A New CAO, KavaClub, and the Old Henrico County Courthouse
Cheers RVA!
Today will be partly cloudy and humid, with a high of 88 and a low of 72. The week ahead looks similar with highs approaching the low 90’s later in the week.
the juice:
Mayor Avula appointed Odie Donald II, the current chief of staff to the Mayor of Atlanta, as the next Chief Administrative Officer on Friday.
The CAO handles personnel decisions, performs financial and administrative duties, and works closely with city council.
Donald is expected to earn an annual salary of $365k with a start date of July 9.
the pulp:
Virginia’s only kava bar KavaClub is set to close at the end of June. The owners said in an open letter, “persistent regulatory challenges have made it unfeasible for us to continue operating the vibrant community space we all cherished.” Kava is a plant from the pepper family known to have psychoactive properties.
BermudAir has launched non-stop service from Richmond International Airport to Bermuda, via WRIC.
the dive:
Pulitzer prize-winning columnist Michael Paul Williams from the RTD explores the possibility of a merger between Henrico County and the City of Richmond and the history of the two jurisdictions.
The old Henrico County Courthouse, built in 1891, still sits at 22nd and Main St. in Shockoe Bottom. And a referendum to merge the two localities was supported 2-1 by Richmonders back in 1961:
Today, Henrico has nearly three times the population it had in 1961 and is much more diverse. Richmond, meanwhile, is growing whiter and more affluent, even as it retains problems of poverty, mismanagement and a tax base hamstrung by its preponderance of state-owned, tax-exempt property.
Relations between Richmond and Henrico, long lauded as a model of excellent governance, sit at a curious juncture somewhere between greater cooperation, co-dependence and occasional exasperation as Richmond struggles to keep its regional water system running.
Read the full article here.
the vibe:
Have a marvelous day RVA!
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