Love Lights on Broad Street in Downtown

Flooded streets like this one on North Side have been commonplace in Richmond as a result of repeated December downpours. Location: Lombardy Street and Overbrook Road. This photograph was taken Thursday, Dec. 17, when an inch of rain fell. Nearly 4 inches of rain have fallen on the city since then. Through Wednesday, Richmond had recorded 5.87 inches of rain since Dec. 1. That is 2.7 inches above normal for the month. The arrival of January, though, will shut off the taps. Beginning with Friday, Jan. 1, the weather is forecast to be dry through Thursday, Jan. 7. High temperatures are forecast to be in the 40s and 50s, with lows in the 20s and 30s during the period.

Colorful Kwanzaa festival // Kiran Bhagat paints the face of Jailynn Dames during the Capital City Kwanzaa Festival last Saturday at the Altria Theater. The annual event, sponsored by the Elegba Folklore Society, drew scores of people to the festivities celebrating seven values of African culture that contribute to building and reinforcing family, community and culture.

Marking Kwanzaa // Above, Joel Martinez lights the second candle of the kinara, the candleholder used in Kwanzaa celebrations, representing kujichagulia, which means self-determination in Swahili. Festival-goers enjoyed musical performances, workshops, a film festival, an African market with clothing and jewelry, African-inspired cuisine, children’s activities and a keynote address by Dr. Phil Valentine, founder, director and pastor of the Temple of the Healing Spirit — Self Education Center, and co-founder of the Institute for Self Mastery.

Marking Kwanzaa // Casy Jones with the Elegba Folklore Society, left, provides a rhythmic beat of drums Saturday to mark the celebration of the 29th Annual Capital City Kwanzaa Festival at the Altria Theater.