Thursday, January 25
New Rams finding own identity
It’s not too unusual for a basketball team to repeat as league champion or top contender. But with a nearly all-new cast?
Personality: Tranelle A. Pollard
Spotlight on Richmond Public Schools Teacher of the Year
Tranelle A. Pollard knew the value of a good education. And as a young student at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School, her learning experience was greatly improved through the contributions of faculty such as her kindergarten and first grade teacher, Betty Blue.
Next chapter
Sandra G. Treadway retires as Virginia’s state librarian
When Dr. Sandra Gioia Treadway started working as an associate editor of publications for the Library of Virginia in 1978, she recalls the time being such “a different world back then. It’s hard to imagine what it was like.”
Legislation calls for free school meals for all Virginia students
A bill that would provide free meals for all public school students in Virginia passed the Senate Education and Health Committee Thursday.
Atlanta’s Spelman College gets largest-ever single HBCU donation
A billionaire couple is giving $100 million to Atlanta’s Spelman College, which the women’s school says is the largest-ever single donation to a historically Black college or university.
Dexter Scott King, son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., dies of cancer at 62
Dexter Scott King, who dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King — died Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, after battling prostate cancer. He was 62.
VMFA announces RVA Community Makers, events
For the sixth year, RVA Community Makers will honor African-American leaders from various fields. The annual community-activated art project will be unveiled by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, and will remain on display until March 16.
Virginia becomes abortion haven for out-of-state women
It is no longer unusual for a pregnant Alabama woman with two kids to be parked overnight outside a Virginia League for Planned Parenthood (VLPP) clinic, waiting for the doors to open. Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said the protection of abortion rights in this state means that women who live where the procedure is banned are making their way to VLPP facilities in Richmond and Hampton Roads.
Trump wins New Hampshire primary as rematch with Biden appears increasingly likely
Former President Donald Trump easily won New Hampshire’s primary on Tuesday, seizing command of the race for the Republican nomination and making a November rematch against President Biden feel all the more inevitable.
Mayor to deliver last ‘State of the City’
Mayor Levar M. Stoney will address the past, present and future accomplishments of Richmond on Tuesday, Jan. 30 during the 2024 State of the City event.
Virginia primaries begin in May
In-person voting for statewide candidates in Virginia’s primary elections will kick off Friday, May 3, at local registrar’s offices.
New weed-sales bill would include minority vendors
Prospects for the General Assembly to approve the retail sale of marijuana could get a big boost from a deal to guarantee Virginians of color gain a significant share of the business opportunity. Unveiled Jan. 18 at a State Capitol press conference, the agreement is between state lawmakers, advocates and the state’s four medical marijuana companies.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
Best-selling author Clint Smith is keynote speaker at VMFA symposium
Author, journalist, poet and scholar Clint Smith says he has been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and positive response to his best-selling book “How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America.”
A Wilder ovation
More than $875,000 raised during gala honoring the legacy of the nation’s first Black governor
Former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder’s gifts as an orator were on full display last Saturday, Jan. 20, in Washington.
VUU men get big win against rival
Virginia Union University has known hard times this basketball season, but the way Coach Jay Butler sees it, “We’re 1-0 ... 1-0 with nine to go.” The CIAA Northern Divi- sion title is determined by divisional record and VUU started divisional play with a convincing 54-44 win at Virginia State as part of the Freedom Classic Festival.
Daily news: ‘I’m smaller, but I’m faster’
Anyone using the excuse of being too small for basketball needs to take a lesson from Cherish Daily. Inch for inch and pound for pound, the 5-foot-2, 115-pound Armstrong High junior might be the city’s top baller.
Gen Z’er takes advantage of once-low interest rates to purchase first home
In 2021, Raven Moseley needed a place to stay, but she could not afford an apartment that she felt comfortable in without splitting the bill with a roommate. Plus, she could not find a suitable roommate. That is when her mother gave her the idea to buy a home.
Richmond’s top tourism promoter to retire
The Richmond area’s biggest cheerleader for tourism is headed for retirement. Known for his energy and enthusiasm for all things Richmond, John F. “Jack” Berry Jr. has announced that he will end his 31 years at the helm of Richmond Regional Tourism on June 30.
Jason Kamras must resign
Photos of Shawn Jackson, smiling proudly as he accepts his diploma on the Altria Theater stage, are hard to look at knowing that just minutes later the 18-year old would lay outside the downtown theater gasping for breath before dying from gunshot wounds.
VUU women upset No. 11 Trojans
Virginia Union’s women hoopsters were not intimidated after seeing Virginia State’s NCAA Division II, No. 11 national ranking.
Elegba Folklore Society explores the origin of civilization
Artifacts, photographs and material culture from Egypt, known in antiquity as Kemet, will go on display at the Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center, beginning Friday, Feb. 2, with an opening reception from 5 to 9 p.m.
Remembering a trailblazer
Bernadine A. ‘Bernie’ Simmons paved the way for others to follow
Bernadine A. ‘Bernie’ Simmons, the late television news anchor and creator of Richmond’s popular “12 About Town” segment for WWBT-NBC12, was remembered by friends and colleagues on Saturday, Jan. 13, at Joseph Jenkins Jr. Funeral Home in Richmond.
Miyares pro proton radiation treatment, by Hazel Trice Edney
The announcement that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is being treated for prostate cancer has hit home with millions of families across the nation. But in Virginia, the announcement is particularly relevant as the state’s legislature examines an opinion by the state attorney general that said insurances should cover a specific prostate cancer treatment that could save more lives.
Redefining policing in America, by Marc H. Morial
“The only way to get this number down significantly would be to make more significant changes to, you know, what policing means in this country.”—Justin Nix, criminal justice professor, University of Nebraska Omaha
Civil War was about ‘secession, not slavery’, says reader
Marc H. Morial, in excoriating Nikki Haley, parrots the tiresome myth of American history by claiming the Civil War (which it was not, by definition) was “about” slavery, quoting slavery as one among the reasons for the secession of the Southern states.
‘Richmond’s restaurants struggle to stay alive,’ says mayoral candidate
Richmond continues to attract new business and investment, create jobs, and provide an invigorating economic climate for expansion—but once businesses decide to invest in Richmond, we need to treat them better.
America’s ‘hands off’ treatment of illegal immigration creates crime
David W. Marshall is correct in his editorial that America is having major problems coping with crime, immigration and sanctuary cities. The solution would be to follow the Constitution in allowing only legal immigration.
Living the Dream features musical tributes, VUU Gospel Choir
A concert and tribute to the Rev. Nathan Dell will be part of the Community Learning Week events being presented by nonprofit Living the Dream, Inc. (LTD).
Rispress takes recruiting prowess to Colorado
Devin Rispress helped Florida A&M’s football team win a national championship. Now he hopes to do the same for the University of Colorado.
Thursday, January 18
Victoria S. Oakley, former RPS educator, dies at age 63
Victoria Stender “Vickie” Oakley, a former principal and instructional leader for Richmond Public Schools, has died.
Virginia Senate Democrats postpone work on constitutional amendments and kill GOP voting bills
A Democrat-led Virginia Senate panel on Tuesday defeated a handful of Republican-sponsored voting bills and moved to put on hold consideration of several proposed constitutional amendments until after this year’s session.
Judgment day
Court orders RPS to release Sands Anderson report; findings show negligence
The external report by the Sands Anderson law firm regarding the June 6, 2023 shooting after the Huguenot High School graduation at the Altria Theater was ordered to be released to the public by 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
As diversity, equity and inclusion comes under legal attack, companies quietly alter their programs
Sophia Danner-Okotie’s has ambitious plans for her Nigerian-inspired clothing line but a sense of dread has punctured her optimism as she watches a legal battle being waged against a small venture capital firm that has provided funding instrumental to her boutique brand’s growth.
Personality: Todd B. Waldo
Spotlight on Better Housing Coalition board chairman
When Todd B. Waldo moved to Virginia in 2002, he wanted to establish a life and home to work with students at Hampton University while continuing his career as a touring musician. Ten years later, another calling arrived when he discovered the work of the Richmond Better Housing Coalition.
Retired Armstrong High School teacher Conrad L. Dandridge, 87, remembered
Conrad Lewis “Mr. D” Dandridge spent more than 35 years teaching and mentoring countless students at Armstrong High School from which he graduated.
Double your pleasure at VSU-VUU Classic
Let Freedom ring. Doors open at 2 p.m. Saturday for the annual Freedom Classic Festival that combines basketball with numerous community and cultural activities.
Community leaders, elected officials and public celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy
The lilting sounds of “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” performed by the Virginia Union University Choir helped set the stage for the 46th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Leaders Celebration on Friday, Jan. 10.
Virginia Opera presents Damien Geter’s “Cotton”
Virginia Opera describes its presentation of Damien Geter’s song cycle, “Cotton,” as a “powerful fusion of music and poetry inspired by the captivating photography of acclaimed Philadelphia artist John Dowell.”
She’s a winner!
Tranelle Pollard is the 2024 RPS Teacher of the Year
Tranelle Pollard, lead school counselor at Dogwood Middle School, has been selected as the Richmond Public Schools 2024 Teacher of the Year.
Early voting for president
Early voting in Virginia’s March 5 presidential primaries is to begin on Friday, Jan. 19, and continue through Saturday, March 2, it has been announced.
New urgent care centers coming to fruition
Church Hill is moving closer to the opening of its first urgent care center.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
City moves access revenue that results in $12.6M surplus
The city of Richmond’s financial team moved $30 million in excess revenue from the 2022-23 fiscal year to the city’s savings account to refund expenses and then officially announced a $12.6 million surplus from the fiscal year that ended June 30.
City receives excellent credit ratings from Standard & Poor’s
S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, and Fitch Ratings have affirmed the City of Richmond’s ratings at AA+, Aa1, and AA+, respectively, according to City officials. The rating agencies commended Richmond for its very strong economic growth, attention to increasing reserves, and sound and conservative financial management and policies.
School Board election shakeup
After six years on the School Board, Kenya Gibson is seeking to move up to City Council.
Highland Grove development to restart
City Council has cleared the way for the re-start of a shut-down subdivision that is to bring 122 affordable homes to North Side.
Celebrating the legacy of L. Douglas Wilder, the nation’s first elected African-American governor
Two events this week are about recognizing and honoring the leadership and service of Richmonder L. Douglas Wilder, a lawyer and politician who became the nation’s first elected African-American governor when he won Virginia’s gubernatorial race in 1989.
City Hall offers some reforms on tax collections
Amid the uproar over meals-tax collections, City Hall is rolling out a multiple-step plan in a bid to ease complaints.
Richmond church burns
A devastating fire Jan. 9 appears to have dashed the hopes of the congregation of Seventh Street Memorial Baptist Church of returning to their long vacant “home location” in the Highland Park neighborhood in North Side.
Anita G. Lester, former lawyer with Hill, Tucker & Marsh, dies at 64
Anita Gene Lester,65, is being remembered as a caring lawyer who spent part of her career defending those accused of crimes and part of her career prosecuting them.
Pharrell Williams’ sophomore collection at Louis Vuitton showcases Americana and Native American spirit
It was Wild West meets melting pot America at the Louis Vuitton Fall-Winter 2024 men’s show Tuesday, where musician-turned-designer Pharrell Williams unveiled his highly-anticipated
Mining Richmond’s Black community for 32 years
The first tenet of a free and democratic society is the establishment of an honest and forthright press. And for 32 years, the Richmond Free Press has done just that in our community.
Clean-energy tech must become a reality in U.S. manufacturing, by Ben Jealous
What if the answer to undoing the harm wrought by the demise of America’s manufacturing sector was right in front of us? Perhaps it’s an economic boom waiting to happen, to rebuild communities and revitalize our beaten-down working class.
King’s dream lives, but we need more soldiers in the fight, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
For those who rejoiced when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, they must be disappointed to know that we still celebrate the work Dr. King did to make this a better world.
To save lives, lawmakers must seek common ground on gun legislation, by Roger Chesley
Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly, now in charge in both chambers in the session that opened last week, hope to pass several gun-control bills. The wish list includes legislation to ban the sale of new assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, The Washington Post reported.
JM speeds on after speed bump
Don’t worry, John Marshall High fans. The basketball still has plenty of air in it on the North Side.
Pats add Mayo to pigskin recipe
Hampton native Jared Mayo is the New England Patriots’ new head coach, succeeding the iconic Bill Belichick.
Moore’s leadership might have saved Michigan
Will he stay or will he go? That’s the question the football world is asking about Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh following his national championship.
ECSU taps Richardson as interim basketball coach
Andre Gray has been fired as head basketball coach at Elizabeth City State. He has been replaced on an interim basis by alumnus John Richardson III.
New pro basketball team is looking for ballers
So, you’re out of school, getting a bit older, but still want to play some serious basketball? Here’s your chance. There is a new pro basketball team forming in town — the Richmond Ram Chargers — and it’s looking for ballers.
USATF National Cross Country Championships return to Richmond Region
Hanover County’s Pole Green Park play host to nation’s top runners
The excitement is building for the 2024 USA Track & Field National Cross Country Championships to take place in Hanover County’s Pole Green Park Jan. 20.
‘Succession’ dominates drama Emmys, ‘The Bear’ claims comedy and Quinta Brunson makes history
“Succession” secured its legacy with its third best drama series award, “The Bear” feasted as the night’s top comedy, and the two shows about squabbling families dominated the acting awards at Monday night’s Emmys.
Business grants announced for East End
Eleven businesses in Richmond’s East End are the latest recipients of supportive grants from a nonprofit development program, it has been announced.
Thursday, January 11
Tiger Woods, Nike end partnership after more than 27 years
Tiger Woods has gone from “Hello, world,” to saying goodbye to Nike.
Patients endure longer waits for ambulances
Virtually every day, ambulances are stacked up at Richmond-area hospitals with paramedics waiting to get the people they have transported admitted to the hospital so they can return to service.
JMI, VSU summit dips into global issues
Best-selling author Bakari Sellers, former Google exec Jewel Burks-Solomon among speakers
Bakari Sellers’ 2020 memoir “My Vanishing Country,” is filled with delicious morsels that stay with readers long after they’ve been digested.
Mr. Speaker
Don Scott makes history as Virginia Legislature opens; Youngkin calls for bipartisan progress
A remade Virginia General Assembly convened its 2024 session Wednesday with a Democratic majority newly in charge of both chambers after a consequential election cycle that followed two years of divided control of the Legislature.
Secrecy over defense secretary’s hospitalization has White House defensive
President Biden’s administration pledged from day one to restore truth and transparency to the federal government — but now it’s facing a maelstrom of criticism and credibility questions after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization was kept secret for days, even from the White House.
Biden calls out ‘poison’ of white supremacy in address at Mother Emanuel in S.C.
President Biden, taking his 2024 re-election campaign to South Carolina, denounced the white supremacy that he said led to deadly violence at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church almost nine years ago.
MLK DAY 2024
In observance of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, Jan. 15, please note the following:
Fla. A&M’s Simmons going to Duke
For the second straight season, the SWAC football Coach of the Year is changing addresses.
Movie review: ‘The Color Purple’ is a stirring big-screen musical powered by its spectacular cast
Exuberant performances from a cast led by Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks breathe life into Blitz Bazawule’s stirring “The Color Purple,” adapted from the Tony-winning Broadway production.
President Biden, House members among mourners for former Texas Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
Members of Congress joined mourners in Dallas on Tuesday to remember former U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, a day after President Joe Biden came to Texas to pay his respects to the trailblazing congresswoman.
Dr. Bernice King says wars, gun violence, racism have pushed humanity to the brink
Citing gun violence in the U.S., the deaths of families in Ukraine and Gaza from war, and threats from artificial intelligence, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter said last Thursday that the world urgently needs to study and adopt her father’s philosophy of nonviolence to avoid self-destruction.
The Hilton honors renowned Richmond minister
A nearly 120-year-old sculpture of one of Richmond’s storied Black religious leaders is available for public viewing in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Richmond.
City plans to add shelter space
City Hall is moving forward to acquire a 57,000-square-foot office-warehouse at 10 W. Belt Blvd. in South Side to expand shelter capacity for the homeless.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
Once forbidden history offers hope, by Ben Jealous
Even Ron DeSantis had to admit, when pressed at a CNN town hall, Jan. 6 was a bad day for America. Invariably, following this past week’s anniversary of the insurrection, we’re forced to ask ourselves: Will we ever be able to pull this country back together again?
VCU Health and VCU to walk in honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Walk and Celebration honors the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Granddaughter of Dr. King releases new book
Six months ago, the 15-year-old granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. announced that she was collaborating on a picture book tribute to the late civil rights leader and his wife, Coretta Scott King.
Honoring MLK: The unfinished journey toward economic freedom, by Charlene Cromwell
On Jan. 15 our nation again will observe the only national holiday designated as a day of service. The Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday was first observed in 1986.
Sold: Mayo Island purchase completed
Mayo Island is now part of the James River Park. The city announced on Jan. 5 the completion of the $15 million purchase of the large James River island from the Shaia family.
Richmond Symphony celebrates MLK weekend with three concerts
Dr. Henry Panion III, a Grammy-award winning arranger, composer, conductor, educator and producer, has worked with artists across the musical spectrum.
Haley’s hypocritical embrace, by Marc H. Morial
“The Lost Cause mythology was more than bad history. It provided the intellectual justification for Jim Crow — not just in the former Confederacy, but everywhere systemic racism denied Black citizens equal citizenship and economic rights ... That’s why the recent retreat to Lost Cause mythos is troubling. One would think that a Republican candidate for the presidency might be proud of the party’s roots as a firmly anti-slavery organization that dismantled the “Peculiar Institution” and fomented a critical constitutional revolution during Reconstruction— one that truly made the country more free.”— Joshua Zeitz
What Claudine Gay’s resignation tells us about conservative activists’ playbook, by Errin Haines
In her dissent in last summer’s Supreme Court case striking down affirmative action, Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman on the court, wrote: “History speaks. In some form, it can be heard forever.”
Judea Watkins rides high with Klutch Sports Group
University of Southern California freshman Judea “JuJu” Watkins is lighting up scoreboards and already taking her earnings to the bank.
HBCU history made in the snow
Two days after Christmas in 1892, a group of young men from Charlotte rode horse and buggy to Salisbury on a snowy winter’s day.
The Saints are marching in
No, that wasn’t a sonic boom or earthquake Richmonders heard coming from the west last Friday night.
Gridiron star is hoopin’ it up
Among the area’s top football prospects doubles as a basketball standout. Darius Gray is a difference maker in sneakers as well as shoulder pads for St. Christopher’s School in Richmond’s leafy West End.
Michigan Wolverines greet screaming fans after victory over Washington Huskies
The national champion Michigan Wolverines returned home Tuesday night to thunderous applause and screaming fans following their 34-13 victory over the Washington Huskies.
Coco Jones talks earning Grammy nods, overcoming obstacles after Disney fame, Hollywood’s pay equity
Coco Jones was so obsessed with fine tuning her skills as a singer that she tried to mimic Beyoncé’s Olympic-style training of singing while running on a treadmill.
Personality: Lynne B. Hughes
Spotlight on Comfort Zone Camp founder
When Lynne B. Hughes lost her mother and father at the age of 9 and 12, respectively, she struggled to find help after their deaths.
Thursday, January 4
‘Matunda ya kwanza’
Cheick Hamala Diabate (above) performs with the Elegba Folklore Drummers on Saturday, Dec. 30, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center where thousands attended the 33rd Annual Capital City Kwanzaa Festival presented by The Elegba Folklore Society.
Moses, Ferrell in NFL spotlight
The NFL’s upper echelon has a Richmond look. A pair of Richmond natives went head-to-head Christmas night in what was among the season’s most viewed games with 27.2 million TV viewers.
City demands $37,000 from takeout restaurant
City Hall is demanding that a Black-owned Richmond sandwich shop pay $37,000 in uncollected meals tax along with penalties and interest after telling the owners not collect the tax when they applied for a business license in June 2021.
Plagiarism charges down Harvard’s president; a conservative attack helped to fan the outrage
American higher education has long viewed plagiarism as a cardinal sin. Accusations of academic dishonesty have ruined the careers of faculty and undergraduates alike. The latest target is Harvard President Claudine Gay, who resigned Tuesday. In her case, the outrage came not from her academic peers but her political foes, led by conservatives who put her career under intense scrutiny.
Personality: Milton Vice
Spotlight on South Richmond Adult Day Care Center board president
After his father died in 2015, Milton Vice, in the midst of his grief, wanted to contribute to his community. A few months later, he joined the board of the South Richmond Adult Day Care Center.
From liberated to liberators
‘March forward in God’s name,’ Rev. A. Lincoln James Jr. proclaims on Emancipation Day
“March forward,” the Rev. A. Lincoln James Jr. told about 125 people at the New Year’s Day program celebrating the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the great Civil War document that took the first big step toward abolishing slavery in this country.
Policy issues involving machine games, guns and minors to greet General Assembly
Will Virginia continue to raise the minimum wage? Will the sale of marijuana through retail outlets gain approval? Will a ban on “skill” games be replaced by a taxing regime that would allow the machines to be turned on once more in bars and retail stores? Will gun owners be held criminally responsible if a minor takes their weapon and shoots someone?
3 Richmond Symphony concerts highlight MLK
The Richmond Symphony has scheduled three concerts leading up to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, which is Jan. 15.
Tens of thousands hospitalized for COVID-19, respiratory illnesses
As seasonal virus activity surges across the United States, experts stress the importance of preventive measures – such as masking and vaccination – and the value of treatment for those who do get sick, according to CNN News.
Nye, Lambert are new council officers
Kristen M. Nye thanked her City Council colleagues “for your vote of confidence” after being elected the new City Council president.
Husband and wife retire as credit union leaders
A husband and wife who each ran Richmond-based credit unions have stepped down.
Severely injured man waits 78 minutes for ambulance
J. Maurice Hopkins found out the hard way that the Richmond Ambulance Authority and the emergency dispatch system does not always respond quickly.
Al Sharpton’s organizes picket outside offices of Claudine Gay’s attacker
‘We’ll make ourselves at home outside his office’ says NAN leader
Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network (NAN), who last month stood by former Harvard President Claudine Gay as she came under relentless attacks from hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, will add another layer to his support of her on Thursday.
More shelters in place
Ask Mayor Levar M. Stoney about the unsheltered people in the city, and he’ll tell you the city is doing a bang-up job of addressing the need.
Making America laugh, look at itself, by Clarence Page
For many of us old enough to remember Archie Bunker’s living room chair before it became a Smithsonian Museum exhibit, Norman Lear helped television comedy get over its fear of real life.
Black women and pay inequality, by David W. Marshall
Taraji P. Henson is speaking out, and people are listening. It remains to be seen if the award-winning actor will become a catalyst for major changes within the entertainment industry, but her message is much needed.
Biden and Trump poised for a potential rematch that could shake American politics
U.S. presidential elections have been rocked in recent years by economic disaster, stunning gaffes, secret video and a pandemic. But for all the tumult that defined those campaigns, the volatility surrounding this year’s presidential contest has few modern parallels, posing profound challenges to the future of American democracy.
Rams’ ‘Odometer’ clicking upward
Virginia Commonwealth University’s eight-game homestand – among the longest in school history – ends Saturday with a 4 p.m. tipoff against Atlantic 10 rival George Washington University.
Thomas’ star shines at NSU
It’s very early. But if votes were cast today for MEAC Player of Year, Jamarii Thomas might be the top candidate.
R-MC’s Nixon wins top honors
Nehemiah Nixon didn’t get the headlines, but he caused plenty of headaches for the opposition.
Salazar’s glad his travels landed him at VUU
If you’re living in Richmond with a cellphone area code of 562, you are likely far from home. Meet Jonathan Salazar, whose basketball road trip has taken him from his native Panama to Nevada to California to New Mexico, back to California, and now to Virginia Union University. His 562 Area Code stems from when he was in high school (St. John Bosco Technical Institute) in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Janette Lewis Allen, 80, remembered for her work with Carver Elementary students
Whenever one or more Carver Elementary School students needed refuge from a troubled home, guidance counselor Janette Lewis Allen allowed them to spend the night at her house. “She had a passion for education and community service, particularly when it came to children,” said members of her family. The retired educator, who died at age 80 on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, is being remembered for the caring role she played in the lives of the Richmond children with whom she interacted.
Dr. Linwood Jacobs who opened doors for Black Greek organizations at UVA, dies at age 90
Additional roles included community college dean and Gilpin Court mental health provider
Dr. Linwood Jacobs is credited with spearheading the establishment of Black fraternities and sororities at the University of Virginia. And later he focused on student development as the dean of students at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and helped start a mental health services company based in Gilpin Court.
