Sept. 27 Newsletter: How will Richmond's changing demographics impact the mayoral race?
Weather: Storms this afternoon, but the weekend is looking increasingly clear
On this date in 1969, 22 people were arrested in an early-morning raid of a "nip joint" – an East End house that sold alcoholic beverages without a license.
Map: Visualizing Richmond's changing demographics
For the first time, Richmond will elect a mayor on a map where only four of the nine districts have a Black majority.
The five-of-nine system preserved the voting strength of Black communities for years. However, the city’s Black voting age population fell from 51.5% in 2000 to 38% in 2020, according to U.S. Census data.
The Latino voting age population, meanwhile, jumped from 2.5% to 9%, bringing a new dimension to a city long accustomed to thinking in terms of Black and white.
Most mayoral candidates see little chance of quickly lowering real estate taxes
Danny Avula, Michelle Mosby and Harrison Roday all say they would keep the real estate tax as-is for the moment, while Andreas Addison wants to change the way property is taxed altogether.
Reporter Graham Moomaw noted that Richmond's current system of passing a budget before assessments are completed leaves their hands somewhat tied at the moment, because much of the new revenue is needed to make the budget whole.
Hear from all five candidates in our full report, found here
Police memorial vandalized and put in storage in 2020 could be headed to the Police Academy
The Richmond Police Memorial statue that was removed from Byrd Park in 2020 after being vandalized by protestors could be headed to a new home at the Richmond Police Academy on West Graham Road, reports Sarah Vogelsong.
First, however, the city of Richmond has to accept the statue from the Police Memorial Foundation, which owns it and in September 2023 voted to donate it to the city.
The statue, created by sculptor Maria Kirby-Smith in 1987, is dedicated to 39 officers killed in the line of duty and was initially placed in Nina Abady Park near the Coliseum but was relocated to Byrd Park in 2016 in an attempt to make it more visible to the public.
Also on the site
- Andreas Addison, citing rumors spread by other candidates, said he will not be dropping out of the mayoral race.
- Virginia's Attorney General does not believe new skill games are legal
- Members only: Participate in an online Q&A with Richmonder reporters
In other news...
- Plans progressing for pair of infill apartment buildings along Broad St. in Shockoe (BizSense)
- GRTC hacked twice in four months (VPM)
- Frida Kahlo exhibit headed to VMFA (Times-Dispatch)
- Times-Dispatch lays off two sportswriters, photographer, managing editor (Jason Roop/X)
- Some Folk Festival stages will be moved this weekend due to construction (RVAHub)
The editor's desk
Greetings from Miami, where I escaped the gloom and rain of Richmond by traveling to a city that is somehow gloomier and rainier. Tonight I'll see if the Virginia Tech Hokies can pull off a football upset against the heavily-favored Miami Hurricanes. Then it's back to Richmond, just in time for...more rain.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
