June 25 Newsletter: New fire house opens; ICE in Chesterfield
Weather: Can we get to 100 degrees? It'll be close.
On this date in 2001, City Council elections are moved from April to November to coincide with national elections. Mayor Tim Kaine lobbied for the switch.
New building honors fire department's history
The Fire Department will cut the ribbon Wednesday morning on a snazzy new building that replaces what had been the city’s oldest fire station, one that dated to an era when fire wagons were drawn by horses.
There are a number of other modern amenities as well, and neighbors said they welcome the return of the firefighters to the community, as well as the reopening of nearby Addison Street, which had been closed for two years. Read more here.
More headlines
Chesterfield official says ICE detained 14 people at the county courthouse
The 14 were making court appearances for misdemeanor and felony violations. A Richmond official said there has been no such activity at the city's courthouse.
Audit finds ‘significant weaknesses’ with Richmond’s government purchasing cards
The program, instituted in 2018, found at least $5 million in "questionable expenses," including a $1,423 catered lunch for 14 employees and a suit that was purchased for $480.
Middle school basketball standout dies
Jaylen Martinez, a middle schooler at Liberty Middle School in Ashland, died in what Henrico police believe was "an accidental self-inflicted shooting."
How long will Richmond's heat wave last?
Meteorologist Sean Sublette notes that over the last century, we average one day a year of 100 degrees or more. We'll take a run at exceeding that this summer.
Council recap: Speed camera resolution passes, vote on residency rules delayed
The Richmond City Council voted Monday to unanimously approve a resolution expressing support for more speed cameras in the city.
Richmond says there’s no parking enforcement on Juneteenth, but some cars got ticketed anyway
Before the mistake was caught, 22 tickets were issued and two vehicles were towed. Those tickets will be voided, and the towing fees were reimbursed.
In other news
- Never Mind Jim Duncan – Let’s See What the Kiosk Says: Richmond’s Long-Vanished Source for Weather Forecasting. (Shockoe Examiner)
- FEMA adds 180 Richmond sites to flood zones (Axios)
- Developer Chris Harrison gets 6-year prison sentence in Model Tobacco embezzlement case (BizSense)
The editor's desk
The weather forecasters take an undeserved share of the blame on days like this, so let's balance it out by saluting Andrew Freiden on making swim meet history Monday night at Avalon — logging the exact same time as the other two timers twice in one night. It was an honor to be in the building as history was made.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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