March 7 Newsletter: Two Richmond mayors meet
Weather: Moderate spring weather, with highs at about 55 all weekend.
On this date in 1949, the Virginia Supreme Court rules against a woman who was hit by a whiskey bottle at a wrestling match, noting that rowdy behavior is to be expected at the events.
Richmond's mayor meets ... Richmond's mayor
Mayor Richard Pyne of Richmond, England met with Danny Avula on Thursday at Libby Hill.
- The hill is known as "the view that named Richmond" because it reminded settlers of the Thames River in the other Richmond.
Mayor Pyne's visit marks the first by a Richmond (U.K.) mayor in 17 years. He'll be in town for a few days enjoying the sights. Read more on the mayoral summit here.
Also Thursday:
Avula made several staffing announcements for key City Hall positions. Read that story here.
‘Today is a great day’: After 57 years, VCU pays tribute to man whose heart was used without permission in first transplant
In an emotional ceremony Wednesday, VCU Health renamed an auditorium in honor of Bruce Tucker, the Black man whose heart was used without his permission in the first heart transplant performed in the South.
- “I think it is a step in our journey towards reconciliation,” VCU’s Chief Health Impact Officer said at the event, which included the unveiling of two murals designed by local artist Hamilton Glass along with VCU students.
Read more on the background, and Wednesday's ceremony, here.
Richmond zoning board rejects neighbors’ appeal of VMFA warehouse plan
In a 5-0 vote, Richmond’s Board of Zoning Appeals paved the way for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts to build a 12,000-square-foot art storage warehouse on a residential block in the Museum District.
As a state-owned museum, VMFA is largely exempt from zoning laws. While the decision was unanimous, some board members said they sympathized with the neighbors’ plight.
Read more on the hearing here.
Virginia suing driver in 2021 diesel spill crash that closed Richmond interstate for more than 12 hours
The state wants a driver involved in a 2021 crash that caused a major diesel spill and shut down part of Interstate 95 in Richmond for hours to pay nearly $83,000 for cleanup and repair costs.
The driver was first billed in Sept. 2022. Read more here.
Discovering history along the South Bank of the James River
Nancy Kraus recently published a book detailing her research into the South Bank of the James River in Richmond, and shares some of her findings today from what she describes as a "decade-long adventure."
- Slow movement on public works projects isn't a modern phenomenon. She notes that it took 60 years — and a reprimand from the Virginia Senate — to get water transport to the South Bank.
Read more of her findings here.
In other news
- Times-Dispatch reporters ask newspaper to label AI content (RNPA/X)
- Virginia Tech hoops commit Sincere Jones impresses in loss to Atlee (Jerry Lindquist)
- As monks limit Chartreuse production, Richmond distillery Trial & Error is filling the void (Style Weekly)
Editor Michael Phillips is out of office. Contact news@richmonder.org with any questions.
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