May 5 Newsletter: Bus station advertising arrives
Weather: Evening showers keep things cool. High of 75.
On this date in 2011, the House of Representatives votes to explore drilling for oil off Virginia’s coast as gas prices near $4 a gallon. No drilling ends up taking place, nor has any ever occurred off Virginia's shores.
GRTC will allow ads at bus stops to help subsidize free fares
The bus company will soon display advertisements on bus stops, stations, benches and trash cans.
- Revenue will go towards continuing the pandemic-era program where all bus rides are free.
- GRTC has committed to being fare-free through the end of the next budget, which runs through June 2026.
Neighbors move to drop lawsuit against VMFA art warehouse plan
After losing a zoning appeal, a group of Museum District residents have moved to drop their lawsuit challenging a Virginia Museum of Fine Arts plan to build an art storage warehouse on a mostly residential city block.
The 12,000-square foot storage facility is expected to be completed later this year.
As Kings Dominion celebrates its 50th birthday, superfans say the park’s value helps set it apart
Norman Shumake has been going to Kings Dominion for 49 years.
“I remember getting passes when I was five or six years old. I remember going to JCPenney at Regency Square and getting our pictures taken for the passes, probably in the early 1980s,” he said.
- The park's celebration comes one year after a merger with Six Flags, which oversees 51 properties nationally.
- Neighboring Busch Gardens also turns 50 this year.
Read more on Kings Dominion's history here.
Urban Hope offers a unique affordable housing model in Richmond's East End
The faith-based group was founded 25 years ago by a group of local Black pastors and other faith leaders in Church Hill, Urban Hope arose in response to the rapid rise of gentrification.
It currently manages 41 rental units, which are rented out for no more than 30% of a family's income.
In other news
- On a CBS 6 podcast, Levar Stoney says because he wasn't at the plant during the water crisis, he doesn't have much knowledge of what happened that day (CBS 6)
- Youngkin's $900 million in budget cuts include state funding for VCU purchase of Altria research facility (VPM)
- RVA Bike Month continues with a week of activities (Sports Backers)
The editor's desk
Tucked at the end of his Sunday piece was a note from longtime Times-Dispatch political writer Jeff Schapiro that it was his final column for the newspaper. Schapiro, like Tyler Whitley before him, set the tone for the paper's political coverage and was a fountain of institutional knowledge. Schapiro said he will be joining Radio IQ as a part-time analyst.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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