Feb. 25 Newsletter: Paying ballpark debts
Weather: Highs in the upper 50s; dry today with rain tomorrow.
On this date in 2008, Dark Star Orchestra, a Grateful Dead cover band, plays the first show since 1983 at The National after a $15 million renovation.
Today's newsletter sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University: As a top 50 public research institution, Virginia Commonwealth University has an unparalleled drive to discover, innovate and create. VCU impacts the human experience and tackles the problems of tomorrow. It's a university unlike any you’ve ever seen.
Council approves $14.7M loan to keep Diamond District project on track
The loan will lock in a land purchase that was agreed to as part of the Diamond District redevelopment project, but no funding source was ever formally identified.
To provide the money, the city is dipping into its Contingency Reserve fund.
Avula’s administration contends that the balance of the fund won't go down as a result of the Diamond District loan, because the transaction involves a promissory note that will remain on the city’s books and could be sold for cash. Read more here.
RPS emails show which positions will be eliminated in budget cuts
Shortly before presenting a budget that calls for dozens of layoffs, Richmond Public Schools administrators notified impacted employees that their job was about to be reduced, according to documents The Richmonder obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.
Administrators proposed eliminating 61 positions and reducing 13 positions, ranging from student support specialists and a behavioral specialist to office associates and a radio dispatcher. See the complete list here.
After anti-Flock protest, Richmond police chief defends use of license plate readers: ‘It works’
Monday night, protesters urged Richmond to become the latest city to end its contract with Flock on the grounds that the technology violates privacy rights. Many argued the cameras are a dangerous step toward mass surveillance.
Tuesday, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards defended the technology.
Edwards said he had “never been to a community meeting where there is a neighborhood that is experiencing gun violence where they're not asking for this.” Read more here.
General Assembly budget plans include $50M for Richmond sewer project
The city of Richmond would get another $50 million for its costly combined sewer overflow project under a pair of budget proposals recently introduced in the Virginia General Assembly.
- But there is less certainty on the $80 million Mayor Danny Avula requested for upgrades to the city's water treatment plant.
The Senate budget sets aside “no less than” $20 million, but the city would have to reach an agreement with state regulators on on how to spend the money. The House budget calls for the creation of a Richmond Regional Water Workgroup, something City Council resisted last year. Read more here.
Today's sponsor:
Michael Rao tells VCU community: ‘Let’s be bold together’
In his annual State of the University Address, President Michael Rao said that VCU has both the opportunity and obligation to meet the rapidly changing needs of the world.
“We are called upon to envision a society where people get better and better with every passing generation. Our role in that is essential,” said Rao. “This is an important moment for all of us. But moments don’t change the world. Movements do. And to make this moment a movement, we’ve got to think bigger and act more boldly.” Read more.
In other news
- ‘There needs to be swift response’: Chesterfield church defaced with racist threat; police investigating
- Hanover wins third girls basketball meeting with Patrick Henry, this one in the playoffs
- One Richmonder is destigmatizing bathroom talk with the PortaDash app (Style Weekly)
- Henrico will discuss a potential New Market Village data center tomorrow night, with nearby residents largely opposed (Henrico Citizen)
- Old Dominion Energy Tower to transform into hotel, restaurant and apartments (12 on Your Side)
The editor's desk
Hard to believe The National has been hosting shows (in its current form) for less than 20 years. It's one of many venues that makes Richmond a special place for live music – though people here need to stop talking while the band is playing.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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