Sunday, May 27
City plans public awareness campaign about trash fee exemption
Christine Page rents a house in the 1700 block of North 19th Street, and her monthly utility bill has always included $23.79 for trash and recycling collection. She was surprised to learn that she could apply to the city to remove the fee from the bill without any impact on her service.
Royal Wedding a maker
Prince Harry, sixth in the line of succession to the British throne, has married the American actress Meghan Markle with all of the ceremony and global hoopla that the British royalty inevitably attracts.
Rise above the hate, chaos, fear
Every time we turn on the television, we hear “Breaking News” and it’s always something worse than the last news. It’s beginning to make many fearful of what could possibly be next. Even former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ventured out last week to say, “Without personal honor, there is no leadership.” I think that was his way of saying our country currently is leaderless.Every time we turn on the television, we hear “Breaking News” and it’s always something worse than the last news. It’s beginning to make many fearful of what could possibly be next. Even former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ventured out last week to say, “Without personal honor, there is no leadership.” I think that was his way of saying our country currently is leaderless.
Hospital honors 21 on Legacy Wall
The portraits of 21 physicians instrumental in the history of Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital adorn a new Legacy Wall in Richmond’s East End. The doctors helped spearhead the 1980 move of the hospital from Overbrook Road in North Side to a new facility on North 28th Street in the East End.
UR chooses Black Lives Matter memoir for One Book, One Richmond program
“When They Call You A Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir” will be required reading for University of Richmond students for the 2018-19 academic year, it has been announced.
New city courthouse policy puts phones on hold
James Williams said he forgot he was carrying his cell phone last week when he went to the Marsh General District Court in South Side to check court records for a friend.
Looking for a job?
New program for graduating seniors may help
A new program is working to steer the area high school seniors toward health care careers.
Family of Marcus-David Peters to speak at community meeting May 26
The family of Marcus-David Peters, the 24-year-old biology teacher who was fatally shot by a Richmond Police officer on May 14 after running naked from his car on Interstate 95, is calling for justice and accountability. The family is holding a community meeting 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at Second Baptist Church, 1400 Idlewood Ave. in the West End.
Memorial Day holiday schedule
In observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 28, please note the following: Public schools: Closed Monday.
Lt. Gov. Fairfax to speak at 62nd memorial ceremony
Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax will be the keynote speaker at Virginia’s 62nd Annual Memorial Day Ceremony from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, May 28, at the Virginia War Memorial, 621 S. Belvidere St. The ceremony honors veterans who gave their lives to preserve America’s freedoms from the Revolutionary War through today.
Richmond School Board grapples with money issues, school name change
The Richmond School Board and Superintendent Jason Kamras struggled at the board’s meeting on Monday to wrap their arms around continuing daunting budgetary tasks and RPS’ potential future financial shortfall. Mr. Kamras laid out plans to spend $12.5 million that was unused by Richmond Public Schools during the current school year, turned over to the city and is being returned to RPS in City Council’s 2018-2020 budget approved earlier this month.
2nd Annual Community Potluck Iftar
A local church is hosting a community iftar, a dinner to break the fast for Ramadan. The 2nd Annual Community Potluck Iftar will be held 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 9, at Bon Air United Methodist Church, 1645 Buford Road.
Muslims in U.S. working toward greener Ramadan with less waste
Religion News Service Neekta Hamidi usually gets a few strange looks when she sits down for an iftar, the evening meal that breaks the Ramadan fast, at her mosque in Boston.
Former President Carter launches Liberty University address with jab at Trump
Former President Jimmy Carter took a gentle poke at President Trump at the start of a commencement address to graduates of Liberty University in Lynchburg.
William A. Thornton, longtime historian for Richmond Crusade for Voters, dies at 93
William Armstead Thornton always was considered the indispensable dependable man at the Richmond Crusade for Voters, his church and other organizations in which he participated.
Personality: Dr. Jacqueline Johnson-Curl
Spotlight on honorary chair of VHEF’s Jazz InsideOut benefit
Dr. Jacqueline Johnson-Curl, a Richmond dentist, believes in helping children achieve their dreams. She is the honorary chair of the 7th Annual Jazz InsideOut, a night of jazz, comedy and good food to benefit scholarships and emergency student aid provided by the Virginia Higher Education Fund.
A primer for the NBA Final Four
The NBA’s greatest father-son combination in history — Dell and Steph Curry — has Virginia roots. That’s according to website Sportschew.com.
Father-son combos part of NBA history
The NBA’s greatest father-son combination in history — Dell and Steph Curry — has Virginia roots. That’s according to website Sportschew.com.
Bamba dominates NBA Draft Combine
Mohamed Bamba has set two NBA records, of sorts, without even breaking a sweat.
Saturday, May 26
19-year-old Soto called up to play forA royal wedding to remember
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed in ceremony marked by new traditions, global audience
Prince Harry and his American actress bride Meghan Markle married on Saturday in a dazzling ceremony that blended ancient English ritual with African-American culture, infusing the 1,000-year-old British monarchy with a blast of blackness and modernity.
Punked
Unrealistic assumptions and overly rosy income forecasts. Those were among the shaky financial footings on which the Leigh Street training camp for the Washington NFL team was built, according a new report from the office of City Auditor Louis G. Lassiter.
Monday, May 21
When Rihanna dressed as the pope
Rihanna came as a burlesque pope. Cardi B was a vaguely medieval madonna. Madonna, meanwhile, as a queen draped in black, was strikingly sedate. At the Met Gala on May 7, Catholicism was beyond chic.
Jobs and Justice Act new urban Marshall Plan
The Main Street Marshall Plan, the National Urban League’s comprehensive blueprint for addressing lack of opportunity and economic inequality in America’s urban communities, has been introduced as federal legislation by members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Saturday, May 19
Graduation, with more hurdles to clear
Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther, graduated from Howard University in 2000. His writing partner is also an HU graduate. Mr. Bozeman came back to his alma mater to address the Class of 2018 and to receive an honorary degree. The Howard University graduation on Saturday is one of more than 100 HBCU graduations, and more than 4,000 graduations around the country.
Smoking and public housing
Like many public housing residents, we were surprised to learn that smoking will be prohibited in all public housing apartments in Richmond beginning Aug. 1. The smoking ban was put in place nationally by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and will affect more than 1.2 million households, including 4,000 families living in Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority properties in the city.
Honor victims with action
“From 1986 to 1996, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sponsored high-quality, peer-reviewed research into the underlying causes of gun violence. People who kept guns in their homes did not — despite their hopes — gain protection … Instead, residents in homes with a gun faced a 2.7-fold greater risk of homicide and a 4.8-fold greater risk of suicide. The National Rifle Association moved to suppress the dissemination of these results and to block funding of future government research into the causes of firearm injuries. … As a consequence, U.S. scientists cannot answer the most basic question: What works to prevent firearm injuries?” — Mark Rosenberg, former director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC and former U.S. Rep. Jay Dickey, an Arkansas Republican who sponsored (to his later regret) the amendment that blocks the CDC from funding gun injury prevention research. The April 22 tragedy at a Nashville area Waffle House brings the nation’s gun death toll to 4,422 in 2018 and the number of mass shooting victims to 69. The relentless pace of gun violence in America threatens to dull our outrage and focus on the perpetrators threatens to bury the memory of the victims and the heroism of those who showed grace under pressure. The Nashville shooter snuffed out the lives of four young people: Taurean Sanderlin, 29; Joe Perez, 20; DeEbony Groves, 21; and Akilah DaSilva, 23.
How do you mend a broken heart?
I used to love me some Bill Cosby, not only because he was America’s Dad, but also because he was fun and funny. Most of the times that I was around him, I felt lifted. He had that deep, “Heh, heh, heh,” laugh and that sweet smile. And then he loved some HBCUs, so what could you say?
May Day and pay inequities
Rallies and marches took place on Tuesday across the United States and the globe to highlight the rights of workers and labor issues.
Personal drama overshadows elected service
We were gravely disappointed by news of the arrest yet again of Henrico School Board member Roscoe D. Cooper III. The 43-year-old Mr. Cooper has given a lot to the community in terms of service. He has been pastor of Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church since 2003, serves on the board of the Capital Area Health Network and was elected to represent the people of the Fairfield District on the Henrico School Board.
Dirty clothes become golden opportunity for local businessman
For many, washing clothes is a chore. But what many people may view as drudgery is Devon Chester’s doorway to opportunity.
Richmond Power to End Stroke Jazz Night May 31
And the American Stroke Association’s Power to End Stroke campaign and Bon Secours Richmond Neurosciences Services are hosting the 5th Annual Richmond Power to End Stroke Jazz Night.
Drewry’s Bluff commemoration May 19-20
Artillery drills, guided tours and Civil War re-enactor camps will be part of the National Park Service’s commemoration of the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff this weekend.
‘Integrity is what you do when no one is watching,’ actress tells VUU grads
Virginia Union University graduates were encouraged to focus on a life of substance, and not one of superficiality, during the school’s 119th commencement last Saturday at Hovey Field on the campus.
Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax and U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner encourage VSU graduates at dual commencement ceremonies
Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax urged Virginia State University graduates to use the strengths of the past to build a brighter future.
‘There’s no success without failure,’ actor and alum Boris Kodjoe tells VCU grads
Actor Boris Kodjoe inspired Virginia Commonwealth University graduates to find the courage to see failure as a friend, instead of something to be feared along the road to success.
‘Black Panther’ star returns to alma mater to inspire Howard students at graduation
Actor Chadwick Boseman, a Howard University alumnus who starred in the blockbuster film, “Black Panther,” lauded Howard University students for their recent successful campus protests, saying their efforts to spark change will help them as they enter the workforce.
Hampton University alumna, Hollywood costume designer urges students to be innovators, leaders
Ruth E. Carter challenged Hampton University students to be brave, to be innovators, to be bridge builders and leaders. At the university’s 148th commencement on Sunday, the Hampton alumna and acclaimed Hollywood costume designer for the box office hit “Black Panther” told graduates, “When King T’Challa said, ‘Let’s build bridges not barriers,’ I say good thing Hampton’s got good engineering and architectural programs so they can build bridges that need building once all y’all break barriers in the world with your education.”
TJ’s Trey Fleming swings with a bat and drumsticks
Two of the Thomas Jefferson High School senior’s prized possessions are his bat and his drumsticks. He’s right on time with both.
VSU’s Blair has eye on Olympic trials
It will take a Herculean effort for anyone to upset the apple cart in the long-established, track and field events in the CIAA.
Trinity Episcopal senior to train for U.S. U-18 National Basketball Team
Armando Bacot soon will be packing his sneakers for Colorado Springs, Colo., site of the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 227 pounds, the rising Trinity Episcopal School senior has been selected to train May 31 through June 2 with the 32-man U.S. U-18 National Basketball Team.
Michael Gilmore returning to the VCU Rams
What comes around goes around — or something like that. Michael Gilmore started his college basketball career at Virginia Commonwealth University. And now it appears he’ll conclude it wearing the Rams’ black and gold. The Jacksonville, Fla., native and nephew of NBA legend Artis Gilmore is returning to VCU after spending the past two seasons at Florida schools, one as a redshirt.
Free baseball coaching clinic May 19 at The Diamond
The Richmond Flying Squirrels will host a free baseball coaching clinic Saturday, May 19, at The Diamond, 3001 N. Boulevard.
Prison justice hearing May 19 at Second Baptist Church
Stories of jail and prison life will be shared at a public hearing on prison justice 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Second Baptist Church, 1400 Idlewood Ave., it has been announced.
Thirty-first Street Baptist calls May 21 congregation meeting
After five months of requests from members, Thirty-first Street Baptist Church has scheduled a congregational meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, May 21, at the sanctuary, 823 N. 31st St. in Church Hill.
Pope Francis thinks about leaving
Pope Francis said he has thought about when it might be time to “take leave” of his flock.
Gifts to charity, needy count as tithing, study finds
Most Protestant churchgoers believe that giving 10 percent of their income is a biblical requirement they should follow, but they define the practice of tithing in a variety of ways, a new survey shows.
Personality: Jenny M. High
Spotlight on founder and president of nonprofit Go High Center for the Arts
Jenny M. High, founder and president of Go High Center for the Arts, is a visionary and mentor to Richmond area youths.
Historic city credit union seeks new growth
Amid the recovery from the Great Depression, 10 African-American Richmond educators organized a new credit union for teachers in the city that would provide the personal touch and financial services then largely unavailable to them at most banks in segregated Richmond.
100 days
New schools chief still energetic, optimistic
Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras has spent the last 100 days engaging with school community while trying to calm the storms from previous administrations.
$3.4B:City Council approves 2018-2020 spending plan
Richmond high school students will be able to take unlimited free rides on GRTC buses beginning July 1. Organized activities for city youths also will be beefed up starting in July, with city recreation centers operating longer hours and after-school programs at elementary and middle schools being upgraded.
Richmonders offer names to replace J.E.B. Stuart Elementary
Barack Obama. Henry L. Marsh III. Spottswood W. Robinson III. Mary Elizabeth Bowser and Elizabeth Van Lew. Arthur Ashe Jr.
Richmond Technical Center open house Saturday
Want to see what the Richmond Technical Center offers? Everyone is invited to find out this Saturday, May 19. The Richmond Public Schools’ career and technical center will host an open house 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to show off its curriculum. Location: 2020 Westwood Ave.
Rep. McEachin to host annual parents education forum May 19
Congressman A. Donald McEachin will host his annual “Know Your Rights: Parent Power Forum” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Petersburg High School, 3101 Johnson Road, in Petersburg.
Arrests mark first day of re-ignited Poor People’s Campaign
Activists converged on state capitals around the United States on Monday to begin six weeks of nonviolent protests calling for new programs to help millions of Americans who live in poverty, an overhaul of voting rights laws and other social change.
Bishop Curry to speak at royal wedding
The Most Rev. Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, will speak at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Kensington Palace has announced.
Cool in the hot seat
Christy Coleman, co-chair of the Monument Avenue Commission, is no stranger to controversy or leadership, even on issues of slavery and the Civil War
The Clarks, who were slaves rooted in Tennessee, outlasted brutal bondage, fled the wrath of white supremacy shortly after Emancipation and became founding settlers of Eatonville, Fla., one of the country’s earliest self-governing black municipalities.
Tuesday, May 15
Public hearings slated for school name change
Richmond Public Schools has updated its schedule to receive public comments about changing the name of J.E.B. Stuart Elementary.
School Board member proposes more money for maintenance
A Richmond School Board member hopes his colleagues will agree to a plan that could shift a few more dollars to address a long list of school maintenance needs.
School Board approves construction plan
The Richmond School Board voted 6-2 at its meeting Monday to approve Superintendent Jason Kamras’ plan to collaborate with the City of Richmond on construction of four new school buildings — George Mason and E.S.H. Greene Elementary schools, Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School and George Wythe High School. Board members Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, and Jonathan Young, 4th District, cast the two dissenting votes. Member James “Scott” Barlow, 2nd District, was absent from the meeting.
Fair housing for all an elusive dream
In the classic movie “Gone with the Wind,” the owner of Tara plantation admonished his daughter for remarking that she didn’t care about her home. In a sharp rebuke, Gerald O’Hara declared that “land was the only thing worth living for, worth fighting for … worth dying for.”
Black tech consumers, but not employees
A nationwide assessment of the digital economy has found that black Americans are overrepresented as tech consumers, but drastically underrepresented as tech employees, according to the 2018 State of Black America.
Lynching memorial helps heal old wounds
If we don’t know the whereas, the therefore doesn’t make sense. Witness the ovens in Auschwitz and Treblinka, and then you can understand the creation of Israel.
A more dangerous world
President Trump is a menace to society. His announcement Tuesday that he is scrapping the Iran nuclear agreement, that was negotiated in part by former President Obama, threatens to destabilize the Middle East by increasing the potential for the spread of nuclear weapons and alienating our nation’s allies and the international coalition that helped build the arms control deal with Iran.
VUU to turn Industrial Hall into a museum
Virginia Union University is restoring and re-purposing one of the original buildings on its campus. Industrial Hall, which was built in 1899 and stands at the south end of the Lombardy Street campus with its tall, granite smokestack seen by travelers on Interstate 95, is being turned into a new museum and art gallery.
Sickle Cell Community Awareness Day May 19
The VCU Health Sickle Cell Disease Program is partnering with the Richmond Fire Department and Fire Station 14 to host a Sickle Cell Community Awareness Day 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Pollard Park in North Side.
Former U.N. ambassador named to Netflix board
Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from NorthStarNewsToday.com
Friday, May 11
Former Lady Panthers star Kiana Johnson makes All-Finnish team
Kiana Johnson has gone from All-CIAA to All-Finnish.
Virginian Noah Lyles focused on a 2020 Olympic win
A former Virginian may be the 200-meter dash favorite for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Noah Lyles, a 20-year-old former standout at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, is making noise on the professional IAAF Diamond League circuit.
Huguenot Falcons hope to boost wins under new coach Jared Taylor
Huguenot High School has improved the number of victories its team has secured on the girdiron each of the past three seasons.
Benedictine’s Jahdon Robinson commits to Hampton
Jahdon Robinson, a junior at Benedictine Prep, has given a verbal commitment to play basketball at Hampton University starting with the 2019-20 season.
Shaka Smart’s coaching lessons bearing fruit
The fruit never falls far from the tree. Evidence of Coach Shaka Smart’s powerful tenure as the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University continues sprouting.
Pujols joins baseball elite hit-home run club
Albert Pujols has slugged his way onto the short list of baseball’s all-time hitters. The Los Angeles Angels first baseman/designated hitter joins legends Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez as the only players with at least 3,000 hits and 600 home runs.
Priest caught in political fire reinstated as House chaplain
Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan has announced he will reinstate the Rev. Patrick Conroy as chaplain for the House of Representatives after the controversial Jesuit priest challenged the stated rationale for removing him.
Helen Peyton Wallace, among first teachers to integrate Westhampton Elementary, dies at 90
Helen Winfree Peyton Wallace had a passion for helping Richmond children master reading. An avid reader, Mrs. Wallace was best known for her work as a Title I remedial teacher who helped untold numbers of city elementary students overcome reading problems.
Maxine L. Black, longtime school counselor and civic leader, succumbs at 77
Maxine Lewis Black wore multiple hats as an educator and in leadership roles with women’s organizations. Mrs. Black was a foreign language teacher and late served as a guidance counselor with Richmond Public Schools in a career that spanned nearly 50 years.
Personality: Joseph P. Costello
Spotlight on founder of the nonprofit Friends of Pump House
Joseph P. Costello first discovered the Pump House in Byrd Park in the summer of 2013. He was with friends when he visited the Gothic Revival structure situated just north of the James River and Kanawha Canal off Pump House Drive. It was constructed of local granite in 1883, with annex buildings added in 1905. “I was blown away by the beauty of the building,” Mr. Costello says.
Need protection?
Replicas of Terracotta Warriors up for auction
They were life-size terracotta depictions of soldiers protecting Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of China, and buried with him in Xi’an in 210 BCE to protect him in the afterlife.
Virginia Premier to offer health plans on ACA exchange this fall
Virginia Premier, the insurance arm of VCU Health, will start selling individual plans beginning this fall to Richmond area residents who buy coverage through the health insurance exchanges of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, it was announced Monday.
Bus stop creates problems before it starts
A new bus stop that will serve 60 to 70 buses a day near the Boulevard is creating an uproar even before it goes into operation in late June as part of GRTC’s overhaul of its transit network.
City resident awaits word on trash fees
That has been City Hall’s response to Free Press reports about its failure to relieve qualifying Richmond residents of the $23.79 a month cost for trash collection and recycling service.
The late Oliver Singleton to be honored with street sign
The 2700 block of East Grace Street will be named to honor the late Oliver R.H. Singleton, who worked to boost opportunities for and the profiles of black-owned businesses before his death in 2016.
Area postal carriers hosting food drive
Mail carriers hope to pick up food donations from homes across the Richmond area when they deliver letters, magazines and other items Saturday, May 12.
City Council poised to scrap residency requirement for top officials
For nearly three decades, City Hall executives have been required to move into the city within a year of being hired.
Meet-and-greet for congressional candidates May 15
The Urban League of Greater Richmond Young Professionals will host a free meet-and-greet with candidates running in the June primary elections for the 4th and 7th congressional districts.
Graduating while black
Graduation celebration goes awry at University of Florida
It was supposed to be celebration time.
Room to grow
Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School seeks to expand with help from city
A private Episcopal school in the East End that currently offers a tuition-free education to l08 children mostly from low-income families living in public housing is working with the city to buy an acre of land for its first big expansion.
Franklin Street travel lanes being revamped for bikes, ‘floating parking’
Congestion warning: Franklin Street in Downtown is about to shrink to one lane of traffic except during the morning rush hour from 6 to 9 a.m., when two travel lanes will be open.
Richmond residents frustrated by police stops
About 30 residents of the city’s Blackwell neighborhood voiced their frustration last Saturday over what some see as discriminatory police stops and other interactions with Richmond Police.
New teen career, college center planned by Boys & Girls Clubs
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond is moving forward to develop a new $5 million teen center in the East End with a focus on providing career and college guidance for 15- to 18-year-olds.
Calvin Farr named new director of city Department of Public Utilities
Calvin D. Farr Jr., 43, will be the next director of the Richmond Department of Public Utilities. Mayor Levar M. Stoney announced the appointment of Mr. Farr last week. Mr. Farr currently is assistant commissioner for watershed management in Atlanta.
Saturday, May 5
Hunger can hamper higher education efforts
A 22-year-old mother of two young children decides to go to class rather than pick up an extra shift at the doctor’s office where she works. The decision, while beneficial to her education, means she won’t have enough money to feed herself and her children sufficiently that month.
Double standard?
Why are Wells Fargo executives not going to prison for their crimes? They opened unauthorized accounts for their customers. They took out unauthorized car insurance for those who got car loans. In Philadelphia, they forced black borrowers to get more expensive home loans. They have admitted to their crimes.
Honor victims with action
“From 1986 to 1996, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sponsored high-quality, peer-reviewed research into the underlying causes of gun violence. People who kept guns in their homes did not — despite their hopes — gain protection … Instead, residents in homes with a gun faced a 2.7-fold greater risk of homicide and a 4.8-fold
How do you mend a broken heart?
I used to love me some Bill Cosby, not only because he was America’s Dad, but also because he was fun and funny. Most of the times that I was around him, I felt lifted. He had that deep, “Heh, heh, heh,” laugh and that sweet smile. And then he loved some HBCUs, so what could you say?
May Day and pay inequities
Rallies and marches took place on Tuesday across the United States and the globe to highlight the rights of workers and labor issues.
Personal drama overshadows elected service
We were gravely disappointed by news of the arrest yet again of Henrico School Board member Roscoe D. Cooper III. The 43-year-old Mr. Cooper has given a lot to the community in terms of service. He has been pastor of Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church since 2003, serves on the board of the Capital Area Health Network and was elected to represent the people of the Fairfield District on the Henrico School Board.
An array of speakers slated for 2018 commencements
It’s graduation season for colleges and universities across Virginia, a time for inspiring commencement speeches, proud parents and cheering graduates.
17th Annual ¿Qué Pasa? Festival on Saturday
Food, fun and entertainment will highlight Richmond’s 17th Annual Qué Pasa? Festival sponsored by the Virginia Hispanic Chamber.
Trumpeter Terell Stafford to perform May 8 for music educator series
Richmond will rock as the Richmond Jazz Society features Terell Stafford, one of America’s gifted and versatile trumpet players.
Richmond NAACP to observe 100th birthday with May 17 event
The Richmond Branch NAACP will mark its 100th birthday with a Freedom Fund Gala set for Thursday, May 17, at the Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center at Virginia Union University, it has been announced.
Kanye West sounds off on slavery, his opioid addiction and Trump
Rapper Kanye West on Tuesday described slavery as a choice, praised President Trump for doing “the impossible” by becoming president, and attributed his 2016 mental breakdown to opioid addiction.
Friday, May 4
Virginia State’s Trenton Cannon drafted by New York Jets
Virginia State University’s Trenton Cannon has shown the CIAA the special talents he has on a football field. Now he hopes to show the NFL.
VT’s Edmunds brothers make NFL draft history
Lots of brothers have made it to the NFL. Some have played on the same team or been selected in the same draft. But siblings Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds of Danville made history April 26 as the first brothers selected in the same opening round.
Washington NFL team picks 2 in draft to fill holes
The Washington NFL team finished dead last — 32nd — in defense against the run during the 2017 NFL season. Da’Ron Payne has been chosen to help plug the sieve.
Flying Squirrels, other San Fran affiliates, have few or no African-American players
While baseball has become overwhelmingly white in the United States, it remains popular among aspiring hitters and pitchers of color from the Caribbean and South America.
John Marshall standout Isaiah Todd transferring
Isaiah Todd, arguably the area’s top college prospect since Moses Malone, is changing basketball addresses. After leading Richmond’s John Marshall High School to the State 3A title this past winter as a sophomore, the 6-foot-10 Todd is transferring to Trinity Academy, a Christian-based private school in Raleigh, N.C.
Golf club apologizes for calling cops on black women members
A golf club in Pennsylvania has apologized for calling police on a group of black women after the co-owner and his father said they were playing too slowly and refused requests to leave the course.
Assemblies of God elects first woman executive in more than a century
The top U.S. board of the Assemblies of God has unanimously elected its first woman general secretary in the Pentecostal denomination’s more than 100-year history.
House Speaker Paul Ryan forces out chaplain
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan forced out the Jesuit priest who had served as chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011 because he said in a prayer during deliberations on tax cuts that lawmakers should be “fair to all Americans,” a news report stated last week.
Jean L. Fountain, longtime educator, civic leader, dies at 75
Jean Lankford Fountain wore different hats as an educator, but always under the banner of Richmond Public Schools.
Lillie L. Taylor, longtime RPS administrator, succumbs at 88
The life and faith of Lillie Lipscomb Taylor, a former teacher and longtime supervisor of business and economic education programs for Richmond Public Schools, was celebrated during a funeral service Thursday, April 26, 2018, at Great Hope Baptist Church.
Blanche A.B. Washington, retired teacher, musician dies at 86
Blanche Amanda Barcroft Washington spent 36 years teaching elementary students reading, writing and the rudiments of science.
Rita J.T. Williams, former teacher, Head Start instructor, dies at 66
Carver Elementary School is mourning the loss of one of staff members, Rita Jane Taylor Williams, who succumbed to illness on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. She was 66.
Personality: Christopher J. Woody Sr.
Spotlight on founder of The Woody Foundation
Christopher J. Woody Sr. is a very happy man with an enormous giving heart.
No more money for school maintenance
Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras is alarmed. He just found out that, as of March 31, RPS has only $881,143 left through June 30 to spend on school maintenance needs.
Pulse to start service June 24
That’s the day GRTC will launch the biggest overhaul of bus service in generations, one the company hopes that regular riders will cheer and that will bring new people to use public transit.
City developing policy, procedure for admissions tax
The director of the Richmond Finance Department will not seek legislation to reform the assessment and collection of admissions taxes.
Henrico School Board member Roscoe D. Cooper III arrested for misdemeanor assault
Henrico School Board member Roscoe D. Cooper III is once again the subject of a criminal court action, but this time the county police are on his side.
Community forum on gun safety and violence set for May 5
Richmond Delegate Delores L. McQuinn will host a town hall meeting on school and community safety 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St. in the East End.
RPS to host Healthy Family Expo this Saturday
Get a child registered for preschool. Sign up for summer school. Get the booster vaccination needed to enter sixth grade. And enjoy some entertainment.
Henrico schools to host workshop series
Henrico County Public Schools’ Department of Family and Community Engagement continues its Family Learning Series with a series of free workshops around the county during May.
Public hearings set to rename school named for a Confederate
The Richmond School Board wants public input in changing the name of J.E.B. Stuart Elementary School, the only school in the city named for a Confederate.
GPA miscalculations impact RPS students
Richmond Public Schools officials acknowledged Monday that four years of miscalculating students’ grade point averages have led to errors on students’ transcripts.
Life likely to change for Bill Cosby after conviction
Bill Cosby, used to the high life as one of America’s biggest stars, likely will see his entourage of aides replaced by an inmate paid pennies to help the legally blind comedian navigate life behind bars after he is sentenced for sexual assault.
Video shows former NFL player manhandled by Georgia police
A lawyer for Desmond Marrow said this week the charges against the former NFL player should be dropped, as police and prosecutors in Georgia said they are reviewing the arrest in which officers allegedly used excessive force.
Warning: Smoking may cause eviction
New smoke-free policy takes effect Aug.1 for all RRHA properties, including 4,000 public housing units in city
Residents of public housing in Richmond are facing a ban on smoking in three months.
City doesn’t publicize exemption from trash fees for elderly, disabled renters
City Hall is quietly blocking elderly and disabled renters from receiving free trash and recycling services, the Free Press has learned — a benefit the city has offered for nearly 14 years and which currently is worth $23.79 a month or $285.48 a year.
Herring’s new policy seeks to eliminate cash bond system
Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring is stepping up his efforts to eliminate the cash bond system that forces people to stay in jail while awaiting trial because they cannot afford to put up the money or property for bail or to pay the fee of a bail bonding company willing to do it.
