By George Copeland Jr.
was during the pandemic,” he said.
Lawmakers, activists demand reform at Red Onion prison protest
By George Copeland Jr.
Nearly 40 people, including residents, prison justice advocates and lawmakers, gathered Wednesday at the Bell Tower at the Virginia State Capitol to denounce conditions at Red Onion State Prison and demand accountability and reform.
The cold air did little to deter the assembled group, which included activists, Virginia Defenders members, and Delegates Michael Jones and Holly Seibold. Speeches from organizers were shared alongside statements and quotes from those inside the facility, with stories of the conditions inmates face spurring chants of “Shut it down!”
“No one wants to be in those conditions, and the men there don’t want to,” Jones said. “We need to find a way to get them out.”
The rally was the latest response to efforts by inmates to secure transfers out of Red Onion and spotlight the harsh treatment and conditions at the prison, including a hunger strike and incidents last year where six inmates set themselves on fire.
A rally organizer read quotes from Ekong Eshiet, a 28-year-old Black man held at Red Onion, who says he has faced racial and religious harassment and discrimination.
“If I have to, I don’t mind setting myself on fire again,”
Maternal
Similar sights could be found in stores across the city, as Richmonders worked to adapt to living without running water for days. Monday afternoon saw the City of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Health issue a boil water advisory to residents, citing a power failure and flooding at the City’s water treatment plant due to the snowstorm that began Sunday evening.
health and racial equity top Virginia NAACP’s legislative agenda
By George Copeland Jr.
Days before the planned start of the 2025 General Assembly, the Virginia NAACP outlined its legislative priorities for the session during a virtual press conference Monday afternoon.
“Virginia cannot truly progress until all Virginians have equal and equitable access,” Virginia NAACP President Cozy Bailey said, “and this can only be done by keeping Black people at the top of every agenda.”
Addressing inequality and inequity was a recurring theme among the priorities outlined by Virginia NAACP leaders, including Gaylene Kanoyton, Tracey
The Associated Press
Three former sheriff’s deputies in Virginia have been charged with second degree murder over the death of a man they restrained at a local jail last year, prosecutors announced Friday.
Cozy Bailey
Hardney-Scott, and Valerie Slater.
The leaders pledged to support bills targeting climate racism, inequities in health care, disparities in transit and housing and barriers to economic empowerment and voting rights.
The Virginia NAACP supports three proposed constitutional amendments: restoring rights for the formerly incarcerated, protecting reproductive freedom, and ensuring marriage equality.
“The Virginia NAACP remains committed to ad-
A special grand jury returned the indictments after meeting three times to hear evidence, said Colin Stolle, the Virginia Beach commonwealth’s attorney.
Sharpton
“As in all cases involving the tragic loss of life, my office is committed to seeking justice for Rolin Hill,” the prosecutor said.
The local medical examiner found Hill, 34, died from “positional and mechanical asphyxia due to restraint with neck and torso compression.” The office ruled his death a homicide. Hill was arrested in June on charges of
vancing justice and equity across all sectors,” Virginia NAACP Vice President and Political Action Chair Gaylene Kanoyton said, “ensuring that the voices of marginalized communities are heard and prioritized in the legislative process.”
When it came to specific policy areas, Virginia NAACP leaders were committed to ensuring diversity, equity and inclusivity in schools funded, teachers hired and the curriculum taught. Protecting students’ rights and freedom of speech on campus was emphasized.
Women’s health is a major part of the groups’
As a result, Richmond residents were urged to conserve water where they could and boil it before use until further notice. The counties of Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover, meanwhile, removed themselves from the Richmond water supply and switched to their own.
Richmond officials continued to stress the importance of limiting water usage throughout the week as repairs continued.
“There is a really important message around conservation,” Richmond Mayor Danny Avula said during a press conference Wednesday. “We cannot start the clock on testing our water until we have full pressure throughout the system.”
As of publication, Richmond’s boil advisory was expected to remain in place through Friday, according to Avula. Hanover County later issued a boil water advisory for residents east of Interstate 95, while an advisory was later issued by Henrico officials for county residents on Wednesday after declaring a local state of emergency Tuesday.
In place of running water, officials across the Greater Richmond area set up distribution sites at libraries, community centers and other locations for the community to pick up bottled water for cooking, cleaning and other uses.
“Starting 2025 off with a water shortage was not on our bingo cards,” said Sami Ali,
to lead King Day events in D.C. to honor Dr. King’s legacy Ex-deputies in Virginia charged with murder over inmate’s death while restrained trespassing, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office said last year. The office said Hill was booked into the jail and deputies restrained him because he was uncooperative and combative. He experienced a medical emergency and was taken to the hospital, the office said.
Free Press staff report
The Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, will lead a series of events in Washington, D.C., and New York during the week of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s birthday. These events will serve aim to rally support for civil rights issues, including voting rights, diversity, equity and inclusion and criminal justice reform, as a second Trump administration nears.
Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb said last year that his office would investigate but also had asked the Virginia State Police to conduct an independent review. Following updates from State Police in October, Holcomb said the deputies were no longer employed by his office. The former deputies who’ve been charged are Eric G. Baptiste, 39, of Virginia Beach; Michael C. Kidd, 39, of Chesapeake;
in
Rolin Hill
Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Van Tatum, an employee at Kroger in Carytown, stocks shelves with sparkling water, the only bottled water remaining after the water bottle aisle was cleared out by customers within two hours of Richmond issuing a boil water advisory Monday, Jan. 7. The advisory followed a winter storm-related outage that caused a failure at
Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Anna Edwards, a member of the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality, speaks at a Jan. 8 rally at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square, calling for the shutdown of Red Onion and Wallens Ridge state
Azurest South named a national historic landmark
Free Press staff report
Virginia State University announced this week that Azurest South, also known as the Alumni House, has been designated as one of the nation’s newest National Historic Landmarks. The designation was part of a group of 19 new NHLs revealed by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. The designation is the highest federal recognition for a property’s historical, architectural or archaeological significance.
“This is a proud moment for Virginia State University and one of its most cherished landmarks,” said Franklin JohnsonNorwood, VSU’s executive director of alumni engagement and advancement services. “This designation underscores Azurest South’s enduring significance in American architectural history.”
Azurest South was built in 1939 by VSU alumna Amaza Lee Meredith, one of the first documented female African American architects. The building, considered a notable example of residential design at the time, also served as the home of Meredith and her partner, Dr. Edna Meade Colson, until Meredith’s death
in 1984. Azurest South also is featured in the “Dear Maize” exhibit at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, which showcases the work of Meredith and her impact on architecture, culture and design.
The structure is one of the few remaining examples of International Style architecture in Virginia. In 1986, it became VSU’s official Alumni House, fulfilling Meredith’s goal of establishing such a facility on campus.
The NHL designation highlights the building’s value in reflecting the historical and cultural significance of the United States.
“As America’s storyteller, it is our privilege at the Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service, to tell our nation’s history and honor the many historical chapters and heroic communities that brought us to where we all are today,” Haaland said in a news release. “These newly designated historic landmarks join a list of the nation’s premier historic and cultural places, all of which were nominated through voluntary and locally led stewardship.”
In 2024, VSU received a $150,000 grant to assist in the conservation of Azurest South. The funding, provided by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, will support efforts to preserve the property for future generations.
continues
For the week ending Saturday, Jan. 4, COVID-19 accounted for 1.6% of all emergency department visits in Virginia, with overall respiratory illness high and trending down compared to previous data. No deaths associated with COVID-19 were reported within that period at time of publication. COVID-19 wastewater levels for Richmond and Henrico County had plateaued as of the most recent sample collection week on Sunday, Dec. 22. Information on COVID-19 testing sites from the Richmond and Henrico health districts were unavailable at press time. RHHD’s Resource Centers are providing free at-home tests for pickup at select locations:
• Creighton Court at 2150 Creighton Road, call 804-371-0433.
• Fairfield Court at 2311 N. 25th St., call 804-786-4099.
• Gilpin Court at 436 Calhoun St., call 804-786-1960.
• Hillside Court at 1615 Glenfield Ave., call 804-230-7740.
• Mosby Court at 1536 Coalter St., call 804-786-0204.
• Southwood Court at 1754 Clarkson Road. Unit #B, call 804-230-2077.
• Whitcomb Court at 2106 Deforrest St., call 804-786-0555. For Virginia Department of Health testing locations, visit vdh. virginia.gov. Additional testing site information can be found at vax.rchd.com. Four free at-home COVID tests can be ordered at covidtest.gov, while supplies last.
Want a COVID-19 vaccine?
Individuals interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can schedule an appointment with the Richmond and Henrico health districts by calling (804) 205-3501. Additionally, vaccines.gov provides a list of pharmacies and clinics offering the vaccine. You also can find locations by texting your ZIP code to 438829 or calling 1-800-232-0233. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers a vaccine locator at vaccines.gov. The CDC recommends the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone age 6 months and older. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are approved for everyone age 6 months and up, while Novavax is for those age 12 and older. Compiled by George Copeland Jr.
Cityscape
McEachin announces re-election bid for Richmond commonwealth’s attorney
Colette McEachin, Richmond’s commonwealth’s attorney, officially launched her campaign for re-election this week, seeking the Democratic nomination in the June 17 primary. McEachin touts her tenure as a period of both crime reduction and significant criminal justice reform in the city.
“I am proud to stand by my record of keeping Richmonders safe while bringing criminal justice reform to our community,” McEachin said in a statement. “During my tenure, crime rates have fallen significantly, including murders, shootings, robberies of individuals and the level of gun violence.”
As part of her re-election pitch, McEachin emphasized her efforts to address issues of justice and fairness in Richmond’s criminal justice system.
One of her key initiatives, she noted, was the creation of the Community Justice Reform Unit in 2021. Under this unit, McEachin’s office implemented the Restorative Justice program, an alternative to conviction or incarceration.
The commonwealth’s attorney also highlighted the office’s work in facilitating the expungement process for individuals seeking to clear their criminal records. She pointed to the initiative as one of her office’s efforts to reduce barriers for those seeking a second chance.
Additionally, McEachin underscored her commitment to increasing
accessibility to the public, noting her participation in community events. The Community Justice Unit has held six “Conversations with the Commonwealth” across the city to address topics such as public safety in schools and issues with local mail delivery.
However, McEachin’s re-election bid comes amid some lingering criticisms of her leadership during her tenure. In particular, her handling of police misconduct cases has drawn scrutiny. In 2021, defense attorney Tom Barbour challenged McEachin in the Democratic primary, criticizing her office for lacking racial diversity and for not adequately holding police officers accountable.
Aditionally, McEachin’s decision not to pursue charges against officers involved in incidents during the 2020 protests against police violence sparked criticism.
Volunteers needed for free health care clinic in Cumberland
Free Press staff report
Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit organization providing free dental, vision and medical care through pop-up clinics, is seeking volunteers for its two-day health care clinic in Cumberland. The clinic will be held March 29-30 at Cumberland High School, located at 15 School Road in Cumberland.
RAM is looking for medical, dental and vision professionals, as well as general support staff. Volunteers also are needed to assist with setup on March 28 and takedown on March 30. In addition, volunteers are needed for overnight parking duties to greet patients, and interpreters are needed to help patients navigate the process, both in the parking lot and during clinic operations. Volunteers do not need to have a medical background to assist with general support.
The clinic will offer free services, including dental cleanings, fillings, extractions, X-rays, eye exams, eyeglass prescriptions and general medical and women’s health exams. All services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, with no ID required.
To volunteer or for more information, visit ramusa. org/volunteer or call 865-579-1530.
Juliane Hillian Tripp/Richmond Free Press
Low water levels in recent weeks have exposed a buildup of trash, debris and even scooters
in Richmond’s canals near the 14th Street entrance. Maintenance and cleanup efforts are being coordinated by Venture Richmond and the City of Richmond Department of Public Works. According to a representative from Venture Richmond,
Free Press staff report
Courtesy City of Petersburg
File photo
Virginia State University’s Azurest South, a historic home designed by one of the first documented female African American architects.
Courtesy Remote Area Medical
A volunteer at a recent health care event conducts an eye exam.
April Coleman/Richmond Free Press
Positive COVID-19 tests as recent holiday season and winter temperatures bring people indoors in close contact.
Colette McEachin
Water crisis tests City’s response, resilience
Continued from A1
For Richmond officials, the water crisis is the first major test of Avula’s administration, impacting not only local operations like schools and businesses but also state functions. The water issues led to hourlong delay to the start of the 2025 General Assembly session on Wednesday and a recess until Monday.
The National Guard stepped in to assist with water distribution in Richmond on Tuesday, with Gov. Glenn Youngkin announcing their involvement Wednesday.
Richmond has seen gains and setbacks since officials reported issues at the treatment plant, including an electric panel malfunction that delayed the restoration process. As of publication, five pumps and 15 filters in the city’s water treatment plant were active, producing up to 69 million gallons daily at press time.
While officials have sought to keep the public calm and informed about the situation, and promised after-action investigations and reports, questions remain about future risks..
Forecasts have predicted another snowstorm over the weekend, raising the possibility of further challenges in restoring water access. City officials emphasized that they are taking all necessary measures to prepare.
“We are doing everything we can to really accurately diagnose what happened, why did the power outage lead to flooding, and how do we avoid that from happening with this upcoming event,” Avula said.
“That risk exists, our job is to mitigate that risk, and so we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Left, Mayor Danny Avula provides an update on the city’s water treatment plant restoration efforts at a news conference Jan. 8, alongside city officials. Left middle, Priscilla Wright with the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department distributes water to cars at Midtown Green on West Leigh Street on Jan. 7. City of Richmond Human Services partnered with the Richmond Sheriff’s Office and the American Red Cross to provide bottled water in high-priority areas. Below, cars were turned away from Pine Camp Community Center on Old Brook Road after the water supply ran out. The site was one of 11 set up after a boil water advisory was issued following a winter storm-related outage. A truck soon delivered more water and a new line formed. Bottom left, James Thomas (front) and Collin Owen (back) of Richmond City Parks and Recreation unload cases of 10-year shelf-life emergency drinking water at Pine Camp Community Center Jan. 7. Below, Fahim Alam (left) and his father, Syful Alam (right), fill their shopping cart with water at a Lidl on Staples Mill Road in Henrico. They planned to deliver the water to family members in Richmond.
Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Ex-deputies charged with murder over inmate’s death while restrained
Continued from A1 who was traveling from Pine Camp Community Center to other distribution sites in Richmond to find water. “However, we appreciate how the shortage has brought the community together.”
and Kevin B. Wilson, 34, of Virginia Beach.
An attorney for Baptiste, Brian Latuga, expressed condolences to Hill’s family in a statement to The Associated Press. But Latuga said Baptiste “had an exemplary career dedicated to serving and protecting this community” and “has been wrongfully accused of a horrendous crime.”
“We ask the public to withhold judgment upon Mr. Baptiste as the legal process takes place,” Latuga said. “We are confident that the evidence will clear his name of any wrongdoing in the unfortunate death of Mr. Hill.”
Lawyers for Kidd and Wilson did not immediately respond to emails from the AP seeking comment on their behalf. Holcomb, the sheriff, said in a statement Friday he has “faith in the criminal justice system to ensure justice is served for both Rolin Hill and the individuals involved in this incident.”
WAVY-TV reported in June that the Virginia Beach chapter of the NAACP had raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding Hill’s death.
Sharpton to lead King Day events in D.C. to honor Dr. King’s legacy
Continued from A1
“As we honor Dr. King’s legacy this year, our nation again stands at a crossroads in the fight for the soul of America,” Sharpton said. “On the eve of Donald Trump’s second term, we need to be clear: Dr. King did not march, preach and lay down his life so that we would retreat into hatred and division. This moment demands that we be louder, stronger and more determined than ever to keep Dr. King’s dream alive.”
The events will begin Jan. 15 with an MLK Day legislative breakfast in Washington and will culminate Jan. 20 with a rally and march in D.C. In between, a King Day policy forum will be held on Jan. 18 at NAN’s House of Justice in Harlem, where leaders from the New York area will discuss strategies for advancing civil rights protections.
The MLK Day birthday breakfast will be held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sharpton will host the annual breakfast with elected officials, civil rights leaders and national stakeholders to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and discuss ongoing challenges to DEI and voting rights. On Jan. 18, NAN’s King Day Policy Forum will take place at the House of Justice in New York, where local leaders will gather to discuss strategies to protect DEI policies and civil rights as Trump’s second term approaches.
The Washington rally and march on Jan. 20 will begin at McPherson Square at 10 a.m., followed by a march to Metropolitan AME Church, where the rally will continue at noon. The church is home to the graves of both Frederick Douglass and Rosa Parks. For more information about the events visit nationalactionnetwork.net.
The Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported in October that it had run Hill’s obituary, which said he was an Eagle Scout who loved surfing, skateboarding and hanging out with his family. It also stated that “mental health in America is still a major issue,” and requested that any donations go to mental health
foundations. On Wednesday, a Virginia Beach judge granted bond to the three former sheriff’s deputies charged in connection with the death of Hill. Each were all granted a $5,000 bond, with no movement restrictions.
Lawmakers, activists demand reform at Red Onion prison protest
he said, according to the statement. “And this time, I’ll set my whole body on fire before I have to stay up here and do the rest of my time up here. I would rather die before I stay up here.”
The incidents of self-immolation and inmate statements highlighted by the Virginia Defenders last year sparked reporting, nationwide attention and increased scrutiny of Red Onion’s operations.
In response, Virginia Department of Corrections Director Chadwick Dotson questioned the credibility of the allegations and the mental health of the inmates, inviting members of the General Assembly to visit the prison and assess the conditions firsthand.
“The recent round of stories about Red
Onion are nothing more than bad-faith efforts to try to score cheap political points by advocacy groups who pursue prison abolition and policies that would make Virginians less safe,” Dotson said in a statement.
“Virginia needs secure facilities in which to house the Commonwealth’s most violent offenders, and Red Onion State Prison serves that purpose.”
For Seibold, who visited Red Onion before the burnings, and Jones, who visited afterward, their experiences underscored the urgent need for action. Both pointed to issues at Red Onion and similar facilities, including the widespread use of solitary confinement, roaming guard dogs, a heavy reliance on local residents for staffing and a lack of rehabilitation programs.
“Will they be equipped to reintegrate as healthy contributing members of society,”
Seibold asked, “or are they going to return more damaged and disconnected than before and then just return back to prison?”
Seibold is introducing a bill to regulate prison temperatures for livable conditions, while Jones plans legislation limiting how far inmates can be incarcerated from home, among other measures.
Andrea Sapone, the state’s new corrections ombudsman, has stated that her office will prioritize an investigation into Red Onion and the allegations against the facility once it is fully staffed. Phil Wilayto of the Virginia Defenders emphasized that sustained mass organizing is essential for driving meaningful change in prison operations.
“You are here on a cold day when you could be out getting water,” Wilayto said. “But you are here because you care. That’s what we need to do.”
Maternal health, racial equity top Virginia NAACP’s legislative agenda
priorities for health care, with a focus on bills reducing maternal mortality rates, particularly for Black women, featured alongside legislation on expanded access to Medicaid and mental health services.
The association’s priorities for environment and climate justice run the gamut from policies focused on clean air, land and water, and investing in clean energy and climate adaptation to food justice and reaching zero carbon emissions and waste management.
“It is undeniable that Black communities, low resource neighborhoods and communities of color continue to bear the brunt of environmental and climate challenges,” Environmental Climate Justice Chair Karen Campblin said. “This is not just an environmental and climate issue, it is a matter of justice.”
Race and justice priorities include gun violence prevention, sealing youth criminal records, police accountability, raising the minimum age for prosecution, ending private prisons and dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. Bills focused on affordable housing, tenant rights, homelessness prevention will also be supported by the association this session.
In addition to these priorities, VA NAACP will monitor other policies and legislation during the session, including bills limiting early voting periods, the use of generative artificial intelligence in the criminal justice system and the dilution of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Officials criticized Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s plans to eliminate the state car tax, which Bailey called “eye candy,” and to allocate $25 million for partnerships
between historically Black colleges and state-owned lab schools.
“Although that sounds great, it is not fair to our Virginia families to put a Band-Aid on early childhood education,” Kanoyton said. “We need to have a long-term plan to keep lab schools at HBCUs, not just a short-term plan.”
While the impact of water issues in Richmond delayed the start of the General Assembly, Virginia NAACP officials made clear their advocacy extends beyond the halls of the State Capitol and will take whatever form necessary to ensure their goals for a fairer and more just society.
“We work within a system that has not always served Black Americans well to improve that system for current and future generations,” Bailey said. “We will not rest until equity is achieved and discrimination is eliminated.”
Hampton honors the ‘Dixie Three’ for defying segregation at hospital
PreK-8 School.
Free Press staff report
The City of Hampton dedicated a Heritage marker Saturday morning to recognize three Black nurses who, in 1963, risked their careers to challenge segregation at Dixie Hospital in Hampton.
The women, known as the Dixie Three — Mildred Smith, Patricia Taylor and Agnes Stokes — made history when they protested the segregated staff areas by sitting in the hospital’s whites-only cafeteria. Their act of defiance led to a legal battle that would ultimately result in a historic victory.
Mayor Jimmy Gray spoke at the ceremony, emphasizing the importance of recognizing those whose contributions to history often go unnoticed.
The marker sits at the former site of Dixie Hospital, which is now the Hunter B. Andrews
As MLK
“Often history is made quietly, gradually, by ordinary men and women whose names are not known beyond their hometowns,” Gray said. “These three ladies made a profound statement with the simple act of sitting down to eat.”
In 1963, when the Dixie Three refused to accept the segregated lunchroom for Black staff, they were dismissed from their positions. Though their initial lawsuit was dismissed by the U.S. District Court, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals later ruled in 1966 that their constitutional rights had been violated. The court ordered their reinstatement and awarded them full back pay, setting a significant legal precedent for civil rights in the workplace. In celebration of their legacy, a
holiday nears, Bernice King urges people to focus on his teachings
By Kate Brumback The Associated Press
As the holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. approaches, his daughter is urging people to really focus on his teachings and work throughout the coming year, rather than just quoting him or celebrating for a day.
The Rev. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center in Atlanta, spoke Tuesday as she kicked off a series of events — summits, service projects and educational opportunities — leading up to Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 20. Coretta Scott King founded the King Center in 1968 to memorialize her husband’s life, work, legacy and commitment to nonviolence.
As she outlined the plans for the King holiday observance and talked about the King Center’s future, Bernice King reflected on violence and hardship in the world. She also spoke about the upcoming presidential inauguration of Donald Trump — which falls on the MLK holiday — and on the legacy of President Jimmy Carter. Here are some of her observations.
Harris
How to truly honor MLK
“As we prepare for a new presidential administration — or a repeat in some ways — this King holiday, I am calling on all people of goodwill and conscience to do more than commemorate and celebrate King for a day,” King said. “I’m calling us to do more than, quote King, which we love to do.”
So often, she said, people tell her they’re doing something to further or honor her father’s dream and work, but their actions or motivations don’t always reflect his message.
“I always ask people, are you doing it in the spirit of Dr. King? You know, are you doing it from a compassionate place, from a love-centered place? Are you doing it in a way that respects the dignity and worth of all individuals?” she said.
In addition to honoring her father on the observance of his birthday, she called on people to pledge to work daily at “learning how to live together, together as brothers and sisters” and to commit daily “to embrace the spirit of nonviolence.”
Sharing the King holiday with Trump’s inauguration This will be the third time
unveils
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
since the federal King holiday was first celebrated nearly 40 years ago that it has coincided with the presidential inauguration. Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama each were sworn in for their second terms on the holiday.
“I’m just glad it happened that way, that it’s not a day that he can be the star, which he loves to be,” King said of Trump. “He has to contend with that legacy on that day, regardless of how he manages it and handles it in his presentation.
I hope those around him are advising him well to honor the day appropriately in his speech.” King said she encourages people to really amplify the teachings and work of her father and other civil rights leaders on the holiday.
Mission Possible
For this year’s observance, the King Center has chosen the theme: “Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence365.” On its website, the King Center says
Noviolence365 is “a love-centered way of thinking, speaking, acting, and engaging that leads to personal, cultural and societal transformation.”
These are challenging times that have left some people feeling hopeless because of economic uncertainty, dissatisfaction with election outcomes or pervasive violence, King said. This year’s theme is meant to inspire people by reminding them that even though her parents and other civil rights activists faced “incredible obstacles” they were able to “shift the culture” and effect real change.
“It means that we have the capacity in our humanity to cultivate and protect freedom, justice and democracy,” she said. “But we have to do it in the right spirit and that’s Nonviolence365, Kingian nonviolence.”
The best president?
King spoke fondly of Jimmy Carter, the former president who died last month at 100. She said she plans to attend his funeral at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday. While acknowledging it may not be a popular opinion, she said she believes he was the best presi-
dent of her lifetime, perhaps ever. She called him “such a selfless, humble person who really cared about humanity.”
“Both President Jimmy Carter and my father showed us what is possible when your faith compels you to live and lead from a love-centered place,” King said.
King holiday events As it does every year, the King Center has planned more than a week of events culminating in a commemorative service that will be held at Ebenezer Baptist Church on the King holiday.
Other events include the Beloved Community Awards show, which the King Center says celebrates people and organizations that “exemplify excellence in leadership, pursue social justice, and who are helping to create the Beloved Community, as envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”
There is also a workshop on nonviolence, a teach-in to educate schoolchildren about the legacies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, and a service project to assemble and provide care kits to people in need.
rule to erase $49B in medical debt from credit reports
Vice President Kamala Harris has announced a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule to eliminate medical debt from consumer credit reports. The White House explained in a release that the action would remove $49 billion in unpaid medical bills, benefiting 15 million Americans by raising credit scores and improving access to home loans, cars, and small businesses.
Administration officials further noted that states and localities have already leveraged funds from the American Rescue Plan to eliminate over $1 billion in medical debt for more than 700,000 Americans. These efforts
McDonald’s
By Dee-Ann Durbin The Associated Press
are part of a broader push to reduce the financial strain caused by medical emergencies, with jurisdictions projected to eliminate roughly $15 billion in medical debt for up to six million individuals.
“No one should be denied economic opportunity because they got sick or experienced a medical emergency.
That is why we have worked to cancel more than $1 billion in medical debt with support from the American Rescue Plan,” Harris said during the announcement. “This final rule ensures that medical debt will no longer be included in credit scores, transforming the financial futures of millions.”
Medical debt remains the largest source of
debt in collections, surpassing credit card, utility, and auto loan debt combined. The CFPB has reported that medical bills are often riddled with errors and inflated charges, making them a poor indicator of an individual’s creditworthiness. Officials added the rule would remove medical debt from credit reports, building on earlier changes by major credit agencies that excluded specific categories of medical debt. According to administration data, jurisdictions including Cook County, Ill.; Cleveland, Ohio; and New Jersey have relieved hundreds of millions in medical debt for residents. For example, Cook County eliminated $382
million in debt for over 210,000 individuals. North Carolina recently launched an initiative to forgive up to $4 billion in medical debt for nearly 2 million residents, ensuring hospitals adopt policies that reduce the risk of future debt while improving financial assistance systems.
The Biden-Harris Administration also has implemented broader reforms to address the root causes of medical debt, including enforcing requirements for tax-exempt hospitals to provide financial assistance, simplifying debt forgiveness processes for veterans, and protecting consumers from surprise medical bills.
“This unprecedented rule reflects our commitment to lowering costs and creating pathways to financial stability for families across the nation,” Harris said.
is the latest company to roll back diversity
Four years after launching a push for more diversity in its ranks, McDonald’s is ending some of its diversity practices, citing a U.S. Supreme Court decision that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions.
McDonald’s is the latest big company to shift its tactics in the wake of the 2023 ruling and a conservative backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Walmart, John Deere, Harley-Davidson and others rolled back their DEI initiatives last year.
McDonald’s said Monday it will retire specific goals for achieving diversity at senior leadership levels. It also intends to end a program that encourages its suppliers to develop diversity training and to increase the number of minority group members represented within their own leadership ranks.
McDonald’s said it also will pause “external surveys.” The burger giant didn’t elaborate, but several other companies, including Lowe’s and Ford Motor Co., suspended their participation in an annual survey by the Human Rights Campaign that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees.
McDonald’s, which has its headquarters in Chicago, rolled out a series of diversity initiatives in 2021 after a spate of sexual harassment lawsuits filed by employees and a lawsuit alleging discrimination brought by a group of Black former McDonald’s franchise owners.
“As a world-leading brand that considers inclusion one of our core values, we will accept nothing less than real, measurable progress in our efforts to lead with empathy, treat people with
dignity and respect, and seek out diverse points of view to drive better decision-making,” McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski wrote in a LinkedIn post at the time.
But McDonald’s said Monday that the “shifting legal landscape” after the Supreme Court decision and the actions of other corporations caused it to take a hard look at its own policies.
A shifting political landscape may also have played a role. President-elect Donald Trump is a vocal opponent of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Trump tapped Stephen Miller, a former adviser who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies, as his
goals
incoming deputy chief of policy.
Vice President-elect JD Vance introduced a bill in the Senate last summer to end such programs in the federal government. Robby Starbuck, a conservative political commentator who has threatened consumer boycotts of prominent consumer brands that don’t retreat from their diversity programs, said Monday on X that he recently told McDonald’s he would be doing a story on its “woke policies.”
McDonald’s said it had been considering updates to its policies for several months and planned to time the announcement to the start of this year.
In an open letter to employees and franchisees, McDonald’s senior leadership team said it remains committed to inclusion and believes a diverse workforce is a competitive advantage. The company said 30% of its U.S. leaders are members of underrepresented groups, up from 29% in 2021. McDonald’s previously committed to reaching 35% by the end of this year. McDonald’s said it has achieved one of the goals it announced in 2021: Gender pay equity at all levels of the company. It also said it met three years early a goal of having 25% of total supplier spending go to diverse-owned businesses.
McDonald’s said it would continue to support efforts that ensure a diverse base of employees, suppliers and franchisees, but its diversity team will now be referred to as the Global Inclusion Team. The company said it also would continue to report its demographic information.
The McDonald’s Hispanic Owner-Operators Association said it had no comment on the policy change Monday. A message seeking comment was left with the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association.
AP Photo/Kate Brumback
King Center CEO Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., speaks during a Jan. 7 news conference at the King Center in Atlanta.
AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File
A McDonald’s restaurant stands in Albany, Ore.
Courtesy City of Hampton
Family, friends and community members gather around the newly dedicated Heritage marker honoring the “Dixie Three” — Mildred Smith, Patricia Taylor and Agnes Stokes
— at the former site of Dixie Hospital in Hampton on Saturday. The three Black nurses made history in 1963 by challenging segregation at the hospital, leading to a landmark civil rights victory.
locally produced documentary about the Dixie Three will be screened at the Chrysler Mu-
seum in Norfolk on Feb. 22 as part of Black History Month celebrations.
Vice President Harris
Richmond Free Press
January 9-11, 2025
New world water
I sit here and wonder,
How in the world this could be, my-oh-my
I never thought, oh, I never thought you’d ever leave me
But now that you left me
Good Lord, good Lord, how I cried out
You don’t miss your water
You don’t miss your water ‘til your well runs dry — William Bell, “You Don’t Miss Your Water”
The words of soul singer William Bell’s 1972 debut single are about a lost lover taken for granted, but they hit a little different in a place called River City this week. Living without running water, as many of us discovered, is a different kind of living. Fortunately, it appears our dry days are slowly coming to an end, as city workers continue to work cold nights and days to fix the problem. They deserve our gratitude and recognition.
We’re hopeful the residents of Richmond continue to stand strong and help one another through this crisis. Aside from some pushing and jostling for position in the grocery store aisle, we haven’t heard any reports of anyone getting hurt over a jug of Poland Spring or Aquafina. We have heard of citizens looking out for those who can’t get their own water, such as the animals at the SPCA. After putting out a call for help, the organization received cases and containers of water from concerned citizens.
It wasn’t long ago that a challenging time caught us off guard as we looked to government officials for answers, many of which weren’t the most helpful. One of the crucial lessons learned from the pandemic is to stay prepared. The American Red Cross suggests keeping a survival kit on hand for unexpected situations.
“Being prepared means being equipped with the proper supplies you may need in the event of an emergency or disaster,” their website reads.
If you don’t already have a survival kit, here’s what you need. At a minimum, make sure you have the basic supplies listed below, as suggested by the Red Cross:
Water: one gallon per person, per day (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
Food: non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
First aid kit
Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
Multipurpose tool
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Map(s) of the area
After you gather those basic supplies for your kit, add unique items each member of your family may need, such as:
Medical supplies (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, etc.)
Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
Games and activities for children
Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
Two-way radio
Extra set of car keys and house keys
Manual can opener
Also consider adding these things to your kit:
Whistle
N95 or surgical masks
Matches
Rain gear
Towels
Work gloves
Tools/supplies for securing your home
Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
Plastic sheeting
Duct tape
Scissors
Household liquid bleach
Entertainment items
Blankets or sleeping bags
That might seem like a lot, but it’s worth the effort. There are places that sell survival kits with many of these items included, so you don’t have to hunt them down.
Let this be a lesson in taking nothing for granted — whether it’s the water we drink, the people we rely on, or the infrastructure that holds our city together. Stay prepared, stay connected and stay thankful for the things often taken for granted.
Icy leaves in Lakeside
It may be the dead of winter, but when we think of our beaches, none of us want to picture them covered in oil. That’s true for people who live along the water and those who live hundreds of miles from any ocean. Regardless of generation, we can all picture what an oil-covered coastline looks like. For some, it’s the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calif. For others, it’s the Deepwater Horizon oil spill by BP in the Gulf of Mexico.
portions of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.
No matter what disaster comes to mind, we can all agree on one thing: We must protect our waters and coastal communities. President Biden not only agrees but he also just took decisive action to prevent future disasters.
This week, in the waning days of his administration, Biden announced he would use his authority under Section 12(a) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently withdraw 625 million acres from oil and gas leasing and exploration off U.S. coasts. The protected waters include the entire eastern Atlantic coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific coast of California, Oregon and Washington and
MAGA takes
Just weeks before Presidentelect Donald Trump was scheduled to return to the White House, the coterie of American tech oligarchs who played a decisive role in re-electing him was busy exerting their own power in ways that suggest the MAGA coalition may be heading for a crack-up.
Trump famously invited fellow billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead an effort to cut government spend ing and federal payrolls. But in December Musk went rogue and used his vast social media reach to scuttle a spending bill he didn’t like, complicating Trump’s and the GOP’s fiscal plans in the new session of Congress.
Then, on the day after Christmas, Ramaswamy dropped an essay-length tweet on X lecturing Americans on the deficiencies of our “culture” that necessitate the use of H-1B visas to import tech workers into the United States from places like India.
Many Trump diehards were not pleased. A large and very vocal segment of MAGA world instantly cried that Trumpism was being betrayed.
For Trump voters, in large part, the last election was about immigration. It also was about unseating a class of “elites” who supposedly run the government and the media and other institutions for their own interests and to the detriment of a very large group of people who supported Trump: exurban and rural working people who mostly don’t have college degrees. To these voters, “America
This move is the latest chapter in Biden’s historic climate legacy. It safeguards coastal communities and economies, marine wildlife and ecosystems from the threats posed by offshore drilling. It will also protect the health of those living closest to the pollution and other negative effects of offshore drilling. Additionally, it will bolster the clean energy transition, ending reliance on fossil fuels, strengthening the economy with family-sustaining jobs and making air and water
cleaner and safer.
The action marks a major stride in the Biden administration’s America the Beautiful initiative to conserve, restore and protect 30% of America’s lands and waters by 2030, often called “30 by 30.” It’s one more achievement for an administration that has shown remarkable dedication to conservation with the creation and expansion of national monuments, protections for millions of acres in the Arctic and priority shifts at key agencies like the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.
The move also should resonate with Americans across the politi-
first” means policies that put their interests before those of immigrants and foreigners. Yet here was Ramaswamy, touting a visa program that allows thousands of foreign engineers and other skilled immigrants to take jobs that Americans supposedly don’t have the skills or the numbers to fill.
One of the best-known beneficiaries of the H-1B visa program is none other than Musk, whose car company, Tesla, has hired workers using the program. Like many others in his position, Musk
defends the industry’s need for the program.
The H-1B visa program is hotly debated in policy circles. Does it fill positions that American tech talent cannot, or is it exploited to secure cheap labor from easily intimidated migrants at the expense of qualified American workers?
These and other issues merit deeper investigation and public debate. But Ramaswamy, born in the U.S. to parents who moved here from India, preferred to treat the subject with a half-sermon, half-pep talk that sounded a lot like blaming the victim.
“The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over ‘native’ Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation),” he tweeted. “A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture.”
Ah, yes. We’ve heard this line of argument before. And I don’t necessarily disagree. I believe if you can generate and maintain a culture of excellence, meaning you accept nothing short of putting your best effort into producing
cal spectrum. Strong bipartisan majorities oppose offshore drilling. Sixty percent of Americans opposed efforts by the Trump administration to lift offshore drilling bans. In the 17 states along the coasts that would have been impacted, 64% opposed lifting the ban. Coastal communities, business groups and governors of both parties oppose offshore drilling. Presidents of both parties – including every president in the 21st century – have used Section 12(a) authority to remove portions of the U.S. coastline from oil and gas drilling. Bipartisan support for offshore drilling bans has also been seen in Congress. Despite propaganda from Big Oil and Gas, this is a major win for all Americans, especially for communities that depend on coastal waters for their livelihoods and local economies. It’s also a win for every American as the climate crisis increasingly impacts us all. Gas prices won’t rise as a result; the cost of gasoline is determined by global oil prices and consumer demand, not changes to federal leasing policy. There’s no evidence that expanded leasing and domestic production in federal waters would lower heating bills. This is also a win for endangered marine mammals, fisheries and ecosystems along most U.S. coastlines. No matter what narrative corporate polluters push,
the best results, you’re halfway on your way to success.
“Tough questions demand tough answers & if we’re really serious about fixing the problem, we have to confront the TRUTH,” Ramaswamy went on, citing a culture that “venerate(s) mediocrity over excellence,” that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ and the jock over the valedictorian — a set of touchstones that strike even me as dated.
He went on to say he knows many immigrant parents in the 1990s who actively limited their kids’ TV viewing because the shows “promoted mediocrity … and their kids went on to become wildly successful STEM graduates.”
He recommended tough-love movies like “Whiplash,” which is excellent but in my view shows more toughness than love, and called for fewer reruns of “Friends.”
“More math tutoring, fewer sleepovers. More weekend science competitions, fewer Saturday morning cartoons. More books, less TV. More creating, less ‘chillin.’ More extracurriculars, less ‘hanging out at the mall.’ ” Normalcy as a goal for students and parents, Ramaswamy argued, “doesn’t cut it in a hypercompetitive global market for technical talent. And if we pretend like it does, we’ll have our asses handed to us by China.”
With that, my memory flashed back to my childhood, when I was inspired by watching America send its first astronauts into space.
After the Soviet Union beat us into space with the Sputnik satellite, President Dwight Eisenhower and later administrations launched a race to orbit and beyond.
The writer is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
there’s no safe way to desecrate our waters to extract fossil fuels. That’s why we must continue pushing to protect the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where oil and gas drilling is already deeply entrenched. Communities, species and ecosystems in this region continue to face the environmental and health hazards of widespread fossil fuel development. Another spill catastrophe in this area could lead to devastating public health, economic and extinction-level impacts. As we transition to a clean energy economy, we can look forward to a day when all U.S. waters and coasts are protected from the harms of offshore drilling. When that day comes, this move by Biden will be seen as a pivotal step. The writer is the executive director of the Sierra Club and a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania
Clarence Page
Ben Jealous
Jimmy
Carter
remembered as a man of faith,
humility
Tens of thousands of words will be published in tribute to Jimmy Carter, our beloved 37th president. A renaissance man, diplomat, philanthropist, civil rights icon and so much more, he is most aptly described, in my opinion, as a man of faith. He lived by his faith and spoke openly of it, as far too few do. His faith allowed him to bring Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin together at Camp David in September 1978 and to overcome the obstacles of that fraught communication to reach the Camp David Accord between Egypt and Israel. His faith compelled him to embrace his defeat in 1980 and go on to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his work around peace and poverty. He was, in the words of President Biden, “a man of character, courage and compassion.” Biden has declared Jan. 9 a National Day of Mourning in Carter’s honor. Federal offices will be closed and postal service suspended. Flags will be flown at half-staff for 30 days, a fitting tribute to a man who was too often underappreciated during his presidency, garner-
ing more accolades for his post-presidential activism than for his presidency itself. Even in this mourning, it is more likely to hear Carter described as “decent” than as outstanding or brilliant, even though he was. Nothing is wrong with being described as decent. In fact, in this age of indecency and convicted felons moving into the Oval Office, decent is quite a compliment. But terms
like decent, even outstanding, don’t capture the essence of James Earl Carter. His essence is that he was a man of faith, he embraced his faith and he also publicly struggled with what his faith meant to him and how faith could transform other people.
Faith gave Carter the impetus to be both humble and helpful. A woman talked on CNN about how he, at 90, took a broken chair from her porch, fixed it and returned it. I have my own story of Carter’s helpful humility. I worked for the Council of Economic Advisers while I was working on my doctoral dissertation, and I was always running through the Old Executive Office Building with armfuls of papers. I dropped some of them, running nowhere fast, and had to turn around to
retrieve them. The president of the United States stopped his stride through the Old Executive Office Building to help pick up my papers. I stammered thanks, and the president was very gracious. He asked my name and where I worked, told me kindly to be careful in the halls. His staffers tried to hurry him along, but he took a couple of minutes to talk to me and encourage me. When I said I was working on my dissertation, he was encouraging. The whole encounter could not have taken five minutes, and when I told a friend about it, she simply said, “That’s President Carter.”
Carter believed in diversity, although we didn’t call it that then. He appointed African Americans to untraditional positions. Patricia Roberts Harris first served as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development as the first Black woman to hold a Cabinet position. HUD was a somewhat traditional position for an African American, with economist Robert Weaver serving as the first HUD secretary in 1966. Harris was the first Black woman to hold two Cabinet positions, serving as the first secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services under Carter. He also lifted up Ron Brown, Ben Hooks, Alexis Herman and many others. Having grown up next door to a Black family
who often cared for him, Carter believed in opening doors for the underrepresented, including African Americans and women.
His post-presidential contributions are notable, especially his work with Habitat for Humanity, where the former president took hammer to hand and helped build thousands of homes and encouraged others to do the same. But his presidency was hardly a failure. Carter was not bombastic. Like Biden, he rarely tooted his own horn, which perhaps led to his 1980 defeat. He created the Departments of Energy and Education. He worked on nuclear disarmament and sought to contain Soviet aggression with a grain embargo and a boycott of the Moscow Olympics. In his short one-term presidency, he made a difference.
Notably, in his post-presidency, he wrote several books, including the important “Faith: A Journey for All.” In the book, he quotes Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the theologian who wrote that “faith without works is not faith at all, but a simple lack of obedience to God.” That’s an apt summary of Carter’s life. His faith and obedience led him to do great things in helpful humility. He was one of our greatest presidents because he was, indeed, a man of faith.
The writer is a Washingtonbased economist and author.
Countdown on for TikTok
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up TikTok’s plea for a stay of its own partial execution. The first round of briefs were due just before Christmas. The second and final round was due Jan. 3. Argument before the court is just a week later on Jan. 10. In appellate court land, this counts as super-sonic speed.
to the law and at least that part of the law worked as planned. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard the case as a trial court (as required by one of the unusual provisions of FACAA) and handed down its ruling against TikTok on Dec. 6.
The governor fiddles while Virginia smokes
The tale of Emperor Nero fiddling while Rome burned has become a metaphor for leaders ignoring pressing crises. In Virginia, this imagery feels all too real as Gov. Glenn Youngkin appears content to let the state’s illegal marijuana market thrive while turning down opportunities to regulate it, while denying Virginia millions in tax revenue. This policy fails to ensure health and safety protections for its citizens, while hundreds of thousands of Virginians still puff away. Despite bipartisan efforts to establish a legal marijuana market, the governor has effectively vetoed progress. In his most recent statement,
he cited concerns about the adverse effects of legalization, including harm to children’s health, increased gang activity, mental health deterioration and road safety risks. But here’s the reality: These issues are already happening under the current unregulated system.
Virginia has a thriving, billion-dollar unregulated marijuana market. In many parts of the state, residents can acquire marijuana almost as easily as ordering takeout. A quick text or call, and cannabis is delivered or available for pickup. With possession and consumption legal, enforcing bans on sales is nearly impossible without concrete evidence of a transaction. This dynamic empowers illegal sellers—who don’t check IDs—and leaves minors with easier access.
Who benefits from this unregulated market? Criminal organizations and out-of-state interests. Illegal suppliers control the flow of cannabis into Virginia, bringing with it the risks of contamination, including the potential for fentanyl-laced products. Meanwhile, Virginia taxpayers foot the bill for the societal costs of this black market, including enforcement efforts and public health impacts.
The Governor’s claim that the costs of a regulated market outweigh its benefits ignores the reality on the ground. Legalization would not create new problems; it would provide tools to address existing ones. A regulated market would generate substantial tax revenue to fund education, health care, and infrastructure; ensure product safety by mandating testing for harmful substances like pesticides or fentanyl; and reduce illegal activity by undercutting the black market.
And there’s a good reason for speed. TikTok’s execution date, in America, is set for Jan. 19. When Congress passed the Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (FACAA) this past spring, it required one of two things to happen by that date. Either ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, must divest itself (i.e., sell or give away, or get rid of somehow) of TikTok, or TikTok must shut down in the United States.
Neither of those things has happened yet.
You may be thinking that shutting down TikTok, one of many social media platforms available to Americans on the internet, is no grave matter. But TikTok is some combination of entertainment, political conversation, style consultant, food guide, sports talk, and business platform for 170 million people every month in America. By comparison, that’s almost 20 million more people than who voted in November’s presidential election. If TikTok were a candidate, it’d be a formidable one.
Which may be why TikTok’s influence on America was of such great concern to Congress that it passed FACAA. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, but it’s headquartered in China. And that’s important because FACAA declares that China — as well as three other countries — are foreign adversaries of the United States. The law also made a specific finding that China controls TikTok. Those determinations mean, under the terms of the new law, that TikTok, as it’s presently structured, isn’t allowed to operate in America.
The First Amendment implications of that bar are as sweeping as they are obvious. If 170 million people in America are using TikTok to tik-talk to each other, important speech rights are at stake.
FACAA also created a litigation fast track for any challenges
The D.C. Circuit agreed that the FACAA had First Amendment consequences. But the court ruled that national security concerns trumped those relating to the First Amendment. Even applying the high “strict scru-
tiny” standard to FACAA, the court held that the President’s and Congress’s consideration of national security concerns with TikTok were enough to warrant the dramatic remedy of banning the app from America altogether.
Broadly, there were two national security fears the government claimed required banning TikTok. The first was that the social media platform might give information it collected from its users to its owner ByteDance, which would, in turn, make it available to the Chinese government. That information might include image and audio data, internet search history, private user information, and even biometric information about users. China would then be able to exploit that data for its own purposes.
The second concern was that the Chinese government would use TikTok to wage influence campaigns in the U.S. by either emphasizing certain information to American users or by spreading disinformation to manipulate Americans.
For the court, the sheer size of TikTok’s user base — 170 million users every month and 5 billion uploaded videos in a single year — is precisely what makes China’s potential exploitation of the platform a national security concern.
There are at least two countervailing considerations to those concerns. First, Americans generally have speech rights to use whatever social media app they want. If there’s a risk that their data might be exploited, that’s a risk that users take with any internet service. None of us want our data stolen. But that happens with remarkable regularity, and still most of us make the choice to trust internet businesses and government agencies with the data. Secondly, lots of online media outlets seek to manipulate American audiences’ views about politics, religion, and
money. If the government can regulate TikTok for fear that Americans will be manipulated by malicious actors, why can’t it regulate Facebook or disfavored newspapers? Few among us would trust the government to determine for all of us which data collectors on the internet will use the data fairly. And even fewer of us would want publishers on the internet to have to prove to regulators’ satisfaction that they will be impartial, objective, or honest in their editorial choices.
The D.C. Circuit deferred to the president and Congress on how to balance national security concerns against speech rights. Of course, deference to the national security determinations of the political branches is no guarantee of either security or justice.
To our country’s enduring shame, during World War II, the Supreme Court upheld a military order that people of Japanese ancestry could be forcibly removed from their homes and held in internment camps. The court permitted those detentions because military officials said our national security could only be protected if we put lots of people of Japanese descent in camps in case some unknown number of them were disloyal.
Perhaps it is true that the risks of Chinese ownership of TikTok are so great that Americans cannot be trusted or permitted to use it until China abdicates
ownership of it. The Supreme Court will tell us the answer to that question very soon. In that answer, we’ll learn a little more about when Americans get to speak and when the government can silence that speech.
The writer is an adjunct professor at the University of Richmond Law School where he teaches professional ethics.
Gov. Youngkin’s approach is akin to standing idly by as the fire spreads. Developing a regulated market won’t extinguish the flames entirely, but it’s a necessary “back burn” to control the broader blaze. Nero’s fiddle didn’t save Rome, and inaction won’t save Virginia.
It’s time for the governor to put down the fiddle, step outside the Capitol, and face what’s already burning across the state. The people of Virginia deserve leadership that tackles challenges head-on, not one that fiddles while Virginia smokes.
The writer is the former president of the Loudoun County Branch NAACP. He also is the president of Cannabis Equity Consultants LLC.
Julianne Malveaux
Cullen Seltzer
Phillip E. Thompson
Vick lands first quarterback commitment at Norfolk State
Free Press staff report
Woods III
Norfolk State University Coach Michael Vick has secured his first quarterback commitment as an HBCU coach in Earl Woods III, a former Alabama high school standout. Woods, who started his college career at Kennesaw State, made his announcement on Twitter/X Sunday, posting a photo of himself in a Norfolk State jersey and tagging Vick.
“Locked in,” Woods tweeted.
The dual-threat quarterback from Hueytown, Ala., was a standout at Hueytown High School, earning Gatorade Ala. Football Player of the Year honors in 2021. He had a record-breaking junior year with 3,072 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and 2,123 rushing yards with 35 touchdowns.
He led his team to the state championship game and earned First Team All-State recognition, Class 6A Back of the Year honors and a finalist spot for Alabama’s Mr. Football. Woods followed up his junior year with another strong season as a senior, passing for 1,825 yards, 24 touchdowns, and rushing for 1,527 yards with 22 touchdowns. He was instrumental in leading Alabama to a victory in the Alabama vs. Mississippi All-Star Game. He also received offers from Army, Middle Tennessee, Navy, Austin Peay and Central Arkansas.
In 2023, Woods transferred to Jacksonville State, appearing in three games and rushing for 24 yards. He entered the transfer portal in 2024 and will now join Norfolk State, where he will be coached by Vick.
Although Woods stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs 180 pounds, he’s known for his playmaking ability, much like his new coach. The duo look to make a significant impact in the HBCU football scene.
Tennessee State’s foray into ice hockey could break barriers for Black youths
Coach Tierra Terry celebrates 50th career win as Virginia Union dominates
Free Press staff report
Virginia Union University’s women’s basketball team started the new year with style, delivering an 82-53 thrashing of Virginia University of Lynchburg on Sunday at BarcoStevens Hall.
The win not only marked the Panthers’ 10th victory of the season but also a career milestone for Coach Tierra Terry, who celebrated her 50th win at the helm of the program.
VUU (10-3) wasted no time establishing control, fueled by standout performances across the roster. Taniaya Greene led all scorers with 21 points, while Rori Cox added 20 in a dynamic showing. Tatiana Jones was a force on the boards, grabbing 18 rebounds, and Nakeria Scales turned in a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
After the game, Terry was surprised with a thoughtful tribute from her players and staff — a pair of balloons shaped like the number 50 to commemorate the achievement.
“The players surprised us after the game with a ‘50’ balloon marking our 50th win,” Terry said. “Everyone’s journey is different, so it might not mean a lot to some people, but that meant the world to me. Thank you, God, our former and current players, Coach Freeman, and everyone who has been a part of this coaching staff, our admin, and support for helping us reach our first big milestone! Winning is not always easy, so I am thankful I am around people who see the value in winning.”
Terry’s 50th win reflects her commitment to building a winning culture at VUU. Her leadership has transformed the program into a consistent contender, and her players delivered a performance worthy of the occasion on Sunday.
The Panthers will look to keep their momentum going as they prepare to face Fayetteville State University on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., again at Barco-Stevens Hall.
Virginia State outlasts Johnson C. Smith for 75-68 victory
Free Press staff report
Virginia State University surged in the second half to defeat Johnson C. Smith University 75-68 in an exciting back-and-forth battle Saturday.
The game featured a standout performance from Virginia State’s Clint Wright Jr., who scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half. Despite a balanced team effort from Johnson C. Smith, including strong performances from Ashton Sherrell and Javon Anderson, Virginia State’s shooting and bench depth proved to be the deciding factors.
Detroit radio icon and hockey fan Gerald McBride was inspired to write the screenplay for his film “Black Ice: The Rhythm” when he attended a sold-out University of Michigan hockey game and realized he was the only Black fan among 10,000. Among the “Big Four” professional sports leagues in the United States, the National Hockey League has the least racial diversity among its players — 90% of whom are white and only 0.052% of whom are Black. In contrast, about 70.4% of NBA players, 53.5% of NFL players, and 6.2% of Major League Baseball players are Black. With an eye toward diversifying the sport and breaking down barriers for Black athletes,
Tennessee State University is poised to make history in the 2025-26 season by launching the first NCAA Division I ice hockey team at a historically Black college or university. The NHL also was the last of the Big Four leagues to break the color line. Willie O’Ree, often called “the Jackie Robinson of hockey,” became
Marc H. Morial
the first Black NHL player in 1958 — more than a decade after Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. The Los Angeles Rams signed the first Black NFL player of the modern era, Kenny Washington, in 1946. Earl Lloyd became the first Black player to appear in an NBA game in 1950.
While outright bans on Black hockey players are a thing of the past, the sport has been marred by instances of racism
in recent years. A banana was thrown at Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds in 2011. In 2020, New York Rangers prospect K’Andre Miller was taunted with racial slurs during a video chat.
Economic barriers also play a significant role. Hockey is an expensive sport, often costing thousands of dollars a year for equipment, ice time, and club membership fees.
The groundbreaking program at Tennessee State is part of the NHL’s efforts to confront racial inequity within the sport.
Kevin Westgarth, vice president of hockey development and strategic collaboration for the NHL, told The Tennessean that the league already was discussing the establishment of a hockey team at an HBCU when he received an email from TSU Athletic Director Dr. Mikki Allen.
“We were having a brainstorming session around what
it would take to get a hockey team on an HBCU campus,” Westgarth said. “Literally as we got off that call, we got an email forwarded from Dr. Allen at Tennessee State saying they’re interested in adding varsity hockey. It was beautiful timing.”
TSU is not alone among HBCUs in adding nontraditional sports in recent years. According to the Associated Press, at least 20 schools have added more than 40 new sports since 2016, including wrestling, gymnastics, lacrosse and volleyball.
Former NHL player Anson Carter, a co-chair of the league’s Player Inclusion Coalition aimed at diversifying hockey, said, “To have the ability to even open up the HBCU in the hockey space ... it really is a game-changer for young kids playing hockey in the United States and Canada.”
The writer is president and CEO of the National Urban League
The first half was tight, with both teams struggling to find their offensive rhythm. Johnson C. Smith shot 48.1% from the field (13-of-27), including an impressive 54.5% from 3-point range (6-of-11). Sherrell and Anderson combined for 20 points, keeping the Golden Bulls in front.
Virginia State wasn’t far behind, shooting 40% (12-of-30) in the first half. However, they stayed within reach thanks to solid free throw shooting (75%, 6-of-8) and Wright’s 14 points, including four 3-pointers. At the break, Virginia State trailed 33-28.
After halftime, Virginia State turned up the heat. They outscored Johnson C. Smith 47-35 in the second half, thanks to a jump in shooting efficiency. The Trojans shot 55.6% from the field (15-of-27) and 90% from the free throw line (9-of-10), with Wright contributing 14 points, including a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.
Meanwhile, Johnson C. Smith struggled, shooting 43.5% (10-of-23) in the second half and making just 1-of-4 from beyond the arc (25%). Despite a late-game push from Sherrell and Anderson, Virginia State’s depth and free throw accuracy proved too much to overcome.
Virginia State capitalized on second-chance opportunities and sealed the win by sinking key free throws down the stretch. Wright’s strong performance and bench contributions from players like Bynum and Jefferson helped the Trojans pull away for the 75-68 victory. With the win, Virginia State (now 10-5) continues to show resilience and depth.
Patriots fire Coach Jerod Mayo after 4-13 season
By Kyle Hightower
The Associated Press
The New England Patriots fired Coach Jerod Mayo on Sunday after one season, beginning another reboot for the franchise just a year after it parted with longtime Coach Bill Belichick.
Owner Robert Kraft announced the firing in a statement shortly after New England closed its 4-13 season with a 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills.
“After the game I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me, personally, it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” Kraft said. “Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped.” Kraft was set to discuss the move in a news conference Monday.
A former Patriots linebacker who worked as an assistant under Belichick, Mayo started the season with a strong endorsement from Kraft. But alongside a coaching staff that featured offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and first-time defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington, he struggled to get the most out of a young roster that included rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
The Patriots opened the season with a win at
Cincinnati before losing their next six games. They won two of their next three but then closed the season by losing six of seven, missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Belichick was 4-13 in his final season in 2023 to cap a 24-year run in New England that included six Super Bowl titles. Mayo played eight seasons with New England and won a Super Bowl during the 2014 season. He took a postretirement job in corporate America in 2015, then returned to football in 2019 to work with Belichick. He served primarily as the Patriots’ linebackers coach while developing a strong reputation among players.
Yet, it didn’t translate into victories for a team that was ranked near the bottom of the NFL offensively and defensively and went 3-6 in one-score games.
It made him a rising star in the coaching ranks and he turned down several interviews for head coaching jobs following the 2022 season, instead signing an extension to remain in New England.
A week after letting Belichick go, the Patriots hired Mayo as the franchise’s first Black head coach. At age 37, he started the season as the NFL’s second-youngest coach behind Seattle’s Mike Macdonald.
From the beginning of his tenure, Mayo tried to establish a culture that differed from Belichick’s often robotic devotion to football — a move that drew praise from players.
Kraft could turn to another former Patriots linebacker in Mike Vrabel, the former Tennessee Titans coach who recently interviewed with the New York Jets for their coaching vacancy. Vrabel was a pivotal part of the Patriots’ first three Super Bowl titles during his eight seasons, and he led the Titans to three playoff appearances in six years before he was fired after the 2023 season.
After Sunday’s win and before Mayo’s firing was announced, players praised the job he did this season.
“He’s stayed consistent,” cornerback Jonathan Jones said. “The effort from the guys today showed just how no matter what the situation is, how he can get guys to go out there and fight.”
Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett said coming together under a new coaching staff was a challenge for everyone.
“First year for head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, (general manager).
People don’t understand all that,” Brissett said. “But good things take time. It’s not like Rome
was built in a day. ... The word that people don’t want to use is patience. You’ve got to have patience with this thing.”
Yet Kraft didn’t show patience with his handpicked coach.
Kraft first noticed Mayo’s confidence shortly after the Patriots drafted him 10th overall out of Tennessee in 2008.
“I remember him immediately coming up to me and saying, ‘Kraft and Mayo, they go together pretty well,’” Kraft said during Mayo’s introductory news conference last January. “Sixteen years later, here we are.”
When Mayo initially returned to Patriots in 2019, Kraft noted how he saw an even more skilled leader who hadn’t lost his ability to relate to players.
That same year, Mayo accompanied Kraft on a trip to Israel and the men grew closer. Kraft then made an internal prediction.
“I knew while observing him in Israel, he was the right person to be the next head coach of the New England Patriots,” Kraft said. “I had that same conviction when I hired Bill Belichick, a decision that many questioned at the time, and told me I was making a major error.”
But those instincts didn’t pay off, and the 83-year-old Kraft will now begin the process again to find a coach who can get the franchise back on track.
Earl
Michael Vick
Jess Rapfogel/Washington Capitals via AP
Maryland Black Bears junior player Kareem El-Bashir instructing players on the ice during the Washington Capitals’ Rising Stars Academy in 2023.
Coach Tierra Terry
Clint Wright Jr.
Coach Jerod Mayo
Personality: Darian Wyatt
Spotlight on board chair of Richmond Peace Education Center
The Richmond Peace Education Center, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting peaceful education, offers workshops on conflict resolution, trauma healing, gun violence reform, and restorative justice. Through its advocacy for nonviolence, the center works to address harmful environments and reduce the use of violence, fostering safer and more peaceful communities.
According to the Virginia State Police Crime in Virginia 2023 report, the overall violent crime rate in the state increased by 1.3% in 2023 from 2022. However, the report found that hate crimes increased by 49% in 2023. Hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity bias made up 66.4%, and hate crimes involving bias against religion surged by 177.8%, according to the report. These troubling statistics underscore the importance of organizations such as the Richmond Peace Education Center that are dedicated to addressing the root causes of violence.
Darian Wyatt, the current board chair of the Peace Center, was born in Petersburg but spent much of her childhood outside the Richmond area as a self-described military brat. Her family returned to the region after the sudden death of her stepfather in Austin, Texas, and she went on to attend Cosby High School.
Wyatt joined the Peace Center as a high school student to build peace and inclusivity. Then, as a student at the University of Richmond, she was a Deborah L. Marsh Fellow. The community service-based fellowship allowed her to continue her peace advocacy work at the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, which addresses academic and workplace prejudices. Her focus remains the Peace Center.
“I love that the Peace Center takes a stand against different forms of violence like gun violence, advocacy and activism against bigotry,” she said. “We do peace advocacy, teaching people how to live in peace and stand against different forms of violence.”
Communities recognize the need for peace. According to its 2024 Community Health Assessment (CHA) report, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) surveyed residents who identified violence as an aspect of community life that is not going well. The organization has prioritized community safety and violence prevention based on its findings. Wyatt married at 23, inspired by her stepfather’s passing to
embrace life’s uncertainties. The couple got engaged during the COVID-19 pandemic but postponed their wedding until gathering limits were lifted, allowing them to celebrate with 140 guests.
“My wife and I are big on the concept of holding on to the person who wants the same things when you know it’s right,” she said.
In their free time, the couple enjoys spending time with friends, dining out, and rock climbing. Their shared passion for art fills their apartment with painting supplies, and they often spend time painting together.
Meet the ardent advocate for peace who loves crossword puzzles and this week’s Personality, Darian Wyatt:
Occupation: Communities in Schools site coordinator with Communities in Schools of Petersburg.
Date and place of birth: May 23 in Petersburg.
Where I live now: Tuckahoe.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in geography with an anthropology minor, University of Richmond.
Family: Wife, Jayla, a dog named Harper and two cats named Sushi and Bobinsky.
What is the Richmond Peace Education Center (RPEC): We are a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to building and advocating for peaceful, affirming spaces that connect our community members through the shared values of bettering our community and creating a more just and equitable world.
RPEC’s mission: To build just, inclusive, nonviolent communities through education and action.
Founder: Steve Hodges took on the task of forming RPEC in 1980 to support peace and peaceful approaches to conflict.
He represented a group of representatives from local religious institutions and activism groups that included First Unitarian, Richmond Friends Meeting, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and the Presbyterian School of Christian Education.
Why was RPEC founded: To protest the nuclear arms race.
The RPEC has evolved to take a stand against other forms of violence, harm, and injustice in our society.
When and why I became affiliated with RPEC: I knew I wanted to be a part of a group that shared my values of community building, peace, connection, and inclusivity when I joined RPEC in 2015.
When elected board chair: Summer of 2022.
Why I accepted the position: I believe RPEC is an important
organization with a rich history of amazing work in our community. As board chair, I can do more to serve the organization.
No. 1 goal or project as board chair: To expand our programming and opportunities for people to get involved with us.
Strategy for achieving goal or project: Planning more events as we work our way back from the big shutdown of the pandemic.
Our biggest challenge: Trying to expand our capacity as an organization that functions with an all-volunteer model.
Peaceful action is: People coming together to advocate for and enact change nonviolently.
How RPEC makes a difference in Richmond: We’ve helped bring large groups of people from different backgrounds and walks of life together to advocate for a common goal to better our
community. One example is the organizing and advertising efforts for the Richmond March for Our Lives rally on March 24, 2018. I delivered a speech to the 5,000-plus attendees on behalf of RPEC.
How to help RPEC with its mission: Visit our website, rpec.org, to learn more and join our email list.
An ideal peaceful Richmond looks like: It’s a city where everyone feels safe and supported by their community, can live life without violence, discrimination, and the hindrance of socioeconomic inequalities that affect well-being.
Upcoming events: We kick off our new speaker series on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. with Dr. Mark Hayes, a Hampton Roadsbased community activist and advocate. He’ll talk about the importance of saving lives as we combat gun violence in our communities.
How I start the day: I contemplate what I can do to sow seeds of positivity in the lives of the people I come in contact with.
The three words that best describe me: Lively, kindhearted and adventurous.
Dream dinner party guest: Celine Dion or Michelle Obama.
Top three on my musical playlist: Celine Dion, Amerie and Fiona Apple.
Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: Rock climbing!
A quote that inspirs me: “To whom much is given, much is required.”
Most influential person: My mother.
Most influential book: “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai. What I’m reading now: “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi. My takeaway from it so far is that sometimes life throws curveballs and poses big challenges, but through it all, you can find comfort in the hope and faith you possess. Next goal: To keep finding ways I can be of service to the community.
Swap up!
Free Press staff report
The Virginia Holocaust Museum recently completed a significant renovation, marking its most extensive update since the museum’s inception. The renovated space, located in a 1896 tobacco warehouse in the Shockoe Bottom district, enhances the museum’s ability to educate visitors on the history of the Holocaust.
The project, completed in 2024, focused on transforming the interior to create a more accessible and reflective environment. Features such as improved natural light, acoustics and a biophilic “ribbon ceiling” were added to enhance the museum experience. These updates aim to provide visitors with a space for learning and reflection on the Holocaust’s history and its
contemporary implications.
Security upgrades include bulletproof glass and partitions, along with a system to alert police in case of emergency. The building’s original shutters were restored to meet Virginia Department of Historic Resources standards, and the renovation also improved accessibility with an updated entry ramp and additional parking.
A key addition to the museum is the USC Shoah Foundation Pepper’s Ghost Theater, which opened in October 2024. The theater uses holographic technology to present survivor stories in an interactive format. This is one of three such installations in the U.S.
The renovation was completed by Raymond, an architecture and engineering firm based in Glen Allen.
Free Press staff report
The Library of Virginia will present a virtual talk Jan. 22 from noon to 1 p.m., focusing on the 19th century mapping project that led to the creation of the first official map of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The talk will delve into the surveying efforts and teams that contributed to the detailed manuscript maps of each county, which ultimately formed the foundation for the engraved Virginia state map, often referred to as “the general map.”
Published in 1826, the completed map spanned 44 square feet and was a crucial tool for Virginia’s Board of Public Works to plan the Commonwealth’s internal improvements.
The talk will complement the Library’s exhibition, “Mapping the Commonwealth, 1816–1826,” which is on display in the Library’s Exhibition Gallery through June 7, 2025. Cassandra Farrell, the Library’s senior map archivist and curator of the exhibition, will serve as presenter.
To register for the event, visit the Library’s calendar at va-virginia. libcal.com. A link to the virtual talk will be provided upon registration.
Free Press staff report
The Science Museum of Virginia’s touring exhibition “MathAlive!” closes this Sunday, Jan. 12, providing visitors this weekend the chance to explore the interactive display showcasing the connections between mathematics and music, sports, movies and games.
The exhibit includes more than 30 interactive stations demonstrating mathematical concepts such as fractions, percentages, dimensions and volume. Activities involve snowboards, robots, skateboards and extreme weather simulations, highlighting practical applications of math in daily life and various careers, including engineering, technology and design.
“MathAlive!” illustrates how math shapes music, sports, movies and games through contributions from individuals such as skateboarders and computer scientists, who explain how they use mathematics to enhance their work.
Visitors can engage in activities such as a 3D snowboard race requiring strategic board angles, step sequencing for robots, exploring probability and statistics in cybersecurity,
Exhibit explores Virginia’s Vietnam War experiences
Free Press staff reports
Medals, letters, protest banners and personal keepsakes tell the stories of Virginians whose lives were shaped by the Vietnam War in a new exhibition at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Curated by historian and Virginia Commonwealth University professor Emilie Raymond, the exhibit continues through July 6, 2025, marking 50 years since the Fall of Saigon.
The display uses artifacts and oral histories to highlight the physical and emotional burdens carried by Virginia’s soldiers, policymakers, families, activists and Vietnamese migrants. Through these personal accounts, visitors gain a deeper understanding of the war’s far-reaching effects on individuals and communities across the state.
Exhibit highlights include a “blood chit” carried by an assault helicopter pilot, a personalized towel used by a Navy pilot in the “Hanoi Hilton” prison, a “Yippie” flag from anti-war protests in Washington, a shirt from a Vietnamese refugee and a Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to an officer who died saving his troops.
The exhibit reflects Virginia’s deep ties to the Vietnam War. More than 230,000 Virginians served, 1,490 lost their lives, and the state ranked fifth in the nation for prisoners of war held during the conflict. Today, about 200,000 Vietnam-era veterans and 60,000 Vietnamese Americans live in Virginia. Admission is included with museum entry and is free for members. For more information, visit virginiahistory.org.
View of
Courtesy of Science Museum of Virginia
“MathAlive!” exhibition at the Science Museum of Virginia, where they explore the connections between math and everyday life through activities. The exhibition, open until Jan. 12, features over 30 interactive stations.
Courtesy of Raymond
The Virginia Holocaust Museum recently completed a major renovation, enhancing its space to better educate visitors on the history of the Holocaust. The upgrades include a biophilic “ribbon ceiling,” improved lighting and the addition of the USC Shoah Foundation Pepper’s Ghost Theater.
SwapMeet RVA hosted its first market of the year at the Dewey Gotwald Center on Jan. 5, featuring 60 vendors offering unique finds, food and vibrant conversation. At left, Ashby Logan Hill types personalized poems, while shoppers browse (above). (Top right) Abdul Haqq (left), of Haqq’s Drawer and Kenneth Billups (right), of Potential Royal Nation, speak with customers. Bottom right, Leanne Merritt handcrafts jewelry, shaping wire into words of her customers’ choosing.
Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Fifth Street Baptist to host 23rd annual MLK event
Free press staff report
A quiet reflection will precede an afternoon of celebration as the 23rd Annual MLK Community Celebration & Drum Major Awards takes center stage Sunday, Jan. 12, at Fifth Street Baptist Church, honoring those who live out Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service and leadership.
The free event, held at 2800 3rd Ave., runs from 3 to 5 p.m. and is presented by Boaz & Ruth, Fifth Street Baptist Church and the Urban Financial Services Coalition. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., with a meditation moment at 2:45 p.m.
Keynote speaker Robert Dortch, principal coach and consultant for the Jordan/Sydnor Innovation Group, will share reflections on Dr. King’s enduring impact. Dortch, known for his work with local, national and international clients, is expected to share his insights on leadership and community engagement.
The program will feature performances by Desirée and Arthur Roots, who will present a musical and prose tribute to Dr. King accompanied by Michelle Lightfoot. Other highlights include the
Richmond churches plan faith-based racial healing initiative
Free Press staff report
St. Philip’s and St. Paul’s Episcopal Churches are collaborating on “Walking with the Enslaved: The Church’s Role in Slavery,” a faith-based program focused on addressing Richmond’s racial history and promoting racial healing.
The initiative will guide participants through historical sites tied to the city’s involvement in the domestic slave trade and the Confederacy, encouraging reflection on the Church’s complicity in slavery and its responsibility for racial repair. Inspired by the Richmond Slave Trail, the program aims to deepen understanding of how race was used as a tool of oppression in both the Church and society.
The program’s goals include exploring the Church’s role in systemic racism, fostering spiritual transformation, and equipping participants to work toward racial justice. By confronting issues such as denial and complacency, it seeks to empower individuals to take meaningful action in their communities.
St. Philip’s, founded in 1861, is a historically African American church in North Side Richmond. St. Paul’s, established in 1845, is a Downtown Richmond church once known as the “Cathedral of the Confederacy.” Both congregations are now committed to reconciliation and social justice and have partnered to lead this initiative. For more information, visit stpaulsrva.org.
while members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s Xi Delta Lambda Chapter will lead the symbolic Unity March for Freedom. Hostesses from the James River Valley Chapter of The Links will assist with the program. A candlelight march and reception will cap the evening.
The presentation of the MLK Drum Major Awards will recognize individuals and organizations making meaningful contributions to their communities. This year’s honorees include Randy Cooper of the 4ward Thinking Marketing Foundation Project; Sheryl Elmore, a trustee at Fifth Street Baptist Church and recipient of the Eugene Mason Lifetime Achievement Award; Housing Families First; Dr. Harold Jones III; Philip Miller, a board member of Boaz & Ruth; Ella Schultz, a community leader in Highland Park; and Anita Wynn of Virginia State University. Held in partnership with LUX Church and St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, the event will be broadcast live on fifthstreetbaptist.org and shared on social media platforms.
The Unity March for Freedom will begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by a reception and dinner to close the celebration.
T.D. Jakes labels himself ‘Bishop Lazarus’ in return to pulpit
By Adelle Banks Religion News Service
Saying, “I’m standing here as a testimony,” Bishop T.D. Jakes returned to his Dallas megachurch on New Year’s Eve for his first in-person appearance since suffering an unspecified medical incident in November.
“I had a fair amount of anxiety about walking out on this stage, standing in the same spot that I almost died in,” the Pentecostal minister told the congregation at The Potter’s House on Dec. 31. “In fact, I think I did. But God, in his infinite wisdom and his great grace, brought me back to this same spot,” he said to cheers and applause.
On Nov. 24, Jakes, 67, suffered what his church initially described as a “slight health incident” that prompted about a dozen people to rush to his side after he concluded preaching, lowered his microphone and started shaking in his seat.
Jakes spoke for about 55 minutes on Dec. 31, standing occasionally at the pulpit but mostly walking and pausing near it. “I don’t come as Bishop Jakes. I come as Bishop Lazarus, to let you know that with God, all things are possible,” he said, referencing the New Testament story of a man raised from the dead by Jesus.
A week after the incident, Jakes addressed the congregation in a 7-minute video, describing himself as a “miracle” after surviving emergency surgery.
“I want you to know you were praying all while they were doing surgery on me, and God brought me safely through,” Jakes said. He added that he did not have a stroke
but did not disclose a diagnosis. “I went through several hours of surgery. They almost lost me twice, but every time my numbers dropped, your prayers prevailed.”
Expressing gratitude for the Dallas medical team that cared for him, Jakes asked a doctor and a chief of staff in attendance to stand and be recognized as he reiterated his appreciation for being alive.
“Had the enemy had his way, we wouldn’t have had a Christmas. We’d have had a homegoing service,” he said, using a Black Christian term for a funeral. “But God.”
Jakes also thanked his family, including his wife of 42 years, Serita Jakes, who had recently undergone knee surgery but stayed by his side during his hospital stay.
When he spoke via video to the Dec. 1 service, Jakes said he would take a few weeks to
recover. On New Year’s Eve, he implied he would continue resting and managing his obligations differently. “I have put the congregation first for 47 years,” he said. “I want you to be patient with me. I don’t want you to put all your expectations on me.”
He spoke of plans to prioritize self-care, mentioning beach time, water, oxygen and vitamin D. “And then whatever I got left, I’m going to serve you in the beauty of holiness,” he said.
Jakes paused to take a drink from a goblet before adding that eventually, “I’m gonna sit down,” and perhaps take up golf.
In a defamation lawsuit filed the day after Jakes’ medical incident, his lawyers attributed his illness to allegations by Duane Youngblood, a Pennsylvania minister, who accused Jakes of attempted
sexual assault. “Youngblood’s intentional and malicious lies have taken a substantial emotional and physical toll on Bishop Jakes,” the suit reads.
“On Nov. 24 — the day before he filed this action — Bishop Jakes suffered a medical crisis on stage in the middle of his Sunday service in front of his entire church.”
In December, NBC News reported that a member of Jakes’ legal team filed a motion asking a California federal court to subpoena Google to reveal who posted videos about Jakes on YouTube that were generated by artificial intelligence. The motion said Google, YouTube’s parent company, had violated its own misinformation policies.
NBC News said the videos implicated figures like Jakes
in allegations against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs without evidence and used manipulated media to depict the celebrities in lewd acts or exaggerated emotional displays in video thumbnails.
In May, the fact-checking website Snopes reported that Jakes had been the subject of “a months-old series of videos — many at least partially created with the assistance of artificial-intelligence tools — promoting unfounded rumors claiming Combs hosted ‘sex parties’ in which Jakes participated.”
Jakes spoke Tuesday of his need for divine protection in the new year, including from AI manipulators. “I need him because people have become more wicked, and they got more to be wicked with,” he said. “They’re taking good technical things like AI and using it for evil. I need him. I can’t even protect my image and my voice. I need the Lord.”
Video screen grab
Bishop T.D. Jakes speaks during a New Year’s Eve service at The Potter’s House, Dec. 31, 2024, in Dallas.
Signs of Praise dance group, saxophonist Frank Branch and the John Marshall High School Band, delivering inspirational music, dance and spoken word. Serving as hosts are Ditu Kasuyi and Adrienne P. Whitaker,
Robert Dortch Desirée Roots
Freedom Classic Festival returns with VSU-VUU basketball rivalry
Free Press staff report
The Freedom Classic Festival returns to the Virginia State University Multi-Purpose Center on Saturday, Jan. 18, promising a day filled with basketball, community and HBCU pride.
Doors open at noon for the annual event, which began in Richmond in 1996 to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. Nearly three decades later, the festival has become a celebrated tradition, drawing alumni, students and fans from across the region.
The action tips off at 1 p.m. with the Virginia State University Lady Trojans taking on the Virginia Union University Lady
Panthers, followed by the men’s matchup between the VSU Trojans and VUU Panthers at 3:30 p.m.
While
Randolph-Macon to host 2027 NCAA DIII Women’s Volleyball Championship
Free Press staff report
Randolph-Macon College recently snagged the honor of hosting the 2027 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball National Championship. Set for the Henrico Sports & Events Center, just 8 miles from the Ashland campus, the event promises to shine a national spotlight on Central Virginia.
“This privilege acknowledges the College’s tradition of outstanding women’s athletics,” said Randolph-Macon College President Robert R. Lindgren.
This marks the second time that an NCAA
National Championship will be hosted by Randolph-Macon. The 2019 NCAA Division III Women’s Lacrosse National Championship was played on Day Field on the RMC campus. RMC has also hosted NCAA Tournament contests in football, basketball, soccer, baseball and softball.
“This is such a great opportunity for Randolph-Macon College, the Henrico Sports & Entertainment Authority, Richmond Region Tourism, and the talented volleyball community that currently exists within Central Virginia,” said R-MC Director of Athletics Jeff Burns. Central Virginia has hosted several
NCAA National Championships. The University of Richmond and the Colonial Athletic Association co-hosted the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship from 1995-98, drawing sellout crowds to City Stadium. Virginia Commonwealth University hosted the 1994 Division I Women’s Basketball Championship and the 2000 Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, both at the Richmond Coliseum.
The 2024 NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship was played at Cregger Center on the campus of Roanoke College. In 2026, the Finals will be held at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh.
and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.
It is ORDERED that the defendant, who is a nonresident of Virginia, appear here on or before the 29th day of January, 2025 at 9:00 AM and protect his interests.
A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
CUSTODY
VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re ELIJAH VENABLE, JR. & IZAHL VENABLE RDSS v. SHANTORIA VENABLE UNKNOWN FATHER Case No. JJ103825-08-00, JJ103825-10-00, JJ103826-10-00, JJ103826-12-00, ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“TPR”) of Shantoria Venable (Mother) & Unknown Father (Father) of Elijah Venable, child DOB 08/28/2021, and Iziah Venable, child, DOB 11/16/2022, child. “TPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.
It is ORDERED that the defendants Shantoria Venable (Mother), & Un known Father to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 2/20/2025, at 9:40 A.M., COURTROOM #3 VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re JAYLA VENABLE & EZEKEIL VENABLE RDSS v. SHANTORIA VENABLE UNKNOWN FATHER Case No. JJ103821-09-00, JJ103821-11-00, JJ103822-10-00, JJ103822-12-00, ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“TPR”) of Shantoria Venable (Mother)
& Unknown Father (Father) of Jayla Venable, child DOB 11/24/2017, and Ezekeil Venable, child, DOB 05/10/2018, child. “TPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.
It is ORDERED that the defendants Shantoria Venable (Mother), & Unknown Father to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 2/20/2025, at 9:40 A.M., COURTROOM #3 VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re CLIFTON VENABLE, JR. & SHARIYAH VENABLE RDSS v. SHANTORIA VENABLE UNKNOWN FATHER Case No. JJ103821-09-00, JJ103821-11-00, JJ103822-10-00, JJ103822-12-00, ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“TPR”) of Shantoria Venable (Mother) & Unknown Father (Father) of Clifton Venable, Jr., child DOB 08/01/2020, and Shariya Venable, child, DOB 11/20/2016, child. “TPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.
It is ORDERED that the defendants Shantoria Venable (Mother), & Unknown Father to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 2/20/2025, at 9:40 A.M., COURTROOM #3
VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re DESZMEN VENABLE RDSS v. SHANTORIA VENABLE UNKNOWN FATHER Case No. JJ103827-10-00, JJ103827-12-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights {“TPR”) of Shantoria Venable (Mother) & Unknown Father (Father) of Deszmen Venable, child DOB 12/26/2023, child.
“TPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship
filed according to law that the whereabouts of Defendant, Paulette Austin Freeman, are unknown, it is therefore ORDERED that notice of these proceedings be posted at the front door of the courthouse pursuant to Virginia Code §8.01-317; and it is therefore ORDERED that notice of these proceedings be published in a newspaper or online-only news publication prescribed by the court, once per week for four consecutive weeks and that the Clerk’s Office take appropriate action as required under Virginia Code §8.01-317; and it is therefore ORDERED that a copy of this notice be mailed to the defendants at the address provided in the affidavit pursuant to Va. Code §8.01316; and it is therefore ORDERED that Defendant, Paulette Austin Freeman, appear before this Court on or before the 7th day of Febtuary 2025, and do what is necessary to protect her interests in this suit. A Copy Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk I ASK FOR THIS: D. Gail Holstrom, Esq., VSB#46975 Holstrom Law, PLC 2520 Professional Road, B Richmond, Virginia 23235 (804) 592-0848
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER MALIKA BLUME, et al. Plaintiffs, v. JOHN L. MINTER, III, et al. Defendants. Case No.:CL24003649-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to ascertain and designate the true western boundary line of, and to quiet title to, that certain parcel of land in the County of Hanover, Virginia being 5.0 acres, more or less, located north of Verdi Lane, having the Hanover County Geographic Parcel Identification Number 8716-32-1010, and situated adjacent to, and sharing the said western boundary line with, that certain parcel of land being 7.7 acres, more or less, having the Hanover County Geographic Parcel Identification Number 871622-7192. And it appearing by Affidavit filed according to the law that the following defendants cannot be found: (i) the unknown heirs, devisees, creditors and successors in interest of Clifton Britton, deceased, made parties hereto by the general description of “Parties Unknown”, and (ii) Robert Cosby, a/k/a Robert Britton, George T. Adams, Herman L. Harris, and Owens Charity, if living, or their unknown heirs, devisees, creditors and successors in interest, if they be deceased, made parties hereto by the general description of “Parties Unknown”. It is therefore ORDERED
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HANOVER RICARDO D. EDWARDS, TRUSTEE OF THE THE LORETTA C. EDWARDS LIVING TRUST DATED AUGUST 14, 2020 Plaintiff, v. PARTIES UNKNOWN
The Unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/or successors in title to Robert E. Clarke, Sr. and George W. Clarke, if there be any, the consorts of any of the said unknown heirs who are married, the lien creditors of the said unknown heirs, if any, and other persons who may have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, whose names are unknown and are included in the general description of “UNKNOWN HEIRS and PARTIES UNKNOWN” SERVE: By Order of Publication Defendant(s). Case No.: CL24003708-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION
The object of this suit is to sell a certain parcel of real property situated in the County of Hanover, Virginia., being originally owned by Robert E. Clarke, Sr. and George W. Clarke more particularly described as follows: ALL that certain lot, piece of real estate, with improvements thereon and appurtenances thereto belonging, containing 10.000 acres, lying and being in South Anna District, Hanover County, Virginia, all as shown and designated as Parcel “A” on that certain plat of survey made by Downing Surveys, Inc., dated December 20, 2000, entitled “Plat of Family Division of 30.010 Acres East of Mountain Road & South of Scotchtown Road.” A copy of said plat is recorded herewith and reference is made to the plat for a more particular description of the property conveyed. BEING a portion of the
property conveyed to Ruth Clarke Ward by Deed of Gift from Theresa G. Clarke, dated November 10, 2000, recorded February 12, 2001, in the Clerk’s Office in the Circuit Court of Hanover County, Virginia in Deed Book 1625, page 0317 and by a Corrected Deed of Gift, dated February 15, 2001 and recorded immediately prior hereto in the aforementioned Clerk’s Office. The Lorretta C. Edwards Living Trust have an interest in the property by deed, by inheritance or by duly recorded liens. The unknown heirs, devisees, and/or successors in the title to Robert E. Clarke, Sr. and/or George W. Clarke and other parties unknown by have an interest in the property by deed, by inheritance or by duly recorded liens. Affidavit having been made and filed that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the identities and/or locations of certain parties to be served, and that there are or may be persons whose names are unknown, interested in the subject matter of this suit; It is ORDERED that Unknown Heirs of Robert E. Clarke, Sr. and George W. Clarke, if then living or if dead, their heirs, devisees, assigns, or successors in title, and other unknown heirs or parties who have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, who are proceeded against as UNKNOWN HEIRS OF Robert E. Clarke, Sr. and George W. Clarke, and PARTIES UNKNOWN, appear before Court on or before February 5, 2025 to protect their interests, if any, in this suit. A Copy, Teste: FRANK A. HARGROVE, JR. I ask for this: Jason L. Shaber, Esq., V.S.B.96186 Attorney for Plaintiff DANKOS, GORDON & TUCKER, P.C. 1360 E. Parham Road Richmond, Virginia 23228 (804)
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SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT responsible for designing, implementing, & managing IT solutions. Provides overall design principles & guidance for software & hardware integration. Develops, communicates, maintains, & enforces the overall architecture of the project. Position requires: Bachelor’s Degree in CompSci, or related IT field, or foreign equiv, w/2 yrs experience designing & programming complex, multi-tier front, & backend applications within the insurance industry, as well as providing operational support for existing applications using Kubernetes, Azure, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), GOLang, AngularJS, SQL, AJAX, HTML, CSS, C#, .Net, ASP.NET, & Docker. Position located in Richmond, VA. May work from various unanticipated locations. May work remotely from anywhere in the U.S. Applicants should apply at logan.buyalos@elephant.com
