Thanks to Art6 for the reminder: First Friday will be on THURSDAY this time around…

Don’t miss the big summer celebration, but it you come Friday night you’ll find art6 and all the other galleries dark and quiet! The regular festivities will be held, regular hours, but on Thursday July 3rd!

And ANOTHER rave review for Black Sheep, this time from RVA food blog i wish i could cook:

After dinner on Friday, I’m sold. This place is the best. Homemade deviled eggs, homemade bread and butter pickled veggies, homemade gumbo, homemade blah blah blah. Everything tastes like your mom just made it.

Towards this fall’s elections, richmond.com is profiling the nine different district of Richmond. Today they look at the 2nd District:

District 2/North Central encompasses a wide range of income and racial diversity as it representatives speak for the Gilpin Court public housing complex, the moneyed Monument Avenue, the historic Jackson Ward and Carver neighborhoods, the changing Boulevard and the mix of students, residents and businesses in the Lower Fan.

Here is a more detailed map of the 2nd District, if you’re into that kind of thing.

The Richmond Parcel Mapper is a map of the city of Richmond that “permits querying and display of real estate Parcels”, and can also be used as an interactive map of the various Council Districts.

Lieutenant Morley’s monthly report from June (PDF) for the Richmond Police Departments Sector 412 (which cover Carvers and a big chunk of Northside) is now available.

On June 12, the 7-11 Store at 2808 Chamberlayne Avenue was robbed by an individual who fled the scene on a moped. A description of the suspect was quickly obtained and broadcast by responding officers. Officers Marc Troy of the Midnight Shift was able to spot a suspect matching the description in the Carver area. With the assistance of the V.C.U. Police, he was able to stop the suspect, who was arrested for robbery.

The City of Richmond Planning Commission will hold what may be the last public hearing on the June 2008 Revised Draft Downtown Master Plan TONIGHT, July 7 @6:30PM on the 5th floor conference room in city hall. John Sarvay over at Buttermilk&Molasses has a timely update and recap on the Richmond Downtown Master Plan.

Style Weekly’s John G. Haddad gets to The Black Sheep and has good things to say:

It’s comfort food with flair, all reasonably priced. Roberts and Hess made a conscious decision to price their meals moderately to attract the wide range of clientele that the Carver neighborhood draws. So far it’s working for the diverse distribution of neighborhood, student and foodie guests.

A birthday celebration is set at the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site’s visitor center for tomorrow, and tours will be given for the rest of the evening. A commemorative program will begin at 1:30PM at Sharon Baptist Church. The program will feature presentations on the St. Luke Hall and on Mrs. Walker’s life and works as Right Worthy Grand Secretary of the Independent Order of St. Luke. In related news, historians have announced findings that Maggie L. Walker National was born in 1864, not 1867 as had been thought.

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Writing for Richmond.com, Ginger Warder visited Carver’s little superstar and calls it “quaint and tasty”. The RTD’s Dana Craig recently visited The Black Sheep and comes away raving:

… The Black Sheep successfully caters to the varied needs of its eclectic neighborhood. Students sick of fast food can stop in for takeout cooked with care. Locals (or those from all over the city) can indulge in a leisurely meal of soul-warming favorites dressed up with innovative accents. [...] Roberts and Hess have created an eatery that combines quantity and quality, down-home and dynamic and, based on its funky knickknack décor, eclectic with inviting. I’ve never loved leftovers so much.

Renovation officially began today with a kick-off ceremony on the historic buildings at 21 East Leigh Street. City’s Community Development Director Rachel Flynn, local developer Kelvin Hanson and Historic Jackson Ward Association President Charles Finley, Mayor Wilder, architect Walter Parks, and Neverette Eggleston all spoke on the past and future of the building and then tours were given of the building.

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Mayor Wilder appeared at the Obama campaign’s new Virginia headquarters at 1208 West Marshall Street to announce a voter registration drive:

Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder announced yesterday that the Obama campaign has a goal of registering 151,000 prospective new voters over the next three months. That would be 1,000 more than Obama himself helped register as a community organizer in Chicago before he ran for office.

The new Urban Views Weekly has a profile of TeaCo on Broad Street:

In a fast-paced age where the coffee shop rules, TeaCo has carved out its own niche centered around health and community. The trio from D.C. strives to foster a “home away from home” atmosphere, and to invest in the community that patronizes them. The same family-like character found in barbershops and hair salons can be found at Tea-Co. “I love walking into the room and everyone speaking to you. It’s like stepping into your living room,” says Maya Corneille, a regular patron.