According to a Richmond Times Dispatch article, the vehicle involved in the death of a 24 year old Richmond cyclist has been located.

Lanie Kruszewski,  a 24-year-old bicyclist from Richmond was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver Sunday night while riding her bike home from work along River Road in Richmond’s West End.

Sources told the Times Dispatch that defense attorneys on Tuesday provided Richmond authorities with access to the vehicle that investigators were looking for.

Kruszewski,  was hit and apparently dragged over forty feet while riding her bike by a vehicle traveling in the same direction  before fleeing the scene.

Police said she her bike was equipped with a headlight and rear flashers.  She was wearing a helmet.

According to family members, she was an experienced, safety conscious cyclist.

Lanie graduated from the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School in 2006 and was a 2011 graduate of JMU.

Our sincere condolences go out to her family and friends. [continue reading…]

Small, light, inexpensive, high-quality video cameras have given cyclists a new tool in fighting hostile or careless drivers.

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Cyclists across Virginia and around the world are mourning the loss of June Haven Curry, the Cookie Lady,  who died July 16 after a brief illness.

Since 1976, June opened a building beside her home in the tiny hamlet of Afton, VA  as a hostel  to cyclists traveling along the TransAmerica (US Bike Rout 76).

Cyclists would stop for a rest, refill their water bottles or spend the night at the little haven located near the top of a particularly arduous climb up Afton Mountain.

June Curry sharing a laugh at her home in 2009

June was a warm, expressive person who never met a stranger.

Over the years, it has been estimated that over 14,000 riders from every state and 50 countries stayed in the Bike House.

June was so well known for helping cyclists, or being what is referred to as a, “trail angel” that the Adventure Cycling Association named an award, “The June Curry Trail Angel Award” for people who go above and beyond to assist and do something special for touring cyclists.

According to Bev Haven in her online book, June was quoted as saying,

I believe the Lord chose this as my mission on earth, though I cannot ride a bicycle and hate to cook. Touring bicyclists are very special people.  They never forget me.  I consider them all MY BIKE FAMILY.

Though June’s mission is now complete, she will be remembered, fondly, by people around the world for the  kindness, warmth and generosity she demonstrated for 36 years.

The Cookie lady will truly be missed by all.

The McDonnell administration will conduct four public meetings across the state in August to present information and solicit input from citizens on several draft plan updates to statewide transportation plans.

The meetings provide an opportunity for local governments and citizens to learn more about how the commonwealth will make investment choices with limited transportation dollars.  For example, the current VTrans2035 plan lists $65 billion in identified capital improvements for roads, rail and transit. And yet without a transportation funding plan that provides dedicated and ongoing sources of non-general fund revenue to pay for these improvements, Virginia will be forced to make choices on what gets built and what only shows up on a map.

The dates for the public meetings are as follows.  All will be held 4-7pm:

Roanoke: Thursday, Aug. 2, Hidden Valley High School, 5000 Titan Trail.

Chesapeake: Tuesday, Aug. 7, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, 723 Woodlake Drive.

Richmond: Wednesday, Aug. 8, Maggie Walker Governor’s School, 1000 N. Lombardy St.

Arlington: Thursday, Aug. 9, Washington-Lee High School, 1301 N. Stafford St.

[continue reading…]