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March 13 Newsletter: Baseball and budgets

Weather: A high of 54 caps the craziest weather week in a while.

On this date in 1995, the Richmond Renegades hockey team is invited to join the AHL, the top minor-league system, but ultimately elects not to, in part because of a reported six-figure fee.

Richmond EDA approves deal allowing VCU to play at CarMax Park, but agreement with Squirrels is still required

Despite the January breakdown of negotiations between VCU and the Flying Squirrels over use of Richmond’s new baseball stadium, Richmond’s Economic Development Authority is moving forward with a lease that will let the university play at the new CarMax Park. 

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But EDA officials said the VCU lease would be conditioned on the university and the Squirrels reaching their own deal, known as a use agreement.

The EDA also agreed to increase its contribution to stadium development from roughly $114 million to $120 million, using money that was slated for environmental work but not needed. Read more here.

Avula presents $1.1B budget proposal In ‘constrained’ year for City Hall

Richmond residents won’t see their tax rates go up under the new budget Mayor Danny Avula proposed Wednesday, but the plan includes increases in utility rates that would drive up the average bill by almost $14 per month.

  • Avula is proposing 6.73% average raises for sworn police and fire personnel. For union workers in other collective bargaining units, the mayor is suggesting a 3.25% increase, which will also apply to non-union employees doing work similar to unionized counterparts.
  • For non-union employees in the upper management ranks, there will be no immediate raise. Instead, that group will receive a 3% raise that would be delayed until January 2027. Read more here.

RPD has spent $1 million on Flock license-plate readers. With those contracts up for renewal, anti-surveillance activists call for cancellation while Mayor, Council demur

Since 2024, the Richmond Police Department has spent over a million dollars on a controversial, artificial-intelligence-powered surveillance system, a Richmonder analysis of public records revealed. 

Opponents cite abuses of the Flock system, while police say the system has helped them find suspects faster. Read more on the debate here.

Manchester girls fall in state title game

State title season is underway at the Siegel Center, and Manchester saw an early deficit turn into a ferocious comeback on Thursday before ultimately falling short against Osbourn Park.

This was the Lancers’ fourth consecutive trip to the state championship game. Read more here.

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Also in Sports: 66 years ago, Highland Springs went on a magic run for its first boys basketball state title

In other news

The editor's desk

Greetings from Pittsburgh, where VCU plays basketball tonight. The people here are still ruining sandwiches by putting french fries on them.

Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org

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