A Full Moon; Please, Stop; Long Live the BBQ Debate!; Street Name Cred; Pet Scam Alert.

RVA 5x5 - July 17, 2023

No algorithms. No content filters. Honest and insightful analysis.
You can find the 5 main stories from Saturday’s edition here, and today features the “ALT 5” stories for a nicer, leisurely look at RVA.

NOTE: We are moving to a Monday (ALT 5) and Friday (Main 5) schedule for the rest of the summer (and maybe longer), so please look for emails on those days, and feel free to send your thoughts, comments, ideas, insults, and suggestions to us at rva5x5@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!

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This week check out our five stories on:

• The amazing life of August Moon, who was known as the Mayor of Hull Street and made music in Marvin Gaye’s house, roomed with Jimi Hendrix, was an activist in RVA, and had Gov. George Allen declare “August Moon Day” in 1997.

• An awful story with a happy ending (this time) about a dog who was dumped by their owner next to a dumpster in Southside but thankfully rescued…

• What is the source of the names for the streets all throughout Manchester? Well, the War of 1812, of course. Learn the stories of the people behind the street names and the deadly duel that involved three of them.

• A scary story about a scam for people looking of lost pets being perpetrated via social media, that wasn’t a local story but a lesson for everyone.

• And, Richmond makes another “best of” list, this time for BBQ (which is long overdue) and some of the reminders of the plethora of options and styles we have to enjoy and indulge.

THE ALT 5

ALT #1 — OFF THE BEATEN PATH: A Full Moon
Richmond this week is minus one legend after the passing of the man born as Alexander Randolph who later became known as August Moon but also had the nicknames “Mr. Wiggles,” and also at times known as "Little Red" and "Dickie Diamond"). Born in the Blackwell neighborhood, he also later earned the nickname “Mayor of Hull Street.” Don Harrison at Style Weekly has a great story recapping Moon’s full and amazing life, including his career in music, which included touring as an opening act for legends like Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and Portsmouth's Ruth Brown.

Harrison notes that Moon released a series of 45s as Mr. Wiggles in the 1960’s and founded several independent record labels. “As Mr. Wiggles, he is best known for "Home Boy," a vamping 1965 track that extols the virtues of "Richmond V-A." "I'm proud to be a home boy," the singer joyously recounts with a whoop while bandleader Sebastian Williams does a bass-voiced call-and-response.”