RVA’s Got Issues

There are 18 candidates running for Richmond City Council this November, but Rich has just one question for this week's guests: what's the job of a city council member actually like? For an honest answer, he brings in former council president, Mike Jones, and current council president, Kristen Nye.

This week, RVA’s Got Questions... about who RUNS for city council. With only 6 of 9 seats having a competitive race – why aren’t more people trying to grab a spot? 

Finally, if you live in the Northside of Richmond, chances are Don Polaski has knocked on your door. He spends his Saturdays going door-to-door as the "Happy Canvasser." Rich wants to know what knocking on all those doors has taught him about democracy.

It's Rich's FAVORITE time of year, local election season. But what makes this year different? A plan to end dysfunction on the Richmond Public School board.

Next up: the little-known quirk that determines how Richmond elects its mayor. One listener wants to know how voting actually works in RVA, and whether we'll catch the ranked-choice bug.

Rich wraps things up with his election heartthrob, the Virginia Public Access Project. This free, non-partisan website is a go-to resource for anyone trying to understand elections in Virginia. And this year, K-12 students are invited to the party.

The James River is the heart and soul of Richmond. But it's also the dumping ground for the city's sewage when it rains too much. What will it take to fix this issue?

One frustrated listener asks us: why is it so hard to open a business in Richmond? Rich runs through the litany of applications you need to complete to set up shop in RVA. But it's not as bad as you might think.

The Broadberry Entertainment Group is neither street nor berry. Rather, it plays a major role in booking up and coming talent in Richmond's local music scene. Owner Lucas Fritz joins us to talk about what he looks for in a musical act, and where he thinks the region's scene is headed.

Climate change is here, in RVA, today. But some neighborhoods are much more vulnerable to excessive heat and flooding than others. Rich talks with a local climate scientist about inequities in our climate vulnerability, as well as the city's plan to address them.

Everyone seems to have a DOT these days. That is, a department of transportation. But why isn't there one in Richmond, and is that necessarily a bad thing?

Richmond has a lot going for it. Should it add regional tech hub to that list? Richard Wintsch of Startup Virginia says yes. In fact, he's actively courting entrepreneurs to the River City to, in his words, prevent us from falling behind.

What would YOU do if you controlled how your government spends its money? Richmond City Council is doing exactly that as part of a new $3 million public budget. Outgoing council president Kristen Nye talks about how this works... and whether it's here to stay. This week's listener question: How do you dispose of guns? The answer is easier than you may think. Finally, our community spotlight is about... SPAGHETTI. We'll talk to an activist and mom who fights cystic fibrosis by reaching people’s hearts... and stomachs. 

It takes two to tango, but only one artistic director to lead the Richmond Ballet. For the first time in over 40 years, the official ballet for the state of Virginia is coming under new leadership. What does this mean for the future of the region's cultural institution? A listener asks Rich...what happened to all those anti-litter campaigns we use to see on TV? Is this something RVA still cares about? Finally, law enforcement keeps an eye out for RVA's safety. But who keeps watch on the watchmen? After an impactful encounter with police in 2020, Alice Minium has made it her mission to be that watchdog.

Four elementary schools in Richmond are reopening in July for the start of their extended school year. This "grand experiment" aims to reverse COVID-related learning loss in struggling schools. But will keeping kids (and their teachers) in a classroom fuel burnout?

One thing you WON'T find in RVA is a major league sports team. A listener asks, what would it take to change that?

Anyone can be a ballerina according to Susan Massey. This week's community spotlight looks at her adult ballet class that's included everyone from doctors, college students, and yes, truck drivers.

What do an attempted coup in Cuba and secrets from the Vietnam War have in common? They both led to the creation of the Freedom of Information Act. This law allows people to access public documents and hold their government accountable. But it doesn't always work that way, as two Richmond woman recently discovered when they put the states public record laws to the test. Food insecurity is a growing issue in Central VA, with demand for food pantry items climbing as grocery store prices remain high. For this week's Community Spotlight, we talk with Änna Ibrahim from Shalom farms, a non-profit that's working to increase access to fresh produce -- and the know-how on how to cook with these ingredients. Finally, for RVA's Got Questions: What is a board of supervisors, and what do they even do?

Last year, the city of Hopewell notched a huge victory in the fight against gun violence. Now cities like Petersburg and Richmond want in. We talk with Maurice Washington and Sarah Scarbrough about the strategy they've brought to the region.

This week's listener question: Who is Dillon, and why does he get a rule? The Dillon Rule restricts what cities and counties can do in Virginia, and it's all because of a guy in Iowa during the 1800's.

Finally, a community spotlight... about mindfulness. We talk to Ashley Williams. She’s the founder of the Well Collective, a place – and a movement – that brings history and healing to Shockoe Bottom and beyond. 

Most cities struggled with bus ridership coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not RVA. We talk with Faith Walker, Executive Director from RVA Rapid Transit, about what GRTC is doing right - and where there's room for improvement.

This week's listener question is about a Maymont resident and his enemy: Richmond Sidewalks. Why do the suck? (his words, not ours). But seriously, why do sidewalks have so many issues in Richmond, and what's being done about it?

Finally, for our community spotlight we talk cookies with Elizabeth Redford, owner of Tablespoons Cafe in Forest Hills. This baker helps adults with developmental disabilities find work and community through delicious sweets.