The 84-year-old street sweeper keeping Richmond beautiful

Localish logo
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
The 84-year-old street sweeper keeping Richmond beautiful
James Raven took the job to stay active during retirement. He may now be the most popular guy in town.

RICHMOND, Texas -- James Raven's official job title is Street Sweeper, but he means so much more to his small town.

"Mr. Raven is someone everybody knows up and down the main street of Richmond." Public Works Director Howard Christian said. "If he misses a day people are calling wanting to know if everything is okay with him."

The 84-year-old has lived in the area his entire life. When he entered retirement, a friend told him about the street sweeper position. He has been on the job since 2009.

"I really enjoy it." Raven said. "It's better than staying at home all day, doing nothing."