Leona Robinson, age 2, takes a break among the snacks from cheering duties in between basketball games at the Hotchkiss Community Center on Jan 27.

The Hotchkiss Eagle Cheerleaders were on hand Jan. 27 to hype the crowd for a series of youth basketball games at the Hotchkiss Community Center. The Hotchkiss facility, located at 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd. is among several schools and other community centers designated by the City of Richmond as safe spaces for the community.

At the invitation of Charles Willis, executive director of United Communities Against Crime, various officials including Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Mayor Levar M. Stoney, interim Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards, Henrico Police Chief Eric D. English, Delegate Delores L. McQuinn, Richmond NAACP President J.J. Minor and various members of local police units came together at Jackson Ward’s Abner Clay Park on Jan. 30 to honor the life of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols of Memphis, Tenn. Mr. Nichols was a FedEx employee who died after being beaten by five Memphis police officers last month following an alleged traffic stop.

Tree art at Forest Hill Park