Mayor Dwight C. Jones released the following statement after the Investiture of Tracy Thorne-Begland as a Judge of the District Court of the City of Richmond Thirteenth Judicial District: “The City of Richmond was pleased to be able to host this historic event at City Hall today. Judge Tracy Thorne-Begland is a demonstrably competent addition to the bench and it is a joy to see this day come. I offer my highest congratulations to Judge Thorne-Begland and look forward to his continued service to the city of Richmond and the Commonwealth.”

Mayor Dwight C. Jones commended the Richmond Pubic School Board members for their work on the schools budget. “Presenting a balanced budget shows responsible action on behalf of the new Richmond Public School Board,” said Mayor Jones. “These are difficult economic times and I want to thank these dedicated public servants for their leadership in preparing the School’s budget.” “There is still work to be done and the Administration is preparing to present its own budget in the coming weeks, but starting the process by presenting a balanced budget is an accomplishment that should be commended.”

~Three or more unpaid parking tickets will result in vehicle ‘boot’~ Standard Parking Corporation, the City’s parking enforcement contractor, is implementing some changes that will enhance the parking services the City provides.   Beginning April 1, Standard Parking will begin using License Plate Recognition Technology to assist with ‘booting’, or immobilizing, vehicles with three or more outstanding parking tickets.   Throughout the transition to Standard Parking Corporation, the City has been lenient in collecting fees for delinquent tickets.  However, as Standard Parking continues to move forward with new parking services, the City is preparing to enforce fines for unpaid violations. Parking Enforcement Officers will operate vans with two cameras mounted on the roof to identify license plates of ‘scofflaw’ vehicles.  Once the license plate information has been verified, an orange ‘boot’ will be attached to either the driver’s side front or ...

  Leaders from the City of Richmond, Bon Secours Virginia Health System and the Washington Redskins, amongst others, will break ground on the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center located at the Leigh Street (Science Museum) site on Thursday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m.  Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, Bon Secours Virginia Health System CEO Peter Bernard and Washington Redskins Executive Vice President/General Manager Bruce Allen, amongst other Richmond-based partners, are expected to attend.  “We are honored to gather today with such a prestigious group of partners,” said Peter Bernard, CEO of Bon Secours. “Above all, we are pleased to be on the cusp of a project that will have significant impact on our city, both economically and from a health perspective.”  As the new home of the Redskins three week summer training camp beginning this year, the world-class training facility will bring an estimated $40 million investment...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones issued the following statement regarding the appointment of Ray J. Tarasovic as Chief of Police: “As of today, I have accepted the resignation of Bryan Norwood from his post as Chief of Police for the city of Richmond. I am very thankful for the more than four years of dedicated service he has offered to our city and for the leadership that he has brought to the Richmond Police Department. I know that in many ways, the Richmond Police Department and our city is better off because of his involvement, his dedication, and his concern and care for our communities. But we’ve reached a mutual agreement in that his time as Richmond’s Police Chief has come to an end. “Today I am announcing the appointment of Ray J. Tarasovic as Police Chief. Effective tomorrow, this appointment places a new chief in charge who already knows our city; having previously served as Assistant Chief of Police in Richmond under former Chief Rodney Monroe. He has made Richmond his home ...

~$50 per Day Following Violation Warning~ City residents will need to pay strict attention to the times they put out their Supercan, as well as the time they remove it from the City right-of-way.  Beginning March 11, in accordance with a City Ordinance, residents and property owners will be subject to monetary fines for leaving their Supercans out too long.  City Code Section 86-44 stipulates Supercans and recycling bins should not be placed out earlier than 4 p.m. on the day before collection and must be removed from the right-of-way by 7 a.m. the day after collection.  The City right-of-way includes sidewalks, alleys and median strips between sidewalks and roadways.   “The right-of-way is part of a natural corridor contributing to the aesthetic quality and value of our neighborhoods. Removal of our refuse and recycling receptacles after service returns this area to its natural state, providing pedestrian, cycling and vehicular passage in our communities,”...

~State Review cannot find hard copies of records that should accompany automated files~ At the request of the City of Richmond, on January 28, 2013, the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) began on-site reviews of hard copies of case files and staff interviews related to 200 cases in foster care and adoption, child protective services, and family services as part of an in-depth review of policies and procedures. A review of automated records had previously been underway following a number of allegations the City received concerning the management of the department.  Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services, Stephen Harms, reported today that VDSS advised him on Thursday evening that 37 of 100 requested Child Protective Services (CPS) hard copies of case files could not be found. As of Tuesday, February 5, only 1 of those case files has been located. “While some information on these cases is available in the automated files and the files...