For our third event of 2012, GOOD Ideas for Cities is headed to Richmond, Virginia.


GOOD Ideas for Cities taps creative problem-solvers to tackle real urban challenges proposed by civic leaders and present the solutions at live events across the country. Thanks to our partnership with CEOs for Cities and a generous grant from ArtPlace, we’re taking the program to five mid-sized cities in 2012. If you’re in Richmond, Virginia (RVA) here’s how you can be a part of it.

Earlier this month, we issued a call for RVA creatives who we placed into three teams to represent the city. Each team was issued a challenge proposed by local urban leaders. At the event, the creative teams will present their solutions to their assigned challenge, and the urban leaders will join them onstage for a brief Q&A. Afterwards, join us for drinks and more conversation as we discuss how to make these ideas a reality for RVA.

Tuesday, April 24

Doors at 5:30 p.m.

Program begins at 6:30 p.m.

Virginia Historical Society
428 North Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
*Please note this venue has changed from what was originally posted

RSVP here

Hosted by The i.e.* Initiative of the Greater Richmond Chamber and Capital Region Collaborative

Sponsored by the Virginia Historical Society

Supported by ArtPlace

Special thanks to our partners AIGA Richmond, Greater Richmond Grid, RVANews, and Style Weekly

RSVPs do not guarantee admission after 6:15 p.m., please arrive on time. Do not call the venue about tickets, email alissa[at]goodinc[dot]com with any questions.

The Challenges

1. The James River is a critical resource for the region. The City of Richmond has recently announced a comprehensive plan to revitalize the riverfront in the city that includes parks, trails and community gathering places. With this plan in mind, how can we leverage the James River and Canal Walk as an economic driver that brings not only people, but dollars to the region?

Andreas Addison, chief administrative office: civic innovation team, City of Richmond

Creative Team: Larkin Garbee, Andrea Goulet, Amy Broderick, Holly Pearce, Jake Mitchell, Jeff MacDonald, Kendall Morris, Scott Ukrop, K. Giles Harnsberger, Evan MacKenzie, Sarah Keane, Ronald Rogers, Allen Chamberlain, Caitlin Kilcoin, Christie Thompson, Maureen Neal, Corey Lane, Emily Smith, Maritza Mercado

2. The Richmond Region is rich in history, the arts and entertainment opportunities, but tourists often pass us by when traveling along I-95 and I-64 on their way to other destinations. How can we make the gateways to our region more attractive and encourage travelers to exit the interstate and visit the Richmond Region?

Chuck Gates, communication coordinator, Richmond Regional Planning District Commission

Creative Team: Heide Trepanier, Collin Brady, John Sarvay, Stephen Robertson, Charles Collie, Casey Quinlan, Elizabeth Cogar, Ryn Bruce, Ross Catrow, Johnny Hugel, Tony Scida, Meredith Salley, Ali Croft, Christine Pizzo, Emily Smith, David McIntosh, Carter Graham Holt, Alana Kucharski, Ansel Olson, Jon Baliles

3. There are some vibrant elementary schools in the City of Richmond. However, middle schools can be another story. Some parents send their children to private schools starting in middle school and other parents stop showing up. The community is often more interested in volunteering in elementary schools or high schools. How can we keep the community involved with the goal of improving our city’s middle schools?

Harold Fitrer, President/CEO, Communities In Schools Richmond

Creative Team: April Johnson, Lisa Taranto, Sarah Milston, Peter Fraser, Camden Whitehead, Mimi Sadler, Dean Browell, Emily Griffey, Dominic Barrett, Emma Terray Spivack, Peyton Rowe, Trina Lambert, R. Vincent Alfaro, Rachel Kopelovich Douglas, Shannon Williams, Elizabeth Hailand, Stephen Curtis Clark, Sara Dunnigan

Check out the videos from our Portland event and stay tuned for details about future GOOD Ideas for Cities announcement. If you’d like to talk about bringing the program to your city or school, email alissa[at]goodinc[dot]com or follow us at @IdeasforCities

  • Man’s dog suddenly becomes protective of his wife, Internet clocks the reason right away
    Dogs have impressive observational powers.Photo credit: Canva

    Reddit user Girlfriendhatesmefor’s three-year-old pitbull, Otis, had recently become overprotective of his wife. So he asked the online community if they knew what might be wrong with the dog.

    “A week or two ago, my wife got some sort of stomach bug,” the Reddit user wrote under the subreddit /r/dogs. “She was really nauseous and ill for about a week. Otis is very in tune with her emotions (we once got in a fight and she was upset, I swear he was staring daggers at me lol) and during this time didn’t even want to leave her to go on walks. We thought it was adorable!”

    His wife soon felt better, butthe dog’s behavior didn’t change.

    pregnancy signs, dogs and pregnancy, pitbull behavior, pet intuition, dog overprotection, Reddit stories, viral Reddit, dog instincts, canine emotions, dog owner tips
    Otis knew before they did. Canva

    Girlfriendhatesmefor began to fear that Otis’ behavior may be an early sign of an aggression issue or an indication that the dog was hurt or sick.

    So he threw a question out to fellow Reddit users: “Has anyone else’s dog suddenly developed attachment/aggression issues? Any and all advice appreciated, even if it’s that we’re being paranoid!”

    The most popular response to his thread was by ZZBC.

    Any chance your wife is pregnant?

    ZZBC | Reddit

    The potential news hit Girlfriendhatesmefor like a ton of bricks. A few days later, Girlfriendhatesmefor posted an update and ZZBC was right!

    “The wifey is pregnant!” the father-to-be wrote. “Otis is still being overprotective but it all makes sense now! Thanks for all the advice and kind words! Sorry for the delayed reply, I didn’t check back until just now!”

    Redditors responded with similar experiences.

    Anecdotal I know but I swear my dog knew I was pregnant before I was. He was super clingy (more than normal) and was always resting his head on my belly.

    realityisworse | Reddit

    So why do dogs get overprotective when someone is pregnant?

    Jeff Werber, PhD, president and chief veterinarian of the Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, told Health.com that “dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman’s body at that time.” He added the dog may “not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.”

    The big lesson here is to listen to your pets and to ask questions when their behavior abruptly changes. They may be trying to tell you something, and the news may be life-changing.

    This article originally appeared last year.

  • Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.

  • ,

    Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories

    Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.

    While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.

    When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.

    Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.


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