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VOL. 29 NO. 35
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
www.richmondfreepress.com
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
The new $40 million Henry L. Marsh III Elementary School at 813 N. 28th St. is one of three new city school buildings that are ready for use but remain closed as students will have online classes this fall. No concrete plans have been made on whether this or any other school building will be used for day care.
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Meet founder of H.O.P.E. B1
August 20-22, 2020
School day care?
Empty public school buildings may be central to city task force plan to help parents with day care as they return to work By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Sharonda Robinson hoped against hope that Richmond Public Schools would reopen this fall so her sons, ages 6 and 8, could be in school taking classes while she went to work. But the RPS decision to hold classes only online this fall means the 32-year-old single mother might have to give up her job as a retail store clerk to stay home to care for the boys and help them with online classes.
“While school has been out, I was able to leave my children with my grandmother and sister — she’s disabled — so I could go to work. “But this virtual learning stuff is not their thing, and I do want my kids to be learning,” Ms. Robinson said. “If something doesn’t change fast, I’m gonna have to be home. I’m barely making it now, and day care is way too expensive. “And if I have to stay home, where will I get the money to support them and pay the rent?”
Ms. Robinson is one of many — the number is unknown — who are facing this impossible choice — work or care for children who are too young to be left at home alone. The issue is a huge one for the Richmond area, which data analytics firm Smartest Dollar ranks third in the nation among medium-sized metropolitan areas in the percentage of households with children under 14 years of age who do not have a parent Please turn to A4
Dems pull out big guns to energize virtual convention for Biden Free Press staff, wire report
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Below, armed members from private militia groups advocate for gun rights at Ninth and Main streets near the State Capitol before marching to the Siegel Center on Broad Street, where the House of Delegates was meeting Tuesday in a special session. Several organizations held rallies on the opening day of the special General Assembly session, where lawmakers are taking up criminal justice, police reform and budget measures. Above, marchers call for reopening the investigation into the 2018 fatal police shooting of Marcus-David Peters in Richmond during its march along Broad Street toward the legislative session at the Siegel Center. The state Senate is meeting at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Special General Assembly session kicks off amid rallies calling for reform By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Payback? Questions raised about charges against Sen. Lucas Free Press staff, wire report
State Sen. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, a key power broker and one of the highest ranking African-Americans in the General Assembly, has been charged with conspiracy to damage a Confederate monument during protests in Portsmouth that also led to a demonstrator being critically injured when the statue was knocked down. Sen. Lucas, who was in Richmond on Tuesday for the convening of a special session Please turn to A4
Will evictions be halted until April 30, 2021, as Richmond Democratic state Sen. Ghazala F. Hashmi has proposed? Will parents get a state tax credit for shelling out money for essential child care so they can keep their jobs as Henrico Republican state Sen. Siobhan S. Dunnavant has proposed? Will police officers and their localities be stripped of immunity against lawsuits alleging violations of constitutional rights or unlawful actions that cause injury or death as Richmond state Sen. Joseph D. Morrissey and Delegates Jeff M. Bourne of Richmond and Jay Jones of Norfolk have proposed? Stay tuned. Those items are among the wave of legislation up for consideration at a special session of the General Assembly that opened Tuesday and will focus largely on budget issues related to the pandemic and criminal justice reform. Among the proposals are bills that would require every Virginia locality to create a civilian oversight board to handle complaints of Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press police abuse and misconduct, create uniform training standards for police, enable the state to cancel certifications of officers proven to have broken the rules or used excessive force and direct two agencies to create emergency teams of mental health professionals and law enforcement to respond to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Other legislation calls for allowing parents primarily of special needs children whose public schools have gone virtual to receive a portion of the funds the state contributes to each child’s education to enroll their children in other educational programs. Steve Helber/Associated Press Also high on the agenda is State Sen. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth, right, gives Senate the repair of the two-year state Clerk Susan Schaar an elbow bump during a break Tuesday budget, which is projected to during the first day of the General Assembly’s special session in Richmond. Because of the pandemic, the Senate is holding shrink $2.7 billion based on its sessions at the Science Museum of Virginia.
Please turn to A4
Democrats launched the third day of their virtual national convention on Wednesday, with headliners broadening the focus from a multipart rebuke of President Trump to an energizing message of change in boosting former Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential bid. Delegates and those tuning into the convention on Reuters television were expected Mrs. Obama to hear from Sen. Kamala Harris in her first primetime appearance as Mr. Biden’s historymaking vice presidential running mate. Also expected to speak Wednesday night after Free Press deadline were former President Obama, a transformational figure for the Democratic Party who picked Mr. Biden as his running mate a dozen years ago, and Hillary Clinton, who broke barriers as the first female presidential nominee of any major party. Please turn to A4
Free COVID-19 testing Free community testing for COVID-19 continues. The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: LOCATION
ADDRESS
Thursday, Aug. 20, 9 to 11 a.m.
DATE
Fairfield Middle School
5121 Nine Mile Road in Eastern Henrico County
Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 to 11 a.m.
Richmond Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church
3700 Midlothian Turnpike in South Side
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 4 to 6 p.m.
Hotchkiss Field Community Center
701 E. Brookland Park Blvd. in North Side
Thursday, Aug. 27, 9 to 11 a.m.
Tuckahoe Middle School
9000 Three Chopt Road in Western Henrico
People are advised to bring an umbrella in case of inclement weather or to use as shade from the sun while waiting in line. Appointments are encouraged by calling the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walk-up testing will be offered while test supplies last. The Chesterfield County Health Department also is offering free COVID-19 testing at the following locations: DATE
LOCATION
ADDRESS
Saturday, Aug. 22, noon to 2 p.m.
Jeff Davis Flea Market
5700 Jefferson Davis Highway This is a walk-up event.
Wednesday, Aug. 26, 5 to 7 p.m.
Journey Christian Church
3700 Price Club Blvd. This is a drive-thru event.
Testing is for those who have COVID-19 symptoms, and it is free for those who are uninsured or underinsured. Some appointments will be reserved for walk-ups, but appointments are recommended by contacting the Chesterfield County Health Department at (804) 318-8207. The Virginia Department of Health reported on Wednesday a total of 109,019 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, along with 8,925 hospitalizations and 2,410 deaths. Officials said Virginia’s positivity rate has dipped to 6.9 percent. According to the data, African-Americans comprised 25.3 percent of cases and 25.6 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 34.8 percent of the cases and 11.1 percent of deaths.
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August 20-22, 2020
Richmond Free Press
Local News
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Cityscape
The sign placed months ago by demonstrators designated signage without permission. Whoever did this may be trying the circle around the Lee statue on Monument Avenue as to spark more violence in the city of Richmond. Please know Marcus-David Peters Circle apparently was sawed off and that the RPD stands with peaceful demonstrators and will Slices of life and scenes not tolerate those who seek a different, destructive path.” removed early last Sunday, prompting the Richmond Police in Richmond Department to issue a news release disavowing any association The police department asked that anonymous tips on the with its removal. The statement read: “The Richmond Police Department sign’s removal be given to Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or by using is seeking information about the removal of the MDP sign from the Circle. the P3 smartphone app. The photos show the sign inside the circle on July No city agency was involved — including the RPD. It is illegal to remove 10, and the post stubs that remained later on Sunday.
City projects $4.7M School Board continues debate over SROs budget surplus despite COVID-19 By Ronald E. Carrington
By Jeremy M. Lazarus
While many in Richmond are struggling to pay their bills during the pandemic, City Hall surprisingly remains awash in cash. Just three months after issuing a gloomy forecast of an impending $6.6 million deficit, Mayor Levar M. Stoney announced Monday that the city is projected to finish the 2019-20 fiscal year with a $4.7 million surplus in the general fund. Though representing less than 1 percent of the total budget, the surplus signals that revenue collections continue to run stronger than anticipated since COVID-19 became a fact of life. A quarterly financial report that was just issued indicates the city’s collections of general fund revenue should reach $750 million when all the data is in — or $6.1 million more than projected in a May report and $34 million, or 4.8 percent more, than the $715.8 million collected in the Mr. Brown Mayor Stoney 2018-19 fiscal year. Total collections also surpassed the $746 million the City Council included when it approved the 2019-20 budget in May 2019. One item shows just how much better the city is doing than was anticipated in March. City Hall had anticipated a $15 million cut in revenue collections from city taxes and other local sources because of the virus outbreak. However, the city report shows the city projects it will finish the year down just $3.3 million from those sources. That’s an $11.7 million difference. The city’s stronger than expected finish appears to be good news for the mayor as he campaigns for re-election. None of his opponents offered any comment on the positive report. The announcement follows the pattern of recent years under Mayor Stoney in which the administration warns of deficits nine months into a budget year and then winds up with a surplus by the end of the 12-month budget cycle. The latest positive outcome occurred despite sharp drops in collections of meals taxes from restaurants and lodging taxes from hotels, sectors hit hard by the impact of the coronavirus on dining and travel. The positive finish involves the regular money the city collects and disperses, according to the city’s statement. The projected small surplus does not include $40 million in federal CARES Act money the city has received to cover costs and expenses related to COVID-19. Nor does it include additional millions of dollars in federal reimbursement for virus-related spending not covered by the CARES Act. “The city appears to have weathered the economic impacts of this pandemic locally,” Mayor Stoney stated in releasing the projection. Budget Director Jay Brown, who issued the fourth quarter report showing the surplus, stated the city’s financial health remains sound due to “conservative budgeting and proper fiscal management.” That included halting discretionary spending and imposing a temporary hiring freeze, according to the statement. Those changes saved between $4 million and $6 million, according to the report. The report indicated general expenditures totaled $739 million, up 5.7 percent from a year earlier but still below the $743 million that was expected to be spent. The actual surplus will not be verified until an audit is completed in November. “If accurate, this is good news,” 9th District City Councilman Michael J. Jones, chair of City Council’s Finance Committee, stated in a text responding to a Free Press query. “At a minimum,” Dr. Jones continued, “we should look at mitigating the damage the pandemic has caused our citizens that are on the margins” in considering how to use the surplus. Dr. Jones and 1st District Councilman Andreas D. Addison, chair of the Government Operations Committee, called for more discussion about the surplus and its uses. “There are going to definitely have to be more discussions about these numbers remaining true,” Mr. Addison said in his response. “We also have to be very diligent about how we utilize and leverage these dollars. We need to use every cent to maximize its impact on those who need assistance or to support our core services.” On the revenue side, Dr. Brown’s report indicates the virus might have cost the city about $7.7 million in total meals tax collections. Still, that’s far better than the $13.7 million loss the city had anticipated. The meals tax total includes the portion set aside to repay the cost of construction of three new school buildings that are to open in September. Meanwhile, collections of taxes on real estate, vehicles and other personal property and city vehicle licenses are running at 100 percent of budget projections. Collections of taxes on businesses, cigarettes, bank stocks and admissions to theaters, concerts and other events also are hitting projections.
The Richmond School Board, administration and the public have mixed views on whether police officers belong in city schools and their effect on school culture and climate. According to a survey conducted by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and presented to the School Board at its meeting Monday night, teachers and students believe school resource officers, or SROs, have a positive effect on the 13 middle and high schools in which they are stationed. The middle school data, presented by Harry Hughes, RPS’ chief schools officer, is two years old, while the high school data is a year old. The results were compiled less than a month after Superintendent Jason Kamras announced that he would recommend that SROs be removed from the schools. But he has not yet presented a plan for eliminating them. Police officers are in seven middle schools, five high schools, the Richmond Alternative School and the Richmond Technical Center/Aspire. On several occasions at School Board meetings, board members Liz Doerr, 1st District, and Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, have voiced their desire to eliminate police from schools. Having police with
arrest powers in schools makes it easy to confuse teenage behavior and acting out with criminal behavior, which could feed students into the school to jail pipeline, they have said. Ms. Doerr referred to RPS’ Memorandum of Understanding with the Richmond Police Department regarding SROs. She said the documents contain a lot of disturbing language, especially the repeated use of the word “crime.” She also proposed Mr. Hughes discussing removing school security officers, or SSOs, a move Mr. Kamras does not support. During the public comment portion at the start of Monday’s meeting, a number of parents expressed support for having SROs and SSOs in schools, saying that in addition to providing overall protection, the officers help establish positive relationships between students and law enforcement. Mr. Hughes’ survey information also highlighted a gap among teachers, who feel somewhat or strongly safer with SROs in schools, and some students, who feel over-policed. Mr. Hughes and Jazz Miles, a rising sophomore at Richmond Community High School, are engaging middle and high
school students via Zoom forums about their experiences with SROs. Board member Jonathan Young, 4th District, who is not in favor of removing SROs, expressed concerned about students’ safety as well as the need to improve school culture and climate. “This present situation gives us an opportunity not just to discuss an up or down vote on SROs,” said board member J. Scott Barlow, 2nd District. “We have to cover key factors about RPS’ use of security officers in protecting our students and others in the building. We have to also look at how to prevent certain behaviors and how we address and respond to those behaviors — with either interventions and/ or restorative justice.” In other matters, Sandra Lee, RPS’ chief talent officer, told the board that 94 percent of teaching positions have been filled for the upcoming academic year. Only 25 teaching positions are not filled, she said. That is seven in elementary schools, 12 in middle schools, four in high schools and two in other categories. In another matter, the board voted 7-2 to renew the $1.68 million contract with Camelot, the for-profit agency that runs the city’s alternative school, Spartan Academy. Ms. Gibson and Mr. Barlow cast the votes against renewing the contract.
Gray calls for probe of mayor’s use of $1.8M to remove Confederate statues By Jeremy M. Lazarus
The fate of two Richmond-owned Confederate statues and one of Christopher Columbus remain on hold even as City Council has put in place a process to sell off 10 others. Members of City Council have not explained why the statues of Confederate Gen. Williams C. Wickham and the Richmond Howitzer unit that fought with the Confederates during the Civil War were not on the list of statues approved for removal and sale. Legislation to sell those two statues also has not been introduced. “I will investigate,” City Councilman Michael J. Jones, 9th District, responded to a Free Press query about the statues. Dr. Jones led council’s push to rid city property of Confederate statues. Separately, 2nd District Councilwoman Kim B. Gray on Tuesday asked Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette W. McEachin to investigate Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s use of $1.8 million to remove eight Confederate artifacts and portions of statue pedestals.
Ms. Gray, who is challenging Mayor Stoney in the November election, stated in a letter to Mrs. McEachin that a probe is needed to determine whether any “procurement rules were violated and whether any criminal charges are warranted.” Mayor Stoney, who has said he acted within the law, used $1.8 million in city Department of Public Works funds to hire a company, NAH LLC, to handle the statue removals, according to city records. On June 8, City Council gave the mayor emergency powers as the city’s emergency management director. The resolution the council passed affirmed a local emergency as a result of the civil unrest and damage stemming from protests over police brutality and racial injustice. Based on the council’s action, the mayor relied on authority under a state statute to bypass local and state procurement rules and other laws that might have hobbled the removal operation, the Free Press has been told. Meanwhile, City Council announced this week that any government, museum, organization or individual interested in acquiring one of the 10 Confederate statues approved
for sale needs to submit a letter of intent by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, to Lawrence R. Anderson, City Council’s chief of staff, via email at monuments@Richmondgov.com. According to the announcement, the letter should spell out specifics of who is seeking to acquire the statue or statues, the offer, the site where the statue or statues would go and the timeline and method for moving the item to a new site. The available statues include six that were removed from Monument Avenue – Confederates Jefferson Davis, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, Matthew Fontaine Maury and J.E.B. Stuart, and two cannons. Two additional items came from Monroe Park, a statue of Joseph Bryan and a stone cross honoring Fitzhugh Lee. Another, the statue to Confederate soldiers and sailors, stood on Libby Hill in Church Hill. A new state law authorizing localities to remove war memorials does not appear to cover the Columbus statue, which protestors pulled down in June. The city administration appears to control whether that statue will be sold or put back on its pedestal in Byrd Park, where it had stood since 1927.
School supplies, shoe giveaways start for ‘back to school’ As Richmond area students prepare for virtual learning this semester, they still will need school supplies and other items as online classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 8. Thanks to donations by community members and corporations, several annual giveaways are taking place, beginning next week. Rita Hayes Willis is continuing her commitment to the “New Shoes For Back To School” ministry, which she established through Third Street Bethel A.M.E. Church to provide shoes for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. Eleven churches have joined in the effort this year. Because of the coronavirus pandemic and the need for social distancing, shoes will be given
out at pre-arranged schools in Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield between Sept. 1 and Sept. 15, Ms. Willis said. Shoe selections sites will be set up at the following schools: In Richmond: Huguenot and George Wythe high schools; Albert Hill, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henderson middle schools; and Barack Obama, Fairfield Court, Mary Munford, Oak Grove-Bellemeade, Elizabeth D. Redd and Woodville elementary schools. In Henrico: George Baker, Montrose and Ratcliffe elementary schools. In Chesterfield: Davis, Bellwood, Bensley, Crenshaw, Marguerite Christian, Curtis, Falling Creek,
Hopkins Road, Jacobs Road, Providence and Reams Road elementary schools. Details: Ms. Willis at (804) 221-7394 or go to New Shoes for Back to School Ministry on Facebook. Communities in Schools –Richmond is partnering with Virginia Commonwealth University for the 3rd Annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, at The Diamond, 3001 N. Boulevard. The event will give out backpacks to students, as well as collect supplies for backpacks. “The event has shifted this year and is very unique,” says Harold Fitrer, president and chief executive officer of the organization.
“With the help of a series of corporate sponsors, they will have personal protective equipment kits — three masks, hand sanitizer and tissues — for RPS’ 22,000 students so they can be safe in the COVID-19 environment.” This year, the setup at The diamond will look different as volunteers will collect supplies in one area of the field and the backpacks in another. “We are expecting Virginia First Lady Pamela Northam, Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Education James F. Lane and Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney to attend the event,” said Timmy Nguyen, VCU’s director of alumni affairs. Details: Mr. Nguyen at nguyenth6@mymail.vcu.edu. — RONALD E. CARRINGTON
Richmond Free Press
August 20-22, 2020
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Richmond Free Press
A4 August 20-22, 2020
News
School day care?
Payback?
care programs that neighboring counties plan to offer. This week, the initiative took a step to find how much demand there will be for the service. On Wednesday, Mayor Levar M. Stoney released an online survey he hopes parents like Ms. Robinson will take to give the city more information. The survey is posted on the first page of the city’s website, Richmondgov.com. The survey was posted as Mayor Stoney began lobbying the Richmond School Board to assist by allowing the city and third-party providers like the YMCA to use the closed city school buildings. School systems in Henrico and Chesterfield counties already have granted permission for their buildings to be used for day care in those jurisdictions. But Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras has resisted and so have some School Board members. However, Mr. Kamras said in a statement released on the RPS website Wednesday that RPS is partnering with the city, various nonprofits, churches and other organizations “to organize a network of emergency child care services for working families who have no other options.” The School Board went to virtual learning to safeguard teachers, staff and its largely Black and brown student population. But RPS made no provision to aid parents who must work and possibly face financial ruin if child care is not available The School Board, after debating the issue Monday, set a special meeting for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, — just eight days before the start of school — to consider the issue again. The mayor, in a letter issued ahead of Monday’s School Board meeting, said the city would initially put up $3 million. The funding could be expanded now that Richmond has received a second $20 million payment from the federal CARES Act to assist with pandemic-related costs. Care for the children of front line workers is one of the items that the funds can be used for. As Mr. Frelke and others have noted,
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able to stay home. Across the area, nearly 50 percent of families are in that situation, the report indicated. And the percentage is even higher in Richmond, where single-parent households are more prevalent and where many work in jobs that do not provide enough income to pay for private day care. Even those families who can afford private day care may lose that option. A newly released survey that ChildSavers, United Way and other partners conducted found that 71 percent of child care providers in the Richmond area might shut down in six months because rules growing out of the pandemic mean they cannot take in enough children to cover their costs. That’s why alarm bells have been ringing since mid-July at City Hall, where officials created a task force to craft a major day care program that could serve huge numbers of children. Currently, Richmond Public Schools enrolls about 17,000 children between prekindergarten and ninth grade, after which children are thought to be old enough to look after themselves. “We’re building this plane while we’re trying to fly it,” said Christopher Frelke, director of the city Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. He is leading the task force to develop a large and affordable full day and after-school child care program. The task force includes city agencies as well as nonprofits like the YMCA, Next Up, Higher Achievement and area Boys & Girls Clubs, including the Salvation Army’s separate operation. The plan in the works calls for providing free day care for working families with incomes up to 200 percent to 300 percent of poverty, with others paying on a sliding scale based on income. The idea is to keep the cost of day care around $33 a week for Richmond families, a source close to the talks said — far below the $100 to $300 a week private providers charge and below the cost of day
Richmond has few buildings that can match the capacity that schools offer for daytime day care. By opening schools, providers would have the space to keep children properly distanced and to keep numbers small enough in each space to minimize the risk of COVID-19. The YMCA gained experience in offering camps during the summer, officials said. After the virus hit and schools were shuttered, the School Board allowed the city to use Carver Elementary School as a site for day care for children of bus drivers and first responders, but fewer than five children attended. During the meeting, School Board Chair Linda B. Owen, 9th District, wanted to know more about the possible program. If school-age children are being served, “will there be someone in the building with the capacity to facilitate virtual learning?” she asked. Some members of the board, including J. Scott Barlow, 2nd District, wanted to see a proposed memorandum of understanding. “If the standards are not met by the city, will RPS be able to terminate the agreement?” he asked. City Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch, 2nd District, was the first elected city official to raise the issue nearly two months ago. She is nervous about whether RPS will allow school buildings to be used, including three new schools on which construction was just completed. Ms. Lynch has heard from mothers in her district who are near desperation. “These are challenging times, and there are no perfect solutions,” Ms. Lynch said. “I am encouraged by all the collaboration that is happening and by all the people who have contacted me who want to be involved in tutoring. “My biggest concern is for the achievement gaps that could widen for those kids already at risk,” Ms. Lynch continued. “We need to keep those kids in the forefront of our efforts. We cannot continue to have them keep falling behind. “I have my fingers crossed this will all work out.”
Special General Assembly session kicks off amid rallies calling for reform Continued from A1
the impact of COVID-19. The legislature in April agreed to a halt for now $2.2 billion in spending, including pay hikes for teachers, state workers and home health workers and tuition relief for college students. But leaders in the legislature want to take another look and consider changes. Deserting the cramped State Capitol because of the need for physical distancing during the pandemic, the 40-member state Senate is ensconced during the special session at the Science Museum of Virginia at 2500 W. Broad St.; the 100-member House of Delegates began its session 12 blocks east at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center at 1200 W. Broad St. Hundreds of people engaged in a series of rallies and marches outside the two venues during the opening day, advocating for causes ranging from boosting school funding to establishing the Marcus Alert System for mental health crises involving police response, reforming police and defunding law enforcement to supporting 2nd Amendment gun rights. The session also began with an unusual twist, news that veteran Democratic
Portsmouth State Sen. L. Louise Lucas had been charged with two felonies in her hometown related to the toppling of a Confederate statue in that Hampton Roads city. As president pro tempore of the state Senate, Sen. Lucas is the highest ranking Black legislator in the General Assembly’s upper chamber outside of Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax, who serves as the Senate president. Still, with so much on their plate, the special session’s start was less than auspicious. Instead of addressing the stack of legislation, lawmakers spent much of the first day setting the rules for the session. In the House, where Democrats hold a 55-seat majority, Speaker Eileen FillerCorn led a successful effort Tuesday to create a virtual session during this time of COVID-19 that will allow the delegates to participate from their homes or offices and avoid face-to-face meetings. Overriding Republican dissent, the Democratic majority followed up Wednesday by voting to change the rules to allow the virtual session and delaying the start of committee work on bills and resolutions until Monday, Aug. 24. Meanwhile, the Senate where Democrats hold a 21-19 seat majority, declined to go
virtual, agreeing with Democratic Majority Leader Richard L. “Dick” Saslaw that masks and social distancing were sufficient for their session. Senate committees started reviewing legislation on Wednesday, with sessions livestreamed and the public allowed to sign up to offer comments. Before the session convened, Gov. Ralph S. Northam advised senators and delegates that he would seek to their approval for legislation to make it easier for people to vote early rather than crowding the polls on Election Day. The proposals he presented would allow local voter registrars to set up boxes or collection points for voters to deposit mail ballots. Richmond offered the service during the primary election in June; this would ensure that election operations across the state could provide a similar service. Gov. Northam also is asking the legislature to provide $2 million for the state Department of Elections to cover the postage of providing voters with prepaid envelopes to return their ballots. He also wants the legislature to approve a change in the state’s election law to provide voters with a means to correct a mailed-in ballot.
of the legislature, said she will be beat the case against her. “It’s just an unnecessary nuisance, but you know what? I will be vindicated,” Sen. Lucas said. Sen. Lucas, a Democrat who has served in the Senate since 1992, is now president pro tempore of the Senate. She is the highest ranking Black in the legislature’s upper chamber outside of Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax, who serves as Senate president. Police in Portsmouth said Monday that they charged Sen. Lucas and seven others with conspiracy to commit a felony and injury to a monument in excess of $1,000. Both are felonies. Six others are facing a single felony charge of injury to a monument in excess of $1,000. Among those charged are James Boyd and Louie Gibbs, president and vice president, respectively, of the Portsmouth Branch NAACP, and branch member LaKesha Hicks; LaKeesha “Klu” Atkinson, a member of the Portsmouth School Board; and several members of the public defender’s office. The charges were filed the day before Virginia lawmakers began taking up dozens of criminal justice reforms during a special legislative session. The reaction from some of Sen. Lucas’ fellow Democrats was swift. “It’s deeply troubling that on the verge of Virginia passing longoverdue police reform, the first Black woman to serve as our Senate Pro Tempore is suddenly facing highly unusual charges,” Gov. Ralph S. Northam, a Democrat, tweeted on Monday evening. The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia called for the charges against Sen. Lucas and others to be dropped. The ACLU said the charges constitute a stark overreach by police because they were not approved by the Portsmouth prosecutor’s office. Sen. Lucas is being charged at a time when many memorials to the Confederacy are being taken down, whether by demonstrators opposed to racial injustice or by authorities seeking to dismantle them through official channels. The monuments have long been viewed by many as symbols of white supremacy. But they’ve drawn increasing attention following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died at the hands of Minneapolis police. The charges stem from a June 10 protest that drew hundreds of people to a Confederate monument in Portsmouth’s downtown. The monument, located in the middle of Court Street between High and Queen streets, consists of a large obelisk and statues of four Confederate military personnel. During the protest, heads were ripped off some of the statues, while one was pulled down, critically injuring a demonstrator. Some of Sen. Lucas’ fellow lawmakers have raised concerns that the case against her is political. “This timely, suspiciously retaliatory attack on the first Black person and woman to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Virginia State Senate is unacceptable,” the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus said in a statement. Delegate Lamont Bagby of Henrico, caucus chair, said Sen. Lucas had “stood up for protesters” and was “there fighting for justice.” “These charges against her are simply outrageous,” he said. Sen. Lucas told a Portsmouth television station that she never urged protesters to vandalize the monument and didn’t condone illegal activity. But she did appear on police body camera footage that has been posted on Facebook saying that the police couldn’t stop what protesters were about to do. Days after the incident, attorney Tim Anderson, a 2nd Amendment advocate who also owns a gun shop in Virginia Beach, started a petition to recall Sen. Lucas. In turn, Sen. Lucas filed a $20 million defamation lawsuit against Mr. Anderson. Sen. Lucas declined to comment Tuesday on whether the charges are political payback, as some have suggested, for her proposed criminal justice and police reforms and her efforts to strengthen gun control laws in the commonwealth. Sen. Lucas’ attorney, Delegate Don Scott who represents portions of Portsmouth, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Suffolk, said on Tuesday that the senator was only at the protest from 2:30 to 3 p.m. on that June day. He said Sen. Lucas talked to some of the police officers and demonstrators about how no one could be arrested for peacefully protesting. Delegate Scott said Sen. Lucas then left the protest — several hours before the heads of statues were ripped off by protesters and the protester was injured. Police in Portsmouth have not described exactly what Sen. Lucas or the others allegedly did to merit the charges. Portsmouth Police ChiefAngela Greene, a former Richmond Police captain, said several people had conspired “to destroy the monument as well as summon hundreds of people to join in felonious acts.” Chief Greene said those acts “not only resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the monument, but also permanent injury to an individual.” The department has not released charging documents against Sen. Lucas or the others in the case. The local courthouse, where charging documents would be on file, has been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Stephanie Morales, Portsmouth’s commonwealth’s attorney, did not sign off on the charges that police filed.
Democrats pull out big guns to energize virtual convention for Biden Continued from A1
While former First Lady Michelle Obama set the tone by opening the convention on Monday night with a grave censure of President Trump, her husband was expected to focus more on the Democratic presidential nominee and a revival of the message of hope and change that ushered in his own historic terms in office as the nation’s first Black president. Mrs. Obama delivered a talk firmly outlining the dire stakes for the election ahead, declaring President Trump “in over his head” and the “wrong president for our country.” She warned of possible voter suppression and told Americans they must vote for Mr. Biden “in numbers that cannot be ignored” if they want to preserve the “most basic requirements for a functioning society.” Whether President Obama can pass on his personal popularity to Mr. Biden won’t be immediately clear without a live audience. But he was expected to describe Mr. Biden as a trusted counselor and co-pilot who helped him pass his signature health care law and navigate a complex world. Sen. Harris, the first Black woman selected for a major party ticket, gives Democrats a barrier-breaking team that echoes the landmark of Mr. Obama’s election. The California senator, who often invokes other groundbreakers such as Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, had
the chance to highlight her own historic role. She also was expected to use the moment to argue for Mr. Biden at the top of the ticket and set aside a notable moment from her first debate appearance as a presidential candidate last year, when she criticized his record on race over his previous opposition to federally mandated busing. Democrats formally nominated Mr. Biden as their presidential candidate Tuesday night, with party elders, a new generation of politicians and voters in every state joining together in an extraordinary, pandemic-cramped virtual convention to send him into the general election campaign to oust President Trump. For someone who has spent more than three decades eyeing the presidency, the moment was the realization of a long-sought goal. But it played out in a way that the 77-year-old Mr. Biden couldn’t have imagined just months ago as the coronavirus pandemic prompted profound change across the country and in his presidential campaign. Instead of a Milwaukee convention hall as initially planned, the roll call of convention delegates played out in a combination of live and recorded video feeds from American landmarks packed with meaning: Alabama’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, the headwaters of the Mississippi River, a Puerto Rican community still recovering from a hurricane and Washington, D.C.’s Black Lives Matter Plaza. Mr. Biden celebrated his new status as the
Democratic nominee alongside his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, and grandchildren in a Delaware school library. Dr. Biden, his wife of more than 40 years, later spoke to the convention of her husband in deeply personal terms, reintroducing the lifelong politician as a man of deep empathy, faith and resilience. Thursday night’s events and speeches will focus on Mr. Biden, culminating in the former vice president accepting the presidential nomination. He will deliver his acceptance speech from a mostly empty convention all near his Delaware home. Other Thursday night speakers will include several former contenders for the Democratic presidential nod, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Other speakers include U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, both of whom were on the list for consideration as vice president. On Tuesday night, the convention a mix of Democrats and Republicans making the case that Mr. Biden has the experience and energy to repair the chaos President Trump has created at home and abroad. Former President Clinton, former Secretary of State John Kerry and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican, were among the heavy-hitters on a convention schedule that emphasized a simple theme: Leadership matters.
Former President Jimmy Carter, now 95, also made a brief appearance. Some of them delivered attacks against President Trump that were unusually personal, all in an effort to establish Mr. Biden as the competent, moral counter to the president. “Donald Trump inherited a growing economy and a more peaceful world,” Mr. Kerry said. “And like everything else he inherited, he bankrupted it. When this president goes oversees, it isn’t a goodwill mission. It’s a blooper reel.” Former President Clinton said under President Trump, the Oval Office is now a place of chaos, not a command center. “If you want a president who defines the job as spending hours a day watching TV and zapping people on social media, he’s your man,” President Clinton said. Mr. Powell, who served as secretary of state under GOP President George W. Bush and appeared at multiple Republican conventions in years past, endorsed the Democratic candidate. He joined Cindy McCain, the wife of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who stopped short of a formal endorsement but spoke in a video of the mutual respect and friendship her husband and Mr. Biden shared. While delegates aren’t physically present in Milwaukee, party business went on as usual remotely during the daytime, with caucus and council meetings scheduled throughout. Democrats will finalize the party’s platform and update party rules.
Richmond Free Press
August 20-22, 2020
A5
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Richmond Free Press
A6 August 20-22, 2020
Local News
Collaboration helps erase graffiti at historic cemeteries By George Copeland Jr.
Nearly three weeks after historical AfricanAmerican and Jewish cemeteries were tagged with graffiti, volunteers and other workers have cleaned the marks — “777â€? — that were spraypainted on headstones and entrances to Evergreen, East End, Barton Heights and Sir Moses Montefiore cemeteries, including the gravesite of noted businesswoman Maggie L. Walker. Queen Richardson, an activist with the group One Sound Movement, is one of the volunteers who, along with friends, helped erase the graffiti at Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery in Fulton. The historic Jewish cemetery was started by orthodox Jewish immigrants in 1886. Ms. Richardson and the group surprised cemetery officials by showing up to help remove the numeric symbols that the Anti-Defamation League said had been appropriated by the Nazis and more recently used by white supremacist groups. Ms. Richardson has been an active participant in rallies and demonstrations around the Lee statue, or what some protesters are calling Marcus-David Peters Circle. By volunteering at the cemetery, Ms. Richardson said she and her friends wanted “to show that we just didn’t stand for what was going on.â€? John Sydnor, executive director of the Enrichmond Foundation that manages historic Evergreen Cemetery where Mrs. Walker is buried, said volunteers similarly helped at the other affected gravesites. He said officials with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources were present at Evergreen Cemetery to educate an eager crowd of 17 volunteers, including members of the Jewish
Community Federation of Richmond, on how to clean affected areas without damaging the property or gravesites. “It was an opportunity to rally around the folks who are protecting and preserving these sacred sites,� Mr. Sydnor said. These instances of communities connecting and collaborating will continue, Mr. Sydnor said. The close proximity of Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery to Evergreen Cemetery is seen as an opportunity for greater communication in the future, he said. Mr. Sydnor also noted that the Jewish cemetery is part of Enrichmond’s two-year master plan as a potential collaborator in efforts to improve the state of the historic cemetery by installing a park trail they’re aiming to bring close to the site. Beyond greater collaboration and inclusivity, work is moving along quickly on plans to prevent future acts of vandalism, Mr. Sydnor said. Ms. Richardson, for her part, is developing ideas for ways concerned citizens can help keep these cemeteries safe and secure, but she said she has not shared them yet with officials. Those interested in safeguarding the sites may have their work cut out for them. As detailed by David L. Cohen, director of community relations for JCFR, there are many challenges to address, from the cemeteries’ isolation from surrounding communities to the frequency of these acts and others. Mr. Cohen said multiple incidents of harassment were reported by members of the Jewish community in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic. For their part, JCFR has responded to the vandalism at Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery by employing a regional security adviser to
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Queen Richardson, right, and friends Olivia Wright and Jay Price were among the volunteers recently cleaning graffiti from historic cemeteries in Richmond.
consult with local police departments, alongside coordination with the trustees that manage the cemetery and others involved with the site to ensure everyone has the details necessary during the tagging investigation. Mr. Cohen acknowledged, however, that these acts may not entirely be prevented, though he has hope that greater advocacy for education and tolerance can create a community where such vandalism doesn’t reoccur. This approach seems to be adopted by faith groups in Richmond’s Jewish and AfricanAmerican communities and elected officials, who released a statement decrying the vandalism and stressing the importance of solidarity among the region’s Jewish and African-American population. “In the current climate, where racial and social justice are being discussed openly in our community, these acts are designed to stoke fear in the hearts of both Jewish and Black communities,� the statement read. “Attacks such as these are meant to remind both communities of a past where we were not welcome as full participants in the greater society. Together, we say loudly and clearly that we reject that message.  “In 2020, the arc of the moral universe is most definitely bending toward justice. Equal justice, fairness and increased inclusion are
Richmond’s future. Heinous acts like this belong in its past. ‌ “Hate does not discriminate, and bias and bigotry against both the Black and Jewish communities is a shared history. We are committed to a brighter future – a future that will only improve through government reforms, education, personal conviction and action. With strong bridges between our two communities, we know we can create a safer and more just Greater Richmond.â€? The statement was signed by the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Richmond and Vicinity, the JCFR, the Richmond Council of Congregational Rabbis, the Richmond and Henrico branches of the NAACP, orthodox synagogue Keneseth Beth Israel and the trustees of the Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery and the Enrichmond Foundation, along with 10 elected officials who represent Richmond and/or Henrico in Congress, the Virginia General Assembly and in city and county government. It’s this spirit of collaboration that Mr. Sydnor sees defining the relationship between the historic cemeteries in the future. “That’s the combined voice that I think is going to come from this,â€? Mr. Sydnor said. “The ability to coordinate, communicate together and work together to make sure these sacred places are protected.â€?
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August 20-22, 2020 A7
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Summer blooms in the East End
Editorial Page
A8
August 20-22, 2020
The 19th Amendment “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” — 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution Just like anybody else, we like a good party. And in this time of COVID-19, that means a good Zoom party. But as commemorations continue this week marking the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment — that’s the amendment to the U.S. Constitution giving women the right to vote — we offer a few sobering thoughts: • The amendment, while it enabled women to vote, did not guarantee that all women could vote. It made all laws unconstitutional that reserved the vote solely for men. Women — and particularly African-American women — still had to deal with state laws that were designed as major obstacles to voting. Black women, particularly in the South, faced roadblocks to keep them from casting ballots, including intimidation tactics by the Ku Klux Klan and others, and racist laws such as poll taxes, literacy tests and laws that prevented the grandchildren of slaves from voting. It wasn’t until the passage of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 that women — and men — of color were able to cast ballots in great numbers. • The work of Black suffragists gets little attention. History books seem to focus on white women, particularly Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, when they tell the history of women mobilizing for the right to vote. We need to balance that history with the story of the many Black women activists, including Mary McLeod Bethune, Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell, who were a major force in the push for the 19th Amendment. These women persevered even as white women attempted to relegate them to the back of the picket and parade lines. Voting rights didn’t always equate to social equality, particularly among white women from the South. An interesting National Geographic article highlights teacher-turned-organizer Fannie Williams in St. Louis, who set up a “suffrage school” at the city’s Phillis Wheatley branch of the YWCA — this traditional Black branch of the “Y” named for the 18th century poet who had been enslaved. At the suffrage school, Ms. Williams helped women of color prepare for literacy tests and pay poll taxes in order to register to vote. Efforts small and large, heralded and unheralded, went into the effort to get two-thirds of the states to ratify the 19th Amendment. • Virginia was NOT one of the 36 states to ratify the 19th Amendment. Instead, Virginia voted on Feb. 12, 1920, to reject ratification despite the efforts of suffragists in the Commonwealth. During an August 1919 special session of the General Assembly, lawmakers passed a resolution calling the amendment “unwarranted, unnecessary, undemocratic and dangerous interference with the rights reserved to the States…” Virginia, which historically has been intent on carrying people back into the past instead of moving them forward, didn’t ratify the 19th Amendment until 32 years after it had become part of the U.S. Constitution. Virginia finally ratified it in a symbolic vote on Feb. 21, 1952. • Efforts continue in 2020 to deny people the right to vote. We have seen this locally with polling places running out of ballots, last-minute changes to polling places and long lines and waits at precincts with large numbers of minority voters. Now, with November’s critical presidential election just more than two months away, President Trump and his minions have launched an all-out assault on voting. In addition to purging voter rolls and closing down polling places in minority neighborhoods, the Trump administration is trying to keep people from voting by cutting U.S. Postal Service operations during a time when up to 60 percent of voters are expected to cast their ballots by mail because of the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump booted out the top USPS official and replaced him in May with Louis DeJoy, one of his flunkies who has no experience or qualifications to run the postal service other than he will do the president’s bidding. Since then, the USPS has undergone cuts and changes designed to slow down the mail, including removing critical mail sorting equipment, removing postal boxes from minority neighborhoods, eliminating staff overtime and requiring that late-arriving mail be left for delivery another day. The president also has withheld any federal COVID-19 relief funding for the USPS, all in an effort to threaten timely delivery of the mail, including ballots for voting. He claims voting by mail is rife with fraud, even as he and his family cast absentee ballots by mail for Florida. This is a major threat to voting rights and to the fundamental principle of democracy that is the cornerstone of our nation. We support Gov. Ralph S. Northam’s proposals now before the Virginia General Assembly during its special session as needed additional steps to protect voting and voting rights. Among them is a bill that would allow voter registrars in the state to set up collection points where people could submit their ballots and bypass the mail. Voters in Richmond were able to drive up and drop off their ballots for the June primary election outside City Hall. It ensured that every vote would be counted and not delayed or lost because of the Trump shenanigans with the postal service. As Black women learned 100 years ago with the passage of the 19th Amendment, the right to vote can be trampled on by people with ill intent no matter what the Constitution states. We must continue to work today to make sure that democracy works for all and that the liar in the White House doesn’t steal this election.
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Black women leading The selection of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee represents many “firsts” — the first Black woman to be nominated on a major party ticket. The first vice presi dent i al candidate of South Asian descent. The first nominee to be an HBCU grad. More imp o r t a n t l y, though, her candidacy is emblematic of this unprecedented moment of racial reckoning in America and the outsized role that Black women are playing in leading the nation through this period of crisis. The National Urban League has had a strong relationship with Sen. Harris for many years. We honored her as one of the first recipients of our “Woman of Power” awards in 2004 just after she was elected district attorney in San Francisco. In
2017, when she assumed office as California’s third female U.S. senator and the first of Jamaican or Indian ancestry, we honored her with the Hiram Revels Award for Achievement, named for the first African-American to serve in the U.S. Congress. While we’ve worked closely with her since her election to the
Marc H. Morial Senate, her fierce advocacy for underserved communities since the onset of the pandemic has been invaluable. She, along with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, was a prime sponsor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the U.S. Senate. We also recently joined her and other members of Congress to announce legislation that would allow those at risk of eviction to access legal representation and help protect their credit. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, she famously held U.S. Supreme Court nominee
Brett Kavanaugh and U.S. Attorney General nominee William Barr to account during their confirmation hearings. Her groundbreaking selection to the position of vice presidential nominee has drawn comparison to the legendary Shirley Chisholm, whom Sen. Harris often cites as a source of inspiration. In 1968, Rep. Chisholm became the first Black woman to serve as a member of Congress and, in 1972, became the first Black woman to seek the nomination of a major party for president. When she launched her presidential campaign, Sen. Harris chose a red and yellow design for her logo that resembled Rep. Chisholm’s campaign buttons. Rep. Chisholm faced abhorrent racial harassment on her campaign, and nearly half a century later, the racist attacks not only have not subsided, they’re amplified through social media. But it’s not just crude slurs hurled on Twitter by anonymous trolls. Within hours of the announcement that Sen. Harris had been
Laws as weapons of the unjust We read in disbelief that a Black man who has already spent almost 23 years in a Louisiana prison for stealing a pair of garden clippers has now been denied any measure of mercy and must spend the rest of his life behind bars for his minor crime. Fair Wayne Bryant, 62, was convicted of stealing the clippers in 1997 when he was 38. And five white men who sit on the Louisiana Supreme Court decided that it served justice to destroy a life for such a minor crime. The only dissent came from the court’s sole Black justice, and only female, Chief Justice Bernette Johnson. Chief Justice Johnson wrote a blistering dissent that shines a spotlight on how law is used as a weapon by oppressors against the oppressed. Mr. Bryant had been convicted of three previous crimes and all four of his convictions resulted from his attempts to steal something. Chief Justice Johnson argued from the bench: “Such petty theft is frequently driven by the ravages of poverty or addiction, and often both. It is cruel and unusual to impose a sentence of life in prison at hard labor for the criminal behavior which is most often caused by poverty or addiction.” Mr. Bryant’s infractions over the years were the acts of a desperate man, a man forced into poverty by a system designed to keep him in a state of poverty so that others could live more affluently. But the Louisiana courts used the pattern of his behavior as evidence of the need to keep him separated from society. And while the white men in black robes would never admit it, the courts in the state of Louisiana were not seeking to punish Fair Wayne Bryant as much as they were sending a message to the oppressed Black people of
that state. Reading between the lines, we can see the dehumanizing process used by the courts to inflict pain upon Black people in order to ensure their compliant and subservient behavior. The language used by a lower court in Mr. Bryant’s case tortures
Oscar H. Blayton logic while denying Mr. Bryant’s appeal of his cruel and unusual punishment. The Louisiana 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion that stated in part that the “litany of convictions and the brevity of the periods during which the defendant was not in custody for a new offense is ample support for the [life] sentence imposed in this case.” In short, this statement argues that Mr. Bryant should stay in jail for life because he has spent time in jail before. The three-word opinion of the five white justices — “Writ application denied” — was as chilling and final as a death sentence. They gave no explanation for their decision because they did not believe they had to. But Chief Justice Johnson was not having it and wrote a dissent that pointed to the historical underpinnings of such an unjust and oppressive use of the law. In her dissent, Chief Justice Johnson pointed to the “Pig Laws” that had been enforced in Louisiana in years past. These laws were designed to trap impoverished African-Americans in a legal web designed to keep them poor and “in line.” When slavery was abolished by the 13th Amendment in 1865, Southern plantation owners in states like Louisiana found themselves without enough manpower to keep their fields operational. But they soon found a loophole. The 13th Amendment stated: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime …
shall exist within the United States.” Pig Laws were passed to unfairly target and entrap poor former slaves and force them into a penal system that provided free labor for plantation-owning white people. They were dubbed “Pig Laws” because many of them made it a crime to steal farm animals. And newly freed slaves without the means of acquiring food legitimately often were reduced to theft. This was forced criminality by design and the Pig Laws and other Black Codes provided a steady supply of free Black labor to replace the emancipated slaves. Poverty has ravaged Black people since emancipation, and poverty’s frequent companion, addiction, has followed in its wake as the oppressed attempt to self-medicate in order to ease their pain and suffering. Laws are tools for social design. They are passed to make people behave in a particular way. In the hands of an oppressor, laws are tools to extract subservient behavior from the oppressed. And when used for that purpose, these laws are no more just than midnight lynchings or other barbaric assaults to enforce subservient behavior. Like lynchings and beatings, these laws are the oppressive weapons of the unjust. Most of the laws used to police Black and brown bodies today are pig laws that have evolved to adjust to the modern realities of our time. This is why excessive force is constantly applied to people of color and local, state and federal institutions contort logic to defend it. Too many laws as they are applied to people of color are unjust and we must fight our way to the polls to root out the people who design them and utilize them. The writer is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.
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selected as Joe Biden’s running mate, a major magazine amplified a racist “birther” conspiracy theory about her. Rep. Chisholm was realistic about the obstacles her candidacy faced. “I just want to show it can be done,” she often said. Sen. Harris was a child when Rep. Chisholm ran for president and now she stands a realistic chance of being the first woman to hold the second highest office in the land. As Joe Biden said the day after announcing his choice, “This morning, all across the nation, little girls woke up, especially little Black and brown girls who so often feel overlooked and undervalued in their communities, but today, today just maybe, they’re seeing themselves for the first time in a new way, as the stuff of presidents and vice presidents.” The writer is president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.
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Richmond Free Press
August 20-22, 2020 A9
Letters to the Editor
Fitting name for new vice presidential candidate Re “Magic moment,” “Biden-Harris” editorial and “5 faith facts about VP pick Kamala Harris – a Black Baptist with Hindu family,” Free Press Aug. 13-15 edition: The two articles and editorials in last week’s edition of the Richmond Free Press complement each other as well as culminate the celebratory and honorable selection by Democrat Joe Biden of U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris as his vice presidential pick for the November election. Her selection is a comforting joy for all Americans, even suburban housewives, after months of President Trump’s irrational leadership, the despair of the novel coronavirus and national protests after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Min-
neapolis police. Together, this Democratic ticket is the change that’s going to come. The editorial began with a single line, “Kamala!” – her first name alone. It sounds like “Amandala,” a South African Xhosa/ Zulu word that means “power” and was a banner during Nelson Mandela’s political run in the early 1990s there. Kamala has it now as the Democratic vice presidential pick. She will attract voters across human diversity in this country. Let’s not be fooled that the Trump campaign will not go after Sen. Harris’ record as California’s attorney general and her policies for criminalizing truancy and her defense for long prison terms for minor offenses. They likely will play the race card in
Faith and Sen. Kamala Harris
Re “5 faith facts about VP pick Kamala Harris – a Black Baptist with Hindu family,” Free Press Aug. 13-15 edition: Politics may separate us but God is not divided. Only humans are. Culture may define us differently, but religion should not make us enemies. Within this hot political season, there are “agendas” that will try to do all three: Separate, define, and make us enemies of one another. Let’s all condemn that and prevent such efforts to shred the fabric of our democracy. Like her numerous accomplishments, Sen. Harris’ religious diversity should be celebrated. We now have a potential presidential team that embodies three of our world’s largest religions: Hinduism, Judaism and Christianity (Catholic and Protestant). The spiritual and religious
“bridges” that have been crossed to get here should be celebrated because this is a great American reality. Sen. Harris would bring to the White House the reality that who you are never diminishes who I am. President Trump declared that “Biden is going to hurt God.” The only possibility of that is to wield some power over God, which humans do not have. God is “hurt” when we divide ourselves from one another with contempt and hatred. We simply worship God in different ways and on different days. I’ve been a devout Christian since age 4 and was baptized at age 7. Several other faiths contributed greatly to my spiritual growth during these many years. Invited to India with a group to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we were touring a Hindu temple when wor-
shippers hit a bell upon arriving. Initially offended at the noise, I finally asked the priest, “Why?” He responded, “They’re just saying, ‘God, I’m here!’ ” I jumped up from my seat, ran to that bell and hit it with all my might, then raised my hands and cried out, “God, I’m here.” It’s still an exhilarating memory. Having taught world religions, two wonderful quotes come to mind. From Islam: “God is called by many names but changed by none.” And from African Traditional Religion: “God is like the Zambezi River. God comes to everybody’s shores!” Let’s welcome this beautiful diversity. It can nourish the minds, hearts and souls of us all. Dr. Paige Lanier Chargois Richmond
Concern for fiancé in jail during pandemic Re “3 inmates, 2 staffers at city jail test positive for COVID-19, numbers higher in Henrico,” Free Press July 23-25 edition: I am writing to express my concern and worst fear for my fiancé who is an innate at the Richmond Justice Center. I do not want his sentence to be a death sentence. As of July 30, it was reported that 12 inmates and five staff members were quarantined after testing positive for the coronavirus and that necessary precautions are occurring, including wearing masks, increased cleaning and social distancing when possible. According to my fiancé, little has been done to safeguard inmates from the spread of COVID-19. To date, he has only been given
a mask — no gloves, soap, water, bleach or Lysol wipes. The center has offered testing to inmates within the last two to three weeks, which he did take. He has a heart murmur and severe asthma, which put him at a higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19. He has been experiencing headaches and issues with his sight. When going to medical, no treatment or medical care was given that will assist him with these issues. Per the nation’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 affects the respiratory tract (nose, throat, lungs), which can cause an asthma attack and possibly lead to pneumonia and acute respiratory
disease. Because there is no current treatment or vaccine to prevent COVID-19, he is at risk. His asthma makes him particularly susceptible to COVID-19 because of being in close contact with others that’s inherent in jails and prisons today. Because of the inmate population, social distance practices are hard to establish and maintain in prison. Inmates such as my financé, who meet requirements of the Virginia COVID-19 Response Inmate Early Release Plan should be released to help combat the spread of COVID-19. JOI BROWN Charles County, Md.
regard to her decisions affecting African-Americans and others of color. She’ll have to answer. Of course, being a former attorney general, there’s always more under the surface that justifies an outcome. Sen. Harris is consciously tough and will prevail. The article about her faith background captured the internal, spiritual makeup and moral fiber of Sen. Harris and her heritage— Generation Xer, daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica, Black Baptist raised on Hinduism, married to a Jewish man, and a former attorney general and current senator. These personas – My God, what more do we want? This vice presidential pick is a superwoman. The article also defined her name —“…Kamala means ‘lotus’ in Sanskrit, and is another name for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi… Kamala visited India multiple times as a girl and got to know her relatives there.” Her name struck me to dig a little deeper. Per flowerglossary. com, the lotus flower is a bean of India, an aquatic plant that blooms delicately beautiful. It is a sacred flower, honored in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and on statues of Buddhist monks. The lotus is very adaptive and holds tough and strong in its muddy, soiled environment that resembles today’s Republican politics. A popular quote by Thich Nhat Hanh states, “There is the mud, and there is the lotus that grows out of the mud. We need the mud in order to make the lotus.” Well, President Trump did not drain the swamp. He created more of it with more mud — knee deep. So a lotus was necessary to rise above that swamp. That lotus is Sen. Kamala D. Harris for a better Biden presidency. ALDRIC CRAWLEY Richmond
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Richmond Free Press
A10 August 20-22, 2020
Sports Stories by Fred Jeter
MLB honors 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues Professional baseball gave a much deserved tip of the cap to the Negro Leagues last Sunday, honoring the league’s 100th anniversary. All 32 major league teams saluted the men and memories from an era prior to 1947 when Black players weren’t allowed to compete against white players. On Aug. 16, players, managers, coaches and umpires all wore a symbolic patch saluting the 100th birthday of the Negro Leagues. Negro Leagues logos also were placed on the bases and scorecards. Partnering with Major League Baseball for the commemoration was the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The event originally was scheduled for June 27 but postponed because of the pandemic. The seed for the Negro National League was sewn Feb. 13, 1920, when a group of team executives met in Kansas City, Mo. Rube Foster, a native Texan who had been a star pitcher and team owner previously, served as the league’s first commissioner. Foster’s Chicago American Giants won the first three championships from 1920 to 1922. Prior to that, all-Black baseball had been mostly a barnstorming activity with little staying power. The Eastern Colored League was set up in 1937 as a second Negro “Major League.” The Negro League World Series—also called the Colored World Series at the time—was played 1924 to 1927 with the National League champ facing the Eastern winner. From 1942 to 1948, the World Series pitted the National League against the American League, which began in 1937. Negro League baseball changed dramatically in 1947 when the all-white Brooklyn Dodgers added to its team former Kansas City Monarch Jackie Robinson. Other Black players in the game-changing 1947 season were Larry Doby with Cleveland, Dan Bankhead with the Dodgers and Hank Thompson and Willard Brown with the St. Louis Browns. Roy Campanella joined the Dodgers and Satchel Paige was added by Cleveland in 1948.
Centennial celebration
(Kevin M. Cox/The Galveston County Daily News via AP
Houston Astros third base coach Gary Pettis and manager Dusty Baker Jr. look into the stands at photo cutouts of former Negro League players during a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues before a game against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 16 at Minute Maid Park.
Then came Minnie Minoso and Luke Easter, both with Cleveland, and Don Newcombe with the Dodgers in 1949. Soon after, the top up-and-coming Black players such as Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Junior Gilliam, Sam Jethroe, Sam Jones, Monte Irvin and Ernie Banks began inking Major League Baseball contracts, depleting the Negro Leagues of their drawing cards. Attendance plummeted. From that point on, the Negro Leagues, as a bona fide Major League, began to fade although many continued to barnstorm during the 1950s. The post-Robinson Negro Leagues were considered to be of minor league quality. The Negro Leagues officially stopped operations in 1962. The Indianapolis Clowns were the only fully organized franchise left in 1966. By then, the independent, barnstorming Clowns had become more of a humorous sideshow than a competitive outfit. Most Negro Leagues alumni living today played in the 1950s. Mays, 89, played with the Birmingham Black Barons from 1948 to 1950 before signing with the New York Giants. Aaron, 86, played with the Indianapolis
Here are the standings from the Negro National League’s groundbreaking 1920 season. • Chicago American Giants, 32-15-2 • Kansas City Monarchs, 46-29-2 • Detroit Stars, 32-29 • Indianapolis ABC’s, 40-38 • Cuban Stars, 24-27 • Dayton Marcos, 9-12 • Chicago Giants, 4-21 Notes: The Cuban Stars and Chicago Giants were “traveling teams” with no home games. Some games ended in ties. The standings may have included games against barnstorming teams. Some games were never reported. Source: “The Negro Leagues Book” by Dick Clark and Larry Lester. In the same season, the Negro Southern League, which was considered a minor league, began with teams in Knoxville, Ky., Montgomery and Birmingham, Ala., Atlanta, New Orleans and Jacksonville, Fla. The Knoxville Giants prevailed with a 55-21 record.
Clowns in 1952 prior to joining the Boston Braves. Banks, who died at 83 in 2015, played with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1951 and 1952 before signing with the Chicago Cubs in 1953. Banks, a 14-time All-Star and two-time MVP with the Cubs, was said to be the last Negro League player to sign a big league contract and go straight to the majors.
Former NFL player Jason Wright named president of Washington pro football team Free Press wire report
office and medical staffs, bowed to pressure from sponsors to drop the team’s racist and offensive nickname/mascot and been forced to confront allegations of sexual harassment by members of the organization from former employees. As part of the national debate over racism following George Floyd’s killing
for the league.” The club with a storied history dating The Washington NFL team hired Jason to its Boston roots in the 1930s and three Wright as team president on Monday, long-ago Super Bowl titles is in a phase making him the first Black person to hold of transformation. It will be called the that position in NFL history. “Washington Football Team” for at least At 38, he also becomes the NFL’s the 2020 season, with Terry Bateman youngest team president and will run the spearheading the process to determine a organization’s business operanew full-time name. Snyder also tions with Coach Ron Rivera is seeking a new stadium to be maintaining control over footin place when the lease at FedEx ball decisions. Field expires in 2027. Wright, a running back Wright is the fourth former for seven years with Atlanta, player to become a team presiCleveland and Arizona, was a dent and does so after several captain for the Arizona Cardinals years in business. He called this and their NFLPA representative an “ideal opportunity” and said, during labor negotiations in “I have always enjoyed building 2010-11. exciting new things and taking He retired after the 2011 on the hard, seemingly intracseason and earned his MBA table challenges that others may from the University of Chicago. not want to tackle.” He was most recently a partner Wright, like Coach Rivera, in the operations practice at will report directly to Snyder McKinsey & Company, where while overseeing Washington’s he also helped create the Black operations, finance, sales and Economic Institute and comarketing departments. Coach piloted their anti-racism and Jason Wright is the first Black person and the youngest Rivera, who was a defensive in the NFL’s history to be named as a team president for inclusion strategy. coordinator in Chicago and the Washington NFL team. “If I could custom design a San Diego at the time, said he leader for this important time in our his- by police in Minnesota, Coach Rivera remembers Wright as a player and has tory, it would be Jason,” Washington team also launched internal initiatives aimed grown to realize the two share many of owner Dan Snyder said. “His experience at educating players and staff and allow- the same values that should help them as a former player, coupled with his busi- ing minorities’ voices to be heard. Wright work together. ness acumen, gives him a perspective that seems to fit into that, as well. “It is no surprise to me that he went on is unrivaled in the league.” “Jason has a proven track record in to achieve the caliber of success that Jason The hiring is another significant change helping businesses transform culturally, has in his time in the business world,” for Snyder, who has in the past nine months operationally and financially,” Snyder said. Coach Rivera said. “Because he knows fired president and longtime confidant “He is a proactive and assertive advocate the NFL firsthand and how fast it moves, Bruce Allen after another losing season, for inclusion of all people and will set I am excited to have him on board to head hired Coach Rivera, revamped the front new standards for our organization and up the front office and operations.”
Johnny Bailey
Softball home run slugger Johnny Bailey shows them who’s king
Softball slugger extraordinaire Johnny Bailey came to the Richmond area with a national reputation, and he didn’t disappoint. Traveling from his home in La Jolla, Calif., Bailey won the Mike Macenko Home Run Challenge, beating local favorite Paul Sadler in the finals at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville on Aug. 7. Swinging his own signature Johnny Bailey model bat — the Johnny Bailey Miken Ultra Maxload — the burly, right-hander launched 13 homers in 15 swings. The 5-foot-11, 235-pound powerhouse cleared the fence on 8-for10 swings in the first round and a perfect 5-for-5 in the finals. The Pole Green Park fence is 305 feet to the left field corner and 315 to center. Many of Bailey’s blasts touched down far beyond the fence, nearly 400 feet from the plate. The event was scheduled for Aug. 6 at RF&P Park in Glen Allen but was postponed due to wet grounds until Aug. 7 at Pole Green Park. The home run challenge was part of the International Senior Softball Association, or ISSA, World Championships held Aug. 5 through 9 at various Richmond area complexes. About 100 teams from several states participated in age groups ranging from 40 to 75 and up. Bailey is the catcher for Smash It Sports/Team USA, based out of Baden, Pa. Smash advanced to the Major Plus finals before losing 27-26 to Florida-based FBI/Worth/Miken. Outhitting Sadler was no easy assignment. The Benedictine alumnus has won previous home run events in Tampa and Myrtle Beach.
Petersburg’s Frank Mason III poised for NBA playoffs with Bucks If nothing else, Frank Mason III may have made the Milwaukee Bucks’ unofficial “All Bubble” team. The former Petersburg High School and University of Kansas phenom raised eyebrows in a limited opportunity with the Bucks. Competing in “The Bubble” at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, the 5-foot11, 190-pound Mason Frank posted three doubledigit outings as the Bucks closed the regular season with the NBA’s top record of 56-17. While the Bucks — choosing to rest several veterans — went just 3-5 in “The Bubble,” Mason shined there following a call-up from the G-League
Wisconsin Herd. On Aug. 4, he had 11 points, two rebounds and four assists during the Bucks’ game against the New York Nets. Aug. 11, he had 19 points, five rebounds and six assists against the Washington Wizards. And in the Bucks’ final regular season outing on Aug. 13, MaMason III son contributed 18 points, four rebounds and eight assists against the Memphis Grizzlies. “With us missing Bled (Eric Bledsoe), it was my opportunity to get out there and impress coach. My job is to be a leader and try and make
the team better,” Mason said on the Bucks’ Twitter account. “I do whatever I can to bring some energy.” Mason’s late-season muscle flexing didn’t go unnoticed. “We think Frank is somebody who can step up and provide quality minutes for us,” Milwaukee Coach Mike Budenholzer said on the Bucks’ Twitter. “And what he did in the G-League, that’s special.” Mason’s career took a serious setback last year after he was released following two seasons with the Sacramento Kings. In need of a job, he signed a “two-way contract” with Milwaukee, which meant he could play for the Bucks and their G-League affiliate in Oshkosh, Wis.
NBA playoffs time The NBA best-of-seven matchups are being held inside “The Bubble” at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Florida. Matchups for the first round series • Milwaukee Bucks vs. Orlando Magic • Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers • Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz • Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets • Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers • Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers
Mason proceeded to tear up the G-League, averaging 26.4 points, pacing the team to a 33-10 record and being named league MVP in a season cut short by the pandemic. He had played only six games in a deep reserve capacity with the parent Bucks before
getting a more serious look in “The Bubble.” Despite the fast finish, there are no guarantees for Mason regarding the Bucks’ playoff roster. He was on the roster Tuesday for the Bucks’ opening playoff game against the Orlando Magic. He played only
in the final minute of the game, adding one assist in the team’s 122-110 loss to the Magic. The Bucks’ other “two-way player,” Cam Reynolds was not called up from the Herd. Mason, who was the NCAA National Player of the Year as a senior at the University of Kansas, could be activated at any time for what figures to be a long playoff run by the Bucks. At worse, he has made a statement that is likely to enhance his chances of being kept by the Bucks — or acquired by another team — for 2020-21. It stands to reason the best player in the G-League is capable of finding a more permanent home on some NBA roster.
August 20-22, 2020 B1
Section
B
Richmond Free Press
Happenings
Personality: Ollie Harvey
Spotlight on founder of The H.O.P.E. Organization It has been more than 20 years since Ollie Harvey began her work to ensure no one in Virginia goes hungry, and the experience has been extensive, occasionally challenging and life-affirming. “I have peace when I go to sleep at night,” Ms. Harvey says. “It means the world to me.” The Henrico resident is the founder of The H.O.P.E. Organization, which works to feed and aid the needy in the Greater Richmond area through a variety of services. H.O.P.E. stands for Help Our People Eat. Founded on Sept. 1, 1999, Ms. Harvey said H.O.P.E. was inspired by the work of Elizabeth York, the principal of the elementary school where Ms. Harvey’s children were enrolled. Ms. Harvey said the principal helped her—the mother of four living in the projects – in many ways, from purchasing her first car to helping her continue her education to directing Ms. Harvey to provide food for members of the community. When Ms. York died in 1999, Ms. Harvey created The H.O.P.E. Organization with the goal of continuing the work Ms. York inspired. Today, that work is done by six members of the organization and a suite of contract workers, with help from a few groups and local officials. It
has proven to be a longtime endeavor that speaks to Ms. Harvey’s commitment and determination to those in need and the principal who cared deeply for her community. “I’m not going to let her down,” Ms. Harvey says of the late principal. “I’m going to keep doing this,” Ms. Harvey says. “I could have been anything that I wanted to be. But I stuck with H.O.P.E. because I never got a chance to thank this lady.” Tackling food disparities is only one of the many areas of focus for H.O.P.E. It provides food to people who don’t qualify for food stamps. It has a food bank in Henrico County that has been assisting families in need, many who find themselves out of work because of business closures during the COVID19 pandemic. The H.O.P.E. Organization also provides counseling, helps people with job searches and holds drives for needy families for Christmas and school supplies. “I just want to make sure everybody’s OK,” Ms. Harvey says. “I’m not trying to save the world. I’m just helping the people in need.” This kind of aid is at the heart of Ms. Harvey’s plans for the organization, and she is set on H.O.P.E. establishing a food bank in every locale in the state. She says she plans to start a food bank in Sandston to fully cover Henrico County
“ T h e f u t u re f o r H.O.P.E. is to have more H.O.P.E. in the community,” Ms. Harvey says. Meet a people helper and this week’s Personality, Ollie Harvey: Volunteer position: Founder, The H.O.P.E. Organization. Date and place of birth: Oct. 26 in Richmond. Current residence: Henrico County. Education: Certified in Head Start, early childhood education. before moving on to food banks in Richmond, Petersburg and Chesterfield. She also has plans for Goodwill-style stores that would employ those in need of work and pay. They’re sizable goals, but fitting ones for Ms. Harvey, who at the age of 58 also has her eyes on a potential run for governor of Virginia. The organization’s goals to help people are drawing interest from people as far as Virginia Beach and Alexandria, who have been in contact with H.O.P.E. about its work and the possibility of replicating it. To hear Ms. Harvey describe it, it sounds like the next 20 years will see Virginia getting very familiar with her work.
Occupation: Owner of child care center. Family: Children, Dana Harvey, 38; Lateisha Harvey and Lataisha Harvey, 37; Dominique Harvey, 35; Daeshawn, 23; Ollie Harvey, 21; and Jefferson Harvey, 13. THE H.O.P.E. Organization was founded: Sept. 1, 1999. What H.O.P.E. stands for: Help Our People Eat. Reason for founding: Elizabeth York, the principal of the elementary school my children attended, inspired me. She assisted me with going back to school and purchasing my first car. She provided me with the job of providing food to people in the community. When she passed away, I created The H.O.P.E.
Organization to continue the work she started. Major focus of organization today: Our focus is to ensure no child goes without a meal. Communities in which H.O.P.E. operates: There is no specific community. We assist the entire state of Virginia. Services H.O.P.E. provides: Assistance with job searches, community service, counseling, meal planning, food giveaways, Christmas and back-to-school drives. How H.O.P.E. is helping during COVID-19: A food bank has been created in Henrico County to assist families in need. Specific goals for H.O.P.E.’s future: To provide H.O.P.E. in the community and to create a food bank in every city in Virginia. Outlook at start of day: All referrals are collected. Families are contacted to provide them
with food and/or shelter. A quote that I am most inspired by: Remember when you see a tree swerving in the midst of life’s storms, if that tree does not fall, it means it has grown stronger. I am the tree of life, and the storms that didn’t take me out made me stronger. Three words that best describe me: Caring, giving and loving. Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I love to find ways to obtain the funding to make sure no one goes hungry. Best late-night snack: Mr. Good Bar. The best thing my parents ever taught me: To love. Person who influenced me the most: Elizabeth York. Book I’m reading now: “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. Next goal: To run for governor of the state of Virginia.
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Richmond Free Press
B2 August 20-22, 2020
Happenings By Reginald Stuart
For centuries, medical doctors have been guided by ethical standards, pledging no intentional harm to patients. But lapses or disturbing, questionable, on-the-spot decisions and errors in judgment by physicians occur, undermining public confidence in health care providers and prodding the nation’s medical academy to reassess its standards. “The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South,” a new fact-based book Mr. Jones by Richmond author and veteran journalist Chip Jones, revisits the medical ethics issue as the public, politicians and health leaders offer divergent views about combating COVID-19 as thousands of people die weekly from the airborne respiratory disease. “In 1968 and even today, this was second-class health care,” Mr. Jones told the Free Press in an interview. He stressed the need for health officials to assure the public about the ethics and safety of the current myriad efforts to halt the coronavirus. “The Organ Thieves” focuses on the medical care given to Bruce O. Tucker, a 54-year-old African-American who, in May1968, suffered a skull fracture during a fall and was rushed to the noted Medical College of Virginia hospital for treatment. Mr. Tucker’s tragedy came at a time when the hospital had been working for years to respectfully establish itself among medical research institutions in the field of human organ transplants. In the era of racial segregation, MCV had a tarnished reputation dating back to its founding before the Civil War for advancing its human anatomy studies by engaging the services of grave robbers and by collecting the cadavers of dead slaves and impoverished white people. Some of the unwanted body parts were disposed of in wells and other sites that have been uncovered during the school’s
New book revisits shameful transplant practice of past expansion in recent decades. More than a century after some of those practices occurred, Mr. Tucker unknowingly played a role in advancing the school toward its goal of becoming a leader in the field of human transplant medicine. Within 24 hours, surgeons concluded Mr. Tucker could not recover from his serious brain injury and pronounced him “technically dead.” Then, based on that determination and without consent from Mr. Tucker or any close relatives or next of kin, the
sacrificed too quickly because he was Black, and whether Mr. Tucker had been considered by the hospital as a “charity” patient absent identifiable relatives, a status in society that implies a person has no wealth, rank or importance in the community. The merits, ethics and legality of harvesting Mr. Tucker’s organs for transplant prompted Mr. Tucker’s family to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital. “The hospital was never transparent with the family. It was never trans-
Bruce Tucker
medical team removed his vital organs — from his heart to his kidneys — for transplant into a white business executive who had been in and out of the hospital with illnesses. The hospital said Mr. Tucker’s relatives could not be located, according to Mr. Jones’ book. He found records of the hospital trying to find relatives of Mr. Tucker, even enlisting police to help by going to Mr. Tucker’s Richmond apartment where no one knew of him or any contacts. With the life clock ticking, time was running out on transplant doctors to make some decisions. The patient in urgent need of a transplant being white hastened family concerns after Mr. Tucker’s death about whether his life had been
Courtesy from Book
parent with the media,” Mr. Jones said, explaining what he learned in researching the book. L. Douglas Wilder, then an aspiring young Richmond attorney who later would become governor of Virginia, was the Tucker family’s lawyer. He filed what was the first such lawsuit in the state against the hospital and the surgeon, Mr. Jones said. Former Gov. Wilder gave Mr. Jones an interview for the book. Mr. Jones said Gov. Wilder told him it was the first time in more than two decades he had discussed the Tucker case. The case went to an all-white jury in 1972. During his arguments, Gov. Wilder told the jury that the Tuckers were hard-working citizens of
Richmond, “not derelicts,” Mr. Jones reported in the book. Mr. Jones found that as the case went to trial, “the jury was swamped by a series of experts” produced to defend the hospital. “They claimed brain death law was not clear,” he said, a defense that persuaded the jury to deny the Tucker family’s wrongful death claim. Gov. Wilder later wrote in a review of the case that the Tuckers “got a raw deal” with the jury finding for MCV and the doctor. “But they rewrote a new definition of ‘death’ for the nation,” Gov. Wilder wrote in his papers researched by Mr. Jones. Mr. Tucker’s family “has never been compensated,” Mr. Jones said. “They didn’t get any money. I know the medical college is owning that some mistakes have been made. There are still some lingering suspicions about that legacy of second-class health care.” “You can debate whether he (Mr. Tucker) would have survived,” Mr. Jones continued. “What is undoubted is how sadly he and his family were treated. The family was mistreated. They weren’t informed of the transplant,” he said, acknowledging the many “social and political undertones” of the era had to have come into play. Woven into the 390- page book are eye-opening, behind-the-scenes facts about the world of transplant surgery. Mr. Jones also said several teachable ideas emerged as useful reminders today in dealing with COVID-19 mitigation efforts: • Educate yourself about your health. • Don’t hesitate to ask questions of your medical doctor if there is something you don’t understand. • In cases where your doctor says a medical problem exists or has been found, get an explanation that you understand. • Get a second opinion from another doctor. “There’s still a need for improvement on the front line,” Mr. Jones
said, ticking off a list of continuing gaps in the health care system that are pervasive across the country. All people need a primary care physician, he said, but many don’t have one. The public health agenda should focus on “access to food” and ridding communities of “food deserts,” he said. Localities also need to ensure “access to public transit” to ensure people in need of hospital service are able to get to it. Mr. Jones, who has written three books on medicine in the military, said he believes health care is better now than during segregation, noting “all of the confusion, chaos and pain” stirred by transplant discord has been gradually resolved, starting in the 1970s. Ethical oaths regarding transplant medicine and guidelines for notifying next of kin have been strengthened by medical organizations and an organ transplant system that has evolved, Mr. Jones said. In 1973, Virginia adopted a law defining “brain dead” in an attempt to clarify and complement established legal guidelines on “biological death,” he said. Gov. Wilder called the law a “form of redemption,” Mr. Jones wrote in his book. While no national law has been adopted to require notification of kin in time-sensitive situations such as transplants, Mr. Jones said, he views the federal adoption of patient privacy laws, known as the HIPAA laws under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as a step forward.
Annual Southeast Community Day Parade to go on with or without permit, organizer says By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Newport News has ordered the cancellation of the annual Southeast Community Day Parade that an area chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference has staged since 1991 — but the SCLC plans to defy the city and stage it anyway. Andrew Shannon, president of the Peninsula District SCLC chapter and vice president of the SCLC’s Virginia unit, was notified Monday afternoon that the City of Newport News would not issue a permit allowing the parade to take place as scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 12. A portion of the festival that typically is held on a church’s grounds could still go on, however. Mr. Shannon said he received the notification Monday from Newport News City
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Manager Cynthia D. Rohlf after Avenue, blocked entry into the he issued a public statement parade route and taken other criticizing the city for failing steps to enable the parade to to respond to the chapter’s go on. But the permit denial application for a parade permit means the city will not provide after 11 months. such services this year. Despite denial, “we are going In Mr. Shannon’s view, Ms. to engage in non-violent direct Rohlf’s decision smacks of action by proceeding with our disparate treatment of a national events as scheduled,” Mr. Shan- civil rights group co-founded in non stated in an email 1957 by Dr. Martin response Monday to Luther King Jr. a Free Press query. Ms. Rohlf did not “We believe that we respond to a Free will prevail legally Press request for against any and all comment. adverse actions that He said Ms. Rohlf may be directed has turned a blind eye against us.” to events the Black Mr. Shannon Mr. Shannon said Lives Matter movethe chapter has a First Amend- ment has held on city streets ment right to hold the parade and even though those organizing would exercise that right. the events never obeyed city While many other summer rules. and fall concerts, festivals and “We know for a fact that none programs have been canceled of the other groups that have in Richmond and elsewhere held marches and events in the because of the pandemic, Mr. city for the past three months Shannon said this parade and filed for a parade permit,” he festival is too important to shut said, adding that Ms. Rohlf is down and could go on safely. aware of that situation. He launched the event to That flouting of city requirebuild pride and provide positive ments, he said, stands in sharp recognition for the city’s major- contrast to the actions of the ity African-American Southeast SCLC chapter, which filed for section of Newport News that its permit Sept. 16, 2019. is identified as a hot spot of The Southeast Parade and poverty and crime. He said he Festival, one of several events has invited nationally known the chapter sponsors each year, African-American leaders to features the region’s largest participate in the milestone parade, according to The Daily 30th year program. Press, and a gospel festival with “We have three decades of acclaimed artists such as Luther experience with this event, and Barnes and Jekalyn Carr. we know we can pull it off withAccording to the permit apout spreading illness, even with plication Mr. Shannon filed with the virus threat,” Mr. Shannon the city’s director of planning said. “This year, we planned and director of engineering, the for virtually all participants to parade is expected to have 3,000 be in vehicles or on floats, and participants and 150 marching we anticipate that attendees will units, floats and vehicles. stand on their porches to view “For us, the rejection notice the procession.” is a call to action to defend He said plenty of people are our rights as citizens of this doing drive-thrus for birthday city, this state and this nation,” parties and other events. Mr. Shannon said. “The SCLC In past years, Newport News is not being treated fairly or has partnered with the parade to equally. What I see is racism enable a viewing stand to be set again rearing its ugly head. We up on a main street, Jefferson cannot stand for it.”
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August 20-22, 2020
B3
Faith News/Directory
‘Silence is violence’
Pastor and author Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil talks about racial justice and faith By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service
Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil has been on stages, in classrooms and pulpits, preaching for decades about bridging racial divides. In her new book, “Becoming Brave — Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now,� the associate professor of reconciliation at Seattle Pacific University said there is no more time to wait. She holds up Esther, the queen in the Hebrew Bible who courageously interceded for her fellow Jews, as a role model for Christians to work toward racial justice. Without such steps, said the ordained Evangelical Covenant Church minister, young people could continue to lose confidence in the relevancy and the credibility of the church. “How we manage this particular time in history is going to tell a lot about the future generations, regardless of their race and ethnicity,� she said. “So I’m saying to everybody, regardless of our race, ethnic background or culture, this is a time for the church to be the church because people don’t believe us anymore.� Dr. Salter McNeil, 64, added that protest can take many forms. As a high schooler in New Jersey, Dr. Salter McNeil said her mother forbade her from joining the demonstrations in the late 1960s and 1970s after the assassination of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Still, she embraced the phrase repeated by her fellow students at demonstrations: “I’m Black and I’m proud.� Dr. Salter McNeil talked to Religion News Service about joining protests as an adult, why she has become more selective in accepting speaking engagements and how reconciliation includes not only racial issues but language and sexuality. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. You open your book “Becoming Brave� with the story of a young seminarian asking you, a longtime speaker on racial reconciliation, when you were going to talk about justice. What was your answer then, and would you answer differently now? Yeah, I would answer differently now. The answer then was reconciliation, which, for me, included justice. It wasn’t a relational term for me. But what I would say now is that the more specific political, cultural, social justice issues must be addressed — not just alluded to. I’d be much more specific about that right now. Your book highlights Esther as an example of a “warrior� who responded to a call for justice. How has your study of this Old Testament character affected your work as a Christian social activist? She finds herself in a moment in history that demands her leadership, whether she was feeling ready to do that or not. I think we are living right now in the midst of a time in history that is demanding Christians to come to the table to speak truth to power, be that in our local congregations, in the way we vote, our social systems. That’s why her story is so compelling — because she was facing a defining moment. And I think we, too, are facing a defining moment. In the wake of the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, has your message about racial justice and reconciliation changed? No. Silence is violence. And to watch a person be strangled
the angst of young people and their need to see the people of God be in solidarity with them. They need to believe that we see injustice and it matters to us. And I felt as if I was on the right side of history in the moment. You say that all Christians are called to be activists. What do you mean? The Bible says that we have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, and so it’s not like it’s an option to care or to pursue the work of reconciliation. That’s a part of what we, as Christians, are supposed to be distinguished by. What does it mean for people to be Christian activists when they often have to be physically distant during the COVID-19 pandemic?
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“Becoming Brave — Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Nowâ€? cover and author Brenda Salter McNeil.
to death within 9 minutes — I’ve been asked to preach a sermon in 10 minutes, which means nine minutes plus some seconds is enough time for a person to stop doing what they’re doing and reconsider another way. So I haven’t changed what I’ve said. I’m saying it even more clearly. Are you more in demand or are you refusing certain speaking engagements that you once would have accepted? Both. I am more in demand. I think there is a growing sense around the country and around the world that this is an unavoidable conversation. People are seeing those kinds of tragedies happen, and they are willing to now say that they have overlooked it and did not know how to respond to it. With that in mind, I am being invited more. And I’m also saying no to the places where people really just need to have a person of color or a woman speaker to somehow look diverse without grappling with the real issues that require reconciliation and justice. You wrote about being in Ferguson, Mo., for a clergy consultation after the 2014 death of Michael Brown, a young African-American shot by a white police officer, and unexpectedly being involved in a physical protest with younger activists. This was unexpected because we didn’t know that there was going to be a decision that was going to affect the country around Eric Garner (when a grand jury decided not to indict the New York police officer who put Mr. Garner into a fatal chokehold). I think at that point, as clergy, we were coming to learn how we could go back to our various cities and states and advocate around change. I did not realize that that advocacy would be brought to a breaking point because of the decision around Eric Garner, that then made us go to the streets with the young people that were there in Ferguson. How did it affect you? It was life-changing because I do believe that when you get proximate to a situation, you experience it, you see it for yourself and you’re no longer having information filtered to you through people’s perspectives. It also was life-changing because I was in the middle of something that helped me to see the rage and
New liberal Christian groups working to dump Trump from office Religion News Service
Liberal-leaning Christian groups and faith leaders have formed a slate of new political action committees and initiatives in recent weeks, most of which criticize President Trump in ways that could help Democrats with religious voters in November. The Religious Left projects span the Christian spectrum, with evangelical, Catholic and mainline Christian leaders all vying to get out the vote for Democrats — or at least change people’s minds about President Trump. Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, told Religion News Service that it is planning to announce a new project that includes a $50,000 digital ad buy targeting Catholic voters in swing states such as Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona using Facebook, Google and Instagram. (The initiative is legally distinct from Network’s traditional nonprofit wing, which is allowed to be involved in advocacy but not electoral politics.) The Network team plans to run ads arguing that President Trump is not “pro-life� because of his support for the death penalty and what they say is his failure to act on issues like poverty. The campaign also will feature a “PopeFrancisVoter.org� website, where users will be asked questions, such as, “Do you
believe that being Pro-Life encompasses more than a stance on abortion?� “This election is different because President Trump rejects our Catholic values and does everything in his power to divide us while our economy and health care systems collapse under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic,� said Lee Morrow, elections manager for Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice and head of the new initiative. “Catholics cannot be single-issue voters.� For Mr. Morrow, Catholic values involve caring for immigrants, the elderly and the poor and addressing racism, among other issues. “To be true to my Catholic faith and the teachings of Pope Francis, I have to do everything in my power to make sure that Donald Trump loses in November,� he said. “These former Trump voters are becoming Pope Francis voters.� Network joins several liberal Christian groups aimed at influencing religious voters. Among them is the New Moral Majority PAC, a group co-founded this month by the Rev. Noel Anderson, a longtime faithbased immigrant rights organizer, and the Rev. Ryan M. Eller, a veteran faith-based organizer based in Louisville, Ky. The group has created a digital tool geared toward getting faith leaders to endorse Democrat Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris’ campaign, making the
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endorsement blitz its “primary focusâ€? heading into November. Several faith leaders, such as the Rev. Jacqui Lewis of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City, endorsed Mr. Biden and Sen. Harris via NMM this week. “The policies of a new Biden-Harris administration will be built on principles that more closely align with our Christian beliefs,â€? ​Rev. Anderson stated in a press release.​ Rev. Anderson and Rev. Eller’s group plans to partner with Vote Common Good, a separate organization led by liberal-leaning evangelicals. Vote Common Good, in turn, announced earlier this month a separate partnership with the Lincoln Project, a Republican-led and well-funded political action committee that will focus on courting white evangelicals and white Catholics “who have lost patience with Trump’s behavior or been disappointed with his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protest movement against racism.â€? They plan to focus their efforts on six battleground states: Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio. “We’re looking to give a voice to the faith-motivated voters who want to make love and the common good their primary voting criteria in 2020,â€? executive director Doug Pagitt stated in a press release.Â
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I think it’s challenging the idea that the only way you can protest is by being in the streets or being in a crowd of people. I think how we vote can be an act of protest. I think that the way we show up in our neighborhood and what we do to care for people around us is an act of protest. COVID-19 is making us re-examine what it means to be present. And it’s not always just physical presence. I think we can show up in other ways. You also speak of an expansive definition of reconciliation, moving beyond race to language. Why did you decide to learn to speak Spanish? When we learn another language, we put ourselves in a position of needing other people’s help. And it puts us into a culture other than our own where we have to be the learner and not always the leader. When I was in Costa Rica, I had a Ph.D. However, that doctorate does not show me how to go into the bank and make a transaction, because my language skills were limited. So it kind of levels the playing field, and it makes reconciliation reciprocal where there’s stuff I have to offer, but there are also things I need from people. It also gave me great empathy for people who come to this country, documented or not, who are trying to navigate their way in a culture where they don’t speak the language. It’s extremely difficult. Likewise, you also served as an advocate for your colleague Judy Peterson at Evangelical Covenant Church disciplinary hearings after she officiated a 2017 same-sex wedding. Why did you take that step? Because I believe that all people are made in the image of God, and I feel like solidarity really means putting myself in situations where I stand in solidarity with the person or with an issue knowing that I, too, may get in trouble. It’s not a hashtag and I “liked� something on social media. It’s me showing up to be there with people in moments where I know it matters. You speak about how it’s important for women and people of color who speak on reconciliation to “no longer put a smiley face on it.� How are you able — if you are able — to have a message of hope in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and other Black people at the hands of police? I believe that that is what the Bible is all about. That’s why the church can’t abdicate our role in this work because we are the people who have the message that the tomb is empty. That when you think it’s all over, God still brings life out of death. And that’s the narrative that we have to bring to the world.
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Richmond Free Press
B4 August 20-22, 2020
Faith News/Directory
Push for evangelical Christian colleges to address racial justice By Kathryn Post and Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service
includes justice and speaking original statement, George Fox identity shift for the institution, theological education.” put together inclusive syllabi. against injustice.” Ally Henny, who helped orreleased a more explicit state- whose student body has seen But structural changes have Race relations experts say ment on June 18 that read in an increase from 20 percent ganize a 2018 #ToxicFuller pro- begun, Dr. Abernethy said. Fullthey have been trying for years part, “Black lives absolutely students of color in 2016 to test while a graduate student at er’s faculty now have to report After the killing of George to move these often predomi- matter to Christ and Black lives almost one-third students of Fuller Theological Seminary progress on diversifying their Floyd by Minneapolis police on nantly white institutions to be absolutely matter to George Fox color in 2020, according to Dr. in Los Angeles, said she was courses in their annual reports May 25, George Fox University, not just diverse in student body University. pleased to hear her alma mater’s to their deans. The school also Rowe. a Quaker-founded evangelical and their faculty and other hires, “The university has been at That diversity has not been president and four associate is pushing for a “deeper integraChristian school in Oregon, but truly inclusive. The deep this work for many years, and we reflected in the faculty and staff, deans signed the letter. But Ms. tion” of Black and Latino authors announced plans to change its national response to Mr. Floyd’s acknowledge we’ve had failures who have grappled with what Dr. Henny reserved her congratula- in the upcoming academic year campus culture, improve police death has now put pressure on alongside our successes. Work Rowe called “white normativ- tions until she saw substantive so that professors include their engagement and diversify its some of these institutions to go we said was a priority was not ity” in the classroom. change. perspectives more often across board of trustees. beyond promised prayers and always treated as such. As a Ms. Henny said some profes- a quarter. At Calvin University, the Gordon College, a Christian panel discussions. community, we own that. We day after Ms. Guinyard and sors at Fuller, whose student “I do get that for our students institution in Massachusetts, Shirley Hoogstra, president must do better.” Ms. Hamilton released their body was 8 percent Black and 5.8 — some of our students — it’s said it would consider adding a of the Council for Christian ColDr. Hernandez, who has been open letter, the school’s presi- percent Hispanic in the 2019-20 not felt fast enough,” Dr. AbBlack history course leges & Universities, at George Fox for almost seven dent released a stateacademic year, were ernethy said. “I do have to say to its core curriculum. said she doesn’t think years, said the university has ment acknowledging intentional about in- for some of our other students, Calvin University racial justice efforts been prioritizing recruitment and the pain of “black cluding Black and they feel the difference.” in Michigan offered are “any more chal- retention of faculty and staff of and brown members Hispanic authors on Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, a summer class on lenging in Christian color as long as she has been of our community” their reading lists. an associate professor of rec“Faithful Anti-Rachigher education than there, which has resulted in a and expressed the Others tended to pick onciliation studies at Seattle ism in a Time of in white-majority ed- faculty that is 18 percent people school’s commitment only one week of a Pacific University, has been Pandemic.” ucation.” But she said of color. She noted that George to “anti-racism, anticourse to focus on an advocate for making race They were among that the leaders of the Fox still has a “ways to go” until violence, and the viwritings of scholars relations a priority at Christian Dr. Hernandez Ms. Henny the dozens of evan140 U.S. schools in the faculty is representative of sion of God’s shalom who were not white seminaries and colleges alike. gelical colleges and universities her consortium are seeking ways the student body, which is 32 for the human community.” men. In 2019, she led a discussion, that issued statements grieving to foster appropriate relations on percent students of color. “Fuller is what I would call “Diversity Is Discipleship,” at “We have some amazing Mr. Floyd’s death in police their campuses. At Gordon College, student students, and I think they’re nice white folks,” said Ms. Hen- the CCCU’s third Diversity custody and pledging to find The effort is driven not only leaders chose not to settle into good at holding our feet to the ny, a writer and podcaster who Conference. practical steps to address racial by this summer’s protests but by summer break but instead to de- fire,” said Dr. Pennylyn Dykstra- was a member of the school’s Dr. Salter McNeil said she justice on and beyond their broader demographic mand that their school Pruim, Calvin’s associate dean Black Seminarians hopes religious incampuses. changes. The Black get to work after Mr. for diversity and inclusion. Council until her June stitutions of higher But the schools’ promises to student population Floyd’s death. “They let us know when we’re graduation.“They learning will start correct an often-common history at CCCU-related in“Our student gov- being slow.” understand how to doing “real reparaof failing to prioritize racial stitutions has grown, ernment brought to Recently, Calvin redesigned present themselves tive work” along justice and reconciliation left according to U.S. our attention that Dr. Dykstra-Pruim’s position to in the space as if the lines of Georgesome students unsatisfied. Education Departwhile this may be prioritize diversity and inclusion they’re listening, but town University’s “You failed me and so many ment data, from 9.73 summer, this is a cri- in both faculty training and in whenever you get initiatives to address other Black students,” a George percent in the 2007sis situation,” said Dr. curriculum development, espe- to action points and its historical ties to Dr. Abernethy Fox graduate commented on a 08 school year to 10.8 Dr. Rowe Nick Rowe, associate cially as Calvin works to revamp you get to the rubber slavery. George Fox Facebook post. “Do percent in 2018-19. actually meeting the vice president for its core curriculum. But Dr. Salter Mcbetter than just putting words on The Hispanic student popula- student and global engagement. As part of her reconfigured road, Fuller suffers from what Neil said she feels exhausted Facebook.” tion also increased from 5.3 “They said our students are suf- position, Dr. Dykstra-Pruim has a lot of institutions suffer from trying to motivate schools to “You fail to support students percent to 11.3 percent in the fering and are really frustrated been working to help faculty and and that’s inertia.” address race. “The CCCU has of color in and out of the class- same time period. Dr. Alexis Abernethy, who so hurt and disappointed so because it feels like the school staff draft statements of diversity room. Your retention rates for Leaders of Christian colleges they go to isn’t equipping them and inclusion to include on their was hired as Fuller’s associate many of us who have worked for students of color are lower be- and universities still need to work to respond to what happened.” syllabi. All faculty will be asked provost for faculty inclusion years to try to be patient enough cause y’all don’t know how (to) on providing minority students The student government, in to include these statements in and equity just before the 2018 and collaborative enough and hire diverse faculty who are able with a college experience where collaboration with Black-led stu- the fall. protest, said she understands Ms. in dialogue enough with this to connect with the students,” they are not regarded, wrongly dent groups, proposed making No less self-examination is Henny’s concerns and is aware issue that many of us have another commented. and even unconsciously, as outli- curriculum changes that would going on at Christian seminar- that some faculty still need to given up,” she said. “I have Students and staff at Calvin ers in an environment primarily highlight Black experiences ies, where students and some make a more concerted effort to given up.” University also were vocal about catering to white people, Ms. within the coursework. professors also have called for their desire for a more decisive Hoogstra said. Gordon officials say it is tak- greater inclusion and racial response from leadership in the “I would say the challenge is ing that proposal seriously. justice. After Black leaders at wake of Mr. Floyd’s death. to be able to have self-reflection Though curriculum changes dozens of theological schools 2006 Decatur Street, Richmond, VA 23224 Two Black staff members and self-assessment as to how aren’t final — Gordon wants and religion departments reZBCOFFICE@VERIZON.NET • (804) 859-1985 or (804) 232-2867 Church Office who were then advisers to then you become a school that to build consensus to avoid a leased a statement in early Dr. Robert L. Pettis, Sr., Pastor Calvin’s Sister to Sister affinity no longer has students who “quick fix,” according to Dr. June, scores of white deans You may join us on Facebook Live: group for Black women wrote a are guests and hosts,” she said, Sandy Doneski, executive vice and presidents at institutions May 30 open letter to Calvin’s citing advice from Dr. Rebecca president for academic affairs belonging to the Association of Zion Baptist Church (South Richmond) administration. Hernandez, chief diversity of- — Dr. Rowe said the changes Theological Schools followed For Sunday Services at 10:30 AM “Your Black students are ficer at George Fox University, will include the addition of a with a letter pledging solidarity Bible Study, Wednesdays at 7 PM Dr. Robert L. tired, angry and hurting. Your and other leaders of color in the Black history course to the core with their colleagues of color and Pettis, Sr., Pastor Listeners can call: (508) 924-3234 students of color are tired, are an- CCCU community. curriculum. a focus on “unlearning white Support us Online through the Givelify App gry and hurting,” said Michelle After the pushback to their The changes come amid an supremacy” and “reimagining Guinyard and Rachel Hamilton. “Your staff, faculty and alum Write: I’ll Listen Ministry Broad Rock Baptist Church of color are tired, angry and “Enthusiasm” 5106 Walmsley Blvd., Richmond, VA 23224 hurting. We don’t need silence 804-276-2740 • 804-276-6535 (fax) Baptist Church right now. We want to know that www.BRBCONLINE.org P .O. Box 16113 1408 W. Leigh Street · Richmond, Va. 23220 when we say that we are devoted Sunday School – 9:45 AM (804) 358—6403 Sunday Services – 11:00 AM to diversity and inclusion, that Richmond, Virginia 23222 Dr. Alonza L. 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Services Are Cancelled, until further notice; but, please join us, by visiting BRBCOnline.org or YouTube (Broad Church).” ars of Baptist Ch 1 yeRock
15 ating ebr“MAKE l e C
IT
ristian Se HAPPEN” rvice
Pastor Kevin Cook
Ebenezer Baptist Church 1858
±4HE 0EOPLE´S #HURCH²
216 W. Leigh St. • Richmond, Va. 23220 Tel: 804-643-3366 • Fax: 804-643-3367 Email: ebcoffice1@yahoo.com • web: www.richmondebenezer.com
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NRSV)
All church ac�vi�es are canceled un�l further no�ce. Follow us on Facebook for “A Word from Moore Street’s Pastor” and weekly Zoom worship info. Drive-thru giving will be available the 1st and 3rd Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the church. (Bowe Street side) You also may give through Givelify. Be safe. Be blessed.
C
g inin b om
e with Reverence
Rev. Dr. Joshua Mitchell, Pastor-Elect ❖
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic All regular activities have been suspended until further notice. Please join us on
Facebook or YouTube
10:30 a.m. Sundays 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays-Bible Study
2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor Rev. Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr. Pastor Emeritus
1701 Turner Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia 23225 (804) 276-0791 office (804)276-5272 fax www.ndec.net
AUGUST 2, 16 & 30
9:30AM
Service
Bishop G. O. Glenn
Following COVID-19 guidelines:
D. Min., Pastor
s -ASK AND FACE COVERINGS must be worn
First Lady
s 0RACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING BY REMAINING six (6) feet distance
SUNDAY
s !LL ATTENDEES must remain in their vehicles”
Mother Marcietia S. Glenn
8:00 a.m. Sunday School 9:30 a.m. Worship Service
Follow peace with all WEDNESDAY SERVICES men, and holiness, Noonday Bible Study without which no man 12:00 p.m. (Noon) shall see the Lord: Sanctuary - All Are Welcome! HebrewEvening 12:14Bible (KJV) Wednesday Study 7:00 p.m. (Bible Study) www.ndec.net SATURDAY 8:30 a.m. Intercessory Prayer
823 North 31st Street Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 226-0150 Office
Also Visit Us On Facebook Sunday Service – 11:00 AM
New Deliverance Evangelistic Church
Dr. Wallace J. Cook, Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. Adam L. Bond, Pastor-Elect
anc Relev
"APTIST #HURCH Via Conference Call (515) 606-5187 Pin 572890#
Please visit our website Ebenezer Baptist Church Richmond, VA for updates http://www.richmondebenezer.com
Thirty-first Street Baptist Church
2IVERVIEW
You can now view Sunday Morning Service “AS IT HAPPENS” online! Also, for your convenience, we now offer “full online giving.” Visit www.ndec.net.
Tune in on Sunday Morning to WTVR - Channel 6 - 8:30 a.m.
Please join us for virtual live streaming Church services at www.ndec.net Sundays at 9:30 a.m. CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (NDCA)
NOW ENROLLING!!!
K5 thru 4th Grade Virtual Learning At A Discount Price Chrome books will be issued to all students if needed For more nformation Please call (804) 276-4433 Monday-Friday, 9 am-5pm
Richmond Free Press
August 20-22, 2020 B5
Legal Notices City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the City of Richmond Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 1:30 p.m. and the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing on Monday, September 14, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. to consider the following ordinances: Ordinance No. 2020-174 To amend and reordain Ord. No. 64-161-147, adopted Jun. 22, 1964, which authorized the use of the property located at 104 West Franklin Street, for the purpose of the construction and occupancy of an apartment building, to modify the offstreet parking space requirements, upon certain terms and conditions. The subject property is situated in a RO-3 Residential Office District. The City of Richmond’s Pulse Corridor Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Downtown MixedUse. Primary uses are high-density development with office buildings, apartments, and a mix of complementary uses, including regional destinations. The density of the development is approximately 434 units per acre. Ordinance No. 2020-175 To amend and reordain Ord. No. 2007-224-196, adopted September 10, 2007, which authorized the special use of the property known as 2811 Grove Avenue for the purpose of authorizing an owner occupied single family dwelling with three tourist home lodging units, together with accessory parking, to remove the condition of owner occupancy and to allow hosting of special events, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a R‑6 Single Family Attached District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Single Family Medium Density. Primary uses are single-family and two-family dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities of 8 to 20 dwelling units per acre. The density of the project is approximately 4 units per acre. Ordinance No. 2020-176 To authorize the special use of the property known as 311 West Franklin Street for the purpose of a multifamily dwelling containing up to 128 dwelling units, upon certain terms and conditions, to modify the parking standards. The subject property is situated in a RO-3 Residential Office District. The City of Richmond’s Pulse Corridor Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Downtown MixedUse. Primary uses are high-density development with office buildings, apartments, and a mix of complementary uses, including regional destinations. The density of the development is approximately 356 units per acre. Ordinance No. 2020-177 To authorize the special use of the properties known as 618 North 32nd Street and 620 North 32nd Street for the purpose of permitting the expansion of an existing adult care residence from 27 residents to 40 residents, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in an R-63 Multifamily Urban Residential District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates the subject property for MixedUse Residential land use. Primary uses include single-, two-, and multifamily dwellings, live/work units and neighborhood serving commercial uses developed in a traditional urban form. No residential density is specified for this land use designation. Ordinance No. 2020-178 To authorize the special use of the properties known as 1106 and 1108 North 21st Street for the purpose of two twofamily attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is located in the R-6 Single-Family Attached Residential District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as single-family medium density. Primary uses are single-family and two-family dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities between 8-20 units per acre. The density of the proposed project is approximately 32 units per acre.
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for the purpose of two single family detached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a R-5 Single Family Residential District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a land use category for the subject property as Single-Family Low Density. Primary uses are single-family detached dwellings at densities up to 7 units per acre. Includes residential support uses such as schools, places of worship, neighborhood parks and recreation facilities, and limited public and semi-public uses. The density of the proposed development would be approximately 13 units per acre. Ordinance No. 2020-180 To authorize the special use of the property known as 2406 Grayland Avenue, for the purpose of two single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is located in the R-53 Multi-Family Residential District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as single-family medium density. Primary uses are single-family and two-family dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities between 8-20 units per acre. The density of the parcel if developed as proposed would be approximately 17 units per acre. Ordinance No. 2020-181 To authorize the special use of the property known as 3131 Kensington Avenue for the purpose of five single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a R-6 Single Family Attached Residential District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Single-Family Medium Density. Primary uses are single-family and two-family dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities of 8 to 20 units per acre. Includes residential support uses such as schools, places of worship, neighborhood parks and recreation facilities, and limited public and semi-public uses. The density of the proposed development would be approximately 18 units per acre. Ordinance No. 2020-182 To authorize the special use of the property known as 5312 Wingfield Street for the purpose of a single-family detached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in an R-5 Single-Family Residential District. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Single Family Low Density. Primary uses are single-family detached dwellings at densities up to 7 units per acre. Includes residential support uses such as schools, places of worship, neighborhood parks and recreation facilities, and limited public and semi-public uses. The density of the project is approximately 7 units per acre. The meetings will be held through electronic communication means pursuant to and in compliance with Ordinance No. 2020093, adopted April 9, 2020. The meetings will be open to participation through electronic communication means by the public and closed to in-person participation by the public. Less than a quorum of Richmond City Planning Commission members and Richmond City Council will assemble in City Hall, located at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, and most members and other staff will participate by teleconference/ videoconference via Microsoft Teams. The meetings will be streamed live online at the following web address: https://richmondva. legistar.com/Calendar. a s p x . To w a t c h a meeting’s live stream at the web address provided, find and click the link that reads, “In Progress” in the farthest right hand column entitled, “Video”. The agenda for the Richmond City Council meeting is accessible through the City’s legislative website at the following web address: https://richmondva. legistar.com/Calendar. aspx. To view the agenda at the web address provided, find and click the link that reads, “Agenda” associated with the September 14, 2020 Richmond City Council Formal meeting listed in the calendar.
Ordinance No. 2020-179 To authorize the special use of the property known as 2000 Selden Street
Interested citizens who wish to speak at the Richmond City Council meeting will be given
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an opportunity to do so by following the “Formal Meeting Access and Public Participation Instructions” attached to the September 14, 2020 Richmond City Council Formal meeting agenda. Citizens are encouraged to provide their comments in writing to CityClerksOffice@ r i c h m o n d g o v. c o m i n lieu of calling in. The person responsible for receiving comments in writing is Candice D. Reid, City Clerk. All comments received prior to 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 14, 2020, will be provided to Council members prior to the meeting and will be included in the record of the meeting. Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at http:// www.richmondgov.com/ CityClerk/index.aspx. Candice D. Reid City Clerk
Divorce VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER BRENDA JORDAN-WEST, Plaintiff v. CHARLES WEST, Defendant. Case No.: CL20003291-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown appear here on or before the 7th day of October, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER CHRISTIAN VANLANDINGHAM, Plaintiff v. RACHEL VANLANDINGHAM, Defendant. Case No.: CL20001529-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding six months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, who is a nonresident, appear here on or before the 25th day of September, 2020 and protect her interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Esquire VSB# 27724 Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER EDDIE DAVIS, Plaintiff v. ANTQUANETTE DAVIS, Defendant. Case No.: CL20001714-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, who has been served with the Complaint by posted service appear here on or before the 26th day of September, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect her interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Counsel VSB# 27724 The Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
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having lived separate and apart, without cohabitation and without interruption, for a period in excess of one year, and it appearing from Affidavit for Order of Publication that diligence was used by or on behalf of Plaintiff, without effect, to ascertain the location of Defendant and that he cannot be found, it is therefore ORDERED that Defendant appear before this Court on or September 28, 2020 at 9 a.m. and do what is necessary to protect his interest herein. I ASK FOR THIS: A Copy Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk T. Michael Blanks, Jr., Esquire, VSB #31358 Coates & Davenport, P.C. 5206 Markel Road, Suite 200 Richmond, Virginia 23230 (804) 285-7000/ (804) 285-2849 Fax VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER CLINTON DUKES, JR., Plaintiff v. FLORENE DUKES, Defendant. Case No.: CL20002927-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 14th day of September, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER ADRIENNE JACKSON, Plaintiff v. ERIC JACKSON, Defendant. Case No.: CL20002922-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 14th day of September, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER CORDEL GORDON, Plaintiff v. TANIKA GORDON, Defendant. Case No.: CL20002918-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 14th day of September, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect her interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO EMILY A. NIELSEN Plaintiff, v. ADAM R.M.C. NIELSEN Defendant. Case No.: CL20-5039 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this action is for Plaintiff, Emily A. Nielsen to obtain a divorce from the bonds of matrimony from Defendant, Adam R.M.C. Nielsen, on the ground of
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER CHANDRA BRANDON, Plaintiff v. SAMUEL KINGSTON, Defendant. Case No.: CL20002928-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 14th day of September, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this:
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Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER GLENDA MILIAN DEL CID, Plaintiff v. JOSE PALENCIA ARAGON, Defendant. Case No.: CL20002806-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months. It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 14th day of September, 2020 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
PROPERTY VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. RUSSELL B. DAVIS, et al, Defendants. Case No.: CL20-1832 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1804 Sussex Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0000755/022, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Russell B. Davis, Reynard I. Davis, Ralph V. Davis, Rodney A. Davis, Deidre E. Davis, Raymond E. Davis, Jr., Regina D. Stringer, Recharde Goodwyn, Richard Feggins, Ashley Feggins, Jabriel Mickens, Richard T. Davis, Raymond E. Davis, Jr. and Debra Arlene Davis Scott . An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, R U S S E L L B . D AVI S , REYNARD I. DAVIS, RALPH V. DAVIS, RODNEY A. DAVIS, DEIDRE E. DAVIS, RAYMOND E. DAVIS, JR, REGINA D. STRINGER, RECHARDE GOODWYN, RIC H A R D F E G G I N S , ASHLEY FEGGINS, JABRIEL MICKENS, RICHARD T. DAVIS, RAYMOND E. DAVIS, JR, and DEBRA ARLENE DAVIS SCOTT, are to be proceed against by Order of Publication pursuant to Section 8.01-316(A)(3) of the Code of Virginia, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” IT IS ORDERED that R U S S E L L B . D AVI S , REYNARD I. DAVIS, RALPH V. DAVIS, RODNEY A. DAVIS, DEIDRE E. DAVIS, RAYMOND E. DAVIS, JR, REGINA D. STRINGER, RECHARDE GOODWYN, RIC H A R D F E G G I N S , ASHLEY FEGGINS, J A B RIE L M IC K E N S , RIC H A R D T. D AVI S , RAYMOND E. DAVIS, JR, DEBRA ARLENE DAVIS S CO T T, a n d P a r t i e s Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 8, 2020 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949
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D E B OR A H D . K I N G , NORENE M. HOLLIDAY, ANGELA M. NIXON, KIMBERLY O. TAWFIC, K IRO N T. H O L L I D AY, LAWRENCE D. HOLLIDAY, SR, SHAWN J. HOLLIDAY, WAYNE CHRISTIAN, JR, S H A L AYA H O L L I D AY, MICOLE LATTIMORE and JANET J. HOLLIDAY, are to be proceed against by Order of Publication pursuant to Section 8.01-316(A)(3) of the Code of Virginia, that said owner, NATHANIEL HOLLIDAY, JR, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” IT IS ORDERED that STEPHANIE J. NIXON, D E B OR A H D . K I N G , NORENE M. HOLLIDAY, ANGELA M. NIXON, KIMBERLY O. TAWFIC, K IRO N T. H O L L I D AY, LAWRENCE D. HOLLIDAY, SR, SHAWN J. HOLLIDAY, WAYNE CHRISTIAN, JR, S H A L AYA H O L L I D AY, M ICO L E L AT T I M ORE , J A N E T J . H O L L I D AY, NATHANIEL HOLLIDAY, JR, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOber 15, 2020 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949
Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949
and Judy Anne Hays (Hayes) his wife, dated June 27, 1889 recorded February 14, 1891 in the Clerk’s Office of Henrico County, VA in Deed Book 34- b page 240 Affidavit having been made and filed stating that due diligence has been used, without effect, to ascertain the existence of and location of certain parties to be served, and that there are or may be persons whose names and/or addresses cannot be ascertained and remain unknown who are interested in the subject matter of this suit; It is ORDERED that, the Defendants named above and the PARTIES UNKNOWN, if then living or be dead, their heirs, devisees, assigns, or successors in title, and other unknown heirs or parties who have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, who are proceeded against as PARTIES UNKNOWN, appear before Court on or before September 14, 2020 to protect their interests, if any, in this suit and/or the referenced property; and An Extract Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. EDWARD W. SHEARN, JR, et al, Defendants. Case No.: CL20-1461 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 3204 Utah Place, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N0001074/026, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Edward W. Shearn, Jr. and Johnette Shearn. An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, EDWARD W. SHEARN, JR and JOHNETTE SHEARN, who have been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to their last known address, have not been personally located and has/have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” IT IS ORDERED that EDWARD W. SHEARN, JR, JOHNETTE SHEARN, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 8, 2020 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. NATHANIEL HOLLIDAY, JR, et al, Defendants. Case No.: CL20-370 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2721 Terminal Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number S0080521/009, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Stephanie J. Nixon, Deborah D. King, Norene M. Holliday, Angela M. Nixon, Kimberly O. Tawfic, Kiron T. Holliday, Nathaniel Holliday, Jr, Lawrence D. Holliday, Sr, Shawn J. Holliday, Wayne Christian, Jr, Shalaya Holliday, Micole Lattimore, and Janet J. Holliday. An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, STEPHANIE J. NIXON,
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. LEON D. PARKER, JR, et al, Defendants. Case No.: CL20-369 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2117 Selden Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0120286/008, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Leon D. Parker, Jr. An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, LEON D. PARKER, JR, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” IT IS ORDERED that LEON D. PARKER, JR, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 8, 2020 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk
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VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. PATRICIA MORGAN FLYNT, et al, Defendants. Case No.: CL20-2462 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 4328 Warwick Road, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number C0090551/009, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Patricia Morgan Flynt aka Patricia B. Morgan. An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, PATRICIA MORGAN FLYNT aka PATRICIA B. MORGAN, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” IT IS ORDERED that PATRICIA MORGAN FLYNT aka PATRICIA B. MORGAN, upon information and belief deceased, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 8, 2020 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF HENRICO COUNTY BALDWIN ACQUISITION CO., LLC PLAINTIFF V. ANGEL GIVENS et al. And THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, AND SUCCESSORS OF: RICHARD G. HAYES (a/k/a HAYS), LILLIE (a/k/a LILLY) HUGHES HAYES (a/k/a HAYS), ALBERT HAYES, MARIAH ELLEN HAYES PAIGE, JOHN HENRY HAYES, JACOB HAYES, MARY FANNIE HAYES WHITE, AUGUSTUS (“GUS”) HAYES AND ALEXANDER HAYES, MILES DANDRIDGE, GAIL L. DANDRIDGE, JAMES EDWARD DANDRIDGE, JR., JACQUELINE E. DANDRIDGE, VICTOR L. DANDRIDGE, ANTHONY LEE DANDRIDGE, CHARLES NATHANIEL, DANDRIDGE, JONATHAN L. DANDRIDGE, ALEXANDER HAMPTON JR., ANNETTE GIVENS REESE AKA ANTOINETTE GIVENS REESE, ALLEXANDER HAMPTON SR., EVELYN LEWIS, SHARON B. SHERROD, HELEN LEE JACKSON, RAYMOND L. PAIGE, EARLE C. DANDRIDGE, JR, RHONDA DYSON, MESHALL D. THOMAS, JUANITA COACHMAN, RHEA M. WRIGHT C/O ESTATE OF RHEA M. WRIGHT, GLENN R. MCWILLIAMS JR., CLYDE MICHAEL LEWIS, JAWAN COACHMAN, RITA DANDRIDGE, TOMIKA ELAINA SHERROD POWERS, GRACIE MAE TYLER JONES, JONATHAN DANDRIDGE, JANNEL. DANDRIDGE, VAUGHAN E. BREEDLOVE, WILLIE ALPHONSO BREEDLOVE, PETE PAIGE, JUSTIN M. PAIGE and all of their heirs, successors in interest and/ or assigns if any; who are made parties to this proceeding by the general description as “PARTIES UNKNOWN”, DEFENDANTS CASE No. CL-20003053 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to partition and sell real property in Henrico County, Virginia, to wit: all that certain lot, piece or parcel of land, with the improvements thereon, lying and being in Henrico County, VA known as 1700 Kingsland Road, Henrico County VA and more particularly described as: PARCEL ID NUMBER: 817-676-1778 “All that certain lot, piece or parcel of land, with the improvements thereon and appurtenances thereto belonging, lying on the north side of Kingsland Road, in County of Henrico, containing 8.28 acres, and is Lot No. 3 on a map attached to and made part of the Property as referenced in the Clerk’s Office, Circuit Court, Henrico County, Virginia, in Deed Book 134-b, Page 240, LESS AND EXCEPT approximately 0.22 acres conveyed to the County of Henrico, Virginia, as recorded in the Clerk’s Office in Deed Book 617, page 431.” (the “Property”). AND BEING that certain real Property granted by deed from Richard Hays (Hayes) Continued on next column
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JUDITH HARRIS CHILES, And JAMES B. HARRIS, PETITIONERS, v. CL 20001542-00 HEIRS OF COLEMAN C. CORKER AND ANY AND ALL UNNAMED AND/OR UNKNOWN HEIRS, ASSIGNS AND/OR SUCCESSORS OF INTERESTS TO THE NAMED RESPONDANTS HEREIN (“Parties Unknown”). RESPONDENTS. ORDER OF PUBLICATION Date: July 7, 2020 To Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to an Order entered on the 7th day of July 2020, Notice is hereby given: In this proceeding the Petitioners are seeking to Quiet Title and acquire clear title to that certain real estate located in the Beaverdam District, County of Hanover, consisting of two (2) parcels, Lot 1 containing 3.781 acres, more or less, Tax Map No. 7836-233896, and known as 15375 Beaverdam School Road; and Lot 2, containing 0.638 acre., more or less, Tax Map No. 7836-23-4724 (hereinafter the “subject Property”), and ascertain the existence and identity of any persons named as Respondents above, or the existence and identity of any heirs of the persons named as Respondents above; and the interests, if any, they may have in the subject Property. An affidavit has been made and signed that due diligence has been used to ascertain the identity of any Respondents and their heirs, and their locations and residences without success; and accordingly, it is therefore ADJUDGED, ORDERED and DECREED that any named or unnamed Respondents shall appear and protect their interests as they deem necessary within fifty (50) days from the date of entry of this Order, being July 7, 2020, at 12:00 noon; and it is further Ordered that if any of the Respondents or their heirs appear and assert any objection or defense to the Petitioners being determined to be the sole owners and heirs of the subject Property, or to the jurisdiction of this Court to hear this case; he shall file his Answer and Grounds of Defense designating his interests in or rights to the subject Property in which he claims an ownership interest. Should any such Respondent fail to file an Answer and Grounds of Defense as provided herein above, or appear in Court prior to or on the date set forth above; such failure shall preclude any alleged Respondent or heir of any Respondent to make a claim against the subject Property. Thereupon, any Respondent having received this service by publication, shall appear before this Court on or before September 1, 2020 at 9:00 a.m., to appear and protect his/her interests in this real property as they deem necessary. An Extract, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: William D. Hamner, Esq. (VSB # 17836) Tracey A. Theret, Esq. (VSB # 86398) Lane & Hamner, P.C. 3520-A Courthouse Road North Chesterfield, Virginia 23236 (804) 745-2144 Fax: (804) 745-7880
ABC License HGS VA INC Trading as: Dawn Convenience Store 31504 Richmond Tpke Hanover, Caroline, Virginia 23069 The above establishment is applying to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage C ontrol (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Gurbachan Singh, President NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-5523200. Continued on next page
Richmond Free Press
B6 August 20-22, 2020
Sports Plus
Tennis trailblazer Robert Ryland dies at 100 By Fred Jeter
Robert Ryland, a trailblazing tennis player and coach, died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, at age 100. He was living in Provincetown, Mass., on Cape Cod. A Chicago native, Mr. Ryland became the first Black athlete to play professional tennis in 1959 when he competed in a World Pro Tour event in Cleveland. Later in life, he served as a mentor and coach to such tennis stars as Arthur Ashe Jr., Venus and Serena Williams, Harold Solomon, Renee Blount, Leslie Allen and Bruce Foxworth. Mr. Ryland also coached entertainment celebrities, including Eartha Kitt, Bill Cosby, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand and Tony Bennett. In the early 1960s while serving as tennis pro at St. Albans Country Club in Washington, he provided lessons for the Kennedys and Robert MacNamara.
Mr. Ryland, who also taught at the Midtown Tennis Club in New York City from 1963 to 1990, posted a long list of superlatives in his distinguished career. At Tilden Technical High School in Chicago, he led his team to the Illinois State title and also won the junior American Tennis Association singles title. At Wayne State University in Detroit, he became one of the first two Black players to compete in the NCAA tennis championships in 1945. In 1947, he was the first Black player to compete at the Los Angeles Tennis Club. In 1954, as player-coach, he led Tennessee State University in Nashville to the small college national championship. In 1955 and 1956, he won the ATA singles championships. Mr. Ryland was 39 when he got his first shot at a pro title in 1959 on what had been an all-white tennis circuit. A popular clinician, Mr. Ryland gave lectures at the Harlem
Robert Ryland
Armory, the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mr. Ryland was inducted into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002, which honored him with a lifetime achievement award in 2012.
Third generation MLB player keeping tradition going Baseball is said to be a “daddy’s game� and, not surprisingly, there have been numerous fatherson combinations in professional baseball. Grandfather-father-grandson combinations are much more rare. The Tatis family, originally from the Dominican Republic, spans three generations of pro ball with Fernando Gabriel Tatis Jr. now among the sport’s most glowing up-and-comers. Tatis, 21, is the leadoff-hitting shortstop for the San Diego Padres. He sparkles in every phase of the game in his brown, gold and white uniform, which the team switched to this year. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound prodigy is a must-
see player with a growing fan base. He aims to please every time he takes the field. “Every time I go to the park and the game is about to start, I tell myself, ‘It’s time to make history,’ � he told Matt Kelly of MLB.com. Padres teammate Ed Hosmer told MLB. com.: “There’s no question he is the face of the franchise, and I think he’s going to be the face of the game very, very soon.� As a 20-year-old last season, Tatis came in third in the National League Rookie of the Year balloting. In just 84 games following a minorleague call-up, he hit .317 with 22 homers, 53 runs batted in and 16 stolen bases.
Shortshop Fernando Tatis Jr. is a must-see player for the San Diego Padres.
Defensively, his speed, strong arm, sure hands and instinct make him a Golden Glove candidate. He also excels in an unofficial category — excitement. Tatis plays with a flair, his dreadlocks flapping from under his cap. Through 24 games Fernando Tatis Sr. as of Aug. 17, Tatis was leading the National League with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs. He is the only shortstop in big league history with such a fast takeoff. He got his nickname “El Nin͂o� — meaning powerful storm in this case — from his father, Fernando Gabriel Tatis Sr., who recognized his son’s talent at an early age. Tatis Sr., a versatile infielder, played in the majors from 1997 to 2010, collecting 113 homers and 448 RBIs while averaging .265. He holds the big league record for most RBIs in an inning — eight — with two grand slams in the same frame in April 1999 off the same Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher, Chan Ho Park. Tatis Sr. was preceded on the pro circuit by his father, Fernando Aanonio Tatis, who served as an infielder in the Houston Astros chain from 1969 to 1978. Tatis, the grandfather, also managed in the Houston farm system. And that’s not all. Tatis Jr.’s younger brother, Elijah, 19, who was born in Miami, is an infielder in the Chicago White Sox organization. Tatis Jr. was signed at age 16 by the Chicago White Sox. But before he played his first pro game, he was traded to San Diego for established pitcher James Shields, a former big
league All-Star. It’s a trade the White Sox probably wish they hadn’t made. Shields retired following the 2018 season while Tatis has emerged as a shining light for many years to come. uuu There are numerous other father-son stories on the current MLB rosters. Cody Bellinger, the 2019 National League MVP for the Los Angeles Dodgers, is the son of former infielder Clay Bellinger, who was part of two New York Yankees World Series championships. Slugging third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., in his second season with the Toronto Blue Jays, is the son of nine-time All-Star Vladimir Sr. The Seattle Mariners’ Dee Gordon, a threetime stolen bases champ, is the son of longtime ace relief pitcher Tom “Flashâ€? Gordon. Ke’Bryan Hayes, third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is the son of Charlie Hayes, who played infield in the majors from 1988 to 2001. uuu Then there are these Hall of Fame caliber father-son combos from yesteryear: • Barry Bonds and father Bobby Bonds • Ken Griffey Jr. and father Ken Griffey Sr. • Prince Fielder and father Cecil Fielder • Roberto Alomar and father Sandy Alomar • Moises Alou and father Felipe Alou uuu The Tatises aren’t the only grandfather-fathergrandson combo. Also covering three generations were grandfather Sam Hairston (played in 1951), father Jerry (1973 to 1989) and grandsons Jerry Jr. (1998 to 2013) and Scott (2004 to 2014).
Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities Continued from previous page
NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO RELOCATE EXPOSED HUMAN REMAINS FOUND NEAR EVERGREEN AND EAST END CEMETERY, 50 EVERGREEN ROAD, RICHMOND & HENRICO COUNTY
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requested by any respondent to this notice. Please note that social distancing requirements may necessitate a virtual/online meeting.
APPLICANT: John Sydnor Enrichmond Foundation PO Box 25609 Richmond, VA 23260 PROPOSED WORK AND NEED FOR RELOCATION: The applicant proposes to respectfully reinter human remains found eroding from a ravine near the edge of East End Cemetery property on July 20, 2020. The remains appear to be associated with several unknown individuals, and were likely exposed at intervals by erosion, animal activity, or the excavation of new graves. Based upon wood fragments and nails recovered in immediate association with the remains, it appears that they were collected into a box or crate and reinterred at the edge of the ravine at some point in the past. The remains of the unknown individuals were carefully recovered by archaeologists with the Department of Historic Resources, and are housed in that agency’s secure collections facility. COMMENT PERIOD: We rely on the community to serve as family for these unknown individuals, and to guide their proper and respectful treatment. Comments should be made in writing, preferably by email, and addressed to both Enrichmond and the DHR: John Sydnor, Enrichmond Foundation, P.O. Box 25609, Richmond, VA 23260 or by email at info@enrichmond. org; and Joanna Wilson Green, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, 2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221 or by email at burialpermits@ dhr.virginia.gov. Written comments should be received by the close of business on Friday, September 11th. A public hearing may be Continued on next column
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General Cigar Company, Inc. seeks Sr. Sales Forecasting Specialist to coordinate development of customer& territory-level net sales forecasts for assigned business units & to drive continuous improvement in forecasting accuracy. REQ: Bachelor’s in Biz Admin or clsely related, or foreign equiv, & 2 yrs exp as Planning & Ops Specialist or closely related at tobacco manuf. co w/ 2 yrs concurrent exp (i) planning & coordinating tobacco manuf. activities; (ii) analyzing production reqs v. capacity; (iii) verifying raw material & cigar inventory levels against production plans; (iv) establishing production plans for box factory, packaging, & cigar factory; & (v) working w/ Oracle. LOC: Richmond, VA. Send cvr ltr, CV, salary rqmt & refs to: C. Metzger, HR Mgr., 1911 Spillman Dr., Dept. 24, Bethlehem, PA 18015.  Â?Â?Â?Â? ÂÂ?€‚Â?Â?Â?ƒ ‚ „
Lead I Software Developer w/ S&P Global Market Intelligence Inc. in Glen Allen, VA. Design & dvlp solutions to support key bus needs. Position reqs a Bach deg (US or foreign equiv) in Comp Sci, Comp Info Systems, Electrical Engg, Electronic Engg or rel & 7 yrs of exp in the job offered or in a rel role. Prior exp must incl 3 yrs of exp w/: Web App / Services Dvlpmnt, JavaScript, JQuery, JavaScript Single Page Application Frameworks, C# / .NET / ASP .NET, SQL & Design Patterns (incl MVVM). Prior exp must incl 1 yr of exp w/ Object Oriented Design & Office Solutions Dvlpmnt. Qualified Applicants: Email resumes to PeopleMovementSupport@spglobal. com & ref the job code 256103. S&P Global is an equal opportunity employer committed to making all employment decisions w/out regard to race/ ethnicity, gender, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, marital status (including domestic partnerships & civil unions), sexual orientation, military veteran status, unemployment status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Only electronic job submissions will be considered for employment. f you need an accommodation during the application process due to a disability, please send an email to: EEO. Compliance@spglobal.com & your request will be forwarded to the appropriate person. The EEO is the Law Poster http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/ compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf describes discrimination protections under federal law.
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The Richmond Habitat for Humanity ReStore is also seeking candidates to fill a Warehouse Associate position. This position has a primary role of providing customer service in the Richmond Habitat Restore through loading and unloading donations and purchases in store. At times, this position may be asked to ride along on the truck for donation pickups. This position serves as an ambassador for the Habitat for Humanity brand and is critical to the success of the ReStore as they interact with the largest number of customers, donors, and volunteers on a daily basis. To apply, send your resume to pquave@ richmondhabitat.org.
Virginia Community Development Corporation (VCDC) Asset Manager VCDC is currently seeking a full time Asset Manager to join our team. For more details and how to apply visit: https://www.vacdc.org/careers/ Deadline for applications is Friday, September 11, 2020. CarMax Auto Superstores Services, Inc. seeks a Sr. Software Engineer, EDW in Richmond, VA to develop, implement, maintain, and support software solutions. Req. BS + 5 or MS + 3 yrs exp. To apply, mail resume to: CarMax Auto Superstores Services, Inc., Attn: Allison Neal, 12800 Tuckahoe Creek Parkway Richmond, VA 23238. Must reference Job Title: Sr. Software Engineer, EDW; Code: 000385. EOE. Freelance Writers: Richmond Free Press has immediate opportunities for freelance writers. Newspaper experience is a requirement. To be considered, please send 5 samples of your writing, along with a cover letter to news@richmond freepress.com or mail to: Richmond Free Press, P. O. Box 27709, Richmond, VA 23261. No phone calls.
Thank you for your interest in applying for opportunities with The City of Richmond. To see what opportunities are available, please refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com. EOE M/F/D/V
The Richmond Habitat for Humanity ReStore is currently seeking candidates to fill a Truck Driver position. This position’s primary responsibility is picking up donated items for the two Richmond area ReStores. They will serve as an ambassador for the Habitat for Humanity brand in the community at large. The Truck Driver position is critical to the success of the ReStore, as they interact with our customers, donors, and volunteers on a daily basis. To apply, send your resume to pquave@ richmondhabitat.org.
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