Almost 60 years after being renovated as RRHA’s first redevelopment project, the 4 remaining homes on the southside of the 1200 block of Catherine Street are slated for demolition as part of an RRHA street-widening project.

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Lieutenant Baltz’ monthly report from June (PDF) for the Richmond Police Department’s Sector 413 (which covers the communities of Gambles Hill, Oregon Hill, Downtown, Biotech & MCV District, Monroe Ward, Jackson Ward and the Capital District) is now available:

The biggest problem in Sector 413 is still the theft from motor vehicles. 31 total for the month. Once again items are left in plain view inside of the vehicles. This is too easy for suspects looking for random targets. The items that are being stolen continue to be IPods, GPS systems and laptops. Lock all valuables in your trunk out of sight!

Featuring 30 short and full-length films, the Bicycle Film Festival opens tonight at Gallery5 and continues through the weekend.

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Lieutenant Corrigan’s Sector 412 report for June (PDF) is available. Sector 412 encompasses Carver, Newtowne West, Scott’s Addition, Museum, Northern Barton Heights, Brookland Park, Edgewood, Ginter Park, Washington Park, John Marshall, Sherwood Park, Bellevue, Laburnum Park, Rosedale, Chamberlayne Industrial Center and Virginia Union. From the report:

There were 12 robberies of individuals in Sector 412 during June 2009.
Four have been cleared by arrest and one warrant has been obtained for
a suspect. There were also 5 aggravated assaults in sector 412. One has been
cleared by arrest and one warrant has been obtained for a suspect.

Thanks the new Shockoe Examiner for tipping us off to the online archive of John Mitchell Jr.’s Richmond Planet.

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Last week the RTD reported that “an ambitious three-year project to digitize more than 300,000 state records from the Freedmen’s Bureau archives has been completed and now is available online“. A recent email from Stacy Burrs, Chairman of the Board of the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, announces that the Black History Museum will be leading “an historic partnership [...] to locate and make available to the public all of the records documenting the marriages of newly freed slaves”.

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In a long and sometimes turbid meeting, City Council tonight discussed a (perhaps?) final round of amendments to the Downtown Master Plan. A main point of contention was the possible removal of language setting a Character Area Designation, would requires development to meet specifications based on the character of the area surrounding the development. In a stirring moment of clarity, City Council 2nd District Representative Charles Samuels spoke up for the Character Area Designation, which was then saved by one vote.

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A reader writes in looking for some help following a hit&run on Broad Street:

An older couple coming out of The Empire Theater on July 15th hit and damaged a car in front of Tarrant’s, and then sped off and left the scene. I filed a police report as well, but also have a great description of the driver and his female passenger. Maybe someone will know who they may be, considering they left Thoroughly Modern Millie and were driving a Lexus.

Contact Adam at adamjameskeller@yahoo.com or (267)202-2481 if you know something.

Paul at All Things Richmond tips us to the opening of Like Water, a space for art and yoga on Brook Road:

Briana Roane will teach yoga, pilates and fitness classes Monday through Saturday. Each class is priced $5.00. There will be 30 minute meditation sessions each Wednesday at 10:00 AM on a donation bases. Jason Roane will use the front space as his art studio and offer weekly drawing classes on Saturday for $15.

There is an open house this Friday from 7 – 9 PM. If you live, work or are just passing through downtown, you can find their studio at 312 Brook Road, just left of the triangle at Adams and Broad. Refreshments and appetizers will be served.

Just saw this on a tip from the folks at Cyclus:

The 2010 North American Handmade Bicycle Show will be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virgina, February 26-28. We’re expecting a great showing from the handmade community for our first show on the East Coast! Exhibitor registration is off to a great start, with builders like Crumpton, Richard Sachs, Vanilla, and Independent Fabrications already committed.

Gallery 5 is in the process up uploading 5 years worth of photos to their flickr page. Check it out!

The Style Weekly 2009 Power List is out and recognizes a few folks with local ties:

42. Raymond H. Boone
It’s a been a good year for Ray Boone, publisher of the Richmond Free Press, which seemed to grow in prominence every week as Obama marched into the White House. Just imagine the Free Press headlines after Boone’s two most hated rivals — Ukrop’s and the Times Dispatch — become extinct. Tread lightly, boys.

66. Delegate Jennifer L. McClellan
In the realm of politics, perception is reality, and Delegate Jennifer McClellan is perceived as capable and effective. Never mind that her legislative portfolio is devoid of big wins since her work on payday lending two years ago. She switched endorsements for president — trading Clinton for Obama — and navigated the gubernatorial primary without losing friends. McClellan for governor 2017?