Richmond Free Press March 2-4, 2023 edition

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond casino advocates rejoiced as the General Assembly adjourned without blocking the city’s authority to hold a second referendum in November on whether the state’s capital city should host a casino-resort.

The General Assembly ended the 2023 session Saturday after passing an extremely limited budget bill that included no language concerning

casinos, a blow to advocates of Petersburg, who had hoped to supplant Richmond as a casino city as a result of Richmond voters narrowly rejecting a gambling operation in 2021.

The final budget bill dealt with only a few matters, including a fix for a $250 million mistake the Youngkin administration made in public school funding and an increase in funding for a string of capital projects whose costs have increased due to inflation.

Still, neither Mayor Levar M. Stoney nor any member of City Council has introduced legislation to restart the casino initiative, given that the legislature could return for a special session. Senate and House negotiators are still trying to craft a deal on spending about $3 billion in surplus funds left unallocated, though both sides are still far apart. If they can close the gap, casino language could still be included, though, for now, that seems a distant prospect.

The Democrat controlled Senate is pushing to spend more of the surplus to address salaries of government workers and teachers as well as shortcomings in public education and mental health. The House has been pressing for returning more of the surplus to taxpayers.

As expected, one house or the other killed controversial legislation involving gun control,

Bagby wins ‘firehouse’ primary in quest for Senate seat

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Henrico Delegate Lamont Bagby has made a fast start in his quest to succeed Jennifer L. McClellan in the state Senate.

Delegate Bagby received 72 percent of the votes cast Sunday in the Democratic Party’s “firehouse” primary to win the nomination over two rivals, Alexsis Rodgers and Richmond Delegate Dawn M. Adams.

He now only must get by little-known Republican Stephen Imholt, 70, in the special election set for Tuesday, March 28, to gain the 9th Senate District seat.

Sen. McClellan is giving up the seat representing Richmond, Charles City County and parts of Henrico and Hanover counties to go to Congress. She won a Feb. 21 special election to replace the late A. Donald McEachin as the representative for the 4th Congressional District, and is to be sworn into her new office Tuesday, March 7.

“I am thrilled about the energy voters showed and am grateful for the support,” the 46-year-old Bagby, chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, texted.

A member of the House since 2015, Delegate Bagby won credit from party leaders for backing away from a challenge to Sen. McClellan after she decided to seek the congressional seat.

Though Mayor Levar M. Stoney and Congresswoman-elect McClellan did not issue endorsements, Delegate Bagby still gained backing from a major chunk of state and local elected officials.

He also secured significant support from prominent members of the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Richmond and Vicinity,

RPS superintendent’s chief of staff resigns

By Holly Rodriguez Michelle Hudacsko, chief of staff for Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras, has resigned.

In an email addressed to Mr. Kamras and the RPS School Board less than a week ago, Ms. Hudacsko announced her last day of employment with the school division would

be Feb. 28.

“It has been a privilege serving RPS students, family and staff over the past five years,” she said in announcing her resignation. She cited accomplishments during her tenure, including navigating the school division through the COVID pandemic, facilities improvements, managing the budget, the collective bargaining agreement and more.

Virginia Supreme Court approves ‘Waverly Two’ appeal

By George Copeland Jr.

The Supreme Court of Virginia has approved a hearing for an appeal that could lead to the exoneration of a Sussex County man sentenced to life in jail for a murder he was acquitted of decades earlier.

Last Friday, New York Attorney Jarrett Adams announced that the Supreme Court had granted an appeal for a petition filed by Terrence Richardson, who was sentenced to life with Ferrone

Fathers and figures

Claiborne for the murder of Waverly County Police Officer Allen W. Gibson in 1998.

The decision came 10 days after Mr. Adams, who represents the families of Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne, presented his arguments for an evidentiary hearing to three Supreme Court justices.

“Arguments are subject to the Court’s docketing, but Mr. Richardson is hopeful that his case

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But Ms. Hudacsko was critical of the “hostile and toxic environment that some members of the RPS School Board have created and actively perpetuate on a daily basis . . .,” and said the students ultimately pay the price for the often adversarial interactions between some members of the School Board and Mr. Kamras.

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Mr. & Mrs. Stoney

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff

The Associated Press CHICAGO

Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson will meet in a runoff to be the next mayor of Chicago after voters denied incumbent Lori Lightfoot a second term, issuing a rebuke to a leader who made history as head of the nation’s third largest city.

Mr. Vallas, a former schools CEO backed by the police union, and Johnson, a Cook County commissioner endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union, advanced to the April 4 runoff after none of the nine candidates was able to secure more than 50 percent of the vote on

Tuesday to win outright.

Ms. Lightfoot, the first Black woman and first openly gay person to lead the city, won

ing to various news sources. Photos were posted on the mayor’s social media pages, which the Free Press was given permission to publish.

“The only other info I have is that the wedding took place last Thursday afternoon in Charleston, S.C.,” said Mayor Stoney’s spokesman Jim Nolan. Best wishes to the happy couple.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Susan Swecker, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, left, stands with Delegate Lamont Bagby after he received the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 9th Senate District on Monday.

Lawmakers end session with lean budget and no mention of casino

Ms. Hudacsko

Ms. Lightfoot

Cityscape

Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

Embattled RPS employee continues fight for her job

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

A 14-year Richmond Public Schools teacher and social worker is battling a second attempt to fire her — this time for failing to show up to work in a position that apparently never was offered to her.

The veteran RPS employee is Robin Spears, whom Superintendent Jason Kamras previously sought to fire for allegedly hitting an out-of-control second-grader in 2021 despite she and other witnesses disputing the claim and the case being dismissed in court.

The latest twist in Ms. Spears’ saga with RPS is raising questions about the Kamras administration’s treatment of employees.

RPS’ policy is not to comment on personnel issues, making it difficult to get the administration’s side. However, the Free Press has obtained documents that raise substantial questions.

The latest issue surfaced Monday in a letter that Timothy Williams, director of employee relations, issued to Ms. Spears.

In it, he notified Ms. Spears she was being suspended from RPS for failing to show up to work for more than five consecutive days without approval. She has been on leave with pay since the 2021 incident involving the child.

Her legal representative, Sa’ad El-Amin, said Ms. Spears is appealing, noting that she “never was offered a new contract, never was told where she was going to work, nor told where she was to report.”

He said Ms. Spears, despite being paid, has not had an RPS assignment since the charge of assault and battery was dismissed in court last year.

According to documents provided to the Free Press, Mr. Williams notified Ms. Spears on Feb. 3 that she was to have a new assignment, but provided no details. The documents indicated that Mr. Williams agreed to wait for her return from a funeral for the uncle who had raised her to speak with her further about the new assignment.

The documents indicate that Ms. Spears returned on Feb. 6, notified Mr. Williams and other school officials, but never received any update on the assignment or a contract agreement listing the salary, the job duties and the reporting location.

In Mr. El-Amin’s view, “This is just another jerk-around,” he said.

Youngkin’s schools chief resigns after department missteps

The Associated Press

Jillian Balow, Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s superintendent of public instruction, announced her resignation Wednesday in a letter to the governor that did not offer a specific reason for her departure.

The Department of Education has faced criticism for recent missteps, including an error in a mathematical formula the agency provides to local K-12 school divisions that led schools to expect more state funding than they were set to receive.

“I am grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to serve the children and families of Virginia and I continue to strongly support you and your vision for education in Virginia. I am particularly proud of the fact that we advanced your agenda for education over the past two successful General Assembly sessions,” Ms. Balow wrote in her letter, which the department shared in a news release.

Gov. Youngkin’s press office did not respond to a question from The Associated Press about whether the governor asked Ms. Balow to step down, instead offering a one-sentence statement.

“The Governor thanks Superintendent Balow for her service to the Commonwealth and her work in advancing the Governor’s education agenda to empower parents and restore excellence in education,” spokeswoman Macaulay Porter said.

Emergency communications graduates 13 dispatchers to improve services

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

More dispatchers have joined Richmond’s 911 staff, reducing vacancies in a critical element of public safety.

The city Department of Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response reported graduating 13 people Feb. 24 from its academy, the largest number of new emergency communications officer graduates since at least 2016. Director Stephen Willoughby said that the new staff members will help to improve service and provide relief to the overworked staff in place.

Before the new graduates arrived, the department reported operating with 33 percent fewer people than authorized, 56 full-time and one part-time person. The department reported 28.5 vacancies of the

85 authorized positions.

According to news reports, people found themselves waiting on hold for 2 minutes or more in seeking a response. Richmond is not alone. The National Emergency Number Association has reported a 911 staffing crisis exists across the country.

And it is not just dispatchers. The Richmond Police Department is short about 150 officers, while the Sheriff’s Department is down at least 170 people.

In the case of emergency dispatchers, the city has sought to make the position more attractive by pay. Mr. Willoughby also has been authorized to increase recruiting and hold at least four training academies a year to build up the staff.

The next training is scheduled for mid-April, and the department hopes

to have 10 to 13 people in that class as well.

The department also stated the public can help improve response times by following a few simple rules, including dialing 911 only to seek immediate help from police, fire or emergency medical services.

For less urgent calls, the department encourages people to use the non-emergency number, (804) 646-5100, to seek assistance or to report or request help through the 311 system.

Also, anyone who calls 911 is encouraged to stay on the line if they get a recording and are put on hold.

The department stated that it answers calls in the order they are received. Hanging up and calling back puts that call at the back of the line.

Council raises percentage of vehicle tax owners must pay

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond vehicle owners can expect to see bigger personal property tax bills for their cars and trucks this year.

As approved by City Council on Monday, owners will have to pick up a bigger share of the tax – 63.4 percent, up from 50 percent last year.

A major reason is that the state’s car tax relief program is losing value to inflation even as vehicle prices go up.

Instituted by former Gov. Jim Gilmore and the General Assembly more than 20 years ago, the program delivers a flat $16.08 million yearly to Richmond for relief from the vehicle tax. As car prices rise rather than depreciate, those state dollars cover a smaller fraction of the tax the city imposes.

The city has maintained its tax at $3.70 per $100 of value on cars and small trucks and $2.30 per $100 of value on trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds, and there have been no council discussions of reducing the rate.

Tax relief is 100 percent for vehicles valued at $1,000 or less, according to the Finance Department. The relief program reduces the tax by the percentage set by the council, this year 36.6 percent, but only for the value of vehicles between $1,000 and $20,000, the department notes. Owners of more valuable vehicles are billed the full tax on assessed values over $20,000.

In a bid to reduce the impact, Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration last year received council approval to impose a stairstep approach. In 2022, the city provided 50 percent tax relief. Owners will get a smaller discount this year, and then pay their full share of the city tax due next year, according to the program.

In the example the city used, the owner of a passenger car valued at $18,030 would have owed $464 in tax after the car tax relief was applied, but that was shaved to $331 under the city’s approach, a $133 savings. This year, the city’s tax discount on a car valued at $18,000 is to be cut to $67 and eliminated next year.

Vigil for Summer

Fourteen days after Summer Fuller, 31, was murdered in the 4200 block of Chamberlayne Avenue, allegedly by her boyfriend, Novita Fuller spoke at the vigil for her niece. Ms. Fuller’s mother, Yvette Fuller, is shown consoling her sister. Right, Charles Willis read Bible passages at the vigil in Ms. Fuller’s memory.

In other business Monday night, the council approved spending $3.5 million on improvements to the current Diamond baseball stadium to allow the Richmond Flying Squirrels to play. Major League Baseball required the improvements in order for the team to continue to use the stadium amid continuing talks about developing a replacement stadium.

The council also authorized the Stoney administration to participate in a settlement with five companies that were sued for over-distribution of opioid medications, including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Teva and Allergan. The amount the city is to receive was not disclosed. Last year, the city received about $1 million from a similar settlement with four other companies.

The council also cleared the way for Virginia Union University to receive a $1 million state grant that passed through the city to improve campus security and for the Moore Street School Foundation to receive a $75,000 preservation grant to plan for stabilization of the historic building attached to Carver Elementary School.

Encore puts Henrico government retirees back to work

Free Press staff report

Henrico is launching a program to entice dozens of its retired county government employees to return to temporary, part-time positions to address critical staffing needs in public safety and mental health.

Under the Henrico County Encore Program, individuals who apply and are rehired in designated positions will be paid at the hourly rate they received at the time of their retirement, rather than a lower, prevailing market rate. Officials today announced the program and its tagline – “The Right Time for Part Time” — and posted on the county’s recruitment website five position classifications that

qualify for the incentivized compensation:

• Police officer in School Services, also known as school resource officer

• 911 public safety dispatcher

• Mental Health and Developmental Services clinician

• Firefighter – C.A.R.E. Team, community risk reduction/public education, fire marshal’s office, training, professional standards and medical transport

• Sheriff’s deputy Officials said the Henrico County Encore Program represents a nimble response to a highly competitive job market, in which public and private sector employers are struggling to attract

qualified candidates for vacant positions. Like other municipalities, Henrico’s staffing needs are particularly acute in the specialized areas of public safety. As a result of the challenges, agencies often are forced to pay overtime to full-time employees to maintain services.

“The Henrico County Encore Program is tailored to help us address immediate, critical staffing needs in our Police and Fire divisions, Emergency Communications Center, Sheriff’s Office and Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services,” County Manager John A. Vithoulkas said. “We’re looking to tap a proven talent pool — our loyal, retired employees. They have the qualifications, experience

and training to help us meet the service needs of our community.”

To qualify for the Henrico County Encore Program, applicants must have been retired from Henrico’s general government for at least six months and must have successfully completed their probationary period during their full-time employment. Individuals who are hired through the competitive process must have the flexibility to work various shifts and in different section areas depending on department needs. Employees will be classified as hourly or temporary employees and will be limited to a maximum average of 29 hours per week or 1,500 hours within a 12-month period.

Members of the news media recently toured William Fox Elementary School more than a year after a late-night fire started in the Fan District school’s roof on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. Hard hats were required to walk the charred, water-damaged halls of the school on Feb. 22. Built in 1911, school officials estimate it will take at least two years to rebuild and reopen the beloved Hanover Avenue neighborhood school.

Photos by Julianne Tripp

Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

abortion and even health care.

Members are cheering substantial legislation that did get approved.

One area of agreement came on regulation of utilities. Both the Senate and House, with the support of Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin, agreed to end a deregulation experiment and restore the State Corporation Commission’s authority to regulate electricity rates for Dominion Energy and Apalachian Power.

Richmond state Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan, who is on her way to a Congressional seat, was among the patrons. She indicated that the legislation could lead to a reduction of $20 or more a month in most consumer bills, as it eliminates surcharges and allows the big utilities to take up to 10 years to be reimbursed for higher fuel costs to generate power.

The legislature also cracked down on previously unregulated edible hemp-based products to reduce the amount of THC, the chemical that gets people high, that can be included.

Also, the legislature for the first time directed the state Department of Corrections to ensure that prisoners in solitary confinement have at least four hours daily of contact with other individuals to reduce the mental health issues that such confinement can cause.

The House and Senate both agreed that companies should no longer be allowed to force employees to sign non-disclosure agreements to force them to keep silent about sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct claims, though language that would have largely ended the use of confidentiality agreements to bar employee disclosure of other misconduct was stripped out to the disappointment of advocates.

The General Assembly also approved legislation to make it easier for short-handed law enforcement agencies to bring back retirees. Legislation was approved that allows retirees to keep collecting their pension and still work full time if they wait just six months to rejoin the force.

The legislature also approved Richmond Delegate Delores L. McQuinn’s legislation aimed at protecting public transit driv-

ers from passenger assaults. The legislation bars judges from completely suspending sentences in such cases and imposes a mandatory six-month jail term when someone is convicted.

Richmond Delegate Jeffrey M. Bourne, who is not seeking re-election, cited several pieces of his legislation that passed, including a bill extending the length of school zones a total of 1,500 feet to reduce speeding and another bill that will provide property owners up to six years to pay off back real estate taxes,

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which he said helped get “souls to the polls.”

According to the state Democratic Party, Delegate Bagby won 4,726 of the 6,525 votes cast at four polling places, receiving the majority at all four.

Ms. Rodgers, an organizer for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, finished with 1,375 votes and Delegate Adams received 424 votes, the party reported.

This victory is only temporary, and there could be a rematch in a June Democratic primary.

As a result of redistricting, the 9th Senate District has been reshaped and renumbered as the 14th Senate District, which includes a big chunk of Richmond and a smaller chunk of Henrico.

The new 14th changes the dynamics as the 9th has a majority of its voters in Henrico.

“I’m hoping the party will unite behind me,” Delegate Bagby said, though he is aware he may face another battle.

Neither Delegate Adams nor Ms. Rodgers has responded to queries as to whether they plan to run in the June Democratic primary for the 14th Senate District, though both hinted at doing so in messages they issued after losing to Delegate Bagby. The candidates have an April 6 filing deadline to participate in the Democratic primary.

Meanwhile, the likelihood that Delegate Bagby will soon be

or double the current three years. Richmond Delegate Dawn M. Adams, who also is leaving the house, also had several bills, including one that imposes new labeling requirements on medicinal marijuana and allows a secondary party to pick up a prescription at a dispensary for a disabled adult. Her bill allowing vehicle owners to access and recover personal items from a towed vehicle without paying the towing fees also was approved.

Lawmakers end session with lean budget, no mention of casino Bagby wins ‘firehouse’ primary

giving up his 74th House District seat, could lead to a special election to fill it and is certain to set up an intraparty fight for the new 80th House District he would have run for but for the vacancy in the state Senate.

RPS superintendent’s chief of staff resigns

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In his daily digital communication addressed to the division, RPS Direct, Mr. Kamras announced Ms. Hudacsko’s departure on Tuesday. “Michelle is quite simply one of the most impressive people I have ever met,” he said. “We have worked together for 12 years and I’m still constantly amazed by her work ethic, intellect,

Free COVID-19 vaccines

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

The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of 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 vaccines for COVID-19 and more at the following locations:

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

• Wednesday, March 8, 10 a.m. to noon - Henrico West Health Department, 8600 Dixon Powers Dr., JYNNEOS; 2 to 4 p.m. - Primary Moderna shots for age 6 months to 5 years and 12 years and older, and bivalent boosters for age 6 years and older, Primary Pfizer shots for age 6 months and older, bivalent boosters for age 5 years and older, Novavax primary shots for age 12 and older, and boosters for age 18 and older, and baby bivalent boosters. Walk-ups welcome but appointments encouraged.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New COVID-19 cases in Virginia fell 20 percent during the last week, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health, while data from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association showed hospitalizations statewide dropped 15 percent since last week.

Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico County remain at medium levels of community COVID-19. No localities in Virginia are ranked at high community COVID levels, while 30 were ranked at medium as of last week.

A total of 607 new cases of COVID-19 were reported statewide Tuesday for the 24-hour period, contributing to an overall state total of 2,267,639 cases in Virginia since the pandemic’s outbreak. As of Tuesday, there have been 458,668 hospitalizations and 23,428 deaths reported statewide.

State data also shows that African-Americans comprised 22.1 percent of cases statewide and 22 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 10.1 percent of cases and 4 percent of deaths.

Reported COVID-19 data as of Tuesday, March 1,

thoughtfulness, dedication, empathy and humanity.”

He said Ms. Hudacsko will be remembered for the “thousands and thousands of so-called little things” she did for people. “She showed us all what it truly means to #ServeWithLove.”

According to her LinkedIn profile, Ms. Hudacsko worked as the deputy chief for Washington, D.C., Public Schools with Mr. Kamras before joining RPS with him. She began her career working for several years as a schoolteacher in Weslaco, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Potomac, Md. before working for a couple of nonprofit organizations focused on education.

Ms. Hudacsko is one of several members to leave Mr. Kamras’s cabinet since the start of his administration. Others have included Tracy Epp, former chief academic officer; Alan Gonzalez, former chief operations officer; Darin Simmons Jr., former chief operating officer; two chief talent officers, Jennifer Bramble and Sandra Lee; and Harry Hughes, former chief schools officer. Various reasons were given for their departures, ranging from a taxing commute schedule to medical reasons.

With Ms. Hudacsko’s departure, Shadae Harris, chief engagement officer for RPS, is the only original cabinet member who remains in Mr. Kamras’ administration.

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted

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her first term in 2019 after promising to end decades of corruption and backroom dealing at City Hall. But opponents blamed Ms. Lightfoot for an increase in crime that occured in cities across the U.S. during the pandemic and criticized her as being a divisive, overly contentious leader.

She is the first elected Chicago mayor to lose a re-election bid since 1983, when Jane Byrne, the city’s first female mayor, lost her Democratic primary.

Speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Ms. Lightfoot called being Chicago’s mayor “the honor of a lifetime.”

“Regardless of tonight’s outcome, we fought the right fights and we put this city on a better path,” Ms. Lightfoot said. She told her fellow mayors around the country not to fear being bold.

At his victory party, Mr. Vallas noted that Ms. Lightfoot had called to congratulate him and asked the crowd to give her a round of applause. In a nod to his campaign promise to combat crime, he said that, if elected, he would work to address public safety issues.

“We will have a safe Chicago. We will make Chicago the safest city in America,” Mr. Vallas said.

Mr. Johnson on Tuesday night noted the improbability that he would make the runoff, considering his low name recogni-

tion at the start of the race.

“A few months ago they said they didn’t know who I was. Well, if you didn’t know, now you know,” Mr. Johnson said. He thanked the unions that supported him and gave a special shout-out to his wife, telling the crowd, “Chicago, a Black woman will still be in charge.”

Ms. Lightfoot’s loss is unusual for mayors in large cities, who have tended to win re-election with relative ease. But it’s also a sign of the turmoil in U.S. cities following the COVID-19 pandemic, with its economic fallout and spikes in violent crime in many places.

There are clear contrasts between Mr. Vallas and Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Vallas served as an adviser to the Fraternal Order of Police during its negotiations with Ms. Lightfoot’s administration. He has called for adding hundreds of police officers to patrol the city, saying crime is out of control and morale among officers sunk to a new low during Ms. Lightfoot’s tenure.

Mr. Johnson received about $1 million from the Chicago Teachers Union for his campaign and had support from several other progressive organizations, including United Working Families. The former teacher and union organizer has argued that the answer to addressing crime is not more money for police but more investment in mental health care, education, jobs and affordable housing, and he was accused

by rivals such as Ms. Lightfoot of wanting to defund the police. Crime was an issue that resonated with voters.

Rita DiPietro, who lives downtown, said she supported Ms. Lightfoot in 2019. But she voted for Mr. Vallas on Tuesday, saying she was impressed by his detailed strategy to address public safety.

“The candidates all talk about what they’d like to do,” she said. “This guy actually has a plan. He knows how he’s going to do it.”

Race also was a factor as candidates courted votes in the highly segregated city, which is closely divided in population among Black, Hispanic and white residents. Mr. Vallas was the only white candidate in the field. Ms. Lightfoot, Mr. Johnson and five other candidates are Black, though Ms. Lightfoot argued she was the only Black candidate who could win. U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia was the only Latino in the race.

Ms. Lightfoot accused Mr. Vallas of using “the ultimate dog whistle” by saying his campaign is about “taking back our city,” and of cozying up to the president of the Fraternal Order of Police, whom she calls a racist. A recent Chicago Tribune story also found Mr. Vallas’ Twitter account had liked racist tweets and tweets that mocked Ms. Lightfoot’s appearance and referred to her as masculine.

Virginia Supreme Court approves ‘Waverly Two’ appeal

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will be heard on the June or September docket,” Mr. Adams said. “This unusually quick decision is a significant victory for Mr. Richardson in his effort to prove his innocence in the Virginia Courts.”

Mr. Richardson, 27 at the time of the murder, and Mr. Claiborne, who was 22, initially pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in state court in 1999, as part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. Two years later, a federal judge sentenced them to life in prison after charging Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne with conspiracy to distribute drugs.

While a jury had acquitted the two of Officer Gibson’s murder in 1999, the judge cited their earlier guilty pleas as cause in

the conviction. Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne would begin their effort to be exonerated years later after it was revealed that evidence had been withheld from their lawyers, including false statements given by a key witness.

Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne’s efforts have garnered them multiple high-profile supporters, including former state Delegate Jerrauld C. Jones and the Virginia NAACP. A major advocate was former Attorney General Mark R. Herring, who wrote a 78-page brief supporting Mr. Richardson’s petition, and whose Conviction Integrity Unit spent months investigating the case and the facts surrounding it.

“It is clear from the record that some information and evidence presented in Mr.

Richardson’s federal trial was unavailable to him when he pled guilty in state court,” Mr. Herring wrote in his brief. “No rational fact-finder would have found Richardson guilty had that information been presented in his proceeding in state court. The federal jury acquittal is conclusive in that regard.”

The Attorney General’s Office support ended, however, when Attorney General Jason Miyares assumed the role in 2022, leading to a quick reversal in their advocacy for Mr. Richardson and Mr. Claiborne.

Mr. Richardson’s opening brief is due in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 5, and both he and Mr. Claiborne are also waiting for any response to their Presidential Clemency Petition.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Anne Holton and husband U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine make their way to vote at Virginia Union University on Sunday as Delegate Lamont Bagby’s wife, Jevata Bagby, walks in front of them.

After campus shootings, safety is a priority for students, police

By Karyn Cook and Holly Rodriguez

Recent murders at universities across the country have campus officials and students more cautious about campus safety.

On Feb. 13, three students were killed and five others injured during a mass shooting on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.

On Nov. 13, 2022, a shooting at the University of Virginia left three student football players dead after a gunman unleashed gunfire on a bus returning from a field trip.

Earlier that same day, four students were stabbed to death in an off-campus home located near the University of Idaho campus in what police have described as an “an isolated, targeted attack.”

In a video released Jan. 17, UVA. President Jim Ryan said the university is working on what internal changes need to be made to increase campus safety, but also looking to the Virginia General Assembly for help. “We are working at the state level for legislative changes that would make Virginia colleges and universities safer.”

UVA spokesperson Brian Coy said the university has “made changes to how our threat assessment team works, we’ve increased security presence around our grounds, and we are actively participating in an independent review that we expect will result in additional recommendations for how to keep our community safer.” The review is expected to be complete by late spring or early summer.

Malaysia Jones, a first-generation college student in her first year at Virginia Union University, is studying physics and computer engineering. Ms. Jones said campus alerts and tightened security at VUU in the wake of several mass shooting incidents throughout the country have helped ease some of her concerns.

“Overall, I feel safe on campus — Virginia Union has enforced stricter rules and curfews when it comes to parties or late-night activities,”

she said. “They also still have security 24/7 just in case an incident happens.”

However, Ms. Jones believes more than increased security is needed to help students.

“Mental health days and counseling should be promoted more around campus,” she said. While Ms. Jones said the university is doing a good job to keep her safe, she has developed safer habits herself.

“I reach out to my family for weekly check-ins, share my location with my roommate and close friends, and make sure I check my email to see any updates on safety protocols.”

“Like everyone, we were saddened by the tragedy in Charlottesville, and are looking forward to the outcome of the investigation,” said Robert E. Cottrell, chief of the Virginia Union University Police Department. “While there are currently no known threats to our campus community, we continually evaluate our safety protocols and make changes to help increase safety and awareness.”

Like most colleges and universities, VUU has a mass notification system, called Omnilert, with information and instructions during emergencies. The police chief also said in the last year, Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, VUU president, worked with Gov. Glenn Youngkin to secure funding to increase security measures on campus. A threat assessment team is being organized to evaluate complex situations involving potentially at-risk students. Firearms are already prohibited on campus, and the university is increasing the availability of mental health services for students, staff and faculty.

Jamal SamuelsMadagu is a recent graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University who studied homeland security and emergency preparedness. Mr. Samuels-Madagu is saddened by the repeat gun violence across America.

“It’s awful what happened at UVA. and it’s another senseless act of violence,” Mr. Samuels-Magadu said.

“These shooters are becoming normalized, and I hate that it’s something that we must just accept.”

He believes that VCU has done a good job at keeping students alert and notified and has made proactive efforts since the events at UVA and the University of Idaho.

“VCU sent out alerts to notify us what was going on at UVA and kept us in the loop, and also increased police presence on campus.”

VCU Police Chief John Venuti said police officers receive training, and train with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to be prepared to address threats. In addition to a multichannel system for emergency communications known as VCU Alert, a page on the police department’s website walks any visitor on the site through steps to maintain safety if an active shooter is on campus.

“The department’s top goals for academic year 2022-23 are to increase the visibility and deployment of officers, increase engagement with community members and to be relentless in our follow-up on all incidents,” Chief Venuti said.

A. White (who asked that her first name not be used) is a student at Virginia State University studying secondary education.

“Campus safety is one of our biggest issues to be honest, including gun violence, sexual assaults, and other things,” she said. Past events have left her unsatisfied with campus security. “They don’t communicate enough to the students, or they are delayed, leaving students worrying,” she said. “In September, a man was walking around campus with a fake rifle scaring people and they took hours to act.” Ms. White also cited an incident where a man was seen holding a gun and students were not notified until hours after the event.

Gwen Williams Dandridge, assistant vice president for communications at VSU, said weapons of any type are banned on the VSU campus and any student found to violate this policy faces disciplinary action, including suspension. Regarding incidents of rape, in compliance with the Clery Act, she said all sexual assault incidents are reported. A seminar about sexual assault and protection is a part of student orientation and faculty and staff are given “a high-intensity rape aggression training class,” that includes a self-defense component.

Ms. White offered suggestions to better ensure student safety. “Increasing security in residence halls and campus apartments and hiring more non-student adult staff for residences would help,” she said.

Ms. Dandridge added, “We have taken significant security measures to abate the potential for additional crimes on campus.” Some of those measures include additional police officers on patrol in populated residence hall areas and at off-campus and non-university owned apartments in Ettrick; working with Chesterfield County to provide additional officers for on-campus patrol; purchasing tower cameras for high-volume areas; use of drone surveillance units through the school’s law enforcement partners; and encouraging students, faculty and staff to be vigilant in contacting the police to report any incident of suspicious activity, she said.

Warner, Kaine announce $9.7M to expand broadband at Va. HBCUs

Free Press staff report

U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $9,685,734 in federal funding to support the expansion of broadband at three Virginia Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Awarded through the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, this funding will allow Norfolk State University, Virginia State University and Virginia Union University to improve existing internet networks and provide workforce development opportunities to students and surrounding communities.

“High-speed internet is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s a need-to-have, particularly at our institutions of higher ed,” the senators said. “This funding for Norfolk State, Virginia State,

and Virginia Union represents strong steps toward closing the digital divide, developing a tech savvy workforce, and improving connectivity at three of Virginia’s HBCUs and in their surrounding communities.”

The funding is distributed as follows:

• $3,898,789 for NSU to improve fiber connection on campus, create workforce development opportunities in STEM, IT, and cybersecurity careers, and provide off-site internet-focused training for students and local community members. These projects will leverage partnerships with Norfolk City Schools and local churches to expand job readiness for students of all ages and citizens of Norfolk.

• $2,987,765 for VUU to improve wireless connectivity on campus, hire additional IT staff, and offer digital skills de-

velopment opportunities for prioritized students, faculty, and community members.

• $2,799,180 for VSU to upgrade and install fiber optic cable, purchase laptops to distribute to freshmen, and implement a community coding initiative for K-12 students in the EttrickPetersburg region.

The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program is a $268 million competitive grant program available to expand internet access and train information technology personnel at HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). The funding was originally authorized by the government spending bill and COVID-19 relief package that was negotiated by Sen. Warner and supported by Sen. Kaine.

University of Virginia Athletics/Associated Press

Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry were juniors returning to campus from a class trip Nov. 13, 2022, when authorities say they were killed by a fellow student identified as Petersburg High School graduate and former UVA football player Christopher Darnell Jones Jr.

More progress, please

2022 was a year of progress.

President Biden nominated the U.S. Supreme Court’s first Black female justice, who is now one of nine on the nation’s highest court.

Maryland elected its first Black governor.

And landmark legislation became law, including the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act that made lynching a federal hate crime and the Respect for Marriage Act that extended federal protections for interracial marriage.

Continued progress would be lovely this year.

Our community wants the government to do more to confront white supremacy.

A poll found 43 percent of Black voters want President Biden to declare attacks like the one in Buffalo, N.Y., last year in which a gunman targeted Black shoppers a natural security threat, while 33 percent want white supremacy labeled a national security threat.

The issue is significant because, according to the FBI, members of our community are more likely to be victims of hate crimes. The Pew Research Center reported last year that one-third of Black adults worry almost every day that they might be threatened or attacked because of their race.

An NAACP survey found 44 percent of respondents believed racism and discrimination to be the most important issues facing the Black community today, resulting in fewer job opportunities, more economic insecurity, less adequate health care and efforts to suppress voting.

Voting rights also remains a major concern for Black voters, though fortunately less in Virginia where the ability to cast ballots remains easier than in many other states.

Still, federal laws, like the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act that would restore protections and expand access to the ballot box, remain stalled due to Republican opposition.

More than two years after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn., led to nationwide calls for police reform, there’s been little progress on enacting federal police reform. In Richmond, the creation of a citizen oversight panel also seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.

Democrats in Congress have argued that GOP legislation did not go far enough, while Republicans say Democrats want to go too far.

It’s another significant issue within our community, with 72 percent of Black Americans supporting major changes to police forces, according to a Gallup poll.

President Biden has been on top of another major issue, providing debt relief on college loans.

On average, Black graduates, whose families generally have far less wealth, graduate with $52,726 in debt, compared to their white counterparts who on average with $28,000 in debt, according to the White House, graduate with the disparity in debt increasing when it comes to graduate degrees.

But the president’s plan to forgive $20,000 in student debt has been challenged and is now before the Supreme Court, with a decision expected by June.

These are just some of the issues that our community would like to see progress on in the coming weeks and months. Are you listening elected officials?

Full-time lawmakers?

Is it time for Virginia to drop the pretense that a part-time legislature can keep up with the pace of change?

For the sixth consecutive year, the 2023 session ended with budget work still unfinished.

The Old Dominion is the 12th most populous state and ranks in the top 15 for the size of its economy.

Yet, the legislature still presumes that it can fully conduct business in 46 to 60 days.

Some consider that ridiculous. Perhaps it is time for constituents to consider whether our interests would be better served by representatives who do not have other jobs and can spend all of their time focusing on the issues, and receive an appropriate salary.

Since 1972, when the current state constitution went into effect, the population has doubled and the number of people each delegate and senator must serve has increased dramatically.

Our representatives need sufficient time to consider issues and all of their implications.

Maybe it’s time to take a hard look at the legislature as it is now constituted and consider whether an overhaul is in order.

Florida is latest battleground for war on

It’s been a few weeks since a mess started boiling over in Florida with the rollout of the new AP African-American Studies course, and no one involved is looking good: not the state Department of Education, not the College Board, and definitely not Gov. Ron DeSantis, who blasted the course publicly and pressured the College Board to water it down.

Now Gov. DeSantis, pumped up by what he thinks is his victory over educators, is making noise about going after all AP courses in the state.

It’s sad and infuriating to see the adults behaving like bullies and cowards, pointing fingers and trading accusations, while the ones being hurt are kids. Not just Black kids, who have waited years for a college-level course like this, but all kids – who

War is inhumane! War is madness! In a world of rational thinkers, war should be unnecessary! Historically, war has been the exercise of national power, authority and autonomy in the circumstance of irreconcilable difference — or the reaction to it. As with many other past conflicts, the world’s current war is the result of an irreconcilable difference conceived in the mind of an ego-stricken madman — “Fighting to be Heard” Vladimir Putin.

Had events progressed according to the machinations of his malignant mind, on this day, one year after an unnecessary invasion, Ukraine would be under the singular control of Dictator Putin. I applaud the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people and their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in their destruction of his dystopian plans. Some might suggest that a published opinion on such a “world matter” takes me “out of my lane,” but, in my spirit and evolution of mind, I am a kindred spirit with anyone or any group opposing oppression.

In every conflict, we are presented the opportunity to witness individual acts of courage. In what some would consider a surprise, President Zelenskyy, a former comedian and actor, has risen to the challenge of serving as an effective wartime

will be deprived of a chance to learn foundational concepts in modern Black history if these adults have their way.

The new course omits many contemporary Black thinkers and writers. The core program doesn’t cover essential issues like structural marginalization, intersectionality, mass incar-

ceration, reparations or the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement. It’s impossible to say students are well-versed in African-American studies if these topics are considered optional. It’s even more absurd to say these students have attained college-level mastery of the subject, which is what AP credit is all about.

And what gets erased next? Do we teach kids about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and not Malcolm X? Do we sideline Jesse Jackson? How about erasing Ruby Bridges, the little girl who was the first to integrate

president. Initially presumed to be weak and feckless, President Zelenskyy has demonstrated a measure of tenacity, moral and physical courage unequaled in many years. Others like members of the press, Richard Engel and MSNBC’S Ali Velshi have to be named heroes for their bravery in bringing us the news from Ukraine. In our list of heroes, we must give praise

to Chef Jose Andres and his organization that works in/near battle zones to nourish hungry Ukrainians. We must also thank Poland and other regional nations for providing material support and a haven for displaced Ukrainians. Our thanks extend to NATO for standing in the breach against further illegal incursions.

In contrast, following the lead of Donald Trump, many Republicans are calling for a desertion of efforts to support Ukraine’s righteous effort for sovereignty. Whether this betrayal of morality is motivated by the opportunity for personal enrichment or a full-blown acceptance of autocracy, it suggests nothing good. I am reminded that when we rose to fight racism and corruption, we were labeled communists! Is it not now appropriate to, likewise, label the MAGA crowd as communists who support the enemy of a democratic Ukraine?

Despite Vladimir Putin’s monumental miscalculation,

New Orleans schools?

Ridiculous? Not at all: The far-right group Moms for Liberty really did try to ban a book about Ruby from classrooms, claiming it was too upsetting for kids to read about the white mob that harassed 6-year-old Ruby on her way to school.

College Board officials insist that Ron DeSantis’ pressure did not force them to make the changes in the AP AfricanAmerican Studies course, and I will give them credit for publicly pointing out the ignorance and political motivations on display at the Florida Department of Education. Regardless, the Board played right into DeSantis’s hands.

And its decision to remove important material from the core portion of the course had the same effect in the end: kids don’t get exposed to it and their freedom to learn is shortchanged. All of us should demand that the College Board revise the curriculum to more accurately reflect the contemporary Black experience.

the estimated loss of 8,000 to 10,000 Russian soldiers per day, a disrupted economy, and the loss of stature on the world stage, Russia continues to exercise “state terrorism.”

But babies continue to be born. The spirit of resistance and resilience still flourishes. President Zelenskyy still serves as a beacon of courage and perseverance. Unlike truly feckless leaders, President Zelenskyy has stayed with his people. Under the threat of personal harm, he did not flee his country, as other leaders have done when believing their lives to be in danger. He has given his people reason to believe their often-quoted optimism of a victorious and free Ukraine.

Lastly, I take great personal pride in the courage demonstrated by President Biden. In the face of controversy and criticism, he has been steadfast in his support of Ukraine and his efforts in holding together the international coalition of support for Ukraine. I am even more impressed with his courage and fortitude in making the dangerous 20-hour round-trip by train to Kyiv to demonstrate his resolve to the Ukrainian people and supporters of their war effort.

Let us pray for peace in the world. Let us pray for reason to prevail. In the face of mass devastation, let us pray for healing. And we must pray for the Russian people who must endure this maniac who calls himself their president.

The writer is president of The Dick Gregory Society.

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.

And at the same time, we should set our sights on removing politicians like Gov. DeSantis. Because he is hell-bent on building his right-wing political brand, today’s battlefield in the Far Right’s war on education is Florida; but it won’t stop there. It will be fought in Virginia, and Texas, and states across the country. Ambitious politicians like Gov. DeSantis in Florida and Gov. Glenn Youngkin in Virginia smell opportunity in this environment. It’s up to us to use the power vested in us by our representative democracy to stop them.

Svante Myrick is president of People For the American Way.

Sellars

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

Dr. E. Faye Williams

John Marshall High School basketball didn’t just get good; it’s been good for years

There has been a lot of talk about John Marshall High School lately. Some good and some bad. I stayed away because outsiders love opinions and never base things on facts. What lies behind those walls of a poorly unkept building and below that building is a strong foundation.

There have been many who attended that school and went on to be some of your most amazing individuals in life. Presently there is an administrative team that loves the kids insurmountably. I refer to love as a VERB. There are teachers who literally pour into the kids as if they are their own. None of which is visible from driving down Old Brook Road, which many do and never get to understand why we are the Joy and Pride of North Side. Giants have walked those halls and the rhetoric sometimes becomes nauseating from those who have never once invested in finding out why John Marshall High School is a North Side gem.

Recently basketball has been a hot topic. People criticize winning as if a crime has been committed. “They shouldn’t win by so many points, they shouldn’t press, they should be in a higher class (category).”

I really ask you to think long and hard about that commentary. John Marshall High School basketball didn’t just get good; it’s been good for years and years, and recently with Coach Ty White leading the team, state championships have been won. How does he get these players? How is this program so successful? Oh, I’m sorry he does this, he does that and for me it just becomes Charlie Brown talk. They win because they get their behinds in the gym every

chance they can and they work hard on and off the court. Before school, weekends, etc. Let us not forget they are scholars with some of the top GPAs as well. They win because they have the heart of lions. They win because they won’t settle for anything less. They win because greatness is expected from them and desired by them. Now class is often discussed. Can you possibly tell me that you do not think Coach White does not want to be in a higher class? Seriously? Please pause before answering. With 474 kids in a school, how is that possible? He cannot compete beyond the parameters set in place and this is why he chooses games outside of the district to compete in. Oh, they win those too, in case you’re curious. If there was a way to move up, trust me, he is 10 steps ahead of the process. And my beloved girls’ basketball team, without question work so hard that when they play they leave in all on the floor. They condition, they practice hard daily and nothing in girls’ basketball is handed to you. I do mean nothing. Most of the times there is barely anyone in the stands. They train and

are led by Coach Virgil Burton who absolutely loves and adores them. Not only is he a school resource officer, he is a Richmond police officer, a dedicated father and a husband, yet he sacrifices his life professionally and time personally on a daily basis. Not to mention both teams have dedicated, caring and amazing assistant coaches as well that push these athletes to be their very best.

The goal is to get them to the next level for free and show them that nothing will be handed to them. Who wouldn’t want these characteristics for coaches?

Together, John Marshall has created a BUZZ, to say the least. Remember, these are children who want to receive a level of success that comes with a lot of critics. Let’s choose support over anything. Why don’t we embrace John Marshall High School and all athletics?

You don’t have to be an alumni to recognize success.

We are the JOY & PRIDE of North Side!

Anyway, that’s just my 2 cents!

AMY WILLIFORD-BREW Class of 1996

The 2023 General Assembly Session adjourned sine die on Saturday February 25th With divided government this was mostly a “status quo” session in which Senate Democrats blocked efforts to roll back progress we made in 2020 and 2021 on voting rights climate action access to abortion, gun safety legislation, and justice reform Budget conferees failed to reach an agreement on the competing House and Senate budget priorities At issue is whether to spend the bulk of surplus revenues on Governor Youngkin’s proposed $1 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations -- on top of the $4 billion in tax cuts we approved last year -- or whether to meet long-underfunded K-12 higher education and mental health needs

Instead we passed a skinny budget that fixed the $250 million error in revenue for local school divisions in the Governor's introduced budget; provided technical fixes to the current budget related to K-12 education; put some surplus revenues into the Rainy Day Fund as mandated by the Virginia Constitution; funded our obligations in the Virginia Retirement System; and increased funding to reflect higher costs for previously authorized capital projects

In addition to two of my bills that will lower electric bills for Dominion Energy customers we passed legislation restoring the State Corporation Commission (SCC) a autonomy over regulating electric rates for Dominion Energy The bill requires rate reviews every two years instead of the current three The bill will also save residential customers over $20 per month by rolling a series of surcharges into the base electricity rate for consumers and establishing a method of spreading an expected increase in Dominion s fuel costs over several years The bill also restores SCC s control over how much of a profit Dominion can earn by setting the target return on equity at 9 7 percent for 2024, after which the SCC can set the rate as it sees fit rather than using the methodology of looking at the profit margins of a peer group of utilities that it has been mandated to use since 2007

The bill also requires that 85 percent of any earnings above the authorized profit margin should be refunded to customers up from 70 percent now In 2021 I sponsored legislation requiring 100 percent of such over-earnings to be returned to customers but this is a good start

With my election to the United States Congress by the voters of the 4th District this is my last session It has been an incredible honor representing the 9th Senate District over the past six years and the 71st House District for 11 years prior to that I ve passed over 370 pieces of legislation, from my first bill to make absentee voting easier to the eight that I passed this session

I m proud of the work I ve done over the past 18 sessions, particularly The Voting Rights Act of Virginia The Virginia Clean Economy Act, The Reproductive Health Protection Act The Pregnant Worker Fairness Act The Domestic Worker Bill of Rights of 2020 and 2021 The Solar Freedom Act and Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment I m also proud of my office s constituent services and community outreach

My time as your Senator officially comes to a close on March 7 2023 when I will take the oath of office as the 4th District Representative in the 118th Congress In the meantime you can continue to follow me on Twitter Facebook and Instagram where I will provide my new contact information after my swearing-in

COUNTY OF HENRICO, VIRGINIA PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2023

The County Manager’s recommended amendments to the budget for fiscal year 2022-23 are prepared and published in synopsis form solely for the purposes of fiscal planning and public information. Publication of this proposed amendments does not constitute an appropriation of funds for those purposes by the Board of Supervisors. Funds cannot be allocated or distributed until they are appropriated by the Board. The amendments consist of estimates and are requests submitted to the County Manager with his recommendations concerning the requests.

The Board of Supervisors of the County of Henrico, Virginia, will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed amendments to the budget at a meeting on February 28, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., in the Board Room at the Henrico Government Center, Hungary Spring and East Parham Roads. The public hearing will be held pursuant to Virginia Code Section 15.2-2507, and is for the purpose of allowing the public to question and comment on the proposed amendments to the budget. All citizens have the right to attend and share their views on the proposed amendments within such reasonable time limits as shall be determined by the Board of Supervisors.

At the February 28, 2023, meeting, after the public hearing, the Board will consider approving the amendments to the Annual Fiscal Plan and appropriating funds, as applicable, for fiscal year 2022-23. PROPOSED

A copy of these proposed amendments is available for inspection in the County Manager’s office at the Henrico Government Center, Hungary Spring and East Parham Roads, and is also available to be viewed on the County’s website at: http://henrico.us/finance/divisions/office-of-management-and-budget/ Given under my hand this 15th day of February, 2023.

A copy of these proposed amendments is available for inspection in the County Manager’s office at the Henrico Government Center, Hungary Spring and East Parham Roads, and is also available to be viewed on the County’s website at: http://henrico.us/finance/divisions/office-of-management-and-budget/ Given under my hand this 15th day of February, 2023.

DHR to administer preservation easement over Drexel-Morrell Center property

Free Press staff report

A permanent preservation and open-space easement has been established for the DrexelMorrell Center, a historic property in Powhatan County that highlights the role of African-Americans in that area, and the life and contributions of American Catholic St. Katharine Drexel, founder of two now defunct African-American academies that were located nearby.

The easement was established Feb. 15 by the owner of the center and the property, the nonprofit Belmead on the James and donated to the Virginia Board of Historic Resources.

The preservation area comprises the historic Rosemont House that dates to 1898, a frame stable, and 56.4 acres of land that will never be developed, DHR stated in announcing the gift last week.

The easement also will foster Belmead on the James’ plans to create a trail system and develop outdoor classrooms, exhibit spaces and demonstration gardens, according to DHR spokeswoman Ivy Tan. The property is bisected by a stream called The Lick and two smaller

streams, Ms. Tan noted.

The center serves the community as a museum and gathering place for storytelling, ancestry research, lectures and workshops and a repository of documents and photos concerning the history of the African-Americans who lived, worked, built and facilitated the growth of nearby Bellmead Plantation, and the two schools, St. Emma Military Academy for boys and St. Francis De Sales Institute for girls, Ms. Tan stated.

The two schools were an outgrowth of St. Katharine’s launch of the Catholic Order of the Blessed Sacrament, with a focus on educating African-American children during the Jim Crow period. The order sold the Belmead property in 2019 to Jeff Oakley, owner of a Prince George County hazardous materials transport company.

Belmead on the James, which was created by Blessed Sacrament nuns and their supporters, later acquired the Rosemont property and established the center after receiving several state grants with the assistance of the Capital Region Land Conservancy to continue the

legacy of St. Katharine, a Philadelphia native, philanthropist and nun who was elevated to sainthood in 2000.

“Something wonderful is growing in Powhatan,” Sister Maureen T. Carroll, executive director of the center and a member of the Blessed Sacrament order, stated.

The center has “just become a place set aside ‘forever’ as a permanent natural and historic conservation place that will preserve both history and green space,” she continued. “ All people and all life are interconnected. This new place of eco-social justice will hold stories of the past as we encourage new wisdom to enrich the Earth.”

Rosemont was originally the home of Charles L. Dodd, whom St. Katharine hired to design the

St. Francis Institute on the Belmead plantation property her family had acquired. Mr. Dodd collaborated with William S. Taylor, a skilled Black artisan, to build the house and later hired Mr. Taylor to work at the school.

Later owned by the Meacham family, the two-and –a-half story frame house is an example of Queen Anne-Eastlake architectural design, Ms. Tan stated, and includes Gothic Revival detailing, stained glass and wainscoting.

“DHR is very excited to be partnering with the Drexel-Morrell Center on its stewardship of this significant and multi-faceted historic property,” agency director Julie Langan stated. “As a result of the center’s vision and commitment, this important landmark will be preserved.”

Henrico County breaks ground for first large community park since 1982

A ground-breaking ceremony for the 99-acre Taylor Farm Park in Henrico County’s Sandston district took place Feb. 27 at 200 Whiteside Road, off East Williamsburg Road.

Site work was expected to start in late February for the county’s first large community park to be built in the Varina District since Dorey Park opened in 1982.

Under a master plan developed with the community, the park will be designed to blend with the property’s wooded areas and natural landscaping.

Amenities will include a skate park, pump track, trail system, water play area, lawn for special events and a memorial to public safety workers and

Following the presentation, the board awarded a $20.1 million contract to Loughridge & Company LLC for the first phase of development.

“Clearly, it’s going to be a pretty cool park,” said Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Tyrone E. Nelson, who represents the Varina District. “I can’t wait to get it started.”

Several of the park’s planned features, including a neighborhood playground, an interpretative farm and some trails, will be added in a second phase after initial bids exceeded available funding by $4 million. Mr. Nelson asked staff to continue to monitor costs so the park can be completed as envisioned.

In its initial phase, Taylor Farm Park will include an active sports area, with a 17,000-square-foot skate park and a 12,000-square-foot pump track that may make it the largest public “all-wheel” recreational facility in the United States, said Mr. Zannino, who was promoted to director of Recreation & Parks in January.

The active sports area will accommodate all skill levels on bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades and scooters.

Also planned is a naturebased play area, with rope net

climbers, slides, treehouses, towers and other features that will be integrated into the natural landscape.

“We’re really embodying the natural aesthetics of the park, so you’ll see … that the nature is the theme,” Mr. Zan-

nino said, also noting plans for native plantings in key areas. “This will be kind of in nature, surrounded by all the trees. The play equipment … will be coming in and out of the tree canopy.”

Free Press staff report

Courtesy Department of Historic Resources

The preservation area comprises the historic Rosemont House that dates to 1898, a frame stable, left, and 56.4 acres of land that will never be developed, DHR stated.

military service members. “This will be a one-ofa-kind park — like nothing we’ve seen in our park system,”

Division of Recreation & Parks Director John Zannino told the Board of Supervisors at its Feb. 14 meeting.

Rendering of Henrico County splash park and skate park, below.

Stories by Fred Jeter

Panthers lose CIAA tourney to Rams 45-44 VUU awaits NCAA II decision

after lowest scoring game in annals

Heading north on I-95, it took Virginia Union University’s bus about two hours and 35 minutes to reach Baltimore, site of the CIAA basketball tournament.

It probably felt like a lot longer coming back.

The wait now begins for the Panthers to whether they will continue in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Denied the CIAA’s automatic berth, Coach Jay Butler’s highly deserving squad hopes for one of 41 at-large bids to the 64-team event.

“I think we’re definitely in,” said Coach Butler. “Our body of work speaks for itself.”

Brackets will be revealed 11 p.m. Sunday, March 5, on NCAA.com. The Panthers, 23-7 and ranked fourth in last week’s Atlantic Region poll, appears to be on solid footing for one of eight Regional berths (five being at-large).

It may help that Coach Butler is on the Regional Selection Committee that will determine the field. Also on the Committee is Coach Darrell Brooks from Bowie State, and two coaches each from the Mountain East and Pennsylvania conferences.

The Panthers were fourth in last week’s Atlantic Region poll.

Still, nothing is guaranteed. VUU went the same 23-7 last year, lost in the CIAA finals and was denied a bid.

This go-round it was Winston-Salem State that played party pooper in Baltimore with a tense 45-44 win over the Panthers in the semifinals.

Robert Osborne had 18 points and Tajh Harding 17 points to account for 35 of the 44 points. It ranks with the lowest scoring games in CIAA tournament and VUU annals.

VUU may have been out of rhythm due to a change in game time. The contest was set for noon but changed to 2 p.m., likely to give Winston-Salem more recovery. The Rams had played until nearly midnight the night before.

“I didn’t find out about it (tipoff change) until about 6 in the morning of game day,” said Coach Butler.

VUU, the CIAA Northern Division champ and top seed for the tournament, took on a challenging non-conference schedule that should be respected by NCAA selectors.

The Panthers non-conference wins include Augusta (22-5 as of last weekend), Fairmont (21-6), Xavier (20-8), LeMoyne-Owen (18-9), Millersville (17-10), Shippensburg (17-10) and Shepherd (14-13). Augusta is the defending NCAA runner-up.

Also in the victory bag are two wins over last year’s CIAA champ, Fayetteville State, and another pair over backyard rival Virginia State (No. 3 seed in Baltimore).

VUU won its opening quarterfinal, 75-64, over Elizabeth City with Osborne and Keleaf Tate each scoring 26 points.

Winston-Salem went ahead of VUU in the semis on a jump shot by Samage Teel with 11 seconds left. On its final possession, Osborne drove and hit an open Devon Sims with a pass in the corner for a three-point attempt, but the shot banged off the rim and there was no time for a rebound.

While nothing has been finalized, there is a good chance that Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) will host the Regional March 10-11 and 13. IUP is 27-1 ranked No. 1 in the Atlantic.

As CIAA champ, Winston-Salem will make the Regional bracket, likely as the eighth and final seed.

Indiana, Pa., is 316 miles from Richmond. Optimistically, the Panthers’ bus is already warming up.

Baldwin’s skills, stamina, scoring work to VCU’s

Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr. is merely the best player on the best team in the Atlantic 10.

The junior point guard from Baltimore came to VCU among the program’s most decorated recruits (a 4-star), and he has yet to disappoint anyone.

Coach Mike Rhoades’ Rams (22-7 overall, 13-3 in A-10) are closing in on the A-10’s regular season title, and will be the clear favorite March 7-10 at the A-10 tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

A 6-foot lefthander, Baldwin leads VCU in scoring (12.9), assists (5.7), free-throw percentage (81) and steals (2.5) while also adding 2.9 rebounds per.

He logs a team-high 34.7 minutes per game, a tribute not only to his skills but also to his stamina.

Baldwin was the man of

advantage

He was the difference as VCU pummeled the Spiders for a second time this season.

It’s no one-man show. The Rams enjoy balanced scoring behind Baldwin, with Brandon Johns (11.7), Jalen Deloach (9.9), Jamir Watkins (9.2) and Jayden Nunn (9.2) not far behind.

Baldwin is the latest in a long line of outstanding VCU primary ball handlers. Other standouts over the decades have been Dave Edward, Keith Highsmith, Ed Sherod, Rolando Lamb, Kenny Harris, LaMar Taylor, Eric Maynor, Joey Rodriguez and JeQuan Lewis.

Baldwin, who appropriately wears jersey No. 1, may be as valuable to this current team as any of the others were to theirs’. That includes Sherod and Maynor, who went

Miles Harvey assists on and off lacrosse field

Need someone to score a lacrosse goal for you? Call Miles Harvey. Need an assist for a goal? Call Harvey.

Need a warm winter coat? Dial Harvey again.

The St. Christopher’s School senior has drawn rave reviews for his talents on the pitch while also coming to the rescue of many underprivileged Richmonders.

“I could talk all day about Miles,” said St. Chris Coach John Burke. “He’s as good as it gets … humble, kind … and works hard at his craft.”

As a junior, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound midfielder scored 33 goals, assisted on 14 others and was selected to the All-Prep League and Times-Dispatch All-Metro first teams.

The Saints went 16-7 a year ago, advancing to the Virginia Independent Schools semifinals. Much more is expected this season with many of the headliners returning from ’23.

The 17-year-old will open his senior year wearing jersey No. 1 and serving as

lacrosse

In between St. Christopher’s competitions, Miles Harvey, who is Black in an overwhelmingly white sport, sharpens his lacrosse skills with travel teams such as Next Level Richmond Hawks, Next Level Spartans and Nation’s United, an all-minority outfit.

Asked about Black role models, he struggled to come up with two: former pros Myles Jones and Kyle Harrison.

He concedes he attracts stares for his skin color as well as his superlative play.

“I think I’m held to a higher standing,” he said. “My mistakes, my bad plays are more scrutinized.

“But that only motivates me to play better.”

When he tells new acquaintances that he plays lacrosse, Jones is aware of the funny looks.

“At family gatherings, people would say, ‘You gotta play football, basketball, run track,’” he said.

“I respond, ‘Why not lacrosse?’”

He makes a good point. Why not?

squad captain.

“This season, as a senior, I feel I’ll be more of a go-to player … asked to do more ball handling,” he said.

After that, the Glen Allen resident will continue swinging his stick with scholarship assistance at High Point (N.C.) University of the NCAA Division I Big South Conference.

Now about those coats.

As president of St. Chris’ Missionary Society, Harvey coordinated a “Coat Drive” that resulted in some 80 winter wraps for the area’s needy, as well as food and other supplies.

Harvey worked together with the school chaplain and with 5Lobes.org, a community service group.

The son of Rodney and Sonya MillsHarvey has been attending St. Chris since sixth grade.

While he dabbled in other sports, he fell in love with lacrosse around fourth grade with a private club called Geronimo.

As a ninth-grader, he made the St. Chris varsity team and has been a regular since then.

play in the NBA, and Rodriguez and Lamb, NCAA tournament stars.

The Rams finish their regular season Saturday (4:30) at George Washington. Then it’s off to the Big Apple for the NCAA-qualifying A-10

event. VCU likely will start Thursday, March 9, at 11:30 a.m. against the winner of the 8-9 seed play-in game.

With “Ace” the main man, the Rams could go a long way if they play their cards right.

Lady Justices head to state quarterfinals

Don’t forget the John Marshall girls.

While the JM boys basketball team has earned national recognition, Coach Virgil Burton’s girls are flying high on the radar as well.

After dominating the Class 2A regional, No. 1 seed JM will take on Strasburg from the Shenandoah Valley in the state girls’ quarterfinals Friday at 6 p.m. at Huguenot.

The boys’ JM–Strasburg game will follow.

JM girls are 19-6 overall after crushing Nottoway 81-8, Nandua 100-18 and Brunswick 87-37 for the Regional crown.

The Lady Justices totally dominated Richmond schools earlier in the season, defeating George Wythe by scores of 62-17 and 70-10, Thomas Jefferson by 85-10, Armstong by 88-18 and Maggie Walker 66-35.

The Strasburg Rams are 22-8 after losing, 47-31, to Clarke County in their Region final.

The JM boys and girls are seeking to join just a handful of schools to ever win State titles from the same schools in the same year.

Greg Foster, world champion Olympic hurdler, dies

Greg Foster, among the greatest hurdlers in track and field history, died Feb. 19, 2023. He was 64 and suffering from amyloidosis, a heart disorder.

Greg Foster

A native Chicagoan, Mr. Foster was a three-time World Champion at 110-meter hurdles (1983, ’87, ’91) and in 1984 won the silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Before turning pro, he led UCLA to the 1978 NCAA championship while capturing gold in the hurdles and 200-meter sprint.

Mr. Foster ran his personal best in 1981 in Zurich when he stopped the watch in 13.03. In that same race Renaldo Nehemiah became the first man in history to break the 13-second mark (19.93).

The current World record of 12.8 was set by American Aries Merritt in 2012.

In 1998, Mr. Foster was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

St. Christopher’s midfielder really stands out in

Photo courtesy of St. Christophers High School

As a junior, St. Christopher’s Miles Harvey, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound midfielder, scored 33 goals and assisted on 14 others.

on to

the hour in the Rams’ recent 73-58 win over the University of Richmond at the Siegel Center.

Dealing at both ends of the floor, the “Ace” had 18 points, eight assists, five rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots.

Winston-Salem State University’s Samage Teel hits the game winner to beat Virginia Union University during the CIAA Tournament last weekend in Baltimore.

Yazmin Hall takes the ball for John Marshall’s Lady Justices.

Adrian “Ace” Baldwin Jr.

Robert Osborne (23) had 18 points in Virginia Union University’s loss to Winston-Salem State University.

Branch President, Bank of America Richmond

Section B

Scottessa A. Hurte has been a source of aid and guidance for Virginia’s small, women and minority-owned businesses during years of struggle.

Several years ago, the Georgia native was appointed as chair of the board of directors for the Metropolitan Business League, putting her at the forefront of addressing COVID-19’s effects on the state’s women and minority-owned businesses.

For anyone in that position, the challenge would be immense. But for Ms. Hurte, who joined the board around 2016, the appointment gave her the chance to further MBL’s contributions and the work of its late president, Oliver Singleton.

“It was important to me to be there to help continue to build the organization in a positive direction for all SWaM businesses,” Ms. Hurte says, “and to build our relationships with our corporate partners.”

Ms. Hurte knows all too well the obstacles businesses can face, as she also is president of Medical Staffing 360, which provides health workers for organizations throughout the country. She brings the same organizational skills and focus she has honed to her chair term, with a strategy built on putting the right people in the right roles to complete goals.

From increasing MBL membership, restarting its Advisory Council and building connections with corporate partners, Ms. Hurte’s leadership has assisted many businesses in need of aid.

At the height of the COVID19 pandemic, Ms. Hurte says MBL quickly adapted to the challenges the virus presented for many businesses as they sought to continue operating.

This included a switch to virtual operations, combining finances with larger organizations and ensuring members were aware of aid inside and outside MBL.

“Whereas most nonprofit organizations almost stopped their existence, MBL thrived during COVID,” Ms. Hurte says.

Ms. Hurte’s term as board chair ends this year, but she looks forward to continuing to participate in MBL, and intends to fully support the next board chair as MBL’s immediate psst chair. She also expects MBL to continue its role as a critical partner with several area and regional institutions and organizations.

“At this moment, small, women-owned, and minority businesses are what keeps the economy moving,” Ms. Hurte says. “They need support, planning, access to capital, and so much more.”

Meet a big advocate for Virginia’s small businesses and this week’s Personality, Scottessa A. Hurte:

Volunteer position: Chair, board of directors, The Metropolitan Business League.

Occupation: President, Medical Staffing 360, LLC.

Place of birth: Athens, Ga. Where I live now: Ashland.

Education: Bachelor’s in business administration, The University of West Georgia.

Family: Husband and a daughter, 4.

The Metropolitan Business League is: A nonprofit, membership-based business association with a mission to promote economic prosperity in Virginia through education, advocacy, access to resources,

and building relationships for small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses. It has been in existence for 53 years. The MBL covers the entire central Virginia region with offices in Shockoe Bottom and in Petersburg. The MBL currently has over 1,000 members.

When and why founded: It was founded in 1968 out of necessity because at that time African-Americans were not allowed to join the Chamber of Commerce.

Founders: Garfield Childs Sr.; Stafford Flowers; M.A. Motley Sr.; and Neverett A. Eggleston Jr.

How I became involved with The MBL: Through my work with an MBL board member. When elected board chair: 2019.

Why I accepted the position: I wanted to move the organization

forward and continue the legacy of Oliver Singleton. It was important to me to be there to help continue to build the organization in a positive direction for all SWaM businesses, and to build our relationships with our corporate partners. No. 1 goal or project as board chair: My goals were to increase membership, restart the Advisory Council, and the fostering of relationships with corporate partners. Some are ongoing, but most have been increased or completed. My next goal is to continue building upon our strategic plan that will take the MBL through the organization’s next 53 years.

Strategy for achieving goals:

To ensure the right people are in the right positions to accomplish the goals set.

The MBL is especially important in this moment: At this moment, small, womenowned, and minority businesses (SWaM) are what keep the economy moving. They need support, planning, access to capital, and so much more.

The MBL provides all of this to our members.

Number one challenge facing the MBL: The MBL is always working to secure additional funds to grow and expand.

Ways I have witnessed The MBL make a difference for Richmond Black businesses: During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, The MBL helped Richmond Black businesses through the We Care Recovery Grants, and we helped our members

through Resurgence Grants. We have helped several storefront businesses update their looks. Presently, we have a capital access manager who is crucial in helping small businesses find the funds that they need to continue growing.

Membership of The MBL: The MBL is comprised of many ethnicities, and we embrace our role in helping all small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses. Our membership represents that diversity.

Benefits of a business owner being affiliated with The MBL: As a business owner, the MBL provides the tools necessary to help a person start or grow their business. From business planning all the way through succession planning, the MBL provides support. The MBL helps a business with marketing, resources to capital, and so much more.

How to get involved: Just go to the website, thembl.org, and sign up. You can also call the MBL’s office to talk to someone about membership as well. Our website also has a number of events that non-members can attend as well.

Upcoming events: On March 10, the MBL will host our 2023 MBL Awards Dinner & Reception. The theme is “MBL Wall Street.” It is going to be an amazing event celebrating the success of members, partners and business leaders in the region.

How I start the day: I start the day off with a silent prayer asking God to guide me through the day to make the choices that will be pleasing to him. That helps me put my best foot forward to start the day.

The three words that best describe me: Passionate, resilient, risk taker.

Best late-night snack: Pretzels and ice cream.

How I unwind: I spend time with my family watching Disney movies and hanging out with my Dinner Club.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I love to go sports fishing! My favorite fish to catch are mahi mahi, barracuda and striped bass.

A quote that I am most inspired by: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill At the top of my “to-do” list: Self care.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: To treat everyone the same no matter who they are or what they do.

The person who influenced me the most: My grandmother, Scott Moon.

Book that influenced me the most and how: “Slay Like a Mother: How to Destroy What’s Holding You Back So You Can Live the Life You Want” by Katherine Wintsch. The book shows that it is OK to fail and to give yourself some slack. Get out of your own head and know that you can do anything.

What I’m reading now: “The Light We Carry” by Michelle Obama

Next goal: Finish my term and leave the MBL ready for the next chairperson to continue moving the organization forward.

Angela Bassett, ‘Wakanda Forever’ top NAACP Image Awards

The Associated Press

PASADENA, Calif.

Angela Bassett won entertainer of the year at Saturday’s NAACP Image Awards on a night that also saw her take home an acting trophy for the television series “9-1-1.”

The Bassett-led Marvel superhero sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” won best motion picture at the ceremony, which was broadcast live on

but high-octane bravery.”

“Abbott Elementary” won for outstanding comedy series.

Creator and series star Quinta Brunson invited her costars onstage and praised shows like

“black-ish” for paving the way for her series.

The 54th NAACP Image Awards was presented Saturday, with Queen Latifah hosting.

Serena Williams received the

Jackie Robinson sports award, which recognizes individuals in sports for high achievement in athletics along with their pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement.

BET from Pasadena, Calif.

Viola Davis won outstanding actress for the action epic “The Woman King,” a project she championed and starred in. Will Smith won for the slavery drama “Emancipation,” his first release since last year’s Academy Awards, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage before winning his first best actor trophy.

“I never want to not be brave enough as a woman, as a Black woman, as an artist,” Ms. Davis said, referencing a quote from her character in the film, which she called her magnum opus. “I thank everyone who was involved with ‘The Woman King’ because that was just nothing

UPAL hosts dinner and gala

Free Press staff report

United Parents Against Lead will host a “Black Excellence Dinner and Gala” at its Petersburg Community Resiliency Hub on March 4, from 5 to 9 p.m., 464 Byrne St.

Winners from UPAL’s previous Black Excellence Art Exhibition event showcasing area artists will be announced at the Black Excellence Dinner and Gala.

During that exhibition, the organization sought to celebrate the talents of local Black artists, each with their own unique history, careers, experiences, talents, and inspirations. The gallery currently features equally poignant interpretations of how Black reality needs to change for a better future, according to event organizers. “While their work is varied, all artists share a passion for embodying the perfection of Blackness.”

UPAL is a national networking organization of and for parents of children poisoned by lead that works to end the threat of lead poisoning and other environmental hazards through education and awareness, advocacy, intervention, and resource referral.

For more details and tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-excellencegala-tickets-551656037057

Quinta Brunson

Viola Davis

Will Smith

Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Art meets dance in Carpenter Theatre ballet

By Debora Timms

Expect to see art in a whole new way when the James River Valley Chapter of The Links brings Columbia City Ballet’s “Off the Wall and Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green” to Richmond’s Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Energy Center on March 10.

“We thought it would be an awesome opportunity to present to our community a ballet of this kind,” James River Valley Chapter President Janipher Robinson said in a recent phone interview. “It’s a very unique concept and an unusual ballet.”

Created by Columbia City Ballet’s Artistic Director William Starrett in 2005 as a tribute to renowned contemporary artist Jonathan Green, the ballet has been called “an ingenious idea” by the New York Times and a “soulful slice of work” by the Tampa Tribune.

Mr. Green’s vibrant paintings depict Gullah life on South Carolina’s Lowcountry coast.

The Gullah/Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans from west and central Africa. They were forced to work on plantations along the lower Atlantic coast that were often isolated from the mainland. Glimpses into the unique culture they created are represented in more than 1,700 works by Mr. Green.

The $1.2 million production uses choreography,

dazzling costumes and a musical mix of jazz, gospel, classical, Caribbean and Motown to bring 22 of the artist’s paintings to life on the stage.

Environmental Film Festival multiple showings, venues

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The RVA Environmental Festival will feature 21 feature films during its upcoming twoweek run, with all films free and open to the public.

The festival, a project of the Sierra Club’s Falls of the James Group with support from area businesses, will open 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 10, with a screening of “Wildcat,” a love story set at an Amazon wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. The film will be shown in The Dome theater at the Science Museum of Virginia.

The final film, “Meat the Future,” a documentary on the plant-based revolution that could eliminate the need to breed, raise and slaughter animals, will be shown 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at the North Courthouse Road Library, 325 Courthouse Road in Chesterfield County.

In between, the diverse array of films will include “Coal Blooded,” this year’s winner

of the Virginia Environmental Film Contest.

Brandon Davis of Christopher Newport University produced and directed the documentary that focuses on the impacts of the 200-acre coal pile at the Newport News terminal on an adjacent Black neighborhood.

His documentary is set to be shown after the awards presentation 5:15 p.m. Sunday, March 12, at The Byrd Theatre in Carytown.

Most of the films will be shown at The Byrd Saturday, March 11, and Sunday, March 12, before the awards ceremony.

On Saturday, the films will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run through 6 p.m. In order, the films will include “The Lorax,” “My Garden of a Thousand Bees,”

“Life On Our Planet,” “Haibun For An Island That Is No Longer An Island,” “Reflection: A Walk With Water,” “Built To Burn,” “Forest For The Trees,” and

“Slay,” a hard-hitting expose on the fashion industry.

On Sunday, before the awards ceremony, three films will be shown, with the first starting at 2 p.m. at The Byrd. In order, they will be “Vanishing Insects Spell Trouble for Humans,” the climate change film “Newtok” and “Friends of Nelson: Lessons Learned” on the battle to halt the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

The festival will continue Monday, March 13, with the bird sanctuary film “Falconer” to be shown at 6:30 p.m. at Libbie Mill Library, 2100 E. Libbie Lake St. in Henrico County, and Tuesday, March 14, with the showing of “Utama,” a film about the impact of drought on Bolivia, at 7 p.m. at the University of Richmond’s Ukrop Auditorium.

At 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, the film “Nature’s Cleanup Crew,” the story of urban scavengers, will be shown at the Richmond Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St.

Two films will be presented Thursday, March 16. One is a film on the world’s freshwater crisis, “The Last Drop and Writing the Land,” that will be shown at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 6000 Grove Ave. in Henrico County. The other is “Unstoppable Youth,” the story of the new movement to tackle climate change. The film will air at 6 p.m. at Grace Street Theater, 934 W. Grace St.

On Friday, March 17, the festival will feature a man’s friendship with a wild octopus, “My Octopus Teacher,” to be shown at 6:30 p.m. at the Robins Center at Maymont Park.

On Saturday, March 18, a film focusing on an activist’s battle to save a Black community in Louisiana, “Mossville, When Great Trees Fall,” will be shown at 3 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1000 Blanton Ave. in the city.

The church also will host “The Great Electric Airplane Race” on replacing jet-fueled engines with electric ones 1 p.m. Sunday, March 19. Details at the festival’s website: RVAEFF.org.

The ballet’s premier Richmond performance will include cameos from RVA singer, dancer and actress Desiree Roots and the Virginia Union

Ready, set, read

Glen Lea Elementary School Principal James Gordon III reads “Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia” during the African-American Family Read-In at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on Feb. 25. Right, Maya Walters of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, shows youngsters a counting exercise during the reading event at the museum.

University Choir.

The 7:30 p.m. event will benefit The Links, one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations. Money raised will go toward continuing the James River Valley chapter’s STEM initiatives through Richmond Public Schools, its arts education program “Classics through the Ages” and a Virginia Union University scholarship endowment.

In addition, students from Richmond Public Schools will attend a 10 a.m. matinee performance of the ballet.

“It will be a great introduction into legitimate theater,” Ms. Robinson said. “It will allow students to see a live performance — not a movie, but a live performance on the stage.”

It also will reflect on parts of the chapter’s mission to serve the Richmond community by making a difference in K-12 education and promoting the arts.

“We appreciate presenting the arts to our young children and to the community,” Ms. Robinson said. “We want to put the emphasis on our school children because that’s where the real impact is. That’s the reason for the fundraiser itself.”

Learn more about The Links by visiting www.jamesrivervalleylinks.org

Tickets are available at www.dominionenergycenter.com

Photos by Clement Britt

Karl E. Bren, housing advocate, dies at 78

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Tennessee transplant Karl

Ellis Bren is being remembered for his influence and impact on affordable housing, environmental policy and homelessness during his 38 years in Richmond.

An urban planner and public policy specialist, Mr. Bren, whom admirers described as a gentleman and humanitarian, assisted in founding 13 nonprofits to make advances in those policy areas.

Among them are Virginia Supportive Housing, which specializes in housing and providing case management to individuals in need; Housing Families First, which aids families to avoid homelessness and operates the Hilliard House shelter; and Viridiant,

a nationally recognized “green” building verification and consulting firm.

Mr. Bren also was a founding board member of the Better Housing Coalition, the area’s largest nonprofit housing development and management operation.

Bren

Mr.

Those nonprofits and others he helped create continue Mr. Bren’s legacy of community service following his death Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at the Tennessee State Veterans home in Murfreesboro. He was 78.

A native of Lebanon, Tenn., Mr. Bren moved to Richmond in 1982 with his now deceased wife, Jane H. Bren, after graduating from Middle Tennessee State University, earning a

UR’s Philip S. ‘Sam’ Deloria to discuss indigenous views of institutional racism

Free Press staff report

Sam Deloria, a 2022-23 Jepson Leaderin-Residence at the University of Richmond, is a Yankton Dakota descendant, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of Fort Yates, N.D., and a lifetime advocate for Native American peoples and politics.

Bronze Star for his service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, and securing a master’s in urban planning from Virginia Tech. He became part of the staff of Virginia Housing, the state’s housing development authority, and became a key player with the legislature in shaping policy to increase affordable housing and press for inclusion of energy efficiency and other practices to limit the impact of development on the environment. He later began organizing nonprofits that supported his passions for helping others get their ideas off the ground, such the Better Housing Coalition.

Describing Mr. Bren as a “genuinely good guy,” Greta

J. Harris, current president and chief executive officer of the coalition, stated in a Facebook post that Mr. Bren’s influence “led BHC to incorporate green-building techniques into our designs, renovations and practices.”

After retiring from Virginia Housing in 2004, Mr. Bren began Green Visions Consulting to continue his advocacy for sustainable development, which included founding the Virginia Housing and Environmental Network in the early 1990s.

He was a member of River Road United Methodist Church while he lived in Richmond.

Survivors include his daughter, Diana B. Magoon; sister Martha B. Morgan; and three

Mr. Deloria

During a 4 p.m. March 14 presentation, “A Heretical Indigenous View of Institutional Racism,” at the Carole Weinstein International Center Commons at the University of Richmond, he will examine the controversy surrounding the concept of institutional racism as an example of a naive and superficial treatment by both the right and the left of many of the important issues facing the country.

Mr. Deloria is a founding delegate and a former secretarygeneral of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.

A reception will immediately follow. Advance registration is required: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventR eg?oeidk=a07ejnj9r5v4472dc80&oseq=&c=&ch=

and restrictions, whether filed or inchoate, to include any information a survey or inspection of a property may disclose. It is assumed that bidders will make a visual exterior inspection of a property within the limits of the law, determine the suitability of a property for their purposes, and otherwise perform due diligence prior to the auction. The Special Commissioner’s acceptance of a bid shall not limit any powers vested in the City of Richmond. Additional terms may be announced at the time of sale. Individuals owing delinquent taxes to the City of Richmond, and defendants in pending delinquent tax cases, are not qualified to bid at this auction. Bidders must certify by affidavit that they do not own, directly or indirectly, any real estate with outstanding notices of violation for building, zoning or other local ordinances. Questions may be directed to Gregory A. Lukanuski at greg.lukanuski@ rva.gov or (804) 646-7949, or to Christie Hamlin at christie. hamlin@rva.gov or (804) 6466940. Gregory A. Lukanuski Deputy City Attorney Special Commissioner 900 East Broad Street, Room 400 Richmond, Virginia 23219 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND RIVER CITY PROPERTY HOLDINGS, LLC, TRUSTEE OF THE 502 NORTH MEADOW STREET LAND TRUST Plaintiff, CLIFTON GLENN PEARCE and HUGH DORSEY WILSON and The Unknown heirs, descendants, devisees, assigns, and/or successors in title to Clinton Glenn Pearce and Hugh Dorsey Wilson 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”

The City of Richmond announces the following project(s) available for services relating to: RFP No. 220013780: Communications Tower and Site Management

Pre-Proposal Conference Call Meeting: None.

Proposal Due Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2023/Time: 3:00 P.M.

Information or copies of the above solicitations are available by contacting Procurement Services, at the City of Richmond website (www.RVA. GOV), or faxed (804) 646-5989. The City of Richmond encourages all contractors to participate in the procurement process.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE RICHMOND REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY ON PROPOSED PRIVATE ACTIVITY BOND FINANCING FOR CHIPPENHAM PLACE APARTMENTS MULTIFAMILY HOUSING FACILITY

Notice is hereby given that the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (the “Authority”) will hold a public hearing on the request of Chippenham Place LP (the “Borrower”), whose address is 401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1070, Santa Monica, California 90401, for the issuance by the Authority of a maximum stated principal amount of $25,000,000 of its revenue bonds (the “Bonds”) to finance or refinance a portion of (a) the cost of acquiring, constructing, renovating, rehabilitating and equipping a multifamily residential rental housing project consisting of 20 buildings containing approximately 144 units, known as Chippenham Place Apartments (the “Project”), on approximately 12.9 acres of land located at 5833 Orcutt Lane in the City of Richmond, Virginia, (b) the funding of reserve funds as permitted by applicable law and (c) the costs incurred in connection with the issuance of the Bonds (collectively, the “Plan of Finance”). The Project will meet the requirements of a qualified residential rental project within the meaning of Section 142(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The Project is expected to be owned and used by the Borrower or a party related to the Borrower. The public hearing, which may be continued or adjourned, will be held at 6:00 p.m. on March 13, 2023 before representatives of the Authority. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with applicable federal law, the public hearing will be conducted through toll-free conference call. Members of the public may participate in the public hearing by using the dial-in number and conference code set forth below:

DIAL-IN NUMBER: 1-844-844-0414

CONFERENCE CODE: 1533568#

The Bonds will not pledge the credit or the taxing power of the Authority or the City of Richmond, Virginia but will be payable solely from the revenues derived from the Borrower and pledged therefor.

The public hearing will provide an opportunity for interested persons to be heard and communications and writings to be received and considered. Interested persons wishing to express their views on the Plan of Finance may also submit written comments prior to the time of the hearing to the Authority’s co-bond counsel, Michael W. Graff, Jr., Esq., 1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1800, Tysons, Virginia 22102, and Nancy Griffin Chambliss, Esq., 707 East Main Street, Suite 1000, Richmond, Virginia 23219. The hearing shall provide the fullest opportunity for the expression of opinion, for argument on the merits, and for the introduction of documentary evidence pertinent to the issuance of the Bonds. RICHMOND REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING AUTHORITY

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

morning hours from Monday –Friday, 8 A.M. – 11 A.M.

The preferred candidate should possess previous custodian and/or sexton experience as well as experience in operating a floor buffer. A Criminal History Background Check is required. Please pickup an application at: 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

Application can also be filled out online at https:// www.mobcva.org/job-openings

Senior Software Developer: Glen Allen, VA. Dsgn, devel, test, & impl business applications using Java, PL/SQL, AWS cloud techs, Google Cloud Platform, Big query, Tableau, Talend Data Fabric, Neo4j Data visualization tool, Blade Bridge migration automation, Python Scripting & Shell Scripting in Linux & Windows environ. Analyze reqs & provide technical Architecture incl ETL Framework. Design ETL jobs for data extraction & loading into various layers of Data Lake. Engage in Migration of the entire data pipeline from on-premises to cloud. Devel, implement & unit test Data Integration & MDM jobs using Talend Data Fabric. Utilize Oracle, MS-SQL Server & DB2 to dsgn & maintain databases. Req Bachelor’s Degree or Foreign Equivt in Comp Sci or Info Tech or rel w/ 5 yrs of exp in the job offered or related field. Job reqs travel and/ or relocation to various unanticipated client sites in the U.S. Mail resume to Global Sumi Technologies Inc., Attn: HR Department, 11549 Nuckols Road, Suite B, Glen Allen, VA - 23059.