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EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

WEDNESDAYS • Aug. 9, 2017

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INSIDE

Org. teaches youth skills, patience - 2 Mom, kids escape years in captivity - 4 RVA jail chaplains share faith message - 8 New TV ad stirs up ‘race’ feelings - 11

Richmond & Hampton Roads

LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM • FREE

With Congress stalled on health care, blacks still looking within to bridge health disparities DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY

BIRMINGHAM — In a small room down the hall in the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, about two dozen people listened one recent afternoon as Donald Solomon rattled off ailments ravaging AfricanAmerican communities.

“We’re a sick crowd … Whatever is wrong in the country, we have it worse. We need to get health into the church,” said Solomon, a founder of Congregations for Public Health and co-author of Body and Soul, a healthy living guide for church leaders.

For four days in late July, pastors, deacons and folks running church kitchens and health ministries gathered in the Birmingham church to discuss a range of issues, including health concerns disproportionately affecting African Americans in their congregations and communities.

The conference sponsored by the Alabama Baptist State Congress of Christian Education drew hundreds from across the state.

It was one of several efforts nationwide aimed at helping close the health gap between blacks and whites. In other places, barbers are checking customer's blood pressures, local corner stores are stocking shelves with fresh produce, and some preachers are even banning fried chicken from Sunday church dinners.

African Americans, particularly men, continue to lag behind their white counterparts on a host of health issues, including diabetes, heart disease and HIV. Nowhere is this disparity more true than in the Deep South, where many blacks live and where there’s a long history of discrimination, poor health and insufficient insurance coverage.

While the disparity isn’t new, experts say it could get worse.

As Congress debates how to

Jeraldine Craig, a minister at Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Birmingham, chats with Johnny J. Hollis, Jr., pastor of Mercy Baptist Church in Montgomery, after a training class on health disparities. overhaul the Affordable Care Act, experts, community activists and pastors say African-American men are more likely than any other group to be left behind.

Republican alternatives to the ACA considered in the House and Senate have included massive cuts to Medicaid, which experts say would hit black men especially hard.

“At a time when we should really be working toward trying to close the disparity … any action that rolls back coverage ... only widens that gap,’’ said Corey Wiggins, state health chair for the Mississippi NAACP and director of the HOPE

Policy Institute, a public policy think tank based in Jackson. “We should be working to strengthen policies that ensure access to care rather than limit care.’’

Black men are more likely than their white counterparts to suffer with chronic conditions like obesity, cancer and diabetes.

Black men are less likely to have a regular doctor or health insurance, according to a 2012 report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, which examined the disparity. The report found that 15.7 percent of white men were uninsured, compared with 28.8 percent of black men.

Medicaid expansions under the

2010 Affordable Care Act made many more men eligible for coverage, increasing their access to providers and medication, health experts say.

Because of that, they will be especially vulnerable if Medicaid expansions are rolled back, said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League.

“Any effort to restrict the expansion of Medicaid will have a detrimental, negative and devastating effect on African Americans, particularly on African-American men,” he said.

Morial said health care legislation should also address broader social

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The LEGACY

2 • Aug. 9, 2017

News

Organization co-founded by VCU student teaching chess, patience to local youth BRIAN MCNEIL In a Henderson Middle School classroom, dozens of Richmond-area children between the ages of 12 and 14 are paired off, each huddled over chess boards and playing intensely.

“Chess helps me think,” said Avery White, 12, a student at Falling Creek Middle School. “It’s a very patient game. It helps you think a few steps forward because if you make a wrong move, your opponent can get an advantage on you.”

The students were participating in a chess program run by Legacy Chess Academy — an organization cofounded by Virginia Commonwealth University senior Corey Hancock — and offered as part of the Richmond Police Athletic League’s summer program for Richmond youth.

Legacy Chess grew out of a neighborhood chess club, the Henrico Chess Club, which Hancock, a psychology major in the College of Humanities and Sciences, and JaVonne Bowles launched in 2013 while they were students at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

The idea, Hancock said, was to bring people together to play chess and have fun and learn. Over time, the club began hosting tournaments and eventually started to branch out into offering private lessons and classes. The club soon grew into Legacy Chess Academy to reflect its growing ambition to bring chess deeper into the community by partnering with schools and organizations such as the Boy Scouts, local libraries and the Police Athletic League.

“We were and continue to be welcomed into the hearts of many students as it is most of their first time learning about the game,” Hancock said. “We are now proud to be an education organization that offers services to provide chess instruction, encourage student development, and build awareness to the community of the values the

game has to offer.”

Legacy Chess hosts after-school programs in the Richmond area, provides group lessons and private lessons, and organizes tournaments.

“In teaching chess, our mission is for children to learn the values of patience, discipline, creativity, focus, and preparation,” Hancock said. “We hope for individuals to apply these values to their education and daily lives to assist them in what they deem as a successful life.”

Officer Perry Barber of the Police Athletic League said Legacy Chess has proven to be great part of RichmondPAL’s summer program.

“Legacy chess is an awesome organization, led by inspired go getters bringing a great game to many who would have never gotten the chance,” he said. “It’s been a fantastic partnership.”

Benefits of chess Hancock first discovered the benefits of chess in the sixth grade.

From preschool through elementary school, he was extremely shy and anxious, and had difficulty participating in class. In the sixth grade, however, he joined his middle school’s chess club.

“I remember walking in nervously and seeing a room filled with people, but I was simply following a friend around who wanted to join and I knew I was going to ignore anyone who spoke to me to avoid an awkward encounter,” he said. “To my surprise, I got through my first meeting without receiving much more than a ‘Hi.’ We had all sat down, shook hands, played our game, shook hands again and moved on.

For the first time I felt like I had a connection with a stranger without even having to speak to them. This was huge. To me, anyway. And I didn't have to worry about a failing grade if I lost.”

Hancock kept attending the club’s meetings, and soon found himself attending chess lectures, teaching newer players and sharing ideas

Luke Dove, 14, plays Caleb Penn, 12, at Legacy Chess Academy's chess program at Henderson Middle School. about the game.

“Next thing I knew, I was doing the same things in school,” he said. “The anxiety was still present, but I knew it was a feeling that would pass once I started speaking. I still jumped when I heard my name but I had the strength to rise to the challenge.

Part of my problem was not knowing how to find an answer I didn't know or how to ask the right questions in my head and anticipate what may be asked of me. I learned that in chess.”

Chess, he said, requires the player to quickly sort through multiple scenarios and to constantly adjust what should be done next, asking questions such as: “Why did this move get played?” “What can be done now?” “How can this be broken down and made simpler?” “What do we already know and what do we need to find out next?"

“Questions like these teach us to prepare for anything,” he said. “The lessons I learned have opened many doors for me and have left me feeling capable of anything I set my mind to. Now I want nothing more than to

duplicate that experience for other students.”

Teaching patience Last week’s program at Henderson Middle School was led by Bowles, a certified yoga instructor who sought to explain the importance of controlling one’s breathing while playing chess, much like with yoga.

“Who has noticed how they’re breathing while playing a chess match,” she asked.

“You breathe really fast,” replied one student.

Bowles told the class that she likes to slow down and concentrate on her breathing during a difficult match, and finds that it re-focuses her attention on the game.

“If you’re able to slow down, take your time and take a few breaths,” she said, “you’ll be able to see the entire board and make the right move.”

For Bowles, she said, the best part of Legacy Chess is getting to see the impact the coaching and instruction

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(from page 1) issues, including health education and poverty.

“Health care disparities is a complicated subject and I don’t think any one bill ... would comprehensively address all of the issues of health disparities,’’ he said.

Samantha Artiga, director of Disparities Policy Project and associate director for the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said under the ACA, some groups, including communities of color, did get more health insurance coverage, but that alone doesn’t address the significant disparities for black men.

“Coverage alone is not going to do it,'” she said. “It’s just one piece that will help reduce those disparities.’’

Artiga said other factors, including gaps in income, education, access to healthy food and neighborhood amenities, also “drive differences in health.”

For decades, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Asian and Pacific American Caucus have teamed to introduce measures to address disparities.

The groups plan to reintroduce the Health Equity and Accountability Act, which would expand resources for minority doctors and nurses and other medical professionals, fund more research and target funds for community-focused programs.

Sponsors, mostly Democrats, acknowledge chances for passage are slim in the Republican-controlled Congress.

“We keep pushing and keep pushing, and who knows, maybe we’ll get it,” said Rep. Robin Kelly, a Democrat from Illinois and chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust.

Kelly said the GOP health care proposals

Aug. 9, 2017 • 3 will do little to address disparities.

“I think we will backtrack,’’ she said. “Black men will be left out, but I also think black families in general will be hurt.’’

In May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported some rare positive news regarding health and race: African Americans are generally living longer than in 2000 and the gap between black and whites is closing.

But a history of distrust of government by blacks persists, stemming from scandals, including the 40-year Tuskegee experiment in which government researchers intentionally withheld treatment from black men with syphilis.

Wiggins said distrust is just one barrier. He said the high unemployment among black men is a major issue since health coverage is often tied to a job.

Some activists said the responsibility falls on black men themselves.

Michael O. Minor, pastor of the Hill-Hernando Oak Hill Baptist Church in Hernando, Miss., said it has been hard getting black men to sign up for coverage even before the ACA. “A lot of the African-American men just don’t worry about getting health insurance,’’ said Minor. “I didn’t really expect to see a lot of AfricanAmerican men jumping to get health insurance because it’s not in our DNA to want to go to the doctor.’’

Meanwhile, there are targeted efforts to address disparity across the South at churches, universities, barbershops and hair salons.

Armed with a four-year grant from the CDC, the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham launched the Birmingham REACH for Better Health program in 2014.

In partnership with local organizations,

the program aims to improve the health of African Americans in the city by addressing key factors in health disparities — nutrition and exercise.

In one effort, a partner works with corner store owners to make space on their shelves for fresh produce.

“This allows community members to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables,’’ said Theresa WynnWallace, the project's program director. “It’s a learning curve … and our partners had to start small and work their way up to having full displays in each store.’’

Another effort involves physicians giving patients a “prescription to exercise’’ and connecting them to one of the city parks.

A few miles away from the university, more than 400 people registered for the Alabama Baptist State Congress of Christian Education conference. Participants packed classes that focused on diabetes, Alzheimer’s and HIV — issues that disproportionately affect blacks.

“We’re just trying to bring better health awareness to our community,’’ said Dorothy McAdory, who helped coordinate the conference and is the chief administrative assistant to the Rev. Jonathan McPherson, the dean of the congress.

Some had already launched efforts.

In lieu of Bible study at the Mercy Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., the church hosts a forum each quarter on issues from diabetes to hypertension to depression. The church also offers more healthy food options.

“We’re looking at the individual holistically as opposed to just looking at the spiritual,’’ said Johnny J. Hollis, Jr., the church pastor. “There has to be a paradigm shift in the way we think about eating. There has to be a paradigm shift in the way we think about exercising.”

Every fifth Sunday at the Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Bessemer, Ala., Darlene Cotton checks the blood pressure of her fellow churchgoers to complement the health topic of the day.

“We’re dying because of a lack of knowledge,’’ said Cotton, a nurse at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the church’s health care coordinator. “Accessibility is one of the main things… A lot of times, we don’t even know about programs — or ask.’’

Marian Little shocked the congregation at the New Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church last year when she told members the menu would no longer include fried chicken.

“I said we’re becoming health conscience and we won’t have any fried chicken,’’ she recalled. “They said, ‘Fried chicken is gone?’ I said yes, get used to the baked chicken, and they did.’’

The church has also substituted water for sugary drinks and yogurt for ice cream, along with holding exercise classes and stocking the community food pantry with healthy options.

Michael Wesley, pastor of the Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, which hosted the conference, said churches must step up.

“Clergy cannot just only be concerned about what goes on inside the church, we have to be concerned about the warfare that exist outside the church,’’ he said.

Shiloh started a community garden, hosted a six-week exercise program and offered baked chicken as an option to fried. On Sundays, churchgoers can get their blood pressure checked.

“The idea is to engage your congregation in healthy ministries and healthy lifestyle,’’ Wesley said. “Ultimately, not only your congregation is impacted, but your communities.’’

(from page 2) helping Legacy Chess grow, she said,

Corey Hancock, a senior psychology major at VCU, co-founded a neighborhood chess club in 2013 that has grown into Legacy Chess Academy.

often has on the students.

“You can really see how they intuitively grasp that chess relates directly to your life.”

“You definitely see progress,” she said. “For some, you see progress in how they play. In others, you can really see how they intuitively grasp that chess relates directly to your life.”

Carmella Szabo, a junior psychology major at VCU, is Legacy Chess’ executive coordinator, responsible for reaching out to schools, churches, libraries and other public organizations. She enjoys

because it is teaching a game that carries valuable lessons that will benefit young players beyond the chess board.

“I think the organization is very important for children to learn the disciplines playing chess teaches them such as focus and patience,” she said.

“One of my main interests in psychology is learning about how the younger generations live for instant gratification. I see that when the children learn how to play chess they learn patience and strategy to get to where they want to be in the game.”

The LEGACY

4 • Aug. 9, 2017

Sheriff: Mom, 2 kids captive in home for 2 years

The home of Kariem Ali Muhammad Moore at 3600 Mine Rd. in Spotsylvania.

STAFF & WIRE A woman and her two children were held captive for more than two years in a Virginia home before escaping when deputies arrived to check on their welfare, authorities said.

The woman, 32, was hospitalized in serious condition with untreated health issues, and her children were staying with family members after also receiving medical attention, according to local media in Spotsylvania County less than an hour north of Richmond.

Investigators believe the children, ages 8 and 11, have never attended school, said Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Lt. Charles A. Carey.

Deputies were sent to the home

after a caller expressed concern that no one had seen or heard from the family in quite some time, he said.

The woman and her children ran out a side door as deputies spoke with Kariem Ali Muhammad Moore, who had been reluctant to let them inside, the sheriff's office said.

The woman is Moore’s girlfriend and he is believed to be the children’s father, Carey said.

Lorane James, who lives nearby, said she hadn’t seen anyone go in or out of the house in two years.

“I just about came out of my skin when I found out what was going on right underneath my nose,” James, 85, said.

Moore’s mother told reporters that she hasn’t seen her son in as many as

Kariem Ali Muhammad Moore five years.

“It’s a shock. I’m trying to hold up. I

can’t get it together,” said Harriette .

“He was raised correctly. I raised my children to make their own way and become someone in the world.”

Moore, 43 and unemployed, was arrested at the scene and held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail on multiple felony counts including abduction and assault.

He has been charged with three counts of abduction by force, intimidation or deception as well as assault and battery on a family member, according to online police records.

It wasn’t clear if he has a lawyer.

Residents advised to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites, avoid West Nile Mosquito surveillance conducted along the borders of Henrico County and the city of Richmond have identified a large number of mosquito samples (pools) testing positive for West Nile virus. This presents an increased risk of mosquito borne transmission of West Nile virus to residents of Richmond neighborhoods in proximity to these areas, according to health department officials.

“Based on the surveillance data, it is reasonable to assume that mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus are also present in other Richmond communities. Therefore, the Richmond City Health District is encouraging all city residents to be mindful of public health messages about preventing mosquito bites and eliminating stagnant water around their homes where mosquitoes can breed.

“The notice to residents is not a reason for alarm, but it’s important to be aware of risks for mosquitoborne disease.”

The easiest and best way to avoid West Nile virus, Zika virus or other mosquito-borne disease is to prevent them from biting. Different species of mosquitoes spread different viruses and bite at different times of the day.

For instance, in the local area, Asian Tiger mosquitoes, which are carriers

for Zika virus, primarily bite very aggressively during the day. Culex species mosquitoes which are carriers of West Nile virus bite primarily from dusk through dawn.

When outside, use insect repellent containing DEET or an EPAregistered active ingredient; follow the directions on the package.

Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn; use insect repellent and wear light-colored long sleeves and pants at these times or stay indoors, according to the health department, which offers the following: • Eliminate mosquito breeding areas by addressing areas in your yard where rainwater collects.

• Turn over or empty any objects that collect rainwater. Empty bird baths, flower pots, buckets or barrels, etc. Remove old tires; eliminate standing water on flat roofs, clean gutters and downspouts; empty water from boats or tarps; keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when not in use.

•Treat large water areas and difficult puddles with larvicide pellets to prevent mosquito larvae from maturing.

• Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out of your home.

Aug. 9, 2017 • 5

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AG to VA: New law aids in fighting financial exploitation Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services wants residents of a new law that went into effect on July 1 that will aid investigations into financial exploitation of older or vulnerable Virginians.

The law requires any report of adult financial exploitation received by the state Adult Protective Services hotline or local departments of social services, regardless of the amount of financial loss, to be reported immediately to local law enforcement.

“Virginia’s seniors are frequent targets of financial scams and exploitation schemes that could rob them of their hard-earned savings, and it’s our responsibility

to do everything we can to protect them,” said Herring. “This newly implemented law can help keep our seniors safe and sends a strong message to potential scammers and fraudsters that the Commonwealth takes these crimes seriously and will hold perpetrators accountable.”

DARS Commissioner Jim Rothrock said that for some people, even the loss of a few thousand dollars can wipe out the funds they saved for their current needs or to provide for their later years.

“We will not tolerate that in the Commonwealth,” said Rothrock. “We need to bring every tool we have to bear in protecting Virginians from this exploitation and in investigating the cases that do occur.”

The new law means that police

and sheriff’s officers will bring their special expertise early into an investigation of possible adult exploitation and collaborate with APS workers to stop the financial abuse. Law enforcement officials will also play a critical role in gathering evidence for prosecution of perpetrators. Additionally, local law enforcement will be required to provide a point of contact for APS referrals to local departments of social services and the APS hotline.

The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services will provide training to APS hotline staff and APS workers in local departments of social services about the changes. Information about the new law has been disseminated to the Virginia Association of Chiefs

Askew selected First Captain, makes history A Virginia woman is breaking new ground with her appointment in a West Point leadership role. Simone Askew was named the first captain of the Corps of Cadets, becoming the first black American woman to assume the position.

In her position, she will be responsible for approximately 4,400 cadets, according to an Army statement. In her last position as a regimental commander of cadet training, she has led 1,502 cadets.

“Simone truly exemplifies our values of Duty, Honor, Country. Her selection is a direct result of her hard work, dedication and commitment to the Corps over the last three years,” said Brig. Gen. Steven W. Gilland, commandant of cadets, in a statement.

Askew also participates in the Army West Point Crew team, is an international history major and has received a Black Engineer of the Year Award for Military Leadership.

of Police and the Virginia Sheriffs' Association to share with their members, who can discuss the importance of reporting suspected financial exploitation of vulnerable adults within their communities.

According to DARS, a recent review by its APS Division suggests that adult financial exploitation costs elderly and vulnerable Virginians an estimated $28.2 million each year, with funds taken ranging from $10 to $1 million. DARS believes that the full impact of financial exploitation may rob Virginia victims of an estimated $1.2 billion a year, given that national estimates suggest that only one in 44 cases of financial exploitation are reported to officials.

To report suspected abuse or financial exploitation, call 888-832-3858.

military academy in the U.S. “Simone is a very accomplished young woman who has set high standards and goals for herself.

We are proud of her success and celebrate along with her,” said Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand in a statement.

Cadet Simone Askew She also graduated from Air Assault School.

Her mother Pam Askew told NBC Washington Simone first showed an interest in the military during third grade when she saw a Navy football same. “She saw them all in formation and rose up and asked me, ‘What does it take to lead that?’” Pam Askew told reporters.

Before joining the army, Askew grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from Fairfax High School in 2014. According to the school district, she was class president, captain of the volleyball team and founder of the Black Student Union.

She had been admitted to West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy and chose to attend West Point, the oldest

6 • Aug. 9, 2017

Op/Ed & Letters

The LEGACY

When will we learn?

DR. E FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TEWire – A recent study on wealth was conducted by Amy Traub, Laura Sullivan, Tatjana Meschede and Tom Shapiro.

The study did a comparison of black and white wealth and Latino and White wealth. In our community, we have been consumed with racial inequities, voter suppression, health care, unjustified police shootings and racial bias in our criminal justice system. We’ve been concerned about shootings among our people within our community. Not often enough do we give serious attention to economic exclusion and inequity, and yet, poverty eats away at our communities every day.

Too often, we find ourselves contributing to our problem. We often choose to spend our money where we are not respected and on items we simply do not need.

Not enough of us spend our dollars in our own community to help in building our community.

Building wealth in our community is as important as all of the other issues we face.

As a matter of fact, with more The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 3 No. 32 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

attention to the wealth gap our people face, some of the other challenges would at least lessen.

According to the study, “No metric more powerfully captures the persistence and growth of economic inequality along racial and ethnic lines than the racial wealth gap. According to data from the Survey of Consumer Finances, the median white household possessed $13 in net wealth for every dollar held by the median black household in 2013. That same year, median white households possessed $10 for each dollar held by the median Latino/a household.”

We have the ability to at least close that gap if we spend some of our money where we live. All of us know somebody who sews 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

and charges far less than the commercial businesses where we currently take our clothing to be repaired. We know somebody who repairs cars, who cuts hair and someone who curls hair. We sure know somebody who can run circles around anyone who cooks in the average restaurant outside our community.

There was a time when we were limited to businesses in our community. We patronized our own, and built prosperous businesses that put money back into our community. We held our events at our own churches, schools and businesses. We banked with black banks.

I’m not suggesting we can handle all of our business with black companies/businesses. It sure would help black wealth if we did as much business as possible where most of us live.

My organization (NCBW) is 33 years old and for all of that time our banking has been with a black bank where we know the people with whom we deal and they know us. I purchase my clothing from a black woman, get my hair done by a black woman,

attend a church pastored by a black woman, and get my clothing repaired by a black woman. We have a black male accountant, a black woman services our computers and our webmaster is black. Our interns and our staff members are black. I write for a black woman’s wire service.

I don’t mean to suggest that we’d never hire or do business with a non-black person, but I’m perfectly happy with doing the majority of my business in our community and circulating our dollars there so that we can at least put a dent in that wealth gap.

In every article I write, I try to have an “ask” of everyone or at least issue a challenge to think about how we improve our community. I’m asking that if you’re not now doing business with at least one black business, think about it, and try to find one black person or company with which to do business so long as they give back to our community.

Williams can be reached via the website nationalcongressbw.org.; or by phone at 202/678-6788.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Aug. 9, 2017 • 7

P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.

On July 31, 2017 I became a victim of cyber bulling by a former boyfriend. This act of violence has been very dishearten and traumatic for me. My former boyfriend hacked my personal email account and from there gained access to my Facebook page.

This man proceeded to change my profile name to a name of a Sexually Transmitted Disease and insinuated I had transmitted the disease to him.

He then moved forward and maliciously posted this information publicly on my social media page and in boxed my friend list.

I was violated and I was devastated. At that very moment I felt helpless, there wasn’t anything that I could do, I no longer had control of my social media page. After going through many steps I finally regained control of my Facebook page.

I am reaching out to you in order to help hold him accountable for what he has done. I reached out to the magistrate’s office and he was merely charged with two misdemeanor offences. I was issued an emergency protective order. As an adult you would not think that this would happen to you so I can only imagine how it affects children who are being bullied on or off the internet. I would like to tell my story not only to advocate for myself but to advocate for other as well.

Olivia Pitt

Anthony Anderson needs our help!

Anthony Anderson, #140429 was convicted of a myriad of offenses in 1984 at the age of 16.

He plead guilty in Chesterfield County Circuit

Court with the understanding that his plea would not affect his parole eligibility. This agreement was arranged by his court appointed attorney Ned Mikula (now a practicing attorney and substitute judge) and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Bonnie Davis (retired judge, now substitute judge).

Their understanding then and now was that Anthony was eligible for parole. The judge who is still living but in his late 80s - early 90s lectured Anthony during his sentencing and stated that, “You will have an opportunity to make something of your life upon release. You will not be that old.”

10-13 years into his sentence, court & legal of the Virginia Department of Corrections determined that his guilty plea in Chesterfield Circuit Court made him a “3 strikes” offender and was therefore ineligible for parole.

This made Anthony Anderson a juvenile receiving life without the possibility of parole.

Since that time there have been appeals to governors, attorneys general, secretaries of public safety, parole boards, curt and legal and anyone else that has the authority to change this unjust determination.

For the sake of brevity, here are some other facts: On Jan. 25, 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Montgomery vs. Louisiana that what it held in Miller vs. Alabama in 2012 that mandatory life without parole for juveniles convicted of homicide violated the 8th Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments is retroactive on cases decided before the Miller decision.

Anthony has been incarcerated since 1984. He has served 33-years. He is now 49-years-old. He has not had one institutional violation in 33 years.

Attorney Mikula has tried every means at his disposal to have this ruling overturned to no avail. Judge Davis is willing to address Anthony’s situation but must be asked by the Virginia Parole Board, secretary of public safety or whomever as to their understanding of Anthony’s parole eligibility.

She cannot advocate but if asked she can share her input. To date, none of these entities or persons have done so.

Anthony was advised to plead guilty. He did so

under the advice of his attorney. He would not have plead guilty as a juvenile knowing that he would receive life without parole.

A motion to vacate this sentence, a conditional pardon or the Virginia attorney general’s intervention would be helpful to Anthony.

Even Lee Boyd Malvo, the infamous ‘D.C. Sniper’ has had his life without parole sentences thrown out, but he had an attorney to file in federal court.

Anthony is indigent and those attorneys that have been contacted wanted upwards of $5,000.

His mother is living but has no income. His sister has been supporting his family for years. She does not have that kind of money.

I have been involved with him for at least 25 years and I have known him for over 30 years. Anthony Anderson should have his parole eligibility restored.

It won’t happen without legal assistance and/or the commonwealth investigating the circumstances and interviewing Ned Mikula and Judge Bonnie Davis.

Please consider helping us [if you can]!

King Salim Khalfani ARMED

“Politics is the art of choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.”

In America, the only way we can rid ourselves from non-achieving politicians is by impeachment.

And charges against them must be substantial.

It’s a complex and complicated process purposely devised to insure it was not abused.

But what happens when a whole Congress is deadlocked in incompetence? By law, the British can put an entire body of government or individual on notice, shaming them from office with a no confidence vote.

When Congress continues to demonstrate no power to govern, voters publicly denounce them and the media chastises them, expressing that they have no confidence in them. But this falls on deaf ears except at election time and everyone sings ‘Kumbaya’. Then they have little or no recourse except to vote for another hand-picked party hack.

John Galbraith

8 • Aug. 9, 2017

Faith & Religion

The LEGACY

Jail chaplains share presence of God with inmates through Bible studies & prayer DAVID PAULSEN ENS - Robert Dilday has served for about a year and a half as a volunteer chaplain at the city jail in Richmond, leading Bible studies with inmates and, more recently, visiting with those being held in solitary confinement. As part of a growing team from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church engaged in this ministry, he is careful not to overstate the mission.

“We’re not taking God to the jail,” said Dilday. “We’re collaborating with what God is already doing there.”

What Dilday, 62, and his fellow chaplains bring to the jail every Thursday afternoon is the sacrament of Communion and a personal connection through conversation.

They are part of a much larger interfaith ministry at the jail that offers a chance for chaplains and inmates both to feel the presence of God in a place they might not expect it.

“It’s meant to be somewhat reciprocal,” said Sarah Bartenstein, St. Stephen’s communications director. “We’re praying for them on Sundays, and they’re praying for us.”

The inmates and chaplains discuss Bible passages taken from the readings that will be part of the three worship services at St. Stephen’s on Sunday. And during one of those services, the congregation blesses the wafers and juice that will be the Eucharist served to inmates who choose to receive it the following Thursday.

This ministry at St. Stephen’s is barely two years old, and now about 15 to 20 men and women from the congregation serve as chaplains on a rotating schedule, typically with two men and two women visiting the jail

From left, Robert Dilday, John Gayle, Cheryl Blackwell and Sal Anselmo are among the volunteer chaplains from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church that minister at the jail in Richmond. PHOTO: Sarah Bartenstein each week to minister separately to male and female inmates.

Episcopal jail and prison ministries can be found across the country as chaplains seek to live out their baptismal vows to respect human dignity. In Richmond, Virginia’s capital, St. Stephen’s is not the only church to send volunteer chaplains to the jail, but it is one of the few to serve the Eucharist. And Deb Lawrence, the church’s outreach director, said the St. Stephen’s team doesn’t want the inmates to feel during these visits that they are being judged for what they’ve done.

“We’re just there with them. We’re not there to preach or convert, nothing like that,” Lawrence said.

“It’s about relationships and people praying for each other on a weekly basis.”

St. Stephen’s first got involved with the jail ministry because of John Gayle, a congregation member who was interested in new outreach opportunities.

Gayle, a lawyer who at age 64 specializes in consumer law, had some past experience with criminal law and representing inmates. He already was involved in a church ministry of bringing the Eucharist to people in retirement homes and nursing homes who couldn’t attend church services, and he was drawn to the idea of pursuing a similar ministry at the jail.

Gayle said he wasn’t sure what to expect on his first jail visits. He began simply by reading from the Bible and talking to the men.

“It was such a transforming experience for me in terms of seeing

people who are murders and rapists and all kinds of people, who are no different inside than me in their fears and concerns,” he said. “And I found such a humanity in them that was very inspiring to me.”

Sharing the word of God, ending in silence The Bible studies typically are held in a jail classroom. They start with the Bible passage, sometimes read by one inmate and other times read by several inmates in turn. Then they have a free discussion of what they’ve read.

Dilday said he encourages the inmates to share ways the Bible passages resonate with their experiences. They may choose to read

(continued on page 17)

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Aug. 9, 2017 • 9

The president haunts the Va. race for governor Virginians are used to the president intruding on their lives. When Donald Trump played golf at the course that he owns in the leafy Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., boaters and paddlers were briefly banned from a two-mile stretch of the Potomac River that hugs the course. The policy, ordered by the Secret Service, was abandoned in late July after news reports that among those inconvenienced by the presidential security perimeter were veterans wounded in combat, about whom Trump has gushed.

But in another way, Trump continues to intrude on Virginia.

The state’s gubernatorial election, due on Nov. 7, looks set to become a miniature referendum on his young, controversial administration.

Races for governor in Virginia used to be largely insulated from the national events that shape politics in other large, prosperous states. The state’s quirky tradition of off-year elections tended to reduce turnout, magnifying the strength of the most reliable voters: conservative whites. That gave the upper hand

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to candidates favoured by the etablishment, even as the country as a whole became less conservative.

But Virginia’s politics are aligning with the nation’s, largely because the state is growing and becoming increasingly diverse in the process.

In this year’s contest for governor, that is an opportunity for Ralph Northam, the Democratic nominee, and an obstacle for his Republican opponent, Ed Gillespie. Polls offer conflicting snapshots of the race: a comfortable Democratic lead or a dead heat.

Virginia is the only state in the former Confederacy carried by Hillary Clinton over Trump. Since last November’s election, Trump has become even less popular.

Particularly in the Democratic trove of northern Virginia, which is home to vast numbers of Asians, Hispanics and bureaucrats, the president’s ban on travellers from several mainly Muslim countries, his criticism of government employees and his vow to slash the federal budget have not gone down well.

As a result Northam, emboldened

by a stronger-than-expected performance in the Democratic primary in June, is content to burden Gillespie, who nearly lost the Republican nomination to a Trump sound-alike, with the president’s record. The tactic of “guilt by association” could prove potent.

In particular, the Republican failure to scuttle Obamacare means that health care is once again among voters’ main concerns. This provides ammunition Northam can use in the blue suburbs, where health care is expensive, as well as in the red

countryside, where it is scarce. As a pediatric neurologist who also teaches at a Norfolk medical school, Northam can discuss health care with a measure of authority that perhaps conveys a doctor’s concern, not just a politician’s ambition. He has reduced the debate to one word: Trumpcare, telling audiences it could rob thousands of coverage.

By contrast, Gillespie, who advised George W. Bush junior and was once the chairman of the Republican National Committee, tries to avoid any mention of the president’s name.

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The LEGACY

Humility, hunger pave VCU alumnus’ way to new Netflix series LEILA UGINCIUS More than three decades later, Jason Butler Harner still remembers a few things he learned in Mrs. Rubin’s fourth-grade class at Lemon Road Elementary School.

He learned how to play mahjong, which he still plays on airplane flights to this day.

He learned a lot about Christmas pageants, and appreciates the irony considering his teacher was Jewish.

And he learned that he loves performing.

“We had to do book reports in her class where we dressed like the character and then reported on the book,” Harner recalled. “And I was, and I still am, a huge procrastinator — a lot of creative people are. And I had only half-read the book. So I dressed up as the guy from the book and got really nervous presenting in front of the class.

“And then discovered that I kind of liked it.”

While Harner doesn’t remember the book, he remembers the red jacket his character wore — and how kind Mrs. Rubin was when he got emotional because he was so nervous in front of the class.

“That sort of opened the door on the path to know what happens when you're in front of a group of people,” he said.

Today, Harner is a seasoned veteran of countless stage and screen productions. This week, Netflix debuts his latest series, “Ozark,” in which he stars with Jason Bateman and Laura Linney.

Not bad for someone who didn’t perform in his first play until his second year at the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Theatre. More notable still for someone who didn’t even know he was accepted at VCU until well after the deadline had passed.

“I was all over the map as a highschool student for a whole bunch of reasons,” Harner said. “I had grades

VCU graduate Jason Butler Harner (right) in “Ozark.” all over the map. I was smart, I was in AP classes. I was in a bunch of clubs. But, you know, I was a depressed kid. So I had grades all over the place. And I was president of the drama club and the thespian society, even though I hadn't done plays.”

Harner had applied to some colleges haphazardly, he said, throwing any college information he received — including an unopened letter from VCU — into a box. Thinking he might teach kids with special needs, he applied for a program at Cornell.

He liked the College of William & Mary, so why not apply there? A friend was going to Oberlin, so he applied there as well.

“I literally didn't do one of the [application] essays and thought that it would be OK,” he said.

In mid-to-late April of his last year

of high school, Harner went through his college box and opened the letter from VCU, which turned out to be an acceptance letter that he needed to respond to by April 4. Even though it was well past the deadline, he called the school that day.

“And that's why my first semester I had to live in MCV in those dorms,” he said, “because the [Monroe Park Campus] dorms had filled up. I had to bus — with Larena Muhammed who was also in class — we had to bus every day to go to campus.”

Harner received incredible training at VCU, he said, mostly at the hands of professors Gary and Elizabeth Hopper and from the school’s curriculum, which included work in all aspects of theater. Students had to take a semester of costume construction and a semester of set construction before they were even

allowed to act in their second year.

“At that time, freshmen were not allowed to audition for shows and spent most of their time in classes and working in the shops and backstage,” said Elizabeth Hopper, retired head of design at TheatreVCU. “I do remember one episode when he was in costume construction and working on the trim on a jacket, and he either sewed the trim on the wrong side or set the sleeve in wrong — I can't remember which. But I have a vivid impression of this very tall, skinny kid with this look of frustration and anger on his face, knowing he was going to have to redo everything he just did.”

Harner’s first performance was in “What I Did Last Summer,” which he calls a WASPY version of “Brighton

(continued on page 11)

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Aug. 9, 2017 • 11

Good or bad: New ad stirs up more race conversation STAFF & WIRE There are a series of “talks” that mothers will have with their children at different points throughout their life. There may be conversations centered around dating, sex and drugs. But, for mothers of children of color, there will be a separate series of talks that focus on surviving and responding to the racism they will face in America.

In a new ad from Proctor & Gamble called “The Talk,” the company takes a look at the different conversations black mothers may have with children in order to prepare them for when they become the target of racial bias.

The commercial presents a collection of scenes spanning the last century—in it, a black mother tells her young daughter that being told she was “pretty for a black girl” was not a compliment; another mother reminds her teen son to grab his ID just in case “they” stop him; and a

woman advises her adult daughter about what to do “when” she gets pulled over.

The ad’s female actors evoke intense pain and sadness in their portrayals, seemingly drawing from a sea of their own real-life experiences.

Still, it has its critics, mostly whites and mostly conservatives who say the ad might be the “most racist” commercial any company has ever produced, according to black conservative Anthony Brian Logan.

“The ad is telling kids how the system is stacked against them, how racist white people are and teaching them to fear the police.

“In one scene a mother talks to her son, presumably about the N word, a word uttered by more black musicians than white people these days. ‘It’s an ugly nasty word and you are gonna hear it. Nothing I can do about that,’ she said in the ad.

“A subsequent scene shows a mother during a bygone era telling

(from page 10) All the cast was marvelous and it is Beach Memoirs,” and led to one of his most memorable moments.

During rehearsal, Harner found the first run-through — with just the cast present — incredibly moving.

But when the cast did a second runthrough for invited guests, Harner couldn’t replicate his previous performance and started overacting.

He had no idea, he said, until, “Gary said, ‘I want to show you what you did.’ He started walking around with this crazy gait and flailing arms, and that was me, and I was mortified. But it was an incredible lesson, which I still carry with me to this day. … It was a very big lesson for me that I think about all the time.”

Others recall that role for a different reason.

“That’s where it became apparent to most that he had the natural ability to appear natural on stage,” Elizabeth Hopper said. “Something that is actually very hard. To appear to be a 15-year-old boy who was trying to find himself during the Second World War. To grow up on stage and be a man while still a boy.

still one of my favorite shows ever.”

While many students do not stay in theater, Hopper said, Harner persevered.

“Jason is persistent,” she said.

“If you are not, you will never get anywhere as an actor. It's a tough business and Jason is at heart, body and soul a character actor.”

In “Ozark,” Harner portrays determined FBI agent Roy Petty.

The character, who is gay, has zero shame or secrecy but viewers don't learn why he is so darkly driven until episode eight.

While the series is described as dark and gritty, Harner views it as a metaphor for the average American family.

“I see things in the larger metaphorical senses examining this family — mom, dad, two kids in suburban Chicago — who suddenly have to move to the Ozarks to save their lives literally and save their lives figuratively,” he said. “How would this American family survive outside of the comfort zone of their suburban life? And, yes, mixed into that is drug cartels, strippers and FBI agents shadowing them. But the main reason why I like this show is

A mother tells her young daughter that being told she was “pretty for a black girl” was not a compliment, that she was pretty, period. her daughter headed to camp that she can do anything ‘they’ can do. “‘The difference is you gotta work twice as hard and be twice as smart,’ she said.”

Logan called the ad “overly dramatic” and pointed out that

the ad serves a second purpose of devaluing the need for a “nuclear family” as only one scene showed a father present.

Logan said the ad is unrealistic and noted that he never had a talk like that with any member of his family.”

because how they are human. How they fail where their goodness lies.”

Harner is right at home playing ominous roles, which never fails to amuse Toni-Leslie James, associate professor and director of costume design at TheatreVCU. “He frequently plays very dark characters, which I find amazing, because he's so warm and generous,” said James, a two-time Tony Awards nominee whom Harner met as a graduate student at New York University in 1997. “He is a superb actor, but I was drawn to him immediately because of his excellent sense of humor.

“I swear he’s one of the wittiest people I know. I fault him for introducing me to social media. I joined Facebook in 2008 in order to track down a television producer I had worked with at NBC. My plan was to join, find the producer, then dump the whole thing. Jason messaged me, and I cannot convey what the message was for the general academic population and keep my job, but I laughed so hard I rolled over and fell out of bed. He was my first Facebook friend.”

Harner also strives to be humble

and generous, never taking his success for granted.

“I genuinely always begin from a place of humility,” he said, “because the fact is it's a huge success for anything to make it on a big screen or small screen. Not only for it to be written, [but] cast and produced — it’s a huge, major accomplishment for it to even exist.”

Harner, who just paid off his NYU grad school debt this summer, mentors graduate students in theater. He remembers himself as a student as “really humble and really hungry.”

“I have created this term ‘humbry,’ where you have to be humble and hungry, and that happened when I was in Richmond,” he said. “My life had no direction and there were people in my class that had a lot more training, a lot more prowess, a lot more peacocking than I had. I just learned — and stayed kind of stealth — and learned. … It literally saved my life. The theater saved my life. It gave me something to do but it also gave me an outlet for a lot of feelings and to feel a part of something larger and more important. … I hope that for anybody wherever they go.”

12 • Aug. 9, 2017

The LEGACY

P’Burg superintendent signs new four-year contract Marcus J. Newsome is officially out of retirement.

The Petersburg School Board and Superintendent Marcus J. Newsome have signed a new contract that extends Newsome’s tenure with Petersburg City Public Schools through June 30, 2021. Dr. Newsome took over as Petersburg superintendent, leaving retirement that he had just started, on July 1, 2016, under a four-year contract through 2020.

“We believe Dr. Newsome is the key to putting our schools and students on the path to success,” said Petersburg School Board Chair Kenneth L. Pritchett. “During his first year in Petersburg — despite the city’s financial crisis that led to millions of dollars being taken from schools — Dr. Newsome and his leadership team have done a remarkable amount of work to lay a strong foundation for future achievement. Our new Innovate 2022 strategic plan, moving the middle school to a reinvigorated Vernon Johns building, providing laptops for teachers and mobile devices for all middle school and high school students this fall and creating a framework for effectively using community support are just a few of the accomplishments so far. From the start of Dr. Newsome’s leadership, we have known that it will take time to turn around our schools.

The School Board and I are pleased that Dr. Newsome has extended his commitment.”

Previously, Newsome served for 10 years as superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools and was one of the longest-serving and most successful superintendents of any of the nation’s 100 largest districts. Under his leadership, Chesterfield enjoyed a national reputation for high-performing, award-winning schools, where test scores and graduation rates reached all-time highs.

“His innovative and forwardthinking approach propelled the

Petersburg School Board Chair Kenneth L. Pritchett (left) with Superintendent Marcus J. Newsome. district to become a leader in the use of social media, blended learning, project-based learning, and 21st-century career and technical education,” noted Petersburg Board in a statement.

Earlier in his career, Newsome served as superintendent of Newport News Public Schools and worked in Prince George’s County (Maryland) Public Schools, the nation’s 17thlargest school district, and in the District of Columbia Public Schools where he began his career as an art and mathematics teacher.

“Our work in Petersburg is progressing, but there is more to do,” Dr. Newsome said. “We are setting high expectations and creating processes and practices to help every student achieve those high expectations.

“We are transforming schools to meet the needs of 21st-century

learners and to challenge students with rigorous and relevant content that offers innovative experiences and 24-7 access to learning. There is no question that our students can accomplish anything if we believe in them and provide engaging and relevant learning opportunities.

That is why ‘I believe’ has become our motto. I believe in our students and their families. I believe in our teachers and employees. I believe in Petersburg City Public Schools.”

Petersburg public school system has had some challenges, including failing test scores for years.

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Aug. 9, 2017 • 13

Newport News names new library system director Sonia Alcantara-Antione has been names the new director of Libraries and Information Services for the city of Newport News. She replaces former director Izabela Cieszynski who retired earlier this year after 34 years of service.

Alcantara-Antoine brings over 10 years of progressively responsible experience in library management, educational programming and community services. She comes to Newport News from Virginia Beach where she served as public services manager for the library system. She previously worked for the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore where she served in various capacities to include State Resources

Sonia Alcantara-Antione

Center Manager and Library Supervisor II. Alcantara-Antione has been an active member of the American Library Association, the Public Library Association and the Maryland Library Association where she has held leadership positions and served on various committees. In addition, Alcantara-Antoine has been a peer reviewer for such programs as the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program and the AllAmerica City Awards, a campaign that encourages grade-level reading.

“I am excited that Sonia is joining our leadership team,” said Newport News City Manager Cindy Rohlf. “I look forward to working with her and

the library staff to continue providing outstanding library services and meeting the needs of our library patrons now and in the future.”

Alcantara-Antoine holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Florida Gulf Coast University. She also holds a master’s degree in Library Science from Florida State University and is working towards a second master’s degree in public administration from Old Dominion University.

She begins her new position Sept.

18 with an annual salary of $122,000 and overseeing a $4.6 million operating budget including a staff of 91 employees.

condition. Only 11.6 percent of adults with prediabetes knew they had it.

• Rates of diagnosed diabetes increased with age. Among adults ages 18-44, 4 percent had diabetes.

Among those ages 45-64 years, 17 percent had diabetes. And among those ages 65 years and older, 25 percent had diabetes.

• Rates of diagnosed diabetes were higher among American Indians/ Alaska Natives (15.1 percent), nonHispanic blacks (12.7 percent), and Hispanics (12.1 percent), compared to Asians (8.0 percent) and nonHispanic whites (7.4 percent).

Other differences include: • Diabetes prevalence varied significantly by education. Among U.S. adults with less than a high school education, 12.6 percent had diabetes. Among those with a high school education, 9.5 percent had diabetes; and among those with more

than a high school education, 7.2 percent had diabetes.

• More men (36.6 percent) had prediabetes than women (29.3 percent). Rates were similar among women and men across racial/ethnic groups or educational levels.

• The southern and Appalachian areas of the United States had the highest rates of diagnosed diabetes and of new diabetes cases.

“Consistent with previous trends, our research shows that diabetes cases are still increasing, although not as quickly as in previous years,” said Ann Albright, Ph.D., R.D., director of CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation. “Diabetes is a contributing factor to so many other serious health conditions.

By addressing diabetes, we limit other health problems such as heart disease, stroke, nerve and kidney diseases, and vision loss.”

CDC: More than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes More than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a new report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report finds that as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans – 9.4 percent of the U.S. population –have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have prediabetes, a condition that if not treated often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years.

The report confirms that the rate of new diabetes diagnoses remains steady. However, the disease continues to represent a growing health problem: Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2015. The report also includes county-level data for the first time, and shows that some areas of the country bear a heavier diabetes burden than others.

“Although these findings reveal some progress in diabetes management and prevention, there are still too many Americans with diabetes and prediabetes,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “More than a third of U.S. adults

have prediabetes, and the majority don’t know it. Now, more than ever, we must step up our efforts to reduce the burden of this serious disease.”

Diabetes is a serious disease that can often be managed through physical activity, diet, and the appropriate use of insulin and other medications to control blood sugar levels. People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs.

The National Diabetes Statistics Report, released approximately every two years, provides information on diabetes prevalence and incidence, prediabetes, risk factors for complications, acute and long-term complications, mortality, and costs in the U.S. The report finds that: • In 2015, an estimated 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed among people ages 18 and older.

• Nearly one in four four adults living with diabetes – 7.2 million Americans – didn’t know they had the

14 • Aug. 9, 2017

The LEGACY

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New fact sheet argues that federal gun bill poses ‘dangerous threat’ to Virginia’s public safety A new fact sheet released last week demonstrates the local impact a bill up for debate on Capitol Hill would have on states like Virginia.

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act would force Virginia to allow unvetted people from out of state including people who have not passed a background check and people with no firearm safety training - to carry loaded, hidden guns in public spaces. It’s important to note that this bill would not create a consistent national requirement across states for who is able to get a concealed carry permit, but instead forces states to recognize the concealed carry laws from other states, including states that have weaker standards for what it takes to carry a loaded, hidden gun in public.

“Make no mistake, this dangerous legislation, championed by the corporate gun lobby, has been specifically crafted to overrule each state’s careful judgments about how to best to protect public safety,” said Peter Ambler, executive director of Americans for Responsible Solutions. “If this bill passes, people who currently do not meet Virginia's requirements for what it

Peter Ambler takes to carry a loaded, hidden gun will nevertheless be automatically authorized to carry concealed in Virginia’s public spaces. Forcing states like Virginia to comply with weaker laws from other states will endanger public safety and make it more difficult for police to enforce gun laws that have been proven to save lives.”

Currently, Virginia has the right to choose which states’ concealed carry permits it recognizes, which is important because the requirements to carry hidden, loaded guns in public

vary drastically from state to state.

If the concealed carry reciprocity bill passes, that would no longer be the case and Virginia would be forced to allow unlicensed, unvetted people from out of state to carry concealed guns in public spaces.

Today, 12 states - including Virginia’s neighbor West Virginia do not require any permit or training to carry hidden, loaded guns in public. If this bill becomes federal law, almost any person from these 12 states would be allowed to carry concealed in Virginia, regardless of whether that person meets Virginia’s standards for what it takes to carry a concealed gun in public, such as completing a safety training and passing a background check.

To illustrate the devastating impact this bill would have on Virginia’s public safety, the fact sheet, released today by Americans for Responsible Solutions, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, compares the requirements to carry concealed in Virginia to the requirements to carry concealed in West Virginia, illustrating how this bill would drastically weaken

Virginia’s laws if enacted.

“This proposal would make it easier for dangerous people, like stalkers and domestic abusers, to carry hidden guns in Virginia,” said Cathy Easter, executive director of Safe Harbor. “Under this plan, a survivor of domestic violence could never feel truly safe or completely escape their accuser by going to another state. As our elected leaders in Washington debate this legislation, I hope they consider the many domestic violence survivors who would be threatened by this bill.”

“As more police are being assassinated in ambush killings than in any other time during the past two decades, now is not the time for us to be making it easier for dangerous people from out-of-state to carry loaded, concealed weapons here in Virginia,” said Frank LaPorta, Captain (Ret.) of the Virginia Beach Police Department. “This bill would have a disastrous impact on public safety and law enforcement. I hope our state’s elected leaders in Washington will do the responsible thing for Virginia and reject this

(continued on page 17)

16 • Aug. 9, 2017

Calendar

The LEGACY

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Aug. 12, 10 a.m.

The Hispanic Advisory Committee is hosting 8th Annual International Soccer Tournament and Community Festival at Riverview Farm Park.

From 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., guests can watch international soccer teams play while learning more about programs and resources in the community and enjoying other exciting activities.

The fun doesn’t stop there, the festival is filled with freebies! Kids can receive free school supplies from First Baptist Church Newport News (while supplies last), enjoy free cotton candy and popcorn, and play around in a bounce house.

Kids ages 7-12 interested in sports can learn new skills at the free soccer clinic at 11 a.m. Families can also learn more about citizenship and legal rights at a free “Know your Rights” workshop facilitated by Gardner & Mendoza, P.C. More than 20 community organizations are sharing information about health, safety, education, and recreation programs.

For more information contact Latoya Jefferson at 757-926-6995 or email ljefferson@nnva.gov.

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Include who, what, where, when & contact information that can be printed.

Submission deadline is Friday.

8.31

RSVP act.autismspeaks.org/RichmondKickoff

RVA Women in Audio Open House and Workshop Saturday, Aug. 12, 11 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

WRIR Studios, 1621-B W. Broad St., Richmond No charge, but enrollment required.

Enroll by emailing carololson@wrir.org WRIR and SoundGirls.org will host a career day event, including networking and a series of workshops. Scheduled workshops will cover a variety of studio, broadcast and field recording skills.

Workshop A - In-studio recording session, including interview techniques, with Whitney Whiting.

Workshop B - Planning and broadcasting a music program with DJ Ginger (Kate Andrews), host of WRIR's Wednesday Morning Breakfast Blend.

Workshop C - Editing and post-production with Sonia Silveira, producer of WRIR's Prose & Cons.

Workshop D - Live editing in Studio C with Caroline Griswold, aka Princess Beet Farmer, host of WRIR's Friday Morning Breakfast Blend.

Workshop E - On-the-street field recording with Cameron Robinson, WRIR production coordinator (aka DJ Lylas, host of Tuesday Morning Breakfast Blend).

Workshop F - Different mics, from shotgun to lav, with filmmaker and sound designer Sara Suarez.

All day, participants will network with DJs, producers, volunteers and leaders who are making (sound) waves in Virginia. Anyone interested can participate.

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, 2017.

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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(from page 8) some or all of the passage a second time.

One Bible study session sticks out in Dilday’s mind. The Gospel passage related to the idea of one’s neighbor, he said, and that prompted a discussion about the different ways “neighbor” is understood in American society. A young white man, a middle-aged Latino man and an older black man took particular interest in the subject, and the three inmates engaged in a lively but respectful conversation, with little additional encouragement from Dilday.

The sessions may last an hour or more. To conclude, the group spends a few moments in silent contemplation.

“Silence, I suspect, is rare,” Dilday said. “When those moments of intentional silence are offered, I think they’re appreciated.”

The St. Stephen’s growing team of volunteers has mirrored an overall growth trend in the Richmond jail’s chaplaincy program. It is overseen by the jail’s sole paid chaplain, the Rev. Louis Williams, who estimates about 150 volunteers participate in the program, an increase of about 60 to 70 since he became chief of

chaplains in January 2016.

The Richmond City Justice Center’s inmate population tops 1,000 on an average day, making it the second largest jail in the state behind the jail in Norfolk, Williams said.

The chaplains, primarily lay people, come from dozens of congregations in the Richmond area. One of the chaplains is a Muslim, though most are from various Christian denominations. Some conduct worship services. Others have led groups of inmates in singing hymns.

The volunteers must be recommended by a congregation, fill out an application, undergo a background check and attend an orientation, but one of the most important criteria is that they “have a gift and skill and passion in terms to ministering to the least of these,” Williams said, invoking Matthew 25:40.

Williams, a Presbyterian minister known at the jail as “Pastor Louis,” advises new chaplains during orientation they should be true to their beliefs, but also respectful of other faiths. The jail calls its inmates “residents,” in recognition that most of them are preparing to someday re-enter society. For spiritually

(from page 15) irresponsible measure.”

“As a law enforcement professional, I swore an oath to protect our communities from harm. Federally mandated concealed carry reciprocity will make it harder for law enforcement to uphold that Cathy Easter oath,” said Tim Heaphy, former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia. “As leaders in Washington prepare to vote, they should remember the broad opposition among law enforcement for this irresponsible legislation.”

“As commonwealth’s attorney, I have seen how guns, whether in the hands of dangerous or untrained individuals, can lead to tragedy. We need to be making it easier for law enforcement to protect our communities and do their jobs, not harder,” said Michael R. Doucette, commonwealth’s attorney for the city of Lynchburg. “This proposal would take Virginia in the wrong direction; making it easier for unlicensed, untrained and unvetted persons to carry loaded concealed weapons in our state.

I hope our elected leaders in Washington will listen to members of law enforcement who are overwhelmingly opposed to this federally mandated concealed carry reciprocity.

“This is a safety issue for each state to determine for itself, not Congress.”

receptive jail residents, Williams said, simply sharing faith through scripture can help them succeed on that path.

“Scripture is used to build up people’s identity and give them different perspective, God’s perspective, on who they are,” he said.

Prayer through a cell door The chaplains take a different approach to ministering to inmates held in isolation, also known as solitary confinement. There is no Bible study here. A deputy is always present. Conversation occurs only while kneeling at the cell door and looking at each other through the door’s narrow slot.

Williams provides additional orientation for these visits, advising the chaplains to emphasize their prayer ministry, not just conversation with the inmates.

Dilday and Gayle are the two chaplains from St. Stephen’s who presently participate in this ministry, typically about once a month. Each time, they visit about 20 to 25 men, never for more than 10 minutes at a time.

The inmates seem to value the

human interaction and often have serious concerns they want to share, Dilday said. One man said he was having a hard time dealing with the news that his child had died while he was locked up.

In isolation, “the stories that are shared are a little rawer,” Dilday said. “It can sometimes be hard to leave the jail after hearing those stories.” Such stories can haunt chaplains well after the cell door slot closes shut.

The chaplains don’t serve the Eucharist here, but they are able to hold the inmates’ hands through the slot and pray with them.

Dilday said he wasn’t fearful of visiting the jail’s isolation cells, but initially he felt he was venturing into the unknown. Would it be more difficult to talk with the inmates held here, isolated for a range of infractions?

He and Gayle found that wasn’t the case at all. They and the other jail chaplains have found these visits inspiring, and not just for the inmates.

“This has been transformative to people at St. Stephen’s just as much as it has been transformative for people at the jail,” Dilday said.

18 • Aug. 9, 2017

The LEGACY ads@legacynewspaper.com Serving Richmond & Hampton Roads 409 E. Main St. #4 (mailing) • 105 1/2 E. Clay St. (office) Richmond, VA 23219 804-644-1550 (office) • 800-783-8062 (fax) Ad Size 3.4 inches - 1 column(s) X 1.7 inches) LEGAL, EMPLOYMENT, ANNOUNCEMENTS, FOR SALE, SERVICES ads@legacynewspaper.com

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2002 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 2B4GP74L22R751520 1988 CHEVROLET CELEBRITY 1G1AW51R3JG103413 2001 FORD TAURUS 1FAHP56S51A157075 1990 FORD B600 BUS 1FDXJ65P3LVA46695 2003 LEXUS ES 300 JTHBF30G230132234 1995 HONDA ACCORD 1HGCE6666SA005148 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1G2WJ52KXVF345726 1995 MAZDA 626 1YVGE22C1S5357593 2005 SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK JF1GG68595H811419 2003 AUDI A4 QUATTRO WAULC68E73A158998 1995 HONDA CIVIC 1HGEJ2226SL037313 1999 HYUNDAIELANTRA KMHJW35F1XU138209 2003 VOLVO XC90 YV1CZ59H831006873 2006 PONTIAC G6 1G2ZH158564243703 1998 TOYOTA CAMRY 4T1BF28K0WU066019 2001 HOMEMADE TRAILER VA273324TR 1995 HONDA PASSPORT 4S6CG58V9S4402717 1997 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA JM1NA3537V0728994 1996 BUICK REGAL 2G4WF52K7T1436580 1999 NISSAN MAXIMA JN1CA21DXXT820962 1995 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 WDBEB31E0SC258644 1999 DODGE DAKOTA 1B7GL22Y0XS284958

SEIBERT’S is now accepting vehicles on consignment!

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PRINT & DIGITAL AD SALES EXECUTIVE

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1 Issue - $37.40 Rate: $11 per column inch GRTC launches the Ad Size: 6.5 inches (1 column(s) X 6.5 inches) “GRTC Apprenticeship HEALTH/PERSONALS/MISCELLANEOUS Includes Internet placement 2 Issues (8/2 & 8/9) - $155.10 ($77.55 per ad) Program” Rate: $11 per column inch A paid, on-the-job Please reviewHAD the proof, any needed changes and return by fa IF YOU HIPmake OR KNEE REPLACEMENT training program that If SURGERY your responseAND is not SUFFERED received by deadline, your ad may not be Thank you forIncludes your interest in applying for AN INFECTION Internet placement will develop certified opportunities with The City of Richmond. between 2010 and the present time, you may be journey-level mechanics Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail.Ok X________________________________________ To see what opportunities are available, please entitled to compensation. and ensure GRTC If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted. refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com.

Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson maintains an adequate Ok with changes X ____________________________ Ok X_________________________________________ EOE M/F/D/V 1-800-535-5727 staff of highly qualified mechanics.

After an apprentice REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m.

EQUAL HOUSING NOTICE Ok with changes XOPPORTUNITY _____________________________ completes the 6,000DENTAL INSURANCE hour / 36-month training We are pledged to the letter and schedule in a variety of REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m. spirit of Virginia's policy for achieving Call Physicians Mutual Insurance journey-level mechanic equal housing opportunity throughout disciplines, GRTC Company for details. NOT just a the commonwealth. aims to retain and hire discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 apprentices as fullprocedures. time employees. Both We encourage and support advertising 844-709-6890 or http://www. external and internal and marketing programs in which there dental50plus.com/28 Ad# 6118 candidates are eligible are no barriers to obtaining housing for the Apprenticeship because of race, color, religion, national Program. Applicants must be at least 18 origin, sex, elderliness, familial status or years of age at the time handicap. of appointment as an The LEGACY is looking for a reliable, apprentice mechanic highly-motivated, goal-driven sales For more information or to file a and must possess a professional to join our team selling housing complaint, call the Virginia valid Virginia Driver’s print and digital advertising in the License.

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Interested? toll-free call (888) 551-3247.

Contact GRTC’s Human Duties include: Resources Specialist in Building and maintaining relationships For the hearing-impaired, Recruitment: Melissa. with new/existing clients call (804) 367-9753 or e-mail Meeting and exceeding monthly sales Shelton@ridegrtc.com, goals fairhousing@dpor.virginia.gov.

804-474-9335.

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, professional image and; Familiarity with Richmond and/or Hampton Roads areas.

Call 804 644 1550

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.

Aug. 9, 2017 • 19

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AUCTIONS EBIDLOCAL.com STATEWIDE ONLINE AUCTIONS: Farm Equipment Implements, Auto Parts Repair Shop Tools, Antiques Collectibles Store, Many More! No Reserve - Live Previews - Bid Online Now! (vaf#777, 804-358-0500) www.

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Land Auction: 415± Acres of Ag & Timberland Offered in 9 Tracts, located in Botetourt and Bedford Counties, Virginia. Valuable Mineral Lease. Auction held Tuesday, August 29, 5:00 PM at the Charles R. Hill Senior Center (behind Vinton War Memorial).

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We have opened an additional office in Newport News, and making plans to operate an additional office in Saluda, where we’ve been offered office space, a four bedroom house and double wide trailer on 10 acres of land for transitional housing for formerly incarcerated person. It is our vision to offer housing, job readiness training, employment and opportunity for individuals throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia for a second chance at life “To Get It Right” For more information, contact Richard Walker 804 248-6756 Thinking of buying a new or used car?Call to get current promotional pricing and local dealer incentives for free.

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Please support Bridging The Gap In Virginia's efforts to continue to provide reentry services to returning citizen “Overcoming Barriers” that they face in life. We are asking that you make tax deductible donation to our organization. We gratefully appreciate your continued support of our goals to help others.

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DENTAL Insurance Physicians Mutual Insurance Company

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