Park dedication provides lasting legacy for Markiya Dickson

Continued from A1 convicted of charges including second degree murder, were sentenced to 33 years and 22 years separately.

In a telephone interview on May 24, Markiya’s mother said the family’s healing process has been “an emotional roller coaster” filled with highs and lows.

“We have to take it day by day because it’s hard,” Ms. Dickson said. “We’ll never get past it or get over it, so we’re living through it. We’re learning how to cope with it.”

Mr. Whitfield agreed.

“It’s hard to sit and think about my baby,” Mr. Whitfield added. “I always wonder about how she’d be doing or what she’d be doing.”

Attending the dedication ceremony was full of ups and downs as well.

“It was a lot of emotions,”

Ms. Dickson said. “I was happy that they honored her in that way, but then it’s kind of like we shouldn’t even be out here at all for this because my child should still be here.”

As they opened up with memories of Markiya — the stories she made up, songs she wrote and recorded, her love for sister, Samaya, and brother, Mark Jr., her parents’ voices were filled with pride and love for the daughter they miss every day.

The creation of the play space was a collaboration between family and city leaders. Her parents say its naming will mean that their daughter — a little girl who loved butterflies, singing and dancing, and who believed unicorns were real — will have her name live on in the community.

During the dedication, Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch said the playground was a “symbol of this community coming together, a symbol of friendship, of adventure, of imagination, of a world without hate.”

Mr. Whitfield said that it embodies the child his daughter was. He said the family’s vision for the park was one where people can go and have fun, but he wanted it done “the Markiya way — with compassion and caring for people because she was selfless like that.”

Ms. Dickson added that the main goal was a space where kids could play together out of harm’s way, and she believes that Markiya would have loved the playground that bears her name. “I feel like she was out there with us in spirit.”

Free COVID-19 vaccines

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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 vaccines for COVID-19 and more at the following locations: cases “horrifying examples” of what people, particularly Black and Brown people, can suffer at the hands of authorities during a mental health episode.

Wednesday, May 31, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Health Brigade event, Dinwiddie Street and Richmond Highway, adult COVID boosters, JYNNEOS and Hepatitis A shots; 2 to 4 p.m.Henrico West, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Bivalent Moderna boosters for ages 6 and older, Bivalent Pfizer boosters for ages 5 and older, Novavax primary shots for ages 12 and older, JYNNEOS shots and Moderna/Pfizer baby bivalent boosters. Walk-ups welcome but appointments are encouraged.

Thursday, May 25, 2 to 4 p.m. - 400 East Cary St., Bivalent Moderna boosters for ages 6 and older, Bivalent Pfizer boosters for ages 5 and older, Novavax primary shots for age 12 and older, JYNNEOS shots and Moderna/Pfizer baby bivalent boosters. Walk-ups welcome but appointments are encouraged. People can schedule an appointment online at vase.vdh. virginia.gov, vaccinate.virginia.gov or vax.rchd.com, or by calling (804) 205-3501 or (877) VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682).

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

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

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

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

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

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

A total of 32 new cases of COVID-19 were reported statewide Tuesday for the 24-hour period, contributing to an overall state total of 2,307,070 cases in Virginia since the pandemic’s outbreak. As of Tuesday, there have been 459,919 hospitalizations and 23,758 deaths reported statewide.

State data available at the time also shows that AfricanAmericans comprised 21.7 percent of cases statewide and 21.1 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 9.8 percent of cases and 3.7 percent of deaths.

As of Tuesday, Richmond reported a total of 60,020 cases, 1,320 hospitalizations and 547 deaths; Henrico County, 94,283 cases, 1,801 hospitalizations and 1,095 deaths; Chesterfield County, 101,055 cases, 1,792 hospitalizations and 873 deaths; and Hanover County, 29,372 cases, 953 hospitalizations and 348 deaths.

Compiled by George Copeland Jr.

Just like Mr. Otenio, Mr. Floyd, too, met his end while in crisis. He was claustrophobic, Mr. Crump said, but was treated cruelly when he balked at being consigned to the narrow confines of a police rear seat and died when an officer knelt on his neck for nearly 10 minutes.

“It can happen to anyone. It can happen to your loved ones,” Mr. Crump said, who cited other high-profile cases in which families have engaged him to seek justice.

He spoke of Brianna Grier, a 28-year-old Georgia mother who was fatally injured in 2022 when she fell out of a unsecured rear door of a moving police car as officers took her away for mental evaluation, and of mentally ill LaShawn Thompson, who succumbed last September in an Atlanta jail psychiatric ward after suffering thousands of bed bug bites over 90 days without any relief.

He also spoke of Gershun Freman, 33, who was beaten to death in October by his jailers in Memphis as he suffered a psychotic episode.

“We need to give our children a better America where (those suffering with mental illness) have an opportunity to live without having being killed by excessive force by those who are sup- posed to serve and protect them,” Mr. Crump said.

“I imagine the agony of the mother and father of Brianna Grier who called the police seeking help for their daughter only to have her die as a result,” he said.

The town hall moderator, Allan-Charles Chipman, a community organizer, said the focus has to be on breaking the stigma of mental illness that makes people suffering from a breakdown targets of abuse and cruelty that sometimes results in their death.

Monica Hutchinson, vice president of the Henrico Branch NAACP, said that any change will require people to become more politically active and willing to lobby elected officials at the local, state and federal levels and vote.

Other s panelists included James Harris, a licensed counselor and founder and leader of mental health organization called Men to Heal; Lawrence West, leader of Black Lives Matter RVA; Joanne Oport, founder of Maryland-based Africans for Mental Health; Denisha Potts of the Chesterfield Branch NAACP who has worked and supervised staff in state mental health operations in Virginia; and Esther Thompson, a registered nurse.

Though they offered different perspectives in their turn, they all agreed with Mr. Crump that, “We need to give our children a better world, a better America” where the mentally ill “are treated with dignity and respect. Is that too much to ask?”

Filing starts Morrissey divorce proceedings

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He called the allegations “absolutely false,” saying he still loved his wife and was only interested in the welfare of his children.

Retired Judge Robert S. Brewbaker, Jr. found no evidence of abuse and dismissed protective orders. On Sen. Morrissey’s request, he issued orders prohibiting the parents from speaking about the case to the press; however, Ms. Pride’s attorneys and family members did make public statements.

“The judge made an order that the parents could not speak to the press, but I’m not a parent,” Mary Elizabeth White, counsel for Ms. Pride said by phone about her statements calling the case made by the senator an “abuse of the legal system.”

The family also made statements saying Ms. Pride and her boyfriend had been “completely vindicated” in court. This led to the senator’s attorney filing five contempt proceedings against Ms. White, her co-counsel Darcey Geissler, Ms. Pride, and Ms. Pride’s sister, Christina Davis, and father, Coleman Pride.

On May 18, the same day divorce proceedings were filed, Ms. White says “the judge threw them all out.”

“What was most striking, even though Myrna was a party to the order – they never put on any evidence that she had done anything wrong,” she added. “It was pure harassment to shut her up, and I have to admire her for finally speaking up.”

When asked about this dismissal, Sen. Morrissey responded by saying the judge called the gag order he made on only the parents “my bad,” and that he would “never let that happen again.”

Voters may get second chance for casino vote

Continued from A1 to issue the order to the city registrar to put the casino issue on the Nov. 7 ballot.

The only apparent way the proposed vote could be halted is if the General Assembly reaches a budget deal that includes language barring Richmond from holding a second vote this year, as happened in 2022.

A key House budget negotiator, Virginia Beach Republican Delegate Barry Knight, has already indicated he supports adding the language.

A review of the papers Mayor Stoney introduced shows this casino deal is the same one that was defeated in 2021, with no update in cost to reflect the surge in construction costs or the hikes in the interest rate.

The city is taking the risk that casino supporters will turn out to approve the development this time when voter turnout in November is projected to be low, given that only General Assembly candidates are on the ballot.

According to the proposal, the city would not have to contribute any taxpayer money to the development.

The total cost of the casino project, including a $25.5 million payment from Urban One to the city if the vote is positive, will be undertaken borne by the revamped team that is to undertake the casino.

As before, the lead partner is Marylandbased Urban One, a major Black-owned media company known for its stable of radio stations. This time, Urban One’s partner is Churchill Downs, a racetrack and casino company best known for the Kentucky Derby.

Churchill Downs bought Urban One’s former partner, Peninsula Pacific Entertainment, last year, which was to operate the casino.

Details of the financial arrangements between Urban One and Churchill Downs have not been disclosed.

“This is about more than a casino,” Mayor Stoney stated Monday after submitting the papers to council. “This is about the 1,300 good-paying jobs and the $30 million in additional revenue that would enable us to provide an abundance of new opportunities for our residents.”

Along with the work opportunities, he noted the community benefits would include an audio and visual production studio that would provide training for young people and aspiring producers as well as content for Urban One’s TV and radio outlets.

He also cited the potential of the project to fuel business growth, noting the opportunities for local restaurants to offer food and beverages and for other local businesses to provide goods and services to the casino-resort.

“That’s why I am excited about another shot at this game-changing development,” Mayor Stoney said.

Eighth District Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell, who has led the push for the casino, said she is pleased that the ordinances have been introduced and hopeful that “our residents will come together to do what is best for all, and that is to allow the casino project to move forward.”

“The proposed casino in Richmond offers an opportunity to promote economic growth and inclusivity for all residents,” said Council President Michael J. Jones, 9th District.

Alfred C. Liggins III, CEO of Urban One, is optimistic that a firm majority of Richmond voters will support the development.

“We continue to be very excited to work with the City of Richmond to bring this opportunity that will provide jobs and tax revenue that can support city priorities, especially education,” Mr. Liggins said.

Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., said that if voters approve, his company will do in Richmond what it has done elsewhere. “We pride ourselves,” he said, “in taking part in projects and partnerships that provide real benefits to the communities in which we operate.”

Tina Turner, unstoppable superstar whose hits included ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It,’ dead at 83

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Few stars traveled so far — she was born Anna Mae Bullock in a segregated Tennessee hospital and spent her later years on a 260,000 square foot estate on Lake Zurich — and overcame so much. Physically battered, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by her 20-year relationship with Ike Turner, she became a superstar on her own in her 40s, at a time when most of her peers were on their way down, and remained a top concert draw for years after.

With admirers ranging from Mick Jagger to Beyoncé to Mariah Carey, Ms. Turner was one of the world’s most popular entertainers, known for a core of pop, rock and rhythm and blues favorites: “Proud Mary,” “Nutbush City Limits,” “River Deep, Mountain High,” and the hits she had in the 1980s, among them “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero” and a cover of Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”

Her trademarks included a growling contralto that might smolder or explode, her bold smile and strong cheekbones, her palette of wigs and the muscular, quick-stepping legs she did not shy from showing off. She sold more than 150 million records worldwide, won 12 Grammys, was voted along with Ike into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 (and on her own in 2021) and was honored at the Kennedy Center in 2005. Her life became the basis for a film, a Broadway musical and an HBO documentary in 2021 that she called her public farewell.

Until she left her husband and revealed their back story, she was known as the voracious on-stage foil of the steady-going Ike, the leading lady of the “Ike and Tina

Turner Revue.” Ike was billed first and ran the show, choosing the material, the arrangements, the singers. They toured constantly for years, in part because Ike was often short on money and unwilling to miss a concert. Tina Turner was forced to go on with bronchitis, with pneumonia, with a collapsed right lung.

Other times, the cause of her misfortunes was Ike himself.

As she recounted in her memoir, “I, Tina,” Ike began hitting her not long after they met, in the mid-1950s, and only grew more vicious. Provoked by anything and anyone, he would throw hot coffee in her face, choke her, or beat her until her eyes were swollen shut, then rape her. Before one show, he broke her jaw and she went on stage with her mouth full of blood.

Terrified both of being with Ike and of being without him, she credited her emerging Buddhist faith in the mid-1970s with giving her a sense of strength and self-worth and she finally left in early July 1976. Ms. Turner snuck out of their Dallas hotel room, with just a Mobil credit card and 36 cents, while Ike slept. She hurried across a nearby highway, narrowly avoiding a speeding truck, and found another hotel.

“I looked at him (Ike) and thought, ‘You just beat me for the last time, you sucker,’” she recalled in her memoir.

Ms. Turner was among the first celebrities to speak candidly about domestic abuse, becoming a heroine to battered women and a symbol of resilience to all. Ike Turner did not deny mistreating her, although he tried to blame Tina for their troubles. When he died, in 2007, a representative for his ex-wife said simply: “Tina is aware that Ike passed away.”

But by the end of the 1970s, Ms. Turner’s career seemed finished. She was 40 years old, her first solo album had flopped and her live shows were mostly confined to the cabaret circuit.

Rock stars helped bring her back. Rod Stewart convinced her to sing “Hot Legs” with him on “Saturday Night Live” and Mick Jagger, who had openly borrowed some of Ms. Turner’s on-stage moves, sang “Honky Tonk Women” with her during the Stones’ 1981-82 tour.

More popular in England at the time than in the U.S., she recorded a raspy version of “Let’s Stay Together” and by the end of 1983, the song was a hit throughout Europe and on the verge of breaking in the states. An A&R man at Capitol Records, John Carter, urged the label to sign her and make an album. Among the material presented to her was a reflective pop-reggae ballad initially dismissed by Ms. Turner as “wimpy.”

“I just thought it was some old pop song, and I didn’t like it,” she later said of “What’s Love Got To Do With It.”

Ms. Turner’s “Private Dancer” album came out in May 1984, sold more than 8 million copies and featured several hit singles, including the title song and “Better Be Good To Me.” It won four Grammys, among them record of the year for “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” the song that came to define the clear-eyed image of her post-Ike years.

Ms. Turner had two sons: Craig, with saxophonist Raymond Hill; and Ronald, with Ike Turner. In a memoir published later in 2018, “Tina Turner: My Love Story,” she revealed that she had received a kidney transplant from her second husband, former EMI record executive Erwin Bach. Associated Press Writer Hilary Fox contributed to this report.

Carlos Bernate

Richmonders and U.S. service members attend last year’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond. Below, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears greets veterans during the Memorial Day Ceremony.