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EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

WEDNESDAYS • Jan. 4, 2017

‘

INSIDE

Examining new Va. election map - 2 Scandal? Black woman as God - 8 A report on Va. mental health - 10 Pres. Obama reflects on legacy - 14

Richmond & Hampton Roads

LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM • FREE

Initiative to examine solitary confinement in Va. The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is one of five selected across the country to participate in an initiative aimed at reducing the use of solitary confinement. The other departments of corrections, selected through a competitive process, include those in Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada and Utah.

The Vera Institute of Justice recently announced the Safe Alternatives to Segregation Initiative, through which the institute will work with participating states to assess their use of solitary confinement and develop viable strategies to safely reduce it, and assist with implementing changes. The states also will receive guidance from the initiative's advisory council, which includes practitioners of corrections systems that have successfully reduced their reliance on solitary confinement, as well as experts in the mental health and correctional reform fields.

The Vera Institute will release a report in 2017 detailing findings and recommendations from its work with the five jurisdictions that joined the initiative last year — including North Carolina, which has banned the use of solitary confinement for juveniles, and Nebraska, which has ended the use of solitary confinement as a punishment for all disciplinary violations.

While the use of solitary confinement is common in U.S. prisons and jails, especially among youth, research over the decades has underscored its harmful impact on the mental and physical health of those confined in isolation, as

well as emerging concerns about the potentially harmful effects on prison staff. It also is costlier than general population housing, and there is no evidence that it improves the overall safety of detention facilities.

Far from being a last-resort measure reserved for the “worst of the worst,” solitary confinement has become a control strategy of first resort in many prisons and jails. Today, incarcerated men and women can be placed in complete isolation for months or years not only for violent acts but for possessing contraband, testing positive for drug use, ignoring orders, or using profanity.

Others have ended up in solitary because they have untreated mental illnesses, are children in need of “protection,” are gay or transgender, are Muslim, have unsavory political beliefs, or report rape or abuse by prison officials.

Virginia has been known for its tough stance on solitary confinement. For example, all death row inmates have beeen automatically isolated until their executions, a practice that state officials defend as necessary because condemned prisoners have less to fear from causing trouble, if given the opportunity.

Also, a group of Rastafarian men were once placed in solitary–some for more than a decade–because they refused to cut their hair on religious grounds.

Red Onion State Prison, a supermax complex in the southwest corner of Virginia near the Kentucky border, has long had a reputation as one of the harshest prisons in the nation.

VADOC has since reduced its use of solitary confinement, a move that has been celebrated not only by the department itself, but also by state and even federal officials Now, those awaiting execution get an extra half-hour of recreation each day, and a new yard with a basketball court and exercise equipment allows prisoner activity.

They can hang out with up to three other death row inmates for an hour daily, and the state is building a room where they can watch TV, make phone calls, play games and send emails. They can hug and hold hands with relatives when they visit.

“Those kinds of things are meaningful when so very little is granted to the inmates,” said Victor Glasberg, an attorney who represents several condemned men who challenged Virginia’s restrictions.

The Vera Institute is using a $2.2 million matching grant from the Justice Department. It is working to reduce the use of solitary confinement especially on young wards.

The corrections departments will undergo a Vera-led assessment to identify ways in which policy shifts can lower solitary use, and then develop alternative strategies for de-escalating the sort of conflicts that often lead to segregation.

This is the second wave of sites Vera has worked with through its Safe Alternatives to Segregation Initiative, which began in 2015.

The first slate included Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, New York City, and Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Among the resources on Vera’s

Safe Alternatives website is a decent webinar on alternatives to segregation that focuses on juvenile facilities.

The use of solitary confinement has been connected to all kinds of negative psychological impact.

The issue of solitary confinement, particularly of young offenders, has garnered attention since 2014, when investigative journalists Trey Bundy and Daffodil Altan exposed the use of solitary at New York City’s Rikers Island. Earlier in 2016,, President Barack Obama took the largely symbolic step of banning solitary for juveniles in the federal prison system (there aren’t any juveniles housed by the Bureau of Prisons).

While the scope of Safe Altneratives includes juvenile and adult facilities operated by corrections departments, a group of advocacy organizations formed a coalition focused on juvenile solitary confinement last April.

Stop Solitary for Kids was started with a short- and long-game strategy: roll up victories in helping systems reduce solitary use in juvenile facilities, then eventually mount a constitutional challenge against the practice.

Solitary Watch, an advocacy group against solitary confinement, defines solitary confinement as the practice of isolating people in closed cells for 22-24 hours a day, virtually free of human contact, for periods of time ranging from days to decades. Few departments of corrections and prison systems use the term “solitary confinement,” instead referring to prison “segregation” or placement in “restrictive housing.”

The LEGACY

2 • Jan. 4, 2017

News Court-imposed election map paved way for new Virginia congressmen When two new members of the Virginia congressional delegation were sworn in Tuesday, they could partially thank a panel of federal judges for their seats in Congress.

The judges fiddled with the boundaries of the districts enough to allow a Democrat to win in Richmond and a new Republican to oust an incumbent in the Virginia Beach area.

That means hello, Reps. Donald McEachin (D) and Scott Taylor (R).

Goodbye, seven-term congressman J. Randy Forbes (R).

Their unexpected paths to victory — or early retirement — reveal the extent to which the nuances of an elections map can help determine winners and losers.

The Virginia map changes started with a lawsuit filed by Democratic lawyer Marc E. Elias in 2013.

He argued a district represented

by Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D) illegally packed enough African Americans into its boundaries to diminish their influence elsewhere.

Elias said the Virginia congressional case in some ways was a model for lawsuits in North Carolina and at the state level in Virginia, for which he is awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

“We learned a lot in Virginia about how the Republican legislature approaches redistricting, and the Republican legislature hopefully learned that it can’t abuse its powers,” Elias said Friday.

The federal judges eventually handed down a new map that moved a significant number of African American voters, a group that tends to vote for Democrats, into Forbes’s district.

Fleeing the prospect of a tough race, Forbes ran in the neighboring

Republican district, anchored by Virginia Beach. But he lost the primary by 12 points to Taylor, a 37-year-old former Navy SEAL whose views reflect a new generation of GOP lawmakers and the waning influence of evangelical voters.

Back in Forbes’s old district, a Democrat, McEachin, won easily won.

McEachin, a 55-year-old personalinjury lawyer and former head of his caucus in the state Senate, will be the third-ever African American to represent Virginia in Washington.

The newly drawn district consolidates the power of voters in Richmond, who were previously split between Forbes and Scott.

McEachin said the previous map “egregiously minimized the impact of certain voters,” and he applauded the change as a good start.

“The federal court said the Virginia congressional redistricting was so unfair and illegitimate that they overturned it,” he said in a statement. “I am pleased that now voters’ voices matter and that, at least in this instance, votes count.”

In Virginia Beach, Taylor and Forbes waged a bitter battle over a district that includes eight military instillations, including Naval Station Norfolk and Joint Base LangleyEustis.

Months after the primary, tensions were still running high when Taylor’s campaign manager tried to join the local GOP committee in Forbes’s stronghold of Chesapeake. His application was rejected.

Although Forbes touted his chairmanship of a congressional subcommittee with say over Navy ships, Taylor emphasized his military experience to create an instant rapport with voters — and painted Forbes as a carpetbagger.

Congressman Donald McEachin (D-Va.) at the Capitol last month.

“You’re running to save your own butt, and I have no respect for that at all,” Taylor said of Forbes. “I think he could have beat Don [McEachin]. I just think it was a dumb mistake. He should have fought.”

A foreign-policy hawk and occasional guest on Fox News, Taylor has conservative credibility but is a moderate on social issues.

He favors gay rights, says climate change is real and supports the decriminalization of marijuana in small amounts.

“He doesn’t fit that mold of the kind of Republican congressional member that we’ve had in Virginia forever and ever,” said Quentin Kidd, a political-science professor at Christopher Newport University in Newport News.

In the end, Forbes, founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, could not find enough common ground with voters — many of them young, independent-minded service members — in the district that is home to televangelist Pat Robertson’s Regent University.

“It’s not that there aren’t social conservatives in Virginia Beach, but [Taylor] is the first Republican officeholder to represent the middleaged and younger Republican,” Kidd said.

Starting with the 115th Congress, Virginia will be represented by seven Republicans and four Democrats, but Democrats argue that to truly represent voters, the breakdown should be closer to six Democrats and five Republicans.

In Virginia, Democrats have won every statewide race since 2009, and Virginia was the only Southern state to favor Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the presidential race.

But Republicans control the congressional delegation and the General Assembly.

Brian Cannon, executive director of OneVirginia2021, which favors nonpartisan redistricting, said there is more work to do.

“The court stuck with the basic framework of Virginia, so it’s still pretty messed up, especially in Northern Virginia,” Cannon said.

“This proves that politicians didn’t do a good job the first time and we need a better process.”

His group is suing the state over the unwieldy shape of six state Senate and five state House of Delegates districts. In a case set to go to trial in mid-March, it will argue the map violates a law that says districts must be compact.

State lawmakers are set to redraw legislative and congressional districts again in 2021. © WaPo

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Jan. 4, 2017 • 3

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The LEGACY

4 • Jan. 4, 2017

Talk of ‘public-private option’ for VA not welcome

L to R: Natalia Olson-Urtecho, RA-Mid Atlantic Region, Zee Worstell, CEO of Accelerate Her LLC, Francine Spinelli, COO of Accelerate Her, Keyanna Conner, state director for U.S. Sen. Mark Warner Office

SBA director bids farewell SBA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Natalia Olson-Urtecho said in a farewell piece that the new year is a time of reflection as she leaves the post President Barack Obama appointed her to. Below is the rest of her piece.

“For me, and the 180 SBA offices, SCORE chapters; Business Development Centers and other SBA resources I oversee in SBA’s Mid-Atlantic Region, this is an especially poignant time as I say goodbye to the many wonderful small business advocates and entrepreneurs I’ve met during my tenure,” she notes.

“In these four-plus years, I’ve put more than 50,000 miles on my personal vehicle, and untold more in plane, rental car and rail miles to visit as many regional partners and small business owners as I possibly could,” she noted.

“My goal was to learn from each one, to see what we were doing right, what we were doing wrong, and what we weren’t doing at all to help them grow our economy. Each entrepreneur’s and partner’s story rings of a conviction to make a better life for families and communities, and I’ve learned so much from each encounter.

“I had the honor of visiting AccelerateHer of Williamsburg, Virginia just a few months ago to present them with a $50,000 grant check (one of $3.4M in prizes nationwide) as one of three winners in Virginia of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition.

“SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition provides winners with critical, supplemental capital to operating budgets of entrepreneurial systems across the U.S. Through this highly competitive process, applicants have greater opportunity to scale up, or launch something completely new.

“Mothers, wives and businesswomen, Zee Worstell and Francine Spinelli created AccelerateHer as “a female-centric” remote business accelerator for independent women business owners. In accepting those funds, AccelerateHer commits to quarterly reporting of metrics including jobs created, funds raised, startups launched and corporate sponsors obtained.

This allows SBA to continue building its database of accelerators and their impact, and to develop long-term relationships with startups and constituents in these innovative and entrepreneurial communities.

“AccelerateHer is just one of many small business success stories in Virginia. In Fiscal Year 2016, SBA guaranteed in excess 701 loans equaling $293 million for Virginia’s small businesses community, extended 178 disaster loans amounting to $6,761,700 to the Hampton Roads area following Hurricane Matthew, and assisted 9,365 Virginia-based clients through 639 customized training events throughout the state.

“I’m proud of the accomplishments of the small businesses and of SBA in Virginia. We are, after all, the only federal agency specifically created to help entrepreneurs get going, growing, and hiring. As I like to say, ‘Business is our middle name.’ Our capable and eager business and lending specialists look forward to helping you with your entrepreneurial dream in 2017.”

Donald Trump is evaluating a radical overhaul of veterans health care options even before he finalizes his pick for the next secretary of veterans affairs.

In comments to reporters last week, a transition official said Trump is considering a “public-private option” that would allow some veterans to get all of their medical care from private-sector physicians, with the government paying the bill.

“It’s one of the options on the table,” the official said. ”Definitely an option on the table to have a system where potentially vets can choose either or, or all private.”

Trump met with health care executives to discuss the future of VA services, among other medical topics.

That meeting included Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove, one of the front-runners for the top VA post.

Cosgrove has publicly backed plans to expand veterans’ access to care options outside VA, arguing such a move will free up specialists for patients with service-specific injuries while allowing faster appointments for other veterans.

But veterans groups have argued against many of those moves, saying it could undermine VA care by shifting resources away from department physicians best suited to diagnose and treat ailments facing veterans.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) slammed the Trump plan.

“Privatizing the VA would be an insult to the more than 22 million veterans who risked their lives to defend our country and it would significantly lower the quality of health care they receive,” Sanders said in a statement. “Our goal, shared by The American Legion and other major veterans’ organizations, must be to improve the VA, not destroy it.”

Sanders, who is on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and was once its chairman, highlighted the veterans groups’ opposition in his statement.

“The veterans’ organizations are

right,” Sanders said. “We must protect the VA, not destroy it.”

For example, last month, American Legion Executive Director Verna Jones said in a statement that Trump should know that “dollarfor-dollar, there is no better care or value available anywhere in the United States – period.”

Sanders also highlighted a quote from Paul Rieckhoff of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, who said veterans groups are worried the VA will get “burned down” by Trump The fight has gotten heated throughout the campaign season, with charges of privatization and politicization being leveled by and against veterans advocates.

It’s unclear whether Trump’s latest proposal would cover all veterans, or all veterans currently receiving VA care, or only a smaller segment of that population.

About nine million veterans — 40 percent of the total U.S. veterans population — use VA medical services or receive veterans benefits.

VA officials said nearly one-third of all medical appointments conducted last fiscal year were with physicians outside the department.

Congress in 2014 approved a new Choice Card program, which allows veterans facing lengthy wait times or significant travel to visit private-sector clinics instead of VA facilities. But the program has faced mixed reviews, with VA officials saying it has limited use and critics saying department officials have undermined the program with unneeded bureaucracy.

During the campaign last summer, Trump promised to “ensure every veteran in America has the choice to seek care at the VA, or to seek private medical care paid for by our government.” Critics questioned how such a plan would work and what the potential costs would be.

Transition officials have not said when Trump is expected to make an announcement on his VA secretary pick.

Jan. 4, 2017 • 5

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Rep. Scott closes Richmond District Office Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott(D) has closed his Richmond District Office following court-ordered redistricting. Federal judges ruled that Republican state legislators had unconstitutionally packed too many black voters in the 3rd District.

As a result, the boundaries of the 3rd Congressional District of Virginia have changed, meaning that effective on Jan. 3, 2017, the start of his new term, Scott will no longer represent the cities of Petersburg and Richmond, and the counties of Charles City, Henrico, Prince George and Surry in Congress. A new 4th District, which outgoing state Sen. A. Donald McEachin was elected to represent in Congress, has now.

Now Scott will now represent the county of Isle of Wight, all of the cities of Franklin, Newport News, Portsmouth and parts of Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk, and Suffolk.

“It has been a privilege to represent the citizens in these communities,” said Scott. “During my time in Congress, I have built long lasting relationships that played a vital

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Scott’s office notes that Richmond and Newport News offices will be available to assist constituents during the transition. If you live in one of the impacted localities and have a current case with the office,

Robert C. "Bobby" Scott role in my ability to effectively serve my constituents in Congress. I look forward to working with their new representatives on issues important to our Commonwealth in the 115th Congress.”

Sex Offender Helpline The helpline provides support to communities on issues related to accessing sex offender registration information; responsible use of information; sexual abuse prevention resources; and accessing crime victim support services.

The tips program provides the public an opportunity to report registrants who are failing to comply with registration requirements.

Tips can also be provided at www.parentsformeganslaw.org.

This program is not intended to be used to report police emergencies.

call 757-380-1000 to advise the office to either return all of your documents or give the office permission to forward your case to your new member of Congress.

6 • Jan. 4, 2017

Op/Ed & Letters

The LEGACY

Foreign influence and the integrity of America’s democracy MARC MORIAL “Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow-citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government…The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is…to have with them as little political connection as possible.” — President George Washington, Farewell Address, Sept. 17, 1796 In 1840, President Martin Van Buren was fighting for re-election.

He ultimately lost his presidential bid to a war hero, William Henry Harrison, who easily won over the widely unpopular Van Buren, nicknamed, “Van Ruin,” for presiding over the nation during an economic depression. The presidential campaign of 1840 was heavy on image, and light on substance, painting Van Buren as an elitist and Harrison as an everyday man.

Harrison—accused of being helped

by British bankers during his campaign—won the Electoral College vote and an extremely close popular vote. In 1888, Grover Cleveland was favored to win his presidential re-election campaign, but ultimately The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 3 No. 1 Mailing Address 409 E. Main Street 4 Office Address 105 1/2 E. Clay St. Richmond, VA 23219 Call 804-644-1550 Online www.legacynewspaper.com

lost the presidency because he appeared partial and subservient to British interests. The voters turned against him and his perceived British sympathies.

While he managed to win the popular vote, he lost the Electoral College vote, and, hence, the presidency.

If the past is prologue, history suggests that Americans resent the interference of foreign governments and interests in our presidential elections. As evidence of Russian tampering via cyber-attacks and hacking is evident, and Trump has tapped Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state—who Trump described as doing “massive deals in Russia” and was awarded the “Order of Friendship” by Vladimir Putin. It is the duty and obligation of our Congress to thoroughly investigate whether or not Russia has interfered with our election process to tip the scale for a Trump win and, in the process, undermine and sow distrust in our democracy and its institutions.

President Obama ordered a full intelligence review of the alleged The LEGACY welcomes all signed letters and all respectful opinions.

Letter writers and columnists opinions are their own and endorsements of their views by The LEGACY should be inferred. The LEGACY assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material.

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Russian hack into the Democratic and Republican National Committees to be completed before inauguration day. On Dec. 29, he ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian suspected spies and imposed sanctions on two Russian intelligence agencies over their involvement in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election.

In a break with Trump, the top two Republicans in Congress have lent their support to a bipartisan congressional effort to investigate the alleged Russian cyber-attacks.

Calling any breach of American cyber-security measures “disturbing,” Sen. Mitch McConnell added that, “the Russians do not wish us well…

It defies belief that somehow Republicans in the Senate are reluctant to either review Russian hacking, or ignore them.” As of this writing, it has been reported that more than 50 Democratic voters in the Electoral College are asking for an intelligence briefing from the director of National Intelligence into possible foreign intervention in the presidential election before the college meets to cast its vote for our next president and vice president.

Trump and his associates have dismissed the allegations of Russian interference, painting them as “ridiculous,” and “another excuse.” Trump has—quite characteristically—explained away

the legitimate concerns of our institutions, political leaders, the press and the people by blaming the Democrats for disseminating conspiracy theories because “they suffered one of the greatest defeats in the history of politics in this country,” to conceding that if there was any interference or hacking, “they have no idea if it’s Russia, or China, or somebody. It could be somebody sitting in a bed someplace,” he said in a televised interview.

Trump, and I’m sure many of his supporters, see the investigation into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election as an attempt to—yet again— delegitimize his recent win. But he would do better to understand that to not thoroughly investigate these allegations would leave a permanent stain on his administration, his tenure and his motives. To not look into these allegations seriously would further erode public trust in the already embattled mechanics of our democracy.

If domestic voter suppression sits on one side of the coin, the unwanted influence of a foreign power in American elections sits on the other. Rather than enrich us, and our system of representative government, both serve to undermine true democracy.

Marc Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League. Follow him on Twitter at @marcmorial.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Jan. 4, 2017 • 7

P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.

Still dreaming

It is that time of year when we celebrate the memory and honor the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If he were alive, Dr. King would have been 88 years old on Jan, 15, 2017.

Sometimes I wonder, if he were alive, what would King think about how things have gone in the African American community, especially among its youth. What would he say? What would he do?

If King were alive, he would probably be putting together a viable “plan.” For, he would realize for us to be a successful people that we are going to need a “plan.” Simply put, if we fail to have a comprehensive and substantive plan, then we, as a people, must plan to fail.

To not fail, King would urge us to always be “intelligent” in our thoughts and deeds. One of the most powerful statements ever uttered by Dr. King was: “The most dangerous person in the world is one who is sincerely ignorant and conscientiously stupid. You have a moral responsibility to be intelligent.” More powerful and poignant words could not have been spoken.

Foremost, the “plan” should eventually empower AfricanAmerican youth to do and provide for themselves and their families in an effective and productive manner.

Such empowerment is needed in the form of acquiring social competence and life survival skills of a positive and beneficial nature: literacy and education improvement, work and entrepreneurial attainment, crime and drug free lifestyles, overall personal and familial betterment,

and the like.

If King were alive, he would emphasize that it is now time to develop a holistic “plan” for enabling and empowering our youth, especially those who are most atrisk and/or disadvantaged. We must answer and respond to these youth. For, I, too, believe as Dr. King espoused: “I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”

If King were alive, I think he would ask parents to be responsible and role models for their children, particularly the fathers. He would insist that we “set the example” through our daily attitude, behavior, actions, responsibilities, and intelligence. Our children need to understand that “we mean what we say and say what we mean.”

If he were alive, King would draw upon the old African proverb: “If I discipline myself, no one else will ever have to discipline me; but if I fail to discipline myself, I am asking someone to discipline me.” As King knew, truer words were never spoken. As a people, we need selfdiscipline and designated priorities.

If Dr. King were alive, he would challenge us to “get the job done.”

He would encourage us to put our minds and backs into the tasks before us. He would remind us that we are the “masters of our fates” and the “captains of our souls.” He would preach and teach about PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In Daily Efforts). And, he would inspire us with the ten most powerful words in the universe: “If it is to be, it is up to me!” Yes, he would!

Moreover, King would formulate a “plan” that would inspire us to give our very all…to be the very best we can with what we have. He would want us to be(come) lifelong learners…to instinctively follow the “Socratic Wisdom” that a life unexamined is not worth living.

There is no doubt in my mind that King would have led us to the mountaintop…eventually we would have achieved his “dream.”

Now that we know pretty much know what King would think and do about our present circumstances, I guess it is up to us to get the job done for ourselves. Rather simplistic when you think about it. In short, we must “talk the talk and walk the walk.” If we can do this, anything is possible! Therefore, let us work harder and smarter as a people so that we might progress to our rightful place in this society and the larger world.

How I wish King were still alive! But, he’s not. However, his teachings, sacrifices and contributions will always be with us. Therefore, let us draw from his legacy and do what needs to be done.

What a great way to show respect and appreciation for the man. Long live the dream! Better yet, let us formulate a “plan” and achieve the dream!

John L. Horton Norfolk

Just advice

All advice is not necessarily helpful.

We all get bad advice throughout life so it's important to be discerning about what we are told and who is doing the teaching. Some of what we hear in life is repeated with almost

inerrant credibility. For example eating badly will have eventual negative results on our health.

We are told to watch our intake of sugar, fried food, and red meat and to simply use common sense on our daily portions. It's good advice and it's up to us to take it or leave it. We are told to exercise routinely because it's good for our health. Nobody can make us exercise. We have to take responsibility for our physical fitness.

The best way to have a great 2017 is to make our own decisions and take responsibility for our personal happiness. If you are waiting for a fortune to drop out of the sky you are wasting your time. If you are waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Wonderful to show up and take all your despair away you are going to spend most of your life in despair. God is not going to call you on the telephone with a three step plan for the year. However, looking up instead of looking down all of the time is always more uplifting.

Just remember that if you are able to move and think then you are not stuck. I do believe people get stuck.

However, if you can think and can apply some activity you are not stuck. Use the mind and life that you have to act. Thoughts lead to action. Apply yourself. Put yourself into something that is meaningful and worthwhile. Serious action and application always net some results.

If you want results get up and get going and do it most every day. The end result is that your next year will most likely see some very satisfying results.

Most importantly don't wait on someone to tell you what to do. Tell yourself what to do and do it, and look forward to 2017.

Glenn Mollett

8 • Jan. 4, 2017

Faith & Religion

The LEGACY

The depiction of God as a black woman has some Christian critics up in arms ARTHUR O'DAY Another day, another controversy.

“The Shack”, a film based on a New York Times bestseller of the same name, is stirring controversy among evangelicals because a black woman—Octavia Spencer—is playing God. The fictional book written by William P. Young about a father who finds his way back to faith and healing after the brutal murder of his daughter, has drawn the ire of

From left: Jesus (Aviv Alush), Mack Phillips (Sam Worthington), Papa (Octavia Spencer) and Sarayu (Sumire Matsubara) in “The Shack.”

PHOTO: Jake Giles Netter/Lionsgate many Christians who have labeled it heresy.

The Washington Post highlights the recent commentary of Joe Schimmel, a California pastor and host of the documentary “Hollywood’s War on God,” to Christian News Network.

He said, “Young’s pretentious caricature of God as a heavy set, cushy, nonjudgmental, African American woman called ‘Papa’ (who resembles the New Agey Oprah Winfrey far more than the one true God revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ — Hebrews 1:1-3), and his depiction of the Holy Spirit as a frail Asian woman with the Hindu name, Sarayu, lends itself to a dangerous and false image of God and idolatry.”

Rejecting the notion that the Holy Trinity is a multicultural trio of human beings, is different from all-out attacking a movie based on a fictional book.

It is noteworthy that the original publisher of “The Shack” has previously explained that Young’s

interpretation is not meant to be a serious theological discourse on God’s true attributes and characteristics.

Wayne Jacobsen said in a public talk, “The wider thing he was saying was that this was not God in the shack, this was God revealing himself through someone. And it can be a black woman, an Asian woman, a Jewish man.”

Several actors have played God in the past.

Whoopi Goldbergh played God in “A Little Piece of Heaven”. Morgan Freeman also appeared as God in the hit film “Bruce Almighty” and its sequel, “Evan Almighty”.

Some 20 million copies of ‘The Shack’ have already been sold and translated into dozens of languages.

For nearly two years, it remained on the New York Times bestseller list.

With its strong fan base, the criticisms is not expected to have much of a negative impact on the film’s success.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

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10 • Jan. 4, 2017

The LEGACY

Why experts say Virginia’s mental health system fell through the cracks CT - Jafar Cooper said they may have never gotten the help they needed for attention deficit disorder if their mom hadn’t been a psychology major in college.

For Cooper and their mom, the symptoms of ADD were easy to spot since a young age. The manifestations of depression and anxiety, however, were much harder to identify.

The 20-year-old VCU theatre and African-American studies major is gay and gender non-conforming, which Cooper said caused tension with their mom, who instead blamed emotions associated with depression and anxiety on their gender identity and sexuality.

With no help from the public school system, it wasn’t until Cooper arrived at VCU that a friend suggested maybe they were suffering from mental disorders.

“It’s not that it was a problem that I had this thing, it was a problem that my teachers didn’t know how to approach it or what to do about it,” Cooper said. “I remember I felt let down by school a lot.”

Cooper’s narrative is just one of many which contextualizes a recent report

by Mental Health America. The report indicates the Commonwealth of Virginia is failing to adequately address mental health problems, ranking the state 38th in the country for overall mental health treatment based on data from 2014.

The study is comprised of 15 criteria to compose each state’s cumulative ranking by examining both adult and youth measures, as well as each state’s capacity to adequately meet the need of mental health services.

In Virginia, for the criteria addressing youth with major depressive episodes who didn’t receive the appropriate care or services, the state fares even worse than its overall ranking — placing 49th overall.

According to Executive Director of Mental Health of Virginia Bruce Cruser, Virginia has gotten worse at addressing mental health in recent years. He said significant reason for that is the commonwealth’s poor distribution of services.

“You might have a lot of child psychiatrists practicing in Northern Virginia, but in southwest and southern Virginia you have very few so it’d be difficult to access,” Cruser said.

In Roanoke, for example, Cruser said there is a 14-week waiting list to see a psychiatrist, even if a person has insurance.

Cruser also cites a shortage of state funding for mental health services, which directly correlates to Virginia’s poor performance.

According to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the state spends about $88 per person on mental health services — far below the national median of about $120 per person.

Daniel Herr, the VDBHDS assistant director of behavioral health services, agrees Virginia’s lack of investment is an issue, but he said fixing it may not

be as easy as just throwing more dollars into the system.

Herr said much of the commonwealth’s funding for mental health prioritizes emergency treatment like hospitals, opposed to primary care like community services and awareness projects.

Primary care investments, in Herr’s opinion, are more effective because they pursue preventative measures instead of waiting for an individual to reach a crisis, and then responding to it “You have to make sure that people know how to stay well, first of all,” Herr said. “Then that they would have access to see a mental health professional early on so they could get treatment before the symptoms get worse and then you would still need some hospitals as a safety net.”

Herr said most states noticed better results when they shifted their focus in mental health spending from crisis-level treatment to primary services in the mid-90’s, but that was a change Virginia never made. “(The state) funds a little bit below the national average, but just as importantly it spends its money in the most high-cost way,” Herr said.

For students like Cooper, this reactive approach to mental health care was potentially part of the reason why they were not aware of their mental health symptoms until college.

“There’s a big stigma of being not perfect,” Cooper said. “Especially since I was assigned male at birth so a lot of times there was expectation of me to be perfect. Striving for this concept of masculinity and toughness that I was never meant for.”

Herr said having a stigmatizing condition can make identity an even more complex thing to manage for minorities already dealing with discrimination.

“What we know is that women’s health care outcomes is often lower than men’s, minority individuals and individuals with English as a second

(continued on page 11)

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Jan. 4, 2017 • 11

(from page 10) language have significantly lower rates of accessing services poorer outcomes — that’s a significant factor,” Herr said.

In Cooper’s case, this may have contributed to their situation. Cooper said they felt let down by the fields of pharmaceuticals and psychology, because they felt there were a lot of factors contributing to their symptoms and manic behavior, but it seemed to them that all their doctors cared about was refilling their prescription.

“I don’t know if my therapist really ever understood that there were multiple facets to what was going on,” Cooper said. “The idea that something’s wrong with you is already a stigma.”

and have

The silver lining of systemic failure: legislative response It isn’t likely any member of the Virginia General Assembly feels more personally connected to the fight for an improved mental health system in Virginia than state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D – District 25).

In 2013, three years after mounting an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, Deeds’ son Austin, better known to those close to him as “Gus,” was evaluated for mental health issues under an emergency custody order.

The Deeds family was ordered to find Gus a psychiatric bed within six hours, but a mental health evaluator sent Gus home, claiming there were no available beds.

Deeds and his wife begged the mental health system to find a psychiatric bed for their 24-year-old son who had struggled with bipolar disorder for three years — but the unspeakable happened before their cries for help were answered.

Gus Deeds stabbed and slashed his father 13 times, placing the Bath, Virginia representative in critical condition. Gus then shot and killed himself with a rifle.

“Virginia’s mental health care system failed my son, Gus,” Deeds said in a statement immediately after his son’s death. “I am committed that my son’s needless death shall not be in vain and that no other Virginia family suffer this tragedy.”

Deeds came back to the General Assembly dedicated to improving the mental health system. In 2014, he founded the Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Twenty-First Century, which he has chaired since its inception.

“When I came back to the General Assembly session after all that happened it brought the whole issue into a new focus,” Deeds said, “and because of that it’s forced a number of people to think about why we haven’t prioritized this in a correct way in the past.”

The committee, which will go into its fourth and final year in the 2017 General Assembly legislative session, is tasked with studying Virginia’s mental health system and the laws governing it, before making recommendations to the legislature.

According to Deeds, the committee has reaffirmed the importance of sameday access, which is partially contingent upon how the state funds mental health services.

Herr, the assistant director of behavioral health services at VDBHDS, said for serious forms of mental illness — such as schizophrenia and bipolar

disorder — Virginia has only a 22 to 23 percent penetration rate, which refers to the percentage of people who require services and actually receive them.

Nationally, Herr said the penetration rate is closer to 65 to 70 percent.

“That shows you just how big the gap is between folks who need something and folks who actually get it,” Herr said. “If we expanded same-day access and outpatient services, that would go the furthest in addressing that need.”

According to Cruser, the executive director of Mental Health America of Virginia, research indicates these issues are addressed most successfully if people have same-day access.

For some mental health conditions, this accessibility could make all the difference.

“People who have an addiction, to really be successful, you need to be available to help them when they’re asking for the help,” Cruser said.

“In two weeks, if they really have an addiction, they could be dead.”

Not only is the same-day access approach imperative in life-threatening situations, but according to Cruser it is a better way to spend money, too.

“If (a person) wants to see somebody, (they) can see somebody that day to at least get in the door,” Cruser said. “If (they) have to wait three weeks for that first appointment then the success rate is much less.”

Same-day access is one of the areas targeted in the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which Congress passed in 2014. The act committed $1.1 billion in grants to states to improve their mental health procedures.

Virginia was awarded $2 million in federal grants and subsequently created eight Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, also known as CCBHCs, which offer same-day access to all patients.

One of those eight clinics is in Chesterfield County, just outside the city of Richmond. The clinic is already reaping the benefits of same-day access, according to Debbie Burcham, the executive director of Chesterfield’s Community Services Board.

Burcham told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in October that since sameday access began in July 2015, wait times have vanished, wasted staff time dramatically dropped, the wait for someone to begin services in a program has been cut in half and patient retention rates have increased.

In Virginia, federal and state dollars are combined with money from Community Service Boards, which operate at the local level, to fund mental health services. The CSB’s provide about a quarter of funding for mental health systems, which Deeds said leaves localities with less money at a disadvantage compared to their wealthier counterparts.

“Part of the challenge is — for Virginia — it doesn’t provide the same level of funding for every community,” Herr said. “It provides much less funding than many other states just because of how it chooses to use its dollars and it does not have a core standard of services that everyone must provide.”

(continued on page 15)

12 • Jan. 4, 2017

The LEGACY

‘We Shall Not Be Moved’ March aims to send Trump a message on MLK weekend (TriceEdneyWire.com) – The march announced by the Rev. Al Sharpton shortly after Donald Trump was elected president is now taking shape for January 14 and will aim to send a clear message to the president-elect in the “spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said a recent statement from Sharpton.

“The 2017 march will bring all people together to insist on change and accountability,” said Sharpton.

“Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle for civil rights didn’t end with his death, it’s a fight we take on each day. The political players may change but our goals stay the same. Donald Trump and his administration need to hear our voice and our concerns.”

The following is the detailed route, according to NationalActionNetwork.net.

WHEN: Sat., Jan. 14, 11 a.m.

ASSEMBLY: Marchers will assemble at 9 a.m. at the National Sylvan Theater, Independence Avenue Southwest & 15th Street NW. MARCH ROUTE: March will travel along Independence Ave. SW to West Potomac Park at 1964 Independence Ave. SW RALLY: 12 Noon in West Potomac Park, directly across from Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial MORE INFORMATION: NationActionNetwork.net Sharpton said that participants will demand accountability not just from Trump but from Senate and Congress members who are charged

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with overseeing the Criminal Justice Reform Act, the Voting Rights Bill, Supreme Court nominations and other Trump political appointments.

“Our movement, #WeShallNotBeMoved, will send a clear message to those in power that the fight for equal rights and justice for all continues,” he said.

The four top concerns outlined involve police reform, mass incarceration, stop and frisk, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, education, and climate change.

Sharpton first announced the march on a mid-November teleconference during which he

told reporters that he was not fazed by Trump’s apparent change of demeanor toward President Barack Obama. Despite his less vitriolic demeanor, Trump has since surrounded himself with an almost lily white cabinet and advisors, including Steve Bannon, a founder of Breitbart news, the voice of the so-called “alt-right” - white supremacists and racists.

“Whether one whispers or whether one shouts, if the message is the same what does it matter?” Sharpton told reporters on that call. “I think we are mistaking his change in tone with change in content.”

That said, Sharpton has organized a march and rally that will include civil rights groups, activists, unions and clergy outside the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in D.C. Sharpton said the march will include “Americans from every state, race, religion and ethnicity,” who will “warn President Trump and Congress that the fight for criminal justice, voting rights, affordable health care, improvements in education and other issues around equality and justice continues.”

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Jan. 4, 2017 • 13

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR REVISION OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE: RIDER U, NEW UNDERGROUND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES, FOR THE RATE YEAR COMMENCING SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 CASE NO. PUE-2016-00136 • • • •

Dominion Virginia Power (“DVP”) has applied for approval to revise its Rider U, by which DVP recovers the costs of its Strategic Underground Program.

DVP requests a total of $30.981 million for its 2017 Rider U. According to DVP, this amount would increase the monthly bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by $0.32, for a total Rider U bill impact of $0.82 per month.

The Commission will hear the case on June 6, 2017, at 10 a.m.

Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.

On December 1, 2016, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Virginia Power (“Dominion Virginia Power” or “Company”), pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 6 of the Code of Virginia, the Rules Governing Utility Rate Applications and Annual Informational Filings of the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”), and the directive contained in Ordering Paragraph (4) of the Commission’s August 22, 2016 Final Order in Case No. PUE 2015-00114 (“2016 Order”), filed with the Commission an application (“Application”) for approval of a revision to its rate adjustment clause (“RAC”) designated Rider U. The Company requests (i) an annual update for cost recovery associated with phase one (“Phase One”) of the Company’s Strategic Underground Program (“SUP”) and (ii) Commission approval to recover costs associated with phase two (“Phase Two”) of the SUP through Rider U. Dominion Virginia Power states that the SUP focuses on targeted underground conversions of distribution tap lines because a large percentage of outage events on the Company’s overhead distribution system occur at damage locations on tap lines and facilities.

The Company states that the Commission first approved Rider U through an Order in Case No. PUE-2015-00114, which authorized the Company to recover costs associated with Phase One of the SUP, subject to certain limitations. According to the Application, in Phase One, the Company completed approximately 412 miles of underground conversions of overhead distribution tap lines and associated facilities, at a capital cost of $138.5 million, compared to the projected 400 miles at a capital cost of $140 million. The actual cost per mile for Phase One was $336,263.

The Company states that Phase Two of the SUP is designed to convert an additional 244 miles of overhead tap lines to underground at a capital investment of approximately $110 million and an average cost per mile of $450,000. The Company is requesting to recover the costs of Phase Two through Rider U for only those projects that will be completed prior to September 1, 2017.

The Company seeks approval of revised Rider U with an associated revenue requirement in the amount of $30.981 million for the rate year commencing September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018 (“2017 Rate Year”), which comprises a total requested revenue requirement for Phase One of $10.532 million and a total requested revenue requirement for Phase Two of $20.449 million. Dominion Virginia Power is requesting the use of a return on common equity of 10.5% to calculate the proposed revenue requirement for the 2017 Rate Year.

If the proposed Rider U for the 2017 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 in this proceeding that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on June 6, 2017, 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 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, Jennifer D. Daglio, Esquire, McGuireWoods LLP, Gateway Plaza, 800 East Canal 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 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 May 30, 2017, 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 May 30, 2017, 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. PUE-201600136.

On or before March 7, 2017, 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. PUE-2016-00136. 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 April 11, 2017, 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. PUE-2016-00136.

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 set forth above.

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY d/b/a DOMINION VIRGINIA POWER

14 • Jan. 4, 2017

The LEGACY

President Obama reflects on his record FREDDIE ALLEN President Barack Obama used his last press conference of 2016 to reflect on the accomplishments of his administration over the past eight years.

“As I was preparing to take office, the unemployment rate was on its way to 10 percent. Today, it’s at 4.6 percent — the lowest in nearly a decade,” said Obama. “We’ve seen the longest streak of job growth on record, and wages have grown faster over the past few years than at any time in the past 40.”

Even as the economy approaches full employment, however, the black unemployment rate (8.1 percent) is almost twice the white unemployment rate (4.2 percent), according to the Labor Department; a gap that has persisted since the federal government started collecting separate jobs’ data for blacks nearly 50 years ago and that no president has been able to address.

Obama also touted his administration’s success with insuring people under the Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act, also known as Obamacare.

“When I came into office, 44 million people were uninsured. Today, we’ve covered more than 20 million of them,” said Obama. “For the first time in our history, more than 90 percent of Americans are insured.”

Still, disparities in health care also persist. The uninsured rates for blacks (12 percent) remains higher than the uninsured rates for Whites (8 percent), and according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), blacks, American Indians and Alaska Natives have a higher prevalence of asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

“Health disparities are particularly striking in the burden of AIDS and HIV diagnoses and death rates, with Blacks experiencing over eight and ten times higher rates of HIV and AIDS diagnoses than Whites,” the KFF reported. “Infant mortality rates are significantly higher for Blacks and American Indians and Alaska Natives compared to Whites, and black males have the shortest life expectancy compared to other

groups.”

Obama also noted that his administration, over the last eight years, has dramatically decreased the number of troops deployed abroad and eliminated Osama Bin Laden as well as thousands of other terrorists.

“No foreign terrorist organization has successfully executed an attack on our homeland that was directed from overseas,” said Obama.

Obama continued: “Through diplomacy, we’ve ensured that Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon — without going to war with Iran. We opened up a new chapter with the people of Cuba. And we brought nearly 200 nations together around a climate agreement that could very well save this planet for our kids.”

But the progress that Obama made to address climate change in the United States and through partnerships with other world leaders could be undone during the next administration.

Donald Trump picked Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Washington Post reported that, “Pruitt, who has written that the debate on climate change is ‘far from settled,’ joined a coalition of state attorneys general in suing over the agency’s Clean Power Plan, the principal Obama-era policy aimed at reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector.”

Despite his accomplishments, Obama acknowledged that there was

still a lot of work to do particularly on the issues of homelessness, job creation, income inequality and gun violence.

“After I leave office, I intend to continue to work with organizations and citizens doing good across the country on these and other pressing issues to build on the progress that we’ve made,” said Obama.

Nationally, Democrats have lost more than 1,000 elected seats since Obama took office. Democrats also serve in the minority in both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Obama also said that Democrats have to promote their policies “where people feel as if they’re not being heard and where Democrats are characterized as coastal, liberal, latte-sipping, politically-correct, outof-touch folks.”

“We have to be in those communities,” said Obama. “And I’ve seen that when we are in those communities, it makes a difference.”

Obama continued: “That’s how I became president. I became a U.S. senator not just because I had a strong base in Chicago, but because I was driving around downstate Illinois and going to fish frys and sitting in VFW halls and talking to farmers.”

In the 2016 presidential election, Trump was able to win the counties of Erie, Northampton and Luzerne in Pennsylvania; three counties that Obama won in 2012. Trump also flipped 22 counties in Wisconsin that Obama won during the last election.

In the aftermath of Hillary Clinton’s epic Election Day loss, many political pundits have criticized Clinton’s campaign strategy in critical Midwest states, including Michigan and Wisconsin, that Obama won in 2012.

Obama said that the Democratic Party has to work at the grassroots level and has to be present in all 50 states, taking their message directly to voters.

“I still believe what I said in 2004, which is this red state/blue thing is a construct. Now, it is a construct that has gotten more and more powerful for a whole lot of reasons, from gerrymandering to big money, to the way that media has splintered,” said Obama. “And so people are just watching what reinforces their existing biases as opposed to listening to different points of view. So, there are all kinds of reasons for it.”

People care about their families, meaningful work, and they want to make sure their children have more opportunities than they did and Obama said that is the common ground where Democratic leadership needs to reach voters and speak to all Americans.

“People have asked me how do you feel after the election and so forth, and I say, well, look, this is a clarifying moment. It’s a useful reminder that voting counts, politics counts,” said Obama. “What the President-elect is going to be doing is going to be very different than what I was doing, and I think people will be able to compare and contrast and make judgments about what worked for the American people.”

President Obama will deliver his farewell address to the nation on Jan. 10 from his home city of Chicago, the president announced in a statement.

“I’m thinking about them as a chance to say thank you for this amazing journey, to celebrate the ways you’ve changed this country for the better these past eight years, and to offer some thoughts on where we all go from here,” Obama wrote.

President Obama said he was following the precedent set by George Washington, who penned a farewell address to the American people over 220 years ago.

Jan. 4, 2017 • 15

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

(from page 11) Herr said that CSB’s are required to match state dollars in funding for services — but that’s not always the case. In some districts, localities cannot afford to match the state in funding and in others, they have to outspend the state in order to meet their particular needs.

Deeds said that while it’s important to keep pushing legislators to prioritize funding mental health, he recognizes the reality of Virginia’s constrained budget may prevent the General Assembly and Gov. Terry McAuliffe from passing laws to invest in measures to better address Virginia’s mental health problems.

In August, McAuliffe told the General Assembly to prepare to make tough decisions regarding spending cuts when he announced Virginia collected less income and sales tax revenue than expected. In other words — the commonwealth is projecting a $1.5 billion budget shortfall in budgets for fiscal years 2015, 2016 and 2017 combined.

“I remain confident enough in human nature. We’re going to have to find a way to pay for it and I think we will (…) it won’t happen overnight,” Deeds said. “It may be something we phase in over eight to 12 years if that’s what we can get.”

Lack of resources, the repercussions of stigmatization Celia Delahunty found herself among a group of students the high school put through in-school counseling when W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax County had a sixth student commit suicide in three years, between 2011 and 2014.

That was the first time Delahunty heard she may have depression. Now a senior at VCU, Delahunty is sure she does — and said the condition prompted her to drop two classes this semester. She thinks if she had gotten help sooner, she may have coped better.

Delahunty said she first went to University Counseling Services as a freshman at VCU, but didn’t get help until a year later as a sophomore.

UCS Director Jihad Aziz said long

waits are the new normal in college counseling, and students around the country are experiencing four to sixweek waits to get services.

“Historically, I think one of the challenges for university counseling services in general at any university, is there’s a trend that there’s more students seeking help than actual resources,” Aziz said.

According to Aziz, UCS had a 43 percent increase in students seeking services in the last four years. He said by his standard, the university has coped well in keeping wait times for students down to about two weeks.

Despite this, Aziz said 2015-16 was especially challenging for the office because five UCS employees left during the school year and some students had to wait as long as four weeks to begin receiving services.

In a given year, UCS sees about 8 percent of the student population, or about 2,500 students — which Aziz said is consistent with other large public universities.

Aziz said what concerns him the most, though, are not the students he sees, but rather the ones he doesn’t. According to Mental Health America’s study, youth battling depression in Virginia are some of the least likely in the nation to receive treatment for their mental illness.

Cruser said poor distribution of services plays into that, because not all young people may have access to

services. Another challenge Mental Health America of Virginia faces is urging people to go seek help if they think they may be suffering from a mental health problem. Cruser said he believes downplaying mental health problems has played into a lack of people seeking services.

“For initial onset of major and even minor mental health issues, a lot of us tend to rationalize it, or even kind of dismiss it,” Cruser said. “We think ‘Oh, it’s just cause I haven’t gotten enough sleep or oh, I’m just really stressed right now. Parents do that a lot, of kids, particularly teenagers.”

Additionally, Cruser said a stigma still exists around being diagnosed with a mental health problem, despite the prevalence of public conversation surrounding the issue, which he said did not exist years ago.

“I’m concerned about the people who don’t walk in the door and are sitting in their rooms and suffering and no one is saying ‘I care about you, let me walk you to counseling,’” Aziz said. “I want to have a community where that’s the norm.”

For students like Cooper, stigmatization played a role in not seeking services until college.

“I think that’s evident in a lot of black communities and POC communities,” Cooper said. “It’s taught us that we should have to be super resilient, that we have to fix our problems ourselves. I almost thought going to therapy or seeking out extra help was a weakness.”

Herr, from the VDBHDS, agrees.

“They haven’t focused on so what does it mean to grow up in a poor neighborhood in schools that may be underperforming, in a minority family,” Herr said. “In a place where the socio-economic determinants of health would set me on a trajectory where all my health indicators are poor.”

According to Herr, Virginia Department of Health data indicates that people living within just 10 blocks of each other have different life expectancies of 10 to 15 years due to socio-economic factors that impact mental and physical health.

“SJ 47 (Joint Subcommittee to Study Mental Health Services in the Twenty-First Century) and Senator Deeds have made the conversations public, visible and much more okay to talk about,” Herr said. “But the conversations have almost all focused on emergency or crisis.”

For Deeds, Virginia’s mental health system is a crisis that is inextricably personal, and he is not ready to let the issue rest.

“Failure is not an option we have to build a better system that provides services to people all over Virginia.

There are acute challenges (…) but they’re challenges that affect people’s lives and their opportunities to succeed,” Deeds said. “I’m not going to hang my head.”

Illustrations by Skye Ali

16 • Jan. 4, 2017

Calendar

The LEGACY

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

1.6, 1 p.m.

1.16, 9 a.m.

The Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) will be conducting a free workshop designed to provide an indepth overview of “How-to-Qualify” and “How to Apply” for Virginia Enterprise Zone grant incentives.

The workshop will be held on Jan. 11, 2017, in the city of Hampton at the Ruppert Sargent Building, 1 Franklin St. from 1 to 4 pm.

Parking is free in the parking deck located at the intersection of Armor Arch and Settlers Landing Road.

The workshop will provide detailed instructions on the qualification process for the 2016 Grant Year for Real Property Investment Grants and Job Creation Grants. DHCD requests that you register to attend.

Registration ends January 6, 2017.

Registration for the workshop is available online. Questions? Contact Derek E. Perry, 2400 Washington Ave., 3rd Floor, Newport News or call 757-597-2840 x6.

1.15, 4:30 p.m.

In celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the University of Richmond has planned learning and service activities on Jan. 15 and 16.

To kick off the holiday, the university will partner with HandsOn RVA and The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities for the second year to co-host a film screening and discussion at the Byrd Theatre in Carytown on Sunday, Jan. 15. “Race,” a 2016 biographical sports drama film about AfricanAmerican athlete Jesse Owens' quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history, will be shown at 4:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. The movie will be followed by a short panel discussion and conversation.

Richmond’s MLK commemoration free event, “Honoring the Legacy, Engaging the Dream,” will be held Jan. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Modlin Center for the Arts, Camp Concert Hall.

National Megan’s Law Helpline & Sex Offender Registration Tips Program Call (888) ASK-PFML (275-7365) 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.

Newport News Mayor, McKinley L. Price said, “For many years it has been on my heart that we in Newport News need to participate in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through service to our community. As we know Dr. King believed in service to others. Years ago, I had the pleasure of listening to Ambassador Andrew Young as he spoke of his friend and peer, Dr. King. Ambassador Young shared that Dr. King came to redeem the souls of America from three evils – racism, poverty, and war. He brought historic change to America and transformed the lives of many. Dr. King had a desire and willingness to serve. He breathed life into his words with his actions.

Dr. King believed that life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

In answer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s question, Mayor Price is pleased to partner with Delegate Marcia Price, Sheriff Gabe Morgan, and the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank to host the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Food Drive on Monday, January 16, 2017. Organizations, churches and communities are encouraged to begin now to collect food and to spread the word and invite their members to participate. Price said, “Now is a great time to begin collecting food. Put a box out at your New Year’s Eve celebration or at your Neighborhood Watch Meeting. By working together, we can replenish the Foodbank’s supply of food after the holidays and honor Dr. King’s legacy of service.”

On Monday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Mayor Price, Delegate Price, and Sheriff Morgan will gather at the Foodbank, 2401 Aluminum Avenue, Hampton, VA 23661, to receive donations from the community.

For more information or for collection boxes, contact the Mayor’s Office at 757- 926-8403 or via email mayorsoffice@nnva.gov

Jan. 4, 2017 • 17

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Advocacy groups push for better tracking of hate crimes ATC - U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch (right) has said law enforcement officials know that many hate crimes are not reported in communities across the country.

Since Donald Trump was elected some police and advocacy groups have seen an increase in reports of attacks based on race, religion, gender and sexual orientation. But if you're looking for the total number of hate crimes that took place in the U.S. this year — that's one number that even the FBI can't provide with certainty.

Every year, the FBI releases a national count of hate crimes from the previous year. Its latest report, released in November, says there were 5,850 hate crimes in 2015. But law enforcement officials, including U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, will tell you that number is not exact.

“We know that there are many more hate crimes in communities, in all communities across this country, that go unreported,” Lynch said during a speech in early December at a Muslim center in Sterling, Va. For data-collecting purposes, the FBI defines a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”

Its hate crimes report relies on police and sheriff's departments to send in numbers — voluntarily.

Those numbers help lawmakers determine how to allocate law enforcement resources.

The FBI's tally is currently the most comprehensive national count of hate crimes, but Phyllis Gerstenfeld, author of “Hate Crimes: Causes, Controls, and Controversies”, warns against taking the numbers

at face value because of the uneven reporting.

“You do have to look at them with skepticism. They can be really useful for understanding trends and also for comparing jurisdictions to each other,” said Gerstenfeld, who also teaches criminal justice at California State University, Stanislaus.

During her speech, Lynch called for better reporting and data collection, especially since hate crimes in 2015 — including intimidation, assault and vandalism — increased more than 6 percent compared to 2014.

“Behind the pages of the reports lie communities who are now more afraid than before and more afraid than any American should ever feel,” said Lynch.

Some advocacy groups are trying to quantify the sources of that fear faster than the FBI. After the election, the Southern Poverty Law Center started collecting reports of hate crimes, plus other types of harassment that fall outside of what the FBI considers a hate crime. Relying on news reports, social media and submissions to their website that they try to verify independently, they’ve compiled reports of more than 1,000 incidents as of December.

“Look, we’re just getting at the tip of the iceberg,” said Richard Cohen, the center’s president. “But I think the trends of what we’re seeing are very, very, real.”

Most of the reported attacks targeted immigrants, and Cohen said overall, attacks appear to be more widespread than before.

“People are telling us again and again that they've never seen anything like this in their neighborhoods, that they’ve never been the victims of anything like this before,” he said.

The number of new reports to the Southern Poverty Law Center has declined since the election.

But Cohen said he’s worried about another uptick emerging around the time of Trump's inauguration.

For now, the Southern Poverty Law Center plans to keep counting bias-

related incidents at least through January.

Trying to keep a verified count of these incidents has been taxing for the center and other advocacy groups.

“Sadly, you work longer hours.

That's the only solution at this point,” said Corey Saylor, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' department to monitor and combat Islamophobia.

Another problem with counting hate crimes, Saylor said, is distrust of law enforcement officials that can lead to underreporting by targeted communities. Others may be overwhelmed by the number of attacks they receive.

“Many mosques, they get so many that they just don’t bother,” Saylor said. “Somebody will have left a message on your voicemail saying they’re going to come and kill everybody, and people will just hit delete because they’ve become desensitized to it.”

On the law-enforcement side, Saylor says some agencies may be reluctant to press hate crime charges because it can be hard to prove a person’s bias as a motive.

Saylor and other advocates say so far, they've seen no indication that improving hate crime tracking nationally will be a priority for the Trump administration.

And that’s why Jonathan Greenblatt, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, says his and other groups are focusing more at the state level, especially in the five states that don’t have hate crime laws — Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Wyoming.

“There are new majorities and new officials in place, so we’ve got to look state by state to determine, OK, where is it reasonable to believe we can actually get a hate crimes law on the books,” said Greenblatt.

And once they’re on the books, he said it may give us a better handle on hate crime numbers.

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Classifieds

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