year School Capital Investment Funding Plan Work Group."

The mayor's plan calls for an immediate increase in the city's debt ceiling that would ultimately be paid for by tax increases, but he doesn't specify what taxes would actually be increased. His plan would simply "simultaneously initiate holistic additional policies, to include dedicated annual funding sources." This vague approach could jeopardize the City's debt rating since he is pushing Council to approve this debt ceiling increase this summer while he is still in office. According to his plan, the specific tax increases would be determined next year after he leaves office. 

To me, it's clear that schools desperately need that additional funding for building improvements during the next five years and beyond. That should definitely be our top priority, and I am committed to providing more funding to do that.

A very important detail of this plan is on Page 7 of the final report, which has generally been overlooked by those who have publicly commented about this report. It begins by pointing out that lifting the City's debt ceiling would allow $244 million more for capital improvement needs over the next five years. However, of that amount, this plan only allocates 40% - or about $98 million - to schools facilities. Most of the additional available funding, 60%, or $146 million, would to go to other city projects.

It is ironic, to say the least, that a group called the "Multi-Year School Capital Investment Funding Plan Work Group" ends up directing a majority of capital improvement dollars to other city projects and not our schools. This clearly shows that this administration simply refuses to give schools top priority and that attitude needs to change. While the City does have many capital needs, these have already been considered in our current capital improvement plan. Additional needs for non-school projects were not part of this group's mandate, yet these are now part of its immediate recommendations.

Richmond Public Schools has put forth a specific, vetted, community-tested  Facilities Plan for school projects that was approved by the school board. The administration's recommendations for other city projects to be funded by lifting the debt ceiling casts a wide net that is apparently based on a simple wish list of projects. 

The article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch notes that Councilman Samuels "questioned Jones' push to act on the matter in the next 30 days. "I don't think this is something we should be shoving down the citizens' throats," he said.

"Too often when the administration asks for immediate response to a proposal, it comes back to bite us later," Samuels said. "On the one hand, if we can resolve this issue, we shouldn't wait; however, we are essentially making a decision that could turn out to be an albatross around the next mayor and council's neck."

My fear is that the rush to push this through now only enables the Mayor's office to propose one last big "economic development" project that will claim to solve all the city's ills but will require a large, if not massive, issuance of public debt for a dubious gain. We have seen similar promises with the Redskins training facility and the proposed Shockoe Bottom baseball stadium project that would have cost the City $80 million.

Hopefully, it's just a coincidence that this recommendation to increase debt capacity is happening at the same time that this administration is looking for developers for its Boulevard property. Richmond does not need another "trickle down" development project that we have to financially support today with the hope of getting more tax revenues for schools and other needs later. That approach definitely needs to end.

Assessment Notices and Appeals
The City Assessor's Office mailed reassessment notices this week to property owners to the last known mailing address of each owner. The notice contains certain required information, such as the prior assessed value, the projected assessed value and the calculated change in real estate taxes. Assessments are based on market conditions existing through June 30, and the effective date of value is July 1.

If you have questions regarding the assessment, please contact the City Assessor Front Desk at (804) 646-7500 for assistance. If, after discussion with the area appraiser, the property owner believes that a formal review is warranted, there are three steps available.  

The first step is an Office Review. All written appeals must be filed with the City Assessor's Office no later than July 31. You can submit any information that demonstrates a more supportable fair market value of the property in question, or to submit comparable assessment data that indicates the subject assessment is inequitable with similar classed properties.

The second step is via the Board of Equalization (BOE) which has a deadline of November 30, with cases being heard in January of the following calendar year. 

The third step is a direct appeal to the Circuit Court, which must be made within three years of the assessment year but requires written notice to the City of disagreement with the assessment during the applicable tax year.  


Fourth of July Fireworks 
While there is no RVA Fireworks on the James event this year, there are still plenty of places to see the sky light up. 

Dogwood Dell hosts a free fireworks display on July 4 that will attract close to 30,000 people. The evening begins with free concerts from Back N Da Day and the Richmond Concert Band at 5:30 p.m. A score of patriotic selections will begin around 7:30pm. The fireworks begin at dark and last about 30 minutes.

Free parking and shuttles are available at Richmond City Stadium, (3201 Maplewood Ave.) and is recommended. 

The Flying Squirrels return to the Diamond on July 4 for a seven game homestand with the Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza. Game time is 6:05pm and the fireworks follow the game. The fireworks combine the In-Your Face-fireworks that typically run on Thursdays and the Superblast fireworks that run on Saturdays and will occur simultaneously on the field and over the outfield wall. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance.  

Support for the City Auditor
I have received numerous emails supporting the City Auditor after a series of closed City Council meetings to discuss a personnel issue.

I support retaining Mr. Dalal because his mission is to increase accountability for the best use of taxpayer dollars. He has helped find ways to deliver government services better and the Mayor and city administration should be focused on implementing his past recommendations. Councilman Charles Samuels has pointed out that only 40% of these recommendations have been implemented, according to the latest numbers available. 

While the Auditor is not perfect (which of us is?), his task is even more important given the lack of accountability from the Mayor's office and the seemingly constant desire to run city government without sharing information or being transparent.

Michael Paul Williams noted in his column that these meetings about the auditor come in the wake of a report his office issued in January that "found the director of public works was spending city time on conference calls overseeing the construction of a new building in Chesterfield County for First Baptist Church of South Richmond, where Mayor Dwight C. Jones serves as senior pastor.

The report prompted an ongoing investigation by the auditor's office, Virginia State Police and FBI into other possible overlaps between Jones' church and city business."

"For all of Dalal's proficiency at hitting the ample targets of inefficiency, ineptitude and corruption at City Hall, he can be polarizing and perhaps too high-profile for his own good. It's not surprising that some officials would take umbrage at a bureaucrat who steals the limelight by calling them out."

As my colleague Councilman Samuels noted in that column, "Under Umesh, the auditor's office has been named one of the top 11 auditor's offices in North America." 

Westhampton on Grove Before Planning Commission July 18
The proposed Westhampton on Grove development will be discussed at the Planning Commission on Monday, July 18th at 1:30pm on the 5th floor of City Hall. The proposal could then (if approved) move to City Council for the July 25 meeting. If not, it would be September before the matter is heard as Council does not meet in August. 

You may contact me via this email or submit your thoughts and opinions to the Planning Commission for their file at matthew.ebinger@richmondgov.com 
or at 804-646-6308. 

You can view the video from the community meeting held May 25 at Mary Munford below. 

2016 May 25 - Jon Baliles Meeting on Westhampton Redevelopment Proposal at Mary Munford Elementary School - Richmond, Virginia


Investment in James River Park ' Having a Big Impact
One of my proudest accomplishments on City Council has been the support of James River Park and Nathan Burrell and his team and all the volunteers like RVA MORE that makes our park the best urban park in the country. Last year saw the largest one-year investment into the park since the early 1980's through a budget amendment I added and it is paying off this year. 

Tee Clarkson took a closer look at the park in the 
"With more than 1.3 million visitors a year, the James River Park receives more traffic than all the other city parks combined, generating an estimated $20.8 million dollars of spending in the city.

Being able to track these numbers with a more accurate counting system has been extremely important, according to James River Park manager Nathan Burrell, who has been able to grow the full-time staff from three to seven since he was named park manager 3½ years ago.

Burrell credits 1st District representative Jonathan Baliles for helping initiate the largest infusion of funding into the park since the early 1980s.

"If there is one thing in this entire region we can agree is awesome, it's the river," Baliles said.

An additional $100,000 for staff and $400,000 for capital improvements in the past year has allowed Burrell to hire Penelope Davenport, outdoor education program supervisor and additional staff, creating many more park programs, from biking to hiking to paddling."


Carytown ranked in top 'hip' retail markets in North America
As if we didn't already know this.....

"Richmond-area residents who shop, eat and hang out in Carytown already know that the dining and shopping district is a hip and happening place.

Now global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has confirmed it, ranking Carytown as one of the top 15 trendiest retail markets in the country for connecting to millennials and incubating retail trends.
Cushman & Wakefield's "Cool Streets of North America" report released this week ranks Carytown high in walkability and diversity, and it gives the neighborhood top marks for the variety of restaurants, music, arts, vintage stores and nightlife offerings."

Carytown, according to the report, exemplifies "prime hipness," peaking in hipness along a spectrum that ranges from "edgy/cool" for those just cracking the coolness spectrum to "up and coming" to "gone mainstream."

"The beauty of Carytown is that it does not have your typical standard retail that you see everywhere. It's got that eclectic mix of retailers."


Public Safety Update
National Night Out August 2
National Night out will take place Tuesday, August 2nd. Join friends, neighbors and the Richmond Police Department! 

It is a night designed to strengthen neighborhoods and the police-community partnership and to generate support for local anti-crime programs. It's also a lot of fun! Civic associations participating should register for police and public safety to drop by their event.  
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Richmond Police Vacation Watch
If you are heading out of town for vacation, remember the Police will keep an eye on your home and street while you are away. Just return the completed Home/Business Vacation Watch Form to the Third Precinct (301 S. Meadow Street) or the precinct in which you do business or call 804-646-1412. Click here for the form. 
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Sector Lieutenant Report
Lt. Bynum has published his May newsletter about the ongoing efforts of the Richmond Police Department for all of Sector 311. 

Between May 24, 2016 and June 20, 2016, Sector 311 suffered two Robberies, four Motor Vehicle Thefts, six Burglaries and eighteen Thefts from Motor Vehicles. During the summer months, our neighborhoods will experience an influx of visitors. Be vigilant and report anything suspicious (non-emergency 646-5100/emergency 911) to the police.

Also, on June 24, 2016 at 12:48 a.m., Richmond Police responded to 3100 Patterson Avenue regarding an armed robbery of 2 individuals. The 2 suspects displayed a firearm and took a cell phone from them. The suspects then ran thru the south alley and disappeared.

Police K-9 units followed a track to the alley before the track was lost. It appears the suspects had a vehicle parked in the alley.

Suspects were described as follows: Black males, in their mid-20, about 5'-11" to 6'-2", thin builds wearing black shirts jeans and ski masks. If anyone has any information regarding these individuals or may have knowledge of the robbery please contact Detective Cutshall at (804) 646-1068

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Relocation of Police Memorial Statue to Byrd Park
For 28 years, the Police Memorial Statue stood under the trees in a corner of Festival Park next to the Coliseum. Recently, some dedicated citizens thought the statue didn't get the appreciation it deserved there and planned the move to find it a new home.

Thanks to the Relocation Committee - it took a journey Friday, June 24, to its new site in Byrd Park - where it will enjoy greater visibility between the reservoir and the Carillon. When paving stones, a flagpole and benches are added to the location in September, there will be an official re-dedication ceremony.

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Fireworks Safety
The 4th of July is a holiday that includes fireworks as a central part of the celebration. While fireworks are illegal in the Metro Richmond Area, it is important to remember some statistics if you do use or are near fireworks.  
  • In 2013, fireworks caused an estimated 15,600 reported fires, including 1,400 total structure fires, 200 vehicle fires, and 14,000 outside and other fires. 
  • In 2014, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 10,500 people for fireworks related injuries; 51% of those injuries were to the extremities and 38% were to the head. 
  • The risk of fireworks injury is highest for young people ages 5-9, followed by children 10-19.
  • The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a public display conducted by trained licensed professionals. 
  • After the firework display, children should never pick up fireworks that may be left over, they may still be active.

SCHOOLS' NEWS
Why Elections Are So Important
Stories like this are why elections are so important - at every level - and selecting leaders who will lead instead of those that use their position as a public servant for political gain.  

"One month before a high-ranking Richmond Public Schools official resigned, citing interference from School Board members as the cause, board Chairman Jeffrey Bourne chastised colleagues for getting in the way of administrators.

In the letter delivered May 16, Bourne took members to task for participating in "school-based meetings, specifically in their capacity as board members." This, Bourne wrote, "has caused great confusion and concern among the administration and school-based personnel."

"Board members, I am compelled to remind us that while we all are passionate in our advocacy for our constituency, which includes our students, our roles ... are to focus on the development of policy which drives the action of our employees and to safeguard and provide for the financial foundation of the school division," he wrote.

The letter followed a March email sent by the board's legal counsel over worries about board members attending student-related meetings at schools.
Bourne said in an interview this week that he decided to write the letter after a number of senior-level administrators raised concerns and complained about the difficulties their subordinates are encountering with certain board members."

Click here to read the article. 

Leadership by Listening Initiative Year in Review
Kudos to Dr. Bedden for his outreach and dedication to engage students, parents and the community in an open a transparent way through his Leadership by Listening Initiative. There are certainly some lessons here that could be applied to other floors in City Hall...

"As part of Superintendent Dana T. Bedden's philosophy of leadership by listening, Richmond Public Schools had more than 10,000 community interactions this school year - giving parents, employees, students and community members a voice in planning a successful future for RPS.

"We believe in the power of two-way engagement," Dr. Bedden said. "That's not only listening to what our community members have to say, but using their feedback to improve our school district. We went down this path to really find out how people feel, what they think, and what they think should happen in our district," Bedden said.

This school year, RPS provided several opportunities for community input, including student engagement, employee engagement and community surveys. A fourth internal satisfaction survey is scheduled for this summer. In addition, the division welcomed comments and questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week via its online communication resource, Let's Talk!

Dr. Bedden noted that parent engagement saw a tremendous increase this year, and that, overall, parents were more pleased with their child's school than anecdotal comments would suggest.

"Through these surveys we identified not only our strengths and opportunities for improvement, but also what people don't know - where we need to do a better job of communicating and getting people the information they need."

Bedden and his leadership team were pleased to learn that students overwhelmingly believe they have an adult at school who cares about them. That means students can get a sense of comfort and stability in school, which can translate to higher academic achievement, Bedden said.

"Students who have made personal connections tend to want to come to school and stay in school," he said. "This shows what a great staff we have and how they can make a difference in a child's life."


Recycling Options Expanded 
Great news from the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority as reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

"Richmond-area residents will now be able to recycle more after additions were announced to the recycling lineup Monday.

Recyclers in the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority service area will be able to recycle plastics with the No. 1-7 on the bottom and waxy cartons, starting Friday, in addition to the No. 1 and No. 2 narrow neck plastic bottles that are currently accepted.
Caps and lids, once a source of questions for many recyclers, can now be handled and can be recycled through CVWMA, it was also announced.

The announcement to accept more recyclables and be more sustainable comes a week after the city of Richmond was named the top winner among large U.S. cities for its sustainability action."


NOTE: CVWMA residential recycling and trash collections will be delayed one day the week of July 4 through July 8 in observance of Fourth of July (Monday, July 4). No collections will be made on Monday; thus all collections during this week will occur on the day following the normal collection day. Friday collections will occur on Saturday. 

Unique Museum District Garden Also a Memorial 
If you have not seen this unique and special garden in the Museum District at the corner of Floyd and Colonial St. (between Carytown and the VMFA), take the time to walk by and marvel. The backstory is as moving as the garden itself and was featured this month in the Times-Dispatch.
"It's modern and architectural in its design: with six raised beds, an in­-ground cistern that waters the garden, and obelisks for climbing vines that rise from the center of each bed like triangular sculptures.
It's formal and striking.

People walking by often stop to snap photographs of it with their phones. But what the casual passer­by doesn't see is the story behind the garden.

In 2002, Vicki Parent, an 18­ year ­old honors student from George Mason University, was visiting a friend who lived in an apartment in the large white Victorian in the 2900 block of Floyd Avenue. She parked her car on the street around 10 p.m., but never made it inside. She was shot during a robbery and died the next day at VCU Medical Center.

Architect Scott Kyle had always admired the handsome Victorian farmhouse in the middle of the Museum 
District. He bought it in 2006, and that's when he learned about Parent's slaying.

Parent's slaying was never solved. The investigation ended up in a cold­case file just two months after her
death. In 2006, the FBI performed a re­enactment, but it didn't help.

Kyle wanted to do something. And he wanted others to think about Parent, too. He decided to build an
urban garden where she was shot. Now the place has been transformed."


Floyd Avenue Driving Lesson
How does one even function as a motorist on Floyd Avenue anymore? The answer lies within (your heart) (and this article by Mike MacKenzie).

"Traffic circles, roundabouts, rotaries, and "circular intersections" have challenged the rugged individualism of American drivers for generations, immortalized on film by the plight of the Griswolds. 
Reports suggest  Richmond motorists have likewise struggled with elliptical traffic patterns.

Whether a driver is entering an intersection from Floyd Avenue or from a side street, the driver must yield to any traffic in the circle. That traffic may be an automobile or a bicycle, and it may be traveling in any direction. It may be going straight, turning left, or making a U-turn. If it's in the circle, it has the right of way according to Virginia law.

To explain, here's a very simple flow chart for a motorist approaching a circular intersection....

Is there traffic in the circle?
  • Yes: Yield the right of way.
  • No: Proceed in a safe and non-reckless manner at or below the posted speed limit."

Westhampton Citizens Association Membership Drive
Originally established in 1909, the Westhampton Citizens Association is 700 members strong and growing. Boundaries are I-195 in the east to the City line in the west, south to the James River and north to Patterson Avenue. 

The group works to address issues confronting the greater Westhampton neighborhood and strives to educate, inform and encourage involvement and are encouraging residents to join the Association. 

You can become an advocate for the neighborhood. Stay on top of crime alerts, events in the neighborhood, government actions and business district growth. Plus, enjoy meeting the members and visiting with friends at our annual cocktail social! Visit the website and learn how you can join with your friends and
family.
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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