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EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
WEDNESDAYS • Nov. 15, 2017
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INSIDE Forum tackles racial and political divide - 3 Accepting the challenge for future leadership - 6 Tackling church security going forward - 8 NAACP moves to change tax-exempt status - 15
Richmond & Hampton Roads
New art exhibit planned- 10
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Va. Dems revamp and prepare to set new election trends with gubernatorial election
Richmond’s new Sheriff Antionette Irving and new Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam
In a race for governor that drew considerable national attention, Virginia’s electorate responded with high energy as almost half of its registered voters filled out ballots this past election—something not seen in two decades. Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam’s victory against Republican Ed Gillespie drew more than 2.6 million votes across the commonwealth, accounting for 47 percent of the state’s constituency. Past elections reflect that the last time people came out in similar droves was in 1997 when Republican Jim Gilmore defeated then-Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and 48.7 percent of the electorate participated. Gubernatorial turnout has been trending upwards after it hit a 30-year low in 2009, the year Republican Bob McDonnell was elected. Northam did best in the metropolitan areas of the state like in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. These places also witnessed the greatest bump in turnout. Northern Virginia saw a 12 percent jump, and Hampton Roads’ participation increased by nine percent.
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The LEGACY
2 • Nov. 15, 2017
News
New initiative meant to reduce violence in RVA city percent, reduce violent crime by 17 percent, and reduce property crime by 14 percent through a combination of directed patrols, community engagement, and intervention. Because the majority of violent crime is committed by a small number of individuals, the approach centers on identifying the areas and individuals most likely to contribute to violence and then responding with prevention, intervention or enforcement. Grant funds will allow RPD to assign more officers to direct proactive patrols in areas that have
been identified as likely to experience violent crime because of factors like street configuration, lighting and visibility impediments, previous criminal activity, vacant buildings, or businesses known to be patronized by gang members. RPD will be able to assign even more officers to those areas, creating a crime deterrent effect through increased visibility and stronger relationships with community members. A professional researcher will be contracted to study the partnership's effectiveness in reducing gun violence and violent crime in the city.
(from page 1) across the country could be in Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney Nearly $700,000 in federal grants has been secured to reduce gun and gang violence in the city of Richmond. The city has recently seen an increase in violence, with one of the most recent occurrences occurring at a city school. Using a combination of outreach, prevention, strategic prosecutions, and evidence-based policing, city and state officials along with the Richmond Police Department (RPD) will seek to drive down violent crime, shootings, and gun homicides in Richmond. This partnership will focus its efforts on areas that have been identified through “risk terrain modeling” and “crime mapping” technology to be more likely to experience violent crime, including Richmond’s public housing communities. The grant will allow for more directed proactive patrols in these areas to prevent and deter crime and strengthen relationships with the community. This effort will complement the “Respect Richmond” campaign that the office of attorney general and the city of Richmond recently launched to directly target those most likely to commit or be a victim of gun violence with direct anti-violence, antiretaliatory messaging.
Officials point out that as in many cities across the nation, violence is geographically concentrated and driven by a relatively small number of individuals and the grant will allow more resources to be focused on those areas and individuals who are most likely to cause or contribute to violence in the city. There are plans to deploy smart, data-driven enforcement strategies, along with intensive outreach, education and prevention efforts aimed at strengthening strategies. The goal is simple—to strengthening the Richmond community and prevent violence from occurring in the first place. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney seems ready to tackle this violence issue and said the grant will help city administrators work towards preventing crime and strengthen ties between the community and city officers. “Reducing and preventing violence requires an all hands on deck, multipronged approach that needs to include creative strategies to reach at-risk individuals in our community, along with smart, tough law enforcement strategies,” he said. This new violence reduction project will utilize an approach that Norfolk used to help reduce crime by 15
Combined, these two places accounted for more than 50 percent of the vote. Richmond saw the smallest hike at just three percent and Hopewell and Petersburg was only at nearly four percent. Despite pre-polls showing the two candidates were basically neck and neck, and even some showing Gillespie in the lead, Northam practically clobbered Gillespie by 300,000 votes. “The Democrats finally woke up. Last year we were complacent, and we didn’t have a great motivator. Now we do,” said Dane Strother, a Virginia Democratic strategist. Strother said this is no different from when highly motivated Republicans showed up to vote against President Barack Obama in the 2010 and 2014 midterms, bringing independents and moderate Republicans with them. Speculators maintain that Gilliespie’s biggest downfall was Donald Trump. Even though Gillespie played down his endorsement from Trump, many believe he lost because of his association with him. Northam is being described as the first model for a successful Democratic candidate in the Trump age, and if others like him run for office, quite a few political analysts agree Republican majorities in congress and state legislative bodies
jeopardy in the 2018 midterms. In other news, local elections will bring forth a couple new faces. In the Democratic primary in June, after three attempts, Antionette Irving shook things up when she beat C.T. Woody, who was seeking his fourth term. Irving continued her journey and will not serve as Richmond’s next sheriff. Irving is homegrown. A product of Richmond Public Schools, Irving grew up in Creighton Court but did not fall victim to disabling circumstances. She graduated from Armstrong High School and went on to major in criminal justice at Shaw University. Irving’s record speaks for itself. She was with the Henrico Sheriff’s Office for more than 25 years and was the first woman to be promoted to major. She retired as major in 2015. Campaigning on improving health care and mental health resources to inmates and vowing to provide programs and services to inmates reentering society, Irving secured over 60 percent of the vote. In the treasurer’s race, Nichole Ona Armstead beat former mayoral candidate Michelle Mosby and former councilwoman Shirley Harvey. While Armstead ran as a Democrat, her opponents ran as Independents. Armstead earned 47 percent of the vote and will be bringing in $90k a year.
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Nov. 15, 2017 • 3
Forum brings VCU, others, together for critical conversations on monuments, political divide Along with the rest of the country, Richmond and Virginia are wrestling with difficult issues that have no easy solutions. Last week, Virginia Commonwealth University convened a forum of faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members to discuss how to navigate these challenging problems, including how to govern in an era of deep partisan divides, and how cities like Richmond should approach their Confederate monuments. “Our university has proven — and I want it to continue to prove — that we can work to engage in difficult conversations with civility, respect, deep thought and to be as informed as possibly can be,” said VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D. “This is a perfect environment for us to be good listeners, to learn from each other and to expand our views,” he said. “We do what's difficult and we do what's difficult well. And we do not turn our heads away from problems that really are the most vexing for people to have to deal with. We address them head on.” The 2017 President’s Forum, “Engaging in Critical Conversations,” was held in the Larrick Student Center on the MCV Campus, providing an opportunity for the VCU community to consider effective ways to take part in deep and informed dialogue on important issues facing the city of Richmond, the state of Virginia and other local communities. The event featured two panel discussions, one focused on finding a path forward through political discourse marked by discord and antagonism, and the other focused on Richmond’s history and future, with a particular emphasis on the city’s Confederate monuments. Following each panel, the audience broke into small groups to continue the discussion and to seek to generate more ideas, questions and solutions. Is common ground possible? Rao convened the forum to provide an opportunity for members of the VCU community to engage in critical,
From left: John Accordino, Ph.D., dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs; Sen. Rosalyn R. “Roz” Dance; and Del. Peter Farrell. PHOTO: Thomas Kojcsich deep and informed dialogue on important issues facing society. VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., convened Tuesday's forum to provide an opportunity for members of the VCU community to engage in critical, deep and informed dialogue on important issues facing society. The first panel featured two members of the General Assembly — Sen. Rosalyn R. "Roz" Dance, a Democrat from Petersburg, and Del. Peter Farrell, a Republican from Henrico County — in a discussion moderated by John Accordino, Ph.D., dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Why is it, Accordino asked, that it seems to have become so difficult for those with opposition views to find common ground in politics? Farrell, who is retiring from his seat, said that he formed a number of friendships with his Democratic colleagues during his time in the
House of Delegates, and that it is important to develop relationships and trust with others before tackling issues of disagreement. “If Roz called me evil every day, I’d have no reason to work with Roz Dance. What’s the point? She doesn’t care what I have to say in that scenario,” he said. “But because I trust her and I respect her, it allows me to begin to have a conversation. That, to me, is one of the biggest things that’s changed. Now, you can read it on social media. ‘Oh, that's not true.’ ‘I don't trust that.’ There's no conversation anymore at all. “Both sides are equally as guilty,” he added. “That’s where you've got to start. Stop thinking that your side is superior or better. Both are awful at this. They’re both ruining dialogue in the United States.” Dance emphasized the importance of respect and listening to all sides. “You’ve got to listen. You’ve got
hear. You can’t just listen to one side. One side tells you [a piece of legislation] would be devastating. OK, let’s hear what the other side says. ‘The other side says it’s devastating, you tell me why it’s not. What do you have?’” she said. “There have been those cases when the best outcome happens when you bring them together.” Dance also said lawmakers must keep a sense of modesty throughout the legislative process, and to remember that their job is to work together to help all Virginians. “In the General Assembly, when a bill gets filed, that’s just the beginning. Because then you find problems. You come back the next year, and you amend it and you amend it until you get it right. But don’t think you get it right the first time,” she said. “You have to be
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The LEGACY
4 • Nov. 15, 2017
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR REVISION OF RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE: RIDER BW, BRUNSWICK COUNTY POWER STATION CASE NO. PUR-2017-00128 •Dominion Energy Virginia (“Company”) has applied to update its Rider BW by which it recovers the costs of its Brunswick County Power Station. •The Company requests $132,391,000 for its 2018 Rider BW. According to the Company, this amount would decrease the bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by $0.13. •A Hearing Examiner appointed by the Commission will hear the case on March 29, 2018. •Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. On October 3, 2017, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion Energy Virginia” or “Company”), pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 6 of the Code of Virginia, filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an annual update with respect to the Company’s rate adjustment clause, Rider BW (“Application”). Through its Application, the Company seeks to recover costs associated with the Brunswick County Power Station (“Brunswick County Power Station” or “Project”), a 1,358 megawatt nominal natural gas-fired combined-cycle electric generating plant and associated transmission facilities located in Brunswick County, Virginia. In Case No. PUE-2012-00128, the Commission approved the development of the Brunswick County Power Station. In conjunction therewith, the Commission also approved a rate adjustment clause, designated Rider BW, which allowed Dominion Energy Virginia to recover costs associated with the development of the Project, including projected construction work in progress and any associated allowance for funds used during construction. According to Dominion Energy Virginia, the Brunswick County Power Station commenced commercial operations on April 25, 2016. In this proceeding, Dominion Energy Virginia has asked the Commission to approve Rider BW for the rate year beginning September 1, 2018, and ending August 31, 2019 (“2018 Rate Year”). The Company is requesting a total revenue requirement of $132,391,000 for the 2018 Rate Year. Dominion Energy Virginia proposes to use enhanced rates of return on common equity of 11.5%, 11%, and 10.6% for purposes of calculating the Rider BW revenue requirement. If the proposed Rider BW for the 2018 Rate Year is approved, the impact on customer bills would depend on the customer’s rate schedule and usage. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals. TAKE NOTICE that the Commission may apportion revenues among customer classes and/or design rates in a manner differing from that shown in the Application and supporting documents and thus may adopt rates that differ from those appearing in the Company’s Application and supporting documents. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on March 29, 2018, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, to receive testimony from members of the public and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Any person desiring to testify as a public witness at this hearing should appear in the Commission’s courtroom fifteen (15) minutes prior to the starting time of the hearing and contact the Commission’s Bailiff. The public version of the Company’s Application, as well as the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing, are available for public inspection during regular business hours at each of the Company’s business offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Copies also may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Lisa S. Booth, Esquire, Dominion Energy Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. If acceptable to the requesting party, the Company may provide the documents by electronic means. Copies of the public version of the Application and other documents filed in this case also are available for interested persons to review in the Commission’s Document Control Center located on the first floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. On or before March 22, 2018, any interested person wishing to comment on the Company’s Application shall file written comments on the Application with Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. Any interested person desiring to file comments electronically may do so on or before March 22, 2018, by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Compact disks or any other form of electronic storage medium may not be filed with the comments. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00128. On or before January 4, 2018, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of the notice of participation shall be submitted to the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. A copy of the notice of participation as a respondent also must be sent to counsel for the Company at the address set forth above. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”), any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00128. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing. On or before February 1, 2018, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, and serve on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case, and each witness’s testimony shall include a summary not to exceed one page. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of such testimony and exhibits shall be submitted to the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Respondents also shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including: 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format; and 5 VAC 5 20 240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00128. The Commission’s Rules of Practice may be viewed at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. A printed copy of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and an official copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding may be obtained from the Clerk of the Commission at the address above.
VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY
Nov. 15, 2017 • 5
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(from page 4) approaches and factors that we might patient, you’ve got to listen. You can’t get arrogant and think, ‘If I don't win this, I'll look bad or my numbers will look bad, I didn’t get a bill passed.’ You don’t want to get a dumb bill passed that’s going to hurt people just to say that you’ve got a record of getting bills passed.”
consider in shaping our discussions and decision making?” Buffington, whose current research focuses on public art, specifically the monuments of Richmond and how they reflect historical memories, said it is essential for the process moving forward to be as inclusive and deliberative as possible.
“It’s important to recognize the voices that have been silenced in the past, and to make sure that we’re listening to them now.” Members of the General Assembly, Farrell said, tend to get along fairly well, especially when compared to the animosity and partisanship in Congress. But the media, he said, tends to focus on the small areas of disagreement rather than the hundreds of bills that pass each year with huge bipartisan majorities. “A lot of the times, when we get along, it’s just not very sexy [in reporters’ eyes],” he said. “For instance, I had to spend two years reforming a worker’s comp system with the views of doctors, workers, lawyers, employers. Got them all to agree. It took two years. It passed 100 to nothing. But nobody knows about it because it’s not very sexy. We do a lot of good work together.” Wrestling with the past The second panel, moderated by Brian Daugherity, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of History in the College of Humanities and Sciences, focused on how communities such as Richmond are struggling with their histories linked to slavery and oppression and wrestling with public art and monuments. It featured Gabriel Reich, Ph.D., associate professor in the VCU School of Education; Melanie L. Buffington, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Art Education in the School of the Arts; and Christy Coleman, CEO of the American Civil War Museum. “Many communities, including our own, are struggling with the ways in which public art represents and commemorates periods in American history,” Daugherity said. “As communities enter these conversations, what are key
“It’s really important that we create a transparent process and allow time for many voices to be present in the process. It’s not going to be quick or easy. It took 20 years for the Robert E. Lee statue to get built,” she said. “Public art doesn't happen quickly. Commemoration usually doesn’t happen quickly.” “It’s important to recognize the voices that have been silenced in the past, and to make sure that we're listening to them now.” “It’s important to recognize the voices that have been silenced in the past, and to make sure that we're listening to them now,” she added. “And we also have to acknowledge that the silencing was intentional and that it was usually intended to enforce the power of white people over others. We need to recognize the harm that is done with some of the misrepresentations of the past. Especially when these misrepresentations are built into our community. In the case of Monument Avenue, it acts as a major thoroughfare in our city.” Reich — whose current research focuses on the collective memories of the Civil War and Emancipation, and how those memories are affected by cultural tools, such as state history standards, examinations, public monuments, family stories and the practice of teaching — said a key question cities must ask themselves is, “What is the purpose of public art and monuments, and what do they convey?” “That art represents us as a community whether we like the art or not and whether we like what it represents or not,” he said. “Communities change over time. Values change over time. So often
From left: Brian Daugherity, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of History; Melanie L. Buffington, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Art Education; Christy Coleman, CEO of the American Civil War Museum; and Gabriel Reich, Ph.D., associate professor in the VCU School of Education. public art becomes anachronistic. We think we’re very righteous now. But our descendants are going to look back at us and be shocked at some of the things that we say and do and believe.” “[This] art was built to last. This art was put up to represent these ideals of ‘Lost Cause’ and they didn’t put it up in papier-mâché. It’s in stone. It’s in brass. It’s really durable materials and it’s still there,” he said. “We changed around it.” Richmond’s Confederate monuments, Reich said, were built to serve as a teaching tool. The question is, he said, what are the statues teaching today? “Look at the speeches that were made on the day of the unveiling of [the Robert E. Lee monument],” he said. “They talk about it as, ‘This is going to teach future generations. It was going to create continuity in this idea. The veterans were getting older at that point. They wanted to be sure that the younger generations would revere the heroes of the Confederacy in the same way that their parents and grandparents did.” When Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney convened the Monument Avenue Commission to solicit public input and make recommendations about the Confederate monuments, Coleman and the American Civil War Museum decided to post online all the records, minutes and notes related to the monuments found in its Museum of the Confederacy collection. “It’s there. We have it. We don’t have to guess what they were
thinking. We have the minutes and the notes from these organizations,” she said. Museums across the country, she said, are grappling with their role in the debate over Confederate monuments. “All of us have also gotten that phone call, ‘If we take them down, will you take them?’ Because communities feel a level of absolution — ‘If we take them down and put them in a museum, then we’re all good.’” she said. “The problem is most of us do not have the resources to take art and monument and statuary of that scale and care for them to the standard. If you knew how much communities actually spent to keep the grass cut, keep the lights on, polish them up, all that kind of stuff, it would shock you. Museums simply don’t have that capacity.” Richmond has an opportunity, Coleman said, to tell a wider story about the city and its public art and monuments. “We do have so many amazing works of art and public history sculpture on the landscape,” she said. “Rather than being so obsessed with Monument Avenue — and, quite frankly, as a city, we marketed that to the world that that’s all we were for 50 years — but our landscape began to change as early as 1973 when the Bojangles statue was put up. So, today, we have an extraordinary wealth [of monuments and public art] that can tell about the life and the struggles of this city and its evolving scale in ways that no other city can.”
6 • Nov. 15, 2017
Op/Ed & Letters
The LEGACY
Accepting the challenge to ensure future leadership DR. BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR. I once asked the first African American billionaire, Reginald F. Lewis, what single word best defined the most determinative factor that led to his monumental financial success? Mr. Lewis answered, “Preparation.” To accept or to meet the challenges of life, one must first be prepared. Attaining a quality education is one of the best methods for selfdevelopment and self-preparation. The long history of African American progress is inextricably linked to our access and attainment of a good education. From Frederick Douglas to W.E.B. Du Bois to Booker T. Washington, the goal of education for Black people was paramount to achieving freedom, justice and equality in America and throughout the world. Today, in 2017, that goal is still a top priority for 47 million African Americans across the nation. It is important to recall lessons from our history to continue the struggle against the forces of racism, oppression and economic
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inequality. Shortly after the slave insurrection led by Nat Turner in southern Virginia in 1831, the states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi all passed laws making it a felony to teach a black person how to read and write. Educating and preparing Africans in America to meet life’s challenges was once against the law. It was illegal to educate our people in those states. It was against the law in the South for black people to be educated before the Civil War in America. My
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great, great, great grandfather, the Reverend John Chavis, defied those terrible laws in 1838 and was beaten to death, as a result. This subject is personal, but not limited just to my family’s legacy. While those laws no longer exist, the issues of education for millions of African Americans are still essential and life-advancing. Thus, it is important to assert and to rearticulate the critical importance of supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). I proudly serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Equality Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) that represents all of the HBCUs and PBIs (Predominantly Black Institutions. There is no question that these educational institutions continue, with academic excellence, to provide the majority of Black college graduates in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM). At a recent national conference of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) in Washington, D.C., Koch Industries reaffirmed its contribution of more than $26 million to the
TMCF. The support of HBCUs cuts across the partisan political divide in America. The fact is Koch Industries “accepted the challenge” and stepped up to the plate and gave an unprecedented amount of financial support to both the United Negro College Fund ($25 million) and to the TMCF. Accepting the challenge of providing more funding for the higher education of black Americans should not be reduced to partisan politics. This is about improving the quality of life for black America and for all communities who yearn for freedom and equality. As a graduate of Howard University, I know that HBCUs deserve the support of corporate America. Let’s hope that other corporate leaders will also accept the challenge of financially supporting HBCUs. Chavis is the president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). He can be reached at dr.bchavis@nnpa.org. You can also follow Dr. Chavis on social media, via Twitter @DrBenChavis.
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Nov. 15, 2017 • 7
P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.
Because you turned out
Virginia once again led the way and turned out to support candidates who represent the best of who we are as human beings. For governor, you chose a man who has dedicated his life to service, both as an Army doctor and a pediatrician. You turned out for Ralph Northam’s message of economic opportunity for everyone, no matter who you are or where you’re from. You turned out to build on Gov. McAuliffe’s legacy of a welcoming and inclusive economy that does not discriminate. You turned out because you believe that everyone should be able to afford to see a doctor when they’re sick. You turned out because you believe that women should be able to make their own health care decisions. You turned out because you believe that equal work demands equal pay. You turned out because you believe that a child’s zip code should not determine the quality of his or her education. You turned out for Justin Fairfax, who is only the second person of color to ever be elected to statewide office in Virginia. A former federal prosecutor and graduate of Duke and Columbia, Justin is a dedicated public servant who will be the perfect teammate with Ralph in Richmond.
You turned out again for Mark Herring, who stood up for LGBTQ equality before the U.S. Supreme Court caught up. Mark stood up to Trump when he tried to take birth control away from Virginia women, and he stood up to Trump when he tried to ban Muslims from entering this country. Mark truly is the people’s lawyer, and we congratulate him on earning another term. You turned out for our House of Delegates candidates, as well as those who ran for local office. With your help, we made major gains. These candidates ran with heart and grit. Their work has helped to build a stronger Democratic infrastructure in every corner of the commonwealth, especially in rural, red parts of the state whose support we will work to win back. Let us never forget that we must build our party from the ground up. With this election, you turned out for yourselves, your families, and your future. Over the course of this year, our volunteers and staff have knocked on over three million doors, including more than half a million just this last weekend. You have sent a resounding message of hope, love and opportunity across your communities. Let this just be our start. Susan Swecker, DPV
Zealotry threatens
House Republicans have unveiled their tax plan, and you shouldn’t believe the hype. They’ll tell you that high-income households won’t receive tax breaks. And that their tax plan will result in higher wages for working people.
Both are false. Thanks to another loophole they’ve added for so-called “pass-through” income, top 1 percent households will receive a massive tax cut. They call this a tax cut for small businesses. That’s also false. According to a recent Treasury Department report, 70 percent of “pass-through” income is claimed by the top 1 percent. They’ll also claim that lower corporate tax rates will trickle-down to working people. But, across U.S. states, reductions in corporate tax rates are not associated with faster median wage growth. They result in a higher share of income going to the top 1 percent. We should reject Donald Trump and Republican leaders’ tax plan that benefits corporations and the top 1 percent at the expense of working families. A big tax cut for the rich is just one half of the plan set out in the budget resolution approved by Republicans last month. The other half includes huge cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other valuable programs that help the most vulnerable. Instead of tax breaks for hedge funds and private equity firms that are paid for with cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, we need a tax plan that invests in our country’s future. Claims that cutting taxes for rich businesses will trickle-down to boost the wages of typical Americans are baseless. This is a tax cut that starts with the rich and will stick with the rich. America is a rich country that can do much better for working families, but only if the “tax cuts for the rich, first and always” zealotry
of today’s Republicans is rejected by the American people and defeated in the halls of Congress. Josh Bivens
Worshiping the flag
This has not been a good year for the National Football League. Game attendance and viewership are both down, although no one is sure if that is due to kneeling players or substandard play. Some are convinced that national anthem protests have enraged fans to the point that they have lost interest in the sport. After Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones threatened to bench any player who took the knee during the anthem, Coach Jason Garrett was bombarded with the obvious questions. “There’s no question in my mind,” a frustrated Garrett told reporters, “the national anthem is sacred, the flag is sacred. Our team has demonstrated that.” The anthem and the flag are sacred? Did Coach Garrett understand what he was saying? What was he saying? Strictly, the word “sacred” refers to something that is worthy of worship or religious veneration. But “sacred” objects might simply suggest that certain people, places and things are entitled to respect. Was Coach Garrett saying that the national anthem and the flag of the United States should be worshiped? Is the flag sacred in the sense of being worthy of respect, or has it become our Nehushtan? Alan Bean
8 • Nov. 15, 2017
Faith & Religion Church security: How to prevent a mass shooting 1. Greeters and security guards Greeters, both in the parking lot and at all entrances provide a warm and inviting first impression. Today, these volunteers can also be the first-line of defense. Perhaps we never want to check bags or use scanning wands, but training greeters to be watchful is important. Since communication is vital, consider using two-way radios with a central point person who assesses any issues. If members have law enforcement experience, ask them to conduct a general training session for volunteers. Also consider the expense of a security guard, especially during events like youth group and children’s meetings. A security guard can provide a deterring presence.
2. Lock up! Unfortunately, locking the church is the reality of our day. Churches of yesterday wanted to provide a place of solitude for anyone, including the stranger, at any time, day or night. The senior pastor lived next door and could often be found in his church office or preparing for services in the sanctuary. Unfortunately, our communities are more disparate now and coming to church usually has more of a routine to it, around events or services. This reality of life, combined with the violence we’ve seen over and over again, makes locking our doors more essential. Having a regiment on who is charged with this duty after each event is paramount. More and
more churches also lock their doors when a services begin. Consider a voice box system and maybe a card
The LEGACY
swipe for weekdays. Posting hours on the door might also help inform a person about the availability of staff members for counsel or individual prayer. 3. Secure your children’s ministry area It may seem obvious but many small churches struggle with the cost and time to run a beeper system. There are low-cost options that help organize drop-off and pick-up. This is a high-touch ministry of a church so any suspicious persons or behavior need to be reported. We also encourage having women AND men on site and present in any volunteer rotation schedule. 4. Train your deacons to be watchful Once the service begins, there are natural transitions where the deacons/ushers can be actively watching. Perhaps they carefully survey the audience as they move half-way to the stage, making sure
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Virginia Theological Seminary celebrates 20 years of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) will kick-off celebration for the Center for Anglican Communion Studies (CACS) 20th anniversary year, Nov. 15. “Virginia Theological Seminary has a deep and rich history of discerning the mission of God through the Anglican Communion” Dean and President of VTS, the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham Ph.D, said. “We are proud of our Center for Anglican Communion Studies as it continues this tradition of discernment in intercultural theology; in consultations, research, and publications; and in developing practices of reconciliation across the world. As we look towards celebrating two centuries of the witness of VTS, it is right that we pause and celebrate two decades of vision and ministry through CACS.” As part of the opening celebration, the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Most Reverend Dr.
Josiah Idowu-Fearon, will address the subject of “The Vitality of World Anglicanism” in conversation with a distinguished panel during the Seminary’s Mollegen Forum on Nov. 15. Appointed Secretary General of the Anglican Communion in 2015, he was awarded the Cross of St. Augustine in 2003. He has expertise in Muslim-Christian relations. In his lecture, and in conversation with panelists, he will bring to the audience an expansive vision of the dynamism of World Anglicanism today and its potential for future growth. The director of the center, the Rev. Robert S. Heaney, Ph.D, D.Phil will moderate the conversation. “For 20 years Virginia Seminary’s Center for Anglican Communion Studies has sought to take heed of God’s mission in conversation and cooperation with World Anglicanism,” said Heaney. “We want
to celebrate that and build on that. By God’s grace, we will continue to theologize across differences, produce resources for inter-cultural work, and develop practices of reconciliation.” Additional highlights of the celebratory year include the “Art and Artifacts of the Anglican Communion” art exhibit; “Race in the Communion” event at General Convention 2018 in Austin, Texas; and talks from the several distinguished voices within the Anglican Communion, including the Rev. Canon Rosemary Mbogo (Anglican Church of Kenya), the Bp. Paul Bayes (Diocese of Liverpool, UK), Canon John Kafwanka (Anglican Communion Office, London), and a lecture titled “Why the Episcopal Church Needs World Anglicanism” from the Most Rev. Michael Curry, presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, on Feb. 1, 2018. “Virginia Theological Seminary’s
Center for Anglican Communion Studies is a unique place that is involved in shaping a Jesus movement deeply engaged in World Anglicanism,” said Bishop Curry. The concept of a Center for Anglican Communion Studies was first explored under the leadership of dean and president, the Very Rev. Richard Reid, Ph.D and came to fruition under dean and president, the Very Rev. Martha Horne, Ph.D. With the appointment of the Very Rev. Ian Markham, Ph.D as dean and president, CACS has grown from strength to strength and is now widely respected in the wider church and communion. The Center for Anglican Communion Studies exists to “promote and practice better community for the communion” through consultations, research, and publications for the sake of inter-cultural and inter-religious reconciliation.
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(from page 8) nothing is out of place. A balcony provides a great view too. 5. The offering as target We’re working on the assumption that potential violence is connected to hate, but it might be money. We suggest changing rooms each week where the offering is counted. Patterns of behavior can be the easiest targets. 6. Promote membership It might seem like an odd point, but we always encourage churches to get to know each member on a relational level. Because there’s a historic trend away from membership, it’s easier for someone to slip into a service and not be noticed. That’s not good for safety and it’s especially unhealthy as you seek to minister to everyone who comes through your doors. 7. Have an emergency plan Schools, hospitals, and offices have emergency plans. Does your church? Do you practice it? Plans should cover acts of medical assistance, fire, severe weather events, and most certainly violent acts including a live shooter. Points to consider include: (1) an active list of area counselors; (2) an emergency texting system; (3) list of nearby hospitals; (4) members who have medical training; (5) area church network. 8. Strengthening community partnerships Do you know the police and fire personnel that inspect or patrol the church? How about the city mayor and council members? Leaders at local hospitals? These are prime areas of witness and also the people who any church will depend on if something ever happens. 9. Background checks It may seem intrusive, but background checks help any organization, whether a volunteer work with children or teaches in a home group. 10. Pray Why is God allowing the violence we’ve seen recently? What is he teaching us? How do we minister to the stranger, the sinner, the broken, knowing the vulnerability that we face as people and as a Christian community? Prayer will help make sure our posture is service and love, no matter how God uses each of us. How do we respond in times of tragedy? The Bible can strengthen and encourage us in times of tragedy.
Nov. 15, 2017 • 9
The spiritual are younger and religiously affiliated BNG - New research suggests there may yet be a smidge of good news for churches and other religious groups long assailed by the forces of culture and modernity. Could it be? It just might, according to a Public Religion Research Institute study released Monday. The survey examines the attitudes and practices of Americans who identify themselves as spiritual, but not religious. “Most Americans who are spiritual but not religious still identify with a religious tradition,” PRRI said in the report titled “Searching for Spirituality in the U.S.: A New Look at the Spiritual but Not Religious.” That revelation alone should be an encouragement to clergy and congregations who have long struggled with declining memberships, tithing and relevance, said Mark Tidsworth, a South Carolina-based church and leadership consultant, author and president of Pinnacle Leadership
Associates. “The spiritual but not religious segment of the population in the United States may be growing, yet they are still largely participating in our churches,” Tidsworth told Baptist News Global in an email. “So those in our congregations who trend toward spirituality over religiosity largely do not flee for the exits,” he said. PRRI reported that 29 percent of Americans identify as both spiritual and religious, while 18 percent say they are spiritual but not religious. Also, 22 percent say they are religious but not spiritual and 31
percent say they are neither. Only three in 10 of the spiritualbut-not-religious demographic are religiously unaffiliated, according to the report. About 18 percent are white mainline Protestants, which is the same percentage for Catholics. Thirteen percent adhere to non-Christian traditions. Ten percent are non-white Protestants and evangelicals come in last at 5 percent. The research also found that only 29 percent of religiously unaffiliated Americans identify as spiritual but not religious. “Nonreligious Americans — including those who are spiritual but not religious — are substantially younger than religious Americans,” the study found. Most citizens in those categories are under 50. And most also tend to be more liberal. That goes for 40 percent of spiritual but not religious, compared to 24 percent of the general population, PRRI researchers discovered.
10 • Nov. 15, 2017
The LEGACY
Local gallery plans exhibit The Page Bond Gallery will present “Glow: A Group Exhibition” featuring work by Isabelle Abbot, Meg Alexander, Will Berry, Karen Blair, Sanford Bond, Robin Braun, S. Ross Browne, Amy Chan, Charlotte Culot, Clark Derbes, Piero Fenci, Isa Newby Gagarin, Sarah Irvin, Harris Johnson, Becky Joye, B. Millner, Sarah Mizer, Jaydan Moore, Matthew Langley, Tim O'Kane, Curtis Ripley, Fiona Ross, Nancy Murphy Spicer, and Julie Wolfe. The exhibition opens Friday, Dec. 1 from 6 to 8 pm, and runs through Jan. 13, 2018. The figurative paintings of S. Ross Browne similarly reference contrasting imagery to explore “the juxtaposition of perceptions and misconceptions associated with sensitive socio-political dynamics.” Combining “classical pictorial representations” and “persuasive imagery that defies the common visual library,” Browne’s realistic, dream-like portraits blend fact and “imagined mythology” to challenge “preconceived notions of the shared human experience” and erode “conventionally assigned racial stereotypes.” Natural and cultural forms like birds, land and cityscapes, jewelry, and period clothing complement meticulously rendered figures, conveying “the struggles of identity, power, and selfactualization.” Browne is a professional artist based in Richmond. His paintings have been exhibited domestically and internationally and are included in several collections, including the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. He has also been featured in various media outlets like WCVE/Virginia Currents, The Huffington Post, The Washingtonian, Ebony, The Washington Post, and The International Review of African American Art. He studied Communication Art and Design at Virginia Commonwealth University and Photography at The Corcoran School of the Arts. Browne also worked in Richmond and D.C. as an educator. The sculptural ceramics of Piero
Fenci embody a variety of manmade and natural references, offering “loosely rendered reinventions of the past” that reveal “a heritage of [his] own passions.” A cubist mix of sharp angles and curves characterize some vessels, recalling industrial machinery, armor, ancient architecture, as well as the delicate folds of origami. Other containers are more organic, referencing the swell of Japanese pillows, the curves of waterfowl and leaves, or the boatlike shape of Shaker boxes. Forms are enhanced by tactile glazes, their surfaces matted and scored, rusty and patinaed, smooth and shiny, or dripping and crackled suggesting layers of the past. Professor Fenci is a distinguished international artist and educator whose work is featured in exhibitions and publications across the world. He received a BA in Latin American studies from Yale University and an MFA from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Since 1975, he has taught at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas and in 2004, founded the first university program in contemporary ceramic art in northern Mexico at la Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua. Washington, D.C.-based artist, Julie Wolfe, also finds inspiration in multifarious forms. Wolfe gathers “data” from industrial and natural environments and literature to create abstract works and conceptual installations composed of two-dimensional media and found objects. Layered paintings feature ordered geometric shapes in flat, bold colors floating over ambiguous backgrounds with line drawings, or collaged text and photographs. Their alluring aesthetics prompt viewers to reflect on “a broader concern of destruction and beauty.” Contrasts of textures, imagery, and regular and imperfect shapes suggest both an “interdependence” and “a divide between nature and culture,” revealing a “need for interconnectedness...and action” as our “social and ecological systems” and the way “we function collectively” break down.
Ask Alma
I hooked my friend up with a job and they complained about it on Facebook Dear Alma: I have a friend that shares everything in their life on Facebook. This friend’s car has broken down on several occasions, with the latest repair costing $2,700; this friend also seems to have many issues with landlords and significant others. Despite my friend’s personal trials, they have risen to become an expert in their field. Recently, I had the chance to recommend this friend for a freelance assignment, that perfectly fit their expertise. The friend did not thank me directly, but I saw a Facebook post about the job, so I assumed the friend was happy to get it. A week or so later, I saw two more posts about the job; one post said that the job was “difficult,” and another that described the job as “boring.” I was a little offended. I wouldn’t have cared if this “friend” complained privately about the assignment; journalists complain all the time about a range of things and for different reasons. But putting it out on Facebook seemed a little ungrateful. What should I say to them? Signed: Just Trying to Help Dear Trying to Help, What should you say to your friend? Nothing, nada, zilch. Don’t
be offended. Honey chil’, you can lead a horse to water, but it ain’t your place to tell it how to drink. I know. You had good intentions and you also hold this friend in high regard, but, be that as it may, your friend still lacks basic courtesy and common correctness. You should have received at the very least a “thank you” text. I’m not surprised, though; God doesn’t give us everything. I have found that many people, who swim in a well of book knowledge, lack the fundamental nitty-gritties of niceties. Some people feel the need to share everything on social media. What is that about? I think that people who feel compelled to share every “mood cough” and “mind hiccup” on Facebook, are surely exhibiting some sign of mental deficiency. The “cuckoo for cocoa puffs” constant displays of desperation can be mindboggling. If you don’t mind me saying, I think you’re a bit disappointed. This friend, as you say “repeatedly runs into personal difficulties.” Um, back in the day, we’d call someone like that a leech. Today, you get to view their shenanigans online, up close and personal. You’ve placed this person higher on your “ladder of success” than they should have been. Don’t fret. It happens. I say, scratch ‘em off your Christmas list and keep it moving. You did a nice thing and Ms. Karma will make sure you’re blessed for it. Continue to follow your friend on Facebook, but keep your comments and suggestions to a minimum. Here’s the bottom line: that nickel had poor home training, which, unfortunately, lasts much longer than any lessons learned in a classroom. Like my mama used to say, “if good manners and common sense were free, some folks still couldn’t afford to buy them.” LOL. Alma Gill’s newsroom experience spans more than 25 years, including various roles at USA Today, Newsday and The Washington Post. Email questions to: alwaysaskalma@gmail.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and Twitter @almaaskalma.
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NCAA reports rise in black athletes’ graduation rate
DOUG LEDERMAN The proportion of athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) top competitive division who graduated within six years of enrolling rose to 87 percent (by the NCAA’s count) this year, continuing what has been a consistent increase since the association altered its approach to academic performance 15 years ago. This year’s change was marked by a 3 percent increase from last year for black athletes, to 77 percent from 74 percent. The 87 percent figure represents what the NCAA calls its graduation success rate, which excludes athletes who leave their institutions while academically eligible to compete
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and includes those players who transfer into an institution, which the association characterizes as more accurately representing how students flow through college. The GSR numbers for most colleges are much higher than the federal graduation rates, which counts any student who leaves an institution as a nongraduate and does not track incoming transfers. The federal graduation rate for all Division I athletes this year was 68 percent, compared to 66 percent for all students at colleges and universities that play Division I sports. Division I scholarship athletes in many ways ought to graduate at higher rates than their peers, given that their financial needs are largely met.
How millennials are shattering mental health stereotypes The rebellious streak many children are born with has stayed with one increasingly influential demographic through young adulthood, as black millennials have embraced the topic of mental health in ways their parents would never have imagined. While the black community has traditionally avoided seeking mental health therapy, “there’s been a tremendous shift, starting about seven years ago,” said Asha Tarry, a social worker and psychotherapist. Tarry, a life coach with a practice in New York City, said most of her clients are millennials from throughout the African Diaspora. “They see mental health as a necessity for self-development. They are not accepting their parents’ ways of dealing with stress, and millennials certainly don’t view seeking out a therapist as a sign of weakness.” One major key to improving mental health awareness is understanding that mental illness is not a personal handicap, Tarry said. That’s a classic factor for older black generations that have typically avoided seeking help. “Many still think of mental illness as something to pray away, a weakness that can be overcome,” Tarry said. “Consequently, we normalize mental illnesses, such as depression, not realizing that a problem exists.”
One reason for the upward trend among younger Black people is that some celebrities—including Hip-Hop artists—have been open about their experiences dealing with mental illness. In March, Chance the Rapper said that he has anxiety, though he said he doubted that it was more intense than the average person. The 24year old, whose age falls toward the middle of millennials’ range of 18-34, added that he’s now learning about Black mental health. “’Cause for a long time that wasn’t a thing that we talked about,” he said. “I don’t remember it. I don’t remember people talking about anxiety; I don’t remember, when I was growing up, that really being a thing.” Indeed, anxiety—not depression— is the most prevalent mental health issue among millennials, according to Tarry. And the workplace is a major source of their challenges. Compared to other generations in the same workplace, millennials tend have the most difficulty managing stress in their work environment, according to a study. About 20 percent of millennials sought professional help in the study, while baby boomers and gen-Xers each sought assistance at a 16 percent rate. Law enforcement also factored into that stress, according to a Boston University study published last year.
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Nov. 15, 2017 • 13
Protecting women’s access to contraception coverage In an effort to protect women's access to contraception coverage, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is preparing to take on the Trump administration. Herring recently filed a lawsuit against the administration for its decision to undermine the contraception coverage rule created under the Affordable Care Act. The contraception coverage rule allowed 1.6 million women in Virginia to access contraception without a co-pay, saving an average of $255 per year. “Women should have the freedom to make their own health care decisions, especially when it comes to something as personal as reproductive health. Virginia women deserve access to contraception coverage, and no woman should see her reproductive health decisions put in the hands of her employer,” said Herring. Herring describes Trump’s move as “dangerous, discriminatory and illegal” and commits to working
towards protecting the availability of affordable contraception coverage to all Virginian women. For millions of women the contraception coverage rule has reduced their healthcare costs, helped address medical conditions, and allowed them to make their own decisions about when and if to have children. Before the contraception coverage rule, birth control accounted for 30-44 percent of a woman’s out-ofpocket healthcare costs. Now, 62 million women across the country, including 1.6 million women in Virginia, have access to contraception without a copay, saving an average of $255 per year for oral pill contraceptives, and the percentage of women who have a co-pay for contraception has fallen from more than 20 percent to less than four percent. Joining Herring in the suit are attorneys general from California, Delaware, Maryland and New York. Additional suits are pending in
PHOTO: Willie Redd
Capital City Kwanzaa Festival returns to Richmond The Capital City Kwanzaa Festival is the largest event of its kind in Virginia. Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa once described Richmond as a major center for the celebration of Kwanzaa. “It is an important site of African American history and culture,” Karenga is documented as saying. The above photo shows the pouring of ancestral libation and significant symbols of the Kwanzaa holiday. The Kinara (candle holder) and Mishumaa Saba (seven candles) represent the Nguzo Saba (seven principles of Kwanzaa.) The festival will take place on Saturday, Dec. 30.
courts around the country. Herring and his fellow state attorneys general filed suit in the Northern
District of California challenging Trump’s decision to roll back the contraception coverage mandate.
14 • Nov. 15, 2017
The LEGACY
Project to train educators, physical therapists to more effectively serve children with disabilities Virginia Commonwealth University researchers and teacher educators have received a $1.09 million grant to train early childhood special education and physical therapy professionals how to more effectively address the needs of children with significant disabilities. The five-year grant, “Project 3IP: Interdisciplinary and Intensive Intervention Preparation for Professionals Serving Young Children with Significant Disabilities,” was awarded by the Office of Special Education Programs in the U.S. Department of Education. “The overarching goal of Project 3IP is to increase the quantity, quality and capacity of interdisciplinary early intervention personnel in
Yaoying Xu order to improve the learning and developmental outcomes of infants
PSA As a person who is passionate about Alzheimer’s disease, and, as an Alzheimer’s Association volunteer, I have started a campaign for an revenue sharing ALZHEIMER’S LICENSE PLATE through DMV. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, anyone with a brain should be concerned about Alzheimer’s and, the license plate is a great way to raise funding for awareness and support. Since 2000, deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have increased by 89 percent. Alzheimer’s is the only cause of death in the top 10 that cannot be prevented or treated and has no cure. This must change. Today, 130,000 Virginians are living with Alzheimer’s, and 400,000 are caregiving for someone who has it. We must effectively prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease soon and support those impacted by it until researchers achieve this goal. We need your help! Together all Virginians can help us get the required 450 prepaid applications needed to be able to get DMV to produce the ALZHEIMER'S LICENSE PLATE. Amanda Chase, Senator, has agreed to present this license plate bill to General Assembly in January 2018 once 450 applications are collected. Once 1000 license plates are in circulation in the state of Virginia, $15 of the annual $25 cost for the ALZHEIMER’S LICENSE PLATE will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association. *REGISTER TODAY* Online registration available at www.vaendalz.com! Email: vaendalz@gmail.com for information about the license plate. Katy Reed, Louisa, VA - 540-967-7098
Project 3IP will provide training to childhood professionals. and young children with significant disabilities,” said principal investigator Yaoying Xu, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Counseling and Special Education in the VCU School of Education. Project 3IP will provide training to 20 early childhood special education and 10 physical therapy professionals through the School of Education’s master of education in early childhood special education program and the School of Allied Health Professions’ doctor of physical therapy program. The scholars will receive intensive training across three disciplines: education, physical therapy and pediatrics. “Through systematic training, Project 3IP scholars will increase their knowledge, skills, and dispositions for intensive and individualized intervention for children with significant disabilities including multiple disabilities, significant cognitive disabilities, significant physical disabilities, significant sensory disabilities, significant autism and significant social or emotional disabilities, in least restrictive environments,” Xu said. Project 3IP will involve collaborators from VCU’s Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Allied Health Professions and the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Richmond
at VCU. Co-investigator Bergen Nelson, M.D., a general pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics and a health services researcher with Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, said she is excited to collaborate with the School of Education in a multidisciplinary effort to prepare professionals who will serve young children with disabilities. “In this new project, my role will be to provide a pediatric perspective, helping to design the curriculum and giving lectures and seminars related to medical and neurodevelopmental issues, and care coordination for children with medical complexity,” Nelson said. “I also hope to bring the perspectives of the early childhood education and physical therapy faculty to students and residents training in pediatrics. My hope is that this collaborative effort will ultimately prepare young professionals to take better care of children with disabilities, and to help families navigate a complex system of care.” Stacey C. Dusing, Ph.D., a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy, an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and director of the Motor Development Lab, is also a co-investigator on
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Nov. 15, 2017 • 15
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Example set as heroin dealer sentenced to 36 years A Chesapeake man was recently sentenced to 36 years in prison for his role in leading a drug trafficking conspiracy that resulted in more than a dozen overdoses and multiple deaths. “Dawson’s predatory and coldhearted actions led to the death of two Virginians,” said Dana J. Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who seek to prey upon vulnerable members of our community, however, law enforcement does not possess the complete answer. We must continue to strive for increases in opioid awareness, education, prevention and treatment so that our
communities can rid themselves of this invasive agent of human misery.” According to court documents, Erskine A. Dawson, 33, managed more than half a dozen individuals who sold between three and 10 kilograms of heroin from a Studios 4 Less motel on Military Highway in Virginia Beach. Dawson's New Jersey sources of supply, Rashad Clark and Kenneth Stuart, aka “Bones”, used stuffed animals to conceal the heroin and fentanyl as they were transported down the East Coast on commercial buses. Officials fighting opioid and other drug crime hope that this sentence sends a strong message to those
NAACP moves to change status LAUREN VICTORIA BURKE NNPA - After being eclipsed in recent years by Color of Change, Black Lives Matter and other younger, more tech savvy and politically-pointed groups, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization will change its tax status. The group’s leaders said that the new tax status would allow them to be more aggressive politically. During a call with reporters, NAACP officials announced that the civil rights group will transition from a 501(c)(3) to a 501(c)(4) designation. The change will allow the organization to be more partisan and politically focused. However, the tax designation does not allow political work to be the “primary activity” of the organization. Even though the NAACP is 108 years-old, the organization is struggling to modernize and stay relevant in a rapidly-evolving, social media-driven landscape that requires speed and strategic communications skills. In October, the NAACP named Derrick Johnson as its president; Johnson was elected by the NAACP’s board to serve for three years. In a statement announcing Johnson as the new president, Leon Russell, the board chairman of the NAACP said, “As both a longtime member of
the NAACP, and a veteran activist in his own right—having worked on the ground to advocate for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, along with championing countless other issues— Derrick also intimately understands the strengths of the Association, our challenges and the many obstacles facing black Americans of all generations, today. I look forward to continuing to work with him in this new role.” Russell continued: “In his time serving as our interim president and CEO, Derrick has proven himself as the strong, decisive leader we need to guide us through both our internal transition, as well as a crucial moment in our nation’s history. With new threats to communities of color emerging daily and attacks on our democracy, the NAACP must be more steadfast than ever before.” Johnson is a native of Detroit, Michigan who lives in Jackson, Mississippi. He is a long-time member of the NAACP, who was elected vice chair earlier this year and served as the interim president after Cornell Brooks was forced out. Johnson attended Tougaloo College before earning a juris doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. The NAACP ousted Brooks in the spring of this year, a few months before the group’s annual convention in Baltimore.
Erskine Dawson, left, and Thomas Jennings are accused of selling heroin. poisoning the commonwealth with drugs and profiting from those addicted. According to court documents, Dawson’s organization was known for its potent heroin and fentanyl, which was distributed in wax baggies stamped “King of Death”, “Last Call”, and “Steph Curry”, among many others. Dawson and his dealers knew that multiple individuals had overdosed and even died using the product, yet continued to sell it anyway. “Dawson’s knowledge of the damage and possible death he was dealing to his customers shows his blatant disregard for the sanctity
of human life,” said Karl C. Colder, special agent in charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. “He and other dealers like him will be held accountable for their actions. We are pleased to be part of a successful prosecution team that puts deathdealers like Dawson in jail.” Dawson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute heroin and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime on July 18.
(from page 14) an entry-level physical therapy Project 3IP. She will assist in recruiting and advising physical therapy students, contribute to the training, and work with the team to ensure students have opportunities for interdisciplinary teamwork in early intervention through community partnerships. “As an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Allied Health Professions I help train 54 entrylevel physical therapists per year to have the ability to provide pediatric physical therapy,” she said. “However, the Project 3IP will allow a few PT students the opportunity to expand their pediatric knowledge, while also training to provide interdisciplinary care to enhance the lives of children with disabilities and their families beyond what can be provided in
curriculum.” Dusing said she wanted to take part in Project 3IP in order to help increase the number of physical therapists who are prepared to provide “outstanding teambased early intervention services immediately following graduation.” “Project 3IP will give enrolled students the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills in a way most professionals do not achieve until they have been practicing for years,” she said. The project will also involve working with community partners, such as early intervention agencies, early childhood special education and related services within local school districts, VCU child development centers and community-based private childcare programs.
16 • Nov. 15, 2017
Calendar 11.16, 6 p.m.
The Chesterfield County Public Library will host Points of View (POV), a community engagement series that offers residents the opportunity to dialogue about current issues. WRIC-TV anchor Juan Conde will facilitate a discussion on how current societal issues are challenging students. POV will take place at Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield. A reception will take place from 6-6:30 p.m., followed by the community conversation from 6:30-8 p.m. Points of View is designed to give the community a forum to explore current issues, listen critically and express concerns. The library will also provide resources and opportunities for participants interested in learning more about the topics discussed. For more information visit library. chesterfield.gov or call 804-318-8778.
11.16, 10 a.m.
The Virginia State University Board of Visitors will hold its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16, and Friday, Nov. 17. On Thursday, the full board will convene at 10 a.m. on the second floor of the Gateway Dining Event Center on the campus of Virginia State University. Committee meetings are scheduled as follows: 10:30 a.m. - Academic and Student Affairs; 12:45 p.m. - Facilities, Finance and Audit; 2:30 p.m. Personnel and Compensation Committee; 3:30 p.m. - Institutional Advancement (Committee meeting times are approximate and may start earlier or later. Meetings will be sequential in the order listed.). The Full Board will reconvene on Friday, November 17 at 9:30 a.m. in the Gateway Dining and Event Center, second floor, Salon A. No public comment period is scheduled. For more information, call 804-524-3085.
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COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
11.29, 1 p.m.
The originally scheduled Crime Commission meeting on Nov. 14 has been rescheduled. The next commission meeting will now be held on Wednesday, Nov. 29 in the Shared Committee Room of the Pocahontas Building at 900 East Main Street, Richmond. This meeting is open to the public. The meeting agenda items will remain the same. Items planned for discussion include: - DNA Databank: Expansion of Misdemeanor Crimes; - Pretrial Services; and, - Admissibility of prior inconsistent statements in a criminal case. Public comment will be taken at this meeting for each of these studies at the conclusion of staff's presentation.
Ongoing
The University of Richmond Downtown is hosting a new exhibition, “RVA Cures: Conquering Childhood Cancer.” The exhibition was part of September’s National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Organized by Connor’s Heroes Foundation, the exhibition tells the stories of local children, caregivers and researchers who are facing cancer, the number one disease killer of children. The exhibition features photographs by Richmond artist Kristin Seward and 100 zebrafish painted by children and local artists. The zebrafish is the symbol of pediatric cancer research conducted in Richmond. “RVA Cures” is on view at UR Downtown’s Wilton Companies Gallery, 626 E. Broad St., Richmond, through through Jan. 19, 2018.
Submit your calendar events by email to: editor@legacynewspaper.com. Include who, what, where, when & contact information that can be printed. Submission deadline is Friday.
Nov. 15, 2017 • 17
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409 E. Main St. #4 (mailing) • 105 1/2 E. Clay St. (office) Richmond, VA 23219 804-644-1550 (office) • 1-800-762-806 (fax) ads@legacynewspaper.com
Classifieds
LEGAL, EMPLOYMENT, ANNOUNCEMENTS, FOR SALE, SERVICES
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP #SCC-17-016-CLK Payment Processing Solution
Ad Size: 4.6 inches (2 column(s) X 2.30 inches)
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is seeking sealed proposals to provide a payment processing solution. An optional pre-proposal teleconference will be held on November 21, 2017 at 10:00 AM Eastern. Proposals are due on December 12, 2017 at 2:00 PM Eastern. An electronic copy of RFP# SCC-17-016-CLK can be obtained at: http://eva.virginia.gov.
Includes Internet placement
The State Corporation Commission welcomes and encourages proposals from small, women and minority-owned businesses, including proposals from small, women and minority-owned prime contractors as well as prime contractors who propose to use small, women and minority-owned subcontractors.
1 Issue (Nov. 15) - $50.60 Rate: $11 per column inch
Thank you for your interest in applying for Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail. opportunities with The City of Richmond. If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted. To see what opportunities are available, please Ok X_________________________________________ refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com. EOE M/F/D/V Ok with changes X _____________________________
HEALTH/PERSONALS/MISCELLANEOUS REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m.
IF YOU HAD AN IVC FILTER PLACED FOR BLOOD CLOTTING, between 2010 -present time, you may be entitled to compensation.
PRINT & DIGITAL AD SALES EXECUTIVE
Call Attorney Charles H.Johnson 1-800-535-5727
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY NOTICE
We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or handicap.
Duties include: Building and maintaining relationships with new/existing clients Meeting and exceeding monthly sales goals Cold calling new prospects over the phone to promote print and online advertising space
Compensation depends on experience and includes a base pay as well as commission. The LEGACY is an African-Americanoriented weekly newspaper, circulation 25,000, with a website featuring local and national news and advertising. E-mail resume and letter of interest to ads@ legacynewspaper.com detailing your past sales experience. No phone calls please.
Are you in a suicide crisis?
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia's policy for achieving equal housing opportunity throughout the commonwealth.
The LEGACY is looking for a reliable, highly-motivated, goal-driven sales professional to join our team selling print and digital advertising in the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas.
Qualifications: Proven experience with print (newspaper) and/or digital (website) advertising sales; Phone and one-on-one sales experience; Effective verbal and written communication skills, professional image and; Familiarity with Richmond and/or Hampton Roads areas.
The LEGACY
For more information or to file a housing complaint, call the Virginia Housing Office (804) 367-8530 or (888) 551-3247. For the hearing-impaired, call (804) 367-9753 or e-mail fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov.
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@legacynewspaper .com
or call 804-644-1550
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Nov. 15, 2017 • 19
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AUCTIONS ONLINE AUCTION Construction Equipment & Trucks 11/19, 9 AM – 11/21, 11 AM Excavators, Dozers, Road Tractors, Loaders, Dump Trucks, Trailers & More! BID ON-SITE: 3600 Deepwater Terminal Road, Richmond VA www.motleys.com • 804-232-3300 • VAAL#16 ACCELERATED SALE 354.36±AC • 2 Tracts Offered. Sold at or above $1,000,000! 6731 Secretary Sand Road, Albemarle, VA ONLINE OFFERS 11/14–11/16, 3PM www.motleys.com • (804)601-8147 VA16 EHO Real Estate Auction. December 8, 2 PM. Commercial parcel at I-81, Exit 98 (Dublin) in Pulaski County. 11.89+/- ac. lot has excellent visibility from I-81, adjoins the northbound lanes and exit ramp, and has extensive frontage on Rt. 100. Neighboring businesses include national hotel, restaurant, convenience store and retail chains. Public water and sewer available. Zoned CM, Commercial. Pulaski Co. Tax Parcel 0651-133. Tax Assessed Value: $832,300. Minimum Bid: $730,000. 5% buyer’s premium. Previews: Fri., Nov. 17 & Fri., Dec. 1 from 12 Noon – 2 PM. Contact Jonna McGraw (VA #2434), Woltz & Associates, Inc, Brokers & Auctioneers, Roanoke, VA at 800-551-3588 or visit www.woltz.com. EDUCATION / CAREER TRAINING AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING – Get FAA certification to fix planes. Approved for military benefits. Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 877-204-4130 HELP WANTED/TRUCK DRIVERS CDL TRAINING FOR LOCAL/OTR DRIVERS! $45,000-$60,000 1st Year! 4-wks or 10 Weekends for CDL. Veterans in Demand! Richmond/Fredericksburg 877-CDS-4CDL; Lynchburg/Roanoke 855-CDS-4CDL; Front Royal/ Winchester 844-CDS-4CDL
PROC 01-156-002-03600/1109 HAMPTON SOLICITATION The Director of Finance or his designated representative will accept written responses in the Procurement Office 1 Franklin Street, 3rd floor, Suite 345, Hampton, VA on behalf of the Entity listed below until the date and local time specified. CITY OF HAMPTON Thursday, December 7, 2017 4:00 p.m. EST RFP 18-25/EA Peer Recovery Specialist Tuesday, December 12, 2017 2:00 p.m. EST ITB #18-24/EA Renovations for Wash Facility Holding a mandatory pre-bid conference on Tuesday, November 28, 2017 at 11:30 AM, 550 N. Back River Road, Hampton, VA 23669. For additional information, see our web page at http://www.hampton.gov/bids-contracts. A withdrawal of bid due to error shall be in accordance with Section 2.2-4330 of the Code of Virginia. All forms relating to these solicitations may be obtained from the above listed address or for further information call; (757) 727-2200. The City of Hampton reserves the right to reject any and all responses, to make awards in whole or in part, and to waive any informality in submittals.
SERVICES DIVORCE–Uncontested, $395+$86 court cost. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twentyone days. Telephone inquiries welcome-no obligation. Hilton Oliver, Attorney. 757-490-0126. Se Habla Español. BBB Member.
Drug Testing is a Condition of Employment. Ryder is an EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled Thinking of buying a new or used car?Call to get current promotional pricing and local dealer incentives for free. No hassle. No obligation. Call: 866-974-4339
Minority-Owned, Woman-Owned and Veteran Businesses are encouraged to participate. Karl Daughtrey, Director of Finance
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Call 804-644-1550
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BROWN TRUCKING – is looking for COMPANY DRIVERS and OWNER OPERATORS. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2 years of tractor trailer experience OTR or Regional (Multiple states) in the last 3 years, good MVR and PSP. Apply: www.driveforbrown.com. Contact Brandon Collins. 919-291-7616. HOME FOR SALE Million Dollar breathtaking views on this 31 acre hilltop ranch close to Staunton, VA with 2600SF, guest house, 4 car garage, and 6 stall equestrian barn. $599,000 Sandy Martin 540-271-3481
RYDER HIRING EVENT - Richmond, VA Ad Size: 11.5 inches columns 5.75 inches) Truck - Heavy Equipment Techs (2 - All LevelsXAvailable $3000.00 Sign-on / Retention Bonus 1 Issue (Nov. 15) - $126.50 You're invited to attend our Open - Hiring Rate: $11House per column inch Manager Interviews Onsite Internet placement November 17th 7am toIncludes 6pm & November 18th 8am to 2pm Ryder Shop - 1401 Overbrook Rd Richmond, VA 23220 Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fa November 17th 7am to 6pm & November 18th 8am to 2pm If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not b For more information please call 803-992-9180 Refer to Job # 2017-43407 or is Fridays @ 5 p.m. applyREMINDER: online today Deadline at www.Ryder.Jobs
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