Oct. 9 Newsletter: Audiobook club

Weather: Conditions remain lovely until the remnants of Hurricane Isaias arrive late Saturday afternoon, with rain expected all day Sunday.

On this date in 1962, counties ask the state to redistribute sales tax collection by population, not by purchase location, to correct what they perceive to be a lack of proper funding for their needs.

Today's newsletter sponsored by Virginia Commonwealth University. As a top 20% global university, Virginia Commonwealth University is an unparalleled powerhouse of innovation and creative problem solving. VCU attacks challenges as opportunities. It's truly a university unlike any you’ve ever seen.

At audiobook club, a solitary hobby becomes a group connector

The group, organized by Breelyn Lester, listens to audiobooks while walking and soaking up nature.

Lester, who works as a nurse at VCU, said she researches the outdoor spaces before the walks and will often pose related questions.

The audiobook club walks aren’t rigid. There’s no set pace. Breaks are encouraged because they lead to discussions. Read more here.

‘This is going to be life-changing’: Chesterfield to open the area’s first publicly run domestic violence shelter

When someone in Chesterfield needs to leave an abusive relationship, finding a safe place to go can be nearly as difficult as making the decision.

That’s the gap the county hopes to close with its first publicly operated domestic violence shelter, a roughly 16-bed facility expected to open in early 2028.

The shelter will be completely county-run with volunteer help. To the organizers' knowledge, this is the first publicly run shelter in the region. Read more here.

Three mixed-use projects moving forward near VUU could transform an auto shop-dominated stretch of Lombardy    

A local businessman is moving forward with a 2023 plan to redevelop properties on both sides of N. Lombardy into two five-story mixed-use buildings with a combined 249 apartments.

The buildings would replace a now-shuttered animal hospital and a string of automotive businesses.

Farther down the street, Virginia Union University is also moving forward with its plans to redevelop the former Budget Motel site at the intersection of North Lombardy and Brook Road. Read more here.

Folk Fest is back for its 22nd year. Here's what you need to know.

A Richmond tradition, the three-day Folk Festival will return this weekend to the riverfront, drawing an estimated 200,000 people over its three days.

The festival is free to attend but a donation of $10 per person, per day is requested. For the second year, the festival's footprint will include the Allianz Amphitheater, though the venue's clear bag policy continues to apply throughout the weekend. Read more, including Saturday's tribute to D'Angelo.

High school football games of the week

• Douglas Freeman at Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m., Hovey Field, Virginia Union: TeeJay’s defense has come alive in recent weeks, but the Vikings played on Monday night.
• L.C. Bird at Manchester, 7 p.m.: With a win, the Skyhawks would vault into the conversation for at least third place in the region.
• Collegiate at Benedictine, 4 p.m.: This is the biggest test yet for the undefeated Cougars.

Today's sponsor:

How VCU and the community work together to bring about positive change

“Community engagement is the pathway through which we connect the work that we do at an academic institution to real community impact, to making a difference,” said Maghboeba Mosavel, Ph.D., VCU vice provost, community engagement. “We do this through engagement with our partners and communities and through the relationships embedded in that engagement.”

“VCU brings research, students, expertise and resources into our partnerships,” she said. “Our communities also bring tremendous knowledge, strengths, resources and opportunities that benefit VCU and our students.” Read more.

In other news

• Eleanor Ipson, wife of Holocaust survivor and museum founder Jay Ipson, dies at 87
  • When Jay proposed, “Her dad said no, she said yes, her dad said no, she said yes, and she left,” her daughter recalled.
• Former VCU Baseball player, Marine captain dies in training incident (8News)
  • Pearson died Saturday night at 30 years old after “an unexpected training incident.”
• Richmond housing authority says development arm not subject to public oversight, FOIA (Times-Dispatch)
  • The Richmond Development Corporation was at the heart of controversy over the planned redevelopment of Gilpin Court.
• Hardywood taps C’ville rival Starr Hill Brewery for first major acquisition (Richmond BizSense)
  • Hardywood Park Craft Brewery has acquired Charlottesville-based Starr Hill Brewery for an undisclosed amount, the companies announced.
• Haynes Furniture and The Dump to close (FurnitureToday)
  • The going-out-of-business sales began at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The editor's desk

Haynes Furniture leaves behind a 128-year legacy of serving Virginia, and a Guinness record for consecutive number of weeks hosting THE BIGGEST SALE EVER.

Michael Phillips, founder
mphillips@richmonder.org

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