Richmond Free Press October 19-21, 2023 edition

VSU homecoming A10, B4

Richmond Free Press © 2023 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 32 NO. 42

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

Folk Festival rocks

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Meet this week’s Personality B1

OCTOBER 19-21, 2023

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

The 19th Richmond Folk Festival drew fans from near and far to listen to performers such as Cora Armstrong and others.

Above, Julius Fillyow gets a visit from Cockatoos Bindi, left, and Coco, right, who were hanging out with owners Lucus Griffith and Lindsey Pennington.

Right, The Greenbelt S.I.T.Y. Stars-Precision jump rope team was among several of the featured acts during the 19th Richmond Folk Festival on Brown’s Island. Please see more photos on B3.

$5M payday?

Tentative agreement said to be reached in Arthur Ashe controversy

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

City Hall and the Richmond School Board appear to be on the verge of settling a 17-month dispute over control of the aging Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center, a basketball arena and convocation center that the school system managed since it opened in 1982.

As the Free Press previously reported, both sides claimed ownership of the 4.1-acre property that occupies a key corner of the planned 67-acre, $2.44 billion Diamond District redevelopment initiative — and until now, an ugly and embarrassing court battle appeared to be looming to settle which entity holds

title to the building.

While the paperwork that details the terms in proper legalese is still being created, the Free Press was told by representatives of both sides that a tentative agreement has been reached that would help improve relations between the largest elements of Richmond’s government.

Based on the terms, which would include a $5 million payment, the School Board would gain significant benefits in exchange for ceding the center even though the city publicly still maintains it is the rightful owner, the Free Press has been told.

The representatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to make the terms public, said the

agreement calls for the city to provide the $5 million payment for the center that stands at Arthur Ashe Boulevard and Robin Hood Road in North Side, and is scheduled to be demolished to make way for the new Diamond District development.

The payment, though far smaller than the $12 million to $16 million the School Board had sought, would be equal to the amount that RVA Diamond Partners LLC is anticipated to pay the city for the center property as part of its plans to bring offices, apartments and retail to the area best known for the Richmond Flying Squirrels and their home, The Diamond baseball stadium.

Please turn to A4

April Coleman/Richmond Free Press

Virginia statehouse candidates face questions about residency requirements The Associated Press

Coach Anderson

Coaching legend Lou Anderson dies at age 87

By Fred Jeter

Louis “Lou” Anderson Jr., who spent most of his adult life coaching football and, more importantly to him, influencing the lives of young men, died Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.

Mr. Anderson was 87 and had been in an assisted living facility for several years.

A native Richmonder, Mr. Anderson was a star football player and top student at Maggie L. Walker High School, where he played under Fred “Cannonball” Cooper.

From Walker, he went to HBCU Kittrell College in North Carolina and HBCU Claflin University in South Carolina.

Following college graduation with a degree in history, Mr. Anderson began his career in education. His first coaching/teaching stop was at segregated Luther Foster High in Nottoway County from 1961 to 1968.

Next, he moved back to Richmond and served one season as an assistant coach at Thomas Jefferson High Please turn to A4

Virginia state lawmakers are required to live in the district they represent, as well as in any district they might be seeking to represent. If they move out of their district, the state constitution states they are out of office.

Those requirements, combined with political maps that took effect this year, have created a headache for some candidates.

At least two sitting lawmakers seeking re-election in new districts say they are living either with or in the home of a relative rather than with their immediate family, in order to meet the residency requirements.

But for one of those two, Democratic Delegate C.E. “Cliff” Hayes, a private investigative company’s findings that were provided to The Associated Press by the House Republican caucus raise questions about that claim.

Please turn to A4

Associated Press file photo

Delegate C.E. “Cliff” Hayes, D-Chesapeake, addresses members during the floor session in January 2022 of the Virginia House of Delegates at the State Capitol. A recent investigative report provided to The Associated Press has raised questions about whether Delegate Hayes is meeting the state’s residency standards for lawmakers. He insists he is following the law.

Concerns about RPS mold, safety issues continue to spread

By George Copeland Jr.

Complaints about mold in several Richmond Public Schools have persisted since the beginning of the current school year.

A month ago, news reports stated that teachers at Boushall Middle School shared photos of what appeared to be mold grow-

ing on lockers, desks and chairs. And staff members at Fox Elementary, currently being housed at Clark Springs, complained about mold spreading across ceiling tiles, causing them to become ill.

During Monday night’s Richmond School Board meeting, members sought to address the complaints and other ongoing

safety concerns.

J.H. Blackwell Preschool, Mary Scott Preschool, Maymont Preschool, Summer Hill Preschool, Elizabeth D. Redd Elementary School and Woodville Elementary currently are undergoing full building tests Please turn to A4

A2 October 19-21, 2023

Richmond Free Press

Local News

Department of Defense awards $9M to create research institute at VCU Free Press staff report

A new research institute is coming to Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering through a $9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to create and improve technologies for security, health and various other benefits.

The Convergence Lab Initiative was announced last week, and will recruit a range of professional and student engineers, scientists and technicians to work under the leadership of electrical and computer engineering professors Nibir K. Dhar, Erdem Topsakal, and Ümit Özgür.

CLI will focus its work on electro-optics, infrared, radio frequency and edge security technologies, with its research scope ranging from semiconductor device modeling and quantum simulation to advancements in microelectronics and future generation wireless technology.

“We are transforming engineering at VCU in collaboration with industry and government partners to better address the needs of society as well as those of the technical and scientific communities,” said Azim Eskandarian, dean of the VCU College of Engineering, in a VCU announcement. “(CLI) is an exceptional platform for VCU to demonstrate innovation in defense-relevant technologies,” he said. CLI will also prepare our students for the future scientific and engineering workforce, enabling them to participate in and help advance the DoD’s science and technology efforts.”

Funding spread over several years will support the education and specialized training of students working as part of CLI. Beyond national defense, VCU officials believe the potential technology and research from the CLI could also be applied for health care, transportation and other commercial avenues.

Thompson Hospitality to donate $1M to Virginia State University Free Press staff report

Thompson Hospitality, the nation’s largest black-owned and privately held hospitality company, will donate $1 million to Virginia State University. The donation, made by Warren Thompson, is a tribute to his parents, Fred and Ruby Thompson. It marks the second $1 million contribution to VSU from the Thompson Family, following an initial pledge in 2011.

“The Department of Hospitality Management is honored and humbled to receive a donation of this magnitude that celebrates the legacy of Fred and Ruby Thompson,” said Berkita Bradford, department chair of hospitality management at VSU. “This is a game-changer for our department. A gift of this magnitude allows us to recruit the best and brightest. We’re committed to preparing hospitality graduates for long-term success as they enter the global hospitality industry.”

Mr. Thompson founded Thompson Hospitality in 1992 and has partnered with VSU as its food service provider for three consecutive terms. His connection to VSU, where his parents received degrees, has been deeply rooted in his life. Mr. Thompson’s mother, Ruby, graduated with a degree in home economics, while his father, Fred, obtained a master’s degree in education.

Both were passionate about education and pursued careers as teachers. Mr. Thompson fondly recalls visiting the university with his parents and siblings, Fred Jr. and Benita. These experiences fostered his allegiance to VSU and eventually led to him giving back.

“We’re honored to not only partner with Virginia State University but also to give back to its staff, students and community through this donation,” Mr. Thompson said. “By virtue of my parents, Fred and Ruby Thompson, receiving their degrees from Virginia State University, I have always felt like I am a product of this great institution. Honoring their legacy and memory makes this commitment even more special.”

Free community testing for COVID-19 continues The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: • Thursday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to noon - Eastern Henrico Recreation Center Health and Fitness Expo, 1440 N. Laburnum Road; 1 to 5 p.m. - Henrico Arms Apartments, 1566 Edgelawn Circle.

• Friday, Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to noon - Southside Women, Infant and Children Office, 509 E. Southside Plaza (Hours are temporary and will change the following week).

• Wednesday, Oct. 25, 8 to 10 a.m. - Eastern Henrico Rec Center Pavilion, 1440 N. Laburnum Road; 4 to 6 p.m. - Fulton Neighborhood Resource Center, 1519 Williamsburg Road.

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 COVID-19 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. Those interested 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 (1-877-8294682). 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) 2053501 to schedule appointments.

The 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 also offer bivalent Pfizer and Moderna boosters to children between the ages of 5 and 11. Children in this age range will be eligible after at least two months since their last vaccine dose.

Cityscape Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

Oblivious to the sign below, a squirrel stops and centers itself for a meal in Richmond’s West End, perhaps while awaiting the start of the Richmond Flying Squirrels season opener just six months from now. Batter up!

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Decision delayed in Essex Point project

By Debora Timms

The Essex County Board of Supervisors recently denied a rezoning request for the Essex Point at Mt. Clement development project during its Oct. 19 meeting.

However, the board then voted and passed a second motion to defer rendering a decision until its meeting scheduled for Dec. 12.

While disappointed, Shiree Monterio said she remains hopeful. Through her company, 7andM Development, Ms. Monterio and her mother, June C. Monterio, have been working to fulfill a dream to utilize family lands to meet community need. An article in the September 28-30 edition of the Richmond Free Press detailed the women’s proposed multi-use project that would bring the county affordable, residential units for 55+ active living and workforce housing, as well as retail, commercial and community spaces.

“The silver lining is it’s not a ‘no’,” Shiree Monterio said in a telephone interview. “But I am disappointed that again it has shown we’re not going to get a fair case. We’ve provided everything, we’ve done the due diligence required, the community has spoken and we continue to

just keep getting the can kicked down the road.”

Dr. Lorraine Justice was one of about a dozen community members who spoke on Oct. 10 in support of the development Ms. Monterio project.

“I’m here to advocate for the future of Essex County,” she said, remarking on the region’s need to do more to give its young people opportunities at home that might keep them from moving out of the area in search of jobs and housing and give its seniors resources to age in place with dignity.

In addition to those who came out to speak, another 155 signatures of support were presented to be added to the 700 signatures submitted on Oct. 2.

Only a few people who spoke at either meeting have spoken against the project.

Much of that opposition has been raised by businesses in the LeGrange Industrial Park and is based, not on a lack of need for the proposed project, but rather on where it would be located.

Some concerns have had to do with

traffic and the specter of possible noise complaints.

“The only people complaining about noise are the people that are making it,” Ms. Monterio said by phone following the Oct. 2 meeting. She noted that the noise factor has continued to be raised in the discussions even though there have been no noise complaints filed with the county concerning that area.

“We are being asked to disprove these allegations without any requirement for those raising them to demonstrate they are factual,” she added.

Ms. Monterio explained that the rezoning and approval of preliminary site plans does not allow the project to start clearing land or begin construction, but it will allow them to move forward on the studies required to gain final site plan approval.

In the meantime, she is urging the community to “continue to be loud and adamant” in the support they have shown at meetings and by writing letters to the interim county administrator, April Rounds.

“The community wants this,” Ms. Monterio said. “They need to keep the pressure on county officials that this needs to come to Essex County.”

Henrico’s 1st phase of Ashland-toPetersburg trail will be built in Lakeside Free Press staff report

Henrico County is set to begin construction of its portion of the 43-mile Fall Line trail, following a ceremonial groundbreaking today in Lakeside for the trail’s 0.26-mile Park Street Phase.

“For the better part of two decades, our region has envisioned a north-south trail for bicyclists, walkers and others that would traverse and showcase our historic trolley lines,” Board of Supervisors Chairman Frank J. Thornton said. “It is wonderful that this dream – which reflects a strong partnership between local and state governments and private supporters Mr. Thornton – is finally becoming a reality. Much like the wildly successful Virginia Capital Trail, the Fall Line trail will promote recreation, healthy lifestyles, economic vitality and a high quality of life throughout our region.”

With gold shovels, Mr. Thornton and other officials tossed ceremonial dirt that was piled outside a former Bank of America branch at 4921 Lakeside Ave. The county marked the parking lot and a nearby grassy area to show where the paved, multiuse trail will traverse as it winds north along Upham Brook through historic Spring Park, which dates to the 1890s and is Henrico’s oldest known park.

In addition to commemorating the start of trail construction, officials announced that SportsBackers will relocate its headquarters along the trail through a lease of the former Bank of America in Lakeside. The nonprofit, which has been based near The Diamond in Richmond,

promotes active lifestyles through events and programs, and is a key partner in developing the Fall Line.

“We are thrilled to partner with Henrico County to have our new headquarters building at the intersection of Lakeside and the Fall Line,” said Jon Lugbill, executive director of SportsBackers. “Once renovated, the building offers ample space for SportsBackers staff along with a group fitness studio, meeting space and unmatched connectivity to the Fall Line, a signature regional project spearheaded

by SportsBackers.

Our new location will also be a hub to train the thousands of volunteers that are part of our regional active Mr. Lugbill living movement.”

When complete, the Fall Line will extend between the town of Ashland and the city of Petersburg. So far, the only existing section is a 0.85-mile portion in Ashland that includes the Ashland Trolley Line Trail and a raised boardwalk that opened in 2021.

Henrico’s portion is planned in eight phases that will stretch 7.5 miles, from Bryan Park in the city of Richmond to the Chickahominy River, which serves as Henrico’s northern boundary with Hanover County. All told, Henrico’s phases are projected to be complete by fall 2026 and cost $52 million, with $9.2 million coming from federal and state grants, $36 million from regional funds of the Central Virginia Transportation Authority (CVTA) and $6.8 million from local funds of the CVTA. The Park Street Phase will be the Fall Line’s southernmost section in Henrico.

It is expected to cost $1 million and will provide 1,400 feet of 12-foot-wide trail as well as a trailhead with public parking, restroom facilities and other amenities. The Board of Supervisors approved a construction contract for the Park Street Phase in September and the purchase of the Bank of America property in February.

From Bryan Park, the Park Street Phase will cross Lakeside Avenue to Park Street and into Spring Park. The 2.8-acre park features a granite “spring house” that is believed to have been built in the1890s and has ties to Gabriel’s Rebellion, an 1800 thwarted uprising of enslaved people. In its heyday, the spring’s waters were purported to possess healing properties.

The Park Street Phase, scheduled for completion in February, also will include pedestrian safety improvements for its Lakeside Avenue crossing and improvements to Spring Park, with connections to existing walkways, new picnic tables and lighting enhancements.

Mr. Thornton recalled the public opening of Spring Park in 1997 as one of his early accomplishments after taking office as the Fairfield District supervisor in 1996. He will retire after 28 years when his seventh term ends Dec. 31.

“Today’s groundbreaking begins an auspicious new chapter as the Fall Line trail will provide our community and region with seemingly limitless economic and quality-of-life benefits,” Mr. Thornton said.

“On a personal level, it’s equally gratifying that this wonderful, unifying trail also brings my service to Henrico County back to where it started, at historic Spring Park.

Years from now, when cyclists and other users pass along Fall Line trail, I hope they will take a moment to pause, reflect on our shared history and find peace, refreshment and relief in this place.”

Richmond Free Press

October 19-21, 2023 A3

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A4 October 19-21, 2023

News

Tentative agreement said to be reached in Arthur Ashe controversy Continued from A1

Though still not underway, the Diamond District also includes plans for a replacement stadium for the Squirrels and an 11-acre park dedicated to the late Richmond-born tennis great and humanitarian.

Also, the city has agreed to pick up Richmond Public Schools’ annual payments to an internal storm water utility, which runs between $350,000 and $400,000 a year, the representatives said. Public and private property owners are required to pay into the utility, which was set up to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s requirements to reduce pollution from rainstorm runoff.

Also, the representatives said the deal includes relieving RPS of a property tax bill on a former tobacco factory in South Side that the school system and city previously agreed is to be transformed into a career and technical high school, replacing

the Richmond Technical Center that is located on Westwood Avenue just a few blocks west of the Diamond District.

An arm of tobacco giant Altria donated the building to RPS in 2017. At the time, RPS created a private company to formally own it so that historic tax credits could be used to help pay for the renovation.

According to the city, that voided RPS’ tax-exempt status and triggered the assessment of property taxes, which the school system has never paid. Taxes, penalties and interest have ballooned the outstanding bill to $600,000, the representatives said.

The representatives said the tentative settlement calls for the city to temporarily take title to the building so it would again be tax-exempt, the representatives said. The plan is for the city to cede the property back to RPS once the plan of and funding for renovation are in place, they said.

Finally, the representatives said the city has agreed to aid RPS

in finding replacement for the center, which will not be rebuilt.

They said the city is now working to secure agreements with Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Richmond and other owners of sizeable venues to allow RPS use of the facilities for specific events, depending on availability.

VCU previously promised to allow RPS to use a multipurpose building that is included in the plans for its $100 million-plus Athletic Village that is to rise on the east side of Hermitage Road across the street from the Diamond District.

VCU planned to start the first phase of the project in the coming months.

The city is hopeful VCU would make other large venues available to RPS until the multipurpose building becomes a reality.

Both City Council and the School Board would need to ratify the agreements, but the representatives were optimistic that elected officials would prefer an agreement over a court wrangle.

Virginia statehouse candidates face questions about residency requirements Continued from A1

Delegate Hayes said last Friday that he’s following the rules. He reported to state officials earlier this year that he was living in a Chesapeake home that’s in both the 77th District, which he currently represents, and the new 91st District, which he’s running in this fall.

In an interview, Delegate Hayes acknowledged that he owns another property, where he said his wife lives and he sometimes spends time. But he said he is living with his brother-in-law in the home indicated on his paperwork, which he said had long been in his wife’s family and used to be a rental property.

The report, dated Sept. 30, stated a private investigation company with an active state license was hired to look into an allegation that Delegate Hayes was not living at that address.

According to the report, three vehicles registered to Delegate Hayes have been “routinely parked” at a different home, the one where Delegate Hayes says his wife lives. That home also is in the 91st District but not the 77th, according to a publicly available state tool that shows which political districts addresses fall into.

A car registered to Delegate Hayes’ wife also has been seen at the home, the report said. None of those vehicles were ever seen at the address Delegate Hayes listed on his state paperwork.

A range of other vehicles were, however,

seen at the house listed on his paperwork, according to the report, which said surveillance was conducted in the month of September “at various hours of the day and night.”

Delegate Hayes said he and his wife have five vehicles, and he sometimes drives different ones.

“I didn’t want to abandon my constituents, so I moved into our rental property.

We ended the lease,” he said.

In a statement provided by a House Democratic caucus spokeswoman, he added: “As my constituents well know, I have been proud to represent this community that I have lived and worked in for my entire life. Any allegations to suggest otherwise are unfounded, partisan musings from a party attempting to distract from their own wrongdoings,” Delegate Hayes is running against Republican Elijah Colon, who has not reported raising any funds for his campaign.

The 91st District is strongly Democratic and includes parts of Chesapeake and Portsmouth.

The once-a-decade redistricting process that adjusts each state’s political maps to account for population shifts was handled this year by a pair of independent experts, with sign-off granted by the Supreme Court of Virginia.

The maps were drawn without regard to protecting incumbents, which left many Assembly members doubled or tripled up in districts. Some opted to retire, challenge

each other in primaries, or move.

The state constitution is clear that a senator or delegate who moves from the district to which they were elected “shall thereby vacate his office.” Virginia’s part-time General Assembly is not actively meeting, but members are paid on a monthly basis and receive health care and other benefits.

Tim Anderson, an attorney and former House member who resigned this year to run in what was ultimately an unsuccessful state Senate primary, said his benefits ended as soon as he stepped down.

Delegates are paid their $17,640 annual salary throughout the year, Mr. Anderson said. Members are also eligible for a “phenomenal” health care plan, state retirement benefits, an office allowance and a legislative assistant, who also receives a salary and benefits, he added.

Another delegate, Nadarius Clark, resigned earlier this year to run in a new district.

Nick Freitas, the GOP nominee in a Culpeper County-area seat that’s strongly Republican, has also faced questions about his residency. After his chief of staff initially declined to answer a specific question from radio station WMRA about whether Freitas had moved out of his home, Freitas told the Culpeper Star-Exponent that he had and was living at a home owned by his mother. His paperwork filed with the state shows that home is in his current and would-be future districts.

Concerns about RPS mold, safety issues continue to spread Continued from A1

for mold, with regular communication provided to staff and families at impacted schools, according to a report from RPS administration officials.

The School Board unanimously approved an overview and list of other schools that may require mold testing, as recommended by RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras, at the board meeting at River City Middle School.

Yet those attempts to assure teachers, parents and others that the mold problem wasn’t being ignored failed to quell arguments and tempers throughout the meeting.

Board member Kenya Gibson repeatedly sought to adopt resolutions focused on fire and mold safety created by the Richmond Education Association. She also questioned the choice to not publicize the resolutions on the RPS Board’s dedicated website, following the fires at Fox Elementary School and in the RPS bus garage.

“The optics don’t look good,” Ms. Gibson said. “And I want to give everyone on this board the opportunity to be on the right side of history.”

“We have had two buildings burn down, we had 190 violations before the start of school despite being told otherwise.”

Ms. Gibson’s efforts to bring the REA resolutions into school safety efforts were rejected twice during the meeting, first in an attempted amendment to the meeting agenda in a 2-7 to vote, and hours later in a 2-6 vote with Shonda Harris-Muhammed abstaining.

Board chair Stephanie Rizzi and board member Nicole Jones pointed to the legal counsel they had already been given to not publish that information, as well as the board consensus vote to not publicize the resolutions when pushing back against Ms. Gibson’s arguments and accusations of a lack of transparency and board members “trying to stop the truth.”

“We’re not just sitting here, not receiving or uploading or being part of a resolution,” Ms. Jones said. “We paid to get advice, and this was what we were advised to do.”

Other speakers threw doubt on the need for REA’s resolutions in the first place.

Board Mariah White, noted that the mold and air quality reporting policy already in place by the RPS administration covered much of the same ground as the REA mold resolution.

Mr. Kamras also reminded the Board that Richmond Chief of Fire and Emergency Services Melvin Carter had cleared impacted schools for use after they had been investigated for safety violations.

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“A total of 190 violations were identified in 18 Richmond Public Schools,” RFD Chief Carter wrote in a letter to Mr. Kamras.

“However, none would have prevented the opening of those affected schools.”

Board members also challenged the idea that their choice to not publicize the resolutions indicated a lack of care for the city’s schools, but was instead allowing RPS officials and staff to address the problems and present the best solutions.

“We care deeply about these schools, and our students and our teachers,” Ms. Rizzi said. “So that narrative needs to die right here.”

The testing is the latest step RPS has taken at addressing an ongoing problem for the city’s schools, leading to complaints and calls for response from RPS staff, Richmond education leaders and community members. The RPS response has so far included indoor air quality assessments by outside groups such as France Environmental, based on RPS examinations and staff testimony.

Full building tests cost roughly $5,400 for each elementary school and $8,600 for each middle school and high school, according to RPS officials.

Meanwhile, a review of Boushall Middle School’s mold issue is scheduled for receipt this week.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Legendary VSU and Richmond Public Schools Football Coach Lou Anderson left, is congratulated for his Lifetime Achievement honors by another coaching legend and friend Willard Bailey at a VUU Football Coaches Clinic in the Henderson Center on the school’s campus.

Coaching legend Lou Anderson dies Continued from A1

before landing the Walker job in 1970, where he succeeded his old coach, Mr. Cooper.

Two men who knew and admired Mr. Anderson most were Howard Hopkins, who was the athletic director at Walker in the 1970s, and Richard McFee, who coached with Mr. Anderson.

Here’s what they had to say: Mr. Hopkins: “Lou had a way of finding the best in a kid and did that for everyone.

He was just as committed about their progress in the classroom as he was on the football field.

“He emphasized having good manners, starting at home and extending to the classroom, and interacting with adults.

“Very rarely did any of Lou’s players get in trouble.”

Mr. McFee: “Lou was a great man. He taught me so much about how to coach other people’s children and about life lessons.

“Much of what I learned from Lou is what I applied at Huguenot. For example, he taught me how to watch game films and look for little things others might not.

“Lou molded teenagers into adults … he helped make them all they could be.”

Mr. Anderson coached Walker from 1970 until 1978, when Walker merged with John Marshall to become Marshall-Walker.

He continued as Marshall-Walker coach until 1985.

His final season at Maggie Walker was significant in that it resulted in “an end to an era” in local football. For decades, the Walker-Armstrong Classic on Thanksgiving weekend had been a bold-letter event for Black people throughout the area.

This came to a head in 1975, when Mr. Anderson’s Green Dragons were undefeated but ineligible for the State playoffs due to the late date of the “Classic.”

Loaded with talent in ’75, many felt Walker was a threat to win the State Group AAA crown. We’ll never know.

With the merger, the “Classic” was moved to a date earlier in the year and lost its pizzazz.

Mr. Anderson sent dozens of athletes off to play college football. Among the most notable was Anthony Leonard, who went on to star next door at Virginia Union and later in the NFL. Others were Walter Carter, who went on to play at Florida State, and Weldon Edwards who became the University of Richmond’s first Black player.

Mr. Anderson had a close relationship with Virginia Union Coach Willard Bailey. He scouted for Coach Bailey and helped run the annual National Youth Sports Program on the VUU campus.

In 2021, the John Marshall High School field was named in Mr. Anderson’s honor.

Following five seasons at Marshall-Walker, Mr. Anderson coached one season at Armstrong and, from there, became head coach at Virginia State University.

He guided the Trojans from 1990 to 2001, posting a record of 65-44 that included CIAA titles in 1995 and 1996. He was CIAA Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1995.

His standouts at VSU included lineman James Brown, who went on to a lengthy NFL career.

In 2018 he received VSU’s Varsity Club Humanitarian Award for service in the college community.

Mr. Anderson was inducted into the VSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. He also is a member of the John McLendon CIAA and Richmond High Schools Halls of Fame.

Following retirement from coaching, he was a familiar face at The Diamond during the summer months. His game-night duties included assisting with the Richmond Braves’ visiting team’s needs.

Mr. Anderson loved baseball and continued to attend Richmond games, cheering on the home team from his wheelchair until his health failed.

Survivors include his four children, Cynthia Barrett, Brenda Davis, Glenn Anderson and Keesha Anderson, and siblings Margarieta Anderson, Helen Bledsoe, Dorothy Henderson, Jean Foxworth and Glenn R. Anderson.

Remains rest at Joseph Jenkins Jr. Funeral Home, 2011 Grayland Ave. where the family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Trinity Baptist Church, 2811 Fendall Ave.

Richmond Free Press

October 19-21, 2023 A5

RICHMOND FAITH LEADERS SUPPORT RICHMOND GRAND For its benefits for job creation For workforce development For childcare For public safety

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From L to R: Dr. Yvonne Jones-Bibb, Dr. Rodney D. Waller, Dr. Derik E Jones, Dr. Lucy James, Dr. A. Lincoln James, Dr. Dwight Jones, Dr. Lester Frye, Pastor Robert Winifree

Dear Members of the Richmond Community, mond, come We, the undersigned pastors from across the city of Rich for our great together with a shared message of hope and opportunity city. ers with Richmond Grand will create 1,300 good paying, union care n. It will benefits, in addition to thousands of jobs during constructio 55-acre park also deliver needed community benefits including a new rams, and in Southside, job training and workforce development prog on. new opportunities for dining, entertainment, and recreati Let us join together—as one, united community—and vote Richmond Grand.

“yes” for

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Richmond Free Press

A6 October 19-21, 2023

Local News

Pulse North-South route endorsed

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Five years after installing the East-West Pulse bus rapid-transit line, GRTC has embraced a vision of a adding a North-South line – though it is at least seven years and $100 million or so away from development.

The transit company’s board voted Oct. 13 to start the planning process for the new line, which is expected to take five years with plenty of community meetings, as was the case with the popular Pulse line that went into service in June 2018.

If all goes well, including the financing, construction could begin by 2029, according to information presented to the board.

The vote endorses a proposal that calls for an end of the line at Azalea Avenue in the North Side and a southern terminus on Midlothian Turnpike, though the ending point remains to be decided through further study.

The route the board supported would run south along U.S. 1 (Chamberlayne Avenue), then shift east on Brook Road at some point to enter Downtown. The projected route would then move along Leigh Street to 8th Street to connect with the transfer station and then travel south to cross the James River on the Manchester Bridge.

The released map shows the route then connects with Hull Street, heads west to Southside Plaza, turns north, possibly on

Belt Boulevard and then makes a connection with Midlothian Turnpike to head west.

The coming studies and meetings would help determine the final route and the stations on the line. The financing has not been determined, but would likely require state and federal support as was the case with the East-West Pulse.

The Pulse is a 7.6-mile line that runs primarily on Broad and Main streets between Rocketts Landing and Willow Lawn.

About $65 million was spent developing that line, with $25 million coming from the federal government and the remainder split between a state grant and contributions from Richmond and Henrico County.

Could Youngkin be on presidential campaign trail?

Most say it’s a ‘no’ for Virginia’s governor

By Sarah Rankin The Associated Press

Glenn Youngkin was waving off talk about running for the White House back in 2021, before he’d even made it to the Virginia governor’s mansion.

Brad Hobbs, a childhood friend, told The Associated Press at the time that his ultimate goal was to see the Harvard-educated Republican businessman run for president.

Mr. Hobbs said he brought it up nonstop, even in front of others, which irked Mr. Youngkin.

“He doesn’t commit to that.

He looks at me like, ‘Stop saying it; I don’t want to hear that,’” Mr. Hobbs said.

Conjecture that Gov. Youngkin, who is set to host a major donor retreat Tuesday and Wednesday, might make a late entry into the 2024 presidential race has only grown since his victory nearly two years ago. It could further escalate after next month’s high-stakes legislative elections, where he’s aiming for a GOP sweep.

At least some of the recent talk is coming from Republican donors still casting about for yet another alternative to former President Trump.

But the 56-year-old Gov. Youngkin, who in public remarks has demurred but not totally shut the door to a bid, would face logistical campaign difficulties, ballot access hurdles and — according to interviews around the country

over the past week — skepticism from some Republican voters, who either don’t know him well or are locked in on Mr. Trump.

“I think it’s ill-conceived and a really horrible idea,” Eric Levine, a New York-based attorney and Republican donor who has urged his party to back someone other than Mr. Trump, said of a potential Youngkin candidacy. “It is doomed to failure and will only damage his brand.”

Gov. Youngkin, who answers questions about his presidential prospects by saying he’s flattered to be in the conversation but focused on Virginia, is currently in the midst of the hectic final push to the state’s Nov. 7 election, with early voting already underway.

Every seat in the General Assembly is on the ballot, and both parties see a possible path to a legislative majority in a state that once seemed destined to move from red to blue but now hangs in the balance. If Republicans manage to hold the House of Delegates and flip the Senate, that would give Gov. Youngkin broad leeway to enact more of what he calls his common sense conservative priorities — including additional tax cuts, new limits on abortion and a rollback of clean energy mandates — over the final two years of his time

in the governor’s mansion.

Virginia uniquely prohibits its chief executives from serving consecutive terms.

Gov. Youngkin, known for his folksy, high-energy style, launched a major early voting push this cycle, shattered previous governors’fundraising

Gov. Youngkin

records, campaigned with candidates and is in the weeds on the specifics of battleground races, according to his advisers.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Gov. Youngkin and his wife, Suzanne Youngkin, will host a second annual “Red Vest Retreat,” a nod to the governor’s signature campaign attire, at an elegant hotel in Virginia Beach, according to an invitation obtained by the AP. Details of the retreat were first reported in The Washington Post.

“Obviously there are a lot of folks that are encouraging him ... who like what he has done in Virginia, what he’s been able to accomplish, and would love to have him do that on the

national level. But again, his focus is going to continue to be on Virginia and these elections,” said Dave Rexrode, a senior adviser to Gov. Youngkin, in an interview.

The retreat is for individuals who are financial supporters of the governor’s Spirit of Virginia PAC, said Mr. Rexrode, who is chairman of the organization. No presidential candidates were invited, and Mr. Rexrode declined to share details of the agenda ahead of the event.

The speculation around a Youngkin run has been driven not only by his upstart win but also his travel around the country, frequent conservative media appearances, highly-produced public events, record-breaking fundraising and his refusal to shut down the prospect.

Should he decide to make the leap after next month’s elections, a potential campaign would face significant logistical hurdles.

With less than 100 days until voting starts with Iowa’s leadoff caucuses, Gov. Youngkin does not have the kind of campaign organization that a presidential hopeful needs to recruit supporters for caucuses or get voters to turn out in January. Most of the presidential campaigns have been organizing since early 2023. Mr. Trump also has enormous name recognition,

years of organizing experience and established supporters nationwide.

Before Gov. Youngkin could even worry about turning out supporters, he’d be up against crucial deadlines.

While there’s no deadline to become a candidate for Iowa’s caucuses, competing there takes months of securing supporters

who will agree to show up at a certain time and place. The deadline to file for the second contest, New Hampshire’s primary, is Oct. 27. Other states’ deadlines start rolling in soon after, with Alabama and Arkansas requiring candidates to collect signatures from voters and file their candidacy days after this November’s election.

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Richmond Free Press

October 19-21, 2023 A7

Local News

Photos by Julianne Tripp

G. Paul Nardo, clerk of the House of Delegates, gives opening remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new General Assembly Building on Oct. 11. Virginia Sen. Mamie E. Locke also gave greetings and remarks. Also participating in the ceremony were: Joe Damico, director of the Virginia Department of General Services; Susan Clarke Schaar, clerk of the Virginia Senate of Virginia, Sen. Mamie E. Locke, chair, Senate Committee on Rules, C. Todd Gilbert, speaker, House of Delegates. The ceremony was followed by a plaque unveiling inside the new building and tours of the building.

New General Assembly building opens House Clerk G. Paul Nardo: ‘The Capitol is the jewel. This is a beautiful bauble.’

By Graham Moomaw The Virginia Mercury

The elevators go up and down all 15 levels in a jiffy. There’s light and windows everywhere. The committee rooms can seat hundreds. The upsized cafeteria has ample seating and a pizza oven. And there’s new technology throughout designed to help the people of Virginia see and influence what their elected representatives are doing in Richmond.

A week before the official ribbon was cut on the new Virginia General Assembly Building on Oct. 11, state officials who had overseen the nearly $300 million project for the last six years were proudly preparing to reveal the almost-finished product.

“I feel like saying ‘Hallelujah!’” Senate Clerk Susan Clarke Schaar said earlier this month as she took questions from reporters getting their first look at the new legislative office building that’s been under construction on Capitol Square.

The new building, which replaces an asbestosladen predecessor that was built in 1976 and demolished a few years ago, will house the offices of members of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, as well as spacious new committee rooms where much of the nitty-gritty work of writing laws takes place.

A tunnel connecting the new building to the historic State Capitol is still under construc-

tion but is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The tunnel will be open to everyone, which means the visiting public will be able to move freely between the two buildings without having to go through multiple security screenings.

The new building incorporates several design elements meant to evoke the Capitol interior, including its ornate staircase on the lower levels and dogwood-themed carpeting in a Senate committee room similar to a pattern in the old Senate chamber.

“The Capitol is the jewel. This is a beautiful bauble,” said House Clerk G. Paul Nardo. “We’re trying to make them more seamless.”

During the construction process, the legislature temporarily moved into the labyrinthine and stuffy Pocahontas Building, where visitors often got lost and meeting rooms were regularly filled to capacity. The Pocahontas Building is scheduled to be torn down after the General Assembly officially moves to its new offices for the 2024 legislative session.

It won’t be missed by the clerks, who manage the General Assembly’s day-to-day logistics and said the new building has been designed with public accessibility in mind from top to bottom.

Visiting tour groups will now have more space to gather and eat lunch, and most committee and subcommittee meetings will happen on the first few floors.

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Richmond Free Press Vines at Kanawha Plaza Editorial Page

A8

October 19-21, 2023

Yes or no?

The announcement that former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn will not run for governor in 2025 comes amid continuing rumors that Virginia’s current governor may make a late entry into the 2024 presidential race.

An Associated Press report notes that Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s potential bid for president could heighten after next month’s legislative elections, particularly if the outcome is a GOP sweep.

Much of that remains to be seen, including the amount of money the governor raised from two donor events this week.

Still, when pressed whether he will run for president, Gov. Youngkin avoids a definitive “yes” or “no.” Instead, he responds to such questions by saying “he’s flattered to be in the conversation but focused on Virginia, which is currently in the midst of the hectic final push to the state’s Nov. 7 election, with early voting already underway,” reports the AP. It’s puzzling why Virginia’s governor refuses to directly say whether he wants to be president of the United States.

Why the reticence?

If Gov. Youngkin is not going to run for president, he simply should say so as did former state House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn when confirming in March that she was exploring a bid for governor, and as she did yesterday when announcing she will not run.

Delegate Filler-Corn said her decision to not run for governor is based on her being approached at political events about the possibility of a run in the 10th District, she said. That Northern Virginia congressional seat being vacated by a fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Delegate Filler-Corn has served in the Virginia General Assembly since 2010 and was the first woman and first Jewish person to hold the post of speaker. Noting that she has overseen a period of tremendous progress in Richmond, she wants to bring her legislative expertise to a “broken” Washington where a speaker-less GOP House majority was “truly taking us backward, making America weaker,” she told the AP. “I have a record for getting the job done, protecting Virginians from all sorts of Republican chaos and extremists,” Delegate Filler-Corn added.

Most notably Delegate Filler-Corn is considered a strong fundraiser who led the Democratic House caucus during the national scandal and party strife that exploded after the 2019 discovery of a racist photo in former Gov. Ralph Northam’s medical school yearbook.

And in representing her Fairfax Countybased district, she helped the party flip control of the House and Senate later that year and took over the speakership in 2020. According to the AP, Democrats used two years in full control of state government to act on progressive priorities, expanding voting rights, rolling back limits on abortion, passing greater restrictions on firearms, legalizing marijuana and ending the death penalty.

Delegate Filler-Corn should be applauded for her bold decision to not run for governor while seeking to still serve the Commonwealth in an expanded role.

Who then will seek Virginia’s governor’s seat? U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney are two presumed candidates in the 2025 Democratic gubernatorial primary field.

Rep. Spanberger is a former CIA officer and a Democratic representative for Virginia’s 7th congressional district. Her background in national security and intelligence would be valuable in addressing issues related to public safety and defense.

Currently serving his second term, Mayor Stoney’s experience in local governance and urban development would benefit the Commonwealth in addressing issues related to infrastructure, economic growth and community development.

Other Democrats who equally are capable no doubt will surface as possible gubernatorial candidates in coming months.

Stay tuned.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

America’s ticking fiscal time clock For the second time this year, Congress’ inability to reach consensus on essential fiscal legislation has devolved into largely partisan bickering and literal, last-minute temporary financial Band-Aids. On Sept. 30, the last day of the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year, a continuing resolution (CR) provided a 45-day reprieve, just in time to meet a midnight deadline that would have resulted in a federal government shutdown.

In signing the stop-gap appropriations measure, President Biden acknowledged its benefit and also reminded the nation of how unnecessary it really was.

“This bill ensures that activeduty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more,” President Biden said. “But I want to be clear: We should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis.”

Readers may recall that in late spring and facing a first-ever national debt default, another piece of compromise legislation led to

the Fiscal Accountability Act. That 11th-hour maneuver provided a two-year window for the Treasury Department to borrow — as needed — funds to pay the nation’s more than $31 trillion of debt. In return, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), cutbacks on discretionary spending would result in a drop in projected budget deficits of about $4.8 trillion over the next decade, and a savings of $0.5 trillion in interest. But this fiscal com-

Charlene Crowell promise requires Congress to return to that deferred problem in January 2025.

Neither of these developments has been well-received by the public. Only days before the Sept. 30 fiscal rescue, a consumer poll taken Sept. 19-24 by Monmouth University echoed President Biden’s concerns: •74% of respondents disapproved of the job Congress is doing; •68% believed the government is on the wrong track; and • 64 % supported compromise to enact a new budget.

“The vast majority of Americans want to avoid a shutdown.

The faction who does not want any compromise may represent a small proportion of the public, but they hold outsized influence in the U.S. Capitol,” said Patrick

Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

By mid-November, the nation will again face a shutdown at a time when families typically and excitedly finalize preparations for annual Thanksgiving gatherings. If a full federal spending plan for the new 20232024 fiscal year that began Oct. 1 is not approved, many also will await learning whether the federal government can function during a season dedicated to blessings.

As with most budget cut decisions, potentially-affected personnel are understandably anxious. Currently, there are 4.5 million people who are either military or civilian federal employees, according to the CBO. Similarly, agencies that administer programs that respond to vital needs are in a similar dilemma.

For example, the stark rise in requests for disaster relief from flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires caused the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to recently appeal to Congress for an additional $16 billion to serve communities in distress.

Funding for these and other needs now have been added to the traditional conservative calls to cut entitlement programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more commonly known as food

Do the right thing Alabama “We are not aware of any other case in which a state legislature — faced with a federal court order declaring that its electoral plan unlawfully dilutes minority votes and requiring a plan that provides an additional opportunity district — responded with a plan that the state concedes does not provide that district.” – U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama, Southern Division After giving Alabama legislators nearly two years to comply with its order and fix the state’s illegal racially gerrymandered Congressional map, a federal court has selected a non-discriminatory map for them. Despite rebuke after rebuke Alabama Attorney Gen. Steve Marshall has vowed to keep fighting to restore the racist map. But for the 2024 election, at least, Black voters in Alabama voters will have the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice in two of the state’s seven districts.

This is thanks to the unflagging efforts of plaintiffs Evan Milligan, Khadidah Stone, Letetia Jackson, Shalela Dowdy, Greater Birmingham Ministries, and the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP and the attorneys representing them: Legal Defense Fund, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Alabama, Hogan Lovells LLP,

and Wiggins, Childs, Pantazis, Fisher & Goldfarb. They are to be commended, and the National Urban League will continue to stand with them should A.C. Marshall follow through on his threat.

The U.S. Supreme Court surprised most legal observers in June when it struck down Alabama’s map after allowing the state to use it for last year’s Congressional elections. Despite being ordered to create a map

Marc H. Morial with “two districts in which Black voters either comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it,” Alabama legislators in July passed a new map that maintained a single majority-Black district.

In response, the District Court judges wrote, “We are deeply troubled that the State enacted a map that the State readily admits does not provide the remedy we said federal law requires.” The Court ordered a special master to draft new maps, and after the Supreme Court rejected Alabama’s emergency appeal last month, the District Court selected a new map last week.

Throughout Alabama’s nearly two-year crusade to adopt a map that blatantly violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the state has insisted that the gerrymandered map could not be in violation because none of the 2 million its expert witness randomly generated

using a “race-neutral” algorithm contained more than one majority-minority district.

As the Supreme Court noted in its June decision, one problem with Alabama’s argument is that the expert witness used outdated census data – from 2010 instead of 2020 – and ignored certain traditional districting criteria, such as keeping together communities of interest, political subdivisions, or municipalities.

The expert herself testified that when using the correct census data, the “randomized algorithms” she employed “found plans with two majority black districts in literally thousands of different ways.”

The other problem is that the number of possible districting maps in Alabama that can be randomly generated is at least in the “trillion trillions.”

“Two million maps, in other words, is not many maps at all,” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote. “And Alabama’s insistent reliance on that number, however powerful it may sound in the abstract, is thus close to irrelevant in practice. What would the next million maps show? The next billion? The first trillion of the trillion trillions? Answerless questions all.”

It’s appalling that Alabama had any expectation that such a bad-faith argument would succeed before the highest court in the nation, and a victory for both democracy and logic that it did not.

The writer is the president and CEO of the National Urban League.

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.

stamps. As of this spring, 41.9 million people who comprise 22.2 million households were enrolled in SNAP, according to Pew Research.

And Department of Education estimates that 26 million students would be affected by a proposed $4 billion cut in funding schools serving low-income children. In higher education, Pell Grants that provide a critical source of financial aid for low-to-moderate income college students would be cut by 22%, and the maximum award would be lowered to $1,000 at a time when the cost to attend college continues to soar.

Time will tell whether this Congress will face and respond to America’s real needs. But tens of millions of Americans potentially could be impacted by a federal government closure while the nation is on a ticking fiscal time clock.

The writer is a senior policy fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending.

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Richmond Free Press

October 19-21, 2023 A9

News

Biden didn’t make Israeli-Palestinian talks a priority; Arab leaders say region now paying the price

By Ellen Knickmeyer The Associated Press

WASHINGTON From its first months in office, the Biden administration made a distinctive decision on its Middle East policy: It would deprioritize a half-century of high-profile efforts by past U.S. presidents, particularly Democratic ones, to broker a broad and lasting peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Since Richard Nixon, successive U.S. administrations have tried their hands at Camp David summits, shuttle diplomacy and other big-picture tries at coaxing Israeli and Palestinian leaders into talks to settle the disputes that underlies 75 years of Middle East tensions. More than other recent presidents, President Biden notably has not.

Instead, administration officials early on sketched out what they called President Biden’s policy of quiet diplomacy. They advocated for more modest improvements in Palestinian freedoms and living conditions under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government, which has encouraged settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and includes coalition partners that oppose the U.S.-backed two-state solution. The lessambitious approach fit with President Biden’s determination to pivot his foreign policy focus from Middle East hotspots to China.

But the long-term risks of sidelining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict exploded back into view with the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel’s heavy bombardment of Gaza in response. The United States’ angry Arab partners are pointing to America’s failure to actively engage as Israeli-Palestinian violence roars back to center stage.

President Biden’s travel to Israel and Jordan comes as concerns mount that Israel-Hamas conflict will spread. Hamas militants’ bloody breakout from Gaza and Israel’s military escalating response have killed thousands of civilians in Israel and Gaza, prompted President Biden to deploy carrier strike groups to the region, and threatens to spill conflict and flows of Palestinian refugees across borders.

In Cairo last weekend, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah elSissi was one of a succession of Arab leaders to warn Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is scrambling through Middle

demands for statehood was in America’s strategic interest.

But after some early successes, recurring violence, the disappointments of past failed mediation efforts, and the scale of the disputes helped derail the U.S. push. By the time President Biden, a strong supporter of the state of Israel, took office, any support for major negotiations among Israelis was faint.

To be sure, there’s little to suggest ambitious engagement

by President Biden on IsraeliPalestinian issues would have made immediate progress, or done anything to discourage the attack by Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel.

Even after a 2021 burst of fighting between Hamas and Israel, administration figures

argued that a big push on peace efforts would undermine more easily won goals, like cease-fires with Hamas.

Instead, President Biden has enthusiastically followed the new path that predecessor Donald Trump laid out on Middle East peacemaking: lobbying for so-called normalization deals with Arab countries, absent any Israeli-Palestinian accord.

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The explosion of Israeli-Palestinian violence has Arab leaders faulting the Biden administration policy that moved away from U.S. support for a broad IsraeliPalestinian peace deal.

East capitals to try to contain the conflict, that the Israel-Gaza war threatens the stability of the entire Middle East.

President Biden was likely to hear the same as he met with leaders of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority in Jordan on Wednesday, after he traveled to Israel.

President Sissi who fears the Israeli military offensive will push Gaza’s 2.3 million people across the border into Egypt, cast blame on the neardisappearance of any international pressure on Netanyahu’s government and Palestinians to return to negotiations.

President Sissi cited “a buildup of outrage and hatred for more than 40 years” and the lack of any “horizon to solve the Palestinian cause; one that gives hope to the Palestinians” for a state with a capital in East Jerusalem.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, pointed to Saudis’ “repeated warnings of the danger of the explosion.”

Arab leaders “are very aware this is going to keep blowing up. And they might ride it out this time, they might ride it out next time, as they have in the past,” said Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, Lebanon.

“But it’s not actually a comfortable position for them to be endlessly living in,” with endless cycles of Israeli and Palestinian wars that threaten the region’s peace and economies, said Mr. Sayigh, who accused the U.S. of encouraging Prime Minister Netanyahu to think there was no need to address

Palestinian concerns.

Underscoring his administration’s diminished emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, President Biden’s call to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas this past weekend amid the building Gaza war was the American leader’s first since taking office.

In 1973, Arab nations’ surprise attack on Israel, and Arabs’ devastating oil embargo on the U.S. and other countries for their support of Israel in that fight, convinced U.S. leaders that a lasting resolution to Palestinian

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Richmond Free Press

A10 October 19-21, 2023

Sports

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Stories by Fred Jeter

After homecoming win, VSU eyes championship prizes

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Jordan Davis hit 14 of 24 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns to Kevin Gayles for 19 yards and Tayshaun Porter (No. 13) for 23 during the VSU homecoming game on Oct. 14.

Boldly, Virginia State University’s football schedule includes games on Nov. 11 and Nov. 18 that aren’t guaranteed.

That would be the CIAA Championship Game Nov. 11 and NCAA Division II Playoffs Nov. 18.

And while Trojans fans may want to hold off a bit in making travel plans, those games are looking more and more like a reality.

Coach Henry Frazier’s squad is about as hot as any VSU team has ever been through seven games.

After treating a homecoming crowd of 3,409 to a 39-23 win over Bluefield State, the Trojans are 7-0 overall and atop the CIAA North with a 5-0 slate.

VSU will be heavily favored this Saturday against invading Elizabeth City and Oct. 28 for Senior Day versus Lincoln.

If all games go as expected, that will set up VSU’s Nov. 4 game at Virginia Union for the North crown and a berth in the Nov. 11 CIAA Championship in Salem.

The NCAA Division II rankings are soon to be released and the Trojans and Panthers figure to be in the Super Region 2 top eight – the

number invited to the NCAA opening round Nov. 18.

VUU made the field a year ago despite not qualifying for the game in Salem.

In dismantling CIAA newbie Bluefield, the Trojans rolled up 343 yards total offense to the Big Blue’s 232.

Jordan Davis hit 14 of 24 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns, to Kevin Gayles for 19 yards and Tayshaun Porter for 23.

VSU scored all six times it reached the Red Zone (20-yard line). Kymani Clarke rushed for two touchdowns and freshman Brandon Rose from Thomas Dale High chipped in with 34 yards overland.

Cameron Davis, a 6-foot-4, 278-pound redshirt freshman led the defense with eight tackles, while Carl Poole and K’ymon Pope had six stops each and Willie Drew made two interceptions.

VSU has dominated in all areas this season, especially on the scoreboard where it has an accumulative 262 points to 111 margin.

This is certainly the Trojans best season since 2017 when they went 11-1. The only loss was to West Georgia in the NCAAs.

Panthers cruising into homecoming What more could you ask for?

Virginia Union University has the wind at its back, a full head of steam and arguably the nation’s top running back heading into homecoming weekend.

Now 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the CIAA, Coach Alvin Parker’s Panthers are coming off a take-notice 52-3 rout of longtime nemesis Bowie State.

The hosts will be a prohibitive favorite Saturday when Lincoln comes to Hovey Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff. VUU is 12-1 in the overall series with the Pennsylvania school.

History suggests a Panthers’ victory. The last four years VUU has defeated the Lions, in order, 45-20, 32-0, 62-0 and 90-0.

Jada Byers, who led the nation in rushing a year ago, has been scintillating since returning to the lineup following leg injury.

The zig-zagging junior from New Jersey raced for 223 yards and two touchdowns against Bowie after cruising for 246 yards and two TDs the week before at Elizabeth City.

Few ball carriers on any level can go this way and then that way without breaking stride like Byers. The back-to-back output of 469 yards is likely tops in VUU annals.

As usual, the modest Byers deflected the attention to his powerful offensive line.

“Like I always tell everyone, men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t lie,” he said. “I’ve got the best front five in the nation.

Despite missing all of two games and parts of two others, Byers tops the CIAA in rushing with an average of 134 yards per game.

Third on the CIAA’s rushing list is VUU’s Curtis Allen with 77 yards per outing.

Senior wideout Said Sidibe had another

Late-bloomer Sidibe kicks it into gear Virginia Union University er, but it wasn’t due to any lack enjoys a most resilient offense. of physical skills.

Whenever the Panthers preOrganized rec league footmaturely lose one All-CIAA ball can be useful and serves a receiver, another pops up. purpose. Parents love cheering This season Said Sidibe has their kids on. become a “go to” man, says VUU But it’s not always necesCoach Alvin Parker. sary.

“It’s all about opportunity.

Sidibe is evidence of that.

Sidibe is making the most of “(I) was never in a real league, his opportunities. He makes big but I played lot of what we called plays.” ‘backyard ball,’someHeading into times against older homecoming this guys,” he said.

Saturday against inThe late start — he vading Lincoln, the never wore pads until 6-foot-1, 190-pound his sophomore season senior mass commuat Warwick High in nications major leads Newport News — has the Panthers with 21 been overcome.

Said Sidibe receptions for 292 “I remember talkyards and four touchdowns. ing to Said in the hallways, His most spectacular catch trying to get him to come out,” might have been the diving, said Warwick’s Coach Corey 33-yard grab in the rain from Hairston. “Eventually he did, Christian Reid to start the scoring and by his senior year he was a in a 52-3 rout against visiting very good player for us.”

Bowie State.

As for not playing rec ball, “When the ball comes to Coach Hairston said Sidibe grew me, I do my best for the team,” up in a “rough part of town” and said Sidibe, a transfer student may have lacked support. athlete from Central State of “These youth leagues are Ohio. “And I’ll play whatever nice, but you have to pay,” role I’m asked.” he said.

Sidibe’s role was enhanced Lightly recruited, if at all, he this season when it was learned first went to Virginia University that John Jiles, All-CIAA a year of Lynchburg before moving on ago, transferred to West Florida, to Central State of Ohio. where he continues to excel.

“When I decided to transThe year before, All-CIAA fer, I wanted to come back to Charles Hall (who led the na- Virginia and I was impressed tion in yards per catch), left reading the history of the Union VUU a season early to transfer program,” he said. to Arizona State.

Now he’s a serious AllJiles stepped in for Hall, and CIAA candidate on Lombardy now Sidibe has inherited “go to” Street and becoming part of that status from Jiles. rich “history” he discovered Sidibe is a classic late bloom- while researching VUU.

STANDINGS Northern Division Virginia State Virginia Union Lincoln Bowie State Bluefield State Elizabeth City

CIAA

Overall

5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 0-5 0-5

7-0 6-1 4-3 3-4 1-6 1-6

fine outing, snagging five passes for 78 yards including a diving 33-yard grab to start the scoring.

Defensively, Isaac Anderson had 11 tackles including four for losses with two and a half sacks. The burly lineman who transferred to VUU from Chowan is making a case for CIAA

Defensive Player of the Year.

Brady Myers booted seven extra points on the season and added his fourth field goal, a 46-yarder in the late going. The native Floridian is now 33 for 33 on extra points this season as he approaches a second straight All-CIAA award.

VUU totally dominated Bowie in a game that started in steady rain. The Panthers, who led 49-3 after three quarters, accumulated 458 yards total offense to the Bulldogs’ 138.

VUU has now defeated Bowie two straight years. But before that the Bulldogs had beaten the Panthers in four straight and seven times in eight seasons.

Lincoln is coming to Richmond with some momentum of its own. The Lions have won three in a row, most recently a 30-27 victory over Elizabeth City.

Brotherly love

TJ’s Stovall plays in slain sibling’s honor Whenever Dashawn Stovall steps The bespectacled Stovall is hard to onto a football field, he is fueled by catch and difficult to bring down, if flesh, bone and a full tank corralled. of emotion.

Through six games he He carries the pigskin and rushed 611 yards and seven makes tackles for Thomas Jeftouchdowns, averaging 8.5 ferson High School, but also yards per tote. His yardfor his slain brother, Davonte, age could be much higher who was murdered in 2019 in if Coach Eric Harris hadn’t a shooting on Selden Street. cleared the bench in several Davonte Stovall, then 23, lopsided wins. had two sons and was work- Davonte Stovall In TJ’s stiffest test, he ing on construction jobs at the time to amassed 100 yards overland in the support his family.

Class 3 Vikings’ 24-14 win over Class “Each time I score a touchdown, 6 Mills Godwin. Stovall added 48 yards it’s for him,” said Dashawn Stovall, on just six carries in the one-sided win who has helped the Vikings to a 7-0 over Deep Run. start and No. 2 ranking in State Class Volunteering for double duty, he’s 3 (behind only Liberty Christian of also among the squad’s most rugged Lynchburg). linebackers despite, modest 5-foot-9, “I know he’s in a safe place now 185-pound dimensions. and looking after me.”

Stovall is the epitome of the strong Davonte Stovall was a talented silent type. Coach Harris puts it like football player (and certainly a beloved this: role model for Dashawn) at Armstrong.

“Dashawn is one of our hardest workDashawn Stovall describes him as ing and quietest players. He doesn’t tell “very great … he was Chris Johnson what he’s going to do. He just goes out before Chris Johnson.” Johnson was and does it.” at one time one of the NFL’s fastest The best may be yet to come for ball carriers. the Vikings, The youngest of Shamus Sr. and TJ will be the favorite in its final three Felicia Stovall’s three sons is cut from games – at J.R. Tucker Oct. 19, versus the same cloth as Davonte. Shamus Sr. John Marshall Oct. 27 at Hovey Field, was a star ball carrier at Randolph- and at Colonial Heights Nov. 3.

Henry High, where he was known as There’s a strong chance TJ will fin“The Bull.” ish 9-0 and fly into the region playoffs Another older brother, Shamus Jr. as a high seed. played for TJ several seasons ago.

A key factor offensively and defenWearing jersey No. 2 for TJ, Dashawn sively will be Stovall, wearing jersey Stovall earned All-Region honors last No. 2. year as a running back and linebacker There’s a story behind that. and his senior encore season has been “My brother wore No. 22 at Arma farewell celebration. strong,” he said. “I didn’t think I de“My goal is just to do better than last served to wear his number, so I chose year,” said the muscular senior, who No. 2. is as meek and unassuming in street “Every game I want to be as good as clothes as he is dynamic in pads. my brother … that’s hard to do.”

City football schedule Armstrong Wildcats Wildcats 40, McKinley Tech 0 Wildcats 21, Petersburg 8 Wildcats 43, John Marshall 0 Wildcats 38, Goochland 8 Henrico 17, Wildcats 0 Friendship, D.C., 33, Wildcats 16 Wildcats 30, Atlee 26 Oct. 27 – vs. Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m. Hovey Field

Huguenot Falcons Falcons 75, Clover Hill 6 Falcons 40, Richmond City 6 Falcons 26, Powhatan 22 Falcons 26, James River 0 Manchester 42, Falcons 20 Falcons 12, L.C. Bird 9 Oct. 19 (Thursday) at Cosby, 7

John Marshall Justices Greensville 32, Justices 0 Justices 12, Richmond City 0 West Point 29, Justices 6 J.R. Tucker 37, Justices 16 Thomas Jefferson 62, Justices 0 Justices 29, Charles City 0 Oct. 19 (Thursday) at Brunswick

Richmond City Bulldogs

John Marshall 12, Bulldogs 0 James River 55, Bulldogs 0 Huguenot 40, Bulldogs 6 Cosby 49, Bulldogs 0 Midlothian 38, Bulldogs 12 Monacan 42, Bulldogs 0 Oct. 20 at Clover Hill, 7p.m.

Thomas Jefferson Vikings Vikings 34, Meadowbrook 7 Vikings 54, Amelia 12 Vikings 64, Greensville 0 Vikings 62, John Marshall 0 Vikings 24, Godwin 14 Vikings 53, Deep Run 0 Oct. 19 (Thursday) at J.R. Tucker, 7 p.m.

October 19-21, 2023 B1

Richmond Free Press

Section

Happenings

B

Jazz pianist and retired educator W. Weldon Hill, Ph.D., believes in freedom of expression through art.

“Music is, for me, a release through which I can freely express my innermost thoughts, feelings and convictions,” Dr. Hill said recently in an email.

“It allows me to be expressive without boundaries because, as a composer or performer, my thoughts and beliefs can reside in the music.”

Dr. Hill explained that music has helped to shape his and his interactions with the world, whether in his approach to problem solving, writing and other job-related experiences, or in his emotional understanding and empathy for others.

“Music is often attached in some way to just about anything in our world,” he added.

But it is not just music. Art and culture impact lives. Supporting the arts and increasing their impact is something meaningful to Dr. Hill and it is also the mission of Richmond nonprofit CultureWorks.

Founded by John Bryan in 2009, CultureWorks serves the Richmond and Tri-Cities region by promoting greater community participation and regional collaboration, making arts and culture accessible, and increasing the capacity of artists and organizations and their ability to access resources and services.

Actress Daphne Maxwell Reid introduced him to the organization about three years ago. Dr. Hill joined the board, and then became its chair July 1 for a two-year term.

“Richmond, and the region in general, gave me so very much in terms of music, career, relationships and opportunities that I am perhaps duty bound to give back where I can,” Dr. Hill said.

He looks forward to helping CultureWorks expand its reach, but says the biggest challenge will be one many nonprofits are facing – fundraising. He is prepared to put in the work

Personality: W. Weldon Hill, Ph.D. Spotlight on CultureWorks board chair with faith and perseverance.

These are qualities he learned from his late parents, Wilbert and Deloris S. Hill.

Dr. Hill says his mother was especially influential to him.

“My mom was a science major, earning degrees from Virginia Union University and The Medical College of Virginia in the 1950s,” he shared. “In addition to possessing tremendous intellect, she also was uniquely perceptive. I believe that I may have inherited some of that!”

His mother also showed him, by example, how to be unflappable in the face of challenges, a methodical student, a lover of life and laughter and a devout Christian. Dr. Hill said he has put such lessons into action through the best and worst of life’s circumstances.

That kind of focus and dedication also will help with his own to-do list. Sitting at the top is completing several recording projects, including the publication of a set of sacred choral pieces.

“The plan is to complete them by end of January 2024 and get the publication done before June 1,” he said. “It’s aggressive, but the project is approximately 80% complete.”

Meet a musician who plays to his own tunes but is supportive of the arts and others, and this week’s Personality, Dr. W. Weldon Hill.

Volunteer position: Board chair, CultureWorks.

Occupation: Retired university professor and administrator.

Date and place of birth: May in Richmond.

Where I live now: Henrico County.

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Virginia Union University; master’s in jazz studies, Virginia

Commonwealth University; master’s in music, The Catholic University of America; doctor of philosophy musicology, The Catholic University of America.

Family: Deceased parents Deloris S. Hill and Wilbert Hill.

CultureWorks is: A nonprofit arts organization committed to the ongoing development of a vibrant region through empowered artists and arts and culture organizations. We seek to accomplish this through providing grant opportunities, deepening access to communities with barriers, increasing the capacity of small and medium-sized organizations and individual artists, and the promotion of events to the public.

Founder(s): John Bryan.

Mission: To strengthen artists and arts and cultural organizations to increase their impact in our region.

Describe how CultureWorks makes things happen: Bring-

ing persons together in service to cultural equity and diversity via regional meetings, regional arts calendars, access to resources and services that educate and promote artistic and human development, grants and numerous other opportunities.

How I have witnessed art and culture impact lives: This has been the crux of my career in education! I suppose that the most prominent impacts I have seen from art and culture are the ways that endeavors such as study abroad, artists in residence, arts camps, and other public arts events have changed how people regard one another and their communities. Moreover, new communities and highly effective coalitions and opportunities for students have been created.

Why this organization is meaningful to me: Coming together around shared interests, consensus and communitybuilding are extremely important for the arts and culture.

These are inextricably bound to the CultureWorks mission and endeavors.

Why I accepted position as board chair: As a native Richmonder, I was honored to assume a role in helping to empower the arts/cultural communities, lifting up the gifts and talents that the region offers in terms of their impact upon education, personal/artistic growth, societal progress, and economic development. Richmond and the region in general gave me so very much in terms of music, career, relationships, and opportunities that I am perhaps duty-bound to give

back where I can.

No. 1 goal or project: Expanding arts and cultural opportunities and equity for the communities we serve.

Strategy for achieving goals: Ongoing personal communication with the communities we serve; the proliferation of arts/ cultural showcases across the region; building a sustainable fiscal foundation to benefit those we serve.

Culture and Richmond: Richmond’s astonishing culture spans its role as the Capital of the Confederacy, primarily characterized by its antebellum commitment to the enslavement of Africans, to our current thirdmillennium status in which we now experience and appreciate the free expression for which countless numbers of our ancestors perished, often as the result of unadulterated hatred.

Upcoming events: artoberVA is a monthlong celebration of arts and culture in Richmond and the Tri-Cities! During October, artoberVA promotes over 1,000 experiences from over 100 participating artists and arts & culture organizations including music, dance, theatre, visual art, museums and more!

The full itinerary is available at http://calendar.richmondcultureworks.org/calendar/day/20 23/10/1?days=31&experience= &order=date How I start the day: Meditatively thankful for another sunrise and the things that I can do or not do, especially since I retired.

The three words that best describe me: Affable, observant, discerning.

If I had 10 extra minutes in the day: I would spend the time practicing.

Best late-night snack: Tuna/

chicken salad with crackers.

The music I listen to most is: Jazz — creative improvisational music.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I love reading about, and doing research on U.S. history in the 1950s and 1960s— particularly the political assassinations, their perpetrators, profound impact and meaning for us today.

A quote that inspires me: I actually have two: “If you are not at the table, you will likely be on the menu.” — Anonymous; “A good leader comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comforted.”— John Wesley.

At the top of my “to-do” list: Finish some recording projects and compositions I have begun.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: How to adapt to and overcome circumstances through faith and perseverance despite the naysayers and opponents.

Book that influenced me the most: “Fourth and One” by Joe Gibbs. Joe Gibbs is the legendary NFL Hall of Fame coach of the Washington Commanders who is a devout, selfless man of faith, leader, father, husband, mentor and servant to those he led. I am most influenced by his leadership style. His priority was knowing everything about his players such that he won three Super Bowls with different quarterbacks, adapting his style to what the players did well.

What I’m reading now: “The Will to Swing” by Oscar Peterson. My takeaway is that the essence of the music we call jazz (in its purist sense) is swing and its origins found in the earliest music of Africans brought to the then-new world as slaves. Accordingly, there is a very sacred nature to it when- and wherever it is performed for those of us who understand this. I keep that in mind through all of my own performing.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE

Virginia Literar� Awards and the Patron of Letters Degree Honorees

NONFICTION AWARD

PEOPLE’S CHOICE FICTION AWARD

Margaret Edds

Barbara Kingsolver

What the Eyes Can’t See: Ralph Northam, Black Resolve, and a Racial Reckoning in Virginia

Demon Copperhead

FICTION AWARD

Bill Glose All the Ruined Men: Stories

POETRY AWARD

Gregory Orr Selected Books of the Beloved

PRESENTING SPONSOR

PEOPLE’S CHOICE NONFICTION AWARD

Jonathan M. Katz Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire

ART IN LITERATURE: THE MARY LYNN KOTZ AWARD

Hans Luijten Jo van Gogh-Bonger: The Woman Who Made Vincent Famous

CELEBRATION SPONSOR

CAROLE & MARCUS WEINSTEIN

PATRON OF LETTERS DEGREE HONOREES left to right from top

David and Michelle Baldacci Nikki Giovanni Meg Medina

Special Thanks to

Adriana Trigiani for her 16th year as our host!

Richmond Free Press

B2 October 19-21, 2023

Happenings ‘If These Walls Could Talk’

Shirley Hawkins’ book details Jackson Ward home that served as training center for blind and visually-impaired workers

By Debora Timms

When Shirley Hawkins met preservationist Zarina Fazaldin in 2016, it was to share what she remembered about her former workplace, the Richmond Workshop for the Blind, once located inside 508 St. James St. in Historic Jackson Ward.

Writing a book about it was the last thing on Mrs. Hawkins’ mind.

As they talked, Mrs. Hawkins learned thethen badly dilapidated Colonial Revival brick mansion h a d been built in 1915 f o r D r.

Mrs. Hawkins William Hughes Jr., a prominent Black surgeon and personal physician to Maggie L. Walker. It was designed by Charles T. Russell, one of the first Black architects licensed in Virginia.

It was not until after the death of Dr. Hughes that the house became the Richmond Workshop for the Blind, which was established in 1948 as the first African-American workshop and training center for the blind and visually-impaired in Richmond.

“I had no idea of this history when I started working there in the 1963,” Mrs. Hawkins said in a recent telephone interview.

Ms. Fazaldin, who now lives in the house, purchased the 10,000-square-foot structure in 2016 and completed its renovation in 2021.

But she and others interested in Richmond’s history didn’t know the stories Mrs. Hawkins was sharing either.

Local historian and radio personality Gary Flowers, among others, suggested Mrs. Hawkins write a book about her experience working at the training center.

“When I started reading articles about the mansion, it seemed the [Richmond Workshop for the Blind] was just a passing mention and that’s not the whole story,” Mrs. Hawkins said, explaining why she decided to write a book.

“You can’t just mention the name and not tell what went on behind the walls.”

She wanted people to know the dedicated staff who worked to make a difference, providing

training, services and employment for the blind and visuallyimpaired. Mrs. Hawkins also would meet her future husband, Herman, who was legally blind, because of the services he received there.

She especially wanted what she wrote to show the extraordinary abilities of blind and visually-impaired individuals in leading rich, productive personal and professional lives.

Published on Aug. 29, Mrs. Hawkins’ book, “If These Walls Could Talk: The Complete Story

of What Took Place Within the Walls of 508 St. James Street, Richmond, Virginia in Historic Jackson Ward,” does just that.

Readers will learn, for example, how blind and visually-impaired workers sewed pillowcases and vests on industrial sewing machines to fill government contracts, meeting the same standards of quality as workshops run with sighted operators.

“We worked hard and got our jobs out, but we also had

so much fun in the process,” Mrs. Hawkins said — demonstrating both sides with stories that are inspiring, touching, humorous and sometimes even scandalous.

She said bringing it all together turned out to be a much larger undertaking than expected.

“There was so much historical research I had to do,” Mrs. Hawkins shared.

She added that, since most of the staff she worked alongside had since passed away, a lot of time was spent tracking down family members who could provide a more complete picture of their lives outside of the job.

“That’s what took me so long,” Mrs. Hawkins said. “Folks would say, ‘I’ll see what I can find and get back to you.’ Sometimes it might be months before they did.”

But it was worth it, and not only because she got what she needed for her book.

“The families were just so excited to get to know more about their loved ones on the job,” Mrs. Hawkins said. “And I have developed some awesome friendships as well.”

So many people contributed to the completion of the work, something Mrs. Hawkins says she is grateful for and “doesn’t take lightly.”

Even though it was not an easy journey, the 79-year-old Richmond native is pleased with the end result and the positive feedback she has been receiving.

“This was more than just writing a book,” Mrs. Hawkins added. “I can see clearly why I had to complete this project.”

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

This home at 508 St. James St. in Historic Jackson Ward formerly served as the Richmond Workshop for the Blind, which was established in 1948 as the first African-American workshop and training center for the blind and visually-impaired in Richmond. Built in 1915 for Dr. William Hughes Jr., a prominent Black surgeon, the home was designed by Charles T. Russell, one of the first Black architects licensed in Virginia.

Reserve your tickets today at VirginiaHistory.org/

Astronauts

October 25 | �:�� PM

LEGACY OF BLACK ASTRONAUTS

AT THE VIRGINIA MUSEUM OF HISTORY & CULTURE

Featuring Leland Melvin & Dr. Robert Satcher Join the University of Richmond and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture for an evening conversation with Virginia astronauts Leland D. Melvin and Dr. Robert L. Satcher, who will discuss the past, present, and future contributions of Black astronauts to human space flight.

DIAMONDS WATCHES JEWELRY REPAIRS

19 East Broad Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 (804) 648-1044 www.wallerjewelry.com

Thursday, Nov. 2 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Library of Virginia Lecture Hall | Free

SUZANNE STRYK Join us for the final Carole Weinstein Author Series talk of 2023. Artist and author Suzanne Stryk will discuss her first book, The Middle of Somewhere, a tapestry of essays, lush sketches and ephemera.

A book signing will follow the talk.

Registration required: lva.virginia.gov/public/weinstein

Richmond Free Press

October 19-21, 2023 B3

Happenings All the world’s a stage An anticipated 200,000 fans showed up for three days of dance, music, food and more during the 19th Richmond Folk Festival Oct. 13-15 on Brown’s Island.

The festival has become one of Virginia’s largest and most beloved events, according to event organizers, with its six stages that showcase music and dance from more than 30 performing groups from Virginia and around the world. It is produced by Venture Richmond in partnership with the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA), the Virginia Folklife Program of Virginia Humanities, the Center for Cultural Vibrancy, the Children’s Museum, and the City of Richmond.

This year’s festival gave excited fans what they came for with musical artists and genres that included gospel, Chicago blues, zydeco, rockabilly, Manding, Ozark old-time and traditional Tboli music and dance.

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press Bristol and the origins of country music were the focus of the Virginia Folklife area and stage this year, and an “Appalachian Traditions” demonstration tent featured artists weaving or making brooms, toys and other crafts from that region.

Baba Commandant & the Mandingo Band is led by the charismatic, enigmatic singer Baba Commandant (aka, Mamadou Sanou), an activist for traditional Mandinka music. Baba growls, whispers, and chants his way through the group’s repertoire while playing sparkling guitar and the n’goni’s gutbucket funk. Fans loved it.

The Richmond Folk Festival never fails to offer food that feeds the soul. Island Noodles’ stir fry noodle dish was among several food vendors serving up delicious meals throughout the festival.

The Legendary Ingramettes, considered the city’s “First Family of Gospel,” has uplifted audiences for more than 60 years. Music is one of many forms of ministry they have practiced, and the one for which they are most famous.

Melody Angel, dubbed “the future of the blues” by a Chicago newspaper, delivered her powerhouse vocals and guitar sounds of R&B, rock, and funk, all layered on a strong bed of Chicago blues.

At age 74, renowned percussionist Cyril Neville, who got his The Legendary Ingramettes start as the youngest of the four Neville Brothers, is lauded as “one of the last great southern soul singers.” He lived up to his legacy while performing in this year’s Folk Festival.

Bravo!

Baba Commandant & the Mandingo Band

Melody Angel

Island Noodles

Cyril Neville

Dress up and join us for food, fun, & community at Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan's

16TH COMMUNITY HARVEST FESTIVAL October 31 | 5:30-8pm Science Museum of Virginia 2500 W Broad St. Richmond, VA

THIS IS A FREE EVENT! All children must be accompanied by an adult For more information, email courtney@jennifermcclellan.com

October 24-29 Akwarium (Skarpetowska/Bach and Henke) A World Premiere by Young Soon Hue at Richmond Ballet Studio Theatre T i c k e t s start at $25 | 8 04. 3 44. 0 90 6 x2 2 4 | e t i x. c om

P r es en t ed b y

Wi t h a d d i t i on a l s up port from

Paid for by McClellan for Congress

B4 October 19-21, 2023

Richmond Free Press

Happenings

Photos by James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Smiling, stepping through the rain Rain failed to dampen the spirits of Virginia State University alumni, fans and students during VSU’s homecoming celebration Oct. 14 in Ettrick. Mr. Virginia State University, Christopher Lawrence, and Miss Virginia State University, Aliya Mayers, wave to the crowd during the game, which drew 3,409 people. VSU won 39-23 over Bluefield State, leaving the Trojans 7-0 overall and atop the CIAA North with a 5-0 record.

Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy exhibit opens at Richmond’s Black History Museum Free Press staff report

Photos by Bonnie Newman Davis/Richmond Free Press

The Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy Project has returned to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia with a new exhibit that will run until Nov. 22.

During the exhibit visitors will view artifacts that explore the history of the sports rivalry between Maggie L. Walker High School and Armstrong High School. Above, visitors take in the museum’s 2022 exhibit.

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The Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy Project has returned to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia with a new exhibit that will run until Nov. 22. During the exhibit visitors will view artifacts that help explore the history of the sports rivalry between Maggie L. Walker High School and Armstrong High School.

Photos, films and other memorabilia on display were donated or are on loan from the two schools and their alumni.

The archives commemorate the 40-year history of the Armstrong Walker Football Classic game that has been reborn as a community celebration and school showcase.

“As we continue to build on this legacy, the Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy Project team is excited to partner again with the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia to be able

to share these priceless pieces of our history,” AWFCLP President Greta Randolph said in a statement.

More information can be found at www.awfootballclassic.com and www.blackhistorymuseum.org.

Richmond Free Press

October 19-21, 2023 B5

Faith News/Directory

Florida faith leader: Black history toolkit gains interest outside the state

By Adelle Banks Religion News Service

When the Rev. Rhonda Thomas decided to create a toolkit to help teach Black history outside the public school system — after Florida legislators approved revisions to its required instruction — she expected Black churches like her own would be the ones to use it.

Rev. Thomas, the executive director of Faith in Florida, was correct but not entirely so: Some Florida congregations that aren’t predominantly Black are using her organization’s list of books, videos and documentaries, along with faith leaders from more than 20 other states.

What started in May as a state-focused response has attracted interest in a far wider stretch of the country than Rev. Thomas ever imagined. She hopes users of the suggested readings in the online toolkit will come away knowing more about Black history — including burnings of Black churches and massacres of Black communities that happened in her state, along with other Southern states.

“People often don’t look at Florida as even being a part of the South because they’re too busy looking at our tourism and entertainment and food,” she said in a Tuesday, Oct. 10, interview. “Florida is the

South. Florida has always been universities, that it would be have now pledged to use the impacted in ways of Southern taught in a more diluted way. So Faith in Florida Black history behavior, and we have a history we organized congregations who toolkit?

As of now, we have over 300 that needs to be shared.” would take a pledge to say we The online list includes books will take on the responsibility congregations. And we have on slavery and slave narratives; of teaching African-American (people in) 22 states outside of articles on the Civil War; and history from our churches be- Florida that have signed up and documentaries, from “Eyes on cause we also realized some of committed and pledged to teach the Prize” to “Traythat history still lies African-American history.

Is that more than you von Martin: 10 Years within our pews.

Later.” Clergy and lay What was your expected?

I was not expecting anyone people can use the particular personal resources in congreexperience with as- out of the state of Florida. My gational settings such pects of Black his- goal was strictly Florida only as Bible study classes tory in your state because I knew we were the ones for children, youth or where you grew impacted by our own legislation. adults, she said. up?

The toolkit is an When I think Rev. Thomas extension of work about my own growRev. Thomas has long been ing up in Florida, Miami-Dade Baptist Church leading at Faith in Florida, a County in particular, I can remultiracial and multifaith coali- member my class in first grade 1408 W. Leigh Street · Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 358—6403 tion of congregations that work was the first class of Black people Dr. Alonza L. Lawrence, Pastor together on racial, economic and to eat in the cafeteria. I can social justice issues, including remember attending my dad’s mobilizing voters, welcom- company picnic. He worked at ing immigrants and seeking Eastern Air Lines at that time, reductions in poverty and gun and there were two picnics — violence. The statewide coalition one picnic for the Blacks, one is a nonpartisan affiliate of Faith picnic for the whites. And Virin Action, a national community- ginia Key Beach was the only organizing network. beach Black people could attend Why did you decide to because Black people were not create an alternative to teach- allowed to go on Miami Beach ing Black history in Florida unless they were going to work beyond the state school sys- as maids.

“Your Home In God’s Kingdom” tem?

How many congregations We realized after the passing of (the so-called “Stop Woke Act”) legislation that it was going to impact our public education Sundays system as well as some of our Sunday School - 9:30 A.M. Worship Service - 11 A.M.

Riverview Baptist Church

2604 Idlewood Avenue, Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 • www.riverviewbaptistch.org Rev. Dr. John E. Johnson, Jr., Interim Minister

“The Church With A Welcome”

Sharon Baptist Church 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.

7M\XL &ETXMWX 'LYVGL 8LIQI 1SFMPM^MRK *SV 1MRMWXV] 6IJVIWLMRK 8LI 3PH ERH )QIVKMRK 8LI 2I[

Back Inside

100 Anniversary th

BANQUET

Saturday, October 28th • 6:00 pm

in the Shiloh Baptist Church Fellowship Hall Contact person Tudy Roebuck (980) 263-7010 Speaker: Rev. Rodney Hunter Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, Richmond, Va

CENTENNIAL SERVICE

Sunday, November 5, 2023 10:45 am Theme: “We Have Come is Far By Faith” Speaker: Rev. Lance Watson, Jr. St. Paul Baptist Church, Richmond, Va

Music: Shiloh’s Mass Choir

Rev. Rodney Eaton, Pastor 2420 Venable Street, Richmond, VA 23223

Good Shepherd Baptist Church

1127 North 28th Street, Richmond, VA 23223-6624 • Office: (804) 644-1402

The Rev. Sylvester T. Smith, Ph.D., Pastor “There’s A Place for You” Join us at 11:00 a.m. each Sunday for in-person worship service or Live-stream on YouTube (Good Shepherd Baptist Church RVA).

St. Peter Baptist Church

We Embrace Diversity — Love For All!

Dr. Kirkland R. Walton, Pastor

Come worship with us!

Worship Opportunities

Back Inside Sundays Join us for 10:00 AM Worship Service

Sunday Worship Opportunities: 10 A.M. [In-person and Livestream] Sunday Church School Opportunities: Adults [In-person] at 8:30 A.M. Children [Virtual] online via our website.

Live on Facebook @ 4ixth #aptist $IVSDI 37" Live on Youtube @4#$ 37" Or by visiting our website www.sixthbaptistchurch.org

Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor

tions with my white brothers and sisters and Muslim brothers, they just realize this is morally wrong. And if there’s one thing we have in common, it’s morals and values. And this is morally wrong for this history.

African- American history is still a part of American history, and it’s being threatened in a way of teaching a diluted version of it. Black people have never benefited from being slaves.

Who benefits from being raped or being beaten? That’s not a benefit.

Moore Street Missionary

Via Conference Call (202) 926-1127 Pin 572890# In Person Sunday Service also on FACEBOOK and YouTube

A 21st Century Church With Ministry For Everyone

(Clergy from) other states began to call, email Faith in Florida to say, “We’ve heard about it.

How do we get access to your toolkit? How do we register?

Because we want to be a part of this teaching that is going on in Florida.” They were concerned that this can easily happen in Michigan or Pennsylvania, Arizona, Virginia.

What does that say to you about that sense of interest — that it’s gone beyond Florida and beyond Black churches.

When I engage in conversa-

400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

(near Byrd Park)

Bible Study Opportunities: Noon [In-person] 7 P.M. [Virtual]; Please contact the church office for directives.

(804) 359-1691 or 359-3498 Facebook Fax (804) 359-3798 `VeaUON]aV`aPUb_PU_cN www.sixthbaptistchurch.org

Worship With Us This Week!

2040 Mountain Road • Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 Office 804-262-0230 • Fax 804-262-4651 • www.stpeterbaptist.net

In Person & Online 10:00 A.M.

1858

October 28, 2023

The People’s Church

Community Tree Give Away

Register below to join us in this opportunity to worship through caring for creation.

https://events.cbf.org/mosby

Harvest Fest

3:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Stick around for Trunk or Treat, food, fellowship, games and more.

2901 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 648-2472 ~ www.mmbcrva.org Dr. Price London Davis, Senior Pastor

Thirty-first Street Baptist Church

h Formation/ Church School (Sat. @ 9:00 AM) m Meeting ID: 952 9164 9805 /Passcode: 2901 e Study (Wed. @ 7:00 PM) om Meeting ID: 854 8862 2296 th Reverence e Via: http://mmbcrva.org/give Or through Givelify evance wi

216 W. Leigh St., Richmond, Va. 23220 “BACK IN SERVICE” Tel: 804-643-3366 Our doors are open again Fax: 804-643-3367 every Sunday @ 11:00 am.

(PDLO ṘFH#HEHQH]HUUYD RUJ Live Streaming Every Sunday At: ZHE HEHQH]HUUYD RUJ

BRBConline.org or YouTube (Broad Rock Baptist Church)

“MAKE IT HAPPEN”

Sunday Church School • 9am (Zoom)

Sunday Morning Worship • 11am (in-person and livestream on YouTube)

Wednesday Bible Study • 7pm (Zoom)

Please visit our website Ebenezer Baptist Church Richmond, VA for updates http://www. ebenezerrva.org

Dr. Wallace J. Cook, Pastor Emeritus

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

R el Worship With Us This Week SERVICES ing Rev. Dr. Joshua Mitchell, Senior Pastor n i b mmbcrva.org oormFacebook.com/mmbcrva or ❖ SUNDAY C outube.com/MosbyMemorialBaptist WORSHIP HOUR – 10:00 A.M. The doors of the church

are open for worship! tional Summer Worship Opportunities No registration required.

Moms with Sons Prayer Call (Tues. @ 6:00 AM) Join us in person or online on (302) 202-1106 Pin: 618746 Facebook or YouTube rly Morning & Noonday Corporate Prayer Call 10:30 a.m. Sundays Wednesdays @ 6:00 AM & 12:00 Noon (415) 200-1362 Pin: 9841218 Additional Opportunities to Engage with Us: Formation/ Church School (Sat. @ 9:00 AM) *Worship Through*Faith Giving Zoom Meeting ia: http://mmbcrva.org/give Or through Givelify ID: 952 9164 9805 /Passcode: 2901 *Give Via: http://mmbcrva.org/give Or through Givelify

Additional Weekly Worship Opportunities823 North 31st Street Moms with Sons Prayer Call (Tues. @ 6:00 AM) Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 226-0150 Office (302) 202-1106 Pin: 618746 Early Morning & Noonday Corporate Prayer Call Wednesdays @ 6:00 AM & 12:00 Noon (415) 200-1362 Pin: 9841218 Bible Study (Wed. @ 7:00 PM) Zoom Meeting ID: 854 8862 2296 Faith Formation/ Church School (Sat. @ 9:00 AM)

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

CHILDREN’S CHURCH & BUS MINISTRY AVAILABLE SUNDAY SCHOOL (FOR ALL AGES) – 9:00 A.M. TUESDAY MID-DAY BIBLE STUDY – 12 NOON DR. JAMES L. SAILES PASTOR 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 Weekly Worship: Sundays @ 10:30 A.M. Church School: Sundays @ 9:00 A.M. Bible Study: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 P.M.

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

“Please come and join us” Every Sunday @ 11:00 am.

Live Streaming Every Sunday At: BRBConline.org or YouTube(Broad Rock Baptist Church)

Bible Study online and in person Wednesday 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

“MAKE IT HAPPEN” Pastor Kevin Cook

Richmond Free Press

B6 October 19-21, 2023

Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities To advertise in the

Richmond Free Press call

644-0496

or email advertising@ richmond freepress .com

City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Monday, November 13, 2023 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. 2023-288 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a First Amendment to Lease between the City of Richmond, as lessor, and Capital Area Health Network, doing business as Vernon J. Harris East End Community Health Center, as lessee, for the purpose of providing health center office space for the Vernon J. Harris East End Community Health Center at 719 North 25th Street. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-289 To amend and reordain City Code § 26-355, concerning the levy of tax on real estate, to establish a tax rate of $1.20 for the tax year beginning Jan. 1, 2024, pursuant to Va. Code § 58.1-3321(b), and increasing such rate from the Rolled Back Tax Rate of $1.125 as computed in accordance with Va. Code § 58.13321(a). (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-308 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Grant Agreement between the City of Richmond, Afton Avenue Apartments LLC, and the Economic Development Authority of the City of Richmond for the purpose of facilitating the construction of an affordable residential development located at 2400 Afton Avenue and 2420 Afton Avenue.

(COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-309 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Grant Agreement between the City of Richmond, 2100 Bainbridge LLC, and the Economic Development Authority of the City of Richmond for the purpose of facilitating the construction of an affordable residential development located at 2100 Bainbridge Street. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-310 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a General Services Administration Public Buildings Service Lease Amendment No. 8 between the City of Richmond and the Government of the United States of America for the purpose of incorporating a prohibition on a ByteDance covered application and reducing the number of parking spaces leased to the federal government at a City-owned parking facility located at 500 East Marshall Street.

(COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-311 To amend Ord. No. 2022310, adopted Jan. 9, 2023, which amended City Code § 26-1065, concerning Downtown General Special Service and Assessment District boundaries, for the purpose of expanding the Downtown General Special Service Continued on next column

Assessment District to include the Manchester area of the city, to change the effective date from Jan. 1, 2023, to Jan. 1, 2024. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-312 To authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds of the City of Richmond, Virginia (the “City”) in the maximum principal amount of $150,000,000 to finance the cost of funding a portion of the City’s unfunded actuarial accrued liability to the Richmond Retirement System, as initially adopted November 18, 1952, by Ordinance No. 52-189175, as subsequently amended and restated (the “RRS”), with respect to the City’s defined benefit retirement plan for City employees; to authorize the establishment and funding of an irrevocable trust under Section 115 of the Internal Revenue Code to provide the City budget flexibility with respect to its current and future contributions to RRS; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, to negotiate, execute and deliver a Section 115 Trust Agreement, for and on behalf of the City; to authorize the Director of Finance, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City, to sell such bonds for such projects, to provide for the form, details and payment of such general obligation bonds; to authorize the issuance of general obligation notes of the City in anticipation of the issuance of such general obligation bonds; and to authorize the issuance of taxable general obligation bonds, for the same purposes and uses, in the same maximum principal amount and payable over the same period as such general obligation bonds. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-313 To repeal City Code § 22-113, concerning assets and contributions and employer contributions; to amend ch. 12, art. V, div. 2 of the City Code by adding therein a new section numbered 12-265.1, concerning funding of the Richmond Retirement System; to amend ch. 22, art. IV, div. 1 by adding therein a new section numbered 22113.1, concerning assets and contributions and employer contributions; to amend ch. 22, art. V by adding therein a new section numbered 22-146, concerning vesting of members who elect to or become members of a VRS Retirement Plan; to amend ch. 22, of the City Code by adding therein a new art. XIII, consisting of §§ 22-341—22-343, concerning the transition to the Virginia Retirement System; and to amend City Code §§ 2-1244 and 2-1246, concerning deferred compensation, and 22-2, 22-52, 22-112, 22-142, 22-143, 22-145, and 22-317, all concerning the Richmond Retirement System, for the purpose of facilitating the transition to the Virginia Retirement System. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, October 19, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-314 To authorize the City Attorney to file an appropriate petition pursuant to Va. Code § 23.1-815(B)(iv) for concurrent jurisdiction by the City’s Department of Police and the campus police force of Virginia Commonwealth University in certain designated areas.

(COMMITTEE: Public Safety, Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Ordinance No. 2023-315 To amend ch. 2, art.

V of the City Code by adding therein a new div. 21, consisting of §§ 2-1202.6—2-1202.8, for the purpose of establishing a Public Utilities and Services Commission. ( C O M M I T T E E : Governmental Operations, Wednesday, October 25, 2023, 1:00 p.m.)

Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so by following the instructions referenced in the November 13, 2023 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

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, November 6, 2023 at 1:30 p.m in the Fifth Floor Conference Room of City Hall and the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing on Monday, November 13, 2023 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. 2023-316 To amend and reordain Ord. No. 75-309-302, adopted Dec. 15, 1975, as most recently amended

by Ord. No. 2021-204, adopted Sept. 13, 2021, pertaining to the “Stony Point Community Unit Plan,” for the purpose of amending the development standards, as they pertain to Map Section E of the Southern Portion of the Plan, to allow for additional signs on the property known as 3000 Stony Point Road.

Ordinance No. 2023-317 To authorize the special use of the property known as 7 North 2nd Street for the purpose of a certain hostel use or emergency housing use, upon certain terms and conditions, and to repeal Ord. No. 2011-141-144, adopted Jul. 25, 2011.

Ordinance No. 2023-318 To authorize the special use of the properties known as 3731 Grubbs Lane, 3731-A Grubbs Lane, 4045 Walmsley Boulevard, and 4057 Walmsley Boulevard for the purpose of up to ten multifamily dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions.

Ordinance No. 2023-319 To authorize the special use of the property known as 3500 Hanover Avenue for the purpose of a singlefamily attached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions.

Ordinance No. 2023-320 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1904 Powhatan Street for the purpose of two single-family detached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions.

Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so by following the instructions referenced in the November 13, 2023 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 FOR THE CITY OF RICHMOND ELLA LAUREN AGUILERA, Plaintiff v.

WILSON AGUILERA BENAVIDES, Defendant.

Case No.: CL23-4051 CGC ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce.

It is ORDERED that Wilson Aguilera Benavides appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before the 8th day of November, 2023.

A Copy Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE CITY OF RICHMOND ELLEN R. NAGY, Plaintiff v.

PAUL J. NAGY, Defendant.

Case No.: CL23003701 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce a vinculo matrimonii.

WHEREFORE, an affidavit having been filed by the Plaintiff, Ellen R. Nagy, that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the location of the Defendant, Paul J. Nagy, it is ORDERED that Paul J. Nagy, appear before the 27th day ofNovember, 2023, to protect his interest in this matter.

A Copy Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER AHMED HAWARY, Plaintiff v.

SWAVONDA JACKSON, Defendant.

Case No.: CL23003173-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from Continued on next column

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

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 13th day of November, 2023 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

13th day of November, 2023 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 DAMOND LANE, Plaintiff v.

SHANDI LANE, Defendant.

Case No.: CL23003174-00 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

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER CARYN MEDINA, Plaintiff v.

ANDREAS MEDINA, Defendant.

Case No.: CL23003172-00 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 13th day of November, 2023 at 9:00 AM, and protect hisinterests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure,

Continued on next column

Continued on next column

Continued from previous column

Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 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 AYDEN WINSTON RDSS v.

ALICIA WINSTON (Mother) DEVONITE WALKER (Father) Unknown Father FILE NO. JJ-101115-05-00, JJ-101115-06-00, JJ-101115-07-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“TPR”) of Alicia Winston (Mother), Devonite Walker (Father) & Unknown Father (Father) of Ayden Winston, child DOB: 03/20/2022. “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 defendants Alicia Winston (Mother), Devonite Walker (Father) & Unknown Father (Father), to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 12/07/2023, at 9:20 A.M, COURTROOM #3

TRANSIT SYSTEM

GREATER RICHMOND TRANSIT COMPANY Janitorial Services REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

GRTC Transit System is seeking proposals for Janitorial Services. Interested firms may download a copy of RFP 223-23-10 from GRTC’s website www.ridegrtc.com (menu options: About Us, then Procurement) or obtain a copy by calling Antionette Haynes at (804) 358-3871 Ext 375. A Pre-Proposal Conference and Site Visit are scheduled for October 25, 2023. Proposals are due prior to 3:00 pm on November 8, 2023. All inquiries pertaining to the request or any questions in reference to the solicitation documents should be directed to: Antionette Haynes Procurement Specialist (804) 358-3871, extension 375

GRTC’s Supplier Diversity Program – “providing equal opportunities for small businesses” Second Baptist Church - Westend seeks an experienced/skilled, highly motivated, and organized individual to do building and grounds cleaning and maintenance.

Good verbal and written communication skills needed. A high school diploma is preferred but not required.

Contact Church Personnel Committee at 804-353-7692 and/or email resume/work history to: sbcwestend14@gmail.com

To advertise in the

Richmond Free Press call 644-0496 Follow the Free Press on @FreePressRVA

@RichmondFreePressUSA

Thank you for your interest in applying for opportunities with The City of Richmond.

To see what opportunities are available, please refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com.

EOE M/F/D/V