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EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

WEDNESDAYS • Aug. 23, 2017

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INSIDE

Lawsuit alleges resurgence of eugenics - 2 More locals support immigration enforcement - 4 Farewell to civil rights activist Dick Gregory - 9 Trump admin cuts teen pregnancy program $ - 13

Richmond & Hampton Roads

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Community embodies radical discipleship, more AMY SOWDER

In the 95-degree heat, a young, bearded white man wearing a hat with a “Black Lives Matter” pin sprawls on a lawn chair past the graveled driveway of the house nestled in a valley off Monacan Trail Road southwest of Charlottesville.

A rainbow of origami cranes strung together like garland hovers between two posts behind him. When a visitor approaches, he stretches as he gets up and leads her through the front door, where young people huddle in a colorful living room packed with books and art.

Within the hour, the house and lawn will fill with more than 30 people, bringing chatter, singing, children’s laughter, a strumming banjo and serious conversations — along with the salads, enchiladas, quiches and cookies of a casual summer potluck party.

This is home base for the Charis Community. Pronounced kaar-is,

Charis co-founder Grace Aheron tends bees for honey farming, a sustainable practice that’s part of the permaculture values of this intentional community on Episcopal land. PHOTO: Eze Amos Charis means “grace” in ancient Greek.

Cofounded in 2015 by Episcopal

Claire Hitchins tends the food garden that supplements the diet of those living at the Charis Intentional Community, a mission of Grace Church, Red Hill, southwest of Charlottesville. PHOTO: Eze Amos

youth leader Grace Aheron and the Rev. Neal Halvorson-Taylor of Grace Church, Red Hill, the Charis Community is a gathering of people living together under the shared values of simplicity, prayer and hospitality. This intentional Christian community is housed at an unused Episcopal Church property.

The eight acres owned by the Diocese of Virginia include a small cobblestone church, a ranch-style house, a food garden and a forest of tulip poplars and dogwoods. The Charis Community is a partnership with Grace Church, a nearby mission parish. This Charis mission is supported by the church’s vestry, and members keep in contact with Halvorson-Taylor weekly on an informal basis.

The Charis Community idea formed through a connection followed by discussions and prayer. HalvorsonTaylor is married to Aheron’s Hebrew professor at the University of Virginia, and they got in touch a year after Aheron graduated and was

living in San Francisco. HalvorsonTaylor knew of this property no one was using.

“I felt like God was calling me to go and do this in Charlottesville. It took me a long time to figure that out. We were in conversations for months,” Aheron said.

Trusting in the transformation of the spirit, the young adults living at Charis are discerning their vocational call, sitting in the tensions of injustice and inviting others into the journey.

“We understand that all of what we do is interconnected, from the radical activism to the ecological,” said Claire Hitchins, 26, a musician and one of the five long-term residents.

These young adults share an explicit passion “to respond to our context of empire, capitalism, and alienation, along with the environmental and social destruction that those forces perpetuate,” according to the community’s official mission statement. They want to model Jesus’ vision of community, resist society’s violence and accompany each other on their individual journeys of discipleship and growth.

An intentional community can take many forms, but it always involves a group of people living together with a clear mission. While a commune usually means all individual resources are pooled and shared, other intentional communities share only some of their resources.

Charis housemates share chores posted on the refrigerator, including gardening, tending chickens and bees and general household upkeep. They contribute monthly to a fund for the house’s food and supplies, and they maintain an account at a credit union for house bills. Once or twice a week, they join for a morning prayer, also considered an open-faith meditation.

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The LEGACY

2 • Aug. 23, 2017

News

Rights groups urge parents to lead on ESSA state plans SHAYLA SIMMONS Sirraya Gant, the mother of two sons who graduated from high schools in Washington, D.C. said that getting involved in her older son’s academic career definitely helped their relationship.

“Not only did it help him, but it also helped his friends level of respect for me, some of them even called me, ‘Mom,” said Gant. “My son played football too, so there were times when [the team] gave me awards and said, ‘I was their biggest fan.

“My house was the place to be after school, because they felt comfortable.

[My son] knew my expectations of him and he knew that his teachers

would call me,” if there were every any problems.

Gant said that she was happy to learn that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) encouraged greater parental engagement and open communication between parents and administrators.

Gant added that she was very impressed by a recent National Black Parent Town Hall Meeting on ESSA hosted by the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).

“The new Every Student Succeeds Act, signed into law Dec. 10, 2015, rolls back much of the federal government’s big footprint in education policy, on everything from testing and teacher quality to low-

Sirraya Gant offers advice to other parents during a national town hall for Black parents hosted by the National Newspaper Publishers Association in Prince George’s County, Md. PHOTO: Freddie Allen performing schools. And it gives new leeway to states in calling the shots,” according to an article on EdWeek. org.

Some of the major components of ESSA include state-level

accountability plans, evidence-based plans to address challenges of lowperforming schools and subgroups, and resources to help train teachers.

During the town hall, education

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Aug. 23, 2017 • 3

Suit alleges eugenics resurgence Nexus Caridades Attorneys Inc. last week filed a federal lawsuit against White County, Tn. White County Judge Sam Benningfield, White County Sheriff Oddie Shoupe, and White County personnel involved in what the attorneys called a “resurgence of eugenics” in the country.

“Simply put, in 2017, our country has come too far with respect to promoting the inherent worth and dignity of people (incarcerated or otherwise), to go this far backwards,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit names one plaintiff a “Ms. Ward” and further points out that White County Jail inmates, including the plaintiff, had Nexplanon birth control injected into their arms in exchange for a promised 30-day jail time reduction prior to Judge Benningfield’s order.

“In his capacity as Sheriff, Shoupe, was the final policy maker for White County with respect to all health programs in which White County Jail inmates participated,” according to the lawsuit Mike Donovan, civil rights advocate, and president and CEO of Nexus Services, Inc. said the lawsuit is not about sentence reduction or family planning.

“It is about who Sheriff Shoupe

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considers undesirable to procreate in White County,” said Donovan. “That the sheriff and the judge are playing God.” The law already says that Americans shall be free from coercion about making decisions about reproductive rights and procreation, said Mario Williams, and attorney and chief of the Nexus Caridades, Inc. Civil Rights Division who added that the right to procreation is a constitutional right.

Prior to a judge’s order, the lawsuit states, “[Sheriff] Shoupe ordered his subordinate Daniels to take Ms. Ward and each person that completed the Department of Health Neonatal Syndrome Education (NAS) Program to the White County Jail Infirmary so that Ms. Ward and others could be sterilized by officials from the Tennessee Department of Health.”

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.

(from page 2) of education that they are entitled policy experts and community stakeholders offered the parents advice on engaging with their schools to ensure equitable access to a high-quality educational experience for their children.

“I wish I had known about ESSA, when I was a PTA president, because I definitely would have had [Education Department] officials come in and speak to parents,” said Gant “I think that outreach is something that the [NNPA] can do with the PTA and the schools to have workshops, so that they can speak to parents.”

Even though ESSA wasn’t implemented before her sons graduated from high school, Gant is still a staunch supporter of parental engagement and the mission of ESSA. Liz King, a senior policy analyst and director of education policy for The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said that the civil rights community is hoping that Black parents will drive the conversation around the implementation of ESSA to benefit black children.

King added that she hoped that ESSA would bring new attention to data that could reveal, which opportunities are available to Black children—and which ones were not. King also said that new policy changes should “ensure that African American children get the quality

to and that they need to grow and learn and thrive.”

King said that parents have to get involved and stay involved in their children’s schools.

“The school has to see consistency on the parent’s part,” said King.

“Educators have to take parents seriously. It takes a lot of work; you can’t get tired of advocating for your child.”

States must submit their ESSA plans to the Education Department

by Sept. 18.

When it comes to ESSA, education advocates say that parents and community leaders should voice their concerns and expectations for their local school districts.

“One really important way for parents to have their voice heard is during the public comment process, in which a state releases its draft plan for what it’s going to do to create change in its schools and to make sure schools are working well,” said King. “During those public comment periods everyone has the opportunity to communicate with [his or her] state school board and say what their priorities are for their community and their child.

We also need to make sure parents are communicating with the press and that the media is reflecting interest in the attitudes and beliefs of communities of color…we encourage parents to reach out and to let the media know what their priorities are.”

The LEGACY

4 • Aug. 23, 2017

Poll: Majority say localities should use taxpayer resources to enforce federal immigration laws A slim majority of Virginians — 55 percent — say local governments should be required to use their resources to enforce federal immigration laws, according to a poll released last week by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

However, 40 percent of respondents in the statewide poll thought localities should not be required to spend their own resources and 5 percent didn’t know or declined to answer. The results varied significantly along regional and partisan lines.

The finding, part of the Wilder School’s Summer 2017 Public Policy Poll, comes amid a growing debate about the role of local governments in immigration enforcement and indicates that most Virginians are likely to be supportive of local governments being required to use taxpayer resources to help enforce federal immigration laws.

“We welcome objective and nonpartisan polls of Virginians like this important one from VCU’s Wilder School,” said Brian Moran,

Virginia secretary of public safety and homeland security. “The poll insights will help inform the debate around such a controversial issue that is relevant and important to all Virginians. Informing policymakers as much as possible around such an important issue is imperative, including a window into what the public thinks.”

Some local governments have argued that using local resources to enforce immigration laws erodes public safety because immigrants may be less willing to contact local police if they are victims of or witness a crime. The city of Chicago filed suit in federal court this month, arguing that a Trump administration policy seeking to deny broad categories of federal funding to so-called “sanctuary cities” — cities that refuse to use local resources for immigration enforcement — is in violation of the Constitution.

Stark differences along partisan lines were found in support of such a requirement for localities, a factor that will likely see Virginia’s gubernatorial candidates come down on opposite sides of the issue.

Seventy-three percent of Republicans and 57 percent of independents

thought localities should be required to spend their own resources to enforce immigration laws. Only 40 percent of Democrats thought the same.

“This is a complex public safety issue at the forefront of the current national debate,” said Robyn McDougle, Ph.D., faculty director of the Wilder School’s Office of Public Policy Outreach, which conducted the poll. “But it’s also very relevant in Virginia. This past General Assembly session, we saw the governor veto legislation that would have banned localities from restricting the enforcement of federal immigration laws. This gives policymakers a sense of what the public thinks about this issue, as well as the differences along regional and partisan lines.”

In addition to differences along partisan lines, the poll also found significant regional differences on the question with respondents in the west — at 64 percent — most likely to think localities should be required to enforce federal laws. Northern Virginia respondents were the least likely at 48 percent. Fifty-seven percent of Tidewater residents and 56 percent of those in the northwest

and south central regions said localities should be required to use local resources to help enforce federal immigration laws.

Virginians were split in their opinion of when deportation should be used, with a plurality (39 percent) saying undocumented immigrants should only be deported if they have committed a serious crime. However, 31 percent said all undocumented immigrants should be deported and 22 percent thought those who had committed any crime should be deported. Only 6 percent felt that undocumented immigrants should never be deported.

These opinions were significantly different than a national poll by Quinnipiac University in February that indicated a majority of respondents (53 percent) thought undocumented immigrants should be deported only if they had committed a serious crime and only 19 percent thought that all undocumented immigrants should be deported.

On the question of deportation, the poll found party identification again played an important role with a slight majority of Republicans.

Aug. 23, 2017 • 5

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Northam supports decriminalization of marijuana Virginia’s State Crime Commission is currently studying decriminalizing simple possession of marijuana.

Now, the commission is asking for feedback for anyone interested.

Staff on the commission is meeting with stakeholders and people interested in the topic, but say they won’t be able to talk to everyone due to the high level of interest in the study. People interested in providing their feedback can email vsccinfo@ vscc.virginia.gov or send them a letter by 5 p.m. on Aug. 25.

“Responsible adults should be able to choose to be able to consume a plant that’s grown naturally,” said Daniel Rouleau from Virginia NORML, a group advocating for decriminalization. “Personally, several years ago I was convicted of cannabis possession and it really had a detrimental impact on my life.”

State Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment from James City County asked for the study earlier this year. If marijuana were to be decriminalized, it could lessen the punishment to a ticket and fine, instead of possible jail time and a criminal record.

The study’s findings will be presented in October. Norfolk city council members also expressed support for decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana.

Earlier this month, a new law went into effect the eliminates the automatic suspension of a driver’s license for adults convicted of simple

marijuana possession.

The law gives a judge the option to either suspect the license or sentence the person to community service.

“While we have made some progress reforming our criminal justice system, Virginia’s marijuana enforcement and sentencing laws remain costly and disproportionately harmful to communities of color.

Virginia spends $67 million on marijuana enforcement – enough to open up another 13,000 pre-K spots for children,” said Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northman. “African Americans are nearly three times as likely to get arrested for simple possession of marijuana and sentencing guidelines that include jail time can all too often begin a

dangerous cycle of recidivism.

“I have called for the

Governor is banning rallies at Richmond Confederate statue Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has temporarily banned rallies at Richmond’s Robert E. Lee Monument. The executive order will ban protests until a formal review of the rally permit process is complete and emergency regulations have been put in place.

He said several groups have requested to hold demonstrations at Richmond’s Lee Monument similar to the one in Charlottesville. The executive order came after Heather

Heyer, 32, was killed after a man believed to have Nazi sympathies drove his car through a crowd. Two Virginia state troopers monitoring the situation from the air died hours later when their helicopter crashed.

“In spite of weeks of preparation, the city of Charlottesville was the target of an act of domestic terrorism that cost one woman her life, and had a helicopter accident lead to the deaths of two state troopers,” said McAuliffe in a statement. “State

Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam

decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, and I urge this Commission to consider the positive

impact reforming our marijuana enforcement would have on the Commonwealth.”

A White House task force is expected to release a report that could recommend tougher punishments for people caught growing, selling, or smoking marijuana. White House officials have made it clear where they stand on the drug. “Let me be clear about marijuana,” Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly said in April. “It is a potentially dangerous gateway drug that frequently leads to the use of harder drugs.”

To send a letter to crime commission: Patrick Henry Building 1111 East Broad St. Ste B036 Richmond, Va. 23219

and local officials need to get ahead of this problem, so that we have the proper legal protections in place to allow for peaceful demonstrations, but without putting citizens and property at risk.”

McAuliffe said in a statement the suspension gives officials time to properly consider how to both protect First Amendment rights and prevent threats to public safety.

In the coming days, he is expected to issue another executive order forming a task force to study public safety concerns from Charlottesville.

The task force could issue policy recommendations within three months.

The city of Richmond is exploring removing the Confederate statues altogether.

Richmond mayor Levar Stoney issued a statement last week saying he has instructed a hand-picked commission to explore the removal of the four Confederate statues on Monument Avenue. The same day, McAuliffe called for the General Assembly and local governments to consider removing Confederate monuments.

The Lee Monument is the first and largest of the statues on Monument Avenue in Virginia’s capital city.

Demonstrations receiving permits can hold up to 5,000 people.

6 • Aug. 23, 2017

Op/Ed & Letters

The LEGACY

White supremacy vs the Gospel DAVID POTTER Amid great trial and uncertainty, a powerful exchange takes place in the film Selma. As Coretta Scott King struggles to maintain her resolve, Amelia Boynton Robinson offers her encouragement, saying, “I’ll tell you what I know to be true. It helps me when I’m feeling unsure.” After pausing for a moment, Robinson continues with a word of truth: “I know that we are descendants of a mighty people, who gave civilization to the world. People who survived the hulls of slave ships and tortures unimaginable. They are in our bloodstream. Pumping our hearts every second. They’ve prepared you.

You are already prepared.”

In the testing of her courage and resilience, Coretta King questions her ability to rise to the task at hand. Beyond this surface of doubt, Robinson sees her friend and reminds her who she is. I am moved by this scene each time I view it.

Also, as a white person, it shakes me to my core. The truth Robinson offers is intimately connected to the conflict erupting in the U.S. and has profound implications for the heritage and identity flowing through our country.

I traveled to Charlottesville to bear witness. What I saw there deeply unsettled me. White supremacists, gathered for a rally at a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, boldly manifested the evil legacy of America’s original sin. Unfolding in streets throughout the city, the heritage of whiteness was revealed in full display.

Perhaps most disturbing was the unashamed nature of this hate-filled display: In 2017, white supremacists wear no hoods.

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They carried flaming torches, proudly flaunted Confederate and swastika-emblazoned regalia, and chanted “Jew will not replace us,” “Sieg Heil,” and“blood and soil” — and there was simply no need for secrecy.

Former KKK leader David Duke said the rally represented the “fulfillment of Donald Trump’s promise,” and several demonstrators wore “Make America Great Again” hats — leaving no question that white supremacy is far from fringe, but is deeply rooted in the identity of the yet-to-be United States.

Donald Trump’s rise to power was established on a bedrock of strategic racialization, and his less-than-subtle coded language has galvanized a base of white nationalism that had always been there, even if disregarded.

Those claiming that “this is not who we are” are woefully misguided. For hundreds of years, the lie of human hierarchy has been constructed and upheld by white people. Sadly, in this regard, white supremacists appear more attuned to the biases of our national history than wellintentioned anti-racists. We cannot afford to deny the power and principalities interwoven throughout our story; it is imperative 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.

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white people understand that the construct of whiteness is a disease.

In baring the brutalizing effects of whiteness, people of color are all too familiar with the reality that the overwhelming majority of domestic terrorism is committed by white men: the Oklahoma City bombing, the massacre at Emmanuel AME, the stabbing attack on a Portland train earlier this spring, and the Charlottesville car ramming that injured 19 counter-protestors and murdered Heather Heyer. That white men have the highest suicide rate, accounting for 7 of 10 suicides in 2015, provides further symptoms of this sickness. Addiction to amassing and protecting power at any cost is a deadly condition. The lie of whiteness must be confessed and avowed because, in the words of Lilla Watson, our collectively bound liberation is at stake.

Charlottesville is an expression of the longest-standing American tradition: to serve and protect the interests of white people, in whichever way whiteness is currently defined. It is unclear why local and state police maintained a laissez faire approach to violent confrontations between Nazi demonstrators and anti-fascist counter-protestors, but comparisons to the militarized police response to unarmed black protesters in Ferguson, Mo., and elsewhere should not be overlooked.

In upholding a contract of social mores, whether openly stated, the police function as an extension of public will, enforcing that which we

prefer to turn a blind eye toward.

White nationalists are merely a further extension of this agreement.

While I have little doubt that many white people are repulsed by this blatant display of violence, I am less certain how many prefer the existing arrangement – which necessitates this barbarity – to one that requires a loss of privilege.

Wearing helmets, carrying shields, and brandishing flag poles and pepper spray, the waves of demonstrators that streamed into Emancipation Park, formerly named Lee Park, joined the front line in the struggle to maintain white supremacy. This struggle was waged not just for those seeking to create a white ethno-state, but on behalf of all institutions and people benefitting from whiteness – which includes the ethics, policies, and theologies that reinforce a lie of superiority and suppress the inherent image of God throughout all of humanity.

Many surprised observations have been made that the demonstrators were students and professionals, largely undifferentiated from the hypothetical young white man living next door, or sitting in a pew on Sunday morning. The desire to project the problem of white supremacy unto the recesses of society is simply too convenient.

When the bodies of marginalized people are no longer in danger and the soul of the privileged is repaired, Beloved Community is possible.

Potter is special projects manager for Sojourners

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Aug. 23, 2017 • 7

P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.

Put ‘em to shame

They wear no hoods - but my-ohmy, aren’t they upset when they are recognized and their names are revealed!

One problem, I think, with white supremacists is that, deep down, they do not really believe they are superior. Underneath their screams and shouts, I seem to hear undertones of “You may be better human beings than we are, but we have the power and we’re keeping it!”

Seriously, how many whites have the strength and courage to respond as the survivors of the massacre in Charleston? How many whites have the determination and discipline to remain non-violent when fire hoses and dogs are being turned on them? Some, certainly. But not these racists. They are being put to shame by people they consider inferior and are going to extreme lengths to stay in denial.

Daniel Moujehl

Blaming all sides

I agree that there is no place for white supremacy but the manner in which some articles and some broadcasts are being done implies that all white Trump supporters, and Trump himself, are guilty of white

supremacy. That may not be what you are saying - but that is what many are seeing.

And what gospel message did we see in the throwing of cement filled cans and bottles by counter protesters and why were they not as readily condemned as acts of hate?

Or in the use of homemade flame throwers?

There was a lot of hate being demonstrated on both sides and President Trump was right to take a stand against all forms of hate and bigotry - especially since the media and some Christians are biased in what is considered hate.

I have no respect at all for groups like the KKK or neo-Nazis. But let’s please drop the pretense that Antifa and radical Black Lives Matter activists are innocent parties or are somehow carrying the gospel.

Their violent efforts to shut down speech they disagree with on college campuses and in rallies like Virginia demonstrates a measure of hate. Yes, there is a right to protest - but these have hardly been peaceful protests or counter protests. In fact, had these groups just left well enough alone many crossed state lines - and the media ignored it, this little pitiful display of white supremacy would have fizzled out. Now these monsters are emboldened by the counter protest attacks on them.

Can we please exercise some common sense and realize that white nationalists and white supremacists are very limited in numbers? Yes, we should speak up against the hate and the bigotry - but we must be careful to do so in the right manner.

Bombarding police and protesters is hardly an act of Christian love. Why not speak out against that as well?

And, honestly, the more attention

counter protesters and the media and politicians give them - the more this encourages them to act as fools. Or is that what some are hoping for? Civil unrest, race riots, another civil war?

Jesus said to love your enemies.

He never said it would be easy. But we, too, must remember it is not the white nationalists who are the real enemy. It is the false gods they serve.

It is the evil they allow Satan to speak into their lives, evil they see as good in some warped fashion.

Let’s quit fanning the flames of hate by piling on more hate and violence. Most reasonable people condemn the words and actions of groups like the KKK. But they also condemn the violent response by counter protesters. Yes, the white supremacists were the greater evil in this tragedy - but it would not have gotten this far if people would have let them exercise their Constitutional right to free speech, as vile as their message may be. People went to the Charlotesville rally looking for a fight.

David C. Lannan

Mega departures?

A.R. Bernard is the first of Donald Trump Evangelical Advisory Board to jump ship.

Most of President Trump’s evangelical advisers have stood by him this week following much criticism over his response to violent clashes in Charlottesville, even as several CEOs left business advisory councils and members of his committee on the arts and humanities have announced they are leaving the panel.

Bernard sat at the president’s table on May 3, the night before the National Day of Prayer when Trump gathered several religious

leaders to announce an executive order on religious freedom. Bernard’s Brooklyn-based Christian Cultural Center, which claims 37,000 in membership, has been described by the New York Times as the largest evangelical church in New York City. He said he submitted a formal letter on the same day Trump made controversial remarks about the events that took place in Charlottesville.

It would have been far more admirable if A.R. Bernard and other so-called Christians leaders had never allowed themselves to be any part of a man whose words and actions during his presidential campaign and presidency have exemplified everything Jesus was against. Trump has proven time and time again to be a liar, a fake news propagandist, a bully, a scammer, a sexual predator, a warmonger, a fear monger, a tax-evader, a racist, a homophobe/anti-LGBTQ+, a xenophobe/anti-Muslim, a hater and provocateur of hate, a greedy, self-serving opportunist, an exploiter of the American people for profit, a climate change denier, a revenge seeker, an ego-driven narcissist, a bombastic cold sore and immature conveyer of all of the above.

So to A.R. Bernard: Most of us would have loved to have seen you and other pastors ditch the pseudoChristian path to hell via Trump much sooner, but take this and hope others will quickly follow. On the other side of this coin, and more in line with the words of Jesus, there are a good number of Christian pastors who have rejected Trump from the start and not only have they harshly and unabashedly spoken out against Trump.

Walt Hill

8 • Aug. 23, 2017

Faith & Religion

The LEGACY

Bishop reflects on Charlottesville and its aftermath REV. MICHAEL B. CURRY Presiding Bishop Episcopal Church In this moment – when the stain of bigotry has once again covered our land, and when hope, frankly, sometimes seems far away, when we must now remember new martyrs of the way of love like young Heather Heyer – it may help to remember the deep wisdom of the martyrs who have gone before.

The year was 1967. It was a time not unlike this one in America. Then there were riots in our streets, poverty and unbridled racism in our midst, and a war far away tearing us apart at home. In that moment, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a book, his last one, with a message that rings poignant today. It was titled, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?”

One of his insights then was that a moment of crisis is always a moment of decision. It was true then and is true now. Where do we go from here? Chaos?

Indifference? Avoidance? Business as usual? Or Beloved Community?

I’m a follower of Jesus of Nazareth because I believe the teachings, the Spirit, the Person, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus have shown us the way through the chaos to true community as God has intended from the beginning.

Through the way of love, he has shown us the way to be right and reconciled with the God and Creator of us all. Through his way of love, he has shown us the way to be right and reconciled with each other as children of God, and as brothers and sisters. In so doing, Jesus has shown us the way to become the Beloved Community of God. St. Paul said it this way: “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself” and now he has entrusted us with “the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

I know too well that talk of Beloved Community, which Jesus was describing when he spoke of the kingdom of God in our midst, can be dismissed as nice but naive, idealistic yet unrealistic. I know that.

But I also know this. The way of Beloved Community is our only hope.

In this most recent unveiling of hatred, bigotry, and cruelty, as Neo-Nazis marched and chanted, “The Jews will not replace us,” we have seen the alternative to God’s Beloved Community. And that alternative is simply unthinkable. It is nothing short of the nightmare of human self-destruction and the destruction of God’s creation. And that is unthinkable, too.

We who follow Jesus have made a choice to walk a different way: the way of disciplined, intentional, passionate, compassionate, mobilized, organized love intent on creating God’s Beloved Community on earth.

Maybe it is not an accident that the Bible readings for the Holy Eucharist this Sunday (Genesis 45:1-15; Isaiah 56:1,6-8; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; and Matthew 15:21-28) all point toward and bear a message of God’s passionate desire and dream to create the Beloved Community in the human family and all of the creation.

In the days and weeks to come, as we gather in community to worship God and then move about in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, social circles and more, we will be faced with a choice. I ask and invite us as congregations and individuals who are together the Episcopal Church of the Jesus Movement to intentionally, purposely, and liturgically rededicate ourselves to the way of Jesus, the work of racial reconciliation, the work of

healing and dismantling everything that wounds and divides us, the work of becoming God’s Beloved Community.

Resources that can assist us in doing this work are included with this message, including an adapted version of the Becoming Beloved Community vision that our church’s key leaders shared this spring. I urge you to spend time reflecting with them individually and in your churches.

Where do we go from here? Maybe the venerable slave songs from our American past can help us. In the midst of their suffering, they used to sing: Walk together children And don’t you get weary.

Cause there’s a great camp meeting In the promised land.

We will walk there … together. We will make this soil on which we live more and more like God’s own Promised Land. So God love you. God bless you. And let’s all keep the faith!

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Aug. 23, 2017 • 9

McEachin visits JenCare Senior Medical Center Congressman A. Donald McEachin (D-4th District) last week visited the JenCare Senior Medical Center to better educate himself about the community’s health care needs and chat with patients and health care professionals.

“As we discuss health care needs in Washington, I want to ensure I am advocating for policies that are best for my constituents. I was pleased to visit with dedicated professionals who provide healthcare for lowincome seniors in our community to see first-hand what their needs and concerns are,” said McEachin, whose district covers all or part of Amelia, Brunswick, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Isle of Wight, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince George, Southampton, Sussex, and the cities of Chesapeake, Colonial Heights, Emporia, Franklin, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Suffolk.

McEachin visited the JenCare Senior Medical Center in Colonial

Family Physician of the Year.

“At JenCare, we are dedicated to providing concierge-style care to the neediest among us,” said George Wheeler, market president of JenCare Virginia. “It was a pleasure to have Rep. McEachin join us to learn more about our innovative model that saves money while producing better health outcomes. As the industry moves to value-based care, we look forward to showing others how we have already been successful right here in Virginia.”

According to Wheeler, JenCare aims to increase access to care and preventive health services with complimentary transportation to their centers, on-site specialists and medication dispensing, and fitness classes such as Tai Chi and line dancing classes.

Heights, one of four centers in the greater Richmond area. At these centers, JenCare delivers innovative value-based care to low-to

Dick Gregory, famed comedian and activist dies Famed comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory died Aug. 19 at the age of 84, according to a family statement posted to his official social media accounts.

“It is with enormous sadness that the Gregory family confirms that their father, comedic legend and civil rights activist Mr. Dick Gregory departed this earth tonight in Washington, D.C.,” his son Christian Gregory said in an issued statement.

“The family appreciates the outpouring of support and love and respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”

Gregory’s legacy dates back to 1961 when he was handpicked by Hugh Hefner to work at the Chicago Playboy Club. His ironic and satirical wit set a profound precedent in black comedy after he replaced white comedian Irwin Corey at the club, becoming a part of a new generation of black comics including Nipsey

Dick Gregory Russell, Bill Cosby and Godfrey Cambridge.

He was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, a fierce feminist and, by the 1980s, a health advocate who had developed his “Bahamian Diet Nutritional Drink.”

With a lengthy history in civil rights and nutrition, Gregory is revered as one of the greatest black figures and comics of all time.

moderate-income seniors managing multiple chronic conditions. During McEachin’s visit, he met with George Wheeler, market president of JenCare Virginia, Dr. Dan McCarter, Richmond chief medical officer, Samantha Taylor, a family nurse practitioner, and Dr. Daniel Januzzi who was recently awarded Virginia

JenCare is part of the ChenMed family of companies, which since 2010 has provided value-based care – first with low-income seniors in Miami and now in practices across six states – by operating as a full-risk Medicare Advantage provider.

Share your cancer story & WIN TICKETS to attend LINC Up For Courage editor@legacynewspaper.com

10 • Aug. 23, 2017

The LEGACY

(from page 1) There’s no discrimination based on religion, color, culture, race, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, gender or gender expression. And they dine together at a weekly community meal, where they have a meeting to address projects — some ecological, others outreach-based.

A monastery is yet another type of intentional community. Monasteries are cloistered from the outside world to varying degrees and require members to take religious vows.

But many kinds of intentional communities don’t fall along these lines. The Episcopal Service Corps helps develop and support a network of 26 intentional communities from Hawaii to New Hampshire, united by shared values of service, justice and prayer. Charis isn’t listed under this network but resembles this style.

Located on land where the Monacan Indian Nation lived centuries earlier, according to the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, the Charis Community comprises people in their 20s and early 30s who are devoted to radical discipleship. They share a belief in the importance of hospitality, outreach and permaculture.

Hospitality within and beyond The friendly, generous reception of visitors to the Charis home is a Christian act, and it’s something members take seriously. This place is a refuge for people in need of moral support, safety from tenuous living situations and hope for a better future.

People flock to their monthly potlucks, where it’s tradition to start the meal with a song. David Slezak, 70, arrived at the July potluck bearing his organic beef cabbage rolls, a family recipe. Slezak is a parishioner and singer at St. Paul’s Memorial Church at the University of Virginia and manager of Haven Kitchen, a homeless shelter kitchen.

He also attended the Charis sunrise Easter service and brunch, along with about 75 other people.

He’s inspired by Aheron’s leadership and energy. “She’s an Episcopal powerhouse,” he said. “I’ve been just so moved by Grace and her work.”

Short-term residential guests at Charis may be experiencing housing insecurity because they can’t afford market-rate rentals, they recently arrived in the Charlottesville

A rainbow garland, created in support for people of color during the summer’s white supremacy rallies, is made of origami cranes, each of which contains a message, such as this one: “Don’t hurt my friends.”

For a potluck party, the garland hung outside the Charis house, an intentional community south of Charlottesville. PHOTO: Amy Sowder community, were released from the hospital or from prison, and or their family is in transition from divorce, domestic violence or ending foster care.

They could be anyone from single parents with low-wage jobs who experience a crisis to former refugees whose formal support has ended, said Mark Heisey, 29, the bearded guy from the front lawn, as he, Aheron and Hitchins gave a tour of the house.

Hospitality plays a role in a larger sense too — especially considering the violence and upheaval in the larger Charlottesville community after the summer’s white supremacy

rallies protesting the removal of Confederate statues.

“We want to help Charlottesville become more hospitable to people for whom conditions have become inhospitable,” said Ann Marie Smith, a Buddhist-Christian and member of Grace Church who attended the potluck. She leads weekly meditation sessions in the Charis living room.

Outreach in times of peace and trouble The property can feel like a secluded haven where tomato leaves rustle and crickets sing. But the swoosh of Route 29 traffic and the clunky hum of the parallel-running Amtrak train just beyond are

tangible reminders that the outside is always near.

Most of the Charis residents have outside jobs to go to during the day. Maria Niechwiadowicz, 25, is a Charis resident who works as a program coordinator for Bread & Roses, a nutritional outreach ministry of Trinity Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. “I think we all went into this thinking permaculture would be our thing, but with the changing political landscape, we found racial justice and hospitality, which means inviting people here so conversations can happen in a deeper sense, and for people to feel safe,” Niechwiadowicz said.

A University of Virginia graduate in religious studies, youth minister and program manager at Restoration Village Arts in Charlottesville, Aheron, 26, has worked for social, environmental, racial and women’s causes on her own and through the Episcopal Church. For instance, she was on the Episcopal Church’s delegation to the 2015 meeting of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She participated in an eco-justice panel discussion at a Diocese of California event in San Francisco in her role as a member of Cultivate: The Episcopal Food Movement. She was also an adult member of the 2017 Episcopal Youth Event Mission Planning Team.

Aheron and the other Charis members joined counter-protesters at the July 8 Ku Klux Klan rally and at the Aug. 11 and 12 white supremacy rallies in downtown Charlottesville.

Tension was already thick after the July rally, before the more extreme violence of the second rally. Hours before the potluck, Charis members were still reeling from the first protest, the police reaction to it and all the implications.

A rainbow garland, created in support for people of color during the summer’s white supremacy rallies, is made of origami cranes, each of which contains a message, such as this one: “Don’t hurt my friends.”

“Police tear-gassed people, and we were downwind of it, wiping our eyes. It’s a very emotional time right now,” Aheron said as she and other Charis housemates gathered in the living room anchored by a velvety silver couch and matching chair. A megaphone sat atop a piano. Three counter-protest signs leaned against

(continued on page 11)

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Aug. 23, 2017 • 11

(from page 10) the fireplace. Each of the small paper cranes on the garland outside had written intentions to eradicate white supremacy in Charlottesville. One message peeked out from pink paper crane: “Don’t hurt my friends!”

Then, at the Aug. 12 rally, one young woman was killed and 19 people injured when a man associated with white supremacy groups plowed his car into counterprotestors. No one from Charis was injured, but Aheron and Charis guest Rowan Hollins were standing on the corner of the street where the attack happened.

White supremacists have since protested by the vigils and memorial services, and Heisey has helped with security, Aheron said.

“Everyone’s physically fine, but not emotionally. We’re pretty traumatized,” said Aheron, who had a dream that a white supremacist drove into her mother’s house. “No one in Charlottesville has been able to get rest. It’s not over, by any means.”

Smith, 48, doesn’t live at Charis, but she’s there often as part of the larger community participating in outreach. “These guys are putting themselves on the front line of this, all in Christian discipleship, so I accompany them and help provide a meditative grounded space,” Smith said.

Charis had quieter beginnings and practices, namely, permaculture as a guiding principle. For many, permaculture means closed systems of production, efficiency and highintensity homesteading. Charis wants to apply these principles plus more.

Permaculture in general focuses on letting the land speak for itself.

Rather than simply extracting products from a space of land, Charis members pay attention to the soil composition, needs of the plants and natural curvature of the land, which is assessed for best use. In their permaculture, the land has so much more to say, and that land carries memory. They call it “listening permaculture.”

“You usually hear this whitewashed, like a homestead Disneyland,” Aheron said. “But a lot of what we learned in growing processes came from indigenous people.”

Martha Morris, 30, has lived in the

Artwork by Zoe Klosterboer can be found at Charis.

Charis community off-and-on since it began. After earning her graduate degree in urban and environmental planning, she became a stewardship assistant at the Virginia Outdoors Association. “I do like the land-based part of it, and that’s part of what drew me here,” Morris said about the community. “It fits into the larger philosophy of Charis, including outreach activities.”

For this community, that respect for the land means a plan to replace the lawn with a forest garden that will help them be as food selfsufficient as possible. Also called a food forest, a forest garden is a key part of permaculture. It’s a sustainable garden designed to produce the beneficial relationships that a natural plant-and-animal community has in that climate.

Morris is excited about what they can do: nurture indigenous, perennial plants including medicinal plants, herbs and fruit trees. They already have a garden yielding all sorts of produce: strawberries, Anaheim peppers, basil, large red tomatoes, little yellow pear tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, summer squash, parsley, prickly cucumbers, and summer squash. They have two beehives, and they’d also like to create a flower garden to serve the church’s cemetery.

In the basement, about a dozen

10-day-old fluffy heritage chicks hopped and pecked about in their wooden pen, warmed by a red light.

These chicks aren’t fancy heritage breeds. “It’s about preserving the tradition of well-bred, healthy, old lines of animals, chickens not bred to get huge, lay tons of eggs and die young,” she said.

Behind the house, Heisey pointed to the ChickShaw, or mobile chicken coop, he built from wood and wire after the last flock was plucked off by predators. “Having chickens in one spot for only a limited time has an ecological benefit,” Heisey said. “By moving them regularly, they’ll have grubs to eat and fortify the soil.”

Other values: Integrated with permaculture are the values of simplicity, resilience, sustainable cultivation, responsible revenue generation, closed-loop systems and homesteading.

Composting is an easy example of a closed-looped system, using food waste to fertilize their food garden — instead of disposing of it. Worms found in compost are integral to the process.

“Worm poop is super good for nutrients, which is good for the soil,” Hitchins said as she riffled through

the compost with gloved hands to expose the wrigglers. It’s a natural, and some say superior, alternative to store-bought fertilizer for gardening.

To some, living in this kind of community can seem idealistic. But it’s living with a deep awareness of the history of the earth and its people, in the spirit of Jesus’ teachings, Aheron said. That awareness transforms into action.

And that action can have benefits expanding beyond these eight acres.

As the potluck party-goers tossed a Frisbee on the front lawn where lightning bugs pulsed in the darkening sky, Hitchins sat at the piano inside the house with a friend, creating a song: “We are more than conquerors/ “If we only believe another world is possible/ “Victory is in our eyes/ I’m gonna stay on the battlefield until the day I die.”

Each month, Charis helps host the Movement for Black Lives’ webinar meant to present a pillar of the “Vision for Black Lives”. If you are interested, look up Charis Community Cville on Facebook.

Synchrony partners with Girls Who Code

Synchrony Financial hosted Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Programs in Chicago and Stamford offices. Synchrony Financial employees met with the students every week as mentors, on top of their day-to-day curriculum.

Above, Leah (left), age 15, and Synchrony Financial Mentor Uma Subramanian (right) examine the latest coding updates to Leah's Girls Who Code team project. Uma and Leah meet weekly as part of the mentorship program with Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. The program aims to inspire, educate and equip girls with the computing skills needed to pursue 21st century opportunities.

12 • Aug. 23, 2017

The LEGACY

Study: Increased incarceration has a ‘marginal-to-zero’ impact on crime More incarceration will not make us safer, a new report by the Vera Institute of Justice concludes, because increased incarceration rates have no demonstrated effect on violent crime and in some instances may increase crime.

“The Prison Paradox” summarizes research about the relationship between incarceration rates and crime rates, finding that since 2000, the increased use of jails and prisons accounted for nearly zero percent of the overall reduction in crime.

Instead, between 75 and 100 percent of the drop in crime rates since the 1990s is explained by other factors, including the aging population, increased wages, increased employment, increased graduation rates, increased consumer confidence, increased law enforcement personnel, and changes in policing strategies.

Research shows that any crime

reduction benefits from increased incarceration apply only to property crimes. Higher incarceration rates are not associated with lower violent crime rates, because expanding incarceration primarily means that more people convicted of nonviolent, “marginal” offenses (like drug offenses and low-level property offenses) and “infrequent” offenses are imprisoned.

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Vera found that the United States spent roughly $33 billion on incarceration in 2000 for roughly the same level of public safety it achieved in 1975 for $7.4 billion. Mass incarceration also imposes significant social, cultural, and political costs, reducing employment opportunities, reducing earnings, limiting economic mobility, and increasing the chances that children of incarcerated parents will live in poverty and engage in delinquent behavior.

Incarceration is not only “an expensive way to achieve less public safety”, but it may actually increase crime by breaking down the social and family bonds that guide individuals away from crime, removing adults who would otherwise nurture children, depriving communities of income, reducing future income potential, and engendering a deep resentment toward the legal system.

Over the past two decades, 19 states have successfully decreased both imprisonment and crime rates, using crime prevention, alternativeto-incarceration, and community corrections approaches. Vera reports that the state with the largest drop in incarceration rates (New Jersey, with a 37 percent decrease between 2000 and 2015) also saw a 30 percent decrease in crime rates during this period. West Virginia, with the largest increase in incarceration rates (83 percent), experienced a 4 percent increase in crime rates.

Indeed, only four states in this period experienced increases in crime rates,

and all four also saw increased incarceration rates.

According to Vera, a number of approaches that have proven to be less expensive and more effective in improving public safety than incarceration. For example, placebased problem-oriented policing approaches that involve carefully analyzing crime and disorder in a small area and devising tailor-made solutions, from repairing fences and improving lighting to removing graffiti and nuisance abatement, have been shown to significantly reduce crime rates.

Law enforcement-led diversion programs that divert individuals at the point of arrest and prosecutionled diversion programs that divert individuals either pre-charge or defer prosecution post-charge have been shown to reduce future criminal activity of program participants.

And several community corrections approaches, which provide supervision and services to individuals in the community post-conviction, can reduce criminal activity among participants without the use of incarceration.

The report concludes that “policymakers can reduce crime without continuing to increase the social, cultural, and political costs of mass incarceration by investing in more effective and efficient crime reduction strategies that seek to engage the community, provide needed services to those who are criminally involved, and begin to address the underlying causes of crime.”

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

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Aug. 23, 2017 • 13

Trump admin. cuts target contraceptive-based ed.

The Trump administration has notified Teen pregnancy prevention programs that advocate the use of contraceptives that their federal funding will be cut by more than $200 million annually.

Ascend, formerly the National Abstinence Education Association, lauded the cuts as appropriate given the “controversial and explicit” nature of some sex education programs used in public schools.

“The cuts signal a concern over programs that many parents and school administrators have found to be controversial and explicit,” said Mary Anne Mosack, Ascend’s executive director. “These programs were held up as model programs for the country, but we found that in many regards they did not have the required body of research behind them to be considered model programs. It’s not surprising to me that these cuts have taken place.”

The cuts, announced last month, will not take full effect until next year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“On July 1, HHS awarded 81 continuations for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grant awards,” an HHS spokesperson told reporters.

“All of these grantees were given a project end date of June 30, 2018.

The president’s [Fiscal Year] 2018 Budget eliminated funding for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, so our grants office informed the grantees of their June 30, 2018, end date, to give them an opportunity to adjust their programs and plan for an orderly closeout.”

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program is an “evidence-based program that funds diverse organizations working to prevent teen pregnancy across the United States,” according to HHS materials.

At least some program initiatives seek to increase the frequency with which teens use contraception during sexual activity, the website stated.

Despite being the recipient of more than 90 percent of federal sex education funding, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program has not drastically decreased teen pregnancy, according to a report released by the American Journal of Public Health. Some 80 percent of the time, participants in the program fared no better or worse than other teens in terms of preventing

still more likely to experience teen birth compared to their white counterparts.”

Ascend will continue to advocate increased funding of sexual risk avoidance programs, which encourage teens to delay sexual activity, said Mosak.

“We certify over 1,000 different sexual risk avoidance educators across the country,” said Mosak.

“We want to continue to empower educators to understand what the sexual risk avoidance message is and to give them the skills and the research they need to effectively teach in the classroom. The ultimate goal is to get the message of avoiding sex to the student at the granular level.” pregnancy, according to the report.

Teen pregnancy has declined steadily over the past 20 years, noted HHS, but America still has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among developed countries.

Valerie Huber, chief of staff at HHS’s Office of Adolescent Health, is the former president and CEO of Ascend and was a chief proponent of the HHS cuts, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting.

In an October op-ed for the Daily Caller, Huber highlighted the importance of teen sexual abstinence.

“The healthiest message for youth is one that gives youth the skills and information to avoid the risks of teen sex, not merely reduce them,” Huber wrote. “This is the kind of message we give to youth when we encourage them not to smoke, to exercise more, and to avoid underage drinking.”

Opponents of the HHS cuts say a lack of federal funding for contraceptive-based programs will increase the teen pregnancy rate.

Kelly Wilson, a health and kinesiology professor at Texas A&M University and lead researcher for its Innovative Teen Pregnancy Prevention Programs project, told NPR the cuts will “impact teens across the nation.”

“I think that this entire cut to eliminate the evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs, to eliminate Title X Family Planning Programs definitely shows that there is a change in the atmosphere at multiple levels,” Wilson said.

“We absolutely need these kind of programs [and] there are still different populations that have high teen birthrates that need to be impacted. Hispanic girls are

14 • Aug. 23, 2017

The LEGACY

For details, call 804-803-1549

Aug. 23, 2017 • 15

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Dominion, Dong moving forward with offshore wind project JO ROZYCKI Dominion Energy recently announced plans to move forward on an offshore wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach. After reaching an agreement with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to lease 2,000 acres on the Atlantic Ocean for wind turbine use, Dominion plans to install two turbines, each producing six-megawatts of renewable wind energy. The turbines will be located 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.

“It’s a demonstration project to see, among other things, how well wind turbines can withstand hurricanetype conditions, which are prevalent in the mid-Atlantic,” said Dan Genest, Dominion spokesperson.

This is Dominion’s second attempt at creating an offshore wind farm.

After attempting to initiate a similar project back in 2011, the Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Assessment Project (VOWTAP), Dominion could not settle with a large offshore wind company to help fund the project. That’s where Dong Energy comes in.

Dominion Energy has partnered with Dong Energy, a leading offshore wind technology company in Europe, and the largest energy company in Denmark.

“We approached Dong because we knew they were an expert in the field, a worldwide leader, and asked them,” said Genest.

Dong Energy will be leading in engineering, building, and maintaining the turbines, including excavation into the ocean floor to install the cables and pipes leading from the turbines to the shore. The turbines won’t be visible from the beaches of Virginia Beach due to the curvature of the earth and distance from the shore.

Additionally, the turbines won’t affect the shipping routes that frequent the waters of the Virginia coastline, according to Dominion.

“They will be placed on all of the navigational maps,” said Genest.

“As part of its research, when it determined what areas could be leased for wind turbine development, BOEM and the Coast Guard and several other state and federal agencies did a very thorough study of all of the shipping lanes. They’ve located an area that has minimum shipping.”

Although the exact number is unclear, Genest guarantees the project will create jobs.

“The port of Virginia would be used for importing all of the parts and materials,” he said.

According to Dong Energy, the

Department of Energy reported last year that more than 500,000 people were employed in the renewable energy industry.

Additionally, according to Dong, an average offshore wind project creates up to 1,000 construction/installation jobs, with around 100 year-round jobs, which would be beneficial for the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, whose unemployment rates range from 3.5-4.5 percent.

“Virginia Beach is an excellent spot for this demonstration and eventual large-scale farm,” Genest said. “In Virginia, there are very few areas that can support wind farms. We just don’t have the winds.”

The coast of Virginia has rather moderate wind rates in comparison to the rest of the country, according to BOEM. Genest said that after running studies across the commonwealth, there are few areas that could support a 30-40 percent running time, which is optimal for a wind farm. However, the Virginia coastline has optimal conditions for such requirements.

Since this a demonstration project, Dominion has bigger plans for an offshore wind farm. “If it proves to be successful, and we move toward doing the commercial area, it would have up to 2,000 megawatts of wind

turbine production,” said Genest. The 2,000 acres Dominion has leased in the Atlantic Ocean will eventually carry dozens of wind turbines.

However, these plans will be for an undetermined future date. Each megawatt of energy would serve 250 customers of Dominion, meaning this large-scale project could affect a large portion of the coastal cities and perhaps even beyond.

This hopeful project comes at a time where Dominion is under substantial criticism due to the plans for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP), which has greatly upset many Virginia residents. Dominion’s spotty history with renewable energy has affected not only its customers, but also those who are affected by the projects that shy away from renewable energy, such as the ACP. Genest cites the high prices of installing and maintaining renewable energy, such as solar, for the commonwealth. “We have always believed in renewable energy, but until recently the cost of renewable energy was such that we couldn’t justify it in large scale for our customers,” he said.

“As part of the agreement, we have told Dong that they would be eligible if we proceeded to the commercial development portion of this, to work with us on that.” © GRVA

16 • Aug. 23, 2017

Calendar 8.26, 11 a.m.

The Science Museum of Virginia will host PrepareAthon, a free family festival that teaches the community more about emergency preparedness and resiliency. The event includes remarks from several officials, presentations from weather and climate experts, and numerous hands-on activities and workshops throughout the day.

The festival will begin with remarks about the importance of climate education and awareness from several officials including U.S. Rep. A. Donald McEachin (VA-04); Louisa Koch, director of education for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and Alicia Zatcoff, sustainability manager for the city of Richmond.

Presentations throughout the day include topics like forecasting weather, climate change, oysters, Chesapeake Bay restoration and more. Several workshops will also take place during the day to give guests the opportunity to build their own rain barrel or meet with local experts to discuss safety preparedness and receive a free preparedness kit. Pre-registration is required for all workshops.

Additional activities will include hands-only CPR workshops, a water filtration challenge, interactions with John Tyler Community College’s Mobile Ambulance Simulator, visits from Richmond fire and emergency trucks, and a Virginia Blood Services blood drive.

PrepareAthon is hosted by the Museum under award # NA15SEC0080009 from the Environmental Literacy Grant program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce. The event is part of a larger effort at the Museum to educate our community about how our climate is changing, what that means for the community in a bid to be more resilient.

Museum admission is free on Aug. 26. For more information, call 804864-1400 or visit www.smv.org.

The LEGACY

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Open house on Glen Allen Small Area Study

The Henrico County Planning Department will hold an open house Tuesday, Aug. 29 for residents and other members of the public to provide input on the Glen Allen Small Area Study. The meeting will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Glen Allen Cultural Arts Center, 2880 Mountain Rd. The informal structure will allow residents to attend at their convenience and to ask questions and discuss the study one on one with planning staff.

The study will focus on an approximately 161-acre area around the intersection of Mountain and Purcell roads and will make recommendations to promote continued high-quality development that is consistent with the existing village character. For more information, call 804-501-4602.

The Breast Imaging Division of the University of Virginia Health System Department of Radiology is proud to bring digital screening mammograms to you with our Digital Mobile Mammography Coach Sponsored by

SISTERS NETWORK CENTRAL VIRGINIA, INC. COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR Sept. 30, 2017 ~ 9:00 am to 1:00 pm St. James Baptist Church 2169 New Market Rd., Henrico, VA 23231

You should be at least 40 years old with no current breast problems Primary care physician preferred • The cost of this screening will be billed to your insurance and results will be sent to your referring physician.

• Programs exist to cover the cost of exams for women with no health insurance or primary care physician • Need a mammogram but can’t afford it – call our office for more information • Please call 804-447-4027 no later than Aug. 18, 2017 to receive information regarding scheduling your mammogram

Mammograms on the mobile unit are for baseline or annual screenings only Early detection is the Best Prevention

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.

8.31, 4:30 p.m.

The Newport News Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue is accepting and processing applications for Real Estate Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled program available to Newport News homeowners. Those who meet specified eligibility requirements including age, income, and assets, may qualify for deferral or exemption of real estate taxes. The deadline for filing a 2017-18 application for Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled is Aug. 31.

Eligibility requirements for deferral: · Applicant must own and reside in the home and be at least 65 years of age by Dec. 31, 2016 or be permanently and totally disabled. · Total combined income from all sources during 2016 of the applicant, spouse, and all relatives and nonrelatives residing in the home shall not exceed $50,000. Some exceptions apply. · Combined assets of all persons as of Dec. 31, 2016 shall not exceed $200,000, excluding the residence. · If multiple persons, other than a spouse, are listed on the deed, all persons listed must meet the eligibility requirements.

Eligibility requirements for exemption: · Applicant must own and reside in the home and be at least 65 years of age by Dec. 31, 2016. · Total combined income from all sources during 2016 of applicant, spouse, and all relatives and nonrelatives residing in the home shall not exceed $25,000. Some exceptions apply. · Combined assets of all persons as of Dec. 31, 2016 must not exceed $10,000 excluding the residence. · If multiple persons, other than a spouse, are listed on the deed, all persons listed must meet the eligibility requirements. · Household costs related to maintaining the home must equal or exceed 40 percent of the total household income.

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Ad Size: 8.24 inches (2 columns X 4.12 inches)

LEGAL, EMPLOYMENT, ANNOUNCEMENTS, FOR SALE, SERVICES

2 Issues, Aug. 23 & 30 - ($90.64 per run) $181.28 total Rate: $11 per column inch

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF RICHMOND BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS Will hold a Public Hearing in the 5th Floor Conference Room, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA on September 6, 2017, to consider the following under Chapter 30 of the Zoning Code: BEGINNING AT 1:00 P.M. 28-17: An application of Ellen L. Shepperson for a building permit to construct a new single-family detached dwelling at 1103 & 1105 NORTH 31ST STREET. 29-17: An application of Harper L. King for a building permit to re-establish the nonconforming use rights to a retail use (1st floor) and convert the building to a two-family dwelling at 101 EAST LEIGH STREET. Copies of all cases are available for inspection between 8 AM and 5 PM in Room 110, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Support or opposition may be offered at or before the hearing.

PRINT & DIGITAL AD SALES EXECUTIVE

Roy W. Benbow, Secretary Phone: (804) 240-2124 Fax: (804) 646-5789 E-mail: Roy.Benbow@richmondgov.com

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.

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

HEALTH/PERSONALS/MISCELLANEOUS Includes Internet placement Please reviewHIP the proof, any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail.

IF YOU HAD OR make KNEE REPLACEMENT If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted.

Thank you for your interest in applying for SURGERY AND SUFFERED AN INFECTION opportunities with The City of Richmond. between 2010 and the present time, you may be Ok X_________________________________________ To see what opportunities are available, please entitled to compensation. refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com.

Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson Ok with changes X _____________________________ 1-800-535-5727 EOE M/F/D/V REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m.

DENTAL INSURANCE Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 procedures.

844-709-6890 or http://www. dental50plus.com/28 Ad# 6118

AUTO CLUB SERVICE

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Did you know...

Nearly 7 out of 10 adults have read a newspaper in the past week – that’s 147 million Americans!

Readers are highly engaged with newspapers in print, online, smartphones and tablets because they value the news, advertising and local feature coverage.

79% of newspaper users took action on a newspaper ad in the past month.

Want your ad to reach thousands without breaking the bank?

Send it to: ads@legacynewspaper.com

Qualifications: Proven experience with print (newspaper) and/or digital (website) advertising sales; Phone and one-on-one sales experience; Effective verbal and written communication skills, professional image and; Familiarity with Richmond and/or Hampton Roads areas.

Compensation depends on experience and includes a base pay as well as commission.

The LEGACY is an African-Americanoriented weekly newspaper, circulation 25,000, with a website featuring local and national news and advertising.

E-mail resume and letter of interest to ads@ legacynewspaper.com detailing your past sales experience. No phone calls please.

Call 804 644 1550

Aug. 23, 2017 • 19

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

AUCTIONS Absolute Auction: The Meadows Golf and Swim Club, 115± acres offered in 9 tracts. Large acre homesites, 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, clubhouse, golf carts, mowing equipment & more! Beautiful homesites ranging from 3 to 24 acres. Held on-site September 12, 11 AM. Visit woltz.com or call Woltz & Associates, Inc. (VA #321) Real Estate Brokers & Auctioneers 800-551-3588.

BROWN TRUCKING is looking for COMPANY DRIVERS and OWNER OPERATORS. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2 years of tractor trailer experience OTR or Regional (Multiple states) in the last 3 years, good MVR and PSP. Apply www.driveforbrown.com.

Contact Brandon Collins 919-291-7416.

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LAKEFRONT PROPERTY FOR SALE Lake Anna Waterfront Pre-construction Grand Opening Land Sale, September 9, 2017. Lake lots starting from $29,900, dockable lots from $49,900.

Call today for details! (888) 615-3610

HELP WANTED / SALES EARN $500 A DAY – Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Wants Insurance Agents * Leads, No Cold Calls * Commissions Paid Daily * Agency Training * Life License Required. Call 1-888-713-6020.

MISCELLANEOUS SAWMILLS FROM ONLY $4397.00- MAKE & SAVE MONEY with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship! FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1-800-578-1363 Ext. 300N

HELP WANTED/TRUCK DRIVERS CDL TRAINING FOR LOCAL/OTR DRIVERS! $45,000-$60,000 1ST Year!

4-wks or 10 Weekends for CDL. Many Grants Available! Richmond/ Fredericksburg 800-2431600; Lynchburg/Roanoke 800-614-6500; Front Royal/ Winchester 800-454-1400

SERVICES DIVORCE–Uncontested, $395+$86 court cost.

No court appearance.

Estimated completion time twenty-one days.

Telephone inquiries welcome-no obligation.

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Competitive pay based on exp. & full benefits, including: Medical/Dental/Vision Ins. + 401(K) Paid Vacation & holidays Apply online today: www.marten.com EEOE functioning under an AAP

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