RECENT COMMENTS
Lewis picks up WCLM endorsement
City Council 7th District candidate Deanna Lewis appeared on WCLM 1450AM this past Wednesday and took calls on Echo Harbor, vacant houses, Fulton Bottom, development in Shockoe Bottom, racial barriers, graffiti, affordable housing, the Church Hill Reunion, and more, and in the process picked up the endorsement of WCLM owner Preston Brown.
Listen to the WCLM 1450AM interview:
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In the first of what I hope to be a complete set of interviews with all 6 of the City Council 7th District candidates, I recently sat down with Ms.Lewis at Captain Buzzy’s.
Engaging to speak with, Lewis promotes herself as “somebody to give the people a voice” and as standing against politics-as-usual in the district. In discussion of the area, she repeatedly cites feedback that she’s gotten while out in the community. Towards getting more exposure, Lewis has published an aggressive grassroots meet&greet schedule over the coming weeks.
Saying that the next 3 years are formative for the area, one of Lewis’ main themes is a call for responsible development and to revitalize the East End. She describes a need to preserve the historic nature and character of the area. While stating that she is “absolutely pro-development”, has stepped out as a foe of the Echo Harbor development due to its impact on “this historic view of the James”.
Calling council’s February overturning of CAR’s rejection of the Oakwood Heights design politically motivated rather than fact based, she says of ties between former district representative Delores McQuinn and developer Margaret Freund, “it was suspect”. Lewis dug into the campaign contributions to McQuinn from Freund in a guest post here back in June.
Perhaps lacking in directly civic experience, Lewis has in the past managed real estate corporate offices and a financial planning firm. Now self-employed as an artist, Lewis has recently worked in Richmond restoring investment properties.
My brother Peston Brown. I would have hoped that you would have taken a little harder look at the candidates before giving an endorsement. The problem in this race is politics-as-usual and part of that is the prospectors in the 7th District, not old families like yours and mine but people not raising families in the 7th district but coming in making decisions, promoting what they need to create the most profitable selling environment (real estate, votes and drugs) when the most important resource in the community suffers – the people. This not about a race or race this about people trying to live in the community and have a healthy, peaceful and loving environment for their children and love ones.
Dear Mother, Teacher, Neighbor, Friend,
When I was young, a long time ago, I made a decision to not have children. When I was worried about not having enough to take care of myself I knew I had no business bringing another life into this world to share my burden.
As I got older, I had not found the right person to marry and start a family with. I didn’t want to devote my life to just anyone to be married. As time passed, life was more comfortable but I didn’t want to have children alone.
I’m 47 now and physically, having children is not an option. My brothers, sister-in-laws, niece and nephews are my family. I treat my niece and nephews like they were my own children. My friends here and around the country are my family. Please don’t fault me or think that I can’t care as much about the people in this neighborhood because I don’t have what most would call a “traditional” family.
I came to Richmond because my nephew was looking at colleges. He ended up going to Old Dominion. I loved what I found here and bought a house to renovate so I could help pay for his college education. My brother, just had a pay cut and a heart attack, and I didn’t want him to stress about it. I sold that house in June and found a place just three blocks away because I didn’t want to be too far away from my new friends, my new family, here.
I’m running for council because I care about neighbors and the friends I made here. I’m running for council because I care about the place I now call home.
You may think that this race is ‘politics as usual’ but I’m here telling you that at least on my end – that is not the case. I’m not a politician. I’m just a person, like you, who is protective of her family, friends, neighbors and community.
I was surprised to pop on here today and read that Preston endorsed me. He must have seen something in me that he believes in. I’d be happy to sit down with you any time so you could get to know me too.
Just one question for every candidate: How do you suggest balancing next year’s budget? Will you raise taxes or cut programs?
and how about cutting waste and bureaucracy?
Unfortunately most of that is under the Mayor’s purvey, not City Council.
I thought having a strong Mayor would benefit the City. After seeing it in action, I’m not so sure. There are more levels of wasteful bureaucracy than ever.
PCP,
I don’t disagree, but we need specifics. Every candidate (virtually) in every election talks about “cutting waste”. Ask them where and they get squishy. So if that is the answer, then make candidates be specific.