Fountain Bookstore is offering free lobsters today only:

While they last, the Fountain is giving away free lobsters to good homes. They make lovely pets and have been housetrained. We have also taught them to read up to a 1st grade level, so please remember to pick up some books for their entertainment on your way out.

A Shockoe Center Minority Participation Briefing/Reception to provide briefing on potential minority participation in the Shockoe Center development by contractors, subcontractors and design professionals will be hosted on April 21 by Donald McEachin, Highwoods Properties and Central Virginia Business and Construction Association in Senate Room 3 at State Capitol.

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Yesterday, zoning officials met to review the large anti-stadium sign hanging outside Club Velvet. Officials moved to continue the case on May 6 because of a new sign Sam Moore posted. The continuation will allow the zoning administrator a chance to revisit the club (ha!). The new sign refers directly to the stadium financing bills in the House of Delegates and Senate, an effort to clarify that the signs are in fact political. Political signs are considered free speech and exempt from zoning codes. [via]

Richmond will host a number of events commemorating the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday this weekend. The two day program will retrace Lincoln’s steps through Richmond in April 1865, just after the city came under Union forces. All events are free and open to the public.

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Looking to shake up your weekday routine? How about learning Salsa with Julissa Cruz Tuesdays and Thursdays at Muse Creative Workspace?

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Before you head out to all of the events celebrating Abe Lincoln this weekend, check out River City Rapids. Jon Baliles has a great post on Lincoln’s impact on Richmond.

Since we can’t rewrite history, we can acknowledge that the City of Richmond and Abraham Lincoln are inextricably linked as the nexus of the rebirth of this nation.

Can’t attend all of the events? Jon highly recommends the narrated walking tour.

This Monday, April 6th, Hilary Lufkin, a community organizer and educator for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) will be joining us in a discussion about the new coal plant proposed in Surry, VA. Ms. Lufkin will outline issues surrounding the coal plant, including its effects on the surrounding communities and ecosystems, its projected effects on Virginia’s economy, and the approval process it will need to pass before construction begins.

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Renovation is almost complete in a building between 17th and 18th street on Franklin. As of Friday, there was a sign in the window advertising its sale. 

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As we wait for the latest economic study on the Shockoe Center and stadium proposal, the debate keeps on in our neighborhood. The RTD published a column from a Shockoe Bottom business owner who strongly supports the stadium. Josh Dare from the Hodges Partnership focuses his argument on why Shockoe Bottom is the best location and how the Shockoe Center proposal could be the missing link in revitalizing downtown. [via]

Not only was Shockoe Bottom the premier locale for a downtown ballpark in Richmond, it is the best site anywhere in the country… why has this Boulevard versus the Bottom debate been languishing for all these years?

The River District Canal Cruises are back! Enjoy a 40-minute historically narrated tours of the James River & Kanawha Canal along the historic Canal Walk in a covered boat.

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Think you know Richmond like the back of your hand? The Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (RMCVB) is once again bringing you the thrill of the chase with the Great Richmond Region Adventure. Build a team of up to six people to decipher puzzles and discover clues along the streets of downtown Richmond. In addition to the cash prize, the winning team will select a non-profit Richmond Region museum or attraction to receive a $1,700 donation in celebration of National Tourism Week.

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12 12 Gallery is getting technical with a new website that merges their old website and blog. Also, 12 12 Gallery is now on Facebook and Twitter, if you are interested in keeping up with the latest news updates from them.

On April 15 at 9 am, a presentation on the history and archaeology of Lumpkin’s Jail will be held in the Wilder Library at Virginia Union University. VUU was founded in 1865 to educate newly emancipated freedmen. The school initially held classes in Lumpkin’s Jail, the largest slave trading center in the US before the Civil War.  The presentation is free and open to the public. [via]

Despite many community meetings presenting Highwoods Properties’ plan for Shockoe Center, an official website promoting the project has been noticeably absent. Coinciding with the beginning of the 2009 baseball season, the official Shockoe Center website is finally up. Check it out at http://shockoecenter.com.