April 11, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

71º | 93% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:39 a.m. | Sunset 7:42 p.m.

Spring is for scenic strolls

The trails around Belle Isle aren’t just beautiful — they’re a gateway to an expansive system of riverside trails. | Photo by RICtoday

Looking to enjoy some sunshine with a scenic stroll around the River City? Here are five of our favorite routes to really take in the beauty of Richmond.

Windsor Farms

A historic neighborhood behind Carytown, Windsor Farms was one of the first planned neighborhoods in Richmond after the introduction of the streetcar and automobile. The route passes both Agecroft Hall and the Virginia House. A flat, perfect 1.5 mile loop with minimal through-traffic, Windsor Farms is a perfect path for architecture lovers and history buffs.

Riverside Drive

Beloved by Richmond runners, this street stretches nearly 12 miles total south of the James. The flat stretch between Huguenot Flatwater and Pony Pasture is by far the most popular among walkers, runners, and cyclists. The road is accessible to strollers and wheelchairs, but the street can be tight and winding, so watch out for cars. Pro tip: Park at the shopping center across the Huguenot Bridge to add ~2 miles of river views to your trek.

A lush green trail under a blue sky — The view from the Power Line spur trail at Larus Park.
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Photo by RICtoday

Lewis G. Larus Park

Regular readers already know we love Larus Park. The beautiful, relatively quiet trails are accessible from two trail heads — 3409 Stony Point Rd. and 9013 Old Holly Rd. A three-mile journey through all four of the main trail loops will include lush flora and fauna including running cedar moss, loblolly pines, and blueberry bushes.

Hollywood Cemetery

An industrious traveler could spend hours wandering the hills of historic Hollywood Cemetery. The well-paved roads intersect endlessly, but one trip around the outer loop is right around two miles.

Winding paved paths through a scenic cemetery on a rainy day — Hollywood Cemetery has miles of walkable paths through its historic grounds.
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Photo by RICtoday

Tour de James

The Buttermilk Trail, North Bank Trail, and Belle Isle are some of Richmond’s most popular trails — why not connect them? Start from the Oregon Hill overlook, then hop on the Buttermilk via Belle Isle and head west. Cross the Boulevard Bridge, turn left into the parking lot, and take the North Bank back to where you started. That’s 6.5 miles of gorgeous riverside views.

Events

Thursday, April 11

Ukrop’s Hiring Event | Thursday, April 11 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Virginia Career Works, 304 Turner Rd., Richmond | Free | Stop by to interview for positions like Mixer, Production Associate, and Creative Content and Marketing Manager.
Mackenzie Roark | Thursday, April 11 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Brambly Park, 1708 Belleville St., Richmond | Free entry | Head to Brambly for a magnetic fusion of classic country, 70s folk, and raw rock and roll.

Friday, April 12

Richmond Poetry Fest | Friday, April 12-Saturday, April 13 | Times vary | Visual Arts Center of Richmond, 1812 W. Main St., Richmond | Free | Enjoy free classes, workshops, and a special event honoring Richmond’s first Poet Laureate, Roscoe Burnems.
Flying Squirrels vs. Akron RubberDucks | Friday, April 12 | 6:35 p.m. | The Diamond, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond | $10-$25 | Get excited for the Ardillas Voladoras Copa Kick-Off.

Saturday, April 13

Chesterfield Outdoor Fest | Saturday, April 13 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 10300 Courthouse Rd., Chesterfield | Free entry | The inaugural festival will include Earth Day races, touch-a-truck, adventure demos, a sustainability showcase, and food trucks.
African American Book Festival | Saturday, April 13 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Diversity Richmond, 1407 Sherwood Ave., Richmond | Free | Diversity Richmond will host this free fest celebrating African American literature — including author talks, books signings, giveaways, and kids activities.
Gellman Room Concerts: Victor Haskins | Saturday, April 13 | 2-3 p.m. | RPL Main Branch, 101 E. Franklin St., Richmond | Free | The multi-instrumentalist and composer will share transformative, sound-based works at a special library concert.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

Richmond Economic Development Director Leonard Sledge will reportedly be stepping down in the coming months for a job in another locality. Sledge has been EDD for the past five years and has been at the center of several high profile projects including the Diamond District and the Riverfront Amphitheater. (Richmond BizSense)

Edu

In recently-updated rankings from U.S. News & World Report, VCU ranked sixth for its Nurse Anesthesia and Homeland Security graduate programs. The Pharmacy school was ranked at 19 and the Education school at 25. This brings the number of its grad programs in the top 50 to 22. (VCU News)

Read

Fountain Books and Benchtop Brewing Company will team up this Saturday, April 13 for “Not-Your-Kids’-Bookfair.” The books and beer-focused event will run from 12 to 4 p.m. and feature a chance to meet local author Vernon Wildy Jr.

Cause

Local organizations are working with the federal Dept. of Veterans Affairs to help unhoused veterans around Richmond. VPM’s Phil Liles recently spoke to Fletcher Johnson from Liberation Veteran Services, which provides transitional housing for veterans in need. (VPM)

Sports

VCU basketball senior Joe Bamisile has signed an NIL deal with Grand Fitness, a division of Planet Fitness. The Richmond native and Monocan High School grad was also part of a deal with the Richmond SPCA. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Try This

Did you know that it’s National Poetry Month? If you’re a poet and totally know it, try your hand at our RICtoday Poetry Contest. The catch? You can only use words found in our Tuesday, April 2 newsletter. Learn more and submit your poem by Sunday, April 14.

Try This

“Julia Child: A Recipe for Life,” an exploration of the iconic chef’s life and career, is now open at the VMHC. Take a stroll with us through hallways of history complete with immersive, multi-sensory experiences, and never-before-featured archival items from Child’s own collection. The exhibit is open until September 2.*

Plan Ahead

Psst — Taxes are almost due. Use E-file for quick, online filing. Plus, file your federal taxes for free with their basic software plan.*

Edu

Keep dreaming for Richmond Public Schools

Cardinal is one of the schools participating in the RPS 200 pilot. | Photo by RICtoday

RPS is continuing to hold community meetings as part of its Dreams 4 RPS: Let’s Keep Dreaming strategic planning process. A 5th District meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 16 — check out the full schedule here.

The Dreams 4 RPS program, a five-year strategic plan to guide the progress of city schools, was introduced in 2018. It was centered around five priorities:

Exciting and rigorous teaching and learning
Skilled and supported staff
Safe and loving school cultures
Deep partnership with families and community
Modern systems and infrastructure

The plan also included 10 goals which span a variety of areas, from achieving 100% accreditation to decreasing chronic absenteeism and increasing teacher retention.
Now, the district is setting new goals for the future.

Want to hold a meeting in your area? Send an email, or fill out this survey to share your thoughts.

The Buy

Your furry friend’s new spot to sleep. Say goodbye to traditional pet beds and pick your favorite print.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
David

From the editor

I love running all the routes listed above, but Windsor Farms is definitely my favorite when I’m trying to run fast — well, fast for me, anyway.

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