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Honorary street sign to recognize Bishop Melvin Williams Jr.

For more than 50 years, Bishop Melvin Williams Jr., pastor of the Temple of Judah at 2120 Venable St. has made his mark on Richmond and Virginia – primarily through giving. For years, his words of wisdom through his daily radio show; Christmas bicycle giveaways for children; care packages for incarcerated people; Thanksgiving giveaways; daily prayer at 5 a.m. at the church and now online; housing for the homeless and marches against crime and for community safety are just some of the services the church has provided over the years. Now, the city of Richmond is recognizing that service in a major way.

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Morehouse School of Medicine receives cancer grant

A researcher at the Morehouse School of Medicine has been awarded a historic $25 million grant for her team’s efforts in studying inequities in cancer outcomes for people and communities of African descent.

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Community shows up for former hospital

For Edwina Richmond, Richmond Community Hospital has been a critical part of her life for years.

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Personality: Brent Timberlake

Spotlight on Greater Richmond Bar Foundation board president

The three words that Brent Timberlake used to describe himself — curious, hopeful and hard-working — play a role in many aspects of his life.

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Spring Creek Baptist receives $1.25M grant

Spring Creek Baptist Church in Moseley has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help strengthen families through Christian home visitation. The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to help parents and caregivers share their faith and values with their children.

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John Warren Jones III, owner of Church Hill Cleaners, remembered

Following the legacy of his grandfather and father, John Warren “John John”Jones III began working at the family-owned business, Church Hill Cleaners, as a youngster.

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Lincoln, Fayetteville State win CIAA; VUU and VSU fail to find lucky charm

Last year, Lincoln University nearly won the CIAA men’s title, losing in the finals. This time, the Lions closed the deal.

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Va. lawmakers again decline to put restrictions on personal use of campaign accounts

Virginia lawmakers on Wednesday defeated for another year campaign finance reform legislation that would have prohibited elected officials from spending political donations on personal expenses such as mortgages, vacations or gym memberships.

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Shawn Jackson’s mother calls for community unity

On Thursday, Feb. 29, day four of the Huguenot graduation shooting trial, Amari Pollard, 20, accepted a plea deal. Mr. Pollard pleaded guilty to one charge of first degree murder and one charge of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony for the death of Huguenot graduate Shawn Jackson. Mr. Pollard was not charged for the murder of Renzo Smith, Mr. Jackson’s stepfather, who was also killed during the shooting chaos. Mr. Pollard was sentenced to 43 years with 18 years suspended. After 25 years, Mr. Pollard will be eligible for release.

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Former employee files lawsuit against City of Richmond

The City of Richmond’s former FOIA officer has filed a $250,000 lawsuit against the city alleging she was fired in retaliation for refusing to violate state law, according to various news reports. The suit, filed by Connie Clay, alleges that city officials attempted to withhold information that should be public by delaying or ignoring requests, and sometimes quoting exorbitant fees to deter the requester.

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50 years after Va.’s first heart transplant, legislature honors Black donor who never gave consent

The first human-to-human heart transplant in the South occurred without donor consent from the injured Black man nor his family to help a white businessman live. Doctors in 1968 determined Bruce Tucker would not survive a severe head injury.

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Jackson Ward’s restaurant scene helps spur city’s business growth

Richmond has long been a hub for black capitalism — especially in Jackson Ward, once referred to as the Harlem of the South. According to a recent report from Yelp, the online publisher of crowd-sourced business reviews, black business openings in Richmond grew 66% in 2023. Yelp also found that black business openings in Richmond outpace the national black business opening rate of 24% and the national average of 20%.

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The 2024 Virginia General Assembly begins and ends with record number of Black legislators

History was made last November with the election of a record number of Black candidates to the Virginia General Assembly.

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Coming home, by Jennifer Robinson

A hipper, more vibrant Richmond is sweet surprise for former New Yorker

Byrd Park was the place to be on warm Sunday afternoons in the 1980s. I was in high school and all of young, black Richmond gathered there. Picture the scene from Will Smith’s 1991 hit, “Summertime.”

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Dominion recognizes African-American leaders, students

Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and the Library of Virginia recently recognized four Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honorees and Student Creative Expressions Contest finalists during its annual program that recognizes notable African-American business and community leaders.

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Tonsils, talent and newborns

Richmond Community Hospital holds a special place in the hearts of many, including Edwina Richmond, a retired college professor with deep family ties to the city. Born at the hospital 76 years ago, Ms. Richmond has fond memories of the care she received there, from getting her tonsils removed to witnessing the hospital’s integral role in the neighborhood’s welfare, Richmond Free Press reporter George Copeland Jr. reports in this week’s edition.

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Conversations to repurpose the old Richmond Community Hospital building ‘did not bear fruit’

My name is Mary DePillars and I am an alumna of Virginia Union University concerned about recent comments attributed to VUU personnel regarding the old Richmond Community Hospital building. I shared my Feb, 15, 2024, letter to the Richmond Free Press with VUU’s alumni relations manager that same day. However, for context, I am expanding those comments as follows:

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RCH and the need to sustain local cultural consciousness

At the March 3 “We Shall Gather at the Hospital” rally hosted by the Save Community Hospital Work Group, public historian, Dr. Carmen Foster reflected on the erasure of local stories due to the Richmond area’s shifting sociocultural landscape. Her passionate testimony inspires contemplation on what the 1932 Richmond Community Hospital site represents within Richmond and the American South’s sociocultural location.

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Earl Lloyd: A man of many firsts

In discussing the greatest players to ever compete in the CIAA tournament, a nice starting point might be Earl Lloyd.

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Old and new Rams are doing well

This has been a take-notice basketball season for the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, both past and present versions.