Lydia Bayou, 4, of Glen Allen looks to fill her Easter basket Monday during an Easter egg hunt hosted by Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin outside the Executive Mansion in Capitol Square in Downtown. The seasonal event was for the staff of the Children’s Hospital of Richmond and their children. Lydia was accompanied by her parents, Fisseha Bayou and Miheret Yitayew, and her 6-year-old brother, Aaron Bayou.

City workers Zachary Smith and D’Jermaine Layne remove graffiti from a building in the 2900 block of West Broad Street that a city official described as an “eyesore in the middle of the city.” Mr. Smith and Mr. Layne are part of a Richmond Department of Public Works crew that focuses on eliminating unwanted scribbles, initials and messages spraypainted in public spaces and on public and privately owned buildings. The department currently deploys two teams of six people and is now assembling a third team to expand the effort, according to Bobby Vincent, director of the Department of Public Works. Mayor Levar M. Stoney visited the project Monday to spotlight the department’s efforts to remove graffiti and to show that the city is committed to this seemingly never-ending effort to keep buildings spruced up. Mr. Vincent reported that the crews already have removed graffiti from 1,000 locations since July 1, double the number from the same period in 2020-21. His hope is that the dedicated crews can deal with at least 1,500 locations by June 30 and do even more locations next year. In addition, the department is contacting building owners to get them involved in this ongoing initiative. “We want to be able to clean up,” he said, but he also noted that owners need to take responsibility for tackling the problem as well.

Events marking the 157th anniversary of the liberation of Richmond during the Civil War took place Sunday, April 3. On that day in 1865, soldiers and cavalry from the Union Army’s all-Black XXV Corps finally took control of Richmond, which Confederates set ablaze during their evacuation the previous evening. Above, Imani Bell, left, and her mother, Janine Bell, perform in the Elegba Folklore Society’s dance and musical drama, “African-American Reflections on the Civil War,” that debuted at the American Civil War Museum.

Ana Edwards of the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice and Equality speaks at a freedom ceremony in Fulton earlier in the day on the restoration of freedom in Richmond. The program was held at Main and Nicholson streets, the location on state Route 5 where Union Maj. Gen. Gregory Weitzel and the Black Corps he led first entered Richmond in 1865 and began the march to secure the city and extinguish the fires that destroyed 40 blocks along the riverfront. Beside Ms. Edwards is a photo of the state historic marker that stood at the location. The actual marker remembering the Union Corps’ advance into the city has been removed after the marker was knocked down and damaged “beyond repair,” according to state and city officials.

Dogwood blossoms on North Side

Carol Tony sings with the Virginia Union University Jazz Band last Saturday at the annual springtime VUU Jazz on the Lawn event. It was the first time since the pandemic that the jazz band has been able to perform in public. The band was led by Drew Miles, a VUU adjunct professor who also is the band director at Huguenot High School. The university’s Ambassadors of Sound Marching Band held a benefit fish fry during the event.

Despite chilly temperatures, students, supporters and music fans flocked to the lawn in front of the campus at Lombardy Street and Brook Road to enjoy the sounds.

Richmond’s 17th Street Market was filled with art and music last Saturday with the kickoff of the RVA Night Market. More than 30 vendors sold arts and other wares, including Todd Parsons, who sells a painting to Quinn Tucker.

Artists also were at work, including Justice Dwight, who was adding touches to a piece.

DJ and emcee Mad Skillz set the musical backdrop for the event, which was enjoyed by dozens of people. This is the fourth season for RVA Night Market, which will be open every second Saturday of the month with a revolving group of vendors, artists and musicians.

About 40 people attended Palm Sunday services in person at Westwood Baptist Church earlier this week. Many others joined via the internet. It was just the second week the historic 147-year-old church has held in-person services since December 2021. Deacon Kent Taylor hands a palm and a communion cup to Lynda Sharp Anderson as she enters the church last Sunday.

The Rev. Michael R. Lomax, the church’s 15th pastor, preached the service.

Palm Sunday, which marks the first day of Holy Week in the Christian faith, commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem just days before his crucifixion and resurrection. Sunday, April 17, is Easter Sunday, proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus.