Photo: Dave Parrish Photography

The week in brief

Hey there, and Happy New Year! The Wrap is back from a holiday hiatus and we’ve got a lot to cover! It’s been a wacky weather week, hasn’t it? Then again that’s so typically Richmond. As NBC12 meteorologist Jim Duncan pointed out yesterday, we went from zero degrees to 70 in a matter of just a few days, which helped area schools get the doors back open yesterday–much to the relief of area parents! It looks like we could be in for more…let’s call it interesting…weather tomorrow, in the form of a wintry mix. The roller coaster ride continues!

But hey, before you know it, it’ll be soccer season, among other things! The Kickers have already released their pre-season schedule.

Speaking of the wild weather, everyone loves sledding at Forest Hill Park, and just as many people seem to love leaving their litter behind. Just look at the mess that was left behind this week. Not cool, y’all!

Switching gears, the General Assembly began its 2017 session on Wednesday, welcoming new members into its chambers including Virginia Senator Jennifer McClellan, who easily defeated Libertarian opponent Corey Fauconier with 91% of the vote in a special election Tuesday.

The new assembly faces a myriad of challenges, including closing a $1.2 billion state budget shortfall, dealing with divisive bills such as a “bathroom bill” that would require transgender individuals to use the restroom corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate, and more. The bill is being sponsored by Delegate Bob Marshall, who has an affinity for introducing controversial and headline-grabbing legislation, many of which never makes it out of committee. Clearly we’ve learned nothing from North Carolina when it comes to laws that make life harder for already marginalized citizens. Should the bill happen to make it out of committee, Governor Terry McAuliffe has vowed to veto it.

Speaking of supporting marginalized people, there’s a march taking place tomorrow on Monument Avenue that you should know about. Get all the details from our good friend Susan Howson right here.

We’ll have lots of General Assembly coverage all session long thanks to our new partnership with VCU’s Capital News Service and their aspiring student reporters, who do fantastic work. Look for more next week on RVAHub!

Monday is MLK Day, which for some may just seem like another day off, but it’s much more than that! It’s a great chance to get involved in the community, and HandsOn Greater Richmond has a myriad of opportunities for you to do just that around town. Learn more and sign up to volunteer right here.

Speaking of doing good works, McGeorge Toyota donated $20,000 to the American Red Cross’s Hurricane Matthew relief efforts in a ceremony yesterday. Way to go, guys.

Looking to add some RVA flair to your iMessage game? One local dude created an app filled with about 50 Richmond-themed stickers you can add to your conversations if you’re an iPhone or iPad-owning individual like myself. It’s 99 cents and is money well-spent. Check it out!

Did you lose a goat on the Powhite Parkway? If so, RMA officials found him. No judgement; mine gets away all the time, especially when I’m carting him around the city.

Richard Hayes’ RVA News In Brick headline from the RTD this week will make you look twice before you next sit on the porcelain throne.

Five things you should know

1. You can chip your fire-prone, crispy Christmas tree this weekend if you haven’t already.
2. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is offering FREE admission all weekend long. You should go!
3. Regency Square is about to get a major facelift. Check out the renderings and see for yourself.
4. Another pedestrian was struck and killed on W. Broad Street–an all-too-common occurrence.
5. A new TEDxRVA event focusing on food is coming January 23rd, and tickets are free.

Food and drink

The Jewish Food Festival is this weekend, and it promises to be tasty. Stephanie Ganz has a preview. We’ve also got info on the new upscale Mexican concept going into the old Balliceaux space, details on Heritage’s new late-night menu, and much more in our Weekly Food News. Fancy some beer news? Richard Hayes has you covered in our RVA Beer Explorer.

The weekend

There is SO much going on this weekend. Beyond free admission to Lewis Ginter, you can meet our newly-minted mayor, Levar Stoney, QuestLove will be at the VMFA, you can plan your wedding at the Richmond Wedding Expo, and so much more. Narrow down your search for something fun to do with our Weekend Event Picks!

Giveaways

We partnered with our friends at Special Olympics Virginia to offer a free pass to the Polar Plunge coming up next month at Willow Lawn, along with a pretty nifty swag bag full of goodies, to the person who could most closely guess the official snow total from last weekend (as measured at the airport). Well, the closest guess we had was 6 inches. Officially, we got 6.6 inches. Congrats to Amy Mathias Thomas! We’ll be in touch with info on how you can claim your prize.

Until next time,

Trevor Dickerson
Editor, RVAHub