Skirt! — that splashy new monthly that fills the bright green paper boxes around town (there’s one just outside of Kitchen 64) — had a couple of nice Northside references this month:

We posted earlier this week about the struggles the Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad was having in raising funds for its 50th anniversary celebration scheduled for August 16 and 17.

Now Lakeside boosters Peter and Sharon Francisco are doing something about it. Here’s an email the Francisco’s recently sent out to market supporters:

The Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad will celebrate fifty years of serving the Citizens of Henrico County and the Northern end of the City of Richmond. Without the past and present service of the members of the squad and support of the community, many citizens would not have received quality care, when it was needed the most.

Sharon and Peter Francisco, the owners of “Lakeside Farmers’ Market” would like to recognize the squads fifty years of service with a fund drive at Lakeside Farmers’ Market.

Space will be provided at the market for Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad to have volunteers on hand to do Blood Pressure Checks and provide information on the Squad and their mission.

Peter and Sharon Francisco will make a personal contribution to the Squad equal to the single best retail sales day of the market during the months of August, September and October.

Go buy some produce for a good cause. The Lakeside Farmer’s Market is open Wednesdays from 8:00am until 12 noon, and from 3:00 until 7:00pm, and on Saturdays from 8:00am until 12 noon.

PJPink at River City Food and Wine calls Zorba’s on MacArthur Avenue when her household is hunting for pizza delivery in Northside:

When we moved to Richmond, we were thrilled that Zorba’s at 4026 MacArthur Ave. delivered. While not the ultimate pie in Richmond, a damn sight better than any of the other delivery options in my area. It took us a while to figure out the exact combination that has now become our standard - medium pizza with green peppers, onion, pepperoni, and extra cheese.

Zorba’s continues to be our standby when we do not feel like cooking and want to stay at home. We are having our standard tonight along with a bottle of Enotria Barbera from Mendocino. Just what a Monday needed!

If you live in Northside, call them up at 264-5370. They need a $10 minimum to deliver and are open 7 days a week from 4-10 PM.

I have an update on the city’s proposed development of 60+ acres surrounding the Diamond between North Boulevard and Hermitage Road over at Buttermilk & Molasses.

The Boulevard Project, as it’s affectionately called, was officially opened for bidding back in January when the city issued a Request for Qualifications — essentially asking interested developers to demonstrate they had what it would take to transform the placeless acreage into a destination. Since the RFQ was being coordinated by The Staubach Company (Yes, that Staubach.), the concept even seemed viable…

…But now the Boulevard Project is back on track, apparently. When I contacted the Mayor’s Press Secretary, Linwood Norman, he emailed to let me know that the RFQ’s had advanced to an actual Request for Proposals. Those are due this Friday.

You can catch up on all of my coverage of the proposed project here.

Northside crafter Kelly McCants posted a few photos of the National Night Out event held on MacArthur Avenue. The event was a joint production of the merchants along MacArthur and Bellevue avenues. The photos can be found at McCants’ Modern June weblog.

Photo by Brandon Fox

Northside food critic and weblogger Brandon Fox recently surveyed four of Richmond’s favorite farmer’s markets, including the new Lakeside Farmer’s Market in North Richmond. Her article appears in the August edition of Home Style, the monthly home-and-garden insert to Style Weekly. Here’s what she had to say about the Lakeside market:

The smallest of markets is also the only one with a 1949 white pick-up truck parked next to it, and the only one in Henrico regulated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture. Just eleven vendor spots are available at the Lakeside Farmer’s Market. No crafts–only food, plants, and produce are sold, and with two sets of hours on Wednesdays and another set Saturday morning, the more distracted of us have our best chance of remembering to go instead of having to wait until the market rolls around the following week.

Hanover Produce is there in the afternoon on Wednesday with the best tomatoes in town, as is Pleitez Produce, and the new fruit and berry CSA, Agriberry. In the morning you’ll find peaches from Lowe’s Arlington Farm, lemon cucumbers from Pleasant Field Farm, and Chile Llama Farm has been known to bring up to six different kinds of garlic. It’s hopping on Saturdays with plenty of produce, freshly baked goods, as well as eggs, pork and beef. Market manager Peter Franciso worked three years with the county to get the project off the ground, and so far, despite worries about competition from other markets and a desire to keep things small, he sees it grow every week.

Go read the whole article.

Head to Lewis Ginter on Thursday, August 21, for an evening of heirloom tomato tasting with Amy Hicks of Amy’s Garden Certified Organic Farm. It happens from 6:00 until 8:00pm. No preregistration is required, and their is a $5 fee per person. Visit Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s August calendar for details.

Retro Richmond, dedicated to all things vintage and Richmond, managed to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the old Bellevue Theater — better known to Northside residents as the Samis Grotto on MacArthur Avenue.

In addition to tons of pictures, the Retro Richmond post includes lots of details about what entertainment on MacArthur Avenue (formerly Rappahanock Street) was like way back when, including:

City Councilmember Chris Hilbert’s office has forwarded a comprehensive list of the 3rd District groups that have registered with the Richmond Police Department to hold a National Night Activity tomorrow evening, August 5. Most activities will begin around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. and the events include cookouts, lemonade and popcorn parties, flashlight walks and visits from safety and other public officials.

Please note that the Rosedale Civic Association and the Washington Park Civic Association have made the decision to cancel the planned activities for the evening. Both associations have asked that the neighbors support the effort to fight crime by turning on your front and back lights, sit on your porch, visit with and hold neighborhood events.

Bancroft & Alvis Neighborhood Watch | 405 Bancroft Avenue

Highland View Civic Association | Richmond Henrico Turnpike and Dove Street

Southern Barton Heights | Park @ Poe & North Avenue

Chamberlayne Gardens Apartments | 4300 Block Chamberlayne Ave. - Rear parking Lot

Old Brook Square Homeowner’s Association | 3947 Old Brook Road

Bellevue Merchants Association | 4000 Block MacArthur Avenue

Battery Park Civic Association | Stone House 2803 Dupont Circle

Ginter Park Resident’s Association | 3423 Noble Avenue (There are also events planned at 3217 Edgewood Avenue; 3810 Hawthorne Avenue; 5000 West Seminary Avenue)

North Central Civic Association | Park @ Fendall Avenue & Ladies Mile Road

Ginter Park Resident’s Association | 3613 Hawthorne Ave

From the Rosedale Civic Association:

The weather report says we can expect regular temps of 101 on Tuesday, the day of National Night Out. As the heat index will probably have it somewhat higher, the Association board voted tonight to cancel Rosedale’s participation in the National Night Out event this year.

… to show your solidarity in the fight against crime, your support of our Richmond Police Officers and your fellow neighbors, please keep your front/back porch lights on overnight this coming Tuesday, Aug. 5.

This Tuesday, August 5, Boaz & Ruth will be holding a free info-lunch and tour of their Highland Park facilities. Guests will meet the people behind Boaz and Ruth, and meet others who are interested in development, community service, and Northside.

For more information on Boaz and Ruth, check out the website www.boazandruth.com. To reserve your spot at this free luncheon, email reservations@boazandruth.com! These luncheons are held twice a month, every month, on the first and third Tuesdays, and always from 12:00 until 1:30pm.

A sixth North Richmond neighborhood has joined the roster of National Night Out events being held in our community on Tuesday, August 5:

Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens continues its summer schedule of evening activities in August with Families After Five every Tuesday evening and Flowers After Five every Thursday evening. (Regular admission applies.) And don’t forget that the second Thursday of the month — Thursday, August 14 — is Fidos After 5 and the garden is open to leashed dogs and their human pets.

On Tuesdays, the Garden is open until 9:00 with an emphasis on the Children’s Garden and WaterPlay area. Food is available for purchase from 5:00 until 7:00pm in the Children’s Garden and WaterPlay operates until 8:30pm.

On Thursdays, the Garden is open until 9:00 with wine-tastings, live jazz and dining. The schedule for wines and performers is as follows:

For details, stop by Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s July calendar of events.

As the Lakeside Volunteer Rescue Squad nears its 50th anniversary celebration, the planned two-day event is already operating on life support. But that isn’t stopping the volunteers and friends of the cornerstone of the Lakeside community from moving ahead with anniversary plans on August 16 and 17. The Times-Dispatch has more:

“It’s not coming together like we hoped,” said Tracy Giddens-Jarrett, longtime volunteer and five-year president. “We may even have to drop down to just one day. A band has volunteered, and we might be able to have people come by for a hot dog or something. Our lifetime members will show up, of course, but mostly we’ll just be here.”

“Being here” for Lakeside volunteers means 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 50 years.

The all-volunteer force — 69 people ranging from ages 16 to 70 — handles about 3,500 calls a year and puts in 30,000 hours annually in actual real-time missions.

Giddens-Jarrett had envisioned displays, children’s activities, music, food, 50-year commemorative gifts and games for the celebration.

“We budgeted $12,000; less than $1,000 has come in,” she said.

The squad is still accepting donations for the anniversary event, and encourages the community to stop by for a visit on August 16.

We swung by the Lakeside Farmers’ Market this Saturday morning and loaded up on cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, corn, cantaloupe and cut flowers. Vendors were also unloading beans, watermelon, potatoes, peaches, blackberries, blueberries and much more.

The market is open twice on Wednesdays — from 8:00am until 12 noon, and again from 3:00 until 7:00pm. The market’s Saturday hours are 8:00am until 12 noon.

Lite 98’s Kat Simon’s will be broadcasting live from Lakeside on Wednesday, August 6. Simon will be broadcasting “Kat’s Cafe” from Feathernesters Tea Room on Lakeside Avenue from 11:30am until 1:00pm.

Feathernesters is taking lunch reservations now at 262-7305 for Lite 98 fans interested in “dining” at Kat’s Cafe.

If your child arrives at his or her school by bus, this news is for you:
The Department of Public Transportation has been working feverishly to complete bus routes for the coming school year. The schedules are expected to be published in the Richmond Free Press on August 12 and should be available on the district’s website on August 11. A call center will also be in place on August 12 to respond to any questions.

Also, on August 4, the department will begin its three-week driver education training class for new bus drivers. To further promote their theme, “On Time, On Purpose,” the department will also conduct a day of professional development for all staff on August 27.

For more information, contact the Department of Pupil Transportation at (804) 674-1234.

The Center for Progressive Leadership, a leading progressive political training organization, will be offering voter mobilization training at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on Saturday, August 16, and Sunday, August 17.

The training will equip first-time and experienced progressive activists, organizers, and campaign staff with effective tools for success this election year. Participants will learn effective electoral organizing skills such as: Direct Voter Contact, Online Organizing Tools, Campaign Planning and Management and more.

The training cost is $20 and covers training materials and food. Partial scholarships are available to help cover the training cost as well as hotel accommodations.

The training is supported by leading organizations in the state such as: the Virginia Organizing Project, the Virginia Interfaith Center on Public Policy, and the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. You can register online for the training here.

Although 2008 has seen more moisture than 2007, recent dry weather patterns across the region have contributed to low water levels in the James River. The city — along with Goochland, Hanover and Henrico counties — is alerting customers that voluntary water conservation measures may soon be requested of residents:

“Water conservation is a regional effort that requires citizens in all localities to work together,” says Richmond Mayor L. Douglas Wilder.

If significant rainfall eliminates the current low water level conditions, voluntary water conservation measures may be avoided.

Citizens are reminded of the following steps to take to make the most efficient use of watering year-round, especially during voluntary restrictions:

Do not water your street, driveway, or sidewalk. Position your sprinklers so that water lands on the lawn and shrubs and not the paved areas.

Do not leave sprinklers or hoses unattended. Your garden hose can pour out 600 gallons or more in only a few hours. Use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn off the water.

Water during off-peak demand hours, between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Check sprinklers and outside water connections for leaks.

Do not leave the water running while performing tasks such as brushing your teeth or washing your face.

Take shorter showers. Decreasing your shower time by 2 minutes can save several gallons of water.

There are two candidates for the 3rd District City Council seat — incumbent Christopher Hilbert and newcomer Jonathan Davis. Richmond.com recently spotlighted the 3rd District race, and now Davis has a website up touting his experiences and positions.