New Year’s holiday schedule
In observance of the New Year’s Day 2017 holiday, please note the following: City and county public schools: Winter break began Monday, Dec. 19. Schools reopen Monday, Jan 2, 2017.
City bonuses may cause future budget problems
Just days before leaving office, Mayor Dwight C. Jones quietly awarded nearly $2 million in bonuses to most of the city’s 4,000 employees in seeking to brighten their holidays and thank them for their “dedication and commitment” during his tenure.
Jan. 3 deadline to register to vote in state Senate election
to register to vote in state Senate election
Under scrutiny, Trump announces plans to dissolve his foundation
President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to dissolve his charitable foundation, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which has been under investigation by the New York attorney general. The president-elect gave no timeline for winding down the foundation, but said in a statement released on Dec. 24 that he wanted “to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president.”
Plans advance to build memorial, museum to U.S. lynching victims
The Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to indigent defendants and prisoners denied fair and just treatment in the legal system, plans to open the first national memorial to African-American victims of lynching.
DeVry University agrees to $100M fraud settlement
Special to Trice Edney News Wire For the third time in two years, a large, for-profit college has faced charges of defrauding its students. This time, the charges stem from promises of jobs and incomes that never materialized. On Dec. 15, the suburban Chicago-based DeVry University agreed to a $100 million settlement to end a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission last January.
Architect of new National Museum of African American History & Culture has ALS
The lead architect of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture disclosed that he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease earlier this year.
Kwanzaa 50-year-old holiday
Henrico family sees value, impact of celebrating the 7 principles of the 50-year-old holiday
Shakila Davis and her family have celebrated Kwanzaa since the 1970s. And for Mrs. Davis, celebrating the African-American holiday that is now in its 50th year is as important as ever.
Va. Republicans announce plans to roll back welfare benefits
Virginia Republicans will seek to make the government program known as Temporary Aid to Needy Families, or TANF, even more temporary in the upcoming General Assembly session — potentially impacting tens of thousands of poor families in Richmond and other localities across the state.
Scholarship aimed at helping former inmates
A new scholarship has been set up to help former inmates at Richmond’s jail gain work in the building trades, attend community college or secure a high school equivalency degree, or GED. Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. announced the program as part of a partnership with a Richmond area nonprofit that provides re-entry services to released offenders, OAR, which stands for Opportunity, Alliance, Re-Entry.
Bon Secours deal with city crumbles on Westhampton school building
Outgoing Mayor Dwight C. Jones has long complained that he never received proper credit for the deal he crafted with the Bon Secours hospital system that brought the Washington pro football team’s training camp to Richmond.
Richmond registrar needs money for Jan.10 special election
Richmond Voter Registrar Kirk Showalter is gearing up for the Richmond special election Tuesday, Jan. 10, when voters will pick a new state senator to replace A. Donald McEachin, who is heading to Washington to represent the 4th Congressional District.
All for ‘Merry Christmas’
When December dawns, thoughts turn to the greatest of all seasons — Christmas. A lot of customs have become associated with Christmas since the reason for this great season was born more than 2,000 years ago. The birth of Christ changed the world and offered hope and eternal life to all who believe in him.
A right to express one’s feelings
While the Obama presidency and the year itself both come to an end, the double standard extant between folks of color and others continues unchecked.
Change takes place from the bottom up
When President Obama first ran on the slogan, “Yes We Can,” I was all in. I, as well as others, understood the importance of a collective effort to affect progressive change.
Investigate voter suppression
The CIA conclusion that the Russians intervened in our elections in order to help elect Republican Donald Trump has sent Washington into one of its fabled tizzies.
Ben Carson: A never-ending nightmare
When Ben Carson emphatically declared that he has no government experience that would qualify him to run a federal agency, most took this to mean that he would quietly fade from public attention. We should have known better.
Holiday wishes
To our Free Press readers, subscribers, advertisers and supporters,
Cherished Holiday Memories
The holidays for many represent a season of light during the darkest time of the year. Whether you spend this season celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, the memories we create with family, friends, loved ones — and even strangers — stick with us for a lifetime.
Capital City Kwanzaa Festival set for Dec. 30 at Altria
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Kwanzaa, the seven-day holiday created by Pan-African scholar Dr. Maulana Karenga.
