A group called “9/11 Was An Inside Job” is organizing a protest on September 11 in front of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank on Byrd Street:

No rational discussion about the events of September 11, 2001 can begin without acknowledging that the institutions that control the United States government were both criminally negligent and criminally complicit in the attacks and the subsequent cover up. The Federal Reserve Banking System is the private monetary source for unconstitutional agencies like the CIA, FBI, NSA, DIA, that, through intent and ineptitude, carried out the strikes. Instead, these criminal tax funded groups blame a shadowy terrorist group Al Qaeda for the attacks and used 9/11 as a pretext to carry out wars of aggression in order to consolidate power and subvert the constitution.

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The City of Richmond today announced that the Mayo Bridge Structural Analysis and Feasibility Study will begin on Monday, August 2. This three phase, 16 month study is designed to assess the condition of the Mayo Bridge and the Manchester Canal Bridge to determine whether either structure are to be rehabilitated or replaced. The federally funded study will cost approximately $1 million.

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A message from House of Delegates 71st District representative Jennifer McClellan on the DPVA/ OFA VOTE 2010 Day of Action tomorrow in Shockoe Bottom:

As you know, 2010 is the year for Congressional mid-term With less than 4 months to go until Election Day, our Democratic incumbents need your help. Join fellow Democrats for a “Day of Action” tomorrow, as thousands of supporters gather at events across America. The Democratic Party of Virginia and Organize for American have organized phone banking, canvassing, and voter registration drives.

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Richmond City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson, Gateway 6th District, will host her monthly Gateway 6th District this Saturday, 10 July 2010, from 10AM-noon at the Bank of America Building, 18th floor (12th & Main Streets). On the agenda: 2010-2011 City of Richmond Government Contracts; Procedures for securing Richmond Economic Development projects; Small, minority and Section 3 Richmond Government Contract opportunities

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Mayor Jones will give an update on the city’s sustainability priorities and announcing the city’s partnership with Earth Aid at the Shockoe Bottom Community Garden at 2 pm.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones, earlier this year, announced the appointment of the city’s first sustainability manager. In recognition of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Mayor and the sustainability manager will update the media and the public on the city’s sustainability efforts. Information about city agency energy performance, results of the city’s first greenhouse gas emissions inventory, community garden efforts, and the announcement of a city partnership with Earth Aid will be discussed.

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Two meetings on bringing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to Broad Street have been called for the end of February:

Join us to improve transit service and traffic congestion on Broad Street. This important roadway and transit route serves many commercial and residential areas and averages more than 700 bus trips daily. The study will focus on the most congested section – a 7-mile length from Rocketts Landing to Willow Lawn.

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President Obama announced today that USDOT is awarding $8 billion to states to invest in high speed rail. Of that, Virginia will share $620,000,000 with North Carolina to develop high speed rail between Charlotte-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington, D.C.. In the current plan Richmond is listed as having “projects laying foundation for high-speed passenger rail.”

View the plan here.

The Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will offer guided walks on Richmond’s Slave Trail each Saturday during February, Black History Month. This emotional walk, led by James River Park Manager Ralph White, will take you from the stone docks at Ancarrow’s Landing on the river through the forest to the site of the slave jails.

The walks will be scheduled for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. based on demand. There is a $5 per person fee. Please register in advance by calling the James River Park at 804-646-8911.

Former Richmond City Councilman Sa’ad El-Amin filed a lawsuit this morning against Virginia Department of Historic Resources Director Kathleen Kilpatrick.

From the RTD:

The suit seeks to order the department to conduct an archaeological dig of a Virginia Commonwealth University parking lot at 1541 E. Broad St. to determine the true boundaries of a cemetery for African-American slaves.

The suit challenges an historic resources report that found that boundaries of the burial grounds extend 50 feet into the parking lot. [via]

As GRTC continues to push for a bus transfer station at Main Street Station, the RTD reports that Mayor Jones is cautious that it might interfere with high speed rail. 

“I believe that GRTC probably has a Plan B. I don’t want to speak for them, however,” Jones said in an interview when asked about the proposed transfer center. “But from my perspective, only so many things can go in Shockoe Bottom.” [via]

Many community organizations have come out against the most recent proposal for a transfer station at Main Street Station, including the Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association, The Historic Shockoe Partnership, and The Slave Trail Commission. Today’s article highlights a new group formed specifically to fight the transfer station, the Better Station Coalition.

With the smoking ban now in effect, there are few restaurants that accommodate smokers. Havana 59 has opened their upstairs area to allow smoking, and Richbrau is considering allowing smoking on their second floor. Where else can you smoke? [via]

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

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]

Richmond City Council Reporter and Telegraph has video of the Slavery  Museum being presented to City Council’s Land Use, Housing, and Transportation Committee on October 20, 2009.

Land Use, Housing, & Transportation – Oct. 20, 2009 from Silver Persinger on Vimeo.

The Virginia Holocaust Museum honors Senator Henry L. Marsh, III, on Sunday, October 18, at the 2009 Neilson J. November Award Dinner (PDF).