Good morning, RVA! It's 34 °F, and we could see temperatures hit 60 °F today. Highs tomorrow and Sunday could be in the 70s. Just another mid-January weekend here in Richmond.
Water cooler
The New York Times has a list of 52 places to go (in the world) in 2020 and Richmond, Virginia makes the list. Of course, because it’s the NYT, they cannot resist making a capital of the Confederacy reference. Most of the blurb focuses on Rumors of War and breweries, which seems about right.
I pick on Scott’s Addition a bunch and how it’s a garbage neighborhood lacking the sorts of basic infrastructure a neighborhood needs—things like, oh, I dunno, sidewalks and street lights. All of my garbagetalk means I’m required to fill out this Greater Scott’s Addition Redevelopment Study Survey from the Department of Planning and Development Review. You should fill it out, too, and you have until January 12th to do so. I will say that I am frustrated by the question that literally mentions “complete streets” and then forces me to choose whether I want to improve safety and connections for just TWO of bus riders, people on bikes, or pedestrians. Like, complete streets means safe and easy travel for completely everyone and all modes!
Del. Wendell Walker, Republican (!) from Lynchburg, has submitted a bill calling for the removal of the Harry F. Byrd Sr. Statue from Capitol Square. The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a few more details 💸, and here is the full, entire text of HB 1305: “That the Department of General Services shall remove the statue of former Virginia Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr., from Capitol Square.” This is a great idea! It’s shameful and disgusting that we’ve got a Civil Rights monument featuring Barbara Johns just yards away from a statue of a guy who spent a lot of his time trying to take away the civil rights of actual Barbara Johns. In a related RTD story by Mel Leonor about the State potentially giving control over Confederate monuments back to localities 💸, Republican Todd Gilbert wonders what’s next: “We could go after Woodrow Wilson before this is over. I mean, he was one of the biggest racist presidents in U.S. history. Where this ends, I don’t know.” Todd. This ends when we stop venerating racists in our public spaces. Is that still not clear?
Roberto Roldan at VPM has a small update to the news that Del. Jeff Bourne introduced a bill allowing Richmond to receive a portion of the state sales tax to help pay for potential NoBro bonds. Here’s Roldan on the Delegate’s NoBro position: “Bourne said that he has not fully vetted the Navy Hill project and that his bill should not be construed as support.” That got a full-throated hmmmmmm from me. There’s also been some talk about Bourne taking $19,000 from Dominion Energy last October and $2,500 from Dominion’s Tom Farrell. It’s certainly not the best of looks considering Farrell and Dominion’s deep involvement in NoBro, and the fact that Bourne’s opponent in last year’s uncompetitive race raised a total of $459. While I do think it’d be better for everyone if no one took any money at all from Dominion, it’s important to not look at Bourne’s campaign finances in a vacuum—Dominion gives lots and lots of money to lots and lots of elected officials. In 2019 Dominion gave: Sen. Dick Saslaw, $50,000; Sen. Mamie Locke, $45,000; Del. Charniele Herring, $32,500; Del. Lamont Bagby, $20,000; and the list goes on. None of this is great, but it’s important context when thinking about this state-level NoBro bill. If you’re interested, here’s Activate Virginia’s list of GA members that have pledged not to accept money from Dominion and Appalachian Power.
I am late, late, late on letting you know about the Richmond Public Schools’ 2020 Advocacy Summit, which takes place tomorrow, Saturday 11th, at Studio Two Three from 9:45 AM–12:00 PM. Technically, you were supposed to register by January 6th, so your mileage my vary. BUT! It’s an opportunity to learn about RPS’s advocacy priorities and make some posters and T-shirts that you can then bring to future education advocacy events. If you want to skip out on the posters and the T-shirts and the fun, and would just like to learn about the advocacy priorities, like a boring person, you can download their 2020 Legislative Agenda here (PDF).
This morning's longread
I ignored warnings from friends and family not to marry my husband. Was I making a big mistake?
Now here’s a charming story to send you off into the weekend.
But we were in love. After refusing premarital counseling (we didn’t need it, we insisted), David and I got married and moved to Gramercy Park. We could see the Empire State Building at night when it was illuminated, if we craned our necks while sitting on our creaky fire escape. My life was as romantic as a love song. Then, after one week of marriage, the phone rang. “May I speak to David?” asked a sultry-voiced woman. Reluctantly, I handed my new husband the phone, which he quickly hung up. “Wrong number,” he said. A few hours later, it rang again. Another woman. I dusted near the phone, so I could eavesdrop. Did my seemingly loyal husband have a double life?
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