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Why Richmond, Why?!?

It can be a little nerve-racking to try something new, especially when it comes to new columns.

It starts as a pitch, a brief outline of an idea. After a few weeks, the idea is fleshed out and, finally, the column is launched. Will it be good? Will it be accepted? And, most importantly, will it be read?

A writer can hope that a new column will be embraced, but Richmond readers will always be the barometer for success.

This was the case two weeks ago when Richmnd.com launched "Why Richmond, Why?!?" The idea was simple; Richmond readers ask the questions about anything and everything on their minds pertaining to life, leisure and activities in and around Richmond. Then we at Richmond.com find the answers.

We asked you to ask … and boy did you. We received dozens of questions covering almost every topic imaginable from traffic and shopping to voting machines and trees. And we did our best to get you the answers. So thank you, Richmond, for writing in and asking. Please, keep the questions coming.

If you don't see your question answered here this week, that doesn't mean it isn't coming. We're still waiting for responses on a few and some we couldn't squeeze in for space reasons. But don't let that deter you from asking your "Why Richmond, Why?!?" questions. If the column's popularity continues, will just up its frequency from biweekly to weekly, to ensure all your questions get answers.

But enough business, we've got questions to answer.

What is the oldest tree at Maymont and where is it?

-- Mike McCormick

That was a hard question for the folks at Maymont to answer. The short answer is that, without hacking into the trees, it's difficult to tell. But according to Peggy Singlemann, director of horticulture for Maymont, many of them are close to 90 years old.

Can you find out the rescheduled date of the Van Halen concert in Charlottesville?

-- Christie

I sure can, it's scheduled for 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 11. I hope you enjoy the show. Go ahead and JUMP! 

We drive Dock Street each day headed east. Most days, the Canal on the right is full of water, with turtles, geese and other critters all around. Several times a year, it's dead empty. Such as, the night before, it had water in it, and the next morning, mud. What is this about? What's the process for getting that much water out so fast? Who does it? Why? Where do all the creatures that live there go? My entire office thanks you in advance for solving this for us.

-- Lisa

Marc LaFountain , public information manager for Richmond's Department of Public Works, answers:

The Haxall Canal next to Brown's Island was drained on Jan. 4 so that Dominion could install underground electrical conduits to support MeadWestvaco's new corporate headquarters. The city of Richmond's Department of Public Works can drain the Haxall Canal in a couple of hours by closing eight head gates at its upper end and allowing the canal's water and fish to flow into the Lower Kanawha Canal and the James River. Birds can fly to the river during draining and the canal does not contain turtles. The Haxall Canal is expected to be refilled sometime this week. The last time the Lower Kanawha Canal along Dock Street was drained was in early December in order to repair a storm water drain and it has been full since Dec. 17.

Do you know what any of the businesses are that are going to be in the new shopping area across from Best Buy/World Market etc. in Short Pump?

-- Christie C. Newman

I think the shopping center you mean is West Broad Village. According to the company's Web site, thus far you can expect to find Books-a-Million, Old Navy, Whole Foods Market, First Market Bank and Famous Footwear. The dining options will include McCormick and Schmick's, Kona Grill, Gordon Biersch and Mimi's Café. Hope that helps.

The left turning lane at the intersection of Westover Hills Boulevard and Forest Hill Avenue can only hold two or three cars. During rush hour, 15 to 20 cars are backed up trying to get in. Is there any plan to expand this turning lane? There's plenty of room in the median that's there.

-- Andy, Woodland Heights area

Again, Marc LaFountain, public information manager for Richmond's Department of Public Works, answers:

The Department of Public Works appreciates this suggestion and will evaluate whether the left turn lane can be extended a few car lengths within the existing median. While this would not increase the number of cars that can turn left during a stoplight cycle, it would reduce the rush hour problem of left-turn vehicles queuing into the southbound through lane.

Adding an additional left turn lane would increase the number of cars that can turn left during a stoplight cycle. However, It also would require widening one or both sides of Westover Hills Boulevard north of Forest Hill Avenue and at least one side of Westover Hills Boulevard south of Forest Hill Avenue. As this would be relatively costly and might require some right of way taking, it is not being actively considered at this time.

I keep seeing signs in my neighborhood about Patrick Henry charter school. What is that about?

-- Ryan

The signs are to get the word out about the PHI or Patrick Henry Initiative. The initiative was started a little over a year ago by a small group of volunteers, made up of parents, educators and average citizens. The momentum really took off over the summer of 2007.

The goal is to start the first green charter school in Virginia and only the fourth charter school in the commonwealth. The green school, to be known as the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts, will teach all the standard core academic disciplines, but with a focus around environmental issues. There are green schools all around the country. To learn more, go the Web site patrickhenrycharter.org and come to a meeting, said Richard Day , president of PHI.

Why doesn't Chesterfield County have electronic voting booths like Henrico County?  Maybe I'm mistaken, but I believe that Chesterfield County has more residents, thus more money, so I don't understand why we don't have electronic voting booths.

-- Melinda, Midlothian

Lawrence C. Haake, III , general registrar for Chesterfield County, answers:

The decision was made to obtain the current optical scan voting system for several reasons, including obtaining a system that would be as transparent as possible to the voters, a system that utilized mature proven technology, avoidance of the touch-screen controversy, and the exercise of fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars.

Optical scan uses a ballot method (and thus has a paper trail) that virtually everyone has used at some time by completing a "bubble-form" -- using the fill-in the oval method. Optical scan was the most economical and efficient. An equivalent touch screen system would have cost Chesterfield taxpayers more than $2.5 million instead of the $900,000 for the optical scan.

Touch screens remain a hotbed of controversy due to the absence of an actual ballot. Maryland's governor has publicly warned the citizens of his state that the touch-screen voting machines are not reliable and encouraged them to vote absentee on paper. Maryland has now decided to abandon touch screens in favor of optical scan. In Virginia, the General Assembly has prohibited localities from further purchases of touch screens, in favor of optical scan.

Chesterfield County is not involved in these controversies and has been offered in testimony by voting activists before the General Assembly as the standard by which all other localities should have purchased voting systems.

Our system is working well and the majority of the citizens have expressed appreciation for our choice of an optical scan voting system.