Allen Iverson lone Virginian to be inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
Richmond’s high schools got an early glimpse of Allen Iverson’s athletic greatness. Before taking his talents to Georgetown University, the NBA and what will soon be the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Iverson left his mark on RVA.
HU’s Miles Grooms awaiting draft call from NFL
A native Richmonder who got a late start in football could be Hampton University’s next NFL entry. Miles Grooms hopes to hear his name called in the NFL draft scheduled for Thursday, April 28, through Saturday, April 30, in Chicago.
Gabby poised for gold at 2016 Summer Olympics
Gabby Douglas is seeking to become the first gymnast since Romanian Nadia Comaneci to win gold medals at back-to-back Olympics.
Brady’s ‘Deflategate’ suspension upheld
A U.S. appeals court on Monday restored the four-game “Deflategate” suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, handing the National Football League a victory in the latest round in a battle with one of its marquee players. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York reversed a federal judge’s ruling that had overturned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision to penalize Brady over his alleged involvement in a scheme to deflate footballs used in a 2015 playoff game. The Patriots won that game over the Indianapolis Colts, putting the Patriots in the final where they won the Super Bowl.
RISC to host ‘Nehemiah Action’ at St. Paul’s Baptist Church
An interfaith group of more than 1,600 people are expected to gather 7 p.m. Monday, May 2, at St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Henrico County.
Temple of Judah starts ‘God’s Army’ initiative
The congregation of a Richmond church is taking to the streets in a bid to use prayer to halt the rash of homicides afflicting the city.
Oprah Winfrey to star in black megachurch TV drama series
Oprah Winfrey is returning to scripted television more than two decades after her last regular small screen acting gig in a show that is close to her heart — a family drama centered around a black megachurch in Memphis.
Most Americans pray for healing
The vast majority of Americans have prayed for the healing of others, and more than one in four have practiced the laying on of hands, a Baylor University expert reports.
Goodnight, sweet Prince
Fans in the Richmond area and around the world are listening to their favorite Prince songs, watching his iconic movie “Purple Rain” and partying like it’s 1999 in memory and honor of the pop icon who died Thursday, April 21, 2016, in his hometown of Minneapolis.
‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ singer Billy Paul dies at 80
Billy Paul, a jazz and soul singer best known for the No. 1 hit ballad and “Philadelphia Soul” classic “Me and Mrs. Jones,” died Sunday, April 24, 2016.
Hoops legend ‘Pearl’ Washington, 52, dies
Basketball legends often leave a personal calling card. For some, it’s soaring dunks. For others, it’s 3-point accuracy, defense, toughness under the boards or floor leadership. Dwayne Washington, known as “Pearl,” is remembered best for his signature cross-over dribble — a quicksilver strike that froze defenders and helped put Syracuse University on the college hoops map.
Rodney Sledge, former standout at George Wythe, dead at 41
Longtime football standout Rodney Alan Sledge, nicknamed “Percy,” died Monday, April 18, 2016, from injuries suffered in a March 29 automobile ac- cident on Interstate 95 in Chesterfield County. He was 41.
Personality: Marilyn H. West
Spotlight on board president of Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia
The doors are about to open at the new Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia in Jackson Ward, and Marilyn H. West can barely contain her excitement.
U.S. Supreme Court hears appeal of convicted former Gov. McDonnell
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday in former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s appeal of his conviction on corruption charges involving $177,000 in gifts and sweetheart loans from a businessman seeking to promote a dietary supplement.
Cleveland to pay $6M in Tamir Rice’s death
Cleveland officials have agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2014, according to documents filed in federal court on Monday.
3 team up to find new home for Squirrels in Boulevard area
Public pressure to keep baseball on the Boulevard appears to be having an impact. In a new effort, Mayor Dwight C. Jones is teaming up with the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Virginia Commonwealth University to find a site for a new ballpark near The Diamond, but not on the 60 acres of public property the city wants to redevelop.
City Council continues talks on school funding
Richmond City Council appears to be stuck between a rock and a hard place as it seeks to craft a balanced $709 million operating budget that would become effective July 1. On one side are passionate supporters of Richmond’s public schools who want the council to shift more local tax dollars into public education to avoid the potential shutdown of Armstrong High School and four elementary schools. Find the money, they say.
Fill schools, not jails
More than 200 demonstrators call for more school funding
Kevin Lauray resolutely marched across the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge late Monday afternoon with his 4-year-old daughter, Aiyanna Lauray, on his shoulders as she held high a sign, “Support Our Schools.” His girlfriend, Shaira Maravilla, and their four other children walked the distance — from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in the East End, across the bridge, to City Hall — with a crowd of about 200 to demand more money for Richmond Public Schools.
Morgan Bullock stands out in Irish dance
Morgan Bullock is starting to make a name for herself in the fast-growing arena of Irish dance. In late March, the Richmond area teen placed 50th for her solo dancing in her first foray into World Irish Dance Championships, becoming the only Virginian to be ranked among the 200 competitors in the age 15-16 category. She qualified to participate in the competition in Glasgow, Scotland, by placing among the top 15 dancers in regional competition in Dallas.
Power to vote
Gov. McAuliffe boldly restores voting rights of 206,000 Virginians, including disenfranchised African-Americans
David Mosby no longer feels like a second-class citizen. After years of being barred from the ballot box because of his criminal record, the 46-year-old home improvement contractor is finally able to vote and fully take part in the life of his community.
