Mayoral Funding and River Updates
Cheers RVA!
Today will be partly cloudy with a high of 86. Expect thunderstorms and heavy rain to move in early Saturday and continue throughout the day.
the juice:
The James River Association announced the opening of a River Education Center located on Dock Street, surrounded by the recently opened Dock Street park.
The center will serve as a education hub for students as well as providing improved river access for the community.
The JRA is also working with the City’s James River Park System to add a canoe and kayak launch to the 400-foot dock located at Dock Street Park.
the pulp:
The effort to plug the sewage leak into the James is more than 50% complete.
Va. legislature restores funding for tuition benefit for military families, Charlotte Rene Woods from the Mercury reports.
the dive:
Mayoral Election Fundraising data reveals how out-of-state donors are influencing the race.
Candidates Roday and Avula have each raised more than half a million dollars so far. Mosby is third in fundraising with $220k, while Addison has raised $95k. Maurice Neblett has raised just $2k.
While most of the candidates for Mayor receive the majority of funding from within Virginia, Roday has received 58% of his donations from out-of-state donors, the majority from New York.
Candidates Avula, Mosby, and Addison have at least 88% of their donations coming from Virginia donors.
Out-of-state funding is also a significant factor in the City Council race, where Tavares Floyd (cousin of George Floyd) is challenging incumbent Ellen Robertson for the 6th District seat.
The “Gateway District” represents a sliver of Richmond on both sides of the river.
Floyd has more than doubled Robertson in fundraising, in a district where candidates have collectively raised more than $175k, significantly more than any of the eight other districts.
While 98% of Robertson’s funding is received from Virginia donors, only 22% of Floyd’s donors are located in-state.
The largest state contributing to Floyd’s campaign is Tennessee, where Floyd is from originally.
the vibe:
Embrace the rain and have a great weekend RVA!
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