Chesterfield Agrihood plan withdrawn amid accusations of discrimination
By Sam Brown
The organizers of Bensley Agrihood, a planned affordable housing neighborhood built around an organic farm and wellness center in Chesterfield County’s Bensley neighborhood, have withdrawn their rezoning application. Last week, the three nonprofits backing the project — Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, Happily Natural Day and Girls For A Change pulled the proposal after nearly 600 days and
four deferrals by the Planning Commission.
Leaders of the groups have cited discrimination in the zoning process as to why they withdrew the application.
“Myself and Angela Patton, director of Girls For A Change, were both refused opportunities to meet with the planning commissioner in regards to the … proffer conditions for the zoning change,” Duron Chavis, executive director at
and
Education, housing, economy key in mayoral forum
By George Copeland Jr.
The race to become Richmond’s next mayor came into sharper focus Monday evening, as the candidates shared their plans and priorities for the office during the first mayoral forum of the election year at Virginia Union University.
The chapel area of Coburn Hall buzzed with activity as the candidates, Richmond City Council member Andreas Addison, Dr. Danny Avula, former City Council President Michelle Mosby, entrepreneur Maurice Neblett and Bridging Virginia founder Harrison Roday answered questions.
“Civic engagement is the cornerstone for our democracy,” forum moderator and nonprofit leader Victor McKenzie Jr. said. “The more we are informed, the more we are engaged, the better decisions we can make.”
Maurice Neblett and Harrison Roday. They appeared at a mayoral
“My ask for you tonight is to listen intently to the answers and solutions that the candidates provide, their willingness to collaborate and for that spark of inspiration that can help lead us all.”
The event was organized by the Urban League Greater Richmond Young Professionals, who provided the main discussion topics of the forum and gathered additional questions from the audience for candidates to address.
Despite the lack of air conditioning to combat the summer heat, candidates and community members remained engaged for two hours, as VUU staff occasionally distributed water to the hundreds who filled the chapel.
The candidates shared their plans and perspectives on education, which accounted for nearly an hour of the forum, economic development, food insecurity, child care, affordable and transi-
tional housing, food insecurity and gun violence.
Addison emphasized his experience as a business owner and elected official, discussing the successes and challenges of city government while addressing the needs of businesses and citizens.
“We need a mayor with experience, vision and a plan to make this city work for everybody,” Addison said. “I’m ready to be Richmond’s next mayor to build on these successes and use my experience to make sure it works for everyone.”
Similarly, Mosby focused on her record in City Hall along with her deep ties to the Richmond community in explaining her priorities if elected, and how she’d approach the duties of the office.
“I have been able to make real change in the city of Richmond,” Mosby said. “I have proven that I can lead this city and
Anti-war protesters sentenced to jail after blocking I-95
By George Copeland Jr.
Almost all of those involved in the blocking of Interstate 95 months ago as part of a protest of the war in Gaza were sentenced to five days in jail earlier this week.
Eight of the nine protesters, referred to as the “I-9” by supporters, were sentenced on Monday for misdemeanor charges of stopping another vehicle, impeding travel and traffic. Additional charges of unlawful assembly, obstructing free passage and using prohibited vehicles on interstate lanes were either dismissed, dropped or protesters were found not guilty.
The sentencing was released days after the nine protesters appeared for a hearing at the John Marshall General District Court last Friday. The eight that were sentenced also will have to pay a $300 fine by December. One protester was sentenced to one day in jail, with court records showing guilty charges for obstructing free passage and stopping traffic.
The blockade, which began around 7 a.m. March 11, ended hours later around 10:30 a.m. when Virginia State Police arrived in response to calls from drivers, arresting the protesters who had bound and chained themselves together as
I’m asking you to give me that opportunity.” Avula, who served as a city and state health leader during the emergence of COVID-19 and whose wife works for Richmond Public Schools, leveraged that history and experience when discussing topics during the forum, with repeated references to building bridges across aspects of the city.
“What you’ve done is the best predictor of what you will do,” said Avula, who recounted his work leading the region and state through the early years of the pandemic in detail. “That’s the track record I want to bring to our city.”
Roday’s responses and pitch to voters were characterized by his years of experience in the public and private sectors, along with his collaborations with local businesses and the community.
“We have such a clear choice in front of us — we should be looking for a mayor who can earn the trust of Richmond residents to move Richmond forward with the change that we need,” Roday said. “And I hope to earn that trust.”
Neblett, a VUU graduate and political newcomer with experience in criminal justice, often opted for detailed lists of policy proposals when answering questions, with government transparency and accountability a frequent focus.
“I’m here to ignite a new era for our great city,” Neblett said. “Let’s transform Richmond into a beacon of collective care and happiness.”
While the candidates offered a diverse range of solutions and proposals to the questions raised, there was frequent common
white enclave. 40 Acres and a Lie tells the history of an often-misunderstood government program that gave formerly enslaved people land titles after the Civil War. A year and a half later, almost all the land had been taken back.
By Alexia Fernández
Rosana Lucia
Karen Dove Barr backs out of her golf cart garage on Skidaway Island.
Sandra Sellars/RIchmond Free Press
Duron Chavis explains the initial proposal June 23 at the Bensley Agrihood Service Day
Speakout.
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Five candidates are seeking to be the next mayor of Richmond: Andreas Addison, left, Danny Avula, Michelle Mosby,
forum Monday at Virginia Union University.
Richmond area health officials promote HIV testing, prevention
Free Press Staff Reports
In honor of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, health officials in Richmond and Henrico County are urging residents to get tested and learn about prevention methods.
The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts emphasize the importance of regular HIV testing and awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment.
“You are your own best reason for prevention,” said RHHD Health Educator Bellamy Riley. “Prevention is not always about what you’re doing. Sometimes it’s about what is going on in your community.”
RHHD offers HIV testing at its Cary Street, Henrico East, and Henrico West Clinics. Appointments can be made by calling (804) 205-3501. The health districts also provide testing at Mosby, Gilpin and Southwood Resource Centers.
In addition to public health services, Walmart is launching free HIV screenings at select Richmond-area pharmacies starting Thursday, June 27. Three locations will offer the service: 5001 Nine Mile Road, Henrico; 2410 Sheila Lane, Richmond; and 12200 Chattanooga Plaza, Midlothian.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 13% of Virginians with HIV are unaware of their status. This year’s National HIV Testing Day theme, “Level up your self-love: check your status,” aims to encourage testing as an act of self-care.
Health officials stress that HIV testing should be part of regular health check-ups and can be done at doctor’s offices, health departments, pharmacies,and community organizations.
For more information about HIV testing and prevention, visit rhhd.gov.
Virginia Museum of History & Culture to host July 4th Citizenship Ceremony
Free Press Staff Reports
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture celebrates Independence Day with its annual Citizenship Ceremony, welcoming approximately 75 new citizens. The event, held in partnership with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, begins at 11 a.m.
The free ceremony will be officiated by The Hon. Roger L. Gregory of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Visitors are encouraged to check VirginiaHistory.org/July4 for a list of prohibited items.
Following the Citizenship Ceremony, a special July 4th celebration will be held in Commonwealth Hall. The festivities will include patriotic music, an in-gallery scavenger hunt and Ukrop’s cake, while supplies last.
Additionally, the VMHC Library will display rare artifacts, providing a unique glimpse into early American history. The museum galleries will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 4, with tickets available for purchase on the museum’s website.
Tourism program seeks nominations for awards
Free Press Staff Reports
Richmond Region Tourism’s BLK RVA program is now accepting nominations for its Community Awards, marking the initiative’s fifth anniversary.
The awards recognize contributions to the region’s Black community in history, food and drink, arts and entertainment and community development. Nominations are open until July 7 at visitblkrva.com/awards.
Five award categories include Culinary Heritage, Cultural Enrichment, Cultural Preservation, Rising Community Impact and Rooted Community Impact. Eligible nominees include Black-owned tourism-related businesses, cultural initiatives and community programs within Richmond and surrounding counties. Community leaders and influencers are also eligible. The nomination period will be followed by public online voting July 15 through 30. Voters can support multiple nominees without limits. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Aug. 23 at the Hippodrome Theater. For more information, see visitblkrva.com.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
For the week ending on Saturday, June 22, confirmed hospital admissions for COVID-19 in Virginia fell 15.3% from the previous week. One death associated with COVID-19 was reported statewide during that time frame. COVID-19 wastewater levels in the Greater Richmond area, on average, remain below detection.
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
• Thursday, June 27, 1 to 5 p.m. - Henrico Arms Apartments, 1566 Edgelawn Circle.
• Friday, June 28, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Southside Plaza WIC, 509 E. Southside Plaza.
RHHD’s Resource Centers are providing free at-home tests for pick-up at select locations:
• Creighton Court at 2150 Creighton Road, call (804) 371-0433.
• Fairfield Court at 2311 N. 25th St., call (804) 786-4099.
• Gilpin Court at 436 Calhoun St., call (804) 786-1960..
• Hillside Court at 1615 Glenfield Ave., call (804)230-7740.
• Mosby Court at 1536 Coalter St., call (804) 786-0204.
• Southwood Court at 1754 Clarkson Road. Unit #B, call (804) 230-2077.
• Whitcomb Court at 2106 Deforrest St., call (804) 786-0555. For information on testing sites, visit vax.rchd.com. 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 recommends that children between the ages of 6 months to 4 years old may need multiple doses of the updated vaccines depending on their COVID19 vaccine status and whether they had previously received Pfizer and Moderna.
Children ages 5 to 11 years who are unvaccinated or received a vaccine before the 2023-2024 formula should get one updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Those who were previously vaccinated should receive the updated dose at least eight weeks after their most recent dose. Those ages 12 years 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 the updated 2023-2024 formula should get one updated dose of any of the vaccines at least eight weeks after their most recent dose.
Information compiled by George Copeland Jr.
Cityscape
Slices of life and scenes in Richmond
Ashley Judd, politicians and advocates gather on 2nd
By Charlotte Renee Woods
“My story includes abortion — a guy I’ve known since I was a kid raped me,” actress and activist Ashley Judd shared with a crowd of about 100 in Richmond on Monday to mark the two-year anniversary of the overturn of federal abortion protections.
“And when I became pregnant, I was so grateful that I was able to access safe and legal abortion,” she said.
Judd, who was a prominent figure amid the #MeToo movement to advocate against sexual assault and harassment, joined state and federal lawmakers Monday to stress the significance of abortion access amid
as well.
anniversary of Dobbs
Trump will face off against President Biden this November, as will congressional and U.S. Senate candidates around the nation. While Biden has made abortion protection a key pillar of his campaign, another Trump presidency and GOP gains in congress could usher in further abortion restrictions.
“We cannot afford Republican-controlled governance. We cannot afford a Republican-controlled Congress,” Lucas told the crowd. “Our freedoms are at stake: freedom to vote, freedom to contraception, freedom over our bodies.”
Lucas and Spanberger stressed how before Democrats held their line in the state
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Actress and activist Ashley Judd addresses a crowd in Church Hill on the second anniversary of the overturning of federal abortion protections. U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.), seated left, listens along with state Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth).
this year’s presidential and congressional elections.
Though the personal story Judd shared was grim, the attitude of the event was light at times; Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, celebrated the Democratic gains made in the state legislature last year while U.S. Reps. Jennifer McClellan, 4th District, and Abigail Spanberger, 7th District, celebrated camaraderie among women in politics.
But the seriousness of abortion laws was central to the gathering.
Signs held by participants read “This is Trump’s fault” — a reference to how Donald Trump’s U.S. Supreme Court picks gave conservatives the majority to overturn Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50 year-old case that had guaranteed abortion rights.
“If you think Dobbs was the beginning, it wasn’t,” McClellan said, in reference to the 2022 case that overturned Roe.
She noted how in the years following, legislators and legal cases have challenged contraception and in vitro fertilization,
senate and flipped the House of Delegates last year, they’d blocked Republican-led attempts to restrict abortion in Virginia.
Meanwhile, Spanberger, who is not seeking another term in congress and is instead running for governor, could be the person to sign other reproductive healthrelated legislation into law in 2026. That year, voters statewide could also see a potential ballot referendum to decide if abortion protections should be enshrined in Virginia’s constitution
“We are in a place where we have seen desperate people come from other states, because Virginia is the only state in the South that has not put additional restrictions in place,” Spanberger said. That fact was reiterated several times later in the morning in a roundtable discussion at the VCU Health Hub in Richmond’s East End. McClellan was joined by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services acting director Melanie Fontes Rainer, Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax and Delegate
Rae Cousins, D-Richmond to hear from reproductive health professionals. From various providers of reproductive health care, to those who assist with births and political advocates, each person had insight to share.
Longtime OB-GYN William Fitzhugh, Whole Woman’s Health CEO Amy Hagstrom Miller, Kenda Sutton-El of Birth in Color and Stephanie Spencer of Urban Baby Beginnings shared concerns about the influx of out-of-state abortion patients. Hagstrom Miller said that there’s been an uptick in patients visiting Whole Women’s Health from Georgia and Florida — where most abortions are banned after six weeks.
She noted how last year, a patient’s menstrual cycle had continued after she conceived, so she was unaware she was pregnant until she had lost the ability to receive an abortion in Georgia. The patient, Chasity Dunnans, then traveled to Whole Woman’s Health’s Charlottesville clinic for the procedure. As many other southern states impose near-total bans or six-week limits, North Carolina and Virginia stand as a point of access for some. But North Carolina’s 12-week cap meant Dunnans had to travel further
“We are at a turning point here in Virginia,” Boysko said.
She has carried a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine abortion access in Virginia’s constitution. This would make access less subject to partisan turnover in the state legislature.
“Abortion isn’t always a partisan issue,” Hagstrom Miller said. “Everytime we put abortion on the ballot, it wins.”
In the two years since Roe was overturned, voters have backed abortion rights in red states like Kansas and Ohio and blue states like California, and in competitive states like Michigan
But a patchwork quilt of different abortion laws exist around the country. So, as people travel to other states to receive abortions, privacy and criminalization concerns have emerged.
Rainer noted a new Biden administration rule that strengthens privacy protections. It will prevent reproductive health care information from being shared for criminal investigations.
Similarly, Virginia has taken on the issue at the state level. After vetoing it previously, this year Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill this year to prohibit menstrual health data from being subject to search warrants But he vetoed a companion bill that would have prevented Virginia from complying with extradition requests for patients who travel from states with bans to receive abortions in Virginia.
The story originally appeared at VirginiaMercury.com
Richmond awarded $150,000 grant for digital skills program
Free Press Staff Report
Richmond has been selected as one of 10 cities to receive a grant from the Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge, a joint initiative of Comcast and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The city will receive $150,000 to support its Strategic Opportunities Leading to Valuable Experiences (SOLVE) program.
The SOLVE program intends to addresses talent shortages in key industries including health care, construction, manufacturing and information technology. It was designed to prepare low-income,
under-employed and unemployed people for roles in these fields.
A key component of SOLVE is its focus on exposing participants to new career fields and bridging skill gaps. The program plans to utilize various methods including career assessment, virtual reality, site visits and training provider expos. Richmond was one of three mediumsized cities to receive a grant in this category, alongside Cleveland, Ohio, and Little Rock, Ark. The Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge awarded a total of $1.5 million across 10 cities in the United States, with the goal of expanding
digital training programs and addressing the digital skills gap.
The grant is intended to support the launch and expansion of local workforce programs designed to enhance college and career readiness, advance economic mobility and create foundations for generational wealth in under-resourced communities.
The SOLVE program is expected to be implemented in Richmond in the near future, aiming to provide residents with opportunities to enhance their digital skills and advance their careers in high-demand industries.
Regina H. Boone/ Richmond Free Press
A vibrant mural featuring triangles adorns the Robert B. Moss Theatre, home to Richmond Triangle Players, at 1300 Altamont Ave. in Scott’s Addition. The colorful geometric design in-
terplays with the urban landscape, merging with power lines, window frames and a TV antenna.
The Pride-inspired triangles pay homage to eight decades of LGBTQ history, echoing the theatre company’s name and logo.
Chesterfield Agrihood plan withdrawn amid accusations of discrimination
Continued from A1
Happily Natural Day, said. “We were also asked if we were going to be growing marijuana on the farm.”
The nonprofits also were asked to list the produce they would grow, restrict the number of participating organizations in the wellness center and “significantly” limit volunteer opportunities for the farm, Chavis added.
Chesterfield County officials did not respond to a request for comment.
The Bensley Agrihood would have been built on a 7-acre site with 1.62 acres dedicated to farmland. It would have included 10 single family homes as well as four “microhomes” adjacent to the farm, according to the Bensley Agrihood website. Chavis and Happily Natural Day are seeking other locations for Agrihood in surrounding counties and exploring legal options to accomplish the project in Chesterfield.
“We’re talking to different organizations that do pro bono work around zoning rights and property rights to find out … what legal recourse we have in regards to the handling of the zoning case in Chesterfield,” Chavis said.
Erica Sims, CEO of the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust, believes the Agrihood project, which she described as a way to address housing, food access and entrepreneurship in the area, would find success at another location.
“As we worked on the project over the last few years, we heard from other government officials that they would love to see something similar in their community,” Sims said.
Agrihood communities are a growing trend, with projects in 27 U.S. states and Canadian provinces as of 2018, according to an Urban Land Institute report. In Virginia, Hanover County, Loudoun County and North Garden, all have Agrihood communities, according to Agrihoodliving.com.
Education, housing, economy key in mayoral forum
Continued from A1
ground for certain topics. This included full support for funding Richmond Public Schools, removing unnecessary burdens on teachers and collaboration with schools leadership.
Other commonalities included more support for small businesses as well as city efficiency, transparency and accountability and community empowerment and improvement.
Some of those in attendance welcomed the opportunity to hear the candidates’ positions on critical topics and to provide questions of their own, which led to further discussion.
“I’m glad for the opportunity to come out,” said Francine Young, 70, a VUU graduate and retired city employee. “I was just glad to hear what the candidates had to say and to help me make my decision.”
Another mayoral forum
Chavis and Sims both expressed concern over the zoning process and would like to see zoning reform in the future.
“A lot of communities have not had enough of a say in what gets developed in their …
neighborhood, and that has really damaged especially neighborhoods of color and low-income neighborhoods,” Sims said. “I want to see more transparency and more communication about how decisions are ultimately made.”
Anti-war protesters sentenced to jail after blocking I-95
Continued from A1
part of the protest.
“I don’t feel as though this was a wasted effort,” protester and Virginia Commonwealth University student Jasmine Cuellar said in a prepared statement. “This feels validated by the fact that even the prosecution openly stated during court that the atrocities in Gaza are a very real concern and there’s no denying it.”
The sentencing was the latest development in the legal responses to protests against the war in Gaza that have been seen recently in Richmond. Another hearing, focused on anti-war protesters who set up an encampment on VCU’s Monroe Park campus, is set for Friday.
Black families cheated out of their land on Skidaway Island — now wealthy white enclave
Continued from A1
William Waring was a wealthy Savannah physician whose family once owned this land and enslaved dozens of people on it. The Waring estate—about 1,300 acres and roughly the size of 980 football fields—was one of several massive plantations on Skidaway Island, back then a short boat ride from Savannah.
Today, that land is home to a lavish gated community called The Landings, where nearly everyone gets around on a golf cart. “I hate to say it, but this is paradise,” said Dove Barr, peering through aviator glasses at the glittering tidewater marsh.
The 77-year-old attorney and author, who is white, knows her idyllic community hides a cruel history. The Landings was built on several plantations that were set aside for newly emancipated Black families as part of the land distribution program that would come to be known as 40 Acres and a Mule. By analyzing Freedmen’s Bureau documents and historic maps, we surfaced the identities of at least 59 Black men and women who received land titles permitting them to live on and cultivate plots on or near the land where this exclusive community now sits—only to have their land taken away as Reconstruction faltered. Among those freedmen was Philip Young, who was enslaved nearby on Ossabaw Island and received 40 acres on Waring’s estate. John Maxwell, who joined the Union Army, received 40 acres on the homestead of William Symons, who served in the Confederate Army, and whose property is now also part of The Landings.
said Allison Dorsey, a historian and professor emerita at Swarthmore College. “And instead, they were stripped of that opportunity, and those who didn’t acquire land found themselves living in debt-managed and exploited labor conditions for decades.”
Nowhere is the impact of that loss more obvious than Skidaway Island, where only 1% of current residents identify as Black. Among them is Linda Brown, a retired Army sergeant who grew up in Savannah and now lives in a three-bedroom house in The Landings, a few streets down from her friend Dove Barr.
By the summer of 1865, shortly after the Civil War ended, Skidaway Island was already home to a thriving Black colony. Freedmen built homes, established local governments, and farmed the land. But their utopia wouldn’t last long. After President Lincoln was assassinated, his successor, Andrew Johnson, stripped property from formerly enslaved Black residents across the South and returned it to the past enslavers.
The betrayal of the 40 Acres and a Mule promise deprived thousands of Black Americans of their first chance to build wealth through land ownership. It also shut out many of their descendants from the affluent communities later developed on land that was briefly theirs.
“Had they been allowed to keep that [land], they would have joined the competition of American capitalism like everybody else,”
Until we contacted her, Brown didn’t know that Black men and women were actually given 40 acres on Skidaway Island, much less that her pricey community now sits on some of that land.
“This is breaking news, really,” she said when shown one of the original land titles. As she sat on her couch, processing the document, she asked about the freedmen’s descendants and whether they wanted the land back. “Where do we go from here?”
The Rev. Ulysses L. Houston, then about 41 years old, was among the group of 20 Black ministers who met with Union General William T. Sherman in Savannah and ultimately helped persuade him to provide tracts of formerly Confederate land to emancipated Black families.
After Sherman’s promise of 40 acres, Houston led about 1,000 freed people to claim their plots on Skidaway Island. It was an orderly affair. Houston and the other freedmen had numbered each lot and distributed the land to families by pulling numbers from a hat. “We shall build our cabins, and organize our town government for the maintenance of order and the settlement of all difficulties,” Houston told a correspondent for the Boston Journal who visited the island in 1865 and later compared the community to Plymouth Colony.
“They go out to commence life as citizens,” the reporter wrote. “I have no doubt of their success provided they are not hindered by arbitrary authority stirred up by old prejudices and hate.”
At least 99 men and women received federally issued documents entitling them to land on the island. Among them was Maxwell, who’d been enslaved in nearby Liberty County and left the plantation where he was born to enlist in the Union Army when he was about 20 years old, joining the 34th US Colored Infantry regiment just 10 days before Sherman issued Special Field Orders, No. 15.
Maxwell got his title to 40 acres that June. By then, development of the Skidaway Island colony was well underway—the freedmen had elected a governor and appointed a sheriff. Families farmed potatoes, snap beans and cucumbers on their lots.
“Perfect harmony prevails, the settlers abiding cheerfully with the decisions of their governor and council,” wrote a white newspaper reporter with the Savannah Daily Republican, who acknowledged he had initially accepted an invitation to visit the island with “fear and trepidation.”
But by then there were already efforts to undo Houston’s attempt at building an independent Black colony. With Lincoln assassinated, white Southerners who had previously owned plantations—including those on Skidaway— began hiring lawyers and seeking pardons from President Johnson in hopes of reacquiring their land. In 1866, the Waring family received their plantation back, and the following year Symons did too, invalidating land titles held by at least 33 freedmen, including Maxwell.
Maxwell moved to Savannah, where he met and married a freedwoman named Linda Lewis. He got a job as a dockworker, and Linda washed laundry. They had seven children, three who survived into adulthood.
But when Maxwell’s health took a turn, Bureau of Pensions records show, his application for disability payments from the military was denied. He died of pneumonia in 1893, when he was about 48 years old.
Linda scraped by with an $8 monthly widow’s
pension from the Army, plus $4 per month she earned washing clothes. She lived with her two daughters and a son-in-law in a “shabby” house that she bought for $300. Within a few years, Linda was struggling to make a living, she told a pension examiner, and still owed “a good deal” on her mortgage.
“I am unable to wash as I used to,” said Linda, who was about 59 years old at the time. In his report, recorded with the Bureau of Pensions, the examiner described Linda as “thin and feeble.” She died six years later. It’s unclear if she was able to pay off her mortgage.
After white Southerners got their plantations back, many began selling them to Northern investors, including on Skidaway. The island remained mostly undeveloped for decades as investors sold and resold the land. The Warings sold their plantation to a prominent Savannah family, and nearly 20 years later, it was foreclosed on by a local bank.
In 1941, a Pennsylvania paper company became the largest landowner on Skidaway Island, paying $116 per acre in today’s dollars for land on the old Waring estate. For the next 12 years, Union Bag and Paper Corporation logged pinewood on the island for its massive paper mill in Savannah. The company would later partner with the city to cover the cost of building a bridge and a causeway connecting Skidaway to the mainland.
In 1969, the paper company acquired a Chicago-based developer to build The Landings. After the bridge and causeway were completed in 1972, the value of an acre on Skidaway skyrocketed. The Landings officially broke ground by 1973, and nearly 500 families would buy lots there by the end of the decade. The Landings has since expanded into seven distinct neighborhoods and takes up half the island. In 2022, the average home sale price there was $849,000.
Dove Barr and her husband bought a lot in 1984 and built a five-bedroom home with a two-car garage and a separate garage for her golf cart. She believes the freedmen who had this land taken away could have made a claim for compensation, but she’s skeptical that any of their living descendants could assert that any current hardships that those families face can be traced back to Sherman’s broken promise.
“I feel like it was not taken away from the people who are alive now,” she said after viewing one of the land titles for the first time. “Any people who were involved in the hardships have long since gone.”
Today, there are few visible signs of the once-thriving Black colony on Skidaway Island. That history would be buried with many freedmen in the Black section of Savannah’s Laurel Grove cemetery. Maxwell and his wife, Linda, are buried here. So is Prince Brown, who briefly had 40 acres on Skidaway Island. And Paul Mann, who got 40 acres on Wilmington Island. He died a year after nearly all their land titles became worthless. Their graves are all unmarked.
Houston was buried here too, after living long enough to see the federal government dismantle the reparations program he helped create. After his death in 1889, Houston’s church erected a stone monument inscribed with a verse from the Gospel of Matthew: “Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of thy Lord.”
Rosana Lucia
Linda Brown in front of her home in The Landings
Carol Highsmith/Library of Congress
Skidaway Island, Georgia
mostly focused on the interests of Richmond’s second district was held Wednesday evening at Dogwood Middle School, moderated by 2nd District City Council member Katherine Jordan. The next scheduled forum, hosted
by Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our Communities, is set for Thursday, Aug. 29 and follows a roundtable discussion the group held in May with mayoral and City Council candidates on gun violence solutions.
SandraSellars/Richmond Free Press
Duron Chavis shows the proposed site of the Agrihood to volunteers and neighborhood residents.
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Dali cargo ship leaves Baltimore for Virginia nearly 3 months after bridge collapse
By Brian White The Associated Press
The cargo ship Dali headed out of Baltimore for Virginia on Monday, nearly three months after it lost power and crashed into one of the Francis Scott Key bridge supporting columns and caused the bridge to collapse.
The 984-foot Dali started moving shortly before 8:30 a.m. with four tugboats.
The Dali was sailing under its own power with a full crew of 22 and six salvage experts, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.
The Coast Guard is overseeing the voyage and providing a 500-yard safety zone around the Dali during its trip.
The Dali is scheduled to go directly to Virginia International Gateway to have roughly 1,500 cargo containers off-loaded to reduce draft, the Coast Guard said. The vessel is then scheduled to travel further to Norfolk International Terminal, where it is scheduled to undergo continued salvage and repairs from damage caused during the bridge collapse.
Shortly after leaving the Port of Baltimore early on March 26, the ship lost power and propulsion and crashed into one of the bridge’s supporting columns, killing six construction workers.
On May 20, the Dali was refloated and guided back to port. The vessel had been stuck amid the wreckage for almost two months, with a massive steel truss draped across its damaged bow.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found the ship experienced two power outages in the hours before it left the Port of Baltimore. In the moments before the bridge collapsed, it lost power again and veered off course. The agency is still investigating what caused the electrical failures.
In an update to its May investigative report, the NTSB said Monday that investigators have completed in-person interviews with the Dali’s
crew.
The update noted that investigators have removed an electrical component known as a terminal block, as well as two portions of control wiring associated with the terminal block.
“We continue to examine the removed components at the NTSB Materials Laboratory,” the board said. “We will continue to evaluate the design and operation of the vessel’s electrical power distribution system, and investigate all aspects of
the accident to determine the probable cause and identify potential safety recommendations.”
Last week, under an agreement confirmed by a federal judge, some members of the Dali’s crew were allowed to return home. Of the 10 allowed to leave, eight have done so, said Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for ship manager Synergy Marine. The roughly two dozen total seafarers hail from India and Sri Lanka.
Under the agreement, the crew members who return home must be available for depositions.
Thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners have seen their jobs impacted by the collapse, prompting local and state officials to prioritize reopening the port and restoring its traffic to normal capacity in hopes of easing the economic ripple effects
Earlier this month, officials announced the reopening of the Fort McHenry federal channel, after clearing wreckage from the 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep channel.
Monday also was the submission deadline in Maryland for proposals to rebuild the bridge. Procurement regulations prohibit the state from providing information about the proposals until the contract award is made and the state announces the design-build team. The state estimates the award and announcement sometime in mid- to late summer.
Officials have said they hope to rebuild the bridge by 2028.
CNN faces backlash for excluding Black-owned media from presidential debate coverage
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
CNN has come under fire for denying media credentials to every Black-owned media entity, including those based in Atlanta, for the upcoming presidential debate on Thursday. Despite granting over 600 media credentials, not even one was extended to Black-owned outlets, sparking outrage and accusations of systemic exclusion in a predominantly Black city.
The rejection has ignited a firestorm of criticism, highlighting the broader issue of racial inequity in media representation. Atlanta, a city with a rich history of Black culture and leadership, finds its Black-owned media sidelined at a critical political event.
The National Newspaper Publishers Association, a leading voice for Black-owned media, revealed a letter from CNN rejecting their request for credentials. In an email, CNN’s Dylan
Rose said the network could provide the Black Press transcripts and photos from the debate.
NNPA represents the 197-year-old Black Press of America, which counts among its more than 230 newspapers and media companies, The Atlanta Voice, Atlanta Daily World, and the Atlanta Inquirer. The popular Rolling Out magazine also counts among the Black Press’ members frozen out by CNN.
Media personality and Black Star Network owner Roland Martin tweeted that his phone had been “buzzing from Blackowned media outlets in Atlanta who say they are being denied media credentials to the debate.”
He further noted, “They don’t care about us. This is despicable. The treatment of Black-owned media is pathetic.”
Added NNPA President and CEO Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., “CNN’s decision is an affront to the very essence of press freedom and diversity. In a city where Black voices and perspec-
Fast, Flexible, & Fare-Free
tives are essential, this exclusion is both a slap in the face and a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles for equitable media representation.”
The timing and nature of the rejection letter have only fueled the outrage. Despite having ample time and resources to accommodate a diverse range of media outlets, CNN’s refusal to include Black-owned entities suggests a troubling oversight or worse.
The exclusion comes at a time when media diversity and representation are under intense scrutiny. Advocacy groups and community leaders also have called for immediate corrective actions from CNN and other major networks to ensure that Black-owned media entities are not just included but are given the respect and opportunities they deserve.
“Our exclusion from this pivotal event is not just an insult to our organizations but to our readers and viewers who rely on us for their news,” Chavis argued.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Bokum/U.S. Coast Guard via AP
This image provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sailfish, an 87-foot Marine Protector class vessel, as it prepares June 24, to escort the Motor Vessel Dali from the Port of Baltimore to the Port of Virginia.
U.S. surgeon general declares gun violence a public health crisis
By Amanda Sietz The Associated Press
The U.S. surgeon general on Tuesday declared gun violence a public health crisis, driven by the fast-growing number of injuries and deaths involving firearms in the country.
The advisory issued by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the nation’s top doctor, came as the U.S. grappled with another summer weekend marked by mass shootings that left dozens of people dead or wounded
“People want to be able to walk through their neighborhoods and be safe,” Murthy told The Associated Press in a phone interview. “America should be a place where all of us can go to school, go to work, go to the supermarket, go to our house of worship, without having to worry that that’s going to put our life at risk.”
To drive down gun deaths, Murthy calls on the U.S. to ban “assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for civilian use,” introduce universal background checks for purchasing guns, regulate the industry, pass laws that would restrict their use in public spaces and penalize people who fail to safely store their weapons.
None of those suggestions can be implemented nationwide without legislation passed by Congress, which typically recoils at gun control measures. Some state legislatures, however, have enacted or may consider some of the surgeon general’s proposals.
Murthy said there is “broad agreement” that gun violence is a problem, citing a poll last year that found most Americans worry at least sometimes that a loved one might be injured by a firearm. More than 48,000 Americans died from gun injuries in 2022.
Doctors quickly praised Murthy’s advisory. The American Academy of Family Physicians, for example, has considered gun violence a public health epidemic for over a decade.
“Family physicians have long understood, and have seen first hand, the devastating impact firearm violence has on our patients and the communities we serve,” the group’s president, Steven Furr, said in a statement.
Murthy’s advisory, however, promises to be controversial with the gun lobby and will certainly incense Republican lawmakers, most of whom opposed his confirmation — twice — to the job over his statements on gun violence.
The National Rifle Association promptly rebuked Murthy’s advisory.
“This is an extension of the Biden Administration’s war on law-abiding gun owners,” Randy Kozuch, the organization’s president, said in a statement on X.
It was the NRA, and Republicans who enjoy the powerful gun lobby’s support, that almost derailed Murthy’s confirmation as surgeon general a decade ago. Murthy became quieter on the issue of gun violence after his past statements almost cost him the job. He promised the Senate that he did “not intend to use my office as surgeon general as a bully pulpit on gun control.”
Then-President Donald Trump dismissed Murthy in 2017, but President Biden nominated him again to the position in 2021.
Murthy has published warnings about troubling health trends in American life, including loneliness and social media use. In an opinion piece in The New York Times this month, he said social media has contributed to a mental health crisis among the country’s young people and asked Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those on cigarette boxes.
But he also has faced mounting pressure from some doctors and Democratic advocacy groups to speak out more. A group of four former surgeon generals asked the Biden administration to produce a report on the problem in 2022.
“It is now time for us to take this issue out
of the realm of politics and put it in the realm of public health, the way we did with smoking more than a half century ago,” Murthy told the AP.
It was a 1964 report from the surgeon general that raised awareness about the dangers of smoking is largely credited with reducing tobacco use and precipitating regulations on the industry.
Murthy now hopes his advisory on guns will shift the conversation, too, on this issue. He has been encouraged by some developments in Congress, including the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 that enhanced background checks for firearms.
A White House report obtained by The Associated Press says that more thorough background checks have stopped roughly 800 sales of firearms to people under age 21. Additionally, more than 500 people, including some linked to transnational cartels and organized crime rings, have been charged with gun trafficking and other crimes under the landmark gun safety legislation.
Children and younger Americans, in particular, are suffering from gun violence, Murthy notes in his advisory called “Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America.” Suicide by gun rates have increased by nearly 70% for
those between the ages of 10 to 14. Children in the U.S. are far more likely to die from gun wounds than children in other countries, the research he gathered shows.
For pediatricians, talking with families about locking up their guns away from their children has become a routine part of well visits, said Benjamin Hoffman, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. When children can’t get access to a gun, it prevents a large chunk of gun deaths and injuries — suicides and accidental shootings.
“Having access to a firearm for a child who is experiencing a behavioral health crisis is an absolute recipe for the most tragic things you can imagine,” Hoffman said. Even when children are not direct victims of a gun shooting, they may suffer from mental health blowback of gun violence, the report says. About half of teens in the U.S. worry about a school shooting. And in areas that have been exposed to a fatal shooting at a school, youth antidepressant use jumps by more than 20%.
In addition to new regulations, Murthy calls for an increase in gun violence research and for the health system to promote and educate patients about gun safety and proper storage during checkups.
West Virginia couple used adopted Black children as ‘slaves,’ judge says
By John Raby The Associated Press
A couple arrested after some of their adopted children were found locked in a shed at their West Virginia home are set for trial later this year on charges that a judge said involved their use as “slaves.”
Donald Ray Lantz and Jeanne Kay Whitefeather face trial later this year after they were arraigned on 16 counts each accusing them of civil rights violations, human trafficking, forced labor, gross child neglect and falsifying an application seeking a public defender. All but one of the counts are felonies.
Lantz and Whitefeather are white. Four children whose initials are in the indictment are Black. The indictment said Lantz and Whitefeather forced, threatened and interfered with “the free exercise and enjoyment of any right and privilege” of the four children.
Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Madison Tuck said Wednesday that while she couldn’t answer questions about specific details, “I would just say that because the indictment includes a civil rights violation, that there’s definitely a racial element to the case.”
The couple’s trial is set for Sept. 9. They remain held at the South Central Regional Jail.
Circuit Judge MaryClaire Akers expressed shock after a grand jury indicted the couple in May, saying at a June 11 arraignment that “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an indictment like this in all of my time,” according to WCHS-TV.
Akers said the indictment alleged the children’s “use as, basically, slaves.” Authorities began investigating after they received a call to the home last October in Sissonville, near Charleston, from someone expressing concern about the children’s welfare. Sheriff’s deputies forced their way into a shed next to the home where a teenage boy and girl were locked inside. The children had been deprived of adequate food and hygienic care, and the room had no running water or bathroom facilities, according to a criminal complaint. Inside the main residence, a 9-year-old girl was found alone
crying in a loft about 15 feet high with no protection from falling. No adults were present at the home. A fourth child was with Lantz when he eventually returned. Deputies were later led to the couple’s 6-year-old adopted Black daughter who had been with acquaintances from the couple’s church.
The couple was arrested and the children were placed under the care of Child Protective Services.
Akers ruled the bonds for each of the defendants was insufficient and ordered them increased from $200,000 to $500,000 cash only.
Lantz’s attorney, Ed Bullman, said at the June 11 hearing that the charges were full of “square pegs and very round holes.”
Whitefeather’s brother, Mark Hughes of Chesapeake, Ohio, testified during a bond hearing in October that the home in Sissonville was unfurnished because the family was in the process of moving to a larger home in Beckley, according to WCHS-TV. At the hearing, Whitefeather’s attorney, Mark Plants, referred to the shed as a “teenage clubhouse,” said there was a key inside the shed and that there
was “just a plain and simple misunderstanding about what is going on here.”
But in a criminal complaint, Deputy H.K. Burdette said he knocked on the shed’s door on Oct. 2 and that the teenage girl inside indicated she was unable to open it. After deputies forced their way in, the girl said the defendants had brought food to her and her brother early that morning and that they had been inside for about 12 hours with no contact from the couple. The girl also said she and her brother were not allowed inside the house and were “locked in the shed for long periods of time daily.”
The children were in dirty clothes and smelled of body odor, and the boy was barefoot and had what appeared to be sores on his feet, Burdette said.
In a court filing, Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Krivonyak said the couple had sold an 80-acre ranch for $725,000 in Tonasket, Wa. Whitefeather’s brother posted two $200,000 bonds to secure the defendants’ initial jail release three days later. In March, the couple sold the Sissonville home for $295,000, Krivonyak said.
Separately, a U.S. magistrate judge ruled in February that Child Protective Services failed to adequately investigate what happened with the children,
who were left to “suffer at the hands of their adoptive parents for months.” The judge ordered Child Protective Services to provide information in the case
as part of an ongoing class action lawsuit that accuses the state of failing to protect children and fix its overwhelmed foster care system.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy speaks in April during an event at the White House in Washington.
Richmond Free Press
June 27-29, 2024
We’re No. 1!
A CNN report this week ranked our little ol’ River City as the top of their list of “America’s Best Towns to Visit 2024.” The report suggested that our “creative capital” deserves more attention. And they went on: “Richmond, Virginia — or “RVA,” as locals call it — has top-notch museums and intriguing neighborhoods, and it’s a great spot for dining, drinking and getting outdoors. There’s an impressive arts scene and a nearly year-round lineup of festivals.”
This is good news for the city. Being recognized on a national level as a thriving, vibrant community that’s making efforts to reckon with its troubled past, is something that economic developers probably dream about. As much as we discuss and debate the challenges that Richmond faces, there are some good things happening here and we should celebrate them.
We should also do the work to make sure the things that make us unique and interesting survive. It’s hard to have an arts scene in a city where artists can’t afford a place to live. A thriving restaurant scene won’t last long if taxes and bureaucratic procedures continue to threaten the survival of existing businesses and discourage new ones from opening up. Our success as a destination city should not come at the cost of displacing longtime residents or erasing our cultural identity.
CNN’’s recognition is a testament to how far we’ve come. We should use this as inspiration to work towards a better, more inclusive future.
Final score
Our Sports page will look different next week. Fred Jeter, our longtime sports writer, ends his tenure with The Richmond Free Press with this issue.
For many years, Fred has been the cornerstone of our sports coverage, bringing local athletics to life with deep knowledge of the game. His passion for sports, particularly those at the high school and collegiate levels, shone through in the articles he’s penned for our readers.
As he moves on to his next chapter, we express gratitude for his years of service. Fred’s shoes will be difficult to fill, but the standards he set will guide our sports coverage in the future.
Next week, we welcome the return of stories from The Black College Sports Page to The Richmond Free Press. The syndicated weekly compilation of sports news from HBCUs, published and edited by Carl “Lut” Williams, started in 1994. We look forward to reading more about our collegiate athletes in the coming months and welcome feedback from our readers.
Black athletes are Black men, women
During a recent Fox Sports pregame show appearance, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was asked about his return to Birmingham, Ala.’s Rickwood Field, where he played 114 games in the minor leagues. His powerful response was a stark reminder of how sports, as a social institution, is not immune to the darkest side of bigotry. To appreciate Jackson’s response, we must remind ourselves of the simplicity of sports in general and the complexity of sports when it is intertwined with a community’s prevailing social order, defined as the tendency of a social institution to resist or regulate change. Sports plays a significant role in shaping an individual’s personal growth. In addition to the benefits of physical fitness, sports are instrumental in building a person’s character, developing strategic and analytical thinking, leadership skills, risk-taking, becoming self-disciplined and making personal sacrifices. With sports comes the type of social interaction where the concepts
of teamwork, unity, brotherhood, and camaraderie are molded, shaped and refined. It was the brotherhood and camaraderie from teammates that made it possible for Jackson to endure the onslaught of racism in the Deep South.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. At the same time, had it not been for my white friends, had it not been for a white manager, and [Joe] Rudi, [Rollie] Fingers and [Dave] Duncan, and Lee Mey-
ers, I would never have made it. I was too physically violent. I was ready to physically fight some – I would have got killed here because I would have beat someone’s ass, and you would have seen me in an oak tree somewhere,” Jackson said.
Society identifies and then defines individual athletes as either a sports hero or a sports villain. The reality facing the Black athlete extends from the fact that the color of a person’s skin can at any time be used to label and target them as a sports villain. Sports fans, through their racial hate, can turn an arena and stadium from a sports venue into a hostile and harsh environment
of hate. In 1983, Georgetown University basketball head coach John Thompson pulled his team off the court after Villanova fans displayed multiple racist signs targeting star player Patrick Ewing. Fans held up signs reading “Ewing is an Ape” and “Ewing can’t read,” while another student wore a T-shirt reading “Ewing Kant Read Dis.” One fan threw a banana peel on the court when Ewing was announced during the pregame introductions.
Bill Russell holds the record for the most NBA championships with 11 titles. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He changed the league landscape through his defensive brilliance and lightning–quick passes that initiated the Celtics’ fast-break offense.
The racism Russell endured would sometimes spill into his personal life when, in 1963, he returned home only to find it broken into and vandalized with racial slurs and feces on his bed. Such instances solidified Russell’s belief that his greatness and success as an athlete would never overcome societal racism. Regardless, he remained determined not to let the racial slurs deter his on-court performance.
Extreme heat a wake-up call
As I write these words, the mercury is soaring. The world is reeling from the deadly impact of extreme heat and weather events. This is climate change in action. We are living it. And the thermometer-busting temperatures are just the tip of the (melting) iceberg.
of extreme heat. Ground-level ozone – the main component in smog – presents one such threat. It is produced when pollutants, like those from burning fossil fuels, react with heat and sunlight. The stagnant, hot air during heat waves worsens ozone pollution.
in Canada are still raging, and experts say the 2024 season still could be as bad as or worse than last year.
“That was never a factor. Fans all over the country were racist and obnoxious, some places more and some less, Russell said. “But I never permitted that to have an adverse effect on my playing.” Bill Russell and Patrick Ewing’s professional careers exemplify their character and resilience to excel as players despite the harsh racial adversity they faced. One can easily say that the verbal taunts they received motivated them to be better players on the court.
Black athletes are Black men and women first. The motivating factors behind those in the stands yelling racial taunts or carrying offensive signs come down to how they view a Black man or woman who they feel has something to offer that will benefit them personally or benefit the causes they publicly support. The writer is the founder of the faith-based organization TRB: The Reconciled Body.
Jocelyn Richards of Manassas, is currently staying in Maine to escape the summer heat in the South. She suffers from Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) from past exposure to mold. Heat is a major trigger for her due to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), a common component of CIRS.
Richards says, “Not only is the heat itself a major trigger, but heat releases VOCs [volatile organic compounds] from asphalt. It becomes unbearable to even take a walk outside or run errands because it’s so difficult to breathe from the VOCs in the air. Along with other MCAS symptoms triggered by the heat like tachycardia, high blood pressure, and dizziness, it can quickly turn into a medical emergency if I’m out in the extreme heat for even half an hour.”
Richards is still looking for a permanent place to reside with mild temperatures and low levels of the environmental toxins that also trigger her illness. And stories like hers are increasingly common.
A host of illnesses are caused or dangerously exacerbated by extreme heat. Air quality is generally worse during periods
The infamous 2022 summer heat wave in Europe is now thought to be responsible for up to 70,000 excess death s with ozone pollution playing a
big part. Julie Nicely, an atmospheric chemist at the University of Maryland who worked on a report on the 2022 heat wave, noted the mix of condition s created by such a heat wave “is very bad for the lungs and the cardiovascular system. It’s just very unhealthy.”
Then there is the smoke from wildfires. In addition to the destruction they cause, wildfires are making it harder for millions of Americans to breathe. It is a problem that is getting worse with longer, hotter fire seasons – another feature of climate change. The still-burning Post Fire northwest of Los Angeles is just the most recent high-profile fire in California to get national attention. And wildfire smoke has become an issue for even more parts of the country.
At one point last summer, Chicago officially had the worst air quality in the world. Other major American cities across the Midwest and East Coast were similarly impacted, as smoke pollution from Canadian wildfires poured over the continent. The threat of a repeat this summer is still there. Wildfires
In places where the wildfires occur, once the flames subside, flooding becomes a threat. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the removal of trees and shrubs increases the the speed and volume of runoff and hot fires can “create a waterrepellent layer of topsoil, which further amplifies runoff volume and speed,” increasing the risk of flash floods.
The heat itself dries out the ground and makes water absorption more difficult, which creates a threat of flash floods. And as the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences points out, “Warmer air holds more moisture, resulting in heavy rainfall, snowstorms, and flooding.” And “warming seawater can fuel stronger, more destructive hurricanes.” NOAA predicts an 85% chance of an above-normal hurricane season this year.
At the end of the day, when it comes to the cascade of devastation caused by rising temperatures, there can be no substitute for tackling the climate crisis head on. First and foremost, that means hastening our transition from an economy that runs on fossil fuels to one powered by clean, renewable energy. The extreme heat and weather events we’re experiencing are not only a wake-up call. They are an immediate call to action to redouble our efforts toward that transition.
The writer is the Executive Director of the Sierra Club and a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.
David W. Marshall
Ben Jealous
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Poor people are the new swing vote
By William J. Barber II
If you’re an ordinary American who goes to work to pay the bills or takes care of a loved one most days, it’s easy to feel down when you see the headlines about the 2024 election. Donald Trump has been convicted of 34 felonies for falsifying business records to cover up hush money he paid to bury an alleged affair with a porn star during the 2016 campaign, and the Republican Party continues to think he’s their best candidate. At the same time, President Biden is struggling to hold together his Democratic base as images of devastation in Gaza continue to dominate the news. Stories of good news in politics seem few and far between.
But as a preacher, I learned a long time ago that you don’t get to the good news by looking away from problems; the good news is most often found right amid trouble. Yes, politics is a mess in 2024. But, at the same time, several popular movements of everyday people struggling for economic justice have emerged that have the potential to reshape our politics.
Against the backdrop of decades of rising inequality, low-wage worker movements have made huge strides since the pandemic, insisting that living wages are a moral issue for “essential workers” and seeing the largest increase in real wages in decades. Young people who’ve watched education and healthcare costs soar have come together to form effective coalitions for debt relief and won billions in loan forgiveness. Leveraging worker power, unions have waged effective strikes and negotiated new contracts while expanding to include new workers, especially in the South. Though they’re rarely in the headlines, these movements made up of millions of low-income workers have the potential to reframe political debates for people who are weary of the status quo. The good news in 2024 is that poor and working people are the new swing vote in US politics.
A report from Lake Research Partners demonstrates just how powerful this untapped coalition of low-income voters could be. Looking back at the past three presidential elections, they found that in the seven states that will likely decide the 2024 election— Arizona, Florida, Georgia,
Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada and Pennsylvania— low-income voter participation was an average of 12 percentage points lower than that of their higher-income voters. Using past averages to project 2024 turnout, this study measured the difference between the margin of victory in the last Trump-Biden matchup and the number of eligible lowincome voters who are likely not to vote. In Georgia, for example, Biden won by almost 12,000 votes in 2020. In North Carolina, he lost by 74,000. But in both states, more than a million eligible low-income voters will likely not vote in 2024 if past trends continue. That’s a huge potential swing vote, and the proportions are similar across the seven swing states in the study. Since the 2024 presidential race will likely be a rematch of 2020, this study used exit poll data from 2020 to ask who unlikely low-income voters would vote for if they did turn out in 2024. Of the 1.3 million likely nonvoters in Georgia, 746,000 would likely be Biden voters. Of the 1.1 million in North Carolina, some 594,000 would likely go for Biden. In short, Biden and other Democrats have a huge advantage among this demographic when they are able and willing to vote. The overwhelming takeaway of this study is that a relatively
small increase in low-income voter turnout in any of these seven states would dramatically increase Biden’s chances of winning a second term in the White House. The millions of low-income people who’ve risen as leaders in movements
for economic justice over the past few years have the power to decide the outcome of the 2024 election.
Celinda Lake and her research partners are consultants for the Biden campaign, and there is a focus on the poten-
tial for his candidacy in 2024, but the potential power of this swing vote is much larger than one election or even one political party. Both Democrats and Republicans have ignored low-income voters for decades precisely because they
PUBLIC NOTICE
are unlikely voters. But when the nonpartisan Poor People’s Campaign, which I serve as a co-chair, surveyed poor people to ask why they don’t vote, the number one reason they gave was, “No one speaks to us.” This is why our campaign has committed to holding a Mass Poor People’s and LowWage Worker’s Assembly in Washington, D.C., on June 29. We are bringing the everyday people who’ve demanded better wages from their bosses to Washington and insist that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents make clear what they will do to address the needs of 135 million Americans who are living on the edge in the richest nation in the history of the world. And we are committing to go home to our communities and reach 15 million of the unlikely low-income voters with the message that they have power in 2024. If they show up, especially in seven key states, their votes will decide the outcome in 2024. When they do, they will be able to help shape the reconstruction of an American democracy that works for all of us. The writer is the president of Repairers of the Breach and author of “White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy.
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Please take notice that the School Board of the City of Richmond will conduct public hearings to receive public comment on the renaming of Richmond Alternative School at Richmond Alternative School-119 W Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23220 on Wednesday, July 17, 2023 at 6pm and Monday, July 29, 2023 at 6pm. For information regarding the Public Hearings, please contact Mr. Matthew Stanley, Director of Advocacy and
Binford Middle School, and George Wythe High School.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact the Clerk of the School Board no later than three (3) business days prior hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency by calling the
RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS
DIAMOND
DISTRICT OUTREACH
The Richmond Flying Squirrels hereby invite you to attend an outreach session to learn about the design, construction, and ongoing operations opportunities for the new Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball stadium. The new stadium will have capacity of approximately 10,000 fans and feature a 360-degree concourse with level will feature suites, a premium club, as well as space for Flying Squirrels employees and administrative staff.
Date: July 8, 2024
Contract ID #: C00122858DB128
Richmond and Lynchburg Districts Bridge Bundle
within the two districts: Route 58 EBL over Big Buffalo Creek in Mecklenburg County, Route 40 over Pigg River in Pittsylvania County, Route 58 BUS over Coleman Creek in Mecklenburg County, I-85 SBL over Roanoke River in Mecklenburg County, and US-1 NBL over Shining Creek in Brunswick County. Route 40 over Pigg River, Route 58 EBL over Big Buffalo Creek, Route 58 over Coleman Creek and US-1 SBL over Shining Creek will be full bridge replacements. I-85 SBL over Roanoke River is an overall structure rehabilitation project that includes a deck replacement.
two bridges replaced over Route 1836 (Belle Haven Road); two bridges replaced over Route 648 (Reservoir Road); two bridges replaced over Tinker Creek and Norfolk Southern Railway; two bridges replaced over US Route 220 (Roanoke Road)
The work includes but is not limited to: roadway and bridge design, survey, environmental, geotechnical, utility relocation, quality assurance and quality control, construction engineering and inspection, and overall project management.
Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express (bidexpress.com)
The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.
The work includes, among other things all work required to support the design and construction of: (a) roadway; (b) survey; (c) structure and/ or bridge; (d) resurfacing of existing asphalt pavement ; resurfacing, repairing, rehabilitat ing (rubblizing, unbonded overlay), and/or removing of existing concrete pavement ; (e) environmental (f) geotechnical; (g) hydraulics; (h) stormwater management; (i) traffic control devices; (j) transportation management plan; (k) right -of -way; (l) utilities; (m) public involvement/ relations (n) quality assurance and quality control; (o) Intelligent Transpor tation Systems; (p)railroad; (q) construction engineering and inspection; and (r) overall Project management.
Q uestions/clarifications regarding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be submitted to Joseph A. Clarke @vdot.virginia.gov)
Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express bidexpress.com)
The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non -discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.
C00017537DB120
Request for Qualifications Contract ID #: C00 1 16201DB126 I-81 CIP Exit 143 to Exit 150 Widening
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is seeking Statements of Qualifications for the I -81 CIP Exit 143 to Exit 150 Widening design-build project from qualified and experienced respon dents with design and construction experience of highway facilities. The Project is located along Interstate 81 between approximate ly Mile Marker 3.0 in Roanoke County and approximate Mile Marker 151.7
the project.
The work includes but is not limited to: roadway, bridge, survey, environmental, geotechnical, utility relocation, quality assurance and quality control, construction engineering and inspection, and overall project management.
A. Clarke, PE, DBIA (joseph.clarke@vdot.virginia.gov).
Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express (bidexpress.com)
The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.
utilities; (m) public involvement/ relations (n) quality assurance and quality control; (o) Intelligent Transpor tation Systems; (p)railroad; (q) construction engineering and inspection; and (r) overall Project management. Q uestions/clarifications regarding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be submitted to Joseph A. Clarke, PE, DBIA (joseph.clarke@vdot.virginia.gov)
Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express (bidexpress.com)
Photo courtesy of Poor People’s Campaign
The Rev. William J. Barber II, center, leads a rally in Washington, D.C. in 2019.
Stories by Fred Jeter
Black baseball and Birmingham remembered
When Wilie Mays broke into pro baseball in 1948 with the Birmingham Black Barons, his teammates at Rickwood Field included pitcher Bill Greason.
Mays would go on to rank among the greatest and most scintillating players in the sports’ history as the slugging, base-stealing, fly shagging, power-armed centerfielder for the New York and
with Birmingham, the Nashville Black Vols and Asheville Blues, Greason broke into the big leagues in 1954 with the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the organization’s first Black pitcher.
Now 99, Atlanta-born Greason (as a neighbor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) is the oldest living Negro League alumnus and resides in his adopted home city of Birmingham.
When Mays died last week at age 93, he was the oldest living Hall of Famer (inducted in 1979).
But don’t forget Bill Greason, also known as Rev. Greason. Following a stint in the Negro Leagues
The 1948 season – first since Jackie Robinson broke the color line with Brooklyn – was the final season of the traditional American-National Negro League World Series.
The Black Barons reached the 1948 World Series and lost to the Homestead Grays, four games to one. However, the winning pitcher in the Barons’ lone victory (by 4-3 in Game 3) was right-handed hurler Gleason.
Mays was just 17 at the time, still a schoolboy and only played home games for Birmingham that season. Mays joined the team for Games 2, 3 and 5 at famed Rickwood Field.
Sure enough, Mays (then a senior at Fairfield Industrial High School in Westfield) drove in the winning run in Game 3 at Rickwood with a walk-off, two-out single up the middle in the ninth inning.
Kenyans can sprint, too
Track fans have grown accustomed to Kenyans excelling globally as long-distance runners, primarily 800 meters and up.
Ferdinand Omanyala, 28, threatens to break that stereotype at the upcoming Paris Summer Games.
In winning the 100 meters at Kenyan Olympic Trials on June 15 in Nairobi, the muscular 5-foot-9, 183-pound Omanyala stopped the electronic clock in a stunning 9.79.
That ranks as the ninth swiftest time in history behind eight Americans and Jamaicans. Usain Bolt of Jamaica holds the World and Olympic records with other-worldly times of 9.58 (in 2009) and 9.63 (in 2012), respectively.
In May Omanyala finished second at the Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, running a 9.98 to American Christian Coleman’s 9.95.
At the Race Grand Prix on June 1 in Jamaica, Omanyala ran 10.02, finishing third behind Jamaica’s Oblique Seville (9.82) and native Northern Virginian Noah Lyles (9.85).
Kenyans have a rich history running on the highest level.
In 2020 at Tokyo, Kenyan long-distance runners won four gold, four silver and two bronze medals. In 2016 in Brazil, Kenyans won six gold, six silver and one bronze.
The Kenyans have been a dominant force on the international scene since 1956 in Melbourne, their first entry into the Summer Games.
A shining moment in Kenyan sprint history came in 1968 at Mexico City, when the eastern African nation won a silver medal in 4-x-400 relay behind the U.S. and ahead of Germany.
Former Pirate headed to Paris
Hampton University has celebrated Olympic medalists before and may again.
Former Pirates sensation Chidi Okezie has qualified to represent Nigeria at the upcoming Paris Summer Games. He will run in the open 400 meters and 4-x-400 relay. The long-stemmed, 6-foot-6, 30-year-old punched his ticket to France by winning the 400 meters in African Games in March in Ghana, and by helping Nigeria to a third-place finish in the 4-x-400 relay.
HU Classs of 2017 (with Masters in Sports Administration), Okezie’s winning 400 time was 45.06.
A native of Philadelphia, Okezie has a Nigerian father and Jamaican mother. That’s how he qualifies to run for the African nation.
HU boasts two former Olympic medalists on the women’s side.
Francena McCorory won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London and was part of the U.S. 4-x-100 relay. She added a second gold in 2016 on the gold-medal 4-x-400 relay in Brazil. Kellie Wells (James River High) took bronze at the 2012 Games in the 100m hurdles.
Rickwood, the oldest pro ballpark in America, was back in the news on June 20 with the San Francisco Giants (Mays’ team) playing the St. Louis Cards (Greason’s big league team).
The game was in conjunction with Juneteenth and served as a tribute to the long-ago Negro Leagues. Dressed in a Negro Leagues uniform, Greason threw out the ceremonial first pitch in
front of a cheering full house. Mays and Greason were among the last to graduate from the Negro Leagues to the big leagues. Both were among the initial Black players for their major league franchises, led exemplary lives and became a treasure chest of memories. But don’t forget, the coincidences all started in Birmingham at Rickwood Field.
Virginia is for Willie Mays
There have been many great baseball players and many who oozed with excitement. But perhaps no one man combined greatness and excitement like Willie Mays.
Virginia can be proud to have a small chapter in the Mays story. From May 1952 to March 1954, the great Mays was a U.S. soldier, stationed at Fort Eustis in Newport News.
He was drafted during the Korean War and missed a total of 266 games with the New York Giants. Finishing with 660 homers, he might have broken Babe Ruth’s career record of 714 had he not served his country. While at Fort Eustis, Mays played on the base’s ballclub and developed his signature “basket catch” from another big leaguer, Al Fortunato.
Celtics are team for the ages
Along with being crowned the 2024 NBA champions, the Boston Celtics are now the all-time NBA kingpins.
After overwhelming Dallas on June 17 in five games for the current title, Boston now has a record 18 championships, one more than the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Celtics were so dominant throughout this season, you almost don’t know where to begin in awarding accolades. Let’s start with the coach.
No Average Joe: Joe Mazzulla, 35, becomes the youngest head coach since 1970 (Bill Russell with Boston) to win an NBA title. In his two seasons (first as interim) as Boston head coach, his record of 121-43 (74%) is best in NBA history for any coach with at least 150 games.
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Beantown Brown: The 6-foot-6 forward averaged 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in the Finals to claim the Bill Russell Finals MVP Trophy. He was also instrumental in defending Dallas star Luka Doncic.
In 2023, Brown signed a five-year, $304 million contract with the Celtics. He’s paid dividends.
Off the floor, Brown (who wears No. 7) is founder of the 7uice program around Boston to assist Black and brown children in their efforts to succeed.
Don’t forget Jayson: Jayson Tatum wasn’t the MVP, but he could have been. In the five-game Finals, Tatum averaged 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. He had 31 points to go with eight boards and 11 assists in the clincher.
Tatum becomes the seventh Duke alumnus to claim an NBA title following Jeff Mullins, Danny Ferry, Shane Battier, Dahntay Jones, Quinn Cook and Jack White.
Finally: In his 18th NBA season, 38year-old Al Horford won his first title. The former Florida All-American came to the Celtics’ rescue when versatile 7-foot-2 Kristaps Porzingis was injured in the early goings of the playoffs and made a limited contribution.
Porzingis’ absence could have sunk Boston’s ship. But it didn’t due to “Ageless Al,” who became the first Dominican native to claim an NBA ring.
Looking ahead: The Celtics should start next season as a clear favorite to repeat. All the star players are locked into contracts through 2025. Fans won’t have long to wait. The new season starts Oct. 22.
Rams add big man to roster
VCU basketball Coach Ryan Odom went searching for another big man and found what he was looking for in Arizona.
Luke Bamgboye, a 6-foot-10, 190pound post player nicknamed “The LukeOut Mountain,” signed to join the Rams as a freshman this upcoming season. Growing up in London, Bamgboye (pronounced Bam-bo-ye) came to the United States as a ninth-grader and played at three prep schools, most recently Com-
pass Prep in Chandler, Ariz. His parents are from Nigeria.
Bamgboye has been rated a threestar recruit by some scouting services and a four-star by 247Sports. Miami, Fla., Houston, Maryland and Providence were among the other schools offering a full ride.
Bamgboye will likely open the season as a backup to 6-foot-9 junior Christian Fermin, who averaged 5.2 points and four rebounds last season, while leading the Rams with 55 blocked shots. Another option is 6-foot-9 Obi Okafor, a former walk-on from Hampton who has yet to play.
VCU lost three big men from last season, regulars Sean Bairstow and Kuany Kuany to graduation and Roosevelt Wheeler, who transferred to East Tennessee.
VCU basketball player Joe Bamisile creates app for mental health
By William Lineberry
Joe Bamisile wants to take the future as it comes. He tries not to force things. But he remains dedicated to excellence in anything he pursues. If Bamisile puts up doubledigit points as a guard on Virginia CommonwealthUniversity’smen’s basketball team? That’s great. If, in five years, he is leading a company based on his app, which just launched and focuses on mental health and well-being? That’s great, too. If he’s in the NBA – or using his MBA – instead? Excellent.
And if he’s doing allthose things, all the better.
“You can be really good at something and not have to stake your whole life on it,” Bamisile said.
“It’s really cool to have all of these opportunities, and it’s great to just
let it see where it goes instead of needing it to go to an exact place. … I find that comforting.”
Bamisile, who graduated this spring with a bachelor’s in interdisciplinarystudiesfrom University College, is now pursuing a master’s in rehabilitation and mental health counseling. His professor tasked him to create a business plan for the social media mental health app, Maunda, that he was envisioning. In that moment, everything got real.
“I was like, this can actually be what I present to clients and stakeholders,” Bamisile said. “I had to keep in mind who the app was for, and from there, I started to blend elements of communications and sociology to help meet individual needs within the application. It was a really helpful process. It gave me a blueprint to launch.
“Classendedandthenitwaslike,
alright, let me put what I did in my capstone class into actual action in the real world,” he said.
And that is exactly what happened. Bamisile refined – with the help of his professor, Vineeta Singh, Ph.D. – his vision for Maunda, and right as he was about to graduate, he launched it in May.
The app has already been welcomed by thousands of users. Bamisile hopes it encourages users to make note of their well-being and incorporate daily breaks for themselves. He knows that the practices that are built into the app, such as meditation, have helped him balance the stress of everyday life.
“No matter how good your own personal mental health is, if you feel isolated or you’re not connected to other people, you’re still going to suffer in many ways,” Bamisile
said. “That’s why I wanted to build this platform to try and combat that aspect of the mind.”
Photo by Thomas Kojcsich
Joe Bamisile launched a new social media mental health app called Maunda.
San Francisco Giants.
Luke Bamgboye
AP Photo Michael Dyer
Bill Greason, 99, and Willie Mays in 2011. The duo were teammates on the Birmingham Black Barons.
Boston Celtics NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, center, celebrates during a parade on June 21.
Chidi Okezie
Nigerian sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala races at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
As a passionate advocate for older adults, Dr. Jodi Marie Winship’s story is a testament to the power of one person’s determination to make a difference — and it’s her dedication to the health, wellness and quality of life of older adults in low-income housing that led her to establish Richmond Aging and Engaging.
Through her professional experience and volunteer work, Winship, an occupational therapist, observed that low-income older adults often face significant barriers to engaging in meaningful activities. She identified inadequate transportation and financial constraints as key obstacles limiting participation for this underserved population.
Richmond Aging and Engaging serves as more than a typical nonprofit organization. For many older adults in lowincome housing, it’s a vital lifeline. By offering physical, cognitive and social activities, the organization not only fills a critical need but also enhances the health and well-being of seniors.
To overcome obstacles and empower seniors to thrive, Winship developed a strategic approach. She recruited volunteers to lead arts, crafts and recreational activities. A key initiative of Richmond Aging and Engaging is its rollator repair program. Winship trains volunteers to conduct safety inspections and perform repairs on these mobility aids at pop-up clinics, ensuring older adults can move about safely and independently.
Winship’s optimism about the organization’s future is clear, and her plans to transition from board chair signal positive growth. Her ultimate goal is to continue leading the organization while managing a team of dedicated individuals who share her vision and can contribute to the work.
The organization recently acquired office space, which
Personality: Dr. Jodi Marie Winship
Spotlight on Richmond Aging and Engaging founder
means the art supplies no longer take up space in her home, and she enjoys having the separation of her work and home lives.
Meet an advocate for the aging and underserved and this week’s Personality, Jodi Marie Winship:
Founder: While I had the initial idea for Richmond Aging and Engaging, I established the organization with the support of our founding board: Patty Slattum, Sheryl Finucane, Lauryn Walker, Lauryn Helstrom and Hannah Meinertzhagen.
Occupation: Occupational therapist and executive director of Richmond Aging and Engaging, and also the board president.
Date and place of birth: I was born in 1974 in St. Louis Park, Minn.
Where I live now: The Fulton neighborhood of Richmond.
Education: Bachelor’s in international affairs, Mary Washington College; master’s in geography, Virginia Tech; master’s in occupational therapy, VCU; doctorate in social and behavioral sciences, VCU.
Family: I live with Predrag, my partner of 20 years, our indoor cat Remster, and Bunny, a feral cat.
Tell us about Richmond Aging and Engaging: We are a 501(c) (3) organization that provides intergenerational arts, leisure, and recreational programming for older adults living in lowincome apartments. We also fix rollators to ensure folks can safely move around.
Richmond Aging and Engaging’s mission: We support the health, wellness, and quality of
life of older adults aging-inplace in low-income housing. Through intergenerational art, leisure, and recreational programming, we ensure access to meaningful activities that foster a sense of purpose, build social connections and empower older adults to live their best lives.
When was Richmond Aging and Engaging founded: August 2022.
Why did I found Richmond Aging and Engaging: While working in a community-based health and wellness program for low-income older adults, I frequently advised clients that to manage their chronic illnesses and to stay healthy so they could age in place, they needed to be active (physically and cognitively) and socially engaged. But many of the folks were stuck at home with nothing to do. Senior centers and other community programs were available, but some folks still weren’t engaging even with
transportation provided – motivational and cultural barriers persisted. I founded Richmond Aging and Engaging to address this gap and offer barrier-free opportunities for older adults to engage in fun activities that support health and wellbeing.
Where does Richmond Aging and Engaging operate: We currently conduct our art, leisure, and recreation program in two low-income apartment buildings in Richmond (East End and North Side) and are about to add a third building this fall. We hold rollator repair pop-up clinics throughout Richmond.
Richmond Aging and Engaging is funded: We are funded through donations, grants, sponsorships—including funding from Senior Connections and Anthem Healthkeepers— and a lot of volunteer service.
Richmond Aging and Engaging is specifically for: Our work is for older adults living independently in lowincome apartment buildings. We currently target apartment buildings designated as senior housing, which is defined as people 62 and over or younger folks with disabilities.
No. 1 goal or project: Our primary focus right now is securing funding to hire essential staff, which will enable us to expand, develop and sustain our programs and program sites.
Strategy for achieving goals: Networking is everything. Back when I was teaching, I used to advise my students to tell everyone they encountered
what their plans and dreams were because someone would know someone else who could help!
No. 1 challenge: Finding funders willing to take a risk on a start-up organization is always a challenge.
Why Richmond Aging and Engaging is especially important: Ensuring access to health care and healthy food is crucial for addressing health disparities in Richmond. But equally important is providing access to activities that promote physical, cognitive and social health.
Ways to get involved with Richmond Aging and Engaging: Our website has information on our current volunteer opportunities and includes a volunteer interest form, which is the first step to connecting with us agingandengaging.org/ for-volunteers
Upcoming events: We hold a free rollator repair clinic the last Wednesday of each month at the VCU HealthHub at 25th from 1 to 3 p.m.
How I start the day: Once I get some coffee in me, I’m ready to start knocking things off my to-do list! Bring it on!
The three words that best describe me: Persistent, creative and optimistic.
If I had 10 extra minutes in the day: Drink an extra cup of coffee in the morning … and drink it on the porch while watching birds.
If I hosted a dinner party, my dream guest would be: Prince, because I grew up in Minnesota, not far from where he lived.
Best late-night snack: I like whatever leftovers are in the fridge.
My music playlist is heavy on: Singers like Natalie Merchant, Suzanne Vega and Tori Amos.
Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: My guilty pleasure is the horribly ridiculous reality TV show, “90-Day Fiancé,” along with all its offshoots.
A quote that inspires me: “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” – Henry David Thoreau At the top of my “to-do” list: Clean the garage.
The best thing my parents ever taught me: How to do my own home repairs and maintenance. Their “I can fix it myself” mentality rubbed off on me, so when I kept seeing clients with broken rollators and no simple process to get them repaired, I just took care of it myself—the impetus of the Rollator Repair Program! The person who influenced me the most: Most recently, it was my friend and mentor, Pam Parsons. She passed unexpectedly last year. Pam was an influential leader in the Richmond community and an advocate for Richmond’s older adults.
A book that influenced me: A book that fundamentally shifted my worldview and changed the trajectory of my career was “I Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala ” by Elizabeth Burgos and Rigoberta Menchu.
What I’m reading now: “Out of the Ruins: The Apocalyptic Anthology” edited by Preston Grassmann. It’s a collection of short stories about what life might look like in the future when Earth is no longer the Earth as we know it. Next goal: Finding work-life balance!
‘Sing Sing’ screens at Sing Sing in an emotional homecoming
By Jake Coyle Associated Press
Clarence “Divine Eye” Ma-
clin is standing inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility for the first time since he was incarcerated here 12 years ago. In this very chapel, he reminisces, he once sold drugs — a backup plan for when the yard was closed.
Not many men pine to return to the prisons in which they toiled away years of their life. Maclin, 58, lived inside Sing Sing for 15 years. But on this day, he’s buoyant.
“I got a purpose now,” Maclin said.
Maclin was at Sing Sing, the 198-year-old maximumsecurity prison perched on a hillside overlooking the Hudson 30 miles upriver from New York, last Thursday for the premiere of the upcoming movie “Sing Sing.” In the film, which opens July 12 in theaters, Colman Domingo stars as an incarcerated man who helps lead a theater program for others at Sing Sing. Together, they find community and catharsis through theater.
The program is real: Rehabilitation Through the Arts, or RTA, is a nonprofit founded by Katherine Vockins at Sing Sing in 1996. Many of its former participants make up the cast of “Sing Sing” alongside professional actors like Domingo and Paul Raci. Maclin plays himsel f — a hard, musclebound character whose talent for shakedowns in the yard, it turns out, transfers remarkably well to Shakespeare.
“On stage,” Maclin said, “I got permission to do anything.”
As movie premieres go, the one for “Sing Sing” at Sing Sing was about as poignant as it gets. The film was screened above
the stage where RTA performed its first show for an audience half civilian, half incarcerated men in navy green jumpsuits. For the formerly incarcerated actors in the film, returning to Sing Sing was an emotional homecoming. They brought a message of hope and healing that they, themselves, are still trying to live up to.
On a sweltering day with the sun still high above the Hudson, two former RTA members — Lorenzo Chambers, 33, and Jose Robles, 64 — stood outside the prison walls, handing out water bottles. In his 35-plus years in prison, Robles first began building sets for RTA productions and then became a performer.
“You learn more about yourself than you do the play, you know?” Robles said. Inside the first gate, Sean Dino Johnson, a founding member of RTA and a co-star in “Sing Sing,” sits in the shade, cringing a little each time the gate opened and closed.
Johnson, 59, served 22 years in prison. When he was first approached about RTA nearly two decades ago, he was a tad skeptical.
“I said, ‘You want me to get up there in tights and do ‘To be or not to be’?” recalls Johnson, grinning. “Where’s the punchline at?”
But Johnson, despite his doubts, gave it a go and soon found that he had “got the bug.”
Looking inward as an actor brought him an inner peace that had previously eluded him.
“That was my first understanding of what a community is,” says Johnson as he makes his way up the hill to the theater.
While the cast members and others mill about in the chapel, the film’s director and co-writer, Greg Kwedar, eyes the next-door theater nervously. “Sing Sing” was largely shot at a decommissioned prison upstate, so this was a moment he had long awaited.
“I’ve imagined what this
New exhibition explores race and community in Richmond
the exhibition aims to showcase the diversity of Richmond’s residents through portraiture and interactive elements.
“We are capturing the hu-
mans that make up the vibrancy of the city of Richmond. Portraits will be an ode to continued work in centering humanity unapologetically and authentically,” Williams said. A Community Healing Practice & Closing Reception is scheduled for Friday, June 28, from 6 to 9 p.m. This event will mark the conclusion of the exhibition and provide a final opportunity for community engagement with the artworks. Until then, visitors can view the installations during the gallery’s regular operating hours.
This exhibit is part of a larger series of events and artworks focused on race and community in Richmond. Those interested in learning more about the exhibition or its themes can visit thewellcollective.space.
theater would look like for eight years,” Kwedar said. “This is the most important audience in the world for us. I just hope it’s honest.”
“When we walk out of here, I hope the air feels a little different for those of us who are going home,” adds Kwedar.
“And I’m highly aware that half of the audience will be going back to their cells.”
Since its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, “Sing Sing” has been widely celebrated. A24 acquired it soon after its premiere. In March, it won the festival favorite audience award at SXSW.
The emotional response “Sing Sing” provokes runs two ways, eradicating some of the divisions that exist between those on the inside and those on the outside. For the RTA alumni, it’s a rare platform to show what they’re capable of. For civilians less acquainted with the oft-ignored lives of the incarcerated, it’s a window
into their humanity.
“You don’t feel as separated from the world,” said Shaytuan Breazil, a 32-year-old serving a 12-year sentence who was helping to serve snacks for visitors.
When RTA started, performances were only for fellow incarcerated men. Its leaders, like director Brent Buell (played by Raci in the film), would make videotapes for their families to see. What began with modest expectations grew and grew.
“I thought I’d come up here and direct — I love directing,” Buell said. “I had no idea I would come in and make the friendships of my life.”
More than 1,000 people have since passed through RTA, which is now in eight prison facilities. It plans to expand to two more in September. The U.S. Department of Justice has found that within one year of release, 43% of formerly incarcerated people are rearrested. Among RTA alumni, that number is less than 3%.
Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez served more than 23 years in Sing Sing before he was granted clemency for his wrongful conviction by former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He has worked closely with RTA and appears in “Sing Sing.”
“The most effective way to change somebody,” said Velazquez, “is to believe in them.”
Inside the un-air-conditioned theater, old stained glass windows had been blacked out. Guards sat in elevated chairs along the walls. The former incarcerated men warmly greeted those currently serving across the aisle. It was the third screening that day at Sing Sing, whose warden, Marlyn Kopp, said she wanted the whole population to see it. (The first two screenings were for incarcerated people only.)
After sitting in a row toward the back, Maclin was urged to take a seat in the front row.
“I’m moving up,” he said as he bounded to the front. There were old acquaintances Maclin wanted to see at Sing Sing but, he said before the screening, it was more important that the incarcerated men saw him, to realize what life after prison could hold. When the movie was over, the incarcerated audience appeared visibly moved and stood in a standing ovation. They stood again just to applaud A24. Their biggest cheers weren’t for Domingo but those who had been jailed alongside them. After the film, Maclin and Johnson spoke on stage with a pair of currently incarcerated men who shared their emotional reaction.
“I’m home,” Maclin said. “Back home on my stage.” Maclin and Johnson faced their chairs toward those incarcerated and addressed most of their comments directly to them. Whatever one might think normally is discussed inside prison walls would be startled at the tenor of the conversation. Acting, Maclin said, taught him that vulnerability and empathy weren’t weaknesses but strengths. Johnson spoke of listening, the importance of crying and of love. Keep working, he implored. “Men can change,” he said. Soon, curfew would be called and the men of B Block would file out first. But for now, many heads nodded in agreement at Johnson’s words. They didn’t have much, Johnson told them, but they have each other. And for RTA members when they get out, alums would be there with some help.
“This was Sing Sing’s best kept secret,” Johnson said. “Now, the world’s gonna know.”
trio Digable
Saturday, September 21, 2024
A24 via AP
Colman Domingo, left, and Clarence Maclin in a scene from the film “Sing Sing.”
A photo from the “Race in Richmond: Healing in Richmond // “I See You” and “I Hear You” exhibition, taken by Barrett Miller II.
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press Still “Cool Like That”
Hip-hop
Planets thrilled Richmond fans with a nostalgic set June 21 on Brown’s Island. The 1990s group, featuring Craig “Doodlebug” Irving (shown), Mariana “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira, and Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, performed their beloved hits to an enthusiastic crowd.
Clergy, parents file suit against Louisiana Ten Commandments law
By Jack Jenkins Religious News
A group of public school parents, including some clergy, have filed a lawsuit against Louisiana’s new law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools, arguing the statute unfairly privileges a specific version of Christian scripture in addition to impinging on the rights of the nonreligious and those of other faiths.
The complaint — which was filed June 24 by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and offices of the ACLU — singles out a bill signed into law last week that requires public schools to post copies of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, paid for by donations. Plaintiffs argue the law violates their First Amendment right to religious freedom as well as the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against establishing a state religion.
“This simply cannot be reconciled with the fundamental religious-freedom principles that animated the founding of our nation,” reads the complaint, which notes no federal court has upheld the display of the Ten Commandments in a public school setting.
The Rev. Jeff Sims, a Presbyterian Church (USA) minister and a plaintiff in the case, blasted the law during a press conference Monday, saying it “sends a message to my children and other students that people of some religious denominations are superior to others.”
“This is religious favoritism, and it is not only dangerous, but runs counter to my religion and faith,” said Sims, who is one of at least three Chris-
tian clergy who have signed on to the case.
Also among the plaintiffs — which include religious and non-religious parents — is the Rev. Darcy Roake, a Unitarian Universalist minister who told reporters that among her faith tradition’s seven principles is a call for “the right to a free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”
“By subjecting my children to permanent displays of scripture in every classroom, the Ten Commandments conflicts with this principle,” she said.
Roake added that her husband, who also is a plaintiff in the case, is Jewish and that they have raised their children in a multi-faith household.
“My husband believes this state-mandated version of the Ten Commandments does not conform with his Jewish faith either, because the displays misappropriate and alter the text of the Ten Commandments as they are set out in the Torah,” she said.
The complaint argues that by mandating the display of the Ten Commandments, Louisiana effectively “requires a specific, state-approved version of that scripture to be posted, taking sides on theological questions regarding the correct content and meaning of the Decalogue.”
It notes the diversity of opinion regarding the scripture in question, including a wide array of religious traditions that do ascribe to the Ten Commandments, but their translation, numbering and wording of the passage varies widely.
The arguments outlined in the complaint echo those voiced last year when state lawmakers in Texas launched an unsuccessful attempt to pass similar legislation. At the time, Jewish leaders noted that the bill required the Ten Command-
Virginia Union professor publishes new book on gospel interpretation
Virginia Union University professor Dr. Yung Suk Kim recently released a book aimed at providing a comprehensive approach to studying the Gospels.
“How to Read the Gospels,” published last week, offers an introduction to the Gospels for seminary and graduate students. The book covers authorship, history, parables and interpretation issues for each Gospel. Kim, a professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, said the book stems from his teaching experience at VUU.
“Traditionally, the Gospels have been read with much focus on history,” Kim said. “But this book opens up all kinds of possibilities of reading lenses through which we can explore multiple dimensions of the text.”
The book presents various interpretative methods, including traditional, womanist, disability and ecological approaches. It also includes discussion questions to guide readers’ reflections on Gospel narratives and theology.
Kim said the book encourages readers to interpret the Gospels from their own perspectives, ranging from postcolonialism to environmentalism.
“Readers will gain insight into the historical and literary aspects of the Gospels,” Kim said. “Readers will understand distinctive theological themes interlocked with the portrayal of Jesus.”
ments to be listed in English (both the Louisiana law and the Texas bill use the same translation, which is based on the King James translation of the Bible popular with some Protestants) and not the original Hebrew.
During Monday’s press conference, Rachel Laser, head of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, pointed out that several other states — Oklahoma, Mississippi and South Carolina — have introduced similar bills, calling such efforts examples of the “Christian nationalism that is on the march across this country.” She noted Texas has also already passed a law allowing public schools to enlist chaplains and that other states are primed to do the same.
“These Christian nationalist laws violate the religious freedom principles that are core to this country’s founding, that everyone should be free to live as themselves and believe as they choose,
so long as they don’t harm others,” she said. The legal team behind the effort expressed confidence they would prevail should the case rise to the U.S. Supreme Court. Patrick Elliott, legal director for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, told reporters he believes the issues in the case are “already covered by clear Supreme Court precedent” and that justices may not even take up the case.
Supporters of the law have argued otherwise, with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry reportedly telling attendees at a GOP fundraiser, “I can’t wait to be sued.” And at least two conservative justices have signaled a fundamentally different understanding of the separation of church and state than their colleagues on the bench: In 2020, Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch signed on to a concurring opinion that suggested the establishment clause only applies to the federal government and not the states.
Spirituals, freedom songs echo across generations
Every Sunday, millions of African Americans across the nation make their way to church anticipating relief from lives of financial woes, pressures at work, health concerns, family matters, race discrimination and inequities among other stressful issues of everyday life.
By the time they return home, they have usually received some form of hope. Whether from an inspiring sermon from the preacher, comforting scriptures, or glorious songs — gospel music and spirituals — songs that soothed their souls, causing them to rock with joy and clap their hands despite what they may face in the days, weeks and years ahead.
If the music of the Black church is seen as medicine now, one can only imagine the hope that it must have given to enslaved Black people who were not only owned by other human beings, but often whipped, tortured, hanged, and their loved ones sold away in a life in which they constantly faced threats of death for the slightest rebellion.
During this Black Music Month of June, millions of people across the nation are revisiting the legacy of these spirituals and celebrating their contribution to freedom.
“The Negro spirituals were so important to the enslaved African, who, as scripture would
foretell, were brought into this ‘strange land’ having been asked to sing a new song. We understand that many of these enslaved Africans came to the Americas with different dialects, different languages that they spoke,” explains composer and Wayne State University music instructor Dr. Brandon Waddles in an interview with host A.J. Walker on Detroit PBS’ American Black Journal. “Music has always been a universal language. And coded therein, within these songs were messages; not only messages of hope, but messages that would lead these enslaved Africans to freedom.”
Dr. Waddles gave examples of some of the lyrics that were actually messages and instructions. For example, the song, “Deep River, My Home Over Jordan,” was a title that he explains: “Jordan River scripturally, of course, was referring to, in their context, the Mississippi [River]. It was their way to freedom.”
According to the National Park Service (NPS), abolitionist Harriet Tubman “sang two songs while operating her rescue missions. Both are listed in Sarah
Bradford’s biography “Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman”: “Go Down Moses,” and, “Bound For the Promised Land.” Tubman said she changed the tempo of the songs to indicate whether it was safe to come out or not, states a NPS document.
Many of these songs, which started as work songs, evolved into what is now called Negro spirituals, directly connected to African culture and tradition. They were published years later and ultimately became the root of Black gospel and jazz, Waddles said.
Black Music Month was first officially established by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 “to celebrate the African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage,” according to the National Museum of African American History and Culture
That first year, the month was celebrated with a Black music festival on the White House Lawn. This year’s Black Music Month Proclamation by President Biden, posted on Whitehouse.gov, continues the history of celebration:
“Our Nation has only recognized Black Music Month for 45 years, but its legacy
stretches back to our country’s earliest days. Black music began when enslaved people, who were cruelly prohibited from communicating in their native languages, found ways to express themselves through music. Set to the sound of African rhythms, they captured the inhumanity, tragedy, and toll that America’s original sin took on their lives while also telling the stories of their hopes and dreams, faith and spirituality, and love and purpose.”
The writer is the president and CEO of Trice Edney Communications and editor-inchief of the Trice Edney News Wire.
AP Photo/John Bazemore
Hazel Trice Edney
Injuries continue to plague WNBA teams; Sparks, Dream winless with key players sidelined
By Doug Feinberg
The Associated Press
The injury bug has bitten several WNBA teams this season with both Los Angeles and Atlanta losing key players last week.
The Sparks will have to play without prized rookie Cameron Brink for the remainder of the year after she tore the ACL in her left knee. The injury also forced Brink off the U.S. Olympic 3x3 team. She was replaced by Sparks teammate Dearica Hamby
The Dream is going to be missing Rhyne Howard for a bit too with no timetable for her return after she injured her ankle Wednesday against Minnesota. Neither team has won a game since they went down, going a combined 0-6. Atlanta did get some good news with the return of Jordin Canada, who had been sidelined for the first part of the season with a
hand injury. She made her season debut in a loss to New York last Sunday.
While the Sparks and Dream seek to find ways to replace the production of their injured players, Las Vegas welcomed back Chelsea Gray. The point guard was sidelined the first part of the season with a leg injury she suffered in the WNBA Finals last year.
Gray made her debut last week and the Aces looked more like the two-time defending champions with victories over Seattle and Connecticut.
“I probably went through every emotion leading up to today,” Gray said of her return. “I was a little anxious all day. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out on that court. But the fans were amazing from the time I came out to warm up to the time I checked in the game. It was a rush and a feeling I missed a lot.”
orDer oF PUBLicATioN
The object of this suit is to: terminate the residual parental rights {“TPR”) of raven Harris (Mother) & Unknown Father (Father) of Kylie Daquan Harris, child D o B 11/17/2022, “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 r aven Harris (Mother) & Unknown Father to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 08/13/2024, at 2 P.M, coUrTrooM #2 (McG) ProPerTY
coUrT For THe coUNTY oF HANover KiM LAWreNce Plaintiff v. oLiver LAWreNce, Defendant. case No.: cL22003829-00 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 29th 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
cUSToDY
virGiNiA: iN THe JUveNiLe AND DoMeSTic reLATioNS DiSTricT coUrT oF THe ciTY oF ricHMoND commonwealth of virginia, in re KYLie DArQUAN HArriS rDSS v. rAveN HArriS, UNKNoWN FATHer case No. JJ101948-11-00, JJ101948-10-00
virGiNiA: iN THe circUiT coUrT For THe coUNTY oF HANover Balducci Developers, LLc 10173 chamberlayne road Mechanicsville, vA 23116 Plaintiff, v. Any and all persons known or unknown claiming an interest in certain property situated in Hanover county, virginia, designated by GPiN Number 8737-25-4710 and identified as 10288 Gould Hill road Defendant. case No. cL24001838-00 orDer oF PUBLicATioN An object of this suit is to partition the property briefly described as 10288 Gould Hill Road Hanover VA 23069, Tax Map Number 8737-254710 As it is apparent that the defendants in this lawsuit have potential interest in the subject property; and As “Any and All Other Interested Parties”, as defendants, cannot be located; and As the parties have not been served with process, then iT iS orDereD that ANY AND ALL PerSoNS cLAiMiNG AN iNTereST iN THe ProPerTY situated in Hanover county,virginia, designated by GPiN Number 8737-25-4710 and identified as 10288 Gould Hill road, come forward to appear in the Circuit Court for the County of Hanover, Virginia on or before July 30, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. and do what is necessary to protect their interest in the property briefly described as GPiN Number 8737-25-4710 and identified as 10288 Gould Hill road in this matter The Court in its discretion hereby dispenses with the
AP WNBA poll
New York remains in the top spot in this week’s AP WNBA power poll, but no longer unanimous after losing a game in Phoenix. The Liberty received nine first place votes and were followed by Minnesota ,who garnered the other four top votes. Las Vegas, Connecticut and Seattle followed the Lynx. Phoenix, Indiana and Chicago were the next three. Atlanta, Washington, Los Angeles and Dallas rounded out the poll.
record ratings
The Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese matchups continue to draw record viewership. The third installment of the Fever-Chicago Sky budding rivalry that was played on ESPN last Sunday averaged 2.3 million viewers with a peak of 3.3 million. That’s the most to watch a WNBA game in 23 years — topping the last matchup between the
requirements of Rule 1:13 of the Virginia Supreme Court. A copy Teste Frank D. Hargrove, Jr, clerk i ASK For THiS: Benjamin M. Andrews, Esquire (VSB No. 77824) Andrews Law PLC 5711 Greendale Road, Suite 2 Henrico, Virginia 23228 804-918-2091 benjamin@andrewslawva.com
virGiNiA: iN THe circUiT coUrT oF THe coUNTY oF HeNrico iN re: AGNeS GAcULA cArABAT DeTerMiNATioN oF DeATH oF GrAciANo BArAMeDA cArABAT case No.: cL24003701-00 NoTice Please take notice that on June 11, 2024, Agnes Gacula Carabat, by Counsel, pursuant to Section 64.22304(et. seq.) of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, filed a Petition with the Henrico County Circuit Court seeking a Determination of Death for her husband, Graciano Barrameda Carabat. A Hearing will be held on this matter on September 20, 2024 @ 9:30 am in the Henrico County Circuit Court. Agnes Gracula Carabat By: Jason L. Shaber, Esq. Of Counsel Jason L. Shaber, Esquire VSB #96186 Dankos, Gordon & Tucker, P.C. 1360 E. Parham Road, Suite 200 Richmond, Virginia 23228 Telephone: (804) 377-7427 Facsimile: (804) 262-8088 Counsel for Petitioner
virGiNiA: iN THe circUiT coUrT oF THe coUNTY oF HeNrico cLAY STreeT iNveSTorS, LLc Plaintiff, v. JeAN MeNDe, if living, and if deceased, Heirs at law ofJean Mende and JUNe MeNDe cHArKLeY, if living, and if deceased, heirs at law of June Mende charkley and Defendants. Plaintiff. The unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/or successors in title to JEAN MENDE, JUNE MENDE CHARKLEY and CLYDE G. LEARN, JR., any there be, the consorts of any of the said unknown heirs who are married, the lien creditors of the said unknown
two teams. There were more recordsetting viewership numbers for Clark and the Fever with their game against Atlanta on Ion drew 1.2 million viewers on average, making it the most watched game on the network.
caitlin corner
Clark had another strong week on the court, averaging 17 points, 9.7 assists and 7.3 rebounds to help Indiana win two of its three games. She set a franchise record with 13 assists in Indiana’s loss to Chicago on Sunday.
The No. 1 pick in the draft also won the Honda Cup, given to the top NCAA women’s college athlete, for the second consecutive year on Monday night. The Fever play a pair of road games at Seattle and Phoenix this week.
rookie watch
While Dallas has struggled to find wins, dropping 12 straight games, Jacy
heirs, if any, and other persons who may have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, whose names are unknown and are included in general description of “UNKNOWN HEIRS” and “PARTIES UNKNOWN” Defendants. cASe No cL24-3886 orDer oF PUBLicATioN
The object of this suit is to sell a certain parcel of real property situated in Henrico County, Virginia, being owned by Clay Street Investors, LLC, June Mende, if living, and if deceased, her heirs at law, June Mende Charkley, if living, and if deceased, her heirs at law, and the unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, or successors in title to Clyde G. Learn, Jr., any there may be, more particularly described as follows: ALL that certain lot, piece, or parcel of land lying and being in the Brookland District of Henrico County, Virginia, and being more fully described as follows, to wit, Condominium Unit No. 15, Building 4, Section lV, of the Hamlet Condominium, Henrico County, Virginia, as shown on a plat entitled “Hamlet Condominium, Brookland District, Henrico County, Virginia,” as made by Chas H. Fleet & Associates, Engineers, & Surveyors, dated April 1, 1974, last reviewed on March 29, 1977 and recorded in the Clerk’s Office, Circuit Court, Henrico County, Virginia in Plat Book 66, Page 44, as may be amended from time to time, together with the undivided interest of .500 percent in the common elements described in the Declaration of Condominium to be appurtenant to such unit. Further identified as Tax Map ID No. 774 744 3490.069, and commonly known as 15 Horseshoe Curve, Henrico County, Virginia 23228. June Mende, if living, and if deceased, her heirs at law, June Mende Charkley, if living, and if deceased, her heirs at law, and the unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, or successors in title to Clyde O. Learn, Jr., may have an interest in the property by deed, by inheritance, or by duly recorded liens.
Affidavit having been made and filed that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the identities and/or locations of certain parties to be served, and that there are or may be persons whose names are unknown, interested in the subject matter of this suit; It is ORDERED that June Mende, if living, and if deceased, her heris at law, June Mende Charkley, if living, and if deceased, her heirs at law, and the unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, or successors in title to Clyde G. Learn, Jr., if then living or if dead, their heirs, devisees, assigns, or successors in title, and any heirs or other unknown heirs or parties who have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, who are proceeded against as PARTIES UNKNOWN, appear before Court on or before August 19, 2024 to protect their interests, if any, in this suit. A Copy Teste: HEIDI S. BARSHINGER, Clerk I ask for this: Curtis D. Gordon, Esquire, VSB #25325 DANKOS, GORDON & TUCKER, P.C. 1360 E. Parham Road, Suite 200 Richmond, Virginia 23228 Telephone: (804) 377-7424
Sheldon has made the most of her time lately, getting more comfortable on the court. She was a bright spot in an otherwise lost week. Sheldon averaged 12 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists while playing just over 34 minutes a game.
Player of the week
A’ja Wilson of Las Vegas earned AP Player of the Week honors. The forward averaged 26.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and two steals to help the Aces win both their games. Angel Reese of Chicago, Caitlin Clark of Indiana and Jonquel Jones of New York also received votes.
Game of the week
Las Vegas at Chicago, Thursday. It’s the first matchup between A’ja Wilson and Angel Reese — the only two players this season to have multiple games with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Senior Data Analyst – Capital One Services, LLC in Richmond, VA; Mult pos avail: Perform quant & qualt analysis of econ data, relating constants & variables, objectives, & their num parameters. To apply, visit https://capitalone.wd1. myworkdayjobs.com/Capital_One and search “Senior Data Analyst” or “R187946”.
Thank you for your interest in applying for opportunities with The City of Richmond. To see what opportunities are available, please refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com. EOE M/F/D/V
Monument Avenue Sidewalk Improvements County of Henrico, Virginia Notice of Willingness to Hold a Public Hearing The County of Henrico proposes to construct approximately 2,300 feet of 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side of Monument Avenue from Bremo Road to 300 feet east of Peachtree Boulevard including ADA ramps, pedestrian crossings at Bremo and Libbie intersections, and upgrades to one existing GRTC transit stop. Construction is anticipated to begin in January 2027. Information related to this project including the plans, project schedule, and funding information can be reviewed at the County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, 4305 E. Parham Road, Administration Annex Building, 3 rd Floor, Henrico, VA 23228, Telephone: (804) 501-4624.
County is willing to hold a public hearing. You may request a public hearing by sending a written request to the Department of Public Works, Attn: Michael Elander, P.O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775, on or before July 12, 2024. If a request for a public hearing is received, a notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be provided. The County ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or Elander at the above address, phone number, or ela013@henrico.us.
VDOT UPC #: 117044
AP Photo/Ryan Sun
Los Angeles Sparks forward cameron Brink, left, reacts after forward rickea Jackson drew a foul during a June 9 game against the Las vegas Aces in Los Angeles.
Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune via AP chicago Sky forward isabelle Harrison (20) guards indiana Fever guard caitlin clark (22) during a June 23 WNBA basketball game in chicago.
