Saints’ scoring machine
St. Christopher’s School senior Nick Sherod is threatening some of Virginia’s most hallowed scoring marks. The 6-foot-5 player for the Saints who has committed to the University of Richmond began this week with 2,692 career points. He has averaged 22.4 points per game since his freshman season.
Harold S. Lilly Sr., 71, longtime Richmond organist and choir director
“He was a giant among giants in music,” said gospel keyboardist and choir director Larry Bland. “There will never be another like him,” said gospel music director Johnny J. Branch.
Video ban raises concern
The African-American members of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors voiced frustration this week after Henrico school leaders apologized for showing a 4-minute video to students Feb. 4 at Glen Allen High School that portrayed the oppression and systematic racism in the United States that African-Americans have endured for centuries.
Va. Tech scientist to Richmonders: use water filters for protection
Attach a $20 filter to each of the water taps you use for drinking or cooking. And regularly change the filter cartridges. That’s the only to way to ensure you aren’t getting poisonous lead in your water, according to Dr. Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech environmental scientist who has won hero status for proving people in Flint, Mich., were being poisoned by their drinking water.
A tale of two campaign offices:
Hillary and Bernie in Richmond
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton each have opened campaign offices in Richmond ahead of the upcoming Virginia presidential primary Tuesday, March 1.
Henrico School Board to set hearing on Byrd name change
Leaders of a growing campaign to rename Harry F. Byrd Middle School in Henrico County are asking the Henrico School Board to ensure that the county’s growing African- American population is provided an equal voice in the community discussion on the issue.
Coalition strategizes to end violence
As nearly 400 people met at an East End church last week to discuss solutions to stem the tide of violence in the city, Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham somberly rose to address the audience.
Scalia’s death sets up showdown over high court
Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died, setting up a major political showdown between President Obama and the Republican-controlled Senate over who will replace him just months before a presidential election.
Tree axed
Committee votes to remove oak from Walker statue site
The live oak tree will be axed from the site where the Maggie L. Walker statue will stand in Downtown. The tree’s fate was sealed Saturday when sculptor Antonio T. “Toby” Mendez met with the Richmond Public Art Commission’s Site Selection Team, led by architect Sarah Driggs.
City charter school flunks accreditation
A Richmond charter school has been denied accreditation, providing fresh ammunition to foes of a Republican push to open the floodgates to create such schools.
Family seeks criminal charges in Taser death by police
Gwendolyn Smalls said not a day goes by that she and her family don’t feel anguish over the inhumane and unnecessary death of her 46-year-old brother, Linwood R. Lambert Jr. The former Richmond resident died nearly three years ago while he was in the custody of three South Boston police officers who fired 20 Taser shots at him while his hands and legs were shackled.
Stalking, trespass charges against child advocate absolved
The big case is still ahead. But two charges against an advocate for special needs children have been dismissed or absolved. Last month, Kandise N. Lucas was acquitted of trespassing at Falling Creek Middle School.
Snowstorm plows through city budget
The winter storm that dumped 12 inches of snow on Richmond three weeks ago did more than snarl traffic, stall mail service and close schools.j
CARE van drivers still without contract
Elderly and disabled people who ride the specialty CARE van are seeing improved service and are registering fewer com- plaints, GRTC reports. Currently, about one in five rides arrives late, compared with one in four late arrivals logged last April, data from the transit company indicates.
‘Do we really want what Hillary Clinton has to offer?’
If Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee for president, chances are that the Republicans will never allow her to run a successful race. They will dredge up every scandal she and Bill Clinton have been involved in since he was governor of Arkansas, and there have been many.
Reaching toward justice
Bryan Stevenson’s inspiring and best-selling book “Just Mercy” shares some of the fruits of his lifelong fight to push our nation closer to true justice. In January, our nation took two more steps forward in the ongoing struggle to treat children like children and ensure a fairer justice system for all, especially for our poor and those of color.
Pro football’s double standard
Despite Cam Newton leading the Carolina Panthers to a 15-1 record during the regular season and two playoff victories en route to his being selected the NFL’s Most Valuable Player and six black quarterbacks playing in the Super Bowl, black quarterbacks are still routinely subjected to a double-standard by fans and the media. In an error-filled game in which neither star quarterback played particularly well, Newton’s team lost Sunday to the Denver Broncos 24-10. Even so, he had a stellar season by all accounts: Throwing for 3,837 yards, including a league-high of 35 touchdowns, and running 636 yards, accounting for 10 more touchdowns. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro and received 48 of the 50 votes cast for league MVP.
Queen Bey and the Super Bowl
We’ve just about had our fill of uninformed critiques from the peanut gallery about Beyonce’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl last Sunday. Everyone from former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to journalists and spectators around the world have tweeted, posted and dissected everything about it.
The human cost
The painful truth about America has emerged with the poisoned water in Flint, Mich. Top state and federal officials, including Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and regional Environmental Protection Agency officials, knew more than a year ago that residents of Flint were being harmed by toxic levels of lead in the city’s water supply. Yet, they did nothing to stop it. The situation in Flint has been compared to that of Third World nations. Critics also have used the word “genocide” in describing the deliberate and unabated damage done to the city of nearly 100,000 people, 57 percent of whom are African-American and 40 percent of whom are poor.
Love Stories
We formally met in the spring of 1999, introduced by mutual friends at a poetry and live music event. Our paths had crossed a few times the previous year.
