Richmond Free Press April 20-22, 2023 edition

Ambulance trip costs rise, City Hall offices primed for upgrades

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond Public Schools must live with the $21 million increase from city taxpayers, and retired city employees, for now, will not get an anticipated 5 percent bonus.

Also, there will be no new funding to aid the city in battling climate change. However, the Richmond Ambulance Authority can move forward with nearly tripling its rate for emergency transports.

Those are among the decisions that City Council has come to after a nearly twomonth budget review that largely wrapped up Monday, with only a few amendments remaining to be finalized on Monday, May 1, for introduction and passage.

As expected, the governing body accepted the $3 billion budget package that Mayor Levar M. Stoney presented in March and made only a few additions after the administration found nearly $4 million to cover the amendments.

On the schools front, the mayor proposed and council backed his decision to raise the general fund contribution to RPS by $21.15 million, boosting the city’s contribution to a record $221.4

Tyson employees eye opportunities at job fair

By George Copeland Jr.

GRTC drives starting pay by 43 percent

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

GRTC boosted starting pay for bus drivers by a whopping 43 percent, effective immediately, with double-digit increases for most current drivers as well. Seeking to end a persistent driver shortage, the transit company’s board endorsed CEO Sheryl Adams’ proposal to immediately jump starting pay from $17.43 an hour to

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also too young to retire, so I

gotta work,” Mr. Brown said.

A mechanic at the Tyson Foods chicken processing plant in Glen Allen, Mr. Brown was blindsided along with the plant’s nearly 700 other employees when the company announced in mid-March that the plant would close on May 12. Despite this sudden setback, however, Mr. Brown and other Tyson employees are determined to find a new path forward. “I think I’ll be able to find a job,” said Mr. Brown, who recently had colon surgery and is currently on short-term disability leave. “I’m hoping.”

Mr. Brown was just one of many Tyson employees and other workers seeking opportunities, assistance and guidance during a jobs fair hosted by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 union at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church last Saturday.

The LEGO Group broke ground April 13 on its new carbon-neutral run factory in Chesterfield County near Richmond. “This is a U.S. $1 billion investment in the company’s long-term growth globally and will help delight millions of children in the Americas with LEGO® play,” company officials said about the facility located in Chesterfield’s Meadowville Technology Park at the junction of Interstate 295 and the James River.

Once completed in 2025, the 340 acres site, the size of 260 American football fields, is expected to employ 1,760 people over 10 years. Recruitment is ongoing for 500 jobs a new packing facility, the company announced, pointing at interested people to its website, LEGO.com.

The upbeat groundbreaking, with comedian and corporate speaker Micah “Bam-Bamm” White as master of ceremonies, was attended by numerous local and state officials, includ-

ing Gov. Glenn A.Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan and Chesterfield Board of Supervisors member James “Jim” Holland, who represents the county’s Dale District. Based in Billund, Denmark LEGO® has five main hubs, 37 sales offices, five manufacturing sites and more than 500 retail stores around the world.

Carsten Rasmussen, chief operations officer of the LEGO Group said: “We are absolutely delighted to mark the beginning of construction here in Virginia. We are grateful for the fruitful collaboration we have had with all partners across the Commonwealth of Virginia who share and support our ambition to build this factory.

“Our new site will allow us to inspire millions of children across the Americas through play and we can’t wait to get started.”

Closing of area shelters leave many without shelter

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Joe Barrett is back to living on the street.

Left paralyzed on his left side by a stroke, the 62-year-old Richmond native is among more than 130 homeless people who lost their shelter beds Saturday.

That’s when City Hall closed three winter shelters it had been funding.

for women and children.

It also includes the 60-bed unisex shelter that Commonwealth Catholic Charities operated at 1900 Chamberlayne Ave. in North Side and which Mr. Barrett and others called home during the winter.

Mr. Barrett

That includes two shelters that had operated since mid-November: The 60-bed space for men at United Nations Church in South Side provided in its gym and the 30-bed shelter the nonprofit RVA Sister’s Keeper operated at 2807 Hull St.

By Margaret Stafford and Jim Salter The Associated Press KANSAS

CITY, Mo.

Ralph Yarl was shot at point-blank range in the head by a white homeowner but miraculously survived the bullet to his skull, the attorney for the family of the Black teenager said.

As Mr. Yarl, 16, recovers at home, the 84year-old owner of the Kansas City, Mo. house where the teen mistakenly went to pick up his brothers made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Walking with a cane and speaking too quietly

April 15 has been the traditional ending date for the city’s support of inclement weather services for the winter, and the city contracts with the shelters were written to expire on that date, the Free Press was told.

Sherill Hampton, city director of the Housing

to be heard throughout a Liberty, Mo. courtroom, Andrew Lester pleaded not guilty Wednesday in the shooting of Mr. Yarl.

The shooting has attracted presidential attention and renewed national debate about gun policies as people react with shock to a 16-yearold honor student being shot first in the head, then in the arm while making a routine stop in a residential neighborhood.

Some civil rights leaders and Yarl’s family attorney, Lee Merritt, have urged prosecutors to charge Lester with a hate crime, with Mr.

Bonnie Newman Davis/Richmond Free Press

Photo courtesy of VPM

Ralph Yarl

VMFA screens Black press film

By Craig Belcher

The stories of the men and women who were the pioneers of the Black press, newspapers that delivered news to African Americans starting in the 1800s, continue today.

On Sunday, April 23, at 1 p.m., the James River Film Society presents a film about its evolution: “The Black Press: Soldiers Without Swords.” Directed by Stanley Nelson and released in 1998, the documentary was the first to consider the history of African-American newspapers their struggles, triumphs and contributions.

“That story is still very much relevant,” said Wayne Dawkins, an associate professor of multimedia journalism at Morgan State University. “You have to know where you came from.”

He should know. Mr. Dawkins has written two books about black journalists and was a student of Phyllis Garland, a former Ebony magazine editor who is featured in the film.

“Most of that documentary focused on the 1900s, say to the early to mid 1900s, [a] critical period because that was a period we were Black folk entrenched in Jim Crow,” he said, adding that the words and pages of the Black press had a transformative impact on Black America.

Some of the newspapers recalled by the film include Freedom’s Journal, The Chicago Defender, the Pittsburgh Courier and the Baltimore Afro American. The latter three are still publishing today, and the late Raymond H. Boone Sr., founder of the Richmond Free Press, was editor and vice-president of the entire Afro-American newspaper chain, a position he held from 1976 to 1981. The documentary is narrated by actor Joe Morton and features music from jazz bassist Ron Carter, along with interviews with journalists, photographers, publishers and archival footage.

The film is part of the 29th James River Film Festival. The annual event also features “Rewind and Play,” a 2022 documentary about a Paris performance of jazz composer Thelonious Monk on Saturday at 9 p.m. at the Grace Street Theater. Tickets are $8 for each screening.

Henrico DMV office moves to Ashland

Free Press staff report

A new, larger DMV office is about to open in Ashland, replacing the service center at 9015 Brook Road in Henrico County, which will shut down on Saturday, April 22, it has been announced.

It will take about a week to complete a move to the new center at 251 N. Washington St., which is to open Monday, May 1, the Department of Motor Vehicles stated in the announcement.

Until the new office opens, DMV is advising customers to either handle business online or seek assistance at two other service centers, 9237 Quioccasin Road in Henrico or DMV’s headquarters, 2300 W. Broad St. in Richmond.

Free Press staff report

University of Richmond alumnus Greg Morrisett will speak at the school’s commencement ceremonies on May 7. He is currently the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech and a faculty member in the computer science department at Cornell University.

As dean, Mr. Morrissett upholds the academic quality and direction of Cornell Tech’s degree programs and research. He develops approaches for working with companies, nonprofits, government agencies, and early-stage investors, as well as overseeing the faculty recruitment and entrepreneurial initiatives of the New York-based campus. His research focuses on using programming language technology to build reliable and high-performing software systems.

Prior to joining Cornell Tech, Mr. Morrisett was dean of computing and information science at Cornell University from 2015 to 2019. He held the Allen B. Cutting Chair in Computer Science at Harvard University from 2004 to 2015, as well as serving as associate dean for computer science and electrical engineering. Before his time at Harvard, he spent eight years on the faculty of Cornell’s computer science department.

In addition to graduating with a bachelor’s degree from UR in 1989, he earned both master’s and doctoral degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Mr. Morrisett will address graduates during the main commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. on May 7 at the Robins Center. Ceremonies for the Richmond School of Law and School of Professional & Continuing Studies will take place on May 6.

A member of the Nation of Islam sells newspapers at the intersection of Chamberlayne Avenue and Brookland Park Blvd. in Richmond’s North Side. Not only is the intersection a fixture in Richmond, it is a major corridor for all sorts of vehicles traveling north, east, south or west. But if your intention is to explore the diversity of people and places in Richmond’s North Side, you will discover a hub of small businesses, mixed-use housing, churches, community centers, libraries, schools and institutions of higher learning. Consider

Cityscape

Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

just a few of North Side’s neighborhoods and historic landmarks: Ginter Park, Washington Park, John Marshall High School, Bellevue, Laburnum Park, Pine Camp, Edgewood, Virginia Union University and the VUU Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Scott’s Funeral Home, McClenny and Watkins

the

RPS students show minimal progress with math, reading scores

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond

public school students in the third to eighth grades continue to struggle with reading comprehension and with understanding math concepts, according to results from the state-mandated Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA).

Seven months after the current school year started, students tested in the fall and on a follow-up winter test showed minimal progress, according a report provided to the School Board at the April 10 meeting.

In September, the 7,383 students in those six grades who took the VGA math assessment could correctly answer only 38 percent of the questions, with 100 percent being the best. In the February followup math assessment, the 7,337 students tested correctly answered 41 percent of the questions.

On the fall reading assessment, the 8,839 students tested in those grades could correctly answer only 40 percent of the questions; in the follow-up winter test, the 8,721 students tested correctly answered only 43 percent of the reading questions.

In other words, there was little change.

The VGA is drawn from the state Standards of Learning (SOLs), which determine a learning program for each grade and lay out specific items that should be mastered in reading and math at each grade level.

Each student takes a test based on the standards for their grade.

The General Assembly directed the Virginia Department of Education to create the assessment program to help track student progress in those crucial subjects. This is the second year for the VGA assessment.

“My heart is heavy,” said School Board Vice Chair Cheryl Burke, 7th District, after reviewing what she described as disappointing results. The report provided a detailed look at the problem areas for students in each grade. For example, in the winter test, third graders correctly answered only 36 percent of questions about measuring length and 49 percent of the questions related to telling time to the minute.

On the follow-up assessment, fourth graders could answer only 26 percent of questions related to solving addition and subtraction problems involving decimals while 8th graders could answer only 36 percent of reading questions related to the difference between fact and opinion and only 39 percent of questions related to identifying the main idea of a reading selection.

Results varied by school and there were standards where winter scores increased over fall scores, sometimes by double digits. Superintendent Jason Kamras urged

the board to focus more on that aspect of the report.

Jonathan Young, 4th District, though, noted that some gains were to be expected with students in the classroom. But he, like other members, expressed the view that far greater progress had been anticipated.

The results were all the more of a letdown given the resources that the school system has devoted to boosting learning.

More than 50 reading and math coaches are working with teachers, and more than 80 tutors work directly with students struggling with reading or math or both, the administration noted, and computer programs have been purchased to assist the process.

But at this point, based on the results, nothing appears to have helped put the large majority students back on track in regard to the state standards of learning.

It is unclear whether the VGA results stem from learning loss due to the pandemic, poorly designed state and local curricula or a reduced belief among parents and children about the importance of education and learning.

What is clear to the School Board is that the VGA results do not bode well for strong results on the upcoming required SOL tests of student knowledge in specific subjects.

“The VGA is an absolute predictor,” Mr. Young said.

City plans to purchase Mayo Island

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond is moving rapidly to complete the purchase of Mayo Island, which a 2012 city plan described as the “green jewel” of the Downtown riverfront.

The city Planning Commission endorsed the purchase Monday, and a unanimous City Council plans to approve the purchase of the James River island at its next meeting on Monday, April 24.

In a statement released last week, the city plans to pay the current owners, the Shaia family, $14.9 million for the island in the 500 block of South 14th Street, or about $1 million per acre for the 14.5 acres.

The city is taking over the purchase from the Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC), which became the catalyst when it reached an agreement in December to buy most of the island from the Shaia family for $11.9 million.

The city’s deal includes the entire island, including a section where a billboard stands. The family did not make that section available when it inked the CLRC deal, but did so in the new deal with the city, the Free Press was told, resulting in a higher price.

According to the ordinance that council plans to approve, City Hall plans to finance

half of the purchase using a $7.5 million grant from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. The grant is from climate resiliency funds provided through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

The rest of the money will come from bonds issued by the city’s Storm Water Utility.

To help the city reduce the debt, CLRC plans to transfer a $1.5 million grant it previously received from the Virginia Land Conservation Fund to support its purchase and any other grant funds that it gains for Mayo Island.

Current plans call for elimination of

current buildings and pavement from the island to restore to a natural open space for public use as part of the James River Park, according to a city statement.

Some of that work could wait until after completion of a replacement of the 14th Street Bridge or Mayo Bridge, an $80 million project expected to begin in 2024. A portion of the island is expected to serve as a staging area for vehicles and construction equipment and vehicles for that project.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney said the purchase of the island “is a major win for all who live, work, play and visit” Richmond.

Council President Michael J. Jones was equally enthusiastic, calling the island “iconic” and saying the purchase will enable people to get closer to the river.

Sixth District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson considers the purchase “a great moment for our city that will” augment recreational opportunities.

Mayo Island is actually an amalgam of the three islands that were united in the 19th century. The island once was home to a minor league park and was a popular summer recreation area that also featured a dock. The island sits at the juncture where tidal and fresh water portions of the James River meet.

Tyre Nichols’ family sues Memphis Police over beating, death

The Associated Press MeMPhis, Tenn.

The family of Tyre Nichols, who died after a brutal beating by five Memphis police officers, sued the officers and the city of Memphis on Wednesday, blaming them for his death and accusing officials of allowing a special unit’s aggressive tactics to go unchecked despite warning signs.

The federal suit filed by lawyers for Mr. Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, seeks a jury trial and financial damages.

“It’s my turn to make sure that my son’s death does not go in vain,” Ms. Wells said at a news conference Wednesday. “This has nothing to do with the monetary value of the lawsuit, but everything to do with accountability. Those five police officers murdered my son. They beat him to death and they need to be held accountable.”

The lawsuit claims the SCORPION unit

launched by Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis used “extreme intimidation, humiliation, and violence” and “disproportionately focused on and targeted young Black men.” It states the department permitted this aggressive approach and ignored complaints by others targeted before Nichols’ death.

The five officers charged with beating the 29-year-old were members of the unit, which has since been disbanded, police have said.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said the lawsuit is asking for $550 million. Another family lawyer Antonio Romanucci said the amount symbolized the 55 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis.

The lawsuit is meant to send a message to other cities, Mr. Crump said. “We will bring these lawsuits to other cities where police are killing Black and brown people,” he said. “If it happens in your city, we’re coming to your city, too,” adding that their mission is to make it unaffordable for police to continue to have these police units.

The city and the Memphis Police Department declined comment.

Mr. Nichols died three days after the beating in January. It was the latest in a string of violent encounters between police and Black people that have spurred protests and renewed public discussion about police brutality.

In most cases, the officers have been white, but all five officers accused in Mr. Nichols’ death are

Black. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith are charged with second degree murder in Mr. Nichols’ death. They have pleaded not guilty.

The lawsuit names as defendants the city of Memphis, Police Director Davis, the five officers who have been fired and charged, another officer who has been fired but not charged, and an additional officer who retired before he could be fired. It also names three Memphis Fire Department employees who were fired after officials said they failed to render aid to Mr. Nichols.

The three officers who initiated the traffic stop claimed Mr. Nichols was driving recklessly the evening of Jan. 7. However, the lawsuit said they stopped him for reasons that have “never been substantiated.” Police Director Davis has said that she has seen no evidence justifying the traffic stop or the officers’ response.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Funeral Home,

Northside Family YMCA, Hotchkiss Park, Cannon Creek Bike Trail, 3rd Avenue Park, and two branches of the Richmond Public Library.

Photo courtesy of Capital Region Land Conservancy If purchased by the City of Richmond, Mayo Island, once a summer recreation area and home to minor league baseball in Richmond, will become part of James River Park.

Mr. Nichols

Mr. Boone

Ambulance trip costs rise, City Hall offices primed for upgrades

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million, though still short of the school system’s request for an increase of nearly $29 million.

As to the new spending, the council, with support from the Stoney administration, includes $150,000 to set up an addiction treatment program in South Side; $300,000 to hire two staff for a new division that will provide support to neighborhoods and civic groups; and $384,000 to pay for expanding a program providing tax relief for elderly and disabled people to those with incomes of up to $70,000 a year.

The biggest addition will provide council with about $1 million to improve its offices and internal operations at City Hall.

Overall, the council decisions will boost the general fund to a record $952 million, or about $2.9 million more than the mayor’s proposed, $948 million.

To cover the cost, the administration agreed to redirect $1 million that had been in the budget without any assignment and use a $2.9 million windfall from interest earned on federal American Rescue Plan funds.

The Stoney administration warded off council

changes to a proposed $699.4 million capital improvement plan for 2023-24 by promising the members that their proposals for about $9 million for district projects could be funded through the existing programs.

That includes development of the first ever recreation and sports park for the Whitcomb Court public housing community that Sixth District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson pushed.

The council’s decision on school spending leaves the School Board having to pare back spending to balance revenues and proposed expenditures.

The board received a first draft Monday night of a proposed $9.8 million in reductions from Superintendent Jason Kamras.

Earlier this year, the board had approved a $525 million budget, including city, state and federal dollars. That figure included the request to the city for $229.3 million, which was rebuffed and reduced to the $221.4 million that council endorsed.

With an amended 2023-24 state budget still on hold, Richmond Public Schools, like school districts across Virginia, faces uncertainty on

the level of state spending on public education, but might have to complete its budget before knowing.

The state Senate and House of Delegates have yet to reach a deal on how to use about $3 billion — with the Senate wanting to boost support of public education and the House backing the governor’s plan to return much of the money to taxpayers.

Seventh District Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille proposed providing a one-time 5 percent bonus for retired city employees, but that got left on the table after the administration balked.

Lincoln Saunders, the city’s chief administrative officer, though, indicated that the projected $3.5 million needed to provide that bonus might become available by early winter after an audit of the current 2022-23 fiscal year is completed and provides information on the amount of surplus or unexpended dollars that remain.

He suggested that a bonus for retirees could come off the top of the surplus. This year, the city reported at least $35 million in unexpended funds from the 2021-22 fiscal year and it is anticipated that 2 to 4 percent of the 2023-24

budget might remain unexpended.

The council also plans to include language that 2nd District Councilwoman Katherine Jordan and Council Vice President Kristen Nye, 4th District authored to ensure the Richmond Ambulance Authority receives the full $5.4 million that had been requested.

However, no additional funds were provided for the ambulance service. The administration has been pushing RAA to increase its transport charge and make other changes, based on a recommendation from a consultant, the Robert Bobb Group. As the Free Press previously reported, the RAA is anticipated to raise its current rate of $600 for one-way transport to around $1,625 as of July 1.

Regarding climate change initiatives, Ms. Jordan was unsuccessful in advocating for new funding to push the city’s efforts to reduce its emission of greenhouse gases, through vehicle purchases and planning for reducing use of natural gas.

However, Mr. Saunders assured her and other council members that her proposals would be incorporated into administration plans and actions.

Tyson employees eye opportunities at job fair

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The streets surrounding the church were lined with cars throughout the morning and afternoon, as the basement of the church buzzed with activity and discussion between hopeful workers and employers offering a range of job openings and positions.

The Pupil Transportation and Food Service departments of Henrico County Public Schools, Virginia Career Services and the Packaging Corporation of America were among the organizations at the jobs fair.

Financial advisers were also on hand to help Tyson workers who had concerns about their workplace savings, retirement plans or other questions in the wake of plant’s sudden closing.

“Tyson employees, I don’t want you guys to feel sad — pick up the phone, call somebody,” said Carolyn Woody, human resource coordinator for Boar’s Head, during the opening minutes of the job fair. “Anybody who wants to come on board, we welcome you.”

The sense of community and solidarity among those at the jobs fair was a sharp contrast to the decision that brought them to Wesley Memorial, and a warmth was present throughout the event that matched the sunny weather outside the church.

It’s that community connection and interest that fueled the

Continued from A1 Free COVID-19 vaccines

19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for more information on testing sites, or go online at vax.rchd.com.

The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID-19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov/ coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites.

Want a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot?

The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free vaccines for COVID-19 and more at the following locations:

• Thursday, April 20, 2 to 4 p.m. - Cary Street, 400 E. Cary St., Primary Moderna shots for age 6 months to 5 years old and bivalent boosters for age 6 years and older, Primary Pfizer shots for age 6 months and older, bivalent boosters for age 5 years and older, Novavax primary shots for age 12 and older, and boosters for age 18 and older, JYNNEOS shots and baby bivalent boosters. Walk-ups welcome but appointments encouraged.

• Saturday, April 22, 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. - RUTH Foundation Health Fair, 601 Azalea Ave., Primary Moderna shots for age

6 months to 5 years old and bivalent boosters for age 6 years and older, Primary Pfizer shots for age 6 months and older, bivalent boosters for age 5 years and older, Novavax primary shots for age 12 and older, and boosters for age 18 and older, JYNNEOS shots and baby bivalent boosters. Walk-ups welcome but appointments encouraged.

• Wednesday, April 26, 2 to 4 p.m. - Henrico West Health Department, 8600 Dixon Powers Dr., Primary Moderna shots for age 6 months to 5 years old and bivalent boosters for age 6 years and older, Primary Pfizer shots for age 6 months and older, bivalent boosters for age 5 years and older, Novavax primary shots for age 12 and older, and boosters for age 18 and older, JYNNEOS shots and baby bivalent boosters. Walk-ups welcome but appointments encouraged.

People can schedule an appointment online at vase.vdh. virginia.gov, vaccinate.virginia.gov or vax.rchd.com, or by calling (804) 205-3501 or (877) VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682).

VaccineFinder.org and vaccines.gov also allow people to find nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine and booster.

Those who are getting a booster shot should bring their vaccine card to confirm the date and type of vaccine received.

RHHD also offers at-home vaccinations by calling (804) 205-3501 to schedule appointments.

New COVID-19 boosters, updated to better protect against the latest variants of the virus, are now available. The new Pfizer booster is approved for those aged 12 and up, while the new Moderna booster is for those aged 18 and older.

As with previous COVID-19 boosters, the new doses can only be received after an initial two vaccine shots, and those who qualify are instructed to wait at least two months after their second COVID-19 vaccine.

The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts are now offering bivalent Pfizer and Moderna boosters to children between the ages of 5 and 11 in clinics in the near future. Children in this age range will be eligible after at least two months since their last vaccine dose.

New COVID-19 cases in Virginia fell by 13 percent during the last week, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health, while data from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association showed hospitalizations statewide decreased by 36 percent since last week.

Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico County are at low levels of community COVID-19. No localities in Virginia are ranked at high community COVID levels, and none were ranked at medium as of last week.

A total of 85 new cases of COVID-19 were reported statewide Wednesday for the 24-hour period, contributing to an overall state total of 2,303,653 cases in Virginia since the pandemic’s outbreak. As of Wednesday, there have been 459,617 hospitalizations and 23,737 deaths reported statewide.

State data available at the time also shows that AfricanAmericans comprised 22 percent of cases statewide and 21.6 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 9.87 percent of cases and 3.7 percent of deaths.

As of Tuesday, Richmond reported a total of 61,119 cases, 1,320 hospitalizations and 548 deaths; Henrico County, 92,778 cases, 1,783 hospitalizations and 1,086 deaths; Chesterfield County, 100,651 cases, 1,778 hospitalizations and 875 deaths; and Hanover County, 29,258 cases, 951 hospitalizations and 348 deaths.

creation of the job fair, according to UFCW Local 400 Vice President Donna Waddell. The group has partnered with Boar’s Head, a meat supplier, and Wesley Memorial in the past for community events.

Wesley Memorial Pastor Rodney L. Hunter and Ms. Waddell also share a connection through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, where he served as president of the Richmond chapter and she serves as part of the national board, making the church an easy choice to host the jobs fair.

The various businesses and organizations, meanwhile, had quickly reached out to Ms. Waddell in the wake of Tyson Foods announcing the Glen Allen plant closure, eager to find new employees. “That’s why we’re here today,” Ms. Waddell said. “Trying to help them find good jobs with good benefits and good pay.”

The workers seeking new employment or help at the jobs fair varied in age, ethnicity and job experience, and each had their own goals and expectations for their future employment. Some

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$24.91 an hour, a $7.48 an hour increase that translates into $300 more in weekly wages. As approved by the board, those who are in training will be paid $21.98 an hour for the first six months, or $879.20 per week before taxes. Once they leave probation status after six months, drivers will see an immediate increase of nearly $3 an hour, rising every six months. A GRTC chart shows that after 24 months, their pay will increase nearly $8 per hour to top pay.

Ms. Adams’ plan, as approved, increased top pay by $2.50 an hour to $29.41, a 9 percent increase, and cut the period for reaching the top of the pay range from five years to two years.

For those at top pay, the hike in the hourly rate represents a $5,228 increase in yearly pay for a 40-hour work week.

The new pay rate means bus drivers will earn $61,200 a year before taxes. Before the pay hike, top pay was $26.91 an hour,

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and Community Development Department, estimated to the council’s Education and Human Services Committee two days before the close that each of the shelters cost $100,000 or more per month to operate, and there was no additional funding available.

According to city documents, the city pays other organizations to operate inclement weather shelters in the winter because there are more people seeking a warm space than can be accommodated in the 260 beds that groups such as Caritas, Daily Planet, Home Again, Liberation Veterans Services and the Salvation Army operate every day.

This year, the Free Press has learned, the city did not completely end payments for shelter. At the last minute, the city made an exception for eight families with 19 children and placed them at an unnamed hotel. Included were a mother who is nursing a newborn, and another who was to be released from a local hospital after giving birth, the Free Press was told.

But everyone else was told to make their own way.

“It is what it is,” said Mr. Barrett, a recovering alcoholic who is estranged from

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Merritt noting that “was armed only with his Black skin.”

Clay County prosecutor Zachary Thompson said first-degree assault is a higher-level crime, allowing a sentence of up to life in prison, which is more than a hate-crime charge would carry. Though activists have called for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate, it was unclear whether it would do so. Messages seeking comment from the department were not returned.

of those present, like Mr. Brown, sought to ensure they would have certain benefits as part of their new jobs, whether it was health insurance, dental or a 401K plan.

Others had simpler goals when it came to their work. Ruth Champ, a house keeper at the Jefferson Hotel who heard of the job fair through friends at Tyson, was hoping to move from her current, seven-day job to a less exhaustive five-day one that doesn’t require her to work on weekends, and was more than ready for a change.

“Whenever somebody calls,” Ms. Champ said, “I’ll be ready to go.”

And while efforts to secure compensation from Tyson for the Glen Allen workers have been unsuccessful the prospects for employees seem to be quite bright, with some already starting new jobs at Boar’s Head at Petersburg, according to Ms. Waddell.

“Whatever we can do to point them in the right direction for a good job with good benefits, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Ms. Waddell said.

translating to $55,972 annually before taxes for full-time drivers.

“My goal is to ensure we are a company that supports a strong quality of life for our employees while providing equitable transportation options for the region,” Ms. Adams said in announcing the pay boost.

The pay boost also impacts mechanics and other GRTC employees whom Local 1220 of the Amalgamated Transit Union represents. The pay boost is projected to cost GRTC $1.2 million in the current fiscal year that will end June 30, according to spokeswoman Ashley Mason.

The pay raise, though, does not affect Care Van drivers, who are now in contract negotiations with National Express Transit, which took over operation of GRTC’s paratransit operation in October. The company increased top pay around $2 an hour to $19.25 an hour then, according to the local.

GRTC Board President Tyrone E. Nelson said the approval of the new pay plan for the bus drivers reflects the board’s efforts

his family and has no place to go.

Stephen Harms, senior policy adviser to city CAO Lincoln Saunders, told the council committee that the city’s plan for next winter is to pay for the operation of 150 shelter beds and to provide 25 more beds at a hotel or other non-congregant setting. He also told the committee that conversations are underway with the umbrella Greater Richmond Continuum of Care and its homeless service partners about expanding the number of permanent shelter beds by at least 50. That would enable 350 to 400 more people to gain a place and potentially reduce demand for city-provided shelter space, he said.

Such plans do not offer immediate help to Mr. Barrett and others. Blessing Warriors RVA, which brings food, clothes and other items to the homeless, already reports serving 200 homeless people a day.

Unlike many of the homeless, Mr. Barrett receives a monthly government disability check, but the $900 does not stretch far enough these days to cover rent he has found.

The former carpenter said he was grateful for the CCC shelter, which provided raised cots he could maneuver onto to sleep and two meals. But it wasn’t like it was a panacea, noting that he and everyone else

Mr. Lester turned himself in Tuesday and was later released on bond. Conditions of his bond include monitoring of his cellphone, prohibition for possessing weapons “of any type,” and a stipulation that Mr. Lester not have contact with Ralph or his family.

The shooting happened about 10 p.m. Thursday. Police Chief Stacey Graves said that Ralph’s parents asked him to pick up his twin brothers at a home on 115th Terrace.

Ralph, an honors student and allstate band member, mistakenly went

to ensure that GRTC is making “the right business decisions that allow the company to remain competitive and provide reliable transportation for the region.”

GRTC, despite holding twice monthly trainings, continues to struggle to fill approximately 50 vacancies.

The company has set a goal of having 285 full-time drivers, but currently only has 234 full-time and 28 part-time drivers. While 16 people are in training, GRTC has been shedding drivers almost as fast, forcing the company to either reduce service or require remaining drivers to work overtime.

Local 1220 President Maurice A. Carter called the pay boost a clear win for employees, the company and for riders who depend on the service.

“We are proud that we were able to reach this agreement that supports our front line employees,” he said. “This is a step in the right direction to bring GRTC back to its glory days where front-line employees felt valued.”

had to wait in the cold and sometimes rain for the 7 p.m. opening and had to be out by 8 a.m. the next morning. Still, it provided a roof over his head.

Mr. Barrett said he has called every private shelter provider as well as the homeless hotline, but nothing has worked out.

“I was offered a shelter bed, but it was on the second floor,” he said. “I would have had to climb steps to get there, and I can’t do that anymore.

“I also was offered the top bunk in another shelter, but I couldn’t use it. My condition means I need something on the first floor or something accessible by elevator,” he said.

So in recent days, he has hung around a coffee shop on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus, his favorite place even when he stayed at the CCC and finds a sheltered spot at night to sleep in his wheelchair.

He has no choice. “I can’t lie on the ground because I can’t get up,” he said. “If I had to do that, it would be better to eat a bullet.”

He has his fingers crossed that his luck will change and that he’ll wind up with a place to live before winter rolls around again and he finds himself again living temporarily in a city-supported shelter.

to 115th Street — a block away from where he meant to be. When he rang the bell, Mr. Lester came to the door and used a .32 caliber Smith and Wesson 1888 revolver to shoot Ralph in the forehead, and then shot him again in the right forearm.

Mr. Lester told police he lives alone and was “scared to death” when he saw a Black male on the porch and thought someone was trying to break in, according to the probable cause statement.

But Mr. Merritt said Ralph is hardly an imposing figure.

Ralph Yarl making stunning recovery, lawyer says

Swansboro Baptist partners with nonprofit to offer free meals

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

For Kevin Alston and dozens of other hungry South Side residents struggling with food costs, Swansboro Baptist Church is now the place to go for a free hot lunch.

“They’re a godsend,” said Mr. Alston, a day laborer who rides his bike to the church on days when he cannot find work.

The church at 3801 Midlothian Turnpike now offers hot meals and free take-home food items five days a week on behalf of the nonprofit Richmond Friends of the Homeless, a group that founder and leader Shawnee Hansen created in 1986 to tackle hunger issues.

Swansboro started serving Monday through. Fridaysin mid-March, taking over from Broomfield Christian Methodist Episcopal Church on Richmond Highway. Broomfield ended its role as the host site after 14 years.

“We were offered an opportunity and we took it,” said Luther A. Brown Jr., chair of Swansboro Baptist’s Trustee Board.

Both he and the board’s vice chair, Josephine S. Myers, are regulars in helping to set up and serve dur-

Credit Union tours city

Free Press staff report

The Richmond Heritage Federal Credit Union, the largest Black-owned financial institution in the city, marks its 87th anniversary with a tour of the city to celebrate the expansion of its ATM network, it has been announced.

The tour, featuring trolleys and the River City Riderz’s fancy Polaris Slingshot three-wheel motorcycles, takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, according to Randy Cooper, president and CEO of the credit union.

The vehicle parade will begin at the credit union’s headquarters, 50 W. Commerce Road,

then travel to the three other ATM sites, Virginia Union University on Lombardy Street, the Market at 25th on Fairmount Avenue and Richmond Community Hospital on Nine Mile Road.

RVA on Wheels and African American Tours are providing the trolleys, he said, with the River City Riderz creating buzz for the parade with their colorful motorcycles.

The cost for the tour is $40, he said, with four people getting rides in the accompanying slingshots at each stop.

More details: Mr. Cooper (804) 233-8872 or RichmondHeritage.org

ing the noon to 12:30 p.m. time period the weekday program operates.

Elaine Miller, a retiree, leads the preparation and serving, just as she did at Broomfield. She said the program gives her purpose. “It helps me as much as it helps the people we serve,” Ms. Miller said.

Ms. Hansen has welcomed the support from Swansboro Baptist and is hoping the word will spread so that more people will come. She said that Friends was serving 120 people a day at Broomfield, but has yet to get more than 20 people at Swansboro.

The hot food comes from affiliated churches, while volunteers like Joseph Warren also bring the take-home food. He picks up from Good Samaritan Ministries, which often has extra food items and seeks to distribute it to other operations.

Richmond Friends also serves five days a week at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Gilpin Court.

The program also has had a weekend operation in Fonticello Park in South Side. Ms. Hansen said that program that provides hot lunches from 1 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday is moving to Tabernacle of Praise, 2668 Hull St.

the city on Saturday,

29.

Jeremy M. Lazarus/Richmond Free Press

Elaine Miller, Luther A. Brown Jr. and Josephine S. Myers on the serving line at Swansboro Baptist Church on Midlothian Turnpike.

Jeremy M. Lazarus/Richmond Free Press Richmond Heritage Federal Credit Union marks its 87th birthday with a tour of

April

The tour will feature trolleys and the River City Riderz’s fancy Polaris Slingshot three-wheel motorcycles, such as this one owned by Wayne Washington, president of the River City Riderz.

Men can teach, too

Anyone who’s been inside a public school knows there aren’t large numbers of male teachers in classrooms. In fact, male minority teachers make up less than 5 percent of all educators in the country, according to recent data. In 2020, Richmond Public Schools created a program called RVA Men Teach to address this disparity, retain and recruit male minority teachers and highlight them as educational experts and eliminate barriers that keep them out of classrooms.

On Saturday, April 15, the first RVA Men Teach Conference took place at Huguenot High School. Panel discussions, a hiring fair and CPR training were among the offerings to the approximately 100 people in attendance.

“We created the RVA Men Teach program with the understanding of the effects of the ‘invisible tax’ on male minority teachers,” said Rodney A. Robinson, 2019 National Teacher of the Year and organizer of the conference. “Our hope is that by providing support, recognition, and opportunities for growth, we can increase the number of male minority teachers here at RPS and improve the educational experience and academic outcomes of all students.”

Panel discussion participants included older men that the younger men can look up to as role mentors and role models: Mayor Levar M. Stoney, state Sen. Lamont Bagby, Virginia State University Dean Walter Willis, Virginia Humanities Director Yahusef Medina and former school principal Frank Scott.

Mr. Robinson led a discussion about the impact of COVID-19 on students and educators with two former Virginia Teachers of the Year (Toney McNair and Anthony Swann) and two Milken Educator Award winners (Ryan James and Ryan Sykes). Other breakout sessions led by RPS educators, leaders and support staff discussed advocacy, engagement, literacy and higher education.

The effort to increase Black male teachers in schools wasn’t lost on students at the riveting sessions.

“Seeing someone who looks like me in a position of authority and leadership has helped me realize my own potential and believe that I can achieve anything I set my mind to,” said Delonte Liggins-Johnson, a senior at Armstrong High School and panel member.

The RVA Men Teach program also presented the first RVA Men Teach Male Minority Teacher of the Year Award to Philip Canady, a teacher at Fairfield Court Elementary School, who was named the 2022 Fairfield Court Teacher of the Year.

Well done.

Something in the water

Speaking of teaching, producer and singer Pharrell Williams is a shining example of a Black male role model who, despite his fame, fortune and talent, stays true to himself, his home and values.

He also believes in speaking truth to power. Several years ago, the award-winning producer and singer was intentional about his quest to bring a fun, sun-soaked music festival to his hometown in Virginia Beach. In 2019, he came with it—a multi-day music festival known as “Something In The Water.” It was a success.

After skipping a year when the COVID-19 pandemic began, the festival moved to Washington, D.C., last year. It garnered mixed reviews, with reports of overcrowding and high praise for Pharrell’s performance, which featured appearances from the reunited rap duo Clipse and singer Justin Timberlake.

“Something In The Water” returns to Virginia Beach April 28 –30. A music lover’s dream, the festival will feature performances from Lil Wayne, Kamasi Washington, Grace Jones, Lil Yachty, Wu Tang Clan, SWV, Summer Walker and Masego, among many others. This year’s concert series includes an “RnB Block Party,” with music from Richmond music makers Mad Skillz and DJ Lonnie B, along with other prominent DJs for all three days.

It almost didn’t happen.

In a letter to Virginia Beach officials in October of 2021, the “Happy” singer wrote that the city was “run by and with toxic energy.” He mentioned the shooting death of cousin, Donovan Lynch, who was killed by police a few months prior and a 2019 mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center. City officials expressed a desire to meet with the singer to discuss the future of the event, which reportedly brought more than $24 million to Virginia Beach area.

“I wish the same energy I’ve felt from the Virginia Beach leadership upon losing the festival would have been similarly channeled following the loss of my relative’s life,” he wrote.

Since the letter, the city of Virginia Beach reached a $3 million settlement with Mr. Lynch’s family while the officer who shot him was not charged.

“The city of Virginia Beach leaders have been eager to reconcile and move forward,” Pharrell said in a statement. “There is a pervasive feeling by almost everyone that the festival belongs in Virginia Beach, and the time is right to bring it back.”

I have been blessed to serve four community colleges – two in Virginia, one in North Carolina and now one in Pennsylvania. I had similar experiences at all four community colleges. Their tuition rates were affordable. Also, they offered generous scholarships. Their employees were studentfocused and empathetic. Finally, their course instruction and student services were top notch.

Community colleges are very different from four-year colleges and universities. Community colleges focus on instruction. Many four-year colleges and universities focus on research.

In addition, community colleges have our share of red tape – but typically less than four-year colleges and universities. The average age of community college students is typically higher than the average age of undergraduate students at fouryear colleges and universities. A larger percentage of students of

“We won’t be bent, we won’t be bowed, and we won’t be ordered to ignore the hearts and minds of the people who elected us, demanding commonsense gun safety in a state that has nearly none. The GOP of the Tennessee House of Representatives attempted to obstruct me and my colleagues from these goals and to shred our democracy. Instead, Republicans have only fanned the flames of hope that illuminate our movement, helping it to grow more powerful and glow more brightly.” –Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson

The crowd of more than 1,000 that gathered at Tennessee’s Capitol to demand safer gun policies was mostly white.

The three 9-year-old children and two of the three staff members who died in the mass shooting that inspired the protest were white.

The group of legislators who stood at the House podium with a bullhorn to lead protesters in the galleries was multiracial.

Only the Black legislators were expelled.

The Tennessee lawmakers who voted to expel House members Justin Jones and Justin Pearson while sparing Gloria Johnson shifted focus away from the outcry against gun violence – which cuts across every demographic – toward their own appalling racism.

In the eyes of the nation, when the House convened on the morning April 6, the Tennessee Three were facing expulsion because they protested gun violence. When it adjourned that evening,

color attend community colleges compared to four-year colleges and universities.

Community colleges are not perfect, and we do not profess to be. Some of them have red tape. Yes, most of them are underfunded and understaffed. Yes, for some of them, it can be

hard for students to navigate the organizational structure. These factors are problematic for some community colleges AND some four-year schools. A recent unbalanced article that received quite a bit of attention would have you thinking these challenges are unique to community colleges. They are not.

On average, our retention and graduation rates are typically lower than four-year schools’ retention and graduation rates. Why? Because for many community college students, graduation is not their goal. Learning new skills and earning more money are. We must stop assessing today’s academic success using antiquated measurements. Some people think com -

the Justins had been expelled because they are Black.

The reality is that racial resentment and gun extremism are inexplicably linked.

Racial resentment is a “statistically significant” predictor of white resistance to gun safety policies, research shows. Yet those same “racially resentful” Americans are less likely to support “gun rights” if they believe Black people are exercising those rights more than they are.

Despite the reality that a gun

in the household offers almost no protection against assailants, doubles the risk of death by violent homicide and triples the risk of death by violent suicide, the vast majority of gun owners cite “protection” as their reason for owning one.

Clearly, for many white gun owners “protection” means “protection from Black people.”

The high rate of gun ownership in the South, even today, can be traced to the backlash against Reconstruction. The higher the rates of historical enslavement in a county, the higher the rates of contemporary gun ownership.

Nearly half of Southerners live in a household with at least one gun, compared to 28 percent of Northeasterners. Six of the 10 states with the highest rates of gun violence – including Tennessee – are in the South.

Tennessee has the 10th highest rate of gun violence in the nation and ranks 29th on the strength of its gun safety policies. Just eight days after the massacre at Covenant School, the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee voted to defer action on any gun-related legislation until next year.

munity colleges are not “good enough” and are facing a “reckoning.” They are wrong. Many of our students graduate from community colleges and then transfer to the best universities in the nation. Typically, they perform better academically at those universities than those who go straight from high schools to four-year institutions. Alumni at my community college have graduated from Cornell, Harvard, Penn and Yale. One of our most beloved alumni attended my community college as a single mother of five children. She graduated with a nursing degree from the community college. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree and then was admitted to Yale Medical School. She is now a medical doctor. Did she encounter some red tape at the community college. Yes. Did she occasionally have a bad experience with advising?

Yes. Did she get bounced around from office to office a few times before getting her questions answered? Yes.

Today’s students at my community college would give similar responses. They would ALSO say that attending a community

While the anti-gun safety supermajority in Tennessee’s legislature’s may continue to block common sense policies for some time to come, their effort to silence the outcry against gun violence clearly has failed. Not only have both Justins been reappointed to the House, they return as national heroes.

The Nashville Metropolitan Council unanimously voted to reappoint Rep. Jones to his seat on Monday, and the Shelby County Board of Commissioners returned Rep. Pearson to the House on Wednesday.

“Today we are sending a resounding message that democracy will not be killed in the comfort of silence,” Rep. Jones said after the vote. “Today we send a clear message to Speaker Cameron Sexton that the people will not allow his crimes against democracy to happen without challenge.”

In contrast to the legislature’s stubborn refusal to address gun violence, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has issued an executive order strengthening background checks for gun purchases and called for a red flag law that would temporarily remove guns from dangerous people.

Gov. Lee and his wife, Maria, were longtime friends of two of those who lost their lives at Covenant School: substitute teacher Cynthia Peak and headmistress Katherine Koontz. Ms.Peak was expected at the governor’s mansion for dinner with Maria Lee on the day of the shooting.

It should not take a personal connection to the victims of a massacre to move a public servant to take a stand against gun violence. But now that Gov. Lee has taken the first step, he must continue the journey and the legislature should follow.

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.

college was one of the best decisions they ever made:

• They are receiving an excellent education.

• They may have several job offers before they graduate. They will be able to transfer most, if not all, of their community college credits if they want to attend a four-year school after graduation. I continue to be amazed by community colleges. They are more than enough. They are life changing.

Linnie S. Carter, Ph.D., APR is the vice president of college advancement at HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, and executive director of the HACC Foundation. She was a longtime resident of Richmond and is a two-time graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Sellars sandrasellars@richmondfreepress.com Regina H. Boone reginaboone@richmondfreepress.com James Haskins, Rudolph Powell and Clinton A. Strane Vice President – Administration Tracey L. Oliver traceyoliver@richmondfreepress.com

Advertising Traffic Coordinator Cynthia Downing advertising@richmondfreepress.com classifieds@richmondfreepress.com

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To be equal: ‘Tennessee Three’ fiasco

America’s

Marc H. Morial

Dr. Linnie S. Carter

Fire Department mum about plans for training site

The Richmond Fire Department apparently will have to find another location for its planned fire training facility.

City Council appears to have accepted the Planning Commission’s April 3 recommendation to reject a plan to install the new training center on 2 acres of lawn at the Hickory Hill Community Center in South Side.

Council has not placed the commission’s recommendation on its agenda for reconsideration, which would allow it to stand.

The department has remained mum about its plans for the training facility since the commission’s vote. The department has said that it needs a new facility to replace a decaying building in Sandston that has been partially condemned and otherwise deemed unfit for use.

Women veterans get new health center

Richmond’s women veterans will have access to a range of health services with the opening of the new Women Veterans Health Center in Building 520, 1201 Brock Road Blvd. The new facility will have an official ribbon cutting to mark the opening on Friday, April 21, at noon.

Services to be offered include primary care, mental health services, mammography, gynecology, laboratory services, a pharmacy and other programs designed to meet the unique needs of veterans who identify as female.

More information about accessing Central Virginia VA Health Care System services is available online at www.va.gov/ richmond-health-care/

Crisis center opening at St. Joseph’s Villa

A regional center for youths suffering a mental health crisis is on the way.

A groundbreaking ceremony was scheduled for Thursday, April 20, to start construction on the youth Crisis Receiving Center that will be located at St. Joseph’s Villa, it has been announced. The Villa, a nonprofit support center for families and children located at Parham and Brook roads, is teaming with Henrico County to develop the center that will offer a range of intervention services to those ages 7 to 17.

The center is planned to initially provide services to six patients and expand to nine patients, according to the announcement. When completed, the center, though based in Henrico, will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to serve youths in Central Virginia.

The primary goal of the new center is to divert youths from being taken to a hospital emergency room for treatment, where families might wait days for assessment and intervention, the announcement states.

At the center, youths would be assessed and then linked to the next appropriate level of care within 23 hours of being admitted, the announcement states.

Please take notice that a School Board of the City of Richmond public hearing to receive public comment on the renaming of Binford Middle School scheduled to convene at Binford Middle School, 1701 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23220 on Monday, April 24, 2023 from 6pm to 7pm has been cancelled and will be rescheduled.

Please take notice that the School Board of the City of Richmond will conduct public hearings to receive public comment on the renaming of Ginter Park Elementary School, John B. Cary Elementary School, Binford Middle School, and George Wythe High School.

A public hearing will convene at Ginter Park Elementary School, 3817 Chamberlayne Ave, Richmond, VA 23227, in the Auditorium, on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 6pm.

A public hearing will convene at Binford Middle School, 1701 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23220, in the Auditorium, on Monday, May 8, 2023 at 6pm.

A public hearing will convene at John B. Cary Elementary School, 3021 Maplewood Ave, Richmond, VA 23221, in the Auditorium, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 6pm.

A public hearing will convene at George Wythe High the Auditorium, on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 6pm.

A public hearing will convene at Binford Middle School, 1701 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23220, in the Auditorium, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at 6pm.

For information regarding the Public Hearings, please contact Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact the Clerk of the School Board no later than three (3) business days prior to the meeting hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency

Stories by Fred Jeter

JM’s Jason Rivera-Torres says choosing Vanderbilt ‘just felt right’

The arrows on Jason Rivera-Torres’ basketball map are pointing toward Nashville.

The slender 6-foot-6 John Marshall High School senior announced on April 14 that he is signing with Vanderbilt University of the powerful Southeastern Conference (SEC).

At Vandy, he will play under Commodores Coach Jerry Stackhouse, a former North Carolina and NBA standout.

“I definitely got a lot of interest from Coach Stackhouse and look forward to learning under him,” said Rivera-Torres following a ceremony at the JM gym.

“Had an amazing visit to Vanderbilt and it just felt right.”

Vanderbilt, among the nation’s elite academic institutions, went 22-15 last year and advanced to the third round of the NIT tournament. The SEC was the nation’s top-ranked conference this past season.

In helping JM to a 28-0 record this past season and another Class 2 State title, Rivera-Torres averaged 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.6 steals, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocked shots. He shot 38 percent from beyond the arc, 72 percent at the foul line and often was a theatrical dunker.

“Jason made coaching easy,” said Coach Ty White, who was MaxPreps.com Coach of the Year.

Rivera-Torres was named first team All-State and just recently was the MVP of the 804 All-Star game at Virginia State.

From New York City’s Bronx borough, Rivera-Torres came to Richmond last summer as part of the cast for the “Swagger” TV series.

That’s when he met with Coach White and the Justices and decided to finish high school on North Side.

In making his college decision public, Rivera-Torres thanked everyone in “his journey,” especially his mother, Brenda, who traveled from New York for the occasion.

There were cheers aplenty during the announcement, and a few

tears as well. Jason was just three when his father, Roberto, died. His mother raised him and his brother on her own.

To show what kind of special young man he is, this is what

Jordan Walker’s historic 12-game hitting streak

Could he be the next Aaron Judge?

That would be the highest of compliments, but St. Louis Cardinals’ rookie left fielder Jordan Walker at least deserves some comparison.

The 20-year-old from the Atlanta suburbs began his big-league career this spring with a 12-game hitting streak that featured two homers and eight RBI.

The streak was historical. It’s the longest string of consecutive hits for a rookie by a player under 21 since Eddie Murphy in 1912 – that’s “Nineteen” 12.

Comparisons are inevitable with Judge, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound Yankee outfielder who last

season set the American League home run record of 62.

Walker is 6-foot-6, 245 pounds and won’t turn 21 until May 22. He was St. Louis’ first round draft pick (21st overall) in 2020.

After a powerful season at Class AA Springfield, Mo. (19 homers, 22 stolen bases in 119 games), Walker became the youngest position player (nonpitcher) to start for St. Louis on opening day since outfielder David Green in 1981.

Originally a third baseman, Walker was moved to outfielder by the Cardinals because perennial All-Star Nolan Arenado is a fixture at third in St.

Carter Aldrete’s promising start for Squirrels

Squirrels return

From the same college that produced the likes of Reggie Jackson and Barry Bonds comes Carter Aldrete. Jackson and Bonds became two of the greatest sluggers in baseball history after fine-tuning their swings at Arizona State University.

Aldrete, the current infield player for the Richmond Flying Squirrels, was the San Francisco Giants 15th round pick in 2018, out of the same ASU.

The Pac-12 school in Tempe has produced some 114 ballplayers who made their way

Trinity Thomas vaults to her 28th perfect score

On a scale of one to 10, Trinity Thomas is about as close to a 10 as there is.

The University of Florida gymnast finished her Gators career with a record-tying 28th “perfect 10” at the NCAA Nationals in Fort Worth, Tex.

She matches the 28 perfectos of former gymnasts Jenny Hansen of Kentucky and UCLA’s Jamie Dantzscher.

A 22-year-old native of York, Pa., Thomas got her 28th perfect score in the vault – a Yurchenko 1.5.

In 2007, Olympic and Elite gymnastics did away with the perfect 10, but it remains a part of the collegiate scene.

Broken down, the fifth-year senior’s 10’s came on 12 floor exercise, six beams, five bars and five vaults.

Florida finished second behind Oklahoma in the overall team standing.

to the big leagues.

Aldrete, who’d like to be 115th, or thereabouts, is off to a promising start for the Squirrels, who started the current homestand 5-4. A 6-foot-1, 200-pound right-hander from Monterey, Calif., Aldrete was hitting .308 (8-for-26) with two homers and four runs batted in to start the week. His father, Richard, played nine seasons in the minor leagues. Uncle Mike Aldrete played in the majors from 1986 to 1996 and is currently the first base coach for Oakland.

he said of his mom as she sat beside him:

“She’s my superhero, my wonder woman, my sunshine on a cloudy day … and my 3-point shot to win the game.”

Sweet

Kayana Traylor Taylor Soule

Virginia Tech’s Traylor and Soule WNBA bound

Two Virginia Tech women’s basketball stars are taking their talents to the WNBA.

Kayana Traylor was the 23rd overall selection by Chicago earlier this month in the WNBA draft, and Taylor Soule was taken 28th by Minnesota.

The 5-foot-9 Traylor averaged 11 points for the Hokies with a high of 25 against Virginia.

At 5-foot-11, Soule averaged 11 points, six rebounds and led the team with 40 steals.

Both were transfers, with Traylor coming to Blacksburg from Purdue and Soule from Boston College.

Tech finished 31-5 under Kenny Brooks, the first Black coach to take his team to an ACC tournament title. The Hokies were eliminated in the NCAA semifinals by eventual champion LSU. The overall No. 1 draft selection was Aliyah Boston of South Carolina. The 6-foot-5 native of the Virgin Islands was selected by the Indiana Fever.

Boston averaged 11 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots under Coach Dawn Staley, helping the Gamecocks to a 36-1 record. South Carolina lost to Iowa in the NCAA semifinals.

Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ shoes sold for millions

Free Press wire reports

Sotheby’s auction house announced April 11 that a pair of Air Jordans worn by Michael Jordan during his final championship run with the Chicago Bulls has sold at auction for $2.2 million, surpassing the record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold, reports CBS News.

The Air Jordan 13s, which Jordan wore in Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, sold for the highest publicly recorded price for a pair of sneakers, according to Sotheby’s.

“The historic sneakers were worn during the most recognizable season of Jordan’s storied career, which helped secure his legacy

as the greatest basketball player of all time,” Sotheby’s said in its news release.

The Air Jordan 13s – also known as the Bred Air Jordans as a shorthand for the black and red color scheme – were released in May 1998, right in the thick of Jordan’s postseason run with the Bulls. According to Sotheby’s, the sneakers were among the final public releases of the Air Jordan brand during his career with the Bulls.

After losing in Game 1 of the NBA Finals that year, Jordan wore the shoes in the second half of Game 2 and helped the Bulls beat the Jazz at the Delta Center by scoring 37 points, Sotheby’s said. Following the game, he gave the sneakers to a ball boy who maintained the visitors’ locker room and signed them

as thank you for his services, according to the auction house.

Jordan and the Bulls won their sixth championship soon after. Jordan’s final season with the Bulls was known as the “Last Dance” – and it was also the name of an ESPN documentary chronicling that time period of Jordan’s career.

The sneakers are also among the most expensive Jordan items ever sold, trailing the basketball legend’s game-worn jersey from Game 1 of the same finals series that sold for $10.1 million. The sale of the shoes beat out Kanye West’s Nike Air Yeezy 1s, which sold for $1.8 million, and Jordan’s game-worn Nike Air Ships, which sold for $1.472 million in 2021.

Carter Aldrete

Trinity Thomas

John Marshall High School senior and basketball standout Jason Rivera-Torres, center, stands with his family after announcing his commitment to Vanderbilt University as a scholar/athlete basketball player on April 14 at John Marshall High School. His family members are, from left: his aunt, Mari Torres of Odenton, Md., seated, his mother, Brenda Rivera-Torres, his aunt, Anna Diez, and his uncle, Louis, all of The Bronx, N.Y. They were joined by Ty White, John Marshall’s basketball coach.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Jordan Walker

Richmond playwright presents comedy/gospel musical

Richmond native Glennis Singleton Crosby wants you to laugh and sing along when “Hypocrite the Musical” hits the Carpenter Theatre stage at Dominion Energy Center on April 30. The story is centered on a failing church that has forgotten its purpose — redeeming the lost and saving their souls. With

comedy and gospel music, Ms. Crosby hopes to both entertain and allow the audience to explore their own biases as they discover an unlikely hero.

“Hypocrite the Musical” features Richmond performers Kim Fox Knight, Dale Heiskell, Dwayne Whitehead, Imani Blair Crosby

and Boogie Bynum along with a host of crazy characters. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Altria Theater box office located at 6 N. Laurel St. or online at www.hypocritethemusical.com/.

Music that’s beneficial

Nine performers will be featured at “The STEM ‘Mad Scientist’ Benefit Concert” that a Richmond group stages to raise money to increase Richmond youths’ access to science learning.

Desiree Roots, Minister Matt, Jewel Booker, Keisha Sounds and Mekhi Beau will be among the artists at the concert set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Ephesus Seventh Day Adventist Church, 3700 Midlothian Turnpike.

The list of artists also is to include Robert Phanord, Khalil Houston, Remo Miltz and Olletta Cheatham, according to

Keisha Wallace, founder and CEO of the Acewall Scholars tutoring and educational program.

The event is open to the public without charge, but “we will be asking donations from tose who are able,” Ms. Wallace said.

Ms. Wallace said proceeds will go the Keith C. Wallace Educational Fund.

In 2022, she said the funds raised from the first concert provided scholarships to 94 percent of students who participated in the summer Mad Scentist STEM programs.

She said the fund also pro-

vided tuition support to students who needed alternative K-12 educational options but didn’t have the funds to provide that assistance.

“I believe every child should have the opportunity to be a scientist,” and this event is aimed at supporting that goal, Ms. Wallace said.

This year, she said, the donations also will be used to aid college students in STEM programs with books and supplies.

Details: Ms. Wallace, (804) 615-1845 or k wallace@acewallscholars.org or www. acewallscholars.org

ICA at VCU to celebrate 5 years of art and community Oakwood Arts to launch apprenticeship program

The Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU will celebrate its fifth anniversary with an evening of casual conversation, music, performances, new works and more on Friday, April 21, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Steven Holl, who designed the ICA building, along with project architect Dimitra Tsachrelia and ICA’s executive director Dominic Willsdon will lead a conversation about the institute.

The 2022 Fall season’s program “Misread Unread Read Re-read Misread Unread Re-read (MURRMUR) will launch newly commissioned works from Richmond residents Sam Taylor and nicole killian along with New York-based artist Riley

Hooker. New works from artists in residency will be unveiled for the ICA’s ongoing exhibition “So it appears” — an intricate kaleidoscopic work by Australian born artist Tricky Walsh and an audio response to the exhibition by audio artist Sharon Mashihi. Another feature of the evening will be Richmond-based artist Vivian Chiu presenting some of her “sketches” created over the past decade.

The evening is free. For more information or to RSVP to attend the anniversary celebration, visit https://icavcu.org /. The Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU is located at 601W. Broad St.

Connecting the past to present

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will host a book talk and signing as part of its Isaac Julien Speaker Series. Dr. Robert Levine will talk about the life of Frederick Douglass during the Reconstruction period, including his fight for equal rights for African-Americans, his contentious relationship with President Andrew Johnson and his fa-

mous anti-lynching speech, “Lessons of the Hour.”

A book-signing begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a discussion at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21, in the Leslie Cheek Theater.

The speaker series supports the museum’s ongoing exhibition, “Isaac Julien: Lessons of the Hour - Frederick Douglass,” an immersive, 10-

Science Museum’s spin on Earth Day

The Science Museum of Virginia appears to have a monopoly on Earth Day festivities in Richmond this year.

For those seeking to participate in a celebration, the museum at 2500 W. Broad St. will host its activities from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 22.

Visitors will be able to explore exhibits on natural resources and sustainability and get a close-up on environmental science, with partner groups offering information gardening, recycling,

screen film installation. London-born artist and filmmaker Sir Isaac Julien uses Mr. Douglass’ writings, excerpts from his speeches, re-enactments filmed with Shakespearean actor Ray Fearon and contemporary protest footage to highlight and show the modern-day importance of the 19th century abolitionist.

A ticket is required to attend the event in person. Visit https://vmfa.museum/ for more details.

pollution and energy savings.

The Virginia Chapter of the American Chemical Society will have 20 tables set up to provide information on everything from sustainable foods to bath salts made from kelp and glowing algae. Visitors also will be able to make seaweed masks.

The event will include three showings of “Antarctica” in the Dome, which is marking its 40th anniversary.

The activities are included with regular admission, according to the museum.

Serious sisters Washington’s MLK Jr. Library opens Black feminism exhibit

A new exhibit, “We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC” recently opened at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

The exhibit, which traces Black feminism in Washington, D.C., from the turn of the 20th century through the Civil Rights Movement and Black Power Movement to today, runs until Sept. 15, 2024.

Curated by historians Sherie M. Randolph and Kendra T. Field, the exhibition focuses on the stories and voices of Black feminist organizers and theorists — including Pauli Murray, Anna Julia Cooper, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mary Treadwell, and Nkenge Touré — whose expansive work made a difference in the lives of Black women in their Washington, D.C., communities and for all people throughout the United States. Standing at the intersection of race, class and

gender, Black feminists fought for a definition of freedom and liberation that extended beyond their individual circumstances — work that remains unfinished today.

“We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist DC” is on view on the first floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., as part of a partnership

between the National Women’s History Museum and DC Public Library.

Visit: The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is located at 901 G St N.W., Washington.

Details: The exhibit is free and open to the public; no registration or tickets are required. For an updated schedule, please visit: https://www.dclibrary. org/mlk.

Virginians age 18 and older who want to get into the state’s movie and television industry have a new opportunity as Oakwood Arts is preparing to launch the first registered apprenticeships.

The new initiative is a partnership between Oakwood Arts and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s Registered Apprenticeship program, and is the state’s first registered apprenticeship focused on film and TV production.

“Our mission is to expand

opportunities for underrepresented communities in the creative professions,” said Shannon Castleman, executive director of Oakwood Arts, in a statement. “This program expands our paths to that goal.”

Apprentices in the program, which will run from 12 to 18 months, will receive technical training in their chosen field and an hourly wage working in productions and work with industry-standard software and industry-specific equipment. Apprentices also will take

supplemental courses through the Virginia Community College system.

The apprenticeship is an extension of the Oakwood Arts Job Education Training program launched two years earlier with the goal of bringing more underrepresented communities into Virginia’s movie and TV industry.

The application process is still under development and slated to open in the future. For more information, email shannon@oakwoodarts.org.

Well read

Mayor Levar M. Stoney stands with Amber Coleman of York County, center, who is a nurse anesthetist at Riverside Hospital in Newport News, during the African-American Book Festival at Richmond Diversity Center on Saturday, April 15. Ms. Coleman is the author of a children’s book, “Amber Dreams of Anesthesia,” which is about how she became a nurse anesthetist. The author’s children are children Dilan, 8, left, and Chole Coleman, 10. During the event, Mayor Stoney shared his relationship with reading, and how his grandmother and father were instrumental in making sure that he became a stronger reader.

Dr. Levine

Ms. Treadwell

ICA photo credit : Photo Credit: Iwan Baan

Since its opening in 2018, the ICA at VCU has pioneered innovative programs, opened groundbreaking exhibitions, established valuable community resources, commissioned works from diverse artists, and has held a space for the community to explore contemporary art and art education.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

William Davis, a poet based in Grand Rapids, Mich., reads a poem for Andrea Byrd of Richmond during the African-American Book Festival presented by the Virginia Business Expo at Richmond Diversity Center Saturday on April 15.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Ms. Touré

Ms. Murray

Personality: Beatrice Squire

Spotlight on Virginia State Association of Parliamentarians president

As a retired federal worker, Beatrice Squire currently volunteers for several organizations in which a guiding hand is needed to handle deliberations for assemblies throughout the state.

She is president of the Virginia State Association of Parliamentarians, which provides a stabilizing element for many organizations through advisory and consultancy.

Ms. Squire has been a part of VSAP for over 20 years in roles ranging from committee chair, secretary and first and second vice president. In her latest role, assumed in 2021, she plans to expand members’ knowledge of parliamentary procedure.

“With parliamentary procedure there is a motion for every action,” Ms. Squire says. “Knowing what to do and how to do it eliminates a lot of frustration and acrimony. Instead of wondering what happens at a meeting, a knowledge of parliamentary procedure assists members to make things happen for the good of the organization.”

Clear and frequent communication is a major part of Ms. Squire’s strategy for her tenure, one that’s been made more difficult by COVID-19, which brought a shift away from physical interactions to virtual meetings.

This change also was felt across the types of groups VSAP and Ms. Squire serve, and brought a new wrinkle to their work as the rules of procedure they follow and the bylaws of some organizations were not fully prepared to accommodate electronic meeting options.

Years after the pandemic’s start, Ms. Squire says the impact is still seen in how organizations handle their group discussion and plans, including VSAP.

“Even now, some people are holding meetings whereby you can attend in person and you also can attend virtually,” Ms.

Squire says. Ms. Squire’s two-year tenure soon will end, but she intends to remain active in VSAP’s work.

She says her role has enabled her to hone her abilities, help others improve their skills and ensure the kind of group work and cooperation she wants to see in the world — one that is right, orderly and brings her own unique kind of joy.

“The joy I get is the opportunity and ability to improve my leadership skills, understand and exercise the principles of parliamentary procedure, the camaraderie of working with others and feeling of empowerment that carries over into other facets of my life.”

Meet a leading consultant and adviser for groups across Virginia and this week’s Personality, Beatrice Squire:

Volunteer position: President of VSAP, parliamentarian and advisor of the Federally Employed Women Foundation, coordinator of church lay leaders, and active member of Reading is Fundamental.

Date and place of birth: July

8 in Gaston, N.C.

Where I live now: Burke, Va.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Virginia Union University; MLA, Johns Hopkins University.

Family: One sister, one brother, two godchildren, seven nieces and nephews, many cousins.

Occupation: I am retired from the federal government. Positions included hearings and appeals analyst, division director, executive director and ombudsman. On a part-time basis, I provide services as a professional registered parliamentarian to groups.

Virginia State Association of Parliamentarians (VSAP) is: A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The objectives are to promote the study of parliamentary law, the educational program

of the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) and the extension and retention of membership.

When and where founded: NAP, founded in October 1930 in Kansas City, is the oldest and largest nonprofit parliamentary organization. It is the “parent” organization. VSAP was founded in 1957.

A parliamentarian is: An adviser and consultant. The parliamentarian makes no final decisions.

Why a parliamentarian is necessary: The parliamentarian is usually assigned a seat near the president/presiding officer to be convenient for consultation. The parliamentarian is an expert who assists the president/presiding office to respond to points of order and parliamentary inquiries in a deliberative assembly. If the parliamentarian notices something being done out of order, the parliamentarian should call it to the president/presiding officer’s attention unobtrusively, so that the assembly will not notice it.

My first parliamentarian position: My first position in VSAP was a committee chair; I think it may have been publicity or membership. My first position as an officer was secretary. I also have served in positions at the District 2 and NAP levels, as committee chairs and workshop presenter.

Black parliamentarians are: More prominent and visible than 10 years ago.

Members of many sororities and fraternities have become members of NAP, and subsequently joined units and state associations.

The current NAP presidents and the last two are Black. Many of the members in VSAP are Black.

What it takes to be a parliamentarian: An individual may be a regular member or credentialed. To become a regular member, the individual takes the NAP membership exam.

A credentialed parliamentarian is one who has obtained either the “Registered Parliamentarian” or “Professional Registered Parliamentarian” credential from the National Association of Parliamentarians.

Registered Parliamentarian (RP) status demonstrates an indepth knowledge of parliamentary procedure and a thorough familiarity with Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. Professionally Registered Parliamentarian (PRP) status indicates that a member has the knowledge and practical skills to successfully deliver parliamentary services, and has agreed to adhere to the Code of Professional Responsibility adopted by NAP. PRPs are also eligible to participate in NAP’s professional referral service. How to qualify and to become a member of VSAP: An individual should take the NAP membership exam. If someone is not ready

for the membership exam and is interested in learning about parliamentary procedure, he or she may become a provisional member.

Why I became involved: I am a member of several organizations. Before becoming a member of NAP/VSAP, sometimes I would leave meetings not fully aware of what was accomplished, if anything, dissatisfied how the meeting was conducted, and return home in a less-than-happy mood. Often neither the presiding officer nor members knew their rights, were unfamiliar with the organization’s bylaws and parliamentary authority.

I have always been fascinated with the Biblical quote from I Corinthians about everything being done in a fitting and orderly way.

Number one goal as president: Strengthen member knowledge of parliamentary procedure and increase the number of registered parliamentarians and professional registered parliamentarians.

Upcoming events: The 2023 VSAP Convention and Anniversary Gala from April 29-30 in Richmond.

How I start the day: With a brief prayer of thanksgiving, a song in my heart and mental gymnastics.

Three words that best describe me: Shy, reticent and meek.

Best late-night snack: Natural peanut butter spread on thin apple slices.

How I unwind: It depends on my state of mind and stress level: relax and do nothing, flip through an easy-to-read magazine or meditate.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: When alone, I pretend that I can dance. While my head, shoulders and hands can groove to the beat, my feet do not. I still do not know

how to do the electric slide.

A quote that inspires me: There are several: One is from my grandmom, “If you ain’t thankful for a little, you ain’t thankful for a lot,” and two by Fannie Lou Hamer, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free’’ and “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

At the top of my “to-do” list: To go to Israel and Egypt, and Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota, the three states within the USA I have not visited.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: Good manners and never think you are less than anyone else.

The person who influenced me the most: There were two teachers: Ms. Lassiter in elementary school and Ms. A.J. Burrell in high school. Both thoroughly knew their subject matter, were no nonsense, and demanded much. Yet, they were engaging, had a genuine interest in students, and made learning fun and interesting. My undergraduate degree is in education. I student taught and received the National Education Association Award.

Book that influenced me the most: “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson. The book provided a different focus to my thinking. I was captured by the way the author explained the caste system and discrimination within the USA, and the parallels between the caste system in the USA and India and other countries.

What I’m reading now: “A Life Well-travelled: My Story, My Travels, My Passions” by Geraldine Lightfoot. Ms. Lightfoot is a former international president of International Training in Communication, of which I was a member for many years. Next goal: To finish writing my story by April 2024.

Holy Rosary celebrates 50th year for Knights of Columbus 6457

Free

staff report

Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the oldest African-American Catholic congregation in Richmond, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Father Charles G. O’Leary Knights of Columbus Council 6457 on Saturday, April 29, beginning at 4 p.m. with a meet and greet, followed by a dinner and program.

Holy Rosary combines the beliefs and tenets of the Roman Catholic faith with the characteristics of African-American culture. The celebration recognize the only African-American Knights of Columbus Council’s service to the Richmond community and

Unveiling

The unveiling of the Dr. Paul Nichols Way sign took place April 14 in front of Good Shepherd Baptist Church at 1127 N. 28th St. in honor of Dr. Nichols, who was the church’s pastor for 29 years before his death in 1990. Dr. Nichols also served as dean of Virginia Union University’s School of Theology, among other positions. The ceremony was sponsored by the Nichols Family and Richmond City Council.

Good Shepherd Baptist Church

beyond since 1973. Operating under the principles of charity, unity, faith and patriotism, Council 6457 has participated in a number of programs and events over the past 50 years in support of organizations such as Helping Hands, Habitat for Humanity, Coats for Kids, Special Olympics and the order’s Global Wheelchair Mission. The also provide a wide variety of faith, family and community programs.

If you are interested in participating, please RSVP to program director, Sam Patterson by email at sam.patterson@rva.gov or patterson085@gmail.com, or by calling (804) 241-7544.

St. Peter Baptist Church

Tracey Oliver/Richmond Free Press

NFL reviewing Commanders sale agreement

By RobMaaddi and Stephen Whyno The Associated Press

The NFL is now reviewing the sale agreement of the Washington Commanders, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because details of the sales process are not being publicized.

A group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales and includes Magic Johnson agreed in principle last week to buy the team from longtime owner Dan Snyder for $6.05 billion. The group

submitted a fully financed, non-exclusive bid for the Commanders that has not been signed.

The league is looking over that agreement before sending it back for final signatures. Further steps include evaluation by the NFL’s finance committee and a vote by owners. Three-quarters (24 of 32 owners) must approve the sale to make it official.

A spokesperson for Harris declined comment when asked about the sale going to the league for evaluation. A spokesperson for the Commanders did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

There’s no definitive timetable for when the sale could go through, though the next league meeting in Minnesota in late

Damar Hamlin cleared to play 4 months after cardiac arrest

The Associated Press

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.

Having spent the past several months meeting President Biden, raising millions of dollars for his charitable foundation and promoting the benefits of CPR training, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin can focus now on the next big objective in his life: returning to football.

Wearing a red woolen cap and a Bills blue pullover, Hamlin sat at the podium Tuesday and said his heart — the one that stopped beating some four months ago during a game in Cincinnati — was, as he put it, “still in the game.”

“This was a life-changing event, but it’s not the end of my story,” Hamlin said. “I plan on making a comeback to the NFL.”

Addressing reporters for the first time since going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field, Hamlin reflected on the anxious moments he’s endured, his inner drive to not let fear stand in his way and how he no longer takes a minute of his life for granted.

“The ‘wow’ moment is every day just being able to wake up and just take deep breaths and live a peaceful life, to have a family and people that are around me that love me,” said Hamlin, who has been medically cleared to play and is taking part in the start of the Bills’ voluntary workout program.

“They almost lost me. Like I died on national TV, you know what I mean?” he added. “So that right there is the biggest blessing of it all, for me to still have my people, and my people still have me.”

General Manager Brandon

Beane announced earlier in the day that Hamlin was medically cleared to return to football after the 25-year-old met with a third and final specialist on Friday. All three agreed Hamlin could resume playing without any fear

of setbacks or complications. While the Bills had their head athletic trainer sit in on those meetings, Beane said the team is following the lead of the specialists.

“He’s such a great kid and has such a great family, and it’s exciting to go from a guy who was fighting for his life to now,” Beane said. “His story hasn’t been written. Now it’s about his comeback.”

Hamlin said the specialists agreed his heart stopped as a result of commotio cordis, which is a direct blow at a specific point in a heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest.

His next steps will be no different from any other NFL player in his bid to secure a roster spot. Hamlin will return to the field when the team’s voluntary spring practices begin next month, followed by mandatory practices in June and then training camp in late July.

His teammates were elated to see him back in the facility working out.

“D-Ham is a special person, a beautiful soul,” fellow safety Micah Hyde said. “I look up to him, especially how he’s bounced back after facing adversity. A little scary. But to

see him well and in the building and move around a little bit, it gives you a little energy.”

Hamlin’s recovery is personal to many who watched in shock as Hamlin collapsed on the field on a nationally televised “Monday Night Football” game, but moreso for Beane. While the Bills returned home after the game initially was suspended and eventually canceled, Beane spent the first four days at Hamlin’s side, including when he was awakened from a medically induced coma at the University Cincinnati Medical Center.

“It was all about his health, and it’s always going to be about his health,” Beane said. “But to truly, you know, however many months later be talking about he’s fully cleared is pretty remarkable. And I’m excited for him and his family for where they are on his journey.”

Hamlin collapsed after making what appeared to be a routine tackle in the first quarter of a Jan. 2 game against the Bengals. His collapse led to an outpouring of support from around the NFL and across North America, with donations made to Hamlin’s charitable organization topping more than $9 million.

The second-year player from Pittsburgh’s exurb of McKee’s Rock spent nearly 10 days recovering in hospitals in Cincinnati and Buffalo before being released. He eventually began visiting the Bills’ facility and attended the team’s season-ending 27-10 loss to the Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs.

Hamlin recalled watching football on TV while lying in his hospital bed in Cincinnati when the thought of playing again first entered his mind.

“Just watching teams play, watching other safeties play, that’s where I saw and felt my love for the game,” he said. “That’s where I was just like, ‘I don’t want to be done yet.’”

Hamlin said specialists advised him that returning to football could have mental health benefits, which include enjoying the camaraderie of being among teammates.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time. That’s where I’m at in this process. Any time I try to think too forward, it gets cloudy,” he said. “I’ve got a long journey to go, but I’m committed to it each day.”

Hamlin has since made numerous appearances around the country, including meeting with President Biden last month.

The president posted a tweet on the visit that read: “Hamlin’s courage, resilience, and spirit inspired the American people. And what’s more: he turned recovery into action — and our country is better for it.”

Hamlin’s visit to Washington came as part of the player’s desire to back a bill that would increase access to defibrillators in public and private elementary and secondary schools.

During the Super Bowl festivities in Arizona in February, he received the NFLPA’s Alan Page Community Award. He also took part in a pregame ceremony in which the NFL honored the Bills’ and Bengals’ training and medical staffs and first responders who treated him.

May could be when owners vote. That would give Harris, Rales and Johnson several months to evaluate the organization before next season starts.

Finding a new stadium is the biggest long-term task for the future of the storied franchise, which has made the playoffs just six times in 24 seasons and won just two postseason games with Snyder in charge — a long way from the glory days of three Super Bowl championships in the 1980s and early 1990s. The team’s lease at FedEx Field expires in 2023.

In on-field news, the Commanders re-signed All-Pro special teams player and reserve safety Jeremy Reaves to a restricted free agent contract for next season.

Mr. Stith

Darrell Stith football standout dies at 62

Darrell Stith, among the finest athletes in Petersburg High and Virginia State University history, died Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

The Crimson Wave and Trojans legend was 62.

A powerful, broad-shouldered 6-foot-4 athlete, Mr. Stith leaves behind an impressive list of credentials.

At Petersburg, Mr. Stith was All-Central District, AllCentral Region and second team All-State in football.

On the hardcourt, he was All-Central District, All-Region and second team All-State, helping the Crimson Wave to the 1979 District and Region titles.

Concentrating on basketball at VSU, Mr. Stith scored a still school record 2,599 points, while adding 708 rebounds. He set records for most points in a game (45) and season (703).

Averaging 22.3 points per game for his illustrious career, Mr. Stith was a rare four-time All-CIAA selection and CIAA Player of the Year as a senior.

His No. 30 jersey is retired by both Petersburg High and VSU.

Mr. Stith’s 2,599 points ranks third all-time among CIAA athletes, just behind Virginian Union’s Mike Davis (2,758 points, 1965-69) and Winston-Salem’s Earl Monroe (2,935, 1964-67).

Pilgrim Baptist Church is seeking a van driver for Sunday services and Special occasions.

• Must be over 21 years of age.

anticipated to begin in May 2025.

Information related to this project includes the proposed trail addition, project schedule, and funding information which can be reviewed at the County of Henrico, Department of Public Works, 4305 E. Parham Road, Administration Annex Building, 3rd Floor, Henrico, Virginia 23228, Telephone: (804) 501-4616.

County is willing to hold a public hearing.

You may request a public hearing by sending a written request to Sarah Briggs, P. O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273-0775, on or before April 27, 2023. If a request for a public hearing is received, a notice of the date, time, and place of the public hearing will be provided.

The County ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities

Sarah Briggs at the above address, phone number, or at bri114@henrico.us.

VDOT UPC #: 118153

The Associated Press

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin speaks to reporters Tuesday at the NFL football team’s facility in Orchard Park, N.Y. He said he plans to resume his football career after being cleared to play more than four months after going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati.