Mayor Dwight C. Jones  was  joined  by Richmond City  Council  Vice President Ellen Robertson, School Board member Shonda Harris–Muhammed, and Dr. Norman Merrifield, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities in cutting the ribbon  to reopen  the newly renovated and expanded  Bellemeade  Community Center today .  Following the ribbon cutting ceremony,  Mayor Jones led a brief tour of the center ’s new feature s  for attending  public  and media . The City  also  hosted a family fun day to celebrate the  re opening of the community  center . Mayor Jones stated, “Opening t h is  community center  today and the adjacent new school which we opened in early January, are clear  demonstration s   of  the City ’s   commitment of  invest ing  in resources to enhance the future of  our children.  It  i s very exciting to see  the  smiles on the chil dren  of Bellemeade and the  community as a whole ,  as   we toured  the new features  within and surrounding this  wonderful  fa

Mayor Dwight C. Jones and City Council President Charles Samuels announced today that they will support four additional slots to the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School for Government and International Studies for the upcoming 2013 school year. The additional slots cost about $7,500 each. Funding for the additional slots will be taken from the Fiscal Year 2014 budget that is now being reviewed by Richmond City Council. Currently the city has an allotment of 197 slots to the Maggie Walker Governor’s School and the addition of four will increase that number to 201. “Maggie Walker Governor’s School was ranked as the #16-best public high school in the nation in 2012,” said the Mayor. “I have made it a priority during my time in office to make sure that every child has an opportunity to grow and learn. To that end, when slots are available at this great school, I want to make sure that we offer them to Richmond students.” Councilman Samuels said, “I appreciate the Mayor’s help in g