A push to wind down the city’s natural gas business is facing its first real test.

Why it matters: The mayor and city council signed onto a pledge to go carbon neutral by 2050 at the beginning of the year, but the city continues to actively expand its natural gas utility, Richmond Gas Works.

What’s happening: City Councilwoman Katherine Jordan, backed by local environmentalists, is pushing to include $200,000 in the city budget to study how the city might “phase out reliance on gas” in favor of renewable resources.

• The move would follow in the footsteps of Charlottesville, which recently hired a consultant to study how it might phase out its own municipal gas utility, per VPM’s Patrick Larson.

Flashback: The city council has been talking about jettisoning Richmond Gas Works since 2021, when a separate climate resolution observed “the continued operation of the City’s gas utility is an obstacle to the City’s goal of Net-Zero emissions.”

• The move prompted Republicans in the General Assembly to propose legislation that would have banned the city from shuttering the utility, but it was blocked by Democrats, per the Virginia Mercury.

The intrigue: The city’s Department of Public Utilities, which operates Richmond Gas Works, so far does not appear to be taking the proposition very seriously.

• It is actively expanding into the surrounding counties and has plans to spend millions to upgrade existing infrastructure.

During a council meeting last month, Jordan pressed representatives of DPU about whether it would be cheaper to pay for customers to electrify appliances instead of replacing old service lines.

• Billy Vaughan, the utility’s director for finance, said the department hadn’t considered that as an option.
• That’s despite the fact that the pledge the city formally adopted in February explicitly calls for the city to “divert investment in gas utility upgrades to all-electric conversions.”

What’s next: The city council is scheduled to vote on budget amendments, including the gas plan, next week.

Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office says it has opened an investigation into the collapse of the city-affiliated Enrichmond Foundation last year.

Why it matters: The nonprofit served as a fiscal agent for dozens of tiny community groups, disappearing with at least $100,000 it was holding for the organizations.

• It also holds the deed to two historic African American cemeteries in the city’s East End.

What’s happening: Miyares confirmed his office was investigating, but a spokeswoman declined to offer additional detail.

Meanwhile, Mayor Stoney has proposed including $250,000 in next year’s city budget to aid groups that formerly worked with the Enrichmond Foundation.

Stoney noted the FBI might also be pursuing the matter, per WTVR.

👮 City Sheriff Antionette Irving rated operations at the city jail as “pretty good” despite the fifth death in the facility in less than 12 months. (WRIC)

💸 Gov. Youngkin’s PAC has raised a record $2.75 million ahead of this year’s General Assembly elections, which will decide partisan control of both chambers for his final two years in office. (Times-Dispatch)

🏟 Despite delays, the Flying Squirrels remain hopeful their new ballpark will be ready in time for the 2025 season, which Major League Baseball has set as a deadline for upgrades. (Times-Dispatch)

• “Every day there are conversations that happen, there are meetings that happen, there are Zooms that happen,” the team’s CEO, Todd Parnell, said.

Easter on Parade is back after a three-year hiatus.

Details: The event features live music, kids activities, vendors and more on Sunday from 1-5pm on Monument Avenue from Davis to Allen. Free.

• A People and Pet Bonnet Contest will take place at 3:30pm at Allen.

Why it's the pick: It's the best event in town to be seen in your funky Easter hat while strolling Monument Avenue — for you, your kid and/or your dog.

• It's also the first time in the event's 50-year history when the strolling won't happen in the shadow of Confederate statues.

The Easter on Parade footprint has traditionally been bookended by the Davis and Lee statues, which were removed in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Of note: It appears the 8-foot-tall metal fencing around the former Lee statue at Allen and Monument, which has been up for more than two years, will remain up for the event.

• The city, which is a co-sponsor of the event, did not respond to repeated requests for an update, but according to Twitter, city workers painted over the graffiti on the concrete barrier inside the fence on Tuesday.

Bonus picks: 🌃 Richmond Night Market kicks off its new season Saturday from 5-9pm at 17th Street Market with live music and vendors, happening every second Saturday through fall.

• ⚾️ And Friday's season opener for the Richmond Flying Squirrels might be sold out, but they're playing again Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, and tickets are still available for those.

💼 Check out who’s hiring now.

1. Field CTO, Applications at Snowflake.
2. Customer Success Manager at BlackPoint Cyber.
3. Key Account Director at SafeRide.

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Bingo Beer Co. in Scott's Addition is getting into the Detroit-style pizza game with its own pies, with a twist — subbing its Bingo Lager for water in the dough recipe.

• "[It] gives them a bit more depth and really assists the chew and browning," co-owner Jay Bayer tells Axios.

Richmond's only brewery/restaurant/arcade has been running what it has dubbed "Bingo Squares" as a special for a few weeks, but decided to add them to the menu full time.

Bingo Squares come in regular ($15-$18) or large ($27-$34) with optional toppings and rotating specials, like the current one, Korean roast pork and house kimchi. Available in-house, to-go or delivery via GrubHub.