Richmond leaders took a victory lap yesterday after City Council unanimously passed the city's $1.1 billion budget, hailing what they described as an unusually collaborative process.

Why it matters: City Hall might be more unified, but Monday night's public hearing showed residents remain divided over the plan — from rising utility bills to surveillance tech that's now the subject of a billboard protest.

Zoom in: To highlight that contrast, here are three winners and three losers in the budget that takes effect July 1.

🥇 Winners

1: Affordable housing advocates

More than $40 million is tied to affordable housing, anti-displacement and eviction-prevention efforts, including $11.7 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

2: City employees

The budget funds union commitments and 3.25% raises for all city employees.

3: City Hall

While not explicitly in the budget, city leaders repeatedly praised the revamped budget process, saying it gave residents more chances to weigh in and reduced last-minute scrambling.

🥈 Losers

1: Richmond Virtual Academy families

The city approved a record $257 million toward RPS, but it wasn't enough to save the Richmond Virtual Academy.

• The closure would affect more than 150 students and lay off dozens of people.
• Mayor Avula said yesterday that "ultimately, RPS and their leadership and their school board need to decide on how they prioritize funds."

2: Utility customers

Average monthly utility bills are expected to rise by nearly $14 a month, or $166 per year, starting this summer to help support major utility projects.

3: Anti-Flock activists

Opponents of Richmond's Flock license plate reader program dominated public comment Monday — and launched an anti-Flock billboard on the Mayo Bridge this week.

• Police Chief Rick Edwards acknowledged the surveillance concerns yesterday, but said the city is "prepared to go forward" with renewing the license plate reader contract.

What they're saying: "Many of our priorities have been addressed, but clearly not all of them," Council president Cynthia Newbille said Monday night. "But we will continue to work."

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Richmond's top judge is escalating long-running concerns about downtown's aging courthouse into a legal fight.

Why it matters: Richmond has delayed replacing or overhauling the courthouse for years while juggling other priorities — and the dispute could now force the city to spend even more on the dilapidated building.

Driving the news: Richmond Circuit Court Chief Judge Jacqueline McClenney dropped the legal action on the city last week.

• McClenney's order asks officials to explain why the courts shouldn't intervene and force Richmond to fix what judges describe as unsafe conditions at John Marshall.
• The filing hinges on a Virginia law allowing courts to require repairs, though judges can't order the construction of a new courthouse.
• It also arrives less than a year after Richmond faced another costly legal obligation: a multimillion-dollar restitution payment to wrongfully convicted Richmonder Marvin Grimm.

What they're saying: Mayor Avula said yesterday that the city is in "frequent communication" with the judges, and pointed to the budgeted $15.6 million for roof, plumbing and security upgrades at the courthouse.

Yes, but: Richmond officials once estimated that replacing the courthouse would cost $350 million.

What's next: The Virginia Supreme Court's chief justice is expected to appoint an outside judge to oversee the dispute.

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😵‍💫 Dominion Energy customers could see their monthly power bills increase by more than 2% this year — about $2.90 per month — as the utility seeks to cover rising power grid and infrastructure costs. (Times-Dispatch)

💻 QTS plans to expand its Henrico data center footprint by 1,000 acres and millions of square feet under approvals granted before the county tightened restrictions on new data centers. (Times-Dispatch)

🚫 City Council denied a controversial permit for the Lavender Hill outdoor event space after months of delays and opposition from neighbors who complained about noise. (WRIC)

📰 The former Richmond Free Press building downtown sold for $2.4 million to local developers who are considering turning the space into apartments or offices. (BizSense)

Richmond is the best metro in Virginia for new college grads, per a new report.

Driving the news: RVA landed at No. 1 in the state and No. 25 overall in payroll processor ADP's ranking of metros with strong job opportunities for 20-somethings.

• That's based on wages, affordability and hiring rates for people in their 20s.
• And it's per the company's review of 53 U.S. metros with populations of at least 1 million. In Virginia, that's Richmond, Hampton Roads and NoVA.

Yes, but: Richmond was No. 18 last year, so this is a drop.

By the numbers: Richmond area 20-somethings who work jobs that require bachelor's degrees earn an average of $52,720, per ADP.

Fun fact: Virginia Beach, which was excluded this year due to lack of data, came in last in ADP's ranking in 2025 and second-to-last in 2024.

• NoVa came in at No. 30.

Go deeper for how our rival Raleigh ranked

Kobop on Forest Hill just launched a $1 wing special.

Why it matters: That's about 40% off the regular price of six wings for $10.

Driving the news: The deal runs every Wednesday at the Korean barbecue spot inside Väsen Brewing's South Richmond location.

• On special: Kobop's Korean double-fried wings in soy garlic, gochu hot honey and bang bang.

The fine print: It's dine-in only with a 16-wing-per-person limit.

Yes, but: There's more. Kobop and Väsen also started doing weekday happy hours from open 'till 6pm that include:

• $2 off drafts and highballs.
• An $8 beer-and-shot special.
• A $9 happy hour "snack pack" from Kobop, which gets you one Korean barbecue taco, three dumplings and spicy Nashville fries.

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