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Free Press staff report

Stories by Free Press

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VSU announces Hall and Wall of Fame Class of 2026

Virginia State University Athletics recently announced the Hall of Fame and Wall of Fame Class of 2026, recognizing former student-athletes, coaches, teams and supporters who made significant contributions to Trojan Athletics.

Evelyn Harris, acclaimed singer and educator, dies at 75

Evelyn Maria Harris, an acclaimed singer, composer, producer and devoted educator whose powerful voice and generous spirit enriched the world of vocal music for more than five decades, died Dec. 16. She was 75.

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Georgia dominates VCU in 4 Tha Culture opener

The University of Georgia Bulldogs delivered a commanding performance against VCU on Thursday night, cruising to a 72-53 victory at the Henrico Sports & Events Center as part of the 4 Tha Culture Holiday Hoops Classic.

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Mendoza earns top Hispanic football award

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was named the inaugural Hispanic Football Hall of Fame College Player of the Year on Dec. 18, an honor recognizing the nation’s most outstanding Hispanic college football player.

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Midtown64 development set to bring retail, apartments and hotel to Henrico

Greenberg Gibbons last week broke ground on Midtown64, a $500-plus million, 46-acre mixed-use development at the Interstate 64/Broad Street junction in Henrico County.

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Recycle your Christmas tree for free

Residents in Central Virginia can recycle their real Christmas trees at no cost through programs offered by localities in partnership with the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority.

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‘King James’ follows two friends through a decade of basketball devotion

Richmond Shakespeare will present “King James,” a comedy by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Rajiv Joseph, running Jan. 15 through Feb. 1 at Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Theatre Gym.

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Gov.-elect Spanberger appoints longtime public administrator to lead state operations

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has appointed Traci J. Deshazor as Virginia’s next secretary of administration, naming a longtime public administrator with experience in local, state and federal government.

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Hoops standout gives back with clinic, toy drive

Top 100 nationally ranked basketball player Timani Harris returned home Saturday to host a free basketball clinic and toy drive for local youth.

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A woman’s holiday tradition inspires

At 90, Dolores W. Whitaker still ushers in the holiday season one wreath at a time.

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Rashad Robinson launches monthly series ‘Freedom Table’ on NewsOne

NewsOne has launched a new monthly series, “Freedom Table,” hosted by social justice leader Rashad Robinson.

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Local organization bringing holiday support to inmates

Christmas can be a time of isolation for people behind bars, and organizations are working to provide support during the holiday season.

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VUU coach honored with Triad of Excellence Award

Franck Charles ’16 has turned Virginia Union University’s Track & Field and Cross Country programs into a model of excellence both on and off the track, earning him the Triad of Excellence Award from the John W. Barco Alumni Chapter.

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Olympian Chaunté Lowe to speak at wellness luncheon

Chaunté Lowe, four-time U.S. Olympian and American high jump record holder, will be the keynote speaker at the 31st annual Women and Wellness Luncheon hosted by VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.

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Virginia Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2026

Virginia’s top athletes, coaches and sports leaders will be celebrated in the spring as the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame unveiled its Class of 2026.

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Woodfin to sponsor fan area at CarMax Park

Woodfin-Your Home Team and the Richmond Flying Squirrels will continue their partnership as the local HVAC and plumbing company has been announced as a founding partner of CarMax Park, according to the teams.

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NY pastor pleads guilty to tax evasion in church embezzlement case

Paul Mitchell, 60, the lead pastor of a Brooklyn church and president of an affiliated daycare, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to tax evasion in federal court.

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High school star Timani Harris to host basketball clinic, toy drive

Richmond native and ESPN Top 100 nationally ranked athlete Timani Harris, who currently plays high school basketball for DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Florida, will host a free basketball clinic and toy drive in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond on Saturday, Dec. 20.

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Hampton hires Malone to lead football program

Hampton University named Van Malone as its 23rd head football coach last week, tapping a veteran assistant with 23 years of college coaching experience to lead the Pirates’ storied program.

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Casino holding job fair downtown

Live! Casino Virginia will hold a job fair Thursday, Dec. 18 in downtown Richmond as it prepares for the opening of its temporary gaming facility in Petersburg.

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Richmond fire officials urge safety after fatal house fire

The Richmond Fire Department is urging residents to prioritize fire safety ahead of the holidays after a weekend house fire killed two people.

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Virginia Legislative Black Caucus announces new leadership team

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has announced its executive leadership team for the 2026-28 term, naming Del. Luke Torian as chair.

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Capital City Kwanzaa Festival returns Dec. 27

The Elegba Folklore Society will present the 2025 Capital City Kwanzaa Festival on Saturday, Dec. 27 from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Greater Richmond Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall B.

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Spanberger inaugural committee unveils weekend event schedule

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s inaugural committee has released the schedule for the Commonwealth’s upcoming inauguration weekend, set for Jan. 16-18.

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VUU’s Allen, SCSU’s Lunz named HBCU GO Football Players of the Year

Curtis Allen of Virginia Union University and Michael Lunz II of South Carolina State University were named the 2025 HBCU GO Football Players of the Year, recognizing the top offensive and defensive performers in historically Black college and university football.

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Seminary partnership receives $10M for leadership program

Union Presbyterian Seminary has received a $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch Seminary Extended: Strengthening Pastoral Leadership, a collaborative initiative with Eastern Mennonite Seminary and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

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Lego partners with Children’s Museum for holiday charity campaign

Community members built more than 150 Lego brick hearts in Chesterfield County on Dec. 12, part of the toy company’s campaign to encourage people to share their creations online and help children in need.

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Petersburg’s stars shine, John Marshall dominates in ‘Battle’ wins

Division I talent was on full display Saturday night as nationally ranked Petersburg and city rival John Marshall delivered commanding victories in “The Battle 2025” doubleheader at Virginia State University’s Multipurpose Center.

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Student-athletes honored at Maxie Awards banquet

Richmond’s student-athletes were celebrated Dec. 3 during the third annual Maxie Awards banquet at the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center.

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VUU track and field posts standout results at indoor opener

Virginia Union University’s track and field teams opened the indoor season with a surge of early success, highlighted by multiple school records, event wins and breakout performances across two meets.

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VMFA returns 41 ancient terracotta fragments

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has deaccessioned and returned 41 ancient polychrome terracotta reliefs after an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit determined they had been looted.

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Trooper breaks window to pull driver from burning Tesla

A Virginia state trooper, along with several Good Samaritans, helped rescue a Maryland man from a burning Tesla early Friday.

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Applications open for Richmond Poet Laureate position

With less than a year remaining in the city’s current Poet Laureate term, Richmond officials have opened applications for the next poet to serve in the role.

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Kickers sign fullback Mujeeb Murana

The Richmond Kickers have signed fullback Mujeeb Murana, pending league and federation approval.

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Kamala Harris to appear in Richmond to discuss ‘107 Days’

Former Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Richmond on Feb. 2 for a conversation inspired by her bestselling book, “107 Days.”

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School Board seeks interim 6th district representative

The 6th District seat on the Richmond School Board will soon have a new occupant, at least temporarily, as the board begins the search to fill the vacancy left by Shonda Harris-Muhammed’s resignation effective Dec. 31.

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Chamber outlines decadelong business strategy

The Virginia Chamber of Commerce unveiled its long-term economic strategy, Blueprint Virginia 2035, during the 2025 Virginia Economic Summit and Forum on International Trade, presenting the plan to Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger.

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Fritz Sassine named director of Division of Legislative Automated Systems

Fritz Sassine has been named director of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems at Capitol Square in Richmond, the Virginia General Assembly announced.

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Library of Virginia plans major renovation of downtown building

The Library of Virginia is planning a major renovation of its downtown Richmond building at 800 E. Broad St., reimagining more than 112,000 square feet on the first and second floors to improve accessibility, flexibility and community engagement.

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‘Nutcracker’ continues holiday run at Carpenter Theatre

Richmond Ballet’s annual production of “The Nutcracker” is being presented at the Carpenter Theatre through Dec. 23, marking the company’s continuation of a signature holiday tradition.

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Downtown Ashland launches ‘The Great Raccoon Hunt’

Downtown Ashland has turned a local raccoon’s viral fame into a holiday scavenger hunt.

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Spanberger picks Candi King as Secretary of the Commonwealth

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday named Del. Candi Mundon King as Virginia’s next Secretary of the Commonwealth, choosing a lawmaker and longtime community advocate to oversee constituent services and state board appointments in the incoming administration.

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Secretariat’s early training grounds preserved in Virginia

Nearly 350 acres of farmland where Triple Crown champion Secretariat once roamed as a colt will remain permanently protected, preserving one of the most important landscapes in thoroughbred racing history.

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Holiday Hoops Classic to debut in Henrico

The inaugural 4 Tha Culture Holiday Hoops Classic, a new women’s basketball showcase, is set to take place Dec. 19-21 at the Henrico Sports & Events Center.

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Jones names senior leadership team for attorney general’s office

Attorney General-elect Jay Jones recently announced three senior members of his leadership team who will serve when he takes office in January.

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Richmond Fire Department picks three new deputy chiefs

The Richmond Fire Department has appointed three new deputy chiefs to oversee operations, support services and administration.

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VCU pulls away from Virginia Tech in Battle 4 Atlantis

VCU closed out its Battle 4 Atlantis run with an 86-68 win over Virginia Tech on Friday in Nassau, Bahamas, behind a career-best performance from sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr.

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Spiders add sprint and hurdles coach Andre Moore

The University of Richmond has added Andre Moore to its track and field staff as an assistant coach, bringing the Richmond native back to the program for the first time since 2018.

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H-SC will add club squash with new facility, coach

Hampden-Sydney College will add club squash to its athletic offerings in the 2026- 27 academic year, the school announced.

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VSU taps award-winning actor Rob Morgan for keynote

Virginia State University recently announced that award-winning actor and VSU alumnus Rob Morgan will deliver the keynote address at the school’s Fall 2025 commencement.

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