Another Data Center, SOL Improvement, and Ride and Dive
Cheers RVA!
Today will be partly sunny with a high of 82 and a low of 59.
the juice:
Google will invest an additional $9 billion in Virginia by the end of 2026, including a new data center in Chesterfield county.
The investment will focus on cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure, with construction set to begin next year.
The company will also be expanding its facilities in Loudon and Prince William counties.
the pulp:
Virginia students showed slight progress on the Standard of Learning tests during the 2024-2025 school year, as well as a large decrease in chronic absenteeism since two years ago, Governor Youngkin said at a press conference Wednesday according to WWBT. Proficiency in Science was up 3%, with a 1% increase in reading, math, and history proficiency, while writing proficiency remained the same.
The Friday Cheers Concert Series will take a hiatus in 2026 for a $30 million renovation project to Brown’s Island, via WTVR. The construction project will include adding bathrooms and water fountains, expanding walkways and environmental restoration.
the dive:
The sixth edition of Ride and Dive, “an annual group ride and race against the clock to bike to and swim in every public pool before they close for the day and the summer”, takes place this Saturday beginning at noon at Fairmount Pool.
Below is an interview I did last year with organizer Alex Fisher:
What is Ride and Dive?
Ride and Dive is an annual group bike ride the Saturday of Labor Day weekend where a group of fun-loving cyclists of all abilities bike to and swim in every Richmond public pool in an afternoon.
When and where?
August 31, Noon. Starts at Fairmont Pool, ends at Triple Crossing Fulton about 5 hours later
When and How did it begin?
In 2019 a friend and I started going to our local Church Hill public pool. It was an easy bike ride from our houses and the pool was great! We couldn't believe that this was just free and open to everyone. We decided before the end of the summer we wanted to see all the pools and just thought it would be fun to bike to all of them in one day. We didn't have much of a plan and definitely didn't map out our route, we just got on our bikes and went. We did and it was great! A little tiring but a lot of fun.
The next year I convinced about 10 of my friends and one guy we met along the way to join me and ‘Ride and Dive’ was born. In 2020 the pools were closed because of the pandemic and this gave me time to dream about what Ride and Dive could become. 2021 was the first year that I (with the help of my wife and a couple close friends) opened the ride to the public and tried to recruit as many riders as possible. It started off small but in 2023 we had over 80 participants join us for the ride.
What is the purpose?
The mission of the ride has expanded a little since 2018 but still has the same roots. Our goal is to build friendships, showcase the great resources we have in Richmond's public pools, and empower more people to confidently use bicycles for urban exploration and transportation. It's a pedaling pool party.
Who all is welcome? What should they bring?
Anyone who can ride a bike is welcome. The entire route is 15 miles but it's broken up into 7 legs all done at a nice, easy pace. Participants should bring a bike lock (or make friends with someone who can share theirs), water, snacks and clothes that are comfortable to bike and swim in.
What would you say to someone interested but hesitant about the distance?
Don't think of it as a 15-mile bike ride: think of it as 7 short rides each being less than 4 miles long. And we go nice and slow.
The ride begins on Saturday at noon at Fairmount Pool and ends at 5:00 pm at Powhatan Pool, with drinks afterwards at Triple Crossing.
the vibe:
Have a wondrous day RVA!
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