Get ready to get active..in your community! 9th District Councilman Doug Conner is hosting a Civic Association Workshop on Saturday, July 9 from 10:00am-2:00pm as a way to help encourage more Richmond residents to get active in their local neighborhoods. So whether you’re already helping to run a civic association or want to learn more about getting involved in your area, plan to attend this important upcoming meeting.

Civic Association Workshop
Saturday, July 9, 2011
10:00am – 2:00pm
Southside Services Center, 4100 Hull Street Rd
Free parking available next to the building

RSVP by Friday, July 1 to: 804.646.8325 or 804.869.0215

Please see the city’s website for more information on current City of Richmond Civic Associations.

“To establish and enhance associations in our communities that are board-driven, all-volunteer, member supported organizations whose goals are to promote and sustain vital, livable neighborhoods. Help us to help you!”

“Fireworks on the James”
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Brown’s Island in Downtown Richmond
Brown’s Island Opens at 6:00 PM
Entertainment Begins at 7:30 PM
Fireworks to begin at approximately 9:30 PM

Make your holiday plans by reading the story in Richmond.com or go to the event website for complete details.

From the “Fireworks on the James” website:

RVA Fireworks on the James is a FREE “Patriotic Family Fun” event that will feature performances by SPARC (School of Performing Arts in the Richmond Community), the Richmond Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Richmond Ballet’s “Minds in Motion.” Food Vendors will be on Brown’s Island and the public is invited to bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy music during the evening and see the state’s largest fireworks display provided by Grucci, the “Top Name in Fireworks in the World.”

Meeting Agenda:

5:00pm-5:30pm – 9th District Police Report
5:30-6:30pm – Updates on new city jail, community gardens, civic association workshop  pre-introduction
6:30pm – Community Dinner provided

Meeting Location:

WWBT-12 has the story here

The fire happened at 1:30 am this morning, Wednesday, April 27, 2011 in the 100 block of East Broad Rock Road and Lawson Street, just off of Hull Street Road. The family is currently staying at a local hotel and receiving support from the Red Cross. Richmond Fire Department says that there were few flames so the fire was thankfully put out quickly. The smoke detectors were not working it seems, which gives us a good reminder to check ours!

Congratulations go out to Richmond’s young swimmers!
The City’s Parks & Recs Department recently announced some great news for Richmond youth…

Richmond Swim Team Wins Championship

Richmond, VA – The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ competitive youth swim team, the Richmond Racers, won the Virginia Community Swim League Championship (VCSL) in the Saturday, March 26 competition at the department’s Swansboro Pool.

Approximately 143 swimmers on teams from Hampton, Norfolk, Poquoson and Richmond competed in the event in front of a packed house.

In the end, the Richmond Racers scored a total of 705 points to win the championship title. The Hampton Sharks scored 585 points to place second, with the Norfolk Silver Dolphins taking third and the Poquoson Riptides placing fourth.

The Richmond Racers have dominated the VCSL Championships every year since it was founded in 1992. During this time, the team has never placed less than second.

http://www.nbc12.com/story/14510455/police-investigate-shooting-on-belt-boulevard

Agenda:
Richmond Police Department Monthly Report 5:00-5:30pm
Meeting 5:30-6:30pm
Community Dinner 6:30-7:00pm

Read more at Richmond.com

The March Community Meeting will be held March 22, 2011
5:00pm-6:30pm

Meeting Agenda:
Victoria Oakley on Career and Technical Education
Karen Imes on Foreclosure Prevention
Paula Sherman on HOME

6:30PM—7:00PM 9th District Community Dinner

For More Information, please call Councilman Doug Conner at 804-363-3443

9th District Councilman Doug Conner presided over the February 15, 2011 9th District Community Meeting at Southside Baptist Christian School, which covered the following issues in the community:

-RPD monthly report given by Lt. Angela Greene. One important issue noted is that the curfew for children under 18 is 11:00pm
-Representative Benjamin Lambert unexpectedly appeared and spoke briefly, commending Councilman Conner on the work he’s done in the 9th District.
-John Lewis, Reid Elementary, spoke on Reid Greenhouse Garden project
-Representative, Maritz Feliz-Reyes, from Public Works gave a presentation on Traffic Calming Projects planned for the 9th District.
-Alicia Zatcoff and Dr. Carolyn N. Graham, of City Human Services, gave a presentation on Richmond’s proposed ordinance and plans for community gardens.

Traffic Calming Projects are described as: speed cushions, traffic circles, splitters, chokers and raised crosswalks, and can be found installed around the district. Residential traffic circles have been installed at Boroughbidge Rd and Reedy Ave and and Bassett Ave. Splitters have been installed at Westbook Ave while Chokers – curb extensions that are found all over the Fan and Carytown – are now at Bainbridge sT and 27 St and at Perry St and 29th St. Raised crosswalks have been installed at 10th Street in Manchester. Projects to come include the areas of: Clearfield St between Orcutt Lane and Bryce Lane, Orcutt Lane between Hull St Rd and Booke Rd, and White Oak Dr. Construction expected to be completed in April 2011.

Reid Garden Greenhouse Project is the only greenhouse and community garden on Southside, and has the mission to bring awareness and education about agriculture to children of Reid Elementary and George Wythe High School to assist with crime prevention and encourage a healthy lifestyle. This community-wide project includes support from Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, Communities in Schools, City Parks and Rec, Access in Food, Inc, Richmond Public Schools, and Reid Elementary.

The public is encouraged to support this effort through volunteering or financial support, plus are invited to attend the following events:

March 26 – “Reid Planting Party” – students, parents, partners and community will participate in a gardening activity at Reid Elementary by helping to clean and restore the greenhouse and garden while planting spring crops and flowers.

April 18-22 – “Reid Earth Celebration” – Reid Elementary will be recognizing Earth Day during the week of April 18 by maintaing the greenhouse and garden, hosting Green educational speakers and participating in fun conservation and environmental activities.

June 11 – “Reid Greenhouse Open House” – Students, parents, partners and the community are invited to celebrate the reopening of the newly refurbished Reid Greenhouse and Garden. Participants will help to honor the students that helped coordinate this effort as well as community partners who have helped. Healthy foods and produce will be served.

City of Richmond Community Gardens are on their way to becoming a reality as described by Ms. Alicia Zatcoff in a recent presentation of “Richmond Grows Gardens” which is part of the Mayor’s “Green Richmond Initiative”. As part of the Mayor’s plans to encourage healthy lifestyles, an ordinance will go before City Council on March 28, 2011 designating the creation of official community gardens in the city. Many will be located in the city’s low to mod income areas where few grocery stores are located, but unfortunately no plots were selected in the 9th District during this first round. After research by the City on which empty city lots that have been underutilized, it agrees to give these plots to organizations to manage either as one large plot or to be divided up and rented to many gardeners. There will be permit process including a nominal fee of $50 for the first year and $25 thereafter, and that the managing organization (nonprofit, community association, church, etc) must obtain insurance. While no sites have been chosen in the 9th District, the community is encouraged to recommend potential plots for future consideration.

Information can be obtained at: RichmondGrowsGardens@RichmondGov.com

The March Community Meeting for the 9th District is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 5:00pm
Southside Baptish Christian School
5515 Bryce Lane (just off the 5500 block of Hull Street Road)
Richmond, VA 23224

The incidents occurred at an establishment that has changed names several times in recent years and is currently known as the Dream Club, located at Old Hopkins Road and Walmsley Boulevard.

Richmond police Capt. Paul Kiniry said officers were called to the club twice Sunday night for fight calls, the first of which involved a report of shots fired. Police did not find any gunshot victims but saw a 19-year-old man with dental injuries and head lacerations.

He ran from officers but later was driven by a friend to VCU Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

Police responded to the club a second time and found a 22-year-old man who said he was in the parking lot when he heard shots fired and discovered he had been shot in one ankle. He also was taken to VCU Medical Center for treatment of injuries that were not life-threatening.

Both incidents remain under investigation. Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.

The Richmond Times Dispatch has an initial report here.

WHEN: Thursday, March 17, 2011 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm

WHERE Richmond City Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall, 2nd Floor
900 E. Broad Street, 3^rd Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219

This meeting is free and open to the public and all members of the Greater-Richmond community are invited and encouraged to attend.

WHAT: The Richmond City Council Career and Technical Education Commission will host William E. (Bill) Strickland, Jr., Founder, President and CEO of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation, for a discussion on career and technical education. Considered to be an expert in the field of career and technical education, Mr. Strickland was recently selected by U. S. President Barack H. Obama to serve on the White House Council for Community Solutions and the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Strickland is a MacArthur Fellowship Genus Award winner and the three-time subject of Harvard Business School case studies.

WHO The Honorable Doug Conner, Councilman, Richmond City Council, South Central 9th District; and Chairman, Richmond City Council Career and Technical Education Commission. For more information, please contact The Honorable Doug Conner, Councilman, Richmond City Council, South Central 9th District, at 804.233.8288, or doug.conner@richmondgov.com.

Background on William E. Strickland, Jr.

William E. (Bill) Strickland, Jr. is the Founder, President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation and its subsidiaries, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild (MCG) and Bidwell Training Center (BTC), founded in 1968 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Strickland was recently selected by U. S. President Barack H. Obama to serve on the White House Council for Community Solutions and the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Strickland is a MacArthur Fellowship Genus Award winner and the three-time subject of Harvard Business School case studies.  Mr. Strickland has completed the development of a new 40,000 sq. ft. production greenhouse, created for the development of Phalaenopsis orchids and hydroponics vegetables; a 70,000 sq. ft. medical technology complex, which has exceeded eight million dollars in value; and a 62,000 sq. ft. facility as a mortgage free asset for both MCG and BTC.  The facilities include a 350-seat music/lecture hall, library, arts studios and labs, dining and meeting rooms, state-of-the-art award winning audio and video recording studios, serve as a demonstration site for Hewlett Packard and Steelcase equipment and are home to 25,000 Phalaenopsis orchids that are cultivated for wholesale distribution.

Please find the following video of Mr. Strickland at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_lSduJYbLo&feature=player_embedded

Background on the Richmond City Council Career and Technical Education Commission

Established by Richmond City Council on December 14, 2009 by Council Resolution number 2009-R166-194, the Richmond City Council Career and Technical Education Commission was born out of a Career and Technical Education Task Force organized in 2007 by Councilman Doug Conner. On November 28, 2007, Richmond City Council held a Richmond Regional Forum on Career and Technical Education that included presentations and discussions on model schools from around the country. Since that time the members of the Task Force and Commission have been holding regular organizational and planning meetings.

The goal of the Commission is to explore the development of career and technical education options for K-12^th grade students, young adults, displaced workers and those reentering the workforce and to identify and review various existing career and technical education providers to determine which are employing “best practices” educational and training techniques and which might be the best model for Richmond. The Commission is to provide Richmond Public Schools with its final recommendations concerning the provision of career and technical education within 12 months of the final member being appointed to the Commission. Members of the Commission are still being appointed.

The Richmond City Council Career and Technical Education Commission includes the following 21 members:

• A Member of the Richmond City Council Health, Human Services and Education Standing Committee, who shall serve as Chairman;
• A member of the Richmond Public Schools Board of Trustees;
• A representative from the Richmond Public Schools Administration;
• A representative from the Richmond Public Schools Richmond Technical Center Advisory Board
• A representative from the Richmond Department of Economic Development
• A representative from the Greater Richmond Partnership;
• A representative from the Richmond Capital Regional Workforce Investment Board;
• A representative from the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), a federation of international labor unions.
• A representative from the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce;
• Ten at-large members who shall either be Richmond residents or operated businesses in the city; and
• Two members appointed by the Mayor by letter to the Richmond City Council Office of the City Clerk.

Richmond City Council has previously appropriated $75,000 to assist a study on the ways to enhance vocational and technical education options within the city of Richmond.

*This information has been provided by Councilman Doug Conner.

Tuesday, March 8th 2010
6:00pm—7:30pm

Southside Plaza Services Center
4100 Hull Street Road
Richmond, VA 23224

Special Guests: Michelle Virts, Department of Public Utilities

For more information, please contact Alma Moore at (804) 231-0018

We often get asked for recommendations for what to see, where to shop, and what to eat when in Richmond. So we’re taking this 5th anniversary occasion to share five “Top 5? lists about some of our favorite things in RVA. Are you sensing a “five” theme here? Here’s what we’ve covered:

• 5 Favorite Places to Chow Down
• 5 Favorite Tourist-y Things To Do
• 5 Favorite Ways to Enjoy a Gorgeous Day
• 5 Favorite Places to Score Home Deals
• 5 Favorite Swanky & Inspiring Home Stores

a local community garden

Unfortunately the planned discussion on the Mayor’s Participation and Communications Corps (MPACC) has been cancelled for tonight’s 9th District Meeting, but we will instead be treated to a different interesting issue. Dr. Carolyn Graham, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services, will be speaking on the City’s plans for turning unused city property into Community Gardens and John Lewis will be speaking for the Reid Elementary School Community Garden on Whitehead Road.

So with Richmond’s foodie rage and growing interest in gardening and sustainability, this is a perfect and timely topic of discussion. Everyone is invited to the 9th District Community Meeting Tonight! The meetings start at 5pm with a report from the Richmond Police Department, so the real agenda doesn’t start until around 5:30pm, so please feel free to attend even if you’re running late from work. People come and go throughout the meeting.

Updated Agenda:
5:00PM-6:30PM
Monthly Report from the Richmond Police Department
Southside Richmond Community Gardens
Speed Bump Locations with Public Works
6:30PM—7:00PM 9th District Community Dinner

LOCATION:
Southside Baptist Christian School
5515 Bryce Lane (Off Hull Street Road)
Richmond, VA 23224

For more information, here’s an interesting story from November 2010 that WWBT12 did concerning the Mayor’s nod to more community gardens in the City. These Southside city lots are noted as being considered for this beautiful and useful transformation:

801 West 44th Street
805 West 44th Street
807 West 44th Street
3300 Mcdonough Street
712 West 26th Street
4050 Midlothian Turnpike
1301 Perry Street
3911 Stockton Street
4212 Ferguson Lane
404 East Broad Rock Road

Join Councilman Doug Conner on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 for February’s 9th District Community Meeting.

DATE:
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

LOCATION:
Southside Baptist Christian School
5515 Bryce Lane (Off Hull Street Road)
Richmond, VA 23224

MEETING AGENDA:
5:00pm-6:30pm – Report from Richmond Police Department; Mayor’s Participation and Communication Corps (MPACC)
6:30pm-7:00pm – 9th District Community Dinner

Concerning the meeting’s major topic of discussion (Mayor’s Participation and Communication Corps) below is a statement from the City of Richmond about the Mayor’s initiative to improve communications between neighborhoods and the City.

Dear Community Leader:

As you are aware, the Mayor is dedicated to collaboration, communication and cooperation between Richmond ’s citizens and his administration.  Mayor Jones knows that citizens expect and deserve a responsive government.

Many of you may know about the old “neighborhood teams” process. In an effort to improve upon service delivery and include residents and business owners in the decisions that affect them, Mayor Jones has created the Mayor’s Participation and Communication Corps (MPACC). MPACC is an integral enhancement to the sharing of information and increased community involvement.

MPACC has two major components:

1)       Proactive, service driven initiatives including but not limited to matters relating to land use, public safety, parks and recreation, all of which will strive to improve services and conditions; and

2)       Rapid, courteous responses to your requests for services such as fixing potholes, removing abandoned cars, addressing blighted properties, and cleaning up illegal dump sites.

To make sure services are close to you, MPACC has been organized around the four Richmond Police Department Precinct structure. Each sector within a precinct will have a MPACC Sector Team. Mayor Jones has selected co-chairs from each sector to lead these MPACC Sector teams.

Plaza Drive In

I’ve been thinking about doing a series of interviews with artists/creatives friends who live in our area of Southside for some time. Welcome! I’m finally getting to that plan. My hope is to create a better awareness of the area through the knowledge that great people – people you likely already know – are increasingly making South Richmond their home. It’s easy to forget about the area since our landmarks are fading. I get blank stares until I reference Skateland, Plaza Drive In or Plaza Bowl. It’s easy to drive down Hull Street Road, Janke Road, Broad Rock, or East Belt Boulevard and put blinders on. But off these main roads are numerous, cute 40s-60s era bungalow neighborhoods that house a very large and diverse population. Unfortunately, the City’s south western gateway communities still feel the affects of the City’s annexation of Chesterfield County in 1970 and have slowly been overlooked by other snazzier and richer areas with better representation.

More often though, I find artist friends moving south, generally to get more for their money. Areas like The Fan, Byrd Park or Church Hill that were once student/artist neighborhoods are way to expensive and up and coming areas like Downtown are getting close. So while we’re more reliant on our cars now, we gained driveways to put them in, along with big yards, living space to do with as we wish, and the best mortgage rates in town. The area’s changing for the better thanks to the great people I know who are moving into the area, like my neighbor and well-known Richmond painter, Tommy Van Auken.

Painting of Tommy's Home

I’m excited to start this series with Tommy because Southside has become an inspiration on his paintings. He imparts such soul into the fading and generic structures that we pass by every day, bringing out their most beautiful side. He also generously agreed to allow me to feature images of his gorgeous paintings on our Homepage. You can see these works in person at his upcoming exhibition of nighttime paintings, Recent Works, at the Eric Schindler Gallery in Church Hill (where he’s represented.) The Opening Reception is Friday, February 11, 2011 from 7:00pm-9:00pm and the exhibition continues until March 11, 2011.

So on to the Interview…10 Questions with Tommy Van Auken

Salvage Barn

1. Where in Southside RVA do you live and how would you describe the area?
Off of Hull Street, not far from Plaza Bowl and Skateland. For all the talk about diversity in the world, my street really does have it. We have at least one of every kind, except maybe rich people. I have good neighbors.

2. Why did you decide to move to Southside and how long have you lived here? Do you own or rent?
Frankly, I moved here because it was affordable. In the spirit of full disclosure, technically I rent, but from my mother. One of the “benefits” of piecing together a living as an artist is that it’s pretty hard to get a bank loan. I get the responsibilities of owning without the equity.

3. I’m really excited to see your upcoming exhibition at Eric Schindler Gallery this month; not only because I love your work but because Southside seems to have become the subject of your latest body of work. What’s fascinating about the area to you? What are you hoping to capture/express?

Beauty, or even interest, is where ever a person looks for it. I like looking around at people living thier lives, the regular places we all go. I know there are places nearby that are a little run down, but it wasn’t too many years ago that people thought The Fan as a dump. I like what remains of the Googie architecture, and the optimism it was built to express.

4. While your home in South Richmond has become an influence on your work, have you found any other opportunities in Southside for creativity?
I don’t know if it’s what you mean by an oppurtunity, but I did a couple of programs with Art180 at Henderson Middle School, which is the school for my neighborhood. It made me feel more involved in the place I live, and was very rewarding.

5. Many artists seem to live south of the river. Do you think the area offers anything unique that other areas don’t?
For anyone else who has been priced out of their neighborhood, see my answer to Question 2. Artists need affordable space to live and work in. Some of us also require the best and most authentic tacos late at night, and I can walk to the best ones in town at the Taco Rey, or Mi Casita.

Taco Rey, Hull Street Road

6. What’s the best thing about living south of the river?
Best Mexican/El Salvadorian food, best access to the river and flood wall, best thrift stores, and best Duckpin Bowling.

7. What do you like least about living in Southside and do you have any recommendations for improvements?
I would like our bus system to be able to serve the area more effectively.

8. Do you think that South Richmond, in particular the 9th District, is represented well in the media or by the city?
I can’t say that I pay a lot of attention to the media or local politics.

9. What’s something you’d like to see happen in South Richmond/near your home?
I haven’t asked myself that question since I started seeing Dirt Woman cruising down Hull Street in his mobility scooter.

10.Anything else to add?
Everyone, no matter where you are: take a walk.

Backyard Garden

This is a good story. This guy is a friend of my neighbor, and had brought his tractor over to till my neighbor’s future garden. I asked him how much to till mine, and he just waved and said, “don’t worry about it”. Next thing I knew, there was a tractor in my back yard, tilling a plot twice the size that would have attempted with a rented walk-behind tiller. That’s never going to happen in The Fan.

Artist statement:

As an artist, I see my job as being very much like a scientist’s, except that I deal with the subjective. I try to understand certain elements of my human experience.

Recently, I’ve been focusing on subjects outside of the controlled environment of my studio. I’ve been especially interested in the area I live in, an older suburb, as I see it on walks that I take at night. It is a place that most people would consider mundane, and not at all picturesque. The places where we spend most of our time tend to be the places we actually look at the least.

I work from direct observation and memory. I do not use photographs because they tend to offer the temptation of a simple objective solution that may not relate to my experience. By the same token, I do not see the darkness outside at night as “nothing”, or a limitation. A person has to rely on their imagination in the dark.

–Thomas Van Auken

Editors Note: Many thanks to Tommy for taking the time to share his thoughts on Southside and on his work. Best wishes on a fantastic and successful exhibition!!

http://www.richmondgov.com/presssecretarymayor/documents/RichmondCityCuide20100715.pdf

Ok, if you haven’t raked your leaves yet, it’s time!

Here’s advice from the city on how to prep your leaves for pickup:

• Rake leaves to your property line.
• Do not rake leaves into the street.
• Leaves must be placed out for collection by the start date indicated for your route.
• Keep leaf piles less than 2 feet in height.
• Keep leaves away from ditches, pipes, and culverts.
• NO DIRT, ROCKS, METAL OR BRANCHES. These items will prevent crews from collecting your piles.

For a Complete Map of the City of Richmond’s Leaf Collection Program Areas, click here: mapLeafCollectionAreas