A recent article on richmond.com included this great map of the 9 city council districts. Click here to view it larger.

Some items are simply too large to fit in a Supercan or to physically be collected using our standard equipment. These typically include furniture and large amounts of yard waste, which should be placed beside your Supercan out of the roadway. Such items are collected by the City on a four-week, rotating schedule based on zip code. Bulk refuse collection for zip codes 23224 and 23234 is scheduled for March 16, April 13, May 11, June 8, July 6, Aug. 3, Aug. 31, Sept. 28, Oct. 26, Nov. 23, and Dec. 21. Citizens should call 3-1-1 to schedule a pick up.

This website is being developed as a resource for Richmonders South of the James River to use in order to discuss issues important to their particular neighborhoods as well as the larger Richmond community. Many residents of the Southside share similar concerns and want to have an impact, but heretofore there has been no internet representation of the Southside.

The vision that drives this effort is that residents of the Southside are well aware of the problems in their community as well as the potential. As a resident of the 9th District, I am very aware of both the nice and not-so-nice sections of our city and I believe through effort, organization, and commitment the Southside can be a place people are proud to live.

I want to thank Mr. John Murden for his assistance in the development of this site as well as Councilman Doug Conner for his support in the creation of this site.

August 7th, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. in the Southside Social Services building The Greater Jefferson Davis civic association hosted a forum for candidates running for the 8th District Council seat. Incumbent Reva Trammell is running against Eric Hunter, the former liaison for Jackie Jackson who once held Ms. Trammell’s position, and newcomer Dr. C. Allen Barrett.

Read more >

From the press secretary: Mayor L. Douglas Wilder announced today that Christopher L. Beschler has been selected as the City of Richmond’s Acting Chief Administrative Officer (Acting CAO).

“Everyone in City Hall knows that Chris Beschler is a tireless professional who gets the job done. He has proven himself in his current position and I have every confidence he will serve the City well as Acting CAO,” said the Mayor.

The Mayor does not intend to fill the position of CAO. Mr. Beschler will serve as Acting CAO through the remainder of the year, with direct responsibility for the day-to-day management of City departments and agencies. He will remain as the City’s Director of Public Utilities.

A press release from the mayor states,

“To further advance our ongoing successes, I am announcing this week that the City’s Code Enforcement personnel will transition into a new department.
Code Enforcement will be part of a new Bureau of Permits and Inspections (BPI) that will provide the “one-stop shopping” services long requested by our local builders and contractors. BPI staff will also finally have a new location providing the space needed to operate more efficiently.

Read more >

An initiative to create a Friends of Broad Rock Park non-profit organization is underway. The organization is being developed in order to restart a former initiative that began during Gwen Hedgepath’s administration in city council. At the time plans were made to develop a community center which would include an indoor pool. The current concept is much larger and funding is being sought on many levels. If you are interested in becoming a member or having a presentation at your business, neighborhood, or civic association please contact broadrockpark@gmail.com for further details.

8th District City Councilwoman Reva Trammell is now the chairman of the Richmond Capital Region Taxicab Advisory Board.

According to an article in Style Weekly:

Trammell, first appointed to the board in December, will lead the advisory body in developing recommendations for amending and administering taxicab rates and laws, identifying and recommending solutions to taxi-related issues and coordinating local law enforcement programs.

In addition to Richmond, other localities and groups represented on the board include Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover counties, the Capital Region Airport Commission, the business community and the taxicab industry.

Ms. Trammell has always been a strong supporter of business development for her district. At the 8th district council forum she announced that a Hilton hotel will be built in her district.

The Richmond Clean City Commision will be holding a one day event to help Richmonders start composting.

On September 6, 2008 from 9am to 4pm go to the Compost Bin Truck Load Sale at the Willow Lawn Shopping Center located at 1601 Willow Lawn Dr. You’ll find them in the parking lot between Kroger’s and Gold’s Gym.

Get $100 value for just $35! The Earth Machine is an 80 gallon capacity composting bin that fits in any vehicle. Made of recycled materials, over 2,500,000 of these machines are in use across the country!

Why compost you ask?

• Reduce your garbage output and gardening water use by 30%.
• Improve your soil’s health, water retention, and porosity.
• Reduce your carbon footprint.
• Inhibit plan diseases.

Cash or checks only! Remember this is a one time event. If you find it cheaper elsewhere, we’re calling the cops.

Call 804 646 8325 for more information.

In an article from the Times-Dispatch, Eugene Trani sites a quintuple bypass as his reason for stepping down as president of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Read more >

The goal of Southside Richmond is to pull together the community of the Richmonders living south of the James River at large with an emphasis on the 4th, 8th, and 9th districts, and not excluding our neighbors in the 5th and 6th districts. This site is to become a portal for accessing information about our community.

Read more >

Students at Broad Rock Elementary are participating in the “Change for a Ten” project sponsored by Art 180.

Art 180 is a non-profit organization that runs after-school art programs for at-risk students in Richmond. The project, “Change for a Ten,” is raising money and awareness to help keep these after school programs going. To participate, Art 180 is asking you to submit a $10 donation and art representing changes you’d like to see in the community. You may use any medium such as paint, pen and ink, pencil, collage, etc., as long as it is the size of a dollar. If you’re as bad at drawing as I am, don’t worry, they even have a template.

Currently, they are displaying art made by students at Broad Rock Elementary. If you think those guys are just drawing crayons between the lines then check this out:

Ellie Gompert, Dirty Money

For more information and to see more art by students at Broad Rock Elementary, click here or go to the main Art 180 site.

Did you know that your civic or business association can get help cleaning up your neighborhood from the city? You supply the volunteers, and The Clean City Commission will supply city refuse trucks. Normally there is a $50 appliance collection fee, but that is waived for any registered volunteer group. To take advantage of this free opportunity call the Clean City Commission at 804-646-8325 to register your associations or group’s cleanup date.

Read more >

Thanks to the Richmond Police Department’s efforts, four men have been arrested and charged for armed robbery.

Read more >

Howard Scott is only 17, but he may be serving three life sentences. I knew him. I could see he was going to have a troubled future. He was sixteen and already had two children, at least that is what I was told. One day he told me his girlfriend had a miscarriage. I lamented then as well as now.

Read more >