March 12 Newsletter: The shrinking pharmacy scene
Weather: Best day of the week. Sunny with a high of 72.
On this date in 1991, basketball analyst Dick Vitale declares that No. 2 seed Syracuse will be "chewing on some Maalox" having to play Richmond in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. The Spiders then become the first team to win as a 15 seed.
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For residents of Manchester, Fulton and Highland Park, pharmacies are increasingly hard to reach
When pharmacies close, nearby residents lose more than just easy access to medication. Pharmacists also provide advice, vaccines, and a trusted face.
But between 2011 and 2021, almost a third of U.S. pharmacies closed, according to a new study. Market leaders CVS and Walgreens both plan to shrink further in 2025.
Read about the implications, and which neighborhoods are feeling the impact the most, here.
Pending Virginia budget gives Richmond bigger boost in Rosie’s gambling revenue
In a story The Richmonder has been following nearly since our inception, Richmond is one step closer to reclaiming millions of dollars in tax revenue that currently go to New Kent County.
- The current system requires a 50-50 split of every local tax dollar from Rosie's, meaning New Kent — because of its status as the home of the Colonial Downs horse racing track — collects just as much revenue from the Richmond Rosie’s as Richmond does.
For the most recent budget year, this would have let Richmond keep all $7.5 million in local revenue generated from the facility instead of only getting half that amount. The budget still has to be signed by the governor. Read more here.
After audit found lax oversight of Richmond’s grants to nonprofits, the city will now call them gifts
After an audit faulted City Hall for its sloppy process in giving public funds to charitable organizations, officials say they’re going to stop calling the payments grants and instead treat them as donations.
- Grant funding often comes with clearly defined rules about how it can be used, while donations are a more open-ended form of financial support.
City Auditor Riad Ali said it was “important to note” that the city should keep tabs on the money no matter how it’s labeled.
Read more, including a potential 'revamp' that would be two years away.
Jerry Lindquist: In a family of lawyers, Rally Axselle became a standout basketball coach
His dad was a lawyer and member of the General Assembly. His father-in-law was a lawyer, then judge. And his wife is a lawyer as well.
But Rally Axselle is making a name for himself in hoops, and has Atlee High School one win away from its first-ever boys basketball state title. Read more here.
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In brief
- Traffic was delayed for most of the day on southbound I-95 Tuesday in Henrico County after an excavator hit an overpass, leading to secondary crashes involving five vehicles, according to the Virginia State Police, which reported no serious injuries.
- VCU and the Richmond Police Department will conduct an active shooter training today on the Monroe Park campus.
- An inmate at the Richmond City Jail died on Sunday night, according to a release from the Sheriff's Office. No name or details were released.
In other news
- Plans to bring back racing to Southside Speedway revealed, but no opening date yet (NBC 12)
- Why is Virginia a Dillon Rule state? (VPM)
- Maymont mourns death of Erin the Irish Dexter cow (8 News)
The editor's desk
Southside Speedway was the site of one of my very first reporting assignments in Richmond, and has a place in motor racing lore. But with NASCAR interest declining over the past two decades, the new operating group will face an uphill battle to generate interest in a part of Chesterfield that has also changed dramatically.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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