Richmond Tree Stewards classes will be offered again this fall. Classes begin Oct.7; find out more and sign up! In other tree-related news, the deadline to participate in the Adopt-A-Tree Program for this year is Oct.1, with trees adopted this year to be planted late November through the end of February. Visit the city’s Urban Forrestry site to learn more or download the application (.doc) to get your block a nice tree!

More than 100,000 people rallied at Green Jobs Now events across the country “to urge leaders to jump start the clean energy economy [and] create real energy solutions that build a new green economy strong enough to create millions of green jobs and lift people out of poverty”. Twenty or so of the 100,000 were at Smith-Peters Park (900 Catherine Street) today, marking Richmond’s commitment to the creation of clean jobs as a boon to both the environment and the local economy.

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Thanky Space, the brand new art space curated by Andy Jenkins and Victoria Long, presents Herd Here by artist Kristin Smith. The exhibit will feature drawings, prints, and an installation of handmade pinatas. Saturday, 7-9PM @ Thanky Space, next to Gallery5. [via]

The fall issue of The Ward (PDF), the newsletter of the Historic Jackson Ward Association, should be making its way around the neighborhood. The next HJWA meetings are Oct.21 and Nov.18.

The Partnership for Smarter Growth’s River City Saunter, a smart growth bus tour with commentary by Rachel Flynn, Brooke Hardin, and Daniel Moore, rolled today from Manchester to Church Hill, Libby Hill, Rocketts, downtown, Jackson Ward, Monroe Ward, Oregon Hill, and back down Semmes to Legend Brewery.

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Join the Partnership for Smarter Growth the River City Saunter, a smart growth bus tour that will include experts guides such as Rachel Flynn (Director of Community Development, City of Richmond), Brooke Hardin (Principle Planner, City of Richmond), Daniel Moore (Principle Planner, Department of Conservation and Recreation) on Sunday Sept.21 from 2-4PM.

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cbs6 is reporting that “a squirrel got into a electric transformer causing a power outage in Richmond’s Carver neighborhood Tuesday afternoon. The outage knocked out power to 6,000 Dominion Virginia Power customers.”

A special meeting of City Council’s Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Standing Committee has been scheduled to discuss the Downtown Master Plan. The meeting will be held at 3:PM on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 in City Council Chambers on the 2nd floor of City Hall (900 E. Broad Street). An opportunity for comments from members of the public will be provided at the meeting.
A public hearing on the Downtown Master Plan (Ordinance No. 2008-208) will be held during the City Council meeting on Monday, October 13, 2008.

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There will be a Community Forum on Public Housing Redevelopment on Monday, September 15, at 6PM at Ebenezer Baptist Church (216 W. Leigh St.). Sponsored by Re-PHRAME, a coalition of public housing residents, community groups, and other stakeholders, this event will include a
panel discussion, Q&A, and opportunities for mayoral and city council candidates to share ideas on the future of public housing. Voter registration will also be available.

The African American Book Fair has been announced for November 1 from 11AM-4PM at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Festival is free with museum admission. Authors are needed! Contact Patricia Jordan at 804-319-9763 or africanamericanbookfair@yahoo.com to find out more!

Let us know if anything gets crazy in your area over the next day or so…