Richmond Free Press June 6-8, 2024 edition

Land trust makes homeownership affordable Richmond Free Press

Maggie Walker Community Land Trust set to make its 100th home sale soon

By Barry Green Jr.

When Michael Haggins’ credit score disqualified him for mortgage preapproval in 2021, he was crushed.

A single father who grew up in Richmond, Haggins dreamed of owning a house in his hometown where his two sons could play freely. A shortage of just five credit score points — plus systemic inequities and a national housing crisis — left them all living with his mother.

But today, Haggins is the proud owner of a home in Church Hill, thanks to Richmond’s Maggie Walker Community Land Trust and its pioneering model for creating permanent affordable housing.

ship but can’t seem to cross it.”

“I don’t think I could’ve done it without their help, honestly,” Haggins said. Being selected for the community land trust’s lease-to-own pilot was a “blessing,” he said.

“The program is geared toward helping individuals such as myself, who are right at the line of homeowner-

It’s all part of the land trust’s mission to develop and steward permanent affordable home properties to foster racially equitable communities, said Lark Washington, the MWCLT’s chief operating officer. Since its founding, Richmond’s community land trust has sold 89 homes to income-eligible homebuyers, with a few more homes currently under contract and 150+ properties in their pipeline. They’ll soon be completing construction on their first subdivision, Ettrick Landing, in southern Chesterfield County about 30 minutes south from Richmond. The MWCLT also is undergoing infrastructure work for a 21-unit subdivision in nearby Henrico County. It’s on pace to close on its 100th home in under a decade this coming fall — a pace enabled by its threepronged approach to making homeownership more

Community gathering focuses on future of former hospital

By George Copeland

Hazel

These nurses and others were remembered during the third community gathering at the former Richmond Community Hospital on Sunday morning.

“We honor their efforts to alleviate suffering,” said Viola Baskerville, co-founder of the Save Community Hospital group. “We honor their dedication. We honor them.”

A dozen residents of various ages assembled on the building’s front lawn at 11 a.m.

The meetings are part of an effort to preserve the historic building amidst redevelopment plans by Virginia Union University.

The importance of recognizing and remembering these nurses and their accomplishments was a major part of the gathering. This was

More charges reduced in death of Irvo Otieno

By George Copeland Jr.

Murder charges against three people for their role in the death of Irvo Otieno have been downgraded to involuntary manslaughter.

die County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amanda Mann.

The dismissal of those charges are part of what Mann has said was a strategic effort to resubmit the charges in a way and time that works better for the prosecution.

Court records showed an amended indictment was filed last Wednesday with reduced charges for two Henrico County sheriff’s deputies and a worker at Central State Hospital. Otieno was transported to Central State Hospital during a mental health crisis, and where he died after being held down by multiple deputies and hospital employees for over 10 minutes last year.

The three charges are the last ones remaining from the 10 people initially charged for involvement in Otieno’s death. Charges against five sheriff’s deputies were withdrawn last month at the request of Dinwid-

“The current elected commonwealth’s attorney does not find the order to be sound and competent prosecutorial decision making,” Mann wrote in the motion. “The order in which the defendants are tried is of strategic importance to the Commonwealth.”

Two charges against hospital employees had been previously dropped by Mann’s predecessor. Otieno’s family reached

NAACP hosts ‘Day Out’ against gun violence

By George Copeland Jr.

The Richmond Branch NAACP will bring its efforts to end gun violence to the places most affected in the city this Friday, during National Gun Violence Awareness Day, as they and over 15 city and community partners participate in a “Local Day Out.”

The civil rights group, alongside local officials, representatives from Richmond Public Schools, several churches and other organizations, will stage simultaneous events focused in over a dozen locations throughout the city that have been identified as “hot spots” of gun violence, including Mosby Court, the Belle Summit Apartments, Gilpin Court and Hillside Court.

Those involved in organizing these events will provide food, surveys and information resources for families in these areas

As hurricane season begins, officials urge preparation

By Charlie Paullin

In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel slammed the East Coast and thrashed Virginia and North Carolina most severely, prompting widespread power outages, 4-to 6-foot storm surges, flooding, and billions in damage. The storm caused at least 50 direct and indirect deaths. Lasting memories of that disaster now loom large, as the federal government forecasts this year’s hurricane season, June 1 to Nov. 30, will be a tumultuous one.

“We can have 27 storms in a year,” said Shawn Talmadge, state coordinator at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. “Only one storm can cause devastation across the commonwealth.”

Ahead of the active hurricane season,

state leaders are urging Virginians to prepare as environmental groups call for stronger policy addressing storms that are increasing in frequency and intensity. The increase in storms coincides with a climate pattern switch, from the drier El Niño season to the stormier La Niña season. This year, the federal government has projected a range of 17 to 25 storms that have wind speeds of 39 miles per hour or higher. These storms will be named, which helps scientists keep track of the events. Of those, eight to 13 are forecasted to become hurricanes, with winds of 74 miles per hour or more. Of those, four to seven are expected to be major hurricanes, reaching categories 3, 4 or 5, with wind speeds of 111 miles per hour or higher.

“With another active hurricane season approaching, NOAA’s commitment to keeping every American informed with life-saving information is unwavering,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D.

Specific information on implications for Virginia was not included in the NOAA’s forecast, but an outlook for this summer shows that Virginia has an above normal chance of precipitation for the season.

This year, the federal government has projected a range of 17 to 25 storms that have wind speeds of 39 miles per hour or higher. These storms will be named, which helps scientists keep track of the events. Virginia also will cooperate with neighboring states to address evacuation

Jr.

R. Stamps, Viola Johnson, Hazel N. Robinson, Ida Ruth Robinson.

Mr. Otieno

Photo by Julianne Tripp Hillman

Community members return to the former Richmond Community Hospital for another “Community Church on the Lawn” meeting. The purpose of the meetings is to advocate for the preservation of the historic structure.

Photo by Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks with members of the press about hurricane season forecasts on May 24.

Photo courtesy of MWCLT

An owner of one of the homes sold by the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust. Left, a Maggie Walker Community Land Trust home on Lawson Street.

Fish for free this weekend, no license required

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources invites anglers to take part in the upcoming Free Fishing Days, scheduled for June 7 through 9. During this three-day event, no fishing license will be required for recreational rod and reel fishing across the state.

DWR has removed the restriction on fishing designated stocked trout waters for the Free Fishing Days weekend. This opens up over 2,900 miles of trout streams, numerous ponds, small lakes, and reservoirs for anglers to explore Virginia’s diversified trout habitat.

The department will host a Free Fishing Days event at Dorey Park on June 8 at 9 p.m..

Agency staff and volunteers will be on site with rods and reels, terminal tackle and bait, ready to teach how to fish. The event is free and no registration is required.

While licenses and facilities use permits won’t be required during Free Fishing Days, all other fishing regulations, including size, season, catch limits, and gear restrictions, will remain in effect. DWR fee fishing areas will still require a fee during the Free Fishing Days weekend.

For more information on Free Fishing Days and fishing regulations, visit dwr.virginia.gov.

Rating agencies reaffirm Chesterfield’s top bond status

The nation’s three leading bond rating agencies have reaffirmed Chesterfield County’s AAA credit rating, a distinction achieved by only about 1% of U.S. localities.

Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings all assigned their highest ratings as the county prepares to sell about $90 million in general obligation bonds in early July to fund voter-approved capital projects.

“Since Chesterfield first earned the TripleAAA in 1997, we have remained extremely protective of the rating and with good reason, as we recognize the immense benefit our local government receives from being able to borrow funds for capital projects at the lowest available interest rates,” said James M. “Jim” Holland, chair of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors.

The agencies cited Chesterfield’s robust economy, strong fiscal management and conservative budgeting as justifications for maintaining the AAA rating for the 28th consecutive year.

AAA ratings allow localities to borrow money at the lowest available interest rates. Chesterfield estimates it will save around $20 million over the life of the $540 million bond package because of the top tier rating.

The bond proceeds will go toward park upgrades, fire and police station construction, replacement of several elementary schools and other projects approved in a 2022 bond referendum.

“The rating review process also provides a thorough, independent assessment of our financial management practices and assures our citizens that Chesterfield is well-positioned for success today, tomorrow and into the future,” said County Administrator Joe Casey.

Separately, the agencies assigned grades just below tripleAAA to up to $300 million in revenue bonds the county plans to issue next month to help fund the Powhite Parkway extension and other transportation initiatives.

Free community testing for COVID-19 continues

For the week ending Saturday, June 1, confirmed hospital admissions for COVID-19 in Virginia rose 5.4% from the previous week. One death associated with COVID-19 was reported statewide that week. COVID-19 wastewater levels in Central Virginia remain below detection.

The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:

• Thursday, June 6, 1 to 5 p.m. - Henrico Arms Apartments, 1566 Edgelawn Circle.

• Friday, June 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Southside Plaza WIC, 509 E. Southside Plaza.

• Wednesday, June 12, 8 to 10 a.m. - East Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 N. Laburnum Ave.; 2 to 4:30 p.m. - St. Luke’s Apartments, 117 Engleside Drive. RHHD’s Resource Centers are providing free at-home tests for pickup at select locations:

• Creighton Court at 2150 Creighton Road, call 804-371-0433.

• Fairfield Court at 2311 N. 25th St., call 804-786-4099.

• Gilpin Court at 436 Calhoun St., call 804-786-1960 .

• Hillside Court at 1615 Glenfield Ave., call 804-230-7740.

• Mosby Court at 1536 Coalter St., call 804-786-0204.

• Southwood Court at 1754 Clarkson Road. Unit #B, call 804230-2077.

• Whitcomb Court at 2106 Deforrest St., call 804-786-0555. Call the Richmond and Henrico Call Center at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information on testing sites, visit vax.rchd.com. The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID-19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov. Want a COVID-19 vaccine?

Those interested can schedule an appointment with RHHD by calling (804) 205-3501. Vaccines.gov also lists nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine, and those interested can also text their ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends that children between the ages of 6 months to 4 years old may need multiple doses of the updated vaccines depending on their COVID-19 vaccine status and whether they had previously received Pfizer and Moderna. Waiting periods for additional vaccines can range from three to eight weeks or four to eight weeks depending on the vaccine dose previously received.

Children between the ages of 5 to 11 years old who are unvaccinated or have received a vaccine before Sept. 12, 2023, should get one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Those age 12 and older who are unvaccinated should get either one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two doses of the updated Novavax vaccine. People in that age range who received a vaccine before Sept. 12, 2023, should get one updated Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax vaccine. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine, and are encouraged to talk with their health care providers about how and when to receive them.

Information compiled by George Copeland Jr.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney, for the fifth year, raised the Progress Flag outside City Hall on Friday, May 31, in recognition of June as LGBTQ Pride Month.

Cityscape

Attending the event were various groups including: Virginia Pride Director James Milner, Diversity Richmond Executive Director Lacette Cross, UGRC/ Black Pride RVA Executive Director Cheezi Farmer, Side by Side Executive Director Marquis Mapp, Richmond Region Tourism Executive Vice President Katherine O’Donnell, James River Transgender Society Founder Keri Abrams, Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards, Richmond Police Capt. K. Mooney, LGBTQ+ Liaison for the police department, Richmond City Council members and community members.

In addition to those present for the raising of the flag, the event

was greeted with a small gathering of protesters from a group called, VCU Apartheid Divest. They called for their followers to: “Disrupt the raising of the progressive pride flag tomorrow at city hall at 10:45 a.m., bring noisemakers, signs, a mask, keffiyeh, and a friend.”

Their statement about the Progress Flag event continued to say:

“VA Pride and the City of Richmond including Mayor Stoney are complicit in the ongoing genocide in Palestine. We are calling for VA Pride to uphold their own values of equity and inclusion for the Richmond City Council to sign a ceasefire resolution ... Our queer liberation is intertwined with Palestinian liberation!” Also parked outside of City Hall was a police vehicle with an eye-catching Pride logo.

Warner and Kaine announce $1M to train health care workers

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine recently announced a $1 million grant to enhance training for primary care and supportive care workforces, focusing on providing age-friendly and dementiafriendly care to older Americans.

The funding, provided through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), is part of the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding bill, which Warner and Kaine supported. The GWEP was made permanent under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which both senators voted for.

“All Americans deserve to age with dignity, and we should make it easier for older adults to get the care they need in their communities,” said Warner and Kaine in a joint statement. “We’re glad this funding is supporting training for more health care professionals to provide care to older Americans and address health

care workforce shortages.”

The $1 million grant will be directed to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond to implement the training programs. The initiative aims to ensure that health care workers are better equipped to meet the specific needs of an aging population. Both senators have been active in efforts to expand access to care for older Americans. Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, is working to reauthorize the Older Americans

Act (OAA), which supports nutritional services, family caregiver support, and long-term care programs. In March, he introduced two Virginia witnesses during a HELP Committee hearing on the OAA. Additionally, Kaine has introduced legislation aimed at revitalizing the long-term care workforce.

Warner, as co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, has led initiatives to address and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, including the National Alzheimer’s Project. Kaine’s bipartisan BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act, which aims to fund public health initiatives to combat Alzheimer’s and preserve brain health, recently passed out of the Senate HELP Committee.

The funding for VCU is expected to significantly impact the quality of care available to older Americans, addressing both immediate needs and long-term challenges in the health care workforce.

Jubilation in June returns with music, fireworks

Free Press staff report

The city of Richmond will host the 3rd Annual Jubilation in June Weekend, a series of free public events featuring live music performances and community resources.

The festivities kick off 8 p.m. Friday, June 14, at with a concert by Legacy Band at Dogwood Dell.

On Saturday, June 15, the celebration moves to the Intermediate Terminal at 3:30 p.m. for the Jubilation in June Festival. National rap artist Talib Kweli

headlines the event, with performances by local acts Rodney Stith, DJ Prolific, and Trademark Band. A fireworks show will cap off the festival around 9:15 p.m. Community organizations also will be on hand to share information about available resources.

Free parking will be available at Main Street Station, with GRTC Pulse bus service to the East River Front Station. However, on-street parking on East Main Street between the roundabout and Nicholson Street will be restricted. Access to Ancarrows Landing and the Richmond

Slave Trail also will be limited from 8 a.m June 14 until 8 a.m June 16. To close the weekend celebration, Grammy-nominated rapper Mad Skillz will host a concert with guest artists at Dogwood Dell at 8 p.m. Sunday, June 16, in what is being billed as his final performance. The Jubilation in June Weekend is hosted by the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. For more details, follow the department on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Rapper Mad Skillz at the 2017 2nd Street Festival in Jackson Ward. The rapper performs his last concert on June 16 at Dogwood Dell.

Warner Kaine

Holland

File photo/James Haskins

Maggie Walker Community Land Trust set

equitable and accessible.

A triple threat

From Kansas City to the Florida Keys, community land trusts (CLTs) are becoming more popular as an affordable housing solution.

In a CLT, a nonprofit organization owns the land beneath a home. Incomequalified homebuyers purchase the home rather than the land upon which it sits, reducing down payment and monthly mortgage costs. A 99-year renewable ground lease plus resale restrictions on homeowners ensure the home remains affordable, even to future homebuyers.

“We have an agreement on the resale price, should you choose to move,” Washington explains. “And you can stay in the home as long as you want. You can even pass down the home through the family, where you will set up part of the closing process.”

But the MWCLT isn’t just a community land trust. As a rare CLT that also serves as both a housing developer and a land bank, the MWCLT has developed a powerful approach to make housing affordable to more low- and middle-income Richmonders through private and public sector partnerships.

“We are the first land bank and land trust in the country,” Washington said. Land banks acquire and manage vacant and tax-delinquent properties and repurpose them for community needs. Like land trusts, they are an increasingly popular tool for creating affordable housing. But these entities rarely partner together, despite calls for increased collaboration

In 2016, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Land Bank Entities Act, enabling localities to create land banks. Two years later, the city of Richmond appointed the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust as its designated land bank. In 2019, MWCLT also became the designated land bank for Chesterfield and Henrico counties.

“Most localities are sitting on lots of land, whether they’re tax delinquent properties or they’ve owned parcels and they don’t know what to do with it,” Washington said. By allowing the MWCLT to develop homes on this land, localities can reap property taxes from otherwise unproductive land — and achieve local housing goals.

As a land bank in these localities, the

MWCLT faces less competition for parcels, which streamlines the time it takes to complete projects. Plus, it helps the MWCLT make its homes more affordable for its buyers: The land bank is exempt from paying property tax on these parcels, which means it doesn’t have to take on those costs or pass them on to homeowners. Homebuyers do have to pay property taxes on the home they purchase from the MWCLT, but not on the land.

“That’s one of the things that most CLTs deal with, because most CLTs are not also land banks,” Washington explains. “The CLT homeowner owns this [house], but they also have to pay property tax on that land, even though they don’t have ownership of it.”

For many private developers, land can be up to 30% of the costs of a project, she said. “If a county comes in and says, ‘Hey, we’ll give you this land at a discounted price, or we’ll transfer it for free,’ that significantly lowers the price of the project,” she said.

That’s on top of sky-high construction costs — it can take $200,000 just to build a house, not even counting the price of the land, she said. But as a housing developer, the MWCLT is also able to subsidize these development costs.

Combating racial disparities

Today, the median home sales price in Richmond is around $385,000. “The cost of living is currently astronomical,” Haggins said.

“It’s hard to find an affordable apartment, so the vast majority of people cannot even think about trying to own a home at this time.”

MWCLT is slowly working to change that. Its median home sales price sits at about $165,000. The organization targets homebuyers whose income level is at about 60% to 80% of the area median income. In 2023, the household median income for MWCLT homebuyers was about $52,000, 48% of Richmond’s area median income.

In 2022, the affordability gap of all first-time homebuyers in Richmond was about 4.8 times the median home price of $376,871, with a median income of $78,909, according to NerdWallet

Those disparities have repercussions for the local racial homeownership rate. Data released in January by the Partnership for Housing Affordability shows that homeowner-

ship among Richmond-area Black households remains more than 25 percentage points below that of white households, at 49%.

“One of MWCLT’s goals is expanding equitable access to homeownership, and we have made great strides to increase Black homeownership in our programs,” Washington said. The organization says 79% of new homeowners in 2023 were people of color.

For her, this work is personal.

“My family, like many others, were impacted by the 2008 housing crisis and our home was foreclosed,” Washington said. Reading sociologist Matthew Desmond’s 2016 book “Evicted pushed her to study urban planning at Virginia Commonwealth University and focus on Richmond’s eviction crisis for her master’s thesis. “I realized how housing has been used as a tool to systematically disinvest in Black communities and drain generational wealth.”

She went on to work for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development before joining the MWCLT in 2022, through her role at the small boutique consulting firm HDAdvisors. The Richmond-based firm founded the land trust with a group of housing professionals and continues to help operate the land trust today.

The group named the MWCLT in honor of Maggie Lena Walker, the first woman of color to establish a bank in America and an iconic figure in the city. The St. Luke Penny Savings Bank looms large in Richmond history as a powerful initiative to harness Black residents’ financial resources for the betterment of the community. By

Community gathering focuses on future of former hospital

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emphasized by a firsthand account from VUU alumna and former Richmond Community Hospital Foundation board member Mary DePillars on how the hospital’s nurses cared for her son after his tonsil surgery in 1973.

“Now, all these years later, a traumatic experience for a young mother and her little boy was capsulized by the lasting effect of ice cream and a little green airplane brought in by a caring and compassionate nurse in the middle of the night,” DePillars said “That kind of response created a turning point for my little boy.”

Attendees also participated in a restorative community-building circle led by Ashley Williams and Vanessa Cowles of the Well Collective, a group focused on community well-being. This activity emphasized reclaiming and restoring spaces, honoring ancestors and lineage and

As

community engagement.

Sunday’s gathering was one of several focused on the building’s future. On Monday evening, Baskerville and her Save Community Hospital group co-founder Alan Schintzius appeared on The Work FM (93.9 WRWK) radio station as part of a new hourlong series discussing hidden parts of Richmond’s past.

The two discussed the hospital’s history and its many connections to Richmond’s development over the decades, with more conversation on neglected parts of the city’s history and culture planned. They also addressed the ongoing community interest in the hospital, particularly as VUU is planning discussions on their intention to redevelop the area near the campus as part of a housing project.

Baskerville and others are now preparing for an event celebrating the 90th anniversary of the hospital’s grand opening on Sunday, July 7.

offering reasonably priced loans and mortgages to black families, the bank empowered them to attain homeownership, launch businesses and build economic opportunities for themselves and succeeding generations.

From the start, CLTs have been a part of the effort to advance economic justice for Black Americans: The first CLT was born in 1970 in rural Georgia, as activists developed an agricultural community on land leased from a community-led nonprofit.

“It’s part of a legacy of civil rights advocacy of community land trusts, trying to have collective ownership for long-term autonomy and ownership of the land,” Washington said. “In that case, they were sharecroppers with farmland. We use the CLT model to extend affordable homeownership to folks that are priced out of the market.”

An incomplete solution

This year, the land trust plans to build 32 homes, including two subdivisions in Chesterfield and Henrico.

But it’s also a drop in the bucket of Richmond’s housing crisis. In part, that’s due to limitations from city zoning codes.

“Sometimes the zoning really dictates what we can build,” Washington said. “For instance, I would love to build more duplexes and attached homes, because that is cost-effective for us.” But zoning codes in Richmond or nearby counties can complicate their plans.

“We’ll have a parcel [where] we plan on building a few duplexes, and then we find out because of the regulations with zoning and the constraints there, it’s better for us to build two

detached homes.”

While the land trust began by doing infill development and home rehabs in the city, it’s now begun working on larger-scale projects.

The land trust is currently collaborating with two Black-led nonprofits in Richmond, Girls for a Chang e and Happily Natural Day, with the aim of building a permanently affordable agricultural community in North Chesterfield. Called the Bensley Agrihood, the planned 9-acre housing development would be Virginia’s first affordable agrihood, or farm-centered neighborhood.

“We want to bring these high amenities to folk who are normally priced out,” Washington said.

Under the partners’ current vision, the walkable agrihood will include 10 affordable homes, four tiny homes for rent, a wellness center and a community incubator farm for the entire neighborhood.

In this case, access to land is not a concern; a parcel was donated to Girls For A Change. But to build the agrihood they envision, they’re fighting an uphill battle to rezone the land.

“I really wanted to think about ways of not just getting my girls from renting to owning, but with this partnership with the Maggie Walker Land Trust – how can we make sure that our girls had access [to housing] after you decided your career and you’re ready to buy a home?” explains Angela Patton, CEO of local youth development nonprofit Girls for a Change and a longtime resident of the Bensley neighborhood.

Other challenges include being unsure what the parcels can be used for when receiving them through the land bank. As MWLCT does not get to pick and choose the parcels it receives, it’s forced to spend thousands to conduct due diligence checks and research what it can feasibly do with each property.

“We would like more information on what we can do for those parcels, and I feel like that’s something the city can help us with,” Washington said. This story was originally published on Next City, a nonprofit news organization that unleashes the power of solutions journalism to transform communities and VPM News, Virginia’s home for public media, for their joint Equitable Cities Reporting Fellowship For Reparations Narratives. Visit them online at nextcity.org and vpm.org.

More charges reduced

a $8.5 million settlement with the state, Henrico County and its sheriff’s department over his death, but have continued to pursue accountability for those involved. They objected to this

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from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the goal of raising awareness and soliciting public input on ways to improve the city and keep people safe.

“It’s always folks making decisions around a table, but they never include the community,” said Richmond Branch

choice when Mann presented it to them and criticized the move in a press conference last month, days after Mann made the request.

“That’s a radical, reckless decision with great ramifications for justice for Ivo Otieno,” Otieno’s mother Caroline Ouko

said at the time. No explanation for the downgrading of the charges was provided by the commonwealth’s attorney. Lawyers representing Otieno’s family had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

NAACP President James E. “J.J.” Minor III. “The idea is to meet people where they are and to not just talk about what’s going on but go to places where it’s happening.” Following the events, the Richmond NAACP said community suggestions and data gathered will be presented to Richmond City Council and the NAACP will work to ensure action is taken. Quarterly Local Day Out events are also being planned for the future, according to the association. For more information contact Minor at (804) 677-7340 or Richmond

hurricane season begins, officials urge

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challenges in the Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore area’s network of tunnels and bridges, which can be constrained during a disaster, the governor told reporters. The state will also coordinate with Virginia’s electric utilities to maintain power during storms.

“We launched this program a decade ago after finding that a significant number of storm-related power outages were occurring in a relatively small number of areas,” said Ed Baine, president of Dominion Energy Virginia, in a news release touting the burying of 2,000 miles of overhead lines as part of the utility’s Strategic Underground Program.

Preparing for floods spurred by storms is also “really important,” said Emily Steinhilber, director of climate resilient coasts and watersheds in Virginia for the Environmental Defense Fund. With multiple studies finding an approximate 20% duration increase in rainfall, Steinhilber added, “Hurricane season gives us some names and a time of year to focus on this, but oftentimes we see heavy flooding from now [until] the fall. We can’t let down our guard.” Youngkin acknowledged the need to balance handling back-to-back storms and post disaster assistance, which advocates say needs to be made more accessible to those who need it and stem from a dedicated source.

In one of the scenarios depicting bigger storm impacts, Youngkin said “there may in fact not be surge capacity of equipment and capabilities” to help with cleanup, “because they’re already deployed.”

While the governor has previously acknowledged that climate change — which scientists say is likely leading to more intense tropical storms — is a threat, Youngkin also has pushed for continued use of natural gas to generate energy, which can cause emissions that the same scientists say is leading to climate change.

The repeated storms impact Virginia in different ways; one major consequence is flooding. The Southwest Virginia region was pummeled with intense periods of rainfall in Hurley and Whitewood in 2022 and 2021, respectively, that led to the death of one person; flooding spawned black mold in homes, leading to health issues and other complications some residents are still dealing with, said Emma Kelly, new economy field coordinator with the environmental nonprofit Appalachian Voices.

“Recovery is still ongoing. It’s been slow,” said Kelly, adding that flood-destroyed driveways alongside bridges in the hollers of the mountainous terrain haven’t been repaired. “Not only were [people] having to park across the street, carry groceries, carry whatever, down a valley, up a valley. A lot of these [people] are elderly residents — folks who aren’t necessarily

the most mobile.”

Following those storms, the state diverted funds from the carbon market known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to provide about $11 million to repair flood damage in Hurley and $18 million for Whitewood flood restoration. Youngkin issued an executive order in 2022 to pull the state out of RGGI.

Lawmakers tried to force the state back into the program during budget negotiations this year, but that measure was excluded from the budget lawmakers and Youngkin agreed to enact last month.

There are other ways the state helps after devastating floods, but they come with challenges for individuals and communities who need aid. According to Amanda Love, spokeswoman for the Department of Housing and Community Development, the state doled out about $8 million for 117 approved applications for the Hurley flood and about $1 million for 25 approved applications for the Whitewood one.

But “legally and then financially, it’s just a bunch of bureaucratic knots,” Kelly said.

Owners whose private properties are handed down through families without proper documentation or a deed might find it hard to get help, Kelly said. Another challenge is how the state coordinates with various agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to assist

NAACP Political Action Chair Sandra Antione at (804) 690-9119.

residents after extreme weather, said Kelly. Reducing requirements for the aid are among the policy proposals her group and several others are recommending as part of a report expected to be fully released later this month.

“Flood insurance is essential,” added Steinhilber, with the Environmental Defense Fund, because it can provide residents coverage in the absence of federal or state disaster relief.

In addition to diverting the RGGI funds, Virginia began its own research last year into how a state program could provide disaster relief if residents don’t get federal assistance. Asked about that research, a VDEM spokesperson and Talmadge pointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s revamped disaster assistance program, which now rolls aid applications into a single form.

“They’ve made significant revisions to the individual assistance program to include under insurance situations,” Talmadge said. “We’re just really excited about the number of reforms that the federal government has implemented over at FEMA.”

President Biden’s administration also announced in October about $86 million in Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant funds will be awarded to Virginia.

“That will be a challenge,” said Steinhilber. This story originally appeared on VirginiaMercury.com.

Photo courtesy of MWCLT

The Maggie Walker Community Land Trust has sold 89 homes since it began.

vcuhealth.org/unending

Marian Robinson, the heart of the Obama family, remembered fondly

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Marian Robinson, mother to former First Lady Michelle Obama, died on Friday, May 31, at 86. Her loved ones said she leaves behind a void in the hearts of many. As a steadfast figure in the Obama White House, Robinson’s presence extended far beyond familial ties, touching the lives of all who knew her.

Marian Lois Shields set out on a journey that was characterized by fortitude and compassion after emerging from the vibrant tapestry of Chicago’s South Side. From her early days as a teacher to her later role as a trusted secretary, Robinson’s life was a testament to the values of family and service, showcasing her personal achievements and contributions.

In a heartfelt tribute, Michelle Obama fondly recalled her mother’s enduring influence, describing her as the unwavering pillar of their family. Robinson’s wisdom, honed through life’s diverse experiences, was a beacon of light during times of uncertainty. Her steadfast support and gentle nature were not just sources of strength but unique qualities that endeared her to the entire Obama clan.

Throughout President Obama’s historic presidency, Marian Robinson was a symbol of stability, offering sage advice and unconditional love. Despite the grandeur of the White House, she maintained her down-to-earth charm, forging deep connections with staff and finding solace in everyday routines, thereby extending her influence beyond her immediate family.

Mother of Congresswoman dies

By Julinda Lewis

Lois Jean Dedeaux McClellan, the mother of U.S. Congresswoman, Jennifer McClellan, died on Friday, May 24, 2024. She was 91.

McClellan was a resident of Chesterfield County and a native of the Gulf Coast town of DeLisle, Miss. was the first member of her family to attend and graduate from high school. She later graduated from Jackson State University in 1957 with a bachelor’s in home economics and earned a master’s at the University of Kentucky, where she was the only woman and sole African-American student in her class. McClellan worked in higher education for the majority of her career, retiring as director of educational services at Virginia State University.

“My mother, Lois McClellan,” said Congresswoman McClellan, “lived a wonderful and fulfilling life. Born during the Great Depression in the Jim Crow South, she became a role model to three loving daughters, five grandchildren, and one great- grandchild. She loved to joke that she was half responsible for me, and was proud to see her youngest child sworn in as the first Black congresswoman from Virginia.”

McClellan was a Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a member of the Petersburg Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, a Girl Scout troop leader and member of the Chesterfield County Democratic Committee.

She is survived by three daughters, Dr. Jean E. McClellan-Holt of Chesapeake, Julie D. McClellan of Midlothian and Jennifer L. McClellan of Richmond. Congresswoman McClellan represents Virginia’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives – the first African-American woman elected from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“While she will be greatly missed,” Congresswoman McClellan continued, “we take comfort in the love and support shown by so many whose lives she touched, and knowing that she is now reunited with our father and her beloved husband (of 54 years), James F. McClellan, Jr.”

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in the name of Lois D. McClellan to the Delta Community Service Foundation, P.O. Box 853, Petersburg, Va. 23805.

Marian Robinson

Reflecting on her mother’s legacy, Michelle Obama shared cherished memories of their time, illustrating their profound bond. Robinson’s unwavering presence and nurturing spirit created a sense of home amidst the whirlwind of public life.

“Her wisdom came off as almost innate, as something she was born with, but in reality, it was hard-earned, fashioned by her deep understanding that the world’s roughest edges could always be sanded down with a little grace,” the family said.

Michelle, Barack, Craig, Kelly, Avery, Leslie, Malia, Sasha, Austin, and Aaron joined to pen a heartfelt remembrance of Robinson.

“Our mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother had a way of summing up the truths about life in a word or two, maybe a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think,” they wrote. “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Know what’s truly precious. As a parent, you’re not raising babies — you’re raising little people. Don’t worry about whether anybody else likes you. Come home. We’ll always like you here.”

The family recalled that, as a young woman, Robinson studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She

fell quickly and madly in love with Fraser Robinson, another Chicago resident with a “boxer’s strength and jazz-lover’s cool.” Together, they raised two children, Craig, and Michelle, in a tiny upstairs apartment on Euclid Avenue in South Shore.

Robinson volunteered for the PTA and taught her children to read at an early age, sitting together as they sounded out words on a page, giving them the strength and confidence to walk to school — and out into the world — all on their own. She once chewed out a police officer who accused Craig of stealing a bike, demanding that the adult apologize to her son.

On summer nights, she’d pack the family into the car with a steaming plate of chicken for a trip to the drive-in movies. On New Year’s Eve, she’d pass around pigs in a blanket and raise a toast to “Auld Lang Syne.” And every night, for years on end, she and Fraser would hold court at the dinner table, where they indulged all manner of questioning, teaching their children to believe in the power and worth of their own voices.

“On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand,” the family wrote. “With a healthy nudge, she agreed to move to the White House with Michelle and Barack. We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all.”

Virginia War Memorial opens new exhibit on D-Day Landings

Free Press staff report

A new Virginia War Memorial exhibit, “D+80: Virginians in the Normandy Invasion,” opens on June 6 the 80th anniversary of D-Day when American and Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in France in 1944 during World War II.

“D+80 was conceived to take visitors on the long journey experienced by hundreds of thousands of American service men and women as they trained and prepared for the D-Day invasion in England, conducted the amphibious and airborne landings June 6, 1944, and then fought tenaciously through the French hedgerows to break out and carry the fight toward Germany,” said noted military historian and Virginia Memorial Director Clay Mountcastle.

“The Virginia War Memorial began conducting and capturing eyewitness interviews with World War II veterans from around the Commonwealth over twenty years ago to use in producing the award-winning series “Virginians at War,” historical documentary films,” added Dr. Mountcastle. “These veterans interviewed are no longer with us, but their stories remain and have found a new life as part of this exhibit that will educate and inform future generations.”

Dr. Mountcastle noted the Virginia War Memorial staff including Director of Exhibits and Collections Jesse Smith, Director of Education James Triesler, Assistant Education Director Kyndall Drumheller, Archivist Sylvia Marshall and volunteers spent over a year doing research and designing the “D+80” exhibit, which includes photos and other arti

Lois Jean Dedeaux McClellan

Solar-powered apartments set to rise in Henrico

Free Press staff report

A groundbreaking ceremony on May 30 marked the start of construction for The Helios, an affordable housing project in Henrico County. This solar-powered apartment complex is a collaborative effort between Richmond-based Spy Rock Real Estate Group and Crescent Development, aimed at increasing affordable housing units in the region by 2040. The development will occupy the site of the former Days Inn motel at 5701 Chamberlayne Road, with an expected completion by the end of 2025.

“The Helios is a pioneering affordable housing project, entirely powered using a large private solar array,” said Andrew Basham, principal at Spy Rock Real Estate Group. “To our knowledge, this hasn’t been done before in Virginia.”

The Helios will feature rent-restricted units affordable for individuals earning less than 60% of the area median income. The development is distinguished by its on-site solar power generation, aimed at reducing utility costs and emissions. Solar panels will be installed on each building’s roof and across a 1.9-acre solar array.

The $54 million project is financed through a combination of a $35 million construction loan from Bank of America and a $23 million low-income housing tax credit investment, facilitated

by Red Stone Equity Partners.

Henrico Supervisor Roscoe D. Cooper III of the Fairfield District highlighted the community benefits, stating, “This development creates jobs, housing, and supports the revitalization of the Chamberlayne corridor. The developers’

Rural housing workshop addresses land use and attainable housing

Free Press staff report

Tired of city life? A free workshop Saturday, June 8, will offer an insightful look into the distinct challenges and opportunities of country living, focusing on rural housing issues such as land inheritance and affordable housing shortages. The workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Powhatan County Recreation Center, 4290 Anderson Highway.

Elizabeth Palen, director of the Virginia Housing Commission, will discuss statewide housing trends and provide updates on proposed legislation, including a bill to facilitate the development of on site affordable housing by churches. Sean Clendening from Powhatan’s Planning Department will address local land use plans and processes.

Ebonie Alexander, founder and executive director of the Black Family Land Trust, will speak about the importance of wills and trusts in protecting generational wealth. Alexander’s efforts through the Wealth Retention and Asset Protection program and the African American Land Ethic initiative have helped land owners retain ownership of over $12.5 million in land assets and secure more than $500,000 in federal funding for farmland conservation. She also played a key role in Virginia’s adoption of the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act to protect inherited family land.

‘Dine Out for Pride’ Returns to Support LGBTQ Groups

Free Press staff report

For the second year, restaurants across the Richmond region are participating in “Dine Out for Pride” to raise funds for local LGBTQ organizations during the first week of June’s Pride Month celebrations.

Thirty restaurants have signed up for the weeklong campaign June 3 through 9. They will feature special “Dine Out for Pride” food and drink menus, with $1 from each designated item sale going to Virginia Pride, a program of Diversity Richmond, and OutRVA, an initiative of the Richmond Region Tourism Foundation.

Participating eateries range from casual spots like Ms. Bee’s Juice Bar and Soul Taco to ethnic

cuisine destinations such as Jewfro and India K’Raja. They’ll offer items like Pride-themed cocktails, mocktails and food specials made with products from Hardywood Brewery, Starr Hill and Tito’s Vodka.

“The first-ever Dine Out for Pride was incredibly successful, raising thousands of dollars to support organizations and programs that help make the Richmond region a better place for LGBTQ people,” organizers said in a statement.

The fundraiser is timed around major anniversaries for the beneficiary groups — OutRVA’s 10th year welcoming LGBTQ visitors and Diversity Richmond’s 25th year serving as a community hub.

A list of participating restaurants is available at outrva.com/dineoutforpride.

are meant to be celebrated. Share accomplishments in a special person’s life by announcing it in the Richmond Free Press. Contact Cynthia Downing, advertising coordinator, today to find out more about affordable celebration advertising rates to celebrate a special achievement or a special occasion.

Richmond Free Press The People’s Paper

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BOOK LAUNCH & RECEPTION

JUSTICE FOR OURSELVES

a new book from Library of Virginia historians John G. Deal, Marianne E. Julienne and Brent Tarter. The authors will be joined in a conversation with Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who wrote the book’s foreword, and National Park Service supervisory park ranger Ajena Cason Rogers, who contributed the afterword.

Although only 27% of rural households rent their homes compared to 52% in urban areas, the need for affordable rental housing remains significant. The report highlights that rural renters generally have lower incomes than homeowners, with over half earning less than $35,000 annually. Additionally, rural renters are twice as likely to live in substandard housing and nearly half spend more than half of their income on housing costs, with Black and Hispanic communities being particularly affected. The Rural Housing Workshop is free and is hosted by Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan with support from the

A rendering of The Helios, rent-restricted, solar-powered apartments planned for Chamberlayne Avenue. Right, developers and partners break ground on the complex on May 30 in Henrico.

Eboni Alexander

Richmond Free Press

June 6-8, 2024

The high cost of housing discrimination

Last week’s report by HOME of VA (Housing Opportunities Made Equal) on discriminatory practices in the Richmond housing market is a sobering document. It confirms the thoughts, feelings and vibes that African Americans experience when we attempt to find a place to live – something’s not right.

“The racial demographics of a neighborhood are a better prediction of the home values than home size, their type or their condition,” Thomas Okuda Fitzpatrick, HOME of VA executive director said recently. “That’s something we might have intuitively known, but this report presents it in stark contrast.”

It does. The report reveals a striking disparity in home values. In predominantly white neighborhoods, the average home appraises at around $436,000, while in communities where people of color are the majority, the average appraisal drops to $256,000. The study also found that home appraisers may discount comparable homes in different racial demographics or allow personal prejudices to skew their assessments of a home’s value. And there’s more information in the report.

Outside of Richmond, recent events show that housing discrimination isn’t limited to African Americans with lower incomes or poor credit. In Virginia Beach, Raven Baxter says she was told by her broker that the owner didn’t want to sell to her – because she was Black. Baxter, a molecular biologist, had already made a down payment and matched the offered price on the condominium, reportedly owned by an 84-yearold white woman. Since Baxter has shared her experience on social media, it appears that the seller may have changed her mind and the sale is still pending. Whatever the outcome, her rights appear to have been violated and there are ways that can be remedied. Think closing costs – but higher.

You would think that in Harlem, that New York city neighborhood known for its rich history of African American culture, something like this wouldn’t happen. But actor Wendell Pierce says it did. You may known the 60-yearold actor from his roles on “The Wire,” “Jack Ryan,” and “Elsbeth.” Last year, he completed a broadway run in the play “Death of a Salesman.” On Monday, he was denied an application to rent an apartment in Harlem.

“Even with my proof of employment, bank statements and real estate holdings, a white apartment owner DENIED my application to rent the apartment…..in Harlem, of all places. Racism and bigots are real,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Housing is a fundamental human right. When it’s denied or deferred, it perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Tackling this issue requires a commitment to systemic change. In the meantime, if you’re looking for a home, consider working with one of the agencies that is addressing this issue – and don’t give up.

Honoring the past

We have an important update regarding how we write our stories at the Richmond Free Press. We’ve decided to stop using courtesy titles like “Dr.,” “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” or “Ms.”

In the past, we used these titles to show respect, especially to our African-American readers, many of whom were not afforded this courtesy in their daily lives. Our use of such titles was a deliberate gesture of recognition and dignity in a society that often denied these basic courtesies to Black people. However, as our understanding of language and its implications has evolved, so must our editorial practices.

The decision to drop the courtesy titles is rooted in a commitment to equality. Honorifics carry connotations of social status, gender and sometimes marital status—factors that are irrelevant to news stories. By removing these titles, we aim to focus on what people do and say, rather than their titles.

Additionally, as society moves towards gender inclusivity, our language should evolve. Titles often impose identities and classifications that may not align with how people identify themselves. By omitting these titles, we strive to ensure that everyone is addressed equally.

Project 2025 is an attack on Black people

Project 2025 is a conservative manifesto if a Republican is elected president in 2024. Crafted by the Heritage Foundation, the 900-page book comprehensively addresses every agency that the president can influence, with suggestions for the agencies that should be eliminated or altered. It is an attack on our merit-based civil service system, suggesting that presidential appointees should replace long-term civil servants. African-Americans should note that we are overrepresented in the federal workforce – 18.2% compared to 12.6% of the total population. White people are also overrepresented, being 61% of the federal workforce, compared to 59% of the overall population. Hispanics (using the federal designation) are the most underrepresented of any population. Interestingly, if Project 2025 and Project 47 had their way, we would not even know these numbers. They’ve both proposed stopping counts by race, as they want our society to be “color blind”.

trade. Incidentally, Mr. Navarro is currently serving jail time for contempt of Congress. But the 45th president says that, if elected, he would “absolutely” bring Mr. Navarro back. You can dive into the volume, replete with an authoritarianism recidivism, by checking it out at project2025.org.

While the African-American community is not mentioned explicitly (except for the man-

date to eliminate affirmative action and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts), the policies of Project 2025 are aligned with conservative policy.

Project 2025 would cut spending in education, housing assistance, and other areas where African-Americans and others frequently benefit. The project would also reduce government regulation, especially in labor markets. Project 2025 is a comprehensive attack on contemporary government organization, and it also has a component that is actively seeking the most conservative people to populate a new Republican administration.

Biden (even though he didn’t do anything to the former president) by going after him for offenses, real or imagined. Project 47 would actually establish the next Republican president as a dictator who can hire and fire at will, eliminate agencies at will, and do whatever he wants.

The plan would weaken or eliminate the Department of Education, sending some federal funds, especially Title I funds that are targeted toward low-income students, back to the states.

While President Biden has attempted student debt relief, the next president would eliminate those efforts. Other discretionary funds that the Secretary of Education can grant will also be cut under Project 2025.

Project 2025 reeks of Christian conservatism, describing our nation as one with “JudeoChristian values.” From that perspective, the agenda emphasizes the “traditional family”, perhaps excluding the majority of the population. It would also impose work requirements on Medicaid, but where would those affected work, and how much would they be paid?

Project 2025 would gut climate policy and roll back the Inflation Reduction Act. Since Black people live closest to pollution sources and have disproportionate health effects from climate issues, ignoring climate issues is an attack on Black people. Project 2025 began in 2022 and was released in book form last year as A Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise. It lays out a frightening Republican agenda, a reversal of many of the hard-won victories of the past several decades. I’d like for some of the Black Americans who think our 45th president “wasn’t so bad”, to read the book and govern themselves accordingly. President Biden likes to say that democracy is on the ballot. He should also say that economic justice, health access, and educational equity are also on the line. The writer is an economist and author based in Washington, DC.

While Project 2025 was put together by the Heritage Foundation, it reeks of the 45th president. Many of his loyalists and former employees have contributed to the volume. For example, Ben Carson wrote the chapter on HUD, Peter Navarro, another Trump crony who was, among other things, assistant to the president, authored a chapter on

The former president goes even further than Project 2025, since the Heritage Foundation is a tax-exempt organization that cannot support any particular candidate. Project 47 comes from the Trump Administration and embraces much of Project 2025, but also more aggressively addresses the Department of Justice, which would be weaponized to get revenge on President

Reproductive rights? Forget about it. Project 2025 would reduce abortion access and even criminalize abortion in some cases. Its “leave it to the states” perspective could mean that more than half of all women would have no access to reproductive medical services.

In the past month or so we have seen a number of weather challenges that are related to climate change – tornadoes, hurricanes, extreme heat. But

Alito sullies integrity of high court

“Professional baseball would never allow an umpire to continue to officiate the World Series after learning that the pennant of one of the two teams competing was flying in the front yard of the umpire’s home. Nor would an umpire be allowed to call balls and strikes in a World Series game after the umpire’s wife tried to get the official score of a prior game in the series overthrown and canceled out to benefit the losing team. If judges are like umpires, then they should be treated like umpires, not team owners, team fans or players.” – U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin

According to the code, “A Justice should disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding in which the Justice’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned,” including such instances in which the Justice’s spouse is known by the Justice to have an interest in the outcome of the proceeding.

When the U.S. Supreme Court unveiled its so-called code of conduct late last year, I said it would do nothing to restrain unethical behavior by the Justices.

Samuel Alito has wasted no time in proving me right.

The upside-down flag – a symbol of allegiance to the Big Lie about the 2020 election –displayed at Alito’s home in January 2021 violates even the watered-down provisions of the code and disqualifies him from the Jan. 6 cases that are before the court. His feeble explanation, that it was his wife’s decision to fly the flag and she denied his requests to take it down.

Even if Alito does not share his wife’s false beliefs about the 2020 election, he can hardly argue that her interest is not known to

him. Lest her decision to fly that flag – if, indeed, it was solely her decision – be dismissed as a fleeting whim of passion, another symbol of loyalty to Donald Trump’s lies, flew over the Alito’s vacation home as recently as last summer.

These partisan displays, and Alito’s obstinate refusal to recuse himself, are merely the latest examples of his corruption and contempt for ethical standards. He accepted the gift of a luxury fishing trip with a billionaire whose hedge fund has repeatedly had business before the court, and failed to disclose it. The code of conduct says justices “should comply” with regulations that prohibit judicial officers from accepting gifts “from anyone who is seeking official action from or doing business with the court” and require the disclosure of gifts.

He is credibly suspected of leaking to conservative activists his ruling in 2014’s Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, exempting private companies from regulations in the case of religious objections. Another of his rulings, in 2022’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization also was leaked.

While Alito’s behavior clearly violates the court’s code of conduct, as I noted in November the code lacks any enforcement mechanism. In fact, “adapting” the federal judiciary’s code of conduct, the court conspicuously dropped word “enforce” from the opening section.

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin makes a convincing argument that the Department of Justice can petition the other justices to require Alito’s recusal under the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution and a federal statute that mandates judicial disqualification for questionable impartiality.

But the other justices, as Raskin notes, do not need to wait for such a petition. Alito’s past behavior already has made a mockery of judicial ethics; his refusal to recuse himself from cases related to the 2020 election is just another slap in the fact to the American people. If his fellow justices do not step up to their constitutional obligation to require his recusal, they will be a party to his mockery.

The writer is the president of the National Urban League.

Marc H. Morial

Julianne Malveaux

Danger: Trump moves from man to symbol

By Robert P. Jone s Religious News

Last week’s historic verdict is worth rehearsing. On May 30, Donald J. Trump became the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Twelve ordinary citizens unanimously found him guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal hush money he paid to a porn star with whom he allegedly had an affair — all driven by a desire to protect his 2016 presidential campaign.

Following the verdict, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who made a public pilgrimage to the New York courtroom to undermine the trial’s legitimacy as the jury was still considering evidence, continued to defend Trump and called for the U.S. Supreme Court to “step in.” Here’s the full context from an intervie w he gave Friday on “Fox & Friends:”

There’s a lot of developments yet to come, but I do believe the Supreme Court should step in, obviously, this is totally unprecedented. ... I think that the justices on the court — I know many of them personally — I think they are deeply concerned about that, as we are. So I think they’ll set this straight. ... It’s going to take a while … this will be overturned, guys, there’s no question about it, it’s just going to take some time to do it.”

Rep. Johnson’s boasts of personal relationships with and open partisanship among U.S. Supreme Court justices is deeply troubling. It builds on the legitimacy problems the nation’s highest court is facing in the wake of the recent stories that Justice Samuel Alito flew flag s representing support for the Jan. 6 insurrection and white Christian nationalism at his primary residence and a beach house.

That revelation, in turn, amplified previous confirmations that Justice Clarence Thomas’ wife, Ginni Thomas, was deeply involved in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election to keep Trump in office.

But on Saturday, ahead of a Republican fundraiser event in Peoria, Ill., Rep. Johnson said something even more disturbing in his continued defense of Trump. The former president, Rep. Johnson sai d “is not just our nominee, not just an individual running for president. I think now he’s seen as a symbol, a symbol of one who is willing to fight back against that corruption, the deep state and all the rest.”

Given any number of other statements by Rep. Johnson, this comment may seem unremarkable. But the transformation of Trump from a person to a symbol is the key to understanding the power of the MAGA movement and the internal logic of the upside-down world where a unanimous guilty verdict in a fair trial results in solidified support, record fundraising and desperate Christian defenses of a convicted felon.

On the latter, see Al Mohle r , president of the SBC’s flagship seminary:

“Say what you will about Donald Trump and his sex scandals, he doesn’t confuse male and female.”

Sociologists have used the term “totem” to describe the way symbols come to have a powerful unifying effect among groups. This week, it struck me that this passage in Emile Durkheim’s “ The Elementary Forms of Religious Lif e ” vividly captures the internal dynamics of the circus like Trump events that have become the mainstay of the MAGA movement.

Now the totem is the flag of the clan…. [The participant] does not know that the coming together of a number of men associated in the same life results in disengaging new energies, which transform each of them. All that

he knows is that he is raised above himself and that he sees a different life from the one he ordinarily leads. However, he must connect these sensations to some external object as their cause. Now what does he see about him? On every side those things which appeal to his senses and strike his imagination are the numerous images of the totem…. Placed thus in the centre of the scene, it becomes representative.

The sentiments experienced fix themselves upon it, for it is the only concrete object upon which they can fix themselves. It continues to bring them to mind and to evoke them even after the assembly has dissolved, for it survives the assembly, being carved upon the instruments of the cult, upon the sides of rocks, upon bucklers, etc. By it, the emotions experienced are perpetually sustained and revived.

The MAGA movement, more than any in my adult lifetime, has spawned a multitude of transgressive and aggressive symbols. The proliferation of flags alone is remarkable: the ubiquitous blue “Trump 2020,” the “Trump is My President, Jesus is My Savior” and the thin blue line.

These commune with older flags resurrected with new meaning, such as the tea party’s “Don’t Tread on Me,” the insurrectionist’s inverted U.S. flag and the Christian nationalist’s “An Appeal to Heaven.” They whip alongside white supremacist flags that still mean what they have always meant, such as the Confederate flag and even Nazi flags.

Beyond the banners, a gleaming golden idol made in Trump’s image appeared at a 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference, clad in a coat and tie paired with American flag shorts and flip-flops, holding the U.S. Constitution in one hand and a magic wand in the other. At the individual level, a plethora of hats, Tshirts, bumper stickers, digital art (often featuring Jesus and Trump), tattoos and, of course, the Trump “ God Bless the USA” branded Bibl e flooded into public spaces.

This explosion of symbolic material was the result of the energy unleashed by the Big Bang of the MAGA movement. Yet, this chaotic cloud of symbols is only mediating objects of devotion, held in loose orbits around the Trump gravitational force, transposed from man to totem.

It is true that every presidential candidate becomes, to some extent, a symbol. We read into their biographies and project onto their bodies a broader set of principles, values and worldviews.

But in healthier times, the connection between a candidate’s character and actions on the one hand, and their ideal -

ized symbolic projection on the other, remained visible and therefore functional. An illicit affair, a divorce (or two), business fraud, a racist remark, denigrating the sacrifices of fallen soldiers, insensitively mocking a disabled person — any significant misstep may be enough to break the magical, often fragile social spell that binds the person to the symbol.

Authoritarian rulers such as Trump, however, perform a slight of hand that simultaneously hides the distinction between candidate and symbol and fuses that projection with the state. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of “ Strongmen: Mussolini to the Presen t ” and the “ Luci d ” Substack newsletter, notes that an essential attribute of authoritarian rule is “the leader’s claim that he does not just represent the nation, as do democratic heads of state, but embodies it and bears its sorrows and dreams.”

Mr. Trump has consistently sought to make this classic authoritarian move. In his acceptance speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention, Mr. Trump claimed, “I am your voice.” In 2019, Mr. Trump called himself “the chosen one.” More recently, he transposed his own criminal trial into the persecution of his follower s , saying:

I’ve been very busy fighting and, you know, taking the, the bullets, taking the arrows. I’m taking ’em for you. And I’m so honored to take ’em. You have no idea. I’m being indicted for you…. And never forget our enemies want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom. And I’m never gonna let it happen. They wanna silence me because I will never let them silence you. And in the end, they’re not after me. They’re after you. I just happen to be standing in the way.

When the leader becomes the totem, no transgression is capable of separating him from his acolytes. A totem can’t lie or be vulgar. A totem doesn’t have marriage vows that can be violated. A totem can’t sexually assault a woman. A totem can’t commit fraud. A totem can’t betray an oath to the Constitution. A totem has no innate human characteristics at all. It is a mirror, reflecting back the collective fears and aspirations of the group, who both generate its image and receive it back reinforced. Mike Johnson is wrong about the legitimacy of the trial, but he’s right that Mr. Trump has become for his followers much more than a political candidate. And this is why Trump the totem, much more than Trump the man,

AP Photo/Jason Allen

Former President Donald Trump speaks in Atlanta on April 10, 2024.

Stories by Fred Jeter

Jackie Robinson rebuilt in bronze after theft of statue

Associated Press

by Heather Hollingsworth and Thomas Pierpert

As he coats a mold of Jackie Robinson with wax, metalsmith Alex Haines reflected on the extra importance of a project that will soon give the city of Wichita, Kan., a replacement bronze statue of the baseball icon after thieves brazenly destroyed the original.

“Many sculptures come through here,” said Haines at the Art Castings studio in Loveland, Col., where the original statue was cast. “Some are a little bit more important than others. And this is definitely one of them.”

It all started in Januar y, when thieves cut the original statue off at its ankles leaving only Robinson’s cleats behind at McAdams Park in Wichita. About 600 children play there in a youth baseball league called League 42. It is named after Robinson’s uniform number with the Brooklyn Dodgers, with whom he broke the major league’s color barrier in 1947.

The news spread wide, and a national outpouring of donations followed that enabled Wichita to quickly reorder a replacement.

“There’s been a lot of serendipity when it comes to League 42 throughout our entire exis-

tence,” said Bob Lutz, who is executive director of the Little League nonprofit that commissioned the statue. “It’s almost like there’s somebody watching out for us. And certainly, in this regard, we feel like ... there was a guardian angel making sure that we could do this statue again.”

As news spread of the theft, the nonprofit was floode d with an estimated $450,000 to $500,000 in donations. That includes a $100,000 gift from Major League Baseball, which will cover the statue’s $45,000 replacement cost and other improvements, including landscaping and adding decorative bollards that will keep people from driving too close to the statue.

The rest of the money raised will go toward enhancing some of the nonprofit’s programming and facilities. Last year, the group opened the Leslie Rudd Learning Center, which includes an indoor baseball facility and a learning lab. There might even be enough money to add artificial turf and more lighting, Lutz said.

Another blessing for Lutz is that the replacement will look exactly like the original, which was created by his friend, the artist John Parsons, before his death in 2022 at the age of 67.

That is possible because the original mold was still viable.

“If that wasn’t the case, I don’t know that I would feel as good about all this as I do,” Lutz said.

It looked dire five days after the theft, when fire crews found burned remnants of his statue while responding to a trash can fire at another park about 7 miles away from the scene of the theft.

One man has pleaded guilty and the investigation continues

into a crime that police have said was motivated not by racial animus but by plans to sell the bronze for scrap

It was a stupid plan, said Tony Workman, owner of Art Castings of Colorado. The town where the business is located, around 50 miles north of Denver, is well known for its sculptors and artists.

“The problem is you can’t get a fire in a dumpster hot enough to melt metal,” Workman said.

“All you’re gonna do is burn

Boston hopes to add jewel to crown

At least unofficially, professional basketball’s high throne sits at 100 Legends Way in Boston, draped in green.

That’s the location of TD Garden and the home of the 17-time NBA champion Boston Celtics, who hope to add an 18th crown soon against the Dallas Mavericks. The NBA Finals begin June 6 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

Boston’s all-time regular season record of 3,634-2,480 and playoff record (in 61 appearances) of 407-312 is the envy of others.

The Lakers also have 17 titles, but the first five came when the franchise was in Minneapolis. The Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960.

Latest chapter: Boston’s 64-18 regular season record was the best of all 30 NBA teams. Never tapping the brakes, it bested both Miami and Cleveland, four wins to one, in the playoffs. The Celtics then took a 3-0 lead over Indiana in the East Finals.

In the beginning: Originating in 1946, Boston got its nickname from the Original Celtics, a barnstorming group playing an Eastern League schedule out of New York. Other nickname possibilities bandied about were Whirlwinds, Olympians and Unicorns.

Owner Walter A. Brown went with Celtics and basic green color scheme, noting “there are a lot of Irishmen in Boston.” Famous “shooter:” the 1950 Celtics included a 6-foot-6 center named Chuck Connors, better known to many as “The Rifleman” on TV.

Another Chuck: A powerful forward out of Duquesne University of Pittsburgh,

Chuck Cooper joined Boston in 1950 after becoming the first Black player to be drafted by an NBA team.

Breaking barriers: The NBA owners had a long-standing “gentleman’s agreement” never to have five black players on the floor at same time. That changed Dec. 26, 1964, when Coach Red Auerbach added Willie Naulls to the regular lineup including Russell, Sam and K.C. Jones and Satch Sanders. It became the first all-Black lineup in NBA annals. And, of course, the Celtics ran off 12 straight wins with that quintet first on the floor.

Glory days: Led by brilliant center Bill Russell and numerous other Naismith Hall of Famers to be, Boston won 11 championships between 1957 and 1966. It is the most impressive string of titles in any American pro sport.

804 Connection: Gerald Henderson (Huguenot High, VCU) played with Boston from 1979 to 1984, helping the Celts to NBA titles in 1981 and 1984. John Kuester (Benedictine) was an assistant coach from 1995 to 1997. Bird is the word: Then Celtics’ President Red Auerbach had to hold his breath through the first five picks of the 1978 NBA Draft.

Mychal Thompson, Phil Ford, Rick Robey, Michael-Ray Richarson and Purvis Short were selected before Auerbach made

Bird the sixth overall pick. The Indiana State All-American went on win three MVPs and help Boston to three NBA crowns.

Triple trouble: The trio of Bird (197992), Kevin McHale (1980-93) and Robert Parish (1980-94) put Boston in a commanding position for more than a decade. All are in Naismith Hall of Fame.

All-time Celtics: Certainly, Russell was the franchise’s player of the 1950s and 1960’s. Bird was the man of the hour from late 1970s and early 1990s.

But the leading light Celtic of the 21st century might be current sensation Jayson Tatum, the multitalented 6-foot-8 forward from Duke University.

Tatum’s career scoring averages of 23.1 for the regular season and 23.8 for the playoffs stack up well with anyone ever wearing the green.

As in Bird’s case, management had to nervously wait until the third overall pick to snare their superstar. Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Bell went before him.

Tatum, by choice, wears No. 0 but he’s the undisputed hero along 100 Legends Way with five all-star picks and three-time All-NBA selections.

Floorboards: The original Boston Garden and now TD Garden (since 1995) feature distinctive parquet flooring, rarely seen anywhere else.

Longtime Celtics’ fans consider the parquet as part of the “legend,” right along with Russell, Bird and Tatum.

Shhh. It’s long been whispered the floor has some dead spots in locations only men wearing green know of.

VMI Grad Walton named director

Virginia Military Institute has hired alumnus Jamaal Walton as director of intercollegiate athletics.

Walton, VMI Class of 2007, starred as a defensive cornerback for the Keydets and was named team captain as a senior. He graduated with a degree in biology.

Walton succeeds Jim Miller, who recently retired.

At the Friday press conference in Lexington, Walton was introduced by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins, the VMI superintendent who is the first African-American to hold the position.

Since 2021, Walton served as a senior associate director at the University of Washington. Prior to that, he worked in administratione at Savannah State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Alabama and College of Charleston, S.C.

the sculpture. So you’re still going to be able to tell what it was.”

Beyond rebuilding the statue, the severed bronze cleats from the original statue found a new home last month at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo.

It is a fitting location. Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers, paving the way for generations of Black American

ballplayers. He is considered not only a sports legend but also a civil rights icon. Robinson died in 1972.

“The outpouring of support that folks have gotten as a result of this, it reminds us that light indeed does come out of darkness,” said Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

At the museum, the cleats are part of a display that also includes a gunfire-riddled plaque that had been erected outside Robinson’s birthplace near Cairo, Ga.

“It renews our spirt and belief in people because sometimes people will do despicable things, and it makes you want to give up on people,” Kendrick said. “But you know you can’t give up on people, even though sometimes you want to.”

On a recent morning, Emilio Estevez, a financial services worker from Miami, stopped to look at the cleats. He described Robinson as an inspiration — both because of this athleticism and his ability to put up with jeers while integrating the sport.

“We can all learn from that,” he said. And the thieves couldn’t take that away, Estevez said.

“He’s still in all our minds. He’s still very present, like here in the museum, very prevalent,” he said.

Virginia State releases inaugural soccer schedule

Virginia State’s historic first home game comes Sept. 29 against Johnson & Wales at 4 p.m. Other home dates include doubleheaders against Barton and Shaw (Oct. 2 & 5) before the team closes with six straight road contests in October and Nov. 1.

Freshman phenom Markus White claims CIAA title

An athlete doesn’t need to go to the beach to get sand in their shoes. Markus White is the “Sand Man” for Virginia State University’s track and field Trojans.

The 6-foot freshman from Lynchburg’s Heritage High kicked up sand 24 feet, 8 inches from the takeoff board at the recent NCAA Division II Championships in Emporia, Kan.

White’s eighth-place finish May 23 was best among all freshmen at Nationals.

Earlier in May, White won the CIAA title with a leap of 24 feet, 3 inches to help the Trojans’ men to a third straight conference crown in Durham. White was also fifth in the CIAA triple jump.

Also this season, White established the VSU outdoor long jump record with

a sand-blasting leap of 24 feet, 10.8 inches at Lenoir-Rhyne University, N.C. The previous Trojans’ standard of 24 feet, 5.8 inches was set in 2009 by Leon Hunt.

White’s long jump heroics come as little surprise in Ettrick. Last spring as a Heritage senior, White won the Class 3 title with a state record-setting leap of 24 feet, 4.75 inches.

Jayson Tatum

Markus White

AP Photo/Thomas Peipert

A bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and stolen in Wichita, Kansas is being recast in Colorado. A national outpouring of donations enabled Wichita to quickly order a replacement.

Photo courtesy VMI

Jamaal Walton was recently named the Virginia Military Institute’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Walton graduated from the school in 2007 and recently served as the University of Washington’s senior associate athletic director.

Coach Jenkins

Personality: Avanti Kollaram Yamamoto

As the daughter of Indian immigrants, Avanti Kollaram Yamamoto didn’t always dream of becoming a teacher. During her third year at Virginia Commonwealth University, she decided to become an educator after meeting with a mathematics professor who encouraged her to pursue teaching as a career. This experience taught her the importance of having a great teacher who believes in a student’s potential.

Yamamoto should know about believing in your potential, as she recently was named the 2025 Virginia Teacher of the Year. The 10-year teaching veteran has taught all high school grade levels since 2016 and serves as the Key Club sponsor at Atlee High School in Hanover.

She also was named the 2025 Hanover County Public Schools Teacher of the Year earlier this year, the 2025 Atlee High School Teacher of the Year, and was a 2022 Hanover County Innovator of the Year finalist. Yamamoto has been named a Hanover Scholars Honored Educator every year since 2018.

Yamamoto’s energy and passion for teaching are apparent when she describes her teaching philosophy. She believes all students deserve to be taught by someone proficient in their course knowledge and effective teaching strategies. Her approach to teaching mathematics — from special education to advanced mathematics — is thinking and logic rather than procedure and mimicry.

In 2023, Yamamoto served as the school’s Literacy & Numeracy Action Team Leader. She was a member of the 2023 Virginia Department of Education’s Algebra II Standards of Learning End of Course Exam New Item Review Committee.

Spotlight on Virginia’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

She also participated in the Hanover County National Board Certification Cohort from 2020-2022 and the Hanover County Building Thinking Classrooms Book Study from 2022-2023.

Yamamoto aims to make math come alive for students and show them how it applies to real-life situations in her classroom. She’s determined to show students that math is not scary and help them believe they are “math people.”

Yamamoto believes that a sound support system is necessary for success. She credits her success to her parents, husband, colleagues and the Hanover Public Schools system. She is now a candidate for the 2025 National Teacher of the Year. If she wins, she plans to advocate for more inclusive and innovative teaching methods. The winner will be announced next spring at the White House. Meet an A+ math educator and this week’s Personality, Avanti Kollaram Yamamoto:

Latest accomplishment: 2025 Virginia Teacher of the Year Date and place of birth: Nov. 6 in Gaithersburg, Md. Where I live now: Mechanicsville.

Education: I hold a Bachelor’s in mathematics, from Virginia Commonwealth University. I am pursuing a master’s in education at James Madison University.

Family: Husband, Daisuke Yamamoto and daughter, Rina Yamamoto, age 3.

Occupation: Mathematics teacher and department leader at Atlee High School. Reaction to the 2025 Virginia top teacher award: Shocked! There are so many incredible

teachers in Virginia. I couldn’t believe they picked me! I’m just a math teacher!

How I got the big news: I interviewed with the seven other regional teachers of the year for Virginia on May 6. By the afternoon, the interview panel decided, and the governor made the announcement during the ceremony!

Why I became a teacher: Growing up, I struggled in math class, and I didn’t feel seen. I wanted to be a teacher to ensure I saw every child who walked through my classroom.

My teaching philosophy: Our role as teachers is to be a facilitator of knowledge, not an information teller. We must guide our students through understanding concepts and believe they can understand them. That is how our students will believe in themselves and their capabilities. And when they do, the sky is the limit.That is the power we have as educators, and it all starts with believing

that every single child is capable.

Where I first taught: John Marshall High School.

Role of parents/guardians in the learning process: Parents are our lifeline. Their support and engagement are crucial for success, especially when a child is struggling in the classroom—whether that is academically or emotionally.

Biggest problem facing students today: The biggest problem is low selfefficacy because students simply do not believe in themselves as much anymore. Ten percent of my job is teaching content. The other 90% of my job is being a cheerleader and making students believe that they are capable.

How this problem impacts schoolwork: Low self-efficacy hinders students’ ability to learn and achieve. However, when students believe in themselves and simply tell themselves, “I can do this,” their attitude and demeanor change. Once students have the “aha” moment, they find themselves successful. Everything about them changes. They are so much more successful and enjoy mathematics.

Does technology make teaching easier or difficult: Technology used appropriately can make teaching pretty cool. The best part is when you allow students to have creative freedom, what they decide to do with technology and math is astounding.

Advice to aspiring teachers: Teaching is unlike any other profession. It is like throwing a pebble into a lake and watch-

ing how far that ripple goes. Your impact on your students may be difficult to see today, but several years from now, even when that one student reaches out and says, “Mrs. Y, you changed everything for me. Thank you,” it is so worth it.

One way I have seen my teaching make a difference in a student’s life: This year, I had a student who, when I met them at the start of the year, the student told me, “Math is not my thing, and it takes me a long time to understand concepts.” I told the student, “It’s OK. I’ve got you. I’m here for you.” The student has grown so much this year, and last week, the student turned in their final exam and told me that they decided to major in mathematics. I almost cried. I would like to believe I had something to do with it, that the student’s confidence in mathematics grew so much that they found that they wanted to study it!

A good teacher is: Kind, supportive and makes sure you know that they are on your side.

How I start the day: With lots and lots of coffee!

Daily outlook: I’m excited to see what my students learn today!

The three words that best describe me: Passionate, enthusiastic and creative.

If I had 10 extra minutes in the day, I would: Take a nap!

Best late-night snack: Popcorn, jalapeno chips and softbaked chocolate chip cookies.

The music I listen to most is: I love listening to the classical radio station. Currently, I’m listening to the Avi Avital

Mandolin concertos album. Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I do Indian Classical dance — Bharatanatyam! A quote that inspires me: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” — Walt Whitman

The person who influenced me the most: My dad has influenced me the most. He came to this country from India in the 1970s with nothing but a suitcase of lentils. He earned his master’s in engineering from Tuskegee University and worked as a chicken farmer until he earned enough money to bring my mom to America. Once he graduated, he drove up and down the East Coast looking for a job. He retired as a highlevel officer in cybersecurity at the Department of Defense. He taught me that nothing is out of reach; you just have to work hard.

Book that influenced me the most: “Building Thinking Classrooms” by Peter Liljedahl. It changed my perspective on how we should teach mathematics and how to move away from procedure and mimicry into logic and reasoning. What I’m reading now: All department leaders in Hanover County are reading “Time for Change” by Anthony Muhammad. My key takeaway thus far has been that educators in a healthy school culture believe all students can excel and that they willingly challenge and change their practices to meet that end.

Next goal: I hope to graduate with my master’s degree in December and pursue my doctorate. I’d love to do some research of my own.

Juneteenth events highlight freedom, heritage

By George Copeland Jr.

In recognition of the fourth official Juneteenth celebration on Wednesday, June 19, the following events are being held throughout the month to recognize and celebrate the holiday in a variety of ways.

Juneteenth, A Freedom Celebration featuring The Black Book Expo

Organized by: Elegba Folklore Society

Where: The Virginia Museum of History & Culture at 428 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.

When: Friday, June 7 from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturday, June 8, from 2 to 7 p.m.

Cost: $8 to $10, free for children under age 12. Other costs may apply.

Information: efsinc.org

Juneteenth Celebration: Music for Social Well-Being

Organized by: Chesterfield County Public Library

Where: Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd.

When: Saturday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Cost: Free, but registration is required

Information: chesterfield.evanced.info

Juneteenth in the Park

Organized by: Virginia State Parks

Where: Pocahontas State Park at 10301 State Park Road

When: Saturday, June 8, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m

Cost: Standard parking fees apply.

Information: (804) 796-4255 or Pocahontas@dcr.virginia.gov

Juneteenth, A Freedom Celebration - A Tribute to the Ancestors, Along the Trail of Enslaved Africans

Organized by: Elegba Folklore Society

Where: The Manchester Slave Docks at 1308 Brander St.

When: Sunday, June 9, from 2 to 7 p.m.

Cost: $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors age 65 and older, and children age 12 to 18, free for children under the age of 12.

Information: www.efsinc.org

VOWS 4th Annual Juneteenth Jamboree, 5K & Food

Truck Festival in Carytown

Organized by: VOWS Foundation

Where: Carytown at 3320 W. Cary St.

When: Saturday, June 15, 5K Run/Walk - 10 a.m. to noon, Jamboree - noon to 6 p.m.

Cost: General admission for the Jamboree is free; participation in the 5K costs $30.

Information: vowsfoundation.org

Henrico County’s Juneteenth Celebration

Organized by: Henrico Recreation & Parks

Where: Dorey Park, 2999 Darbytown Road

When: Saturday, June 15, from 4 to 10 p.m.

Cost: Free

Information: henrico.us/calendar/juneteenth2023

Juneteenth Day Festival

Organized by: Chesterfield Fairgrounds

Where: Chesterfield County Fairgrounds at 10300 Courthouse Road

When: Saturday, June 15, from 3 to 9 p.m.

Cost: Free

Information: chesterfield.gov

Gardeners’ plant sale and festival in Henrico

Free Press staff report

The Henrico Master Gardener Association holds its annual Spring Plant Sale and Pollinator Festival from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Free Press staff report

The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia will host an artist talk titled

Artist talk to explore African-American ceramics, collaboration Thompson

“Re(CLAY)mation of Collaboration Intersections” 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 8. Lydia C. Thompson, a mixed media artist and professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, will discuss the history of African-American ceramics and the inspiration behind her works, “Like the Dust Settles in Layers, So Does the Story” and the 2024 NCECA Multicultural Fellowship exhibitions.

This program offers a unique opportunity to gain insights into the intersections of art, culture and history through the lens of a leading figure in contemporary ceramics. The event is part of BHMVA’s community access programming. For more information, visit blackhistorymuseum.org

Life in the Heart Land

The VPM docuseries “Life in the Heart Land” explores the toughest challenges facing America’s rural communities and how some people are creating solutions. Courtesy of Deep Structure Productions

Saturday, June 8. The free event will be held at the Recreation Center at Deep Run Park, at 9900 Ridgefield Parkway.

Attendees can expect a diverse selection of offerings, including discounted plants sourced from master gardeners’ personal gardens, floral arrangements,and gently used gardening items available at the Garden Treasures table. Musical performances by William “Tripp” and Jenny Johnson of the Cary Street Ramblers are scheduled.

Educational displays will cover topics such as native and invasive plants, pollinators and insects. Master gardeners will be available at the plant clinic table to answer gardening questions, while presentations will provide insights into programs offered by the Henrico County Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Henrico Master Gardener Association.

Children’s activities, led by junior master gardeners, will include story time, a program on vermiculture and a photo booth opportunity.

Exhibitors at the event will include or-

ganizations such as the Pocahontas Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society, Plant Virginia Natives, Wild Ones, LERN (Local Ecotype Richmond Natives), Virginia Herpetological Society, Dandelion Springs Apiary, Keep Henrico Beautiful, and Riverine Master Naturalists. Representatives from the Division of Natural Heritage of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Department of Forestry.

Proceeds from the annual plant sale contribute to master gardener programs and horticulture scholarships. Last year’s

event attracted over 1,000 visitors who collectively purchased more than 3,000 plants of around 400 varieties.

“The Henrico Master Gardeners’ annual plant sale offers high-quality, homegrown plants at low prices while also providing a fun and educational experience for everyone,” Event Co-chair Nadine Oswald said. “We are excited to showcase a wide variety of plants and gardening items along with engaging activities for children and informative displays for gardeners of all ages.” For more information, visit henricomg. org.

CONNECTED TO WHAT INSPIRES EMPATHY.

CONNECTED TO WHAT MATTERS. As Virginia’s home for public media, we bring you relevant news and local storytelling  to foster a greater understanding of our state, our neighbors and our world. VPM.org

CONNECTED TO WHAT MATTERS. As Virginia’s home for public media, we bring you relevant news and local storytelling to foster a greater understanding of our state, our neighbors and our world. VPM.org

Photo courtesy of Henrico Master Gardener Association

Last year, the Spring Plant Sale and Pollinator Festival drew more than 1,000 visitors to Deep Run Park.

Elegba Folklore Society

Bishop William Barber II to visit St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

Free Press staff report

Bishop William Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign and founder of Repairers of the Breach, will join St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for its Sunday service of Holy Eucharist on June 9, 2024. This event is part of Bishop Barber’s national preaching tour.

Bishop Barber, a prominent progressive Christian leader known for his efforts to continue Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of an intersectional movement for social justice, will participate in the service at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 815 E. Grace St. Following the service, there will be a reception and a forum with leaders from the Poor People’s Campaign.

Victory Church of God in Christ to offer free summer meals for children

Free Press staff reports

Victory Church of God in Christ is participating in the Summer Food Service Program, providing free meals to children throughout the summer. The initiative aims to ensure that no child goes hungry during the school break.

Meals will be available at no charge to all children, with no discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age. The meals will be served on a first-come, first-served basis, and children must remain on site while consuming their meals.

The following sites and times have been designated for meal distribution:

• Exceptional Learning Cente 4878 Finlay St., June 3 - Aug. 30 Breakfast: 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

• Faith of Life Daycare Center 6110 Belmont Road. June 3 - Aug. 30

Breakfast: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Lunch: Noon – 1 p.m.

• Leave It to Beaver 730 German School Road. June 3 - Aug. 30

Breakfast: 7:30 – 9 a.m.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

•

June 3 - Aug. 30

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

religious affairs for Repairers of the Breach. They will discuss the Poor People’s Campaign and its efforts toward economic and social justice.

In addition to Sunday’s events, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will host a free screening of the documentary “Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy” on Saturday, June 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Bishop Barber.

On Sunday, June 9, at 11:45 a.m., Jackson and Broome will lead a forum on the Poor People’s Campaign, highlighting their public policy agenda for June 29 and the upcoming elections. The discussion will focus on the intersection of faith and public policy initiatives.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faces cancer diagnosis

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee has fought tirelessly for groundbreaking legislation throughout her career. She authored the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, creating the first new federal holiday in nearly four decades, and fervently championed the Violence Against Women Act, ensuring its passage for the first time in almost ten years. Now, the stalwart Texas representative is facing the battle of her life after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

In a statement posted to X on Sunday, the 74-year-old congresswoman disclosed her diagnosis and treatment. “My doctors have confirmed pancreatic cancer, and I am currently undergoing treatment,” Rep. Jackson Lee shared. “I am confident that my doctors have developed the best possible plan to target my specific disease. The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.”

“The road ahead will not be easy, but I stand in faith that God will strengthen me.”

— Rep. Sheila JackSon lee

co-chair of the Justice Reform Task Force. Rep. Jackson Lee holds a bachelor’s in political science from Yale and a J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School. Despite her diagnosis, Rep. Jackson Lee remains resolute in her commitment to her congressional duties. “I am committed to working with our congressional leadership, including Leader Hakeem Jefferies and the speaker of the house, to serve this nation and be present for votes on legislation that is critical for the prosperity and security of the American people,” she said. •

• Restoration Temple COGIC 1400 Spotsylvania St. June 3 - Aug. 30

Breakfast: 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Victory Church of God in Christ is committed to ensuring all children have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer, according to a press release from the church. For more information, contact the church at (804) 745-1610.

Rep. Jackson Lee has represented Texas’ 18th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1995. Now in her 15th term, she serves on the House Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and the Budget, and is the first female Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, a subcommittee she chaired during the 117th Congress.

Her legislative achievements are extensive and impactful. Rep. Jackson Lee has spearheaded the Sentencing Reform Act, the George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, and the RAISE Act. She has also introduced crucial bills like the Fair Chance for Youth Act, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, and Kaleif’s Law. An unwavering advocate for women and children, she fervently supports the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and has championed outreach to minority and women-owned businesses in the commercial

space industry. Additionally, she authored the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act. Recognized as one of the 50 most effective Members of Congress by “Congressional Quarterly” and among the 10 most influential legislators in the House by “U.S. News and World Report,” Rep. Jackson Lee’s influence extends beyond legislation. She is a founder, member, and chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus and the Congressional Children’s Caucus, as well as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Energy Braintrust and

Bishop Barber Alvin Jackson Hanna Broome

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) at a 2023 press conference where she advocated for reparations.

The forum will feature Dr. Alvin O’Neal Jackson, national faith convener of the Mass Poor People’s Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Dr. Hanna R. Broome, national director of

DIVORCE VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER CARLA SMITH-BRACEY, Plaintiff v. TYREE BRACEY, Defendant. Case No.: CL23003537-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, who has been served with the Complaint by posted service appear here on or before the 15th day of July, 2024 and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE

Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER LAWRENCE BRAXTON, Plaintiff v. NATALIA CHRISTIAN BRAXTON, Defendant. Case No.: CL24001505-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 2nd day of July, 2024 at 9:00 AM and protect her interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO CHARLES EDWARD SLAUGHTER, JR., Plaintiff, v. Civil Law No.: CL24-2855 ANGELITA VERNITA ROBINSON GOLDSTEIN, Defendant. ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of the abovestyled suit is to obtain a divorce from the bonds of matrimony from the defendant on the grounds that the parties have lived separate and apart without interruption and without cohabitation for a period of more than one year, since September 15, 2011. And it appearing by Affidavit filed according to law that the above-named defendant, is not a resident of this state and that due diligence has been used by or in behalf of plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city the defendant is, without effect. It is therefore ORDERED that the said Angelita Vernita Robinson Goldstein do appear in the Clerk’s Office of the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Henrico County, 4301 East Parham Road, Henrico, Virginia 23273, on or before and do whatever necessary to protect their interest in this suit.

A Copy, Teste: HEIDI S. BARSHINGER, Clerk I ask for this: Rudolph C. McCollum, Jr. VSB #32825 P.O. Box 4595 Richmond, Virginia 23220 Phone (804) 523-3900 Fax (888) 532-1870

in re JOURNEE & JACIR LYNCH RDSS v. JOVON LYNCH Case No. JJ103286-03-00, JJ103285-03-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: terminate the residual parental rights {“TPR”) of Jovon Lynch (Father) of Journee Lynch, child DOB 01/07/2023, and Jacir Lynch, child DOB 04/14/2020, “TPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with Parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Jovon Lynch (Father) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 08/08/2024, at 10:30 A.M, COURTROOM #3 (AFR)

PROPERTY

TRUSTEE’S SALE 4225 Mylan Road, Richmond, Virginia 23223 (Parcel ID: 813-733-7796)

Default having been made in the terms of a certain Deed of Trust dated November 13, 2014, in the original principal amount of $164,900.00 and recorded in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of the County of Henrico, Virginia in Deed Book 5312, page 2204, the undersigned Substitute Trustees will sell at public auction on June 17, 2024, at 1:00pm in front of the building housing the Henrico County Circuit Court, At the Front Entrance of the Circuit Court Building For Henrico County located at 4309 E. Parham Road, Richmond, VA 23228, the property designated as Lot 20, Block D, Section 3, Clarendon Farms, as shown on subdivision plat prepared by Timmons, Engineers, Surveyors, Planners, dated October 4, 1999 entitled “Clarendon Farms Section 3, Fairfield District, Henrico county, Virginia”, which said plat was recorded in the Clerk`s Office, Circuit Court, Henrico County, Virginia, on December 7, 1999, in plat book 109, pages 126-129. Sale is subject to all prior liens, easements, restrictions, covenants, and conditions, if any, of record, or other matters which would be disclosed by an accurate survey or inspection of the premises. TERMS: CASH. A deposit of $16,500.00 or 10% of the sale price, whichever is lower, will be required of the successful bidder at time of sale. Prior to the sale, interested bidders will be required to register with and must present a bid deposit which may be held during the sale by the trustee.

The bid deposit must be certified funds and/or cash, but no more than $9,900.00 of cash will be accepted. The successful bidder’s deposit will be retained at the sale and applied to the sale price. If held by the trustee, all other bid deposits will be returned to the unsuccessful bidders. Settlement is to be made within 15 calendar days. The successful bidder will be responsible for obtaining possession of the property, and for all costs and fees related to recording the Trustee’s Deed, including the grantors tax. The successful bidder will be required to execute a Memorandum of Trustee’s Sale, available for review on the Foreclosure Sales page of www. glasserlaw.com, outlining additional terms of sale and settlement. A Trustee’s Deed will be prepared by Trustee’s attorney at high bidder’s expense. This is a communication from a debt collector, Glasser and Glasser, P.L.C. on behalf of Atlantic Trustee Services, L.L.C., and/or William K. Grogan, Attorney at Law, and/or Auction.com-VA, LLC, Substitute Trustees, Crown Center Building, Suite 600, 580 East Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, File No. 234516-01, Tel: (757) 321-6465, between 10:00 a.m. & 12:00 noon only. ABC LICENSE

above establishment is