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EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

WEDNESDAYS • May 25, 2016

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INSIDE

SCOTUS acts on redistricting case - 3 RPS honors its 2016 valedictorians - 12 Summer time! Are you beach ready? - 15 Are you a ‘Rush Card’ holder? - 17

Richmond & Hampton Roads

LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM • FREE

SCOTUS throws out death sentence from all-white jury WIRE WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled decisively in favor of a death-row inmate in Georgia on Monday, chastising state prosecutors for improperly keeping AfricanAmericans off the jury that convicted him of killing a white woman.

The justices ruled 7-1 in favor of death row inmate Timothy Tyrone Foster in underscoring the importance of rules they laid out in 1986 to prevent racial discrimination in the selection of juries.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court that Georgia “prosecutors were motivated in substantial part by race” when they struck African-Americans from the jury pool.

But the court did nothing to limit peremptory strikes, lawyers’ ability to reject potential jurors without offering any reason. The late Thurgood Marshall once said that racial discrimination would persist in jury selection unless peremptory strikes were curtailed.

The outcome probably will enable Foster to win a new trial, 29 years after he was sentenced to death.

Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, saying he would have respected the decisions of state judges who sided with prosecutors and rejected Foster’s claims.

When the case was argued in

Eddie Hood is one of the potential jurors who were unconstitutionally excluded from the capital trial of a Georgia man. WIRE

Timothy Tyrone Foster November, the justices did little to hide their distaste for the tactics employed by prosecutors in north Georgia. Justice Elena Kagan said the case seemed as clear a violation “as a court is ever going to see.”

Still, Georgia courts had consistently rejected Foster’s claims of discrimination, even after his lawyers obtained the prosecution’s notes that revealed prosecutors’ focus on the black people in the jury pool. In one example, a handwritten note headed “Definite No’s” listed six people, of whom five were the remaining black prospective jurors.

The sixth person on the list was a white woman who made clear she would never impose the death penalty, according to Foster’s lawyer, Stephen Bright. And yet even that woman ranked behind the black

jurors, Bright said.

The court was not persuaded by the state’s argument that the notes focused on black people in the jury pool because prosecutors were preparing to defend against discrimination claims. The Supreme Court’s ruling about race discrimination in jury selection was about a year old when Foster’s case went to trial, the state said. The 1986 decision in Batson v. Kentucky set up a system by which trial judges could evaluate claims of discrimination and the explanations by prosecutors that their actions were not based on race.

“This argument falls flat,” Roberts wrote. He noted that the record shows “a concerted effort to keep black prospective jurors off the jury.”

Foster’s trial lawyers did not so much contest his guilt as try to explain it as a product of a troubled childhood, drug abuse and mental illness. They also raised their objections about the exclusion of

African-Americans from the jury.

On that point, the judge accepted prosecutor Stephen Lanier’s explanations that factors other than race drove his decisions. The jury convicted Foster and sentenced him to death.

The jury issue was revived 19 years later, in 2006, when the state turned over the prosecution’s notes in response to a request under Georgia’s Open Records Act. The name of each potential black juror was highlighted on four different copies of the jury list and the word “black” was circled next to the race question on questionnaires for the black prospective jurors.

Three of the prospective black jurors were identified in notes as “B#1,” ‘’B#2,” and “B#3.”

An investigator working for the prosecutors also ranked the black prospective jurors against each other in case “it comes down to having to pick one of the black jurors.”

Richardson’s second chance allows him to run for mayor - pg. 2

2 • May 25, 2016

The LEGACY

News

With voting rights restored, former Richmond Councilman makes move to run for mayor HAZEL TRICE EDNEY TriceEdneyWire - Former Richmond City Councilman Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson, who resigned from office after a non-violent drug conviction in 1995, was among the more than 200,000 people with felony records whose voting rights were recently restored by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Richardson, who served for 18 years after his election as a member of the city's first majority black City Council in 1977, says he is not only elated that his voting rights have been restored, but he is also circulating petitions to possibly run to become the city’s next mayor.

“I have now secured my declaration of candidacy form, filled out the necessary papers and I am getting petitions signed in order to qualify my candidacy for the mayorship of Richmond,” said Richardson in an interview last week.

Richardson is aware of an obscure Virginia law that prohibits anyone convicted of a drug offense from running for public office. However, the governor’s letter appears to give him explicit rights to run.

The May 12 letter to Richardson from McAuliffe says the governor has “restored his rights to vote, hold public office, serve on a jury and to be a notary public”. The restoration was effective April 22, 2016, according to the letter.

Richmond lawyer Vinceretta Taylor Chiles, who assisted Richardson and others in the voting rights restoration process, said while she has not researched the state law as it pertains to Richardson, the law appears to be problematic given the governor’s sweeping restorations.

She described the law as “arbitrary and capricious because why single drug offenders out opposed to people who are involved in other morally corrupt activity?” she asked. “You mean you can molest a child or sexually offend a child or get convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and that does not disqualify you from running for public office? My goodness.”

Richardson is not unfamiliar with the mayoral candidacy. He was nominated for the position in 1982 by then Councilwoman Caroline C. Wake, who was then one of four White members of the Council. At that time, the mayor was elected by

Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson the nine-member city council. However Richardson voted against himself that year; thereby thwarting the nomination. Richardson explained that he declined then because the other four votes would have come from the white members who he said was attempting to divide the five-member black regime.

Richardson said the position was offered to him again by the Black members of council in 1994, but “the time wasn’t right.” In the early 90s, Richmond changed its City Charter to create an at large, citywide elected mayor.

Richardson would enter a crowded non-partisan field of at least 17 other candidates for the position. The filing deadline is June 14.

“I had no intentions of running for the mayorship. But it seems to me that providence has come to bear on my life,” Richardson said. “In the moment of the mayorship's ripeness, the governor has given me my rights back and, to me, it’s a

message to say run Chuck run. The events are in the saddle and they ride mankind.”

Richardson, 68, said among his most prevalent issues will be running “an open government” with transparency so that citizens will always know what’s going on; a citizen-friendly City Hall; creating a city jobs bank and strengthening the city school budget process. He said he will also dispense of “wasteful spending” such as the heavy security detail employed by current Mayor Dwight Jones.

As the historically longest serving member of the Richmond City Council, Richardson said his legacy was always one “to get the job done. I worked hard and I was known to get the job done.”

Richardson credits his history as a decorated Marine machine gunner for his ability to work hard and remain focused on the tasks required by public service. However, it was also during his tour of Vietnam that he became addicted to heroin; an addiction that followed him on to City Council.

Nevertheless, he continued to be re-elected even four times after he was convicted of possession of dangerous drugs - cocaine and heroin - in 1988.

He ultimately resigned in 1995 after delivering a small amount of cocaine to a personal friend, who turned out to be a police informant. When the informant gave him what Richardson said was a simple reimbursement, he was arrested and charged with cocaine dealing.

Twenty-one years later, Richardson says he is completely free of drugs and - with rights restored - is looking forward to the mayoral campaign.

Richardson said he doesn't see his past as a stumbling block for a successful race and that he could even be an inspiration to young people.

“Young people should be inspired by my message about never giving up,” he said. “You can do a lot of things in life. You can have your falls, your ups and your downs. But, I am a testament to the fact that if you keep the faith and never give up, there is no telling what God has in store for you.”

Richardson stressed that despite his past troubles, he was always an extraordinary public servant as indicated by his repeated re-elections.

He concludes, “Today, more than any other time in Richmond’s history, it needs a Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. It needs Chuck Richardson because I get the job done.”

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

May 25, 2016 • 3

SCOTUS dismisses GOP appeal Bridge replacement will close portion of Creighton Road for seven months WIRE

A unanimous Supreme Court has dismissed a Republican appeal over congressional districts in Virginia.

The justices on Monday left in place a decision by a lower court that said Virginia illegally packed black voters into one district to make adjacent districts safer for Republican incumbents. The case is Wittman v.

Personhuballah.

Republican members of Congress wanted the court to reinstate the districting map. But the justices ruled that the elected officials did not have the right to challenge the court ruling.

Justice Stephen Breyer wrote for the court that there is no “record evidence that supports their claim of harm.”

The same three-judge court that threw out the map drawn by the state Legislature in 2012 has since created new districts that are in place for the 2016 congressional elections.

The dispute concerned the old boundaries of Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District, which is the

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only one in the state with a majority of African-American residents.

Represented by Democrat Bobby Scott, the district ran from north of Richmond to the coastal cities of Norfolk and Newport News, and its shape has been described as a “grasping claw.”

Scott’s seat is one of 11 congressional districts in Virginia. Republicans who controlled the state Legislature when the new map was drawn in 2012 created districts that elected eight Republicans and three Democrats.

At the same time, Democrats carried Virginia in the past two presidential elections and hold both Senate seats and the governor’s office.

The lower court has since drawn a new congressional map, in which Scott’s district is more compact and no longer includes Richmond, for use in this year’s elections.

Republican House members wanted to preserve the map as it was adopted because they fear that a redrawn map could water down minority strength in Scott’s district and increase the number of Democratic-leaning black voters in neighboring Republican districts.

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.

A portion of Creighton Road in Henrico County was closed May 18 and will remain closed for the next seven months. The project to improve a half-mile section of Creighton Road near the Glenwood Golf Club includes replacement of a narrow one vehicle bridge.

Creighton will be closed to through-traffic from Caddie Lane to Stone Dale Drive. A detour will direct motorists on Creighton around the work zone by way of Gordons Lane, Nine Mile Road and North Laburnum Avenue. Access to Glenwood Golf Club will be allowed from the western side of the work zone, toward the city’s limits.

Residents inside the work zone will have access to their properties

throughout construction, according to Henrico County’s.

The closure is expected to remain in effect until December while the $3.5 million project is scheduled for completion next May. A wider, two-lane bridge will be installed to the north of the existing, one-lane structure, which spans an unnamed creek. The bridge approaches also will be improved.

The next segment of the Creighton Road Improvements will be to construct a 0.4 mile 4-lane divided roadway between Sandy Lane and E. Laburnum Avenue. It includes curb-and-gutter, drainage improvements, sidewalk on both sides of the road, and realigning the intersection with Dabbs House Road.

4 • May 25, 2016

The LEGACY

CHIEF LEGAL AND COMPLIANCE OFFICER Richmond Ambulance Authority is a world class Emergency Management System. Its mission is to provide the patients it serves and the residents of Richmond with emergency and non-emergency ambulance service by practicing clinical excellence with superb response time performance while maintaining its commitment to economic efficiency and minimal tax subsidization.

Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) is seeking a Chief Legal and Compliance Officer to acts as legal advisor and general counsel by providing legal resources, assistance and advice to the Chief Executive Officer, Board of Directors and senior management.

The position will be responsible for researching, analyzing and interpreting laws, regulations, and legislation; prepare and view various legal documents; collect legal information and factual evidence for decision making for management; prepared employees for depositions and court appearances; assist with RAA Act and city of Richmond franchise ordinance; examine material for legal implications; consult with colleagues and outside counsel; maintain knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Virginia Procurement Act, Virginia Office of Emergency Management Services, Library of Virginia and other regulatory agencies; maintain agency compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act; monitoring SWAM accreditation; Library of Virginia records retention schedule; oversee compliance with the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and manage agency re-accreditation process.

Candidate must have a Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree from an accredited law school and a member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar; and a minimum of 3 years of professional experience in a law firm or in-house counsel. Experience with governmental entities; Board governance; and experience in healthcare law, healthcare reimbursement and healthcare compliance preferred.

To apply, please visit www.raaems.org to complete an application no later than 5:00 PM June 6, 2016.

EOE/AAP

***** OPERATIONS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Richmond Ambulance Authority is a world class Emergency Management System. Its mission is to provide the patients it serves and the residents of Richmond with emergency and non-emergency ambulance service by practicing clinical excellence with superb response time performance while maintaining its commitment to economic efficiency and minimal tax subsidization.

Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) is currently seeking an Operations Development Manager. Under the direction of the Chief Operating Officer, The Operations Development Manager is responsible for overseeing the daily operational efficiency of the Operations, Logistics & Production, Communications and Fleet Departments. This position will work cooperatively with the Chief Operating Officer to provide internal consultancy to ongoing projects and programs as well as project management in the development of new service lines. The incumbent will also develop, implement, and maintain necessary reports and documentation to ensure compliance with local, state and federal EMS laws, regulations, and guidelines.

To apply, please visit www.raaems.org to complete an application no later than 5:00 PM June 6, 2016.

409 E. Main St. #4 (mailing) 105 1/2 E. Clay St. (office) Richmond, VA 23219 804-644-1550 (office) 800-783-8062 (fax) ads@legacynewspaper.com

“CHOCOLATE Ad Size CHIP” celebrates 24 inches (4 columns 6 inches) 40 years in Xradio If you’re a WCLM AdRadio Costlistener, you know him as Chocolate Chip. $264 James U. Johnson III last week celebrated 40 years in radio.

Runthe Date “May 16, 1976 was date that started a journey that has lasted May 25, 2016 over 40 years in an industry that was very challenging for African American Radio announcers,” WCLM noted recently. “Being a radio announcer had to be more than just being up on the latest

artist, but required a talent that would captivate the listeners and keep their interest by playing the music that touched their emotions, while educating the listeners on the artist and the history of the lyrics.

“This is the unique gift and talent that James U. Johnson III displayed as he started his first radio stint with WANT Radio in 1976. James U. Johnson III worked for Mr. Joe Turnage the owner of Churchill Record Shop in 1975. At Churchill Record Shop, James U. Johnson III was a salesman, delivery man and because of his soothing voice, he was selected to do commercials for Churchill Record shop..

“Ben Miles heard one of the commercials and the rest is history. But Chocolate Chip had to get the public behind him to keep his nickname, because at that time WANT did not allow nicknames. Hired as part time announcer on Sunday’s was all that Chocolate Chip needed and upon the retirement of Ben Miles in December of 1976, opened the door of opportunity for Chocolate Chip to be on the radio full time and he has never looked back.”

Chocolate Chip is now semiretired but continues to meet the public demand on WCLM 1450 AM Radio for his soothing voice and background history of the artists.

FATHER’S DAY

365

EOE/AAP

Help Us Celebrate Real Fathers Nominate or Sponsor a Worthy Dad Email info to: DADS@LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM

Dad of the Week

Sponsor The Legacy Newspaper 105 1/2 E. Clay St. Richmond, VA 23219 804-644-1550

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6 • May 25, 2016

Op/Ed & Letters

The LEGACY

I saw these “stunning” news anchors and my jaw didn’t drop BILL FLETCHER, JR. If you are like me, you sometimes find yourself surfing the Web when you are supposed to be doing something more important. You may notice “click bait” that poses questions like, “What has happened to these childhood stars?” or offers, “Secrets of the Mayans revealed.”

Well, the other day I noticed one that concerned a list with dozens of allegedly, gorgeous news anchors called “News Anchors Who Will Make Your Jaw Drop.” Out of curiosity, I decided to take a look. Let me tell you what I found.

The list was all women. I mention that because my wife’s first comment was that there are many male news anchors and that some of them are good looking. For some reason I did not assume that there would be any men, but that may be my own blindness.

The second thing was that they were reasonably attractive, they tended to be on the younger side, and there was not one identifiable black woman among them. The story does not stop there. The list included Europeans, Euro-Americans (whites), Latinas and Asians. Yet the characteristics of all of the women were European. The Latinas were all light-skinned, not one looking Afro-Latina or, for that matter, indigenous. The Asians were all quite light, with Western looks, and The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 2 No. 21 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

with not one of them looking like the browner Asians one might find in Guam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia or Indonesia, not to mention, South Asia.

I kept assuming that I would come across at least one identifiable black news anchor. There were a couple that looked like they might have a little African in them somewhere, but I felt that I was reaching.

Despite periodic initiatives towards black pride and defeating efforts to erase blackness from the mainstream, the white supremacist bias always finds a way to raise its ugly head. Beauty remains a category defined largely in European terms with a dismissal of the very notion that beauty can take myriad forms.

This situation is not remedied by the selection of one identifiably black person to fill a quota. It really goes to the very basic question of how one defines beauty and breaking with the assumption that the closer we are to the purer European—whatever that means—the more beautiful we become.

I will leave it at that.

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.

Annual Subscription Rates Virginia - $50 U.S. states - $75 Outside U.S.- $100 The Virginia Legacy © 2016

Bathroom talk I can't believe that I'm writing an article about using the bathroom. But then, I can't believe that at a time when our country is faced with immense challenges such as international Islamist terrorism and fiscal and monetary insanity in Washington, the current presidential administration is obsessing about who uses which bathrooms, going so far as to order public schools nationwide what their bathroom-use policy must be.

Let me state up-front that I will not be proposing a solution to the Great Issue of what constitutes perfectly just bathroom usage. I have long written about the issue of federal overreach by our government in Washington.

Being uncomfortable about the federal government's tendency for obnoxious intrusion into seemingly every area of our life, I would prefer that this "problem" be worked out at local and state levels. The purpose of this article is simply to offer an opinion about what is at stake and how weak and objectionable the Obama administration's case is.

The aggressive manner in which the progressive/LGBT alliance is pressing this issue confirms what critics of last year's Supreme Court decision sanctioning gay marriage averred–that once the age-old definition of marriage was legally redefined, the LGBT movement would charge ahead and target another traditional moral and cultural standard. Voilá! Now the Obama administration, which celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision, demands that schools let pupils choose which bathroom to use in accordance with their "gender identity" instead of their biological sex, replacing a clear objective standard with a murky subjective one.

I believe that the bathroom-usage issue constitutes a far more intrusive assault on our traditional morés than same-sex marriage. Many Americans who have zero inclination toward homosexuality were willing to accept samesex marriage on the grounds that what other people do is their business and not our own, and that two gay people getting married isn’t going to infringe upon one’s own personal space. The bathroom issue is obviously different: Going to the bathroom is one of the most personal and private acts a person does; it is a situation in which individuals can feel particularly vulnerable; and now the government wants to take away that feeling of personal privacy and safety.

Dr. Mark Hendrickson

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

May 25, 2016 • 7

P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.

The ‘Plan’

Last January 2015 I recognized the Plan would be seriously accelerated if I were the mayor of Richmond, so I have been pursuing that position ever since. My mayoral strategy involved intersecting the Plan with a smaller subset of our community to show its ability to increase overall quality of life. I created the East End Community Collaboration (EECC) to do just that and I am very proud of what has been accomplished in the name of EECC, and what is in the pipeline. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the election to be mayor of Richmond.

While I truly believe I have the knowledge, experience and awareness to be a great mayor, this mayoral election is already out of control, and there is still five months to go. With 18 candidates and counting, the election is guaranteed to be less about strategic plans and creative ideas and more about money and personalities. I know I can’t win in this scenario and since I am only in this race to affect serious change quickly, it is time to change the tactics of the Plan.

Towards that end I have decided to narrow my focus back on what I know best – the East End and Richmond Public Schools. I believe the best way to do that is to become a member of the School Board.

Therefore, I announce I am ending my campaign to be mayor of the city of Richmond and declare myself a candidate for the 7th District School Board seat being vacated by Donald

Coleman.

Rick Tatnall Replenish Richmond

Against mass incarceration

Resolution 2016-R035 calls for a more in-depth, better coordinated approach to addressing mass incarceration in the capital city; an approach that is community driven and heeds critical input from African American community members most impacted by the devastating effects of mass incarceration.

New Virginia Majority (NVM) has been leading efforts in support of the resolution. “Community members have been working diligently with Council since last fall to pass this resolution as a step toward fostering the development of a comprehensive strategy for alternatives to incarceration; rather than locking up citizens for offenses that could be prevented with access to adequate jobs, education, housing, treatment, training or other opportunities.

Nine hundred residents signed a petition in support of this resolution.

All are looking for substantive measures to address disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates of African Americans in Richmond.

In 2015, Richmond incarcerated 15348 citizens of which 11934 were African American. Ninety six percent were incarcerated for non-violent offenses.

The problem and the solution lies within our community - in essence our people. In order to truly police

ourselves we must be a part of the discussion and the city must invite us to the table. Richmond should be a frontrunner of de-incarceration efforts.

City Council President, Michelle Mosby, who introduced the resolution feels that it is time for Richmond to take a stand against mass incarceration.

This is an important first step towards our city investing in our youth and not in jails and incarceration and is an important step toward state level sentencing reforms.

I. Shabazz, A. Alvelais & D. Hall New Va. Majority

Repeal Proposal X

The commonwealth must repeal or abolish Truth –in- Sentencing in Virginia, the most prominent sentencing reform movement of the 1990’s, implemented under the Republican segregationist George Allen (governor from 1994 – 1998), to effectively restrict and eliminate parole eligibility and good time credits.

The so-called Reform and Truthin- Sentencing law became effective in Virginia on Jan. 1, 1995. Virginia’s sentencing reforms abolished parole, reduced good time allowances to ensure that inmates serve a minimum of 85 percent of their imposed sentence, and became the most effective profitable warehouse prison complex business to date that have disproportionately affected African-Americans, racial ethnic minorities and hurts the economy.

Along with the federal government, Virginia is the worst state for insuring civil rights and one of eight states that have abolished parole and implemented the so-called Truth-inSentencing legislation that requires offenders to serve 85 percent of the imposed sentence.

The amount of time served by nonviolent offenders was supposedly, not changed by the move to Truth-inSentencing. Judge imposed sentences for nonviolent offenders are supposed to be lower under Truth-inSentencing, the time served in prison remains the same 85 percent because sentences are no longer reduced dramatically by parole and good time allowances.

Under Truth-in- Sentencing, offenders serve an average of 89.7 percent of the judicially imposed sentence. Although parole was abolished for all offenders convicted after Jan. 1, 1995, parole remains in effect for individuals incarcerated prior to Truth-in-Sentencing reform, but post statute inmates, are repeatedly denied parole and good time allowances based on blanket denials of the serious nature of the offense and disrespect of the law, a back door enforcement of the socalled Truth-in- Sentencing policy.

How long, will our leaders continue to ignore the inhuman warehousing of our rehabilitated men, women and youths incarcerated in Virginia? Not long, Not long!

Roy L. Perry-Bey, Hampton

The LEGACY

8 • May 25, 2016

Faith & Religion

Do No Harm Act seeks to rein in RFRA claims BOB ALLEN BNG - Some who 23 years ago worked for passage of a law ensuring broad protection of religious freedom say now the Religious Freedom Restoration Act needs tweaking so it can’t be used to discriminate against others.

Groups including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Interfaith Alliance voiced support for the Do No Harm Act, introduced May 18 by U.S. Reps.

Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-Mass.) and Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.)

to amend the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1993.

The law would clarify that no one can seek religious exemption from laws guaranteeing fundamental civil and legal rights. It comes in response to recent efforts across the country to allow the use of religious belief to justify denying services to samesex couples because of their sexual orientation.

“The religious freedom promised by the Constitution, the religious freedom envisioned by our founders,

is one where every person’s faith is protected and no one’s faith is used to subjugate or harm others,” said Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance. “For years the Religious Right has tried to force legislation through Congress and state legislatures designed to turn religious freedom into a weapon used against religious minorities, people of color, women, children and the LGBT community. The Do No Harm Act is a critical first step toward counteracting that misguided campaign.”

Barry Lynn, executive director of

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said his organization joined conservatives and progressives to support the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993 “because we believed it would protect real religious liberty, especially for those of minority faiths.”

“We are troubled, however, that over the years, RFRA has been misconstrued and exploited to justify discrimination and to deny others their rights,” said Lynn, an ordained minister in the United

(continued on page 15)

Rev. Jamal Bryant breaks silence over latest allegations JAMES BENTLEY NNPA - On May 12, the Rev. Jamal H. Bryant of Baltimore’s Empowerment Temple Church took to social media to address rumors and allegations that he had fathered another child and was refusing to pay child support for it.

In a video, Bryant said, “Over the last week a lot has been said, a lot has been suggested and like you I was thrown into a tailspin. I had to shut down for a minute so that my response would not be that of a man but be priestly as a man of God. To that end, let me say to you, I am one of those rare people who are flawed with character. With all of my issues, I don’t run from them but I stand right next to them.”

On May 5 Obnoxious Television posted the story of a woman named LaToya Odom who claimed that she had given birth to a son in July of 2015 and that the father was Bryant.

Odom provided documents to the site that appeared to be a paternity test performed in Aug. of the same year

by LB Genetics in Santa Ana, CA. The documents seemed to indicate that for Jamal H. Bryant “the

probability of paternity is 99.9999%.”

Bryant neither confirmed nor denied the allegations that the 10-month-old child is his biological son in the 5:17 long video. Instead, he said, “The issues pertaining to and surrounding the allegations are in the middle of a legal discourse that precludes me from going into any depth to talk about it. But let me say to you, while many things have been said about me, running is not one of them.” He added, “My legal counsel said I cannot go into any depth talking about it, but there is nothing that can stop me from talking to God. When there is something to be said, you will hear it directly from me and you will not have to look for a secondary source.”

This is not Bryant’s first brush with public backlash. In 2007, he reportedly admitted to fathering an illegitimate child from the pulpit while he was married amidst pressure for him to step down as pastor. Bryant and his then wife have since divorced.

Bryant closed by saying, “God ain’t finished with me but when he gets through working with me, I shall come forth standing right beside

Rev. Jamal Bryant PHOTO: Da’Rell Privott/AFRO you.” Before he ended his video stream Bryant also tried to pre-empt further questions about the child. He said, “I wanted to come on tonight so that there would be absolute clarity;

Sunday morning is to discuss Jesus it is not to talk about Jamal. So when you come to church get ready to talk about how great God is and not the frailty of what Jamal possesses.”

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10 • May 25, 2016

The LEGACY

Dominion Riverrock festival concludes with record-breaking Friday night crowd The 8th annual Dominion Riverrock, the nation’s premier outdoor sports and music festival, concluded this afternoon after drawing estimated crowds of 50,000 to Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar for the three-day event. Friday night drew 25-30,000 people, making it the largest Friday night crowd in festival history. Organized

by Venture Richmond and Sports Backers, Dominion Riverrock is the largest outdoor sports and music festival in the United States.

Athletes and spectators alike flocked to Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar throughout the weekend for an incredible combination of sporting events and music. Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass performed on Friday, and the Infamous Stringdusters played alongside them. G. Love and Special Sauce performed on Saturday – both in front of energetic crowds.

Dominion Riverrock is a celebration of downtown Richmond’s riverfront, and the James River took center stage during the festival. Both the Sierra Nevada Kayak Boatercross and the Stand Up Paddleboard Cross events took place in the river adjacent to Brown’s Island in the VEPCO levy rapids on Saturday. On Sunday, kayakers showed off their best tricks in the Sierra Nevada Kayak Freestyle event in the same rapids.

Other crowd favorites at Dominion Riverrock included the Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs presented

by Zuke’s, Boulder Bash, and Freestyle Bikes presented by Agee’s. The HCA Virginia Filthy 5k Mud Run presented by Ruffwear took place on Friday evening with almost 800 participants.

Despite weather conditions and course reroutes,

the James River Scramble 10k Trail Run drew more than 600 finishers, and the Urban Assault Mountain Bike Race had over 100 finishers.

The Red Bull Berm Burners returned for its third year at Riverrock, and the track saw plenty of action. This head-to-head dirt cycling competition drew pro and amateur riders on Friday. This year’s Riverrock also saw two new events with the addition of dART, a mural scavenger hunt in partnership with the Richmond Mural Project, and the Bust the Banks Trail Half

Va. Film Office encourages submissions for 28th annual screenwriting competition Do you have a captivating, exhilarating, funny, dramatic story burning a hole in your brain, itching to get out and be enjoyed by the masses? If so, the Virginia Film Office can help you get it out.

VFO is currently accepting screenplay submissions for the 28th Virginia Screenwriting Competition, created to provide Virginia screenwriters with a forum for their work and an opportunity to present their scripts to professionals in the motion picture and television

industry. The deadline for submission is next Monday.

The competition is one of the few in the nation requiring no entrance fee, and all entrants receive a free written evaluation from the first round judges. Past winners include “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan, who won in 1989 for his screenplay “Home Fries”, and Megan Holley, who won in 2003 for her screenplay “Sunshine Cleaning”.

The competition is open exclusively to Virginia residents or students

Marathon. Bust the Banks took place on Sunday and boasted approximately 360 finishers. Some participants took the weekend trail running to the extreme and completed the Trail Takedown challenge – finishing both the Scramble 10k and the half marathon.

Kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, slacklining, hiking, and bouldering were among the activities available for festival attendees to try throughout the duration of the event free of charge in the Go RVing Interactive Village.

currently enrolled in Virginia schools. Each script submitted must contain either Virginia locations or locations that could reasonably be found in Virginia.

Feature film scripts must be approximately 90-120 pages in length. For the second consecutive year, the competition will also accept scripts made for one-hour television pilots, a reflection of the high-caliber of writing found in today’s television programming. These must be approximately 45-60 pages in length.

VFO notes that all scripts must be typed and submitted in a standard screenplay format, with numbered pages and a title page without any personal information. All scripts must be saved in a non-editable format such as a PDF, with the

title of the PDF the same as the screenplay. All screenplays must be e-mailed to screenplay@virginia.org no later than midnight on Monday, May 30.

Screenplays are first read by Virginia judges, and finalists are selected and submitted to a second panel of judges who are currently working professionally in the entertainment industry. Three winning screenplays are then selected, and notifications of results are made in October 2016. The three winning writers are each recognized before a featured screening at the Virginia Film Festival and awarded a prize of $1,000. The Virginia Film Festival, now in its 29th year, takes place in Charlottesville, Nov. 3-6.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Event highlights live-saving skills

May 25, 2016 • 11

Ask Alma

Stuck in the middle of a love triangle

In celebration of National Water Safety Month and Swimways’ fifth annual National Learn to Swim Day, the leading manufacturer of pool and outdoor recreational products and the USA Swimming Foundation, an organization whose mission is to strengthen the sport by saving lives and building champions - in the pool and in life, announced a new partnership to raise awareness about water safety and teaching children the essential life skill of learning to swim.

Olympic Gold Medalist and USA Swimming Foundation Ambassador Rowdy Gaines hosted a swimming celebration over the weekend with several local children. Gaines gave a private swim lesson to the local Virginia Beach children. Part of the USA Swimming Foundation’s mission is to provide free or low cost swim lessons so that every child in America has the opportunity to learn to swim.

He highlighted the fact that approximately 10 people drown every day in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with nearly 25 percent children younger than 14 years old. 70 percent of African-American and 60 percent of Hispanic/Latino children cannot swim, according to a national research study by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis. The partnership between Swimways and the USA Swimming Foundation was created to combat some of the alarming statistics surrounding child drowning, he noted.

President and CEO YMCA of South Hampton Roads, Billy George joined the celebration. The Princess Anne Family YMCA received a grant as a result of the partnership to provide the resources and swim lessons necessary to teach children in the local area how to swim.

Dear Alma, A male friend of mine moved to my city for a six-month work assignment. To welcome him to the area, I took him to dinner and introduced him to my local friends.

Well, I just learned that he has been having a sexual relationship with a sorority sister, who’s also my best friend.

I am uncomfortable with this situation because my male friend has a live-in girlfriend who has been with him for over eight years.

I feel like I need to say something, especially now that his assignment may be extended and his livein girlfriend is planning a visit.

My girlfriend says she knows it’s temporary and that she plans to break up with him before his significant other arrives. She also confided to me that he told her that he loves her, but cannot leave his live-in girlfriend and doesn’t know what to do. She is not a dumb girl.

She’s an attorney, and she’s got it going on. I’m shocked this happened.

Do you think it‘s really love? Should I get involved or mind my business?

Stuck in the Middle Dear Stuck in the Middle, If this were my BFF Dee, I would say something like this: “What the hell…Really!! Chile Please!”

No, I’m just kidding. Don’t do that. I’m a firm believer in what my mama use to say: “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” You want to get her attention, so confront her in a manner that she can embrace.

I can sense the pride and admiration you have for your friend when you talk of her accomplishments. Granted, one’s occupation doesn’t exempt them from making unwise decisions.

Anyway, your attorney-girlfriend is rationalizing her actions by thinking she’s really not being a

skank, because technically he’s not married. And since technically he’s not married, she can follow this yellow brick road and see where it leads.

Step up to the bench, my sistah, so you can hear me when I say this ain’t Kansas and, no, Sweetie, he’s not in love with her. He’s in really, really like, and I don’t blame him.

He’s found a really smart woman to spend quality time with while he’s away from home. He offered her his live-in truth and she accepted it.

Sometimes we enter a “going nowhere fast” relationship for the sake of not being alone. But truth be told, you can be in a relationship and still be lonely. As a matter of fact, I’d say that hurts more than being alone.

Explain to your friend that recognizing her true treasures within allows her to be prepared when a mature man comes along.

A mature man will offer her the proper love, commitment and devotion she deserves. It’s time to cut it off. Don’t wait for his main squeeze to visit. Do it now.

Remind her that she should never settle for a second-hand man.

Reach out, give her a fist bump and say: “Stop stumbling in the dark with Mr. Wrong, girl, when you could be dancing in the light with Mr. Right!”

Now that’s exactly what I would say to my BFF Dee. ***** Want advice? E-mail questions to alwaysaskalma@yahoo.com.Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma *****

12 • May 25, 2016

A celebration of excellence: RPS Honors its valedictorians

The LEGACY

Richmond Public Schools (RPS) honored its 2016 valedictorians at the district’s annual Valedictorian Luncheon, held May 19 at the Science Museum of Virginia. The luncheon was sponsored by Capital One. The program featured special performances by Franklin Military Academy students as well as a special video tribute honoring the valedictorians.

As a group, this year’s valedictorians compiled a 4.4 grade point average and earned over two million dollars in scholarships to pursue postsecondary education opportunities. Chris Gabbert, of Richmond Community High School, is the citywide valedictorian. Gabbert, who holds a 4.93 grade point average, will attend Virginia Commmonwealth University this fall and plans to major in biology.

This year’s complete list of RPS high school valedictorians and their respective grade point average (GPA) is as follows: Natasha Coleman with a 4.74 GPA from Thomas Jefferson High School.

She is headed to the University of Virginia Emma Silverman with a 4.61 GPA from Open High School. Headed to The College of William and Mary.

Stefan Woodson, Jr., 4.5 GPA from John Marshall High School. Headed to the University of Virginia.

Regena Walker with a 4.49 GPA from

Hampton LongHorn Steakhouse team member wins first place in the regional Steak Master Series Hampton native and resident Edward Love, culinary team member at the LongHorn Steakhouse in Hampton, was recently recognized as the regional winner of the company’s Steak Master Series competition. This honor is bestowed upon the top performing culinary team members in the company. He is one of just 60 team members from LongHorn Steakhouse to achieve this distinction.

The Steak Master Series was created by LongHorn Steakhouse to celebrate the restaurant’s commitment to grilling expertise, to challenge its culinary team members to continuously strive for excellence and sharpen their skills, and it provides an opportunity to recognize team members in a unique way.

“We are thrilled that Edward was named the

George Wythe High School. She i headed to Virginia Commonwealth University.

Brooke Hunter with 4.41 GPA from Huguenot High School and headed to James Madison University.

Jocelyn Lee with a 3.98 GPA from Franklin Military Academy. Lee is headed to Hampton University.

Willie-Lee Triania & Molle-Bette Young from Armstrong High School with 3.75 GPA. Both are headed to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

regional Steak Master Series winner,” said Paul Livrieri, executive vice president of operations at LongHorn Steakhouse. “This recognition is a true testament to his dedication to grilling expertise, and to providing outstanding food and perfectly grilled steaks to our guests.”

Hampton joined the culinary team at LongHorn Steakhouse three years ago. His favorite menu item to grill is LongHorn’s signature Outlaw Ribeye.

“This is a crowning moment in my culinary career,” said Love. “I have to thank my teammates for letting me represent Hampton. They’ve helped maintain my drive, focus and determination to be the very best I can be.”

All of the nearly 6,000 culinary team members at LongHorn Steakhouse locations nationwide were invited to participate in the Steak Master Series, which took the form of written and culinary tests. Love will compete against two others in the Philadelphia division for a chance to become one of the seven finalists in the championship event.

These seven finalists will travel to LongHorn Steakhouse headquarters in Orlando, Fla., to compete for the title of Steak Master Series Champion.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

May 25, 2016 • 13

Tidewater Community College designated as a national center of excellence in cyber defense The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security certify TCC’s cyber program after a rigorous application process ~ Governor McAuliffe announced today that Tidewater Community College is the latest Virginia institution to be named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This designation recognizes schools that excel in preparing students to become leaders in cybersecurity and establishes TCC

Edna V. Baehre-Kolovani

as a national model in this growing field.

“Making more Virginia community colleges National Centers of Excellence in Cyber Defense is a key part of our administration’s efforts to strengthen our workforce development system and build a new Virginia economy,” said Gov. Terry McAuliffe. “Our two-year institutions are bastions of innovation and creativity, and this new designation at TCC will be key in providing our students with the training they need to be successful in high-tech, highpaying jobs. This is another great step in making Virginia a leader in the global cybersecurity sector.”

TCC is only the third Virginia community college to receive this designation. The others are Northern Virginia Community College and Lord Fairfax Community College.

Since its inception, TCC’s network security/cybersecurity curriculum has been aligned with national

standards for cybersecurity established and maintained by National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and NSA. “Bridging the gap between educational offerings and industry demand is paramount to advancing Virginia's cyber leadership position," said Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson. “By earning this certification, Tidewater Community College has made it possible for more students to join Virginia's growing cyber community.”

“TCC is honored to receive the distinction of being named a National Center of Academic Excellence,” said President Edna V. Baehre-Kolovani.

“Our faculty and administrators have worked hard to ensure our cybersecurity program meets the highest industry and government standards, and that our graduates are fully prepared to be productive workers in this vitally important field.”

AEO study: Starting small businesses is a pathway to reduce minority youth unemployment With headlines nationwide raising concern about disaffected youth, particularly in minority communities, the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) today released a timely report that outlines the critical ways the microbusiness industry can link millennials to economic opportunity.

With about 40 million youth in the U.S., between the ages of 16 and 24, most are working or in school, but an estimated 5.5 million, or 14 percent, of those youth are unemployed or not in school, many of them living in low-income neighborhoods. “They are disconnected. We call them Opportunity Youth,” said Connie Evans, AEO’s president and CEO. “We need to reach them so that they are tomorrow’s success stories.”

A new report, funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and entitled, “Linking Young Adults to Microbusiness: Providing New Pathways to Economic Opportunity,” finds that microbusinesses, which employ five employees or fewer, can offer several pathways out of unemployment for these youth.

According to new AEO data analysis,

released separately from the report, an estimated 10.2 million microbusinesses are in low-income communities.

“If one out of every two Main Street businesses in low-income neighborhoods were able to hire, train or support one millennial, we could transform the lives of millions of young adults who are currently facing limited opportunity, and are at serious risk for falling between the cracks,” Evans said.

The report includes input from several youth involved in a model program in Chicago, called IT Ambassadors, launched by the Chatham Business Association in 2013. IT Ambassadors gives at-risk Chicago youth, aged 16 to 24, the opportunity to gain technical, office and interpersonal skills by providing technology and marketing services to small businesses, chambers of commerce and others. Since its launch, the Chatham Business Association has trained 34 youth to be IT Ambassadors.

“In Chicago, we are enriching microbusiness and youth in a fullcircle way,” said Melinda Kelly,

executive director at the Chatham Business Association. “We provide opportunity to smart young people, brightening their futures, and, tapping their acumen in technology, they help move our microbusinesses forward. Everybody wins.”

The new report reveals that almost one in two young adults, aged 18 to 24, currently not in school and unemployed or underemployed, are highly interested in starting their own business, but don't know how.

“At a critical juncture in our country’s history for youth, we must return to the spirit of entrepreneurship that buoyed so many lives in America and give our young adults the skills, resources and support they need to realize their dreams, participating in the great American Dream on Main Street as resilient, innovate, creative business owners or employees in our country’s great microbusiness industry,” said Evans.

The report recommends promoting youth entrepreneurial training that teaches business acumen, life skills, financial literacy and an “entrepreneurial mind-set,” to

help youth launch start-ups, join start-up teams and get hired by existing businesses. The report notes that these kinds of opportunities can help stave off unemployment, incarceration, early pregnancy, low income and the cycle of economic hardship that marks the futures of too many vulnerable youth today.

The study was released at “EconoCon25,” AEO’s national conference and 25th anniversary celebration in D.C. last week.

Last year, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, a philanthropy based in Flint, MI, dedicated to promoting a just, equitable and sustainable society, provided generous support to AEO to underwrite the research initiative with the aim of uncovering new economic opportunities for underserved young adults.

The report notes that youth face unique challenges, including increasing student debt, rising college tuition costs and disturbing rates of unemployment. While the national unemployment rate is about

(continued on page 17)

14 • May 25, 2016

The LEGACY

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION

BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR APPROVAL OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE PURSUANT TO § 56-585.1 A 4 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUE-2016-00046 On May 4, 2016, Virginia Electric and Power Company (“Dominion Virginia Power” or “Company”), pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 4 (“Subsection A 4”) of the Code of Virginia, submitted an application (“Application”) with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) for approval of a rate adjustment clause designated as Rider T1.

In this proceeding, Dominion Virginia Power seeks approval of a revenue requirement for the rate year September 1, 2016, through August 31, 2017 (“Rate Year”). This revenue requirement, if approved, would be recovered through a combination of base rates and a revised increment/decrement Rider T1. Rider T1 is designed to recover the increment/decrement between the revenues produced from the transmission component of base rates and the new revenue requirement developed from the Company’s total transmission costs for the Rate Year.

The total revenue requirement to be recovered over the Rate Year is $638,782,866, comprising an increment Rider T1 of $178,931,394 and forecast collections of $459,851,472 through the transmission component of base rates. This total revenue requirement represents an increase of $1,255,818 over the revenues projected to be produced during the Rate Year by the combination of the base rate component of Subsection A 4 (the Company’s former Rider T) and the Rider T1 rates currently in effect.

Implementation of the proposed Rider T1 on September 1, 2016, would increase the average weighted monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month by $0.30.

The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on July 1, 2016, 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 15 minutes prior to the starting time of the hearing and contact the Commission’s Bailiff.

The Company’s Application and 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 Resources 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 all 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.

Any person or entity may participate as a respondent in this proceeding by filing a notice of participation on or before June 13, 2016. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of the notice of participation shall be submitted to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 232182118. 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-2016-00046. 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 June 13, 2016, 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. 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 set forth 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. Respondents shall refer in all of their filed papers to Case No. PUE-2016-00046.

On or before June 24, 2016, any interested person wishing to comment on the Company’s Application may file written comments on the Application with the Clerk of the Commission at the address set forth above. Any interested person desiring to file comments electronically may do so on or before June 24, 2016, by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Compact discs or any other form of electronic storage medium may not be filed with the comments. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUE2016-00046.

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

Former NFL players not at increased risk of suicide Retired National Football League (NFL) players are at no greater risk of suicide when compared with the general U.S. population, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The findings from CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) appear in the May issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.

The NIOSH researchers calculated the suicide death rate for 3,439 retired NFL players who played at least five seasons between 1959 and 1988 and compared it with the suicide death rate for gender-, race-, and age-matched people from the general U.S. population. They found that from 1979 to 2013, the rate of suicide among these former professional football players was less than half of what would be expected compared with the general U.S. population. The NFL group experienced 12 suicide deaths compared with 25 that would be expected in a comparable gender/race/ age sector of the U.S. population.

“The issue of football players being at higher risk of suicide than the general population has been raised in the popular and scientific literature,” said Douglas Trout, MD, deputy director of the Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies at NIOSH. “In studying this particular cohort of professional football players, our researchers did not find this to be the case; more studies are needed before further conclusions can be reached.”

Based on previous information suggesting different risks for different positions, the researchers divided the players into two categories: speed positions such as quarterback, fullback, running back, and wide receiver; and non-speed positions, which include all defensive and offensive linemen positions.

Punters and kickers were excluded from the analysis because their positions generally did not involve contact that resulted in head injury.

Fifty-eight percent of the suicide deaths were white players and 42 percent were black players, virtually equal to their representation in the entire group (59 percent white, 41 percent black). The rate of suicide, or “intentional self-harm,” was

Adrian Robinson, a former NFL linebacker who committed suicide in May 2015 at age 25, was found to have the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). significantly lower in former NFL speed-position players compared with the general U.S. population. The suicide rate for non-speed-position players was lower than that of the general population, but the difference was not mathematically significant.

There were also significantly fewer overall deaths from cancer, heart disease, and assaults/homicides among the former NFL players than in the general population.

CDC notes it conducted the study to learn more about whether football players, who are at a higher risk of concussions when compared with the general U.S. population, might also have a higher risk of suicide.

Although the study found no increase in risk of suicide, it does have several limitations. Records available to the researchers did not include information like environmental or genetic factors related to suicide risk or specific information about concussions among the players in the group studied.

NIOSH first began to study the deaths of retired NFL players in 1994 after a request from the NFL Players Association. NIOSH has published two other studies for this group about death from cardiovascular disease and from neurodegenerative disease.

This latest study adds to the current discussion about the relationship between playing football and suicide risk.

May 25, 2016 • 15

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Summer’s here: Safe and healthy swimming practices The weekend before Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and signals the opening of many pools and water parks, as well as an increase in visits to Virginia’s beaches, lakes and rivers.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is urging Virginians to take precautions to keep healthy and safe while enjoying the water.

“Parents of young children should be particularly aware of actions they can take to keep themselves and their children healthy and safe during recreational water activities.

Children are among those most at risk for developing waterborne illness and swimming-related injuries, and especially most at risk for drowning,” said Dr. Marissa Levine, State Health Commissioner.

(from page 8) Church of Christ. “That is why today we support the Do No Harm Act, because it preserves RFRA’s power to protect religious liberty but also clarifies that RFRA may not be used to harm others.”

Holly Hollman, general counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty — not one of the groups officially endorsing the bill — said while it can be invoked for any religious claim, to prevail under RFRA the burden on religion must be “substantial” and justified by a “compelling” governmental interest, including the rights of others.

“Recently, RFRA has been invoked in contexts that have drawn attention and raised concerns that it may one day be interpreted to override other important interests in a way that harms others,” Hollman explained in comments quoted by Don Byrd on the BJC blog.

“RFRA does not guarantee the success or failure of any particular claim, nor is it the cause of discrimination,” Hollman said.

“Current political and cultural differences are impacting the public’s understanding of religious freedom and challenging our country’s legacy of protecting religious freedom for all.”

Lynn said in a May 18 blog that the first “unexpected and unfortunate”

“Last Memorial Day Weekend there were seven drownings in Virginia, six of which were children under nine years of age. We all need to commit to taking every precaution to prevent such tragic losses.”

Time spent in and around pools, lakes, and beaches can be a fun and rewarding experience, but serious swimming-related injuries can occur in the water. In fact, drowning is one of the leading causes of injury and death among children ages one to four years in Virginia. To reduce the risk of drowning and injuries, VDH provides the following recommendations: •Learn to swim and teach children to swim.

•Unclimbable five foot fences installed to separate pools and spas consequence of RFRA came in the form of landlords refusing to rent apartments to unmarried couples, claiming exemption from laws prohibiting housing discrimination on religious grounds.

The “most notorious” application, Lynn said, is the craft store chain Hobby Lobby, which successfully used an RFRA defense to refuse to provide tens of thousands of employees with health insurance that covers contraceptives mandated under Obamacare.

“As someone who worked on RFRA’s passage, I am deeply disappointed that the law is being misused in these ways,” Lynn said. “We should not allow people to engage in discrimination or the denial of services under the guise of religious liberty. Such an outcome both harms others and ultimately deteriorates this fundamental freedom.

I believe it’s past time to get back to the original understanding of RFRA and indeed, real religious liberty.”

Several advocacy and expert organizations endorse the Do No Harm Act and include AFL-CIO, American Civil Liberties Union, Anti-Defamation League, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Catholics for Choice, Center for American Progress, Center for Reproductive Rights, and more.

from residences, with openings no wider than 4 inches, can help prevent accidental drownings.

•Never leave a child alone near a standing body of water, and designate a responsible adult to watch children while swimming or playing in or around the water.

Remove toys from the pool and surrounding area immediately after swimming so children aren’t tempted to enter pool areas unsupervised.

•Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). A life can be saved while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Have rescue equipment by pools, post 9-1-1 emergency information, and have an emergency action plan.

•When boating in open waters, be sure to wear U.S. Coast Guardapproved life jackets, regardless of the distance to be traveled, the size of the boat, or the swimming ability of the boaters. Never rely on water wings, noodles, or swimming lessons to protect a child in these natural waters where currents or an undertow could be present.

•With any recreational water activity, always use the buddy system and be aware of local weather conditions, dangerous waves, and rip currents. Avoid the use of alcohol and drugs while boating and before and during swimming.

Popular water attractions can also pose a risk of illness caused by

germs spread through swallowing water, breathing in mists, having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water play areas such as splash pads and interactive fountains, as well as natural bodies of waters such as lakes, rivers, or oceans.

Gastrointestinal illness is the most common type of illness, and may include symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Other symptoms associated with recreational water illness include eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, neurologic illness, and ear or wound infections. To prevent illnesses, VDH provides the following recommendations: • Avoid getting water in your mouth, and especially do not swallow it.

Children are more likely to swallow or accidentally inhale water and are at greater risk of illness due to developing immune systems.

•Don’t swim when you are ill. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.

•Avoid getting water up your nose, especially during the summer in lakes where water is shallow or stagnant. Use a nose clip or plug your nose prior to going under the water.

•Some public beaches in Virginia are monitored for bacteria levels in the water. Look for swimming advisory signs, which indicate the water is not safe for recreational activity.

16 • May 25, 2016

Calendar 5.28, 10 a.m.

Explore the Ecoff Road Linear Park in Chester to search shaded, flat woodland borders and low areas for ferns and flowers, and swampy edges for some showy woodland flowers on sandy soils. The walk is on flat ground in shade. Trip leader is Robert Wright at robertwright_1@ hotmail.com or 517 228 8144.

For all walks it is suggested that sturdy shoes/boots be worn and participants bring their own insect protection, water and snacks. Trips may be canceled due to heavy rain so contact trip leader if any questions.

5.30, 12 p.m.

Richmond National Battlefield Park, in cooperation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, is sponsoring a Memorial Day program and wreath-laying to honor and remember those who have died in the nation’s service—especially those soldiers and sailors from the Civil War. This annual event is scheduled at the Fort Harrison National Cemetery, on the Fort Harrison battlefield. The cemetery is at 8620 Varina Rd., two miles south of Route 5 and eight miles south of Richmond. More than 800 Civil War soldiers are buried at the Fort Harrison National Cemetery.

Greg McQuade, an Emmy Awardwinning reporter and anchor at WTVR-TV in Richmond will speak at the cemetery.

The public is invited to attend this free event. For moreinformation, visit www.nps.gov/rich or call 804226-1981.

5.31, 6:30 p.m.

Participants can learn about the process of purchasing a home and obtaining a mortgage at a free seminar offered by Virginia Credit Union at the Henrico County Library Tuckahoe Branch, 1901 Starling Dr., Henrico.

To register to attend, call 804 323-6800 or visit www.vacu.org/ Learning_Planning/Financial_ Education/Seminars_Workshops/

The LEGACY

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

May 25, 2016 • 17

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

RushCard to pay $20.5m to those locked out of accounts

consumers from the class-action suit.

The settlement includes some of the payments and breaks that customers have already received — including $25 credits given to some consumers and a “fee holiday” that waived monthly fees for all customers between November and February.

The agreement also called for RushCard to reimburse customers for any fees they paid from Oct. 12 to Oct. 31, the time that they might have been locked out of their accounts. But some customers might qualify for additional funds.

People who faced other financial setbacks during the time they couldn’t tap into their accounts,

such as overdraft charges or late payment fees, can file a claim to be compensated for those costs.

Customers can receive up to $100 each if they don’t have the paperwork to support their claims. People with the documentation to prove their losses could receive more, up to $500 each. But in both cases, consumers would need to subtract any other payments they may have already received from the company for those expenses.

Prepaid cards are often used in place of a checking account by lowincome workers or people who don’t have bank accounts, according to a report from Pew Charitable Trusts.

Simmons, who publicly apologized to customers about the issue, has said he started the card to provide a more affordable option for people who may have paid high fees to cash their checks.

The company hopes its latest efforts will help make customers whole.

“We are pleased to have reached this preliminary settlement which will resolve the claims of our cardholders,” Rick Savard, the chief executive of UniRush, said in a statement. “We believe this settlement fairly compensates our customers who were inconvenienced.”

Consumers will receive notices in the mail after the court gives the settlement preliminary approval,

Yanchunis said, adding that he thinks approval will be likely since the plaintiffs have accepted the deal.

After final approval, which could come as soon as four or five months, cardholders who qualify could start to see checks in the mail.

News of the settlement, which was first reported by Law360, may be welcomed by cardholders who struggled financially after losing access to their accounts. But it doesn’t mean the company is done answering questions about the incident.

After news spread of the technical issues, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau requested documents and other information from RushCard so that it could investigate the cause of the outage and find out what the company was doing to compensate consumers.

RushCard asked for more time to provide the documents, but the agency denied that request. Recently, a spokesman for the CFPB said it does not comment on ongoing or potential enforcement activities.

Virginia customers have complained alongside national customers.

“They blocked my card because they said it was compromised but had no explanation nor email telling me such,” said one anonymous customer in Virginia Beach. “It was a week before I could access my funds!”

group,” Evans said. “It’s critical that we reach them with opportunities that can help them unlock the American dream.”

The report recommends that the microbusiness industry offers millennials a pathway to financial stability by either helping them start a business, providing them training in a microbusiness program or putting them to work in a microbusiness. But, the report notes, there is a “sizeable gap” in the services that nonprofits in the microbusiness industry offer youth.

Only about half of the organizations surveyed offered special services for young adults. Less than 15 percent of clients were aged 18 to 24, the report says. However, in a bright note, the

report finds that most microbusiness organizations want to reach youth and help them join their ranks.

The report recommends several measures to support youth, including: · Expanding youth entrepreneurship education, with scholarships · Replicating and scaling existing youth entrepreneurial programs · Targeted outreach to attract more youth · Connecting youth development programs and organizations to existing entrepreneurial programs, as well as employment and training opportunities through small business owners and mentors · Creating innovative financial products, supports and initiatives for

youth The report’s authors argue, “This is a very important endeavour and strategies should be implemented now, before young lives veer too far off course, especially for those who have the fewest opportunities.”

In doing its research, AEO conducted a multi-tier survey, which included: youth, aged 18 to 24; entrepreneurs, aged 18 to 64, who started successful businesses in their youth; conversations with business owners about their perceptions of youth, staffing challenges, and opportunities for youth employment; AEO members to assess their current capacity for serving youth; and an advisory roundtable of youth and microbusiness industry leaders.

JONNELLE MARTE RushCard has agreed to pay a total of $20.5 million to customers who were temporarily locked out of their prepaid card accounts last year, according to court documents filed this week.

The preliminary settlement, which still needs court approval, includes about $19 million to reimburse customers for fees and other costs they faced after they lost access to their accounts for days. The remaining $1.5 million will go toward attorney fees.

RushCard, a prepaid card created by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, faced technical issues last October while it was transitioning to another payment processor. The glitch left more than 132,000 customers unable to access their accounts for several days. Some cardholders said they had transactions rejected or that they fell behind on bills.

“The company recognized that their service had caused frustration and unhappiness and damages [to cardholders],” said John Yanchunis, the lead attorney representing the plaintiffs in the class-action suit.

Yanchunis said he was glad that UniRush, the parent company for RushCard, agreed to a settlement because it could have enforced an arbitration clause that blocked

(from page 13) five percent, unemployment for youth, aged 16 years to 24 years, is much higher than for adults 25 years and older, the report says. For teens, the unemployment rates are about four times higher than for those 25 years and older. For youth, aged 20 to 24, the rates are about double.

Younger people and people of color face a “harsher reality,” according to the report.

Depending on minority status, the unemployment rate for youth, 24 years of age or younger, ranges from eight percent to 32 percent.

“Disconnected youth are more often from lower-income communities and more likely to be of a minority

Russell Simmons

18 • May 25, 2016

Richmond, VA 804-644-1550 23219 (office) • 800-783-8062 (fax) 804-644-1550 (office) - 1-800-782-8062 (fax) ads@legacynewspaper.com ads@legacynewspaper.com

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PRINT & DIGITAL AD SALES EXECUTIVE

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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.

156-520 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 (ies) listed below until the date(s) and local time(s) specified.

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 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 Familiarity with the Richmond and/or Hampton Roads Professional image Compensation depends on experience and includes a base pay as well as commission.

The LEGACY is an African-American-oriented 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.

HAMPTON CITY Tuesday, June 7, 2016 2:30 p.m. EST. – RFP 16-100/EA Annual Needs for Plants and Trees Wednesday, June 8, 2016 2:00 p.m. EST. – ITB 16-101/EA Annual needs for Hardwood Mulch instead of Blown Mulch

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Call 804-521-7581or email keepitinprint@vpa.net

Wednesday, June 15, 2016 2:00 p.m. EST – RFP 16-102/EA Marketing Services for Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau. A Non-Mandatory Pre-proposal meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at 10:00 local time in the Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau Conference Room, 1919 Commerce Drive, Suite 290, Hampton VA 23666 Tuesday, June 28, 2016 2:00 p.m. EST. – ITB 16-18/A (Re-bid) Pine Chapel Road Pedestrian/Bicycle Trial. VDOT Project No.EN07-114-110, P101, M501, B601 (UPC 87010) Federal Project No.: TEA-5A03(123); TEA-5A03(677). FHWA 534 Data 3E121. A pre-bid conference will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. local time in the Public Works Conference Room, 22 Lincoln Street, 4th Floor Hampton, VA 23669. A multi bike/pedestrian trail is planned from Coliseum Dr. to the Bass Pro entrance along Pine Chapel Rd. The project will include the removal of the existing sidewalk to create an 8-foot wide vegetated buffer, encompassing a concrete footprint with a minimum 10-foot width. This is a federally funded project. There is a DBE goal of 12%. All forms relating to this solicitation may be obtained from the above listed address or for further information call: (757)727-2200. The City of Hampton ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The advertisement package includes all appropriate federal aid project information including Minimum Wage rates and EEO provisions.

For additional information, see our web page at http://www.hampton.gov/bids-contracts

A withdrawal of bid(s) 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 has the right to reserve and reject any and all responses, to make awards in whole or in part, and to waive any informality in submittals.

Minority and Woman-Owned and Veteran Businesses are encouraged to participate.

Karl Daughtrey, Director of Finance

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