Virginia Commonwealth University has agreed to allow the city of Richmond to use the surface parking lot at the corner of Broad and 10th Streets for public use during City Council formal sessions. This lot will provide more than 100 free parking spaces for each City Council formal session, which are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 6 pm in the second floor of City Hall. The entrance to the parking lot is on 10th Street directly across from City Hall. A parking attendant will allow entry into the lot and provide parking directions to residents. Exits to the parking lot are located on both 10th and 11th Streets. The exit gate will open automatically when the sensors are triggered. Virginia Commonwealth University and the city of Richmond are not responsible for vehicles parked in the lot. Any vehicle left in the lot at the conclusion of a City Council formal session will be towed at the owner’s expense. Contact: Michael Wallace, (804) ...

The Hispanic Liaison Office of Richmond will team up with the Richmond chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the Hispanic Liaison Office of Chesterfield and a number of local Hispanic organizations to celebrate the sixth annual El Juguetazo. The event will take place on Saturday, January 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at L.C. Bird High School in Chesterfield County. El Juguetazo, or the Three Kings Day Celebration, celebrates the tradition of the Three Wise Men by donating toys and holiday gifts to local children. Event organizers will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to accept donations of new and unwrapped toys. Families are invited to attend the toy distribution from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., as the Three Wise Men will hand out donated toys to the children. The U.S. Census will also be in attendance as part of its 2010 Census Road Tour. Contact: Tanya Gonzalez, (804) 646-0145

The Freedom House Conrad Center will serve as a Cold Weather Day Shelter on Friday, January 8, 2010, from 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. The shelter is located at 1400 Oliver Hill Way, next to the Richmond Juvenile Domestic Relations Court and the Richmond City Jail. Contact: Michael Wallace, (804) 646-2772

The city of Richmond’s Cold Weather Overflow Shelter will be open tonight through Sunday night, January 6 – 10, as overnight temperatures are expected to remain below freezing. The city’s cold weather shelter is located at Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, 14 West Duval Street. The hours of operation are from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Residents who need overnight shelter are asked to report to the city’s Central Intake by 3 p.m. for a comprehensive intake and referral to the appropriate shelter. Central Intake is located at the Conrad Center, 1400 Oliver Hill Way, next to Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and Richmond City Jail. Residents may call the Conrad Center at 648-4177. The Department of Social Services (DSS) will accept applications now through March 15 for crisis fuel assistance at 900 East Marshall Street, Monday through Friday; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also call the Fuel Line at 646-7046. DSS also provides emergency assistance with disconnection notices of g...

WHO: Mayor Dwight C. Jones Kathy Graziano, President Richmond City Council Ellen Robertson, Vice President Richmond City Council General District Court Judges of the city of Richmond WHAT: Dedication ceremony of Manchester General District Courthouse expansion WHEN: Friday, January 8, 2010 at 2 p.m. WHERE: Manchester General District Courthouse 920 Hull Street Richmond, VA 23224 BACKGROUND: The Manchester General District Courthouse expansion has more than doubled the size of the courthouse, from 27,260 to 58,590 square feet, which includes three new General District criminal courtrooms and support facilities. The expanded Manchester Courthouse will include additional office space for the Commonwealth’s Attorney, General District Court Clerk, Richmond City Sheriff, and public defenders. The additional space will allow for increased file storage, new underground “sally port” prisoner transportation area, an...

Beginning January 4, 2010, parking fines will increase to $200 for illegal parking in handicap zones within the city of Richmond. Richmond City Council approved the violation increase and the ordinance was formally adopted on November 23, 2009. Violators will be ticketed and fined for illegally parking in a handicap parking space or in front of a handicap ramp. Fines were previously $100 for parking illegally in a handicap zone. For more information, citizens are encouraged to call the city’s Customer Care Center at (804) 646-7000 or visit the city’s website at www.RichmondGov.com . Contact: Jemila Woodson, (804) 646-4642

Cheryl Wright has been named Director of the city’s Department of Procurement Service. Wright possesses more than 18 years experience in leading procurement and diversity programs with numerous governmental entities throughout Chicago, Illinois. Most recently, she worked as a Business Development Procurement Consultant for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Charlotte, NC, providing business development for the Minority Business Development Agency. Wright had previously served as Chief Procurement Officer for the Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago, IL; Director of Purchasing for the Chicago Park District, Chicago, IL; Manager of Contract Administration for Chicago Public Schools, Chicago, IL; and Senior Contract Compliance Officer for the city of Chicago, IL. She obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Purdue University’s School of Technology and a Masters in Project Management from Keller Graduate School in Chicago, Illinois. Annette Flowers has been named Director of the city’s ...