City News

Press Releases and Announcements

City of Richmond to close ahead of Inclement Weather

Richmond, VA - Ahead of inclement weather conditions, all City of Richmond buildings will be closed on Friday, Dec. 5. Some City services will be available virtually. 

Residents should visit go.rva.gov/winter-weather for the latest updates and follow the City of Richmond's social media channels for updates on City operations. For more information on weather conditions, please monitor reliable sources such as the National Weather Service.  

Inclement Weather Shelters 

To protect and shelter Richmond's most vulnerable residents, the City's Inclement Weather Shelter, located at 1900 Chamberlayne Avenue and operated by the Salvation Army, will continue operations based on the weather.  

Richmond Ready Alerts 

Residents are encouraged to sign up for Richmond Ready Alerts to receive critical emergency and weather alerts from the City of Richmond. Residents can text 'RVAREADY' to 888-777 to receive a sign-up link or visit rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts to learn more.

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The city of Richmond's Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response sustains citizen trust by providing reliable emergency preparedness management and communications services in a timely and efficient manner. DECPR is designated as the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the City of Richmond's E-911 telephone system and is charged with the appropriate routing of all E-911 and non-emergency calls for service. The department is also responsible for the coordination of all emergency radio and telephone communications for public safety agencies in the City of Richmond.

La Ciudad de Richmond cerrará ante el mal tiempo

Richmond, VA - En preparación ante las condiciones meteorológicas adversas pronosticadas, todas las oficinas e instalaciones de la ciudad de Richmond estarán cerradas el viernes 5 de diciembre. Algunos servicios municipales estarán disponibles de forma virtual.

Los habitantes deben visitar go.rva.gov/winter-weather para ver las últimas actualizaciones y seguir los canales de redes sociales de la Ciudad de Richmond para mantenerse informados sobre las operaciones municipales. Para más información sobre las condiciones meteorológicas, por favor consulte fuentes fiables como el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.

Refugios para el mal tiempo

Para proteger y albergar a los residentes más vulnerables de Richmond, el refugio de la ciudad para el mal tiempo, ubicado en el 1900 de Chamberlayne Avenue y administrado por Salvation Army, continuará operando debido a las condiciones climáticas.

Alertas de Richmond Ready

Animamos a los richmondeses a inscribirse en el sistema de alertas Richmond Ready para recibir avisos críticos durante emergencias y alertas meteorológicas de la Ciudad de Richmond. Los habitantes pueden enviar el mensaje 'RVAREADY' al número 888-777 para recibir un enlace de inscripción o visitar rva.gov/richmondreadyalerts para obtener más información.

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El Departamento de Comunicaciones, Preparación y Respuesta ante Emergencias (DECPR, por sus siglas en inglés) de la Ciudad de Richmond mantiene la confianza ciudadana proporcionando servicios fiables de gestión y comunicaciones de emergencia de manera oportuna y eficiente. DECPR está designado como el Punto de Respuesta de Seguridad Pública (PSAP) para el sistema telefónico E-911 de la ciudad de Richmond y está encargado de la dirección adecuada de todas las llamadas E-911 y no urgentes de servicio. El departamento también es responsable de la coordinación de todas las comunicaciones de emergencia por radio y teléfono para las agencias de seguridad pública en la ciudad de Richmond.

City of Richmond Announces Scale Back of RVA Illuminates Due to Weather

The City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities today announced the scale back of RVA Illuminates, scheduled for Friday, December 5, 2025 due to forecasted weather conditions that present safety concerns for attendees, performers, and event staff.

Parks and Recreation will still move forward with the official holiday lighting moment at Kanawha Plaza, which can be seen on WRIC 8 beginning at 5:45 pm. Community members are encouraged to tune in as we continue the tradition of welcoming the holiday season together, even if from home. Given the current forecast, the City has determined it is necessary to cancel the scheduled performances.

“We know RVA Illuminates is a cherished tradition for families across our city, and this decision was not made lightly,” said Chris Frelke, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “Our top priority is always the safety of Richmond residents, visitors, and staff. We’re grateful for the community’s understanding and look forward to celebrating the season in safer conditions.”

For more information about the department, follow PRCF on Facebook, X, and Instagram or visit our website at www.rva.gov/parks-recreation.

City of Richmond announces search for next Poet Laureate

Richmond, VA - Today, the City of Richmond launched the application cycle for its next Poet Laureate, who will serve in the role from 2026 to 2028.

The new Poet Laureate will be Richmond's third, following Roscoe Burnems (2021-2023) and Joanna Lee (2024-2026).

"A big part of what the Poet Laureate of a place should do is to write to and for that place-to bear witness to the times we are living through, and to be a voice for the people who call that place home," said current Poet Laureate Joanna Lee.

Lee and Burnems join a panel of City officials, local poets, and community partners on this year's selection jury. The jury will review applications and make recommendations to Mayor Danny Avula, who will ultimately select the next Poet Laureate.

"The City's next laureate will help us build a stronger, more connected Richmond by using their art to bring people together," said Mayor Danny Avula. "We're looking for somebody who does the art form well, who loves this city, and who helps it tell its stories and create paths to healing. Richmond has been so lucky in our first two laureates, and I can't wait to see the immense talent of this next group of applicants."

The Poet Laureate will receive a $5,000 annual stipend and $2,000 in initial project development funds to implement a community-based project that connects Richmonders through poetry. Applicants must be 18 years or older, and currently live, work, or study in the City of Richmond. They should have an established record of poetic achievement and fostering literary community.

The City of Richmond is accepting nominations and applications through January 12, 2026. For more information about the program and instructions for nominating or applying, please visit go.rva.gov/poet-laureate.

Mayor Danny Avula's Remarks: Brown’s Island Improvement Event

I love Brown’s Island. In 25 years of living in the city, I have spent a lot of memorable moments here. It's where I bring my kids regularly. My son is a kayak instructor for Passages and spent many summers here on the river by Brown’s Island. It's where I bring friends and out of town family when they're visiting Richmond. Every week, people ask me what I love about Richmond, and I say that the T. Potterfield Bridge is my favorite thing in this city. This place holds a lot of importance and value, and to see what is about to happen here is incredibly encouraging.

One of the things that I did coming into this job was build our strategy around 7 pillars. One of those pillars is being a city that tells our stories. I often take the opportunity, when we're doing something new or when we're cutting a ribbon, to look back and to talk about the history of a place. Brown's Island is named after its first settler, Elijah Brown, who acquired the land back in 1826. During the Civil War, this island was home to something called the Confederate States Laboratory. This is where women and children worked to produce the ammunition and other military supplies for the Confederate cause. It's a reminder of the fact that this island, like so many other aspects of our city, has a history that's really complicated and sometimes painful to parts of our community. Every chapter of Richmond’s story, even the hard ones, informs who we are now, and who we are becoming together. We are a city that tells its stories, and we learn from them, and in doing so, we move towards healing. We double down on our commitment to being an inclusive city and to creating meaningful opportunity for every Richmonder, especially those who have been historically marginalized.

As the years progressed, Brown’s Island continued to evolve. In 1894, the Richmond Union Passenger Railway built a coal power plant on the island. In 1899, Dominion Virginia Power operated a hydroelectric plant that ran off the Haxall Canal, which led to the construction of the Brown’s Island Dam. Then, in the late 20th century, the Albemarle Paper Company, now Newmarket Corporation, operated a paper mill here. There's been a lot happening in this space. In 1987, in an act of civic generosity that changed the course of Richmond’s riverfront, Newmarket gifted the land to the city of Richmond. That has led to the Brown’s Island that we know today, a park that is preserved and that has given us the opportunity to share this incredible space and these beautiful views with everyone.  

Today we continue in that spirit of civic generosity and public private partnership, where the city and our private community come together. Thank you to all who helped to make today happen.

City hires Ken Martinez as Director of Revenue Administration

Richmond, VA - The City of Richmond is pleased to announce the hiring of Ken Martinez as the new Director of Revenue Administration in the Department of Finance. A seasoned municipal finance professional with over 23 years of experience, Martinez brings deep expertise in revenue management, taxpayer service, and tax administration to the role.

Martinez has spent his career working across the full spectrum of revenue administration, from public-facing taxpayer service to auditing, enforcement, and policy development. Most recently, he served in audit and collection leadership roles with the Treasury Division at the City and County of Denver and other Colorado municipalities, where he developed innovative training programs and procedures that significantly increased productivity and streamlined operations.

Throughout his career, Martinez has demonstrated a talent for both technical excellence and operational efficiency. He led a high-productivity audit unit that collected nearly $150 million over a three-year period and managed processes for collecting property tax revenues of approximately $180 million annually. His approach emphasizes transparency and clear communication, he drafted tax ordinance sections, tax guides, and rules, and managed the external tax guidance revision process to ensure taxpayers could easily understand their obligations.

"Ken Martinez brings the unique experiences and expertise we need in order to continue strengthening revenue administration functions," said Odie Donald II, Chief Administrative Officer. "I'm confident that Richmonders will benefit from his unshakeable demeanor, distinguished track record of effective revenue administration, and genuine commitment to white-glove customer service.

"We're excited to welcome Ken to our team," said Letitia Shelton, Director of Finance. "Revenue Administration touches every business and property owner in our city, and Ken's extensive experience in taxpayer service, collections, and compliance will help us serve our community more effectively. His collaborative approach and deep understanding of municipal finance will be invaluable as we continue improving our operations."

"I'm honored to join the City of Richmond and contribute to its financial health and stability," said Martinez. "Effective revenue administration is fundamental to delivering the services Richmonders deserve, and I look forward to the opportunity of serving the residents along with the rest of the City Finance team"

Martinez holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and an MBA with honors from Western New Mexico University.

Martinez's first day with the City of Richmond will be December 15.