
Black newspapers needed more than ever
In 1960, black people in Virginia watched as the state changed the laws against trespassing to make it a more serious crime, with the penalty raised from a $100 fine to $1,000. This action was taken by the then all-white legislature in an attempt to combat the Civil Rights Movement and to more severely punish the activists engaging in sit-ins.
Unvarnished truth
There’s a tendency when people retire or die for their good deeds to be overinflated, covering up the flaws, missteps or poor choices in their lives or careers.
Life’s lessons
Life is full of lessons, as we all learn, no matter how long we live or how far or high we may go. Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney learned a big one this week with Steven Hammond Jr., a felon he hired to work in his office in the position of executive assistant.

Minority teachers, students facing same challenges of Jim Crow South
Unequal pay for teachers of color, poor quality education for African-American students, neglecting African-American history in school curricula and political activism as a means to improve education were among the major issues for African-Americans prior to the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education.

Book expo Feb. 26 at Elegba Folklore Society
Authors of adult and children’s books will be featured speakers at the Black History Book Exposition to be held 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Elegba Folklore Society, 101 E. Broad St. in Downtown, it has been announced.

3 area students receive scholarships from Pi Lambda Theta
Three Richmond area high school seniors with dreams of becoming teachers received scholarships last Saturday at the annual Masquerade Gala benefit dinner-dance of the Virginia Area Chapter of Pi Lambda Theta International Honor Society and Professional Association in Education.

Oprah Winfrey to join ‘60 Minutes’
Oprah Winfrey has been named a “special contributor” to CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” Ms. Winfrey will bring occasional reports to the Sunday night television news magazine starting this fall, when it begins its 50th season on the air.

VUU coaches named CIAA Coaches of the Year
Virginia Union University may need to expand its trophy case following the CIAA Basketball Tip-Off Awards Luncheon on Monday in Charlotte, N.C.

VUU seeded No.1 for CIAA Tournament
Virginia Union University has drawn all “sevens” for this week’s CIAA Basketball Tournament. The Panthers must hope the 7 p.m. scheduled start times will spell long overdue good fortune. With a 22-6 overall record and a 14-2 record in the CIAA, Coach Jay Butler’s team is the No. 1 seed from the Northern Division and will open at 7 p.m. in Thursday’s quarterfinals. VUU’s first opponent will be the survivor of play-in games involving Elizabeth City State, Johnson C. Smith and Bowie State universities.

George Wythe banking on 3-point shooter in playoffs
George Wythe High School’s basketball opponents are in trouble — make that triple trouble — whenever Eugene Williams uncorks a jump shot.

John Marshall ready for regional playoffs with tall men in front, back court
Richmond’s John Marshall High School boasts perhaps the tallest basketball front line in Virginia in 6-foot-9 Isaiah Todd, 6-foot-7 Isaiah Anderson and 6-foot-6 Greg Jones.

Fouls central part of Rams’ strategy
Virginia Commonwealth University’s winning basketball recipe includes balanced scoring plus a little discussed “secret” ingredient — balanced fouling. Now with eight straight wins after last Friday’s 84-73 victory at the University of Richmond, the Rams are 22-5 heading into difficult Atlantic 10 Conference road tests at the University of Rhode Island and the University of Dayton.

Trump decries anti-Semitism, racism after D.C. museum visit
President Trump called anti-Semitic violence “horrible” and vowed on Tuesday to take steps to counter extremism.

James Brown’s ‘Funky Drummer’ Clyde Stubblefield dies at 73
Clyde Stubblefield, a drummer for James Brown who created one of the most widely sampled drum breaks ever, died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017.

Woman at center of landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights case dies at 69
Norma McCorvey, whose legal challenge under the pseudonym “Jane Roe” led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision that legalized abortion but who later became an outspoken opponent of the procedure, died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. She was 69.

Personality: Edward H. Baine
Spotlight on recipient of the Anthony R. James Legacy Award
When 2.6 million Dominion customers in Virginia and North Carolina turn on their lights each day, they have Edward H. Baine to thank.

Petitions withdrawn seeking ouster of Petersburg officials
Petersburg Mayor Samuel D. Parham, 3rd Ward, and Councilman W. Howard Myers, 5th Ward, are keeping their city council seats.

Details still fuzzy on true cost of Altria gift to RPS
A subsidiary of Altria Group announced last month that it was donating a 288,000-square-foot building in South Side to Richmond Public Schools.

Downtown snags Owens & Minor expansion with new jobs
Hundreds of new, well-paying jobs are heading to Downtown.

South Side company plans to double workforce
Richmond gained a separate jobs boost Wednesday as TemperPack, an innovative packaging manufacturer, announced plans to invest $2 million to double its workforce in South Side.