Last year, the Richmond City Council’s Sarah Abubaker had a lot to say about the budget process. Now we're heading into the budget season again. Rich sits down with Sarah to talk about what's changed, how we could think bigger, and the balance of power in Richmond.

Guest: Sarah Abubaker, 4th District Representative for the Richmond City Council

RVA's Got Issues returns for its fourth season, bringing you stories about the important issues shaping Richmond, Virginia. Hear directly from key leaders; discover how the federal government impacts your community; and listen to inspiring stories about the people in your own backyard who are making change. Follow us on @RichGotIssues for bonus content and download e wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday.

Richmond’s had a good run lately, but it always seems like it prospers in spite of city government, not because of it. Can Mayor Avula and his new Chief Administrative Officer, Odie Donald, finally be the ones who turn that around? Rich sits down with Odie to find out.

RVA's Got Issues will be taking a break for the holidays, but will be back with new episodes early in the new year.

Guest:

Odie Donald, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Richmond

When is that pothole or broken sidewalk going to get fixed?

To get answers, Rich sits down with Bobby Vincent of Richmond's Department of Public Works, or DPW. But just a warning: those answers may be more complicated than you think.

Guest:

Bobby Vincent, Richmond Department of Public Works

There seems to be new vibes on the Richmond City School Board. Certainly things have quieted down. But the public schools are still vitally important to our city, still under scrutiny, and still making news.

Rich sits down with School Board Chair Shavonda Fernandez to ask: What's with the new vibes, and what do they mean for the future of Richmond Public Schools – and our city?

Guest: Shavonda Fernandez, Richmond City School Board

What is it about Richmond that makes it a Tattoo City, maybe THE Tattoo City? Rich talks to working artists about the RVA tattoo scene. He also does something he hasn’t done in years: get his own tattoo.

Guests:

Amy Black, Amy Black Tattoos

amyblacktattoos.com

Roman Walston, Black Rabbit Tattoos

www.blackrabbitrva.com

Jen Bean, Loose Screw Tattoo

www.loosescrewtattoo.com

It’s almost Thanksgiving, so Rich shares three stories about all the things we’re thankful for: about birthday parties; about getting up off the couch; and about kids reading poetry – specifically, Rich's kid.

We’re highlighting the members of our community making RVA just a little bit brighter, a little bit happier, a little bit stronger.

Guests:

- Julia Warren Mattingly, founder of Celebrate RVA

https://www.celebraterva.org/

- Anthony Clary of We Off the Couch

https://weoffthecouch.org/

- Luisa A. Igloria, former Poet Laureate of Virginia

https://www.luisaigloria.com/

- Local poet Tris Meagher

Ever since she started in Richmond politics, Rich had been hearing about Kenya Gibson. First on the Richmond School Board, now on the City Council, she always seems like she has something important to say. And she is going to say it, even if it ruffles some feathers. Rich finally sits down with her to find out: what makes her tick?

Guest: Kenya Gibson, Councilwoman in Richmond's 3rd district.

Richmond has come a long way since our "murder capital" days, but the problem of gun violence persists, challenging our assumptions about how it happens. Can new data, new approaches – and a new city office – end gun violence in Richmond?

Plus: we hear from an after-school program for kids that might be part of the solution.

Guests:

Greg Hopkins, Office of Gun Violence Prevention

https://rva.gov/human-services/gun-violence-prevention

Amir Elsayed, NextUp RVA

https://nextuprva.org/team/

In Richmond, the poverty rate has gone down pretty dramatically in the past few years. That’s hard to do, and it’s not getting any easier in this environment of federal cuts and chaos. So a lot of folks are looking at our city and asking, how are we doing it? Rich sits down with the head of the city’s Office of Community Wealth Building to find out.

Then, we visit with graduates from that office's guaranteed income pilot program. What does lasting change look like?

Guest: Caprichia Smith Spellman, director of the Office of Community Wealth Building.