VCUarts Theatre receives $5M gift to create empathetic culture
The Department of Theatre in the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCUarts Theatre) has received a $5 million gift to create three endowed funds to promote education and social awareness. The funds will help explore social justice through the lens of theatre and to cultivate an equitable and inclusive culture for students, faculty and staff.
Jefferson Davis rises again at The Valentine
The Jefferson Davis statue, erected in 1907 on Monument Avenue and pulled down by protesters on June 10, 2020, was recently unveiled at the Valentine Museum.
New plaintiff’s in House elections suit unlikely to sway judge
The current and former president of the Loudoun County NAACP are now parties to a suit seeking to force new elections for the 100 House of Delegate seats in November — but the federal judge hearing the case appears determined to ensure that new elections cannot happen.
Richmond plans to hold a second casino vote in November, despite state budget’s language
Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin refused to intervene to help Richmond gain a second chance to secure a casino-resort, which aids those seeking to have the casino go to Petersburg and leaves advocates for a Richmond casino fuming.
RUN RICHMOND coming to the city
RUN RICHMOND 16.19, a symbolic 16.19 mile-run com- memorating 400 years of unity, diversity and the sacrifices and achievements of African-Americans is coming to Richmond on Sept. 17.
RPS honors former coach and mentor by naming middle school gym for him
Allen “Cutt” Cole mentored hundreds of students as a teacher and track, flag football and basketball coach at Thomas H. Henderson Middle School in North Side.
RPS summer meals program begins June 29
After school closes June 24, Richmond Public Schools will still serve free breakfast and lunch at six schools to ensure students are not hungry most of the summer, it has been announced.
Commanders football team ends football training ties with Richmond
Richmond is no longer on the training camp schedule for the Washington Commanders.
Curry rightly earns MVP crown after averaging 31.2 points in Finals
Legends such as Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all visited the NBA mountaintop. Now it’s Steph Curry’s turn to enjoy the view from the best seat on the summit.
‘You wear out’: How chronic illness grounds and inspires William Barber’s activism
Standing outside a church in rural North Carolina this spring, the Rev. William Barber II leaned on his dented and scuffed wooden cane. With one powerful hand he pushed himself up and into the seat of a long black Chevrolet Suburban, then swung his legs in, using the cane, wedged against the door, as a fulcrum. The effort left him out of breath, his expansive chest heaving as he lay back in the seat, reclined to afford him space. No sooner had an aide closed the door before a man from the church rapped gently on the window. “Rev. Barber,” he said, “you’ve been a role model, an inspiration.”
Personality: Dr. Monroe E. Harris Jr.
Spotlight on Virginia Higher Education Fund’s ‘Jazz Inside Out’ honorary chairman
When it comes to charitable, arts or education-related events that take place in Richmond, it’s not uncommon to see Dr. Monroe E. Harris Jr.’s name listed as a donor, participant or leader.
Jan. 6 hearings:
What we’ve learned, and what’s next
The House committee investigating The Capitol insurrection heard from election workers and state officials on Tuesday as they described former President Trump’s pressure to overturn his 2020 election defeat. On Thursday, the nine-member panel will hear from former Justice Department officials who refused Trump’s entreaties to declare the election “corrupt.”
(RE)Framing exhibit tells a story of community
When George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis Police in 2020, the world erupted in protest. As far away as Pretoria, South Africa, and Sydney, Australia, millions took to the streets demanding justice for Mr. Floyd, and other Black Americans and people of color around the world also killed by police.
Vanishing notebooks
RPS officials report 12,100 laptops missing
On the heels of a scathing audit report, Richmond Public Schools is admitting that its own internal check has found that more than 1,600 laptops that were purchased have vanished, and that it does not know the whereabouts of another 10,558 laptops that are listed in the inventory.
U.S. failed to stop fraud in COVID loan program, Clyburn says
The U.S. failed to take basic steps at the start of the coronavirus pandemic to prevent fraud in a federal aid program intended to help small businesses, depleting the funds and making people more vulnerable to identity theft, the chairman of a House panel examining the payouts said Tuesday.
Holding people accountable, by Ben Jealous
Some extremely important truth-telling is happening in Washington, D.C. right now.
Freedom then, freedom now, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
Juneteenth is known by many names. It’s officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, but is also known as Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, and Black Independence Day. On that day we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved persons of African descent and celebrate the richness of the African-American culture.
Good news
LEGO Group will build its first U.S. factory producing its hugely popular plastic building blocks for children to create and build anything they can imagine in Chesterfield County.
Real or not
Last week, Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney went to the top floor of City Hall to eagerly reveal the results of a secretive yearlong project led by the West Cary Group, an advertising and marketing organization.
