Plus, a new British eatery downtown
 
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82º | 38% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 5:53 a.m. | Sunset 8:20 p.m.
 

💸 Richmond scores AAA rating

Richmond receives AAA designation from credit rating agency
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Council President Kristen Nye spoke at the announcement. | Photo by RICtoday
Fitch Ratings has assigned the City of Richmond a “AAA” bond rating — a designation Mayor Levar Stoney called “a game changer for Richmond.”

The city hosted a press conference yesterday to share the news. City leaders, employees, and press gathered at the City Hall Observation Deck to hear the announcement.

The new rating means the city should be able to borrow money at the lowest interest rates possible. Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Sabrina Joy-Hogg compared the “coveted status” to personal finances.

“Think of your personal credit score — the higher your score, the lower your interest when you borrow money,” Joy-Hogg said. “It’s the same for our city.”

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Achieving the AAA rating was a promise Mayor Stoney made when he came into office in 2017.

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Photo by RICtoday

Council President Kristen Nye spoke to the city’s goal to improve stability and efficiency since she took office in 2017. The rating should indicate good news for the future of the Diamond District project, which is primed to break ground in June.

Borrowing at lower rates should also allow more money to be directed towards other city projects, including improving roads, parks, libraries, schools, and other city facilities.

Fitch Ratings is one of the companies that makes up the “Big Three” of credit rating agencies. S&P Global and Moody’s have Richmond at levels right below triple — “AA+" and “Aa1,” respectively.
Rassawek's Spring Jubilee
 
Events
Friday, May 24
  • Henna by Srija | Friday, May 24 | 5-8 p.m. | Väsen Brewing Company, 3331 W. Moore St., Richmond | Cost of purchase | Come by the brewery for a drink and henna by a local artist.
  • IdleTimers | Friday, May 24 | 6-9 p.m. | The Lilly Pad, 9680 Osborne Tpke., Richmond | Cost of purchase | Enjoy a meal and hear your favorites, from Neil Young and Bob Dylan to Patsy Cline and Dua Lipa.
  • Prabir Trio | Friday, May 24 | 9 p.m. | The Camel, 1621 W. Broad St., Richmond | $10 | Doors open at 8 p.m. for this all-Richmond bill with Paint It On and Shera Shi.
Saturday, May 25
  • Big Tent: A Celebration of Heroes | Saturday, May 25 | 5 p.m. | Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 E. Belt Blvd., Richmond | Free | The Youth Community Strings ensemble and Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra will play before the main performance by the symphony starts at 7 p.m.
  • Stomping Grounds | Saturday, May 25 | 7 p.m. | Richmond Music Hall, 623 E. Main St., Richmond | $12 | Jam out at this local music night with Terror Cell, Circle Breaker, and The Get Off.
  • Submarine! | Saturday, May 25 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Coalition Theater, 8 W. Broad St., Richmond | $7-$12 | Check out this brand new sketch comedy show looking for laughs in the deepest darkest places.
Sunday, May 26
  • “The Man Who Knew Too Much” | Sunday, May 26 | 2 p.m. | The Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St., Richmond | $9 | Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day star in this 1956 Hitchcock film.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Try This

Meet superhero insects at the Children’s Museum of Richmond

Try This: Meet superhero insects at the Children’s Museum of Richmond
Presented by a RICtoday Partner
A caregiver and two children interacting with an exhibit in the Children's Museum of Richmond lobby.
Get ready to meet the “Bug Squad.” | Photo by RICtoday
“Bugs are superheroes. Did you all know that?” said Children’s Museum of Richmond Executive Director Danielle Ripperton as she introduced the museum’s newest exhibit.

Senior City Editor Robin here. I was among the crowd eagerly anticipating the opening of “Bug Squad,” a hands-on exhibit that comes to Richmond from Omaha Children’s Museum.

Ideal for families with children ages 0-8, there’s something for everyone at “Bug Squad.”

What we tried:

We got to know all the members of the superhero squad, from Maverick Malcolm the grasshopper to a luminous firefly named Phoebe to Scout, AKA the Dynamic Dart. The heroic insects come with interactive opportunities to learn through active play.

Throughout the exhibit, the animatronic members illustrate acceptance, curiosity, team-building, and optimism to young visitors. Some of them will even talk to you.
What not to miss
News Notes
Coming Soon
  • The owners of Thai Won On are taking their British menu to a new brick-and-mortar at the corner of 12th and Main. The British Embassy will serve fish and chips, bangers and mash, and more favorites from across the pond. The opening is planned for August. (Richmond BizSense)
Opening
  • The Shake Shack near Chesterfield Towne Center is opening on Thursday, May 30. It is the second Richmond-area location for the burger chain. On opening day, $1 of every sandwich sold will go to Kids on the Move RVA. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Eat
  • Shyndigz Market is turning into the Cheesesteak Factory tomorrow from 12 to 5 p.m. Try out some classic Philly cheesesteaks from the local pop-up and enjoy sweet treats as well.
Outdoors
  • Renovations are nearly complete at Oak Grove Playground. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, June 1 at 11 a.m. to officially open the site, which is now home to the first mini-pitch in the city.
Festival
  • Mark your calendar for the return of the Sunflower Festival, June 21-23 at Alvis Farms. The weekend’s festivities will include a Thursday night kickoff concert with Slate River Quintet and a 5K Dairy Fun Run on Saturday. Tickets start at $8.
Drink
Richmonder
  • You can see Bailey Sheetz, a 12-year-old from Chesterfield, in the new Netflix movie “Unfrosted.” Sheetz said one of his favorite parts of filming was being on set and joking around with Jerry Seinfeld. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Home
  • Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*
Shop
  • Stanley is having a Memorial Day sale. Get your summer drinkware, camp mugs, coolers, and tumblers 25% off with code MEMORIAL DAY.*
 
Festival

🎶 Jazz and Music Festival lineup announced

Fantasia, Ludacris to play at Richmond Jazz and Music Festival at Maymont
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See Ludacris at the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival this August. | Photo by Eva Rinaldi
The Richmond Jazz and Music Festival returns to Maymont the weekend of August 9-11.

The festival lineup includes Fantasia, Ludacris, and Wyclef Jean, who will serve as artist in residence for the festival. Other performers include St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Monica, Snarky Puppy, Gregory Porter, and Andra Day. Check out the full list of artists — a variety of genres will be represented across two stages.

The schedule has not yet been announced, but tickets are available now. A day pass is $170, or get a weekend pass for $300.
The Buy

Group A, The Buy 5.24.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
The ultimate kitchen appliance for summer: the Cuisinart 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker. No ice, salt, or hand-churning required — simply freeze the bowl and pour in your custom creation. We’re thinking black raspberry or chocolate chip…
Answered

On Wednesday, we quizzed you on when the current Mayo Bridge structure was built.

What’s the future of the Mayo Bridge? Community leaders stress creativity
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The historic bridge has a rebuild in its future. | Photo by RICtoday
Around 27% of you were right — it dates back to 1913. The first iteration of the bridge was actually built in 1788, making it the oldest highway bridge across the James.

Fun fact: Mayo Bridge used to have a toll, but it was removed after the annexation of Manchester in 1910 in order to encourage connection with the new Southside district.
The future of the bridge
 
The Wrap
 
Robin Schwartzkopf in a red button down shirt

Today’s edition by:
Robin
From the editor
As a Fast and Furious fan, I’m excited to possibly spot Ludacris in the River City. Maybe VDOT will make another highway warning sign in his honor.
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