Richmond Free Press March 24-26, 2022 edition

Yellow Jackets win A8

Richmond Free Press © 2022 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 31 NO. 13

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Ms. Foster

Study may help reverse shut out of Black businesses from city contracts

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

City Hall spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year to buy goods and services and pay for construction and renovation of its buildings, pipelines and other infrastructure. But only a tiny fraction of that money is spent with Black- and minority-owned Public can weigh in companies.

MGT Consulting Group According to a report from willhostapublicsessionfrom the city’s Office of Minority noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Business Enterprise, the city April 7, to gather comments issued contracts worth more from business owners on than $700 million to private their experiences of doing companies during the 2019-20 business, or attempting to fiscal year. do business, with the City However, only $37 million, of Richmond. or about 5 cents of every $1, The meeting is part of MGT’s work of developing a was spent with nonwhitedisparity study for the city. owned companies during that Details: Patricia R. fiscal year.

“Pat” Foster, director of Such miniscule spending the city’s Office of Minority is in line with the procureBusiness Enterprise, ment spending patterns of the (804) 646-7566 or patricia. state government and virtually foster@rva.gov.

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Get COVID-19 vaccine at home Want a COVID-19 vaccine?

You can now get one at home.

The Richmond and Henrico County health districts have expanded the Doses on Demand program allowing a nurse to come to your home to give you a COVID-19 shot, including booster shots.

The free program was offered initially for the elderly, very ill or those who are disabled or homebound. Officials said expanding the program to all Richmond and Henrico residents may make it easier for people with transportation and child care issues to get vaccinated.

To schedule an appointment, call (804) 205-3501.

Free COVID-19 testing, vaccines Free community testing for COVID-19 continues.

The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following location: • Friday, March 25, 4 to 6 p.m. – Southwood Pool House, Southwood Parkway and Clarkson Road.

The event will provide walk-up testing, though appointments can still be made by calling (804) 205-3501

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MARCH 24-26, 2022

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson deflects Republican attacks

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson answers questions Tuesday posed by members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the second day of confirmation hearings on her nomination to become an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Meet this week’s Personality B1

WASHINGTON Republicans on Wednesday pressed their attacks on a range of issues against Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s nominee to become the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, as she inched closer to the end of an intense two days of questioning with Democrats coming to her defense.

Judge Jackson, who has remained even-tempered throughout marathon questioning during her U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings, showed some impatience Wednesday over repeated questions posed by Republican members of the committee who accused her of being too lenient as a judge in sentencing child pornography offenders.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri again pressed her on one child pornography case involving an 18-year-old defendant in which Judge Jackson imposed a three-month sentence. He asked her if she Please turn to A4

City Council committee temporarily sidelines citizen review board to investigate complaints against police

By Jeremy M. Lazarus and George Copeland Jr.

the council’s Public Safety Committee, headed by 8th District Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell, recommended approval. Ms. A City Council committee hit the pause button Tuesday on Lambert, who serves as vice chair of the Public Safety Commita proposal from Mayor Levar M. Stoney to establish a new tee, joined Ms. Trammell and 6th District Councilwoman Ellen Richmond civilian review board to investigate complaints against F. Robertson in voting to send the proposal to the full council city police. without any changes.

The three-member Governmental Operations Committee led As introduced by Mayor Stoney, the proposed citizen review by 4th District Councilwoman Kristen Nye agreed Wednesday board would be made up of seven members, with three chosen to table the proposal for 30 days to consider potential amend- by City Council, three by the mayor and one by the Richmond ments, rather than advancing the ordinance to the full council Police chief. next week for a vote.

Under the plan, people with “We want to make sure we get felony convictions could be it right,” said 3rd District Counappointed to board, but current cilwoman Ann-Frances Lambert, or former police officers and who took the place of 9th District their family members would be Councilman Michael J. Jones, a excluded. full-time minister who is on a As outlined by Mayor Stoney, mission trip out of the country. the board would operate as an “For me,” Ms. Lambert continadvisory board to review behind ued, “I don’t want to push anything closed doors cases involving seriMs. Nye Ms. Lambert Ms. Jordan through that has not been really ous allegations against city police evaluated. I do believe that we need more discussion to make officers and then offer recommendations on discipline and on sure we’re all on the same page, and then we can actually put policies and practices for the police chief to consider. something together that all of the council can appreciate and The panel would be tasked with automatically reviewing vote for.” completed Richmond Police Department investigations involving Second District Councilwoman Katherine Jordan expressed police shootings, deaths and serious injuries of people; accusaconcern that the mayor’s proposal would not produce a com- tions of physical or verbal abuse by police; and citizen appeals mission that would build public trust. She and Ms. Nye joined of RPD findings or decisions.

Ms. Lambert in continuing the matter.

The review, though, could only take place after all criminal The committee’s decision to table any action came a day after and civil cases related to an incident were completed.

The panel also would be empowered to hire outside investigators, and a five-member majority of the review board could request subpoenas from the Richmond Circuit Court for documents and witnesses.

“This proposal was built with citizen input and expert research and analysis of comparative cities,” Mayor Stoney stated after releasing his proposal, which also called for providing about $200,000 a year to support the new board. “The result is a CRB that will be properly staffed, funded and equipped to respond to the needs of our community, ensure accountability and enhance the public safety of all Richmond residents.”

For some, the proposal is inadequate.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press “A CRB that is tacked on only after RPD has completed its own process, and only in Lawryn Bundy, 10, gets a helping hand last weekend from her mother, Jacki Bundy, the most egregious cases, isn’t who fastens a mask decorated by the youngster during a program at the Black what our community asked for,” History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. Children and their parents heard said Dr. Eli Coston, a Virginia stories about the animals of the African grasslands and viewed an exhibit on Commonwealth University as-

Hear her roar

masks from “The Lion King” musical at the museum located in Jackson Ward.

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Richmond Free Press

A2 March 24-26, 2022

Local News

Coach Bailey

Coach Chavis

Coach Harris

Coach Taylor

New signs to be unveiled honoring former VUU football coaches

A foundation that helps keep the Virginia Union University campus litter-free will use its work to honor four former VUU football coaches on new Richmond Clean City Commission signs recognizing the pickup work.

The new Adopt-a-Street signs honoring Coaches Willard Bailey, the late Jesse Chavis, the late “Tricky Tom” Harris and Joe Taylor at the corner of Lombardy and Admiral streets will be unveiled on the campus at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 26, according to the Burning Sands Alumni Football Foundation and the Richmond Department of Public Works. The ceremony will include a walk to Lombardy and Brook Road.

Members of the foundation, which was created more than 10 years ago, qualified the foundation for the signs by holding regular litter pickups in the 1200 block of Admiral Street, the 1500 block of Lombardy Street and the 2000 block of Brook Road.

The litter initiative is one project of the nonprofit foundation, which raises money for scholarships and to

Councilwoman Robertson hosting rent and tax relief event March 26 Call it a party with a purpose: To help tenants behind on their rent apply for rent relief and to assist elderly and disabled people to apply for city property tax relief.

Sixth District City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson is hosting the community event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Annie Giles Community Resource and Training Center, 1400 Oliver Hill Way in Ms. Robertson Shockoe Valley, it has been announced.

Ms. Robertson stated the event, featuring music and food, is open to people from across the city.

Her hope is that residents of public housing who are behind on their rent will come for help filing for the state rent relief program to avoid eviction. She also hopes seniors and others who could qualify for the city’s tax abatement program will be there to receive help with applications.

Details: (804) 646 -7064.

Sheila Hill-Christian named interim CEO of RRHA In a leadership shuffle, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners has tapped Sheila Hill-Christian to serve as interim chief executive officer, effective Friday, April 1, it has been announced.

A former executive director of the housing authority that manages public housing in Richmond, Ms. Hill-Christian will take Ms. Hill-Christian over from Stacey Daniels-Fayson, who has held the post on an interim basis for nearly two years.

Ms. Daniels-Fayson, who has been with RRHA since 2007, will return to running RRHA’s financial operations.

Ms. Hill-Christian, a local government veteran, currently is the managing director of Richmond-based Fahrenheit Advisors, a consulting and advisory firm that is assisting RRHA’s board with its search for a permanent chief executive officer.

Hampton U. offers free tuition to students displaced from Ukraine Hampton University is offering free tuition, room and board to Ukrainian and international students displaced by the ongoing Russian invasion of the Eastern European nation.

University President William Harvey announced last week that up to 100 students displaced from Ukraine can continue their education free of charge at Hampton this summer. Additionally, they will have the option to stay at Hampton after the summer and pay regular rates for tuition and fees.

“The collective Hampton University faculty, staff and students are heartbroken because the war-torn country of Ukraine must deal with atrocities like the bombing of maternity wards, hospitals and other civilian areas,” Dr. Harvey stated.

“I think this partnership is something that can be beneficial to a great number of students and families,” he stated. “My entire career has been focused on helping people to achieve and meet their goals.”

In fall 2019, Hampton extended free enrollment and room and board for one semester to students from the University of the Bahamas to continue their education after their campus was impacted by Hurricane Dorian.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

A “for sale” sign now adorns the longtime home of the Die Teufel Club in Jackson Ward.

Established in 1937, the private Black men’s social club bought and renovated the 7,000-squarefoot space at 16 E. Marshall St. in 1972. First called “The Devil’s Club,” the club’s name was Slices of life and scenes changed by members to the German word for devil during World War II to end whispers about in Richmond Satanic practices. Long a popular site for weekend parties, the club, like many civic and social groups, has seen its membership dwindle. With property values soaring, the 24 remaining members decided to put the property on the market and return to their origins of meeting at members’ homes. The club paid $35,000 for the building about 50 years ago. It’s now listed for sale at $1.4 million with Icon Commercial, which has the listing.

Cityscape

Court approves 2nd casino referendum for city voters this fall

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Signed, sealed and delivered.

That is the status of a Richmond Circuit Court order authorizing Richmond residents to vote again on the question of whether to allow a $565 million casino-resort to be developed in South Richmond.

Chief Circuit Judge W. Reilly Marchant last Friday signed the order that City Hall requested to put the casino question on the ballot again in this November’s general election.

Judge Marchant signed the order after the state’s casino regulator, the Virginia Lottery Board, raised no objections following a 45-day review.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney, who along with most of City Council, backs the casino as an important job- and revenue-creating development, announced Monday that the court order had been signed authorizing the second vote.

The city rushed to secure the order as part of its effort to get the General Assembly to drop an effort to halt the referendum for a year to allow time for a study to determine if Petersburg should become the choice for

a Central Virginia casino.

Two Richmond state senators, Democrats Jennifer L. McClellan and Joseph D. “Joe” Morrissey, are backing Petersburg after a split Richmond electorate narrowly rejected the proposed casino by 1,500 votes in the initial referendum last November. The result was unexpected after voters in four other Virginia cities where casinos are permitted overwhelmingly supported bringing a gambling operation to their communities.

In his statement, Mayor Stoney acknowledged the General Assembly could still veto the referendum if the final state budget, which has yet to be passed, includes Senate language barring a Richmond referendum this year.

According to some observers, such budget language could prevent the State Board of Elections from approving a city ballot that included a casino referendum.

“We recognize that this is not the end,” Mayor Stoney stated. “We will continue to advocate with the General Assembly to preserve our right to pursue this gamechanging opportunity.”

The proposed ONE Casino + Resort is to be privately developed, without any

subsidy from the city, on 100 acres of land at the Bells Road interchange off Interstate 95 in South Side.

Baltimore-based Urban One, a Blackowned radio and media company that the city selected to develop the resort, has projected that the development would generate at least 1,500 new restaurant, hotel and casino jobs and generate at least $30 million a year in new tax revenue for the city.

The company also has promised that it would restore Richmond to the entertainment map by offering top-notch entertainment and creating a soundstage onsite for the production of ads, movies and TV shows.

In addition, the company has proposed to turn half of the property into a public park and ensure Black-owned businesses have opportunities to run restaurants and play significant roles as suppliers.

Casino opponents argue that such benefits gloss over the huge losses that largely low-income people would need to incur to generate the amount needed for the gambling operation to cover its costs, pay taxes and deliver on the benefits it has promised.

Fox students return to in-person classes at First Baptist Church

By Ronald E. Carrington

As the sun rose at 7:15 a.m. Monday, a parade of happy and enthusiastic parents with their elementary-age children made the trek to school at Richmond’s First Baptist Church on Monument Avenue.

This was the first day of in-person classes for Fox Elementary School students who have been learning virtually since a destructive fire on Feb. 11 left the Hanover Avenue school building uninhabitable.

Even under their protective face masks, students’ smiles were evident. Their eagerness to see classmates and teachers was clearly apparent.

Sarah Tunner and her two daughters, Katherine, a kindergartener, and Caroline, a fourth-grader, were among the brigade of happy arrivals at the church on this sunny, but brisk first day back in class.

“We are thrilled and so thankful to First Baptist Church for hosting the entire school until our children can return to a Richmond Public School,” Ms. Tunner told the Free Press.

Both daughters felt really excited about returning to in-person learning.

“I only like in-person school because you have to do a lot more in class,” Caroline said. “I missed my teacher and friends the most.”

Another parent, who declined to give her name, said she is all for the rebuilding and renovation of the 111-year-old building on its same site, which the School Board

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

A banner welcomes Fox Elementary School students Monday to their new classrooms at First Baptist Church at Monument Avenue and Arthur Ashe Boulevard, five weeks after a fire displaced them from their school building in The Fan.

approved during a special meeting March 18. She said she wants to keep the building’s façade while adding a “fabulous” modern interior.

“It means a lot for Fox to be in the same footprint where it is and back in the neighborhood that supports it so much,” she said, noting that her family chose to live in the 2nd District so her children could walk to Fox. School Board member Mariah L. White, who represents the 2nd District, stood Monday at the entrance to First Baptist Church and welcomed students and parents — some by name.

She said it was the first step to normalizing student learning after the fire.

“First Baptist is a great place for our students and staff to be located,” Ms. White said.

An added enhancement to this week’s transition: Teachers and staff were being provided with breakfast and snacks each day, Ms. White said. The goodies were donated by Ms. White, 2nd District Councilwoman Katherine Jordan, The Fan District Association, the William Fox PTA, the Carver Area Civic Improvement League and the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Richmond Free Press

March 24-26, 2022 A3

Local News

RPS data show middle schools under capacity, as controversy over new high school size continues

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond Public Schools enrollment data are undermining claims from members of Richmond City Council that surging enrollment would require a future George Wythe High School to be built to accommodate 2,000 students to prevent overcrowding when it opens.

The council’s claims of growing enrollment have become a key justification for members of the governing body to block the transfer of $7.3 million to RPS to begin design of a replacement for the decrepit George Wythe building. The Richmond School Board insists a new George Wythe only needs to have 1,600 seats.

That dispute over the school’s size was in clear view Tuesday night when the City Council and School Board met, but left with nothing settled. City Council is poised to vote on the funding transfer at its next meeting Monday, March 28.

Seeking to break the impasse, 6th District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson urged the School Board to consider a compromise of building a school for 1,800 students, with room for expansion if needed. Members of the School Board did not immediately embrace the idea.

One problem for advocates of the larger school: Evidence of a surge in enrollment is not showing up in the data.

In the past 10 years, even as the city’s population grew 11 percent, RPS reports show public school enrollment fell by the equivalent of at least three elementary schools.

Since 2010, RPS’ reported enrollment has dropped from 23,454 students in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade to 21,179 students enrolled in September, a decline of nearly 2,300 students, or 9.7 percent.

The decline has been felt largely at the secondary level, with thousands of empty seats in middle and high schools. Even on South Side, where there has been growth in enrollment, the growth has been modest.

Ninth District Councilman Michael J. Jones has said that student enrollment growth in South Side is surging, noting that the new River City Middle School on Hull Street Road, which was built with a capacity for 1,583 students, is almost full.

“It does not make sense to build a feeder high school at the same capacity as the middle school,” he has said, adding his frustration that the School Board does not support a new 2,000-student high school.

However, while the enrollment data show River City Middle with a September enrollment of 1,515 students, the data also shows that the two other South Side middle schools, Lucille Brown and Thomas Boushall, are well below capacity.

Brown started the year with 584 students, according to RPS, or 195 fewer students than the 779 students the building was designed to accommodate.

Boushall started the year with 455 students, or 430 fewer students than the 885 students the building can accommodate, according to RPS. Except for River City Middle, no other middle school in the city is at capacity.

That imbalance in student populations is the reason that an

Richmond middle school population Middle school Henderson Martin Luther King Jr. Albert Hill Binford Lucille Brown Boushall River City

September enrollment 431 514 449 412 584 455 1,515

Capacity 977 876 819 667 779 885 1,583

Source: Richmond Public Schools report to state Department of Education

RPS committee currently is working on a plan to alter attendance zones to reduce the student population at River City Middle and increase it at other middle schools.

When enrollment at the three middle schools is combined, the data show that enrollment has barely budged at the three feeder schools for the two South Side high schools, George Wythe and Huguenot.

In September, the three middle schools enrolled a combined 2,554 students, according to RPS’ report to the state Department of Education. That is up 166 students from the pre-pandemic 2018-19 school year when 2,388 students were enrolled in the three schools.

In 2018-19, the three South Side schools were Brown, Boushall and Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School, which River City replaced.

The combined enrollment of the three middle schools still falls short of the total number of students that George Wythe and Huguenot can accommodate.

The current Wythe can accommodate 1,401 students, while Huguenot has a capacity for 1,426 students, according to RPS. That’s a combined total of 2,827 high school student, or 273 more students than are enrolled now in the three middle schools.

If a new George Wythe were built for 1,600 students, there would be 473 extra seats compared with the current combined middle school enrollment.

And empty middle school seats are already a reality across the city.

Enrollment data show RPS has more than 2,200 empty seats in its seven middle schools, or one-third of their total capacity.

This year, RPS reported enrolling 4,360 middle school students in the seven buildings, far short of the 6,503 students that the school system reported the buildings can accommodate.

School Board member Jonathan M. Young, 4th District, said the lack of student population growth in the middle school numbers is reflected in the high schools, which also reported

about 2,500 vacant seats across the city.

In September, RPS reported 5,479 students were enrolled in the eight high schools that have capacity for 8,074 students, or 30 percent fewer students than the buildings can accommodate.

He said the data showing excess space in the public secondary schools has prompted him to advocate closing at least one existing middle school and one existing high school, though he acknowledged he has garnered little support from his eight colleagues for shutting down two schools.

However, he noted that the data reflect a Richmond reality that a substantial chunk of school-age children in the city are not enrolled in RPS. He said figures indicate that for every 100 babies born each year in Richmond, only 70 eventually will be enrolled in the public schools.

“That statistic has not changed,” he said. From private schools to home schools to relocating to the county, a significant number of parents choose alternatives to the city’s public schools.

He said this kind of data, plus projections from a demographic consultant of little to no growth in secondary enrollment for the next 10 years, has led the School Board to conclude that building a new George Wythe to accommodate 1,600 students would be sufficient while building for 2,000 students would add to the current overcapacity.

“What we are being asked to do is spend millions of extra dollars to build a school that is far larger than is likely to be needed,” Mr. Young said. “And the council members are not even counting the separate 1,000-student career and technical education high school that also is being planned for South Side.”

He said he and four other members of the board see no way to justify building an oversized George Wythe that would sop up money needed to pay for another needed school project, a replacement for Woodville Elementary School in the East End. Richmond Free Press reporter Ronald E. Carrington contributed to this story.

School Board still working on final 2022-23 budget

By Ronald E. Carrington

in line with the city’s proposed $15 million increase.

Nearly four weeks after approving the 2022In addition, according to Superintendent 23 budget, the Richmond School Board is still Jason Kamras, the board must find additional struggling to complete a final version with all reductions because the budget plan the board line items filled in to send to City approved on Feb. 28 inappropriately Hall and City Council. mixed operational dollars with oneAfter extended discussions Monday time federal dollars. night, the board decided to continue For example, he noted that the board the work until the Monday, April 5, cut $10 million in spending on new meeting even as the council, now computers for students and cellphones reviewing Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s and counted that as a reduction in proposed budget for the next fiscal operational spending. However, he year, continues pressing the board said the money for those items was Mr. Kamras to finish. to come from funds provided through At stake for the board is a proposed the federal American Rescue Plan that are ac$15 million increase in the city’s contribution for counted for separately and would not reduce public education, which would largely go to sup- spending for continuing operations. port pay raises for teachers and other staff.

During Monday’s meeting, Mr. Kamras preAs approved by the School Board, the bud- sented a proposed list of cuts totaling about $7 get would total around $548 million, including million, including reductions in central office posifederal grants and a $356 million operational tions and consulting contracts along with a host budget primarily from city and state funds. of other snips from his original budget plan.

Among the unsettled issues is where to cut He expressed hope that the board would $1 million in expenses. The board was seeking use his proposed amendments as a blueprint a $16 million increase from the city and needs for developing a completed budget at the first to find reductions to bring the spending plan meeting in April.

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A4 March 24-26, 2022

Richmond Free Press

News

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Jackson deflects Republican attacks Continued from A1

regretted the sentence.

“Senator, what I regret is that during a hearing about my qualifications to be a justice on the Supreme Court we’ve spent a lot of time focusing on this small subset of my sentences,” Judge Jackson responded.

Judge Jackson, who has undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard and practiced law for more than 10 years including as a federal public defender, has served on the federal bench since 2013. She was nominated by former President Obama to serve as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and in early 2021, was elevated to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia after being nominated

by President Biden.

She has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate three times, twice for the federal judgeships and once for the U.S. Sentencing Commission, a post she held from 2010 to 2014. The current hearings, which have proven most contentious, stem from her nomination by President Biden to replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who intends to retire when the court ends its current term and begins its summer recess.

Judge Jackson noted Wednesday that she had sentenced more than 100 people as a judge.

Democrats and sentencing experts have said Judge Jackson’s approach to child pornography sentencing was similar to the vast majority of federal judges.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who repeatedly interrupted Judge Jackson as she was trying to answer his questions, told her that “every judge who does what you’re doing is making it easier for these children to be exploited.”

“I know how serious these crimes are,” Judge Jackson replied, adding that her approach was to ensure “the most serious offenders get the longest time.”

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the committee’s chairman, pushed back on Republican requests for more information on Judge Jackson’s child pornography cases, saying the issue had already been debated in detail over two days.

Republicans also questioned her on issues unrelated to her qualifications for the high court, including critical race theory, gender identity, how many murders and rapes have gone unsolved, and parental rights. Sen. Durbin opened Wednesday’s hearing lamenting that his panel had become “the testing ground for conspiracy theories and culture war theories.”

“There is an absurdity to this that is almost comical if it was not so dangerous,” Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said of the Republicans’ attacks.

“You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American,” Sen. Booker told Judge Jackson, who could be seen wiping a tear from her eye.

So far, there is no sign that the Republican attacks are likely to derail Judge Jackson’s confirmation, with Democrats narrowly controlling the Senate. With a simple majority needed for confirmation and the Senate divided 50-50 between the parties, she would get the job if Democrats remain united regardless of how the Republicans vote.

Under questioning from her former Harvard Law School classmate GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Judge Jackson said that

if confirmed to the lifetime job she planned not to participate in a major Supreme Court case involving the university because she serves on its board of overseers.

That case, to be heard in the court’s next term that begins in October, involves a challenge to the affirmative action admissions policy Harvard uses to increase its number of Black and Hispanic students.

Her confirmation would not change the court’s ideological balance—it has a 6-3 conservative majority—but would let President Biden freshen its liberal bloc with a 51-year-old jurist young enough to serve for decades.

Facing more long hours of often-antagonistic questioning during the hearing’s third day, Judge Jackson remained mostly unflappable, beginning most responses with a polite, “Thank you, Senator.”

Sen. Durbin praised Judge Jackson for her poise and said some Republicans had used the hearing as “an opportunity to showcase talking points for the November election” when control of Congress is up for grabs, including the argument that Democrats are “soft on crime.”

“Well, you have made a mess of their stereotype,” Sen. Durbin said, pointing to the fact that she has been endorsed by various law enforcement groups.

Republicans also have criticized her legal representation earlier in her career of some detainees at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and tried to link Judge Jackson to activist groups on the left and to “critical race theory,” which argues American history and institutions are infused with racial bias.

There are signs that not all Republican senators agree with targeting Judge Jackson’s record on sentencing. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said during the hearing he was “sympathetic to some of it, not necessarily all of it” when describing claims made by his colleagues. Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told the Washington Post the attacks on Judge Jackson were “off course.”

Wednesday night, with outside experts scheduled for Thursday’s final day of the hearing.

If confirmed, Judge Jackson would be the 116th justice to serve on the high court, the sixth woman and the third Black person. With Judge Jackson on the bench, the court for the first time would have four women and two Black justices.

Court mute on Justice Thomas’ health status Free Press wire report

WASHINGTON The U.S. Supreme Court declined to say Wednesday whether 73-year-old Justice Clarence Thomas remains in the hospital, though he had been expected to be released by Tuesday evening.

The court said Sunday that Justice Thomas, the only African-American on the nation’s highest court, had been admitted to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington on March 18 after experiencing “flu-like symptoms,” and he was diagnosed with an infection. His Justice Thomas “symptoms are abating,” and he was expected to be released Monday or Tuesday, the court said in a statement at the time. But on Wednesday morning, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said she had no update to provide.

The court heard arguments Wednesday morning and Chief Justice John Roberts said, as he has for the past two days, that while Justice Thomas was not present he would participate in the case by reviewing the arguments’ transcript and briefs. Chief Justice Roberts said Wednesday that Justice Thomas was “unable to be present today” without explanation.

Justice Thomas did not have COVID-19 and his infection was being treated with intravenous antibiotics, the court has said.

Justice Thomas, a conservative and appointee of former President George H.W. Bush, has been on the court since 1991.

City Council committee temporarily sidelines citizen review board to investigate complaints against police Continued from A1

sistant professor who served as co-chair of the city’s CRB Task Force. “I find it incredibly disappointing that the mayor’s office chose to ignore” the task force’s recommendations for a strong, independent operation with subpoena power.

The mayor relied heavily on the recommendations of another VCU professor, Dr. William “Will” Pelfrey Jr., a recognized

expert on citizen review boards.

“The mayor opted to employ a single individual to draft the recommendation that doesn’t take into account the task force’s recommendations,” said Maisie Osteen, an attorney with Legal Aid Justice Center who has been an advocate for a strong CRB. “When local officials create weak civilian review boards without public input, they’re causing more harm than they’re benefiting their community,” Ms. Osteen said.

Despite voting to send the proposal to the full council with a recommendation for approval, Ms. Robertson appeared to have reservations.

“What we are about to do is to put a board in place that will make some very significant decisions as it relates to how we deal with any complaints and infractions as it relates to our police department,” Ms. Robertson said. “It’s important we make the right decision.”

Free COVID-19 vaccines Continued from A1

or going to www.rchd.com Call the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for more information on testing sites, or go online at vax.rchd. com.

The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov/ coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites.

Want a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot?

The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at the following locations: • Through Friday, March 25, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Community Vaccination Center, Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

• Tuesday, March 29, noon to 2 p.m. – Henrico East Health Department, 1400 N. Laburnum Ave.; 4 to 6 p.m. – Carlisle Avenue Baptist Church and Church Hill Academy, 2010 Carlisle Ave., Pfizer and Moderna.

• Friday, April 1, 9 to 11 a.m. – Southwood Pool House, Southwood Parkway and Clarkson Road; 1 to 2:45 p.m. – Fairfield Court Resource Center, 2506 Phaup St., Pfizer and Moderna.

Children ages 5 to 17 may only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Vaccinations and booster shots are available for all eligible of any age on a walk-in basis.

No appointment is needed, but can be made online at vaccinate.virginia.gov or vax.rchd.com, or by calling (804) 205-3501 or (877) VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682).

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

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

A total of 895 new cases of COVID-19 were reported statewide Wednesday for the 24-hour period, contributing to an overall state total of 1,663,132 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic’s outbreak. As of Wednesday, there have been 448,178 hospitalizations and 19,563 deaths statewide. The state’s seven-day positivity rate dropped to 3.6 percent on Wednesday. Last week, the positivity rate was 4 percent.

On Wednesday, state health officials reported that 72.4 percent of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated, while 81.2 percent of the people have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

State data also showed that more than 2.8 million people in Virginia have received booster shots or third doses of the vaccine.

Among those ages 5 to 11 in Virginia, 305,165 children have received their first shots, accounting for 42.1 percent of the eligible age group in the state, while 259,253 children, or 35.8 percent, are fully vaccinated and 468 have received a booster shot or third dose. As of Wednesday, fewer than 138,000 cases, 843 hospitalizations and eight deaths have been recorded among children.

State data also show that African-Americans comprised 22.4 percent of cases statewide and 23.2 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 12 percent of cases and 5.1 percent of deaths.

As of Wednesday, Richmond reported a total of 44,058 cases, 1,060 hospitalizations and 482 deaths; Henrico County, 63,943 cases, 1,395 hospitalizations and 895 deaths; Chesterfield County, 71,998 cases, 1,372 hospitalizations and 748 deaths; and Hanover County, 21,606 cases, 504 hospitalizations and 274 deaths.

Study may help reverse shut out of Black businesses from city contracts Continued from A1

every other locality in Virginia, where minority-owned companies secure only a tiny share of the contracts such entities award each year.

But it is embarrassing for the state’s capital city, a majority-minority community in which Black people comprise more than 40 percent of the population and which has a Black mayor who has made diversity and inclusion a major theme of his tenure.

And it is even more embarrassing for a city, which in contrast to most Virginia localities, has a long-standing policy of setting goals to promote spending of its procurement dollars with businesses owned

by Blacks, Asians, Native Americans and Latinos and which for decades has operated an internal office, the OMBE, to try and make sure that happens.

Amid a booming economy that has benefited small and large companies and helped sharply reduce pandemic-related unemployment, the issue of the lack of city contracts flowing to minority businesses appears to have been put on the back burner.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that Black businesses as well as Black people are getting the short end of the stick,” said A. Hugo “Al” Bowers, president of the Black Business Alliance of Virginia that advocates for increased contracting for Black-owned companies.

“Black people have been receiving disparate treatment since Richmond has been Richmond,” Mr. Bowers said.

Since first taking office, Mayor Levar M. Stoney has given little public attention to the issue of city spending with nonwhite companies. He did not talk much about the issue in his two campaigns for mayor, has mostly left the issue out of his State of the City speeches and given it short shrift in his budget messages.

Still, his administration with little fanfare has launched the first study that potentially could pave the way for change.

In mid-December, after a six-month review, city procurement Director Betty J. Burrell inked a $405,000 contract with MGT of America Consulting LLC, authorizing the company to conduct a yearlong study of the city’s contracting with a focus on the awards to nonwhite firms.

“The government should aim for diversity in spending that reflects the di-

versity of our city,” Mayor Stoney stated.

“Diversity and inclusivity is our strength.

We want to bring that strength to bear in our procurement practices.”

MGT’s charge is to conduct a comprehensive analysis to first determine “whether there is a significant statistical disparity between the availability of qualified, willing and able minority business enterprises (MBEs) and their active participation and utilization as contractors and subcontractors on city contracts.”

That first step requires the company to review five years of procurement data on contract awards and the use of MBEs, the contract states.

MGT also is to determine, if a disparity is found, whether the statistical evidence can be “corroborated by significant anecdotal evidence that the disparity is the result of past or current discrimination.” To do that, MGT is to conduct interviews with business owners and operators and others with potentially relevant information.

Once that information is compiled, and if a disparity “does exist,” the company is to offer recommendations on the best course for the city to close the gap between available companies and their use to carry out contracts.

MGT also is to determine if the city can boost MBE participation through the award of smaller contracts worth $100,000 or less that allow for more informal procedures.

This kind of study is required as the result of a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Richmond case.

A contractor, J.A. Croson, challenged Richmond’s landmark requirement at the time that 30 percent of every contract be spent with Black-owned businesses to remedy historic discrimination.

In a ruling that reverberated across the country, the nation’s highest court struck down the city policy in finding that “generalized assertions” of past racial discrimination could not justify that kind of rigid quota. Strict proof was needed, the court decided.

In the years since, legal scholars have noted that local and state governmental entities have been limited to setting unenforceable goals for minority business participation in contracts unless they conduct the kind of detailed study Richmond is undertaking to determine if there is a disparity and if that disparity is linked to bias.

MGT plans to subcontract a substantial share of the work to four firms, including two Black-owned firms from the Richmond area, Transformation Consulting LLC, led by founder Lee Brazzell, and Philip Reese LLC, led by co-founders Joeffrey Trimmingham and Paitra Russell.

Greensboro Staffing, a minority-owned North Carolina firm, and Texas-based Customer Research International round out MGT’s team. The company already has started the work, the Free Press has been told.

Mr. Bowers is skeptical that the study will lead to much change and would prefer the money for the study be spent on preparing and training residents at the low end of the income scale to fill skilled jobs.

“The state has conducted disparity studies, but it has made little difference when it comes to how the state spends taxpayer dollars for purchases. Black-owned businesses still get less than 2 cents of every dollar the state spends,” he said.

Figures from the state Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity back up Mr. Bowers’ assertion.

Despite efforts to boost spending with nonwhite companies that span five gubernatorial administrations, the department’s data show that minority businesses still gain just a tiny fraction of state procurement dollars.

In the 2020-21 fiscal year, the SBSD reported the state and its various agencies and arms spent $7.6 billion with private firms. Of that total, only $99 million was awarded to Black-owned businesses, or 1.3 percent. Separately, the state spent about $300 million that same year with Asian, Latino and other minority-owned firms, or around 4 percent.

Still, Patricia R. “Pat” Foster, director of the city’s Office of Minority Business Enterprise, regards this kind of detailed study as essential for progress, and she has pushed for several years to get the city to spend the money to get it done.

She has presented a variety of practical policy changes to City Council that she believes would advance the inclusion of minority businesses in city contracts, though none of the City Council members has sought to introduce ordinances to carry out her recommendations.

Ms. Foster believes the study’s results will provide the sturdy, factual basis for improving the city’s programs to support and promote minority business growth.

Richmond Free Press

March 24-26, 2022 A5

Local News

COVID-19 pandemic has brought the inequities faced by Black students into sharp focus

By Dr. Harry L. Williams

While the world has been focused on the growing numbers of COVID-19 causalities, the media has somewhat ignored the long-term educational and economic impacts of the pandemic, especially for Black students.

Although some attention has been given to the disparities between Black Americans and other groups contracting the virus, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Black community will be recovering from the impact of COVID-19, healthwise, economically and educationally, for at least the next two decades.

Throughout the pandemic, historically Black colleges and universities have been on the front lines addressing the impact the pandemic has had on students, faculty, staff and surrounding communities.

In March 2020, when college campuses across the country closed and sent students home, many HBCUs continued to house hundreds of students who did not have homes to return to.

Groups of students were stuck on campus without the funds to pay for transportation back to their home cities. This challenge was a byproduct of several students losing the jobs they used to help fund their education, along with loss of family income.

Many students became both food and housing insecure without the critical resources that HBCUs often provide.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund, or TMCF, worked with our member-schools — America’s 47 publicly supported HBCUs — and many of their corporate partners to help secure access to needed support for students.

Beyond academic scholarships, TMCF stepped up to help provide grants for students, assisting them with rent, groceries and transportation. At one HBCU, more than half of the students and faculty did not have the adequate computer hardware or broadband internet access to participate in remote classes. Corporate partners supported the purchase of laptops and hotspots for both students and faculty to facilitate the pivot to online learning.

Despite their long history and accolades, HBCUs as a collective have continued to struggle with proper funding, receiving less per-student aid from their states, along with less research funding from the federal government. These institutions are highly tuition dependent, which can cause a great challenge anytime enrollment numbers are compromised. Closing campuses and sending students home meant that many schools had to return housing funds that typically would have supported the university’s operations.

Recognizing the great infringement that the pandemic placed on the schools, we shifted part of our focus of providing scholarships and career readiness opportunities to work with HBCUs to provide support restructuring their finances, securing new resources and planning for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years.

Part of the shift also included engaging corporate partners to help find new and creative ways to help students succeed in this environment.

For example, McDonald’s expanded their partnership with TMCF in 2020 to provide additional scholarships beyond their original commitment for HBCU students. This commitment extended in 2021 to support students who overwhelmingly were high-achieving performers but came from low-income backgrounds and needed the extra support during this unprecedented time.

As a nonprofit committed to the advancement of Black students, we understand that the best way to address disparities is to invest in students so they can persist in their studies, graduate and progress to economically sustainable careers.

We also partnered with our member schools to provide enhanced mental health resources to help students address emotional needs that may have emerged as a result of the changing landscape of the world. Among other amenities, TMCF scholars were offered

Living 2 years under

COVID

together as a network and building new capabilities in online learning, student retention and attraction and more. This has only strengthened HBCUs’ unique position to help fill the social and economic gaps Black Americans experience, given these institutions’ assets, experience and cultural and historical significance.

As a legacy corporate partner, McDonald’s stepped up to support HBCU students because of their long-standing commitment to supporting the Black community and empowering the next generation by creating opportunity through educational initiatives.

Today, we call on other major corporations to do the same: Address inequities by investing in diverse students, who are poised to be the next generation of change makers. Their journey to leadership starts with a college degree. And with the proper resources, that degree can come from an HBCU. The writer is president and chief executive officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

House passes CROWN Act to end discrimination against natural hairstyles

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent

Democratic Congresswoman Jahana Hayes of Connecticut sounded off to critics of legislation that would allow individuals the freedom to express themselves by how they wear their hair.

“Natural hair should be worn without fear of discrimination,” Rep. Hayes asserted moments after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CROWN Act, banning hairrelated discrimination. The measure passed March 18 on a 235-189 vote, largely along party lines.

Fourteen Republicans Rep. Coleman joined all 221 Democrats in supporting the measure.

Introduced by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a New Jersey Democrat, the acronym CROWN stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. The measure outlaws discrimination based on an individual’s texture or style of hair.

Rep. Coleman cited the case of Andrew Johnson, the New Jersey high school wrestler who in 2018 was forced to cut his dreadlocks or forfeit his wrestling match.

The bill, which now heads to the U.S. Senate, states that “routinely, people of African descent are deprived of educational and employment opportunities” for wearing their hair in natural or protective

Public notice is hereby given that the Board of Equalization for the City of Richmond is DXWKRUL]HG WR PHHW DW VSHFL¿HG GDWHV DQG WLPHV IRU WKH SXUSRVH RI KHDULQJ FRPSODLQWV RI inequities for 2022 real estate assessments. Upon hearing such complaints, either oral or ZULWWHQ WKH %RDUG ZLOO JLYH FRQVLGHUDWLRQ DQG LQFUHDVH GHFUHDVH RU DI¿UP VXFK UHDO HVWDWH assessments. Before a change can be granted, the taxpayer or his agent must overcome a clear presumption in favor of the assessment. The taxpayer or agent must prove that the property is not uniform with similar property assessments or prove that the property is assessed in excess of its fair market value.

The Board of Equalization has scheduled the following hearings: Each Tuesday & Thursday, beginning at 10:00 am in Room 802 of City Hall. Meetings will commence on April 5, 2022 and continue until such time as all matters before the Board are resolved. Due to COVID-19 all appeals will be via phone calls with social distancing and wearing of masks. For further information, please contact Mrs. Jennifer Cannon, Liaison, for the Richmond Board of Equalization at (804) 646-7910, 900 East Broad Street, Room 802-City Hall, Richmond, VA 23219.

By order of the Richmond Board of Equalization (Va. Code § 58.1-3378) March 17, 2022

Commentary

and anxiety.

The resilience of Black students in the face of the pandemic further illustrates the importance of HBCUs for engaging the Black community.

Although the pandemic has presented extraordinary challenges in the last two years, HBCUs have emerged even stronger. While many colleges had steep drops in enrollment during the pandemic, HBCUs experienced the exact opposite. Many of the country’s largest HBCUs are seeing record numbers of applications.

The COVID-19 crisis inspired a new approach to working

PUBLIC NOTICE RICHMOND 2022 BOARD OF EQUALIZATION

Date:

access to Shine, a minority-owned mobile app which offers self-care resources to better manage mental health challenges such as stress

hairstyles such as locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots or Afros.

Republicans strongly opposed the measure, and some used race-baiting words in expressing their opposition.

“No to the nappy hair act,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia railed.

Civil rights groups applauded the passage of the measure.

“Passage of the CROWN Act by the House of Representatives moves our nation one step closer to federal protection for Black women, men and children from discrimination across the country simply because of their natural hair or hairstyle,” stated Damon Hewitt, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “We urge the Senate to quickly take up this important legislation, which would ensure that Black students are not prohibited from attending or participating in school events because of their natural hair,

that Black employees are not subject to pretextual firing or negative employment actions because of their hair texture or style, and that Black people are accorded dignity and respect in choosing to embrace a natural hairstyle.”

Mr. Hewitt said restrictions on Black hairstyles and textures in workplaces and school campuses are relics of white supremacy.

“This explicit protection against racial discrimination based on hairstyles is long overdue,” he remarked.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, first introduced the Senate version of the CROWN Act in 2019.

In a statement, Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Black women and girls face discrimination each day at their workplaces and schools because of their natural hair.

“So today, I proudly voted yes on the CROWN Act to finally end race-based hair discrimination once and for all,” Rep. Beatty said. “It’s simple: Discrimination against Black hair is discrimination based on race. I look forward to swift passage of this critical legislation in the Senate and standing with President Biden as he signs it into law.”

Rep. Beatty then delivered a message to Black youths.

“To every young Black girl and boy, I say to you, your hair — from your kinks to your curls, from your ’fros to your fades, from your locs to your braids — is a crown,” she asserted.

“Be proud of your hair and know the Congressional Black Caucus is fighting for you.”

Public Notice Please take notice that the School Board of the City of Richmond will receive public comment on the proposed options for the rezoning of the school boundaries of River City Middle School on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of Huguenot High School located at 7945 Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond, VA 23225.

The following middle schools may be affected: Albert Hill, Binford, Boushall, River City, Lucille Brown, Henderson, and Martin Luther King, Jr. For more information regarding the redistricting process, please visithttps:// www.rvaschools.net/students-families/river-city-middleschool-rezoning-committee or contact Dr. Shadae Harris, Chief Engagement Officer, at sharris1@rvaschools.net.

Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact the Clerk of the School Board no later than three (3) business days prior to the meeting at (804) 780-7716 or prichard@rvaschools.net.

If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency by calling the Americans with Disabilities Act Office TTY Relay Center at 711.

We stand

for Equality Justice Opportunity Freedom and we fearlessly fight for Equality Justice Opportunity Freedom Richmond Free Press The People’s Paper

NOTIFICACIÓN PÚBLICA A partir del lunes 4 de abril de 2022, el Departamento de Reurbanización y Vivienda de Richmond (Redevelopment and Housing Authority, RRHA) cerrará todas sus listas de espera. Se dejarán de admitir solicitudes para viviendas de cualquier cantidad de dormitorios en cualquiera de las listas de espera después del 4 de abril de 2022.

Este cierre NO afecta a quienes hayan enviado su solicitud a cualquiera de las listas de espera anteriores al 4 de abril de 2022. El cierre es necesario debido al período de espera actual que supera los 24 meses. Para ver cuáles son las listas de espera que se cerrarán, consulte los estados; para actualizar información, visite el sitio web www. rrha.com e inicie sesión en su portal de solicitante. Para conocer más detalles, puede comunicarse con el centro de información al 804-780-4200.

Conforme a los reglamentos del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (Housing and Urban Development, HUD) de EE. UU., no se requiere una audiencia pública para habilitar y cerrar las listas de espera.

3RU OR WDQWR VH SURSRUFLRQDUi XQD QRWL¿FDFLyQ S~EOLFD GH DFXHUGR FRQ OR HVWDEOHFLGR HQ HO &yGLJR GH 3UiFWLFD Aprobado (Approved Code of Practice, ACOP) y la política administrativa actuales.

RRHA, a través de los fondos recibidos del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de EE. UU., administra y mantiene viviendas públicas para familias de bajos ingresos, adultos mayores y personas con discapacidades que reúnen los requisitos. La política del Departamento de Reurbanización y Vivienda de Richmond consiste en brindar servicios sin distinción de raza, color, religión, origen nacional, ascendencia, edad, sexo, situación de familia, orientación sexual, identidad de género ni discapacidad o minusvalía.

Richmond Free Press

Bird house and blossoms Downtown

Editorial Page

A6

March 24-26, 2022

A lesson in class In case you missed them, the televised confirmation hearings for nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court are a study of extraordinary class in the face of arrogance, sexism, white privilege, homophobia and, yes, racism — everything the Republican Party seems to embrace these days.

Judge Jackson, a Harvard-educated lawyer and jurist, if confirmed, would be the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court in its 233-year history. And she would be only the third African-American out of 115 justices named to the court during that time.

There is no doubt she has more qualifications for the job than the justices currently on the nine-member bench. As the Washington Post and others have noted, she would be the only sitting justice to have attended an Ivy League law school, clerked for a U.S. Supreme Court justice, served as a public defender, served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission, served as a U.S. District Court judge AND served as a U.S. Appeals Court judge.

She is both brilliant and accomplished, and spoke quite eloquently about her upbringing, her love for this country and the U.S. Constitution and her role as a defense attorney and now, as a judge, in adhering to its protections and guarantees.

But most of the Republican members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, which will have to confirm her nomination before it goes to the full Senate for a vote, asked little about her judicial philosophy during the first two days of hearings that began on Monday.

Instead, some of the GOP senators lectured Judge Jackson, who has been a federal court judge since 2013, on what a judge should be or do and how she should regard the U.S. Constitution. Another acted like he was her teacher and said he would go back and finish reading her 30-year-old college thesis, “The Hand of Oppression: Plea Bargaining Processes and the Coercion of Criminal Defendants,” so he could pass judgment on it.

Worse, other ultraconservative Republicans on the committee, seeking to grandstand for their rock-ribbed QAnon supporters and millions of other TV viewers, accused her of being an advocate for pedophiles by failing to mete out maximum sentences to people convicted on federal child pornography charges.

They also accused Judge Jackson of being soft on crime, using her “time and talent to provide … free legal services to help terrorists get out of (federal detention at Guantanamo Bay) and go back to the fight” and supporting “critical race theory” in schools.

GOP Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who questioned Judge Jackson about being a board member of the private Georgetown Day School in Washington, tried to do a “gotcha” and held up books that he said are part of a curriculum at the school that he claimed is “filled and overflowing with critical race theory.” As he pointed to a blow-up display of images from a picture book, “Antiracist Baby,” he even asked Judge Jackson whether she agreed that “babies are racist.”

It was one of many moments of crazy that typified the GOP questions.

Judge Jackson replied that she has nothing to do with the school’s curriculum.

“Senator, I do not believe that any child should be made to feel as though they are racist or as though they are not valued … that they are victims or they are oppressors,” she answered.

Sen. Cruz also claimed the school was teaching elementary students about gender identity, which GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee jumped on. Sen. Blackburn also fumed over a transgender swimmer being allowed to compete on the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s team during the NCAAs. Sen. Blackburn then asked Judge Jackson what message that was sending to the next generation of young women, and she asked Judge Jackson to define what a woman is.

Judge Jackson, looking puzzled by the absurd question, said she could not.

In the face of the grilling, which lasted about 15 hours on Tuesday, Judge Jackson kept her composure. She didn’t let even the craziest of questions rattle her. Nor did she snipe back even as some of the Republican committee members sniped at her.

Many lessons have surfaced during these hours of hearings.

If nothing else, the American people have witnessed that Judge Jackson has a crowning temperament and intellect that would make her standout on the nation’s highest court.

We have seen with the Senate committee hearings how she listens to all manner of arguments and adroitly deals with even the most disrespectful of people. Without attitude, disdain or malice, she explained her work representing four 9/11 detainees at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during her tenure as a federal public defender from 2005 to 2007. She said while she was “keenly and personally mindful of the tragic and deplorable circumstances” surrounding the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, she said she and others were mindful that it would not give rise to an abandonment of the Constitutional principles — including legal representation — that distinguish the United States from other nations.

She also talked about her method of deciding cases as a judge, and the various factors judges must consider before handing down a sentence in addition to sentencing guidelines.

It was a lesson in class.

The hearings also point out the lack of diversity within the important institutions that largely shape this nation and our laws, such as the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Supreme Court. That lack of diversity can only be attributed to the long history of racism in our country that has denied opportunities to African-Americans for centuries.

Currently, there are only three Black people in the U.S. Senate, with only one, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee. And the U.S. Supreme Court has only one Black associate justice, Justice Clarence Thomas.

The hearings also buttress the long-held fact that Black people, no matter how eminently qualified, still suffer a hard time by white people who are less than stellar.

The hearings also showed that we can count on the Republicans to be obstructionists to progress in this nation, but we can’t always count on our so-called “allies” to have our backs.

Clearly, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee will use a raft of reasons/excuses to vote against Judge Jackson’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. And when her nomination goes to the full Senate for a final vote, as expected, we are certain many Republicans, if not most, will fail to vote to confirm her.

Unfortunately, the question remains whether all 50 Democrats in the 100-member Senate will support her. The jury is still out on Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. They have been pretty quiet since President Biden nominated Judge Jackson for the high court.

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Judge Jackson’s confirmation on Monday, April 4. We urge our readers to call members of the committee and tell them the U.S. Supreme Court needs a new justice with exceptional qualifications, credentials and class – Judge Jackson.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Black Americans and principles of democracy

Anti-democratic authoritarianism is on the rise both around the world and here at home. Sometimes it is easier to recognize overseas. That’s especially true at moments like this when Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military is killing civilians in Ukraine to feed his ambitions for greater power and is crushing any effort at dissent or truth-telling in his native Russia.

Americans don’t often recognize authoritarianism at home because they don’t want to. They believe the United States is so exceptional that the checks and balances built into our system will protect our democratic values. That smug assurance was shaken by the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, and the all-out effort by former President Trump to stay in power after the voters sent him packing.

Black Americans have never had a problem seeing the threat.

After all, we were formally

denied our place in democratic government for most of the country’s first century. And in some parts of the country, we were violently locked out of real access to democracy—and to opportunity—for most of its second century.

And now, almost halfway

Ben Jealous through the U.S.’s third century, we see access to voting being rolled back. We see mechanisms being put in place for the party in power to steal elections if they don’t like the outcome. And we see corrupt Census figures and abusive gerrymandering being used to deny Black people the level of access to political power that we deserve.

We’ve seen this all before.

Specifically, Black newspapers have seen it all before.

In 1942, the federal government was rallying Americans to support the cause of democracy in World War II, which the United States formally entered at the end of 1941.

One Black man called out the glaring contrast being our country’s stated ideals and the reality of life for Black

people who faced prejudice and discrimination even in the military. James Thompson wrote a letter to the Pittsburgh Courier, which was the largest circulation Black newspaper at the time. The paper titled the letter, “Should I Sacrifice to Live Half American?”

“Would it be demanding too much to demand full citizenship rights in exchange for the sacrificing of my life?” he wrote.

“Is the kind of America I know worth defending?”

The Courier turned Mr. Thompson’s letter into a public campaign that other Black newspapers embraced. They adopted the allies’ “V for Victory” slogan with a call for a double victory over the enemies of democracy at home and abroad.

The Double V Campaign urged Black Americans to fight “not merely for the salvation of America, not merely to secure the same degree of democracy for Black Americans that white Americans have long enjoyed, but to establish precedent for a world-wide principle of free association among men of all races, creeds and colors. That’s the black man’s stake.”

That is still our stake. It is

Pay inequity: Past is prologue March 15 was National Pay Equity Day. It’s the day when women have to work into a new year to earn the same amount that men earned in the previous year.

While National Pay Equity Day came earlier this year than last, meaning that the gender pay gap is narrowing, the general pay equity day does not address the pay differences that Black, Latina, Asian and Native American women earn.

Black women will work into September to make the same amount that a man earned last year. Latina women will work into October. Native women work almost until the end of the year—or nearly twice as long—to get equal pay.

One of the reasons we have pay inequality is that employers tend to make salary offers based on what people made in their previous job. In other words, an underpaid woman who reports her salary is likely to get an offer based on her last salary.

Instead of valuing the job no matter who holds it, too many employers value the person who holds it based on their prior pay, not their qualifications or prior experience. President Biden’s March 15 executive order “On Advancing Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness in Federal Contracting by Promoting Pay Equity and Transparency” addresses some of the ways the gender pay gap is maintained.

It also develops policies to ensure that past salary is not a consideration in current salary for federal contractors.

This is a policy that other employers should consider.

Too many women, especially Black, Brown, Native and Asian women, are viewed through a lens darkly, pun intended. Too many employees feel that these women should be “grateful” or “lucky” to be employed with

Julianne Malveaux reasonable salaries. Without salary transparency, too many workers earn much less than their peers, even though they are doing the same job.

Even with the same education or qualifications, people in the same organization earn vastly different amounts. Without pay transparency laws, the gender pay gap persists. The National Women’s Law Center has prepared a fact sheet titled, “Asking for Salary History Perpetuates Pay Discrimination from Job to Job,” exploring this issue.

The fact sheet notes that many states have passed laws that prevent the use of salary history in setting current salaries because salary history perpetuates discrimination.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, women earn 22 percent less than men, but grocery stores don’t charge women 22 percent less for groceries. Utilities don’t give us a break on our telephone, water or electricity bills because we are women and earn less.

The pay gap contributes to women’s economic insecurity.

When the pay gap is combined with the effects of COVID-19 on women’s employment, the result is a precarious existence for too many women.

The gender pay gap is not just a women’s issue. It is a family and

a human problem. Lily Ledbetter, the outstanding activist, sued the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. for pay discrimination. When she sued, the law required that lawsuits be filed within 180 days of experiencing discrimination, so her case was dismissed.

The first piece of legislation that President Obama signed was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg had a framed copy of the legislation in her chambers.

The Biden executive order is a step in the right direction, but it is a step that affects just a fraction of the workforce.

More women need to be more like Lily Ledbetter—prepared to sue exploitive employers.

Unfortunately, too many need their jobs more than they need justice. Too many fear negative repercussions if they complain or sue. Too many men turn a blind eye to pay inequity, although they have working mothers, daughters, sisters and wives. Too many think gender discrimination is acceptable.

Our National Pay Equity Day recognition reminds us of how much work remains to close the pay gap and combat gender discrimination. But, as the great abolitionist and civil rights leader Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand.”

Where are the people who will forcefully demand an end to gender discrimination? And do those who work for the White House, the Congress and the U.S. Senate experience pay discrimination or earn equal pay?

The writer is an economist, author and dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State University, Los Angeles.

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.

still our fight.

It’s no surprise to us that the same far-right media figures excusing Vladimir Putin’s brutality also have excused or actively promoted Donald Trump’s Big Lie about the election—and used that Big Lie to justify new assaults on Black Americans’ access to democracy.

Back in 1942, James Thompson wrote that he was “willing to die for the America I know will someday become a reality.”

That is the kind of remarkable faith that motivated and sustained the Civil Rights Movement after the war. It is the same kind of faith and determination we must find to defend American democracy and our place in it.

The writer, a former national president and chief executive officer of the NAACP, serves as president of People for the American Way. He also teaches leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Richmond Free Press

March 24-26, 2022 A7

Commentary

The Black Press celebrates 195 years of pleading the cause of African descendants everywhere On March 16, 1827, the Rev. Samuel E. Cornish and John B. Russwurm founded Freedom’s Journal, the first Black-owned newspaper in the United States.

They did so because there were no Black voices in the debate over the abolition of slavery.

In their first editorial, Rev. Cornish and Mr. Russwurm wrote: “In short, whatever concerns us as a people, will ever find a ready admission into the Freedom’s Journal.”

Now, 195 years later, “the mission of the Black Press has not changed,” Washington Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes wrote in an editorial. “No matter whether Black Press journalists are invited to a seat at ‘their’ table, the voices of those the Black

Stacy M. Brown Press represents will always have a seat at ours,” Ms. Rolark Barnes wrote.

From Freedom’s Journal to the North Star to John Abbott’s Chicago Defender, African-American-owned newspapers have sparked fires for truth and equality that have burned with the passion of fighting for freedom throughout history. This year marks the 195th anniversary of the Black Press of America, whose global impact remains undeniable.

It all began with Freedom’s Journal.

On March 16, 1827, they announced its presence with a front page that contained these words: “We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us.”

The four-page edition included stories about the struggle to end the horrors of slavery, lynching and social injustice. It also informed the African-American community of international news of particular interest like events in Haiti and Sierra Leone.

Freedom’s Journal featured African-American men and women, biographies, schools, jobs and housing opportunities.

For nearly two centuries, the 230 African-American-owned newspapers and media companies now represented by the National Newspaper Publishers Association have proudly carried that legacy. The bond between Black America and the Black Press remains strong.

“Relationships, which have been the cornerstone of the Black community and the Black Press for 195 years, have always been its messenger in cementing that bond,” remarked Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby Henry.

Dr. Toni Draper, publisher of the 130-year-old AFRO in Baltimore and Washington, also noted the enduring value of the Black Press.

“The contribution of the Black Press is invaluable. If not for the Black Press, there would be a lot of things we would not have documented in terms of the African-American experience,” Dr. Draper said. “African-Americans were not in any of the pages of the white-owned press unless there was an advertisement of our sale, of our resale or us having run away from slave owners or plantations.”

Dr. Draper continued: “The Black Press is one of the only places where you can

find news and information and commentary about, by and for African-Americans across the spectrum. You don’t have to do anything wrong to make the pages of the Black Press; you don’t have to do anything famous. The Black Press covers the totality of the Black experience in the United States and beyond.”

The anniversary of the Black Press is a reminder of the contributions that remain indelibly associated with the fearlessness, determination and success of the Black Press. Those contributions include the works of Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Ida B. Wells, Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah and former NNPA Chairman Carlton Goodlett.

Mr. Douglass, who helped enslaved people escape to the North while working with the Underground Railroad, established the abolitionist newspaper The North Star, in Rochester, N.Y. He developed it into the most influential Black anti-slavery newspaper published during the antebellum era.

The North Star denounced slavery and fought for the emancipation of women and other oppressed groups with a motto of “Right is of no Sex – Truth is of no Color; God is the Father of us all, and we are all brethren.”

Today, the Black Press continues to reach across the ocean where possible to forge coalitions with the growing number of websites and special publications that cover Africa daily from the continent.

“The spirit of Black journalism, which Mr. Russwurm and Rev. Cornish inspired, found its way to Houston 128 years later through a vision given to a local Black businessman to birth a newspaper that positively reflected the Black community, while also reporting the hard truths happening in our communities on

the local, state and national levels,” Jeffrey Boney, associate editor of the Houston Forward Times declared.

The evolution of the Black Press had proprietors take on issues of chattel slavery in the 19th century, Jim Crow segregation and lynching, the great northern migration, the Civil Rights Movement, the transformation from the printing press to the digital age and computerized communication.

With the Plessy vs. Ferguson U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1896 that said no Black man has any rights that a white man must honor, there came a flood of Black publications to advocate for Black rights and to protest the wrongs done to Black people.

Today, the Black Press continues to tackle domestic and global issues, including the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on all citizens, particularly African-Americans.

“This is an important story about the history of the Black Press of America that has consistently been the freedom fighting voice of African people in America and throughout the world for 195 years without waiver or distortion of the truth,” stated Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and chief executive officer of the NNPA. “Today in 2022, the Black Press remains the vital source of news and information for 50 million African-Americans,” he added.

“On this momentous anniversary,” Dr. Chavis continued, “the NNPA salutes all the African-American-owned newspapers and media companies that are affiliated with the NNPA’s expanding network of over 230 media properties and channels.”

The writer is the senior national correspondent for NNPA Newswire.

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The added language generally refers to types of manufacturing licensees issued to businesses by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority pursuant to Code § 4.1-206.1, including distilleries, limited distilleries, breweries, limited breweries, wineries, and farm wineries. The current 1HW (QHUJ\ 0HWHULQJ 5XOHV PXVW EH UHYLVHG WR UHÀHFW WKLV FKDQJH On November 12, 2021, the Commission docketed Case Number PUR-2021-00251 and issued an Order Establishing Proceeding seeking to DPHQG WKH 1HW (QHUJ\ 0HWHULQJ 5XOHV LQ NHHSLQJ ZLWK WKH H[SDQGHG GH¿QLWLRQ RI ³>V@PDOO DJULFXOWXUDO JHQHUDWRU´ LQ &KDSWHU 7KH &RPPLVVLRQ 6WD൵ SUHSDUHG D SURSRVHG DPHQGPHQW WR 5XOH 9$& RI WKH 1HW (QHUJ\ 0HWHULQJ 5XOHV ³3URSRVHG $PHQGPHQW´ 7KH 3URposed Amendment is appended to the Order Nunc Pro Tunc issued in that docket on November 16, 2021. The Commission subsequently entered an Order Modifying Notice Requirements and Procedural Schedule.

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An electronic copy of the Order Establishing Proceeding, Order Nunc Pro Tunc, Order Modifying Notice Requirements and Procedural Schedule, and the Proposed Amendment may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for Virginia Electric and Power Company, David J. DePippo, Esq., Assistant General Counsel, Dominion Energy Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Riverside-5, Richmond, VA 23219 or david.j.depippo@dominionenergy.com. $Q HOHFWURQLF FRS\ RI WKH 3URSRVHG $PHQGPHQW LWVHOI PD\ EH REWDLQHG E\ VXEPLWWLQJ D UHTXHVW WR 0LFKDHO $ &L]HQVNL LQ WKH &RPPLVVLRQ¶V 'Lvision of Public Utility Regulation at the following email address: PLNH FL]HQVNL#VFF YLUJLQLD JRY. An electronic copy of the Proposed Amendment can be found at the Division of Public Utility Regulation’s website: scc.virginia.gov/pages/Rulemaking.

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VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

Richmond Free Press

A8 March 24-26, 2022

Sports Stories by Fred Jeter

Yellow Jackets return to Ashland with NCAA Division III crown

Frankie Straus

The Randolph-Macon CollegeYellow Jackets celebrate their 75-45 victory over Elmhurst University of Illinois to claim the NCAA Division III Tournament title March 19 in Fort Wayne, Ind.

The Randolph-Macon College men were nearly perfect in adding their name to the of Virginia’s NCAA basketball champions.

Coach Josh Merkel’s Yellow Jackets defeated Elmhurst University of Illinois 75-45 in the March 19 final of the NCAA Division III Tournament in Fort Wayne, Ind. The 30-point margin was the largest in the history of the Division III final dating to 1975.

The Ashland school finished 33-1 with 27 straight wins. The lone blemish was a 77-76 overtime loss to Christopher Past NCAA champs Newport University on Nov. 20.

NCAA men’s and women’s R-MC has won 50 of basketball champions from Virginia: its last 51 outings dating Division I men: University to 2019-20. The school of Virginia, 2019 opted out of hoops last Division II men: Virginia year.

Union University, 1980, 1992 and 2005; Old Dominion Stars included Old University, 1975; and Roanoke Miles Mallory Buzz Anthony Dominion Athletic ConCollege, 1972 ference Player of the Year Division III men: Virginia and NCAA Most Outstanding Player Buzz Anthony, a senior Wesleyan University, 2006; from Maryland, and junior All-ODAC and All-NCAA Tournaand Randolph-Macon College, 2022 ment Miles Mallory, also from Maryland.

Division I women: Old The 6-foot-5 Mallory blocked 90 shots this season to raise Dominion University, 1985 his career total to 189. Both are school records.

Division II women: Virginia This wasn’t the Yellow Jackets’ first rodeo. R-MC went to Union University, 1983; and Hampton University, 1988 the NCAA Division II finals in 1977, losing to University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

NSU bows to defending national champ Baylor in NCAA first round Norfolk State University’s trip to the NCAA “Big Dance” ended almost before the band began warming up.

Baylor University had the home state advantage and just about every other advantage in routing the Spartans 85-49 March 17 in the NCAA Tournament’s first round in Fort Worth, Texas.

The outcome was never in doubt. The Baylor Bears, the defending national champions, led 43-27 at halftime and never took their foot off the pedal.

Still, NSU enjoyed a banner season. The Spartans won the MEAC regular season and tournament and finished 24-7 under Coach Robert Jones.

“We’re still champions,” senior guard Joe Bryant Jr. told the media.

Bryant, the MEAC Player of the Year, was the primary focus of an aggressive, physical Baylor defense. Hounded

throughout, Bryant finished the season with 15 points and five rebounds in 35 draining minutes.

It may not have helped that the Spartans had to travel some 1,377 miles from Norfolk to Fort Worth, while the Bears were just 91 miles from their campus in Waco, Texas. The cheering, as well as the scoreboard, was all in Baylor’s favor.

It also didn’t help that Bryant’s supporting cast suffered an off day.

The Spartans hit just 32 percent from the floor and 23 percent beyond the arc, while being charged with 15 turnovers.

Baylor hit 57 percent overall and 41 percent from the distance.

Senior Jalen Hawkins, NSU’s second leading scorer during the season, was benched for a disciplinary infraction and played only two minutes, failing to score.

Norfolk State University senior Joe Bryant Jr. shoots over Baylor University’s Jeremy Sochan during the Spartans’ 85-47 loss March 17 during the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Bryant led the Spartans with 15 points.

NSU’s third leading scorer, Kris Bankston, got into early foul trouble and settled for three points and three rebounds.

Bankston did, however, record his 74th dunk of the season.

On the season, Hawkins and Bankston combined for 25 points per game. Against Baylor, they had three points.

Both Bryant and Bankston are seniors but will be eligible to return next season because of the “free year” the NCAA has granted for the shortened 2019-20 season because of COVID-19.

This was NSU’s third trip to the Division I NCAAs, although it went frequently while in Division II. This was the program’s first day one exit. The Spartans upset the University of Missouri in 2012 and toppled Appalachian State University a year ago. Both times, NSU lost in Round Two.

6 Virginia teams bounced out of NCAA tourney The state of Virginia’s six representatives to the NCAA Division I Tournament didn’t need a lot of laundry changes.

Among the four men’s entries, only the University of Richmond scored a victory.

The No. 12 seed UR Spiders were a firstday Cinderella story with their win March 17 over No. 5 University of Iowa. The Spiders then bowed to Providence College Jacob last Saturday 79-51 in Milwaukee.

UR, by winning the Atlantic 10 Conference title; Norfolk State University, by winning the MEAC Tournament; Longwood University, by clinching the Big South title; and Virginia Tech, as ACC champion, were automatic qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament.

UR’s Jacob Gilyard was MVP of the A-10 Tournament, logging the full 40 minutes in each of the Spiders’ four tournament victories. Gilyard also went the distance in UR’s upset of Iowa.

As a 16th seed, Norfolk State was no match for No. 1 seed and defending champion Baylor University in Fort Worth, Texas.

Longwood, another 16th seed, also ran Gilyard into a buzz saw. The Lancers were trounced March 17 by No. 1 University of Tennessee 88-56 in Indianapolis.

Virginia Tech won the ACC Tournament by defeating Duke University in the final, but could not maintain the momentum in the NCAAs. The Hokies

VCU’s season ends with 80-74 loss in NIT A Virginia Commonwealth University basketball season featuring many highlights ended with a hurtful thud.

Finishing 22-10, the Rams were eliminated from the National Invitational Tournament last Saturday with an 80-74 loss in the tournament’s second round to Wake Forest University. VCU defeated visiting Princeton University 90-79 in the first round.

Following an eight-game winning streak, VCU Coach Mike Rhoades’ squad lost three of its last four games—at St. Louis University in the regular season finale; against the University of Richmond in the quarterfinals of Atlantic 10 Tournament; and against Wake Forest, with the Princeton win wedged in.

So what does the future hold for the VCU black and gold?

Seniors? There is a reason for the question mark.

Seniors Vince Williams (27 points against Wake Forest) and DeShawn Curry would be eligible to return next year if they so decided. The NCAA awarded all athletes an extra season of eligibility because of the COVID-shortened 201920 season. Departing will be sometimes starter and graduate student Levi Stockard.

Who’s coming? RamNation is excited about incoming freshmen Alphonzo Billups and Christian Fermin.

The 6-foot-7 Billups led Varina High School to the State Class 4 title. Fermin, 6-foot-10, hails from Pocono Summit, Penn.

Expected to rejoin the team next season are 6-foot-8 Jamir Watkins and 6-foot-4 Jarren McAllister, who sat out this year with injuries.

A class with class: This

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Hason Ward, No. 20 jersey, and Nick Kern, No. 24, battle it out with Dallas Walton of Wake Forest University in the National Invitational Tournament last Saturday.

season’s freshman class dazzled at times with Jayden Nunn (18 points against Wake Forest) and Jalen DeLoach (seven points and eight rebounds against Wake Forest).

Surprises: The playerfriendly Transfer Portal leads to a revolving door of comings and goings. Players no longer have to sit out a season after transferring for the first time. You just never know these days. Already, 6-foot-9 sophomore Mikeal Brown-Jones has announced he is entering the portal. The Philadelphian averaged four points and 2.6 rebounds for the Rams, while logging 10.8 minutes per contest.

New York, N.Y.: The Rams will play Nov. 16 and 17 in the Legends Classic at BarclaysArena in Brooklyn, N.Y. Other teams playing in the Classic are University of Michigan, Arizona State University and the University of Pittsburgh, coached by former Rams Coach Jeff Capel III. Coaching report card: The Rams are now 101-53 in five seasons overall under Coach Rhoades, including 57-28 in the A-10. VCU has been 41-17 the past two years, but fell short in the postseason.

Notable victories were at Vanderbilt University and on a neutral floor against Syracuse University. Another early season triumph came over NCAA Cinderella darling St. Peter’s University of New Jersey. Plus, VCU twice defeated A-10 Tournament champ the University of Richmond. VCU’s last NCAA Tournament victory was in 2016 over Oregon State University.

lost 81-73 to the University of Texas March 18 in the opening round in Milwaukee.

In the NCAA women’s tournament, the Longwood University women also qualified with a Big South Tournament triumph. The Lady Lancers, making their first trip to the Division I tournament, won a First Four game 74-70 against Mount St. Mary’s University March 17, but then were eliminated last Saturday by North Carolina State University 96-68, in Raleigh, N.C. The Virginia Tech women’s team also qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large entry after losing to North Carolina State in the ACC final in Greensboro, N.C. The Lady Hokies’ season came to an end with an 84-81 loss March 18 to Florida Gulf Coast University in College Park, Md.

Howard University Lady Bison bow to top seed South Carolina The Howard University women’s basketball team was outstanding in qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the Lady Bison had nothing left once they got there.

Seeded 16th, Howard lost 79-21 to top-seeded University of South Carolina on March 18 in the Greensboro, N.C., Region.

The South Carolina Game-

cocks led 44-4 at halftime and 60-8 after three periods.

Finishing the season 21-10, Howard made the NCAAs by virtue of winning the MEAC Tournament in Norfolk.

Against South Carolina, Howard was 8-for-54 from the field (15 percent), while committing 20 turnovers and being outrebounded 69-28.

Final NCAA report card Men’s results University of Richmond (finishing 24-13): Spiders defeated Iowa, 67-63; lost to Providence, 79-51, in Milwaukee.

Norfolk State University (24-7): lost to Baylor, 8549, in Fort Worth.

Longwood University (26-7): Lost to Tennessee, 88-56, in Indianapolis.

Virginia Tech (23-13): Lost to Texas, 81-73, in Milwaukee __________ Women’s results Longwood University (22-12) defeated Mount St. Mary’s 74-70; lost to North Carolina State, 96-68, in Raleigh, N.C..

Virginia Tech (23-13) lost to Florida Gulf Coast, 8481, in College Park, Md.

Fran Belibi, a 6-foot-1 junior at Stanford University, throws down the third dunk in NCAA women’s tournament history March 18 during the defending national champion’s game against Montana State University.

Stanford’s Fran Belibi makes record dunk during NCAA game Dunking in basketball has become Parker, a star at the University of commonplace—for male players, Tennessee, plays with the WNBA’s that is.

Chicago Sky. Griner, a Baylor UniIt’s anything but “ho-hum,” howversity standout who plays with the ever, when a woman performs the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the above-rim throw-down.

Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg That’s just what Stanford Univerin the offseason, has been arrested sity’s Francesca Belibi did March and detained since last month by 18 in a 78-37 rout of Montana State Russian authorities, who claimed an Fran Belibi University in the opening round of the airport search of her luggage turned NCAA Women’s Tournament at Stanford. up hashish oil in her vape cartridges.

A 6-foot-1 junior from Colorado, Belibi Belibi’s teammates for the defending national became just the third woman in NCAA Tour- champions include graduate Anna Wilson from nament history to score on a slam dunk. She Richmond. Wilson, the sister of NFL quarterback joined Brittney Griner, who dunked in 2013, Russell Wilson, averages five points and is among and Candace Parker in 2006. the team’s top defensive players with 45 steals.

March 24-26, 2022 B1

Richmond Free Press

Section

Happenings

B

Personality: Carolyn Glenn Ethridge Harrington Spotlight on president of NCNW’s Chesterfield Metro Area Section In late 2020, Carolyn Glenn Ethridge Harrington began working with a group of Chesterfield County women looking to establish a resource to help address the needs of area schools, families and youths.

The result of their efforts was the official chartering on Jan. 15 of the Chesterfield Metro Area Section of the National Council of Negro Women with 37 women.

“Our goals are to grow and thrive, reaching out and assisting with the needs of our communities,” says Ms. Harrington, who was elected president of the Chesterfield section for a two-year term.

The Chesterfield group is the latest addition to a venerable organization founded in 1935 by noted educator and activist Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune to lead, empower and advocate for women of African descent, their families and communities.

The late Richmond native Dorothy I. Height served as president of the organization for 40 years, working for racial and gender equality.

Since 2018 and the election of Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole as national chair, the NCNW has had a four-pronged focus promoting education; entrepreneurship, financial literacy and economic stability; health; and public policy and social justice.

“I believe that Black women in Virginia are strong, determined, highly motivated and influential,” Ms. Harrington says, “although we sometimes sell ourselves short and do not realize our own strength.”

Ms. Harrington says her top goal as president is to “establish programs and projects that will offer our youths and women the

opportunities they need to be successful in life.”

T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ’s reach is broad, with the Chesterfield Metro Area Section encompassing not only Chesterfield County, but also Hopewell and Amelia, Powhatan, Charles City and New Kent counties.

The section is preparing to hold a membership drive Saturday, April 2. For women who are interested, and men, who can become non-voting associate members, Ms. Harrington says, “feel free to contact me or send an email” to chesterfieldmetroareancnw1@ gmail.com.

Meet the president of one of the newest community service organizations and this week’s Personality, Carolyn Glenn Ethridge Harrington: No. 1 volunteer position: President of the National Council of Negro Women’s Chesterfield Metro Area Section.

Occupation: Clinical social worker. I work as a clinical social work supervisor and maintain a private practice in mental health counseling.

Date and place of birth: May 14 in Fort Bragg, N.C. Where I live now: Midlothian.

Education: Master’s in social work.

Family: Two adult children, Dr. Christina Harrington and Brandon Harrington; a lovely, loving granddaughter; and a very supportive mother.

The National Council of Negro Women is: An “organization of organizations,” comprised of 300 campus and community-

N C N W ’s m i s s i o n : To lead, empower and advocate for women of African descent, their families and communities.

Location of national headquarters: Washington, D.C.

based sections and 32 national women’s organizations, that enlightens, inspires and connects more than 2 million women and men. The NCNW was founded in 1935 by Mary McLeod Bethune, an influential educator and activist, and for 40 years, the iconic Dorothy I. Height served as president. Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole was elected chair of the NCNW in 2018, ushering in a new era of social activism and continued progress and growth. Today, NCNW’s programs are grounded on a foundation of critical concerns known as “Four for the Future.” NCNW promotes education with a special focus on science, technology, engineering and math; encourages entrepreneurship, financial literacy and economic stability; educates women about good health and HIV/AIDS; promotes civic engagement and advocates for sound public policy and social justice.

When and why NCNW Chesterfield Metro Area Section was founded: We started the process of chartering the Chesterfield Metro Area Section in December 2020 and were granted our charter in September 2021 and actually chartered with officers installed on Jan. 15, 2022. We were chartered with 37 women.

The section charter covers Chesterfield, Amelia, Moseley, Powhatan, Charles City, New Kent and Hopewell.

These are rural areas that have a great need for programs and assistance. There are so many schools, families and youths that are in need of services.

The Chesterfield Metro Area Section was founded to assist in addressing these needs.

Chesterfield Metro Area Section founders: Linda Banks, Carolyn Harrington, Jane Harris and Angela Porter.

Membership requirements: Women may be members of the section without regard for race, color, creed, national origin or economic status. All section members must be financial with the national office and pay local section dues. Men also may join the section as associate members, however, they may not vote and cannot hold office.

When elected president of NCNW’s Chesterfield Metro Area Section: September 2021.

Length of term: Two years.

Saturday, June 11.

Why I am enthusiastic about this organization: It is based and founded on Christian principles and it allows me to give back to my community and to be able to work with the “best” two organizations, NCNW and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Perfect day for me: Any day can be perfect for me as long as I remember that God is with me. Keeping that at the forefront makes for a peaceful, productive day.

No. 1 goal or project as president: To establish programs and projects that will offer our youths and women the opportunities they need to be successful in life.

Strategy for achieving goals: Unity, working together to address the needs of our communities, assessing the needs of our communities and developing programs to meet those needs while we work with NCNW affiliates to implement communitywide programs.

No. 1 challenge: The section being developed in the midst of a pandemic has made it challenging to implement programs within our communities.

What would Mary McLeod Bethune and Dorothy I. Height say about the plight of Black women locally and nationally today: That we have a lot of work to continue to do to make sure Black women are heard, seen and supported. I think they would be saddened to see how Black women are treated and ignored, and saddened to see how Black women missing in our society get very little media time. They would rally and roll up their sleeves and challenge society to go to work even more.

Upcoming events: We are hosting a membership drive Saturday, April 2, and a Juneteenth celebration on

What I am learning about myself during the pandemic: That I rely on my faith, am resilient and stay the course.

Black women in Virginia are: I believe that Black women in Virginia are strong, determined, highly motivated and influential, although we sometimes sell ourselves short and do not realize our own strength.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: Cross stitch. My favorite piece that I created is The Lord’s Prayer.

Quote that inspires me: “There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish.” — Michelle Obama.

Friends describe me as: Loyal, giving and supportive.

At the top of my “to-do” list: Travel with my daughter.

Best late-night snack: Popcorn.

Person who influenced me the most: My mom. She has always been my role model.

Book that influenced me the most: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou.

What I’m reading now: “The Obama Portraits” by Taína Caragol, Dorothy Moss, Richard J. Powell and Kim Sajet.

Next goal: I would like to obtain training as a Christian counselor to continue to give back and help with the mental health crisis among our race.

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Richmond Free Press

B2 March 24-26, 2022

Happenings Virtual celebration to honor life and legacy of Dorothy I. Height Happy Birthday Dorothy Height! the criminal justice system and reducing unemployThe Richmond Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma ment and illiteracy, as well as abolishing Theta Sorority will commemorate the life, lynching. legacy and accomplishment of the late She died in 2010 at the age of 98.

Dorothy I. Height on Thursday, March Vanessa Evans, president of Delta’s 24, on what would have been her 110th Richmond Alumnae Chapter, said this is birthday. the second year the sorority has celebrated Ms. Height, a Richmond native, social a day honoring Ms. Height. worker and activist who was known as the “We want to keep this legacy going so no one ever “Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement,” forgets who Ms. Height is,” Ms. Evans said. served as the 10th national president of the Ms. Height worked closely with Dr. Martin sorority from 1947 to 1957, followed by a 40Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders year tenure as president of the National Council to end segregation and was involved in of Negro Women. organizing the 1963 March on WashThe virtual celebration, which is open to the ington for Jobs and Freedom at which public, will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include a Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have panel discussion featuring Dr. Thelma T. Daley, a Dream” speech. national president and chair of the NCNW and The celebration will include a video a past national president of Delta Sigma Theta recording of Richmond vocalist Desiree Sorority; Dr. Trish Johnson, the sorority’s South Roots singing “Happy Birthday” for the Atlantic regional director; Dr. Gloria White commemoration of Ms. Height.

Flowers, a historian and former president of the Registration: https://us02web.

NCNW’s Richmond section; Dr. Carmen Foster, zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ a public historian and sorority member; and actor vFKJ3AxkRVeL1C1lwjyicg Ms. Height Daphne Maxwell Reid, an honorary Delta.

Additional information: Contact Throughout her life, Ms. Height fought for equal rights Delta’s Richmond Alumnae Social Action Committee at social. for African-Americans and women, voting rights, reforms to act.dstrichmond@gmail.com.

Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Honoring Pocahontas

Chief Anne Richardson, leader of the Rappahannock Indian Tribe, speaks during a ceremony Monday honoring Pocahontas, or Matoaka, the young Native American woman whose influence aided the survival of the English settlers at Jamestown in the early 1600s and bolstered relations with the English when she traveled to England later with her white husband, John Rolfe, and son, Thomas. The ceremony in Capitol Square at “Mantle,” the monument recognizing Virginia Indians, was held on the day marking her funeral and burial in 1617 in St. George’s Church in Gravesend, England. Jenna Moon, deputy state secretary of the commonwealth, read a proclamation by Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin recognizing March 21, 2022, as a “Day of Honor for Pocahontas,” and calling on Virginians to “celebrate her example as a patron of peace and cross-cultural understanding.” Rick Tatnall, executive director of The Pocahontas Project, hopes March 21 will be an annual observance.

With Chief Richardson, right, is Chief Lynette Alston, head of the Nottoway Tribe.

Mr. Willmott

28th Annual James River Film Festival RVA kicks off March 31

By Ronald E. Carrington

The 28th Annual James River Film Festival RVA is back after a pandemic break, with 13 films being shown at venues around Richmond from March 31 through April 3.

The festival, sponsored by the James River Film Society, also will feature special guests, including award-winning screenwriter and director Kevin Willmott and Canadian documentary film director Ron Mann.

Mr. Willmott will take audience questions after the screening of his 2004 comedy-drama “C.S.A.: The Confederate States ofAmerica” at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3, and his 2018 drama directed by Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman,” at 4 p.m. April 3. Both films will be shown at the Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St. Mr. Mann On Saturday, April 2, Mr. Mann’s 2000 documentary, “Grass,” chronicling the regulation of marijuana in the United States, will be shown in a double-feature beginning at 1 p.m. with his 1982 film, “Poetry in Motion,” featuring more than 20 North American poets. Those films also will be shown at the Byrd Theatre.

Mr. Mann will host a question-and-answer session with the audience after the screening at 8 p.m. April 2 of “Carmine St. Guitars,” about five days in the life of renowned luthier Rick Kelly’s famous guitar shop in Greenwich Village. That film will be show at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Grace Street Theater, 934 W. Grace St. Other venues for viewing the array of films are the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., and the Richmond Public Library’s Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St. “This is the first live festival since 2019 due to COVID,” Michael Jones, James River Film Society co-founder, told the Free Press.

He said each venue will follow its own COVID-19 protocols.

The festival, started in 1994, celebrates the history and contributions of independent film and video producers.

“The festival focuses on independent art and experimental films,” Mr. Jones said, adding he believes the films will speak to the viewer while stirring their imaginations. “We will also have a United States premier of a Russian animation film, ‘The Nose,’ at the Byrd Theatre on Saturday afternoon.”

Ticket information and the screening schedule is available at jamesriverfilm.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jamesriverfilm/.

Organizers also need volunteers to help during the festival, Mr. Jones said. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt, admission to all events and an invitation for two to the festival cookout on Saturday, April 2.

To volunteer, email vilma@jamesriverfilm.org. State which event you want to volunteer for and provide email, phone and text contact information to receive a response.

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April 1&3

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Richmond Free Press

March 24-26, 2022 B3

Obituaries/Faith Directory Rodney L. Lofton, LGBTQ advocate, community leader, author, succumbs at 53

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Rodney Lamont Lofton was a force in changing Richmond’s attitudes toward gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual and queer people.

Regarded as both charming and direct, Mr. Lofton sought to lift the profile of people in the LGBTQ community and lobbied public officials for inclusion of LGBTQ community members in programs and policymaking.

The Richmond native also earned recognition and respect for his work in creating, assisting and promoting programs, services and support networks for the LGBTQ community.

Most recently as the first Black senior staff member at the community advocacy group Diversity Richmond, Mr. Lofton ensured inclusion of Black LGBTQ individuals on the board and in programming.

He also created the Black and Bold Awards program to honor the contributions that Black LGBTQ people have made to the city and developed a similar program for the Latino community. He called the events opportunities for Black and Latino people to publicly “be proud of ourselves.”

An AIDS survivor himself, Mr. Lofton also worked on behalf of those living with HIV and on HIV/AIDS prevention and case management.

“Rodney served for many years as community issues for the GBMNews a local and national LGBTQ+ leader website. and compassionate voice,” Richmond But his time in New York came to City Council members noted in a an end in 1993, he recounted in an statement of tribute to Mr. Lofton interview, when he was told he was following his death Monday March HIV positive and that the diagnosis 14, 2022, in Phoenix. meant “I was gonna die.”

“Throughout his life,” the statement Returning to Richmond, he began continued, “Rodney opened the eyes, learning to live with the disease with touched the hearts and comforted the the help of medical advancements in souls of so many people across our the treatment of the disease and the Mr. Lofton community and truly helped to make help and love of his now-deceased our Richmond, where y’all means all, an even mother, Mildred Lofton. more inclusive and LGBTQ-friendly place to live, As he recovered, he shifted his attention to love, work, learn, visit and enjoy family.” helping others facing the same health challenge.

Mr. Lofton, who was 53, succumbed to He volunteered with a youth theater group in cancer, friends and family said.

Richmond that sought to spread HIV/AIDS awareHis life will be celebrated at a community ness. He later moved to Washington to work on memorial service 11 a.m. Saturday, March HIV prevention among young people.

26, at Diversity Richmond’s event hall, 1407 He took a similar job in Albuquerque, N.M., Sherwood Ave. where he created a support group for HIV-positive Mr. Lofton appeared headed for a career in men before returning to Richmond in 2004. the music industry. Having come out as openly Mr. Lofton worked as an HIV/AIDS case gay, he relocated to New York, where he began manager for the health center at Virginia Comworking for a small public relations firm whose monwealth University medical staff and for the clients included Kool & The Gang and Mary nonprofit Health Brigade.

Wilson, a founding member of The Supremes.

He later served as executive director of The He also wrote freelance pieces on music Renewals Projects, a nonprofit support program and entertainment and was a columnist on gay for people with HIV/AIDS before joining Di-

versity Richmond as vice president and deputy director.

Mr. Lofton was credited with helping the operation live up to its name by expanding its outreach and services to what he called “queer people of color.”

He also fostered connections with City Hall and City Council as he helped revive and then became a member of the city’s Human Rights Commission.

Mr. Lofton also authored two novels, “The Day I Stopped Being Pretty: A Memoir” and “No More Tomorrows: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love” that were nominees for Lambda Literary Awards.

He also was sought after as a speaker, addressing people at such events as the New Jersey World AIDS Day Celebration, the U.S. Conference on AIDS and the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Conference. He also served on a joint U.S.-Russian AIDS prevention program in the Saratov-Oblast region.

He was a past member of Balm in Gilead’s Community Advisory Board, of the 7th Council District Health and Wellness Initiative and on VA Pride’s board.

In 2015, Equality Virginia honored Mr. Lofton with its OUTStanding Virginian award.

He is survived by his husband, Faron Niles.

Dr. Robert L. Pettis Sr., longtime pastor of Zion Baptist Church, dies at 67

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Dr. Robert Lee Pettis Sr., a well-regarded minister who was in his fifth decade of leading Zion Baptist Church in South Side, has died.

Just 27 when he was called to Zion Baptist’s pulpit as its ninth pastor in 1981, Dr. Pettis was “a loving husband, a loving father, a kind person who cared for others,” said his wife of 39 years, Palma Duncan Pettis.

Dr. Pettis died Saturday, March 19, 2022, his family said. He was 67.

Mrs. Pettis said her husband, who had successfully guided the Zion Baptist congregation through the pandemic, succumbed to a severe allergic reaction to a blood pressure

medication.

His life as a spiritual leader, teacher, evangelist and author will be celebrated 11a.m.

Saturday, March 26, at United Nations Church, 214 Cowardin Ave., Mimms Funeral Home announced.

Dr. Jerome O. Lee, transitional pastor of First Baptist Church of Charlottesville, will officiate, and Dr. David L. Kelly II, pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church of Brooklyn, N.Y., will deliver the eulogy, Mrs. Pettis said.

Born in San Francisco, Dr. Pettis grew up in East Palo Alto, Calif., and by age 8 felt the call to preach After graduating from Bishop College in Dallas, he came to Richmond to earn a master’s

Good Shepherd Baptist Church 1127 North 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223 s Office: (804) 644-1402 Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor “There’s A Place for You”

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https://youtu.be/qqzhnIEQyQc for inspirational messages from Pastor Smith “The Church With A Welcome”

Sharon Baptist Church

Riverview Baptist Church Sunday School 9:30 A.M. Sunday Services 11:00 A.M. Via Conference Call (202) 926-1127 Pin 572890# In Person Sunday Service also on FACEBOOK and YouTube 2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org

Moore Street Missionary

500 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222 www.sharonbaptistchurchrichmond.org (804) 643-3825 Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor

Sundays Morning Worship 10:00 A.M.

in divinity from VirSt., which traces is ginia Union Univerbeginnings to 1888. sity’s Samuel DeWitt Dr. Pettis currentProctor School of ly was serving as the Theology. He later parliamentarian for earned a doctorate in the Baptist General ministry from VUU, Convention. He was with an emphasis a past president of on church managethe Baptist Ministers’ ment.

Conference of RichDr. Pettis began mond and Vicinity Dr. Pettis his career in 1979 and a former modas the first youth director for erator of the Tuckahoe Baptist the Baptist General Convention Association. of Virginia. Two years later, he He also was a longtime was hired as the new pastor of member and former president Zion Baptist, a 300-member of the Parliamentary Law Club congregation at 2006 Decatur of Richmond.

Baptist Church

1408 W. Leigh Street · Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 358—6403

Back Inside

Dr. Alonza L. Lawrence, Pastor

8LIQI 1SFMPM^MRK *SV 1MRMWXV] 6IJVIWLMRK 8LI 3PH ERH )QIVKMRK 8LI 2I[ We Embrace Diversity — Love For All! Come worship with us!

Ramadan for All People a solution for Mankind

T

he people of the Abrahamic faiths fast. Ramadan is coming. Prophets throughout the ages fasted as commanded for spiritual nearness to God, people of Abrahamic faiths fast to gain control over the forces of destruction to our hearts and minds that separate us from God and the true nature in which we were created to be. There are 80 suicides a day in Ì i 1°-° / i i> Ì Li iwÌÃ v v>ÃÌ } for the body are well known. Fasting Li iwÌÃ v À Ì i ` > ` Ã Õ >Ài not so commonly known. Fasting and prayer in Ramadan increases the effectiveness of our prayers it is a shield against the hell in our lives and the storm of evil without and within us. Fasting is an effective way to develop the feelings of nearness to God, strengthen unity and charity in communities, and turns us to the Almighty for help.

The prophets fasted. Prophet Moses fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai and was >vÌiÀ µÕ> wi` Ì ÀiVi Ûi Ì i ÀiÛi >Ì v `° iÃÕÃ Ì i à v >ÀÞ Ài > i` Ì i forest fasting for forty days and forty nights as commanded by his Lord where he was ÃÌÀi }Ì i i` >}> ÃÌ Ì i «iÀÃÕ>à à v ->Ì> ° *À « iÌ Õ > >`½Ã iÜ Ã Ü vi fasted Ashura which observes Prophet Moses and the Israelite’s escape from Egypt.

Prophet Muhammad joined her in observing this fast and millions of Muslims observe Ì Ã v>ÃÌ Ü Ì iÜ Ã V Õ Ì iÃ Ì À Õ} ÕÌ Ì i Ü À ` Ì `>Þ°

For more information about Ramadan in the Richmond metro. Area contact: 804-347-6519 “Your Home In God’s Kingdom”

Back Inside Sundays Join us for 10:00 AM Worship Service Live on Facebook @sixthbaptistrva Live on Youtube @sixthbaptistrva Or by visiting our website www.sixthbaptistchurch.org 400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

(near Byrd Park)

Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor

(804) 359-1691 or 359-3498 Facebook Fax (804) 359-3798 sixthbaptistrva www.sixthbaptistchurch.org

Antioch Baptist Church “Redeeming God’s People for Gods Purpose”

Broad Rock Baptist Church 5106 Walmsley Blvd., Richmond, VA 23224 804-276-2740 • 804-276-6535 (fax) www.BRBCONLINE.org

“Due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, Services Are Cancelled, until further notice; but, please join us, by visiting BRBCOnline.org or YouTube (Broad Rock Baptist Church).”

“MAKE IT HAPPEN” Pastor Kevin Cook

Worship With Us This Week!

1384 New Market Road, Richmond, Virginia 23231 | 804-222-8835

4th Sunday Of Lent Virtual Worship March 27, 2022 @ 10:00 A.M.

SERVICES

SUNDAY WORSHIP HOUR – 10:00 A.M. CHILDREN’S CHURCH & BUS MINISTRY AVAILABLE SUNDAY SCHOOL (FOR ALL AGES) – 9:00 A.M. TUESDAY MID-DAY BIBLE STUDY – 12 NOON WEDNESDAY MID-WEEK PRAYER & BIBLE STUDY – 7:00 P.M. A MISSION BASED CHURCH FAMILY EXCITING MINISTRIES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS & SENIOR ADULTS BIBLE REVELATION TEACHING DIVERSE MUSIC MINISTRY LOVING, CARING ENVIRONMENT

an evangelism ministry and a liturgical ministry. He also organized a media ministry to ensure the congregation was informed about church events and happenings.

Mrs. Pettis said her husband’s main focus was on “saving souls.”

She said she met her husband while serving as the church’s pianist accompanying the choir.

In addition to his wife, Dr. Pettis is survived a son, Robert L. Pettis Jr.; two daughters, Ashley D. Pettis and Nichole G. Pettis; and a sister, Crystal Pettis.

Billions of people of the Islamic Faith will fast for 30 days along with friends of the faith during the Islamic calendar month of Ramadan beginning April 2-May 2. Fasting begins with a light breakfast before the dawn and ends at sunset each day for thirty days. Each night community prayers are held at mosques and Muslims pray through the night in their homes and at mosques for the Almighty’s mercy, forgiveness, and help.

7M\XL &ETXMWX 'LYVGL A 21st Century Church With Ministry For Everyone

Dr. Pettis authored “Developing and Using a Church Management Manual” and training guides for the diaconate ministry, the pastoral ministry and meditation.

Other churches called on him to preach revivals, conduct Christian education workshops and to provide advice on parliamentary procedure for congregational meetings.

During his tenure at Zion Baptist, he started a community food distribution ministry, a literacy ministry to help members learn to read, a youth ministry, a women’s ministry,

Join us for worship online this week!

As we move through the 40 days of Lent together, we would love if it you would share a part of your journey with us.

Join us online at mmbcrva.org or Facebook.com/mmbcrva.

DR. JAMES L. SAILES PASTOR

Additional Opportunities to Engage with Us: *Faith Formation/ Church School (Sat. @ 9:00 AM) Zoom Meeting ID: 952 9164 9805 /Passcode: 2901 *Bible Study (Wed. @ 7:00 PM) Zoom Meeting ID: 854 8862 2296 *Give Via: http://mmbcrva.org/give Or through Givelify 2901 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 648-2472 ~ www.mmbcrva.org Dr. Price London Davis, Senior Pastor *Faith Formation/ Church School (Sat. @ 9:00 AM) Zoom Meeting ID: 952 9164 9805 /Passcode: 2901 *Bible Study (Wed. @ 7:00 PM) Zoom Meeting ID: 983 8639 0975/ Password: 012563

Richmond Free Press

B4 March 24-26, 2022

Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the City of Richmond Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Monday, April 4, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. and the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the Second Floor of City Hall, located at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, to consider the following ordinances: Ordinance No. 2022-092 To amend and reordain Ord. No. 73-163-171, adopted Jul. 30, 1973, as last amended by Ord. No. 2005-148-129, adopted Jun. 27, 2005, which authorized the special use of the properties known as 1500 Westbrook Avenue, 1600 Westbrook Court, and 1 Glebe Close Road, to authorize a garden amenity area, upon certain terms and conditions. The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Residential.

Primary Uses: Singlefamily houses, accessory dwelling units, and open space. Secondary Uses: Duplexes and small multifamily buildings (typically 3-10 units), institutional, and cultural. Secondary uses may be found along major streets.

Ordinance No. 2022-093 To authorize the special use of the properties known as 1204 North 19 th Street and 1206 North 19th Street for the purpose of up to six single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions.

The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Neighborhood Mixed-Use. Single-family houses, accessory dwelling units, duplexes, small multi-family buildings, and open space.

Secondary Uses: Large multi-family buildings, r e t a i l / o ff i c e / p e r s o n a l service, institutional, cultural, and government.

The proposed density is approximately 21 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2022-094 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1203 East Brookland Park Boulevard for the purpose of a mixed-use building containing up to 43 dwelling units, upon certain terms and conditions. The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Residential. Primary Uses: Single-family houses, accessory dwelling units, and open space. Secondary Uses: Duplexes and small multi-family buildings (typically 3-10 units), institutional, and cultural.

Secondary uses may be found along major streets.

The proposed density is approximately 70 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2022-095 To authorize the special use of the property known as 933 West Grace Street for the purpose of a mixeduse building containing up to 21 dwelling units and commercial space, upon certain terms and conditions. The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Destination Mixed-Use. Primary Uses include: r e t a i l / o ff i c e / p e r s o n a l service, multi-family residential, cultural, and open space. Secondary Uses: Institutional and government. The proposed density is approximately 144 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2022-096 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1403 1/2 Spotsylvania Street for the purpose of two single-family attached dwellings with off-street parking, upon certain terms and conditions.

The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Neighborhood Mixed-Use. Single-family houses, accessory dwelling units, duplexes, small multi-family buildings, and open space. Secondary Uses: Large multifamily buildings, retail/ office/personal service, institutional, cultural, and government.

Ordinance No. 2022-097 To conditionally rezone the properties known as 3329 Hopkins Road and 3425 Hopkins Road from the R-4 Single-Family Residential District to the R-6 Single-Family Attached Residential District, upon certain proffered conditions. The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Neighborhood Continued on next column

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Continued from previous column

Mixed-Use. Single-family houses, accessory dwelling units, duplexes, small multi-family buildings, and open space. Secondary Uses: Large multifamily buildings, retail/ office/personal service, institutional, cultural, and government.

a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 5th day of May, 2022 at 9:00 AM and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so by following the instructions referenced in the April 11, 2022 Richmond City Council Formal meeting agenda. Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at https:// www.rva.gov/office-cityclerk, and in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Candice D. Reid City Clerk

Divorce VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO MERVIN ARMSTEAD, JR., Plaintiff, v.

MARIA TERESA RAMIREZ SANTIAGO, Defendant.

Case No. CL22-1042 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit includes, inter alia, the divorce of the parties. It appearing by affidavit that Maria Teresa Ramirez Santiago’s current whereabouts are unknown to the Plaintiff; that Plaintiff’s counsel attempted to locate M a r i a Te r e s a R a m i r e z Santiago’s current address via a public records software search, which did not yield results.

It is therefore ORDERED t h a t M a ri a T eres a R a mire z S a n ti a g o appear before this Court on or before May 16, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests herein.

I ASK FOR THIS: Erik D. Baines, Esquire (VSB # 83618) BARNES & DIEHL, P.C. Boulders VI – Suite A 7401 Beaufont Springs Drive Richmond, VA 23225 ebaines@barnesfamilylaw.com (804) 796-1000 (telephone) (804) 796-1730 (facsimile) Counsel for Plaintiff VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER HANIF KHAN, Plaintiff v.

SHERVITA BLAND, Defendant.

Case No.: CL22000844-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 16th day of May, 2022 at 9:00 AM and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JESSICA CAMPBELL, Plaintiff v.

CAROLYN WILLIS, Defendant.

Case No.: CL22000298-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 5th day of May, 2022 at 9:00 AM and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Esquire Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER GEORGE BRIGGS, JR., Plaintiff v.

TAMMY BRIGGS, Defendant.

Case No.: CL22000707-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 5th day of May, 2022 at 9:00 AM and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER TAINEKA RICHARDSON, Plaintiff v.

CORNELL RICHARDSON, Defendant.

Case No.: CL22000639-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 28th day of April, 2022 at 9:00 AM and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

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8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

CUSTODY VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re JEREMIAH MINNICK RDSS v.

UNKNOWN FATHER MICHAEL MINNICK Case No. JJ098657-08-00 Case No. JJ098657-06-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“TPR”) of the Unknown Father & Michael Minnick (Father) of Jeremiah Minnick, child DOB 02/22/2020, child.

“TPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Father & Michael Minnick (Father) to appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/her interest on or before 04/29/2022, at 9:30 A.M., Courtroom #1.

LICENSE Timberly LLC Trading as: Guapo’s Restaurant

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER DELICIA RUDOLPH, Plaintiff v.

TIMOTHY RUDOLPH, Defendant.

Case No.: CL22000745-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for Continued on next column

Continued on next column

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7225 Hull Street Rd North Chesterfield, Virginia 23235 The above establishment is applying to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage C o n trol (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Wine and Beer on and off premises Mixed Beverage Restaurant license to sell or manufacture

alcoholic beverages.

Hoang Duong, Member NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-5523200.

Continued on next page

TRANSIT SYSTEM

GRTC CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING & INSPECTION SERVICES STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS 209-22-04

G RT C Tr a n s i t S y s t e m i s s e e k i n g Statements of Qualifications for Construction Management, Engineering & ,QVSHFWLRQ 6HUYLFHV ,QWHUHVWHG ÀUPV PD\ download a copy of SOQ # 209-22-04 from *57&·V ZHEVLWH ZZZ ULGHJUWF FRP PHQX RSWLRQV ´$ERXW 8Vµ WKHQ ´3URFXUHPHQWµ RU REWDLQ D FRS\ E\ FDOOLQJ $QWLRQHWWH +D\QHV DW ([W 2IIHUV DUH GXH SULRU WR SP RQ $SULO $OO LQTXLULHV SHUWDLQLQJ WR WKH UHTXHVW RU DQ\ TXHVWLRQV DERXW WKH VROLFLWDWLRQ GRFXPHQWV VKRXOG EH GLUHFWHG WR Earl Atkinson 3URFXUHPHQW 6SHFLDOLVW H[WHQVLRQ

Supplier diversity program – “providing equal opportunities for small businesses”

Continued on next column

The City of Richmond announces the following project(s) available for services relating to: RFP No. 210005493: Annual Building Structural Engineering Services For all information pertaining to this RFP conference call, please logon to the Richmond website (www.RVA.GOV).

Proposal Due Date: April 18, 2022/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.

To advertise in the Richmond Free Press call 644-0496

Follow the Free Press on @FreePressRVA @RichmondFreePressUSA

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER KIMBERLY RODRIGUEZ, Plaintiff v.

MANUEL ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ TOLOZA, Defendant.

Case No.: CL20001543-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, who is a nonresident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, appear here on or before the 29th day of April, 2022 at 9:00 AM and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER ANGELA BLACK-JONES, Plaintiff v.

DAMIEN BROWN, Defendant.

Case No.: CL22000551-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 20th day of April, 2022 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724

Continued from previous column

NorthSouth Construction, Inc, 7400 Whitepine Road, Richmond VA 23237 needs a Construction Supervisor to inspect work progress, equipment, or construction sites to verify safety or to ensure Ì >Ì Ã«iV wV>Ì Ã >Ài iÌ° "ÛiÀÃii `> Þ vÕ VÌ Ã > ` ` ÀiVÌ Ü À iÀà à Ìi > `> Þ L>à ð ƂÃà } Ü À Ì i « ÞiiÃ] L>Ãi` >ÌiÀ > À Ü À iÀ ÀiµÕ Ài i Ìà v ëiV wV Lð Train workers in construction methods, operation of equipment, safety procedures, or company « V ið - i ÌÀ>Ûi ÀiµÕ Ài` Ì Ü À à ÌiÃ Ì i >Ài> v , V `] 6Ƃ° ÕÃÌ >Ûi /Ü ­Ó® Þi>Àà v iÝ«iÀ i Vi Ì i wi ` v V ÃÌÀÕVÌ ° À vÌ > ` >iÀ > vÌ "«iÀ>Ì À ViÀÌ wV>Ìià ÀiµÕ Ài`° > ÀiÃÕ i Ì V ÜiÀÞJ ÀÌ Ã ÕÌ V °V °

SENIOR PASTOR VACANCY Swansboro Baptist Church is looking for a Bivocactional Pastor.

Please send resume to Swansboro Baptist Church 3801 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23224 or searchcommitteeswansboro@gmail.com or contact Deacon Simon Howard @ (804) 233-7031

Covenant Fellowship Baptist Church &KHVWHU¿HOG 9D

Keyboardist/ Psalmist

www.ourcfbc.org

One Sunday a month for CFBC worship services (9am - 10:15am) and some Wednesdays at 7:00pm.

Able to play, sing, lead, and teach traditional and contemporary Gospel as well as traditional hymns.

Email resumes to admin@ourcfbc.org for details.

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.

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Senior Manager, Software Engineering – Capital One Services, LLC in Richmond, VA; Mult pos avail: Lead & direct overall WHFK GHVLJQ GYOSPQW PRGL¿FDWLRQ implementation of comp apps using existing & emerging tech platforms. To apply, visit https://capitalone.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/ Capital_One and search “Senior Manager, Software Engineering” or “ R137328”.

WWS Holding LLC (Henrico, VA) seeks Ops Mgr. Serve as liaison btw contr’s/subcontr’s/ prop mgmt co. Mon contr’s and subcontr’s.

Ovrsee all prop reno projs and prop maint issues. Hire contr’s. Neg proj costs for supps + contr serv’s for maint/renos. Ovrsee/coord proj sched. Mng/addr’s cust’r compl’s.

Particip in mtgs/handle comm’s w/loc’l govts/depts to ensure co mts sfty stds and loc’l codes. Rev perf data for occ’y rates/ Ài V ÃÌÃÉ«À wÌÃ Ì i>Ã «À `½ÞÉ} > achiev’t. Ident’y areas need’g cost red’n/ improv’t. REQ: BA in Bus, Htl Mngmt & Tourism or rel/eq + 2yrs exp as Sls Dir, Dir of Contr’g or rel. Resumes to: Attn: Walid Daniel, WWS Holding LLC, 3904 Longview Landing Ct, Henrico, VA 23233.

GRANTS COORDINATOR Richmond, Virginia

The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is seeking an experienced Grants Coordinator to assist with the VTC grant application processes and reimbursements. VTC offers several grant programs to the travel industry partners in Virginia. The successful candidate for this position will assist with the administration of these programs.

All candidates must apply through our website https://www.vatc.org/ administration/employment/.

Application deadline: April 1, 2022.

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