Good morning, RVA! It's 41 °F, and you can expect a wet and cold day ahead of us. Temperatures should stay about where they are right now, so bring a coat, bring an umbrella, and wear some warm socks.
Water cooler
Breaking international news: The New York Times reports that "Russia Attacks Ukraine From Land and Sea." The aforelinked page has a good summary of the evolving situation pinned at the top, a map of reported overnight missile strikes across the country, and a live-updating feed of breaking news. Here's President Biden's statement on the attack in which he promises to "speak to the American people to announce the further consequences the United States and our Allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security."
In what I hope is now just a regular part of budget season, Richmond Together has released their budget advocacy statement, listing out their recommendations for how the City should spend and invest in the coming year. It's going to be a complicated and lean budget season, and so Richmond Together has focused on six, modest recommendations: Jump-starting implementation of the Community Center Initiative, fully funding RPS, continuing to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, supporting new initiatives for addressing gun violence, investing in the Office of Community Wealth Building, and creating two positions to strengthen the Performance Management Office. Flip to page five for a scary chart from the Department of Budget and Strategic Planning that shows the City's expenditures outstripping revenue as soon as next year. From the report: "Given the City’s looming revenue gap, we are deeply skeptical of any proposal to reduce the property tax rate in conjunction with proposed economic development deals. We also must continue to think creatively about possibilities for building community wealth above and beyond existing initiatives." Same, PDF, same. Anyway, the whole document is worth your time—check out the Department of Transportation and Land Value Tax mentions! For me at least, this PDF sets the local bar as far as progressive policy documents go. Great work, everyone!
Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Paul Williams has a good update on the status of the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground. Williams reports that the City, Rep. McEachin, and Senator Kaine have all started to lobby for adding the space to the National Register of Historic Places. If you haven't been out by this spot, you should make the time to do so (just head north on 5th Street from Downtown until you get to the enormous billboard). It makes for a striking contrast to the nearby Shockoe Hill Cemetery. I've followed this story for a bunch of years now (starting with the impact high-speed rail from DC would have on the property), and it keeps getting more and more interesting to me. It's such a great example of the impact one dedicated person can have on a place.
Looks like Governor Youngkin will take an L on his plans to legislate a ban on teaching kids about systemic racism. Mel Leonor at the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that House of Delegates Republicans "ignored a request from the Youngkin administration for language in the state budget that public schools be banned from teaching 'inherently divisive concepts.'" Alongside a couple similar, now-dead standalone bills, this brings an end to the Governor's day-one promise to keep Virginia's students uneducated about the present-day impacts of centuries of racism. For now! You definitely should expect this to come up again and again for exactly as long as denying that systemic racism exists wins Republican elections.
NBC12 reminds me that cocktails to-go was a temporary, COVID-19 measure, but that the General Assembly just extended it through July of 2024 (via HB 426). This is good news for the Catrow Household, who enjoy biking over to the local Mexican restaurant to pick up tacos and margs. I had a real galaxy-brain moment when I realized I could dump a margarita into a Nalgene for a spill-free ride home.
He's engaaaaaaged! Yesterday, according to this charming post on Instagram, Mayor Stoney got engaged. Congratulations, Mayor!
This morning's longread
American Girl Cafe Attracts the Influencer Set
Something light and distracting: Adults partying at American Girl Doll restaurants.
Of the dozen American Girl Place locations, five feature full-service restaurants that serve items like cinnamon buns, macaroni and cheese, and smoothies, along with an extensive dessert menu. The original Chicago location, which opened in 1998, secured a full liquor license so it could host galas and benefits. New York is the only other location that serves liquor, but beer and wine are served at all of the cafes. A representative for the company said that it doesn’t condone its dolls engaging in age-inappropriate behavior such as drinking alcohol, but the company welcomes American Girl fans of all ages.
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Picture of the Day
A rad old jar filled with a solid clump of rusted bottle caps. I found this in the creek next to the garbage dump featured in yesterday's Picture of the Day.
