Feb. 5 Newsletter: Snow returns next week (maybe)
Weather: Things get unpleasant, fast. High of 39 with some showers in the afternoon.
On this date in 1971, the General Assembly allows political candidates to begin identifying themselves by party affiliation on the ballot.
Today's newsletter sponsored by VCU. Virginia Commonwealth University is a powerhouse of innovation and creative problem solving. We attack challenges as opportunities to do what others can’t or won’t. VCU is truly unlike any university you’ve ever seen.
Richmond School Board sets rules for ICE access to schools
The governing body of RPS set new rules for how much access the division will give federal immigration agents to school buildings.
“Do not provide any information, including the student’s schedule or behavior, without legal counsel present,” the new policy states.
Roughly 25% of RPS students today are Hispanic, compared to 10% a decade ago.
There have been no confirmed reports of immigration officers making arrests at schools in the past month. Read more on the issue here.
As water plant crisis began, Richmond officials scrambled to fix issue at DPU call center
On the morning of Jan. 6, DPU officials discovered the department didn’t have a phone message in place for its call center telling customers the office was closed for the day.
That turned out to be a minor problem compared with what unfolded at the water plant over the coming hours.
Still, the phone problem shows that — despite the emergency declaration meant to bring a heightened state of alertness and preparation — even a basic task involving communication with city residents briefly slipped through the cracks.
Read more on the communication issue here.
88-year-old Romanian immigrant to become U.S. citizen after 19 years
Maria Grigore will take the oath of citizenship today, the culmination of a lifetime of work and caring for others.
“Everybody looks up to her,” her daughter said. “Some of my friends say, ‘She’s a legend, she’s a role model for us,' always positive, always smiling and just doing great things.”
Read more on the newest citizen, who survived World War II in her native Romania.
Brief thaw may give way to snow in RVA
Spring is not here, not by a longshot, says meterologist Sean Sublette.
A large storm system will approach from the southwest on Tuesday or Wednesday next week, and early signs suggest a legitimate chance of accumulating snow in Richmond — a few inches or so.
Today's sponsor:
Nine out of 10 say VCU is improving people’s lives, driving innovation
An independent survey of 400 Richmond-area residents finds that Virginia Commonwealth University is viewed as the employer with the most significant economic impact in the Richmond region, outranking major corporations and state government agencies. The Public Opinion Strategies survey finds 92% of respondents say VCU is producing important innovations in science, technology and health care that improve people’s lives; 88% believe VCU’s continued growth and success are important to Richmond’s future and 79% say VCU is a good neighbor and a trusted partner in the community that makes the Richmond area a better place to live. Read more.
Also today in The Richmonder
Graham Moomaw
Rob Witham
Richmonder Staff
Michael Phillips
The editor's desk
As part of our mission to connect the community, we're thrilled to announce that we've entered into a partnership with the Richmond Free Press, a Black-owned newspaper that started in 1992. Going forward, you'll see some of our articles in the Free Press, and reporting from the Free Press in our editions.
Both organizations have a shared commitment to on-the-ground reporting, and we're hopeful the partnership will lift both outlets.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
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