The City of Richmond welcomes Virginia Hair, LLC Salon & Spa to the business community with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony today; Friday, February 27 at 4 p.m. Owner Virginia Anderson will open Virginia Hair with assistance through the City of Richmond Department of Economic Development’s Commercial Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) and Enterprise Zone Programs. “I congratulate Virginia Hair as they are opening for business and utilizing the financial incentives offered through the City’s CARE program,” said City Director of Economic Development Carthan Currin. “By providing business assistance through financial and enterprise zone incentives, we are stimulating private investment in the City.” The salon, located at 14 South 15th Street in Historic Shockoe Slip, offers a broad range of services from razor cuts to massages. Grand opening day specials include $10 off coupons to the first 50 customers. Hours of operation are Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday,...

As a step towards “Building A Better Richmond,” Mayor Dwight C. Jones today made his seventh “New Beginnings” announcement with the issuance of the following statement; “Today I am withdrawing the two appeal lawsuits, Wilder et al. vs. City Council and Wilder et al. vs. School Board and City Council, currently pending in the Supreme Court of Virginia. This is a new beginning in settling City Charter differences in a more constructive and cost-effective manner. “To the extent that there may be ambiguities with the City Charter, we will work in an environment of communication, collaboration and cooperation for resolution. The Charter Review Commission will work to resolve any issues rather than continuing this additional financial burden on City taxpayers. Lawsuits are expensive and should only be used as a last resort. The legal costs associated with this matter have totaled more than $1.1 million to date. “I cannot justify the continued spending of taxpayer dollars and continuance of...

"New Beginning" for Entertainment District Development and Safety WHO: Mayor Dwight C. Jones Richmond Police Chief Brian Norwood WHAT: Meeting with Shockoe Bottom Merchants WHEN: 5:00 p.m., Thursday, February 19, 2009 WHERE: Old City Bar - 1548 East Main Street BACKGROUND: A public disturbance recently took place at Toad's Place in Shockoe Bottom wherein all city police units available were called to the scene. Discussions have been underway regarding the incident and past events related to night life in Shockoe Bottom. Mayor Jones will discuss with merchants issues including: 1) How do we ensure a vibrant nightlife, which is important for tourism and business strength, while providing a safe and secure environment? 2) What is the level of expectation with regard to patron behavior? 3) Is there clarity about police enforcement guidelines? 4) How can we all work together to prevent future problems? Contact: Tammy Hawley, (804) 64...

Announces "New Beginning" Toward Regional Cooperation Mayor Dwight C. Jones, in a strategic effort to generate regional cooperation, made his first county visit today, meeting with the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. "I have made several announcements in my first few weeks in office about New Beginnings for the City and for my administration, and I want this visit to serve as a representation of my commitment to a New Beginning of closer working relationships with the City's regional partners," said Mayor Jones. Education was underscored as a priority. Mayor Jones is particularly interested in working together to address common challenges that all school districts face, like how to teach children in their tumultuous middle-school years. The aging infrastructure that the area must deal with was highlighted and the suggestion was made that perhaps there are ways the region can work together on projects that are eligible for the President's econom...

The City of Richmond is preparing for the onset of anticipated federal funds as the economic stimulus legislation, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, has been approved in both chambers of the United States Congress. Now that a version of the plan has passed both the House and Senate, a final compromise can be crafted and is expected to become law early next week. The plan is designed to create jobs, jumpstart growth and lay the foundation for future economic growth. Cities and localities across the country have begun to identify "shovel-ready" projects that can qualify for the funds when they become available. Mayor Dwight Jones and city officials have identified as many as 38 projects that may be eligible for such funding. The city also plans to submit its list of projects to the newly launched website being hosted by Governor Timothy M. Kaine, which is designed to collect potential funding ideas. "We're ready to move forward on many projects that...

WHO: Mayor Dwight C. Jones City Council President Kathy Graziano Pres Kabacoff, co-founder and co-chairman of HRI Properties Brian McGhee, general manager, Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown WHAT: Ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown hotel in the historic Miller & Rhoads building WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 12, 2009 WHERE: 501 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 BACKGROUND: The opening of the 250-room Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown is a part of the restoration of the historic Miller & Rhoads building that also includes 133 condominium units and 20,000 square feet of retail space. Contact: Tammy Hawley, (804) 646-3110

WHO: Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones City Council President Kathy Graziano City Council Vice President Ellen Robertson Sidney Barthelemy (former mayor of News Orleans) Lionel Collins of HRI Properties. WHAT: Tour of the Miller & Rhoads historic rehabilitation project taking place between Broad, Grace, 5th and 6th Streets in Downtown Richmond. WHEN: Friday, February 6, 2009 10 a.m. WHERE: 501 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23129 BACKGROUND: After more than two years of construction, the former Miller & Rhoads department store will open this month in Downtown Richmond as a 250-room hotel with 21,000 square feet of restaurant/retail space and 200 parking spaces. The Miller & Rhoads building dates to 1888, and many of the original windows, marble or wood floors have been preserved. The renovation has been led by New Orleans-bas ed Historic Restoration Properties, owner ...