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Feb. 9 Newsletter: Simply the BEST

Weather: It'll get warm, but not until tomorrow. High of 36.

On this date in 1982, William Jay Monahan, a local lawyer who also served as a pilot in the National Guard, dies in a plane crash on a training mission.

Today's newsletter sponsored by CareScout. If you think the long-term care system needs a shake-up, we agree. We’re designing a new ecosystem of support and care for our aging loved ones.

These 11 store designs shook up the world of retail – and started in Richmond

Frances Lewis, co-founder of Richmond-based Best Products, died last month at the age of 103.

An avid art collector, she and her husband Sydney were once challenged by architect James Wines, who said the couple collected beautiful art, but were imposing ugly big-box stores on America.

Out of that came a collaboration that led to some of the nation's most unique retail buildings. Read more, and see the showrooms, here.

Defying administrators’ orders, Chesterfield students and employees walked out Friday to protest immigration enforcement

Across the county, high school students and employees walked out at 2:15 p.m. on Friday in protest of the federal government's crackdown on immigration.

  • One student who participated received an email saying they would be given detention time.

A teacher told The Richmonder that the county made it clear employees were not allowed to participate, but she opted to anyway.

“This is Virginia, this is the state Barbara Johns came from," she said. "We just put a statue of her in the Capital building because she walked out, led a student walkout. How can I as a Virginia educator not look at that and see it as a positive and see it as a Virginia tradition?” Read more here.

Audit finds city fell short on paying required revenues into Affordable Housing Trust Fund

A report from Richmond’s auditor found the city did not consistently follow requirements in city code for channeling revenues into its Affordable Housing Trust Fund. 

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“The Finance Department was unable to provide an explanation for why the funds were not transferred,” the report stated about a $1 million transfer.

Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said he agrees with the report, and efforts are underway to come into compliance. Read more here.

Democrats’ redistricting plan would split Richmond across two congressional districts

The city of Richmond would be split across two congressional districts under the mid-decade redistricting plan Virginia Democrats want voters to approve in a ballot referendum planned for April 21.

Democratic leaders are trying to temporarily suspend Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting process in order to gain more seats in Congress, an action they argue is necessary to balance out gerrymandering being done in Republican-led states at the urging of President Donald Trump.

Read more, and see the maps, here.

Today's sponsor:

If you’re caring for kids while also worrying about an aging parent or grandparent, you’re not alone. Backed by decades of long-term care experience from Richmond-based Genworth, CareScout is building a better way to plan for aging, with guidance and support that’s practical, human, and built around your life.

Whether you’re trying to understand future care costs, explore funding options, find care now, or simply make sense of what’s ahead, CareScout can help. And for families who want a clearer starting point, learn how a Care Plan can help you understand needs, risks, and next steps before urgency hits.

In other news

The editor's desk

I think Friday was the perfect snow. Giant flakes, not super disruptive, and helped cover over the brown ice that was getting ugly to look at.

Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org

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