Bobby Dandridge to be honored A10
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DECEMBER 9-11, 2021
On the way out Gov. Ralph S. Northam orders removal of 40-foot granite pedestal that held Confederate Robert E. Lee’s statue on Monument Avenue, and for the land to be turned over to the city By Jeremy M. Lazarus
When the giant monument of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee went up 131 years ago, fiery Richmond Planet editor John Mitchell Jr. described it as monument that would hand down to future generations “a legacy of treason and blood.” Suddenly, that legacy that seemed a permanent fixture of the Richmond landscape is about to disappear, leaving an
Charlottesville’s Lee statue to be melted down for new art
empty grassy circle, 200 feet in diameter, at the intersection of Monument and Allen avenues. Since Monday, workers have put scaffolding around the 40-foot tall granite base that once held the 21-foot tall statue of Gen. Lee that was taken down in early September. For the next few weeks, the crew organized by Team Henry Enterprises — the same Black-owned construction firm that took down the statue — will be engaged in the painstaking work of dismantling the last vestige of this monument to white supremacy and carting to it storage. “It’s about time,” said Richmond artist and clothing designer Brandon Fountain, who has come to the site almost daily since June 2020. At that time, the site became a regional epicenter of protest against racial injustice and police brutality following the Minneapolis Police murder of George Floyd in late May 2020. Mr. Fountain had created a garden at the site before the state fenced off the area to keep people out, and he sees the pedestal’s removal as an opportunity to create “an inclusive space that is welcoming to all.” The base is still covered in colorful artwork condemning racism and police and that transformed the circle into an activist centerpiece. An impressed New York Times ranked the pedestal as the most influential piece of American protest art since World War II. It was expected to remain in place. Please turn to A4
REA wins victory giving city teachers, staff collective bargaining authority
Free Press wire report
CHARLOTTESVILLE The statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that drew violent protests to Charlottesville will be melted down and turned into a new piece of public art by an African-American heritage center. The Charlottesville City Council decided how to dispose of the now-removed statue at the center of the Unite the Right rally in 2017 during a meeting that began Monday and stretched into Tuesday morning, The Daily Progress reported. The Lee statue and another of Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson were removed on the same day in July. The city received six proposals from entities interested in Please turn to A4
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Workers secure scaffolding around the 40-foot tall granite pedestal on Monument Avenue that once held the towering statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The work to remove the pedestal began Monday.
By Ronald E. Carrington
Ms. Rizzi
Ms. HarrisMuhammad
In a nearly unanimous vote, the Richmond School Board voted 8-1 Monday night to approve a resolution giving teachers and other school staff the power to establish a union and collectively negotiate for pay and benefits. “I cannot be prouder to support our educators in their advocacy for themselves and their students,” School Board Chairwoman Cheryl L. Burke, 7th District, a retired Richmond Public Schools principal, told the Free Press.
“I have always been a ‘yes’ vote to empower our teachers and staff with the right to organize.” School Board member Jonathan M. Young, 4th District, was the lone dissenting vote during the meeting, which had some contentious exchanges. Richmond Public Schools is now the first school district to grant negotiation rights to teachers after the Virginia General Assembly approved collective bargaining for public employees. The new law repealing Virginia’s Please turn to A4
Trammell to introduce collective bargaining ordinance at next City Council meeting By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Richmond is poised to consider expanding collective bargaining to city employees. A proposal to authorize City Hall and public safety employees to organize and negotiate contracts on pay and working conditions is headed to City
Council just days after city schoolteachers were authorized to organize and negotiate contracts with Richmond Public Schools. City Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell, 8th District, is expected to introduce the ordinance on Monday, Dec. 13, to launch the debate over
Free COVID-19 testing, vaccines Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
What’s grabbing their attention? Timmesha Grimes, left, and her 5-year-old son, Malikhai Hamilton, right, and her nephew and niece, Tisiah and Tiriyah Brassell, ages 7 and 5, are engrossed in something just like the crowd around them on the curb along Broad Street last Saturday. Ms. Grimes even pulled out her cellphone to record the action. What is it? Hint: It’s an annual event that kicks off the December holidays in Downtown. Please see Page B4 for more photos and the answer.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues. The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: • Tuesday, Dec. 14, 9 to 11 a.m., Second Baptist Church of South Richmond, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd. • Wednesday, Dec. 15, 9 to 11 a.m., Eastern Henrico Recreation Center Pavilion, 1440 N. Laburnum Ave.
Please turn to A4
extending union rights to public workers under a new state law that went into effect May 1. Ms. Trammell did not respond to a request for comment, but her aide, Rick Bishop, confirmed that Ms. Trammell requested that the City Att o r n e y ’s Office Ms. Trammell draft the legislation for introduction at the next meeting. Lincoln Saunders, the city’s chief administrative officer, also did not respond to a request for comment on the legislation that Please turn to A4
‘Skill games’ back in business in convenience stores, truck stops statewide By Jeremy M. Lazarus
“Skill games” are suddenly legal again. Those are the slot machine-style games that were mainstays of convenience stores and truck stops until the General Assembly banned them on July 1. On Monday, a Virginia judge temporarily barred the state from enforcing the ban, allowing store owners in Richmond and across the state to turn on thousands of machines in their stores. The ruling from Circuit Court Judge Louis Lerner was a victory for Emporia native Hermie Sadler, a NASCAR driver, race announcer, wrestling promotor and co-owner of an oil business that operates truck stops that offered the games. Attorney General Mark R. Herring has yet to say whether his office will ask the Virginia Supreme Court to reject Judge Lerner’s
temporary injunction and find the legislature and governor had full authority to approve or eliminate the games. At this point, the injunction is set to continue until next May, when a hearing is scheduled on whether the injunction should be made permanent. Two Republican state senators who opposed the ban, Sen. William M. “Bill” Stanley Jr. of Franklin and Sen. Ryan T. McDougle of Hanover County, led the legal fight for Mr. Sadler. Outside the courtroom, Sen. Stanley called the decision “a great victory” for his client and for small businesses that had been forced to shut down the machines that had provided a significant source of income for their businesses during the pandemic. Mr. Sadler, who estimated the ban would cost his businesses Please turn to A4
File photo
Richmond Free Press
A2 December 9-11, 2021
Local News
Efforts start to reconnect parts of Richmond By Jeremy M. Lazarus
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg promoted a new program to spend $1 billion to reconnect neighborhoods torn apart by the construction of the interstate highway system 66 years ago during a visit to and tour of Richmond last Friday, Dec. 3. During the tour, Mayor Levar M. Stoney expressed pride that Richmond was the place Mr. Buttigieg chose to promote the reconnection program. The mayor is to announce Thursday that his administration and the Virginia Department of Slices of life and scenes Transportation are starting the in Richmond process with a feasibility study to determine how best to reconnect Jackson Ward and Gilpin Court, which were split by the construction of Interstate 95. The study is to be phased and allow for community feedback and engagement, city officials said, and will complement planning for redevelopment of Gilpin Court. A bit surprisingly, Mr. Buttigieg’s brief walking tour stuck to Leigh Street, with renovated homes and historic places that bear no sign of the devastation the 1955 construction of I-95 had on Jackson Ward, which was once dubbed the “Harlem of the South.” The highway’s development destroyed 1,000 Black-owned homes and businesses, displaced 10 percent of Richmond’s Black residents and began a three decades-long depression in the once thriving commercial, social and civic center of the Black community. Tour leader Maritza Pechin, deputy director of the city’s Office of Equitable Development, said the aim was to show Mr. Buttigieg the positives of Jackson Ward and its rebound rather than the lingering impacts of that long ago highway work. “People are aware of what it feels like to be next to a highway,” she stated, “but we wanted to show the strengths of Jackson Ward and how the streets and the solid building pattern end.” Mr. Buttigieg, who also toured Henrico’s planned GreenCity development, called his walk in Jackson Ward enlightening. He called it “embarrassing” that the interstate has an exit that allows vehicles to enter Gilpin Court, but lacks an on-ramp for
Cityscape
Clement Britt
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, center, listens as Virginia elected officials talk about how Jackson Ward was dissected with the construction of Interstate 95. Taking him on a tour of the Richmond neighborhood Dec. 3 are, from left, U.S. Rep. A. Donald McEachin, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Gov. Ralph S. Northam, Mayor Levar M. Stoney and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine.
residents to access the highway. “Transportation is about connection,” Mr. Buttigieg said. “What you see in Jackson Ward is how transportation dollars can disconnect communities. What you see is a community cut through by a highway. Whether it’s through more crossings or capping the highway, transportation should always be about connecting and not dividing,” he continued. “Twenty-first century planning has to be about how any new transportation asset is integrating the surrounding areas. How do we knit it all together in a way that benefits all?” Answering that question is a priority in the city’s new Richmond 300 master plan, which calls for installing infrastructure to connect the two areas. Congressman A. Donald McEachin said he hopes that Richmond will rank high in competing for a share of the $1 billion
that could be used to cap or bridge the interstate to expand the connection between the two halves of Jackson Ward and the rest of the city. Currently only 1st Street and Chamberlayne Parkway provide such connections into and out of Gilpin Court, home to nearly 3,300 people and now a city target for redevelopment into a mixed-income community. “We as a government — whenever and wherever we can — need to make up for and correct past wrongs,” Rep. McEachin said. “It’s not enough to just say, ‘I’m sorry.’ You have to back up regret with restorative actions. “This is a way for us as a nation to atone for what we did to that community and help current residents come together and be that vibrant hub of entertainment, business and culture again that it once was.”
More options under New area resource center opens in Lakeside consideration for RPS academic calendar By George Copeland Jr.
Richmond Public Schools is considering a fourth option in adjusting the academic calendar for the 2022-23 school year. RPS Chief Engagement Officer Shadae Harris presented the latest option for the School Board’s consideration at Monday night’s meeting. The board wanted a more traditional option to consider in addition to the three options presented in past meetings. Superintendent Jason Kamras called for the possible extension of the school year to help students catch up academically following the disruptions from the pandemic. Mr. Kamras wants to include more student instructional time and teacher planning time in order as help students close learning gaps caused by 19 months of virtual learning. Those gaps were revealed after recent state growth assessment scores showed low proficiency levels in reading and math for third- through eighthgraders in Richmond and throughout the Commonwealth. The latest, Option D, calls for students to attend classes for 179 days, compared with the current 180 days – from Aug. 29 to June 23. Teachers would report to work for 191 days. Mr. Kamras said Option D would come at no additional cost to RPS. Options A and B would add 10 days to the school year, while Option C would add 14 days. Under Option A, schools would open Aug. 15 and close June 23. Schools would open Aug. 22 and close on June 30, under Option B, and would open Aug. 15 and close June 29 under Plan C’s addition of three, weeklong “intersessions” throughout the school year targeting students who need additional help. The three initial options are projected to cost an additional $8 million to $13 million annually, which could be funded by federal aid for two years. More money would need to be secured after two years. RPS wants feedback on the possible school calendar changes from parents and other stakeholders. Already, more than 3,000 people have responded to an online survey, which opened on Nov. 29. The survey closes Dec. 24. To request a survey, email outreach@rvaschool.net. All surveys answers are anonymous and personal information will not be shared.
Richmond among 10 localities piloting Marcus Alert system Free Press wire report
Virginia is launching a new system to improve the response to mental health emergencies. The Marcus Alert system launched Dec. 1 in five regions in the state. It is starting as a pilot program in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Bristol, Prince William and Washington counties, and five counties in the Northern Piedmont. It must expand to all parts of the state by July 1, 2026. The system is named for Marcus-David Peters, a 24-year-old Virginia Commonwealth University honors graduate and biology teacher who was fatally shot in May 2018 by a Richmond Police officer during what has been described as a mental health crisis. It’s part of a rollout of new services financed by Virginia’s Medicaid program to help people in behavioral crises in their communities to avoid sending them to state mental hospitals, private emergency rooms and juvenile detention centers. The system aims to use regional call centers to alert mental health teams to potential psychiatric emergencies, quickly assess risks and dispatch professionals to help the person in crisis by persuasion instead of force. “It’s a behavioral health response to a behavioral health crisis,” said Heather Norton, assistant commissioner at the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. “We want to mitigate to the extent possible the need for law enforcement involvement.”
Area residents in need of a helping hand during the winter season have a new option. The Islamic Center of North America’s Richmond chapter opened a new resource center last week at 3009 Lafayette Ave. in Lakeside. “The response has been very well-received and overwhelming,” said Hamna Saleem, outreach coordinator for ICNA Relief Richmond. “We’re really grateful to have this space where we can finally reach our full potential.” ICNA Relief Richmond’s new center seeks to provide a wide variety of services for people of all faiths and backgrounds, including a food pantry and basic skill training in areas like computer literacy and budgeting. Education for those learning English as a second language also is provided at the center, alongside counseling opportunities and other services. Virtual options for some of these services are available, as well as curbside pickup of any needed relief items to ensure safety and
Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
From left, Brother Amir Saeed, chief information officer with ICNA; Brother Yunus Vohra, founding member of the Islamic Center of Henrico; Hamna Saleem, outreach coordinator for ICNA Relief Richmond; and Kmal Hussain, food pantry coordinator, stand outside the new resource center that opened last week at 3009 Lafayette Ave. in Lakeside.
health during the pandemic. The resource center serves as the next major step in ICNA Richmond’s development in community outreach since it was first formed in March last year. Organizers initially expected the effort to last through the pandemic, but the need in the community convinced them
to take a long-term approach. “We’re definitely going to be here long term,” Ms. Saleem said. “Hopefully, we’ll be here for a very long time to help the community in whatever capacity we can.” ICNA Richmond has organized several efforts to aid people in need, including monthly curbside food assistance in Henrico County and school supply distribution in Chesterfield County. This has allowed them to build a rapport with the Richmond area’s underserved communities, as well as foster connections and partnerships with local organizations they believe will pay dividends for the resource center. “Our goal is to reach as many people in need as possible, and having these connections throughout the community definitely does help us,” Ms. Saleem said. The resource center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with weekend food pantry distributions to be advertised ahead of schedule. Details: Ms. Saleem, (866) 354-0102, ext. 1610, or email hamna.saleem@icnarelief. org.
Herring: ‘No evidence of recklessness’ warranting indictment in Lawhon death
By Jeremy M. Lazarus
The decision not to bring criminal charges against two Richmond Police officers and two paramedics in connection with the fatal smothering of Joshua L. Lawhon three years ago was made by Michael N. Herring, former Richmond commonwealth’s attorney. Now managing partner of the McGuireWoods law firm Richmond office, Mr. Herring stated in response to a Free Press query that he did not find the elements required to bring a charge such as involuntary manslaughter. Under Virginia law, according to the legal website FindLaw, involuntary manslaughter “occurs when someone unintentionally causes the death of another, such when the person is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.” In the Lawhon case, “there was no indication of callous disregard for (Mr. Lawhon’s) welfare and certainly no indication of intent to harm,” Mr. Herring stated. While Mr. Herring no longer has the file or police body camera footage he studied
after the Jan. 16, 2018, incident, Mr. Herring stated that his recollection is that “the first responders were trying to restrain and assist the decedent. …I saw no evidence of recklessness that Mr. Herring may have warranted a request for an indictment.” Mr. Lawhon suffered irreversible brain damage when the two police officers, with the help of two ambulance personnel pressed his face into a pillow for nearly six minutes, according to claims in a $25 million wrongful death suit filed in federal court by Mr. Lawhon’s mother, Angela Lawhon, against the officers and paramedics. The case details also have emerged in a decision the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued rejecting a request for immunity from those named in the suit. Those being sued include former Richmond Police Officer John Edwards and Officer LaShaun Turner, who is still
with the force. Alexander Mayes, who is no longer with the Richmond Ambulance Authority, and Christopher Tenley, who is still an emergency medical technician with RAA, also are named. According to court documents and police body camera footage, the fatal incident occurred when the officers went to Mr. Lawhon’s residence in South Side in response to a call from his roommate, who wanted him taken to a mental hospital. Mr. Lawhon, a diagnosed schizophrenic, protested against being hospitalized, the documents state. Though he was not facing any charges and was not found to be a danger to himself or others, the police officers took Mr. Lawhon to the ground, handcuffed him and held him down with support from Mr. Mayes and Mr. Tenley, whom the officers called to the scene, according to the case information. According to the 4th Circuit Court decision, the officers had no justification for taking Mr. Lawhon into custody and violated his Fourth Amendment right to be free from “illegal seizure” at the hands of government officials.
Sources: $12.8M city budget error found by outside auditor By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Richmond’s outside auditor has uncovered a $12.8 million error that has inflated the amount of surplus the city has reported for several years, the Free Press has been told. According to the information, the error was found in an account that relates to the fund balance, an untouchable savings account that reportedly topped $110 million in the 2020-21 fiscal year that ended June 30. As described, $12.8 million mistakenly was added to the account several years ago. Until the mistake was caught, that money continued to roll over each year
so that it artificially added to the savings balance, according to the information the Free Press received. CliftonLarsonAllen, or CLA, the firm that has provided auditing services to the city for five years, discovered the mistake while reviewing the city’s cash position in preparing for the annual audit, the Free Press was told. City Finance Director Sheila White and Lincoln Saunders, the city’s chief administrative officer, have not responded to a Free Press request for comment. The finding that the fund balance has been overstated for several years has emerged as Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s
administration continues to struggle to complete the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, or CAFR, for the 2020-21 fiscal year that ended June 30. As a candidate, Mayor Stoney made completing the annual audits a priority and expressed pride that his administration was able to do so since he took office in 2017 in contrast to the delays that occurred under his predecessor, Dr. Dwight C. Jones. However, as he completes the first year of his second term, Mayor Stoney and his administration are finding it tougher to finish the audit. Members of City Council have not made an issue of the delay.
Richmond Free Press
December 9-11, 2021 A3
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News
Gov. orders removal of pedestal that held Robert E. Lee’s statue on Monument Avenue, and for land to be turned over to the city Continued from A1
Gov. Ralph S. Northam ordered the statue removed in 2020, but had to wait 16 months to get it done until after a Virginia Supreme Court ruling in early September cleared the legal challenges. Gov. Northam said at the time that the pedestal would remain, its future to be determined by a community-driven effort to reimagine Monument Avenue. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is now in the early stages of that process, using $1 million in state funding. On Sunday, the governor reversed himself about the pedestal remaining after Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney requested its removal and that the land be turned over to the City of Richmond. “This land is in the middle of Richmond,” the governor stated in spelling out his revamped position, “and Richmonders will determine the future of this space. The Commonwealth will remove the pedestal” and then begin the process of transferring the deed to the property to the city. Jim Nolan, the mayor’s press secretary, stated the mayor “believes Richmond deserves a clean slate” as part of the process of bringing change to that site and the rest of Monument Avenue. The city took down four other Confederate statues it owned on Monument Avenue, and City Council has authorized removal of the those statues’ pedestals as well. Among the reasons for the removal appears to have been concern that the incoming administration of Republican Gov.elect Glenn A. Youngkin and the new Republican majority in
Free COVID-19 vaccines Continued from A1
Appointments are not necessary, but can be made by calling the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by registering online at https://bit.ly/RHHDCOVID. Testing will be offered while test supplies last. COVID-19 testing also is available at various drug stores, clinics and urgent care centers throughout the area for people with and without health insurance. Several offer tests with no out-of-pocket costs. A list of area COVID-19 testing sites is online at https:// www.vdh.virginia.gov/richmond-city/richmond-and-henricoarea-covid-19-testing-sites/ The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov/ coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites/. Want a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot? The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at the following locations: • Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Community Vaccination Center, Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. • Thursday, Dec. 9, 1 to 4:30 p.m. – Richmond Health Department Cary Street Clinic, 400 E. Cary St., Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson; 4 to 7 p.m. – Linwood Holton Elementary School, 1600 W. Laburnum Ave. • Friday, Dec. 10, 9 a.m. to noon – Henrico West Health Department Clinic, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. • Saturday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – George Wythe High School, 4314 Crutchfield St., and Elko Middle School, 5901 Elko Road, Sandston, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. • Tuesday, Dec. 14, 3 to 6 p.m. – Second Baptist Church of South Richmond, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd., Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson; 4 to 7 p.m. – Overby-Sheppard Elementary School, 2300 1st Ave. in Highland Park, Pfizer and Johnson &Johnson. • Wednesday, Dec. 15, 1 to 4:30 p.m. – Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 N. Laburnum Ave., Eastern Henrico, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. • Thursday, Dec. 16, 1 to 4:30 p.m. – Richmond Health Department Cary Street Clinic, 400 E. Cary St., Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson; 4 to 7 p.m. – Blackwell Elementary School, 300 E. 15th St. in South Side, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. Children ages 5 to 17 may only receive the Pfizer vaccine. Vaccinations and booster shots are available for all eligible of any age on a walk-in basis. No appointment is needed. However, people may schedule an appointment online at vaccinate.virginia.gov or vax.rchd.com, or by calling (804) 205-3501 or (877) VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682). VaccineFinder.org and vaccines.gov also allow people to find nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine and booster. The Chesterfield County Health District is offering vaccines and booster shots at the following location: • Community Vaccination Center, Rockwood Shopping Center (in the former Big Lots store), 10161 Hull Street Road, Midlothian. The center is open 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged by going to www.vaccines.gov or call (877) VAX-IN-VA. Those who are getting a booster shot should bring their vaccine card to confirm date and type of vaccine received. The Virginia Department of Health reported on Wednesday 2,850 new positive cases of COVID-19 around the state during a 24-hour period, bringing the cumulative total to 988,147 cases statewide. The daily case count represents another peak in daily case numbers in the state and comes amid data reporting cases following the Thanksgiving holiday two weeks ago. There have been a total of 40,186 hospitalizations and 14,838 deaths. The state’s seven-day positivity rate was 7.7 percent. Last week, the positivity rate was 6.7 percent. On Wednesday, state health officials reported that 65.9 percent of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated, while 75 percent of the people have received at least one dose of the vaccine. State data also shows that roughly 1.4 million people in Virginia have received booster shots or third doses of the vaccine. Among those ages 5 to 11 in Virginia, 181,058 children have received their first shots, accounting for 25 percent of the eligible age group in the state, while 82,966 children are fully vaccinated. As of Wednesday, less than 65,000 cases, 550 hospitalizations and six deaths have been recorded among children. State data also show that African-Americans comprised 22 percent of cases statewide and 24.4 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 13.5 percent of cases and 5.7 percent of deaths. Reported COVID-19 data as of Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 Cases Hospitalizations Deaths Richmond 25,462 971 375 Henrico County 36,692 1,270 736 Chesterfield County 42,201 1,240 579 Hanover County 12,772 384 201
the House of Delegates might seek to sandblast the graffiti off the base and restore the statue. In recent years, Republicans have energetically led the charge to keep statues and monuments supportive of the traitorous Confederate effort to destroy the union to maintain slavery. Though Gov. Northam denied that was a consideration, there was hint of such concern in a statement from his spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky: “It was important to us that we do it now and before we leave office.” The ACLU of Virginia was among those disappointed with the governor’s decision to order the pedestal’s removal without any public input. The First Amendment watchdog group criticized the governor for making a secret deal on a pedestal “that was reclaimed by the community as a monument to racial justice” and on which
the community “deserved to have a say.” Portnoy Johnson, one of the handful of people who gathered Monday to watch the work, called the removal “bittersweet.” She said the statue had become a symbol of the “pain, emotion and sacrifice” of those who had been part of the transformation. Lawrence West, a founder of Black Lives Matter RVA whose members had occupied the circle, held concerts and distributed food, said, “I’ve been saying for some time that it should come down.” Mr. West said that as long as the pedestal stood, it was a potential battleground for those in favor of the Lee statue remaining and those who wanted it removed. With it gone, he said, “we can begin to find common ground.”
Charlottesville’s Lee statue to be melted down Continued from A1
taking one of both of them, according to the newspaper. City Council members voted to donate the Lee statue to the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, whose “Swords Into Plowshares” proposal received almost 30 letters of support from organizations and individuals, including the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at the University of Virginia and descendants of Monticello’s enslaved community.
“Our hope with ‘Swords into Plowshares’ is to create something that transforms what was once toxic in our public space into something beautiful that can be more reflective of our entire community’s social values,” said Andrea Douglas, the center’s executive director. “We’re giving people opportunities to engage with our own narratives and our own histories. This project offers a road map for other communities to do the same.” The Black-led heritage center’s news release also said that a “community engage-
ment process” will inform the public art project, for which $590,000 has already been raised. The council voted only on the disposition of the Lee statue Tuesday morning. Its removal this summer came more than five years after racial justice activists renewed a push to take it down, drawing opposition from racist groups that culminated in the deadly 2017 rally. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled April 1 that the city could remove the Lee and Jackson statues.
REA wins victory giving city teachers, staff collective bargaining authority Continued from A1
prohibition of public sector collective bargaining was passed in March 2020 and took effect earlier this year. Officials expect to see a teachers’ negotiation unit involved in collective bargaining in the 2022-23 school year. Members of the Richmond Education Association, dressed in red T-shirts and carrying banners, nearly filled the 600-seat auditorium at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School for Monday night’s meeting. They spoke, applauded and booed during the meeting as the board deliberated. State Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan of Richmond, an attorney who sought the Democratic nomination for governor earlier this year, appeared as a rally before the meeting and backed the teachers’ crusade for collective bargaining. “Having collective bargaining moves us from the menu to the table,” one Richmond teacher said in remarks to the board during the meeting’s public comment period. She said teachers want more control over setting their pay and benefits. An RPS task force drawing up the resolution included School Board members Stephanie M. Rizzi, 5th District, a former teacher in Henrico County; and Shonda Harris-Muhammed, 6th District,
a former RPS administrator and assistant principal in Franklin City Public Schools; representatives of the REA and the Virginia Education Association, along with RPS staff, including Chief Talent Officer Sandra K. Lee, who helped in developing the resolution. “The process was a beautiful collaboration as the committee put in a lot of time working together developing tonight’s document,” Ms. Rizzi told her colleagues and the audience. Once the resolution was presented, School Board member Dawn C. Page, 8th District, expressed concern about voting Monday night, saying the board needs “a complete financial analysis and implication of the resolution, as any financial agreement has an impact and ramifications on funding from the city and state.” Ms. Page reminded board members that they have no power to tax residents to raise money, therefore salary negotiations have to be made based on the budget Richmond City Council allots to the school system. Her remarks drew boos from the audience, and REA members started chanting, “Vote! Vote! Vote!” in calling for the board to vote on the resolution and not delay it until a future meeting. Ms. Rizzi responded that materials gathered by the ad hoc committee working
on the collective bargaining resolution had been available for board review and comments from the start of the process. “Our recommendation, as far as I know, is to vote on this tonight,” Ms. Rizzi said. Board member Liz B. Doerr, 1st District, expressed her support for the resolution, but said she also supported Ms. Page’s concern about a financial analysis. After a brief recess called by Ms. Burke, Mr. Young reiterated his position against collective bargaining, saying, “I fully recognize the issues teachers brought up in their comments, as well as their frustrations over micro-management and stress.” However, a different solution is needed, he said, and not collective bargaining as the tool. After the board voted 8-1 to approve the resolution, REA members left the meeting to celebrate their victory outside the school building. REA member Keri Treadway, a teacher at Fox Elementary School, said teachers across the Commonwealth will be going through the same fight. “We need to help them,” she said. “It is about solidarity. It is about support. We take this win and we spread it across the Commonwealth.”
Trammell to introduce collective bargaining ordinance at next City Council meeting Continued from A1
has drawn some critics who see such bargaining as laying the ground for imposing limits on management and for significantly raising costs. Keith Andes, president of Richmond Local 995 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, is optimistic that Ms. Trammell’s legislation will pass and grant employees a bigger say on pay, benefits and working conditions. Currently, the local can make recommendations, but has no part in developing pay plans or in setting policies affecting employees. Mr. Andes said that ahead of the November 2020 City Council elections, every incumbent and challenger “responded positively” to Local 995’s question of whether they supported
collective bargaining. However, only Councilman Michael J. Jones, 9th District, has publicly voiced his support for authorizing employees to bargain with the city over pay and working conditions. The new state law lifted a ban imposed in 1993 that barred public employees from organizing and bargaining for contracts with local governmental entities. State employees are still barred from engaging in collective bargaining. If approved, Richmond would follow in the footsteps of Alexandria and Arlington and Fairfax counties, which already have authorized their employees to engage in collective bargaining. Portsmouth endorsed the idea in 2020 before the law became effective, but then rejected it during the summer.
‘Skill games’ back in business in convenience stores, truck stops statewide Continued from A1
$750,000 a year, filed suit after the ban was imposed. Across the state, stores owned by Black people, Asians and Latinos were among those said to be particularly hit hard. In his suit, Mr. Sadler challenged the ban as an unconstitutional attack on one type of gambling at a time when the legislature was allowing virtually all other types of gambling, from the lottery to sports betting and full-blown casinos with slot machines and table games. Mr. Sadler said in July that he was challenging a decision that unfairly discriminated against certain types of businesses. “Whether you are for or against the legalization of gambling in Virginia, both the legislature and executive branch have spoken, legalizing the multibillion-dollar industries of sports betting, horse racing, slot machines and casino gambling,” he said. “But inexplicably,” he continued,
“Virginia has determined that skill games, games that have been legal in the Commonwealth for decades, are now somehow ‘undesirable,’ and should be made illegal. This action is unfair, and quite frankly, unconstitutional.” In his ruling, Judge Lerner agreed with Mr. Sadler’s legal team that the law, as written was “unconstitutionally overbroad and vague” and thus should not stand. At earlier hearings, Judge Lerner refused to dismiss the Sadler lawsuit and also rejected the request from the Attorney General’s Office to move the case to Richmond, whose judges usually hear cases with statewide implications. The case was heard in Greensville Circuit Court. The legislature’s ban on skill games has not stopped different types of games that resemble slot machines from finding a place in convenience stores as the law apparently does not cover them. The machines affected by the ban required two pushes of a button to generate
a win. Those machines began spreading across the state four years ago. By 2020, thousands of machines were in operation across the state after the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control deemed them legal in licensed establishments. The legislature reacted in 2020 by seeking to ban them after the Virginia Lottery claimed the machines were cutting into its business. But business owners got a oneyear reprieve after Gov. Ralph S. Northam asked lawmakers to delay the ban by a year and instead levy a heavy, $1,500-a-month fee on each machine to help pay for the costs of battling COVID-19. Both the governor and the General Assembly allowed the ban to go into effect during the summer, despite a wave of protests from convenience story owners and after the Virginia Lottery announced record revenue and profits for its operations, which undercut its arguments supporting the ban.
Richmond Free Press
December 9-11, 2021 A5
Hundreds of Students. Millions in Scholarships. The inaugural class of Educational Equity Scholarship recipients is on the path to success. Because our communities are only as strong as our next generation, we’re investing in hundreds of young scholars across the states we serve—committing
millions of scholarship dollars to help students in minority and underserved communities realize their potential. Students can learn more and apply at DominionEnergy.com/EquityScholarships.
Actions Speak Louder
Richmond Free Press
A6 December 9-11, 2021
News
Grand jury clears officer who shot and killed Pharrell Williams’ cousin Free Press wire report Mr. Herring
Mr. Barnette
NAACP, Herring support innocence claims of the Waverly Two By George Copeland Jr.
More than 20 years after two men were sentenced to prison for convictions stemming from the slaying of a Waverly police officer, a new effort has emerged that could grant them their innocence and freedom. Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring has put his support behind an innocence petition seeking ultimately to overturn the manslaughter convictions Terrence J. Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne received in state court and their life sentences in federal court in the case involving the 1998 shooting death of Waverly Police Officer Allen W. Gibson. Officer Gibson was shot with his own gun during a struggle with two men he believed were involved in a drug deal in a wooded area behind a Waverly apartment complex. Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Sussex County Circuit Court in a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. However, after their 1999 convictions in state court, federal authorities also charged them in the case. While they were acquitted of aiding and abetting in the murder of Officer Gibson during drug trafficking, they were convicted in federal court of conspiracy to distribute drugs. U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne sentenced them to life in prison in 2001, citing their guilty pleas in state court related to Officer Gibson’s murder. “This injustice started in Virginia, and that is the only way that it leads up to the federal court to free both men from their unjust bondage,” New York attorney Jarrett Adams, who represents the Richardson and Claiborne families, said in a news conference held Nov. 30 by the Virginia State Conference NAACP. Mr. Herring’s involvement comes as a result of the petition of innocence Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne filed earlier this year asking the Virginia Court of Appeals to overturn their convictions. As attorney general, Mr. Herring’s office investigated the case and responded with a motion in support of their innocence claim based on newly discovered evidence that was withheld from Mr. Richardson’s and Mr. Claiborne’s lawyers. Had the information been known, they would not have pleaded guilty in state court, Mr. Adams said. “No rational fact-finder would have found Richardson guilty had that information been presented in his proceeding in state court,” Mr. Herring wrote in his petition to the court. “The federal jury acquittal is conclusive in that regard. “Based upon those facts, the new evidence presented in his federal trial and the federal jury’s acquittal, Mr. Richardson is entitled to a writ of actual innocence.” Mr. Herring’s motion focuses only on the state court appeal. Mr. Adams is confident that a successful appeal could pave the way to a reversal of their conviction. The possibility of seeing long-overdue justice is almost indescribable for the families of the two men, from whom they have been separated for more than two decades. “I was ecstatic,” Mr. Claiborne’s mother, Brenda Allen, said at the news conference when asked about her response to Mr. Herring’s motion. “I was just so happy that I was overwhelmed, that finally they might be taking a look to see that my son and Terrence are innocent.” Mr. Adams also is confident that the appeal will continue to be supported regardless of the change in attorney general early next year. In November, Mr. Herring lost his bid for re-election to Jason Miyares, an attorney and Republican member of the House of Delegates from Virginia Beach. Attorney General-elect Miyares is to take office on Jan. 15. Robert N. Barnette Jr., president of the Virginia State Conference NAACP, pledged that the group would remain an active part of the effort to ensure Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne are freed. “Going forward, we’ll continue to support Attorney Adams in this case, making sure that these two young men get released,” Mr. Barnette said. “We’ll also be talking with legislators in the Virginia General Assembly about the injustice of this particular case and other cases that are brought to our attention.”
VIRGINIA BEACH A special grand jury found that a Virginia Beach police officer was justified in fatally shooting a man armed with a gun during a chaotic night of violence on the city’s oceanfront this spring, authorities said late last month. The death of Donovan Lynch has drawn heightened scrutiny because he is a cousin of Virginia Beach native and Grammy Award-winning musician Pharrell Williams. Mr. Lynch’s father also has filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Virginia Beach Police Officer Solomon D. Simmons, who is Black, and the City of Virginia Beach for allegedly failing to train its officers. During a two-hour news conference on Nov. 30, the city’s prosecutors said Officer Simmons was justified in protecting himself and others in the moments after Mr. Lynch racked a round into his handgun’s chamber and stood — pointing his weapon toward a parking lot filled with multiple people Mr. Lynch and police. Prosecutors said Mr. Lynch began to turn toward Officer Simmons, who yelled something at Mr. Lynch. However, Officer Simmons never explicitly stated that Mr. Lynch pointed the gun directly at him, prosecutors said. “There were numerous people in that parking lot when Officer Simmons saw Mr. Lynch starting to come up with the firearm,” Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle said. “So it is not only just whether the weapon was pointed at Officer Simmons. It was also are the people in the parking lot at risk?” Mr. Lynch, 25, of Virginia Beach, was an offensive lineman for the University of Virginia’s College at Wise during the 2017 and 2018 seasons and a 2019 graduate of the school. Mr. Lynch and a friend were visiting the city’s boardwalk, which is lined with restaurants and hotels, on a warm spring night that drew crowds of people. The evening dissolved into chaos after separate eruptions of gunfire. At least eight people were wounded and one woman, who was believed to be a bystander, was killed.
Mr. Lynch was shot after that violence, authorities said. Prosecutors showed footage of multiple police-worn body cameras in the minutes before and after Mr. Lynch was shot as well as statements from witnesses. Prosecutors also presented a videotaped statement from Officer Simmons, whose body camera had not been turned on during the shooting. Scott Lang, chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney, said Officer Simmons turned off his body camera because he began to drive to a hospital for an investigation involving a separate shooting victim. But then another shooting in which 50 rounds were fired in a parking lot broke out, Mr. Lang said. In the lawsuit, Mr. Lynch’s father, Wayne Lynch, accuses Officer Simmons of shooting his son “immediately, unlawfully and without warning,” according to news reports. Darrion Marsh, a friend of Mr. Lynch’s who said he witnessed the shooting, told The Virginian-Pilot newspaper earlier this year that Mr. Lynch never took the gun out of his cargo shorts. Mr. Williams Mr. Lang pointed out that police with body cameras arrived at the scene within 25 to 30 seconds. He said the footage did not show Mr. Lynch’s friend in the immediate area. Fallout from Mr. Lynch’s death continues to reverberate in Virginia Beach. Mr. Williams sent a letter to Virginia Beach officials in October saying he won’t bring his “Something in the Water” music festival back to the oceanfront, partly because of how the city handled the investigation into his cousin’s death. The festival reportedly brought a $24.11 million economic boost to the city when it was held in 2019. The festival’s success cast Virginia Beach into the national and international spotlight, with a host of big-name talent and sponsors. Roughly 25,000 tickets to the festival sold out in 21 minutes. Hotel occupancy that weekend was logged at 90 percent. Mr. Williams, who has turned his attention and latest development efforts to Norfolk, will be the winter commencement speaker this Saturday, Dec. 11, at Norfolk State University. The in-person ceremony will be held at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall on the NSU campus.
Recount results in GOP control of House of Delegates Free Press wire report
VIRGINIA BEACH A three-judge panel overseeing a recount in a close House of Delegates race upheld the Republican candidate’s victory last Friday, a decision that also reaffirms the GOP’s takeover of the chamber and completes the party’s sweep of last month’s elections. Republicans also claimed the statewide offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general in the Nov. 2 balloting. Those wins were a dramatic turnaround in a state where the GOP had not won a Ms. Greenhalgh statewide race since 2009. Democrats still hold a 21-19 majority in the state Senate — where elections won’t be held until 2023 — splitting control of the Virginia General Assembly. The certified results from the election showed Republicans leading in 52 districts and the Democrats leading in 48. The recount in the 85th District race resulted in Democratic incumbent Alex Q. Askew of Virginia Beach gaining 12 votes, but he still trailed Republican challenger Karen Greenhalgh by 115 votes. There was one contested ballot. The panel found that the intent of the voter was unclear, so that ballot was not counted for either candidate. The 85th District covers a portion of the city of Virginia Beach. After Democrats requested recounts in two
races with razor-thin margins, that left open the remote possibility of a 50-50 split. In the second recount, in the 91st District, which covers Hampton, Poquoson and York County, incumbent Delegate Martha Mugler, a Democrat, was trailing Republican A.C. Cordoza by 94 votes. The recount in that district was expected to proceed this week, but Democrats no longer have a shot at undoing the GOP’s majority. After last Friday’s recount results were announced, Delegate Askew thanked his supporters, campaign staff and volunteers. Mr. Cordoza “While this is not the outcome we hoped for, I continue to be filled with optimism for the future of our Commonwealth and of the city of Virginia Beach,” he said in a statement. House Republicans — who won 52 districts, according to the certified results — had said they were confident their candidates’ leads would hold. “With only one recount outstanding, House Republicans are excited to begin working for the people of Virginia. Now that the majority is official, we can move forward with a timely transition as to be prepared to work on day one,” GOP Speaker-designee Todd Gilbert said in a statement after the results were announced. Outgoing House Speaker Eileen FillerCorn, a Democrat, praised Delegate Askew for his work in the House and congratulated
Ms. Greenhalgh on her victory. “While the results of the recount did not change the initial outcome of the election, it was a necessary step to ensuring faith in our democratic process. And a similar, necessary process to ensure every vote is counted will occur next week in House District 91,” Ms. Filler-Corn said in a statement. Minnesota is the only other state with Democrats and Republicans splitting control of legislative chambers. In Alaska, Republicans have the majority in both chambers, but the state House is controlled by a coalition of Democrats, independents and two Republicans. Nebraska has just a single state legislative chamber. Throughout the day last Thursday and into last Friday, people packed into a room in the second floor of an elections building in Virginia Beach as the ballots were fed into two scanning machines. Groups of people sat at tables and scrutinized any ballots that were determined by the machines to have write-in candidates, were not clearly marked or had some other issue. There were no discussions or arguments during the hearing about who the winner of the race would be. Once the panel of judges ruled that the contested ballot — which had both bubbles filled in for the candidates but a slash through Ms. Greenhalgh’s name — was too unclear to be counted, they called for a tally of the votes from the registrar’s office. Virginia Beach Chief Circuit Court Judge Leslie Lilley then quickly found that Ms. Greenhalgh would be the 85th District’s next delegate.
Youngkin inaugural plans include pricey dinner, music acts Free Press wire report
Incoming Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin is planning a celebratory inaugural weekend that will include a mix of high-dollar ticketed events and other functions open to the public, according to a program that also touts an appearance by an unspecified Grammy-winning musical artist. Gov.-elect Youngkin will be sworn in Jan. 15 as Virginia’s 74th governor and the first Republican elected to the office since 2009. The political newcomer and former private equity executive defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in last month’s election, part of an exceedingly successful election cycle for Republicans. GOP candidates were elected to the offices of attorney general and lieutenant governor, and the party flipped control of the state House. Gov.-elect Youngkin, who emphasized his outsider status and Virginia roots in his run, announced on Tuesday a schedule of events for the inaugural weekend under the theme, “Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia Together.” The Associated Press also obtained a program outlining each event and the associated costs in greater detail. “The theme for inauguration weekend celebrates Virginia’s spirit — one linked to a rich history, but an even more exciting future as Virginians come together to make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family,” Gov.-elect Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne, stated in a news release. It’s standard for inaugural weekends full of pomp and circumstance to include both public and invite-only or ticketed functions. Multiple
millions of dollars are typically raised The attire for Saturday night’s event by inaugural committees from corpowas described as “casual creative,” rate interests and other donors. and suggested patriotic colors, cowGov.-elect Youngkin’s inaugural boy boots or a “Glenn vest,” like the festivities will kick off the afternoon red fleece type the candidate favored of Friday, Jan. 14, with a ladies-only while campaigning. “Spirit of Sisterhood” tea hosted by The weekend will conclude with a Mrs. Youngkin at the Virginia Mu“Spirit of Togetherness” open house seum of Fine Arts, according to the Sunday at the Executive Mansion. Gov.-elect program. Lawmakers will host a The program lists sponsorship Youngkin welcome reception at a downtown package costs that run as high as hotel in the early evening hours, following by $100,000, a price that covers 20 tickets to the a ticketed, candlelight black tie dinner at the Saturday evening event, plus multiple tickets to Science Museum of Virginia. the Friday reception, dinner and tea. “Anticipate impromptu and programmed perYoungkin’s transition team, led by former formances by artists and musicians from around campaign staffer and Treasury Department ofthe Commonwealth and enjoy an intimate evening ficial Jeff Goettman, has not yet announced key with Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin and Suzanne administration staffers or cabinet secretaries. The Youngkin,” the program says about the dinner. team has not been releasing to the press or public A single ticket costs $10,000, the document the governor-elect’s full schedule and has asked stated. participants including lawmaker members to Inauguration Day will begin with a morning sign nondisclosure agreements. $50-a-ticket prayer breakfast at the historic JefThe Youngkin transition has an office in a state ferson Hotel, followed by the inaugural ceremony government building near the Capitol, where they at noon on the steps of the State Capitol, an have been conducting at least some meetings, event that’s free and open to the public. Saturday according to a security sign-in log obtained by evening will feature a “celebration” at the Main AP through an open records request. Street Stadium event space. Last week, the transition team rolled out a list The program says the $200-a-ticket event of scores of people taking part in groups dubbed will feature a “soon to be announced Grammy “landing teams” led by GOP state lawmakers award-winning national artist.” that were helping conduct “due diligence” across A transition spokesman, Devin O’Malley, all state agencies. declined comment on an internal document. The transition did not announce publicly The news release did not mention an artist but that it has a number of lobbyists representing a said there would be live music. wide range of corporate interests also involved
with advising. Five people with firsthand knowledge of participation by the lobbyists spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, either because they were not authorized to discuss the matter or to discuss private conversations candidly. Mr. O’Malley said the transition has informal advisers that number in the hundreds and are assisting in a volunteer capacity. A spokesman for Richmond-based political heavyweight Dominion Energy, which is typically represented on transition teams, declined to answer an inquiry from AP about whether any company representatives had been asked to participate. Gov.-elect Youngkin’s inaugural committee — which must report any single donation of $10,000 or more within three days, according to the Virginia Public Access Project — has reported one such large donation so far. The Breeden Company, a Virginia Beachbased real estate company, gave $250,000 on Nov. 29, according to a campaign finance filing. Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears, only the second woman to hold statewide office in Virginia, will also be sworn in Jan. 15. An inaugural ball in Mr. Miyares’ honor will be held Friday, Jan. 14, in Richmond, a spokeswoman, Victoria LaCivita, said. Chris Saxman, the transition director for Lt. Gov.-elect Sears, said a party in her honor would be held Thursday, Jan. 13.
Richmond Free Press
December 9-11, 2021 A7
Richmond Free Press
Fall azalea in Downtown
Editorial Page
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December 9-11, 2021
Let the future begin We commend the foresight and action of both outgoing Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney when it comes to the huge stone pedestal left on Monument Avenue after the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The governor announced early this week that the graffititagged pedestal will be taken down before he leaves office on Jan. 15, and the circle of land it sits on will be turned over to city ownership, as requested by the mayor. We are encouraged by this turn of events. Here’s why: Removing the pedestal and turning the land over to the City of Richmond makes it more difficult for the new Republican administration, led by Gov.-elect and Trump acolyte Glenn A. Youngkin, and the Johnny Reb, white supremacist forces within the new Republican-controlled House of Delegates to try to put the Lee statue back up. It’s important that our current leadership prevent this small patch of grass on Monument Avenue from becoming the next civil war battleground. We are seeing across Virginia and the nation anti-Black, antipeople of color elements rise up against teaching the truth about America’s unflattering past. We are in the midst of a backlash – or “blacklash” – against the gains Black people, Latinos and other marginalized groups have made in this nation in voting rights, equal rights, gay rights and women’s rights that are guaranteed in the Constitution. We are seeing a rise in hate groups and use of the Confederate flag. It is no stretch to believe that these elements – in their newfound control over state government—would push to return the state-owned statue of Lee to what they consider its “rightful place” over the city. Returning the statue would be a symbol to white supremacists and haters across the nation that they are in control and the clock will be turned back to what they consider a less threatening way of life. We would not be surprised if a legislative attempt is made to return the smaller statues of Confederates and segregationists to the halls and grounds of the State Capitol building. The Republicans may have the votes to do that, but it will be harder to restore the Lee statue if the pedestal is gone and the land on Monument Avenue no longer is owned by the state. We were glad to get rid of the 12-ton, 21-foot-high behemoth of a statue erected in 1890 to lionize a white supremacist and traitor who led an army in bloody warfare against the United States in an effort to keep Black people in human bondage in Virginia and the South. The Lee statue was there to remind everyone — especially Black people — of the surviving social order that relegated people of color to a subservient and unequal status going forward in the former capital of the Confederacy, despite the fact that the South lost the Civil War. While the 40-foot-tall graffiti-tagged granite pedestal became a rich and important symbol of psychological freedom and change during the empowering social justice protests following the death of George Floyd in May 2020 at the hands of Minneapolis Police, let this space on Monument Avenue be cleared of all tangible symbols of a racist and harmful past. Let the people find a more equal, fitting, unifying and forwardthinking way to use the public space that will uplift all. Let the
Hate floats; we hope not here We read with interest a story about the 25th Annual Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade that took place last Saturday evening on the Yorktown waterfront. Like RVA Illuminates, the Yorktown event attracts families and others getting into the holiday spirit with decorations and lights. In Yorktown, the decorations are enhanced by boats that are decorated, lighted and paraded along the York River to the delight of the crowds. The entries also are judged, with the nonprofit Yorktown Foundation overseeing the parade committee that organizes and runs the boat parade. But this year’s event turned sour when the judges awarded first place to a boat with the theme “Let’s Go Brandon.” Those words and “FJB” both were in big lights on the boat captained by Bill Berger. The parade committee awarded Mr. Berger the top prize as fan favorite. To the unschooled, “FJB” is short for “F*** Joe Biden,” a deplorable phrase that has spread like wildfire among vile Trump supporters still angry that Democrat Joe Biden won the presidential election more than a year ago. They also use “Let’s Go Brandon” as a less vulgar code for the same sentiment. That phrase was started after a NASCAR race when driver Brandon Brown, the winner of the race, was being interviewed by a reporter. Some people in the background could be heard chanting, “F*** Joe Biden,” but the reporter claimed in her broadcast that they were saying, “Let’s Go Brandon.” Since then, the latter phrase has been used by conservative groups on hats, T-shirts and memes, including by some of the right-wing Republican and divisive members of Congress, including Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas; Rep. Bill Posey of Florida, who ended a House speech with the phrase; Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina; and Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who led a crowd in the chant after meeting with former President Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month. “That is more than a phrase,” Rep. Boebert was quoted as saying. “That is absolutely a movement, and we are taking our country back.” We expect more of our elected representatives. But that sort of hate filtered down to the Yorktown holiday celebration. Mr. Berger claimed in one media report that the committee knew of his theme when he registered and entered the parade. But the Yorktown Foundation put the hammer down. The foundation, fearful of losing its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status by its affiliation with political speech and action, made the committee rescind Mr. Berger’s first place prize and, instead, award it to the second place winner. Yorktown Foundation director Walt Akers publicly apologized and foundation officials issued a statement, saying the event organizers immediately notified the judges that the boat would be disqualified because its “political statements were at odds with the mission of the foundation.” The statement went on to say: “The members of the Yorktown Foundation wish to reiterate that our mission continues to be to unify our community through events and activities that showcase everything that is wonderful about Yorktown, York County and our citizens. While we recognize that political divisiveness is a factor in our daily discourse, we DO NOT want it to negatively impact anyone’s enjoyment of our community events. We regret that this incident occurred, and we will work to avoid such events in the future.” We bring this to our readers’ attention because Richmond’s annual Boat Parade of Lights is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 11, along the James River. Watching the colorfully lighted boats has been a delight locally for many years. But we know hate spreads like Southern kudzu and honeysuckle. We just hope it doesn’t find its way onto the James River and detract from this weekend’s holiday event.
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Right-wing judges putting women’s health care at risk The political and legal movement to criminalize abortion in the United States is on the brink of its biggest victory in 50 years. Most at risk are people who already are among the most vulnerable in our country—Black and Brown women and LGBTQ people who will be denied access to potentially life-saving health care. On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court h e a r d a rg u ments in the case of a Mississippi abortion ban. That law was written by a right-wing legal group. It was part of a longterm strategy to get the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that recognized that pregnant people have a constitutional right to make decisions about whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. Groups that want to eliminate access to abortion like to describe themselves with terms like “prolife” and “pro-family,” but those are deceptive. If we eliminate access to family planning and abortion services, the health of millions will be compromised. Some will die needlessly. Their families and communities will suffer. The same groups call them-
selves “pro-freedom,” but they are aggressively trying to restrict people’s freedom to make decisions about their own health and families. If you want a sense of how much parents’ and children’s health and well-being mean to backers of the abortion ban, take a look at Mississippi. When the state’s previous governor signed the ban, he declared that he wanted to make Mississippi “the
Ben Jealous safest place in America for an unborn child.” The current governor has used similar language, saying he made a commitment to God and to voters that he would do everything in his power to make Mississippi the safest place for an unborn child. But what kind of commitments have these politicians made to children and their parents? When the Mississippi law was signed, the state ranked 50th in the health of women, 50th in the health of children and 50th in the health of infants. It was the worst state for infant mortality. Things haven’t changed much since then. Mississippi also is the state where Black people make up the biggest percentage of the population. During oral arguments at the
U.S. Supreme Court, the attorney for the health clinic that challenged the law talked about a deadly reality. She noted that “it’s 75 times more dangerous to give birth in Mississippi than it is to have a pre-viability abortion. And those risks are disproportionately threatening the lives of women of color.” This is about political power and the corruption of our courts. When Donald Trump ran for president, he promised conservative white evangelical leaders that he would put judges on the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v. Wade. Don’t ever forget that U.S. Senate Republicans refused to even consider former President Obama’s last Supreme Court nomination for a year. They abused their power to create a Supreme Court vacancy for former President Trump to fill. Then these same shameless politicians took advantage of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death on Sept. 18, 2020, to rush President Trump’s final nominee onto the court a few days before the 2020 election—as voters were already casting ballots to dump Trump out of the White House. And don’t ever forget that the judges who are willing to sacrifice reproductive freedom are usually just as eager to allow states to restrict voting rights. The right-wing judges who vote
Remembering the Montgomery bus boycott “There comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression. There comes a time, my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they experience the bleakness of nagging despair. There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine N o v e m b e r. There comes a time.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dec. 5, 1955, address to the first Montgomery Improvement Association Mass Meeting This week marks the anniversary of the first of the Mass Meetings that drove the strategy and spirit of the Montgomery bus boycott, a foundational event in the Civil Rights Movement. My parents were active in the Civil Rights Movement in Louisiana at the time and their experiences illustrate how the Montgomery protests reverberated throughout the South, and how New Orleans’ distinctive history shaped racial issues there. Even during slavery, New Orleans was home to a large community of free people of color, the gens de colour libre — many of whom had never been enslaved. Many were refugees from Saint-Domingue — now Haiti — who fled the revolution. As Jim Crow took over the South, many formerly enslaved people also flocked to Louisiana.
It was this class of free people of color who became the early civil rights activists, including Homer Plessy, whose parents were among those refugees from Haiti. To quote my mother, Sybil Haydel Morial, in her memoir, “Witness to Change,” “In many instances, including the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson case, Louisiana initiated important changes in civil rights thinking and activism. The significance of these events was
Marc H. Morial often obscured because of the unusual, often subtle, way in which they developed.” Many Louisianans, both white and Black, were accustomed to accommodation in a way that was not yet acceptable in other parts of the South. This is not to say Louisiana did not have its share of racial violence. In the 1960s, Bogalusa, La., was thought to have the highest per-capita Ku Klux Klan membership in America. But in certain parts of the state, overt violence was tempered because of the tradition of compromise that had developed between the races during the centuries. Which may be why few people may be aware that two years before the Montgomery bus boycott, a Baptist minister by the name of the Rev. T.J. Jemison led a bus boycott in Baton Rouge, La. My father began his career as a civil rights attorney in 1954, the year of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, but it took a detour when he was drafted into the Army. My parents spent the first year of their marriage
in Maryland and returned to Louisiana in September 1956. The Montgomery bus boycott had been underway for nine months by then. Although Brown v. Board of Education had been decided two years earlier, the laws of “separate but equal” had to be individually challenged in each Southern state. The lawyers of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, including future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, were traveling the country to assist local attorneys in arguing cases in each state. The state law requiring segregation on public transportation, the one that had been challenged with that boycott in Baton Rouge in 1953, finally was overturned by a federal judge in 1958. A biracial group of leaders decided the signs saying “For Colored Patrons Only” would be removed at midnight the day the decision went into effect with no media alerted. My parents laughed when my father told my mother that some of the white leaders had asked how, with no media attention, the Negroes would know they were free to sit anywhere on the buses and streetcars. My father and his colleagues assured them that word would be quietly disseminated through our networks and people would begin to move freely on the buses. And of course, they did. Rosa Parks’ arrest served as a clarion call for people all across the nation. I’m proud of how my parents answered that call. I strive every day to carry on their legacy. The writer is president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.
The Free Press welcomes letters The Richmond Free Press respects the opinions of its readers. We want to hear from you. We invite you to write the editor. All letters will be considered for publication. Concise, typewritten letters related to public matters are preferred. Also include your telephone number(s). Letters should be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Richmond Free Press, P.O. Box 27709, 422 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23261, or faxed to: (804) 643-7519 or e-mail: letters@richmondfreepress.com.
to eliminate individuals’ right to privacy and health care are often the same judges creating new “rights” to protect corporations’ ability to buy elections, get away with harming workers and communities and discriminate against some of their employees. Like the right-wing campaign to restrict voting, the campaign to eliminate access to safe and legal abortion has built power through organizing at the state and national levels. We who believe in freedom must do the same. Among the activists and protesters who gathered outside the Supreme Court on Dec. 1 was a group of interfaith leaders who provided the moral clarity and urgency that the progressive movement needs to more effectively defend our freedom and our families. The writer, a former national president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, serves as president of People for the American Way.
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Richmond Free Press
December 9-11, 2021 A9
Letter to the Editor
Give gift of Black history this year During this gift-giving season, it’s very important that serious Black parents provide their children with at least one gift that either introduces them to or broadens their knowledge of Black history. There is a reason why white supremacists in this country voraciously oppose the teaching of our history in schools. They are well aware that a people with a deep knowledge of their history are much more difficult to intimidate and control. I was a young sophomore at Howard University before being introduced to Black history. The introducer was Dr. Harold Lewis, a brilliant professor who gave me one of the greatest gifts of my life by making me ready to later meet and learn from Black historians such as Dr. John
Henrik Clarke, Dr. Harold Cruse and especially Brother Malcolm X. Two of my favorite historical warriors are Martin Delany and John Mitchell Jr. I had never heard of them before Dr. Lewis’ class. Brother Martin was what we call today a Pan-Africanist about whom Frederick Douglass is quoted as saying, “I thank God I was born a man; Martin thanks God he was born a Black man.” He traveled to Africa where he spent most of his time there in what is now Nigeria and later recruited enslaved Africans to join the Union Army. Those Black warriors played a major role in the defeat of the Confederate enslavers. Brother John in the late 1800s was the founder and editor of the Richmond Planet newspaper in Richmond. This paper was a strong opponent
of the lynching of Black men by white males. At a time when lynching was almost a sport for white supremacists and racists, Brother John wrote that the best remedy for lynching “… is a 16-shot Winchester rifle in the hands of a dead shot Negro who has nerve enough to pull the trigger.” These are just two Black historical warriors that our children need to study, learn from and act on since some of their positions are just as relevant today as they were in the mid to late 1800s.
Other numerous warriors they need to be aware of include Mary McLeod Bethune, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Henry McNeal Turner, Paul Robeson and Fannie Lou Hamer whose contributions are included in books available in Black-owned institutions such as Sankofa in Washington, D.C. These are the kinds of gifts that will provide everlasting knowledge for our children. A. PETER BAILEY Washington
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Richmond Free Press
A10 December 9-11, 2021
Stories by Fred Jeter
NSU wins Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge in Phoenix Kris Bankston wasn’t named to the preseason All-MEAC team in part because few knew much about him. Now they know. The Norfolk State University first-year transfer treated a national ESPN2 audience to his uncanny shooting accuracy at the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge hosted by Chris Paul in Phoenix Nov. 29 through 30. In pacing the Spartans to wins over Hampton University 70-61 and Grambling State University 70-63, Bankston hit 14 of 19 shots from the field while piling up 38 points and 15 rebounds. The games were played at the same Footprint Center that the NBA Suns—with All-Star guard Paul—and the WNBA Mercury call home. Bankston is a 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward who came to NSU after parts of four seasons Kris Bankston at his hometown school, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Playing for Little Rock of the NCAA Division I Sun Belt Conference, Bankston accumulated 457 points, 298 rebounds and 103 dunks in 80 games. He is no 3-point threat. Bankston’s shooting arsenal is mostly limited to high percentage attempts near and above the hoop. In helping NSU to a 9-2 record, Bankston is averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game, while hitting 76 percent from the field (54-for-71). That ranks second nationally in NCAA Division I. Bankston is listed as a “red-shirt senior” by NSU, but Spartans sports publicist Matt Michalec says he will have another season of eligibility in 2022-23, should he elect to take it. The 9-1 takeoff was the best NSU start since turning Division I in 1997. The winning streak ended Saturday, Dec. 4, with a 58-57 loss at Hampton. Coach Robert Jones’ squad will travel to Kansas on Saturday, Dec. 11, to play Wichita State University. The game will be televised on ESPN-Plus.
Juwan Carter
Justin Smith
Area athletes make All-MEAC football team
Two Norfolk State University athletes from the Richmond area have made the All-MEAC football team. Quarterback Juwan Carter, a red-shirt senior from Highland Springs High School, and wide receiver Justin Smith from Benedictine were named to the first unit. Carter led the MEAC with 2,511 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and a 64 percent completion rate. Carter finishes as NSU’s career leader in passing yards (9,271) and total offense (10,248). Smith ranked second in the MEAC in receptions (51), receiving yards (758) and touchdowns (seven).
Bobby Dandridge to be honored by the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Billed as the “Call to the Hall,” 4535 Commerce St. in Virginia the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Beach. will honor Richmond native and Scheduled for induction are former NBA star Bobby Dandridge football greats Anthony Poindexon Jan. 19 in Virginia Beach. ter and Chris Warren, basketball The event was rescheduled coach Sonny Allen and five-time from Nov. 16. canoe/slalom world champ Jon Festivities will begin at 7 p.m. at Lugbill. Zeiders American Dream Theater, Poindexter, a Lynchburg native, 4509 Commerce St. in Virginia was an All-ACC safety for the Beach. Tickets start at $15; $30 University of Virginia, where his for an autograph and photo with jersey No. 3 is retired. Dandridge. Warren, from Northern Virginia, Dandridge, now 74, starred in starred at U.Va. and Ferrum Colbasketball at Maggie L. Walker lege and enjoyed a distinguished High School in Richmond and at decade-long NFL career with the Norfolk State University before Seattle Seahawks, the Dallas Cowembarking on a brilliant NBA boys and the Philadelphia Eagles. career. He was a four-time AllHe was a three-time Pro Bowler, Star and helped the Milwaukee and was a nominee in 2018 to the Bucks and Washington to NBA Pro Football Hall of Fame. championships. Allen coached Old Dominion “The Greyhound,” as DanUniversity to the 1975 NCAA dridge was known, was inducted Division II basketball title and Bobby Dandridge into the Virginia Hall of Fame in helped the Norfolk school break 1992. Earlier this year, he was elected into the Naismith Memo- the color line in 1966 with Arthur “Buttons” Speakes and Bob rial Basketball Hall of Fame. Pritchett. ••• Lugbill is a Fairfax native and currently serves as executive The Virginia Hall of Fame will be adding four new mem- director of Richmond Sports Backers. bers during a ceremony 5:30 p.m. April 30 at the Westin Hotel, Details and tickets to both events: vasportshof.com.
Jackson State wins SWAC Championship heads to Celebration Bowl Jackson State University, riding a ninegame winning streak, is making plans for the Saturday, Dec. 18, Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. Coach Deion Sanders’ Tigers earned their spot by defeating Prairie View A&M University 27-10 in the SWAC championship last Saturday in Jackson, Miss. The nationally televised game drew more than 50,000 fans. At the Celebration Bowl, Jackson
Texas Christian picks Sonny Dykes as new football coach Sonny Dykes has been named as the new football coach at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He replaces Gary Patterson, who was fired Oct. 31. Coach Dykes has served as head coach at Louisiana Tech, University of CaliforniaBerkeley and, most recently, at Southern Methodist University. He was 30-18 at SMU and has a 71-63 career coaching mark. Coach Dykes Among those interviewed for the TCU job was current Jackson State University Coach Deion Sanders.
ABC. Under “Coach Prime,” as Sanders is known, Jackson State is 11-1 overall and hasn’t lost since a 12-7 defeat to the University of Louisiana-Monroe in September. South Carolina State, under Coach Buddy Pough, is 6-5. The South Carolina State Bulldogs clinched the MEAC title Nov. 20 with a 31-21 win over Norfolk State University.
Marcus Freeman becomes second Black head coach at Notre Dame
Winning streak ends for Bowie State Bulldogs The Bowie State Bulldogs hit the end of the road in Valdosta, Ga. Bowie State, the reigning CIAA football champions, lost to host Valdosta State University 41-17 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II football playoffs. Valdosta State dominated the game, racking up 533 yards and 29 first downs to the Bulldogs’ 221 yards and 14 first downs. Bowie State finishes 12-2. Its only other loss was a seasonopening setback at Delaware State. Valdosta State now will host Colorado School of Mines in the semifinal on Saturday, Dec. 11.
State will face MEAC champion South Carolina State University for what is billed as the “Black College Football National Championship.” Kickoff is noon at the Mercedez-Benz Coach Sanders Stadium in Atlanta, where the game will be televised by
Coach Freeman
Marcus Freeman has become the second Black head coach in the University of Notre Dame’s rich football tradition. The 35-year-old native of Dayton, Ohio, was named last week to replace Brian Kelly, who left the South Bend, Ind., campus to become the coach at Louisiana State University. CoachFreeman is the 30th head coach in Notre Dame history dating to 1887. Notre Dame’s first Black coach was Tyrone Willingham, who coached from 2002 to 2004, posting a 21-15 record. The powerful 6-foot-1, 240-pound Coach Freeman was a standout linebacker at Ohio State University and went on to play in the
NFL with the Chicago Bears, the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Texans. He was an assistant coach at Ohio State, Kent State and Purdue universities and the University of Cincinnati before becoming Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator earlier this season under Coach Kelly. Notre Dame is 11-1 this season and certain to play at least one more game in either the College Football Playoff or a high-profile bowl. Coach Freeman will make his head coaching debut in that contest. Coach Kelly will not be an easy act to follow. The Fighting Irish went 92-39 under Coach Kelly since 2010.
NFL Pro-Bowler Claude Humphrey dies at 77 Claude Humphrey, the powerful leader of the Atlanta Falcons’ famed “Grits Blitz,” died Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, at his home in Memphis. He was 77. Mr. Humphrey collected 126.5 sacks in an illustrious career with Atlanta from 1968 to 1978 and with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1979 to 1981. The defensive end was a six-time NFL All-Pro Bowler and five-time second team All-Pro. He was named to the NFL Hall of Fame in 2014. In 1977, Mr. Humphrey starred on the Falcons’ “Grits Blitz” defense that kept opponents to just 129 yards all season, the record for a 14-game season. The Memphis native earned All-America honors at Tennessee State University under College Football Hall of Fame Coach John Merritt. The 1966 team Mr. Humphrey played on went 10-0 and was named the Black College National Champion.
Mr. Humphrey
Mr. Humphrey was drafted in 1968 by the Falcons as the third pick in the first round of the NFL draft. At the time, it was the highest any player had been drafted from an HBCU. In 1974, another Tennessee State Tiger, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, was the NFL’s first overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys.
Richmond Free Press
December 9-11, 2021 B1
Protect the People Who Make the Holiday So Special
The Virginia Department of Health operates nine community vaccination centers across the Commonwealth to help Virginians fight COVID-19. If you need a first, second, or additional primary dose, or you are eligible for a booster, make an appointment today to get your free COVID-19 vaccine! To find an appointment, visit vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682). Assistance is available in more than 100 languages. Those with hearing impairments should dial 711.
Appointments
Walk-ins are welcome for everyone including children ages 5-11, but appointments are strongly recommended to avoid having to wait.
Hours of Operation
The community vaccination centers are open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Your Nearest Locations
Arthur Ashe Junior Athletic Center 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd Richmond, VA 23230 Rockwood Shopping Center 10161 Hull Street Rd. Midlothian, VA 23112
Richmond Free Press
B2 December 9-11, 2021
Happenings
Virtual Santa Visits anta s S ’ Enchanted Workshop
Daren Exum
Club 533 celebrates 65 years Club 533 celebrated its 65th anniversary last Saturday with an anniversary and holiday ball held at a Downtown hotel. Started in 1956, Club 533 is one of the oldest private groups in Richmond founded by seven men seeking to improve the social and civic welfare of people in the community. The Jackson Ward club has been used as a meeting place to develop strategies for social, political and economic gains that would benefit the AfricanAmerican community. In the 65 years since its founding, the organization has grown to more than 200 members— all men of accomplishment, including 41 new members who were welcomed during the summer. Members and their guests enjoyed the festive black-tie dinner dance featuring Legacy Band. President Robert M. Lester, right, honors the club’s longest-serving members of more than 40 and 50 years with plaques. They are, from left, former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, the evening’s keynote speaker; Linwood Eddleton; Dr. James McCain; Dr. Anthony Malloy; and Alexander “Jack” Mosby.
NOV 29 - DEC 24
VIRGINIA REPERTORY THEATRE | SIGN UP @ VIRGINIAREP.ORG Only because of the Grace and Mercy of the Creator; who woke me up for 25,550 days (Three Score and 10 Years).
Pulitzer winner Michael Paul Williams to speak at VUU scholarship event Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Virginia Union University alumnus Michael Paul Williams will speak at the annual VUU National Alumni Association Scholarship and Awards Luncheon hosted by the John W. Barco Alumni Chapter 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11. The event will be held virtually this year, with the Zoom link forwarded to those who Mr. Williams purchase tickets. Mr. Williams, the first Black columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, won journalism’s highest prize, the Pulitzer, for commentary earlier this year for a series of columns on the removal of the Confederate monuments in Richmond in the wake of the Minneapolis Police murder of George Floyd in May 2000 and social justice protests in Richmond and across the globe. Tickets are $50 and benefit the alumni group’s student scholarship fund. Details and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/john-wbarco-alumni-chapter-vuunaa-scholarship-awards-luncheontickets-189847287347
Zoom with Santa!
I have lived 70 amazing years! I am a Poet, Speaker, Activist, Caregiver and Sage. I strive to inspire and help someone everyday. My work is to be the positive change I wish to see in the world!
Clement Britt
Recognizing Ziontown A new historic marker recognizing the Ziontown community in Henrico County was dedicated Dec. 3 in a ceremony hosted by the Family & Friends of Ziontown and the Henrico Historic Preservation Advisory Committee as part of the Historical Roadside Marker program.The community was founded in 1870 by Henry Pryor, a formerly enslaved man, who purchased 5 acres around the area now known as Ridge Road at Fountain Lane and extending south to River Road. He named the settlement Ziontown, meaning Heavenly Place. The community grew to include about 50 homes with up to 275 residents. Subdivisions have encroached upon the area in recent decades. Last week’s celebration drew longtime residents, as well as those who grew up in the area and others with ties to the community, including the Lambert family, whose home in the 8300 block of Ridge Road served as the site of the dedication. Among the attendees are, from left, John A. Lambert Sr.; Richmond City Councilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert; Brenda Dabney Nichols, who led the marker effort; Richard A. Lambert; the Rev. Larry Collins; and Dr. Colita Nichols Fairfax.
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Richmond Free Press
James Harris Jr. knows the trials and tribulations of the therapy experience. Growing up in foster care after death and illness left his family torn, he took part in counseling services that he says did little to address his concerns and left him feeling disconnected both as a youth and later as a veteran. Now, Mr. Harris, who has a master’s in clinical mental health counseling, endeavors to provide a better alternative and bring greater attention to the stigmas surrounding mental health for boys, men and the underserved through his initiative, Men to Heal. “We are committed to presenting, addressing and enhancing the lives of people living with a mental illness, substance use and their families,” Mr. Harris says “We provide access to education, support, advocacy and resources to those in need.” Founded by Mr. Harris in 2018, Men to Heal seeks to stand out from the more individualized sessions typically expected of counseling. It prioritizes group therapy as a way to facilitate collaboration and vulnerability in the healing process. In the years since its creation, Men to Heal has aided more than 350 men and boys, and has formed partnerships with groups and nonprofits throughout the Richmond area. Mr. Harris continues to expand his therapy efforts, from books to social media and a board games he designed, “Cheesy Dates,” which is aimed at enhancing communication in friendships and relationships. His efforts also include The Healing Hub, a wellness center launched in 2019 that focuses on bringing outpatient therapy, yoga, education and other resources to the Richmond community. The Hub features not just Mr. Harris’ work, but seminars from others that are able to help those in need with mental health matters. “I wanted to normalize vulnerability, as opposed to equating
December 9-11, 2021 B3
Happenings Personality: James Harris Jr. Spotlight on founder of Men to Heal it with weakness,” Mr. Harris says. “Having an abundance of resources allows me to give back to my community.” On Saturday, Dec. 11, Men to Heal is hosting “Boys and Wings” for boys and men ages 10 to 100, Mr. Harris says. The event, to be held 1 to 5 p.m. at The Healing Hub, 916 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., will feature 10 sessions on topics and issues that many may have difficulty with, from anger management to grief and co-parenting. The event is just the latest of Mr. Harris’ work in counseling, which hasn’t slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic. He says his therapy work continued virtually, not just in Richmond but in sessions in several countries abroad. He says his work is beginning to transition back to in-person sessions. Considering how his experience with counseling first began decades earlier, Mr. Harris is more than aware—and happy— to see how far his work has taken him. “I’m in a position to make people feel comfortable to say ‘Hey, it’s somewhere I can go to display those feelings without being demonized and chastised,’” Mr. Harris says. “It’s been an awesome journey.” Meet an advocate in addressing mental health in Richmond and this week’s Personality, James Harris Jr.: No. 1 volunteer position: Founder, Men to Heal and The Healing Hub. Occupation: Entrepreneur and therapist. Date and place of birth: March 26 in Richmond. Where I live now: Chesterfield County. Education: Bachelor’s in clinical psychology and master’s in clini-
cal mental health counseling. Family: Fiancée, Brandi Johnson, and daughters, Brianna and Peyton. What Men to Heal does: Assists men to focus on their overall wellness, mental, emotional and physical health. I conduct sessions on various topics involving boys/men and mental health. I also own The Healing Hub (@the_healing_hub-rva), which offers outpatient therapy, massages, yoga, mindfulness, seminars (financial literacy, first-time home buying, voter education, restoration of rights, LGBTQ+ to name a few). We also have monthly groups, bonding groups, for veterans, families, men’s support groups, clothing drives, toiletry drives and a feeding program every third Saturday. Why asking for help is especially hard for Black men: Many are raised not to. Historically, what goes on in a house stays in a house is how many are raised.
Some are bound to religion. They can give their troubles to God or pray it away. A select few tried asking for help but probably were outcast or demonized for being too sensitive or less than a “man.” Some don’t have anyone they feel will relate or can assist without judgement or shame. How Men to Heal normalizes therapy: By allowing people to ignore Hollywood Therapy, come into the room, sit on the couch and disclose your deep dark secrets. Instead, it’s a collaborative, cohesive process of rapport building and a unique experience to that individual. Each person is different, each person has their own resilience level. Reality therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy allow people to feel free and validated. How Men to Heal addresses anger and aggression: Men are educated on why they potentially display anger and how to manage their anger among other things. Education around these topics is engaging and needed to have this information passed to the next person. Many are taught how to handle conflict or how to engage in calm manners. Men to Heal and COVID-19: To many, the pandemic was a troubling time. Some took time to rest, some took time to catch up on things that they couldn’t otherwise do. For this movement, everything shifted online during the pandemic and has just started back with in-person sessions and community engagement activities. I had the pleasure of speaking at five different countries, hosting virtual workshops and training throughout the pandemic. Men to Heal and grief/depres-
sion: Educating the masses on grief has been one of the major components. Helping people identify depression and treating it has also been a staple in the movement. A lot of males still feel that depression is solely for women. Once they are educated on symptoms and ways to address it, they become more interested in their growth. Depression in men can look different than in women -- the anger and irritability piece in addition to the lack of interest and pleasure, appetite change, sleeping changes and suicidal thoughts. Mental health care for Black men in Richmond is: This is a continuously growing space. Many are seeking assistance and taking referrals. A lot also are coming to my functions in the community to identify areas they need to address. The power of resting: It is highly important to rest as much as you can. The ability to do it when you can and not being forced to because of medical conditions is good. It’s OK to recharge and recover. The power of exercise: One should not only exercise the physical but the mental as well. The mind and body are connected and feed off each other. Exercise allows us to fight off certain health issues, prevent issues and feel good in our appearance and self. Exercise is found to release chemicals called endorphins in the brain, which improve mood. The power of meditation: The wild thing is a lot of people don’t know how to breathe. The power of grounding and centering yourself is a great tool to have. Meditation and mindfulness induce a heightened state of awareness and focused attention. This practice can help
Mending Walls: The Documentary Thirty artists create a groundbreaking public art project about empathy and racial justice in the documentary “Mending Walls,” presented on public television by VPM. Courtesy of Katrina Ta�art-Hecksher
CONNECTED TO WHAT SPARKS CONVERSATION. CONNECTED TO WHAT MATTERS. As Virginia’s home for public media, we bring you relevant news and local storytelling to foster a greater understanding of our state, our neighbors and our world. VPM.org
relieve stress as well as manage anxiety, reduce inflammation and improve memory and attention to boot. Encouragement for someone having a challenging day: Take a piece of paper and affirm yourself. Write down all the positive and unique things about yourself. Focus on the positive and not the negative. A perfect day is: Bonding with my family. How I quiet my mind: Meditation and deep breathing. My daily self-care routine: Meditation in the morning, exercise (lift and run), then kickboxing. Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: Play Monopoly. Quote that inspires me: Something I said at age 16 sitting on the edge of the bed in the group home: “If they can feed you, they can starve you.” You have to be in a position to take care of yourself. My friends describe me as: Someone who is willing to be different and someone who always helps others. At the top of my “to-do” list: Continue to annoy my daughters. Give them as much of my time as possible. Food and mental health: Leafy green foods and protein. Metaphorical food: You want to be careful with everything you digest or consume. That can be media, social media, news, things in the community and all. Person who influenced me the most: I can’t say that I had a positive influence. I saw the mistakes of others and learned what not to do. Book that influenced me the most: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. Next goal: To sell a thousand more shirts, a thousand more copies of “Man, Just Express Yourself!” and thousands of “Cheesy Date” board games.
Richmond Free Press
B4 December 9-11, 2021
Holiday Feature
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Richmond is all decked out and ready for the holiday, starting with a bevy of events last weekend. The city’s Downtown skyline was all lit up with RVA Illuminates last Friday, along with lights at Kanawha Plaza.
Decked out for the holidays On Saturday, more than 85 units in the 38th Annual Dominion Energy Christmas Parade made the 2½-mile trek down Broad Street to the delight of young and old alike who clapped, cheered, waved and laughed as huge inflatable characters passed by, like Patient First’s Kung Fu Panda and the Puritan Cleaners’ vest-wearing bear. Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
There was music, including from the Virginia State University Trojan Explosion Marching Band, left, and the Petersburg High School Marching Band. And there were dancers, who showed off their moves, such as one costumed youngster with Richmond Urban Dance.
Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press
Characters interacted with youngsters along the parade route. Nutzy, the mascot of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, shows off his holiday attire. A stilt-walking clown gives a high-five to a child in the crowd.
Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
And there were officials, including Blanche Moore, Henrico Christmas Mother 2021, and Mayor Levar M. Stoney and members of City Council and others who waved to the crowd from their floats.
Richmond Free Press
Faith News/Directory
African faith leaders combat fake cures for COVID-19 clergy and unify their churches against faith healing and other NAIROBI, Kenya practices. When some African church “All these pronunciations, pastors ordered their followers fake testimonies and things to eat grass or gulp petrol or like these are really destructive. even drink poison-laced water, They are not life-giving, but their congregations have obeyed life frustrating,” said the Rev. the instructions, thinking the Fidon Mwombeki, a Tanzanian practices would bring them Lutheran pastor who is the gencloser to God. eral secretary of the AACC. Many other pastors take Based in Nairobi, the AACC their wellness advice a notch is the continent’s largest ashigher, claiming to heal con- sociation of Protestant, Angliditions such as disability and can, Orthodox and Indigenous barrenness and diseases such churches and has a presence in as HIV and AIDS, and, more 42 countries. It brings together recently, coronavirus. It’s not churches, national councils of unheard of for pastors to hold churches, theological and lay their congregations spellbound training institutions and other as they promise to bring the Christian organizations. dead back to life. Since 2019, the group has In recent years the All Af- organized three symposiums in rica Conference of Churches, which theologians, clerics and an umbrella group for several lay Christians have met to exProtestant denominations on plore the subject of misinformathe continent, has moved to tion. Some of the themes tackled combat theological claims that in the prior conferences include harm Christians, holding a se- power and authority, wealth and ries of symposiums to educate poverty, government regulation
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)
Religion News Service
Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church
1408 W. Leigh Street · Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 358—6403
Dr. Alonza L. Lawrence, Pastor
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.
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Fredrick Nzwili/Religion News Service
Participants at the third symposium on misleading theologies in Nairobi hold group discussions Nov. 22.
of religious organizations, and health and healing. “If we don’t pay attention, (misleading theologies) will undermine human dignity and put the lives of people at stake. You see in some churches the minister sending people out to eat grass. This is unacceptable,” said the Rev. Bosela Eale of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, AACC’s director of theology, interfaith relations and leadership, at the most recent symposium held in late
Please visit our website Ebenezer Baptist Church Richmond, VA for updates http://www.richmondebenezer.com Dr. Wallace J. Cook, Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. Adam L. Bond, Pastor
November in Nairobi. The theologians are warning against dangerous teachings and practices such as prosperity gospel; sexual abuses in demonic exorcism and blessing for fertility; the use of toxic substances and liquids in religious rites; and demanding huge sums of money for prayers and pastoral services, among others. Religious observers say many of the worst abuses of theology come in faith healing.
Worship With Us This Week!
2901 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 648-2472 ~ www.mmbcrva.org Dr. Price London Davis, Senior Pastor
Riverview
Baptist Church
Thirty-first Street Baptist Church
Sunday School – 9:30 AM Sunday Services – 11:00 AM Via Conference Call (202) 926-1127 Pin 572890# In person Sunday Service also on FACEBOOK and YouTube 2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org
#
Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor
hristian 9-11, 2021 B5 1 years of CDecember ting 15 Serv a r b i ce ele
Good Shepherd Baptist Church 1127 North 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223 s Office: (804) 644-1402 Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor “There’s A Place for You”
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e with Reverence elevanc R g in Rev. Dr. Joshua Mitchell, Senior Pastor bin ❖ om
The doors of the church are open for worship! No registration required. Join us in person or online on Facebook or YouTube
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https://youtu.be/qqzhnIEQyQc for inspirational messages from Pastor Smith
10:30 a.m. Sundays
“The Church With A Welcome”
Sharon Baptist Church
Broad Rock Baptist Church 5106 Walmsley Blvd., Richmond, VA 23224 804-276-2740 • 804-276-6535 (fax) www.BRBCONLINE.org
500 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222 www.sharonbaptistchurchrichmond.org (804) 643-3825 Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor
Sunday, December 12, 2021
9:00 AM Church School 10:00 AM Morning Worship Deacons, Deaconess, Trustees Day Theme: “Doing God’s Work His Way” Speaker: Rev. Pernell Johnson (Pastor, First Baptist Midlothian, VA)
Back Inside!
“Due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, Services Are Cancelled, until further notice; but, please join us, by visiting BRBCOnline.org or YouTube (Broad Rock Baptist Church).”
“MAKE IT HAPPEN”
823 North 31st Street Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 226-0150 Office
“Working For You In This Difficult Hour”
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Pastor Kevin Cook
7M\XL &ETXMWX 'LYVGL 8LIQI JSV 1SFMPM^MRK *SV 1MRMWXV] 6IJVIWLMRK 8LI 3PH ERH )QIVKMRK 8LI 2I[ A 21st Century Church With Ministry For Everyone
We Embrace Diversity — Love For All! Come worship with us! Sunday Service will not be held in our sanctuary. Join us for 11:00 AM Worship by going to our website www.sixthbaptistchurch.org
Twitter sixthbaptistrva
Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor
400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220
(near Byrd Park)
(804) 359-1691 or 359-3498 Facebook Fax (804) 359-3798 sixthbaptistrva www.sixthbaptistchurch.org
Joseph Jenkins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. 2011-2049 Grayland Avenue Richmond, Virginia 23220 (804) 358-9177
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Joseph Jenkins, Jr., Founder (Dec. 19, 1938 - Dec. 9, 2006) Joseph Jenkins, III. • Jason K. Jenkins • Maxine T. Jenkins
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Richmond Free Press
B6 December 9-11, 2021
Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Monday, December 13, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the Second Floor of City Hall, located at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, to consider the following ordinances: Ordinance No. 2021-334 To amend Ord. No. 2021040, adopted May 24, 2021, which adopted the Fiscal Year 20212022 General Fund Budget and made appropriations pursuant thereto, to (i) create a new line item in the NonDepartmental agency entitled “Public Safety Employee COVID-19 Hazard Bonuses,” (ii) transfer $5,000,000.00 from the “Reserve for Contingencies - First Responder Hazard Pay (ARPA)” line item in the NonDepartmental agency, and (iii) appropriate such $5,000,000.00 to the new “Public Safety Employee COVID-19 Hazard Bonuses” line item in the Non-Departmental agency, all for the purpose of providing funds for the payment of onetime bonuses to certain eligible City employees who perform public safety functions. Ordinance No. 2021-335 To amend section II of the Pay Plan by adding therein a new subsection (D) providing for the payment of one-time bonuses to certain eligible City employees who perform public safety functions. Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so by following the instructions referenced in the December 13, 2021 Richmond City Council Formal meeting agenda. Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at https:// www.rva.gov/office-cityclerk, and in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Candice D. Reid City Clerk
Divorce VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND STACEY LEE ROSA, Plaintiff v. VINCENT ROSA, Defendant. Case No.: CL21-4646-5 ORDER OF PUBLICATION Came this day the Plaintiff, upon her Complaint for divorce filed in the abovestyled case and her Affidavit for Order of Publication for service of the Complaint on the Defendant. The object of this suit is to put the Defendant on notice of the Plaintiff’s Complaint for divorce in the above-styled case. It appearing from Plaintiff’s Affidavit that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the location of the Defendant and that the Defendant’s whereabouts are unknown, it is ORDERED that the Defendant is required to appear before this Court on or before the 21st day of January, 2022 at 9:00 AM, to protect his interests. An Extract, Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk
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Lowry, to obtain a divorce from the bonds of matrimony from Defendant, Leroy J. Jackson, III, on the ground of having lived separate and apart, without cohabitation and without interruption, for a period in excess of one year, and it appearing from an 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 the 10th day of January, 2022 at 9:00 AM, and do what is necessary to protect his interest herein. An Extrat Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER SHELBY NOEL, Plaintiff v. RONIQUE MOORE, Defendant. Case No.: CL21003812-00 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 18th day of January, 2022 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 FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER D’JUANA FORD-THEUS, Plaintiff v. RASUEL THEUS, Defendant. Case No.: CL21001887-00 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 12th day of January, 2022 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Esquire Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER AVRAHAM LUCHTENBERG, Plaintiff v. SARAH LUCHTENBERG, Defendant. Case No.: CL21003769-00 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 12th day of January, 2022 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
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VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER HARRY HOLMES, Plaintiff v. EUNICE HOLMES, Defendant. Case No.: CL21003000-00 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 10th day of January, 2022 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 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER TAMEAKIA WISEMAN, Plaintiff v. LATISHA HATCHWISEMAN, Defendant. Case No.: CL21003704-00 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 5th day of January, 2022 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 FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER KAHLA SCOTT, Plaintiff v. MICHAEL SCOTT, Defendant. Case No.: CL21000989-00 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 is a nonresident, appear here on or before the 3rd day of January, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667
Property
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO DIANE K. LOWRY, Plaintiff v. LEROY J. JACKSON, III, Defendant. Case No.: CL19-5813 AMENDED ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this action is for Plaintiff, Diane K.
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER ANNYA PHILLIPS, Plaintiff v. WILLIAM PHILLIPS, Defendant. Case No.: CL21003719-00 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 12th day of January, 2022 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
Notice Judicial Sale of Real Property Owner/s of the below listed properties are hereby given notice that thirty (30) days from the date of this notice, proceedings will be commenced under the authority of Section 58.13965 et seq. of the Code of Virginia to sell the following parcels located in the City of Richmond, Virginia for payment of delinquent taxes: 1504 North 19th Street E0000930021 813 Akron Street N0180504006 2219 Bainbridge Street S0000485028 205 West Blake Lane S0001479027 3410 Carolina Avenue N0001161006 3201 Cliff Avenue N0001142019 3700 Crutchfield Street S0002467008 3030 Dorset Road C0080507050 1300 Goddin Street E0002405016 936 Halsey Lane C0050685024 2100 Harwood Street S0071180006 401 Mitchell Street N0000222014 419 Mitchell Street N0000222003 1264 Moore Street N0000619081 3322 Meadow Bridge Road N0001366010 611 Pensacola Avenue N0001561003 1704 Peter Paul Boulevard E0000946011 1907 Peter Paul Boulevard E0120425004 1426 Rogers Street E0000768008 2913 Seminary Avenue
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VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO TANIESHA LATONA, Plaintiff, v. ADEBAYO LATONA, Defendant. Case No. CL20002375-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of the abovestyled suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the Defendant on the grounds that the parties have lived separate and apart, without any cohabitation and without any interruption, for a period of more than one year. It appearing by affidavit filed according to law that the Defendant, Adebayo Latona, is not a resident of the State of Virginia and that his last known address is in the country of Nigeria, it is therefore ORDERED that Defendant, ADEBAYO LATONA, appear before this Court on or before the 3rd day of January 2022, and do what is necessary to protect his interests in this suit. An Extract Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk
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N0000864021 103 Tynick Street S0001121014 5756 Ullswater Avenue C0070353008 2414 Warwick Avenue S0071678004 The owner/s of any property listed may redeem it at any time before the date of the sale by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, interest and cost thereon, including the pro rata costs of publication hereunder. Gregory A. Lukanuski, Deputy City Attorney Office of the City Attorney for the City of Richmond 900 East Broad Street, Room 400 Richmond, Virginia (804) 646-7949
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO STEPHANIE JONES, Plaintiff, v. SHALENA VAZQUEZ; VIRGINIA CREDIT UNION INC.; TRANSPORT CONTRACTORS, L.L.C; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF POSIE BERKLEY; ALEXANDER ELLETT,
JR., and if deceased, Heirs at-law of Alexander Ellett, Jr.; The Unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/ or successors in title to Daisy Janette Ellett, Florence Ellett Sellars, Posie Berkley, Alexander Ellett, Jr., and Shalena Vazquez, if any there be, the consorts of any of the said unknown heirs who are married, the lien creditors of the said unknown heirs, if any, and other persons who may have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, whose names are unknown and are included in the general description of “UNKNOWN HEIRS and PARTIES UNKNOWN” SERVE: By Order of Publication, Defendants. Case No.: 21-5859 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to claim title to a certain parcel of land situated in the County of Henrico, Virginia, being previously owned by Daisy Janette Ellett, more particularly described as follows: Parcel B which contains 1.691 acres, situated south of Battlefield Park Road and west of Route No. 5, Varina District, Henrico County, Virginia. The unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/or successors in title to Daisy Janette Ellett, Florence Ellett Sellars, Posie Berkley, and Alexander Ellett, Jr., if deceased have or might have an interest in the property by deed, by inheritance, or by duly recorded liens. Shalena Vazquez may have or might have an interest in the property by virtue of deed from Donald Tyler to Shalena Vazquez of Transport Contractors, LLC, a Virginia corporation…, dated August 15, 2021 and recorded on August 16, 2012, in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Henrico County, Virginia in Deed Book 5026, page 941. Affidavit having been made and filed that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the identities and/or locations of certain parties to be served, and that there are or might be persons whose names are unknown, interested in the subject matter of this suit; It is ORDERED that the unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/or successors in title to Daisy Janette Ellett; Florence Ellett Sellars; Posie Berkley; and Alexander Ellett, Jr., if living and if not living, their heirs at-law; Shalena Vazquez, and other unknown heirs or parties who have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, who are proceeded against as Unknown Heirs and Parties Unknown, appear before Court on or before January 3, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. to protect their interests, if any, in this suit. An Extract Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk I ask for this: Curtis D. Gordon, Esq., V.S.B. #25325 Lynn M. Tucker, Esq., V.S.B.
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VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. JOSUE ORLELLANA FUENTES, et al, Defendants. Case No.: CL21-4300 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2450 Hey Road, Tax Map Number C008-0809/050, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Josue Orlellana Fuentes. An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, JOSUE ORLELLANA FUENTES, 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 JOSUE ORLELLANA FUENTES, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before JANUARY 20, 2022 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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#25384 Jason Shaber, Esq., V.S.B. #96186 DANKOS, GORDON & TUCKER, P.C. 1360 East Parham Road, Suite 200 Richmond, VA 23228 Telephone: (804) 262-8000 Facsimile: (804) 262-8088 Email: cgordon@ dankosgordon.com Email: ltucker@ dankosgordon.com Email: jshaber@ dankosgordon.com Counsel for Plaintiff
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
Part-Time Church Drummer
VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND TAMMY HARRELL SIMMS, and DINO HARRELL, Plaintiffs, v. TOMMY HARRELL, HAZEL DOCKERY, (a/k/a Hazel D. Richardson) JOHN WALTER HARRELL, JR., and MARY ANN HARRELL, Defendants. Case No. CL21-3530-5 ORDER OF PUBLICATION Came this day the Plaintiffs, upon their Complaint for Partition of Real Estate filed in the above-styled case and their Affidavits for Order of Publication for service of the Complaint on the Defendants. The object of this suit is to put the Defendants on notice of the Plaintiffs’ Complaint for the Partition of Real Estate in the above-styled case. It appearing from Plaintiff’s Affidavit that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the location of the Defendants and that the Defendants’ whereabouts are unknown, it is ORDERED that the Defendants are required to appear before this Court on or before December 22, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. to protect their interests. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk I ask for this: Ryan H. Ash (VSB # 81819) Blackburn, Conte, Schilling & Click, P.C. 300 West Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 Phone: (804) 782-1111 Fax: (804) 648-3914
License The Book Bar LLC Trading as: The Book Bar 1311 E. Main Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 The above establishment is applying to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Krystle Dandridge, Owner 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.
Mount Olive Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia is seeking a self-motivated parttime drummer to play the drum-set in various worship services of the church. This position will remain opened until filled. Applicants may pick up an application from the church office or submit a resume in lieu of an application to: Mount Olive Baptist Church, 8775 Mt. Olive Avenue, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060. The e-mail address is mstyles@mobcva.org, and the fax number is (804) 262-2397. For more information, please call (804)-262-9614 ext. 227 A Criminal History Background Check is required.
Part-Time Financial Secretary 20 hours per week Salary Commensurate with Experience Preferred candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance or related field or have similar experiences. Candidate must possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Knowledge of bookkeeping, financial records management, and Microsoft Office Suites. Minimum of 2-3 years of financial secretary experience required. Applicants may pick up an application from the church office or submit a resume in lieu of an application to: Mount Olive Baptist Church, 8775 Mt. Olive Avenue, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060. The e-mail address is mstyles@mobcva.org, and the fax number is (804) 262-2397. For more information, please call (804)-262-9614 ext. 227 A Criminal History Background Check is required.
Minister Of Music Salary Commensurate with Experience Mount Olive Baptist Church in Glen Allen is seeking a full-time Music Director to oversee the music ministry of the church. Ability to read music is required. Candidate must play piano, organ, and keyboard. Candidate must play hymns, anthems, and gospel (contemporary and traditional). Must possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills. Preferred candidate will have a degree in music from an accredited college or university. Minimum of 2-3 years of music director experience required. This position will be opened until filled. Previous applicants do not need to reapply. Applicants may pick up an application from the church office or submit a resume in lie of an application to: Mount Olive Baptist Church, 8775 Mount Olive Avenue, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060. The e-mail address is mstyles@mobcva.org, and the fax is (804) 262-9614 ext. 227 For more information please call (804) 262-9614 A Criminal History Background Check is required.
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