When Richmond Police Lt. John A. O’Kleasky Jr. used to run or bike in James River Park, he noticed something that bothered him. “I never saw a police officer,“ he said. That’s not true anymore, thanks in part to O’Kleasky, a 20-year Richmond police veteran who’s now responsible for the police sector that includes the south bank of the James, as well as Forest Hill Park.

Park to get another upgrade I’m not sure the people at ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” could have done a better job, faster than the city and its private contractors in bringing the lake in Richmond’s Forest Hill Park back to life. The dredging and reclamation project was finished in late October - under budget and a month ahead of schedule - to much acclaim, all of it deserved. I live near Forest Hill Park and spend time there almost every day, and as soon as the heavy machinery pulled out of the park, people poured in.

The lake is back in Forest Hill Park—under budget and ahead of schedule. The lake, more than a century old, is brimming with water again in the historic South Richmond park.

Performing arts and exotic artwork will be the focus Sunday of the third annual “Country in the City” house tour in Richmond’s Forest Hill neighborhood. The neighborhood association event, from noon to 5 p.m., features nine homes, from Colonial foursquares to cottages. The tour features homes owned by a former ballerina, an associate conductor for the Richmond Symphony, a water colorist and a seamstress. Art is a focal point in each home, from Italian Murano glass chandeliers to paintings from a murdered scene maker for a German opera house.