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Axios Richmond Thought Bubble

Axios Richmond

How people experience crime in Richmond often depends on where they live.

What they're saying: Here's what three Richmonders said this week about crime in their neighborhoods.

Rebecca Hill, downtown business district: “I really haven't experienced any crime being down here. Personally, I feel safe. I have a dog, and I'll take her out in the evening when it’s dark, and I've never had any moments where I feared for myself."

Quiana Knight, Church Hill North: "We hear a lot of gunshots, and it’s really unsettling. They're really close. We don't really go out much. … All our doors are locked three times before we go to sleep."

Courtney Sewell, Manchester: "I moved here a week ago. We were already concerned about crime in this area, and in the first weekend, there were multiple break-ins in our parking garage."

Richmonders' thoughts on crime in their neighborhoods

Hill, Knight and Sewell. Photos: Ned Oliver/Axios

How people experience crime in Richmond often depends on where they live.What they&#x27;re saying: Here&#x27;s what three Richmonders said this week about crime in their neighborhoods.

News

Data: Axios Research; Chart: Alice Feng/Axios

The number of homicides in Richmond plummeted in 2022.

Why it matters: It's a welcome reversal after a nationwide increase in murders that coincided with the beginning of the pandemic.

By the numbers: Homicides in Richmond dropped from 90 in 2021 — the highest number in nearly two decades — to 57 in 2022.

Meanwhile, violent crime overall was flat.

👀 Zoom out: While numbers were down in the city, Chesterfield and Henrico counties each reported record homicides, according to figures provided by those agencies and FBI statistics.

Chesterfield saw homicides tick up from 12 to 18.

And Henrico County reported an increase from 25 to 30.

Of note: The rate of homicides per capita remains significantly higher in the city.

What they're saying: Acting police chief Rick Edwards credited the city's drop to a midyear shift in strategy to focus patrols on gun violence hotspots identified by the department's analysis team.

“We were on track to have another really bad year,” he said during a crime briefing Wednesday. “So what we wanted to do was look at those data points.”

Yes, but: The number of thefts and burglaries rose all over the region.

Edwards attributed a 22% increase in property crimes in Richmond almost entirely to thefts from motor vehicles.

He said that includes a concerning jump in the number of firearms stolen from vehicles, which he said increased from 413 in 2021 to 714 last year.

Richmond's murder rate drops while counties see rise

Homicides in Richmond dropped from 90 in 2021 to 57 in 2022.

a chart indicating homicides in the richmond area

The number of homicides in Richmond plummeted in 2022.Why it matters: It&#x27;s a welcome reversal after a nationwide increase in murders that coincided with the beginning of the pandemic.

🌮 Torchy's Tacos' Carytown location officially opens Wednesday, but the Austin-based taco chain is throwing a free food pre-opening party. 

On Monday from 5-8pm, folks can stop in for free tacos, queso and beer samples. Full pours and cocktails will be available for purchase. 

The first 100 people in line for the 10am Wednesday opening at 3510 W. Cary St. will win a free T-shirt — and free queso for a year. 

🫗 Postbellum restaurant in the Fan is closing at the end of service Sunday after 10 years in business. 

🍜 Main St. Dragon, an Asian street food restaurant, is now open nightly for dinner in the old Foo Dog space in the Fan. 

🍷 Penny’s Wine Shop, a retail store and small plates restaurant, officially opens Wednesday at 405 Brook Road in Jackson Ward, per the Times-Dispatch. 

🪧 The Valentine museum added the neon sign from the Robin Inn to its collection  (along with a menu from 1968). 

Meanwhile, Stanley's, the South Philly-themed restaurant taking its space on Robinson and Park, unveiled its logo this week. 

🇻🇪 Bocata Arepa Bar near Innsbrook was named one of the 100 best restaurants in America by Yelp (based on Yelpers' picks and ratings).  

"As it should be. Bocata is the best of Venezuela stuffed into tequeños and cachapas," says Axios' Sabrina Moreno (who's also a Richmonder and Venezuela-native).

🍗 Bar West is now open and serving American fare in the former Cocodrilo space at Libbie and Grove. 

Torchy's Tacos in Carytown is having a free taco party, plus more restaurant news

Folks can stop in for free tacos, queso and beer samples on Monday.

Torchy’s Tacos in Carytown Exchange. A Short Pump location opened earlier this month, and one in Midlothian will open this summer. Image: Courtesy of Torchy’s Tacos

Virginia

🌮 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Torchy&#x27;s Tacos" data-vars-click-url="https://torchystacos.com/location/carytown/" data-vars-content-id="4a5591da-0192-495a-aab9-7fb0da3285bd" data-vars-headline="Torchy&#x27;s Tacos in Carytown is having a free taco party, plus more restaurant news" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://torchystacos.com/location/carytown/" target="_blank">Torchy&#x27;s Tacos</a>&#x27; Carytown location officially opens Wednesday, but the Austin-based taco chain is throwing a free food pre-opening party. <ul><li>On Monday from 5-8pm, folks can stop in for free tacos, queso and beer samples. Full pours and cocktails will be available for purchase. </li><li>The first 100 people in line for the 10am Wednesday opening at 3510 W. Cary St. will win a free T-shirt — and free queso for a year. </li></ul>

Food and Drink

Virginia lawmakers took their first steps to ban personal spending of campaign funds.

What’s happening: The measure is heading to the Senate floor after years of resistance, per the Associated Press. 

Why it matters: Virginia is among a small handful of states that allow candidates to spend money donated by supporters on things like mortgages and country club memberships, the AP writes.

What they’re saying: “Nearly all other states and the federal government prohibit the use of campaign funds by a candidate or their families,” said the bill’s patron, Sen. Jennifer Boysko. “But in Virginia, we still could take our family on a Caribbean cruise if we choose, and I don’t think that’s right.”

What’s next: The measure is now awaiting a full vote before the Senate.

⏰ Legislation to adopt year-round daylight saving time failed on the Senate floor amid concerns it would cause too much confusion in surrounding states. (WRIC)

💸 The House passed a $1 billion slate of tax cuts sought by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, but lawmakers in the Senate rebuffed the measure the next day. (Washington Post)

🔫 Democrats in the Senate advanced a slate of gun bills, including an assault weapon ban. The measures don’t stand a chance in the GOP-controlled House. (Cardinal News)

🏚 A House panel killed a bill that would have made it easier for local governments to crack down on slumlords. (Times-Dispatch)

This week at the General Assembly: Campaign finance breakthrough

Virginia is among few states that let candidates spend money donated by supporters on things like mortgages and country club memberships.

illustration of a dollar bill with george washington wearing a blue clay face mask and cucumber slices over his eyes

Virginia lawmakers took their first steps to ban personal spending of campaign funds.What’s happening: The measure is heading to the Senate floor after years of resistance, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="per the Associated Press" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/article/politics-virginia-state-government-mortgages-35df5fef4a3a686caf5b55ecdf847f3d" data-vars-content-id="86e12e19-e64c-475f-ac51-f9b208b93258" data-vars-headline="This week at the General Assembly: Campaign finance breakthrough" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-virginia-state-government-mortgages-35df5fef4a3a686caf5b55ecdf847f3d" target="_blank">per the Associated Press</a>.

Politics

Democrats in the Virginia Senate voted down the 15-week abortion ban endorsed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday.

The intrigue: The measure didn’t even win over all the GOP lawmakers on the committee that reviewed the legislation.

Why it matters: The vote highlighted an ongoing post-Roe debate among Republicans about how far new abortion restrictions should go and what exceptions they should include.

What’s happening: Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant, a practicing OB-GYN from Henrico, was the sole GOP vote against the bill.

In a committee meeting last week, she said she could only support the legislation if it included an exception allowing abortions through the 24th week of pregnancy in cases when a severe fetal anomaly is discovered.

As drafted, the bill allowed abortions after the 15-week cutoff in cases of rape and incest. The bill’s patron, Sen. Steve Newman of Lynchburg, said he opposed adding additional exceptions.

What they’re saying: “I have to tell you that any woman that is seeking an abortion in the second trimester is somebody who desperately wants to be pregnant,” Dunnavant said. “And she is often faced with staggering situations and options, and I think this is a very hard place for the law.”

Dunnavant proposed her own bill that she framed as a compromise that could win support from both parties.

It would have shortened the window for elective abortions from 26 to 24 weeks of pregnancy — which she described as the point of viability — with exceptions for conditions that threaten the life of the mother.

Democrats voted it down as well, vowing at a press conference later in the day to oppose any new restrictions on the procedure.

👀 What we’re watching: It’s still an open question whether Youngkin’s 15-week bill could make it through the GOP-controlled House.

Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert told Axios he hasn’t decided yet whether to docket the bill, which so far hasn’t been assigned to a committee.

Last year, the House GOP killed its own 21-week bill, an approach Gilbert didn’t rule out this year.

“I don’t know why we would churn through a lot of time on something that has an obvious outcome,” he said.

He demurred when asked if he has enough GOP votes to get the bill off the floor: “That’s among things we’re discussing.”

Between the lines: Political analyst Bob Holsworth said he doubts House Republicans’ primary concern is legislative efficiency, noting both parties regularly advance legislation they know has no chance of passing.

“[Gilbert] doesn’t want to put delegates who are in a competitive race in November in a situation where it could harm them,” he said.

The other side: Democrats in the House have made clear they see abortion as a winning election-year issue.

“I’m surprised that they’re not living their principles by bringing those bills to the floor,” said Minority Leader Don Scott. “Docket it so we can talk about it.”

Inside the Virginia GOP’s abortion dilemma

There's a post-Roe debate among state Republicans about how far restrictions should go and what exceptions to include.

Illustration of a red caduceus crossed with a blue caduceus.

Abortion

Democrats in the Virginia Senate voted down the 15-week abortion ban endorsed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday.The intrigue: The measure didn’t even win over all the GOP lawmakers on the committee that reviewed the legislation.

Ned Oliver

Featured stories

Torchy's Tacos in Carytown is having a free taco party, plus more restaurant news

Inside the Virginia GOP’s abortion dilemma

This week at the General Assembly: Campaign finance breakthrough

Richmonders' thoughts on crime in their neighborhoods

Richmond's murder rate drops while counties see rise