July 1 Newsletter: Beating Kings Dominion
Weather: The heat is coming. 100 looks unlikely today, but is possible starting tomorrow.
On this date in 1940, a combination of a new tax to fund World War II operations and the widespread introduction of parking meters into metro areas leads to a penny shortage as the U.S. Mint cannot keep up with demand.
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.
I've been monitoring ride times at Kings Dominion all summer. Here's how to beat the lines
Reporter Ned Oliver did the research so you don't have to. Here are some of his top takeaways:
- Start at the back of the park, and work your way to the front, which is the opposite of how most people do it.
- On a weekday evening, and particularly Tuesdays and Wednesdays, lines are virtually nonexistent after 5 p.m.
- Let the data guide you – if wait times are high for a ride, skip it and return later.
Read more takeaways on how to maximize your theme park day here.
Hathaway report: RPS director asked subordinates to help him disable security cameras; dozens of purchases remain unaccounted for
Ronald “Bobby” Hathaway, the former director of facilities for Richmond Public Schools, was accused of enlisting subordinates to help him disable security cameras to return a zero-turn lawn mower to the facilities site undetected, according to an internal investigation a city judge recently released to The Richmonder under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
Hathaway denied ever doing such to investigators despite the two subordinates – a supervisor and technician – confirming the incident taking place.
“Mr. Hathaway’s claims are demonstrably false,” investigators wrote. “He utilized his position to coerce subordinates into committing a security breach for his personal benefit. This constitutes a gross abuse of authority.” Read more here.
Richmond was a hotbed of peach innovation in the late 1800s, but many are now lost to history
Have you ever tasted a fragrant Millhiser peach, or a juicy Lyons? Unless you were alive over a century ago in Richmond, likely not. These peaches were once rising stars in the pomology world, and all originated here in the city.
Beginning around the mid-to-late 1800s, Richmond was in a peach frenzy of sorts. Peach growing was becoming trendy and thought of as a great investment thanks to the increasing popularity of new fruit canning and drying technology. Read their stories here.
Rezoning opponents seek 16,000 signatures in attempt to put code refresh on the ballot
Opponents of the code refresh, an effort to rewrite Richmond's decades-old zoning laws, are taking their battle to the public.
Longtime Virginia political figure Paul Goldman filed Monday in Richmond Circuit Court, seeking to change the city's charter to require major rezoning efforts be put in front of voters.
His filing would also allow the city to institute rent control measures, though it would not mandate that they be used. Read more, including why the vote can't actually change the charter, here.
'Heat dome' will bring triple-digit temperatures to Richmond during holiday weekend
Temperatures across the Richmond area will break 100 degrees on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as part of what the National Weather Service is calling a "potentially historic" heat wave.
The temperatures are being caused by a condition called a "heat dome," where high pressure in the atmosphere traps hot air, and then stays largely stagnant.
Equally concerning to NWS forecasters are overnight lows that will hover in the 70s, meaning there will be little cooling relief. Read more here.
Today's sponsor:
VCU physician-researcher Patricia Sime breathes life into the fight against pulmonary fibrosis
When Patricia Sime, M.D., was training, she met a patient with lung scarring, or pulmonary fibrosis, and asked a simple question: How do we treat her?
The answer – “We can give oxygen, but not much else” – stunned her.
Sime, now chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at VCU, became determined to find a better answer.
Sime's research is influencing how fibrosis is studied and treated around the world, leading to the development of treatments for a disease that for decades had few to no treatment options.
In other news
- Fourth of July 2026 in Richmond: Fireworks, Festivals, and More (RVA Mag)
- CarMax Park, Dogwood Dell and the Chesterfield Fairgrounds have their traditional fireworks, while Henrico will offer a symphony performance with a laser light show at Meadow Farm.
- The Richmond Kickers' new jersey lets fans pick a possum (Axios)
- The jersey costs $98 and comes with one possum patch, with additional available for $10 each.
- Hanover supervisors mull raising equipment taxes on data centers (VPM)
- The county currently taxes data centers at one of the lowest rates in the state.
The editor's desk
Ned was kind enough to invite us along as he tested his Kings Dominion line theories.
Michael Phillips, founder
mphillips@richmonder.org
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