Silence of the lambs: Youngkin, Miyares and the rule of law, by David J. Toscano
The Trump administration, backed by Project 2025 allies, continues its assault on the rule of law — facing little opposition from Republican leadership, including here in Virginia.
Flurry of fluff
Light snow dusts the city
The city saw a sudden winter chill this week, as light snow covered the streets, bringing a pause to the usual rush hour bustle. With office buildings and schools closing, city parks became gathering spots for children and parents hoping to take advantage of prime snowman-building weather. Wednesday morning’s below-freezing temperatures, followed by a powdery snow, arrived several hours ahead of schedule and lingered well into the evening.
VAIPL to host open mic on environmental and racial justice
Virginia Interfaith Power & Light (VAIPL) is hosting an open mic night this Thursday, Feb. 27, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Abi’s Books & Brews, 1212 W Cary St. The event invites participants to explore the intersection of racial and environmental justice through poetry, prose, music and storytelling.
Report on Richmond water crisis highlights staffing, procedure gaps
An independent report identified the cause of a January outage at the City of Richmond’s water treatment plant that left residents without running water for days, and found ongoing issues in need of solutions.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Mid-Atlantic Region to host Richmond conference
More than 4,500 members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will gather in Richmond for the organization’s 72nd Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference, set for March 6 through 9 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
Richmond cancer survivor featured in national campaign
As Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month approaches in March, Richmond resident CiNease Freeman is taking her story to a national stage.
Joy-Hogg leads Richmond’s operations as interim CAO
Sabrina Joy-Hogg was sworn in as Richmond’s interim chief administrative officer during a ceremony in the basement of the Main Branch of the Richmond Public Library last month.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
For the week ending Saturday, Feb. 15, COVID-19 accounted for 1.3% of all emergency department visits in Virginia, with overall respiratory illness rates trending down but still high compared to previous data. No COVID-19-related deaths were reported during this period at press time. As of the most recent sample collection week on Sunday, Feb. 2, COVID-19 wastewater levels in Richmond were below detection, and levels in Henrico County had plateaued.
McClellan celebrates Women’s History Month with awards program
U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, 4th District, recently launched her second annual Women of Excellence Awards program to celebrate Women’s History Month and honor the outstanding contributions of women in Virginia’s 4th District.
The shop stop
A text message has been making the rounds in recent days — maybe you’ve received it or a version of it. It calls for a one-day boycott of corporations like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, which have recently cut back or eliminated their diversity programs.
VUU to play SIAC champion Miles College in opener
The Virginia Union University football team, the defending CIAA champions, will kick off the 2025 season with an appearance in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic on Sunday, Aug. 31, in Canton, Ohio.
Reader commends the Free Press
I want to congratulate the Richmond Free Press on the Jan 30 - Feb 5, 2025 edition. Every article was so interesting and informative, especially the editorial page; I read it twice.
CIAA to celebrate 50th anniversary of women’s basketball tournament in 2025
The CIAA marks the 50th anniversary of its Women’s Basketball Tournament at the 2025 Food Lion CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, set for Feb. 25 through March 1 at the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
Virginia golfer among finalists for Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Virginia golfer Amanda Sambach has earned a spot in the 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, joining an elite field of top players from around the globe.
FXA Sports, 804 Softball team up to enhance local leagues
Coed softball players in the local area will soon have more opportunities to take the field. FXA Sports, a leading provider of adult recreational sports leagues in Virginia, has merged with 804 Softball to expand league offerings in the region.
HGTV stars headline Richmond Home + Garden Show
The Richmond Home + Garden Show will feature HGTV stars Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb, co-hosts of “Unsellable Houses,” from Feb. 28 to March 2, at the Richmond Raceway Complex. The twin sisters will share their home and design expertise with attendees on Feb. 28 and March 1, offering advice on budget-friendly home improvements and real estate insights.
“Be the Match”
Family’s urgent search for bone marrow donor to save 4-year-old son
Zion Ortiz was a week old when he was diagnosed with hemoglobin SS, a form of sickle cell disease. Eight months later, he suffered a stroke, leading to complications such as a diagnosis of a rare disease callaed moyamoya, two surgeries, a 21-day hospital stay and two additional stroke-like episodes in later years.
Second minister accuses T.D. Jakes of sexual misconduct in defamation suit
The Rev. Richard Edwin Youngblood, the brother of a minister who has accused Bishop T.D. Jakes of sexual misconduct, has made his own accusation involving Jakes, claiming the Texas megachurch leader climbed into bed with him on a church business trip.
Love Stories 2025
The Richmond Free Press presents its annual Valentine’s Day feature sharing the love stories of three Richmond area couples.
Shavonda and Errol were leaders dedicated to serving the community, but not each other. Despite crossing paths often in their community, they never exchanged words.
