Style Weekly answers the question: Does Mayor Wilder even live in the city? According to the article, Wilder bought unit 601 in Vistas on the James back in July for $386,000.

nbc12 is reporting that former Richmond restaurateur Michael Ripp was cleared of embezzlement charges yesterday. Ripp, the owner of 3 Shockoe Bottom restaurants at the time (Havana 59, City Bar and Rotisserie and O’Brienstein’s Pub & Delicatessen), had been accused of misusing thousands of dollars in meal taxes owed to the city.

Though already home to some since summer, the 18-story, 160-condo Vistas on the James opened officially yesterday. All but 15 of the units have already been sold for prices from the low $300,000s to more than $1 million. [via]

Dana Craig at the RTD slams Sam Miller’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar, calling the restaurant’s service “robotic”, the portions “skimpy”, and the food suffering from a “lack of attention”.

The Richmond Derby Demons present the 2nd Annual Demon Ball, “Richmond’s best Halloween masquerade party”, tonight at Plant Zero. 18 & older, cash bar, starts @9PM. Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets. Check out the flyer for more info.

The RTD has an update on plans for next fall’s inaugural Richmond Folk Festival. Organizers are leaning towards dates in October; once the dates are set, program planning will move forward.

FOX35 tonight has the story of a rash of racist graffiti that struck the work site at the Sisson Building at Broad and Oliver Hill Way over the weekend. The graffiti includes the phrases “N***** Mobile” spray painted on a forklift, “Rob was hear”, “I’m Rick James Bitch”, and “white power”.

Ukrop’s and First Market Bank present the 8th Annual Brunswick Stew Festival this Saturday, Nov.3, at the 17th Street Farmer’s Market. Stew masters from across the South, including Virginia’s own Brunswick County, come with their crews and their enormous pots. The Great Stew Tasting takes place from 11AM-4PM. Find out more at richmond.com.

Welcome to River District News! River District News focuses on activities and events at the neighborhood level for the Shockoe Bottom, Shockoe Slip, Manchester, Tobacco Row, and Rocketts areas, and on larger events with direct impact on our community. Let us know if you have something to share with the community or post on the calendar. Let us know also if you are interested in being a part of the site, we would like to have as many contributors as possible.

We’ve added a map of the crime in the area. Basically just don’t leave stuff in your car; it’s the red and yellow markers that you have to worry about…