Friday, April 28
Reviving our representative democracy
American democracy is built on the powerful, but basic, idea that the government is supposed to represent the people.
Do Richmond schools violate the Constitution?
Are Richmond Public Schools students being forced to attend educational facilities deemed unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution?
Our worst enemies are in Washington, D.C.
Re “Essex Village flunks HUD inspection,” April 13-15 edition: Section 8 rental housing is a prime example of what is wrong with our federal government “helping us.”
A U.S. Marshall Plan
Earlier this month, voters in Kansas City, Mo., handily approved three ballot questions that will allow the city to borrow and invest $800 million over 20 years to improve roads, bridges, sidewalks and
Lessons from O’Reilly
Former Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly, the man whose lofty ratings were responsible for the growth of the network, is no longer on the air. Revelations that $13 million had been paid, either by Mr. O’Reilly or the network, to women who said they had been sexually harassed repelled millions, some of whom protested outside Fox headquarters and took to the airwaves with their complaints.
Better off without them
We believe Richmond should take a page from the playbooks of Charlottesville and New Orleans, cities that are on the path to removing Confederate statues from public property.
High hopes
We had high hopes for great improvement in Richmond Public Schools when Dr. Dana T. Bedden took over as superintendent in January 2014. He sounded the
Pine Camp exhibit to feature art with recycled material
Local artists using recycled materials in their work will be featured this month during an exhibit, “Discarded: Recycled Items as Art,” at Pine Camp Arts and Community Center in Richmond. A reception to meet the artists will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 5, at Spotlight Gallery at Pine Camp, 4901 Old Brook Road.
Peabody Middle School in Petersburg to hold art show, sale Friday
Artwork by students from Petersburg’s Peabody Middle School will be sold during an art show, reception and awards ceremony 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, at the Petersburg Public Library, 201 W. Washington St. in Petersburg.
Richmond Association of Black Social Workers, VSU host symposium on trauma-informed care
Dr. Kobi Kambon, former president of the Association of Black Psychologists, will be the keynote speaker at a symposium Saturday, April 29, sponsored by the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers and the Virginia State University Department of Psychology.
‘Black Girl Showcase’ highlighting teen social change projects slated for May 4
Girls for a Change is holding a “Black Girl Showcase” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden auditorium, 1800 Lakeside Ave.
Application deadline for Maggie L. Walker Youth Summer Leadership Institute
Applications are being accepted from Richmond area students ages 14 through 18 for the 8th Annual Maggie L. Walker Youth Summer Leadership Institute.
Computer app finds surplus food for the poor in Nigeria
Nigerian-born Oscar Ekponimo was 11 when his family was struck by misfortune. His father had a partial stroke, causing him to lose his job, and with it, the family income.
Operation Streets founder calls recreation programs the key to ending youth violence
On the campaign trail, Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney promised to beef up after-school programs and recreational opportunities for youths.
Mt. Gilead wins 2017 Governor’s Award
One of the Richmond area’s largest churches is the winner of a statewide award for volunteer and community service.
‘Bring Our Missing Children Home!’ event April 29 at South Side church
Toni Jacobs keeps hoping she will soon hear from her 21-year-old daughter, Keeshae Jacobs, who disappeared without a trace seven months ago.
Women’s Transformation & Empowerment Experience on April 29
The Women United for Christ Ministry is presenting a Women’s Transformation & Empowerment Experience from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Fifth Baptist Church’s Family Life Center, 1415 W. Cary St.
Hernandez cited Scripture on forehead before suicide
It wasn’t a suicide note that former NFL star Aaron Hernandez left in his Massachusetts prison cell when he reportedly hanged himself.
Huguenot High looking to be No.1 in ‘futbol’
Something you may want to know about Huguenot High School soccer is that the athletes and coaches hardly ever call it “soccer.”
Queen Harrison to host Queen Track Classic in Richmond for girls
Girls will not only be the main attraction, they will be the only attraction for the inaugural Queen Track Classic, named for Queen Harrison, the former Hermitage High School track standout and 2008 Olympic runner.
Football standout Phillip Sims gives back as new football coach at John Marshall High
Some may look at John Marshall High School football and see a struggling program with a string of losing seasons.
16-year-old Frank Royal III winning long jump titles
Frank Royal III never showed much interest in athletics until being introduced to the long jump pit as a St. Christopher’s School sixth-grader.
VUU Coach Gilbert wins Gaines Award for second year
Success on the basketball court has led to success off the court for AnnMarie Gilbert, coach of the Virginia Union University Lady Panthers basketball team.
Personality: Elizabeth Lee ‘Bee’ Wright
Spotlight on Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden top volunteer
When Elizabeth Lee “Bee” Wright started volunteering at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Lakeside more than 25 years ago, she did not have her sights set on receiving an award.
Cuba Gooding Sr., former lead singer of The Main Ingredient, dies at 72
Cuba Gooding Sr., who sang the 1972 hit “Everybody Plays the Fool,” has died.
Reclaiming history
St. Luke building, first home of Maggie L. Walker’s bank, is being turned into upscale apartments to spur development in Gilpin Court
Upscale apartments are taking shape in the long-empty St. Luke Building, the once vital four-story headquarters of a mutual aid society where renowned Richmond businesswoman Maggie L. Walker once had a bank.
City Council continues to wrestle over budget
More than 60 people trooped to the microphone Monday to plead with Richmond City Council not to cut programs they need.
Postal service managers, supervisors ready to fight terminations
The battle over pay practices of the U.S. Postal Service in the Richmond area is about to become even more heated.
Henrico supervisor holds meeting on opioid epidemic
The Rev. Tyrone E. Nelson, the Varina District representative on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors and pastor of Richmond’s Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, will hold a district meeting Tuesday, May 2, to discuss the heroin and opioid epidemic in Henrico County.
tear those
A monument to a deadly white supremacist uprising in 1874 was removed under cover of darkness by workers in masks and bulletproof vests Monday as New Orleans joined the movement to take down symbols of the Confederacy and the Jim Crow South.
Thursday, April 27
Serena’s pregnant!
Tennis superstar Serena Williams is pregnant and taking maternity leave through the rest of 2017, with the baby due this fall, her spokeswoman announced last week.
Bedden out
Richmond School Board to meet Monday on selection process for superintendent’s replacement
Just weeks after proclaiming that progress was on the horizon for Richmond Public Schools and that he had no intention of leaving the school system, Superintendent Dana T. Bedden is out. The Richmond School Board announced last weekend that his contract will end June 30, a full two years before it was set to expire June 30, 2019.
Tuesday, April 25
Nonprofit counseling group to move into East End Family Resource Center
A nonprofit with deep roots in Church Hill expects to move soon into the East End Family Resource Center, 2401 Jefferson Ave.
152,694
Number of felons whose voting rights have been restored by Gov. McAuliffe
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has restored the voting rights of 152,694 ex-convicts since taking office. That’s more people than the combined populations of Petersburg, Hopewell, Charlottesville and Danville, and enough to create the fifth largest city in the state.
U.S. Postal Service shakeup continues
The U.S. Postal Service is continuing to shake up the management of postal stations in the Richmond area as the fallout continues from a scandal over overtime pay, sources have told the Free Press.
City school buses being equipped with safety cameras
Fifty city school buses now are equipped with additional cameras to beef up security inside and to help identify scofflaw drivers who illegally pass the buses when students are getting on or off.
Solar streetlights to stay in Randolph West
Solar streetlights will continue to light the Randolph West subdivision in the West End, according to developer A. Hugo “Al” Bowers Sr.
CBC Foundation announces scholarship opportunity
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, in conjunction with Rep. A. Donald McEachin of Henrico, is offering the CBC Spouses Education Scholarship to qualified students.
Saturday, April 22
New AKA chapter to be chartered for Henrico, New Kent and Charles City
In January 1993, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan scored the 20,000th point of his career with the National Basketball Association, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was observed in all 50 states for the first time and the Tau Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. was chartered in Ettrick.
Friday, April 21
What God wants
I believe God gives people the mental and physical ability to make money. The way people use this money is very important to God.
Why I met with Jeff Sessions
Re “April fools: Va. SCLC lauds racist U.S. attorney general for civil rights work on anniversary of Dr. King’s death” and editorial, “Buffoonery,” April 6-8:
‘Radio-Activists’
Some of us believe that simply talking about a problem, mainly by delineating its symptoms, is actually doing the work necessary for a solution. You would think that with all of the activists we have within our ranks that some actual activity, beyond mere exercising our powers of speech and penmanship, would take place.
Trump and the Black Press
At the very beginning of the new administration, and probably in a moment of hubris, Omarosa Manigault, an aide to President Trump, promised that the first newspaper interview with the new
Our children, our best
We are encouraged by news this week that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is launching an investigation into the disciplinary policies of Richmond Public Schools.
Tamela and David Mann to bring concert-comedy tour to city Friday
If you are a fan of award-winning gospel singer Tamela Mann, you may know that her 2012 song, “Take Me to the King,” went platinum, selling more than 1 million copies.
Documentary film director to speak at VCU
Ezra Edelman, director of the Oscar-winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” will discuss the topics of race and celebrity covered in the made-for-TV film at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Grace Street Theater, 904 W. Grace St.
Lecture on native artist Benjamin Wigfall set for April 28
When Benjamin Wigfall was a high school student in Richmond, his view as he walked from 27th Street in Church Hill each morning to Armstrong High School included smoke billowing from the chimneys of industrial buildings.
Exploring Educational Reform topic of speaker series
The founding executive director of Teach for America in Washington state will open the 2017 Lora M. Robins Speakers Series on Exploring Educational Reform.
Morehouse Debate Team wins big at North American Championship
It was more like a sequel to the film “The Great Debaters” recently as the Morehouse College Debate Team reigned supreme at the 2016-17 Lafayette Debates North American Championship in Washington.
Police investigation into Prince’s death turns up opioids throughout his house
Police investigating the death a year ago of pop star Prince found numerous opioids scattered around his home, but appear not to have identified where or who supplied the dose of fentanyl that caused his death, according to court documents unsealed on Monday.
L.A. Dodgers unveil statue to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day
Jackie Robinson is known for heroically breaking baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947, as a 28-year-old rookie with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Latest Baseball Hall of Famer shares history with No.42
African-American baseball Hall of Famers Tim Raines and Jackie Robinson have more in common than just immense baseball skills.
Former MCV researcher Anna Carr dies at 86
Her attractiveness made her a JET Beauty of the Week. Her intellect enabled her to become a pioneering scientist.
Dan Rooney, who opened doors in NFL for African-Americans in top jobs, dies at 84
As a driving force behind the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers for many decades, Dan Rooney won endless battles on the field — most notably a record six Super Bowl titles.
VUU’s new Center for African-American Pentecostalism & Leadership Development hosts convocation
The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, nationally known for its noted graduates such as Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker, Dr. Jeremiah Wright and former Congressman Walter E. Fauntroy, will hold its first Pentecostal Convocation on Monday, April 24, through Thursday, April 27, the school has announced.
Student Minister Tony Muhammad of the Nation of Islam to speak in Richmond
Nation of Islam Student Minister Tony Muhammad will speak at two engagements in Richmond next weekend.
Pivotal church versus state legal battle urged to proceed in high court
Missouri officials and a church embroiled in a closely watched dispute over public money going to religious entities urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to decide the case despite a pivotal policy change by the state’s Republican governor.
Retired teacher Joyce Johnson dies at 73
Teaching children was Joyce Cole Johnson’s mission in life, according to her family. For 33 years, Ms. Johnson helped Richmond first- and second-graders learn to read, write and do arithmetic, first at Woodville Elementary and then at John B. Cary Elementary schools.
Personality: Sandee Smith
Spotlight on chair of 9th Annual Unity Ride for Sickle Cell
On a day like any other, Sandee Smith sat at her desk when her friend and soror in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority came by with news that deeply affected Ms. Smith.
Mayor Stoney, city officials mulling options to reduce crime in public housing
The Mosby Court public housing community — particularly the area around Redd and Accommodation streets — could be considered the epicenter of Richmond’s spike in homicides.
Crusade votes to back city charter change to fix school buildings
In his first budget, Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney essentially sidelined the issue of modernizing the aging and increasingly obsolete school buildings that most city public school students attend.
Maggie Walker statue to be dedicated on her birthday July 15
City officials plan to dedicate the new Maggie L. Walker statue Downtown on July 15, the 153rd birthday of the Richmond businesswoman and great.
VCU Dental Care to hold free cancer screening Saturday
VCU Dental Care will offer free mouth, head and neck cancer screenings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Lyons Dental Building, 520 N. 12th St.
Richmond Technical Center plant sale next week
The Richmond Technical Center is having a four-day spring plant sale to benefit its horticulture program.
Sen. Warner on Trump and Russia: ‘We have to find out the truth’
Special to the Richmond Free Press U.S. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia is in a high-profile position this spring as the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Florida legislature apologizes for decades of racial injustice
It has taken decades, but Florida is now apologizing for two of its darker misdeeds of its past. The Florida House unanimously passed two resolutions Tuesday. The first acknowledged decades of abuse at a Florida reform school and the second apologized to the families of four young black men known as the “Groveland Four.” They were accused of raping a white girl 68 years ago in what is now seen as a case of racial injustice.
Charlottesville City Council votes to sell Lee statue
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee has taken one more step toward leaving the city of Charlottesville. Despite a pending court case, the Charlottesville City Council voted 3-2 Monday to sell the city’s statue of the Confederate general which now stands in the center of the city.
Thursday, April 20
A federal case
U.S. Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to investigate unequal discipline in Richmond Public Schools
The pursuit of justice for two Richmond Public Schools students has resulted in a federal investigation of the school district’s disparity in disciplinary procedures for African-American students and students with disabilities.
Tuesday, April 18
Nikki Giovanni to speak at VUU
Poet Nikki Giovanni, winner of seven NAACP Image Awards, a National Book Award finalist and Grammy Award nominee, will be the keynote speaker for the Virginia Union University Undergraduate Conference on Research in the Humanities and Beyond, at noon Friday, April 28, in the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center on the VUU campus.
STEM in sports: City students experience the link
Yuan Canesius of Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School got to play basketball in the Virginia Commonwealth University Siegel Center last week, but he didn’t use a ball and there was no hoop.
Volunteers to help fix up homes for elderly during Affordable Housing Awareness Week
April is here and that means hundreds of Richmond area volunteers soon will pour into neighborhoods to make home improvements for elderly and low-income residents who cannot afford them.
Plan for former Highland Park Catholic school building stalls
The plan to replace a vacant Catholic school on North Side with 80 affordable apartments is on hold as the nonprofit developer seeks to overcome opposition from neighborhood St. Elizabeth Catholic Church and nearby residents. The Free Press reported on the plan in early February, but the proposal has been stalled since an ordinance to support the work was sent to Richmond City Council for approval.
Former senator gives papers to U.Va.
Former U.S. Sen. John W. Warner has donated his public papers to the University of Virginia.
Thursday, April 13
A judge’s opinion
Judge Andre M. Davis of Baltimore, a senior judge with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, wrote the following powerful words on April 7, 2017, as he joined in dismissing an injunction barring the Gloucester County School Board in Virginia from halting a transgender youth from using the boy’s bathroom at the county high school.
Media must keep environmental issues on front burner
The environmental progress achieved by the Obama administration is being dismantled piece by piece due to the Republican majority in both chambers of Congress. Although these policies are being covered by some news organizations, they quickly are being placed on the back burner for the rest of the Trump circus.
A tale of 2 Tot Lots
A few months ago, I joined a friend at the Thomas Jefferson Tot Lot. My children and I had a great time enjoying this facility where everything was clean and in good repair and there were lots of toys to play with.
Trump and HBCUs
I love historically black colleges and universities. I’m certainly biased as a graduate of Howard University. But my admiration for HBCUs extends across my lifespan and the generations that preceded me.
Stand and salute the sisters
Word origins can “shed light” on the experiences of a people and explain much of what they’ve endured. Many older African-Americans explain the origin of the term “honkie” as it relates to the activity of white men driving through African-American communities “honking” the horns of their automobiles in an attempt to solicit sex from “willing” African-American women.
Our wish
Amid the chaos and headlines, may faith fill your heart and hope guide your works today and every day.
Amid the chaos and headlines, may faith fill your heart and hope guide your works today and every day.
Maymont, Easter on Parade this weekend
The blooms of daffodils and cherry blossoms indicate the arrival of spring and, with it, anticipation of Easter begins to build.
NASA great Katherine Johnson to address HU grads
Katherine G. Johnson, the retired NASA mathematician who was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the recent movie “Hidden Figures,” will deliver the commencement address for Hampton University.
Flying Squirrels open with big win
The Richmond Flying Squirrels’ eighth season at The Diamond opened in a big way — a big crowd, big winds, a big home run and a big victory.
New scoreboard lights up for teams at Thomas Jefferson High School
The good news comes twofold for Thomas Jefferson High School baseball. First, the West End school has its first-ever electronic scoreboard.
John Ross sets record for 40-yard dash
Olympic icon Usain Bolt remains the fastest man on earth, but John Ross is the newest fastest man on turf — football turf that is.
Larry Sanders released by Cleveland Cavaliers
Larry Sanders’ comeback has been put on hold. The former Virginia Commonwealth University center was released Wednesday by the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stations of the Cross to be held Friday along Brookland Park Boulevard
A coalition of North Side churches is hosting Stations of the Cross along Brookland Park Boulevard from 3 to 4 p.m. on Good Friday, April 14.
Former JFK football standout dies
Richmond has lost one of its former football heroes. Randy L. Crawley, a member of the 1972 Central Region championship team for the John F. Kennedy High School Kougars, died Saturday, March 18, 2017, at age 62.
Comedian Charlie Murphy dead at 57
Charlie Murphy, stand-up comedian, actor and older brother of comedian Eddie Murphy, died at a New York hospital on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at age 57.
Personality: Fattah Muhammad
Spotlight on community activist and founder of RACE
Fattah Muhammad began marching in the streets of several North Side and East End neighborhoods in 1980 to help end violence plaguing these communities and encourage cooperation with Richmond law enforcement.
Essex Village flunks HUD inspection
After years of complaints, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is finally reacting to the deteriorating condition of Essex Village, the largest subsidized housing complex in Henrico County.
Bedden staying put; ‘It’s an exciting time for RPS’
When Dr. Dana T. Bedden took over as superintendent of Richmond Public Schools in January 2014, the St. Petersburg, Fla., native faced faltering academic achievement, school buildings in severe disrepair and low staff morale.
Free Press wins VPA awards
The Richmond Free Press continues its award-winning tradition. The newspaper was recognized with six awards at the annual Virginia Press Association competition in writing, photography, news presentation and advertising.
Adediran lands provisional post in Petersburg
Dismissed from is job at Richmond’s City Hall, Emmanuel O. Adediran is headed to a job with the Petersburg city government, the Free Press learned Wednesday.
Rep. McEachin out of hospital
Rep. A. Donald McEachin of Henrico is back on his feet this week after becoming ill Tuesday, April 4, in Washington and being admitted to the hospital.
Artists’ entries sought for annual competition of Storm Drain Art
Artists and would-be artists still have time to enter the competition to decorate Richmond storm drains in the 2017 Storm Drain Art Project.
Dr. Sullivan to speak at UR
Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, former U.S. secretary for health and human services and founding dean of the Morehouse College School of Medicine, will speak on the impact of faith on health care decisions and outcomes at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the University of Richmond’s Jepson Alumni Center.
Gorsuch sworn in to high court
President Trump reveled in the biggest political victory of his presidency at a White House ceremony on Monday in which his U.S. Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch was sworn in, poised to make an instant impact on a court once again dominated by conservatives.
World map shows Africa in truthful light
In an age of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” authorities in the city of Boston believe their new school map offers something closer to the geographical truth than that of traditional maps, and hope it can serve as an example to schools across the nation and the globe.
Federal tax filing deadline: Tuesday, April 18
Taxpayers get three extra days to file their federal tax returns this year.
Mother Emanuel shooter gets 9 life sentences in S.C. state court
With Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof getting nine life sentences in state court on top of a federal death sentence, his prosecutions are finally over — and some relatives of the nine parishioners he killed at a historically black church say they can finally begin to heal.
Sessions wants to return to tough crime policies
For three decades, America got tough on crime. Police used aggressive tactics and arrest rates soared. Small-time drug cases clogged the courts. Vigorous gun prosecutions sent young men away from their communities and to faraway prisons for long terms.
Back on the runway
Renée Lacy has been the modeling guru for thousands of children, teens and adults in the Richmond area and beyond. For 35 years, the bubbly, energetic woman operated a training center in Downtown where would-be models under her tutelage learned the ways of the runway.
Religious order reviewing bids on former Powhatan boarding school property
The future of a historic 2,200-acre property in Powhatan County, where thousands of African-American children once were educated in long-closed Catholic boarding schools, remains in limbo.
Jackson Ward development continues with proposed $27M apartment-retail complex
A Jackson Ward parking lot soon could soon be home to a five-story, $27 million building featuring 167 apartments. Richmond area developer Eric Phipps reportedly is proposing to create the new project on a 1-acre parcel on East Marshall Street. The site is on the north side of Marshall between Adams and 1st streets.
City Council besieged with requests for more money
As it wades into the details of city spending, Richmond City Council, as usual, is finding itself besieged with pleas for additional funding from departments that feel shortchanged by Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s spartan budget proposal.
Henrico NAACP hosts substance abuse program
The Henrico Branch NAACP is sponsoring “Substance Abuse, A Way Out,” a community program featuring panelists discussing substance abuse and ways to prevent it.
GRTC gears up for route changes effective Nov. 12
Love it or hate it, GRTC is moving ahead with a major revamp of its city bus routes. The proposed changes to routes are expected to be finalized this week and go into effect on Sunday, Nov. 12, Amy Inman, the city’s transportation planner, told a Richmond City Council meeting Monday.
Saturday, April 8
Kudos to VUU Lady Panthers
Re “VUU women return home to cheers despite loss in NCAA final,” March 30-April 1 edition: Congratulations to the Virginia Union University women’s basketball team and coaches for a fine season.
‘Don’t forget your feet’
More than 29 million Americans have diabetes, according to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and there’s a pretty good chance either you or someone you know belongs to the 12 percent of people in Virginia who live with the disease.
Training needed on both sides
Re “Unequal punishment: Rep. McEachin requests federal investigation into high suspension rates for African-American students and those with disabilities,” March 30-April 1 edition: The situation of greater punishment statistics for minorities, in particular minorities with special needs, sounds like only the symptoms of the problem are being addressed and not the real problem(s).
Confirmation would be blow to workers
Alexander Acosta, the 45th president’s nominee for U.S. Secretary of Labor, is up for confirmation by the U.S. Senate. He got narrow approval on March 30 from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions by a 12-11 party line vote.
49 years after Dr. King’s death
Tuesday, April 4, was the 49th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thousands of people planned to join Fight for $15 and the Movement for Black Lives to march in Memphis and in cities across the country on that day in the fight for decent pay and racial justice. Such demonstrations are more than a fitting tribute to Dr. King. They are taking up his unfinished agenda.
Buffoonery
We shudder thinking about the buffoonery of the Virginia unit leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Photographer Louis Draper’s work to be preserved by VMFA
The work of photographer Louis Draper, a Henrico County native who moved to New York City in 1957 to explore his passion, is internationally regarded for documenting the everyday lives of African-Americans and notable leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
Nonprofit hosts 5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Celebration on April 8
Putting Communities Together Inc. will host its 5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Celebration from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at the Blackwell Community Center, 300 E. 15th St.
‘Just Mercy’ author to speak April 12 at VCU
Bryan Stevenson, author of “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption,” will speak 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad St.- Mr. Stevenson’s visit is sponsored by the Focused Inquiry faculty of University College at VCU, and is free and open to the public.
Former U.Va. standout player Dawn Staley coaches South Carolina women to NCAA victory
Dawn Staley, who once represented Richmond on the basketball court, ranks with the greatest players in women’s hoops history.
6th NCAA crown for UNC
The University of North Carolina’s sixth NCAA basketball championship will be remembered for many things.
Eliezer Zambrano opens 8th season April 6 with Flying Squirrels
Eliezer Zambrano has become as much a part of Richmond’s baseball scene as peanuts, Cracker Jacks and fireworks lighting up the night above The Diamond.
Dash for Cash runner wins $2,500 in Monument Ave. 10K
No one ran faster than Ryan Hagen. No one earned more money than Kathy Hoverman.
Patrick Ewing returns to Georgetown
Patrick Ewing is returning to Georgetown University, and boy are the Hoyas happy! On Monday, university officials announced that Ewing, who as a player helped build the school into a national powerhouse in the 1980s, would be back on campus.
Dr. Levy Armwood to retire
Ebenezer Baptist Church in Jackson Ward soon will be looking for a new pastor. Dr. Levy M. Armwood Jr. is retiring after nearly 15 years in the pulpit of the historic church that has occupied 216 W. Leigh St. since 1858, three years before the Civil War.
Prison Fellowship launches ‘Second Chance Month’ to help convicts
A national prison ministry is joining forces with conservative and liberal groups to call on church leaders and politicians to give former prisoners a second chance at normal lives.
Christian coalition protests Trump’s planned budget cuts
With ashes on their foreheads, sackcloth draped around their necks and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop, Christian leaders used the words “evil” and “immoral” to describe the federal budget cuts President Trump has proposed and many Republican lawmakers favor.
Personality: Tracy L. Causey
Spotlight on local director of MJBL’s RBI program
Most people do not know about Tracy Causey’s love of baseball.
GRTC board fires CARE van company
Cora J. Dickerson’s complaints about the CARE van service that GRTC provides to elderly and disabled riders have produced unexpected results.
School Board wants City Council to release $8.3M surplus
The Richmond School Board is requesting that City Council hand over the $8.3 million budget surplus that became a source of contention last month when Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden disclosed existence of the funds at a City Council meeting.
Petersburg’s Frank Mason III rakes in the honors
Petersburg’s Frank Mason III is creating a national stir.
Clarification
Leroy Williams, a trustee of Pilgrim Baptist Church, said the church “is not making any plans” to sell its longtime home at 1900 Whitcomb St.
Congressman McEachin to host town hall Saturday in Richmond
Congressman A. Donald McEachin is holding a town hall meeting 1 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church, 14 W. Duval St. in Jackson Ward.
General Assembly request holds up Boulevard development project
The General Assembly wants more information before allowing the state’s liquor agency to borrow $104 million to develop a new headquarters and warehouse in a new location.
2-year-old teaches cashier lesson on beauty of all skin colors
Brandi Benner and her husband, Nick, took their 2-year-old, Sophia, to Target last week to let her buy a special gift for a major milestone — pooping on the potty for one month straight.
Dr. King’s daughter urges people to rise above anger with Trump administration
The Rev. Bernice A. King electrified an audience of men and women at the National Press Club, challenging them to rise above bickering with people with whom they may have political and cultural disagreements and find common ground — including President Trump.
Trump to speak at Lynchburg school’s commencement
President Trump will give the commencement address this spring at Liberty University in Lynchburg. “I look forward to speaking to this amazing group of students on such a momentous occasion,” the president said in breaking the news on March 22 to CBN News, the Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach founded by televangelist Pat Robertson.
Va. SCLC lauds racist U.S. attorney general for civil rights work on anniversary of Dr. King’s death
Sending shockwaves through the civil rights community, leaders of the Virginia affiliate of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference used the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a co-founder of the national group, to honor what many would view as his nemesis, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
