August 6 8, 2015 issue

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VOL. 24 NO. 32

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

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August 6-8, 2015

Another black justice?

Political power play may lead to third African-American on Va. Supreme Court

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

‘Golden Girl’ returns an Olympic hero in bocce

By Fred Jeter

Mary Davis is Richmond’s newest “Golden Girl.”

At 72, she proves it’s never too late to shine athletically.

The perky Midlothian resident returned to Richmond on Monday night with three medals from competing — including winning gold — in the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles.

Representing the United States, Mrs. Davis competed in bocce, a cross between bowling and curling. She clinched a gold medal in the four-person team competition and won two bronze medals in doubles and singles competition.

“I love bocce ball and I’ll never stop. It gives me something to do,” the ever-smiling athlete told a group of friends and family who met her and several of her Virginia teammates with cheers, balloons and signs at Richmond International Airport. Her husband, Vance, was front and center.

They urged her to put on her medals, but because of a baggage problem, her luggage containing the medals didn’t arrive until Tuesday.

The Special Olympics World Games take place every two years and drew some 7,000 athletes from 177 nations for competition in 16 different events ranging from aquatics and horseback riding to Please turn to A4

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Mary Davis, front, enjoys an Olympic hero’s welcome Monday night when she arrives home at Richmond International Airport. Among the bevy of family and friends greeting her was counselor Keisha Walker. Left, friends hold a sign to show their pride in Team Virginia’s medal-winning efforts.

Virginia is on its way to having a record three AfricanAmerican judges on the state’s highest court — courtesy of the frayed relationship between Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republican leaders who control the General Assembly.

In a slap a t G o v.

McAuliffe for apparently ignoring them, top GOP legislators Judge Rossie announced D. Alston Jr. this week speaking at George Mason that House and Senate University School of Republicans Law’s 2014 would take convocation. the virtually unprecedented step of rejecting the person the governor had appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court, in this case an experienced white female judge.

Instead, the GOP lawmakers disclosed they would replace her with a veteran AfricanAmerican judge, Rossie D. Alston Jr. of Prince William County, according to a statement released Sunday night

by House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford County, and Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment, R-James City County.

While it appears to be a done deal, the governor and Republican leaders still have Please turn to A4

Delays still plague Former School Board member Bon Secours’ mounts campaign to oust principal

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

How much influence should parents and the community wield in deciding who should run a public school?

That question is at the heart of a dispute over the leadership of Blackwell Elementary School on South Side.

Former School Board member Reginald M. “Reggie” Malone Sr. has come off the sidelines and organized a community group, Blackwell’s Concerned Citizens, which is calling on the School Board to replace the current principal, Reginald Williams.

However, Mr. Malone and his group

are facing an uphill climb as Mr. Williams has the support of Superintendent Dana T. Bedden and Dr. Derik E. Jones, the School Board member whose 8th District includes the school.

Mr. Malone Undeterred, Mr. Malone, 69, is speaking out and circulating petitions in leading the campaign to remove Mr. Williams, who is keeping mum and has not responded to a request for comment.

City cop shot, man killed in gunfight Wednesday

Please turn to A4

Bon Secours Virginia CEO Peter J. Bernard is scheduled to retire Aug. 31 after leading the health care giant for the past seven years.

One of his signature community projects — the Washington professional football team’s training camp sponsored mostly by Mr. Bernard Bon Secours — is now underway at the team’s facility behind the Science Museum of Virginia.

Bon Secours officials also announced Wednesday their partnership in a project to build a state-of-the-art playground on city-owned property on Fairfield Avenue.

However, nearly three years after its announcement, not a shovel of dirt has been lifted on Bon Secours’ much-trumpeted $8.5 million expansion of Richmond Community Hospital at 1500 N. 28th St.

Please turn to A6

Please turn to A6

By Joey Mathews

50th anniversary

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

A Richmond Police officer was wounded and an armed man was killed during a gunfight Wednesday evening near South Meadow and West Cary streets in the West End, police reported.

While details are still sketchy, the incident began around 5:21 p.m. near DJ Market and Deli, police reported, when two officers responded to a report of an armed man.

The officers spotted the man and approached him, police said. The man ran away, the officers chased him and then gunfire was exchanged, police said.

East End expansion

Mr. Malone is fed up with the idea that a school filled with predominantly AfricanAmerican children cannot be successful and will fail state standards, even when it receives extra dollars through the federal Title I program to provide tutoring and other help for struggling students.

So far, Mr. Malone has gathered nearly 200 signatures calling for the removal of Mr. Williams whom he accuses of managing by intimidation and creating a school with “poor teamwork, low morale and poor working conditions.”

He compares a principal to a quarterback whose goal is to lead a football team to victory. In his view, Mr. Williams has not been able to lead Blackwell to learning victory.

Mr. Malone cites the school’s inability to achieve accreditation since Mr. Wil-

Obama to call for restoration of 1965 Voting Rights Act Free Press wire reports

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Fascinating Brandon Jones and his sister, Shanea Mercer, of Newport News gaze at action figures Saturday at Wizard World Comic Con Richmond. The multigenre entertainment and comic convention attracted elaborately costumed fans and others to the three-day event at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Downtown.

Several celebrities also participated. Please see additional photos on B2.

the Civil Rights Movement, said last week at the Capitol. “The vote is precious. It is WASHINGTON almost sacred in a democratic society.’’

With the 50th anniversary of the Voting In recent floor speeches, House DemoRights Act, congressional Democrats are crats invoked memories of the battle for the commemorating the landmark law with 1965 Voting Rights Act. And dozens of the events across the country — from the lawmakers gathered on the Capitol steps steps of the U.S. Capitol to the foot of the July 30 to blast Republicans for failing to Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama. act on voting rights bills before leaving for President Obama They’re also using the anniversary the August work period.

Thursday to step up pressure on colleagues to act on “This should be a call to action,’’ said Sen. Patrick new voting rights proposals.

Leahy, D-Vt., the lead sponsor of one voting rights “We’re here 50 years later demanding that the bill. “This is not a history lesson.”

Congress and our Republican colleagues do the right The White House announced Tuesday that President thing and bring a voting rights bill to the floor,” Please turn to A4 Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a legend in

A2

Richmond Free Press

August 6-8, 2015

Local News

Plaza deconstructed Heavy equipment is being used to prepare Kanawha Plaza in Downtown for a $7.78 million facelift. Improvements are to include new landscaping and lighting, fountain improvements and other changes to make it more appealing. The city has set aside $1.78 million to revitalize the park, including removing a pedestrian bridge across Canal Street. The city is counting on promised donations from nearby corporations and businesses that are expected to funnel $6 million through the city’s charity arm, the Enrichmond Foundation. The foundation Slices of life and scenes is then to provide materials, in Richmond construction and other services to rebuild the park as a gift to the city. So far, only a fraction of the private money has been pledged or collected, according to city officials. The park has fallen on hard times. Once best known as the home of a summer concert series, the park next to the Downtown Expressway attracted few visitors and had become a defacto shelter for the homeless. Location: Byrd, Canal, 7th and 9th streets.

Cityscape

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Church Hill roundabout opens The $1.1 million Church Hill traffic circle is now open at 25th Street, Nine Mile Road, Fairmount Avenue and S Street.

The landscaped circle or roundabout opened Wednesday after several months of construction.

Gone are the traffic lights that controlled the flow. Instead, cars and trucks now must navigate a circular intersection. Approaching vehicles must yield to those in the circle.

“The 25th Street and Nine Mile Road corridor is an important commercial gateway for the East End,” said Councilwoman Cynthia Newbille, 7th District, calling the circle a product of the comprehensive community planning in the district she represents.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones also hailed the project, saying, “This roundabout beautifies this anchor corridor and provides a welcome makeover that will improve traffic flow and safety.”

— JEREMY M. LAZARUS

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s i n gl e it e

Virginia no longer has to issue license plates that bear the Confederate battle flag, a federal judge has ruled.

Judge Jackson Kiser, however, is still deciding whether the state can recall existing plates with the flags that have been issued to about 1,600 motorists. The Confederate flag was part of a specialty plate that shows support for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

In a ruling last week in Danville, Judge Kiser eliminated his 2001 order that forced Virginia to put the symbol of racism and hate on the specialty plates and which later was upheld.

The judge had little choice this time in the wake of a June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in a Texas case. The nation’s highest court found that license plates are government speech, and the government can decide what logos or symbols can be displayed.

Judge Kiser’s decision will become final when he issues an order in the case and also settles a question about the governor’s authority to order motorists to return the old plates to be destroyed.

Attorney General Mark R. Herring, who had gone to court to get Judge Kiser to dissolve his previous order, hailed the ruling. He said it “would remove a symbol of oppression and injustice from public display on license plates. The Virginia state government does not and will not endorse such a divisive symbol.” — JEREMY M. LAZARUS

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This is the weekend to save on state sales tax.

Shoppers will save at least 5 cents on every dollar spent for back-to-school clothing and supplies, energy-saving appliances and generators, chainsaws and other hurricane preparedness items.

The Virginia General Assembly approved the sales tax holiday and set it to begin the first Friday each August, which this year is Aug. 7, the state Department of Taxation has announced.

The holiday from paying the 5.3 percent sales tax on certain goods lasts through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9.

The reason so many different goods will be exempt from the sales tax: The legislature combined three previously separate sales tax holidays into one.

For more information on the goods that will be exempt, visit www.tax.virginia.gov and click the “Learn more” link in the sales tax holiday slide on the website. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS

August 5 – August 11, 2015

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Richmond Free Press

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August 6-8, 2015

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Richmond Free Press

A4 August 6-8, 2015

News

Family discord mars memorial service for Bobbi Kristina Free Press wire reports

Bobbi Kristina Brown was buried early Monday afternoon next to her iconic mother, Whitney Houston, at a cemetery in New Jersey.

Ms. Brown, 22, died July 26 after nearly six months in a coma. She was found Jan. 31 face down and unresponsive in a bathtub and suffered irreversible brain damage in the still unexplained incident at her Roswell, Ga., home.

Two SUVs carrying relatives followed the hearse from a Newark funeral home to Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.

Ms. Brown’s aunt Pat Houston and her daughter Rayah Houston, grandmother Cissy Houston and cousin Dionne Warwick were among those photographed outside the Whigham Funeral Home, which also handled Whitney Houston’s funeral arrange-

ments in early 2012.

A former bodyguard to Ms. Brown’s mother told People Magazine on Monday that Ms. Brown’s father, Bobby Brown, “seemed out of it.”

Fans and the media were banned from the graveside ceremony, which People said appeared to have a pink theme in honor of Ms. Brown’s favorite color, with pallbearers wearing pink Converse tennis shoes and belts.

Last Saturday’s memorial service at a suburban Atlanta church for Ms. Brown also was private. However, it was marred by Ms. Brown’s aunt, Leolah Brown, her father’s sister, reportedly stalking out of the funeral during a eulogy by Pat Houston, the sister-in-law of Whitney Houston.

The memorial service “was wonderful until Pat started speaking,” Leolah Brown told media outside St. James United Methodist Church, noting that she yelled out to Pat as she was leaving

that Whitney would haunt her sisterin-law from the grave. “She is being the phony person that she is.”

Shortly after attending his daughter’s funeral, Mr. Brown had to rush his wife, Alicia Etheredge, to the hospital, TMZ reported.

Ms. Etheredge, who gave birth to the couple’s daughter Bodhi Jameson Rein Brown on July 9, reportedly was suffering from seizures in the family’s hotel room and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Ms. Brown’s boyfriend, Nick Gordon, who found her in the bathtub and was banned from the funeral, is facing a $40 million civil lawsuit. In court papers filed by Ms. Brown’s conservators, he is accused of domestic abuse and theft of money.

Ms. Brown’s death came three years after her mother was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hills hotel room.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Whigham Funeral Home employees put the coffin of Bobbi Kristina Brown into a hearse Monday as they prepare to leave for the private burial in a Newark, N.J., cemetery. Both the burial and a memorial service last Saturday at a suburban Atlanta church were closed to the public and the media.

GOP political power play may lead to third black justice on Va. Supreme Court Continued from A1

time to cut a deal that would change this outcome, though that seems less than likely. Both sides seem dug in.

Now on the state intermediate Court of Appeals, Judge Alston would join two other African-American justices, S. Bernard Goodwyn and Cleo Powell, on the seven-member Supreme Court once the General Assembly elects him.

The court now has two female members, Justice Elizabeth A. McClanahan and Justice Powell, the first African-American woman.

Justice Alston’s election could happen as soon as Monday, Aug. 17, when the governor has called a special session to redraw boundary lines for Virginia’s congressional districts. A federal court previously ordered the lines redrawn and approved by Sept. 1 to cure unconstitutional packing of African-Americans into the 3rd Congressional District.

The elevation of Judge Alston would not only add to African-American influence on the Supreme Court, but also

Obama to call for restoration of Voting Rights Act Continued from A1

Obama will call for the restoration of the Voting Rights Act on Thursday’s anniversary.

President Obama is slated to hold a teleconference to commemorate the landmark legislation. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Rep. Lewis are scheduled to participate.

The event will allow the president to draw a sharp contrast with Republicans, many of whom argue some provisions of the 1965 law went too far. It will take place on the same day as the first GOP presidential primary debate.

Asked about the timing of the event, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that “one person’s irony is another person’s serendipity.”

“Maybe there will be an opportunity for Republican candidates to discuss the right for every American to cast a vote,” he said.

Back in their districts, House Democrats plan to join civil rights groups in holding events leading up to the anniversary of the day President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.

In Tunica, Miss., lawmakers marked the anniversary at the Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s annual policy conference. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he and other black lawmakers will maintain pressure on Congress to approve new voting rights legislation.

“Our job over the break is to not let it go dark,” said Rep. Thompson, chairman of the CBC Institute’s board of directors.

Support for voting rights legislation gained momentum after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2013 invalidated a provision that had required certain states, including Virginia, and other jurisdictions with a history of voting discrimination to get federal permission — or pre-clearance — before making any changes to their election procedures.

Democrats are pushing for legislation to update the preclearance provision, saying new state voter ID laws and other changes show voting discrimination remains a problem.

Under the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas would be subject to preclearance. Another bill would make 13 states subject to such monitoring.

Both measures face an uphill battle.

Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana said Democrats must convince Republicans that passing voting rights legislation “is the right thing to do.”

“That’s between us changing public sentiment and them having a deep conversation with their God,” he said.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has said the legislation is unnecessary and that the Voting Rights Act has strong provisions to protect against voter discrimination.

“We are certainly willing to look at any new evidence of discrimination if there is a need to take any measures,” Rep. Goodlatte recently told the Roanoake Times in Western Virginia.

“But at this point in time, we have not seen that, and therefore no changes have been made since the Supreme Court decision.”

But House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California told reporters recently it’s time for an “overall review.” He said he would like to see a committee debate on the issue.

South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the assistant Democratic leader, said he doubts Congress will act.

“I’ve got no illusions about what the other side is going to do,” he said. “But we’re going to do our stuff (events) and hopefully ignite something in our communities.”

would make history.

The National Bar Association, which is comprised primarily of African-American lawyers and judges, could find no record of any other state having so many African-American justices on the highest court at one time, even during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. (Judge Alston’s promotion, though, would leave the intermediate Court of Appeals without any African-American judges for the first time since 2007.)

Judge Alston was elected to the appeals court in 2009, after serving eight years on the Prince William County Circuit Court.

A graduate of Averett University and North Carolina Central University School of Law, he earlier served three years as a general district court judge in Prince William.

The tiff that opened the door for Judge Alston to move up began July 27, when Gov. McAuliffe publicly named Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Jane Marum Roush to replace Justice Leroy F. Millette, who retired July 31.

The governor selected her from a short list of candidates, who included Judge Alston.

The governor was entitled to temporarily fill the high court vacancy because the General Assembly, which elects judges, was not in session. However, Justice Roush still needed to be confirmed by the legislature at its next session or she would have to step down.

At the time, Gov. McAuliffe seemed certain the General Assembly would approve the highly respected Judge Roush to a full 12-year term when it next convened, possibly at the special session.

After all, Judge Roush spent 22 years on the Fairfax court and presided with distinction over numerous high-profile cases, including the trial of notorious sniper Lee Boyd Malvo. And she had been recommended to the governor by Delegate David B. Albo, R-Springfield, chair of the House Courts of Justice Committee, which hands judicial selections for the lower house.

Also, the legislature traditionally has gone along with the governor’s choice. State records show the legislature last removed a seated Supreme Court justice in 1900.

So Judge Roush resigned from the Fairfax Circuit Court and was sworn in last weekend. The Supreme Court showed its certainty she would be permanent by posting on the court website that she would serve until July 31, 2027, even though she was not yet confirmed. That posting was still on the site Wednesday.

But all of that certainty went out the window last weekend with the press release from Speaker Howell and Sen. Norment stating that the Republican House and Senate caucuses had met and had decided to elect Judge Alston.

“Judge Alston has the experience to be an outstanding addition to the Supreme Court of Virginia,” Speaker Howell noted.

“While several great candidates were considered, Judge Alston’s experience on the Court of Appeals and his service as a chief judge for the 31st Circuit (Prince William) makes him ideally suited for this vacancy.”

The statement also noted Judge Alston was endorsed by four lawyers’ groups, including the Virginia State and Old Dominion bar associations.

While Justice Roush was considered, Judge Alston had more support, the leaders stated. “It is our intention to elect him at the special session,” they stated, assuming it is held as scheduled Because Republicans hold majorities in both the House and the Senate, party members rule in judicial selections when they stick together. The governor cannot veto a person both houses approve.

Clearly upset, the governor told the Free Press he ran “an open process and took input from many legislators” before choosing Justice Roush. That included Delegates Albo and Gregory D. Hadeeb, R-Salem.

“To have GOP leaders fire a qualified nominee in a political temper tantrum over process is less than Virginians deserve,” the governor stated. “This does not send a good message to women around the commonwealth.”

According to his office, Gov. McAuliffe was not told about this “purely political action until shortly before the (press) release went out in the middle of the night.”

Speaking on background, a Republican insider said the governor brought this on himself.

While he worked with Republicans to craft a budget and avoid a deficit, Gov. McAuliffe has upset the fragile harmony with his recent failure to consult with the Republican leadership on important actions, the insider told the Free Press.

Speaker Howell and others already were miffed that Gov. McAuliffe called the Aug. 17 special session on congressional redistricting without any consultation, the source said. The Republicans had requested the federal court extend the deadline to redraw the lines until mid-November, but the court rejected that request Wednesday.

According to the insider, the governor and his staff added fuel when he did not clear his choice for the Virginia Supreme Court with Speaker Howell and Sen. Norment, both of whom have since confirmed they were not consulted.

Failing to consult with Sen. Norment, who is co-chair of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee that also plays a big role in judicial selections, “was a big mistake,” the source said. “Sen. Norment is not someone you ignore. He is tough, he is mean and he’s going to make you pay.”

The governor’s reliance on Delegate Albo’s recommendation also showed some political naiveté, the insider said. “Delegate Albo is not in the leadership. He does not speak for the (Republican) caucus.”

‘Golden Girl’ returns home an Olympic hero in bocce Continued from A1

tennis and volleyball.

Mrs. Davis was the oldest member of the U.S. team’s 491-athlete delegation. She also was one of the shortest at well under 5 feet. Plus, she’s missing two fingers on her left hand — her non-throwing hand — as a result of a long-ago workshop accident.

“Don’t bother me,” she said of her missing digits. “I can cook. I can sweep.

I can do anything I want.”

Mrs. Davis had a front-row seat at the inspiring, nationally televised opening ceremonies July 26 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where singer Stevie Wonder performed and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed athletes from around the globe.

During the ceremonies, many of Mrs. Davis’ friends spotted her on TV during the long, emotional procession of athletes around the coliseum track.

“My feet got so sore, doing all that walking,” Mrs. Davis said. “I got blisters. I had to put Band-Aids on them to play bocce.”

Mrs. Davis and her husband have been competing in bocce for years. They were introduced to the sport by Karen Koch, a longtime area Special Olympics volunteer.

The couple also bowls with their son, Tom, a popular disc jockey at Chesterfield County functions.

Mrs. Davis qualified for the World Games by winning the Area 6 championship in Chesterfield and securing a state title in Virginia Beach.

Prior to the world competition, she was flown to Indianapolis in October, where the Special Olympics USA coaching staff helped her polish her game.

“Bocce is a sport where age doesn’t make much difference,” said U.S. bocce Coach Barb Rolf. “Mary’s our oldest athlete, but you’d never guess she was that old. She sure doesn’t show it. She plays very well.”

At home, Mrs. Davis practices bocce each Sunday with a host of friends.

“We go to church” at Chester United Methodist. “We go to eat. Then we go to a school to play bocce,” she said.

The Davises also reside in an apartment complex in Western Chesterfield County that has its own bocce court.

“I have my own bocce balls,” she noted.

Mrs. Davis is quick to credit her success to her counselor, Keisha Walker, who provides most of her transportation, along with everyone associated with Special Olympics who made the once-in-a-lifetime experience possible.

According to Rick Jeffrey, president of Special Olympics Virginia, the cost per athlete for the cross-country, 10-day trip was about $5,000.

“We raised all of it through different kinds of fundraisers,” Mr. Jeffrey said.

“Some came from foundations, private donors and the various law enforcement agencies have been so good to help.”

Mrs. Davis is grateful and appreciative.

She says it over and over with kind words, but mostly with a twinkle in her brown eyes and a genuine smile.

Richmond’s newest “golden girl” never stops smiling, even if her feet are killing her.

City cop shot, man killed in gunfight Wednesday Continued from A1

The dead man has not been identified.

The officer, who also has not been identified, was rushed to VCU Medical Center. Preliminary reports indicated he was shot in the arm. Police said his injuries are not lifethreatening.

Police Chief Alfred Durham and Mayor Dwight C. Jones visited the officer at the hospital. “Chief says officer will be okay,” according to a tweet on the department’s Twitter feed.

Another officer was reported injured while driving to the shooting. The officer’s vehicle struck a sidewalk and a pole at Broad and Lombardy streets and flipped over. That officer also was taken to VCU Medical Center for treatment.

Richmond Free Press

August 6-8, 2015

A5

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A6 August 6-8, 2015

Local News

Food, fun and games for National Night Out Hundreds of people gathered for food, fun and games at the National Night Out event Tuesday night at the Southside Community Center and Sports Complex, 6255 Old Warwick Road. It was one of dozens of events throughout Metro Richmond and across the nation held during the annual August event, which is designed to strengthen ties between citizens and law enforcement. Left, Ayah Yates, 4, shows her delight as she interacts with Care Bear. Top right, City Council President Michelle R. Mosby, 9th District, helps distribute backpacks filled with school supplies to audience members. Right, children learn how to perform CPR as the song “Stayin’ Alive” from the motion picture “Saturday Night Fever” plays in the background.

Photos by James Haskins/ Richmond Free Press

Double-dipping still a practice in city schools

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Double-dipping is still in vogue in Richmond Public Schools, even though the practice of paying retirees extra money to fill vacancies has been loudly criticized.

The most recent examples: The hiring of Dr. Beverly Braxton and Dr. Howard Hopkins as temporary principals at $50 per hour.

Dr. Braxton was hired as interim principal at Thomas Jefferson High School on July 1, and since then was switched to serving as a temporary assistant principal at $40 an hour, according to school system spokesman Richard D. Davis.

Dr. Hopkins also started July 1 as interim principal at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Mr. Davis confirmed. Dr. Hopkins is now assisting the new principal, Derrick Scarborough, who arrived July 23.

A Virginia native and graduate of Liberty University, Mr. Scarborough has been a teacher and school administrator for more than 30 years and has served as a middle school principal for 13 of the past 15 years, according to an RPS announcement.

Most recently, he was principal of Linkhorne Middle School in Lynchburg.

In response to a Free Press query, Mr. Davis insisted that

Superintendent Dana T. Bedden “and his leadership team have moved away from … excessive reliance” on retirees to temporarily fill vacancies in principalships and other administrative positions.

However, in the most recent 12 instances in the past two years, Mr. Davis acknowledged retirees mostly filled the posts.

In four instances, assistant principals were promoted to principals.

But in the eight remaining cases, Mr. Davis acknowledged that retirees were used.

In two instances, retired Chesterfield County administrators temporarily filled posts, he stated. In the other six instances, Mr. Davis stated that either Dr. Hopkins or Dr. Braxton were appointed to fill in.

He noted that Dr. Hopkins’ role as temporary principal ended with the appointment of Mr. Scarborough, though in a separate statement, he stated that Dr. Hopkins is staying on to help during the transition.

In the case of Dr. Braxton, Mr. Davis stated that she was assigned to temporarily lead Thomas Jefferson after the person offered the principal post declined the appointment and other candidates pulled out even as the previous principal, Candace Veney-Chaplin, moved to her new principal post at

‘Dialogue’ pages create feedback for School Board

By Joey Matthews

Richmond Public Schools wants to make it easier for parents, students, teachers and the public to ask School Board members questions, make suggestions, express concerns or compliment their work — and get responses in a timely manner.

The initiative, known as “Let’s Talk,” is likely to be posted on the homepage of the RPS website in the next few weeks, according to schools officials.

“As soon as they’re ready, we’re ready,” Superintendent Dana T. Bedden said of School Board members at Monday night’s board meeting at Huguenot High School on South Side.

Kimberly B. “Kim” Gray, 2nd District, sounded thrilled about having another

tool with which to communicate with her constituents.

“Anything that helps us get information to our constituents is a plus,” she said.

Dr. Bedden said it will cost the district about $90,000 to implement the program.

The superintendent said it is designed to support the board’s constituent services policy approved last November.

Dr. Bedden told board members the program’s aim is to improve communications with the public and to make RPS more transparent and accountable to those it serves.

The system is designed to “monitor the pulse of the community,” according to program developer K12 Insight, a Herndonbased consulting firm that is training board members using the system.

To navigate the system, users will be able to go online and click on the board member they wish to contact.

That will lead to the board member’s individual homepage, where a list of options is available to submit comments and questions.

Users can submit their names or post anonymously.

After users send the submissions that are called “dialogues,” board members will respond within three business days, Dr. Bedden said.

Each page will be autonomous to each board member, K12Insight staff told board members. The only other people who will have access to answer queries, they said, will be School Board Clerk Angela Lewis and Executive Assistant Tonya Friend.

Former School Board member mounts campaign to oust principal Continued from A1

liams took over as principal after being transferred from his previous principalship at G.H. Reid Elementary.

“We need to do better for our children,” said Mr. Malone, who has two grandchildren who previously attended the school.

Mr. Malone represented the East End on the School Board for eight years before stepping down to make an unsuccessful bid in 2006 for a City Council seat.

During Mr. Williams’ three-year tenure at Blackwell, Mr. Malone notes that the school has gone from full accreditation to accredited with warning because of low student pass rates on state Standards of Learning tests for English, math, history and science.

Mr. Malone also blames Mr. Williams for failing to ensure the school is well maintained. Mr. Malone talks about broken exhaust vents that create a stink in the boys’ bathroom, unclean vents in the cafeteria, dirty floors, unmowed grass and untrimmed trees and shrubs.

“This is a community school and it should be a model,” said Mr. Malone, who bought a home in the neighborhood eight years ago.

“If this school does not improve, it

impacts the price of real estate. It impacts the entire community,” he told the School Board. “People won’t move here with their children” if the school “has gone down the pits.”

Dr. Jones, who said he pays attention to community concerns as a School Board member, does not agree with Mr. Malone’s conclusions and believes he is exaggerating and misrepresenting the situation.

Dr. Jones stated to the Free Press that he has “investigated Mr. Malone’s concerns and have found nothing to corroborate his accusations.”

“I have walked through Blackwell and speak with Mr. Williams frequently. His stewardship of the building, staff and students is commendable,” he said.

“This campaign by Mr. Malone to have one of our better principals removed is unfounded, and I disagree with his petition,” Dr. Jones stated. “Why would we allow kids to stay in a dirty and unsanitary building?

We wouldn’t, and we simply don’t.”

As far as the results on the state Standards of Learning tests are concerned, “we continue to see incremental improvement at Blackwell,” he stated. “Finally, standardized test scores are not the only indicator of success. Staff morale is up, the students are excited about learning and

many parents support Mr. Williams. Why would I push to remove him?”

Richard Davis, spokesman for Richmond Public Schools, indicated that Dr. Bedden and the executive director for elementary schools, Dr. Anthony Leonard, also believe that Blackwell is showing academic improvement under Mr. Williams’ leadership.

That, he said, “is evidenced by an 18 percentage point gain last year in the student pass rate on SOL tests for English and a 7 percentage point gain in the student pass rate on the SOL test for math.”

In 2013, only 41 percent of Blackwell’s tested students passed the English SOL test, compared with 59 percent in 2014, or still well below the 75 percent pass rate the state requires for accreditation.

In math, Blackwell’s pass rate rose from 51 percent of students in 2013 to 58 percent in 2014, but still well shy of the 70 percent pass rate needed for full accreditation.

Mr. Davis indicated that Mr. Malone’s concerns about the school have some merit.

Mr. Davis said Assistant Superintendent Thomas Kranz is aware of problems with the 17-year-old school’s physical condition and is considering options to improve the school within budget constraints.

Open High School.

Mr. Davis stated as the search continues at Thomas Jefferson for a new principal, assistant principal Darrin Thompson has been moved up to serve as interim principal, with Dr. Braxton reassigned as a temporary assistant principal.

Dr. Hopkins retired more than 12 years ago, but since then has served repeatedly as a principal of numerous schools, most notably at Richmond Community High. Dr. Braxton also has held other positions since her retirement, including as interim director of instruction.

Members of the School Board repeatedly have questioned the practice of double-dipping, which was far more extensive during the tenure of former Superintendent Yvonne W. Brandon. During her tenure, more than 30 retirees filled vacancies.

Shonda Harris-Muhammed, who represents the 6th District on the School Board, expressed surprise after learning from a reporter that Dr. Hopkins had been serving as interim principal at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School since the departure of previous principal Rickie G. Hopkins, no relation. The school is located in her district.

“The superintendent did not inform me that Howard Hopkins was there at MLK,” she stated. “So to a degree, that does bother me.”

Delays still plague Bon Secours’ East End expansion Continued from A1

Mr. Bernard contractually committed Bon Secours to the East End hospital project as part of the D.C. team training camp agreement with the city.

Bon Secours agreed to add at least 25,000 square feet of medical space around Richmond Community Hospital as part of its training camp sponsorship deal with the city, first announced in October 2012.

At an economic summit in Chuch Hill in June 2014, Mr. Bernard told the Free Press he expected groundbreaking on the project before the end of 2014.

As of this week, all that currently sits at 2600 Nine Mile Road, the site touted as the future home of the Bon Secours Center for Healthy Communities, are a crumbling former gas station and car wash once known as F.L. Parsley Gas Co. Three blue Bon Secours banners have hung at the site for months, promising, “Good help is coming soon.”

And it appears the blighted property will remain that way for the foreseeable future. Nearly a year and a half after gaining the authorization from its board of commissioners to sell more than a dozen parcels of land to Bon Secours along the Nine Mile Road corridor for the project, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has yet to complete the transfer to Bon Secours, according to RRHA spokesperson Valena Dixon.

“RRHA has not transferred (all) the parcels to Bon Secours as work continues on a development plan for the Nine Mile Road properties,” Ms. Dixon told the Free Press in response to a query.

While Mr. Bernard did not respond to a Free Press query about the lengthy project delay, Michael Robinson, Bon Secours Virginia’s senior vice president of operations whose role includes overseeing Richmond Community Hospital, told the Free Press at Wednesday’s playground announcement, “There are still some property issues to be worked through, but most are resolved. I think we’re making great progress.”

Cynthia I. Newbille, whose 7th District encompasses the Nine Mile Road project, said, “I’m looking at digging dirt (at the site) before the end of the year.”

Mr. Robinson said the entire project will include a community resource center at the site of the former gas station and car wash, a park, as well as outpatient medical offices. He said Bon Secours also hopes to have a grocery store near the hospital as part of the expansion plan.

On Wednesday, Bon Secours officials joined Washington NFL team owner Daniel Snyder, Mayor Dwight C. Jones and Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden to mark groundbreaking on the state’s first Play 60 Playground.

Bon Secours is donating $50,000 in partnering with the Washington team’s charitable foundation to build the $150,000 playground to be located at 2535 Fairfield Ave. behind Woodville Elementary School.

Project officials call it a state-of-the-art playground made of AstroTurf that combines elements of the NFL Combine and the American Ninja Warrior TV show. The facility will have activity stations including a 40-yard dash with a timing device, ninja steps, floating boards, a U-turn ramp and traverse walls.

Richmond Free Press

August 6-8, 2015

A7

News

Ticket in N.C. leads to license suspension in Va.

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Horace G. Dodd has a warning for Richmond motorists heading South: Do not get a traffic ticket in North Carolina.

The 68-year-old South Side resident found out the hard way that North Carolina has turned traffic tickets into a major source of revenue.

He was fined $283 after ultimately being convicted of having a car with improper or faulty equipment — more than seven times the $36 fine a Richmond traffic court would impose.

And his refusal to pay led to the initial suspension of his Virginia driver’s license under a reciprocity agreement between Virginia and North Carolina.

However, after a Free Press inquiry, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles lifted the suspension Wednesday and restored his privilege to drive.

License suspension for failure to pay traffic tickets is not uncommon, according to DMV. DMV suspends the licenses of more than 10,000 Virginia motorists each year for failing to pay a traffic ticket in another state, agency data shows.

DMV has agreements with 44 states that provide for such suspensions, and those states suspend licenses of their residents who fail to pay Virginia traffic tickets.

The only states that are not part of the reciprocity agreement are Alaska, California, Michigan, Montana, Oregon and Wisconsin — and Virginians who fail to pay tickets in those states will not lose their license to drive in the commonwealth. Virginia also does not have a reciprocity agreement with the District of Columbia, according to DMV information.

DMV, however, states the reciprocity agreement applies only to moving violations such as speeding or failure to signal a turn. An agency spokeswoman stated that DMV does not suspend licenses for failure to pay out-ofstate parking tickets or citations for improper or faulty equipment.

Mr. Dodd’s license was suspended after North Carolina notified Virginia of his failure to pay the fine for the original citation for speeding, but the North Carolina authorities did not men-

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Horace G. Dodd shows off his newly restored driver’s license. Virginia DMV had suspended his license in June for failing to pay a North Carolina traffic ticket. The license was restored after a Free Press inquiry led DMV to investigate and determine the suspension was not appropriate.

tion that Mr. Dodd’s actual conviction was for improper equipment.

After the Free Press asked DMV to explain why Mr. Dodd’s license was suspended for improper equipment, DMV investigated and changed its mind about honoring North Carolina’s request for the suspension.

Mr. Dodd said he was pulled over by a police officer in Greensboro, N.C., last November while doing a favor for his brother, John Dodd, a Richmond used car dealer. He was driving a 2007 BMW from Florida to his brother’s lot when he was stopped.

He said he had just gotten past an accident that had backed up traffic for three miles on Interstate 85. “I noticed a black SUV a short distance ahead stopped in the middle of the highway. The cars ahead of me were driving around the SUV, and as I drove around it, it pulled behind me with lights flashing.”

He said the officer stated that “my camera caught you doing 87 miles per hour,” though Mr. Dodd called that impossible. He said he had just returned to 60 mph after the traffic accident and had slowed to get around the officer’s vehicle.

The officer wrote a ticket citing Mr. Dodd

for driving 80 mph in a 65 mph zone. “I told him he was lying, and that I would be going to court,” Mr. Dodd said.

When he returned to North Carolina for court on Jan. 5, Mr. Dodd said he learned he was expected to pay off his ticket and that he would have to come back again if he wanted to contest the ticket.

“It was too much,” Mr. Dodd said. “I am on dialysis. I just didn’t have the energy” to return.

So, he was tried in his absence on Jan. 10, but not for speeding. Instead, the charge was reduced from traveling 15 miles over the speed limit to improper equipment. The improper equipment was never specified, and Mr. Dodd claims the charge was as bogus as the speeding charge.

“The car was in perfect condition,” he said.

Mr. Dodd was shocked by the cost. According to the Guilford County Traffic Court, which handles traffic offenses in Greensboro, the $283 cost imposed on Mr. Dodd included a mandatory $50 fine for improper equipment, an additional $25 fine imposed by the court and a $20 fee because he did not pay immediately.

That accounts for $95 of the bill.

The remaining $188 included a laundry list of fees. Those fees included $127.05 to support the traffic court, a $2.45 fee to support legal aid and a $12 fee to support the magistrate’s office.

There also was a $4 fee to support a court phone system; an $18 fee to support the lockup for people with misdemeanors; a $7.50 fee to support pension and benefits funds for law enforcement officers and sheriffs; a $2 fee to support training and certification of officers; a $10 fee to the state; and a $5 arrest fee.

Mr. Dodd never sent in a payment.

North Carolina notified Virginia’s DMV about the unpaid ticket a few months later. Mr. Dodd was notified June 3 that his license was suspended.

He expressed relief and gratitude that he’ll legally be able to drive again. “This has been a big hardship for me. I’m just glad it’s over.

One thing is certain: I will not be going back to North Carolina.”

GRTC workers strike deal on new contract

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

GRTC bus drivers and mechanics have approved a new contract that will boost their pay $1.10 an hour over the three-year life of the agreement, or an average of 2.2 percent.

Both the transit company’s management and the union representing about 285 hourly workers are hailing the agreement that followed 10 months of quiet, but tough negotiations.

Under the deal, by spring 2017, beginning pay for bus drivers would reach $14.88 an hour and top pay would hit $22.30 an hour, according to the union.

The current range is $13.78 an hour to $21.20 an hour. Most workers already are at the top of the scale as it only takes three to four years to reach top pay, according to the union.

The announcement of a deal last Friday came two weeks after GRTC employees voted to authorize a strike if a deal could not be reached.

The new agreement is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2014, and provides for pay increases every six months for the GRTC workers. The workers would receive a total increase of 32 cents an hour in the first year, 37 cents an hour next year and 41 cents an hour in the final year.

The key to the agreement, according to Frank Tunstall III, president of and business agent for Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1220, involved health insurance premiums. The deal was reached when GRTC backed off its

demand that workers pay a bigger share of the premium cost.

David Green, GRTC’s chief executive officer, expressed relief that an amicable agreement could be reached.

He noted that GRTC is struggling to maintain service amid funding challenges, Mr. Tunstall including a 9 percent decline in state support. Richmond also did not provide any increase in its subsidy to help cover rising costs. Falling diesel fuel prices, which are projected to save the company $1 million a year beginning in 2016, have been one of the few bright spots.

For GRTC, the company’s dependence on annual government subsidies that can vary creates “uncertainty and instability for (the company’s) funding structure” and makes it harder to “contractually commit to wage and benefit improvements” for its workers.

GRTC is hoping that a new ticket structure that becomes effective in October to provide for unlimited daily, weekly and monthly rides for a higher price could boost ticket revenue.

The company also is hoping that it can boost ridership through bus rapid transit service that is to start in 2017 and create faster trips along

Broad Street.

As for the union, Mr. Tunstall said his members “are pleased with the agreement.”

He said the union’s negotiating team sought to look out for the members, but also wanted to avoid demands that ultimately would damage the company’s ability to operate.

However, the new contract does not cover the 114 full- and part-time employees who operate the vans in GRTC’s C-VAN employment and CARE paratransit services.

Those employees work for MV Transportation,

a private vendor GRTC has hired. MV Transportation and Local 1220 are still in negotiations over wage increases and health insurance for those employees, Mr. Tunstall said.

Pay for those drivers currently ranges from $9.25 to $12.55 an hour. However, those workers also have to pay the lion’s share of their health insurance premiums, which most cannot afford.

“We’re still trying to reach a compromise,” Mr. Tunstall said. “We’re hoping the company will be more reasonable.”

GRTC offers unlimited pass during bike races GRTC is offering a special bus pass for unlimited rides during the UCI Road World Championships bicycle races next month, the transit company has announced.

The passes are valid Sept. 18 through Sept. 28, GRTC officials state on their website.

“Connect as much as you want, anywhere you want, on any route using this special bus pass,” they add.

The passes also will enable riders to travel to GRTC destinations such as King’s Dominion and Petersburg via express routes.

The passes will cost $35 and will go on sale Friday, Aug. 21, at select regular vendors, at Ride Finders, in select hotels and during the bike races at the FanFest in the Greater Richmond Convention Center and at the Transfer Plaza, GRTC states.

A limited number of passes will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, according to GRTC. For more information: www.ridegrtc.com/planning-your-trip/uci-worlds. — JOEY MATTHEWS

Bland family files lawsuit against Texas officials The Associated Press

HOUSTON The family of an African-American woman found dead in a Texas jail three days after a confrontation with a white state trooper filed a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday against the officer and other officials, saying it was a last resort after being unable to get enough information about the case.

Sandra Bland, a Chicago-area woman, died from what authorities say was suicide in her Waller County jail cell on July 13. Her family and others previously questioned that, and criticized the trooper who stopped her for failing to signal a lane change.

“The bottom line is she never should have been inside the jail cell. Period,” Ms. Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, said at a news conference.

Mrs. Reed-Veal, her Bible within reach, said she was confident her daughter “knew enough about Jesus” that she wouldn’t hang herself, and her feelings as a mother say her daughter didn’t. But “anything is possible,” she said.

“Now I’m the first one to tell you, if the facts ... show without a doubt that that was the case, I’ll have to be prepared to deal with that,” she said.

Ms. Bland’s death chological injury or harm, came after nearly a year and that she was placed in of heightened national a cell “with a variety of scrutiny of police and inappropriate items for a their dealings with Afjail cell, including a large rican-Americans, espegarbage can, garbage bags, cially those who have exposed beams, cords, and been killed by officers or other items.” die in police custody.

An autopsy determined The lawsuit, with that Ms. Bland hanged Mrs. Reed-Veal as plainherself from a partition tiff, seeks unspecified in the cell with a garbage punitive damages “for bag. Her family previously Ms. Bland egregious acts and omishas said she was looking sions” by Trooper Brian Encinia, the forward to a new job at Prairie View Texas Department of Public Safety, A&M University.

Waller County, the sheriff’s office “In the face of Sandy being the and two jail employees. light that she was, it is very difficult Ms. Bland was in Prairie View, for them to get their minds around the northwest of Houston, when she was notion that she would hurt herself,” stopped July 10 for a minor traffic said Cannon Lambert, the family’s atinfraction. Dashcam video shows the torney. “At the same time, this family confrontation swiftly escalated after is aware of the possibility.” she objected to being told to put out Mr. Lambert said the family’s own her cigarette. Trooper Encinia at one autopsy has been delayed by missing point is seen holding a stun gun as he information from authorities, and that says, “I will light you up!” after Ms. information the family has received Bland refuses to get out of her car. from law enforcement has been inMs. Bland eventually was arrested for consistent. allegedly assaulting the trooper.

“We don’t have the gastric content The lawsuit contends Trooper information. We don’t have the ligaEncinia falsified the assault allegation ture. We don’t have the police reports. to take Ms. Bland into custody, that Candidly, we don’t really know the Waller County jail personnel failed time of death,” he said. to keep her safe and free from psyMr. Lambert also called on the

Department of Justice to launch its own investigation, saying the case needs a fresh and unbiased look.

“This family’s motivation is that they don’t want to see this sort of thing happen again to another family,” Mr. Lambert said.

Since her death, authorities have released the findings of Ms. Bland’s autopsy, her arrest affidavit, an initial toxicology report, surveillance video showing her in the jail, her jail intake records and the dash camera video.

The intake records include a questionnaire filled out for Ms. Bland that states she had tried to kill herself in the last year by taking pills after losing a baby. The autopsy also showed no injuries consistent with a violent homicide, and noted Ms. Bland had about 30 cuts on her wrist that were probably self-inflicted in the weeks before her arrest.

Mr. Lambert said the family needs to know what was done to try to help her.

The lawsuit says the Department of Public Safety failed to properly train Trooper Encinia, that Waller County jail personnel failed to properly monitor Ms. Bland “to keep her safe and secure,” and that the county inadequately trained jail employees on how to handle inmates who are potentially suicidal.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards already has cited the jail over some of these matters, including that guards failed to observe Ms. Bland in-person at least once every hour.

Larry Simmons, an attorney for Waller County, said the county would soon file a response to the lawsuit “and our court filings will clearly articulate the county’s legal position in this matter.”

“The county expresses its sympathy to Sandra Bland’s family,” Mr. Simmons said. “We look forward to presenting all the evidence to the court, in the context of the applicable standards for civil liability, and intend to vigorously defend the case.”

The Department of Public Safety said in a statement it had not received notice of the lawsuit “and we do not discuss potential or pending litigation.”

Mr. Lambert expressed dismay that Trooper Encinia remains on administrative leave rather than being fired. The trooper, on the force for just over a year, has been placed on leave for violating unspecified police procedures and the department’s courtesy policy.

“We are asking for bold, decisive action,” Mr. Lambert added. “The fact that it hasn’t happened yet is a frustrating thing.”

Richmond Free Press

Zinnia in Church Hill

Editorial Page

A8

August 6-8, 2015

Stormwater trouble A year ago, Mayor Dwight C. Jones told the Free Press he would work with Richmond Public Schools to resolve its then unpaid $1.1 million bill for stormwater control.

“We’ll work out a payment plan and then take care of it in the next budget cycle,” the mayor said blithely.

Apparently, he and his administration got so busy thinking about a baseball stadium, a children’s hospital and an international bike race, that item just slipped through the cracks.

So a few months ago, when Mayor Jones introduced his spending plan for city operations and support of public schools, his budget team didn’t earmark any money for the school system to pay the outstanding stormwater bill and clear its debt to the Department of Public Utilities.

As you may recall, Mayor Jones boasted he was increasing money for schools, although most of the $2.1 million in new funds was designed to cover the school system’s increased cost for resuming responsibility for a truancy prevention program the city previously operated.

Meanwhile, the stormwater debt got no mention as City Council members revamped the mayor’s budget to steer $9 million in additional operating funds to RPS. Nor was the stormwater bill mentioned when the School Board approved the final version of its budget in early June.

So once again, this bill has surfaced, and the city again is demanding payment from the school system, just as the city auditor urged in an audit on the stormwater program issued June 15. The city wants RPS to pay at least half the bill, which has now grown to more than $1.2 million.

It’s a ridiculous problem. This is about shifting city tax dollars from one pocket to another — from city coffers to city schools to city public utilities. But it’s a real problem for schools, which has set its budget based on its appropriation from the city and already has made cuts to come into balance.

It’s true the school system is supposed to set aside money to pay off its stormwater debt, which has grown since 2010, when RPS stopped paying anything.

Every property owner is required to pay a stormwater bill to help support the city’s stormwater utility. That includes churches, the state and federal governments — and schools. The city uses the money to meet a federal mandate to control the runoff from rain and, thus, reduce the flow of pollution into streams, the James River and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. This should have been an easy fix for a mayor who has been in office six and a half years. The finance wizards for the city and the school system just needed to sit down and work out a payment plan.

We are surprised and disappointed that this simple bit of business was left undone.

But then, this administration still has not completed the audit of the city books for fiscal year 2014, 13 months after the books were closed on that spending cycle.

Perhaps we are expecting too much.

GOP debate Get the popcorn and drinks ready.

The first Republican presidential primary debate will be broadcast 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6.

We urge Free Press readers to tune in. We have no doubt this highly publicized event featuring 10 of the Republican Party’s top contenders will be the GOP version of “Comic Con 2016” — some believe they are superheroes, others exist in an alternative universe and many are just plain goofy.

With reality TV star Donald “You’re Fired!” Trump leading the pack in the polls and set to take center stage, literally, at the debate, we’ll let you decide who’s in which category.

Nonetheless, we believe it’s important to watch — and listen to — the candidates and what they say about policy, practice and vision for this country’s future. They are in a position to influence our lives.

Moreover, the event offers a benchmark by which we can judge each candidate as we get closer to decision time in 2016.

Already we have seen the views of some of the Republican candidates shift — even waffle — on climate change following last weekend’s California resort retreat by the Pacific Ocean held by the conservative, multibillionaire Koch brothers with five of the candidates and 450 of Charles and David Koch’s affluent “friends,” aka donors.

The Koch brothers, through their Freedom Partners network, are on the road to raising $889 million, which largely will be funneled to support presidential candidates through Americans for Prosperity and a super PAC. This is raising eyebrows and neck hairs, particularly in Republican Party circles, because some view it as an attempt by a cadre of the super rich to form their own conservative party with their own agenda to influence candidates and policy.

For the rest of us, it’s a “watch what happens” lesson in how big, bigger and biggest money influences politics, particularly in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 debacle of a decision in Citizens United.

The decision allows outside groups, such as those run by the Koch brothers, to raise and spend money in support of candidates without having to identify the donors.

While individuals donating directly to a candidate’s campaign are limited to $2,700, there is no limit to how much an individual can give to nonprofits and outside groups that support candidates.

That’s what makes the GOP candidates so interesting to watch as they bend to the influence of the Koch brothers and an elite group with nearly limitless wealth. It holds true for the Democratic candidates seeking to become president, as well.

The New York Times reported last week that fewer than 400 families are responsible for nearly half the money raised thus far in the 2016 presidential campaign.

The latest finance records filed with the Federal Election Commission show that Republican Jeb Bush reported raising $11.4 million. Yet $108.5 million was raised by super PACs aligned with him. And just 3 percent of the $11.4 million directly raised by his campaign came from donors contributing less than $200.

By comparison, Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign reported raising $47.5 million, while $20.3 million has been raised by super PACs aligned with her. And 17 percent of her $47.5 million came from contributions less than $200.

These are sobering figures, particularly for the average person.

And it shows the value of actively studying the candidates and the issues, watching debates, voicing your opinion and working — really working — for the candidate who supports your views.

More importantly, it shows the value of your vote. Money may talk, but your vote speaks even louder.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Real need for Voting Rights Act Aug. 6 marks the 50th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson signing the 1965 Voting Rights Act into law. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization cofounded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will hold a Call to Action Rally at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Martin Luther King Memorial on the National Mall.

The NAACP hopes to cap its Selma, Ala. to Washington relay march, called America’s Journey for Justice, in the nation’s capital Sept. 16.

Considered among the most far-reaching legislation in history, the 1965 Voting Rights Act removed many of the impediments to voting created by cities, counties and states that prevented many African-Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th Amendment to the Constitution.

“Only in the wake of the Voting Rights Act did black voter registration in the South begin to approach that of whites,” the Joint Center said in a report titled, “50 Years of The Voting Rights Act: The

State of Race in Politics.” It continued, “Five years after the passage of the Act, the racial gap in voter registration in the former Confederate states had closed to single digits. By the start of the 1970s, the black/ white registration gap across the

George E. Curry Southern states was little more than 8 percentage points.”

In four of the 12 presidential elections since 1964, black voters have turned out at higher rates that their white counterparts, according to the Joint Center. And the number of black elected officials has increased from less than 1,000 in 1965 to more than 10,000 in 2015, including the election of President Obama.

While properly appreciating the accomplishments of the Voting Rights Act, we should not lose sight of the challenges that lie ahead.

“Since the 2010 election, 21 states have new laws making it harder to vote — ranging from photo ID requirements to early voting cutbacks to registration restrictions — and 15 states will have them in place for the first time in a presidential election in 2016. Those 15 states are Alabama, Indiana, Kansas,

Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin,” according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. Many of these bills were introduced in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder.

On June 25, 2013, the court invalidated Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, the provision determining which jurisdictions are required to pre-clear any voting changes with a federal judge or the U.S. Justice Department because of a history of racial discrimination.

To repair the court’s damage, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., took the lead in introducing a bill that would, among other things, require states and municipalities with a history of repeated voting violations to pre-clear any election law changes with the Justice Department or a federal judge in Washington, just as had been the case before the Supreme Court’s recent action.

Of course, African-Americans must also continue to fight against regressive changes at the state level.

Mobilizing for ‘Justice’ march When Minister Louis Farrakhan issues a sacred clarion call for a national and international mobilization for justice, freedom and equality, millions of people across America and throughout the world respond with responsive enthusiasm and energy. Such was the case in response to the minister’s call for the Million Man March in Washington, 20 years ago.

I believe that history will be made once again on Oct. 10 in Washington.

Minister Farrakhan boldly has issued a new call: “Justice Or Else” mobilization on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March on the National Mall. The minister asserted, “On 10.10.15, let’s show the world our unity.”

Our demand for justice will be a united demand. It will be an unequivocal demand for equal justice.

Without hesitation or fear, I made a decision to join Minister Farrakhan in 1995 to help him organize and mobilize the historic Million Man March as its national director. Being an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, I knew God continues to bless Minister Farrakhan uniquely with the

vision and mission to redeem and empower Black Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans and all others who struggle for a better quality of life in America and throughout the world.

At four times the size of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the Million

Benjamin Chavis Jr. Man March is believed to have been the largest march ever on the nation’s capital. I believe that God hears and answers the prayers of people and communities that cry out for justice.

Today, we must organize and mobilize again with renewed vigor and determination.

Almost every day we hear and learn of another fatal act of racially motivated police brutality and misconduct that leaves our families and communities in great sorrow, grief and anger.

As president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, I get the daily reports and news feeds about the growing systematic injustices in the United States from our 206 African-American-owned newspapers based in every region of the nation.

We are the trusted voice of black America and I am telling you that the suffering cup of patience in black America has run over. The madness of

constant videotaped modern-day lynching of black people in the United States has become intolerable. We are simply not going to take it anymore!

It is providential and a welcome sight to witness the steady growth and development of Justice Or Else MMM 20th Anniversary Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) in every major city. A broad cross section of local community activists from the NAACP, the National Urban League, National Action Network, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Latino and Native American organizations and many others are joining with Nation of Islam organizers and officials to build a strong national network of LOCs. These organizing committees are actively reserving and chartering buses in preparation for the journey to Washington.

If you would like to help establish a LOC in your local community, and for updated accurate information, go to www.JusticeOrElse.com.

Our togetherness and our unity and our determination to demand justice for all will be a tremendous turning point in the growing national movement against injustice and wrongdoing.

Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

The Free Press welcomes letters

The Richmond Free Press respects the opinions of its readers. We want to hear from you. We invite you to write the editor. All letters will be considered for publication. Concise, typewritten letters related to public matters are preferred. Also include your telephone number(s). Letters should be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Richmond Free Press, P.O. Box 27709, 422 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23261, or faxed to: (804) 643-7519 or e-mail: letters@richmondfreepress.com.

Any euphoria created by the tremendous gains made since passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act should be tempered by a stark reality cited in the report by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

It noted, “Based on the most recent data, African-Americans are 12.5 percent of the citizen voting age population, but they make up a smaller share of the U.S. House (10 percent), state legislatures (8.5 percent), city councils (5.7 percent), and the U.S. Senate (2 percent).”

A report by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights concluded, “While the VRA has been enormously successful in eliminating some of the most egregious forms of discrimination, the reality is that discrimination in voting remains real and immediate.”

George E. Curry is editor-inchief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service and BlackPressUSA.com.

Richmond Free Press 422 East Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219 Telephone (804) 644-0496 FAX (804) 643-7519 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 27709 Richmond, VA 23261 ______________

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Richmond Free Press

August 6-8, 2015

A9

Letters to the Editor

Voting Rights Act is fundamental The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights in our democracy.

For the past 50 years, the federal Voting Rights Act has helped ensure Americans are not robbed of this critical means of civic participation. The act’s success is evident in the dramatic increase in minorities voting and holding elected office over the past decades.

Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court removed crucial provisions of this law, there is a disturbing trend in many states to shrink access to the ballot box, threatening the right of many Americans to participate in elections.

I remain committed to fully restoring the Voting Rights Act, and I am hopeful that Congress can work in a bipartisan way to give citizens the protections they need to exercise their con-

stitutional right to vote.

SEN. TIM KAINE Washington Sen. Kaine represents the people of the state of Virginia in the U.S. Senate. He is a co-sponsor of the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015.

C.L. Belle’s

Pike statue in D.C. must go

The Confederacy was not the result of a North-South split, but was the creation of an Anglo Masonic conspiracy born on the heels of an American Revolution. It was designed to kill the new American Republic and the ideas of the Declaration of Independence from their infancy.

It was treason.

The Confederacy ran the South as one enormous slave labor camp, a model for Nazi Germany. It destroyed everyone.

The Confederate Constitution outlawed internal improvements (consider our collapsing infrastructure today).

It deleted the concept of “the general

welfare” (consider the denial of national interest today). It was committed to the idea of “free trade,” a policy of the British Empire at the time (consider the “New World Order” policy of global control of trade by NAFTA and GATT today).

And it codified the existence of slave labor (consider the policy of a global cheap labor pool today).

Albert Pike was a Confederate general and supreme grand commander of the Scottish Rite of Freemasons’ Southern Jurisdiction. He also founded the KKK and served as its chief judicial officer.

A statue was built in honor of Mr. Pike

in the 1890s in Washington. It stands in Judiciary Square at 3rd and D streets, northwest, in Washington. It’s a symbol not simply of the past, but of current Confederate justice policies in American courts. Dozens of American city councils from Buffalo to Pittsburgh to Birmingham have called for the removal of the Pike statue because it is time to end the myth of the Confederacy.

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Room for children’s hospital, ballpark on same site Re “Building for Children,” July 30-Aug. 1 edition: Kudos to Free Press writer Jeremy Lazarus for what I consider to be one of the best written and most thoroughly researched articles on the proposed children’s hospital-ballpark scenario that I have read thus far.

Mr. Lazarus does an excellent job connecting all the dots and showing where and how the various interests are aligned.

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New life possible for St. Paul’s?

I recently passed by St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville and saw the auction sign — 135plus acres and 31 buildings for auction. This was depressing.

A few friends and I were chatting and the question came up: Could the closed St. Paul’s College become one of the state’s higher education centers?

In South Boston, there is the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC). It partners with public and private colleges to deliver courses, degree programs and certifications to students in the area. The courses are delivered through the colleges. In essence, SVHEC is a “college broker.”

Another higher education center is in Martinsville and is called the New College.

SVHEC and the New College are now state agencies. Of

course, all of St. Paul’s acreage and buildings may not be needed, but maybe a portion of the property could be surveyed and used.

The St. Paul’s College situation is very difficult, but would it not be a beautiful miracle if some of the college’s identity was kept and it could continue

to educate students, even if in a modified way?

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Richmond Free Press

A10 August 6-8, 2015

Sports

First fans rewarded for camping out at camp

By Joey Matthews

TreVon Cannon, Keshaun Smoot, Marquis Richardson and Daryl Johnson hold a unique record in Washington football training camp lore.

The former Highland Springs High School classmates, athletes and longtime friends have been the first fans inside the D.C. training camp each of its first three years in Richmond.

How have they done it?

Each year, they arrive about 11 o’clock the night before the start of the camp behind the Science Museum of Virginia. They bring beach chairs to sit outside the camp entrance, swapping stories, perusing social media on their cell phones and taking turns making runs to nearby stores for refreshments.

Their persistence has paid dividends.

Their early arrival enables them to stake out a prime position alongside the practice field to watch their favorite team players and to seek autographs.

A Washington team official paid tribute to their loyalty this year with a tweet last Friday that read: “Dedication. These guys have been waiting in line for #SkinsCamp since 11 LAST NIGHT.” “It’s like a tradition to me now,” said Mr. Cannon, 21, who is an emergency medical technician with the Richmond Ambulance Authority. “I always like to be in first, so I can meet every player that I like to see. We get a spot on the 50-yard line. We can see everything from there.”

Courtesy of Marquis Richardson

Longtime friends, left to right, TreVon Cannon, Keshaun Smoot, Marquis Richardson and Daryl Johnson were the first fans into the Washington professional football team’s training camp for three years running.

He brought a hat, towel and football to camp on the first day and got autographs from nose guards Terrance Knighton and Chris Baker and safety Bashaud Breeland.

Mr. Richardson, 21, who works at a nursing home, concurred.

“I love being out there. It’s just the love and support we have for the team. We have a great time talking with other fans and with each other. And everyone’s nice, from the team staff on down,” he said.

He got Breeland and safety Dashon Goldson to sign his football.

Mr. Richardson and Mr. Cannon graduated from Highland Springs in 2012. They were teammates on the Springer basketball team.

Mr. Smoot and Mr. Johnson graduated in 2014. They played with Mr. Cannon on the Highland Springs football team.

Mr. Johnson plays quarterback on the St. Augustine’s University football team. Mr. Smoot attends James Madison University.

The D.C. team led by quarterback Robert Griffin III, aka RGIII, and new head Coach Jay Gruden finished a woeful 4-12 last season.

Mr. Richardson, who attended three games last season, foresees a big turnaround this season.

He predicted the team will finish 12-4.

“You can just see that the team is much more focused this year,” he said. “RGIII looks much better, and I think he will lead the team to a big season.”

‘Pot Roast’ beefs up Washington’s defense

By Fred Jeter

Terrance Knighton came to a crossroads as a 270-pound nose tackle and tight end at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y. Knighton’s coach, Bill Chaplick, suggested these options for his future: He could pass up second helpings of mashed potatoes and gravy, slim down to 250 pounds and concentrate on being a tight end.

Or he could eat all he wanted and play the nose.

It’s obvious the direction Knighton took.

“Hey, I got to college and the food was free,” he said with a laugh.

Now known as “Pot Roast,” Knighton is a 6-foot-3, 331-pound — “before ordering dinner,” he says — free agent nose tackle for the Washington NFL franchise.

He concedes he has rattled the scales at close to 350 pounds in the past, but adamantly denies any “big oaf” references.

“I haven’t always been big like this,” he told the media at the team’s training camp in Richmond.

“People seem surprised when I tell them I used to be a receiver … but I had pretty good hands and pretty good feet.”

Knighton, 29, is one of several free agents signed by Washington that Coach Jay Gruden is counting on to help his struggling team escape from a two-year, 7-25 funk. The team was 4-12 last season.

Knighton, a former second round draft pick out of Temple University, signed a one-year, $4 million contract to wear an XXL-size burgundy and gold uniform. He played previously for Jacksonville and then Denver in the 2013 Super Bowl.

Coach Gruden views Knighton as a potential demolition ball in the middle of the defense. Even on a field full of hulking men, Knighton stands out as the one best suited to block out the sun.

It’s fitting he has a big jersey number to match — No. 98.

“You see how big he is, but you don’t realize how quick his first step is,” said Coach Gruden. “You don’t often see that in a man his size.”

At the NFL combine, Knighton ran the 40-yard dash in 5.22 seconds and in the standing long jump, he jumped 8 feet, 7 inches.

Here’s how Knighton describes his role: “I’m a run stopper. I take up a lot of room. It’s my job to be disruptive.”

Being king-sized has helped Knighton make money on and off the gridiron. He has appeared in several humorous commercials for Bridgestone Tires. In one, a passenger in the car he’s driving says the “tires get up to 80,000 miles.” Knighton counters: “That’s a lot of trips to the grocery store.”

In another, he opens an empty refrigerator and, in a forlorn tone, says, “We’ve got a situation here.”

Knighton is adept at getting and giving nicknames.

Jean-Francois, of Haitian ancestry, comes from Indianapolis.

Weighing “three bills” — 300 plus — was once an NFL rarity.

Now it’s common. There are some 20 players on Washington’s preseason roster listed at 300-plus pounds.

Perhaps the first Washington 300-pounder was Wilbur Young out of William Penn College in Iowa. Young played for Washington in 1981 and later coached Monticello High School in Charlottesville to a state title.

More recently, Washington had a horrid experience with another gargantuan nose guard, Alfred Haynesworth, who signed a sevenyear, $100 million contract in 2009.

Haynesworth reported to camp out of shape, was ineffective on the field and eventually was traded to New England for a fifth-round draft choice.

By comparison, Knighton is a bargain.

His short-term contract is more of the put up or shut up variety.

“Another year to prove myself,” he said. “I’m here for leadership and to dominate the line of scrimmage.”

Difference makers?

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Terrance ‘Pot Roast’ Knighton

In high school, he went by “Mutton Chop.”

The “Pot Roast” tag came from his Temple University teammate Clint Ingram, who heard Knighton ordering a meal on the road.

Since moving to the Washington team, Knighton has christened the defense “Capital Punishment.”

“I want our defense to be organized chaos — 11 maniacs running to the ball,” he explained.

From the “small world department,” Knighton played high school football with Washington’s incumbent nose guard, Chris Baker from Hampton University.

“Chris was much bigger than myself in high school,” said Knighton. “He had about 30 scholarship offers. I had two” — Temple and Central Florida University.

Baker, listed at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds, figures to see more time this fall on the flanks of Washington’s three-man front.

Other new faces on the defensive line are Stephen Paea, 6-foot-2, 300 pounds, and Ricky Jean-Francois, 6-foot-3 and 297 pounds. Paea, who grew up in Tonga, comes from Chicago;

After going 3-13 and 4-12 during the last two seasons, Washington is hopeful several fresh faces in camp will help signal the team’s return to long-lost glory: Scot McCloughan, general manager: Washington hopes he can do for the D.C. team what he did for San Francisco and Seattle. McCloughan was general manager of the 49ers from 2005 to 2009 and senior personnel executive for the Seahawks from 2010 to 2013. He helped both franchises reach the Super Bowl. McCloughan replaces Bruce Allen, who is now the Washington club president.

Matt Cavanaugh, quarterbacks coach: Washington is hopeful he can unlock the potential of struggling quarterback Robert Griffin III. Cavanaugh played on two Super Bowl teams — the 49ers and the Giants — and was a coach for the Ravens.

Brandon Scherff, rookie offensive right tackle: A fifth overall pick, Scherff signed a four-year deal for $21.2 million. Washington hopes the Outland Trophy winner out of Iowa will create running room for Alfred Morris and serve as a bodyguard for the fragile RGIII. Junior Galette, linebacker: The upside here is that he recorded 31.5 sacks in five seasons with the Saints. The down side is that he was released by the Saints because of off-field misbehavior, most notably striking a woman with a belt on a Miami beach. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Dashon Goldson, free safety: A two-time, All-Pro with the 49ers, Goldson has 15 career interceptions but had a disappointing 2014 in Tampa Bay. This is a particularly weak area for Washington.

$87.6M

Wilson inks contract extension with Seattle Seahawks

Free Press staff, wire reports

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has millions of reasons to be wearing one of the biggest smiles in the team’s training camp this week in Renton, Wash.

The former standout out at the Collegiate Schools in Henrico County was recognized as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks last week when he signed a four-year, $87.6 million contract extension that includes a $31 million signing bonus.

“Blessed to be w/ this organization for 4 more years! Can’t wait to get on field w/ the fellas! @Seahawks #ChampionshipMindset,” a jubilant Wilson tweeted.

With the July 31 signing, Wilson will remain in Seattle through the 2019 season — the year he turns 31 — giving him the opportunity at another big paycheck down the road.

“He’s really competitive. No sur-

prise, right? He’s really competitive like the rest of us,” Seattle Coach Pete Carroll said. “So it was emotional to some extent, but I think in his heart, he knew that we wanted this to happen. We were going to get it done. We were going to find a way and he handled himself beautifully throughout the process.”

It’s one of the richest contracts in football history, slotting Wilson slightly behind Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and just ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger in the hierarchy of quarterback contracts on per-year average.

It’ll likely get passed when Indianapolis Colts star Andrew Luck signs his next deal, but for now it pays Wilson at an elite level for helping lead the franchise to consecutive Super Bowl appearances.

“For me, I just want to be paid based on what I’m worth, what I’ve produced, whatever that means. For me, I just let the play speak for itself,”

Wilson said.

“That’s not my job to kind of do all that,” he continued. “That’s why I hire (agent) Mark Rodgers and that’s why I trust him to figure everything out for me, work everything out. And sure enough, it did. And I get to play here for another four more years.

Couldn’t be much better.”

Wilson has been a bargain for Seattle. The 2015 season was the first time he was scheduled to make more than $1 million. That’s now just $700,000 in base salary for 2015 with a $31 million signing bonus — $20 million now and the other $11 million next April — more than making up for the shortfall.

Last season, Wilson threw for 3,475 yards and 20 touchdowns against just seven interceptions in the regular season. He added another 849 yards rushing and six scores, and saved some of his most memorable moments for the playoffs.

He had the Seahawks on the cusp

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is all smiles at a training camp news conference last week following the announcement of successful negotiations extending Wilson’s contract with Seattle through 2019.

of a second straight title. Wilson got Seattle to the New England 1-yard line in the final seconds of the Super Bowl, only to be intercepted by Malcolm Butler who clinched the Patriots’ 28-24 victory.

Wilson holds the NFL record for most wins in his first three seasons and was the third-youngest quarterback in league history to win a Super Bowl title.

The 26-year-old Wilson was a Pro Bowl selection in the 2012 season and also in the 2013 campaign, when

he led the Seahawks to their maiden Super Bowl victory.

A third-round draft choice by Seattle in the 2012 NFL Draft, Wilson has started all 48 regular season games he has played for the Seahawks, completing nearly 65 percent of his pass attempts for 9,950 yards, with 72 touchdowns and 26 interceptions.

In the postseason, he has started all eight games while completing 61 percent of his passes for 1,820 yards, with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.

August 6-8, 2015 B1

Section

B

Richmond Free Press

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Personality: Rita H. Willis Spotlight on founder of New Shoes For Back To School Rita Hayes Willis reflects back to when she was a child eagerly leaving for her first day of school each year. She was properly outfitted from head to toe.

“There is something about a new pair of shoes for the first day of school,” she recalls.

The 65-year-old Henrico County resident says that’s why she’s so committed to the “New Shoes For Back To School” ministry she started in 2007 to provide shoes for children in kindergarten through 12th grade.

It began as an outreach program of the Women’s Missionary Society she led at the time at Third Street Bethel AME Church in Jackson Ward.

“Realizing that many of our youths are being raised by their grandparents, and with the fluctuating economy hitting impoverished areas of inner cities the hardest,” Ms. Willis says she and other volunteers at Third Street embarked on the ambitious project.

The first year, they gave away 785 pairs of shoes, Ms. Willis says.

“That let us know that there was a need,” she recalls.

The second year, two more churches joined in the shoe giveaway ministry.

Since then, it “has grown and grown and grown,” Ms. Willis says.

“To date, we have given away over 47,000 pairs of shoes,” she says. “If there are shoes left, we distribute them to the neighboring school systems to take care of shoe needs during the school year and to local agencies,” she adds.

Today, 13 churches known as the Richmond Partnership of Churches are participating in the shoe giveaway effort.

Ms. Willis anticipates more than 3,000 pairs of shoes will be distributed to children at this year’s giveaway.

It is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, at Second Baptist Church, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd. on South Side.

She says some people arrive as early as midnight the night before the giveaway and camp out to ensure they’re at the front of the line.

Each participating church is asked to provide 20 or more volunteers to work shifts at the shoe giveaway, she explains.

They serve in roles such as table workers, escorts, distributors, first aid providers and security, she notes.

Ms. Willis stresses that an adult must accompany a child in order for the youngster to receive a pair of shoes.

In her professional life, Ms. Willis is the director of membership and events at the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She taught Spanish in Richmond Public Schools for 33 years prior to that.

Here’s a look at this week’s Personality, Rita H. Willis: Family: I’m single.

Date and place of birth: Jan. 13 in Dinwiddie County.

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Virginia State University; study abroad program at Madrid University in Spain; graduate studies at Virginia

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blessing — not only for me, but for so many families across the city.”

What is the biggest challenge holding the shoe giveaway: Keeping it a shoe ministry. If we don’t, people will buy whatever — socks, backpacks, etc., and thus we will not have enough shoes for our young people.

What do you need for this year’s giveaway to make it even better: To make sure we have enough larger sizes for older girls and older guys — sizes 12, 13, 14 and up.

Commonwealth University.

Where one can learn more about the shoe giveaway: Go to Facebook “New Shoes For Back To School Ministry.”

Why do you hold the event each Labor Day: Because of the excitement of the child boarding the bus the next day with a new pair of shoes.

Churches involved: Third Street Bethel AME, Branch’s Baptist, Broad Rock Baptist, Centenary United Methodist, Ebenezer Baptist, Fifth Baptist, First Baptist (Midlothian), Lyndale Baptist, Second Baptist (South Side), Sharon Baptist, Sixth Baptist, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist and St. James Baptist.

The types of shoes distributed: School shoes for boys and girls, including tennis shoes. No high heels are allowed.

The shoes are donated by: Church members from each of the respective churches and church members’ families.

Saxon Shoes has been a partner since year one and donates 100 pairs of shoes each year.

Local stores also donate gift cards, give discounts for shoe purchases and we receive anonymous donations.

What is the response from those receiving the shoes: When the doors open at 8 a.m., the kids’ eyes light up like Christmas morning and they gasp with a “WOW!” Grandmothers have said, “I just didn’t know what I was going to do for shoes for my grandchildren for school. This ministry is a

Definition of a leader: Wear your vision. Others will see it in you and come along to help you realize it. Seek and ask for guidance from your higher power. Make the word “consistency” a part of your being. Proceed if even no one follows — eventually someone will. Listen, smile, exercise, have a sense of humor and read. Be with family — they keep you grounded.

Children are p re c

then still exist.

My advice for success is: When you finish one task, do another. And when you finish with that one, do another.

We were not sent here to simply exist. We are here to make a difference. Even if it’s a difference for just one person, it’s a difference.

It makes me most happy when: I’m engaged in a project with others and when it’s realized, it’s like “Oh Happy Day.” Someone or something has been affected by it positively.

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We provide diagnostic, preventive, and restorative dental care for infants, children, adolescents, and patients with special needs using some of today’s most advanced dental technology, equipment, and materials. Nuestros empleados hablan espanol.

We invite you to visit our kid friendly office in Historic downtown Richmond. Call us for an appointment today.

Randy Adams, D.D.S.

Board Certified Pediatric Dentist Board Certified Special Care Dentist

Brandon Allen, D.D.S. 300 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23220 PH: 804.780.2888 FAX: 804.643.1916

www.richmonddentistryforchildren.com

celebrates their 55 th Anniver 0 6 9 1 f o sary Class

Carver High School CHESTER, VIRGINIA

If I had more time, I would: Train for another 26.2mile marathon. You must run at least 60 miles a week to do so.

Favorite late-night snack: Plain yogurt with natural honey.

Three phrases that best describe me: High energy, community oriented and focused.

What hobbies do you enjoy: I’m a country girl … gotta put my hands in the dirt. I love gardening. I consider running a hobby. I’ve done four marathons. I read three books at the same time, mostly at night.

One thing no one knows about me: I’m really an introvert.

I place top value on: Knowing and realizing my purpose for being sent here.

Save the Date

Upcoming Free Health Seminars VCU Medical Center will be offering the following free seminars about heart health at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s Education and Library Complex, located at 1800 Lakeside Avenue.

Registration is recommended. Free parking available.

Book I’m presently reading: “Walking on Water” by Randall Kenan.

Register online at vcuhealth.org/seminars or call (804) 828-0123 for more information.

Best time of my life: When I would take my inner-city high school students abroad on three-week exchange programs to expose them to the world, but most importantly, to expose the world to them. Their lives were changed forever, and many relationships formed

Thursday, August 6, 2015 | 5:30 p.m.

PM-30 Plus Twelfth Anniversary All White Affair / Dance Friday, August 14, 2015 10:00 pm – 2:00 am The Military Retirees Club 2220 Sledd Street, Richmond, Va

$15.00 Donation BYOB Music by: DJ Drake For more information: Shirley Yarborough – 920-8206 • Turk Lewis – 928-3293 June Spearman – 304-7370

Cameron Family Reunion

Getting Back in Shape After a Heart Attack Many patients develop heart failure after a heart attack, or from severe coronary disease. Join Drs. Zachary Gertz and Daniel Tang as they discuss the latest treatment options — from coronary stents to implantable heart pumps — that can help the heart recover.

Thursday, August 13, 2015 | 5:30 p.m.

Mommy, Daddy… My Tummy Hurts!

Digestive problems are among the most common childhood ailments.

For parents, these problems become a source of concern when they disrupt their daily lives. Join Dr. John E. Fortunato Jr. who will share healthy eating patterns and habits to help your child thrive.

Thursday, August 27, 2015 | 5:30 p.m.

Colorectal Cancer: Causes, Prevention and Treatment Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women. It is a cancer that is often preventable, or curable if diagnosed in a timely manner. Join Dr. Khalid Matin to learn more about the risk factors, causes and treatment options for colorectal cancer.

“The Cameron Family Reunion was held July 4th weekend at Virginia State University’s Gateway Dining Hall, Petersburg, VA. It was an enjoyable time with family from Dinwiddie, Amelia, Hopewell, Petersburg, Northern Virginia, Silver Spring, MD, Richmond and New York. On Sunday, family members met at Mt. Level Baptist Church, Amelia, VA where Dr. Charles Shannon is Pastor.”

Gladys Cameron and Dorothy Thompkins, Co-Chairpersons.

150730-FreePress.indd 1

7/25/15 12:44 PM

Richmond Free Press

B2 August 6-8, 2015

Happenings

Comic Con in Richmond is out of this world Fans donned creative costumes to attend Wizard World Comic Con Richmond last weekend at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, where celebrities shared their reflections on playing action figures in the movies and on TV. They included TV star J. August Richards, left, who plays the character Deathlok in “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” on ABC, and Star Trek icon William Shatner, aka Capt. James T. Kirk. Joining in the fun, from left, are Vincent Finley of Winchester, aka the ghoulish comic book character “Lobo,” Lynne Finley, also of Winchester, dressed as a female version of action hero “Thor” and colorfully attired Cheyenne Goodman of Chester.

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

6th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival this weekend at Maymont Thousands of music lovers will gather in Maymont Park this weekend to enjoy the soulful sounds of jazz, neo-soul and rhythm and blues from dozens of artists.

It’s time for the 6th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival.

More than 30 performers are scheduled to perform outdoors Saturday, Aug. 8, and Sunday, Aug. 9, at Maymont in the city’s West End. Iconic 1980s R&B group New Edition is headlining, as well as Natalie Cole, Lauryn Hill, Macy Gray and Anthony Hamilton, according to Johnson Inc., the Richmond marketing firm coordinating the event.

Other top acts include the Grammy Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra, smooth saxophonists Joshua Redman and

Natalie Cole

Lauryn Hill

New Edition

David Sanborn, jazz fusion guitarist Mark Antoine, a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock and jazz favorites Pat Martino and Kirk Whalum.

Individual tickets for Saturday or Sunday are

$85 each; tickets for both days are $160. Gates open at 11 a.m. both days, with performances starting at noon.

Festival attendees should enjoy the music under mostly sunny skies both days, according

to the forecast, with temperatures projected to reach the mid-80s.

Ahead of the festivities at Maymont, other venues will host jazz shows for the festival.

On Friday, Aug. 7, “Homegrown at the Hipp” will take place 6:30 p.m. at the Hippodrome Theater, 528 N. 2nd St. in Jackson Ward. An array of local and national jazz artists are scheduled to perform. Tickets are $30.

On Thursday, Aug. 6, free jazz shows are scheduled at 6 p.m. at two venues. One is at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, 2408 Ownby Lane, on North Side. The other is at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard.

Further festival details: Johnson Inc., www. jazzatmaymont.com or (804) 644-8515.

Benefit golf tournament set for Aug. 29 The Richmond Metropolitan Area Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. is organizing its first “Advocacy Golf

Tournament.”

Proceeds will benefit young AfricanAmerican women seeking higher education,

according to organizers.

The tournament starts 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Crossings Golf Club, 800 Virginia Center Parkway, in Henrico County.

About 100 golfers are expected to participate, organizers said.

Prizes will be awarded for the drive closest to the pin, straightest drive and lowest net score.

Also, each golfer who reaches the green at

a par 3 hole will win a sleeve of Eco Friendly Dixon golf balls.

Cost to participate is $70 for an individual and $280 for a foursome.

The Richmond chapter of NCBW was chartered March 28. The group advocates on behalf of mitigating poverty, mental illness and domestic violence.

Tournament details: www.ncbw-rmac.org or (804) 625-6349.

YOU CAN STILL FILE

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Get rid of debts that you can’t pay.

“Get A Fresh Start” Keep paying on your house and car as long as you owe what they are worth.

Photos by Clement Britt

Music, food and fun Festivalgoers perform a line dance Saturday at the 7th Annual Jazz & Food Festival at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Highland Park. Curvey Reid with Curv Appeal plays the vibraphone. The event blends food and traditional and contemporary jazz with raffles, games and other activities.

Also Chapter 13 “Debt Adjustment” STOPS FORECLOSURES, GARNISHMENTS AND HARASSING PHONE CALLS OTHER LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDED: Divorce, Separation, Custody, Support, Home Buy or Sell

Mayor Dwight C. Jones

Training Offered TO richmOnd residenTs

By The Office Of emergency managemenT August 8, 15, & 22, 2015 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Department of Fire & Emergency Services Headquarters 201 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA

Start with as little as $100

Richmond residents can register to receive free training in basic survival skills during an emergency.

Call Rudy McCollum at (804)218-3614

The CERT Program educates citizens about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and train them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help.

24-7.Talk to an attorney for free

and get legal restrictions, fees, costs and payment terms.

Rudolph C. McCollum, Jr., Esq. McCollum At Law, P.C.

Mail to: P.O. Box 4595, Richmond, VA 23220 422 E. Franklin St., Suite 301, Richmond, VA 23219 (Franklin & 5th Sts.) 119 N. Sycamore St., 1st Flr., Petersburg, VA 23803 (Sycamore off Washington St.) We are a federally designated Debt Relief Agency under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and we help people file for bankruptcy.

Web Address: McCollumatLaw.com E-mail: rudy@mccollumatlaw.com

To register, call 804-646-2504 or visit our website at: http://www.richmondgov.com/fire/emergencymanagement.aspx Registration ends Friday, August 7, 2015 at 5 p.m.

Richmond Free Press

August 6-8, 2015

B3

Faith News/Directory

Richmond pastor to talk about ‘Black Suffering’ at weeklong conference in South Africa The Rev. James H. Harris, pastor of Second Baptist Church in the West End, is scheduled to speak at a weeklong conference on black theology in Johannesburg, South Africa, this month, the church has announced.

He will discuss “Black Suffering” in the United States at the conference slated for Aug. 8 through 17. His talk will touch on the enslavement of black people for 300 years through today, when unarmed African-Americans are being killed at an alarming rate by white police officers.

Black theology in South Africa was inspired by the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, which included the prophetic voices of Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X’s critique of white racism in the United States and the pioneering work of theologian James H. Cone, according to a news release from the church.

Since 1971, black theology has been closely associated with South Africa’s Black Consciousness Movement and leaders such as the late anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko.

One topic Rev. Harris is to discuss in South Africa is the rebellion by Nat Turner and other enslaved and free black people in Southampton County in August 1831, challenging the sovereignty of white slave owners. It resulted in the deaths of more than 50 white people during the rebellion Rev. Harris and the state executing 50 black people and banishing others in the aftermath. Mr. Turner, who later was captured and tried, was hanged, beheaded and quartered in November 1831.

“Nat Turner turned such sovereignty upside down in the most notorious insurrection in history,” Rev. Harris stated. “After the insurrection … hundreds of blacks were killed, maimed and lynched with the support of the Virginia militia. Yet, the insurrection galvanized blacks in a way that it would never happen again.”

Rev. Harris compares injustices like that to apartheid in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. “Black South Africans were denied the same political and economic rights as white people and were forced to live separately from white people,” he said.

The pastor said horrific suffering continues today in Africa, with many nations mired in poverty amid a host of deadly diseases.

“The G8 nations led by the U.S. could end poverty and hunger overnight if they had the will to do so,” Rev. Harris said.

Rev. Shearin named pastor at Great Hope Baptist Great Hope Baptist Church in the the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School East End has a new pastor. of Theology at Virginia Union UniHe is the Rev. Melvin F. Shearin versity in 2009. He is working on II. his doctorate at Howard University The 45-year-old Richmond nain Washington. tive takes over from the Rev. Earl He also was one of 50 pastors L. Bledsoe, who led the house of from around the nation selected for worship at 2101 Venable St. for more the Joe R. Engle Institute of Preaching than 30 years. at Princeton Theological Seminary in Rev. Shearin comes to Great Hope July 2014. from Mount Zion Baptist Church in One of Rev. Shearin’s first tasks Rev. Shearin Farnham on Virginia’s Northern Neck, after stepping into the pulpit in June where he served as the pastor for six years. at the 425-member East End church: Organizing Rev. Shearin graduated from Henrico High a “Back to School Community Day.” School, then earned a bachelor’s degree in busiThe event, themed “Growing Together,” is ness management from University of Phoenix 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Martin in 2006. He earned a master’s of divinity from Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby

St. in the East End. Organizers promise “vendors, music, exercise and lots of laughter.” School supplies will be given to children accompanied by adults on a first-come, first-served basis, Rev. Shearin said.

He said the event is designed to demonstrate

his church’s commitment that their ministry should extend outside the walls of the church building.

The church is seeking donations to provide as many school supplies as possible. Details: Dorothy Harvey, (804) 739-4865 or email dotharv2@verizon.net.

St. James Baptist Church

“A People Praising and Pressing Towards God’s Purpose”

Sun, Aug 9

Experience Life Together (Psalm 133)

Henrico church hosts Friday night ‘Spiritual Renewal’ series in August Anointed New Life Baptist Church in Henrico County is hosting a monthlong series of Friday night services in August called “A Community Spiritual Renewal.”

The 7 p.m. services will be held Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Aug. 21 and Aug. 28 at the church, 1616 E. Parham Road, led by the Rev. C. Diane Mosby.

Speakers: Aug. 7, the Rev. Darrell Thompson of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Glen Allen;

Aug. 14, the Rev. Sabrina St. Clair of Rhema Christian Ministries in Fredericksburg; Aug. 21, the Rev. Deborah Martin of New Chestnut Baptist Church in Mechanicsville; and Aug. 28, the Rev. Angelo V. Chatmon of Pilgrim Journey Baptist Church in Richmond.

Anointed New Life also is planning an outdoor service 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.

For more information: www.anointednewlife. org or (804) 658-1630.

2169 New Market Road, Richmond, VA 23231 804-795-7747 • 804-795-5283 (Fax) • www.sjbcofvarina.org

Richmond Free Press

B4 August 6-8, 2015

Faith News/Directory

Another South Side church files bankruptcy Serious financial troubles have hit another church in Richmond.

Following in the footsteps of the Richmond Christian Center, Southside Baptist Ministries has filed for bankruptcy in a bid to ward off foreclosure.

Church founder and pastor Lonnie S. Stinson filed the paperwork July 29 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

The church that he and his wife, Terry, founded 28 years ago is at 5515 Bryce Lane, off Hull Street Road.

In addition to the sanctuary, the church operates a school

on the site. It also runs the Southside Cares Thrift Center in the 3800 block of Jefferson Davis Highway.

It is unclear why the church has gone into financial decline. However, the Pastor church’s biggest creditor, M&T Bank that holds a $1.6 million mortgage, triggered the bankruptcy when it filed to foreclose on the unpaid debt.

The bankruptcy filing temporarily has halted the ability

FirstM iBaptist Church dlothian

13800 Westfield Dr., Midlothian,VA 23113 804-794-5583 • www.fbcm1846.com

Service Times Sunday Tuesday

Church School 9:45AM Worship 11:00AM Bible Study 12 Noon

of the bank to hold a courthouse sale of the property.

Other big creditors include the Internal Revenue Service, which the church owes $74,500 in payroll taxes for employees. Payroll Stinson taxes include Social Security and Medicare taxes.

The Virginia Department of Taxation also is owed $9,261

in unpaid withholding taxes for 2013 and 2014.

Pastor Stinson started the church in a South Side hotel in 1987 after moving from North Carolina to Richmond.

Two years later, the growing congregation moved to its

Riverview

Dr. Alonza Lawrence

Moore Street 1408 W. Leigh Street • 358-6403

Early Morning Worship ~ 8 a.m.

Sunday School ~ 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship ~ 11 a.m.

4th Sunday Unified Worship Service ~ 9:30 a.m.

Bible Study: Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Radio Ministry: Sunday: 9:30 a.m. {1540 AM}

Sundays

Church School 8:30 A.M. Morning Worship 10:00 A.M.

Tuesdays



“MAKE IT HAPPEN” Pastor Kevin Cook

Bible Study 12 noon

Wednesdays

New Mercies Ministry 6:00 A.M. Youth Bible Study 6:00 P.M. Adult Bible Study 6:30 P.M.

Wednesday Youth & Adult Bible Study

SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9:45 A.M. SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 11:00 A.M.

Van Transportation Available, Call 804-794-5583

Mission Statement: People of God developing Disciples for Jesus Christ through Preaching and Teaching of God’s Holy Word reaching the people of the Church and the Community.

7:00PM Prayer & Praise 8:15PM

Broad Rock Baptist Church 5106 Walmsley Blvd., Richmond, VA 23224 804-276-2740 • 804-276-6535 (fax) www.BRBCONLINE.org

Pastor

2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor Rev. Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr. Pastor Emeritus

A. Parson Sr. After Mr. Parson stepped down from the pulpit, RCC was able to renegotiate its debt and is poised to emerge on firmer financial footing after nearly two years in bankruptcy.

Missionary

Baptist Church

Baptist Church

current site, which includes Southside Baptist Christian School.

Pastor Stinson hopes his church can have the same success as the Richmond Christian Center, 214 Cowardin Ave., which was founded by Stephen

Mount Olive Baptist Church Rev. Darryl G. Thompson, Pastor

Rev. Pernell J. Johnson, Pastor

“The Church With A Welcome”

Sharon Baptist Church

22 E. Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23219 • 643-3825 thesharonbaptistchurch.com • Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor

Sunday, August 9, 2015 No 8:00 a.m. Service Month of August only 8:30 a.m. ...... Sunday School 10:00 a.m. ..Morning Worship

2015 Theme: The Year of Moving Forward



8775 Mount Olive Avenue Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 (804) 262-9614 Phone (804) 262-2397 Fax www.mobcva.org

Summer Worship Schedule

Sunday, June 7, 2015 Sunday, September 13, 2015

Worship Service 10:00 AM Sunday School and New Members Class 8:30 AM

WEDNESDAYS 6:00 p.m. ...... Prayer Service 6:30p.m. ...... Bible Study

Good Shepherd Baptist Church 1127 North 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223-6624 • Office: (804) 644-1402 Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor “There’s A Place for You”

Sixth Baptist Church Theme for 2015: Becoming a Five-Star Church of Excellence I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13

Tuesday Sunday 10:30 AM Bible Study 9:30 AM Church School 6:30 PM Church-wide Bible Study 11:00 AM Worship Service 6:30 PM Men's Bible Study (Each 2nd and 4th) (Holy Communion Thursday each 2nd Sunday) Wednesday (Following 2nd Sunday) 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting

Triumphant

Baptist Church

10:40AM Worship & Praise 11AM Divine Worship Message by: Pastor Bibbs

Five Star Summer Camp Sunday All Summer Campers And Friends Invited!

Mrs. Sharonda Linsay, Director

“The People’s Church”

216 W. Leigh St. • Richmond, Va. 23220 • Tel: 804-643-3366 Fax: 804-643-3367 • Email: ebcoffice1@comcast.net • web: ebcrichmond.org Sunday Worship Sunday Church School Service of Holy Communion Service of Baptism Life Application Bible Class Mid-Week Senior Adult Fellowship Wednesday Meditation & Bible Study Homework & Tutoring Scouting Program Thursday Bible Study

Bible Study: Tuesday - 9 a.m.

Wednesday - 7 p.m.

Prayer Services: Wednesday (1st & 3rd ) 7 a.m.

Every Wednesday 8 p.m.

Communion - 1st Sunday

 2300 Cool Lane, Richmond, Virginia 23223 804-795-5784 (Armstrong High School Auditorium)

Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.

Come Join Us!

To empower people of God spiritually, mentally and emotionally for successful living.

9AM The Family Altar

11:00 AM Mid-day Meditation

1858

Church School - 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service - 11:15 a.m.

Pastor and Founder

SUNDAY, August 9, 2015 (A time for meditation, healing, and deliverance)

Ebenezer Baptist Church

2003 Lamb Avenue Dr. Arthur M. Jones, Sr., Pastor (804) 321-7622

Reverend Dr. Lester D. Frye

We Are Growing In The Kingdom As We Grow The Kingdom with Word, Worship and Witness

… and Listen to our Radio Broadcast Sundays at 10:15 a.m. on WCLM 1450 AM

Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

- Matthew 4:23

WEDNESDAYS Bible Study 12:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Dr. Kirkland R. Walton, Pastor

Worship Opportunities Sundays: Morning Worship Church School Morning Worship

8 A.M. 9:30 A.M. 11 A.M.

Unity Sundays (2nd Sundays) Church School 8:30 A.M. Morning Worship 10 A.M.

New Deliverance Evangelistic Church

Thursdays: Bible Study is in summer recess and will resume October 1st.

Daily Bible Readings can be found on our website

823 North 31st Street Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 226-0150 Office www.31sbc.org

1701 Turner Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia 23225 (804) 276-0791 fax (804)276-5272 www.ndec.net

2040 Mountain Road • Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 Office 804-262-0230 • Fax 804-262-4651 • www.stpeterbaptist.net

...yet our spiritual being is being renewed day by day!

II Corinthians 4:16b (GNT)

Remember...

At New Deliverance, You Are Home!

See you there and bring a friend.

Bishop G. O. Glenn D. Min., Founder Mother Marcietia S. Glenn First Lady

Sunday 8 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Service

Wednesday Services Friday, August 7th ~ 7PM Rev. Darryl Thompson and the Mt. Olive Baptist Church Glen Allen,VA

Friday, August 14th ~ 7PM

Rev. Dr. Sabrina St. Clair and the Rhema Christian Ministries Fredericksburg,VA

❖

MONDAY-FRIDAY Nutrition Center and Clothes Closet 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

(near Byrd Park)

(804) 359-1691 or 359-3498 Facebook Fax (804) 359-3798 sixthbaptistrva www.sixthbaptistchurch.org

St. Peter Baptist Church

Church School 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. ❖

400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

Dr. Levy M. Armwood, Pastor  Dr. Wallace J. Cook, Pastor Emeritus

everence

ing Dr. Morris Henderson, Senior Pastor bin m o ❖ C SUNDAYS

Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor

11:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Every 3rd Sunday 2nd Sunday, 11 a.m.

Mon. 6:30 p.m.

Tues. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Wed. 7:45 p.m.

Wed. 4:30 p.m.

Wed. 6:00 p.m.

Thurs., 11:45 a.m.

Thirty-first Street Baptist Church ance with Relev

Twitter sixthbaptistrva

Friday, August 21st ~ 7PM

Rev. Dr. Deborah Martin and the New Chestnut Baptist Church Mechanicsville,VA

Friday, August 28th ~ 7PM

Rev. Angelo Chatmon and the Pilgrim Journey Baptist Church Richmond,VA

ANOINTED NEW LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH Rev. Dr. C. Diane Mosby, Pastor 1616 E. Parham Road Henrico, VA 23228 (804) 658-1630 ~ www.anointednewlife.org

Senior Citizens Noonday Bible Study Every Wed. 12noon-1pm Bible Study Count: noonday Wednesday night 7 p.m. Prayer Sanctuary - All Are Welcome!

Saturday

8:30 a.m. Intercessory Prayer

You can now view Sunday Morning Service “AS IT HAPPENS” online!

Also, for your convenience, we now offer “full online giving.”

Visit www.ndec.net.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrew 12:14 (KJV) Tune in on Sunday Morning to WTVR - Channel 6 - 8:30 a.m.

Sunday TV Broadcast WTVZ 9 a.m. Norfolk/Tidewater Thursday & Friday Radio Broadcast WREJ 1540 AM Radio - 8:15 a.m.- 8:30 a.m.

THE NEW DELIVERANCE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (NDCA)

ENROLL NOW!!!

Accepting applications for children 2 yrs. old to 3rd Grade Our NDCA curriculum also consists of a Before and After program.

Now Enrolling for our Nursery Ages 6 weeks - 2yrs. old.

For more information Please call (804) 276-4433 Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Richmond Free Press

August 6-8, 2015

B5

Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER SAMUEL HARRISON, Plaintiff v.

SHARMALEE MOHABIRHARRISON, Defendant.

Case No.: CL15000285-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

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

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 16th day of September, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF LONG COUNTY STATE OF GEORGIA Randy G. Swinton Plaintiff, VS. Sherrice C. Walton Defendant TO: Sherrice C. Walton Civil Action No. 2015-V-188DC NOTICE OF PUBLICATION By order for service by publication dated the 21st day of July 2015, you are hereby notified that on July 21st, 2015 Plaintiff in the abovereferenced action filed a suit against you for Divorce.

You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court and to serve upon Randy G. Swinton, plaintiff, whose address is 217 Forest Street NE, Ludowici, GA an answer to the complaint within sixth (60) days of the date of the order for service by publication.

Witness the Honorable David L. Cavender, Judge of said Court.

This the 21st day of July, 2015.

Patricia L. Simmons, Deputy Clerk of Superior Court Long, County VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND BEAUTIFUL COURAGEOUS YOUNG, Plaintiff v.

DARLO MONTA YOUNG, Defendant.

Chancery No.: CL15-2396-00-7 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

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

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before September 2, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HENRICO COREY M. CROUCH, Plaintiff v.

SHERRI L. COLLINS, Defendant.

Case No.: CL15-372 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce in the Henrico Circuit Court from the defendant on the grounds of a one year separation.

It is ORDERED that Sherri L. Collins appear at the above named Court and protect her interest she may have in this matter on or before September 14, 2015.

A Copy, Teste: YVONNE G. SMITH, Clerk I ASK FOR THIS: Wes B. Witmeyer (VSB#88115) THE WITMEYER LAW FIRM, LLC 10035 Sliding Hill Road, Suite 102 Ashland, VA 23005 804-752-0130 (phone) 804-752-0133 (fax) Counsel for Plaintiff

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

A Copy, Teste: YVONNE G. SMITH, Clerk The undersigned respectfully requests this: Alexandra D. Bowen, Esquire (VSB#19419) Bowen Ten Cardani, PC 3957 Westerre Parkway, Suite 105 Richmond, Virginia 23233 804-755-7599 804-755-7550 (facsimile) sbowen@betclawva.com Counsel for Plaintiff

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re SADIA MARGARET ROBERTSON, A Juvenile CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA V. DEANDRE MOORE AND ANY UNKNOWN BIRTH FATHER, J91079-2, J91079-3 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON

The object of this suit is to: Pursuant to VA Code § 16.1-277.01, Children’s Home Society of Virginia is requesting that the Court terminate the residual parental rights of the named birth father, Deandre Moore, and any unknown birth father, whose identity and whereabouts are unknown, and transfer custody of the infant, Sadia Margaret Robertson DOB 02/26/15 to the Children’s Home Society of Virginia with the right to place the infant for adoption.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Deandre Moore or any Unknown Birth Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before October 1, 2015 at 9:20 a.m.

Sherry A. Fox, Esq. ThompsonMcMullan, PC 100 Shockoe Slip Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-698-6231

of Ed’tonia Baskerville, child, DOB 9/5/2003 and Mallory Shearer, child, DOB 12/31/2009 and Edward Bailey (Father) of Ed’tonia Baskerville, child, DOB 9/5/2003 and Malory T. Shearer, Jr. (Father), Kenneth Garland (Father) and Unknown Father of Mallory Shearer, child, DOB 12/31/2009 “RPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.

It is ORDERED that the defendants Latonya Shearer, Edward Bailey, Malory T. Shearer Jr., Kenneth Garland and Unknown Father, appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before September, 3, 2015 at 10:20 a.m.

Kate D. O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND iN rE: SHAIAYGNE D. WILLIAMS-SMITH OrDEr Of puBLicatiON The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Unknown Father (Father) of Shaiaygne D. WilliamsSmith, child, DOB 5/22/1998, “RPR” 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 Unknown Father appear at the above-named Court and protect his interest on or before September, 24, 2015 at 9:40 a.m.

Kate D. O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER ANTONIO PITTMAN, Plaintiff v.

LISA PITTMAN, Defendant.

Case No.: CL14002388-00 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 14th day of August, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff 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 TRISTAN EDWARD ANDERSON, Juvenile Case No. JJ-089515 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Unknown, (Father), Stanton M. Douglas, (Father) and Jessica Lauren Stephenson, (Mother), of Tristan Edward Anderson child, DOB 5/18/2014, “RPR” 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 Stanton M. Douglas, Unknown Father, and Jessica Laureen Stephenson, appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before November 2, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.

Kate O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re NATALYA EMONE JOHNSON, Juvenile Case No. JJ083000-10 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of John Cunningham, (Father), of Natalya Emone Johnson, child, DOB 7/19/1998, “RPR” 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 and that:

It is ORDERED that the defendant John Cunningham, appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before November 18, 2015 at 9:20 a.m.

Kate O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re DEARA SHORT, DREVON JONES, & DAVION JONES, Juveniles Case No. J088368-06, JJ079466-08, & JJ079465-07 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of David Darell Jones, (Father), and Deara Short, child, DOB 9/12/2013, Davion Jones, child, DOB 11/7/2005, and Drevon Jones, child, DOB 7/29/2007, “RPR” 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 David Darell Jones, appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/her interest on or before September 14, 2015 at 10:30 a.m.

Kate D. O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND iN rE: aiden marvincarter flack OrDEr Of puBLicatiON The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Henry Jones, (Father), and Shereka Lashay Flack (Mother), of Aiden Marvin-Carter Flack, child, DOB 1/10/2012, “RPR” 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 Henry Jones, and Shereka Lashay Flack, appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before September, 15, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.

Kate O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re majesty Dabney, juvenile Case No. J86264-09-11 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Herman Gibson (Father), and ClenTonya Dabney, (Mother), of Majesty Dabney, child, DOB7/10/2002, “RPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.

It is ORDERED that the defendants Herman Gibson, and ClenTonya Dabney, appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before September 22, 2015 at 2:15 p.m.

Kate D. O’Leary, Esq. 730 E. Broad St., 8th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO LOUAY ABDULJABBAR, Plaintiff v.

SHAYMAA MOHSIN KHALEEL AL-BAYATI, Defendant.

Case No.: CL15001493-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from SHAYMAA MOHSIN KHALEEL AL BAYATI on the grounds that the Parties have lived separate and apart continuously and without cohabitation or interruption for a period in excess of one year.

It appearing by affidavit that the Defendant’s present whereabouts are unknown and due diligence has been used by or on behalf of LOUAY ABDULJABBAR, Plaintiff, to ascertain in what county or city the defendant is without effect; it is ORDERED that the Defendant appear before this Court, on the 24th day of August, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., and protect her interests herein.

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Elizabeth Mary Edmondson, A Juvenile CHILDREN’S HOME SOCIETY OF VIRGINIA V. UNKNOWN BIRTH FATHER, J-91080-02 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON

The object of this suit is to: Pursuant to VA Code § 16.1-277.01, Children’s Home Society of Virginia is requesting that the Court terminate the residual parental rights of the unknown birth father, whose identity and whereabouts are unknown; and transfer custody of the infant Elizabeth Mary Edmondson, DOB 12/25/14 to the Children’s Home Society of Virginia with the right to place the infant for adoption.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Birth Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his interests on or before October 1, 2015 at 9:40 a.m.

Sherry A. Fox, Esq. ThompsonMcMullan, PC 100 Shockoe Slip Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-698-6231

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND iN rE: Ed’Tonia Baskerville and MALLORY SHEARER OrDEr Of puBLicatiON The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Latonya Shearer (Mother)

Continued on next column

Continued on next column

Continued on next column

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND iN rE: Baby Boy Barrett a/k/a Jackson barrett Children’s home society of virginia v. unknown birth father OrDEr Of puBLicatiON The object of this suit is to: Pursuant to VA Code § 16.1277.01, the Children’s Home Society of Virginia is requesting that the Court terminate the parental rights of the unknown birth father, whose identity and whereabouts are unknown and transfer custody of the infant. Baby Boy Barrett a/k/a Jackson Barrett, d/o/b 04/13/15 to the Children’s Home Society of Virginia with the right to place the infant for adoption.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Birth Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/ or her interests on or before September 8, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.

Sherry A. Fox, Esq. Thompson McMullan, PC 100 Shockoe Slip Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-698-6231

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Starting Pay: $13.68 per hour Closes: August 19, 2015 GRTC Transit System is currently seeking qualified candidates, at least 21 years of age, with excellent customer service skills and a high school diploma for full-time Bus Operator positions. Applicants are required to have a Class B CDL License with Passenger Endorsement. Qualified candidates must have a five (5) point balance on their driving record and must be able to pass a background check, a preemployment drug test and a DOT physical. For a complete job description and to apply online, please visit www.ridegrtc.com.

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Freelance Writers: The Richmond Free Press has immediate opportunities for freelance writers. Newspaper experience is a requirement. To be considered, please send 5 samples of your writing, along with a cover letter to newsrichmondfreepress.com or mail to: Richmond Free Press, P. O. Box 27709, Richmond, VA 23261.

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Richmond Free Press

B6 August 6-8, 2015

Sports Plus

Virginia Havoc brings home the crown

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Virginia Havoc is wreaking havoc in AAU youth basketball.

The Richmond area team, named after Virginia Commonwealth University’s trademark style of play, just won a national title in the Amateur Athletic Union’s tournament in Cocoa Beach, Fla., last month.

Begun just two years ago, the 11-member team coached by Chris Johnson and Marquis Whitted, won the Division II classic tournament for 11-year-olds. The team is based in Varina, in Eastern Henrico County.

Virginia Havoc smashed the Indiana Elite 52-22 to claim the title July 18, the only area team to notch a national win in the AAU competition. Havoc also won state and Eastern District titles before the national competition, said Coach Johnson.

The players are Alphonzo Billups III, Anthony Fisher, Andre Greene Jr., Trent Hendrick, Quincy Jefferson, Justin Maples, Jalen Pierce, Christian Robinson, Amory Rogers and Elijah Whitted.

In its initial year, the team won the Division III East Coast National AAU title for 10-year-olds, Coach Johnson said.

Coach Chris Johnson, left, joins his Virginia Havoc players in celebrating their national AAU title win in Cocoa Beach, Fla. The Varina-based team beat squads from across the country to take first place in the Division II tournament for 11-year-olds.

Former NBA star Rick Mahorn to be inducted into Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame

By Fred Jeter

Former Hampton University basketball sensation Rick Mahorn has been selected for the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2015 will be inducted Oct. 20 at Norfolk Scope.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Mahorn set numerous records playing for the HU Pirates from 1976 to 1980.

His marks include: • Most career points at Hampton, 2,418 • Most career rebounds, 1,465 • Highest season scoring average, 27.6 in 1980 • Most points in a game, 48 in 1980 against St. Augustine’s University Mahorn was named CIAA Player of the Year in 1979 and went on to play in the NBA from 1980 to 1999.

He was a bruising ringleader for the 1989 NBA

champion Detroit Pistons, aka the “Motor City Bad Boys.”

Mahorn also played professionally for Washington, Philadelphia and the New York Nets and for Roma of the Italian League. For his NBA career, he scored 7,763 points, grabbed 6,957 rebounds and blocked 1,007 shots.

Rick Mahorn Others in the Hall of Fame Class of 2015 are: Hank Foiles: From Granby High School in Norfolk. He played seven seasons of big league baseball and was a National League All-Star with Pittsburgh in 1957.

D.J. Dozier: From Kempsville High School

Richmond teams play, place in MJBL annual tournament

By Joey Matthews

Three teams representing the Richmond Metropolitan Junior Baseball League faced stiff competition in the 25th Annual Inner City Classic from July 28 through Aug. 2 in Orlando, Fla. They also faced hurdles to get to the tournament that annually attracts dozens of teams and hundreds of youths from across the country.

MJBL Commissioner William Forrester Jr. praised the play of the Richmond All-Star teams in the 19-, 16-, and 14-year-old divisions that represented the city in the tournament.

He said the 19-year-old team, coached by Chris Armstrong, finished third out of eight teams in pool play with a 3-1 record.

The team won its first game in the playoffs, then was eliminated by a loss in its next game.

The 14-year-old team, coached by Adrian Lightner, finished third out of eight teams in pool play with a 2-2 record, Mr. Forrester said. It then was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

The 16-year-old team, coached by Mike Berry, finished 1-4.

The teams faced adversity right off the bat when they were unable to charter a bus for the trip due to a lack of funds, Mr. Forrester said.

Players from the teams then were loaded into two small MJBL vans, vans rented by coaches and cars driven by parents to make the more than 740-mile trek to Orlando.

When it was all said and done, Mr. Forrester said, “Mother Nature won the tournament. It rained every day we were down there.”

Richmond, with city backing, hosted the Inner City Classic the previous three years at The Diamond baseball stadium on the Boulevard.

“I hope we can have the tournament back here next year when the MJBL celebrates its 50th anniversary,” Mr. Forrester said.

Mr. Forrester’s late father, Dr. William M. T. Forrester Sr., founded the league in 1966 with support from a future governor, L. Douglas Wilder, and the late Free Press founder Raymond H. Boone, who was editor of the Richmond Afro-American newspaper at the time.

The weekend event features the Black World Series and the Bobby Bonds Memorial Symposium.

The league was founded to provide opportunities for AfricanAmerican youths who were not allowed to play baseball on Caucasian teams.

De’Monte Buckingham

in Virginia Beach. He was among a few players to double as a pro football and baseball athlete.

He played five seasons in the NFL and one baseball season with the Mets.

Angela Hucles: From Norfolk Academy. She became an All-ACC soccer player at University of Virginia and later played on the U.S. National Soccer Team Sonny Allen: He coached Old Dominion University basketball from 1965 to 1975, earning a 181-94 record. His team won the NCAA Division II title in 1975. He signed the Monarchs’ first black player, Arthur “Buttons” Speakes, in 1965.

Andrew Heidelberg: From Norview High School in Norfolk. In 1961, he became the first black athlete to play football for a majority white public school. He helped Norview win the Eastern District championship.

More details on the induction: HU Office of Sports Information, (757) 727-5811.

By Fred Jeter

Imagine winning the lottery, then two days later winning it again.

That’s about how University of Richmond basketball Coach Chris Mooney felt after landing two highly acclaimed rising seniors from the 804 area code.

Henrico High School’s De’Monte Buckingham gave a verbal commit to UR July 29. Then some 48 hours later, St. Christopher’s Nick Sherod announced he would be a Spider, too.

Neither officially can ink a National Letter of Intent until the Nov. 11-18 NCAA early signing period.

Buckingham and Sherod are arguably the top local players to commit to UR since Michael Perry of Richmond’s Thomas Jefferson High School in 1977.

Both are coming off take-notice junior seasons.

The 6-foot-4 Buckingham was named Conference, Region and State Player of the Year after leading Coach Vance Harmon’s Warriors to the State 5A title.

Buckingham averaged 22 points, 10 assists, five assists and three steals and will start his senior season with about 1,400 career points.

He has a chance to become the only player in Virginia’s public schools since 1970, when schools were integrated, to play on three state championship teams.

In Buckingham’s three varsity seasons, the Henrico High Warriors have been a dominating 80-10.

The versatile Buckingham shines all over the floor. Never were his all-around skills more on display than in Henrico High’s 96-70 rout of Freedom High School of Woodbridge in the state semifinals in March

at the Siegel Center in Richmond.

In overwhelming the Woodbridge school, Buckingham had 24 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocked shots and seven steals.

Among 14 schools offering Buckingham a full ride were Virginia Commonwealth University and Rice University that is coached by former VCU assistant Coach Mike Rhoades.

Buckingham may have been leaning toward VCU prior to Coach Shaka Smart’s decision to move to the University of Texas.

Sherod is a 6-foot-4 guard who averaged 25 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals this past winter for Coach

Local pipeline Over the decades, Virginia Commonwealth University has relied much more heavily on Richmond area basketball talent than the University of Richmond.

Among VCU’s top 20, all-time scorers are 11 local athletes: Len Creech (George Wythe), Kendrick Warren and Monty Knight (Thomas Jefferson), Charles Wilkins and Jesse Dark (Maggie Walker), Bradford Burgess (Benedictine), Gerald Henderson and Bo Jones (Huguenot), Dom Jones (Manchester), Michael Brown (Hopewell) and Ed Sherod (John Marshall).

Just four of UR’s top 20 career scorers are from the area.

They are Michael Perry (Thomas Jefferson), Peter Woolfolk (JeffersonHuguenot-Wythe), Justin Harper (Meadowbrook) and Johnny Moates (Benedictine). Darien Brothers (Benedictine) is in the top 25.

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PULPIT VACANCY: FULL-TIME PASTOR Opening Date: June 20, 2015 Closing Date: August 20, 2015

Immediate Openings New Deliverance Christian Academy is hiring a

Teacher and Teacher’s Assistant To apply fax resume to 804-276-4375 or email to employment@ndec.net

The Virginia Interscholastic Heritage Association will hold its next organizational meeting Saturday, Aug. 15, in Chesapeake.

Activities will be from noon to 2 p.m. at The Cottages at Great Bridge, 624 Bette’s Way. The organization’s mission is to honor the history of the Virginia Interscholastic Association, which oversaw extracurricular and sports activities of Virginia’s black high schools from 1954 to 1970 during public school segregation.

Maggie L. Walker and Armstrong high schools in Richmond, Virginia Randolph in Henrico and G.W. Carver in Chesterfield were among the VIA high schools.

The VIHA’s chairman is James Hollins of Charlottesville.

The meeting is open to interested people and their guests. For more information, go to www.viaheritage.com.

2 top basketball standouts commit to UR

Classifieds An application can be obtained from www.graylandbaptist.org

VIA group holds organizing session in Chesapeake

To advertise in the Richmond Free Press, call (804) 644-0496.

Nick Sherod

Hamill Jones.

Named to the All-Virginia Independent Schools first team, Sherod hit 78 of 145 three-point shots, or 42 percent, while helping the Saints to a school record 22 victories.

He is the son of E.J. Sherod, a former John Marshall High School and Old Dominion University player, and grandson of Ed Sherod, a former John Marshall High and VCU standout who played for the NBA’s New York Knicks.

The youngest Sherod is at his best against the stiffest opponents. In three state VIS tournament games, he averaged 36 points and 11 boards.

With still a year to go, he is St. Christopher’s all-time scorer with 2,019 points. He became a Saints’ regular as an eighth-grader.

Among schools offering Sherod a scholarship were Virginia Tech, The College of William & Mary and East Carolina and Rice universities.

Several Division I area prospects in the Class of 2016 remain unsigned.

That list includes Jeremy Sheppard of John Marshall High School, Maliek White of George Wythe High School, Jermaine Mathews of Millwood School in Chesterfield and Curtis “Cujo” Jones.

The 6-foot-3 Jones played at SportsQuest Academy in Chesterfield and Highland Springs High before transferring to Huntington Prep in West Virginia.

Both VCU and UR figure to be involved with one or more from the list.

The state’s No. 1 prospect for 2016 is 6-foot-10 Sacha Killeya-Jones of Lynchburg’s Virginia Episcopal School. He has offers from UR and VCU as well as the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.