Today Mayor Stoney announced that the City of Richmond would recognize Monday October 14, 2019 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In the presence of representatives from the Nottaway, Chickahominy, Patawomeck, Mattaponi, Upper Mattaponi, Cheroenhaka and Pamunkey Indian Tribes, the mayor expressed thanks for the groups’ partnership and appreciation for their contributions to the Richmond community. While the federal government recognizes the second Monday in October each year as Columbus Day, the City of Richmond has never recognized Columbus Day as an employee holiday. The City of Richmond will again be open for business this Monday, but this year requests that employees and residents alike use Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an opportunity to reflect not only upon the culture and heritage of native peoples, but also to celebrate their influence, accomplishments and resilience in the face of extraordinary hardship. “Native Americans were the first residents of Richmond,” said Mayor St...

At the October 14 meeting of the Richmond City Council meeting, Mayor Levar M. Stoney will propose two ordinances promoting public safety: an ordinance requiring the reporting of lost or stolen firearms and an ordinance prohibiting driving while distracted using a handheld communication device. Any person who loses a gun or has one stolen in the City of Richmond will be required to report the loss or theft to the Richmond Police Department within 24 hours. Failing to do so will result in a civil penalty. The goal of the ordinance is to help reduce the trafficking of lost and stolen guns, which are more likely to be used in criminal offenses. So far this year, 354 firearms have been reported stolen in the City of Richmond, 186 firearms from vehicles alone. “Unreported gun loss and gun theft lead to gun crime,” said Mayor Stoney. “We all need to play a role in keeping our communities safe, and we can no longer wait for the General Assembly to act. This piece of legisla...

Department of Public Works crews today will begin trimming and pruning trees along the city’s major thoroughfares and intersections to increase sight distance and visibility of regulatory signage. They will begin along Jefferson Davis Highway.   Public Works Director Bobby Vincent said this safety measure aligns with the city’s Vision Zero initiative. “Evaluating and implementing our policies regarding sight distance at intersections is a major portion of our approach to supporting Vision Zero and Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s commitment to the initiative.” Vision Zero is a multidisciplinary strategy designed to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries by increasing safety measures. Crews will spend the remainder of the year pruning back trees at intersections and major thoroughfares citywide. According to Director Vincent, the Transportation Engineering Division will employ an arborist to assist with proper pruning procedures and address service requests.  ...

The City of Richmond invites the entire community to the 15 th annual Multicultural Festival, Imagine 2019, to celebrate the cultural richness of our communities. The free festival will be held at the Broad Rock Sports Complex on Old Warwick Road on Saturday, September 28 from noon to 5:00 p.m. Organized by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the festival is a fun event for the entire family, presenting an opportunity to enjoy music and food from the wide variety of cultural communities in Richmond and to take advantage of free health screenings provided by partners. This year, the festival will include performances from Sayaw Diversity, Sacred Heart Folklorico, the Motown Kids, Salsa Guy Richmond’s Bomba y Plena, Lion Dance, Mexican Regional Music Band, groups from the Philippines and North and South Sudan, and more. In addition, more than 55 area organizations will provide information about community services. Una Vida Sana and La Casa de la Salud will offer fre...

The City of Richmond was recently designated a Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) site.  Starting two years ago, representatives from the Richmond City Health District and the City of Richmond collaborated with numerous local community service providers to align, intertwine, and coordinate their programs with the goal of producing healthier, more energy-efficient housing, higher-quality green jobs, and improved health and social outcomes for families. Local leaders committed to this effort because they recognized it was an effective way to improve how the community addressed the connection between health and housing. As part of the designation process, the stakeholders signed onto a compact to continue this important work. Signatories include: Director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts Dr. Danny Avula, Mayor Levar Stoney, KC Bleile of Viridiant, Lee Householder of project:HOMES, Malcolm Jones of Rebuilding Together Richmond, Ruth Ann Norton ...

Mayor Levar M. Stoney announced today the appointment of Dawn Barber as the Director of the City of Richmond Department of Justice Services. A former assistant police chief for the City of Newport News,   Barber brings more than 31 years of professional experience in justice services and law enforcement to the City of Richmond Department of Justice Services.  Most recently, Barber served as the Director of Juvenile Services for the City of Newport News. In addition to her experience in city government, she serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy Reserves. In her new role, Barber will oversee   the city’s services for adults facing potential incarceration and youth who are either at risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system or who have been formally processed by the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. These services include prevention and diversion efforts, in-home services, monitoring and surveillance, secure confinement, counse...

The City of Richmond’s Department of Planning and Development Review (PDR) seeks to once again engage the Richmond community in the development of the updated city master plan. Richmond 300: A Guide for Growth,   the city’s new master plan, is entering the next community engagement stage of development. The plan’s aim is to establish a 20-year vision for the city’s growth, factoring in extensive community input.  Last fall, residents of Richmond shared their vision for the future of the city. Now, Richmonders can see and provide feedback on how their ideas have been incorporated into a vision for the city in 2037, the component goals necessary to create that vision and the draft land uses, transportation connections and strategies needed to achieve those goals. From September 23 to November 3, community members can provide their thoughts at their convenience via any of the following four methods: Attend a Richmond 300 Forum:   Each forum will include a ...