June 24 Newsletter: Mayo's missing piece
Weather: The humidity is briefly gone, and today's high of 84 should be pleasant.
On this date in 1974, news radio WRVA's traffic helicopter returns to the skies after crashing a month earlier.
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.
Land conservancy buys last privately owned part of Mayo Island
The purchase sets the stage for Richmond to own the island in its entirety as it is turned from an industrial site into a large public park.
Mayor Danny Avula called the acquisition “critical to the ongoing effort to transform Mayo’s Island into a vibrant public park and riverfront destination.”
State budget deal includes $15M to help Richmond demolish coliseum
The budget also includes $20 million to help fix the water treatment plant, and $50 million for the ongoing combined sewer overflow project.
“I’m confident that folks see the value of supporting the capital city,” Bagby said. “Oftentimes, as the capital city goes with economic development, so goes the commonwealth.” Read more here.
DPW had to retrieve 3,400 illegally dumped tires last year. It hopes cameras could help.
As Richmond continues to pour time and money into cleaning up illegally dumped trash and tires, the Department of Public Works is hoping that putting cameras at the most active dumpsites could help deter bad actors.
Council rejects proposals to create new layer of review for code refresh
The Richmond City Council voted Monday to reject a pair of proposals that could have slowed down the city’s code refresh initiative by creating a new process for citizen review.
Councilor Ellen Robertson (6th District), who serves on the Zoning Advisory Council, said the city has already taken several steps to respond to citizen input, including adding more members to the advisory council that already exists. Read more here.
In show of unity, city officials unanimously approve tweaks to collective bargaining rules
The changes broaden what city unions can bargain over to include procedures for how public workers are chosen for promotions and transfers.
Rules for work assignments and scheduling were also added to the collective bargaining framework ahead of an upcoming round of labor negotiations. 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
- Teachers’ union declares impasse in negotiating with RPS, will head to mediation
- The union rejected an RPS proposal for 2% raises, saying the offer is less than inflation.
- Chesterfield taps Kalamazoo’s Kevin Catlin for county leadership (VPM)
- The 35-year-old will begin work on Aug. 24.
- SwimRVA-North remains closed after death of 9-year-old boy (CBS 6)
- A medical examiner report confirmed that King Overton's death was a drowning.
The editor's desk
Tomorrow night is the public debut of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture's "IllumiNATION" project, which will run nightly all weekend long in front of the building. Arthur Ashe Boulevard will be closed each evening to facilitate the event.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
Sent this by a friend? Sign up for our free thrice-weekly newsletter here.
Do you enjoy The Richmonder? Join us as a donor and we'll send you a hat or mug!
