Sen. Tim Kaine (Photo by Jay Paul)
Richmonder You’d Like to Grab a Meal With
Sen. Tim Kaine
Sen. Tim Kaine has served on the Richmond City Council and as the appointed mayor, Virginia governor and, since 2012, in the U.S. Senate. “I’m honored that Richmonders think I’d be fun to join for a meal,” he says. “I’d suggest Native Plate, a super Asian fusion restaurant in the heart of downtown. And then we could walk off the meal by doing a loop around Belle Isle.” The after-dinner walk fits the theme of his recent book, “Walk Ride Paddle: A Life Outdoors,” which expresses appreciation for Virginia’s great outdoors.
2. Mayor Levar Stoney
3. Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Best Local Podcast
“Eat It, Virginia!” (Robey Martin and Scott Wise)
Robey Martin enjoys being able to share the “behind the curtain” in Virginia’s food industry. “The industry as a whole is the best group of people, with incredible talent, moxie and creativity. And it warms my heart that people want to listen and download their amazing stories.” Scott Wise, WTVR’s digital director, adds, “It’s truly an honor to share the voices of our hardworking and diverse restaurant and hospitality community.”
2. “Drinks in the Library” (Gigi Howard)
3. “Good Morning RVA!” (Ross Catrow)
Proudest Sports Moment of the Past Year
Introduction of The Richmond Ivy women’s soccer team
“What an incredible honor,” says Kimmy Cumming, head coach of the Ivy. “It has been such a surreal experience getting to see soccer grow in the eyes of the Richmond community.” Sporting Director Madeline McCracken adds, “I love looking into the stands on match day and seeing people from all ages and backgrounds cheering us on.”
2. Richmond Spiders victory in the Atlantic 10 women’s basketball tournament
3. Richmond Flying Squirrels making it to the playoffs
Elaine Digges of @miss_elaine_eous (Photo by Ryan O’Hare)
Most Useful Local Social Media Account
@miss_elaine_neous, Instagram
She came to Richmond in 2013 as Elaine Digges, an accountant by training. Digges didn’t experience immediate Richmond love, and she opened a public and personal diary on Instagram about her effort to know the city. “In 2020, I began to focus on small businesses and hyped up folks who I thought could use the mic more often,” she recalls. And it worked. “The page has grown to guide many locals and tourists alike through Richmond using a hyperlocal lens.”
2. @therichmondexperience, Instagram
3. @thewestendmom, Instagram
Worst Problem Right Now
Inflation, economy, cost of living, lack of affordable housing, homelessness
While the rate of inflation has stabilized and is even declining, prices remain elevated after the COVID-19 pandemic. Richmonders don’t care if the stock market is up if their grocery bills are, too. Meanwhile, Redfin reported that investors purchased 18.4% of the single-family homes sold in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2024, and in the Richmond region, the bulk of homebuyers are from affluent Northern Virginia. In January, the nonprofit Homeward counted 681 people in Richmond without a permanent domicile — 30% of them without shelter — during a point-in-time assessment (those numbers fluctuate). Average monthly rent here hovers at $1,500 to $1,700.
2. Crime and gun violence
3. Roads, potholes, traffic
John Burkett (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Best Watchdog Journalist
John Burkett, CBS 6
For 24 years Richmonders have watched the sonorous-voiced John Burkett standing, often in dreary weather, in front of police tape relating terrible news about the cruelties people inflict on each other. The Chesterfield native and Navy veteran reflects, “Just when you think you’ve seen it all, something else crazier happens.”
2. TIE: Curt Autry, NBC 12; Michael Paul Williams, Richmond Times-Dispatch
3. Goad Gatsby
Taylor Scott of RVA Community Fridges (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Best Humanitarian or Nonprofit Warrior
Taylor Scott, RVA Community Fridges
“Wow, this is such unbelievable news,” exclaims Taylor Scott. “I’ve not expected all this love and appreciation for what we’re doing.” Scott founded the program in 2021 to alleviate food insecurity. Today there are 14 refrigerators across the city that volunteers stock with pantry items and prepared foods. “It’s by the community, for the community,” says Scott.
2. Christie Peters, Richmond Animal Care and Control
3. The Ukrop family
Former Elected Official We Want Back
Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder
No stranger to the “Best & Worst” roster, and some years on both sides of the ledger, former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder became the nation’s first Black governor (1990-1994) and the first popularly elected mayor of Richmond (2005-2009) following a 2004 city charter change movement led by Wilder and former mayor and Congressman Thomas J. Bliley. At 93, Wilder remains involved with the Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Government and Public Affairs that bears his name. He lectures and is frequently consulted. “I interview candidates who want an endorsement,” he says with a chuckle, “and I ask, ‘Endorse you for what? I don’t mean for what office. What have you done? What are you going to do?’”
2. Sen. Tim Kaine (still in office, but voters want him back in Richmond)
3. Former Gov. Ralph Northam
Elected Official We Never Want to See Again
Mayor Levar Stoney
After two consecutive terms that began in 2016, Richmond seems done with Mayor Levar Stoney. His support of big-ticket projects, notably a mixed-use development for Navy Hill and twice for a casino, failed to garner public support, and disputes about restaurant taxes created animosity. Regarding his post-mayoral life, Stoney first announced running for governor against Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and is now aiming for lieutenant governor.
2. Gov. Glenn Youngkin
3. Former State Sen. Joe Morrissey
The Richmond gun hole (Photo by Mark Newton)
Best Moment of the Past Year
The Richmond gun hole
The circa 1991 imprint of a water pistol pressed into wet sidewalk concrete on South Addison Street remained almost unnoticed until Jan. 26, 2024. A Twitter/X user posted an image of it captioned with, “What if we kissed over the Richmond gun hole,” in partial reaction to the Chicago Rat Hole, blasting the gun hole into a social media sensation. Congregants bearing jokey votive oddments caused the city to fill it in, but a devotee scraped out the impression, which, at this writing, remains.
2. Voting down the Richmond casino project again
3. The partial solar eclipse
Worst Moment of the Past Year
Huguenot High School graduation shooting
On June 6, 2023, outside the Altria Theatre, following the Huguenot High School graduation, a personal feud turned fatal with the shooting deaths of Shawn Jackson and his stepfather, Renzo Smith. In the melee, a dozen others were injured, including Shawn’s 9-year-old sister, struck by a car. Jackson’s murderer, 19-year-old Amari Pollard, received a plea deal sentence of 25 years in prison. Both the shooter of Smith and the driver remain unidentified.
2. Having to vote on the Richmond casino project again
3. Donald Trump rally in Richmond
Lane Casadonte (Photo by Jay Paul)
Best Local Sports Anchor or Reporter
Lane Casadonte, CBS 6
From near Cooperstown, New York, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Lane Casadonte moved to Richmond in 1994. “I’ve lived here longer than my hometown, and now it is my kids’ hometown,” he reflects. “I don’t know if I ever intended to live here, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else.” As for sports developments, he’s watching what may happen with proposals for the Diamond. “Like I tell everybody,” he muses, “I’ll believe it when I see the first shovel.”
2. Sean Robertson, CBS 6
3. Gary Hess, WRVA
Top Entrepreneur
Mike Lindsey and Kimberly Love-Lindsey, Lindsey Food Group
The Lindseys employ 250 people in eight restaurants, a bake shop and two event spaces. Kali Love, with a California fusion menu, opened at Chesterfield Towne Center in June. Mike Lindsey says their food places evolved as one opportunity led to another. “We went through 2020 with Lillie Pearl, and out of that came the pop-up takeout of Buttermilk + Honey, and that came into its own, and other opportunities followed.” He cites how Kimberly, his wife and business partner, keeps enthusiasm for new ideas wed to reason. “When I bring it to her, it’s gotta be fully vetted,” he says.
2. TIE: Donnie Glass, Grisette/Jardin/Beaucoup; AnnMarie Grohs, BOHO Studios; Rabia Kamara, Ruby Scoops; Whitney Mulder, WeeWheel
3. TIE: Kelli Lemon, Urban Hang Suite; Velma Johnson, Mama J’s
Trend That Should End
TikTok
A never-ending stream of Best & Worst. On the “Richmondva” page (which has nearly 50 million views) among the cascade of posts are cheery semi-professional tourists who are either applauded or razzed in the comments (apparently everyone hates living here) as well as residents making gallows humor about street violence, satirizing the noisy urban environment and the droves of Northern Virginians driving up housing costs.
2. 2000s fashion, crop tops, low-rise and wide-legged jeans
3. “Wokeness”
Local Website Most Infested With Trolls
r/RVA on Reddit
Know what? Reddit’s gonna Reddit. By the way, anybody remember that commercial from the ’70s about “You got to pay the troll?” I think it was from the Department of Transportation.
2. TIE: Nextdoor; Richmond.com (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
3. TIE: Richmond BizSense; RVA Dine & Drink on Facebook
