A Whistleblower Lawsuit, Hatchet House, and Festivus 2024: An Airing of Grievances
Cheers RVA!
Today will be cloudy with a high of 46, and a small chance of rain. The evening is expected to drop to 31. The weekend is looking sunny but cold, with a low of 13 on Sunday.
the juice:
A former Freedom of Information Act officer says she was fired by Petula Burks for refusing to break public record laws, and has filed a civil complaint, from Samuel Parker at the RTD.
Jamyce Vinson, who formerly worked for the Department of Finance, has already settled a federal suit with the city.
The complaint notes Vinson was the whistleblower who flagged the overstatements of the City’s cash account:
The city used falsified financial statements to obtain lines of credit and (general obligation) bonds from financial institutions
Vinson claims the city forced her to resign and is seeking $17k in unused vacation time and benefit deductions.
the pulp:
The city and Greater Richmond Convention Center Authority have narrowed down one development team and is in negotiations with Capstone Development to replace the Coliseum with a convention center hotel and a mix of retail and housing on the 9-acre site, from Jonathon Spiers at Bizsense.
RVAMag dives into world-ranked knife and axe thrower Dan Pegg’s Shield and Sheath Hatchet House in Scott’s Addition.
the dive:
A reader recently suggested the idea of a “Festivus” airing of grievances for this newsletter, similar to what the Tampa Bay Times does and inspired by an episode of Seinfeld from 1997.
If you’re unfamiliar with the show, the holiday is essentially an alternative celebration in response to the commercialization of Christmas.
So let’s try it. Submit your complaints from 2024 and the best ones will be published on Monday, the official date of Festivus.
Feel free to focus on Richmond, but universal complaints are also welcome.
Air your grievances here.
the vibe:
Have a jovial day RVA!
Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment. Help this newsletter grow by convincing a friend to subscribe.