August 29 Newsletter: Council-School Board summit
Weather: Best weekend of the summer. Low 80's today give way to upper 70's through Monday.
On this date in 2001, Westvaco Corporation merges with rival Mead Corporation to create a paper company with an estimated $8 billion in annual revenue.
First RPS-Council joint meeting in 3 years produces good feelings, promises of more discussion
Richmond’s top leaders agree on at least one thing – the state doesn’t provide as much funding as it should.
Leaders from the city government and school systems convened to learn about each other's budgets on Thursday night, and restart a conversation that has been dormant since 2022.
The groups suggested working jointly to lobby the state for additional funds in the next budget cycle. Read more, and see the budget charts, here.
Google announces $9 billion investment in Virginia, including a Chesterfield data center
Virginia is home to the most data centers in the United States, and while they have become a contentious topic in recent years, Chesterfield rolled out the red carpet for its newest project.
Neighboring Henrico recently voted to slow down the approval process for data centers, and increased the tax rate on existing data centers from 40 cents per $100 of assessed value to $2.60 per $100 of assessed value.
Chesterfield’s rate stands at an attractive-to-businesses 24 cents per $100 of assessed value, and the county has promised to hold that rate for at least 30 years for Google. Read more here.
Richmond officials float plan to get politicians out of nonprofit funding decisions
The city intends to tap “intermediary organizations” to handle the nonprofit funding process city officials have traditionally overseen themselves.
Four focus areas were proposed: economic mobility, children and education, arts and culture and health. Read more here.
Also today in The Richmonder:
High school football preview: Varina, Huguenot are early favorites: Our weekly guide to the area's action includes a look at several recent high-profile college commitments.
VPAP launching search for new leader as Piper plans return to election consulting role: The local nonprofit has hired Richmond management consulting firm Warren Whitney to lead the search for a new executive director.
Weldon Bradshaw: Remembering Clyde 'The Glide' Austin: The sportswriter was specifically told not to write about Austin at a Maggie Walker game, since he has been covered so much. But ultimately, there was no choice.
City warns of online scammers impersonating government officials: Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, and in recent weeks have posed as U.S. Marshals, the Richmond and Chesterfield Planning Commissions, and workers in Sheriff Antoinette Irving's office.
Friday Cheers to take a year off in 2026 for Brown's Island construction: The T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge will generally remain open, according to Venture Richmond.
Bill Harrison wants all Richmonders to be able to have a pet
Many of the programs Furbish Thrift runs and sponsors are dedicated to helping make pet ownership affordable and sustainable. That includes donating about 6,000 pounds of pet food monthly.
"I was talking to a woman recently, and she said, 'If it wasn't for you, I would not be able to keep my dog,'" Harrison said. Read more here.
In other news
- Allianz Richmond Marathon Sells Out for Second Straight Year Ahead of race day (Sports Backers)
- Court docs reveal new details in Chesterfield teachers' child pornography charges (CBS 6)
- Entering the ring and building bonds at RVA Pro Wrestling (VPM)
The editor's desk
Today's VPAP story notes that founder David Poole recently published his book on the organization's history. Poole also helped launch The Richmonder as our founding development director. He'll be chatting about the book on Sept. 9 at the Library of Virginia.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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