News to Know for May 24: Richmond Coliseum update; Lone Star ticks; Rainy day

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Did you know today is National Brothers Day? Show your brother how much you love him by reminding him to grab the umbrella because it’s going to be a rainy day here in RVA. Let’s take a look at our top headlines!

The Future of Richmond Coliseum

Richmond City Council is taking the next steps in redeveloping the Richmond Coliseum and the land it sits on.

The city will now turn that property over to the Economic Development Authority to help redevelop the 50-year-old arena.

The agreement creates a timeline of development, which starts with the authority looking for a developer over the next six months to purchase the more than 7-acre piece of city property.

“The EDA has a two-year window to get this done, so I’m sure they’re busy tonight,” Ellen Robertson, council vice president, said.

Once sold, the new owner will need to demolish the arena within one year, and any environmental remediation must be done.

After demolition, the city would then like to see the area redeveloped in the next three and a half years, with a future that coincides with the city’s new City Center Plan that includes a mix of homes and businesses.

According to the agreement, if the authority cannot find a new owner in two years, the property will be returned to the city.

Homelessness In RVA Getting Worse

The number of people without permanent homes in Richmond is climbing once again.

Now, city leaders say it’s just as a major of a problem as it was in 2008.

They say compounding issues like the pandemic, evictions resuming, and scheduled inmate releases are forcing those numbers to rise.

Right now, 740 people are considered homeless. 700 families in public housing face evictions - 300 of those could happen this summer.

“Homelessness is an issue as long as we have an affordable housing crisis, a mental health crisis, all the other symptoms in our society that aren’t being addressed that lead to individuals finding themselves in unstable housing,” City Council member Stephanie Lynch said.

Richmond’s NAACP is planning a state of emergency housing forum this week. Its hope is to get all of those organizations that can help people find homes on the same page.

That forum will not be open to the public.

Could The Commanders Come To VA?

It appears the Washington Commanders are interested in building a new stadium in Virginia.

ESPN reports the team paid about $100 million for 200 acres of land in Prince William County.

The deal was reportedly completed late last week - but has not been announced by the team yet.

A source tells ESPN the Commanders plan to build a 60,000-seat domed stadium - that will double as a practice facility.

It could also include a small indoor music arena, high-end retail shops, bars, and restaurants.

Watch Out For Those Ticks!

A health alert as many of us starts spending more time outside. Remember to keep an eye out for ticks.

One of the most common species in Virginia is the Lone Star Tick. You can identify it by a white spot on its back.

The bug is not responsible for spreading Lyme Disease - but people who get bitten by it can develop a serious allergy to red meat, known as Alpha-gal Syndrome.

Chances are - they might not even realize they’ve developed that allergy until the next time they try red meat.

Jackson Boyd, who has Alpha-gal spoke about his experience.

“You don’t think anything of it, as long as it doesn’t look like Lyme Disease with the ring, it’s just a normal bug bite and then you go a couple of months, and all of a sudden you get a reaction from eating beef,” Boyd said.

“You get hives, breathing gets hard, your heart rate goes up.”

As the state sees more cases of Alpha-gal Syndrome - the Virginia Department of Health is working to make it a reportable condition.

It hopes to start tracking cases by the end of the year.

Grab The Umbrella!

Take it slow on the roads this morning because the rain is going to lead to slippery conditions during the morning commute.

The good news is we will see some light rain once we get into the afternoon. Lows will be in the mid-50s, highs in the low-60s.

Final Thought

“I smile because you’re my brother. I laugh because there’s nothing you can do about it!” --- Unknown

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