> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.richmonder.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # July 4 Newsletter: At the midway point of 2025 - URL: https://www.richmonder.org/july-4-newsletter-at-the-midway-point-of-2025/ - Published: 2025-07-04T10:00:08.000Z - Updated: 2025-07-05T14:27:49.000Z - Description: Our most-read stories so far this year the year, minus the water. We're looking back at six months of articles from around Richmond, with some features you may have missed along the way. - Author: Michael Phillips - Tags: Newsletter The Richmonder's staff is off today for the holiday, as we prepare for what the final six months of the year will bring. Barring something major happening, it feels like the theme of the year locally will be water, with a pair of water crises overshadowing pretty much everything else happening around town, and making an impact on local politics. On this Fourth of July, we're grateful to our more than 1,000 donors and members, who are the reason we can keep The Richmonder's reporting free to all on our website. If you're not already a member, now's a great time to pledge your support for trustworthy, nonpartisan reporting in Richmond. [Become a member ](#/portal/signup) A true listing of our most-read stories would be dominated by water. We took those stories out, and invite you to catch up on some of the other articles that have resonated most with Richmonder readers over the past six months. [Richmond police chief reveals he got speeding ticket from one of his own officersNear the end of a briefing Thursday on Richmond’s annual crime statistics, Police Chief Rick Edwards voluntarily revealed he had his own brush with the law the day before. While heading to a meeting in his police vehicle on Wednesday, Edwards said, one of his own officers pulled him![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-161.png)The RichmonderGraham Moomaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/DSCF8453.jpeg)](https://www.richmonder.org/richmond-police-chief-reveals-he-got-speeding-ticket-from-one-of-his-own-officers/) [What’s going on with Secret Sandwich Society?A licensing dispute that involves the alleged use of an “unauthorized bun” is threatening to shutter one of Richmond’s popular sandwich shops.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-162.png)The RichmonderSarah Vogelsong![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_0069-1.jpeg)](https://www.richmonder.org/whats-going-on-with-secret-sandwich-society/) [Government expert Bill Leighty says VCU’s Wilder School fired him after dispute over ‘gotcha’ question for Richmond mayor“The bottom line is Doug Wilder uses the Wilder School as his perch to throw slings and arrows at people who he thinks don’t agree with him or don’t like what he has to say.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-163.png)The RichmonderGraham Moomaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_7850.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/government-expert-bill-leighty-says-vcus-wilder-school-fired-him-after-dispute-over-gotcha-question-for-richmond-mayor/) [Harrison Ruffin Tyler, grandson of 10th U.S. president and longtime Richmonder, dies at 96The Richmond resident, preservationist and chemical engineer, for whom William & Mary’s history department is named, also had the distinction of being the grandson of a man who became U.S. president in 1841.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-160.png)The RichmonderSarah Vogelsong![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/tyler.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/harrison-ruffin-tyler-grandson-of-10th-u-s-president-and-longtime-richmonder-dies-at-96/) [Richmond couple creates nonprofit to help current and future HBCU studentsKristen Johnson describes HBCUs as a “national treasure,” and wants to help their students thrive after being so impacted in her college years.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-159.png)The RichmonderKendall Taylor![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/_1091123.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/richmond-couple-creates-nonprofit-to-help-current-and-future-hbcu-students-2/) [One of the world’s biggest collections of BMX bikes is in Richmond’s East EndIn Richmond’s East End lies a museum dedicated to all things BMX – including more than 300 bikes.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-165.png)The RichmonderIan Stewart![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/IMG_9036.jpeg)](https://www.richmonder.org/bmx-museum-in-richmonds-east-end/) [Richmond has identified 539 vacant buildings this year. Here’s where they are.To be classified as vacant, a building has to be “completely unoccupied,” according to the city.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-164.png)The RichmonderSarah Vogelsong![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-05-11-at-7.41.59-AM.png)](https://www.richmonder.org/richmond-has-identified-539-vacant-buildings-this-year-heres-where-they-are/) [‘It’s been crazy’: Map of Richmond’s shop cats a smash hit as initial printing goes fastThe map doubles as a passport of sorts: map holders can get their maps stamped at participating businesses to denote that they’ve visited each cat.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-166.png)The RichmonderRich Griset![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/2935813730489675869.jpeg)](https://www.richmonder.org/its-been-crazy-map-of-richmonds-shop-cats-a-smash-hit-as-initial-printing-goes-fast/) [As design committee OKs revised Brown’s Island plan, members weigh corporate vibe vs. ‘wildness’What started as a push to plant more trees on the man-made island has evolved into a bigger project.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-167.png)The RichmonderGraham Moomaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/Browns-Island-Plan-Update-01-30-2025-20.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/as-design-committee-oks-revised-browns-island-plan-members-weigh-corporate-vibe-vs-wildness/) [Tiny homes could be Richmond’s newest strategy to fight homelessnessA gated community of tiny homes earmarked for chronically homeless people could be headed to Richmond.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-168.png)The RichmonderSarah Vogelsong![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/F1EA0F29-5A54-48BE-B002-3DC3CE318982.jpeg)](https://www.richmonder.org/tiny-homes-could-be-richmonds-newest-strategy-to-fight-homelessness/) [THE NEXT 50 YEARS: Richmond’s zoning overhaul envisions a denser city. What will that look like?Leaders of the effort say density will mean different things in different neighborhoods.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-169.png)The RichmonderSarah Vogelsong![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/zoningpuzzle2-2.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/the-next-50-years-richmonds-zoning-overhaul-envisions-a-denser-city-what-will-that-look-like/) [New Mayo Island park ‘on track’ to open in fall of 2026A plan to turn Richmond’s Mayo Island into a mostly natural park is still on schedule to be completed by the fall of 2026.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-170.png)The RichmonderGraham Moomaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-05-15-at-3.36.08-PM.png)](https://www.richmonder.org/new-mayo-island-park-on-track-to-open-in-fall-of-2026/) [‘Brilliant at the basics’: How one elementary school is beating the trends and boosting literacy rates“One of the best things about teaching first grade is that you get to see their world just open up.”![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-171.png)The RichmonderVictoria A. Ifatusin![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/_LHJ-21.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/brilliant-at-the-basics-how-one-elementary-school-is-beating-the-trends-and-boosting-literacy-rates/) [Discovery of 742 potential graves raises new questions about how to handle Confederate marker in ManchesterThe situation is “so much bigger than anyone imagined,” said one advocate.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/icon/apple-touch-icon-1-172.png)The RichmonderGraham Moomaw![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/thumbnail/tempImage19I3c9--1-.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/discovery-of-742-potential-graves-raises-new-questions-about-how-to-handle-confederate-marker-in-manchester/) --- *Editor Michael Phillips is out of office.* Sent this by a friend? 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