Registrar faces scrutiny as early voting begins amid investigation
With early voting underway, Richmond Registrar Keith Balmer is focused on getting people to the polls, as other officials call for his removal or continue to investigate his misconduct in office.
Native tree distribution event held at Mosby Memorial Baptist Church
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Virginia Interfaith Power & Light and Mosby Memorial Baptist Church gave away 200 native trees and shrubs to Richmond residents last Saturday.
Mississippi mayor says a Confederate monument stays in storage during lawsuit
A Confederate monument that was removed from a courthouse square in Mississippi will remain in storage rather than being put up at a new site while a lawsuit over its future is considered, a city official said Friday.
6 NFL teams saved their season Sunday by earning their first win
That’s no overstatement considering only six teams since 1979 have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, including just one since 2000, and none have won a Super Bowl.
Personality: Joan Porte
Spotlight on President of the League of Women Voters of Virginia
When 3,400 eligible voters were purged from Virginia’s voting roles last year by Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration, the League of Women Voters of Virginia President Joan Porte, sprang into action. She called for an investigation and urged that their rights be restored.
Huguenot graduate brings acclaimed short to RIFF
Richmond native Tamika Lamison screens her award-winning short film, “Superman Doesn’t Steal, ” at the Richmond International Film Festival this weekend. The film draws on Lamison’s experiences growing up in Richmond, while a series of murders of Black children were being committed in Atlanta in 1979.
Spanberger and Earle-Sears tied in first 2025 gubernatorial poll
Survey also found 22% of voters remain undecided, did not plan to vote or would back another candidate
A little over one year before the 2025 gubernatorial election, Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Prince William, the two leading declared candidates for governor, are tied at 39% support each, according to a new statewide poll by the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies.
A Black con
The recent comments unearthed by reporters at CNN that were attributed to the first Black lieutenant governor of the state below us, are beyond excusable. We read some of what was deemed fit to print and we wish we hadn’t. The depraved thoughts and ideas of this public official aren’t fit for public consumption and belong on the dark corners of the internet, which is where he allegedly left them.
NAACP forum addresses Project 2025’s impact on Black communities
Local NAACP leaders and pastors gathered for a forum at St. Paul’s Baptist Church last Thursday evening to inform voters about Project 2025 and its potential impact on local Black communities.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
For the week ending on Saturday, Sept. 21, COVID-19 accounted for 1.6% of all emergency department visits in Virginia, trending down from previous data. No deaths associated with COVID-19 were reported within the same timeframe. Data on COVID-19 wastewater levels in the Greater Richmond area showed plateaus starting Sunday, Sept. 8. The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following location: • Thursday, Sept. 26, 2 to 4:30 p.m. - Calvary United Methodist Church, 1637 Williamsburg Road. RHHD’s Resource Centers are providing free at-home tests for pickup at select locations: • Creighton Court at 2150 Creighton Road, call 804-371-0433. • Fairfield Court at 2311 N. 25th St., call 804-786-4099. • Gilpin Court at 436 Calhoun St., call 804-786-1960. • Hillside Court at 1615 Glenfield Ave., call 804-230-7740. • Mosby Court at 1536 Coalter St., call 804-786-0204. • Southwood Court at 1754 Clarkson Road, Unit #B, call 804- 230-2077. • Whitcomb Court at 2106 Deforrest St., call 804-786-0555. The Virginia Department of Health testing locations are listed at vdh.virginia.gov. For more information on testing sites, visit vax. rchd.com. Want a COVID-19 vaccine? Individuals interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can schedule an appointment with the Richmond and Henrico health districts by calling (804) 205-3501. Additionally, vaccines.gov provides a list of pharmacies and clinics offering the vaccine. You also can find locations by texting your ZIP code to 438829 or calling 1-800-232-0233. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers a vaccine locator at vaccines.gov. Residents can order four free at-home COVID test kits at covidtest.gov. The Food and Drug Administration has approved updated versions of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax COVID-19 vaccines. Everyone age 6 months and older can get the new COVID- 19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, while the Novavax vaccine is recommended for those age 12 and older. New vaccines are available at pharmacies and healthcare providers, with health officials encouraging eligible individuals to receive their booster doses. People who received doses prior to the release of the updated vaccine should wait at least two months before getting the new doses, according to the CDC. Exceptions exist, however, for those who are completing an initial vaccination series, the immunocompromised and those who’ve previously had COVID-19 and those receiving an initial series of Novavax doses. Compiled by George Copeland Jr.
Voting Information
The presidential election, as well as contests for the U.S. Senate, Congress, Richmond Mayor, City Council and School Board, take place: Tuesday, Nov. 5
Lies too easy to tell, not dispel, by Clarence Page
Sometimes amid the hoopla and hogwash of political events, I find myself jerked alert by an accidental truth that manages to break through.
What James Earl Jones can teach us about activism and art in times of crisis, by Dominic Taylor
The death of James Earl Jones has forced me to consider the end of an era.
Communities need more doctors, by Julianne Malveaux
Unequal access to high-quality health services is one of the most pervasive problems in America’s health care system. Far too often, communities of color face reduced access, higher costs, and less comprehensive care and support than their predominantly white counterparts.
State Fair of Virginia returns with concerts, agriculture, family fun
The scent of fried dough and fresh-cut hay will fill the air once again as families stroll through rows of food vendors, games and agricultural exhibits. The State Fair of Virginia, a tradition dating back more than 165 years, is back at The Meadow Event Park from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6 with the theme, “Where Home Grown Happens.”
Third forum for Richmond School Board candidates highlights key issues
Ding, ding. That wasn’t a school bell, but the start of round three in an important job interview for Richmond School Board candidates during Monday night’s forum at Huguenot High School.
City Council: Evictions a public crisis
City Council has declared evictions without legal representation a public crisis. Council members unanimously approved Monday evening a resolution that also outlines the council’s support for programs providing counsel for those facing evictions.
Equality Virginia announces Brandon Wolf as keynote speaker
Brandon Wolf, a nationally recognized advocate for gun safety and LGBTQ+ civil rights, will serve as the keynote speaker at Equality Virginia’s Commonwealth Dinner. The event, the organization’s largest annual fundraiser, takes place Saturday, Oct. 5, at Main Street Station.
RPS trip traces African American experience in the South
It was a summer to remember for the Armstrong Leadership Program and its student leaders. Leaders road-tripped around the South in exploring and contemplating the African American experience during slavery, Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement.
Defendants charged in Otieno’s death return to court
Three defendants are set to appear in court in the coming months for trials and hearings related to their role in the death of Irvo Otieno more than a year after he died at Central State Hospital while pinned down by Henrico County Sheriff’s deputies and hospital employees during a mental health crisis.
