Accountability without games
We lodged our grave concern last week in this space about the uncomfortably close relationship between the city’s director of public works and Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ church.
Wyatt T. Walker to be honored at VUU events
Civil rights icon and Virginia Union University alumnus Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker will be honored at events on the campus of his alma mater Thursday, Jan. 28, through Saturday, Jan. 30.
Award-winning poet Sonia Sanchez to speak Saturday at Film Festival
The Afrikana Independent Film Festival is introducing its “Evening with an Icon” film series with award-winning poet Sonia Sanchez. Ms. Sanchez, 81, will participate in an audience discussion about her life and work after a screening of the documentary about her, “BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez.”
VMFA to continue jazz café
Enjoy the smooth sounds of jazz for free at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Lack of diversity prompts Oscar boycott announcement
Director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith plan to boycott next month’s Academy Awards ceremony because black actors were shut out of nominations. The Academy acknowledged this week that it needs to do more to promote diversity after the Oscar nominees for acting that were announced last Thursday lacked black performers for a second straight year.
VUU takes game from VSU by 2 to claim Freedom Classic win
Long-limbed and athletic, Ray Anderson is gifted with excellent speed, quickness and jumping ability. Yet he does some of his best work standing still. In helping Virginia Union University win the Freedom Classic 70-68 over Virginia State University last Sunday at the Richmond Coliseum, Anderson left the Trojans in a “foul” mood.
VCU Rams prevail in overtime against UR
Anyone who has ever played the arcade game Whac-A-Mole can understand the frustration of Virginia Commonwealth University’s basketball foes. Each time you knock down one mole — in VCU’s case, containing one high scorer — another pops up. Consider:
Charles Oakley, Charlie Stukes among 2016 inductees into Va. Sports Hall of Fame
For the second year in a row, a former Virginia Union University basketball center has been named to the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Charles Oakley, the NCAA Division II Player of the Year for VUU in 1985, will be inducted April 30 at the Renaissance-Portsmouth Norfolk Waterfront Hotel in Portsmouth.
Pistons retire ‘Big Ben’ Wallace’s No.3
Ben Wallace wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school in Alabama. Nor was his name called in the NBA draft following a career at Virginia Union University. Despite that, he goes down as one of basketball’s all-time greats on the low post.
Hiring one, firing one among NFL black coaching ranks
The Cleveland Browns have turned to journeyman Hue Jackson to jumpstart the stalled franchise. The 50-year-old Jackson, most recently offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, is accepting what has been the NFL’s version of mission impossible. Since 1999 when the “new” Browns were born in Northeast Ohio, the franchise has gone 87-185, with just two playoff games (losses in 2002 and 2007). Coach Mike Pettine, after two years on the sidelines, was fired after going 3-13 this last season as the latest casualty on the coaching merry-go-round.
Seek solutions to today’s problems in working to realize Dr. King’s dream
“I came to help keep his memory and his dream alive. This is the least I can do after what he did for us,” said Barbara Moon after attending the 38th Annual Mass Meeting on Monday that honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The retired Richmond Public Schools teacher was among a few hundred people who braved sub-freezing temperatures to attend the inspiring community gathering at Cedar Street Baptist Church of God in the East End on the national holiday honoring Dr. King.
Sheriff Woody gives final salute to deceased veterans
Two soldiers and a sailor who died in Richmond will be buried next week with full military honors thanks to help from Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr.
Petersburg bomb dog remembered in service
The Petersburg Sheriff’s Office paid a final tribute this week to a faithful deputy — Tex, a bomb detection dog. The German shepherd was fondly remembered by his colleagues at a memorial service Wednesday afternoon in the office of Petersburg Sheriff Vanessa Crawford.
Pulpit to politics, remembering Leonidas B. Young II
The Rev. Leonidas B. Young II rose from the pulpit of historic Fourth Baptist Church in the East End to the pinnacle of Richmond political power, serving as the city’s mayor from 1994 to 1996. Elected to Richmond City Council representing the East End’s 7th District from 1992 to 1999, he was considered a rising political star by many at the time.
Personality: Lillie A. Estes
Spotlight on Mothers of Courage Award winner
Lillie A. Estes first got involved in efforts to improve the community as a high school student in Newport News. Friends urged her to join the NAACP Youth Council.
Bus Rapid Transit
Can Richmond afford to maintain proposed expensive bus service?
Can Richmond afford to operate the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system that promises speedier travel and is described as the biggest revamp in public bus service in the city in at least 50 years?
Private money dries up for Kanawha Plaza project
Last July, Richmond City Council gave Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ administration the green light to overhaul 35-year-old Kanawha Plaza, the three-acre park that sits across from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The council acted after being assured that virtually all of the $6 million cost would come from gifts from big corporations and law firms located near the park.
Richmond Public Schools losing budget director during critical season
Richmond Public Schools is losing one of its chief budget architects as the School Board and Superintendent Dana T. Bedden prepare to kick off their budget negotiations for fiscal year 2017 with Mayor Dwight C. Jones and Richmond City Council. Betsy Drewry, RPS director of budget and planning, will leave her position Friday, Feb. 5, to become director of budget and finance for Prince George County, she told the Free Press at Monday’s School Board meeting at City Hall. Ms. Drewry is exiting after 18 months in the position. She was the Prince George school system’s budget chief for 14 years prior to coming to Richmond.
Health care enrollment event rescheduled for Jan. 30
With snow expected this weekend, Celebrate Health- care has changed the date for its Richmond Enrollfest to Saturday, Jan. 30, for people to enroll in health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act’s Federal Health Insurance Marketplace. The event originally was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23.
Source: City Hall knew Adediran was managing church project
It was no secret at Richmond City Hall that city Public Works Director Emmanuel O. Adediran was doubling as project manager for a new $5.3 million sanctuary that First Baptist Church of South Richmond is building in Chesterfield County, the Free Press has learned. According to a highly knowledgeable source, “everyone knew (Mr. Adediran) had been asked by the mayor to help with the church project.”
