
RPS’ ‘Lit Limo’ keeps the joy of reading alive during the summer and into the fall
When Richmond Public Schools’“Lit Limo” literacy bus cruised to neighborhoods across the city delivering books and activities in English and Spanish for students of all ages, it was a great relief to parents and school administrators alike.

Former Lt. Gov. John H. Hager dies at 83
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. John H. Hager, a Republican and former tobacco executive who served from 1998 to 2002, has died at the age of 83.

Kirk Franklin sweeps with 6 Stellar Awards
Kirk Franklin served as a co-host and also walked off with the most awards at the virtual 35th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.

Civil rights groups to commemorate 57th anniversary of historic March on Washington
A series of events led by a coalition of civil rights groups such as the NAACP, the National Action Network and a coalition, including Martin Luther King III and the families of George Floyd, Eric Garner and Breonna Taylor, will commemorate the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington that was led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WE CARE Community Giveaway slated for Sunday in North Side
A coalition of eight North Side churches is sponsoring the annual WE CARE Community Giveaway from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School, 2300 1st Ave. in Highland Park.

Personality: Jennifer R. Kostyniuk
Spotlight on board chair of Rx Partnership
From a childhood in the Girl Scouts to becoming chair of the board of directors for Rx Part- nership, Jennifer R. Kostyniuk has long known the value of community service.

RPS revises food distribution schedule beginning Aug. 31
Richmond Public Schools is going to a new food distribution schedule with new locations to accommodate students and families receiving meals before the 9:15 a.m. start of the school day.

RRHA’s annual plan for 2019-20 finally approved by HUD
It took nearly a year, but the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has finally received federal approval for its 2019-20 annual plan.

Ban on utility cutoffs extended to Sept. 16
A ban on cutting off electricity, water and other utility services of people who have not paid their bills has been extended from Monday, Aug. 31, to Wednesday, Sept. 16.

VSU, other colleges dealing with changes because of COVID-19
Virginia State University officials announced this week that campus housing will not be reopened and all courses will remain online this fall to avoid the spread of COVID-19 — a prime example of the upheaval students, parents and schools are facing now that classes have begun.

Henrico distributing PPEs to targeted neighborhoods; Richmond sets up mask distribution network
Henrico County is distributing 20,000 reusable cloth face masks, bottles of hand sanitizer and informational packets about COVID-19 in personal protective equipment care kits to be distributed Thursday and Friday, Aug. 27 and 28.

City rent and mortgage assistance program to get additional $8M in federal funds
City Hall will pump an additional $8 million into a rent and mortgage assistance program in a bid to help hundreds of strug- gling Richmond families avoid eviction.

State watchdog agency examining special education system
First came a scathing federal report on the failure of the Virginia Department of Education to effectively monitor the special education programs that local public school divisions provide to children with learning disabilities and mental challenges.

Former city councilman pushing African-American perspective missing in Lee statue lawsuit
New drama is about to be injected into the already charged legal fight over removing the last and largest offensive Confederate statue from Monument Avenue — the one to slavery’s top military defender, Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Trump uses Black people to defend him at RNC
President Trump has aggressively asserted control over the Republican National Convention, a four-day event that started Monday and featured African-Americans defending the president’s history of racist rhetoric and actions. Former NFL star Herschel Walker, speaking on the opening night, defended President Trump, whom he called a “personal friend,” and said he isn’t a racist.

Not again
Wisconsin man, 29, paralyzed after being shot in the back Sunday by police as his children watched
Suddenly there is a new name and a new face to remind people that the lesson of George Floyd has not sunk in among many in the police rank and file.

Eric English to become Henrico’s first Black police chief
For the first time in its history, Henrico County will have an African-American police chief.

The 19th Amendment
“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” — 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution