Updates & Announcements from The Virginia Defender – Oct. 28, 2012
About that storm … Looks like coastal and Central Virginia will get hit pretty hard from Hurricane
Sandy. So before we go to the Announcements, here's some information from the
City of Richmond:
The City has designated two Emergency Relief Shelters for
city residents if they expect to be displaced by the effects of Hurricane
Sandy. Major power outages have been predicted throughout this weather
event, and total rainfall is expected to reach 5 to 8 inches.
Two shelters are presently open and operating: Linwood Holton Elementary School
on the Northside (1600 West
Laburnum Ave.) and J. H. Blackwell
Elementary on the Southside (1600
Everett Street). GRTC is providing transportation
to the emergency relief shelters as needed. Residents needing transportation to
the shelters should look for the buses marked “Special” on the following
routes:
Bus 1: Chimborazo going west to 21st
Street to Princess Anne Ave. to Whitcomb Street to Ford Ave. back to
Mechanicsville Tnpk. to Fairfield Way to 17th Street to Broad and then west to
Malvern and turn right to Laburnum Ave. to Linwood Holton School.
Bus 2: Harrison Street and Main Street to Colorado Avenue to Meadow Street to Idlewood Ave. to Robinson to Main to
Nansemond to Cary Street east
on Cary Street
to McCloy Street
to Douglasdale Road
to the Boulevard to Linwood
Holton School.
Bus 3: Jeff Davis Hgwy. and Wamsley Boulevard
to Semmes Ave.
left to Forest Hill Ave.
to Hug. School (no stop at Wall Mart) turn around and go back down Forest Hill
Ave. to Semmes Ave. to Commerce Road to Maury Street to Blackwell School
Bus 4: Hull Street west to Chippenham Parkway to Midlothian Tnpk. to
Hull Street
to 16th Street
to Blackwell School.
Additionally, GRTC Route #74 Oak Grove will take
residents to the Southside Shelter (Blackwell). The Oak Grove bus will be
running its regular route, but residents traveling to the shelter may identify
themselves, and will not be charged a fee.
Mayor Dwight Jones has declared a local state of emergency
for the city of Richmond.
According to the mayor, “It is vitally important that residents prepare for a
prolonged weather event where we will likely see extended power outages. Also,
if you think you are gong to be in need of emergency shelter, we encourage you
to travel to the shelter sooner rather than later, so that you will not be
traveling to the shelters in dangerous weather.”
For residents with medical needs, it is strongly advised
that you act now to stock medicines and medical supplies. If you take medicine
or use a medical treatment on a daily basis, be sure you have enough on hand to
last at least a week. This includes oxygen. If you use oxygen please
contact your supplier and request to have extra bottles delivered to
you. Do not depend on emergency responders to assist you with these types
of supplies. Additionally, if you anticipate needing assistance during a
disaster, make a plan for getting assistance from family, friends or others who
can help you. As part of your preparation, teach them how to operate your
equipment or administer medications in case of an emergency.
In addition:
- The Freedom House Conrad Center will serve as a homeless shelter beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday, October 27 through 6:30 p.m., Monday, October 29. The Conrad Center is located at 1400 Oliver Hill Way.....
- Homeless persons needing shelter tonight should go to Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, 14 West Duval Street. The shelter opens at 7 p.m. tonight and closes the tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. Food will not be provided.
- All residents are encouraged to treat this storm seriously by taking precautions now in preparation for any impact from this hurricane. Residents should go to www.RichmondGov.com for a detailed list of storm precautions.
- Residents are strongly advised to stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for the most current storm information. In the event your home loses electrical power, plan to have a battery-powered and/or hand-crank radio and extra batteries ready so that you can access weather information and instructions from officials.
- For up-to-date information and additional instructions from the city of Richmond during the storm, please visit www.Richmondgov.com, follow the City on Twitter @CityRichmondVA, and stay tuned to local radio and television stations.
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Thursday, Nov. 1 – AUTUMN ISSUE OF THE VIRGINIA
DEFENDER – on the streets and in the neighborhoods. And online at: www.DefendersFJE.org.
Stories on the Ashley Williams case, the new threat to put a ballpark in
historic Shockoe Bottom and a major report on conditions in the Richmond City
Jail. Plus, what the U.S.
military is trying to do in West Africa. Want
to help get this information out to the community? Contact the Defender to
volunteer to help distribute the paper. Call 804-644-5834 or email DefendersFJE@hotmail.com.
Monday, Nov. 5 - Working People's Movements
Forum – "Join Students for a Democratic Society for an
educational panel on working class movements. Speakers include representatives
of local labor unions, community organizations, and more. A variety of issues
relating to working Americans will be discussed, including public
transportation, jobs, racism, and the importance of having a working people's
movement. We are all workers, and we are all in this together. The event is
from 7pm to 8:30pm on Monday, November 5th in the VCU Student Commons Theater (907 Floyd Avenue).
It is free and open to the public."
Thursday, Nov. 8 – Public Forum on Housing in Segregation – HOME
and the Virginia Poverty Law Center Invite you to join them for
“Residential Segregation: A Community Conversation” - 6:30 p.m., University of
Richmond Downtown, Gallery Space, 626 E. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23219.
Come hear panelists discuss Richmond's
history of residential segregation, current segregation in the city, and
how
the community can work toward a more integrated city. Dr. Shawn Utsey,
Chair of VCU's African American Studies; The Reverend Ben Campbell of
Richmond Hill; Dr. John V. Moeser, UR's Bonner Center of Civic Engagement
- moderated by Ana Edwards, Manager of Library Programs
& Byrd House Market at William Byrd Community
House. Seating is Limited. Please RSVP: The Future of Richmond's Past - 200 S. Third Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Contact: Carolyn
Martin · Office: 804-289-8088
· Fax: 804-287-6540 · Email:
cmartin@richmond.edu
- www.futureofrichmondspast.org
Sat., Nov. 10 – Peace Center Auction and Dinner – The
Richmond Peace
Education Center will hold its annual fundraising auction and dinner on
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, beginning at 6 p.m. This year’s event will again
be held atop the Troutman Sanders Building,
1001 Haxall Point, overlooking the James River.
During the evening, Lori Haas and Andrew Goddard will be recognized as Richmond’s 2012
Peacemaker of the Year; our 2012 Peace Essay winners will also be
recognized. Items available in the live and silent auctions include
vacation getaways; ethnic dinners for four; gift certificates from local
restaurants and other businesses; art and craft objects; clothing and jewelry;
books by local authors; home-made treats and much more. Tickets to the event
are $30 in advance; $35 at the door. Reservations for children 5-12 are
available for $15. Tickets are available by calling the Peace Center
at 232-1002, emailing tickets@rpec.org,
or by credit card at www.rpec.org.
Last year’s event sold out, so early reservations are highly
recommended. Tickets will be sold at the door, but only if space is
available. As always, proceeds from the auction will support the programs of
the Peace Center,
including the Richmond Youth Peace Project, Racial Justice in Richmond workshops, public forums and
conflict resolution training for adults and young people. For more
information: Richmond
Peace Education
Center, 232-1002, rpec@rpec.org.
Sat., Nov. 17 – Cooking as a 2nd Language – “West
African cuisine from Senegal!!
Wolof-central! Jolof-central! Home of Yassa and Thiebu Jen and Maffe and Curry
and Oxtails - OH so GOOD. Chef Boubacar will surprise us on Nov. 17 - daring to
share his way of cooking at least two of these fabulous entrees. Register at EatGoodGrowGreat.blogspot.com!
This cooking class only $10. William Byrd Community House – Nutrition Room, 224 S. Cherry St., Richmond. www.wbch.org / 804.643.2717, ext. 306."
Thurs., Nov. 22 – Thanksgiving Feast – The
2012 Giving Heart Community Thanksgiving Feast will be held Thursday, Nov. 22,
2012 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center from 11 am to 2 pm. ALL ARE
INVITED! From Giving Heart: “Become a donor. Interested in making
"in kind" donations? … We'd love to accept your offerings. Help
to provide for our cooking needs and to offer items for our food bags that are
given to many of the guests by coming out to our annual Sam's Club (Short Pump)
food and toiletry collection event from November 16th to November 18th. Take up
a collection within your family, neighborhood, club, church, school or
business. Do you like craft or floral projects? Make a few centerpieces
to grace some of our tables. Gather toiletries and other items for our
distribution room. Information: http://thegivingheart.org/thanksgivingfeast.html
Wed., Nov. 28 – ATTEND THE TRIAL OF ASHLEY WILLIAMS
Ashley Williams is charged with second-degree murder and
felony child neglect in the tragic death of her 2-year-old son D'Sean. When her
son died, he weighed just 14 pounds – about half of what is normal for a child
that age. Without a shred of evidence, Richmond's
Commonwealth Attorney's office is claiming that Ms. Williams neglected her
child and basically allowed him to starve to death. Medical experts who have
looked into this case have suggested that D'Sean likely suffered from DiGeorge
Syndrome, a genetic disease that can prevent the victim from properly
processing food. The state autopsy performed on D'Sean reported he had both
food and liquid in his system, and yet he was severely malnourished. Bolstering
this theory is the fact that two of Ms. Williams' sisters and a niece also have
young sons who are dangerously underweight. But the private doctors of those
boys have prescribed life-saving treatment. In contrast, Ms. Williams's Medicaid-appointed
doctor did not suggest any such treatment. Ms. Williams was pressured by a
court-appointed attorney to plead guilty to the lesser charge of involuntary
manslaughter – a lesser charge, but still one that carried a long prison
sentence. Today she would be in a state prison if it had not been for the
timely intervention of the Virginia
state NAACP, former Richmond City Councilman Sa'ad El-Amin and support from the
larger community, which has packed the courtroom for each of Ms. Williams'
court hearings. In the words of one of her sisters, “The only thing Ashley is
guilty of is being young, poor, uneducated and following the advice of people
who she thought knew what they were doing.” Ms. Williams has been held in the
Richmond City Jail since November 2011. The medical, Social Services and legal
systems have all utterly failed her. Now they are trying to scapegoat her for
those very failures. Community support has so far kept her from prison. Let's
join together one more time to help her win her freedom. Please attend Ashley
Williams' trial on 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, Courtroom 307 in the John Marshall
Courts Building,
400 N. 9th St., Richmond, VA 23219.
Wed., Dec. 12 – SAVE THE DATE! – 12/12/12
Fund-Raising Holiday Party for The Virginia
Defender. Details to be announced. This will be the last time in nearly 90
years – until Jan. 1, 2101 – when the month, day and year will all be
represented by the same numerals: 12/12/12. Let's mark this numerical occasion
by raising some numbers so the Defender can start 2013 on a solid financial
basis.
New Activists Events Calendar – A Richmond activist has
launched an online calendar to announce local news and opportunities for local
action. Check it out at: http://active-rva.tumblr.com/calendar.
