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July 13 Newsletter: Safety net snapping

Weather: A high of 85 is a (very) slight reprieve before another heat wave rolls through.

On this date in 2009, the Virginia Retirement System announces it lost 21% of its total value during the first half of the year as a recession pushed stock prices downward.

Richmond's safety-net clinics squeezed by surge in uninsured patients

Reporter Ned Oliver tagged along on an outreach visit with the Daily Planet, which provides medical services for the homeless as part of its mission.

It's a service that could be on the chopping block as the group's money is squeezed from two directions – federal grants are slowing or expiring, and the number of uninsured patients in Virginia is rising.

The number of uninsured patients the Daily Planet saw in Richmond climbed from 36% in 2024 to more than 50% as of last month, Bennett said. Read more here.

Documents: Former RPS facilities director was paid for six weeks after investigation due to rejected resignation

Richmond Public Schools continued to pay Bobby Hathaway, the former director of facilities for the division, for six weeks after two investigations into alleged improprieties both recommended his termination.

  • Hathaway submitted his resignation on April 23, two days after an investigation recommended his "immediate termination."
  • On May 15, a school official offered him "resignation in lieu of termination."
  • On June 2, he was sent a letter saying he had been terminated, and would be paid through that date.

The documents were provided last week as part of a lawsuit The Richmonder filed under the state's Freedom of Information Act. Read more here.

As electricity costs rise and federal tax credits wind down, Richmond hopes to move fast on solar

Richmond officials are considering a proposal to install solar panels on an array of city-owned buildings in hopes of both bringing down expenses and furthering city climate goals. 

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A private company would install and maintain the solar panels, and then sell the energy they produce back to the city at a lower rate than what Richmond would otherwise pay Dominion Energy.

Currently, Richmond’s annual electricity costs are about $18.7 million. The overall power rates paid by local governments will rise by about 25% this year, with an expected additional 12% increase beginning in July 2027. Read more here.

Avula admin now says medical 911 call switch will happen in late July

Mayor Danny Avula’s administration now says the switch to transfer medical 911 calls back to the Richmond Ambulance Authority should occur in late July.

The timing had become a sticking point between the Avula administration and the Council, which voted on June 8 to have RAA be the main point of contact for medical calls instead of having them routed through the city’s own emergency call center. Read more here.

Danny Avula hosted his mayoral counterparts. This is where he took them

Richmond Mayor Danny Avula led a bus tour of the city’s public-private partnerships last Wednesday night, part of an event the city hosted for mayors from around the country.

City leaders showcased landmarks like CoStar’s 26-story office tower, Allianz Amphitheater and CarMax Park, putting a focus on projects done collaboratively with the private sector that they said reflect Richmond’s growth and investment.

They also spoke of their desire to do more in the downtown area, including the upcoming demolition of the Richmond Coliseum. Read more here.

In other news

The editor's desk

We'll be back in your inbox later this morning with a very special announcement about the future of The Richmonder. Stay tuned!

Michael Phillips, founder
mphillips@richmonder.org

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