Richbrau closed the Taphouse restaurant next door to its main restaurant as well as the bar and dance club that occupies the second floor of its building this weekend.

After accountant Chandra Tourtelot allegedly embezzled $40,000 from Scoot Richmond, police were unable to track her down but Style Weekly found her with one Facebook request.

Two weeks ago, Style Weekly ran a Google search for Tourtelot and found her Facebook page. Tourtelot responded and accepted a request from a Style reporter to be her online friend within 40 minutes. With access to her Facebook page, Style found Tourtelot had posted pictures of a new car — a green Firebird — with a clearly visible license plate. The page included pictures identifying friends by name, showed her working on set in Chesterfield during a production of ABC’s “Supernanny” television show, listed New Millennium as her employer, gave a phone number and indicated that she lived in Midlothian.

A word from Venture Richmond on one of Richmond’s most popular holiday events:

On Friday, December 4 Downtown Richmond will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Grand Illumination at the James Center (10th & E. Cary Streets). Be there right at 6pm to experience a family tradition that has, for so many years, lit up downtown during the holidays.

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The most recent version of the ABC License Application Review shows two establishments in the area applying for ABC licenses: Legendz Latin Soul Restaurant & Lounge at 1814 East Main Street and Laba Lounge at 15 North 17th Street.

Celebrate the James River with an evening of storytelling on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Richmond Times-Dispatch downtown offices. The event will feature stories from the people who fish, explore, swim and protect the James. Times-Dispatch writer Rex Springston and photographer P. Kevin Morley will also share their experiences creating the year-long series, the James River Journal.

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It came out in court today that agents paid for sex acts at Club Velvet:

Two state Alcoholic Beverage Control agents testified today that they paid to watch sex between two female dancers at a Richmond strip club and had lap dances performed on themselves as part of an undercover investigation in late 2007 and early 2008.

Segway of Richmond in Shockoe Slip is offering two Segway tours for the price of one through December 15. Choose from nine tours:

• Christmas Lights ($50)
• Hollywood Cemetery ($60)
• Downtown Public Art ($55)

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The RTD has an update on the city project to address flooding in Shockoe Bottom.

A contractor for the city removed about 25,000 cubic yards of sediment from the basin near Hospital Street in Shockoe Valley. The basin can hold almost 20 million gallons of water when the drainage system in the Bottom is overwhelmed.

All that’s left of the Shockoe Bottom project are the finishing touches on an underground chamber that will allow the Bottom to drain and upstream floodwaters to be released into the James River at the same time. [via]

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Come join us for a new Richmond holiday tradition. Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit as you admire and shop for stunning fine arts & crafts from over 100 artists in a truly festive atmosphere. See holiday lights, listen to music and bell choirs, enjoy delicious seasonal food and watch Richmond’s very own “Parade of Lights” on the James. It promises to be both joyful and triumphant.

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You are invited to join various civic groups, private sponsors, and Mayor Dwight Jones to uncover the cobblestones on the 2700 block of East Cary Street, in front of the Power Plant at Lucky Strike. Join the Mayor for the kick off event Friday, November 20, 2009 3:30 pm to dark. Help finish the job Saturday, November 21, 2009 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

A message from the Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association states:

Our robust participation will help the Mayor and other city staff to understand our needs for sidewalk and cobblestone upgrades in the most high traffic and visible area of the bottom- Main Street and the Farmer’s Market.

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To continue the implementation of the Richmond Downtown Plan, the City of Richmond has set a Public Meeting for a potential rezoning of the Manchester Area for Thursday, November 19, from 5PM-6:30PM Open at the Sacred Heart Center (1400 Perry Street). The purpose of the meeting is to review the rezoning proposal, ask questions, and provide additional input on the future of development and land use in the Manchester Area. If you are unable to attend this meeting and would like to be added to our mailing list, please call or e-mail the Department of Community Development at 646-6310 or askcommunitydevelopment@richmondgov.com

U of R’s student newspaper, The Collegian, has an op/ed piece questioning the enforcement of rules at clubs in the bottom, specifically Tiki Bob’s Cantina.

My friend who had the sleeveless shirt and the men with the baggy jeans were Caucasian. My friend who was wearing a similar pair of jeans and was denied entrance was African-American… So next time you decide to go out, don’t worry so much about club rules and regulations. Take a look in the mirror and keep what you see in mind, because at the end of night, it’s all black and white. [via]

From Richmond Bizsense:

Sensei Development and Monument Construction have spent $4.7 million so far. The project is part of an entire rehabilitation of the block bounded by Main and 21st streets — which is projected to cost $35 million. Marc Galt, managing director of Sensei, said 21 units will be finished Dec. 15, with the remaining units being completed soon after…

The apartments are just the beginning. The vision is to create a total of 225 residential units around 10,000 square feet of commercial space, underground parking and a patio garden linking the different buildings. The entire complex will be named Shockoe Valley Heights and was designed by Walter Parks architects. [via]

Dora’s Brazilian Grill in Shockoe Slip is now open! A menu and more information about Dora’s can be found on their website.