Sept. 24 Newsletter: Towing, taxes and transparency
Weather: Feels like summer: High of 85 with some late-afternoon storms.
On this date in 1930, Virginia tobacco farmers band together to create a selling co-op after a bumper crop of 737.8 million pounds leads to a drop in prices.
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.
City Council updates
After spirited discussion, Council delays vote on real estate tax rate: Richmond's City Council heard a presentation from the city's top executives warning of the dangers of lowering the real estate tax rate, but ultimately elected not to take action on the issue Monday, deferring it to the Oct. 14 meeting.
City Council OKs budget transparency measure to publicize department funding requests: The Richmond City Council and the general public will gain access to more details about the city’s budgeting process under a transparency measure approved Monday night over the objections of Mayor Danny Avula’s administration.
Council committee puts brakes on private towing fee hikes: A City Council committee delayed a vote on a proposal to let towing companies increase their fees for removing vehicles from private property from $135 to $195 after members said they hadn’t been given enough time to consider the idea.
James River Writers Conference brings together Richmond's literary scene
In recent years, conference attendees have visited from as far away as Texas, California, Canada, and Alaska. “We do have a national reputation. I think Richmond is getting known for being an artistic community.” This year's conference takes place in two weeks. Read more here.
School Board considers a public-facing maintenance tracker to demonstrate progress on facilities
The RPS facilities team receives about 13,000 work order requests per year. There is an internal tracker monitoring those projects, but nothing public facing.
Ali Faruk introduced the proposal, which would display all projects capital improvement funds are used for during a school year. Read more here.
Today's sponsor:
Tiny Virginia Commonwealth University invention could put a wrap on one of surgery’s painstaking challenges
In developing Nerve Tape, VCU Health surgeon-researcher Jonathan Isaacs created a simple, suture-free solution for repairing severed nerves. When faced with repairing severed peripheral nerves even the most skilled surgeons could only promise a 50-50 chance at full recovery. “Fifty percent. That’s been the reality for decades,” Isaacs said. “That wasn’t good enough.” With VCU’s support, Isaacs was able to work with a medical device partner, moving his idea into production. Nerve Tape has now been used in more than 2,500 surgeries. Read more.
In other news
- Rudi Johnson, former NFL running back from Chesterfield, dies of apparent suicide at 45 (NBC News)
- Chesterfield school board election for Dot Heffron's seat set for 2026 (Axios)
- Nexstar stations, including Richmond's ABC affiliate, will continue preempting ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after reinstatement (8 News)
The editor's desk
Sarah Vogelsong's story about finding a new home for Richmond's police horses garnered a lot of attention and feedback last week. I also learned that the department produces trading cards of all three horses, though unlike the baseball cards of my youth, stale gum is not included.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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