August 11 Newsletter: Taking teacher attendance
Weather: A hot and humid week ahead, with a high of 85 today.
On this date in In 1925, the Medical College of Virginia announces it will build several “comfortable” restrooms for women, in the hope of attracting additional female students.
Today's newsletter sponsored by the YWCA:
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Sprout School is now enrolling! Ages 2 months–5 years. Affordable, inclusive, mixed-income early education and full-day childcare. Celebrating diversity and child-led learning every day! www.sproutschoolrva.org. |
Teacher attendance rates vary widely across Richmond. Experts say it's a big deal.
Richmond Public Schools teachers missed, on average, 17.3 school days during the 2023-24 school year, according to data obtained by the Richmonder through a Freedom of Information Act request.
That number outpaces their counterparts in Henrico County, where teachers averaged 13.2 days absent in each of the last two school years.
Read more, and see a school-by-school breakdown, here.
Join us as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UCI bike race
In 2015, the eyes of the world were on Richmond as we hosted the UCI Road World Championships, a series of bicycle races that brought the world's best to our region for a week.
A decade later, hear from the event's organizers as they tell behind-the-scenes stories and reflect on the impact the race had on Richmond.
Tuesday, August 19
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Vasen Brewing: 3331 W. Moore St., in Scott's Addition
Opioid settlement money funds city initiatives for harm reduction
The city installed three vending machines that dispense naloxone (the generic name for Narcan), fentanyl test strips, first aid kits, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and menstrual products. So far, the city says people have been mostly using the machines for naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
Both the machines and a new department are funded entirely by settlement funds the city is receiving through national settlements from opioid manufacturers and distributors. Read more here.
Richmond’s Board of Zoning Appeals wants to hear more from neighborhood associations
They never call anymore. And they never write.
Lately, local civic associations have been notably silent when it comes to working with the local Board of Zoning Appeals. Members lamented the lack of insight from neighborhood representatives when the board considers whether property owners should get permission to deviate from zoning requirements. Read more here.
Keith Ramsey keeps bicycling fun during his group's Monday night rides
His sales pitch to one of the Bike Monday Bros co-founders was simple but powerful: “Why did we stop riding bikes when were kids? It was fun. Why did we stop doing fun (stuff)?”
Now, anywhere from 40-90 riders meet at the Starbucks in the Fan and ride for a couple of hours. Read more here.
In other news
- Revamped T.B. Smith Community Center opens in South Richmond (CBS 6)
- Also, read our feature from December on the new community centers, which were built with COVID-era funds.
- VCU removes references to race from scholarship language (VPM)
- Henrico seeks first quad-AAA bond rating, plans bond sales to fund infrastructure projects (Henrico Citizen)
The editor's desk
Looking forward to our bike race anniversary event next week. Crazy to think it's been 10 years already.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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