Richmond, VA – Real estate tax bills were mailed on Friday, May 15, 2009, to all property owners and mortgage holders. The bills mailed to property owners were a duplicate communication and didn’t clearly indicate that escrow agents were also being billed directly. The City apologizes for any inconvenience this has caused. Property Owners who have escrow agents paying their real estate taxes should know that those escrow agents have been billed by the City. This duplicate bill was intended to help property owners who may have recently paid off or refinanced their mortgages, as they may need this information to meet their responsibilities or forward to a new escrow agent. Should you have a question regarding your real estate tax bill, please contact the City at 3-1-1 or finance@richmondgov.com . Contact: Michael Wallace (804) 646-2772

Press Conference Scheduled for Monday WHO: Mayor Dwight C. Jones WHAT: Release of Executive Summary on the Proposed Shockoe Center Development WHEN: 2 p.m. - Monday, May 18, 2009 WHERE: City Hall Second Floor Large Conference Room 900 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 BACKGROUND: Mayor Dwight Jones hired consultants in March of this year to review Highwoods Properties' proposed development of a mixed-use project in Shockoe Bottom. Among other things, the report cites the proposal as a potentially very attractive economic development opportunity for the City. With the preliminary results of the study, Mayor Jones said he is "more confident in his knowledge of the implications of the proposed project. We now have information that we can share with stakeholders as well as our regional partners as we work to chart our course from here. All of the implications have to be considered and I'm prepared to ...

Who: Congressman Eric Cantor Congressman Bobby Scott Mayor Dwight Jones Virginians for High Speed Rail Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce What: Press Conference on High-Speed Rail When: 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 24, 2009 Where: Main Street Station 1500 East Main Street Richmond, VA 23219 Background: Mayor Dwight C. Jones will join Congressmen Eric Cantor and Bobby Scott, as well as representatives from Virginians for High Speed Rail and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, to thank President Barack Obama’s administration for the inclusion of Southeast Rail Corridor in its strategic plan, and to call upon Virginia to submit requests and plans through competitive grants to ensure the implementation of this important project. Mayor Jones was part of a group of mayors that met with President Obama last week to discuss the President's vision for high-speed rail in America. The Mayor was pleased...

Richmond, VA - Join the City of Richmond in welcoming We All Scream Ice Cream, Pastries & Deli to the Bellevue business community with a grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, April 24, from 3 to 6 p.m. Located at 4023 MacArthur Avenue, owner Shanan Chambers received assistance through the City of Richmond Department of Economic Development’s Commercial Area Revitalization Effort (CARE) and Enterprise Zone Programs. “I believe the shop is a great addition to the street for all the businesses and this unique neighborhood,” said Chambers. We All Scream Ice Cream, Pastries & Deli is one of the many businesses in the Bellevue community to take advantage of financial incentives offered through the CARE program,” said Carthan Currin, director of the City’s Department of Economic Development. “It is a pleasure to see this business added to the retail mix that thrives in the Bellevue area.” We All Scream Ice Cream, Pastries & Deli invite you to try “Moose Tracks,” its ...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones is the latest of more than 340 mayors nationwide to join the bipartisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. The Mayor signed on to the coalition during a recent meeting with New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Protecting the citizens of Richmond is a responsibility that I take very seriously,” said Mayor Jones. “Preventing criminals from illegally obtaining and using guns is an important step toward building a first class city.” Mayors Against Illegal Guns is dedicated to making America’s cities safer by cracking down on illegal guns. Every year, 30,000 Americans are killed as a result of gun violence, destroying families and harming communities. The coalition initially began after Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a summit in New York City to discuss strategies for stopping the flow of illegal guns into America’s cities. The mayors drafted and signed a statement of principles to guide their efforts. Since then, the co...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones issued the following statement today: “I hope that the property owners are successful in restoring the Eggleston Hotel. For decades, it has been one of our City’s historic treasures - right in the heart of Jackson Ward. We will continue to work with the property owners, and provide any available assistance during the construction and restoration process.” Contact: Tammy Hawley, (804) 646-3110

WHO: Richmond residents can register to receive free training in basic emergency survival skills. WHAT: “Survivor Day,” sponsored by the City’s Office of Emergency Management, is a four-hour, free training session in fire safety, first-aid, anti-terrorism, and weather response measures. WHEN: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, April 18, 2009 WHERE: John Marshall High School (Auditorium) 4225 Old Brook Road Richmond, Virginia BACKGROUND: This training is designed to prepare citizens with information and planning tools in the event of a widespread disruption of public services, commerce and transportation due to a local emergency. Training is free and open to all City residents. Citizens can register by calling 311 or visiting www.RichmondGov.com . A free Survival Kit, with supplies including flashlight, gloves, batteries, toilet paper and a blanket, will be provided upon completion of the training (limit one per household). Contact: Chris Dettma...