A group of Richmond residents, driven by concern about the erosion of constitutional rights for everyday Americans, have combined resources to sponsor the event as an awareness initiative for the general public. The Bush Administration and Congress are making decisions everyday that restrict freedoms guaranteed to American citizens by the Constitution, and this event will offer attendees information, tools and strategies to protect their rights.

The high-energy roots reggae band Crucial Elements, politically-conscious hip-hop group Divine Profitz and the winning band from the Rockitz Battle of the Bands will provide live music.  Speakers will include David Swanson of AfterDowningStreet.org, Laura Flanders of The Nation magazine and Air America Radio, and Norman Solomon, filmmaker of “War Made Easy” and author of “Made Love Got War.”

For more information about the event, please contact Chris Dorsey at (804) 564-1491 or happycorner7@aol.com.  Information is also available at http://concertfortheconstitution.us.

About the Organizers:
This event is sponsored by Richmond citizens concerned with the erosion of our constitutional rights. A recent, local incident, involving Rain Burroughs, was a catalyst for this concert and is just one example of wrongful persecution.

On July 4th, Burroughs, a Richmond resident, and her seven-year old daughter were detained at Dogwood Dell by the Richmond City Police for displaying a banner calling for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney. A quote from the City Parks Department printed in The Richmond Times-Dispatch stated the banner “disrupted the patriotic theme” of the occasion. 

Feed the Homeless Drive
Special Guest Speakers & Entertainment
Informational/Resource HELP Tables
Crime Deterrence Reading Play (Showtime 1pm)
Prisoner Art Work Display
Much More!

The Justice for All Coalition is currently accepting can food donations for the “feed the homeless” drive and/or new or used dictionary for “prisoner education drive”

Contact Telephone:  (804) 562-2123 - Website:  http://www.rihd.org

Contact Persons:  VaPrisonJustice@riseup.net
InMateResource@aol.com
OneRastaQueen@hotmail.com

RIHD is a nonprofit, public charity group dedicated towards reducing crime and recidivism through activities that help promote and bring about self-rehabilitation for at-risk youth, incarcerated persons, ex-offenders, their families/loved ones and through advocacy for “smart” laws.

Rain date:  Saturday, October 27

Much is happening with your DNA! News about the funding through Venture Richmond, our upcoming street festival “Broad Appetit,”

our new website, the Fall Festival for downtown daycare centers, our new police representative, Lt. Lisa Drew and the status of downtown trash issues...all to be discussed.

Lots to talk about so we’ll start on time and be finished by 4pm.

Any questions, call Bill Harrison at 780-2256 or email harrisonb@usa.redcross.org

Foundations of the Richmond Downtown Master Plan

During the work-in-progress presentation on July 26, 2007 at Plant Zero, Dover, Kohl and Partners shared a list of six foundations of the Richmond Downtown Master Plan.  These foundations are reflective of items that were consistently mentioned by the community during the public participation events of the week of July 20-26. 

An initial list of thoughts and potential implementation measures associated with each of the foundations is outlined below.  Please consider your thoughts on these items over the coming weeks as we prepare to continue the discussion on the Richmond Downtown Master Plan on September 27, 2007.

Traditional City
Pedestrians and transit riders thrive in traditional cities.  Downtown Richmond has the street network and much of the historic architecture in place to support a rebirth of traditional modes of transportation.  Encourage these alternative modes of transportation by restoring the two-way traffic pattern, re-introducing a trolley system, and reconsidering parking requirements for urban buildings.

River
The James River is Richmond’s “great, wet Central Park.” Allow residents and visitors to fully enjoy this unique natural feature by creating a series of clear connections to the riverfront.  Develop a comprehensive system of natural open space along the river and create green connections between city parks and the riverfront.  Promote recreational activity along the river, such as waterfront festivals and kayaking.  Preserve views to the river by limiting building heights and protecting important viewsheds.

Urban Architecture
We can learn many lessons from Richmond’s historic urban architecture.  Require all new construction within the Downtown to respect and reinforce its urban location, meeting the sidewalk and fronting the street with windows and primary entrances.  Promote ground-floor, street facing retail where appropriate, and ensure that parking garages are lined with street-front buildings.  Cater to the pedestrian, and create a lively, human-scale frontage that encourages walking.

Variety and Choice
Urban environments provide variety and choice.  Cities are naturally mixed-use, mixed-income, and multi-modal.  Promote Richmond’s competitive advantage by further diversifying land uses, building types and sizes, and providing a full range of transportation options.  Allow opportunities for those at all income levels, supporting programs for those of lesser means and education.

Green
Great parks and sustainable infrastructure make cities livable.  Attract new residents and visitors to Downtown with an integrated system of urban parks.  Celebrate Richmond’s existing park system, and increase public access to these parks by providing reliable maintenance.  Initiate an ambitious street tree campaign.  Incorporate sustainable design into all new buildings and infrastructure projects in order to create a fully “green” city.

History
Richmond’s past is one of its most valuable assets for the future.  Celebrate and promote Richmond’s history with an aggressive historic preservation program and a coordinated system of history trails, museums, and interpretive sites.  Focus not only “historic” events but also reveal the day-to-day story of the city, for example by exposing the cobblestones beneath Downtown’s asphalt streets.

For more information contact Brooke Hardin, City of Richmond
Telephone: (804) 646-6310 E-mail: Brooke.Hardin@richmondgov.com

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

He is the son of Preston Mulford of Wellington Ridge Road, Richmond, Va. Mulford is a 2006 graduate of Patrick Henry High School, Ashland, Va.

See press release below.

EVERYSCAPE SEEKS THE COMMUNITY’S VOTE FOR “THE PEOPLE’S WORLD PROJECT” TO BUILD THE 3D WEB
The People’s Vote to Determine the Next 5 Cities and 15 Towns to be “Scaped” in 2007

WALTHAM, Mass. – EveryScape, Inc. wants to hear the people’s voice. It is seeking votes for “The People’s World Project” to build the 3D Web. By enlisting the contributions of consumers around the world, EveryScape is creating the first interactive eye-level experience that offers Web users a completely immersive, 3D world online. By the end of 2007, EveryScape plans to launch 10 metropolitan areas, five of which will be determined by the community’s vote. In addition, EveryScape plans to build 15 additional towns, which will also be determined by the people. You can cast your vote at http://www.everyscape.com. Voting opens today and closes August 31. The winning communities will be announced in early September.

To help fulfill its vision of building out the world in 3D, EveryScape is also looking for local “Scape Artists” to join the movement. EveryScape’s highly scalable approach enables almost anyone to capture the photos needed to build any geographic location – with minimal training. These images are captured using standard digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, and are then uploaded to EveryScape for processing. Scape Artists have the opportunity to share the places, things and experiences that are part of their communities, which when combined with the work of fellow Scape Artists, contribute to the building of the People’s World.

“We don’t presume that we can build the world on our own. The people have to build the ‘People’s World,’ just like it was the people who originally built the Web as we know it today,” said Jim Schoonmaker, CEO of EveryScape. “EveryScape’s job is to create the canvas; the people will add color and context. That’s what this initiative is all about. We want to hear from the people about what they want to see – and then give them the tools to help us bring it to life.”

EveryScape is bridging the gap between the physical world and the virtual one by allowing people to search, find and experience every aspect of a city or town in 3D. For example, while “walking” down a street users can window shop storefronts as well as tour the inside of those stores, see their offerings, and access published reviews and other information. Last month, EveryScape delivered a sneak peek of Union Square in San Francisco at http://www.everyscape.com. The full city of San Francisco will launch this fall, with Boston, Chicago, New York and Seattle to follow by the end of 2007, along with the five additional metropolitan areas and 25 towns, which will be determined by the community’s vote.

To cast a vote and to become a Scape Artist, visit http://www.everyscape.com. 

When:  Saturday, August 11, 2007

Where:  2800 block of Fendall Avenue (in front of the Trinity Baptist Church)

What:  Trinity Baptist Church is hosting a community block party.  Food, fun, games and numerous vendors will be just part of the activities taking place on the block and surrounding streets.  This event would provide great, visual material for stations to use on a slow Saturday afternoon.

Location:  Trinity Baptist Church is located at 2811 Fendall Avenue in Richmond’s north side.  For more information or if you are a vendor and would like to participate and reserve a spot, please call 321-2427.

As part of the Senior Challenge, members of the senior class contributed to fund a scholarship for an incoming Transylvania freshman. Sixty-nine percent of the senior class donated as part of the challenge and raised $19,438.

Stone, an art history major and studio art minor, is the daughter of Jan Stone of Richmond.

Transylvania, founded in 1780, is the nation’s sixteenth oldest institution of higher learning and is consistently ranked in national publications as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.