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.