Friday, August 26
Keep politics out of Richmond races
Let us not have political party influence or interference in any of our local elections. As divisive and dysfunctional as the political climate is, we should certainly want Richmond to be a political-free zone.
Journalist George Curry ‘will be missed’
I write as a native of Richmond, mail subscriber to the Richmond Free Press and a current resident of Tuscaloosa, Ala., hometown of the late George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service.
‘American people cannot afford another recession’
We have made tremendous strides over the last eight years to dig ourselves out of one of the deepest recessions the United States has seen in decades. Under President Obama, we have gone from losing more than 800,000 jobs per month to the longest sustained monthly job growth in our nation’s history.
Make America ‘great’ again?
Our American exceptionalism allows us to shimmer too fully in our greatness. We are the biggest and the baddest. We are the best armed and the most influential. We win the most Olympic medals, and we have the most nuclear weapons. America, the greatest! We are so great that we wave our flags and shout, “USA! USA!”
Injustice with no action, little notice
Now it is Milwaukee. On Aug. 13, a car with two African-American men was stopped for “suspicion.” The men fled, the policeman pursued, and driver Sylville Smith, reportedly armed, was shot and killed.
Racism and ignorance: A dangerous combination
We are sick of Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump about now. His 11th-hour attempts to court “the blacks,” as he has referred to us on several occasions, show us what we already know — that he is both ignorant and racist.
Roland Martin kicks off African Arrival Day commemoration
A blistering August sun did not deter guests from attending a special outdoor ceremony last Saturday at Fort Monroe in Hampton. The event, staged to remember the 1619 arrival of the first 20 Africans to America, was held on the fort grounds near the site of the first arrival.
National Park Service activities commemorate 100th anniversary
National parks in Richmond and Petersburg are hosting events this weekend commemorating the 100th anniversary of the creation of the National Park Service.
10th Annual WE CARE Festival slated for Saturday
Music, games, health screenings and a giveaway of school supplies will highlight the 10th Annual WE CARE Festival this weekend.
Wiley lecture at VMFA Aug. 26
Dr. Eugenie Tsai, curator of the popular Kehinde Wiley exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will discuss the selection and presentation of the nearly 60 pieces in the exhibit in a special lecture Friday, Aug. 26.
HBCU athletes win spotlight, medals in Rio
Francena McCorory represents the gold standard of track and field in Virginia. The Hampton native and Hampton University graduate now has doubled her Olympic gold medal count. The 27-year-old added a second gold in the 4x400 relay at the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. McCorory helped Team USA to a first place finish in the semifinals. She did not run in the finals, but still qualified for individual gold.
Is Bolt the greatest sprinter of all time?
There is ample reason to label Usain Bolt the greatest Olympic sprinter of all time. But is he? In support of American heroes, admirers of Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis may contest Bolt’s kingly status.
Japan’s ‘bolt’ turns heads, wins silver
Japan’s 4x100 relay team brought a “bolt” of it’s own to the 2016 Olympics in the form of “Aska” Cambridge.
Shields brims with confidence even before winning historic second gold
Claressa Shields brought one gold medal to the ring with her and left with two hanging around her neck after retaining her Olympic middleweight title and making U.S. boxing history last Sunday.
Lochte loses sponsors after Olympic embarrassment
U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte lost the last of his four major sponsors, Japanese mattress maker Airweave, days after he admitted to exaggerating his story about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio during the Olympics. The incident embarrassed the host city, angered the local police and government and dominated news coverage of South America’s first Olympics, leading the U.S. Olympic Committee to issue an apology.
George Wythe Bulldogs hoping to climb out of slump
Imagine you’re a lightweight boxer, and every time you enter the ring you’re facing a heavyweight. That’s about how George Wythe High School’s football Bulldogs must feel. The results are predictable. The South Siders were 0-10 last year, outscored 461-38. The team has just two wins in the last 10 years.
Clouds lifting for Huguenot Falcons varsity team
Huguenot High School’s 2015 football Falcons were either 2-8 or 8-2, depending on whether you attended games on Friday or Thursday nights.
Postal service to issue stamp marking Hindu holiday
Never before has a U.S. postage stamp celebrated anything Hindu. But coming soon to a post office near you: A stamp marking the Hindu holiday of Diwali. The new Forever stamp is scheduled to be featured at a first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony on Oct. 5 at the Consulate General of India in New York City.
Good preaching attracts congregants
Top-notch preaching most attracts people looking for a new place to pray. That’s the conclusion of a new Pew Research Center study released Tuesday that asked 5,000 people about their search for a new church or other house of worship.
Raymond D. Patterson, former state official and manager of community affairs for Sports Backers, dies at 69
Raymond D. Patterson received a second chance and made the most of it. After pleading guilty to felony misuse of public funds as a state official in the early 1990s, Mr. Patterson rebounded to become a key figure in staging big sporting events in the city, including the fall Anthem Richmond Marathon and the spring Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K.
Personality: Regina N. Hall
Spotlight on co-chair of Central Virginia Chapter of the Sisters Network Community Health Fair
For 10 years, Regina N. Hall and the Central Virginia Chapter of the Sisters Network have been going into the community to educate women about breast health. This year, the chapter is hoping the community will come to them
NAACP lawsuit alleges black and disabled students bear brunt of punishment in city schools
Richmond Public Schools — dominated by African-American administrators and teachers — is being accused of fueling the “school-to-prison pipeline” through a regime of discipline that punishes mostly African-American students, particularly those with disabilities.
Petersburg facing shutdown because of money woes
Petersburg’s financial woes are even worse than previously disclosed. Interim City Manager Dironna Moore Belton warned the Petersburg City Council and a crowd of taxpayers Tuesday night that she is just a few weeks away from having to shut down all city operations except for police, fire and ambulance services because the city is running out of cash.
RPS to pay consultants $1,692 for each temporary teacher hired
Richmond Public Schools has an emergency shortage of 119 teachers, and the administration hopes a Staunton consult- ing firm will help fill the void by placing temporary teachers in classrooms. Although the school district continues to offer contracts to new hires daily, teachers continue to resign less than two weeks before the start of the new school year, Tamica Epps, executive director of human resources for RPS, told the Richmond School Board during its Aug. 15 meeting.
Education advocate back in Chesterfield court
Education advocate Kandise Lucas is once again headed back to Chesterfield County General District Court to face a charge of trespassing on school property — just two weeks after Chesterfield Schools Superintendent James F. Lane promised to lift a ban against her under an agreement with the federal government.
Crusading journalist George E. Curry dies at 69
George E. Curry, a pioneering journalist and publisher whose civil rights advocacy helped free a Henrico County woman from federal prison while calling national attention to the disparity in federal drug sentences for African-Americans, died Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, at a Takoma Park, Md., hospital.
Family dispute over Dr. King’s Bible, Nobel Prize medal ends
A Fulton County, Ga., judge has signed an order ending an ownership dispute over Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s traveling Bible and Nobel Peace Prize medal that had pitted the slain civil rights leader’s two sons against their sister. The consent order signed Aug. 15 by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney says the items are to be released to Martin Luther King III as chairman of the board of his father’s estate, but does not indicate what will happen to them after that.
Undeterred
Not to be blocked by court, Gov. McAuliffe restores voting rights of 13,000 felons; creates system to help thousands more
Just a month after the Virginia Supreme Court blocked his attempt to restore the voting rights of more than 200,000 felons, Gov. Terry McAuliffe is once again charging ahead on this “issue of basic justice.”
Thursday, August 25
Plans for Church Hill grocery move foward
Plans to bring a new grocery store to Church Hill are moving forward.
Maggie Walker statue clears final hurdles
The plan to create a statue of Richmond great Maggie L. Walker in Downtown has cleared its final hurdle. Now the work can begin on the project to honor Mrs. Walker, best known as the first African-American woman to charter and serve as the president of a bank, an accomplishment in 1903 when Mrs. Walker was leading the Independent Order of St. Luke, a benevolent society.
Friday, August 19
‘We love our animals to death — literally’
Today’s 10 highest grossing box office releases are about animals. They include “Finding Dory,” “The Jungle Book,” “Zootopia,” “The Secret Life of Pets” and “Kung Fu Panda.” Nearly half of our households include a dog and nearly 40 percent have a cat. Two-thirds of us view them as family members and cherish them accordingly. We love our animals to death — literally.
‘We are one election away from becoming Nazi America’
We are one presidential election away from becoming Nazi America. The Republicans in Congress are not only willing to support Donald Trump. They are working diligently to destroy Hillary Clinton.
How far we’ve come; how far yet to go
With a woman heading the Democratic Party’s presidential ticket, it may be challenging for us to remember that women have had the right to vote for less than a century — and black folks less than that.
Lethal disregard for black lives continues
Protestations regarding the value of black lives have become increasingly common in the public dialogue. The simple phrase “Black Lives Matter” has generated praise from that segment of society that has suffered countless race-based indignities and been condemned by those who, in my opinion, are too blind or obstinate to see the realities of the black experience in the United States.
A true freedom fighter
Say the name Jack Gravely, and people even in the farthest corners of Virginia are likely to know who you’re talking about. Mr. Gravely, the un-bought, un-bossed two-time head of the state NAACP, died Monday, bringing to a close a life dedicated to ensuring the freedoms as outlined by the founding fathers were equally applied to people of color. He fought for equal rights in voting, fairness in housing and equality in job opportunities, education and pay. And no matter what far-flung part of the state people experiencing problems lived in, Mr. Gravely was there.
Simone Manuel swims into history, Olympic record
It has taken 31 Olympiads and 120 years, but finally an African-American woman has won an individual gold medal in swimming.
Usain Bolt dashes off with medal
Jamaica, homeland of the incomparable Usain Bolt, ranks 139th in the world in population but it’s No. 1 in terms of speed. The Caribbean island of some 2.95 million people deserves the title “World’s Fastest Country” based on its domination in 100-meter dash Olympic competition.
Biles ties record with 4 golds
Simone Biles showed off her sassy moves and explosive tumbles on the floor exercise to win a record-equaling fourth gold at the Olympics on Tuesday.
Michelle Carter uses ‘diva’ touch in shot put
With crimson lipstick, eyeliner, mascara and a beaming smile, Michelle Carter won a stunning Olympic shot put gold last Friday to sprinkle a little glitz on an event often cruelly ridiculed for the shape of its women athletes.
VIA Heritage Association meeting Aug. 20
The Virginia Interscholastic Association Heritage Association will hold its next meeting 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at Azurest South Alumni House at Virginia State University.
Fight for $15
Low-wage workers bring message, movement
Laura Clark is a home care worker, yet she has no income. The 53-year-old Caroline County resident cares for her 83-year-old mother, who suffers from dementia and COPD, but doesn’t qualify to receive pay as a family caregiver because her mother has life insurance. She said her daily struggle to keep things going in her own household makes her understand the plight of others working for minimum wage — $7.25 an hour.
Rev. Gregory King named pastor of South Side church
Richmond has long been home to ministers and religious leaders who combine their roles in the church with civic and social action.
Ryland Roane, 58, AIDS educator and HIV hotline supervisor dies
Ryland Restee Roane Jr. was a pioneer in HIV/AIDS education in Central Virginia. After being diagnosed with HIV in 1987, the Richmond native devoted his life to providing information and assisting others through his work for the Richmond and state health departments. A graduate of Wake Forest University, his contributions during his 28-year career are being remembered after his death Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016. He was 58.
Personality: Luis Hidalgo
Spotlight on founder of Richmond’s Latin Jazz and Salsa Festival
Luis “Sweet Lou” Hidalgo dismisses what he says are pop-driven sounds of Latin music often heard on radio and television.
Romance in Rio
Richmond’s Queen Harrison says ‘yes’ to silver medalist at Olympics
Queen Harrison of Richmond didn’t qualify for the 100-meter hurdles in the Olympics, but she’s bringing back bling from Rio — an engagement ring.
SOL test scores decline in 4 of 5 core subjects
One big reason was cited when the Richmond School Board hired Dr. Dana T. Bedden as superintendent in December 2013 — his track record for increasing academic performance among students in the school systems he had led in Georgia and Texas.
City’s projected deficit now reported as expected surplus
City Hall has wiped out the red ink. Instead of a deficit, Richmond is projected to finish its most recent fiscal year with a $4.5 million surplus, according to the administration of Mayor Dwight C. Jones.
Petersburg facing service cutoffs from unpaid vendors
Despite paying a monthly fee, Petersburg residents might not get their trash collected or their recycling materials picked up.
City school administration draws fire for reopening of Summer Hill Elementary
The failure of Richmond Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden and his administration to provide advance notice to the Richmond School Board and parents about plans to re-open Summer Hill Elementary School drew strong criticism during Monday’s board meeting.
Richmond NAACP to host forums for city candidates
The Richmond Branch NAACP will host the first of two public forums for candidates for Richmond City Council and the Richmond School Board 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Third Street Bethel A.M.E. Church, 614 N. 3rd St. The first forum will feature candidates in Districts 1 through 5, according to Lynetta Thompson, branch president. The second forum, to be held Tuesday, Sept. 27, will be for candidates in Districts 6 through 9, she said. The time and place of that forum will be announced later. Details: Ms. Thompson, (804) 982-8072.
NYC reaches $4.1M settlement in fatal police shooting
New York City reached a settlement of more than $4 million with the family of an unarmed man fatally shot by a police officer in a darkened stairwell nearly two years ago, the attorney for the family said Tuesday.
Va. loses a freedom fighter
Jack W. Gravely, who led the fight for civil rights as head of the Va. NAACP, dies at 72
Jack W. Gravely was the definition of outspoken. He never hesitated to speak his mind about issues affecting the African-American community. The son of a coal miner, he led the charge for civil rights during two separate stints as executive director of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, most recently in the past year.
Advocate’s troubles end with Chesterfield schools
Kandise Lucas apparently will be able to enter public schools in Chesterfield County without facing arrest for trespassing. The advocate for disabled students said she has been notified that she prevailed in a federal complaint challenging the school system’s ban against her that had been in place since 2011.
Construction to start Aug.16 on GRTC Pulse
Alert: Construction is about to begin on GRTC’s Pulse, the $65 million Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system linking Rocketts Landing to The Shops at Willow Lawn.
City seeking developers for Boulevard project
It took an extra three weeks, but City Hall is now seeking developers for the projected $350 million transformation of its Boulevard property into apartments, offices and retail space.
Saturday, August 13
Richmond Christian Center now home for other churches’ services
The Richmond Christian Center, is living up to its name. After nearly four decades as an independent church, RCC’s congregation has begun sharing its South Side property with four other nondenominational churches.
Pope names panel to consider women as deacons
Following through on a pledge he made to a group of nuns last May, Pope Francis has established a special commission to study whether the Roman Catholic Church should take the historic step of ordaining women as deacons.
Affordable, quality day care difficult for families
Families across the United States are facing a child care crisis, but African- American families are especially hard hit by the rising cost of child care and limited options for working families.
‘Whose movement is it anyway?’
Activism creates economic, political or social change. It comes in all forms, from litigating and lobbying to strikes and sit-ins.
We’ve got the power
It has been said that if a lie is told loudly and often enough, it will stand as the truth. Just as many people believe that no lie can stand the test of time and that truth will ultimately prevail. Recent decisions from several courts in different locations have confirmed my belief that no lie can live forever.
Dump Trump watch
The latest reason Republican Donald J. Trump has shown us that he is unfit to be president: At a campaign rally Tuesday in North Carolina, the filterless Mr. Trump suggested that gun owners could stop Democrat Hillary Clinton from appointing liberal justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Yes, fight for $15
This weekend, Richmond will be filled with people from across the state and the nation who are taking a positive stand for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Richmond Jazz Festival opens this weekend
Cecil Shorte, a retired engineer from Altria, has never missed the Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont. The Chesterfield County resident considers it the best jazz festival on the East Coast, featuring multiple stages where music lovers can enjoy several acts throughout the day.
Down Home Family Reunion returns for 26th year
The soulful sounds of The Intruders, the reggae rhythms of Adwela and the Uprising, and the salsa beats of Luis y Su Revolu will highlight the 26th Annual Down Home Family Reunion Aug. 20 at Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward. The festival, which takes place next Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m. at Brook Road and West Clay Street, is billed as “A Celebration of African-American Folklife” and is designed to link West African and African-American cultural traditions, according to the Elegba Folklore Society, the festival presenter.
Jordan gives $5 million to new Smithsonian African-American museum
Michael Jordan has made another major donation, pledging $5 million to the Smithsonian’s new African-American history museum on the National Mall.
Walton Gallery to host exhibits in Petersburg, Richmond
Petersburg’s Walton Gallery will present two new shows this month, one of which will be held in Richmond. “Deep Thoughts,” a group show featuring the work of Alvin Burts, Cianne Fragione, Mark Pehanich and Clayton Singleton, will run Aug. 13 through Sept. 11.
Stop the Violence Community Day Sunday at Luck’s Field
Amid worries about rising crime, nonprofits are teaming with law enforcement to host a “Stop the Violence” Community Day in the East End this weekend.
East End Community Field Day slated for Aug.18
Music, Zumba, healthy snacks and beverages and child- friendly games, activities and entertainment will be featured during the 4th Annual East End Community Field Day and Healthy Kids Day.
‘The Final Five’ are golden
Team dominates competition, wins Olympic gold in Rio
There were a few wobbles here and there, even for Simone Biles, but those imperfections could not stop the United States from blowing away the opposition to capture the Olympic women’s team title with a record margin Tuesday.
Williams sisters leave Olympics without medals
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil There will be no gold medals for Serena and Venus Williams at the Rio Olympics. Instead, the sisters are leaving the games early.
Team USA expected to bring basketball gold home from Rio
Red, white and blue usually adds up to gold at the Summer Olympics basketball competition. The American contingent has won the gold medal in 14 of the 17 games in which it has participated, starting in 1936 when basketball was played outdoors in Berlin.
Feggins hopes to get VSU football back to No.1
Small town kid, big time talent. That may be the best way to describe George “Geo” Feggins, Virginia State University’s bone-jarring middle linebacker. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior, who came to the Trojans from Park View High School in South Hill — population 4,541 — is VSU’s lone All-CIAA preseason pick.
Friday, August 12
NSU, HU may have rough going in MEAC football season
After dominating CIAA football, coaches Latrell Scott and Connell Maynor have found MEAC a tougher nut to crack. Coach Scott, 41, is in his second year at Norfolk State University following two banner seasons as the head football coach at Virginia State University.
Youth teams score big in USBA, AAU national competition
Local teams came back winners and runners-up in separate national basketball competitions. Team Loaded’s 12-year-olds dominated a 60-team field in winning the United States Basketball Association Nationals last month in Charlotte, N.C.
Vashti Forbes-Kelly, 74, retired Richmond schools secretary dies
Vashti Patricia Forbes-Kelly helped get things done with little recognition. Before she retired in 2000 after 31 years, principals at Armstrong High School and Franklin Military Academy counted on her as a school secretary to keep things humming. Students knew they could always come to her for help and teachers knew she could get them anything they needed.
Larry M. Walker Sr., retired teacher, coach succumbs at 66
Larry Maurice Walker Sr. combined two passions — history and sports — as a teacher and coach for Richmond Public Schools.
Personality: Lizbeth D’Surney Snead
Winner of National WIC Association Leadership Award
As coordinator of the Women, Infant and Children program for the Richmond City Health District, Lizbeth Snead wants to spread the word that WIC does more than provide supplemental foods to families. The federal program also provides grants to states for health care referrals and nutrition education for low- to moderate-income women.
Restoration rights process bogged down
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been unable to keep his promise to swiftly restore felons’ voting rights on a case-by-case basis after the Virginia Supreme Court struck down his executive orders restoring voting rights en masse to more than 200,000 felons.
Chief: Crime up, but not out of control
There’s bad news and good news in Richmond’s crime story. First the bad news: Richmond is suffering its first spike in violent and property crimes after years of decline, according to Police Chief Alfred Durham.
New Richmond judge sworn in
With help from her brother, Christian, Mary Elizabeth Langer donned the black robe of a judge. She was formally installed last Friday as the newest judge on the Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. She succeeds Judge Angela E. Roberts, who retired July 29 after 26 years on the bench.
Veterans and Families Resource Fair Saturday at McGuire
A job and community resource fair will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 12 for veterans and their families at the McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center on South Side.
Voting rights fight comes to Va.
National NAACP President Cornell William Brooks and Stephen Green, the civil rights organization’s youth director, were arrested Monday in the Roanoke office of Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte after a six-hour sit-in calling for the full restoration of the federal Voting Rights Act, the NAACP said.
Scathing DOJ report finds discriminatory, unconstitutional police practices in Baltimore
African-American residents in Baltimore are routinely subjected to unconstitutional stops, arrests and excessive force by the Baltimore Police Department, a scathing federal report released on Wednesday states. The 163-page U.S. Justice Department report details an investigation launched after the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray last year that found the Baltimore Police Department engages in a pattern of conduct that violates the Constitution and federal law.
Fight for $15
Workers to unite in city for living wage national conference
Richmond is about to become the national focal point for advocates of a $15 minimum wage. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of low-wage workers from across the country are expected to pour into the city April 12 and April 13 for the third annual Fight for $15 National Convention.
City electoral board recruiting 200 new election officers
In anticipation of the November elections, the Richmond Electoral Board is recruiting 200 people to increase the number of sworn officers of election at city polls.
Runoff election for mayor will require dollars
Richmond might need a runoff election for mayor if none of the eight candidates wins the Nov. 8 election outright. One problem: No money has been set aside to cover the projected cost.
Herring launches online program to help teens with police interactions
A new interactive program, “Give It, Get It: Trust and Respect between Teens and Law Enforcement,” is Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring’s latest initiative to help educate teens about their rights and responsibilities when interacting with law enforcement.
Friday, August 5
Judge Roberts will be missed
Re “After 26 years, Judge Roberts retiring from juvenile court,” July 21-23 edition: Congratulations to Judge Angela Edwards Roberts, who retired from Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on July 29.
Restoration of felons’ rights is ‘a human rights issue’
Re “Virginia Supreme Court turns back clock on restoration of felons’ rights,” July 28-30 edition: I have a friend who is a felon and two others who are currently incarcerated but returning to society in five years and 20 years, respectively. I talk politics often with the friend who is back in society. Around election time, he always asks who I am voting for. I tell him, aware of the sad fact that he cannot vote.
A plan for urban recovery
As the general election season begins in earnest, the National Urban League has a message for the next president: Invest in America. When Europe found itself in physical and economic ruin after World War II, the United States invested $13 billion — $130 billion in today’s dollars — through the European Recovery Program, more commonly known as the Marshall Plan, after Secretary of State George Marshall.
Dump Trump
Every four years, the pinnacle of American democracy is reached with the presidential election. That’s when every eligible voter age 18 and older, from every town, city and hamlet across the nation, can listen to the candidates, examine their differing positions, go to the polls and cast his or her ballot for the next U.S. president. It’s a significant time for our nation, and for the world, because of the pivotal role of our country — and our nation’s leader — in all manner of global affairs, from humanitarian assistance and trade deals, to war and peace and the deployment of troops.
Monticello to host summit on slavery and freedom in America
Historians, descendants of Monticello slaves, cultural leaders and activists will discuss the history of slavery and its meaning today on race, freedom, and equality during a public summit Sept. 17 at Monticello, the Charlottesville home of President Thomas Jefferson.
‘She is a 0, but I’m a 10’
Who wore it best? Rep. Beatty trumps Melania
As soon as Ohio Congresswoman Joyce Beatty stepped off the stage following her July 28 address at the Democratic National Convention, Twitter blew up.
Edloe recognized with national award
Retired Richmond pharmacist Leonard L. Edloe has again been recognized for his work in the field. Dr. Edloe received the Chauncey I. Cooper Award from the National Pharmaceutical Association at the organization’s 69th annual convention in Atlanta last weekend for his distinguished service to the field.
Station owner to try his hand at comedy
Richmonder Preston Brown has worn multiple hats in his life.
Reid appointed director of African-American programs at Va. Foundation for the Humanities
Justin G. Reid, who led education and public programs at the historical Moton Museum in Farmville, is taking a new job. Mr. Reid is the new director of African-American programs at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, a Charlottesville-based organization offering programs that “explore the human experience and inspire cultural engagement.”
NFL’s Toler credits Bailey for his start
Willard Bailey never won a CIAA title coaching football at St. Paul’s College, but championships alone aren’t always what it’s all about.
Good impression landed former Hanover star a role with the Buffalo Bills
Making favorable first impressions sometimes can open doors of opportunity. As an assistant football coach at Dartmouth College, Jerry Taylor Jr.’s duties include escorting high school prospects and their parents on campus tours.
Ready or not, 2016 Olympics to open Friday
The 2016 Summer Olympics open Friday in Rio de Janeiro. But the typical opulence and spectacle of the opening ceremony will break from tradition. Organizers in Brazil will depart from the recent tradition of large-scale and expensive shows, and instead will feature a low-emissions cauldron and an “analogue” experience, executive producer Marco Balich said Monday.
Vegas puts Venezuela, golfers of color on the map with Olympic bid
Venezuela is renowned for producing baseball players and beauty queens. On the other hand, the South American nation is an unlikely location for producing a world-class golfer. From a land with little in the way of courses, instruction or golfing tradition, Jhonattan Vegas stands tall — literally at a burly 6-foot-3 — as the shining exception.
National funeral directors group seeks end to youth violence
Hall Davis, a funeral director from Baton Rouge, La., described burying a young man who was killed during an attempted robbery of a drug dealer.
Bishop Lewis to lead Virginia Conference of United Methodist Church
Bishop Sharma D. Lewis, the first African-American woman to be elected a bishop in the United Methodist Church’s Southeastern Jurisdiction, will lead the United Methodist Church’s Virginia Conference for the next four years.
Muslim women, others denounce Trump attacks on Charlottesville family
When Donald Trump disparaged the parents of fallen Army Capt. Humayun Khan, he didn’t just pick a fight with the Khans. He now faces the ire of hundreds of Muslim American women.
Personality: Deidre Harris
Spotlight on founder of Touching One Life at a Time
In 2005, a single phone call sent Deidre Harris into a spiral of depression. The caller said that Anthony Davis Sr., Ms. Harris’ boyfriend and father of her then 2-year-old daughter, Kennedi, was dead.
City School Board candidate may be impacted by court’s felon voting rights revocation
At least one Richmond candidate could be impacted by the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling July 22 throwing out Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s recent executive orders restoring the rights of 206,000 felons to vote and run for office.
Police Chief Alfred Durham responds: ‘We are the community and the community is us’
As I meet with members of the community, our conversations often turn to the relationship between the police and the community in light of the recent high-profile, police-involved shootings that have occurred in other states. It is an understandably emotional topic of conversation that arises from our mutual desire to ensure these types of incidents do not undermine the great strides we have made here in Richmond.
Hundreds of lives saved in the city
In Virginia, more people are dying from drug overdoes than from homicides or traffic accidents, data from state agencies show.
School Board member hosts 8th Annual Back-to-School Rally Saturday at MLK
Shonda Harris-Muhammed once again is seeking to help cash-strapped parents in Richmond ensure their children will start school in early September with the supplies they need.
If elected, Hillary Clinton would join growing list of women world leaders
If Hillary Clinton becomes the United States’ first woman president, she will join a small but growing number of women who lead their countries.
Actress Tichina Arnold fires up local campaign volunteers
The Clinton-Kaine campaign is bringing out the stars.
Chicago’s South Side chosen for Obama presidential library
Special from the Trice Edney News Wire President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have selected Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side as the site for President Obama’s presidential library, according to numerous media reports.
Recent court rulings strike down discriminatory voting laws in several states
In a heated election year, federal and state courts are rejecting Republican-backed voting restrictions after finding their sole purpose is to limit voting by African-Americans, Latinos, the poor and other minority groups that lean Democratic. In rulings last Friday that could pave the way for bigger turnouts on Election Day, courts struck down such laws in the key election states of North Carolina, Kansas and Wisconsin.
Hometown welcome
Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine returns to Richmond and rally of 3,500 cheering supporters
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine made a triumphant return to Richmond, a smiling hometown hero as the Democrat’s vice presidential nominee. He was greeted with the roars of a supportive crowd Monday at Huguenot High School, where he declared, “I’m so proud of my city.”
