Jan. 3 Newsletter: What'd we miss?

Weather: Maybe a dusting of snow tonight. But probably not. Monday morning remains the next best chance.

On this date in 1947, the annual Richmond mule sale brings in a total of $28,450 at the South Richmond Stockyards, as 152 mules are sold to farmers. A prize was awarded to Mount Sharon Farms, which had the highest-priced sale, a mule that went for $500.


Newbille chosen as Richmond City Council president; three new members take seats

Longtime Richmond City Councilor Cynthia Newbille will lead the city’s legislative body into 2025 after her peers unanimously elected her as council president Thursday.

  • In Richmond’s system of government, the council president doesn’t have much more power than regular members and is mostly responsible for running council meetings and being ready to stand in as acting mayor if the mayor’s office becomes vacant.

Mayor Danny Avula was on hand to offer his congratulations ahead of the hard budget work that will come over the next few months.

"I’m one of her constituents and have been for 20 years," Avula said. "Even beyond that, she’s been such an advocate for health and well-being. Our work has overlapped for over a decade. So I couldn’t be more excited.”

Read more here.

(Virginia Department of Health)

Sicknesses are spiking in Richmond

Informally, it feels like everybody is getting sick.

Scientifically, the data is backing up that it’s been a particularly brutal stretch locally.

  • Flu cases are significantly more prevalent in the Richmond region than they are statewide.
  • The norovirus is also back with a vengeance after a pandemic reprieve. This is likely to be the worst spike nationally since 2019.
  • As for COVID, so far numbers reported to the VDH locally indicate fewer cases than last winter, though that may also represent fewer visits to doctors and more informal testing of cases.

The good news? This week is traditionally the high point of the winter for illnesses.


What'd we miss?

Like Thomas Jefferson in “Hamilton,” it’s time to ask: What did we all miss while away for the holidays?

Danny Avula sworn in as new mayor

New Mayor Danny Avula formally took the oath of office at 1 p.m. on Dec. 31.

He will have a ceremonial swearing-in on Jan. 11 at 9 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School (registration is required), part of a citywide day of service to mark the transfer of power.

Richmond’s housing market predicted to remain red-hot

Realtor.com released its National Housing Forecast, and Richmond was named the No. 5 top housing market nationally for 2025.

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The researchers noted an increase in the number of work-from-home jobs available in the region. In the D.C. region, 17.8% of job postings last year offered fully remote or hybrid arrangements, which could be driving demand in Richmond.

The study projected that existing home prices will rise another 6.1% in the coming year in the Richmond region.

The four markets ahead of Richmond were Colorado Springs, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Norfolk/Virginia Beach and El Paso.

(Another) Richmond hippo is nationally famous

The Metro Richmond Zoo welcomed the birth of a baby pigmy hippo in December, which went on display to visitors for the first time Thursday.

I mean, just look at her. (Metro Richmond Zoo)

The zoo previously made national news two years ago when the baby’s big sister, Petunia, was born.

A naming contest is underway and is down to two finalists, Poppy and Hammie Mae. An earlier round drew 52,794 votes from around the globe.

Editor’s note: Vote your conscience, but I’m unaware of a hippo that has ever been turned into a ham sandwich.


In other news


The editor's desk

True to local trends, two of the three Richmonder writers got sick over the break, with the third knocking on all the wood he can find. Stay safe out there, and we’ll see you for a (potentially snowy) Monday edition.

Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org


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And remember to get your tickets for our first live event, a breakfast on Jan. 16 diving into The (Real) State of the City.