Friday, August 25
Richmond Christian Center gets 4-month reprieve from sale
The Richmond Christian Center has been given a four-month reprieve from the forced sale of its South Side sanctuary in the 200 block of Cowardin Avenue and other holdings.
Use revenue from statues to ‘ease some of the disparity in this city’
As the son of a Black Panther, I may be the most pro-black person you’ll meet. That being said, the statues on Monument Avenue should remain in place.
‘We never assumed a back seat’
African-American people did not lose the Civil War. And, as opposed to man’s historical traditions, we did not rob or pillage or rape. The fact of the matter is that rather than throw this in their faces, we took to the higher ground, attempting to assimilate into a society whose lofty goals of freedom and equality for all came with the blatant exclusion of black people and the subtle exclusion of some white people who, to this day, don’t even realize it.
‘This is the moment’ to address domestic terrorism in state law
The groups and individuals who unabashedly proclaim themselves to be aligned with white supremacy in all of its organizational iterations for the promotion of violence and intimidation are indeed domestic terrorists.
Confederate statue has no place in Surry County
I write as one of many concerned citizens who believe it is time for the Confederate monuments to come down, particularly the one outside the Surry County Courthouse.
Charlottesville a wake-up call
The incidents in Charlottesville have served as even more of a wake-up call than Donald Trump in the White House. Racism is alive and running rampant in the United States. Even worse, it’s not being condemned by the highest leadership in this country.
‘Racism and hatred are not good for business’
In 2015, CNN reported that 49 percent of Americans thought that racism was a big problem in the United States. Not surprisingly, people of color and white people had significantly differing views regarding the subject. Sixty-six percent of black people and 64 percent of Hispanics thought that racism was a big problem, while only 43 percent of white people saw it that way.
Healing or hate?
Since 1994, I have been leading Slave Trail Walks (the Trail of Enslaved Africans) in Richmond. I have led those walks with groups from around the world and have witnessed the impact the experience has had on many of them.
Dispelling the darkness
The darkness of the tragic events in Charlottesville — and President Trump’s continued blessing of the racist, anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi, white supremacist elements seeking to tear apart this nation — have cast a pall over our state and country. We have been emotionally drained by the displays of hatred and violence by these groups, now unleashed because our president has no moral compass.
10th Annual Latin Jazz & Salsa Festival Saturday
The Latin Jazz & Salsa Festival returns this weekend, but at a new, bigger location in South Side. The upbeat show featuring Afro-Cuban and Caribbean beats will be 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Broad Rock Industrial Park, located at Broad Rock Boulevard and Warwick Road, it has been announced.
Comedian, activist Dick Gregory dies at 84
Comedian, civil rights activist and healthy living advocate Dick Gregory, who used his humor to spread messages of social justice and good nutrition, died late Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, in Washington.He was 84.
Match or setup for rematch?
Mayweather-McGregor bout to generate big bucks
Cha-ching! The Saturday, Aug. 26, blockbuster — Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Conor McGregor — is advertised as the “Money Fight” for obvious reasons.
Friday night football starts for city teams
Richmond’s high school football teams will have a different look this season — at least on the sidelines. Four of the five city public schools will have new head football coaches following a forgettable 2016 campaign that produced an overall 10-43 record.
Forecast cloudy for VUU football
Virginia Union University began last football season with two clearly established senior quarterbacks — Shawheem Dowdy and Kenneth Graham.
Pryor among string of QBs who play the field
Terrelle Pryor first earned national football stardom throwing passes. Now he specializes in catching them. Pryor is the latest example of an athletic quarterback changing to another position in the NFL.
Tommy Hawkins, first black All-American at Notre Dame, dies at 80
Tommy Hawkins, University of Notre Dame’s first African-American All-American athlete, died Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, at his home in Malibu, Calif.
Life Church RVA has new home
The former home of the bankrupt Southside Baptist Church is the new home of The Life Church RVA.
Hundreds of area ministers call for churches to combat racism and anti-Semitism
Several hundred Richmond area pastors and ministers came together Monday in an unprecedented display of unity to reject white supremacy and to affirm that every human being is created equally.
North Side churches hosting neighborhood block party
Two North Side churches are hosting a neighborhood block party this weekend. The event, scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, is the first collaborative effort for St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and Trinity Baptist Church.
Personality: Montae Lamar Taylor
Spotlight on interim president of Va. NAACP Youth/College Division
Montae Lamar Taylor, interim president of the Virginia NAACP Youth and College Division and a student at Old Dominion University, witnessed the clash between white nationalists and counterprotesters in Charlottesville on Aug. 12 that outraged people around the nation and the world.
‘Tiger Tom’ Mitchell remembered at memorial service
“Tiger Tom” Mitchell was not only a Richmond broadcast legend, but he was an easygoing, deep-thinking family man who taught his children the importance of education, being open to different perspectives and respecting the viewpoints of others.
Warehouse owner left with waste collected by CVWMA
Warehouse 25 at Clopton SiteWorks on South Side is the best evidence that the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority has failed to keep its promise to properly dispose of old and broken TVs and computer monitors that are filled with toxic metals.
$7.43M
That’s the surplus city reports
Four months ago, top city administration financial officials told Richmond City Council to forget about a surplus. But for the second year in a row, there’s an August surprise.
Back-to-school backpacks, supplies and shoes giveaways slated
Several back-to-school events are scheduled to provide free school supplies and shoes for Richmond students who will start classes in less than two weeks. Richmond City Councilman Michael J. Jones, 9th District, is hosting a school supplies giveaway for children in the district from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at the Southside Community Center, 6255 Old Warwick Road.
Physicals, immunizations Aug. 25 for RPS students
The Richmond City Health District is hosting a back-to-school health fair for Richmond Public Schools students 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, at the health district clinic, 400 E. Cary St.
Confederate statues go black in Charlottesville
Workers in Charlottesville draped giant black tarps over two statues of Confederate generals on Wednesday to symbolize the city’s mourning for Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old paralegal who was killed while protesting a white nationalist rally. The work began around 1 p.m. in Emancipation Park, where a towering monument of Robert E. Lee on horseback stands. Workers gathered around the monument with a large black covering. Some stood in cherry-pickers and others used ropes and poles to cover the statue as onlookers took photos and video.
ACLU changes stance in wake of Charlottesville violence
The American Civil Liberties Union no longer will defend hate groups seeking to march with firearms. That was the policy change announced last week by the organization’s national executive director, Anthony Romero. The organization directly attributes the change to the violent and deadly clash between white nationalists and counterprotesters in Charlottesville on Aug. 12.
Local NAACP calls for Confederate statues to go
The Richmond Branch NAACP voted unanimously in a recent special meeting for the removal of all Confederate statues from public spaces in the city.
Powerless over statues?
Who really can remove the Confederate traitors from Monument Avenue? According to the City Charter, it may not be the mayor or City Council
When it comes to the Confederate statues on Monument Avenue, Mayor Levar M. Stoney has been in the spotlight, along with members of Richmond City Council.
Friday, August 18
‘Our ancestors were robbed’
Re Letter to the Editor, “ ‘How would you feel if we demand all of your statues … and heritage be removed,’ ” Free Press July 27-29 edition:
Trump and violence in Charlottesville
Having lived in Alabama, I can recall how former Gov. George Wallace used racist language to incite his white supremacist followers to violence.
‘We could only hope to live up to the words on the Reconciliation Statue’
In the bright sunlight, Richmond’s Reconciliation Statue, unveiled a decade ago by then-Gov. Tim Kaine and seen as an apology for this country’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, cast an appropriate shadow upon our sorrow. Hundreds of us gathered Sunday at the statue. We wanted to send a living sympathy card to the City of Charlottesville, where violence had caused the death of three people and the injury of 19 others. And we wanted to condemn the racism and bigotry that caused this violence.
Racist groups must be viewed as direct threat to national security
We are concerned about the white supremacist-organized domestic terrorist threat facing the United States. And we say to members of Congress, enough is enough. It is time to do something about it. These organized domestic terrorists and their leaders operate through dozens of groups known to law enforcement agencies as white nationalists, white supremacists, white separatists, alt-Reich Nation, Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Confederates, neo-Nazis, racist skinheads and Christian Identity, which represent a direct threat to our national security.
Let’s make them pay
America witnessed during the weekend dozens of armed, military-garbed men and women in Charlottesville wearing helmets and wielding shields, openly brandishing semi-automatic firearms in the face of students and clergy opposed to their racist and fascist messages.
‘The chickens came home to roost’
I consider myself a daughter of the Commonwealth as I was born in Richmond, just miles away from Charlottesville. As the former capital of the Confederacy, Richmond has been home to some of the most divisive periods in history and has routinely demanded that battle lines be drawn among its residents.
It’s time
It’s time for Johnny Reb, skinheads, the hooded Klan and closet racists at the office and who live next door to wake up and understand that it’s not 1865 any more. The Civil War is over. The South lost.
Eclipse 2017
Rare total solar eclipse a chance to see ‘pure science’
The last time Carroll Ellis, a geoscience educator at the MathScience Innovation Center in Henrico County, saw a total solar eclipse, the price of a loaf of bread was less than a quarter, the average price of a home was $24,000 and he was learning how to use a microscope, a gift from his parents.
All that JAZZ
Fans of jazz, blues and R&B enjoyed a spectrum of musical styles and talent last Saturday and Sunday at the 8th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont. The event featured legendary performers, neo-soul icons and newcomers, all of whom held their own, delivering powerful performances on a trio of stages. The vibe was smooth and easy, with thousands of people enjoying good music, good food and camaraderie with fellow music lovers.
‘Blind Side’ subject cut from NFL team
Michael Oher, who was the subject of the 2009 biographical feature film “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock, has been cut by the Carolina Panthers.
New leader for TV One
Michelle Rice, executive vice president for content distribution and marketing at TV One, has been named interim general manager of the company, with management oversight of the network that targets African-American adults. The announcement was made in late July by Alfred C. Liggins, CEO of Urban One, formerly known as Radio One and the parent company of TV One.
Clarence ‘Big House’ Gaines honored in hometown
Paducah, Ky., has paid tribute to a famous native son, the late Clarence “Big House” Gaines. A monument of Mr. Gaines was unveiled Monday, Aug. 7, at 9th and Husband streets in Paducah. The tribute is near Coleman Park in the part of town where Mr. Gaines grew up.
Virginian Kenny Easley inducted into NFL Hall of Fame
Native Virginian Kenny Easley’s NFL career was short but sweet. Limited to just seven seasons (81-87) due to a kidney ailment, Easley was a five-time All-Pro, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1984 and selected to the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade team.
Fans pick ‘The 50 Greatest Black Athletes’
If compiling lists is meant to stir controversy, “The 50 Greatest Black Athletes” struck its target. The survey, released Aug. 8, is a collaboration of The Undefeated and Survey Monkey and makes an attempt — some suggest a wild stab — at naming the 50 greatest black athletes of all time.
Who will be next Usain Bolt?
Track and field is looking for a new sprinting superstar. Who will it be? There is a vacancy for the title of “world’s fastest human” following the conclusion of Usain Bolt’s unprecedented career at the World Championships of Athletics in London.
Personality: Carroll H. Ellis Jr.
Spotlight on geoscience educator at the MathScience Innovation Center
Carroll H. Ellis Jr. wants to see more African-American students embracing the geosciences as an area of interest, and ultimately, as a career path. The field, he says, holds the possibility of studying earthquakes, surface and groundwater, soil, mining geology and geochemistry, among other areas. His passion for the field has fueled his love of teaching for more than three decades.
Memorial service Saturday for ‘Tiger Tom’ Mitchell
A memorial service for Richmond broadcast legend “Tiger Tom” Mitchell will be at noon Saturday, Aug. 19, at St. Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road in Henrico County.
Mormon church denounces white supremacy, angering some members
The Mormon church is specifically condemning white supremacist attitudes in its strongest statement since a Virginia rally over a Confederate monument descended into deadly violence.
Megapastor says Trump has God-given authority to ‘take out Kim Jong-un’
Anyone who knows the Bible shouldn’t take issue with the idea that God has given President Trump authority to take out North Korea’s dictator, said Pastor Robert Jeffress, the Dallas megachurch leader who drew sharp rebukes for stating just that.
Mayor Stoney makes removing Confederate statues an option
Under mounting public pressure, Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney changed course on Wednesday, announcing that the Monument Avenue Commission will now consider the option of removing Confederate statues along Monument Avenue. “Effective immediately, the Monument Avenue Commission will include an examination of the removal and/or relocation of some or all of the Confederate statues,” the mayor said in a statement issued about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
RPS student achievement continues decline
Student achievement in Richmond Public Schools continues to decline, according to Standards of Learning test scores released this week by the Virginia Department of Education.
First Monument Avenue Commission public hearing tense, raucous
The Monument Avenue Commission’s way forward remains murky following its tense and raucous first public comment meeting Wednesday, Aug. 9, at the Virginia Historical Society.
Schools petition drive shifts to voter turnout
Political strategist Paul Goldman is shifting gears. Now that his petition drive has been successful to get the issue of modernizing the city’s aging schools on the Nov. 7 ballot, he is working to get voters to the polls to approve the City Charter change.
Rally victim a ‘focal point for change’
Heather Heyer, 32, has been called a “focal point for change.” A passionate advocate for the disenfranchised, the paralegal often would cry at her job with the Miller Law Group in Charlottesville when she saw cases of injustice.
2 state troopers considered casualties
Two Virginia State troopers lost their lives in Charlottesville. Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton were killed when the Bell 407 helicopter from which they were conducting surveillance during the white nationalists rally crashed shortly before 5p.m. Saturday in a wooded area near a residence on Old Farm Road in Albemarle County.
Trump and the rise of hate groups
President Trump’s tepid initial comments about the civil disruption last weekend in Charlottesville, followed by his declaration Tuesday that the “alt-left” was as responsible for the violence, has stirred a hornet’s nest of exchanges from a wide range of religious, political and social figures with no end of the bitter rhetoric in sight.
Thursday, August 17
Officials react
“It is appalling that neo-Nazis, the Klan and other white nationalists chose Virginia and a great community like Charlottesville to spread their messages of hate and intolerance. It speaks to a vile and disturbing current in our culture and politics which has now broken out into the full light of day. I will be watching closely to make sure that President Trump’s
Homegrown terror
The nation reacts to violence and murder in Charlottesville driven by white supremacists’ attempts to protect Confederate statues
Was the horror show in Charlottesville fresh evidence that overt racism remains an issue for our country? Or is it a terrible, but ultimately small blip in a nation where the issue of race has dominated the past and remains a key issue today?
City hiring precinct workers for Nov. 7 election
Wanted: 200 people to work the polls on Election Day. Richmond Voter Registrar Kirk Showalter announced Monday that she is recruiting precinct officers for the next election on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Henrico School Board vice chair arrested for DUI
The Rev. Roscoe D. Cooper III, vice chair of the Henrico County School Board, is to appear in court Nov. 16 on charges of driving under the influence and refusing to take a blood alcohol or breathalyzer test when he was stopped early Saturday morning on Interstate 64 by Virginia State Police.
Friday, August 11
How can we trust President Trump?
How can we trust President Trump?
Black liberation thwarted from all sides
Black classism is just as detrimental to black liberation as white supremacy, and I do not like what I am seeing.
Police brutality, delusions at top
Donald Trump often seems more shock jock than president. He likes to shock, say or tweet outrageous things, prove that he’s not just another politician. But now that he is president, his words have impact and his posturing can be dangerous. He essentially endorsed police brutality before a recent gathering of police officers in Long Island: “When you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, and I said, ‘Please don’t be too nice.’ ”
Affirmative injustice
In the same week that it was revealed that the Department of Injustice is spearheading attacks on affirmative action, our 45th president indicated his support for legislation that would drastically change our nation’s immigration policy. Instead of providing immigration opportunities to the families of people who are legal residents of our country, the pending legislation would create a “merit based” system for immigration.
No more Band-Aids
George Mason Elementary School teacher Hope Talley was correct, unfortunately, when she said Richmond Public Schools officials are merely putting a Band-Aid on the situation at the aged Church Hill school.
Monument Avenue for real heroes
The Monument Avenue Commission has only just begun its work, but the fix is in. Apparently, the commission has been hamstrung by its charge from Mayor Levar M. Stoney to put the monuments “in context.”
Band camp
The VSU Trojan Explosion works for its showmanship and sound
It is 5:45 a.m. and the early August sun is beginning to rise over the Appomattox River. Just north upon a hill, 115 students scurry out of dormitories that are largely empty until fall classes begin. The students’ destination is Davis Hall, where they’ll spend the next 12 hours practicing formations, maneuvers, sheet music, dance routines and more.
Crusade for Voters history detailed in new book
Kimberly A. Matthews was surprised that no one had ever written a history of the Richmond Crusade for Voters, the oldest African-American political organization in continuous operation in the state.
Music, more this weekend at 8th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival
Thousands of music fans will be in Richmond this weekend to enjoy jazz, blues and funk from more than two dozen artists performing at the 8th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival.
Prince Hall Origin Masons in city this weekend
Nearly 200 Masons are expected in Richmond for the 124th Annual Grand Communication of The Most Worshipful Saint John’s Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Ancient Yorkrite Masons, Prince Hall Origin-National Compact. The five-day state convention opened Wednesday, Aug. 9, at a hotel on Midlothian Turnpike, with a welcome by officials from the City of Richmond and Chesterfield County.
27th Annual Down Home Family Reunion Aug. 19
EU, the Washington-based, go-go music group, is headlining the 27th Annual Down Home Family Reunion from 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at Abner Clay Park, Leigh Street and Brook Road in Jackson Ward.
New Virginia Majority hosts cookout for former inmates, families
The New Virginia Majority will host a community cookout this weekend for people who have been incarcerated and their family and friends, it has been announced.
50th reunion for Walker Class of 1967
Members of the Maggie L. Walker Class of 1967 will gather for their 50th reunion next week.
African-American experience coin and stamp exhibit Aug. 20
An exhibit of coins and stamps telling the story of the African-American experience will be on view from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Robinson Theater Community Arts Center, 2903 Q St. in Church Hill.
Bolt loses world race; still fan favorite
For the first time in nearly a decade, the world’s fastest man isn’t named Usain Bolt. Justin Gatlin has regained that title again after holding off the iconic Jamaican in the 100-meter final of the World Championships of Athletics last Saturday in London.
Lineman Allen ready for action
Jonathan Allen is a proven winner on the gridiron. He has won an NCAA championship plus a fistful of the nation’s top individual defensive awards. Now the man mountain is lined up to win the hearts of Washington NFL fans.
Nico Marley, grandson of reggae legend, looking for spot on NFL team
Nico Marley, taking a cue from his famous grandfather, Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley, would like to “stir it up” regarding Washington’s NFL roster.
First round draft choices can sizzle or fry
You just never know when it comes to first round draft choices. All are ballyhooed, given the red-carpet treatment and welcomed with high hopes.
Richmond Christian Center looking to merge in new bankruptcy plan
The bankrupt Richmond Christian Center has come up with a new plan in a last-ditch effort to stave off a court-ordered sale of its property in the 200 block of Cowardin Avenue in South Side.
Panel to discuss role of African-American church on Aug.17
The current and historical role of the African-American church will be examined during a free panel discussion to be held as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Jackson Ward.
Churches host back-to-school rallies
Two Richmond area churches are planning back-to-school rallies that will include distribution of free school supplies. • First Union Baptist Church will host its back-to-school rally 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at the church, 6144 Derwent Road in South Side.
Facts about nominee for international religious freedom ambassador
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, President Trump’s nominee for international religious freedom ambassador, describes religious freedom as “the choice of what you do with your own soul.”
A successful new experiment on human embryo raises religious questions
News that scientists for the first time successfully edited genes in human embryos has created a stir.
Personality: Bernice E. Travers
Spotlight on president of Richmond Crusade for Voters
When Bernice E. Travers joined the Richmond Crusade for Voters in 1977, the election of a majority African-American Richmond City Council disrupted a centuries old, white-majority power structure.
Public to Monument Avenue Commission:
Is statue removal off the table?
Can the Monument Avenue Commission recommend that the statues of Confederates be removed? That was the pressing question at the first full meeting Monday of the commission assembled by Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney to deal with the statues to vanquished traitors along the tree-lined thoroughfare.
George Mason Elementary to stay open with repairs
George Mason Elementary School’s students, teachers and staff are staying put for the 2017-18 school year. The Richmond School Board voted Monday night to back Interim Superintendent Thomas Kranz’s recommendation to make repairs at the Church Hill building that is more than 100 years old.
VSU fires 10 professors just days before start of classes
Just ahead of the start of the fall semester next week, Virginia State University has axed nearly 10 professors, scrambling schedules for students who previously signed up to take their fall classes.
Organizers claim success in schools petition drive
The petition drive to put the issue of modernizing Richmond’s dilapidated public schools before city voters has succeeded, according to the leader of the campaign
GRTC Pulse service delays start
The new GRTC Pulse bus rapid transit no longer is expected to be completed, tested and operating by the end of October. GRTC had advertised on its weekly updates that Pulse would arrive in 2017, but that changed in recent updates to “arriving soon.”
Tensions high over North Korea
Are we facing a nuclear war with North Korea? Amid all the issues people are facing in Richmond and elsewhere, President Trump pushed that question front and center this week.
Charlottesville braces for alt-right rally over Confederate statues
As the City of Charlottesville braces for a potentially volatile confrontation between supporters at a “Unite the Right” rally organized by white supremacist Jason Kessler and counterprotesters, city officials and faith leaders are taking precautions. The rally is scheduled for noon to 5p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at Emancipation Park in Charlottesville’s downtown to protest the Charlottesville City Council’s decision in April to have the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee removed from the park.
New VUU president
Dr. Hakim J. Lucas of Bethune-Cookman tapped as school’s 13th president
They’ve been rivals forever, but Virginia Union and Virginia State universities soon will have one thing in common — a first-time president with executive credentials honed at Bethune-Cookman University in Florida. Twenty months after VSU hired Bethune-Cookman Provost Makola M. Abdullah as its 14th president, VUU announced that the Florida university’s chief fundraiser, Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, would become its 13th president, effective Sept. 1. Dr. Lucas’ appointment was announced Tuesday by Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, VUU’s board chairman, following a 14-month search to replace former President Claude G. Perkins, who stepped down in June 2016, first taking a sabbatical and then retiring.
Access to voter information to boost schools petition drive
Paul Goldman has gained access to Richmond voter information for his Put Schools First petition drive under a settlement reached with the office of Attorney General Mark R. Herring. Already close to securing the nearly 10,400 signatures needed to get on the ballot, Mr. Goldman said the settlement allows him to access the names and addresses of registered voters on a block-by-block basis from the state Department of Elections’ database.
VSU wins HBCU awards
Virginia State University President Makola M. Abdullah was named Male President of the Year at the 2017 HBCU Awards presented by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
Friday, August 4
‘Richmond could be a showpiece’
Re “‘Tear those statues down:’ Richmonders decry mayor’s plan to put Confederate statues ‘in context,’” Free Press June 29-July 1 edition:
1 vendor? ‘This is ridiculous!’
Re “Only 1 black-owned food vendor at NFL training camp,” Free Press July 27-29 edition: Only one black food vendor at the NFL training camp in Richmond? This is ridiculous!
‘Working democracy and … acts of humanity could save this city’
Re: Who’s running RPS superintendent search?” Free Press July 27-29 edition: I agree wholeheartedly with the Rev. Ben Campbell that we should welcome Richmond’s major corporate leaders who are willing to help our community solve its most pressing problems.
The real context behind Monument Avenue
The Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality issued the following open letter to members of the Monument Avenue Commission:
Happy birthday to Medicaid
For more than a half century, Medicaid has been a shining example of the good and essential support government can provide those most in need across all ages. Through the years, we have been striving to live up to the promise of ensuring all children and young people a chance to reach healthy adulthood — laboriously and successfully expanding coverage to more children thousands by thousands, millions by millions, state by state.
End the paralysis
Once again, we have turned our Richmond public schoolchildren and their parents into beggars.
The latest stunt
We are living in dangerous times. The bigots in the White House have launched a federal Justice Department study of anti-white bias in college admissions. The New York Times reported Tuesday that the Trump administration plans to redirect the civil rights division’s efforts toward investigating and suing universities over admission policies believed to discriminate against white people. What????
McEachin task force to host forum on special needs students
A task force created by Congressman A. Donald McEachin of Henrico will host an education forum on Saturday, Aug. 12, to help parents understand their rights and the resources available for special needs students. “I’m bringing this task force together out of frustration,” Rep. McEachin said in an interview with the Free Press. “But we’re doing this with the hope that we’ll be able to pull together a solution to help the students who are affected.”
Pulitzer winner Tracy K. Smith named U.S. poet laureate
Tracy K. Smith, who won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 2012, has been named the nation’s 22nd poet laureate, and her recognition is being trumpeted in more than the usual places.
Robert ‘Fat Rob’ Kelley is growing his skills
NFL history is flavored with running backs with colorful nicknames suggesting stardom. Examples include “Rocket” (Raghib Ismail), “Beast Mode” (Marshawn Lynch), “Kansas Comet” (Gale Sayers), “Diesel” (John Riggins),” “Mercury” (Eugene Morris), “The A Train” (Mike Alstott) and “The Jet” (Joe Perry).
CIAA football roundup
Virginia Union University’s Lavatiae Kelly is feared as a triple threat by rival CIAA football coaches. The senior player for the Panthers has been named to the Preseason All-CIAA team at three different positions — wide receiver, punt returner and kickoff returner.
MEAC outlook not too promising for NSU and Hampton
Hampton University and Norfolk State University must hope their conference’s crystal ball is broken. The MEAC preseason football predictions are in, and they aren’t too promising for Virginia’s entries in the historically black athletic league.
Former George Wythe standout signs with VSU basketball
Virginia State University’s most recent basketball signee comes from Texas. But he is no stranger to this area. Brandon Holley was a standout on George Wythe High School’s 2015 State Division 3 championship team. Holley has signed with VSU Coach Lonnie Blow Jr. following two seasons at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas.
Bolt’s lightning career may end soon
Usain Bolt may be nearing his final finish line. The iconic Jamaican sprinter, long hailed as the “World’s Fastest Human,” has announced he is retiring following the upcoming IAAF World Championships in Athletics at London’s Olympic Stadium.
David S. Carter Jr., husband of School Board member Nadine Marsh-Carter, dies at 59
David Samuel “Big Dave” Carter Jr., the husband of 7th District Richmond School Board member Nadine Marsh-Carter, died Sunday, July 30, 2017.
Rev. Alexander ‘JJ’ James III, associate pastor of Trinity Baptist, dies at 42
Just a few hours after welcoming the Rev. Jesse Jackson to his church last Sunday, Trinity Baptist Church’s pastor, the Rev. A. Lincoln James Jr., and his wife, Mary P. James, suffered a shattering loss.
Sandra L. Wright-Bonner, former member of Wright Family Singers, dies at 73
Sandra L. Wright-Bonner touched the lives of untold numbers of people with her voice, her work and her leadership in her church.
Richmond Christian Center again facing sale
The Richmond Christian Center, still struggling to emerge from bankruptcy after nearly four years, once again is facing the loss of its property in South Side.
St. Elizabeth’s 9th Annual Jazz and Food Festival this weekend
St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Highland Park will host its 9th Annual Jazz and Food Festival from noon to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, on the church grounds at 2712 2nd Ave.
Personality: Sylvia Alexander-Wall
Spotlight on founder and president of The Ladies of Elegance Inc.
The purpose pushing Sylvia Alexander-Wall’s passion to help people and families enduring cancer can be summed up in two words: Early detection.
Fate of East End school on hold
When students, teachers, staff and administrators walk into George Mason Elementary School, two welcome mats greet them, each bearing the school’s name. The first one says “Expect the Best,” and the second says “Moving from Good To Great.”
Pay raise problems resolved
The salary snafu at City Hall has been resolved. Police officers and firefighters are to receive their delayed raises on Friday, Aug. 11, when the next city paychecks are issued, according to Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s press secretary, Jim Nolan.
GRTC to hold meetings on bus route changes
How will GRTC’s overhaul of its bus routes and bus stops affect you? Regular riders and potential transit users can find out at a series of information meetings that kick off Saturday, Aug. 5. The meetings will spell out the changes to be put in place when the new Pulse Bus Rapid Transit System begins operating.
More charges prompt hold on Morrissey bar hearing
Attorney Joseph D. “Joe” Morrissey can still practice law — for now. A three-judge panel hit the pause button Wednesday on a scheduled two-day hearing to determine whether the former state delegate should keep his law license.
Rev. Jesse Jackson announces Healing and Rebuilding’ tour in Richmond
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. urged parishioners at Trinity Baptist Church in Richmond to lift the community by voting in Virginia’s statewide election for governor in November.
Examining the past
Monument Avenue Commission starts work on Confederate statue issue
When it comes to cities grappling with public monuments to Confederates, many municipalities have opted to remove them. That was the summation stated Monday during the opening meeting of a small work group of the Monument Avenue Commission.
Virginia State Bar schedules Aug. 2 hearing on Morrissey’s law license
Next week, a three-judge panel will decide whether to again suspend or revoke the law license of former Delegate Joseph D. “Joe” Morrissey.
6 Richmond students receive Tomorrow’s Promise scholarships
Six college bound students are the recipients of the 2017 Tomorrow’s Promise scholarships from the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
New customer service number for city public utilities
That is the new customer service phone number for the Richmond Department of Public Utilities, it has been announced. DPU is no longer connected to the city’s 311 call center, which routes calls to public works, animal control, tax offices and other city operations. The 311 center also gets calls through (804) 646-7000.
City Hall computers secure
City Hall’s computer defenses appear to be successful. The City of Richmond’s computer specialists, it turns out, have dealt with and overcome hacking attempts and other computer challenges that have made headlines elsewhere, officials said.
