Sept. 11 Newsletter: Rediscovering the stories of Richmond's Granite neighborhood
Today is Wednesday, Sept. 11
Weather: Hotter than it's been, high of 85
On this date in 1964, Richmond announced five new voter registration sites to alleviate long lines of people seeking to register after the elimination of the Jim Crow-era poll tax.
Today's newsletter sponsor is The Richmond Forum: Every year, the world’s most powerful voices come to The Richmond Forum to share their ideas, stories, and perspectives regarding today’s important issues and to answer your hard-hitting questions. The 2024-2025 season features Coach K, Martha Stewart, and more.
From the editor: Thank you for all the kind words, critique and feedback about Monday's first edition.
As a reminder, we will publish this newsletter on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays initially, but up-to-the-minute news is always available at Richmonder.org.
Granite Community Festival aims to revive the memory of a Black neighborhood
As a longtime Southsider, I'll admit to never having heard the story of Richmond's Granite neighborhood, which includes some stunning twists and turns.
The owner of the land now known as Willow Oaks Country Club directed it be sold and his slaves freed in 1856, five years before the Civil War. That never happened, however.
Instead, a community sprung up in what is now Stratford Hills, which despite being so close to the city remained rural in feel until highway construction displaced residents in the 1970s.
Richmond preparing to pass new rules on vape shops
Vape shops seem to be appearing everywhere in Richmond. And city officials have noticed.
After state lawmakers voted this year to give local governments the ability to regulate stores that primarily sell vape products, tobacco, smokable forms of hemp, Graham Moomaw says Richmond officials are preparing new rules that could limit where and how those businesses can operate.
Read more, including details of the proposed regulations
Cool start to September probably doesn't mean a snowy winter
The official winter forecast will arrive in November, but Sean Sublette checks in on some early trends that don't look positive for snow lovers, and offers this jarring statistic:
Over the entire 20th century, Richmond averaged 12.9 inches of snow a season. The last winter above that average was 2018-19 (13.1 inches), and the last 5 seasons have averaged 2.8 inches.
Read more, including how long-range forecasts come together
Facing questions about LGBTQ+ views, Avula releases ad featuring gay daughter
Richmond mayoral candidate Danny Avula released a campaign ad spotlighting his family’s decision to welcome in a young woman in 2019 who says she needed a “safe place” after others in her life discovered she was gay.
Graham Moomaw writes that the ad comes after Avula's views were questioned at a recent mayoral forum.
“Long before Arjanaé was a part of our family, I've been a huge advocate and supporter of the LGBTQ community through my work in public health,” Avula said. “That became a lot more real and deeply felt as a result of being a father to a gay daughter.”
Read more, and watch the ad, here
I bought an island on the James River. Then I learned its history...
Andy Thompson's stories from Sharp's Island left me amazed at just how rich the history around the James River is.
- A gunshot incident involving Sharp's family in 1853.
- Multiple attempts at building homes, followed by nature knocking them all down
- The avant-garde structure you can still see at low tide
Read more, including why Thompson is fighting the unwinnable battle against nature
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The Minutes
Catch up on the latest items from Richmond's city government meetings
City Council, from Graham Moomaw: As Council returned from its August break, the biggest buzz Monday evening had nothing to do with the light agenda.
Pro-Palestine activists again called for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict. The disruption was minimal, and police ordered one person to leave after a noisy outburst. The council left for a brief recess when many in the crowd started yelling and chanting on their way out of the chamber.
The council continued to show no interest in taking a symbolic stance on the issue.
On Monday, Councilor Reva Trammell (8th District) introduced a proposal to lower the city’s property tax rate by 4 cents, which would set a new rate of $1.16 per $100 of assessed value.
Council President Kristen Nye (4th District) introduced a competing plan to keep the rate unchanged at $1.20, setting up an election-season tax debate in the weeks ahead.
School Board, from Sarah Vogelsong: The Board unanimously agreed to rename the Richmond Alternative School the Richmond Success Academy after a survey showed the greatest number of students there preferred that choice.
Solomon Jefferson, Richmond Public Schools’ chief academic officer for secondary education, said the division “will make sure that the branding is everywhere in the building.”
Also, the board will not cut the amount of time board members are given to comment during debate on an issue, despite a vote Monday where four members were in support of the change and three against.
On Monday, eight members were in attendance for the vote. But 1st District member Liz Doerr, while speaking in favor of the policy change, abstained instead of casting a yes vote. Doerr is not seeking reelection this November and therefore would largely not be subject to the new rule.
According to Richmond Public Schools bylaws, motions only pass “when they have received the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present.” Under that approach, abstentions effectively function as no votes.
In other news...
- Henrico supervisor proposes ending ‘The Henrico Way’ (Henrico Citizen)
- Voters discuss their options at mayoral forums (VPM)
- Record-setting "Godzilla" of a snapping turtle caught and released in Henrico (Axios)
- 17 Richmond government watchdog reports released after 8News report (8News)
- VCU's Center for Sport Leadership ranked No. 8 among similar programs worldwide (Press release)
9/11 anniversary
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11. The Virginia War Memorial will host its annual remembrance at 11 a.m. in the Shrine of Memory.
