Broad Rock Branch Library located at 4820 Warwick Road is closing on Saturday, December 10, to allow for substantial renovations. The library will be closed for about seven months, with an expected reopening in July 2012. Library patrons are encouraged to use Hull Street and Westover Hills Libraries while Broad Rock is closed. Beginning January 3, 2012, Hull Street Library will extend its hours to help accommodate Broad Rock customers. The Homework Help program and the GED classes held at Broad Rock will be moved to Hull Street Library. Mayor Dwight C. Jones first announced the library renovations in March 2009 during his biennial budget proposal to City Council. More than $9 million, over the term of the project, has been set aside to complete renovations to all City libraries. Renovations to the North Avenue Library and Westover Hills Library were completed in 2010 and renovations to Hull Street Library and Belmont Library were completed earlier this year. Renovation funding is ...

The Public Pension Coordinating Council has awarded the 2011Public Pension Standards Award For Funding and Administration to the City of Richmond Retirement System . The award is presented in recognition of the system meeting the professional standards for plan funding and administration as set forth in the Public Pension Standards. This is the second consecutive year the award has been bestowed upon the Richmond Retirement System. “On behalf of the system’s staff, we are extremely pleased to have received this national and prominent award for the second consecutive year and will prominently display the certificate in our 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, said Richmond Retirement System Executive Director Phillip R. Langham. “The dedication of the system’s staff is relentless in its pursuit of excellence in all that we do in support of those who govern the system and the members we serve in the city’s Retirement Plans.” The Public Pension Coordinating Council is a confe...

The City of Richmond has launched a mobile website (http://m.richmondgov.com) to provide residents a quick and easy way to get to information and online services on smartphones . This mobile website is a condensed version of the City of Richmond website ( www.richmondgov.com ) and is designed to display information on small screen smart phones such as iPhone, Android and Blackberry Bold. Based on a review conducted on City’s website traffic, the most popular information and online services have been identified and this popular content has become part of the mobile website. The mobile website offers real time information on traffic conditions in the Richmond metro area; access to latest City news and events, information regarding refuse collection, utility payment, personal property taxes, business licenses, bids and proposals and the MPACT program. Updates from the Mayor’s Office and City Council have also been included. Additionally, Richmond visitors can use the site to obtain i...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced Mark Olinger as the City’s new director of Planning and Development Review today. He will begin City service on Monday, September 12, 2011. Olinger will replace Viktoria Badger, transportation policy manager for the Department of Economic & Community Development, who has served as interim director of the department since March of this year. Mayor Jones stated, "Mark's experiences and background align well with our focus of fostering unique, healthy and inclusive neighborhoods through strategies that encourage mixed-income housing, mixed-use development, and also facilitate creative efforts to make Richmond's communities more pedestrian-friendly. I am pleased that he has joined our team, and believe he will be an invaluable asset for this Administration and the broader city." Olinger’s urban planning experience includes urban design, affordable housing, neighborhood and commercial district repositioning and revitalization with ...

The Mayor's Youth Academy held its 2011 Culmination Event Friday, August 12, 2011 at Dogwood Dell where more than 400 youth ages 14 to 19 participated. This is the second year of the Mayor's Youth Academy, which is a citywide program that draws upon the expertise and resources of leaders in government, business, faith-based, and non-profit sectors to develop Richmond's future workforce. The Mayor's Youth Academy consists of four components; Summer Works Initiative, Life Stages, Youth Gardeners, and Counselors in Training. The City of Richmond wants to continue to invest in our youth to teach them to be positive citizens in the community and to strive for excellence. View the video from the 2011 Mayor's Youth Academy Culmination Event to see all of the hard work and dedication of our future leaders.

~Action is key recommendation of Mayor's Commission~ The City of Richmond has named Jakob C. Helmboldt as its first Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Coordinator, effective Monday, August 15, 2011. The new position was a key recommendation that grew out of the Mayor's Pedestrian, Bicycling and Trails Planning Commission report. Mayor Jones established the Commission in May of 2010 to give advice on ways to incorporate bicycling and walking as viable methods of transportation in the city. Helmboldt most recently served as Program Manager for Vanasse Hangen Brustlin of Richmond, Virginia, where he was responsible for managing bicycle and pedestrian projects ranging from development of safety materials for federal agencies, to design of facilities. He also served as the technical expert on a project for the Federal Highway Administration regarding non-motorized transportation safety. Helmboldt previously served as statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Coordinator for the Virgin...

~Cites city poverty and economic vulnerability concerns~ Mayor Dwight C. Jones issued the following statement today: After listening to President Obama last night, I am compelled to speak out about the need for Congress to move forward responsibly on issues of great economic impact – addressing the debt crisis and the Federal budget. “It might be interesting to sit back and watch the partisan wars in Washington, if the stakes were not so high. And, the stakes are high – for the world economy, for the stability of the U.S. markets, and for our state and local governments. Virginia is a state with a AAA bond rating – something that the City of Richmond has been working hard to attain. Just recently, Moody’s warned that it may have to review Virginia’s rating in light of the instability in the U.S. economy. In fact, the U.S. government’s AAA bond rating could be downgraded. All of this troubles me greatly, and it has the same effect on my colleagues at both the state and local level...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones Breastfeeding Commission Stephanie Ferguson PhD | Co-Chair, Mayor’s Breastfeeding Commission Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University Doris Moseley, MSM | Co-Chair, Mayor’s Breastfeeding Commission Director, Department of Social Services Health Care Amy Turner | Community Ed and Outreach Director, Bon Secours Virginia Stephanie Ferguson PhD | Co-Chair, Mayor’s Breastfeeding Commission Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University Valerie Coleman RN | Lactation Specialist Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems Susie Dunton, RN | Lactation Specialist, Chippenham Hospital Alice Freeman CNC | Healthy Heart Plus II, Inc. Basmah Karriem | This is Your Birth , Birth Doula Leslie Lytle | OmMamma – Yoga for Childbearing Years Joyce Branch | Birth Doula, The Rejuvenation Space Vernessa Holmes | WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator and Nutritionist Richmond City Health District Ang...

The City’s Chief Administrative Officer Byron Marshall today announced that Anedra Bourne has been selected as the Business Management Officer – Tourism Coordinator for the City’s Department of Economic and Community Development. Bourne will begin her new position on July 18, 2011. “Along with the recent hire of new Economic Development Director Lee Downey, Anedra’s talents as tourism coordinator will bolster the Mayor’s strategy for a Richmond centric approach to marketing by creating energy for tourism in our city,” said Marshall. “She will work with a diverse group that includes civic, public, and private stakeholders to lead the implementation of recommendations that will emerge from the Mayor’s Tourism Commission. Most recently, Bourne served as the director of marketing and public relations for the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, where she was instrumental in the museum's grand opening in 2006 as well as the center's recent designation as the "G...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones created the Neighbor-to-Neighbor initiative to encourage volunteerism as a method of improving the quality of life for City of Richmond residents. Neighbor-to-Neighbor provides meaningful volunteer opportunities to help develop and strengthen the relationships between city residents. As the city continues to improve its economic development, the Mayor would like to increase the focus on collaborative-based civic engagement and volunteerism. Neighbor-to-Neighbor is proud to work in securing volunteers for this summer Meals on Wheels Serving Central Virginia as they are seeking volunteers to serve as Meal Delivery Drivers and Community Kitchen Volunteers for their Willow Lawn distribution site and South Richmond locations. Hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Community Kitchen volunteers are needed to work mornings 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and afternoons 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Summer Feeding Program needs volunteers to help package meals...

Mayor Dwight C. Jones and the City of Richmond will kick off the 55th annual Festival of the Arts on Friday, June 10, at 8 p.m. on the Dogwood Dell stage with the Upper East Side Big Band. The festival features 30 evenings of outdoor family entertainment at Dogwood Dell throughout out the summer that are free to attend. Other highlights of the annual summer festival include a Gospel Music Fest on Sunday, July 10, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., a Latin Jazz and Salsa Festival on Saturday, July 23, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and a special tribute to local musician Page Wilson on Sunday, July 17, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. that will feature Terry Garland and Lil’ Ronnie, Wilson’s band Reckless Abandon, and the Janet Martin Band performing rock, blues and Americana music. 55th Annual Festival of Arts on June 10 Full Schedule In addition to a wide variety of musical entertainment, the festival also brings dance, movies, and theater to the Dell, as well as an entire lineup of morning and afternoo...

Mayor Jones is continuing his “green” efforts to help build Richmond a sustainable future. The Mayor will be hosting a community meeting, Thursday June 9, 2011, at Carillon Tower in Byrd Park, 1300 Blanton Avenue, from 6 to 8 p.m. All residents are strongly encouraged to attend. The City of Richmond will present work done to date on the Richmond Sustainability Plan and welcomes community feedback to assist in the next steps in the development of the plan. The plan focuses on economic development, environment, energy, transportation, open space and land use. Registration for this event begins at 5 p.m. on June 9, and light refreshments will be available. For more information on the City’s Sustainability Plan, please click here or email: rvagreen@richmondgov.com

WHO: Mayor Dwight C. Jones, City of Richmond WHAT: Removal of the asphalt from the Richmond African Burial Ground WHEN: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. WHERE: Richmond African Burial Ground at 1554 East Broad Street BACKGROUND: Earlier this month, Mayor Dwight C. Jones announced that three contractors have joined forces to donate services to the city of Richmond for the removal of the asphalt and gravel from Richmond's African Burial Ground. The city will officially take possession of the site on Monday, May 23, 2011. This event will mark the beginning of the asphalt and gravel removal from the 3.4-acre site. The asphalt and gravel that is presently covering the Burial Ground and use of the area as a parking lot has met with much public dissension over the last several years.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones today announced that three contractors have joined forces to donate services to the City for the removal of the asphalt and gravel from Richmond's African Burial Ground. J. E. Liesfeld Contractor, Inc., Dwight Snead Construction Company, and Ty's Hauling and Paving, Inc., have joined together to gift to the City the removal of the asphalt and gravel from the Burial Ground. The gift from the contractors represents $123,000 worth of work and is expected to commence later this month. “It is extremely generous of these contractors to want to take this step to support the city’s effort to honor and preserve Richmond's African Burial Ground,” said Mayor Jones. “I want to thank the NAACP for its efforts and in particular Joe Liesfeld for his role in bringing these contractors together for this project and I am recommending that Richmond City Council approve the acceptance of this gift.” The 3.4-acre parcel, currently owned by Virginia Commonwealth Universi...

The Coliseum Study Group has provided a report on their evaluation of the long-term options surrounding the Coliseum and the Greater Richmond area. Links to the three volume report are available below: ARENA MARKET VALIDATION AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY - Volume I ARENA MARKET VALIDATION AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY - Volume 2 ARENA MARKET VALIDATION AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY - Volume 3 The Coliseum Study Group, which consists of private corporations and public sector entities, retained an experienced sports facility consulting team made up of Barrett Sports group, LLC, Populous Architects, P.C. and Weston Sports & Entertainment. The consulting team provided a report on 1) Market and Financial Feasibility; 2) Preferred Site and Arena Characteristics; and 3) Construction Cost Estimates. # # #