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Obamas choose 2 African-American artists for official presidential portraits
Artist Kehinde Wiley, known for his large, edgy paintings of top music and hip-hop performers such as Michael Jackson, LL Cool J, Notorious B.I.G., Ice T and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, has been commissioned to paint the official presidential portrait of former President Obama for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.
YWCA Richmond announces 2024 Class of Outstanding Women Awards honorees
Free Press Managing Editor Bonnie Newman Davis among this year’s recipients
For more than 40 years, YWCA Richmond has recognized accomplished women leaders in the Richmond community who one LinkedIn article described as “modeling resilience, empowering their teams to embrace change, learning from failures and persisting in the face of adversity.”
Six ‘Strong Men & Women’ recognized for leadership and lasting impact
A union leader who fought for Black railroad workers, a self-trained civil rights attorney, and an advocate for women in science and technology are among six African Americans whose work will be honored by Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia on June 16 at the Richmond Marriott.
Kirk Franklin sweeps with 6 Stellar Awards
Kirk Franklin served as a co-host and also walked off with the most awards at the virtual 35th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards.
Teen gun ban remains intact
A federal ban on gun sales to young people who are old enough to vote but have not reached the drinking age of 21 is still the law—for now.
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.
Damon Duncan leaves after getting paychecks from two housing agencies
Damon E. Duncan, who began working full time as the executive director of the Montgomery, Ala., Housing Authority in early May before wrapping up his full-time job as CEO of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, has finally quit.
VSU, NSU receive multimillion $ bonanzas
Virginia State University just received a gift of $30 million, the largest private donation since its founding 138 years ago. Norfolk State University also received a record-setting gift of $40 million.
VMI superintendent resigns after probe ordered of ‘ongoing structural racism’
The superintendent of Virginia Military Institute resigned Mon- day, a week after Gov. Ralph S. Northam and other state officials ordered an investigation into what they characterized as a culture of “ongoing structural racism” at the college.
Morehouse College grad named new interim president
Harold Martin Jr., a 2002 Morehouse College graduate and secretary of its Board of Trustees, has been named interim president of the all-male institution that is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The board announced the selection of Mr. Martin on June 26. He replaces William J. “Bill” Taggart, who died in June from an aneurysm.
Joseph Lowery is City’s first manager of new Richmond Civilian Review Board
Richmond City Council has announced the appointment of Joseph Lowery as the first manager of the new Richmond Civilian Review Board.
VCU leads clinical trials on drug to treat COVID-19
Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University are participating in a trial of an experimental treatment for patients with moderate to severe symptoms of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has spread around the world.
Menaced by Florence
Changing forecast for hurricane keeps Virginians on alert
More than 1 million people along the Virginia and Carolina coast fled toward higher ground this week in a mass evacuation ordered just days before the expected arrival of Hurricane Florence, a Category 3 storm and the most powerful to menace the region in nearly three decades.
U.S. Supreme Court decisions change church-state separation, allow partial Muslim ban
The First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom has barred the government from meddling with or taxing churches and other faith-based institutions. In exchange, religious institutions generally have not been entitled to receive taxpayer funding. No more.
State employees get free admission to VMFA’s ‘Samurai Armor’ exhibit
Commonwealth of Virginia employees and preschool and K–12 teachers (public and private schools) will receive free admission to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ new exhibition “Samurai Armor from the Collection of Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller.” Active duty military personnel and their immediate families also will receive free admission to special exhibitions through the museum’s year-round participation in the Blue Star Museums program.
One down
Trump’s first year in office marked by controversy and protests
Less than 24 hours after Donald Trump took office, his presidency started generating controversy. Photographs showing that the crowd at President Trump’s swearing-in was smaller than at Barack Obama’s first presidential inauguration in 2009 caused the first ruckus in his administration — but not the last.
Suicide takes Miss USA 2019
Cheslie Kryst, who won the 2019 Miss USA pageant and worked as a correspondent for the entertainment news television show “Extra,” reportedly committed suicide Jan. 30.
Metropolitan Business League finds new home
The Metropolitan Business League has a new home in the Capital One 1717 Innovation Center at 1717 E. Cary St., it has been announced.
Crusade for Voters announces endorsements
Democrat Daniel Gecker has secured the endorsement of the Richmond Crusade for Voters in the hotly contested four-way race in the 10th Senate District, which includes a big chunk of the city. The Crusade announced Wednesday that it’s throwing its support behind Mr. Gecker, a member of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, in the Nov. 3 general election.
Catholic diocese apologizes for display of figure hanging in tree
The Catholic Diocese of Richmond apologized last Friday for the “insensitive” hanging of a homemade mannequin in a tree outside Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Henrico County.
