
‘Clash of the Cones’ Kamara is VCU’s graduation speaker
Virginia Commonwealth University graduate Rabia Kamara will deliver the fall commencement speech at her alma mater 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec.10, at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.

Climate of fear
Trammell seeks City Jail investigation amid reports of deaths, injuries
As Crishawn Hickman headed to his long-delayed murder trial in the John Marshall Courts Building, deputies escorting him noticed, as one put it, that he appeared to be “walking funny,” the Free Press has been told. A search disclosed why—the 21-year-old had a knife hidden in his underpants that had cut him. The upshot: The trial had to be postponed for two days while he received medical treatment at a nearby hospital.

Manchester’s Bacot guards the family business
Introducing King Bacot. He’s got the name and he’s got the game.

VCU’s LeGrande to assume Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press HBCU presidential role
When Ruth J. Simmons steps down as president of Prairie View A&M University in Texas, she will pass the baton to another Black woman, Tomikia P. LeGrande, vice president for strategy, enrollment management and student success at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Candlelight Festival returns to UR
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Richmond’s annual “Candlelight Festival of Lessons and Carols” will return for its 49th year to ring in the Christmas holiday season.

Free van service helps public housing residents get to work
Myra Griffin has found the biggest problem placing people in jobs is transportation.

2 City-supported shelters temporarily open for homeless
At 80, Gayle Freeland is struggling to keep a roof over her head.

City reportedly has a $70M general fund surplus
Richmond’s treasury is bulging with unspent dollars, according to two members of City Council.

‘It feels like a nightmare’
UVA shooting deaths create wave of grief
The three University of Virginia football players killed in an on-campus shooting on Sunday were remembered by their head coach as “incredible young men with huge aspirations and extremely bright futures.”

GOP wins slim House majority; Trump announces candidacy despite criminal problems
Republicans won control of the U.S. House on Wednesday, returning the party to power in Washington and giving conservatives leverage to blunt President Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of investigations. But a threadbare majority will pose immediate challenges for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern.

Personality: Haley M. McLaren
Spotlight on board president of 1708 Gallery
By leading one of the oldest artist-run galleries in the nation, Haley M. McLaren is helping to illuminate Richmond’s independent art scene.

Juliette Stephens Hamilton, retired nurse, dies at age 104
“Live one day at a time and enjoy that one.” Juliette Stephens Hamilton, one of Richmond’s oldest residents, called that the secret to a long and healthy life.

Wes Carmack helped launch VCU’s postseason era
When Wes Carmack first took the floor for VCU in January 1977, Rams fans’ initial reaction was “Who’s He?” Second reaction was more like “wow, that new kid can really ball.”

‘Black Panther’ sequel scores 2nd biggest debut of 2022
The Marvel “Black Panther” sequel earned $180 million in ticket sales from more than 4,396 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, according to estimates from The Walt Disney Co. on Sunday, making it the second biggest opening of the year behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” Overseas, it brought in an additional $150 million from 50 territories, bringing its worldwide total to $330 million.

Artist Paul Rucker awarded $2M from the Mellon Foundation and Art for Justice Fund
The Mellon Foundation and Art for Justice Fund have awarded multimedia visual artist, composer and musician Paul Rucker $2 million to create Cary Forward — a multidisciplinary arts space, interpretive center, artist/re- searcher residency and archival lending library, according to an announcement by Virginia Commonwealth University.

Walk-up monkeypox vaccines available
The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts are now offering walk-up monkeypox vaccination clinics for residents who qualify.

Armstrong-Walker legacy group announces events
The Armstrong-Walker Football Classic Legacy Project has several events scheduled the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Some restrictions eased at Lawrenceville prison; concerns remain
Since late August, incarcerated men at Virginia’s privately-owned Lawrenceville Correctional Center experienced increased restrictions and punishments. What started with the end of outdoor activities and the cancellation of visitations from friends and family without warning grew to include stringent cleanliness checks and disproportionate punishments, according to inmates and their loved ones.

Beyoncé ties Grammy record after leading nominations with 9
Beyoncé has propelled herself into the highest Grammy echelon: The star singer claimed a leading nine nominations Tuesday, making her tied — with her husband Jay-Z — as the most nominated music act in the history of the awards show.