Good morning, RVA: High-quality information, social distancing, and clever policy

Good morning, RVA! It’s 61 °F, and, as a bit of rain moves through the area, temperatures are headed up, up, up. Today, you can expect highs in the mid 70s!? Take advantage of it, though, because temperatures will drop Saturday and Sunday. Remember: Going for a run or a roll through the park can still count as social distancing!

Water cooler

The Virginia Department of Health is reporting 17 presumptive positive cases of coronavirus in the Commonwealth. The VDH reporting page has upgraded to now include a map and reports by locality, which is very helpful.

What a difference a day can make. Yesterday it felt like Richmond and Richmonders definitively decided to take the coronavirus seriously and start disrupting their lives and routines to #flattenthecurve. Now that we’re all in this together, I want three things out of our State, City, and institutions: 1) High-quality and up-to-date information, 2) Whatever the institutional version of social distancing is, and 3) Clever policy and action to keep folks safe and thriving until this crisis passes. All things considered, I think we’re seeing a bit of all three from across the region.

First, the Governor kicked things off and declared a state of emergency, that, in addition to marking the seriousness of the situation, unlocks specific new powers and abilities. The Gov’s announcement also included this totally deserved shade thrown at the Trump administration: “In addition, it has become increasingly clear that states must take a primary leadership role in the national response to COVID-19.” And while the Mayor hasn’t yet declared a local state of emergency—I’m not sure that’s even a thing—the City has committed to keeping people informed by launching a new page dedicated to coronavirus updates.

On the social distancing front, Richmond and Henrico public schools announced that, starting Monday, school will be closed for at least two weeks. You should read Superintendent Kamras’s letter to the RPS community. I’m deeply appreciative for how he communicates, I mean: “Finally, a word to our extraordinary students: I know this is a scary time. Please know that we are going to do everything possible to support you and that we love you.” Both districts will work on plans to make sure that students who rely on school for meals will still have access to food, and, at least in Richmond, “ALL RPS staff – teachers, counselors, custodians, bus drivers, everyone – will continue to receive their normal pay during the closure.” The Mayor has recommended that “organizers of large events postpone or cancel those events within the city limits.” That sent a ton of classic Richmond events into cancellation or suspension—your inbox is probably full of very stoic emails. An incomplete list of the noteworthy events now on ice includes: The Monument Avenue 10k, the Atlantic 10 Tournament and all of March Madness, the Flying Squirrelsand all of the 2020 Minor League Baseball season, the Richmond Kickers and all of the USL League One 2020 season, and, of course, Shamrock the Block. Richmond City Council has even cancelled public meetings through March 22nd, which, to be honest, has me a little concerned. Council will begin their budget deliberations on March 23rd (theoretically), and are required by state law to pass a budget by the end of May. I’m not sure what happens if they decide to cancel the budget public hearing. Are they even allowed to do that?

As for clever policy, the Department of Public Utilities has “suspended all disconnections of water and wastewater service for non-payment,” so folks who may have their income disrupted will still have access to, you know, water. Hydration is one of my top concerns, so I’m thankful for this—additionally, you need water to wash your hands. Now I’d like to see evictions suspended, too. I know RRHA has the authority to pause evictions in public housing neighborhoods, which they have done and should continue doing. But who can put a temporary stop to all evictions? Is that the police? The courts? The mayor? City Council, who has decided not to have anymore meetings during an emergency which kind of impacts their ability to pass emergency legislation? Also, we’ll want to keep an eye on how the heck all of these school-age kids are supposed to keep learning—especially if the school cancellations continue. The Superintendent said teachers will send home work packets today and that the division will create more resources this coming Monday. Finally, I’ve got some concerns about VCU’s student housing which basically shuts down on March 16th. Lots of people go to college specifically to get away from home. Students! If you’re reading this and you need to stay in student housing because your home is unsafe for whatever reason, you have until March 16th to apply for approval to remain on campus! I hope that VCU will be compassionate with their approvals.

I’m sure there’s other, non-corona news out there, but, today, you’ll just have to find it yourself!

This morning’s patron longread

Why Have We Soured on the ‘Devil’s Advocate’?

Submitted by Patron Blake. On a conference call earlier this week I couldn’t remember the phrase “devil’s advocate” and instead went with “the argue devil”—which is what we’re calling it now.

That name dates back to the 17th century, when the Roman Catholic Church created an office popularly known as the advocatus diaboli — a person tasked with making the case against the canonization of new saints, scrutinizing every report of their miracles and virtue. How could a claim be trusted, the thinking went, if it hadn’t been rigorously tested? Plenty of educators will still tell you that devil’s advocacy isn’t just useful as a practical matter but also as an intellectual exercise: Imagining other perspectives and plumbing their workings is essential to critical thinking. But on today’s internet, the devil’s advocate is less admired than ever, and it’s often the advocate’s own fault.

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