July 31 Newsletter: Richmond's Mexican food family
Weather: High of 89 with humidity relatively low.
On this date in 1940, new Virginia laws require marriage applicants to be tested for syphilis.
‘It’s in our DNA’: Meet the four siblings responsible for some of Richmond’s best Mexican food
You may not know their names, but you’re probably familiar with their food.
Since 1995, the Benavides family has been a part of Richmond’s culinary scene. Today, all four siblings work in the food industry, each bringing their own unique character to places like Cochiloco, Abuelitas and El Cerro Azul.
Their parents owned a restaurant in Jalisco, Mexico, and their grandmother had a cart in town where she sold candy and tostadas. Read more and meet the siblings here.
Waldorf school plan to buy land off Brookland Parkway for parking lot riles neighbors
Since 2022, a turning lane from Robin Hood Road to Brookland Parkway in Richmond’s Northside that wraps around two sides of the Richmond Waldorf School has been blocked off with temporary posts.
With no plans to reopen the lane, the Waldorf School last year asked the city to formally close the right of way and sell it to the school, along with an adjoining triangle of grass that had separated the turning lane from the two streets.
After a presentation to the neighborhood Civic Association, the school appeared to have support for its plans. But that is no longer the case. Read more here.
Backers of Family Justice Center to seek $2 million from city for startup costs next year
A proposal to set up a “one-stop shop” for victims of domestic or sexual partner violence to get services without having to go to numerous different agencies will cost an estimated $2 million to get off the ground.
Currently, victims in Richmond have to seek services from a multitude of places, requiring them to repeat an account of their experiences again and again as they seek medical care, get a protective order, talk with investigators, notify the public schools about their children’s changed circumstances, arrange new housing and transportation and seek counseling. Read more here.
Richmond officials break ground on 276-unit Diamond District apartment building
The $80 million building, expected to be completed in 2028, will be named Dōma, a play on the word domecile.
“It'll be the kind of place that people want to live and work and spend time with, and that attracts more people to Richmond as they come to catch a ball game,” Mayor Danny Avula said. Read more here.
Chesterfield cuts the ribbon on Deep Creek, opening its 41st elementary school
The two-story, $52 million school was built to welcome 1,000 students starting this August. This is Chesterfield’s 41st elementary school. (For comparison, Henrico has 46 and Richmond City has 28.)
The school's mascot was revealed as well, and will be a fox. Read more, and look inside the school, here.
Whether it's archery or baking, Amanda Robinson makes space for others
Robinson's Virago Alley was the nonprofit that staged the inaugural Richmond Ren Faire at Dorey Park this past April. The two-day event was a wild success, selling out all of its 17,000 tickets.
After starting Gallery 5, Robinson left to start a custom cake and dessert business, Sweet Fix.
This weekend, Virago Alley will hold Warriors in Bloom at Agecroft Hall. On Sept. 4, Virago Alley will host a grand opening of its new space in collaboration with Gallery 5. Read more here.
In other news
- Richmond Christmas Parade flips its route for 2026 (Axios Richmond)
- Beginning this year, the parade will start at the Children's Hospital of Richmond instead of the Science Museum.
- Joe Morrissey withdraws slander suit after heated two-day trial (Petersburg Progress-Index)
- At one point, Morrissey was called down by a bailiff for trying to talk over the judge. He withdrew after being told he could not call witnesses who had been excused from testifying.
- Jesse Welles reschedules Lewis Ginter show in solidarity with striking workers (RVA Hub)
- The well-known social activist singer said he will move his concert to The National.
The editor's desk
Some of you originally know me as the sports guy, and this week I officially signed off my radio show on 910 The Fan to devote more time to The Richmonder as we continue to grow. If you want to take a trip down Washington Football Team memory lane with me, you can do so here (Apple, Spotify).
If you love local news and have development experience, you can check out The Richmonder's latest job listings here!
Michael Phillips, founder
mphillips@richmonder.org
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