
‘Homegoing’
Dignitaries and ordinary people pay final tribute to A. Donald McEachin
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Tim Kaine and Majority Whip for the U.S. House of Representatives James Clyburn were among dozens of dignitaries and distinguished guests who paid tribute to Congressman A. Donald McEachin during his funeral Wednesday at The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church on Creighton Road in Henrico County.

A.P. Hill’s statue removal on hold
City Hall remains stymied on removing the last of Richmond’s city-owned Confederate statues, despite securing an Oct. 25 court ruling from Richmond Circuit Court Judge D. Eugene Cheek authorizing the city to proceed. .

ROUNDUP
The search for Richmond’s next poet laureate is on. City officials recently launched the search for an artist who can bridge division in the city’s community through art.

RPS lists 5.5 percent fewer students since 2019
Enrollment in Richmond Public Schools continues to decline amid population growth in the larger community.

Richmond area toy drives and distribution
Christmas drives are underway to try to ensure that children in struggling families receive gifts.

Officers who defended Capitol from Trump supporters honored
Law enforcement officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were honored Tuesday with Congressional Gold Medals nearly two years after they fought supporters of then-President Trump in a brutal and bloody attack.

Jennifer McClellan and Lamont Bagby likely contenders for vacant U.S. House seat
Two Richmond-area Democratic members of the General Assembly are preparing to run for the vacant 4th Congressional District seat, the Free Press has learned.

Warnock wins Georgia runoff against Walker
Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Biden’s current term and capping an underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP in the last major vote of the year.

Personality: Shavon M. Ragsdale
Spotlight on Village Against Violence Foundation founder
If it takes a village to raise a child, Shavon M. Ragsdale works to make sure the village is ready, willing and able to protect and support those most in need.

Lawrence Hugh ‘Larry’ Everette, social worker and popular singer, dies at 74
Lawrence Hugh “Larry” Everette was passionate about helping people and singing.

Panthers celebrate 83-62 win against Augusta
Raemaad Wright scores 34 points, makes 16 rebounds
Timberrrr! The nation’s No. 2 team has taken a fall, with Raemaad Wright among those cutting it down to size.

‘Treat everybody like family,’ advises Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church
Last Saturday marked months of planning for the ordination and consecration of The Rev. Canon E. Mark Stevenson as the 14th Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia on Dec. 3 at The Saint Paul’s Baptist Church in Henrico County.

No new curriculum for RPS
Initial task force calls for changes in implementation
Richmond Public Schools does not need a new curriculum — rather, teachers want autonomy in how to customize existing curricula for their classrooms, according to a 15-member task force.

Karen Bass’ election ushers in era of leadership, by Marc H. Morial
The National Urban League and the civil rights community have had few champions in Congress as tenacious and effective as Rep. Karen Bass of California.

’Tis the season for food justice, by Julianne Malveaux
Since early November, we’ve witnessed appeals to donate to food banks, food baskets and community food events.

Street honoring Kirby Carmichael unveiled in Highland Park
Family, friends and admirers of radio personality Kirby Carmichael came out Tuesday for the unveiling of Kirby Carmichael Sr. Street at 1100 Front Street in Highland Park. The site is where the former WANT-AM radio station was housed when Mr. Carmichael, a pioneer of Black radio, was for decades known as the “tall man of soul” as he spun platters first at WANT-AM and then at WRVQ-FM.

Sheriff’s authority is ‘completely separate from mine as commonwealth’s attorney’
As a longtime reader and supporter of the Free Press, it is disheartening to see the author of this article (Nov. 23-26 edition), Mr. Jeremy Lazarus, so flagrantly violate the journalistic ethics that the Free Press exemplified under the leadership of its founder, the late Raymond Boone.

VUU’s Byers finalist for prominent award
Jada Byers has made history on the football field. Now he’s hopeful of making more history at the ballot box.