~ City to receive 500 CPR Anytime kits to implement the Cities of Service Volunteer CPR Blueprint to improve cardiac arrest survival rates ~ The City of Richmond is one of five cities that have been chosen by the American Heart Association and Cities of Service , a bi-partisan coalition of more than 180 mayors committed to using citizen service to address pressing local needs, to receive 500 CPR Anytime Kits (or Hands-Only™ CPR training kits ) to help turn more residents into lifesavers. Last year’s grant recipients trained nearly 17,000 people in lifesaving Hands-Only CPR skills with the kits they received. The City of Richmond, by way of its Neighbor-to-Neighbor (N2N) Initiative, is partnering with the Richmond Ambulance Authority, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and the American Heart Association with the goal of training 250 low-income public housing residents and 250 low-income Latino residents with the grant – thus equipping 500 residents with this life-saving ...

The following statement was released by Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services Stephen W. Harms following a press conference held with City Auditor Umesh Dalal: “We appreciate the City Auditor’s continued assistance in identifying deficiencies and opportunities to improve the operations of the Richmond Department of Social Services (RDSS). We have made many improvements in that department, but clearly more are needed.  “Mayor Jones acted swiftly when deficiencies were initially found. Personnel changes were made from top to bottom. Three external reviews were requested and completed last year, providing a blueprint for improvements. Deputy Police Chief Tonya Vincent, who agreed to serve as the interim director for social services since May, initiated many improvements. We thank her for her dedicated service under very difficult conditions and wish her well in her new position. We soon expect to name a new permanent director to continue the progress started b...

~National honor recognizes collaborative campaign to ensure more low-income students are reading on grade level by the end of third grade~   The City of Richmond’s campaign to improve reading proficiency among its youngest students has been recognized as a 2013 Community Pacesetter by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading   (GLR), an honor that reflects the energy, mobilization and creativity that the local community has brought to this important work. “I am extremely pleased to learn that Richmond has been named a 2013 Pacesetter Community by the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Collaboration is critical in addressing educational issues, and the range of partners involved in developing Richmond’s youth shows our community’s commitment to selfless sharing as we strive to achieve our grade level reading goals,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “Engaging youth, strengthening families and transforming communities is paramount in building a stronger future for our great city.” Richmon...

The City’s Department of Justice Services received notification on Tuesday, January 7, that the City’s Juvenile Detention Center, 1700 Oliver Hill Way, has been certified for a period of three years. The certification was issued by the Director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, Mark Gooch following two 2013 State audits, performed in June and October, that found the City’s Juvenile Detention Center to be completely compliant. This certification follows the Virginia Board of Juvenile Justice’s six-month certification that was issued on June 12, 2013. The new three year certification is in effect until June 12, 2016. In April of 2012, Mayor Dwight C. Jones closed the City’s Juvenile Detention Center and relinquished the facility’s license citing a loss of confidence in its management and operation. The June 2013 six-month certification allowed the facility to reopen following the successful completion of the state audit. “My primary focus for this facility h...

The City of Richmond and the City of Richmond Economic Development Authority are pleased to announce the start of the Façade Improvement Program (FIP) in the City’s Arts and Cultural District. This new program, one of several recent City initiatives designed for the District, has a total funding of $450,000 to assist business in the defined area. The purpose of the Program is to increase business activity and vibrancy of the District by funding historic rehabilitation and thoughtful design improvements of storefronts. Projects include uncovering and restoring historical façades, removing existing façade materials and replacing them with more appropriate and attractive designs and materials, architectural lighting of the façade, and other detailing which leads to a substantially enhanced appearance of the building. Projects meeting these objectives are eligible for a reimbursement grant for up to one-half of eligible costs, up to a maximum of $40,000 dependent upon building size. “The ...

The City of Richmond today released the results of a study conducted by the Center for Sport Leadership at VCU and Richmond Region Tourism regarding the economic impact of the 2013 Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Camp (Training Camp). The City also released an analysis of tax data related to the same. In all, Training Camp had a total estimated economic impact of $10.5 million on the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Training camp was held over three weeks in July and August 2013 and attracted a total of 165,571 visits to the facility with attendees from all 50 states over the course of the three weeks. “The tax data that we’ve collected along with this survey information shows that the Training Camp’s impact on the city of Richmond and the surrounding area surpassed our early estimates,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “Coupled with the tremendous earned media exposure for the city’s brand – valued in the tens of millions – we had a tremendous first year that we ...

City of Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones has recently been named '2013 Richmonder of the Year' by Style Weekly. Click here to view the full article.