virginia abc store: hood style

Does your Virginia ABC store have bulletproof glass and unperusable aisles?  Does your Virginia ABC store contribute to nuisance issues by carrying the mostly (and sometimes only) smaller versions of liquor (especially the hotel-size options) for patrons to discard the black bags and bottles all over your yard?  Is your ABC store parking lot left without surveillance so that dealers and prostitutes can easily deliver their goods and services on the premises (even during operating hours)?  NO?  Well, then you haven’t enjoyed one of Virginia ABC’s finer establishments that fully encompasses Virginia ABC’s mission statement:

“To control the distribution of alcoholic beverages; operate efficient, conveniently located retail outlets; enforce the laws of the Commonwealth pertaining to alcoholic beverages and youth access to tobacco products; and provide excellent customer service, a reliable source of revenue, and effective public safety.”

*This ABC venue’s retail employees do, in fact, provide excellent customer service and are in no way responsible for the larger issues at this location.*

is richmond #1 in homicides?

Anyone have the answer?  We’ve dropped down to under 40 a year, and somehow we have the most homicides per capita in the U.S.?  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/The-11-Most-Dangerous-usnews-1262959588.html?x=0

From John M., a look at Richmond’s crime drop since the mid 90s: http://chpn.net/news/2010/08/15/richmond-1994_14783/

portland unable to diversify

Well, the city is growing and revitalization is not an issue, but diversity and employment are!

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/16/133748144/history-hinders-diversification-of-portland-ore

chocolate city becoming vanilla

From NPR’s Cities in Transition series is a look at how Washington D.C. is quickly gentrifying into a city where the black population will soon be a minority.  http://www.npr.org/2011/02/15/133754531/d-c-long-chocolate-city-becoming-more-vanilla

big bust at the drug house

Aw, yeah!  RPD brought out the battering ram for the last remaining drug house on my street last Friday, and rounded up the dealer and his cousin for PWID (possession with intent to distribute) amongst other things.

For years, neighbors have been giving information to the RPD concerning this house and others associated with it.  Finally, a shooting that occurred at a connected house (and a related shootout that spilled onto a main road the next day) in November seems to have sped up the process of bringing the drug ring  to court (http://northrichmondnews.com/news/2010/08/29/police-name-suspects-in-montrose-shooting/).  I will definitely be sending a letter to the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ office regarding the case.  Interestingly, the nearby crackheads have been in a bad mood all weekend (not making this up).

richmond’s finest get something right!

RPD’s Special Investigation Division has been working on the worst block in our neighborhood for some time.  Two houses were declared nuisance properties, and multiple indictments have been served.  The block in question is just behind a Burger King on Chamberlayne and always had a longer drive-thru line than the BK.  Just a few of the houses kept that block in horrible shape (and unsafe).  With that block cleared, all of the neighborhood’s internal blocks are not only safe, but liveable. 

I’ve made a point of jogging the perimeter of our neighborhood when I have the time to go for a run.  The perimeter consists of two rundown commercial corridors that can appear less than safe (most of the time, it’s just the appearance and not the actuality).  I should note that my jogging has been dubbed “the senior shuffle” and is probably more pathetic than impressive.  But, I feel I am making a statement (marking the territory, if you will) that I have no fear of my streets or whomever may be on them.

more reasons to be in the city

Traffic in Richmond is getting worse: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/news/2011/jan/21/tdbiz01-traffic-congestion-increases-in-richmond-ar-788518/

Ever-lowering crime rates even in the hardest cities (in the city of Compton… we keep it rockin’… ok, I’m done now): http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110119/us_yblog_thelookout/in-compton-once-crime-ridden-residents-finally-feel-safe

Fear of your suburb becoming a slum (hey, scare tactics work… just look at how fast white people fled the cities back in the day): http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=21179977