Share
))
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
…
continue reading
Manage episode 514252749 series 3675698
Content provided by Vera House. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Vera House or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.
Got thoughts? Throw them at us by sending a text here
10% OFF your next alternative beverage purchase at Point 5 in Carytown:
https://verahouse.co/point5
Richmond is a city of rules, rituals, and raids—and this episode threads them together. We start with Francine, the Lowe’s cat finally found, Reddit sleuthing turned street festival, and how a neighborhood inside joke becomes citywide folklore. From there, festival season takes over: Dogwood Dell’s free lineup and the way RVA gathers when tickets aren’t the gatekeeper.
Then the tone shifts. We unpack FBI “Operation Summer Heat” and what 122 local arrests say (and don’t say) about safety and signal. On campus, the VCU hazing story opens a wider conversation about rites of passage, leadership, and when “tradition” turns coercive. In the streets, Vision Zero and new bike lanes (Belt Blvd to Warwick) collide with an education gap—how to build a cycling city people know how to use.
We also talk third spaces and the sober wave—from the NA bar scene (Point Five in Carytown) to where community actually happens between shows and shifts. Add in venue/opening shifts (BOLO’s at the old Dogtown Brewery, Connex RVA in Carver, Outpost expansion) and you’ve got a snapshot of a city growing fast, with a lot of fine print.
What we cover
- Francine found: the folk-hero cat, Francine Fest, and why local lore matters
- RVA festivals: Dogwood Dell’s free shows and public-space culture
- FBI raids: what Operation Summer Heat means on the ground
- VCU hazing: rituals, power, and the line between belonging and harm
- Bikes & Vision Zero: Belt Blvd lanes, rider education, and street etiquette
- NA bar scene: Point Five, functional drinks, and gathering without alcohol
- Openings & shifts: BOLO’s, Connex RVA, Outpost, neighborhood momentum
Keywords: Richmond VA podcast, Francine Lowe’s cat, Dogwood Dell festival, Operation Summer Heat, VCU hazing, Vision Zero Richmond, Belt Blvd bike lanes, sober bar Richmond, Point Five Carytown, BOLO’s, Connex RVA, Outpost Richmond, RVA festivals.
This podcast is produced by Vera House — a creative club and premium media studio based in Richmond, Virginia. Our studio exists to champion local brands, creative expression, rva culture, and produce high-impact content for founders, makers, and modern businesses.
Follow the movement:
Hosted by Myke Metzger & Perri Young:
Chapters
1. Richmond Rules, Rituals, and Raids (VCU hazing, FBI Raids, NA bar scene, RVA Festivals, Bikes and more) - Unscripted #016 (00:00:00)
2. Francine found: Lowe’s cat, Reddit sleuths, Francine Fest + SPCA (00:00:50)
3. Dogwood Dell & RVA Music Fest: free show lineup, October dates (00:07:48)
4. FBI “Operation Summer Heat”: 122 arrests, Richmond/Norfolk focus (00:14:40)
5. Bike lanes expansion in RVA: Belt Blvd/Warwick/Broad Rock, Vision Zero cams (00:27:57)
6. Sponsor 10% OFF voucher: Point 5—alcohol-free, nootropics, Carytown shop (00:29:50)
7. VCU hazing story → frats, “cult” energy, initiation rituals (00:36:20)
8. Mayor’s $80M ask to fix water infrastructure: accountability talk (00:47:48)
9. New openings: BOLO’s at former Dogtown Brewery; Southside/Hull St. details (00:52:50)
10. Connex RVA (Carver): shipping-container venue + Outpost’s 2nd location (00:56:55)
11. RVA's Parallel Parking Championship (00:58:50)
16 episodes
