Richmond Roads Reveal Desparate Repair Needed

If you've traveled over Richmond's roads lately, you've probably hit a pot hole, or two. Richmond's road, in certain areas, have reached an all time embarrassment for the Capital of Virginia.

On Richmond's North side, we witnessed parts of Chamberlayne Avenue in need of completed repair. During the summer, road work began on a mile-long stretch of the avenue, giving the impression that the road was being repaired.  Road crews blocked much of the left side of the northbound lane, interrupting traffic flow for weeks.   The assignment was never completed and still remains a hazard to drive on.

We tried to avoid this tactless display of road repair at the intersection of Brook Road and Bellevue, also on Richmond's North side. 

Take a look at the view at the intersection, and again at the close-up view.

Intersection of Bellevue and Brook Road.  Photos/ CD Brown.

Intersection of Bellevue and Brook Road.  Photo/ CD Brown.

The downtown district doesn't fair much better.   We thought only the roads in Shockoe Slip were supposed to be bumpy and rocky because of the cobble stone roads, and don't expect the same on asphalted roads.

If you'd like to see the roads-of-Richmond in much better condition, join us by emailing the representative in your district and tell them the roads where you live and work need to be repaired (professionally) as soon as possible, and definitely by the upcoming November 5th election.

You may also contact the Mayor's office by clicking here, and selecting the 'Citizen's Request' tab.
Call the Mayor's office at 646-7970, or fax your pot hole concern to 646-7987, or email the mayor at askthemayor@richmondgov.com.

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Join our RVA pothole campaign on Twitter!

Use hash tag #RoadsInRichmond on Twitter.  Tweet your pothole sighting to help get it repaired!

Marcus Johnson, The Hippodrome Start Off Richmond Jazz Fest Weekend

You could not have asked for a better summer evening to kick off Richmond's Jazz weekend celebration; and what better indoor venue to do so than the newly renovated Hippodrome Theatre in the city's Jackson Ward area.

Washington, D.C.'s own jazz piano extraordinaire, Marcus Johnson, performed to a sold out and nearly standing-room-only crowd in the theatre's stately Mansion 26 room where he eloquently serenaded (and funk-ti-fied) a deserving crowd of nearly 800 MJ fans.

With his mellow blend of signature jazz staples and funky, upbeat contemporary songs Johnson remains a crowd pleaser.

With 17 albums (and a line of bottled wines) to his credit, one can see why this man is one of the hardest working jazz artists in the country.

The talented band of seven performed a jazzy combination of Beyoncé's 'Me Myself and I' along with Parliament Funkadelic's 'Make My Funk the P Funk' (in this case the 'J' funk), and a rendition of Floetry's 'Say Yes'.

Can you say standing ovation?

Add in an amazing band to boot, complete with saxophone great Brian LeNair who left the crowd still wondering how he can hold a note for that long (seemingly three minutes), good food, a chic and stylish crowd, and you got a night on the town not soon to be forgotten.

The historic Hippodrome Theatre, home to vaudeville acts of the 1914s era, and acts of the 1940s that showcased the likes of James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, is located at 528 N. Second Street.

If you're looking for a good time and great performances, then The Hipp is it.  

Redskins Practice Schedule

***DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

PRACTICE SESSIONS CAN BE CANCELED WITHOUT NOTICE***

 

2013 BON SECOURS WASHINGTON REDSKINS TRAINING CENTER FAN SCHEDULE

 

The practices listed below are open to the public free of charge. Practice dates are subject to change without notice (especially in the event of inclement weather). Gates will open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.

 

Fans are encouraged to visit www.redskins.com/trainingcamp for up-to-the-minute information.

 

Thursday, July 25                 10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Friday, July 26                      10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Saturday July 27                   10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Monday, July 29                    10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Tuesday, July 30                   10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Wednesday, July 31              10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Thursday, Aug. 1                  10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Friday, Aug. 2                       10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

 

Saturday, Aug. 3                   Fan Appreciation Day – Noon

 

Monday, Aug. 5                     10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Tuesday, Aug. 6                    10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Saturday, Aug. 10                 1 p.m. Practice

Monday, Aug. 12                   10 a.m. Walkthrough

                                                3:20 p.m. Practice

Tuesday, Aug. 13                  12:40 p.m. Practice

Wednesday, Aug. 14             12:40 p.m. Practice

Thursday, Aug. 15                12:40 p.m. Practice

Friday, Aug. 16                     9:45 a.m. Practice

The Game of Change Comes to the White House

The 1963 Loyola Ramblers Honored by President Obama

by Valerie Jarrett | White House Blog | July 11, 2013

On March 15, 1963, the Ramblers played Mississippi State in a regional semifinal game known as the Game of Change.

The year: 1963, right in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. The team: The Loyola Ramblers, coached by George Ireland. The controversy: The Ramblers started four African-American players on the “Iron Five” lineup, even though the unwritten rules of college basketball allowed only two African-American players to start, and an unwritten law in Mississippi wouldn’t allow play against integrated teams.

Earlier in the year, the Ramblers had won 20 consecutive games and earned a tournament berth. The Game of Change took place in East Lansing, Michigan. The all-white Mississippi State team snuck into Michigan in defiance of an injunction issued by the Governor of Mississippi that was intended to prohibit the game.

President Barack Obama greets members of the 1963 Loyola University Chicago Ramblers NCAA Championship men's basketball team in the Oval Office, July 11, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)  LINK

Judy Van Dyck, the daughter of the Head Coach, George Ireland, accompanied the team today. She told me that she remembered her father saying, with tears in his eyes, that the time had come for change,that these were his kids, and he wanted to make a difference so that no other kids would have to go through what they went through.

And that’s just what happened.

The Ramblers won 61-51. Before tip-off, photographers captured one of the great moments in college sports history when Loyola captain Jerry Harkness, and Mississippi State captain Joe Dan Gold shook hands at center court. The team gave President Obama a framed copy of that famous photo today.

The Ramblers went on to eventually win the 1963 NCAA Championship, by beating the Cincinnati Bearcats in overtime, 60-58, denying the Bearcats their third consecutive national title.

All nine players from the 1963 Ramblers graduated from Loyola, and many went on to excel in graduate studies. And this November, the Ramblers will become the first team to be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Their induction coincides with several major 50th year anniversaries of the Civil Rights movement—from the murder of Medgar Evers, to the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, to the Children’s March, to the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door in Alabama, to the March on Washington and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

The Ramblers broke barriers by refusing to give in to prejudice, and simply playing their best. As I watched President Obama speak with the players in the Oval Office, I thought of just how far we’ve come.

In 1963, a governor refused to let them play. But today, a President welcomed them to the White House with open arms.

Valerie B. Jarrett is a Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversees the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs.

 

RELATED POST:

Honoring Our Civil Rights Heroes

SAVE THE DATE: Richmond Jazz Fest 2013!

August 8 -11. The 4th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont brings back a sense of serenity, soul and smooth sounds to the City of Richmond. Located at Maymont, the Richmond Jazz Festival features over 20 local, national and international bands and artists on two stages.

Festival attendees enjoy smooth jazz, while taking advantage of products and services sold by vendors, scheduled wine tastings and chef demonstrations featuring international cuisine. This year, the festival will span over 3 days! Festival performances will begin on Friday, August 9th with local jazz acts at the Hippodrome Theater.

On August 10th and 11th, festival attendees will enjoy exclusive access to the beautiful landscape and gardens of Maymont where over 20 artists will perform!

Take a look at the scheduled performances lineup, then click here to get your tickets for this MUST ATTEND event!

Sat - August 10th
Jill Scott · Arturo Sandoval · · Peter White, David Benoit, David Pack ·  Gregg Karukas · Robert Glasper ·  Joe Sample & Randy Crawford · Frédéric Yonnet  · Big Sam's Funky Nation · Jason Moran & The Bandwagon ·  Susan Greenbaum · Central Virginia Jazz Orchestra ·

 Sun - August 11th
Terence Blanchard · Dee Dee Bridgewater ·  Tiempo Libre ·  BWB (Norman Brown, Kirk Whalum, Rick Braun) · Soul of Summer (Jonathan Butler & Elan Trotman), and more!

SNEAK PEEK: Redskins/Bon Secours Training Camp

Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones to join Redskins' Larry Michael at the grand opening of the new Redskins' training facility this coming Monday.  Also expected to appear for the celebration is former Redskin quarterback Joe Theismann.    

The training center is located at 2401 West Leigh Street in  Richmond, just behind the Children's Museum, and boasts two full-size natural grass fields, a natural grass drill field, spectator areas, locker rooms and a high-tech training room.

The facility will also serve as a year-round resource for the community when camp is not in session.

The year-round Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center will bring an estimated $40 million investment to Richmond and hundreds of new jobs. The three-week training camp is expected to attract more than 100,000 fans and bring tourism opportunities to Richmond, an estimated economic impact of $8.5 million annually.




Redskins/Bon Secours Training Camp.  Photo/ UrbanRVA Magazine.

Training camp opens July 25th for the Washington Redskins and is scheduled to feature 17 days of practice to accommodate fans, leading up to the August 3rd Fan Appreciation Day.  [Tickets]

For more info on schedule and times, visit, www.redskins.com.




Marcus Williams, an invitee to the opening, shows off his gift bag - complete with  
Redskins mini helmet, seat cushion, rally rag and cup holder.  Photo/UrbanRVA Magazine.



New to Bon Secours?   Here's a brief claim of their work.

Bon Secours Virginia provides good help to thousands of Virginians through a network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, ambulatory care sites and continuing care facilities across the Commonwealth. The not-for-profit health system employs about 12,000 people, including nearly 300 physicians as part of the Bon Secours Medical Group.

 

The fourth largest and only faith-based health system in Virginia, Bon Secours Virginia offers a full range of services, including cardiac, women’s, children’s, orthopaedics, oncology, neurosciences and surgery at seven award-winning hospitals. Bon Secours Richmond is comprised of St. Mary’s Hospital, Memorial Regional Medical Center, Richmond Community Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center.Bon Secours Hampton Roads is comprised of Maryview Medical Center, DePaul Medical Center and Mary Immaculate Hospital.

 

Floyd Mayweather Makes Stop in DC

The Washington Redskins aren't the only big named attraction to have a loyal RVA fan base.

If you're a boxing fan, a Floyd Mayweather boxing fan in particular, you'll appreciate reading about yesterday's press conference at DC's historic Lincoln Theatre where Mayweather and his next opponent, Canelo Alverez faced off to promote their September 14th, 12-round fight for Canelo's WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine Super Welterweight World Championship and Mayweather's WBA Super Welterweight Super World Championship at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. 

Here are a few pics on the day, courtesy of our DC connection, DC UrbanSports.

 

 

Tickets are priced at $2,000, $1,500, $1,000, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $2,000, $1,500, $1,000 and $600 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $350 price level), are on sale now.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.  Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com, going fast, we're told.

Check out the presser video below.   Hard work! Dedication!

Doing Good In Richmond's Communities

Several community events were held Saturday in and around the Richmond area to help the community.

New Kingdom Christian Ministries, located at 3200 Dill Avenue, held it's annual free food, car wash and clothing give away.



Youth gives free car wash.

Church youth minister, Vance Chisholm, also known as 'Minista -V' to the young people, hosted the free car wash.  His organization, Youth Ministry Entertainment (Y-ME) provides after school and summer enrichment programs, conflict resolution and bully prevention services, life skills, Bible study and more.

Free summer hair cuts were provided by Barber Wendell.   Said Barber Wendell, "I'm just using the talent God gave me to give back to the community." 



Barber 'Wendell' gives youth a free hair cut.





Community clothing giveaway.

Radio One's Kiss 105.7/99.3 FM, with support from Richmond's Power 92.1 FM, hosted a community men's forum to "assist with the repair of our families, communities, and nation".



Men listen during the 'Men Are Talking' men's forum.



Anthony Pressley talks finances and credit.



Talib Muhammad wins ticket give away.

The event, Hosted by Kiss FM's Ms. Community, Clovia Lawrence, was held at the Trinity Family Life Center at 3601 Dill Road and featured guests who shared information on nutrition and fitness, personal finance, men's roles in the home and community, and spirituality.




U.S. Congressman Bobby Scott was also in attendance at the forum, now in it's 5th year.

The event featured giveaways and tickets to upcoming summer events such as the Hampton Jazz Festival, a wine tasting event, and more.  While the event focused on men's roles in the community, women were also invited to attend, but were not allowed to participate.  

The next forum will be held jointly with the women's forum in September.



Photos by UrbanRVA Magazine.

Real Baby Mamas of Richmond

A Cry for Fathers To Man Up?

You knew it was coming, eventually.   The 2013 version of single, female parenting, brought to light, on the big screen - reality TV style.

Even before The Real Baby Mama's of Richmond, there were several shows depicting the particular family dynamic.

In the '60s there was the TV show Julia played by Diane Carroll, an African American mother, raising her child - alone.   Carroll went on to play Claudine, another single mother role with multiple children - by multiple men.



Single parenting is, and has been, prevalent in American culture, crossing all races.

The creator of The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond, Aretha "Pumpkin" Lewis, aka "BIG SEXY", claims she is not trying to promote being a single parent.

Lewis claims her show, which premiered last night, was created to show a positive message of single parenthood, while putting Richmond "on the map".

The opinions of the show are as varied as the day is long.

"I think it's a horrific depiction of the city of Richmond", said a female caller into one Richmond radio show Tuesday morning.

While the show is sure to be viewed as stereotypical, each woman defines success of the show in their own individual way.  The show's creator lauds the fact that the show reveals that one of her children is a successful college student on the Dean's list, disproving the notion that children raised by a single parent are doomed to fail.

Not necessarily true.  And just what defines being a single parent?

Even First Lady Michelle Obama stated that at times she "feels like a single mother", while her husband, President Barack Obama tends to the affairs of the country.  She is mother to the country's First Daughters, Sasha and Malia Obama.

“Believe me, as a busy single mother– or, I shouldn’t say single, as a busy mother. Sometimes, you know, when you’ve got a husband who is president, it can feel a little single. But he’s there.”

There, is the operative word.

"What woman doesn't dream of wanting a husband, wanting a family, wanting a home, wanting a career?", Lewis said. 

"It's just that that time hasn't come for some of us yet." 

Perhaps The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond will allow fathers to see the struggles (and joys) single mothers go through everyday and get them to share in the responsibility for the children they helped create.

Are we reaching here?

Whether your thoughts about the show are negative, or other, this show will get you talking, and thinking, about the culture of American parenting that has existed for decades.

Related
Meet the Cast

Carver Elementary School 5th Grade Graduation

Where students are: Caring, Artistic, Reliable, Valuable, Engaged and Responsible.

George Washington Carver Elementary School, in Richmond’s Carver District, hosted their ‘Moving On’ ceremony Wednesday for a group of eligible 5^th graders.



The 2013 5^th grade graduating class of George Washington Carver Elementary. [Click on pic to begin slide show],

The ceremony marked the end of the school year and celebrated the students’ hard work, dedication, and successful scholastic achievement.  The ‘move on’ will ensure the young students a spot in the next phase of their scholastic journey, sixth grade.

Said guest speaker, and former Carver principal Arcelius Brickhouse, Jr. to the attentively listening students in the school’s auditorium, “You’re not just competing against neighboring schools”, you’re competing against students around the world.   

Brickhouse encouraged the students to learn a another language to help them stay competitive, inviting them to learn Spanish, French or Chinese.  

Jamari Melton with former Carver principal Arcelius Brickhouse.

He also advised the students to watch what they post on social media forums such as Facebook. 

“Don’t put anything on Facebook you don’t want your mother to see”, he advised, suggesting that certain photos and postings could lead to negative consequences when employers are considering a candidate for employment.

Solid advice.  Not just for the rising 6^th graders, but for their siblings attending the ceremony, as well.

Carver faculty on stage with Mistress of Ceremony Davionna Smith and Master of Ceremony Jayvon Catus.

Brickhouse accepted a position as principal in a New Jersey school district in 2012, but received a warm Carver welcome from students and faculty upon his visit.

Carver’s 2013 graduating class boasted eight Scholar students, six Honor students, and one Scholastic Standout student, Teozha Williams, who took home several trophies and plaques on the day.  Ms. Williams will be attending the Franklin Military Academy in the fall of 2013.

Scholastic Standout, Teozha Williams, poses with her awards.

Student of the Year, Samirra Ballou, accepts her certificate.

Other honors included Most Improved student, Jaidah Miller; most improved Math student, Caiya Edwards; and Student of the Year winner, Samirra Ballou.

“I’m so proud of all my babies”, said Carver principal Kiwana Yates.  “The sky is the limit” [for them].

Carver principal, Kiwana Yates, poses with graduates.

Jayvon Catus, also a scholar student and serving as the program’s Master of Ceremony said of the occasion, “It was fun, exciting, and encouraged us to keep striving to do our best.”

The students practiced for weeks, crafting their skills before presenting a solid execution of public speaking, team work, and talent.

Indeed the future does look bright for the students of Carver Elementary.

Carver Elementary was named after the renowned scientist and inventor, George Washington Carver.  

Proud parents of Carver graduates.

 

Dance performance by the ‘Carver Stars’ help celebrate the occasion.

Congratulations Graduates!!

Carver grads celebrate their success. 

  Photos by CD Brown for URBAN RVA Magazine.  [Click photos to start picture slide show]



Damian Harris (front) walks across the stage.

 

Ivree Dent walks across the stage.

Student holds a celebratory Carver cookie.
























School's Out! (Almost). What To Do With The Kids!

Schools in RVA will soon be out and parents all over the city are frantically trying to find positive recreational activities for their kids.   We've searched top to bottom to find kid-friendly summer recreational fun for kids.

Here's what we have so far!

Tennis lessons at Arthur Ashe, Jr. tennis courts at Battery Park (North Side).  Lessons through the summer.   Contact the club's president,  George Banks at (804)332-0871, or come by on Saturday mornings to see for yourself!

Batter up! Do your kids love baseball?  Sign up for Little League baseball being played for ages 7 and up behind Columbia High school (Hooper Street) from 5:30-7:30 pm.  (Even later during the summer).   Stop by and see coach Fox or coach Beard to sign up.  (Very affordable.)  Some baseball materials provided.

MadScience! The leading science enrichment provider for children in kindergarten through to grade 6. Call 804-359-1500 for more info.

Soccer!  RVA's Challenge Sports offers soccer activities for young to teen.  Check them out at Challenger Sports for more info.

If your organization is sponsoring a summer camp for kids and you would like parents to know about it, email us at UrbanRVA13@gmail.com.   We'll post your summer camp on UrbanRVA!   (A $10 fee applies).

May Is Commencement Month in RVA!

One day. Several commencements.

The weekend of May 11th is the virtual commencement day for Richmond's institutions of higher learning.  At least four universities will hold their commencement day programs. Take a look at the scheduled graduation festivities!

Congratulations to all the grads!


VCU - Teresa H. Carlson, vice president, Worldwide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services, and a member of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Board of Visitors, will deliver the featured address next month at VCU’s 2013 commencement ceremony.  Commencement exercises will be held at 10 a.m. on May 11 at the Richmond Coliseum. Watch the ceremony online at www.vcu.edu. For more information about the ceremony, visit www.commencement.vcu.edu.

The university is celebrating its 175th year.


University of Richmond -  Ceremonies and events for 2013 take place May 11-12. Tickets are not required to attend graduation.  Amy O’Neill Richard, a Richmond alumna and senior advisor to the ambassador at large to monitor and combat trafficking in persons (TIP office), will speak at the main commencement ceremony May 12 at 2 p.m.


VA Union University - Actor/Director/Producer Delroy Lindo will deliver the 2013 Commencement address at Virginia Union University.  The ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 11 on Hovey Field.  Approximately 328 graduates are expected to receive degrees.  This includes 175 students from the undergraduate program and 153 students from the graduate school of theology.




J. Sargeant Reynolds -  On May 12, 2013, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College will hold its 40th Commencement at the Verizon Wireless Arena at the VCU Stuart C. Siegel Center.  The Center is located at 1200 West Broad Street.

Welcome To UrbanRVA!

Welcome to UrbanRVA, a new online website dedicated to covering Richmond, Virginia's compelling, interesting, and fascinating people, places, and events!

If it's happening here, we'll do our best to cover it.  From Uptown to Downtown 

Got an event, or news worthy story?   Email us at urbanRVA13@gmail.com.

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One more thing:  Follow us on Twitter @urbanRVA13!

Thanks for reading!