Good morning, RVA! It's 72 °F, and you can again expect highs in the 90s. Good news, though, NBC12's Andrew Freiden says today's the day to get out and take advantage of reduced humidity before sticky weather returns tomorrow.
Water cooler
As of this morning, the Virginia Department of Health reports 1,084↗️ new positive cases of the coronavirus in the Commonwealth and 15↘️ new deaths as a result of the virus. VDH reports 84↗️ new cases in and around Richmond (Chesterfield: 46, Henrico: 22, and Richmond: 16). Since this pandemic began, 274 people have died in the Richmond region. Yesterday was the first day since June 7th with over 1,000 reported positive cases, and that particular statewide graph stresses me out. It'll take a while to see if the governor's newly expanded, newly energized mask patrol will do enough to keep people from getting infected, especially in the Eastern part of the state. So until then, we either wait on the numbers or on further action from the Governor. Something that could actually help folks stay a bit safer are these new workplace regulations Virginia's Department of Labor and Industry passed yesterday, Ned Oliver at the Virginia Mercury reports. These are regulations that govern workplace safety—think OSHA—and aren't necessarily aimed at customers or consumers. I think most helpful are the requirements around employers notifying coworkers if an employee tests positive for COVID-19 and also requiring workers to stay home if they test positive. Keeping employees safe and healthy means keeping lots of folks who interact with businesses safe and healthy, too. According to Oliver, Virginia is the first state to enact these sorts of workplace regulations.
Today at 1:00 PM, City Council's Finance and Economic Development committee meets and will consider two of the five piece of police reform legislation: RES. 2020-R046 and RES. 2020-R047. The former requests the CAO to regularly report on five asset forfeiture special funds and the latter asks the CAO to investigate ways to reallocate some of the Richmond Police Department's budget that's now dedicated to "mental health, substance abuse, and social service functions." You can read my slightly more in-depth explainer on all five piece of legislation from earlier in the week here. It's important to remember two things as we start discussing this stack of four resolutions on one ordinance. First, resolutions are non-binding. Second, the City has an existing budget process that it must adhere to, and it's a process that's in flux due to the coronavirus. If you're cracking your knuckles and getting ready to bang out a 500-word email in support of RES. 2020-R047 and immediately defunding the police's nearly $100 million budget...you will be disappointed. The soonest way to have an impact on RPD's budget will be September's two-stage budget review meeting. It's at that meeting that the Mayor's team and Council's team will consider any amendments to the current budget. I could see some small changes recommended by RES. 2020-R047 (small compared to RPD's total budget) making their way out of those meetings and into actual factual budget amendments. However, the best way to have the largest impact on RPD's budget, in my opinion, is to start pestering folks running for Mayor (and City Council) about their specific plans for the police line item in next year's budget. My impression is that neither the Mayor's team nor Council's team will want to make substantial changes to the current budget at these ongoing, quarterly—and honestly, emergency—budget review meetings. But next year's budget is a new day, and, the mayor, whoever that is, can certainly start building a budget this fall that includes a significant cut to the day-to-day police operations line item should they so choose. If that sounds great to you, go ask those candidates some questions! P.S. If it were me, I'd want to know if we spend a lot per capita on cops now, if we have a lot of cops for a city of our size, and probably ten million other things before running around recommending significant budget cuts. But that's just me!
Speaking of the RPD's budget, VPM's Roberto Roldan submitted a FOIA request asking for the police's overtime and equipment costs during this summer's protests (May 27th–July 3rd). The Richmond Police Department spent a shocking—at least shocking to me— $1.6 million on overtime in about a month. That's 26% of the entire budget for the Richmond Public Library! That's a lot of money for a city which, basically, has no money. Mark Robinson at the Richmond Times-Dispatch has an interesting breakdown on specific equipment purchased and costs, too. Roldan says those overtime and equipment costs account for "about half of the $4.1 million allocated for [police] overtime in the 2020 budget." That's about 4% of the total police budget, and I'd be interested in reading an analysis of police overtime in general. Seems like something I'd want to understand more thoroughly if I were looking to reallocating portions of the RPD's budget.
Also, protests continue in Richmond, and the CT's Eduardo Acevedo has some pictures from last night, which, I think, was the third protest this week.
With all of the School Board excitement, I totally missed that Richmond 300 hosted a meeting about what to do with the Coliseum and the surrounding neighborhood! You can watch a recording of that meeting or check out the presentation slides (PDF). Plus, after you work through that material, you can take this survey on three different plans for the area. I haven't had a second to look at it, but you know I love surveys and having opinions on downtown.
You'll definitely want to read this column in the RTD by Del. Ibraheem Samirah about how filling your city with single-family zoning sucks and is one of the key ways we use planning to perpetuate racist segregation in our communities. Last General Assembly session, Del. Samirah introduced bills to allow duplexes and Accessory Dwelling Units everywhere. Those bills, unfortunately, failed, but maybe this session!
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This morning's longread
Baiae: A Roman settlement at the bottom of the sea
Archaeology, volcanic eruptions, an ancient city buried under the sea—this story has it all.
The last significant eruption was in 1538. Compared to these previous two events, it was tiny. It was also big enough to throw ash and pumice 5.5km high. As the column collapsed, it created a “new mountain" (dubbed, quite literally, Monte Nuovo), measuring 123m high – and burying a village beneath it. If this happened today, in the vicinity of Italy’s third-most-populous city, Naples, the damage would be severe. So what is the possibility of such an eruption happening in our lifetimes? “Obviously we can't make estimates,” Morra said, almost languidly. “We know that an active volcano, any active volcano, can erupt. Clearly, in our heart – we hope not.” I looked worried. “Have courage!” he said. “Like Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei is continuously monitored by colleagues at the Vesuvian Observatory, the oldest volcano observatory in the world. This can make us feel more tranquil.”
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