It's Tuesday and we're back!

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny, with a high of 84 and a low of 65.

🎧 Sounds like: "Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee.

🎂 Happy birthday to our member Roy Friedland!

Today’s newsletter is 1,075 words — a 4-minute read.

Soaring diesel prices are adding a new financial headache for school districts everywhere — including in the Richmond area, where hundreds of buses hit the roads every morning.

Why it matters: The Iran war is sending diesel costs higher as many local school divisions are grappling with tight budgets and rising maintenance costs.

By the numbers: Diesel averaged $6.15 a gallon in the Richmond area on Friday, up from $3.61 a year ago, per AAA.

• That's a roughly 70% jump in a year.

Zoom in: Richmond-area school systems operate massive bus fleets, most of which are powered by diesel, making them particularly vulnerable to rising fuel costs.

• Chesterfield transports more than 55,000 students across 26,000 miles daily, per the district.
• Hanover's 180 daily buses cover another 9,500 miles, per the Times-Dispatch.

What they're saying: "This was already a tight budget year without skyrocketing diesel prices," RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras told the Times-Dispatch.

• The district runs over 200 buses daily, each covering anywhere from 30 to more than 100 miles, per the RTD.

Still, local school divisions say they're closely monitoring fuel costs, and none has planned transportation cuts as of September.

• Chesterfield told WWBT last month that it builds contingencies for rising fuel prices into its budget.
• Henrico said its budget allows for modest fuel increases and it can adjust transportation spending if necessary.
• RPS said its fuel contract limits supplier markups.

Flashback: The Biden administration offered federal funding to electrify school bus fleets.

• Henrico — which has a fleet of 579 buses — was awarded $3.45 million in federal funding in 2024 to replace 10 diesel buses with electric models, per the EPA.

Yes, but: Electric buses aren't an immediate fix everywhere, particularly rural divisions facing long routes, challenging terrain and maintenance limitations, Axios' Josephine Walker reports.

Full story

Hanover's latest development fight has an unlikely opponent: a shelter full of rescue dogs.

Why it matters: The Humane Society says construction of a neighboring data center is frightening its animals. Now it fears two proposed warehouses could bring more noise and truck traffic.

Driving the news: Dozens of residents confronted developer Oppidan at a heated community meeting Thursday, demanding protections for the shelter's dogs, reports WWBT.

• Oppidan — which is developing the data center and separate warehouses straddling the Hanover-Ashland border — offered a 6-foot fence and buffers.
• Shelter leaders want the truck route moved or a sound barrier installed.
• The developer agreed to discuss alternatives, but a meeting hadn't been set as of Friday, the shelter tells Axios.

Oppidan didn't respond to requests for comment.

Between the lines: The warehouses still need approval from Hanover and Ashland. Hearing dates haven't been scheduled.

The intrigue: Hanover planners urged Oppidan to shrink the warehouse within its jurisdiction, add noise protections and reconsider its traffic projections, per a Sept. 3 letter obtained by Axios.

• The developer's July traffic study projects 670 vehicle trips each weekday from the warehouses.
• But Ashland planning director Mike Craig tells Axios no noise study has been submitted.

What we're watching: Oppidan is considering changes after Thursday's pushback, Craig and Hanover planning director Jo Ann Hunter tell Axios.

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📸 Richmond won't renew its Flock contract when it expires next June, Mayor Avula announced Saturday, citing Henrico's decision to drop the company amid growing privacy concerns. (The Richmonder)

🏈 JMU is leaving the Sun Belt Conference to join the American Conference by 2028, a nearly $28 million privately funded move that could boost its national profile and playoff prospects. (ESPN)

👶 A 24-hour YMCA day care could open near Richmond's airport, serving up to 140 children whose parents work overnight or irregular shifts. (Henrico Citizen)

• Henrico planners consider the proposal Thursday.

👀 RRHA CEO Steven Nesmith says the agency's development arm is exempt from public records and open meetings laws, reversing his position from last year. (Times-Dispatch)

🍽️ Petersburg's $1.4 billion casino unveiled three planned restaurants ahead of its 2027 opening: The Prime Rib steakhouse, Sports & Social sports bar and celebrity chef Jet Tila's Luk Fu. (BizSense)

Richmond's newest Lucky AF location opens today at 11:30am in Forest Hill.

Why it matters: It's been two long years since the sushi joint was announced.

State of play: The South Richmond Lucky is the third for Eat Restaurant Partners, joining Short Pump and the OG Scott's Addition location.

• On the menu: Classic sushi rolls alongside superhero-inspired creations like Batman, Wonder Woman and Hulk ($6.50–$22.30), plus filet mignon pho ($18.90), lobster dumplings ($15.50) and poke bowls (from $15.90).

🍻 Happy hour runs weekdays, 2:30-6pm, and specials include:

• $5 house wine and liquor
• $6 carafes of hot sake
• $5–$7 sushi rolls

Zoom out: Lucky's opening is helping establish the Forest Hill corridor as a dining and imbibing destination.

• Spots opened since the pandemic include The Veil, Y Tu Mamá, a Stella's Grocery, Riverside Tavern, Janet's Cafe & Bakery, and Väsen and Kobop.

Tell a Southsider

New businesses. Changing neighborhoods. Decisions that affect your day. Our reporting helps you keep up by finding what matters and explaining it clearly.

📍 Become a member today to support the reporting that makes staying informed easier for you and your neighbors.

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Pop-up cinemas are taking over bars, libraries and art studios this month.

Why it matters: The makeshift movie theaters are serving up slashers, horror classics, mysteries and thrillers every week leading up to Halloween.

The big picture: Four Richmond cinema groups are behind them:

• Exposure Cinema highlights stories from Black actors and filmmakers.
• Good For Her leans into movies about femme rage.
• Nowhere Cinema plays "fun, bizarre and challenging films," per its site, and Hard Light spotlights lesser-known films.

🎬 What's screening this week:

Oct. 13: "Trick 'r Treat" (2007) at Bandito's — Good For Her, $7.18.

Oct. 15: "Laura" (1944) at UR's Jepson Hall, room 118 — Hard Light, free.

Oct. 15: "Carrie" (1976) at Studio Two Three — Good For Her, free but RSVP.

Five more, including "Tales from the Hood" and "Halloween III"

🙉 Karri has not been able to get those old "The Dump" commercials out of her head since she heard about the stores closing.

• "Brook Road and Lakeside Avenueeeeeeeee."

📖 Sabrina is reading this story about former Gov. Northam's life after leaving office and finding it hilarious that his young patients probably have no idea their doctor used to run Virginia.

Thanks to Mike Szvetitz for editing today's edition