Richmond Free Press April 11-13, 2024 edition

Danny Avula, who coordinated state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, is running for mayor

Dr. Danny Avula, a longtime public health leader who coordinated vaccination efforts under Gov. Ralph Northam and also served as former commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services, has announced his bid to become mayor of Richmond.

Throughout his career in public service in Richmond, Dr. Avula, a Democrat, has held several different roles, including director of the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts, Gov. Northam’s lead architect of the statewide COVID-19 vaccination effort, and commis-

sioner of the state’s Department of Social Services, according to a press release about his entrance into local politics. “I know what’s possible when we focus our strengths and resources to solve problems in Richmond,” said Dr. Avula. “I have firsthand experience working with our city’s diverse communities and bringing together public and private sector partners to build stronger, healthier communities — and we need that experience in City Hall.

“I’m running for Mayor because Richmond is at an inflection point and needs a proven leader at the held,” he

said. “I spearheaded the vaccine rollout efforts to bring Virginia from 50th to the top 10 most vaccinated states. As mayor, I will fight to fully fund public education and embed resources for families in every community; I will protect reproductive freedom and defend against any attempt to limit access to abortion; I will lead a more responsive, proactive, and accountable City Hall; and I will invest in our neighborhoods so that they are safer, more walkable and bikeable, and more climate-resilient.”

RPS school board member Jonathan Young responds to student allegations

By Darlene M. Johnson

The Richmond School Board plans to revise its standards of conduct policy following an independent attorney’s investigation into School Board Member Jonathan Young’s behavior toward a 15-year-old student, according to a WTVR-CBS 6 news report.

Modifying its procedures regarding board member conduct was discussed during Monday night’s meeting, although the exact cause for concern was not mentioned.

The WTVR report details a December 2023 incident with Mr. Young in which the RPS student complained that Mr. Young made her feel uncomfortable during a field trip.

ment policies after an independent attorney’s investigation.

Mr. Avula Please

Dr. Avula lives in the East

with a notice of intent to sue for violation of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (“VFOIA”), Va. Code §§ 2.2-3700 et seq. The notice was accompanied by a copy of the lawsuit the Virginia NAACP intends to file detailing the governor’s

Mr. Young, who represents Richmond’s 4th District, was not found to have broken harass-

The probe found that Mr. Young did not violate the board’s harassment policy but noted his actions were perceived as “weird,” “odd” and “awkward.” An example cited in the WTVR report noted that a teacher who chaperoned the event reported that Mr. Young “also invaded the personal space of other young ladies” and “would stand too close to the girls when he spoke to them and had a tendency to rub backs, arms, shoulders and hands.”

A portion of RPS’ board procedures and standards of conduct dated 2018, states:

Recognizing that persons holding a position of

By Sarah Rankin The Associated Press

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has proposed a rewrite of legislation intended to legalize and tax skill games, adding stiff new restrictions that industry supporters argued would still amount to a de facto ban of the slots-like gambling machines hosted by small businesses. The governor put forward amendments late Monday that overhaul a measure the General Assembly sent him in March, calling for a higher tax rate on the receipts from the machines, and a provision allowing localities to prohibit them. The proposed changes also add placement restrictions on the arcade-style games, banning them within about a half-mile of churches, day cares and houses of worship, and seemingly excluding them in many metro areas that already host a gambling

have taken, is to seek full transparency and to hold the Youngkin administration accountable,” said the Rev. Cozy Bailey Sr., president of the Virginia NAACP. “Virginians, especially people of color, deserve to know what this administration is doing in its Office of Diversity, Equity and

Chesterfield superintendent announces retirement

Free Press staff report

Superintendent Mervin B. Daugherty announced April 9 that he is retiring. June 30 will be his last day on the job. Dr. Daugherty has spent nearly 50 years in education.

“It has been my honor to lead Chesterfield County Public Schools. Our students, teachers, families and community are second to none,” he said. “I will miss being part of this outstanding organization.”

“Dr. Daugherty’s dedication and leadership have left an indelible mark on Chesterfield County Public Schools,” said Chesterfield County School Board Chair Dot Heffron. “He has exemplified unwavering commitment to our students, teachers, families and community while fostering inclusivity and excellence. Under his guidance, our district has earned accolades and recognition on both state and national levels. We wish him the very best for the future.”

Dr. Daugherty

Chesterfield County School Board said it will share information in the next few days about the process to find a new superintendent.

Earlier this year, Dr. Daugherty was named Superintendent of the Year for Region 1 of Virginia. He joined Chesterfield County Public Schools as superintendent on Nov. 1, 2018. Leading central Virginia’s largest school district with the motto that “all means all,” his initiatives included opening Virginia’s first recovery high school program and Virginia’s first K-8 virtual school; significantly improving employee compensation and hiring practices; and expanding communication to families, employees and community.

During his leadership, Chesterfield County Public Schools has met Virginia accreditation standards each year and won state and national recognition, including National ESEA Distinguished School Awards (2019, 2021 and 2023) and National Blue Ribbon High School Award (2019).

Dr. Daugherty began his career as a high school social studies teacher in Queen Anne’s County, Md., where he also coached football and basketball. He advanced within school districts in Maryland and Delaware to become athletic director, principal, director of professional development, assistant superintendent and superintendent.

Before joining Chesterfield County Public Schools, Dr. Daugherty served 2009-2018 as superintendent of Red Clay Consolidated School District (Delaware’s largest and highest-achieving school district) and was named the Delaware Superintendent of the Year 2015-16.

Children of Light to announce writing contest winners

In partnership with the Richmond Crusade for Voters and Antoinette V. Irving Foundation, Children of Light will announce the winners of its second annual Game Changer Citywide Writing Competition on Wednesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. at Armstrong High School in Richmond’s East End.

During the event, one middle school winner will receive $200. Three high school winners will receive $300 for first place, $150 for second place and $75 for third place. All students attend Richmond Public Schools.

To enter into the competition, students wrote essays for one of two prompts: “Are voting rights essential for the 21st century American? Why or why not?” and “What would you change to make America better for you and your family?”

The Rev. Garry Callis Sr., founder of Children of Light, said the reason for the competition is to “tighten up our kids’ communication skills,” citing his dissatisfaction with schools’ focus on communication in Richmond and the nation as a whole. For more information, please contact Rev. Callis at 804-3570772 or at becomeagamechanger@gmail.com.

Free Press staff report

An untitled Pharrell Williams feature film from Universal Pictures will film throughout Central and Coastal Virginia this spring and summer, according to Virginia’s governor’s office.

The coming-of-age musical is set in Virginia Beach in the summer of 1977, and inspired by Atlantis Apartments, Mr. Williams’ childhood neighborhood. Kelvin Harrison Jr. is set to star, with Michel Gondry directing the project based on a script by Martin Hynes “Toy Story 4,” “The Magician’s Elephant” and Steven Levenson’s “Tick, Tick…Boom!.”

Pharrell Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am OTHER, and Gil Netter (“Just Mercy,” “The Blind Side”) will produce through Gil Netter Productions.

“This high-profile project will place a global spotlight on Virginia as both an incomparable place to visit and as a preferred destination for investment from

this growing industry,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin. “The project will provide highwage jobs, help retain our trained production workforce, and deliver an immediate economic impact shared across a variety of sectors, from construction to hospitality. We warmly welcome Pharrell and the team behind this groundbreaking project to Virginia.” “Tourism is a $30 billion per year industry in Virginia, and with this project, we are not only building our competitiveness in a high-growth sector, but we are also putting Virginia in a starring role in a feature-length, visual love letter to the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “Pharrell is more than a globally recognized artist; he is an inspirational person.

Pharrell germinates and nurtures ideas, and then delivers results that have a positive impact on people’s lives. With this project, he is creating a celebration of art, dreams, community and his Virginia home that will be shared for years to come,” said Andy Edmunds, director of the Virginia Film Office. “It’s an opportunity that is unparalleled for both our production industry and our powerful tourism sector alike.”

This project marks another major production choosing Virginia, following recently filmed projects including seasons one and two of the Apple TV+ series “Swagger,” filmed in Central Virginia and Hampton Roads, and the critically acclaimed series “Dopesick,” filmed in Central Virginia and Clifton Forge.

The film will be eligible to receive a Virginia film tax credit or grant. The exact amount will be based on the number of Virginia workers hired, Virginia goods and services purchased, and deliverables including Virginia tourism promotions.

By George Copeland Jr.

About four dozen Richmonders gathered last Sunday at the original Community Hospital Building on Overbrook Road for a First Sunday “Communion” rally in a continuing effort to save the historic building, which is owned by Virginia Union University.

Two months ago, VUU announced plans to demolish the building and replace it with housing. While VUU officials have since said the building will not be demolished, the building’s status remains unclear. Multiple offers by Historic Richmond, a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and rehabilitating important sites in the city, to provide an independent assessment of the building have also gone unaddressed, according to Cyane Crump, Historic Richmond’s executive director.

The Save Richmond Community Hospital Work Group rally, cofounded by Viola Baskerville and Farid Alan Schintzius, included featured speaker Selden Richardson, the former archivist for Architectural Records at the Library of Virginia. His book, “Built by Blacks,” prominently features VUU and the Frederick Douglass Court neighborhood, which is less than a five-minute walk from the former hospital.

In addition to providing historical context about the hospital, Mr. Richardson described the surrounding neighborhoods as repositories holding “the hopes and dreams and aspirations of generations of

Black Richmonders.”

“Think of the joy generated when hundreds, thousands of babies held by proud parents emerged into the sunshine for the first time on these steps,” Mr. Richardson said. “Think of the pride of the professionals, who have been trained for years in medical school, finally had a chance to practice and aid their own people after generations of mistreatment and lack of facilities.”

“This is a conduit for existence,” added John Mitchell, executive director of the Richmond Planet, who was born in the hospital in 1963 and whose family worked there. “People came through here. People ended their existence here.”

“What we’re trying to do is continue to be visible, to keep the issue before the public,” said Mrs. Baskerville, a Virginia lawyer and politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1998 to 2005, and as Secretary of Administration under Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine from 2006 to 2010.

“There were people out here today that weren’t here last month,” she added.

“So that tells me the word is going out to the community and people are willing to come forward and share their experiences. We’re thankful.”

The next rally at the hospital is planned for Sunday, May 5.

Regina

Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority officials celebrated the groundbreaking and construction of the first phase of vertical construction for Creighton Court, one of the oldest public housing communities, on Thursday, April 4, in the city’s East End. As of this month, 192 units within Creighton Court have been demolished. Of the 504 units that once made up the entire public housing community, a total of 313 units remain with 167 unoccupied. Construction will continue through 2025.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press Olivia Garland, left, and Violet Nemsah, right, listen to rally speakers. Viola Baskerville and Farid Alan Schintziusat are organizers of the Save Richmond Community Hospital Work Group.

Mr. Williams

City pitches special bonds for stadium project

Local and national baseball officials also celebrated the updated proposal.

“Today’s announcement by the city represents an important step toward ensuring that the Squirrels will have a new home in Richmond,” Richmond Flying Squirrels president Lou DiBella said. “April 2026 is just around the corner, so it is imperative that all stakeholders move forward collectively and with a sense of urgency.”

“Richmond has been a great market for minor league baseball, and we’re excited to see that the city is making progress on putting in place a plan to keep baseball in Richmond for years to come,” said Morgan Sword, executive vice president of baseball operations for Minor League Baseball. “We think today’s developments are an important step forward to ensuring that the new stadium will be ready in time for the 2026 season.”

While parts of the proposal have changed as a result of this new revenue-bond approach, several other aspects remain the same, including requirements for the involvement of minority businesses, union labor representation for the stadium, infrastructure and private developments, and a focus on affordable housing for a portion of the residential units.

City Council members will review and vote on the city administration’s updated proposal in the weeks ahead, with several council members showing support so far.

“Richmonders have been clear about two aspects of the Diamond District project – they want us to ensure the Flying Squirrels, one of the best assets and ambassadors for our city, remain in Richmond and to support the new housing development in

Diamond District details:

What’s new

• Special Revenue Bond approach to reduce overall project costs.

• The Flying Squirrels are now managing the design and construction of the stadium through contracts with ODELL and Machete.

• The development team has changed from RVA Diamond Partners LLC composed of Thalhimer Realty Partner, LOOP Capital, and Republic, to Diamond District Partners LLC which consists of Thalhimer Realty Partner and LOOP Capital.

• The Diamond District will be developed by an established local developer, Thalhimer Realty Partner, and the Blackowned, nationally-recognized investment banking firm, LOOP Capital.

What’s not new:

• 67-acre site anchored by a new ballpark and mixed-use buildings.

• A signature central park.

• 40% Minority Business Enterprise requirements; 40% union labor for the stadium and infrastructure; 25% union labor for the privately financed portions of the project; 20% of the residential units to be affordable to households with incomes averaging 60%.

• AMI: Phase1 to include up to 100 units with project-based vouchers to assist households at or below 30% AMI.

• Partnership with Virginia Union University (VUU) to establish the Diamond District Small Business Institute and an associated $250,000 Revolving Loan Program.

Danny Avula is running for mayor

Continued from A1

End with his five children, and his wife Mary Kay, a Richmond Public Schools elementary school teacher. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University and Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Avula was named one of Richmond’s “Top Docs” each year from 2013-2022.

In launching his campaign for mayor, Dr. Avula has stepped down as the commissioner for the state’s Department of Social Services. He will continue to work as a pediatric hospitalist at Chippenham Hospital throughout his campaign for Mayor, his press statement reads.

State NAACP serves governor’s office with intent to sue for violation of FOIA

Inclusion,” he continued. “Some believe this governor is copying efforts seen in other states to limit or outright eliminate DEI practices in state government. If this is the direction he is going in, the Virginia NAACP will not stand by and allow this to happen. We look forward to our day in court.”

“The governor’s decision to brazenly refuse to provide any records whatsoever, nor an explanation as to why the office was withholding information, shows a total disregard for the public’s right to information about its state government,” said Katy Youker, director of the Economic Justice Project for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

“Our client has the right to information about the ways in which the Governor and DEI Director for the Commonwealth Martin Brown have undermined the administration’s legal duties to advance DEI, which the General Assembly understood as critical to ensuring fairness and a thriving democracy.”

the District, including numerous affordable units, said Council President and 4th District Councilwoman, Kristen Nye. “While the latest funding model is different than we originally envisioned, I believe this project, including with the new funding structure, is in the city’s best interest and is consistent with the feedback we have heard from Richmonders throughout this process.”

Other council members agree.

“This project is significant on many levels,” Ms. Newbille said. “From the new baseball stadium to the historic minority business and labor requirements, to the affordable housing developments and the public park, this inclusive project will create a beautiful neighborhood with something for every Richmonder to enjoy.”

Groundbreaking on the Diamond District project and the issuing of stadium bonds will begin in June, followed by site work in July and stadium construction in the fall. Private area development will start in early 2025. The stadium is expected to be ready for the 2026 baseball season.

RPS school board member Jonathan Young responds to student allegations

public trust are under constant observation by the media and interested city residents, and recognizing that maintaining the integrity and dignity of the public office is essential for maintaining high levels of public confidence in institutions of government, every member of the School Board shall adhere to the following procedures and standards of conduct.

1. While attending meetings and otherwise conducting the business of the School Board, every member shall conduct himself/herself in a professional and courteous manner and encourage community involvement, to include:

a. Working to create a positive environment in public meetings where citizens feel comfortable in their roles as observers or participants;

b. Avoiding, during public meetings and during the performance of public duties, the use of abusive, threatening or intimidating language or gestures directed at colleagues, citizens or personnel.

Second District Representative Mariah White, 8th District Representative Dawn Page and 9th District Representative Shavonda Dixon pushed for urgent action to revise the policies on school board member conduct. Board members will send feedback to the board’s attorney to help make the revisions that will be discussed

in the April 22 meeting. Regarding the investigation, Mr. Young said “I’m really, really grateful to Richmond Public Schools and to my colleagues for being responsible and doing the right thing and requesting this third-party objective investigation that, thank God, absolved me of any wrongdoing whatsoever,” Mr. Young told WTVR in a four-minute interview.

“If someone else is viewing me in a way that’s contrary to what I aim to achieve, then that’s a problem,” he added. And of course, I have to hold myself accountable.”

In other board business, members received information from the Richmond Alternative School, presented by Chief Academic Officer of Secondary Education Solomon Jefferson and Chief of Student Wellness Renesha Parks.

The presentation covered additions to the school to motivate students and create a positive environment, such as establishing a school mascot, and having pep rallies and spirit days. School administration also will establish criteria for students to earn off-campus field experience, including college tours, job shadowing and service learning.

There are also plans for more staffing, staff support and recruitment. Proposed staffing for the 2024-25 school year includes nine core teachers, three behavioral specialists, four special education teachers

and three additional care and safety associates, making a total of six associates. New hires will receive a sign-on bonus and new teachers will have mentors provided through the RPS mentoring program.

Teachers will also receive the same professional learning opportunities that are provided to RPS staff. These opportunities will help teachers meet the unique needs of students attending RAS. Topics covered will be incident reporting, crisis intervention, threat assessment and family communication and engagement. The professional learning opportunities will be throughout the 2024-25 school year.

To further support RAS students, RPS is partnering with Art 180, a nonprofit located in Jackson Ward, to engage students through music and art. Students will be able to explore digital design, beat making, fashion design and digital animation, among other concepts.

Other wellness opportunities will include Positive Pathways Wellness Coaching referrals for select students, access to mental health services for group and one-on-one support, and Wellness Essentials for hygiene products, non-perishable food and uniforms.

In addition to these changes, the RAS campus will undergo “beautification” over the summer that includes new painting and repair projects, along with a potential new name for RAS.

Governor amends Va. ‘skill games’ legislation, acts on other final bills

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establishment.

While skill-games supporters vowed to fight the proposed changes, Gov. Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said in a statement “the added protections” the governor is seeking address “serious concerns with the regulatory structure, tax rates, the number of machines, impact on the Virginia Lottery and broader public safety implications” of the legislation.

The skill-games bill was one of dozens Gov. Youngkin took action on late Monday, as he ran up against a deadline to complete work on measures sent to his desk during the regular session that ended March 9.

The governor, a Republican, vetoed measures that would have set up a prescription drug affordability board and allowed all localities to hold a referendum on raising sales taxes to help fund school construction. He amended a Democratic priority measure that aimed to protect the right to access contraception in a way supporters said gutted its intent. And he signed off on measures expanding the state’s revenge porn law and establishing 18 as the minimum age for marriage.

Of the 1,046 bills sent to him this year by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly, he signed a total of 777, amended 116 — including the state budget — and vetoed 153, his office said. Gov. Youngkin has vetoed more bills in this year alone than any of his seven immediate predecessors did over their entire four-year terms, according to an accounting by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

Lawmakers will reconvene in Richmond next week to consider his amendments. They could also attempt to override his

vetoes, though Democrats would need Republicans to join with them to reach the necessary 2/3 vote threshold.

The skill games debate is a rare issue that has not fallen along partisan lines. A coalition formed to push for legalization this year centered the voices of the smallbusiness owners who hosted the machines in establishments like gas stations and restaurants, and shared in their profits before a ban first passed in 2020 took effect. Rich Kelly, a restaurant owner and the president of the coalition, said in a statement Monday that, Gov. Youngkin’s amendments were “devastating” and would effectively ban the machines by prohibiting them within within 35 miles of any casino, racetrack or gambling “satellite facility.” Virginia has casinos in Bristol, Danville and Portsmouth, and allows wagers on live horse races and another form of slots-like betting in historical horse race wagering parlors around the state.

Gov. Youngkin’s proposed tax rate — 35% according to the governor’s office — would also make skill games the highest taxed good in Virginia, Mr. Kelly said.

For years, policymakers in Virginia and around the country have been grappling with how to regulate the machines, which look similar to slot machines but involve an element of skill, their manufacturers say. Virginia lawmakers first voted to ban skill games in 2020 as they were opening the door to casinos.

Operators got a reprieve after then-Gov. Ralph Northam asked lawmakers to delay the ban by a year and instead tax the machines and use the revenue for COVID-19 relief. The ban took effect in July 2021 but was challenged in court and put on hold for a while amid that fight.

Bill sponsor Aaron Rouse, a Democratic senator from Virginia Beach, said in a statement that he would work to block Gov. Youngkin’s amendments and “do everything possible to make the interests of small businesses – not casinos or massive out-of-state corporations – a priority.”

A coalition opposing skill game legalization that counts the state’s casinos among its members said in a statement that it was still reviewing the amendments but it appreciated the governor’s “more thoughtful approach” to a measure that would have “led to an unprecedented expansion of gambling in Virginia.”

If both legislative chambers agree to Gov. Youngkin’s entire set of amendments, when they meet next week, the bill as amended would become law. If lawmakers only accept certain amendments, the bill would be returned to Gov. Youngkin, who could either sign or veto it.

In other action late Monday, Gov. Youngkin approved a pair of mental health reform bills that stemmed from the death of Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man whose death last year while in custody at a state mental hospital sparked outrage and led to both legal charges and a wrongful death settlement.

Gov. Youngkin also sought amendments to two pieces of legislation that touch on organizations related to the Confederacy in a way that means lawmakers would have to approve them again next year before they could take effect. One of the bills would have ended a tax perk currently enjoyed by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and the other would have ended the issuance of special license plates honoring Robert E. Lee and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Rev. Bailey

After swearing off politics, Georgia activist now recruits people who seldom vote

The Associated Press ATLANTA

Davante Jennings cast his first ballot for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. Republican Donald Trump’s election that year, he says, turned him from an idealistic college student to a jaded cynic overnight.

Mr. Jennings walked away from a system he thought ignored people like himself, a young Black man who grew up politically conscious in Alabama but wielded no obvious power. It took nearly six years for him to see that view as self-defeating.

Now, at 27, Mr. Jennings is not only eager to cast his second presidential vote for Democratic President Joe Biden, but he also is fully invested as an activist, top aide to a Georgia state lawmaker and regular volunteer recruiting would-be voters off the sideline as part of the nonprofit New Georgia Project.

“I was like, I’m not voting for this if it’s all rigged and doesn’t even matter,” he said in an interview. “Now, I can talk to people that have been beaten down by the system and say, ‘I get it. Let’s talk about why this is important.’”

Mr. Jennings’ path spotlights the tens of millions of Americans whom political campaigns often refer to as “low-propensity voters,” people who never vote or only occasionally do so in a general election. About 1 in 3 eligible Americans did not vote in 2020. In 2016, it was more like 4 out of 10.

With presidential elections often decided on close margins in a few states, those voters could determine whether President Biden is

Voter concerns, Mr. Jennings argued, often cross party and demographic lines more than the national conversation reflects. “There’s not as much difference as people think between poor and Black, and poor and white,” he said. But the messenger still matters. “When someone looks like you and sounds like you, there’s a certain baseline of trust.”

reelected or Mr. Trump completes his White House comeback. President Biden’s campaign has had a notable head start in trying to reach such voters, but both campaigns, along with political action groups across the spectrum, aim to build a wide organizing footprint to maximize support in the fall.

“It is so critical to have an actual campaign where people can feel like they see part of themselves,” Roohi Rustum, President Biden’s national organizing director, said in an interview. President Biden and Mr. Trump each owe their elections to those sporadic, disaffected voters who often feel unrepresented.

Democrats’ inconsistent supporters trend younger and are much more likely to be nonwhite. They helped President Biden win Penn-

sylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in 2020, four years after Mr. Trump had flipped them in his defeat of Mrs. Clinton, while adding Georgia and Arizona to his column.

To recreate that coalition, Mr. Rustum’s efforts already include more than 100 field offices, 300plus paid staffers and, through the end of March, about 385,000 recruiting calls to volunteers. The campaign is highlighting President Biden’s policy record and believes President Biden wins a comparison with Mr. Trump as the more empathetic, stable figure. But the campaign also is prioritizing a network of volunteers to make the case within their own circles, especially in areas with lagging turnout.

their frustrations, on the economy, the border, on their values,” said Josh McKoon, the Georgia Republican chairman. “That draws people to him.”

Mr. Jennings affirmed there is something to that argument. Some young, nonwhite voters, he said, are attracted to or at least intrigued by Mr. Trump’s bombast against the same establishment powers they distrust — just as some of Mr. Trump’s white supporters are.

“Yeah, they’re starting to think they’ve been manipulated and lied to and taken advantage of on the Democratic side, like we’re just expected to vote for Democrats,” Mr. Jennings said, echoing part of Mr. Trump’s pitch. “They’ll say, ‘At

It’s who you know

“No talking point is going to be as persuasive as someone they know in their community,” Mr. Rustum said, adding that “it’s actually your pastor, your cousin, your neighbor.”

Mr. Jennings does not work directly for President Biden’s campaign. But his role with the New Georgia Project, which was started a decade ago by Democratic power player Stacey Abrams to increase Black turnout in Georgia, reflects a similar philosophy.

Voter concerns, he argued, often cross party and demographic lines more than the national conversation reflects. “There’s not as much difference as people think between poor and Black, and poor and white,” he said. But the messenger still matters. “When someone looks like you and sounds like you, there’s a certain baseline of trust.”

Mr. Trump has expanded GOP support among white voters without college degrees, which in 2016 helped him flip several Rust Belt states that Democrat Barack Obama won twice in his White House races. Mr. Trump also is looking to grow support among Black and Latino men.

He has trailed President Biden this cycle in fundraising and organizing. He is in the early stages of reordering the Republican National Committee and standing up a field operation. But Republicans say the principal draw is Mr. Trump himself, making nuts-and-bolts organizing less important to his overall appeal than that process is for President Biden.

“President Trump connects with people and

least we know what we’re getting with Trump.’ That’s not what I think, but that’s what I hear sometimes.”

Just the basics

Especially in less affluent communities — metropolitan and rural — Mr. Jennings said his conversations are mostly about basic quality of life issues: lack of quality job opportunities, a dearth of grocery stores with fresh, affordable food, and little access to medical care. Younger voters express frustration over marijuana criminalization. Older voters, he said, sometimes question Democrats’ emphasis on LGBTQ rights.

Mr. Jennings said the first rule of winning over a skeptical nonvoter is consistency.

“We knock on doors with a single mom, three kids running around. She’s stressed. And we’re coming in saying, ‘Hey, I need you to make time, see this is important.’ Some people don’t care to hear about it. I get it,” Mr. Jennings said. “But if I knock on that door once and it doesn’t go anywhere, well, a few days later, I come back again. And then again. What it starts to do now is, like, ‘Oh, you care for real. I’ve told you no and you keep coming back like you must care for real.’ Because I do.”

Breaking through, he added, usually requires telling some of his own story and connecting issues to the ballot box.

Mr. Jennings said his return to politics did not come until 2022, during a friendly conversation with another Black man — older than him

but still working-age—who could not afford health care coverage even with a job. Georgia is among the Republican-run states that have not fully expanded Medicaid under Democrats’ 2010 federal law, the Affordable Care Act.

“I started to realize, hey, you’re upset about the health care system. How do you change the system? You got to have the votes,” Mr. Jennings said.

Mr. Jennings said the first rule of winning over a skeptical nonvoter is consistency. “We knock on doors with a single mom, three kids running around. She’s stressed. And we’re coming in saying, ‘Hey, I need you to make time, see this is important.’ Some people don’t care to hear about it. I get it,” Mr. Jennings said. “But if I knock on that door once and it doesn’t go anywhere, well, a few days later, I come back again. And then again. What it starts to do now is, like, ‘Oh, you care for real. I’ve told you ‘no’ and you keep coming back like you must care for real.’ Because I do.”

About that time, as U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock was seeking reelection as Georgia’s first Black senator, Mr. Jennings saw an invitation to a New Georgia Project event for Black men. He went and was soon volunteering, learning along the way how to let would-be voters lead the discussion.

That does not mean talking first, or even at all, about President Biden or Mr. Trump or any other candidate, Mr. Jennings noted. After all, he skipped the 2018 Georgia governor’s race, when Ms. Abrams became a national headliner in her effort to become the first Black woman in American history to be a governor, and the 2020 cycle, when President Biden narrowly won Georgia and the state sent Democrats Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the Senate.

“Of course, the president is important,” Mr. Jennings said. “But sometimes the president isn’t the one who can fix the problems right in front of you.”

High-opportunity voters

Ranada Robinson, research director at New Georgia Project, praised volunteers such as Mr. Jennings and said he demonstrates why she pushed the group not to use the label of “lowpropensity voter.” Instead, the group refers to “high-opportunity voters.”

She called the former classification “a legacy of transactional politics,” the old system of political powers showing up only at election time. The new terminology, she said, is empowering: “We can be a more inclusive democracy if we acknowledge that maybe, you know, the oldschool techniques don’t work on everybody.”

The Associated Press Davante Jennings poses for a photo at the state Capitol on March 28 in Atlanta. Not long ago, Mr. Jennings was not even an active voter. He had given up on polictics after the 2016 presidential election — his first time voting. But he was targeted by the New Georgia Project ahead of the 2022 elections and now helps reach out to would be voters.

Let’s show up and show out

Members and supporters of the Save Community Hospital Work Group remain vigilant in their quest to have Virginia Union University officials publicly declare that the historically Black university will not demolish the former hospital on Overbrook Road.

The group’s latest effort came on Sunday when more than four dozen people gathered on the grounds of the decades-old hospital building to implore anyone within earshot to hear their concerns and join their cause.

And what a mighty cause it is.

Since early February, the Richmond Free Press has published several articles and photographs that chronicle efforts by the work group, organized by public servant Viola Baskerville and business owner Farid Alan Schintzius, to save the hospital. Built in the early 1930s, the former Richmond Community Hospital was designed to treat Black people when white medical facilities refused to do so.

Virginia Union University currently owns the building and, during a news conference in the university’s Living and Learning Center on Feb. 2, VUU President Hakim Lucas said the building would be demolished to make room for new housing units on the site and at other nearby VUU-owned properties.

When many VUU alumni and longtime Richmonders read about VUU’s plans, they mobilized by writing letters to the Free Press and other media outlets. Many of those “other” outlets have dropped the ball on covering this important story. But not the Free Press.

Images and words in this edition of the Free Press encapsulate the emotions, thoughts and words by many in attendance.

Historian Selden Richardson said “the joy generated when hundreds, thousands of babies held by proud parents emerged into the sunshine for the first time on these steps. Think of the pride of the professionals, who have been trained for years in medical school, finally had a chance to practice and aid their own people after generations of mistreatment and lack of facilities.”

Attorney and historian Bessida Cauthorne White, said Richmond Community Hospital provided the community all that was needed in one space.

Ms. White, an attorney, genealogist and community historian who was born in the hospital on Dec. 28, 1947, shared photos and memories of the family and doctors who connected her to the hospital that she visited for routine medical visits, emergencies and other occasions.

“All of those folk, the doctors, the patients, the nurses left such a legacy that we must preserve. They sang a song that they’ve left with us, and we’ve got to keep that music in our hearts, and as long as we do that and preserve this space, then I think they’ll be happy.”

Mrs. Baskerville, 72, also a trained lawyer who has dedicated her life to serving others said “What we’re trying to do is continue to be visible, to keep the issue before the public.

“There were people out here today that weren’t here last month,” she added. So that tells me the word is going out to the community and people are willing to come forward and share their experiences. We’re thankful.”

The next rally to save the former Richmond Community Hospital building is scheduled for May 5, 2024.

We at the Free Press encourage all Richmonders—whether you live across the river, on the river, on the South Side, North Side, East End, Fulton, West End, Byrd Park or the Fan—to be there.

Let’s show up and show out. Think of it as a summer of 2020 reunion. Those sorrowful spring days that morphed into summer after the murder of George Floyd. When we all gathered to demand the removal of those Confederate statues on Monument Avenue.

If we can dance, dine and dunk in anticipation of the destruction of such symbols of oppression, certainly we can do the same for the survival of our own institutions that symbolize breath, healing, hope, life and community.

“DEI mayor.”

That’s how a troll on X, formerly Twitter, labeled a news clip of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott delivering an update on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was struck by a massive cargo ship.

“It’s going to be so, so much worse,” the tweet con cluded. “Pre pare accord ingly.”

I don’t know precise ly what we are supposed to prepare for — and I imagine the troll doesn’t know, either. Some people, as I have learned on the receiving end of such bone-headed remarks in my own correspondence, don’t need to know what they’re talking about. They just want to vent.

But I was struck by the troll’s language. “DEI mayor?” So, that’s the latest way to call someone an “affirmative action” hire, meaning a way to insult someone as being unqualified for their position without using even more offensive language.

DEI is short for diversity, equity and inclusion, virtues that have become a vice in today’s discourse on the political right, just like the earlier label “affirma-

tive action,” which the right casts as “reverse discrimination.”

No, mayors like Mayor Scott, 39, are elected, not employed under DEI hiring practices. “What they mean by DEI, in my opinion,” Mayor Scott quipped in a later MSNBC interview, “is Duly Elected Incumbent.”

But the initials have taken on a life of their own as code, dressing up other epithets that are even less polite while delivering the same vile message.

Shortly after the bridge collapse, the Twitterverse churned with nasty tweets that, without offering anything resembling actual evidence, nevertheless blamed DEI for the disaster in which six people died.

Weeks before the bridge disaster, former President Donald Trump lashed into DEI in a January campaign speech in Rochester, N.H. “We will terminate every diversity, equity and inclusion program across the entire federal government,” he said.

Among his backers was a widely reported coalition of conservative groups, led by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which has offered widely

respected policy advice for conservative administrations since former President Ronald Reagan’s years.

Dumping DEI is one of many policies included in Project 2025, a long to-do list of goals for Mr. Trump’s second term, should he win one. So goes the persistent boom-and-bust cycles of racial politics — two steps forward, one step back throughout American history, but with an accelerating pace, it seems, since the 1960s.

Civil rights is a good example. Voting rights and other reforms that followed the Civil War were rolled back in Reconstruction and the decades after. In many ways, conservatives in this era have watered down or nullified the civil rights and voting rights breakthroughs of the 1960s, including affirmative action.

Most noticeable is the U.S. Supreme Court, which, among other examples, held last year that accounting for race in various stages of the admissions process at Harvard and the University of North Carolina violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

Yet, as I have followed this issue over the decades, I have been encouraged at various times by the resilience of affirmative action in its various forms.

No, it is hardly a perfect

In April, honor memories and seek reforms

earlier charge against Mr. Pollard — and a recent move by Mr. Pollard’s lawyer to have his client’s plea withdrawn.

from Virginia Tech at New River Community College.

remedy for the ills caused by historical racism. For example, I appreciate the aims of DEI, but I have sometimes been disappointed by shortcomings. Some DEI efforts, for example, have been more successful than others, partly because there is widespread disagreement over what works — and what could work better.

The business community, for example, is understandably cautious about wading into political controversies, yet there is ample experience to show that diversity programs broaden the pool of available talent and enhance productivity. “If we didn’t have a good diversity hiring and talent development program,” one senior executive told me,” it would be necessary for us to invent one.” The writer is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune.

graduation days ahead.

But in many communities across Virginia and the nation, the season and the month of April are forever shaped by the nation’s unrelenting problem of gun violence, a crisis with no boundaries — urban or rural, young or old, rich or poor.

How many times have we asked, “how can it happen here?”

It was the question asked on the morning of April 16, 2007, after a senior at Virginia Tech fatally shot 32 students and professors, and asked repeatedly since — including less than a year ago in Richmond, when a Huguenot High School graduate and his stepfather were killed by gunfire in Monroe Park after leaving the graduation ceremony at the Altria Theater.

Beyond the sorrow of families and a broad network of friends, neighbors, teachers and school staff, testimony at the trial of Amari Pollard, who pleaded guilty in the June 6 death of Shawn Jackson, 18, presented the chilling reality of the young people and adults armed on a day that ought to have been filled with celebration and joy. Questions remain over who could face trial in Renzo Smith’s death prosecutors dropped an

As the parent of two Richmond Public School graduates, I remember graduation day of 2006, filing out of the darkened auditorium and stepping into the bright sunlight and green space of Monroe Park. On my desk I keep a favorite picture of our son in a classic cap-and-gown

pose with his older sister outside the theater that day.

Less than a year later, the shootings at Virginia Tech stole any sense of safety we harbored. Seventeen years after the deaths of those bright and worldly scholars — 27 students and five professors who chose the tranquility of southwest Virginia to pursue their dreams — the lifetime work of healing and seeking peace continues for those who survived. Survivors and supporters of the 2007 Tech community were leaders in the passage of landmark gun safety legislation at the Virginia Capitol in 2020 and have created networks to help survivors across the nation. Countless others have persevered outside the public eye and deserve our thoughts and respect as well on April 16, and throughout the year. For shooting survivors, there are difficult memories throughout the month. April 20 is the 25th anniversary of the attack at Columbine High School. On April 12, 2013, two people were shot and injured just minutes

How do we think about these tragedies years later? How do we ensure that our memories, actions and words don’t wither like the flowers left at memorials? These challenges are intensified during a time of such profound suffering the world over.

We can start by recognizing that our votes count, especially in a presidential election year when an abundance of critical issues, gun safety initiatives among them, hang in the balance. Gun violence has become the leading cause of death for children and teens, and demands a national focus. How can it happen here?

How is it that firearms can be readily accessible to young people and others who shouldn’t ever be near a weapon?

Change comes slowly in a country with so much division, so many opinions and so many guns. At the same time, it seems we can act quickly — and appropriately — on transportation, medical and food dangers. A colleague recently told me that when it comes to gun safety, we want a sprint but are faced with a marathon. The same can be said for those facing a lifetime of healing.

In an era of world turmoil, we can’t lose sight of working for peace at home. April can be a month to honor memories and reclaim hope.

The writer is the author of “After Virginia Tech: Guns, Safety, and Healing in the Era of Mass Shootings.”

(For information on Virginia Tech memorial observances and events, visit https://www. weremember.vt.edu/)

Clarence Page

Thomas P. Kapsidelis

Two years after historic win, a divided Amazon Labor Union lurches toward a leadership election

The Associated Press

Two years after clinching a historic victory at a warehouse in New York City, the first labor union for Amazon workers in the United States is divided, running out of money and fighting over an election that could determine who will lead the group in the near future.

Despite campaigns at several facilities in the past few years, the warehouse on Staten Island still is the only site in the U.S. where the retail giant’s workers have voted in favor of union representation. Cracks emerged within the Amazon Labor Union ranks after it lost the votes at a second Staten Island warehouse and at one in upstate New York, spurring disagreements about the group’s organizing strategy.

Some felt Chris Smalls, the union’s president, spent too much time traveling and giving speeches instead of focusing on Staten Island, where the union still does not have a contract with Amazon. Prominent members resigned quietly or left to form a dissident labor group, which sued the union in federal court last summer to force an election for new leadership.

Although many of the union’s problems are internal, it also continues to face roadblocks from Amazon, which has resisted efforts to come to the bargaining table despite pressure from federal labor regulators to do so.

“When the law allows management to drag out negotiations over years, and to use legal arguments to delay the progress that the workers have begun, it’s just an enormous hurdle,” said Benjamin Sachs, a labor law professor at Harvard University.

In January, months after the splinter group called A.L.U. Democratic Reform Caucus filed its lawsuit, the union agreed to a court-brokered plan to allow rank-and-file members to vote on whether to hold an election for a slate of new officers. For five days that ended in early March, tables with ballots were set up outside the doors of the massive Staten Island warehouse. Smalls and other union leaders campaigned against the election, but the vote didn’t go their way.

In court documents, Arthur Schwartz, an at-

torney who represents the dissident caucus, said that of the roughly 350 union members who voted, 60% favored having an officer election in June or July.

The referendum, which had a low turnout rate, didn’t settle the legal back-and-forth and internal power plays. Last week, Jeanne Mirer, an attorney for the union, argued in a legal filing that the federal court in New York should reopen the court-brokered plan. She called it a “flawed” agreement that violated the union’s constitution.

According to Ms. Mirer, the current ALU governing document requires members to pass an amendment or arrange a constitutional convention if they want to hold an officer election before a collective bargaining agreement is negotiated with Amazon. The current leaders also say the union

has run out of money, which makes it challenging for them to conduct an election.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in the chair,” Ms. Mirer said during an interview. “Anybody who is a leader has to get Amazon to the table, and working against each other isn’t going to do it.”

Mr. Schwartz, the attorney for the dissidents, called the union’s legal claims “totally baseless,” arguing that the constitution at issue was imposed by Mr. Smalls – without a vote — in late 2022. He noted that the neutral monitor overseeing the implementation of the court-brokered plan — labor attorney Richard Levy — has scheduled candidate nomination meetings for May, which could allow an internal election to be held as early as June 11.

Mr. Smalls, a former Amazon worker who co-founded the union during the coronavirus

pandemic, did not respond to multiple requests for an interview. Last year, he told the New York Times that he traveled to help raise money for the union. He also told financial news website Business Insider in December that he would not seek reelection as ALU president.

Meanwhile, two other prominent organizers, Connor Spence, the union’s co-founder and former treasurer, and Michelle Valentin Nieves, a union leader who says she was pushed out of the group last year, have thrown their hats in the ring. Amazon fired Mr. Spence last year for violating a company policy that forbids workers from accessing company buildings or outdoor work areas when they’re off the clock, a policy critics say is designed to hinder organizing. He’s leading the A.L.U. Democratic Reform Caucus, while Ms. Valentin Nieves is running her own independent campaign.

Ms. Valentin Nieves, who helps run the conveyor belts at the warehouse that unionized, said she felt frustrated during her time in the ALU by how much Mr. Smalls traveled, alleging that he missed weekly financial meetings for five months straight. She said she spoke with him about reducing his time away and encouraged him to periodically go to public bus stop near the warehouse, where many workers gathered after their shifts ended. But she said Mr. Smalls didn’t take her advice.

“We need someone that is here. We need a contract and we need to organize the building,” Ms. Valentin Nieves said. “If we’re not able to do this, it’s going to have a domino effect, and a lot of Amazon workers are going to lose hope.”

One Amazon worker on Staten Island, Keanu Rivera, 28, said he voted in favor of the union two years ago and sometimes reads the emails he receives from the labor group. Mr. Rivera said he used to see organizers talking to workers all the time before the representation vote two years ago.

These days, he says there’s not much of that, a problem exacerbated by the Amazon policy restricting off-duty activity in work areas.

“It’s all Amazon,” Mr. Rivera said. “Amazon got the money to stall them.”

What to know about Biden’s latest attempt at student loan cancellation

The Associated Press WASHINGTON

President Joe Biden is taking another shot at student loan cancellation, hoping to deliver on a key campaign promise that he has so far failed to fulfill.

In a visit to Wisconsin on Monday, President Biden detailed a proposal that would cancel at least some debt for more than 30 million Americans. It’s been in the works for months after the Supreme Court rejected President Biden’s first try at mass cancellation.

President Biden called the court’s decision a “mistake” but ordered the Education Department to craft a new plan using a different legal authority. The latest proposal is more targeted than his original plan, focusing on those for whom student debt is a major obstacle.

Here’s what to know about the new plan:

President Biden’s first attempt at widespread student loan cancellation would have erased $10,000 for borrowers with yearly incomes of up to $125,000, plus an additional $10,000 if they received federal Pell grants for low-income students. It was estimated to cost $400 billion and cancel at least some student debt for more than 40 million people.

The new plan uses a different legal justification — the Higher Education Act, which allows the secretary of education to waive student loan debt in certain cases. The Education Department has been going through a federal rulemaking process to clarify how the secretary can invoke that authority.

Borrowers who are eligible for other federal forgiveness programs but haven’t applied would also get their loans canceled under the new proposal. It applies to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and income-driven repayment plans, among others. It’s meant to help people who missed out on forgiveness because of complex paperwork, bad advice or other obstacles.

hardship that merits cancellation, they would need to apply individually.

When will I get relief?

The Biden administration says some debt could be canceled as soon as this fall, including interest that has snowballed on top of borrowers’ loans.

That timeline would require some maneuvering. The Education Department said it plans to release a formal proposal in the “coming months.” That would usually be followed by a public comment period of 60 days.

Then if the rule is finalized by Nov. 1, it would usually take effect the following July — in this case, July 2025.

fident that the plan is allowed by the Higher Education Act. But loan cancellation of this type is uncharted territory, and conservative opponents are expected to challenge Biden’s plan in court.

Republicans have repeatedly fought President Biden’s plan for student loan cancellation, saying it’s an unfair benefit shouldered by taxpayers who repaid their loans or didn’t go to college. Opponents say the Supreme Court was clear that widespread loan cancellation must come from Congress.

Technically, there are ways that canceled student debt can be reinstated. But doing it on such a large scale could be difficult and costly, requiring heavy work from loan servicers contracted to work for the Education Department. It could also be politically fraught to reinstate debt after it’s been forgiven. Ultimately, it could be up to the courts to decide how to handle debt that’s already been canceled.

An estimated 2 million people would be eligible for that help.

All debt would be canceled for borrowers who have been repaying undergraduate loans for 20 years or more, or 25 years for those with graduate school debt. The Biden administration says it would erase loans for more than 2 million people.

Those who attended college programs of “low financial value” would be eligible for forgiveness. The plan would cancel debt for borrowers who went to institutions that lost eligibility for federal education funding because they cheated students. It would also cancel loans for people who went to college programs that left graduates with low incomes compared to their student loans.

A final category would cancel loans for Americans facing hardship that prevents them from repaying their student loans. The rule would allow the Education Department to cancel debt for borrowers who are considered highly likely to default on their loans, and it would create an application system for individuals to detail other forms of hardship.

Do I need to apply?

Most of the cancellation would be done automatically with no need to apply. That would be the case for the interest cancellation, borrowers with older loans, those that attended low-value programs, and those eligible for other cancellation programs.

There’s one exception: If borrowers want to make a case that they face some sort of

The new plan targets five categories of borrowers, focusing on those believed to be in the greatest need of help. It would provide relief to an estimated 30 million borrowers. The administration has not said how much the plan would cost. Who is eligible? The widest-reaching provision aims to reset student loan balances for borrowers who have seen their debt grow because of unpaid interest. It would cancel up to $20,000 in interest for Americans who now owe more than they originally borrowed. That cap wouldn’t apply for individuals who make less than $120,000 a year or couples who earn less than $240,000 and also are enrolled in an income-driven repayment plan. The Education Department says 25 million people would be eligible for that relief, including 23 million who would get their interest erased entirely.

But the Higher Education Act authorizes the education secretary to fast-track rules for “early implementation” in some cases. The Biden administration recently used that power to accelerate student loan cancellation offered through a new federal repayment plan.

Invoking that authority could allow President Biden to start canceling debt later this year.

Is this a sure thing?

Anything but. The Biden administration says it’s con-

If President Biden’s plan faces a lawsuit, courts could order the administration to halt cancellation until legal questions are sorted out. That scenario could leave the plan on hold beyond the November presidential election. Even if it survives legal challenges, a Donald Trump victory would spell almost certain doom for President Biden’s plan. Can cancellation be reversed?

If President Biden’s plan is overturned after the administration starts canceling loans, it would present a thorny question: Can forgiven student loans be unforgiven?

The

Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon

Stories by Fred Jeter

The University of South Carolina women’s basketball ended its season with the same number of losses it started with – zero.

In becoming the 10th team to go undefeated, the 38-0 Gamecocks defeated Iowa and its headliner Caitlin Clark, 87-75, for the NCAA crown April 7 in Cleveland.

It was the third NCAA title for USC Coach Dawn Staley, who also won one as a player for the University of Virginia. Coach Staley’s USC teams also won the 2017 and 2022 titles. The only other Black woman to win a championship was Carolyn Peck with Purdue in 1999. The current Gamecock prevailed, convincingly, despite having no returning starters from a year ago. USC is 110-3 over the past three seasons and has won 80 of its last 81 games dating to the 2022 campaign. The lone loss a year ago was to Iowa in the semifinals. Freshman Tessa Johnson led USC with 19 points while 6-foot-7 Brazilian Kamilla Cardozo had 15 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots. Cardozo was named the Finals Most Outstanding Player.

Defensively, Raven Johnson held Clark in check for the final three quarters. Clark, the National Player of the Year and all-time NCAA scoring leader, had 18 points in the first quarter but later hit just five of 20 shots with Johnson sticking close.

The WNBA draft will be April 15 in Brooklyn with Clark sure to be picked No. 1 by the Indiana Fever. She likely will make her pro debut May 14 on opening night of the WNBA season. Cardozo also has announced that she is headed to the WNBA.

UConn beats Purdue to score 6th NCAA championship

For decades, UCLA represented the gold standard of college basketball. But now, the Bruins have become yesterday’s news.

Connecticut has taken their place. The balance of power has shifted from Los Angeles to Storrs, Conn.

was named Most Outstanding Player. Inside, 7-foot-2 Donvan Clingan battled Purdue’s 7-4 National Player of the Year Zach Edey, enabling the Huskies perimeter defense to snuff out the Boilermaker’s three-point shooters. Richmond fans are familiar with Coach Hurley, who coached Rhode Island from 2012 to 2018, often facing VCU and Richmond in the 804. The Monday game plan was

to cover Edey, one-on-one in the paint with Clingan, and thwart everyone else. Mission was accomplished. Edey was 15 for 25 from the field, all near the basket, while his teammates were a combined 9-for-29 (and just one of seven outside the arc).

With six titles since 1999, and now two in a row, Coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies are making fans forget the UCLA dynasty (10 crowns in 12 seasons, 1964 to ’73). Big East Conference affiliate UConn makes it look easy. The Huskies are the no-sweat champs. For the second season in a row, all six NCAA tournament wins were by double-digits, including Monday’s cruise control 75-60 win over Purdue in Glendale, Ariz. Tristen Newson, a 6-foot-5 transfer from East Carolina, led UConn with 20 points and UConn – the UCLA of the East UConn-quest (Huskies’ NCAA titles)

Still, Edey scored 37 points (many in late going after verdict was in) to become the fourth leading scorer (tying UCLA’s Kareem Abdul-Jabber) in an

Season Coach Championship game

1999 Jim Calhoun defeated Duke 77-74

2004 Calhoun defeated Georgia Tech 82-73

2011 Calhoun defeated Butler, 53-41

2014 Kevin Ollie defeated Kentucky 60-54

2023 Dan Hurley defeated San Diego State 76-59

2024 Hurley defeated Purdue, 75-60

NCAA finals Most Outstanding Players

1999 – Richard Hamilton; 2004 – Emeka Okafor; 2011 –Kemba Walker; 2014 – Shabazz Napier; 2023 – Adama Sanogo; 2024 – Tristen Newton

Cheyney (Pa.) State University is far removed from the brightest stage of women’s college basketball now, but that was far from the case in 1982.

In the inaugural season of the women’s NCAA tournament, Cheyney’s Lady Wolves shocked the world by advancing to the finals, at Norfolk Scope, before losing to Louisiana Tech, 76-62. Louisiana Tech featured a pig-tailed guard named Kim Mulkey (now LSU coach), but that’s a story for another day. In an ESPN Sports Center feature in 2022, called “The Lone Wolves,” former

While he’s far, far from the finish line, Devin George has high hopes of following in the tire tracks of Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace. There are similarities with both.

Like Hamlin (NASCAR Cup megastar), George is a graduate of Manchester High and lives near Southside Speedway, where Hamlin sewed his racing seeds. “I’ve never met him (Hamlin), but I sure would like to,” said the son of Allen and Debra George of Midlothian. George was on hand to cheer Hamlin to victory Easter night in the Toyota 400 at Richmond Raceway.

Like Wallace (the circuit’s most prominent Black driver), the 19-year-old George is finding his way in a sport that is now, and always has been, overwhelmingly white. “I’ve never met him (Wallace), either, but he’s one of my favorites,” George said.

The Manchester Class of 2023 alumnus currently is the lone Black driver at Dominion Raceway in Spotsylvania County, 49 miles from home.

He competes at the four-tenths of a mile oval in the Legends division. Legends is one level down from the featured Late Model Sportsman class.

George is easy to spot in a crowd.

“There was one other (Black driver), but I haven’t

NCAA Final. The Final individual record of 44 was set by UCLA’s Bill Walton in 1973 against Memphis. UCLA’s Gail Goodrich had 42 in 1965 and Kentucky’s Jack Givens netted 41 in 1978. UCLA dominated during a different era. The NCAA tournament included just 25 teams when its era began in ’64. The event is now a 68-team test.

The current UConn starting five accounted for all but four of the 75 points. Newton, Clingan and Stephon Castle likely will be playing in the NBA next season.

Rebuilding hasn’t been a problem. Only two of last year’s five starters returned to Hurley’s lineup this go-round. The 2025 Final Four will be in San Antonio. Will UConn, with a new look, return for a three-peat? No team has won three straight finals since UCLA long ago. But this is UConn we’re talking about –the “UCLA of the East.”

Devin George races with ambition, talent

seen him in a couple of years,” George said with a smile.

Aided by his father (aka “Crew Chief”), George is in his third season of competition. He finished sixth overall in 2022 and seventh a year ago in his white, blue and red No. 17 racer.

There have been numerous Top 5 finishes, but George is quick to add “we expect some wins this season.” The season began this month and will run into October with about two events per month.

It helps that there is added sponsorship.

George has received significant sponsorship from Rick Ecker of Vets on Track/Armed Forces Motorsports.

Ecker and George came together by pure chance.

“We met at church (Southside Nazarene) on Grad Sunday,” George said. “Mr. Ecker found out about my racing and said, ‘Maybe I can make your dreams come true.’ ”

He also has sponsorship from Titan Construction and America’s Choice Mortgage and, of course, from the family coffers.

George is no one-trick pony. He has played drums for the church’s Sunday congregation for years and was the lead trumpet in Manchester’s marching band.

While he dabbled in numerous sports growing

up, George became a “gear head” about the time he began watching the Disney comedy series “Cars.” “I watched it all the time. ... Still like it,” he said.

A loving uncle, Dr. Melvin Douglas Law Jr. (orthopedic spine-surgery specialist), also played a major role in shaping the young man’s love for fast cars. “He gave me a NASCAR documentary that I loved, and he also bought me my first car,” George said. And that’s not all. For each of his nieces and nephews, Dr. Law offered a vacation trip to anywhere in the world.

In Devin’s case, there was an option to a trip — the cash value of the journey (tentatively to Germany).

“It was an easy choice,” said George, who pumped much of the revenue into racing.

If all goes well this season, George is contemplating a move up to Late Model class in 2025.

George is no Hamlin or Wallace yet, but there’s no speed limit on dreams.

Historically, HBCUs haven’t fared so well. The SWAC and MEAC champs receive automatic NCAA berths but almost always are quickly eliminated. There’s even worse news for Cheyney. Due to finances and the after-effects of COVID, the school has discontinued its women’s basketball program.

In 1982, HBCU Cheyney reached the NCAA finals ... never has anything like that happened since.

Earl Reid always knew he wanted to serve in the military, prompted in part by walking past the Military Retirees Club, which was not far from the Gilpin Court neighborhood in which he grew up.

“I used to always wonder what they were doing over there in that building with the flag flying and people coming in and out, some in their uniforms,” said Mr. Reid, who often passed the nonprofit organization for military veterans while on his way to the nearby Battery Park swimming pool. “That’s when I decided … ‘I think that’s what I want to do.’”

Mr. Reid, 67, grew up as the second oldest with his mother and three sisters. At a young age, his mother taught him to be “tough,” take care of his sisters and be the “man in the house.”

Mr. Reid served in the Army Reserve and active duty for 22 years, where he earned the title of sergeant first class. He joined the Military Retirees Club after retiring, and was elected president in 2021 and re-elected in 2023.

Mr. Reid is proud of the improvements the MRC has made since he became president. One accomplishment, he said, is its new suicide prevention and substance addiction program, Bridge Over Troubled Water.

“Last year when we had our first fundraiser, we made

Personality: Earl Reid Spotlight on the Military Retirees Club president

a commitment (to focus) on drug (and) alcohol addiction for veterans and their families,”

Mr. Reid said.

The MRC received grant funding to help implement the program, which still is in its beginning stages. In addition to creating and improving programs, the MRC is working to improve outreach, its membership and attract younger members. “The bottom line is younger people are not staying in the military and most of them don’t want to commit to organizations,” Mr. Reid said. “It’s kind of hard right now.” The MRC also has raised more money under his leadership, Mr. Reid said, with much of the funds used to maintain the 2220 Sledd St. facility.

“It’s just like your house,” Mr. Reid said. “You have to constantly keep your house up. I have that same attitude about this facility.”

Meet the president of the Military Retirees Club and this week’s Personality, Earl Reid: Volunteer position: President, Military Retirees Club (MRC).

Occupation: Retired.

Date and place of birth: Jan. 17, Richmond.

Where I live now: Henrico County. Education: General Educa -

tional Development.

Family: Wife, Alfreda A. Reid; son, Earl D. Reid Jr.

Military Retirees Club is:

A 501 C (19) War Veterans nonprofit organization of nearly 54 years for retired military members.

Mission: To provide support to veterans in the Richmond area.

When and why founded: The MRC was founded in 1972 to maintain comradeship among retired military members and strengthen community bonds.

Founders: Leon Ellis and Joseph Stewart.

Location: 2220 Sledd St; Richmond

How the Military Retirees Club works: The Club functions off of its programs, events, dues and donations from members.

I initially got involved with the Military Retirees Club: To fulfill a childhood dream of supporting the military.

When elected president: In 2021, re-elected in 2023.

Why the Military Retirees Club is meaningful to me: We continue our comradeship as retired military personnel. More importantly, we support our community by hosting back-to-school drives providing students with school supplies and giving children toys during our Toys For Tots Childrens’ Christmas Parties. Our most recent endeavor, the Suicide Prevention and Opioid Addiction Services Program, which we’ve named “Bridge over

Troubled Water”, will serve veterans, military service members and their families.

No. 1 goal and strategy as president: Obtaining more financial support for our programs and building fund. To increase the membership of our organization. Having a well-publicized and successful fundraising gala.

Biggest challenge: Overcoming the stereotype that the MRC is for social gatherings only. The general public is unaware of the pivotal programs that we sponsor to give back to our community. That stereotype impacts both our ability to raise funds and increase our membership.

No. 1 joy I have witnessed by working with the Military Retirees Club: Is being a member of this historic organization at a time where I can see the fruits of our labor, which includes providing programs that impact our youth and help keep our veterans alive. The feeling I get when I see the looks on the

youths’ faces that we support. Also in seeing the response from our veterans such as retired Army First Sergeant, Charles H. Taylor, (who earned 2 Purple Hearts), who still attends our events at the age of 92.

Ways other military retirees can contact the Military Retirees Club and get involved: Call the office at (804) 3213188 or visit our website at mrcclub.com.

How I start the day: With a prayer and a cup of coffee.

The three words that best describe me: Loving, focused and committed.

Best late-night snack: Popcorn.

My musical playlist: Jazz and Southern Soul. I love to: Cook.

A quote that inspires me: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: Be strong and take care of your business.

The person who influenced me the most: My strong and hard-working mother.

Book that influenced me the most: “Your Comeback,” by Tony Evans.

Next goal: To expand our Club’s outreach to the surrounding community.

Happenings

‘Quiet’ causes whispers for network TV

Disturbing claims by former Nickelodeon cast, crew

By Darlene M. Johnson

There have been plenty of retrospective documentary exposés about entertainment’s dark side; “Surviving R. Kelly” and “We Need to Talk About Cosby” are just two examples.

“Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” a four-part docuseries directed by Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz, is the newest in the lineup.

The series aired March 17-18 on Investigation Discovery (ID) and has garnered widespread attention, with over 16 million viewers between cable and streaming services.

“Quiet on Set” reveals overt racism, sexism, sexual abuse and exploitation behind the scenes at Nickelodeon.

The series’ first half focuses on former Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider, 58. The series features interviews with former Nickelodeon stars and colleagues of Mr. Schneider, who didn’t participate.

Mr. Schneider is the mastermind behind many shows Millennials and Gen Zers grew up watching between 1993-2018. Such shows include “All That,” “Kenan & Kel,” “iCarly” and “Victorious.” The child stars in these shows were a key part of our childhood entertainment but it wasn’t always fun for them.

Bryan Hearne, a former star on All

That from 2002-2003, was one of few Black faces on Nickelodeon and was cast as stereotypes, such as a teen who appeared to sell drugs and “the youngest rapper ever,” Lil’ Fetus.

As Lil’ Fetus, Mr. Hearne, 35, recalled overhearing someone say his skin-toned suit “should’ve been dark like charcoal.” Mr. Hearne’s mother, Tracey Brown, was vocal about her concerns, which is presumably why Mr. Hearne was later dismissed from the show.

Leon Frierson, 37, was another Black “All That” actor who played

Nose Boy, a superhero with a large prosthetic nose who wore large noses as shoulder pads that he noted resembled parts of a male’s anatomy. Even worse, the character’s main joke was sneezing fluid on everyone, which seems like a sexual innuendo we didn’t understand as children.

Looking back as an adult, lots of Nickelodeon content had red flags. “Quiet on Set” examines too many moments of suggestive content slid into our favorite shows, including more strange slimes and liquids, and Mr. Schneider’s longtalked-about focus on feet.

One particularly bizarre scene is of entertainer Ariana Grande, 30, who played Cat Valentine in Victorious and Sam & Cat, trying to squeeze “juice” from a potato. Yikes!

working with Mr. Schneider. Ms. Kilgen said her salary was split with a female writer for “The Amanda Show,” but that male staff had full salaries.

Ms. Kilgen filed a gender discrimination and hostile work environment lawsuit against the production company for “The Amanda Show” in 2000 which was settled out of court.

Jenny Kilgen, one of two female writers for The Amanda Show, also detailed gender discrimination and a toxic work environment while

The latter half of the docuseries takes a darker turn, showcasing Nickelodeon staff that were child predators.

Former production assistant Jason Handy terrifyingly described himself as a “pedophile, full-blown.” He was sentenced to six years in prison in 2004 after convictions of lewd acts on a child, distributing sexual content and sexual exploitation of a child.

Quiet on Set doesn’t stop there.

A shocking moment comes from “Drake & Josh” star and “All That” alum, Drake Bell, who was sexually

Giancarlo Esposito always had leading man credentials, ‘Parish’ just makes it official

Giancarlo Esposito has long been lauded as a charismatic, scene-stealing thespian and commander of roles who’s worthy of leading man stature. But it might be surprising that for first the time, it’s actually official.

“I say, ‘Ask for what you want.’ So, I wanted this badly,” said the star of “Parish,” who’s also an executive producer of the new crime drama. “When you ask for what you want, normally you will get it if you believe and if you can endure. So, almost eight years is a long time to endure.”

That’s how long it took to bring the series into fruition after being shopped and bounced around before landing at AMC. “Parish,” based on the BBC One series “The Driver,” follows Gracian “Gray” Parish, a New Orleans-based former getaway driver-turned successful law-abiding taxi entrepreneur whose life unravels after his son’s murder. Facing financial hardships, he entangles himself with a local Zimbabwe gang that deals in human trafficking and ending that working relationship won’t be easy.

The 65-year-old Mr. Esposito, a six-decade acting veteran who was first introduced to wide audiences through his work in Spike Lee Joints, is most recognized for his villainous, sinister roles like the iconic drug kingpin Gustavo Fring from “Breaking Bad” and its spinoff, “Better Call Saul.”

More recently, he’s appeared in popular series like “The Mandalorian,” “Godfather of Harlem,” “The Boys,” “Kaleidoscope” and “The Gentlemen.”

Despite how long it’s taken for him to reach the top of the call sheet, Mr. Esposito doesn’t fixate on whether he receives the professional respect many believe he’s owed.

“I’ve let go of wanting to have more respect than is due me, more respect than what

Mr. Esposito

comes to me. People come up to me and they say, ‘You’re a highly underrated actor.’ So, I never know when that’s said to me if I should feel awful or feel great,” said the five-time Emmy nominated actor — four for supporting actor and one for guest actor. “It’s an honor to have my own show. In this ecosystem of Hollywood, there’s more that I have to do... I’m ready to bust out on a new journey, and ‘Parish’ is the beginning of that.”

The Associated Press spoke with Mr. Esposito about leading his own series, roles he has yet to play and if there’s anything left to explore with Gus Fring.

AP: How do you relate to Gray Parish?

Mr. Esposito: I was a man up against the wall 10, 15 years ago — completely. Went bankrupt. Lost my house. Divorced, you know, wound up living in a goat barn for a while... Didn’t know if I’d ever get my career back on track. Just didn’t have any sense of hope — that’s where Gray is — until a moment where I thought of some desperate ways to have my family survive. To say that my life has been rosy and it’s always great — which is sometimes what people want to hear from an actor of my stature — that’s not my truth. And so, to live my organic truth is important to me.

AP: In “Parish,” you’re finally the star and the lead. Was that a different responsibility or

any pressure?

Mr. Esposito: It is a very, very daunting responsibility if you see it that way, right? So, I see this project as something that so many people invested… in my journey to become a leader. And so, there’s a lot of pressure behind it. I realized, ‘Oh, it’s not just about me.’ Sure, the part of my ego that goes, “Wow, I’m No. 1 on the call sheet — it’s about time! Boy, do I love it.” There’s an enjoyment to it, and there’s a wonder to it because I put so much of myself into this story. But it’s also... a wonderful thing to learn, to learn from those I’m working with.

AP: Not to simplify characters as solely good or bad, but what allows you to play villains so well?

Mr. Esposito: In the last five years, I’ve given myself an assignment, and that assignment is to make it personal. And so, I find some link to who I am personally. I had a great realization that when I was young, I was bullied: I was bullied by my father, I was bullied by my brother. And I realized that part of that Gustavo personality (from “Breaking Bad”) is a very gracious bully.

AP: Would you consider a spinoff “Breaking Bad” prequel series based on Gustavo Fring?

Mr. Esposito: Would I continue with a show called “The Rise of Gus?” I most certainly will — I would love to.

I feel like there’s a part of Gus you don’t know, and the agreement and the understanding is that what you don’t know about Gus made him interesting. You wanted to know more: Does he have a family? Is he gay? Is he straight?... I know the audience wants more of Gustavo to know more of who he is, and if there were an opportunity one day, I’d love to explore that because I have these ideas.

AP: Are there any roles you haven’t played yet that you’d like to?

VMHC to offer free citizenship classes

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s “Becoming Citizens” program returns this spring, offering 100% free citizenship preparation classes to help prepare people for taking their citizenship test.

For seven consecutive Thursday evenings from May 2 to June 13, 2024, VMHC staff will help prepare aspiring citizens with civics and history lessons necessary to pass the citizenship examination. Unlike other citizenship classes, this course will allow for participants to interact with original historical objects, books, maps and documents. Participants will also receive free study material to continue their preparation after the class ends.

The program has been offered at the VMHC since 2022 and has helped people from all over the world gain a deeper understanding of American history, culture and civic responsibilities, ultimately empowering them to fully engage and contribute

to their communities.

As a part of a multi-year initiative to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the VMHC is offering an increasing number of public programs over the next two years. This includes an increase in the number of citizenship ceremonies, where candidates for citizenship take the oath of naturalization.

The VMHC now hosts citizenship ceremonies on both President’s Day and Independence Day (July 4th) that are open to the public. Learn more about VMHC’s 250th Initiative at VirginiaHistory. org/250.

“Becoming Citizens” classes will be held from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. every Thursday, starting May 2 to June 13, 2024. Pre-registration is recommended, but guests can register at the door on the evening of the first class. Guests should also be able to read, write and speak basic English. For more information or to register for classes, please visit www.VirginiaHistory.org/Citizenship.

Mr. Esposito: After playing such intense characters for so long, people oftentimes assume that that’s who I am... but I want to do a rom-com, and I want to do a comedy… Taurus is my sign — astrological sign — so, I’m a romanticist, I’m always wanting and inviting romance in my life.

I’d love to tell the story of Haile Selassie. I think that would be a really interesting story: the Ethiopian who was just so profound in his leadership. I’m very interested in King Solomon because I feel like that role model is something we need in our world today.

assaulted by former dialogue coach Brian Peck.

Mr. Bell, 37, struggled to detail what he endured at just 15 years old, telling interviewers to imagine “the worst stuff someone can do to somebody as a sexual assault.”

In 2004, Mr. Peck was convicted of lewd acts with a minor for his crimes against Mr. Bell. Mr. Peck was sentenced to 16 months in prison and required to register as a sex offender.

After his release, he worked on Disney Channel’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” but was fired once executives learned of his conviction.

Each episode features a quote from Nickelodeon, stating that it “investigates all formal complaints” and has “adopted numerous safeguards over the years.”

In a March 19 video, Mr. Schneider refutes most claims in the series, calling it “difficult” to watch, but says he would do things differently today.

ID announced a surprise fifth episode of “Quiet on Set” that aired Sunday, April 7 at 8 p.m. Episodes are available on Max and Discovery+.

VisArts hosts Richmond Poetry Fest

Mr. Burnems

April 12, the Writers’ Den will present spoken word performances from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Saturday, April 13 events from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. will include readings from local artists with a focus on publishing poetry. From 5:30 - 7:30

Chia-Hsuan Lin, conductor Marvel Studios’ Black Panther Live In Concert is a new dimension of superhero cinema. Featuring the brilliant Chadwick Boseman.

Travel to the kingdom of Wakanda as the Richmond Symphony performs every note of Ludwig Göransson’s OSCAR®winning score live while the movie is simultaneously projected on a giant screen. TICKETS START AT $32

By George Copeland Jr.

Red Smith, the prominent sportswriter, once said that “writing is easy. Just sit in front of a typewriter, open up a vein and bleed it out, drop by drop.”

William DuBois “Duke” Smither never met Mr. Smith, but, no doubt, they shared a similar passion for the written word. Mr. Smither was a prolific writer and storyteller who spun stories most of his life for every medium from newspapers to blogs. He literally worked until he couldn’t anymore.

Mr. Smither passed away at the age of 79 on Thursday, March 7, 2024, marking the end of a life filled with personal and historical achievements.

Born the son of Corinthian Baptist Church Pastor Will Andrew Smither and deaconess Mary Stinson Smither on Sept. 30. 1944, Mr. Smither grew up alongside three siblings in Frankfort, Ky.

Mr. Smither began his school experience in Frankfort, joining the military and the U.S. Navy after graduating high school at age 16. He later continued his education at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Majoring in journalism, Mr. Smither balanced his studies with work as a sports reporter for VCU’s “Postscript” newspaper and wrote sports and features for the Richmond Afro-American Newspaper. He later would return to VCU for postgraduate studies in criminal justice administration.

Mr. Smither

Mr. Smither also graduated with a B.S. degree in organizational management from St. Paul’s College in 1993. His independent studies in African and African-American history further contributed to his writing career, leading to Backstreet Djeli’s Blog, a history-related and contributing work for Blackpast.org.

Throughout his life, Mr. Smither was devoted to storytelling in all its forms. He was a frequent part of faith-based community theater productions as an actor, playwright and director. Mr. Smither also was an accomplished author, debuting in 2018 with “Backroads to ‘Bethlehem,’” followed in 2022 by a sequel, “Passage(s) to Saint-Domingue.” His commitment to writing continued up until his final hours, completing his third novel in the series the same day he passed away. The work tentatively is titled “Children of the Swamp.” Outside his work as a writer, Mr. Smither was a devoted husband of 58 years to his wife Catherine Sharon Smither. He also was a longtime member and past president of the Male Chorus at St. Peter Baptist Church, and a member of Christian Arts/Cultural Ministries, serving as part of its congregation for more than 20 years.

When it came to other work, Mr. Smither served as a senior investigator in corporate security for Dominion Energy until he retired in 2008. He was the first African-American insurance agent in Virginia for Allstate Insurance. On June 9, 2023, Mr. Smither was inducted into the Frankfort, Ky. Independent Schools Hall of Fame for lifetime achievements.

Mr. Smither was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Barbara Smither Collins, Mary Smither Gladden and Billy Smither. He is survived by his wife; children Kenyatta D. Smither Sr., Douglass D. Smither and Tanya Michelle Smither; his grandchildren and a host of other relatives, cousins and close friends.

Mr. Smither was buried Monday, March 18, 2024 at Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia County. Those looking to honor his life are encouraged to make donations in Mr. Smither’s memory to the American Lung Association, which can be found at www.lung.org.

Kennard “KJ” Wyche Jr., among the most successful high school guards in Richmond-area history, will be continuing his education and basketball at Virginian Union University.

Wyche signed with VUU Coach Jay Butler last week. “He’ll bring a lot of excitement,” Coach Butler said of his new star player.

The 5-foot-9 Varina High senior was the two-time (2022 and 2023) Class 4A state player of the year.

During his three seasons on the Blue Devils’ varsity, Wyche scored more than 1,000 points, passed for more than 200 assists and came up with more than 100 steals.

He averaged 17 points and a whopping 11 assists per game this past season for Coach Kenneth Randolph’s 22-2 squad. Varina won the Class 4 title in 2022 and 2023, and finished second to Hampton this season with the championship games all at the Siegel Center.

Wyche helped the eastern Henrico school to a glistening 70-7 record over three seasons. That ranks with some of the best three-year runs in area annals.

The name Kennard Wyche is familiar to area hoops fans. Kennard Sr. was a two-time All-Metro standout at Armstrong High in the late 1990s. The elder Wyche serves as a Varina assistant.

Much was expected of Victor Wembanyama in his NBA rookie season and the 7-foot-4 Frenchman hasn’t disappointed.

Still, as breathtaking as “Wemby” has been for the San Antonio Spurs, the 2023 overall No. 1 draft pick is not a complete lock for rookie of the year.

Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren has similar statistics while competing for a much more successful, playoff-bound squad.

With the regular season in its final week, here’s a comparison between Wembanyama and the 7-foot-1 Holmgren, who was the second overall pick in 2023 out of Gonzaga.

Holmgren missed what would have been his rookie season with a foot injury, so he retained rookie status this season.

The comparison

Wembanyama (age 20): 67 games, 21.2 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per, 3.7 assists per, 3.5 blocks per, 46.4% shooting; 31.9% from beyond arc, 79.4% at foul line; three-time Rookie of Month.

San Antonio was 18-58, dead last in West. On April 2, “Wemby” had nearly a

2023-24 NBA individual leaders

(Statistics through

.713; record is .732 by Rudy Gobert in 2021-22

Free-throw percentage: Steph Curry (Golden State) .924; record is .980 (151-154) by Jose Calderon in 2008-09 NBA playoffs begin April 16 with play-in games.

LeBron James shows support for Duquesne’s new coach

When Virginia Commnwealth University plays Duquesne next season, it’s likely LeBron James will be paying close attention.

James is a lifelong friend and former teammate of Dru Joyce III, the new head basketball coach at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

Here’s what James posted on his X account: “I’m proud to announce, as the unquestioned source, that I am confirming Dru Joyce is the new head coach at Duquesne … so damn happy and proud of you, brother.”

James broke the news before it was formally announced by the school.

James and Coach Joyce, now 39, were teammates for three seasons (103-5 record between

2000 and 2003) at Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High in Ohio. Coach Joyce moved on to star at Akron University while James … well, you know the rest.

Coach Joyce served as the Dukes’ associate head coach the past two seasons under Coach Keith Dambrot, who recently retired. Coach Dambrot served as the St. Vincent-St. Mary coach for two of three seasons with James and Coach Joyce. In 2023, Peacock produced a movie, “Shooting Stars,” about the powerhouse high school team

with Mookie Cook playing James and Wood Harris as Coach Joyce. Duquesne defeated VCU for the A-10 title last month in Brooklyn after also topping the Rams during the regular season at the Siegel Center.

posted: “Ayyyyyyyeeeee!!! First tournament win in 55 years.”

Duquesne’s most recent “Big Dance” victory was in 1969. Also entering into this equation are reports that LeBron’s son, rising sophomore Bronny, might be transferring following a coaching change at Southern California. He already has entered the transfer portal and placed his name on the NBA draft list, while maintaining eligibility to play VCU and Duquesne play at least once and perhaps twice each A-10 regular season with a possibility of a third get-together in the

LeBron James Coach Joyce

Chet Holmgren Victor Wembanyama