Sarah Vogelsong

1 week ago | richmonder.org | Sarah Vogelsong |Sean Sublette |Laura Finaldi |Graham Moomaw

As the Richmond City Council started to dive into possible changes to Mayor Danny Avula’s budget proposal Wednesday morning, it was clear early on that there was a math problem. Collectively, the nine council members had come up with about $20.9 million worth of ideas on how to spend more money, but had only identified about $8.2 million that could be saved. The mismatched numbers added up to an at-times tense meeting.

1 week ago | richmonder.org | Michael Phillips |Graham Moomaw |Sarah Vogelsong |Sean Sublette

Weather: Two more days in the 60s before late-spring warmth arrives. Read a full forecast from Sean Sublette here. On this date in 1941, Mayor Gordon Ambler appoints a "rodent-control officer" to combat the city's increasing rat problem. Today's newsletter sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth University is a powerhouse of innovation and creative problem solving. We attack challenges as opportunities. VCU is truly unlike any university you’ve ever seen.

1 week ago | richmonder.org | Sarah Vogelsong |Sean Sublette |Laura Finaldi |Graham Moomaw

As City Council continues its review of Mayor Danny Avula’s budget proposal, more than 70 Richmonders turned out Monday night to air their views on its spending aims. Much of the turnout was fueled by Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our Communities, or RISC, an outspoken group of local church congregations that has been particularly vocal on issues of affordable housing and gun violence.

1 week ago | richmonder.org | Sarah Vogelsong |Sean Sublette |Laura Finaldi |Graham Moomaw

Richmond utility officials said monthly rate increases proposed as part of Mayor Danny Avula’s budget are primarily being driven by inflation and the need to build up financial reserves in the gas utility. Across the city’s utilities, “we’re seeing increasing operation costs,” Billy Vaughan, the Department of Public Utilities’ senior deputy director for finance, told Richmond’s Public Utilities and Services Commission during a presentation Thursday.

1 week ago | richmonder.org | Sarah Vogelsong

The intersection of Laburnum Avenue and Hermitage Road is about to get a lot more colorful — and a lot slower. The crossroads has long been a troublesome spot for traffic planners. For years, a statue of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill planted in the middle of the intersection obscured drivers’ views. The marker, and Hill’s remains buried beneath it, was removed in 2022, but the intersection remained one of the city’s most crash-prone.