Richmond is finally ending its perpetual state of emergency

We can officially stop bracing for the worst.

What's happening: 14 years ago, the city declared a state of emergency in advance of a big snow storm and forgot to close it.

• The city has forgotten to close emergency declarations three times since then.

Driving the news: Someone finally noticed.

• The Richmond City Council is advancing an ordinance to formally end the four states of emergency: one from the 2009 snow storm, one from Hurricane Irene in 2011, one from the 2020 civil unrest and one declared in advance of the 2021-gun protests.

The city is also taking the opportunity to end the local COVID-19 state of emergency, a step already taken by the state and federal government.

What they're saying: Future emergency declaration orders will be worded to automatically end in 30 days, the city's emergency director, Stephen Willoughby, told council members during a committee meeting earlier this week.