A Planned Protest, A Seed Library, and the Throwing Shade VA Program
Cheers RVA!
Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 63 and a low of 53 in the evening. Heavy rain is expected for Wednesday so enjoy the clear afternoon skies.
the juice:
The City of Richmond has released a draft of the After-Action Asssessment Report by the third-party engineering firm HTNB regarding the water crisis in January.
The report found no discussion of storm preparations from leadership at the water treatment plant despite states of emergency declared by Mayor Avula and Governor Youngkin prior to the winter storm.
The plant was operating in ‘winter mode’ as a cost-saving measure, meaning power would need to be switched from feed 1 to feed 2 via a switchgear that failed.
In ‘summer mode’ both feeds operate as demand for water is significantly higher. The report recommends the plant maintain summer mode year-round.
This is the second of three reports released by HNTB, with a final report expected in coming weeks.
the pulp:
A man was shot and killed in Mosby Court near MLK Middle School Monday evening, from WTVR.
The Virginia Chapter of the 50501 Movement is planning a protest in opposition of “the erosion of democracy, the rollback of women’s rights, and the influence of corporate elites in government”, according to RVAMag. The protest begins today at 10:00 am at Monroe Park, with a march to the Capitol Square beginning at 11:00 am.
The Richmond SPCA is offering ‘name your adoption fee’ this week as part of its ‘Mutt Madness’ program, via WRIC. The program runs until March 9.
The Hull Street branch library has its own seed library with seeds for fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, via South Richmond News.
the dive:
The Virginia Department of Forestry is teaming up with nurseries to provide discounts on native shrubs and trees, via WTVR.
The Throwing Shade VA program will provide a $25 discount on eligible native tree or shrub species valued at $50 or more.
According to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation:
Native plants are well adapted to local environmental conditions, maintain or improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and often require less fertilizer and pesticides than many alien plants. These characteristics save time and money and reduce the amount of harmful run-off threatening the aquatic resources of our streams, rivers, and estuaries. In addition, functionally healthy and established natural communities are better able to resist invasions by alien plant species.
Of the 3200 plant species in Virginia, about 600 have been introduced since the founding of Jamestown, with 90 species currently listed as invasive.
Invasive species are a threat to native plants and wildlife by reducing habitat and population size and affecting ecosystem properties.
The discounts are available now with the program running until May 1.
Participating nurseries near Richmond include Cross Creek Nursery which has two participating locations (north Chesterfield and Rockville) and Ed’s Landscaping and Garden Center in Mechanicsville.
the vibe:
Pedestrian safety rework begins at Laburnum and Hermitage:
Have an attentive day RVA!
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