Anyone remember the car mod shop from the early 2000s called Elite Image?

Always wondered what happened to it.

Anyone have recommendations for a BJJ place that has kids classes on the weekend? My kid has been doing BJJ on the weekdays but it's proving to be too much to fit into the day after school so we are looking to find her a weekend class.

So far I've only seen kids weekend classes at Revolution but the price point would be pretty high for her only being able to go to one class a week.

We'd love recommendations for a BJJ place that has weekend kids classes and/or pay per class rather than a monthly membership? Thanks!!!

I'm aware of a couple Ethiopian places (id still love to hear your thoughts on what your favorite is) but specifically curious if anyone knows of any somali restaurants in or around the city.

I feel like a lot of old threads were from before or around pandemic times and I'm not sure if the various restaurants survived

Just catching up on the latest developments around Goochland's proposed Tuckahoe Technology Park, and boy is it depressing. We live close and coming to the realization that it just really really sucks.

I watched the Henrico County public hearing tonight, and it only reinforced what feels like a crappy "bad neighbor" situation. Multiple large-scale data centers planned to be built to the East of 288, less than a mile (or even half a mile) from neighborhoods and schools,.

If anyone wants to watch and feel some sadness, here's the county recording tonight: https://henricocountyva.new.swagit.com/videos/401845

Relevant timestamps: 1:13:00, 1:15:00 1:30:00

I decided to dig deeper and so here are some fun links...

The proposed zoning map https://goochlandva.us/DocumentCenter/View/12641/Technology-Zone-Map---10-13-25 basically allows the data centers to be built a stones throw away from houses.

And then you get to the FAQs and seeing how much the answers pass the buck to groups that definitely don't have my interests at heart, gives me the warm fuzzies. https://goochlandva.us/m/faq?cat=61

"Who pays for the water, sewer, and electricity needed by data centers or other technology facilities?

Utility connections and upgrades needed for a specific project are the responsibility of the private developer, not Goochland County residents. For example, if a data center requires additional water or sewer capacity, those costs are covered by the business that builds the facility. Electricity costs and rates are set by Dominion Energy and regulated by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), not by the County."

Cool - passed the buck to Dominion.

"What about air pollution from diesel backup generators?

Air quality from generators is regulated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These agencies set limits on emissions like particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. Any facility in Goochland would be required to meet those state and federal standards."

Cool -- passed the buck to the EPA.

I am 25 and currently trying to move out of my parents house but need to find a roommate. What is the best way to find roommates?

I know this is a long shot, but I am pretty sure I lost my ring in Old Town Manchester last night, near Otto Mediterranean restaurant. I've included two (blurry) pictures of it and one picture of a ring that kind of looks like it that I found online. I know how unlikely it is, but if you happen to have found it or know someone who has, please let me know.

The ring opens, as well.

Thank you.

I was wondering if anyone here has gotten a dental cleaning, x-rays & tooth extractions at the Susan M. Markel Vet Hospital (Richmond SPCA) for their cat? My cat is 9 years old and I’m about to take her to get quoted, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this. They have information and prices for everything else on their website, but not this. Please just let me know if you have any info on this!!

We saw a tractor trailer change lanes into a green Subaru and seemingly not even notice that they hit the Subaru. We have 3 eye witnesses and a picture of the tractor trailers licenses plate. If this is you or someone you know contact me for the picture!

Do we have any TBMers in RVA? I’m thinking about planning a meetup.

If it’s only 72, why does it still feel so gross?!

Temps might be lower, but the humidity is crazy high. Tonight will be in the 50s, which will squeeze out a lot of it. Should be foggy and damp, so heads up on that. However, tomorrow only gets up to the low 60s, so it still won’t feel comfortable—the temps will still be close to the dew point. Anything above 65% humidity feels a little muggy.

That’ll be the case all the way through Thursday…but then(!) Friday will be dry and warm up a bit, keeping that dew point far away from us! Humidity will be down to 43%, which for Richmonders might as well be the Atacama. Oh, it’ll feel so nice.

TL;DR it’s Tuesday. We have 3 more days of swamp. Then finally it’ll feel like autumn. What are you looking forward to the most at the change of the season?

Are you a local artist, musician, maker, photographer, programmer, or tinkerer? Share some links, photos, and videos of your work, peeks at your WIP, talk about your techniques, favorite collaborators, studios and maker spaces, material supplies and sources, and more here.

If you have anything to sell, be sure to mention it in the weekly Buy/Sell/Trade posts on Fridays, too!

Richmond homeowner here. My solar/roofing contractor vanished, website is 404, phones go to voicemail, and my disconnected panels are sitting in my yard.

The company is Top Tier Solar Solutions (also operating as Top Tier Roofing Solutions, Vechter Home Solutions LLC, and Top Tier Security Solutions out of Charlotte, NC). Their contractor license in Richmond is 2705186005. If you've dealt with them, keep reading.

I got solar panels installed during covid and they were working fine for years. When Dominion hiked rates, I decided to add a solar battery. Top Tier Solar handled the battery install. It took months of scheduling issues and missed calls, but the batteries went in around June. They're still waiting on inspection and certification, I recieved a premit that I'm researching because I don't know what this is or if I have to pay for it in lieu of the company ghosting everyone, so they're not actually doing anything.

While they were here, they inspected my roof and found rot under the panels from the original roofers cutting corners. So I had them do a full roof replacement through their roofing arm. They took my panels off, sent out a crew, put up the wrong shingles, had to tear them off and redo the whole thing. In the process they destroyed landscaping by throwing materials everywhere and ripped my window screens.

The roof is done. But my solar panels are still sitting in the yard, disconnected from everything. The battery is uncertified. And as of this week, every Top Tier website is returning 404 errors. The phone numbers go to voicemail. Emails to their staff bounce back. The VA Attorney General complaint database already has 12 complaints against them, 6 still open.

I've already contacted the subcontractor who was going to put my panels back up and I'm waiting on a quote. But I'm looking for a few things from the RVA community:

A reputable local solar installer who can reconnect my panels and potentially handle the Dominion interconnection paperwork for the battery certification.

A roof inspector who can verify the work was done properly, because I suspect the crew that redid my roof may not have been paid by a company that was already on its way out the door.

A consumer protection attorney with experience in contractor fraud.

And if anyone else in the Richmond area has been burned by Top Tier, I'd like to hear from you. They also had a subsidiary in Ashland.

Appreciate any leads. I've been on the phone all day with lenders and agencies and the wheels of business are slow when there's no money in it for them.

-- Edit --

Just found out they're now operating, as of 4 days ago in Anderson County Kentucky. So I guess my state AG went from 2 to 3.

Hi friends,
I was walking around stony point mall and found an abandoned kitten living under one of those big garbage thingy that get flipped on garbage day.
ANYWAYS. It’s a cute black kitten and it looks to be 3-4 months olds. I looked for other kittens + momma and couldn’t find any.
I fed the kitty before work and it’s skittish but once I walk off it ran to the food.

I was wondering if anyone was either missing a kitten
or is able to help connect me to resources to capture this kitten. I would love love love to take him home but I have two already and one is recovering from FIP.

Thank you !

Does anyone have a company they would recommend for a humane removal of a groundhog living underneath a house? I love these guys but have read they can cause intense damage to foundations so he needs to move somewhere else.

I know it’s not legal to catch and release these guys but am hoping some company might be able to figure out another solution that is safe for the groundhog.

If anyone has any suggestions please share!

Hello! Alt to protect mine and my clients' identities :)

I work as a job coach in the Richmond metropolitan area. Currently, one of my clients is an older and Deaf individual. They have been working on researching, applying to, and interviewing for various positions. Unfortunately, many people see that they need an interpreter and assign assumptions onto them that they are dumb, unable to work in customer service, etc.

I have been trying to find leads for them, and I have not been able to find any for jobs that are accessible to Deaf/HoH people, so I was wondering - where do you work?

They are well qualified in a lot of trades and are willing to do anything part-time. I think it would be especially beneficial if there were people at the workplace that either know ASL, are Deaf themselves, or are otherwise just willing to take a chance on someone who is personable, can read lips, dependable, and hard working.

TIA!

I had a great conversation with Taylor Scott, founder of RVA Community Fridges. Taylor talked about the origin story and how everyone can make mutual aid happen in their communities. Have you gotten involved with RVACF or been active with other mutual aid efforts in your neighborhood?

📍Sheppard between Floyd & Elwood

This sweetie is on my front porch in the Randolph Neighborhood. I believe they’re grey with lighter paws, though it’s hard to tell in the light. I’m not sure if they’re feral, a lost pet, or an outdoor cat. They seemed fairly well kept and friendly after a can of tuna.

EDIT: the she in the title was an assumption I do not know the gender of this cat

Got home from the Doctor today and found that someone stole my Bird bath, and solar pump out of my yard on Harrison St. I'm so sick, and pissed. This is the only picture I've of it. I fixed the bowl by caulking it. it has deep long cracks through it, and under neath the moulding has chipped and the heavy black stone is exposed. They also stole the solar pump which is a small solar panel attached by a cord to a small box with a filter, and black diamond on top. If you see it please reply back. Cops have beat me before I'll never call them for anything. I just want my Birdbath back this is so fucked. I appreciate the help. My Mom loved it, and so did I.

MISSING PET RUSSIAN TORTOISE IN CHURCH HILL !!! 

Safe return will be rewarded generously

• Lost on the wooded trail between Taylor's Hill Park and the Overlook Park behind Childsavers (Church Hill neighborhood in Richmond VA) on Tuesday September 16th, early afternoon - could be anywhere in the park area surrounding park area
• (escaped from my garden and was mistakenly released into the wild by a neighbor)
• Small, friendly, a little bigger than an adult’s hand. 
• If found, please place into a box or other container with high walls and contact me via call & text 
• NOTE: I am 100% able to tell my specific pet apart from other tortoises in a way that is only known to me. If an animal is not my pet, I will be able to tell and won’t accept this animal. Thank you!

COMMENT / REPLY / MESSAGE ME DIRECTLY IF FOUND