Wilder urges firing of state diversity official, VCU president

By George Copeland Jr.

On Tuesday, former Gov.

L. Douglas Wilder called on Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin to replace Chief Diversity Officer Martin D. Brown over remarks declaring the state’s focus on diversity, equity and inclusion “dead.”

He also called for a state investigation into a $75 million payment made by VCU Health to back out of a master lease for a failed redevelopment plan, and urged Virginia Commonwealth University’s Board of Visitors to fire VCU President Michael Rao over this decision.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Vice President Kamala Harris was in Richmond on May 6 in honor of Small Business Week and to highlight the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to uplifting small businesses. Please see coverage on A5.

Jury finds Trump liable for sexual abuse

By Larry Neumeister, Jennifer Peltz and Michael R. Sisak

The Associated Press NEW YORK

A jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could haunt the former president as he campaigns to regain the White House.

The verdict was split: Jurors rejected Ms. Carroll’s claim that she was raped, finding Mr. Trump responsible for a lesser degree of sexual abuse. The judgment adds to Mr. Trump’s legal woes and offers vindication to Ms. Carroll, whose allegations had been mocked and

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The Associated Press

E. Jean Carroll, center, walks out of Manhattan federal court, Tuesday, in New York. A jury found Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing the advice columnist in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could haunt the former president as he campaigns to regain the White House.

“I’m here to represent concerns that have gone on a bit too long being unanswered,” Gov. Wilder said. “Along with other leaders like myself, we want and demand accountability, and answers on behalf of the people of the Commonwealth.”

“Both the issue of Brown and VCU show it is essential that we have leadership that hears and understands and represents the needs of the people.”

Gov. Wilder previously called for Mr. Brown’s firing last week, after the latter gave a speech at Virginia Military Institute during an employee training program in April declaring DEI a thing of the past, and not conducive with Gov. Youngkin’s vision for the office.

“Let’s take a moment right now to kill that cow. DEI is dead,” Mr. Brown said. “We’re not going to bring that cow up anymore. It’s dead. It was mandated by the General Assembly, but this governor has a different philosophy of civil discourse, civility, treating — living the golden rule, right?”

VMI was the subject of an investigation into structural racism by the Northam administration, and was part of policy initiatives that led to the creation of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion that Gov. Youngkin would later rename and Mr. Brown now leads.

Mr. Brown’s statements led to criticism from Virginia lawmakers and the state NAACP. Sen. Scott Surovell of Fairfax and House Minority Leader Don Scott Jr. of Portsmouth also

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Free Press wins 18 awards in annual VPA contest

Free Press staff report

The Richmond Free Press continues its 30-year tradition of award-winning excellence.

The newspaper was recognized with 18 awards, including five first place awards, in the annual Virginia Press Association competition in writing, photography, news presentation and advertising.

The contest for work published in 2022 was judged by members of the Tennessee Press Association. The winners were announced during a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Short Pump.

First Place April Coleman – Entertainment ad-Lightfoot 60th wedding

J.C. Poma to lead Chesterfield’s sports tourism expansion efforts

Free Press staff report

J.C. Poma will become Chesterfield County’s first-ever executive director of sports, visitation and entertainment. His appointment was effective May 1.

Sports tourism is a multibillion dollar business in the U.S. and plays a significant role in bringing visitors and revenue to Chesterfield. According to county records for fiscal year 2022, Chesterfield hosted 63 sports-related events that drew more than 250,000 attendees and generated $34.4 million in direct economic impact and $1.28 million in direct local tax revenue.

“Tourism is a vital element of our ongoing work to increase commercial tax revenue and reduce our reliance on residential property assessments,” said Kevin Carroll, chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “Thanks to our mutually beneficial partnership with Richmond Region Tourism, Chesterfield has built a reputation as an attractive destination for visitors. We’re pleased to add J.C. to our team and are confident he’ll help take us to the next level.”

“Having someone with J.C.’s experience and relationships in a leadership position will help us bring it all together and build on our strong record of success,” County Administrator Joe Casey added.

Mr. Poma comes to Chesterfield from Richmond Region Tourism. Over the past seven years, he worked his way from sports development manager to vice president of community relations for the region’s official destination marketing and tourism organization. As part of the senior leadership team, he was able to develop connections within the U.S. tourism industry as well as the many stakeholders across the Richmond region. Honored in Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 last year, Mr. Poma serves as an advisory board member for the United States Sports Congress and is on the board of directors for the Sportable Paralympic Sports Club.

Margaret O. Daramola is Virginia’s poet laureate

Free Press staff report

Margaret O. Daramola has been named the Commonwealth of Virginia’s new poet laureate. Ms. Daramola was born in Nigeria and will be awarded a bachelor’s degree in English from Hampton University on May 14 during the university’s graduation ceremonies.

At Hampton Ms. Daramola is on the Dean’s List, vice president of the African Student Association and a member of HU’s Pre-Law Society. She also was awarded the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and Student Poet initiative award. The honorary position of poet laureate of Virginia serves a term of two years.

“I had the privilege of hearing Ms. Daramola first-hand at the investiture of Hampton University’s President Darrell Williams this past March and was greatly impressed by her presence and passion,” said Gov. Glenn Youngkin in announcing Ms. Daramola’s appointment. “Virginians will be honored to have such a talented poet represent us as laureate. I have always believed that the promise of Virginia’s future is represented in young adults like Margaret. Suzanne and I look forward to Margaret blessing Virginians across the Commonwealth with her incredible gift.”

RPD names LGBTQ+ community liaison

Free Press staff report

The Richmond Police Department has named Capt. Kimberly Mooney as the Department’s LGBTQ+ community liaison (lesbian, gay, transgender and queer/questioning community). The mission of RPD’s LGBTQ+ community liaison is to facilitate conversations and strengthen relationships with the community as well as increasing awareness, training and knowledge of inclusiveness within the department.

“We all deserve safe spaces. We all deserve a world of trust, a world where we all belong. The Richmond Police Department is committed to those goals,” said Capt. Mooney. “I am thrilled, as the new LGBTQ+ liaison, to be able to work with the community to help us all achieve them.”

In noting Capt. Mooney’s appointment, Interim Police Chief Rick Edwards said “Richmond is a diverse city and it’s important we’re proactive to ensure we hear from all voices within the community we serve. Capt. Mooney has been a valued leader within our department for more than 18 years and as our LGBTQ+ liaison I’m confident she will foster those partnerships that are vitally important to our mission at RPD.”

Capt. Mooney has a history of advocating for LGBTQ+ residents through various community forums and has worked collaboratively with members of Diversity Richmond. She leads the LGBTQ+ Awareness course for all RPD sworn officers and recruits, facilitating conversations to ensure officers are allies and are able to create a safe space for others to approach any police officer within the department.

The James River Association broke ground on the James A. Buzzard River Education Center Monday, May 8, at 2825 Dock St. along the James River. Attending the ceremonial groundbreaking was Virginia Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources Travis Voyles, left, James River Association President and CEO Bill Street, Mayor Levar M. Stoney and Richmond City Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille. The state-of-the-art facility will serve as a catalyst for river education, environmental awareness and community connection, said Mr. Street. However, there was no mention of the James River’s Indigenous name, Powhatan, nor the Native Americans,

Cityscape Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

the Powhatan tribe, who lived below the Fall Line (Richmond) when the Jamestown colonists arrived in 1607. The Powhatan River then was named the James River after King James I of England.

Mayor Stoney, in his remarks, did note the James River’s “instrumental role” in Virgina’s history.

“We know a number of great stories about how the river brought Abraham Lincoln down here, but also we know the story it played in the slave trade here as well. The good, the bad and the ugly. It’s my hope that every child in this city learns about the river and has a healthy respect for the river and the power of this natural resource that we have right in our backyard.”

Rep. McClellan named to Biden-Harris Campaign National Advisory Board

Free Press staff report

U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan is among the team of Democratic leaders who will help deliver President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ message and engage voters across the country, the Biden-Harris 2024 re-election campaign said yesterday in announcing its National Advisory Board.

Rep. McClellan is one of 50 leading voices in the Democratic Party to be named to the Advisory Board, which is chaired by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Board members will participate in regular media interviews, assist with fundraising efforts and events, leverage their networks and platforms to amplify the campaign’s message to voters, and engage directly with voters through grassroots efforts and events in key battleground states.

“I am excited to join the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign National Advisory Board, and work in Virginia and across the country to get out the vote in this critical election,” Rep. McClellan said. “President Biden and Vice President Harris have delivered for the American people, from getting the economy back on track to passing landmark legislation and defending democracy. I’m looking forward to working with Democratic leaders from across the country to help President Biden and Vice President Harris win in 2024.”

Rep. McClellan was elected in February in a special election for the 4th Congressional District. She previously served for 18 years in the Virginia General Assembly.

Starting date nears to replace George Wythe

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The first construction work on a replacement for the aging George Wythe High School could begin by late summer.

Richmond Public Schools last week posted a request for bids for initial site work for the school to be built on the grounds of Wythe in the 4300 block of Crutchfield Avenue in South Side.

RPS planned to replace the high school since 2021, only to be delayed when Mayor Levar M. Stoney and City Council refused to transfer funds to enable design work to proceed. Despite shrinkage in enrollment at the secondary level, RPS was forced to agree to the council’s demand to build the school for 1,800 students before the money was released.

The initial work, according to the May 1 posting, will involve removing, relocating and replacing a 72-inch storm New water line with an 84-inch line, providing temporary stormwater draining, replacing existing sewage lines and clearing and grading the site.

Bids are due by 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, according to Melissa Chasteen, interim RPS procurement and property management director.

At the same time, according to Superin- tendent Jason Kamras, the final designs for this initial work are to be submitted to the city for approval, along with results of soil boring tests. That approval is a last hurdle to starting this crucial preliminary work.

Mr. Kamras told the School Board that the contractor should be selected in June, and a contract awarded after city dollars supporting the work arrive July 1 when the 2023-24 fiscal year begins, certainly allowing the winning bidder to begin work within 30 to 40 days.

City Hall, with City Council’s approval, plans to provide $200 million through the Capital Improvement Budget for new school construction in the new fiscal year, plus an additional $15 million to cover a major part of the cost of rebuilding William Fox Elementary School in The Fan.

RPS has projected the replacement high school will cost around $155 million and would open by September 2027.