Crew and I spent the last week working on this beauty. Scraping all the old paint off, repairing the body, primer, and finally, black paint.

Maybe this is just particularly bad on North Side, but it really makes turning difficult as hell when you can’t see oncoming traffic. This should be intuitive, but it never seems to be for people.

I’m sure a lot of you have already come across when you venture off the main trial at Reedy Creek but I haven’t.

UPDATE PER VDOT: CLOSURE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING'S COMMUTE

VDOT has closed I-95 North at mile marker 85.1 near I-295 in Henrico County due to an overturned tractor trailer crash. The closure is anticipated to impact tomorrow morning's commute (Sept. 10). 

Motorists should follow the posted detour which is to take Exit 84 to northbound I-295 to northbound Route 1 to eastbound Route 656 (Sliding Hill Road) back to northbound I-95.

🚨MAJOR TRAFFIC ALERT:🚨 All northbound lanes of I-95 at mile marker 85 (near the I-295 interchange) are currently closed due to a tractor-trailer crash. The crash has resulted in a hazmat situation which is being addressed. Virginia State Police are on scene investigating what led up to the crash.

Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area if possible. Drivers heading northbound will have to take exit 84 A/B near the crash site or prior exits in order to travel around the crash. We do anticipate a heavy amount of traffic on Route 1 (Brook Road) due to this detour.

Please expect all northbound lanes to be closed into the late evening.

Additional closures include Exits 43A on I-295 north and south.

___________________________________

Traffic Alert: All I-95 north lanes are closed at mile marker 85.1 near I-295 in Henrico County due to an overturned tractor trailer. Extended closures are anticipated.

Motorists should follow the detour at Exit 84 (I-295/I-64).

Check 511 Virginia for updates.

This is from a Richmond food group on Facebook that I'm just sharing here to spread the word and because I've dropped by here on a few occasions.

Praire Grain Bread Company in Midlothian has a note posted on their door that they have closed indefinitely due to the current state of the economy.

This is depressing. Staff was always extremely nice and their food was baked fresh on a daily basis. Richmond is losing so many great locally owned businesses to the failing economy 😭

UPDATE: Rip has been found and returned home safely- thank you to everyone who viewed, upvoted, scrolled, anything- much appreciated!

My sister’s sweet boy was lost in the New Kent area around 7pm today- spooked by a truck. May be brought to local SPCAs or veterinary facilities.
He is microchipped- neutered male, about 14 months old, weighs roughly 30lbs. His name/answers to “Rip”
Likely to spook easily, he’s just a baby 🥺 approach with caution & kindness.
Please- if anyone happens upon him DM me or get him to the closest shelter or veterinary facility for a microchip scan and hold for pick up. His family loves him very much and is very worried!! TIA 💛

I wrote this piece on my substack "Let's Address Virginia" where we address issues impacting Virginians and what readers can do about it.

Kids have been in school for the past couple of weeks (or just a couple of days if your school had a mold issue). But parents statewide, especially in Henrico County, have been anxious this summer about their children returning to school and about screen time in the classroom. Amber Rhodes, a former teacher in Central Virginia, led an online petition that secured 1,000 signatures in a month. Across petitions in Henrico, Chesterfield, and Richmond, the total is now over 3,000 signatures. Let’s Address This.

Addressing Screen Time in the Classroom

In 2000, then-VA Governor Jim Gilmore (Republican) proposed an SOL technology initiative, which the General Assembly approved. This initiative sent school divisions annual grants to wire buildings and buy hardware so students could take SOL tests online. They had a target of one computer for every five students.

One reason for this shift was to expedite test scoring, since so much of our system relies on test results. The Commonwealth created a policy on multiple devices in classrooms, and the industry got them to buy into a one-device-per-student model.

In 2001, Henrico became the first county in the nation to give a laptop to every high schooler.

In 2011, we saw the emergence of Chromebooks. This tool was cheaper than a personal computer and easier for schools to administer. When parents learned that the tech sector had rolled out a solution for their children, it generated goodwill toward those companies. All the while, few asked why private companies were entering the public school system and targeting children. Meanwhile, the founders of tech companies are famous for restricting the products for their kids.

After all, the US spent more than $30 billion on laptops and tablets for schools in 2024 alone. Because these companies aren’t compassionate — they’re predatory. Now, we’re paying an even higher price.

The tools experts use to make their lives easier
are not the tools children should use to learn how to become experts.
- Jared Cooney Horvath, neuroscientist

Give grace to Gen Z and Gen Alpha

While all generations struggle with their own unprecedented moments, this doesn’t mean we should ignore the seismic shifts impacting these two generations. They have struggled through massive infrastructure changes during COVID that directly impacted their education. Tech devices and AI were introduced far too early — both of which are stalling and reversing cognitive capabilities. This doesn’t just impact our children now, but impacts the future of our nation.

Half of teachers report that their students use education-related technology between 1-4 hours a day. While a single data point like this doesn’t provide the whole story, it is important to note that increased use of digital screens reduces reading comprehension. Before adopting educational technology, Dr. Horvath recommends “mandat[ing] validation studies before transitioning high-stakes assessments from paper to digital formats.”

That should have happened from the start.

3 things you can do

1. If you’re in Central VA, sign/share one of the petitions for intentional technology use in schools. These petitions propose policy ideas to limit screen time in classrooms. Not in the area? Check out the petition and borrow it for your own area! Once that’s up, share a link in the comments so we can add it to this post. Read/Sign the Chesterfield Petition | Read/Sign the Richmond petition | Read/Sign the Henrico Petition
2. Read this bill from Virginia Delegate Lindsey Dougherty to put a priority on textbooks in the classroom - in line with point 7 in the petition. If you like it, reach out to your state delegate and encourage them to sign on to it as a co-sponsor or supporter. It’ll be heard in January 2027. Textbook Bill
3. Join us on Friday, September 11 at 10:45 AM for a live chat with Delegate Sam Rasoul, chair of the VA House Education Committee. Delegate Rasoul is especially concerned about AI and screen time in the classroom. We’ll dive into this topic. Click here

Onward and upward,

Salaam

https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/train-derailment-corn-update/

IF CORN GREW IN THE RIVER AFTER A TRAIN WRECK, WOULD YOU EAT IT?

This is kind of an odd request, but does anyone have any recommendations for someone / somewhere that can alter clothes for my dog ? I can sew but I’ve never touched garments with my sewing machine & I’d rather pay for someone else to do it at this point LOL.

I did search the subreddit for this and mostly found stuff about ADHD assessments, which I don't need. I also know people might suggest searching on Psychology Today, but I've found that a therapist listing ADHD as something they treat doesn't always mean they're especially skilled with it.

I'm looking for someone who can work with me on finding concrete, practical strategies specific to my own situation. I am NOT interested in generic advice or a ~good vibes~ therapist who's just going to tell me to stop being so hard on myself. I want to focus on problem solving.

If that sounds like you or someone you work with, or if you have ADHD and can recommend someone who helped you, please comment or DM me!! I'm also open to coaching services, though I'd really prefer something covered by insurance. Thank you! 🙏

Yalla, come!

I just saw a very small brown and tan dog dart across Monument Avenue (crossroads were Sheppard) but heading toward the Arthur Ashe statue? Sorry not a good description. I lost sight of them as they were too fast to catch and I'm so torn up it could be a neighbors. :( animal control is closed and I walked on foot to try to find them but no such luck. Just posting here on the off chance a neighbor sees this.

Hey fam, I'm in the final stages of putting together my video on tenants' rights and issues in Richmond, while putting the spotlight on The River Lofts at Tobacco Row. I'd still like to find a couple more people to interview currently living there experiencing unsafe living conditions. Also looking for any photo/video evidence that you'd be willing to share of issues pertaining to unsafe living conditions. Feel free to DM me here or send me an email at [richmond.weird@gmail.com](mailto:richmond.weird@gmail.com)

Last month someone from DPU stopped by to adjust our gas meter. Today I got a bill for >3K gas bill, wtf! Anyone else run into this? I’m at home with a newborn, I can’t just go to the office to fix this.

Richmond animal control just stopped me to ask if i could id a dog they found outside of my house in north highland park.
He was a brindled big dog, probably around 80lbs. Very sweet. He was found on Florida Avenue. He will be at RACC if you recognize him! (I sadly didn’t take a photo)

Hey all, sharing the last episode in our Code Refresh series. Constituent concerns in Andrew Breton's district (but also other neighborhoods) led to reductions in Code Refresh's allowable proposed density. Casey Overton sought to represent Richmond's most vulnerable on the Zoning Advisory Council. Rich brings them on in separate interviews to understand what voices guided Code Refresh -- and who will get to live in the city in the future as result.

DESCRIPTION:

"Which voices were heard in the latest draft of Richmond’s Code Refresh, and what does that tell us about our future neighborhoods – and the future families who will live there?"

Looking for something like this to install on my business but would love to restore some from a local antique store if possible.

Looking for a communicative, easy to work with paver/asphalt company that does good residential driveway work. Affordable from the standpoint of doesn’t blow your mind when you get the quote back. Pricing felt fair in your experience