May 18 Newsletter: Tearing down the Coliseum
Weather: The mini-heat wave continues with a high of 92.
On this date in 1976, Virginia Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. announces he will run for re-election as an independent. He is one of only three senators to twice win election as an independent, along with Maine's Angus King and Vermont's Bernie Sanders.
Today's newsletter sponsored by Manchester Spotlight: River views and rooftop pools are just the start of what the Manchester neighborhood has to offer!
Convention center authority OKs drawing up of ‘demolition documents’ for Coliseum
Tearing down the 55-year-old downtown arena, which has sat vacant since 2019, has been a slow process.
The Greater Richmond Convention Center has long envisioned the site as the location of a “headquarters hotel” that its leaders say is necessary to attract more and larger events to the city. Read more here.
City agrees to forgive first wave of tickets for parking in bike lane buffers
Because of a lack of warning, the city has agreed to stop issuing tickets for the rest of May to cars parking in the buffer zones meant to separate bike lanes from the regular flow of traffic. Any tickets issued so far will be forgiven, according to the city, and anyone who has already paid a $65 ticket can get a refund.
Ticketing will resume on June 1, and parking in the bike lane itself remains illegal and will be ticketed. Read more here.
Richmond collects $5.6 million related to delinquent taxes from short-term rentals
The Finance Department is estimating that tax payments from short-term rentals will produce roughly $2 million annually going forward.
The number of accounts that were delinquent wasn’t immediately available, nor was it clear whether the payments came from individual property owners operating short-term rentals or the platforms through which they rented them. Read more here.
In first few months, Richmond’s red-light cameras caught 18,137 vehicles
After a little less than three months in operation, the city’s four fully operational red-light cameras have issued 18,137 warnings and citations, according to data city officials provided this week.
The two cameras located on Northside’s Laburnum Avenue were the last of the original four installed, but had the highest rates of red-light running. Read more here.
Richmond Bocce League is building a following around the popular lawn game
Former Richmonder David Pope started the league in 2022, citing the ease of learning and playing the game. The league meets at Hardywood's West Creek brewery and at Stony Point. Read more here.
Today's sponsor:
Make Manchester your new home
Manchester is an energized neighborhood just south of the James River in Downtown Richmond, known for its riverfront views and ever-growing lineup of things to do. With easy access to Belle Isle, Brown’s Island, and Downtown, plus a mix of local restaurants, breweries, shops, and arts spaces, it’s a go-to spot for exploring year-round. Read more here.
In other news
- Mills Godwin soars in senior night baseball victory
- Pitcher Eli Macturk held Glen Allen to one run in six innings, and hit two home runs himself.
- NextEra Energy Is Said to Be in Talks to Acquire Dominion (Bloomberg)
- The Florida-based energy company is reportedly looking for access to the nation's largest electric grid, which stretches from Washington to Chicago.
- Pedestrian hit and killed by driver during protest near Libbie Mill (CBS 6)
- Henrico Police confirmed the 74-year-old was part of a gathering in the area.
The editor's desk
Scenes from a weekend trip to Texas. We may not have the most pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, but at least we don't have this.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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