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

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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 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.

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.

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,

Continued from A1 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.” 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.

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.

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

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.

“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.” 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.

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.

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.