At tomorrow’s rendition of the South of the James Market, 4th District Council representative Kathy Graziano and her culinary-minded sons will compete against a team of chefs from Positive Vibe Cafe in the MarketVibe Chefs Challenge. Like something straight out of Top Chef, the teams will purchase all items from the market offerings and prepare a variety of dishes using small appliances, grills and the like. Graziano told the T-D:

We originally thought of this as a way to get people to come to the park, and it’s also a good way to show people what they can do with fresh stuff…It should be fun. We should raise a lot of money for a good cause and get even more people to come to the market.”

From Kathy Graziano:

Richmond City Council Member Kathy Graziano today announced that the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has approved a permit to restore the lake at Forest Hill Park to its historic boundaries.

The project has been in the planning stages for more than three years by the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. The Department will move forward to commission engineering drawings and specifications, and start the bidding process within the next two months, with work to begin this summer.

Read the whole release at the above link.

(This story comes to us from Marc LaFountain with Richmond DPW. We’ve been meaning to post it for a couple weeks now)

On January 23, a Department of Public Works sanitation crew working in the Oxford area of southwest Richmond came upon an elderly woman lying in her driveway. They immediately helped her home and offered medical assistance. They also arranged for her to have special door service so that she will not have to bring her trash can down to the street in the future.

Read more >

A T-D article on City Council members and campaign donations briefly mentions Kathy Graziano’s fundraising efforts, noting that she has “collected almost $39,000 in contributions in the last six months of 2007 and has almost $58,000 in her campaign war chest,” much of which apparently came from the business community. Jon at River City Rapids pointed out that VPAP doesn’t seem to have local election financing information any longer, so hopefully local media (cough) will help fill in the blanks for us.

Today’s New York Times profiles the recent fireworks surrounding Doug Wilder and his clashes with City Council and the School Board. 4th District Council Rep Kathy Graziano shares her feelings:

“Mr. Wilder has the skills to do things no one else could do,” said Councilwoman Katherine C. Graziano, who voted for Mr. Wilder and contributed to his campaign. But Ms. Graziano no longer counts herself as a Wilder supporter, citing “the mayor’s disregard for the law, his lack of communication with and disrespect for Council.”

The City of Richmond has a knack for taking the national spotlight for the worst things, doesn’t it?

The Sunday T-D published an editorial by 4th District Council Rep Kathy Graziano. If you were unclear on her position re: Wilder v. School Board, this should clear things up completely.

Councilwoman Kathy Graziano, Richmond City Council, Fourth District, announced last night the scheduling of a 2007 Richmond Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day.

During the budget process this year, Richmond City Council mandated a Richmond Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program and earmarked $150,000 for its implementation. The new program directs the Richmond Department of Public Works to establish an internal program or hire an outside vendor to operate it. Details of the plan were presented last night during the Richmond City Council Land Use, Housing and Transportation Committee, chaired by Councilwoman Graziano.

“This is an important first step in the creation of a comprehensive hazardous waste collection program for homeowners,” says Graziano. “It will go a long way in helping protect Richmond citizens, families and children from the dangers of hazardous waste.”

In 2006 Richmond City Council adopted an ordinance, patroned by Councilwoman Graziano and Councilman Chris Hilbert, mandating the program, but the Administration refused to implement it.

The Richmond Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day is scheduled to take place November 17, 2007 from noon to 4:00 pm. This free-of-charge event is scheduled as a community drop-off and will take place in the front left parking lot of the Richmond Diamond. Entrance will be from the Avenue of Champions with an exit onto Boulevard. Disposal of household hazardous waste is open to Richmond residents only, no businesses or residents of other localities will be permitted. Each participant must bring proof of Richmond residency. The Day will also include recycling of electronics, which is open to participants from any locality, and includes a small fee.

For more information, please call David Hathcock, at 320-2454.

Last night’s City Council meeting, a tense affair from the beginning, resulted in City Council voting 8-1 to join the School Board’s lawsuit against the Mayor. 4th District rep Kathy Graziano is not exactly known for her fiery rhetoric, but her comment “To me, it doesn’t even sound like the United States.” is making the rounds of all the local media this morning. The 5th District’s Marty Jewell was the sole vote against joining the suit, but he may have summed up the whole situation the best: “It was just butt-ugly.”

How true, Marty.