
Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin selected as new Petersburg schools superintendent
Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin will start Monday, July 1, as the new superintendent of the 4,200-student public school division in Petersburg.

City Hall again hit with overtime lawsuit
City Hall has spent more than $12 million since 2012 to settle lawsuits over its failure to pay required overtime to employees ranging from police officers to social workers, sheriff’s deputies and former mayoral bodyguards.

New laws tax cigarettes in city, raise smoking age statewide
Smoke ’em if you got ’em, because the cost of cigarettes and vaping is about to go up in more ways than one.

Arthur Ashe Jr., ‘A true champion’: Thousands celebrate dedication of Arthur Ashe Boulevard
Local, state and national figures joined a crowd of thousands Saturday at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture to celebrate the official renaming of Arthur Ashe Boulevard.

Anne Holton new interim president of George Mason
She has been called “First Lady,” “Your honor,” “Madame Secretary” and now “President.” Anne Holton, wife of Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, has been named interim president of George Mason University in Northern Virginia.

Waiver expansion undermines RPS absenteeism policy
Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras has quietly undermined a Richmond School Board effort to crack down on the serious problem of chronic absenteeism by students.

Mayor introduces measure to ban guns from city buildings, parks
Mayor Levar M. Stoney wants to ban guns from city buildings, parks, recreation centers and other community facilities.

Voting is key to change, CBC members say
Call it better living through politicking. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus emphasized the importance of political power as the key to positive change locally, statewide and nationally Saturday afternoon at the State of Black America Town Hall.

Rekindling memories of childhood and pal Arthur
For one group of men, Arthur Ashe Jr. is more than a tennis superstar and internationally recognized crusader for human rights and bringing awareness and resources to the AIDS epidemic.

RPS officials fail to explain faulty, fluctuating graduation figures
There has been a sudden surge in the number of students graduating from Richmond Public Schools — and not just from Armstrong High School. RPS officials this week are reporting that 963 seniors received their diplomas during recent graduation ceremonies from the city’s nine high schools.

Former Armstrong High School site
Cityscape: Slices of life and scenes in Richmond
Call it a brand new look for the site of the former Armstrong High School in the 1600 block of North 31st Street in the East End, where these nearly complete apartments now line the street.

Make GRTC bus stops graffiti-free
The letter writer of “All GRTC bus stops need benches” has a great point!

Making benches at GRTC bus stops an issue would get results
Letters to the editor
Re Letters to the editor, “All GRTC bus stops need benches,” Free Press, June 6-8 edition: Ernest Parker Jr. is absolutely right that every GRTC bus stop should have a bench. Stops should have a shelter as well. Human dignity demands it.

More on Ashe celebration
Letters to the Editor
Re “Friends of Battery Park to celebrate Mr. Ashe,” Free Press June 13-15 edition: Thank you so much for publicizing the event we are planning in celebration of the naming of Arthur Ashe Boulevard on Saturday, June 22.

Trump and trade
Columnists
For Donald Trump, America First is increasingly translating into America alone. He apparently believes the United States is so dominant that it needs no friends.

A moral demand
I had the opportunity recently to participate in the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Along with Jerry Paris, general manager of WPFW-FM 89.3, and the Rev. Graylan Hagler, I was invited to co-anchor the program carried by WPFW-FM radio.

Dr. Watson to speak Saturday at Black History Museum
Dr. Lance D. Watson, senior pastor of St. Paul’s Baptist Church, will talk about his childhood, mentors, mantras and memories Saturday, June 22, as part of the Inside Out series of conversations with influential people in Virginia at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia.

‘Food Justice, Healthy Eating Fair’ this Saturday
A coalition of faith-based groups is hosting “Food Justice, Healthy Eating Fair,” featuring interactive healthy food demonstrations, performances by dancers and drummers, a vendor marketplace and a tour of a community garden 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at Second Baptist Church of South Richmond, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd.

One of ‘Fab Five’ returns to alma mater as Michigan’s new basketball coach
Juwan Howard is a towering man facing a towering task.