Thursday, December 30
Elusive copper cornerstone box pulled from Lee pedestal, opened
Conservation experts at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources pulled books, money, ammunition, documents and other artifacts Tuesday from a long-sought-after time capsule found in the remnants of a pedestal on Richmond’s Monument Avenue that once held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Dr. Carolyn N. Graham, former Richmond deputy CAO for human services, dies at 75
Dr. Carolyn Nadene Graham, a top social services executive in Richmond, Washington and Florida and creator of the Washington-based Mary Elizabeth House to aid young mothers aging out of foster care, has died.
Into the future
Heading into 2022, Mayor Stoney details his focus for Richmond’s growth and opportunities in the coming years
Mayor Levar M. Stoney is bullish on Richmond as he prepares to begin his sixth year in the city’s top elected office.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, lion of anti-apartheid movement, dies at 90
Mourners held a candlelight prayer ceremony outside the Soweto home of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Wednesday, weeping over the memory not only of a world-renowned lion of the anti-apartheid movement but of a kind and loyal neighbor.
State NAACP weighing appeal of new redistricting maps to U.S. Supreme Court
Will there be an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court?
Dr. John Guns to give keynote at Emancipation Proclamation virtual worship service Jan. 1
Dr. John Guns, the new dean of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, will be the featured speaker at the annual Emancipation Proclamation Day service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, sponsored by the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Richmond and Vicinity.
Can Coach Deion Sanders help restore the HBCU-to-NFL pipeline?
An impressive total of 33 HBCU alumni have been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. But will there ever be another? Or even another first round draft choice? Or All-Pro?
VSU grad combines degree and love of animals to open North Side pet bath and spa
Michelle Millett and her mother, Arlene Young, are making it easier for pet parents to give their fur babies a bath.
Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch charged with 2 misdemeanors
Fifth District City Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch has been charged with two misdemeanors after Richmond Police say she struck an unoccupied, parked SUV and failed to stop and notify the owner.
City public safety workers receive bonuses of up to $3,000
Richmond’s public safety employees received a holiday gift— bonuses up to $3,000 apiece as a thank you for their service during the pandemic.
VUU Choir to perform at Youngkin inauguration
The Virginia Union University Choir has been invited to sing during inaugural activities for Republican Gov.-elect Glenn A. Youngkin.
VCU Rams has ranking defense gaining national acclaim
Every game day is D-Day for Virginia Commonwealth University basketball. That’s “D” as in defense.
Richmonder Andre Ingram wins on court and on ‘Wheel of Fortune’
Andre Ingram’s fans knew he could spin a basketball into a hoop. Now they know he can spin a wheel as well.
Big-name football coaches talking the helm at Grambling and Tennessee State
Hiring a big-name football coach has worked so far for Jackson State University. Grambling State and Tennessee State universities are hoping for the same results with their programs.
4 Black athletes to be inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame
Bud Fowler died more than 100 years ago, but his name still reverberates with baseball historians. Fowler is one of four Black athletes selected to the 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2022. Induction ceremonies will be July 24 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Capital City Kwanzaa Festival canceled because of COVID-19
The Richmond area’s largest Kwanzaa festival will not take place as planned on Thursday, Dec. 30.
Recovery or crisis?, by Julianne Malveaux
According to MasterCard’s spending reports, consumers spent more than 10 percent more than they did in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Inflation rose by 6 percent each month in October and November (don’t add it up – it’s monthly, not annual).
Wishing for governance ‘devoid of biases’, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
When you read this, we will be in the year 2022 or almost there. I hope the new year will hold the realization of your most cherished hopes and dreams.
Kwanzaa 2021: Celebration or lamentation?, by James Clingman
For 50 years, Black people in the United States have celebrated the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
Personality: Martha Jones-Carter
Spotlight on co-founder of Kuumba Afrikan American Quilters Guild of Richmond
If art tells a story, then Martha Jones-Carter has helped weave a multitude of personal and community-built narratives over the course of her life.
Thursday, December 23
The Rev. Franklin D. Harvey Sr., inventor of the Afro Master and former owner of Harvey’s Progressive Barber Shop, dies at 88
For decades, the Rev. Franklin Deheart Harvey Sr. ran one of the largest barbering operations in Richmond.
Woolfolk, Byerson to again become household names in area basketball
Woolfolk and Byerson—famous names from Richmond basketball archives—are back in hoops news, this time in Chesterfield County.
Cherished Holiday Memories 2021
Holiday memories are created by family — whether it is the family we’re born into or the family we create through church, work or social interactions.
State NAACP, others lodge criticism of proposed redistricting lines
Flawed data and too little assurance of fair representation for Black voters in Richmond, Hampton Roads and other sectors of the state.
South Carolina State wins Celebration Bowl, but Jackson State has reason to celebrate, too
A little Kool & The Gang music would fit this occasion. HBCUs had much to celebrate, on and off the field, regarding last Saturday’s Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.
Almanac, coin found in Lee monument time capsule
A rust-colored 1875 almanac, a cloth envelope and a silver coin were found Wednesday in a time capsule that had been buried beneath a towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue for more than 130 years.
New day, new year
Journey of past year filled with health challenges and separations brings Mechanicsville family closer together
During the past 19 months, three generations of the Lewis family have experienced what many families fear – infection with the COVID-19 virus and cancer.
Personality: Amanda Loraine Lynch
Spotlight on board president of Brown Ballerinas for Change
Amanda Loraine Lynch is helping bring change to the stage and the streets through ballet.
More free COVID-19 home test kits to be made available
The Richmond and Henrico health districts are making more free COVID-19 test kits available for people to use at home.
CoStar to expand in Richmond, building a new riverfront office tower and creating up to 3,000 new jobs
Up to 3,000 new jobs and a new 26-story riverfront office tower that will rank as the tallest office building in Virginia.
Justice Goodwyn to become second Black chief justice of Virginia Supreme Court
Virginia will soon have its second Black chief justice of the state Supreme Court.
City worker unionization efforts begin as police coalition calls for Chief Smith’s ouster
Should City Hall follow the lead of the Richmond School Board and authorize its employees to organize and collectively bargain over wages and working conditions?
State grant helps keep GRTC rides free
A new $8 million state grant could help GRTC keep fares at no cost to riders for at least another three years.
Richmond gets grants to improve park accessibility
City Hall has received two grants totaling $351,000 to improve handicap access to the James River and to a trail near Byrd Park that previously have been off limits to many with disabilities.
Fire destroys former governor’s home
A Wednesday fire destroyed the Northern Virginia home of former Virginia Gov. and U.S. Sen. Chuck Robb and his wife, Lynda, who is the daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Gerald G. Poindexter, a Surry County county attorney and prosecutor, dies at 80
Gerald Glenn Poindexter, a legal institution in Surry County where he served 23 years as county attorney and another 20 years as commonwealth’s attorney, has died.
Second ‘George Floyd’ Pieta stolen from Catholic University
A second painting of Jesus and his mother, Mary, in which Jesus is widely thought to be depicted as George Floyd, has been stolen from the walls of the Catholic University of America’s law school.
Coach Jay Butler is Mr. 100
Coach Jay Butler’s 100th coaching victory at Virginia Union University is in his rear-view mirror.
Tiger and son place second, set record for birdies in PNC Father-Son Challenge
Team Woods set a record for birdies but came up just short of the top prize at the PNC Father-Son Challenge last Saturday and Sunday in Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Harvey to VSU graduates: ‘Let’s get on with it’
“We believe that the sun rises and shines on you, and we believe that there is nothing, nothing, nothing that you can’t do.”
Creator of Kwanzaa to speak at 32nd Annual Capital City Kwanzaa Festival Dec. 30
Dr. Maulana Karenga was just 24 when he launched the Kwanzaa holiday in 1966 to enable Black communities in this country and worldwide to celebrate their African heritage.
Unity of Richmond to host Kwanzaa service Dec. 26
A West End Richmond worship center will help launch the local celebration of Kwanzaa on Sunday, Dec. 26, the start of the seven-day holiday that runs through New Year’s Day.
Mobilize for voting rights, by Marc H. Morial
“After decades of struggle and a year of our leaders choosing the Jim Crow filibuster over our voting rights, our time is now. On this day of action, I call on Congress and the White House to eliminate the filibuster and pass voting rights to protect millions of Black and Brown voters. The arc of the moral universe is long. Join me on January 17 to demand that it bends toward justice.” — Martin Luther King III
‘No time to waste!’, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
There’s an obvious scheme afoot to return the United States to a period in time where we lived with a completely different social construct and contract.
Our dollars as a form of resistance, by Julianne Malveaux
Our nation’s gross domestic product, or GDP, is a function of consumer spending. We are prodded, cajoled, enticed and engaged in the spending exercise, and all that happens because money makes the world go round.
Denzel Washington: ‘I wanted to please God’ in latest directing effort
Longtime actor Denzel Washington said his faith was a part of every decision he made in directing the new movie, “A Journal For Jordan,” based on the writings of an Army sergeant who was killed in action.
Thursday, December 16
GRTC to reduce service on some bus routes beginning Dec. 19
GRTC will play the Grinch just before Christmas and cut service as it struggles with a shortfall of about 50 full- and part-time drivers and shortages in the maintenance staff of mechanics and body shop personnel.
Mayor appoints first woman to lead city Department of Public Utilities
For the first time, a woman is in charge of the Richmond Department of Public Utilities.
Lightning rod Alice Massie to step down from Monroe Park Conservancy
A key figure in the management of Monroe Park who was the focus of much of the criticism of the park’s operation is stepping down.
Khalfani returns to Richmond in advocacy role
The former executive director of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP is the newest member of the lobbying team of the Richmond- based Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, a coalition of 750 faith groups that advocates for economic, racial and social justice.
Gov. Northam calls for elimination of state tax on groceries
Virginians would pay a smaller tax on groceries and receive an income tax rebate of up to $500 under outgoing Gov. Ralph S. Northam’s budget proposal rolled out on Tuesday.
Families of homicide victims urged to ‘keep the faith’ during the sadness of the season
It has been more than a decade since Rose Davis lost her son to gun violence, but she still feels the impact.
Republicans of the past, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
As I write, the nation is preparing to lay to rest former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, one of the “old breed” of Republican politicians.
Reparations movement rising, by Julianne Malveaux
The late Congressman John Conyers Jr., who represented Detroit in Congress from 1965 until 2017, introduced HR 40 — The Commission to Student and Develop Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act—
The people deserve the right to decide the fate of the Lee monument pedestal
Re “On the way out: Gov. Ralph S. Northam orders removal of 40-foot granite pedestal that held Confederate Robert E. Lee’s statue on Monument Avenue, and for the land to be turned over to the city,” Dec. 9-11 edition:
Steph Curry breaks NBA record for 3-pointers
Master marksman Stephen Curry is taking dead aim on an all-time NBA record.
Pharrell to NSU grads: ‘You have the ability to create the city, life that you deserve’
NORFOLK Grammy Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams told the newest graduates of Norfolk State University on Saturday to act like “the emerging majority” and help develop the area’s businesses and culture.
Officials urge caution during the holidays with omicron variant
Virginia health officials are urging caution and for people to protect themselves as omicron, a new variant of the coronavirus, rapidly spreads throughout the United States.
RPS would need $44M to cover Gov. Northam’s proposed teach pay hike
If Gov. Ralph S. Northam’s proposal to increase teacher and school staff pay by 10 percent over the next two years wins support from the General Assembly, Richmond taxpayers could feel the impact.
Ready for the holidays
Communities in Schools coordinators bring together volunteer efforts to assist children, families during holiday season
Community in Schools is making Christmas merry for students and their families in schools in Richmond’s East End and Eastern Henrico County.
Richmonder’s baking passion turns into burgeoning family business during the holiday
It’s holiday time — a time for family and friends and to give thanks for blessings of the past year. Richmonder Linda Shaw is doing just that — giving thanks as she makes memories and money with her LindaGrams, a trademarked graham cracker-based cookie she created and now sells online and in pop-up events.
Richmond, VLBC stand to lose under redrawn district maps
A major political shake-up. That’s the expected result when the Virginia Supreme Court approves new boundaries for the state’s 100 House of Delegates districts, 40 state Senate districts and 11 congressional districts.
The shake-up
Here is how the Virginia Supreme Court’s new redistricting maps would shake out for Richmond and the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.
Personality: The Rev. John Brian Sawyer
Spotlight on co-founder and board chairman of Bridging RVA
The Rev. John Brian Sawyer has lived a life driven by his passions.
Woodland Restoration Foundation hopes descendants will help with continuing cemetery upkeep, plans
Call him the headstone hunter.
VUU’s Raemaad Wright impresses with rebounding average.
Virginia Union University’s Raemaad Wright has become the “Chairman of the Boards” in CIAA basketball.
Tony Elliott is new head football coach at U.Va.
Tony Elliott helped lead Clemson University to the highest peak of college football’s mountaintop. Now University of Virginia fans are hopeful he can guide the Cavaliers on the same exhilarating journey.
Celebration Bowl to be televised Dec. 18
Jackson State and South Carolina State universities will be playing Saturday, Dec. 18, for what is considered the Black College Football National Championship.
804 Coaches for Change Community Classic set for Dec. 22-23
If lots of basketball is on anyone’s holiday wish list, they won’t be disappointed. The inaugural 804 Coaches for Change Community Classic is set for Dec. 22-23 at Henrico High School, 302 Azalea Ave., with a total of eight games.
Tiger Woods and son Charlie to team up for PNC Championship
Tiger Woods is on golf’s comeback trail, and he’s not traveling alone.
December surprise
We were slightly surprised — and a little amused — by some of the budget proposals put forth so far by outgoing Gov. Ralph S. Northam.
Miss America to VCU graduates: ‘You are stronger, you are wiser … as a result of the challenges you have faced’
The sound of trumpets, horns and drums filled Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center last Saturday morning as the university held its fall 2021 commencement ceremony.
COVID-19 and the holidays
As we move into the holiday season, we urge all of our readers to not get carried away by the eggnog and the festive spirit. Rather, we hope everyone will remain vigilant against COVID-19 — to protect yourselves and your loved ones.
Waiting for Harriet Tubman to appear on U.S. currency
When are we supposed to get the Harriet Tubman $20 bill that we were promised by the Democrats a few years ago?
Kudos for collective bargaining efforts and approval
Re “REA wins victory giving city teachers, staff collective bargaining authority” and “Trammell to introduce collective bargaining ordinance at next City Council meeting,” Free Press Dec. 9-11 edition:
Thursday, December 9
Personality: James Harris Jr.
Spotlight on founder of Men to Heal
James Harris Jr. knows the trials and tribulations of the therapy experience.
African faith leaders combat fake cures for COVID-19
When some African church pastors ordered their followers to eat grass or gulp petrol or even drink poison-laced water, their congregations have obeyed the instructions, thinking the practices would bring them closer to God.
Texas Christian picks Sonny Dykes as new football coach
Sonny Dykes has been named as the new football coach at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He replaces Gary Pat- terson, who was fired Oct. 31.
Grand jury clears officer who shot and killed Pharrell Williams’ cousin
A special grand jury found that a Virginia Beach police officer was justified in fatally shooting a man armed with a gun during a chaotic night of violence on the city’s oceanfront this spring, authorities said late last month.
Recount results in GOP control of House of Delegates
A three-judge panel overseeing a recount in a close House of Delegates race upheld the Republican candidate’s victory last Friday, a decision that also reaffirms the GOP’s takeover of the chamber and completes the party’s sweep of last month’s elections.
REA wins victory giving city teachers, staff collective bargaining authority
In a nearly unanimous vote, the Richmond School Board voted 8-1 Monday night to approve a resolution giving teachers and other school staff the power to establish a union and collectively negotiate for pay and benefits.
On the way out
Gov. Ralph S. Northam orders removal of 40-foot granite pedestal that held Confederate Robert E. Lee’s statue on Monument Avenue, and for the land to be turned over to the city
When the giant monument of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee went up 131 years ago, fiery Richmond Planet editor John Mitchell Jr. described it as monument that would hand down to future generations “a legacy of treason and blood.”
Charlottesville’s Lee statue to be melted down for new art
The statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that drew violent protests to Charlottesville will be melted down and turned into a new piece of public art by an African-American heritage center.
Bobby Dandridge to be honored by the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame
Billed as the “Call to the Hall,” the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame will honor Richmond native and former NBA star Bobby Dandridge on Jan. 19 in Virginia Beach.
Pulitzer winner Michael Paul Williams to speak at VUU scholarship event
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Virginia Union University alumnus Michael Paul Williams will speak at the annual VUU National Alumni Association Scholarship and Awards Luncheon hosted by the John W. Barco Alumni Chapter 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11.
Trammell to introduce collective bargaining ordinance at next City Council meeting
Richmond is poised to consider expanding collective bargaining to city employees.
‘Skill games’ back in business in convenience stores, truck stops statewide
“Skill games” are suddenly legal again.
Efforts start to reconnect parts of Richmond
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg promoted a new program to spend $1 billion to reconnect neighborhoods torn apart by the construction of the interstate highway system 66 years ago during a visit to and tour of Richmond last Friday, Dec. 3.
Herring: ‘No evidence of recklessness’ warranting indictment in Lawhon death
The decision not to bring criminal charges against two Richmond Police officers and two paramedics in connec- tion with the fatal smothering of Joshua L. Lawhon three years ago was made by Michael N. Herring, former Richmond commonwealth’s attorney.
New area resource center opens in Lakeside
Area residents in need of a helping hand during the winter season have a new option.
More options under consideration for RPS academic calendar
Richmond Public Schools is considering a fourth option in adjusting the academic calendar for the 2022-23 school year.
Richmond among 10 localities piloting Marcus Alert system
Virginia is launching a new system to improve the response to mental health emergencies.
Sources: $12.8M city budget error found by outside auditor
Richmond’s outside auditor has uncovered a $12.8 million error that has inflated the amount of surplus the city has reported for several years, the Free Press has been told.
NAACP, Herring support innocence claims of the Waverly Two
More than 20 years after two men were sentenced to prison for convictions stemming from the slaying of a Waverly police officer, a new effort has emerged that could grant them their innocence and freedom.
Marcus Freeman becomes second Black head coach at Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman has become the second Black head coach in the University of Notre Dame’s rich football tradition.
Youngkin inaugural plans include pricey dinner, music acts
Incoming Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin is planning a celebratory inaugural weekend that will include a mix of high-dollar ticketed events and other functions open to the public, according to a program that also touts an appearance by an unspecified Grammy-winning musical artist.
NSU wins Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge in Phoenix
Kris Bankston wasn’t named to the preseason All-MEAC team in part because few knew much about him. Now they know.
Area athletes make All-MEAC football team
Two Norfolk State University athletes from the Richmond area have made the All-MEAC football team.
Winning streak ends for Bowie State Bulldogs
The Bowie State Bulldogs hit the end of the road in Valdosta, Ga.
Jackson State wins SWAC Championship heads to Celebration Bowl
Jackson State University, riding a nine-game winning streak, is making plans for the Saturday, Dec. 18, Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.
NFL Pro-Bowler Claude Humphrey dies at 77
Claude Humphrey, the powerful leader of the Atlanta Falcons’ famed “Grits Blitz,” died Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, at his home in Memphis. He was 77.
Let the future begin
We commend the foresight and action of both outgoing Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney when it comes to the huge stone pedestal left on Monument Avenue after the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Hate floats; we hope not here
We read with interest a story about the 25th Annual Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade that took place last Saturday evening on the Yorktown waterfront.
Right-wing judges putting women’s health care at risk, by Ben Jealous
The political and legal movement to criminalize abortion in the United States is on the brink of its biggest victory in 50 years. Most at risk are people who already are among the most vulnerable in our country—Black and Brown women and LGBTQ people who will be denied access to potentially life-saving health care.
Remembering the Montgomery bus boycott, by Marc H. Morial
“There comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression. There comes a time, my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they experience the bleakness of nagging despair. There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November. There comes a time.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dec. 5, 1955, address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association Mass Meeting.
Give gift of Black history this year
During this gift-giving season, it’s very important that serious Black parents provide their children with at least one gift that either introduces them to or broadens their knowledge of Black history.
Friday, December 3
Addressing climate change is critical
I am a 16-year-old sophomore in the International Baccalaureate program at Henrico High School. Within the past few months, I have become more aware of the climate change crisis and the important global summit, COP26, held recently in Glasgow, Scotland, on the issue.
Reflecting on Richmond’s rejection of a casino-resort
To the Richmond residents south of the James, it is with deep regret that the vote for a casino came in “no,” and it was due to no fault of yours.
As many pastors as we want, by Julianne Malveaux
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton were doing the right thing when attending the Ahmaud Arbery trial. They demonstrated the solidarity that the Black community has with each other when one of us appears to be lynched. Each of us, every Black person, is repulsed and dismayed when we learn that armed white men, using the pretense of “citizen’s arrest,” can kill any of us. What is a citizen’s arrest, anyway? Is it simply a license to kill?
MBDA gets permanent status, by Marc H. Morial
“President Biden has made clear his commitment to not just rebuilding to how things were before COVID-19, but to building back better and more equitably. The Minority Business Development Agency is ready to step into this historic moment and build on its success — because we recognize that America’s road to recovery runs through our minority business community. Making MBDA a statutory Agency provides MBDA with the authorities, workforce and resources needed to help level the playing field on behalf of minority businesses and minority entrepreneurs.”—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
Ignore Him
Since he has been banned from Twitter, former President Trump has taken to email to send his endless tirades and rants.
French honor for Josephine Baker stirs conflict over racism
On the surface, it’s a powerful message against racism: A Black woman will, for the first time, join other luminaries interred in France’s Pantheon. But by choosing a U.S.-born figure/entertainer Josephine Baker—critics say France is continuing a long tradition of decrying racism abroad while obscuring it at home.
Fashion designer Virgil Abloh dies of cancer at 41
Virgil Abloh, a leading designer whose groundbreaking fusions of streetwear and high couture made him one of the most celebrated tastemakers in fashion and beyond, has died of cancer. He was 41.
Armstrong-Walker Classic Legacy
We congratulate the organizers of the Armstrong-Walker Classic Legacy who brought a great deal of cheer to Richmond with last Saturday’s successful parade, tailgate and football games.
Egypt unveils renovated ‘Avenue of the Sphinxes’ in Luxor
Egyptian authorities unveiled Nov. 25 a renovated ancient promenade in the city of Luxor dating back 3,000 years, the latest government project undertaken to highlight the country’s archaeological treasures.
3rd annual charity art gala to benefit Black History Museum
Liberated Flow is hosting its 3rd Annual Charity Art Gala 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, to benefit the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia.
NFL Hall of Famer Curley Culp dies at 75
Curley Culp, among the greatest nose tackles in NFL history, died Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, at age 75.
VUU’s Jada Byers named CIAA Rookie of the Year; All-CIAA teams named
Virginia Union and Virginia State universities were well represented on the All-CIAA football teams.
Jackson State to take on Prairie View, with SWAC winner headed to Celebration Bowl
The South Carolina State University Bulldogs have already punched their ticket to the Celebration Bowl.
VCU Rams have tough time in Battle 4 Atlantis
A rising star freshman and a stifling defense are atop the reasons why Virginia Commonwealth University feels the wind as its back after three tense struggles in the Bahamas.
Petersburg Symphony Orchestra to present holiday concert Dec. 5
The Petersburg Symphony Orchestra is presenting “Festive Holiday Favorites,” a holiday concert featuring Handel’s “The Messiah Overture” and other favorites, at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at the Petersburg Public Library Auditorium, 201 Washington St. in Petersburg.
Former U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek of Florida being remembered
Former Congresswoman Carrie Meek, who died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, is being remembered as a trailblazer, a descendant of a slave who became one of the first Black Floridians elected to Congress since Reconstruction.
Thursday, December 2
VUU wins inaugural Chris Paul HBCU Tip-Off
The inaugural Chris Paul HBCU Tip-Off was a double success for Virginia Union University.
Richmond, Chesterfield libraries join program to distribute free at-home COVID-19 test kits
Libraries across Virginia have joined the effort to make it easier for residents to test themselves for possible COVID-19 infection.
New VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion to open Dec. 6
After more than four years of design and construction, opening day is finally arriving for the new Adult Outpatient Pavilion on the medical campus of Virginia Commonwealth University.
YMCA makes deal on Downtown building
The YMCA of Greater Richmond could become a model for nonprofits seeking to gain revenue from old buildings, while keeping them in operation.
Richmond comes alive with holiday events
Richmond will turn on the holiday lights this week and welcome Santa to Downtown to officially launch the celebration of the season.
Trailblazing golfer Lee Elder, the first Black to play in the Masters Tournament, dies at 87
Golfer Lee Elder played through the scourge of racism. He broke down enormous barriers. He carved a path for Tiger Woods and others to follow.
Personality: Dr. Denise Lowe Walters
Spotlight on chair of the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum of Virginia
Dr. Denise Lowe Walters strives to be a bridge builder and engine of progress in many of her endeavors. In October, she took on a whole new challenge, one that has the potential to broaden horizons for the Richmond community and thousands of Virginians.
VUU to start 2 new schools and 2-year degree program
A new school is being launched a Virginia Union University to train students to be activists.
Hanging around
City still mulling offers for city-owned Confederate statues removed last year from Monument Avenue and other Richmond locations.
Richmond removed in 2020 almost all of the city-owned Confederate statues that marred the landscape with their white supremacist message. But getting rid of the statues is proving to be harder.
Gospel artist Hezekiah Walker to lead VUU master class Dec. 4
Local gospel musicians and music students from across the country will have a chance to virtually meet the best in the business while learning how to break into the industry.
Council member threatens to delay design funds for new George Wythe
Will Richmond City Council stand in the way of transferring $7.3 million to Richmond Pub- lic Schools so an architect can design a replacement George Wythe High School?
Public school enrollment down 46,000 statewide since pandemic
Richmond Public Schools has reported that 2,700 fewer students were enrolled Sept. 30 as the new school year began than in 2019 before the start of the pandemic.
School, city spirit merged at Armstrong-Walker Classic Legacy
“I’m the last Dragon.” Ashley Singleton is many things — a Richmond resident with deep family ties to Church Hill and an educator with the nonprofit Blue Sky Fund.
