Good morning, RVA! It's 66 °F, and while we've got rain on the schedule for this morning it may (finally) clear up by this evening. Honestly, this weekend's weather looks pretty excellent, and I'm excited to get out there and enjoy it.
Water cooler
As of this morning, the Virginia Department of Health reports 1,101↗️ new positive cases of the coronavirus in the Commonwealth and 36↗️ new deaths as a result of the virus. VDH reports 86↗️ new cases in and around Richmond (Chesterfield: 28, Henrico: 35, and Richmond: 23). Since this pandemic began, 352 people have died in the Richmond region. VDH still has Wednesday's note up about death data backlogs, and I'm not sure if that applies to yesterday's data or not. 36 deaths reported in a single day is still pretty high, and it wouldn't surprise me if VDH staff still has a big stack of data left to enter into whatever database. Here's the last six months of deaths reported by day for context. Over the past couple of weeks, I've written about the CDC's change in guidance around testing people who've come in close contact with a known positive COVID-19 case. Luckily, in Virginia, our Health Department continues to recommend that people without symptoms still need to get tested if they've spent time near actual people with actual coronavirus. The New York Times is reporting that the change in CDC testing guidance came despite objections from scientists at the CDC: "officials told The Times this week that the Department of Health and Human Services did the rewriting and then 'dropped' it into the C.D.C.’s public website, flouting the agency’s strict scientific review process." Freaking yikes. That NYT piece also says the CDC (or HHS??) could update testing guidance today, so I'll keep an eye out for it. Finally in coronanews, I have no idea what to make of this VCU survey asking would folks get vaccinated if a free vaccine existed today (PDF). 58% of folks said they'd be "very likely" or "somewhat likely," while 40% of folks said they'd be "not too likely" or "not at all likely." Is this reluctance some antivaxxer stuff? Or maybe fear of a dangerous, not-ready-for-primetime Trump vaccine?
In-person early voting starts today! That means you can go to the registrar's office today (more on that below), show ID, and cast a ballot. Today! It also means that the Department of Elections has started sending out absentee ballots to everyone that has requested one. You can check the status of your ballot or apply for one over on the Department of Elections website. Because we live in the Kevin Costner post-apocalyptic film The Postman, if you've requested a mail-in ballot, you really need to keep an eye out for it and then send it back (or stick it in a drop box) as soon as possible. Those mail-in ballots need to be postmarked by Election Day (November 3rd) and received by November 6th. But, like, why wait? Just do it as soon as possible, avoid whatever election or Postal Service shenanigans, and check it off your todo list. The last day for you to request an absentee ballot is October 23rd, and the last day to go vote early in-person is October 31st. Remember! You don't need an excuse to do any of these early voting options this year.
Jakob Cordes at VPM has some frustrating updates on the City's decision to move the General Registrar's office out to the end of Laburnum Avenue, far from any useful public transit. Here's the part that really gets me: "Kirk Showalter, Richmond’s general registrar, says she asked GRTC to change their bus route, but with little success. 'I was only seeking to have one bus stop moved a couple of blocks closer, and I got some feedback that was not encouraging,' she said." Uhh yeah, you don't get to re-plan the public transportation system because you didn't consider non-car access to core City services before moving out there and signing a lease. Actual transit planner Scudder Wagg has a good thread about why "only moving one bus stop a couple blocks" can and would disrupt the entire #91 bus route (and might even cost more money). I've written about this whole registrar situation before, but I bring it up again not just because of the frustrating quotes, but because just this week the City created the new Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility. In my view, weighing in on the transportation aspects of other department's decisions is exactly the sort of thing this new office should be doing. I'd love to see the new Office figure out how to solve this problem—which doesn't necessarily mean running new buses or building new bus stops. I'd also like to hear the Office talk about how they'll prevent problems with access to core government services in the future.
Also at VPM, Roberto Roldan says Councilmembers Lynch and Robertson have introduced a pair of resolutions asking for more money for public defenders and an increase to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Those are fine and good papers, but, remember, resolutions are nonbinding. I'm more interested in Councilmember Jones's response to this story: "I am for affordable housing. I believe if we are serious about this - lets forgo a Resolution and simply support a budget amendment. This can not be a process by which we wait and see what’s left over in a fund balance or see if it’s a priority. Council approves the budget." You do not know how incredibly refreshing it is for me to hear a member of our City Council say "Council approves the budget." This is true and not controversial! Council approves the budget! If Council wants to amend the Mayor's budget, they can just do that thing. In fact, it is part of the job we elect them to do. I don't know what it means that I'm truly stoked to hear a sitting councilmember just describe one of their legislative duties outloud, but I think it's progress?
Unfortunately, I have a survey for you to fill out about roads and highways. VDOT would like to know what you think about the current I-95/I-64 at Belvidere Street Interchange. I think that it is...bad? The area around the interchange is one of the most dangerous places to walk, roll, or ride through, and whatever VDOT decides to do in the future should include a near infinite number of bike and pedestrian improvements. I encourage you to take the survey and spend a good chunk of time marking up their map with places that make you feel unsafe—it's not like there's a shortage of them!
The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a ton of pictures from Richmond in the 90s that you should scroll through. That picture of Sixth Street Marketplace! I had no idea Richmond's bête noire was so pastel.
This morning's longread
9 Female Pirates You Should Know About
I mean, I feel like this one does exactly what it says on the tin.
The widowed de Clisson sold all of her land to buy three warships, which she dubbed her Black Fleet. These were painted black, draped with blood red sails, and crewed with merciless privateers. From 1343-1356, the Lioness of Brittany sailed the English Channel, capturing the French King's ships, cutting down his crew, and beheading with an axe any aristocrat who had the misfortune to be onboard. Remarkably, despite all her theft and bloodshed, de Clisson retired quietly. She even remarried, settling down with English lieutenant Sir Walter Bentley. Believed to have died in 1359, some say she has since returned to de Clisson Castle in Brittany, where her grey ghost walks the halls.
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