Short Term Rental Compliance, a Debate Date, and Back to School
Cheers RVA!
Today will be overcast with a chance of showers, with a high of 78 and a low of 69.
the juice:
Both candidates for Governor of Virginia have agreed to a debate at Norfolk State University on October 9.
The Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger previously declined to participate in a CNN debate, while the Republican nominee Winsome Earl-Sears declined to participate in a debate hosted by Virginia State University and WTVR.
In addition to electing a new governor, Virginians will be deciding the next lieutenant governor, Attorney General, and all 100 seats of the House of Delegates in the November election.
the pulp:
After a staggered start for elementary students and rising 6th and 9th graders, school begins today for all RPS students. In the RPS direct newsletter superintendent Jason Kamras noted efforts made to help understand non-academic goals in addition to all of the metrics regarding academic achievement:
In K-12 education, we’re very good at measuring things like reading and math proficiency. We’re less adept at measuring non-academic goals. But that’s beginning to change. To assess how we’re doing with our goal of increasing a sense of belonging, we’ll be using a national survey instrument that asks students four simple, but very important questions:
How well do people at your school understand the kind of person you are?
How much support do the adults from your school give you?
How much respect do students in your school show you?
When you are at school, how much do you feel like you belong?
We have some baseline data from last year: only 56 percent of 3rd-5th graders and only 42 percent of 9th-12th graders indicated positive responses to these questions last spring. Our weighted average for the division was 49 percent. No doubt, we have a long way to go. But we’re now bringing a new level of intentionality to this effort with clearly defined, research-based practices. After all, that’s what we’d want for our own children.
Chesterfield County has installed a new weapons detection system at 30 of its middle and high schools, via VPM. Richmond, Henrico, and Hanover already have weapons detection systems in their schools.
Henrico County schools will be implementing a “bell-to-bell” cell phone ban this school year, with teachers collecting phones at the beginning of class and placing them in a storage container for the duration of class, according to the Citizen.
With Hurricane Erin approaching the Atlantic coast, Dare County has initiated mandatory evacuations for all towns located on Hatteras Island, from WRIC. Tropical storm force winds are expected to hit North Carolina beginning Wednesday morning. The coast of Virginia is likely to see large waves and coastal flooding, but Central Virginia is unlikely to see strong winds as the hurricane passes by on Thursday.
the dive:
Cole Kindiger from the RTD dives into the lack of compliance in the short-term rental market in Richmond, noting there are nearly 1k short term rentals in the city, with only 96 operating with or pursuing a permit.
Kindiger writes:
In 2020, council passed a spate of regulations on short-term rentals, including items like parking, proper signage and primary residency requirements, which prevent owners from renting out properties in residential districts unless they live there for at least half of the year. The regulations were revised in 2023 after significant public debate.
The regulations were meant to address growing frustration with short-term rentals and their potential impact on housing affordability and the changing character of neighborhoods.
Read the full article here.
the vibe:
Have an enlivening day RVA!
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