Patrick Henry School of Science & Arts will be hosting an open house at 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 3 to distribute copies of the student application, discuss the school’s curriculum and answer parent’s questions. Pick up an application and hear more about our curriculum at the PHSSA building, 3411 Semmes Avenue at 8 p.m.

Copies of the student applications will also be posted on our website beginning this Friday, December 4th. Families can download an application, fill it out and mail it in or drop it off at the school on the first Thursday of every month. Applications will be accepted until February 12th. No preference will be given to families who get their applications in early. If applications exceed space, a lottery will be performed.

Faced with tight school and city budgets, some residents of Richmond Southside Fourth District are taking matters into their own hands…and pocketbooks.

Led by Mary Argenteanu, a retired state employee and an active member of the Richmond Audubon Society, a group started a learning garden at Swansboro Elementary School a couple of years ago.  Based on that success, Ms. Argenteanu started a much bolder program this year at Southampton Elementary School.

With help from the Audubon Society, Southampton Principal Linda Bennett and her staff, and community volunteers, the group laid out an ambitious plan to use gardens as a teaching tool, and a way to beautify the school and the Southampton neighborhood.

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I received the following email: Missing since sometime today  from 1700 block Leicester Road, (door left ajar – discovered when I got home from work), ten-year-old beagle mix, 38 lbs, white with black spots, grey muzzle, floppy black ears. Wearing blue Lupine collar with wolf design. No tags. His name is Woody. He needs medication. Very friendly.
Call 233-0135
Alternate (weekdays) 726-7065

This is from the Times Dispatch June 17, 1906. In the same paper there is not so good news about the real estate market but Forest Hill is doing well. The full article used language that puts current newspapers (and this blog) to shame. “Some private sales were made here and there, but they were very private, and the parties to the same, including the real estate agents who engineered them, are as reticent as if they were carved out of Egyptian rock to play the part of the sphinx.”  A tad more descriptive than “the real estate agents had no comment”.

If you enjoyed the information above you are a prime candidate to help a group of neighbors who are working to make Forest Hill neighborhood declared historic. Historic Forest Hill Neighborhood is currently looking for folks to help with research, including the above mentioned Forest Hill Park Land Company. The process to be declared historic is lengthy and will take a lot of work so any help is appreciated. Thanks goes out to Carolyn Paulette who pointed out these articles to me.

Previous Richmond Past Posts

Tickets for this Sunday’s Woodland Heights House Tour are available in a number of locations throughout the city and counties. Closest to Woodland Heights the outlets are Crossroads, Once Upon a Vine and Forest Hill Antiques (in Stratford Hills Shopping Center), and Private Stock Wine and Cigar (next to Ukrops). Tickets are $12 in advance and will feature 9 houses and transportation by a Historic Trolley. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the tour at Woodland Heights Baptist Church. Looks like the weather will be good on Sunday so come on out and enjoy our neighborhood all dressed up for the holidays. Tour hours are 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

From the Woodland Heights Yahoo Group.

The crucial step of getting a babysitter has been accomplished so it looks like we will be heading to Art Karma tomorrow. Art Karma is the annual fundraiser for Art 180 and takes place tomorrow (12/3)  from 7-10 p.m. at Plant Zero. There is small preview of the items up for bid at the Art180 blog. Including the quilt below.

Quilt by Ninny's Nappies - Image swipped from Art180 blog

The lighting of the buildings takes place on Fri Dec 5,  6:00 pm at 10th and E. Cary Streets. I plan to illuminate my liver from the deck of Legend and watch the lights from there.

More Details:
The night begins at 6 p.m. with a live countdown to turn on the outline lighting for the downtown office buildings. The VMI Marching Band will perform holiday favorites leading up to the lighting of the holiday reindeer at 6:25 p.m. This year’s theme is A Soulful Christmas and both Bak N Da Day and NYCE will perform around the James Center’s reindeer lights from 6:30-7 p.m. The Sugar Plum Fairy from the Richmond Ballet will make a magical appearance too! Come see Tuba Christmas, Harpist Rickie Denton, Shore Leave, the Virginia Piedmont Model Railroad Club and much more while Radio Disney entertains children with activities. This event is provided by James Center Property LLC. For more information call (804) 344-3232.

So far the auction to raise funds for Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts has raised over $6,000 but I can’t believe that nobody has bid to have Happy Lucky Combo to perform at their house. Come on people this band is great fun and your party would be the talk of the town. They can be available during the holidays or you can save the foot tapping for spring/summer.  Bid on HLC here.

While on the subject of Patrick Henry don’t forget that they will be hosting an open house at 8 p.m. tonight to distribute copies of the student application, discuss the school’s curriculum and answer parent’s questions.  Pick up an application and hear more about our curriculum at the PHSSA building, 3411 Semmes Avenue. 

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No roundabouts are planned so don't panic.

The City of Richmond wants to know what you think about potential improvements for Forest Hill Avenue. Your input will assist the project team in developing solutions. Thursday, December 17, 2009 St. Luke Lutheran Church (Fellowship Hall) 7757 Chippenham Parkway Richmond, VA 23225. Open house discussion with the project team 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Formal presentation at 6:00 p.m. Forest Hill Avenue Meeting Details.pdf

From the website we learn that the project is considering the following: Widening of the road from four lanes to five lanes, New or improved curbs and gutters, Sidewalks, Bike lanes, Storm sewer system for improved drainage, Traffic signal improvements, GRTC bus stop enhancements, and Landscape enhancements and street lighting improvements. Start of construction is TBD.

Congrats are in order for Huguenot High. From the Venture Richmond eMail newsletter:

Four area high schools have been chosen winners in Venture Richmond’s Annual Holiday Card program. This year’s cards will be on display beginning Friday, Dec. 4, during the Grand Illumination at the Downtown Public Library on Franklin Street. They will stay on display through the end of the month.

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The Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will present its annual holiday gift to the city, its production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Landmark Theater.

The musical tells the story of the mischievous shepherd boy Amahl and his mother, whose lives are changed forever after meeting three kings. It’s a heartwarming and humorous story that will charm and delight the entire family.

This is the department’s 48th year of offering this free holiday musical, which with its all-volunteer cast, has become a Richmond tradition.

The performance is free and no reservations are required.

All information copied from the official press release.

Mayor Dwight Jones and Council President Kathy Graziano tour the new GRTC facility on E. Belt Boulevard. GRTC Transit System is moving from the Fan District of Richmond, where it has been for more than 100 years. GRTC Transit System’s new state-of-the-art Corporate Headquarters/Bus Maintenance Facility will open Monday, December 7, 2009, at 301 East Belt Boulevard, on Richmond’s Southside.

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The latest Crime Report has been released by Lieutenant John A. O’Kleasky, Jr. for Sector 312 and not much positive to report. Violent crime up 40% from last month and property crime up 3%. If we compare it to the previous year the numbers look a bit better with violent crime down 18% and property crime up 13%.Community Report Sector 312 -December_09

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Saturday was the last official day for the South of the James Market but we had heard rumblings of possible winter farmer’s market, now we have confirmation from the Market Umbrella. Vendors will gather in the parking lot at 5047 Forest Hill Avenue from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. December 12, 2009 through April 24, 2010. This is at the Antique Store and Blanchard’s Coffee between the Locker Room and The Forest. I heard that there will be at 7-8 vendors but didn’t hear which vendors.

The Richmond Food Collective has a breakdown of all the local winter farmer’s markets and some info on co-ops.

The Westover Hills Neigborhood Association is taking a Holiday Break and will not be hosting a December meeting. The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 13, at the Westover Hills United Methodist Church. [via]

According to an email from the Department of Public Works the leaves will be safe for an extra week.

“Please be advised that due to inclement weather conditions, the city’s leaf vacuum program schedule has been pushed back by one week.  Adjust all dates on any documentation you have accordingly to reflect that 7 day delay.”

Most of our area was originally scheduled for 12/28 – 12/31 so move that out to 1/4 or so. The original dates as wells a good discussion on alternatives to having the city collect the leafs can be found here.

From the Forest Hill Neighborhood Crime Watch, although “break-in” might be a little exaggerated since it was unlocked:

A neighbor in the 4100 block of Springhill has reported that last night (12/6/09) someone entered an unlocked car and rummaged through it, taking loose change.

It seems like someone is prowling in the neighborhood looking for unlocked cars in the last few months so keep that in mind when getting out of your cars!

From the RTD we learn that “Virginia’s charter-school law is the second-weakest in the nation, earning an F in a new report by The Center for Education Reform” and get a little insight into the uphill battle that some of our neighbors have been waging to get the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts open.

The fact that only local school boards may authorize a charter school is seen as the biggest hurdle. But there are some things McDonnell could do in the short term.

He said during the campaign that he wants to reallocate resources in the Virginia Department of Education to build more charter-school expertise and create an advisory panel that would preliminarily review applications. That way, local school boards would know which charter schools already have been endorsed by the advisory panel.

Adding urgency to the conversation is a strong push from Washington; President Barack Obama is a strong supporter of charter schools. How a state handles this type of school is among the criteria for $4.3 billion in competitive Race to the Top grant money that state superintendents are seeking.

A South Richmond convenience store was robbed at gunpoint this morning. No injuries were reported.

The robbery occurred at 4:34 a.m. at the 7-Eleven in the 6200 block of Jahnke Road.

An employee told police that a black male dressed in all black clothing with something covering his face displayed a silver handgun and took money from both cash registers before fleeing on foot.

The employee told police the voice sounded like it belonged to a juvenile.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000. [via]

If you support James River Park and what to show your support every time you drive you should sign up for a special license plate.

The Friends of James River Park System are still working through the process:

These unique plates are available for pre-orders NOW and, pending DMV approval should be delivered to you within 10 months. In order to pass the first hurdle in the DMV process, we must collect 350 applications with payments by January 15, 2010.

Full Application is here. Credit to Andy Thompson at RTD for posting about this because I hadn’t heard a thing.

From the Westover Rag:

Westover Hills loves to put on its finest as the winter holidays arrive. This year, WHNA will again sponsor a competition to recognize residents for their holiday décor. Awards will be given in the following categories:

• Day decorations. Judging will be done during the day, with one prize for “best door decoration” and one for “best overall exterior.” A new category this year for day judging is “best wreath.”
• Night decorations. Judging will be done after dark, with one prize for “best door decoration” and one for “best overall exterior.” A new category this year for night judging is “best tree.”
• Most creative. This category is designed to give judges some flexibility to give recognition to décor that is unusual or special in some way. Creative décor in both night and day categories will be recognized.

Judging will take place on Saturday, Dec. 19, and Sunday Dec. 20. All homes within the boundaries of Westover Hills will be viewed, so you don’t have to sign up to “enter.” Just decorate by December 19, and your home will be reviewed by the judges. A sign will be placed in the yards of winning homes, and winners will be recognized in the next issue of the Rag.

Our inside sources (the cashier at Lowes) tells us that a Burger King will be built in the spot where the old Wendy’s & Chubby’s were on Forest Hill Ave. I shall remain loyal to 5 Guys for my fast food burger fix.