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State of city schools

Superintendent Bedden says progress won’t happen overnight By Holly Rodriguez

When Richmond schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden took the podium Tuesday night to offer his annual “State of the Schools” address, he was clear from the beginning that the picture would not be all roses. “This conversation is about progress, and like the mayor

said, it is going to take time,” he began, referring to previous remarks from Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney. “It’s not going to happen overnight.” The evening was a show-and-tell of sorts for Richmond Public Schools, with students from several elementary, middle and high schools performing leading up to and upon the conclusion of Dr. Bedden’s address. It also was a truth-telling about

the “transition” phase facing the school system, a process that Dr. Bedden described as messy, unpredictable and emotional for all involved. The good news he offered to the audience of several hundred parents, teachers, administrators and Richmond School Board Please turn to A4

CARE van service eyed by City Council due to complaints By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Cora J. Dickerson says that GRTC’s CARE van service is an affordable option for her to get from her home in Richmond’s Randolph neighborhood to her medical appointments and volunteer meetings, but the unreliable service is frustrating.

GRTC is acknowledging that its CARE van operation is providing “unacceptable” service to the hundreds of elderly and disabled people who rely on the specialty door-to-door transportation to get to dialysis or to work, see doctors, go shopping or handle other business. The transit company issued the acknowledgement and disclosed the steps it is taking with its contract operator, MV Transportation, to make improvements after Richmond City Council members got another earful about shoddy service from a frequent rider and advocate, Cora J. Dickerson, during Monday night’s council meeting. “The concerns expressed by CARE customers are serious and unacceptable,” GRTC spokeswoman Carrie Rose Pace stated in responding to a Free Press query in the wake of Ms. Dickerson’s comments to the council condemning

the CARE van service. Ms. Dickerson, 68, uses a wheelchair because of polio that afflicted her as a child. She told council members that she and others have missed doctors’ appointments, been picked up hours late or had to find other transportation when the van did not come. “I have had firsthand experience,” Ms. Dickerson said. “In December, I was scheduled for surgery. I made a reservation to be picked up by 5:30 a.m. to get to the hospital by 7:30. But the van never came,” said Ms. Please turn to A4

Sessions seeks to revive federal anti-crime program that targeted African-Americans Free Press staff, wire reports

New U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed to revive 1990s law-and-order strategies that pumped up the nation’s prison population to the highest level in the world to fight the recent

surge in urban violence. He made the point in a tough-on-crime pep talk he delivered Wednesday to about 40 sheriffs, police chiefs and other law enforcement officials from Central Virginia during a visit to Downtown. While more than 100 demonstrators denounced

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, center, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, addresses protesters demonstrating against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Location: SunTrust Center, 10th and East Main streets. She urged participants to focus their attention on the policies and actions of the local law enforcement officials who met with Mr. Sessions.

Mr. Sessions in a protest in the cold outside the SunTrust Center at 10th and Main streets, he was inside talking about ways the powerful U.S. Department of Justice he heads would work “to reduce crime and restore public safety.” His statements underscored Mr. Sessions’ repeated promise to make fighting street crime a top mission of the Justice Department in support of state and local police. That is a radical departure for a department that, under former President Obama, has focused more on police abuse Mr. Sessions and targeting of AfricanAmerican and Latino communities, voting rights violations, prevention of cyber attacks from foreign criminals, counterterrorism and the threat of homegrown violent extremism. Backed by President Trump, Mr. Sessions stated in prepared remarks to the Virginia officials that he would focus on preventing a return to the crime levels of two decades ago. His top priority would be to ensure “the federal government focuses our resources and efforts on the current surge in violent crime,” he stated, citPlease turn to A4

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

First dance Keon Pleasant, 6, shares a first dance with his mother, Quaneisha Tyler, at the Mother/ Son, Father/Daughter Dance last Friday for J.L. Francis Elementary School students and their parents. The dance was held at Second Baptist Church on Broad Rock Boulevard, with youngsters presenting roses to their parents. Princes and princesses of the dance were crowned. Keon’s grandfather, Anthony Bailey, documents the special occasion in the background.

Report forecasts millions would lose Trump’s leaked health insurance under Trumpcare 2005 taxes show $153M in earnings Free Press staff, wire reports

Fears that the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, would wipe out health insurance for millions of mostly low-income people appear to be highly accurate. An estimated 14 million people would either drop or lose health insurance by 2018 if the GOP plan labeled Trumpcare is approved, according to a new report issued jointly by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the Republicandominated congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. The 37-page report released Monday

projects that 24 million fewer people would have health insurance in 10 years if the American Health Care Act that President Trump and his GOP allies are attempting to rush through Congress is approved — a prospect that appears less and less likely. The report’s findings are a far cry from the promises that President Trump made just before he was inaugurated as the 45th president in addressing his approach to replacing Obamacare. “I’m going to take care of everyone” in the new health insurance program he would advance, he told reporters. And along with providing virtually universal cover-

age, he promised the plan would be more affordable: “So it’ll be better health care, much better, for less money.” For Democrats, the report supports their claims that the president made false President Trump promises and instead is seeking to impose a plan that would provide big tax cuts for the wealthy while reversing the progress under Obamacare in spreading health cover-

WASHINGTON President Trump earned $153 million and paid $36.5 million in income taxes in 2005, paying a roughly 25 percent effective tax rate thanks to a tax he has since sought to eliminate, according to newly disclosed tax documents. The pages from President Trump’s federal tax return show the real estate mogul also reported a business loss of $103 million that year, although the documents don’t provide details. The forms show that the president paid an effective tax rate of 24.5 percent, a figure well above the roughly 10 percent the average

Please turn to A4

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Richmond Free Press

Local News

Candidates for 3rd District seat on School Board get public vetting By Holly Rodriguez

More than a dozen people turned out to comment on the candidates vying for the Richmond School Board’s vacant 3rd District seat following a speed round of public interviews conducted by the board. Only 11 of the 12 candidates were interviewed, with no mention of why only Norma Murdoch-Kitt was absent. Friends, colleagues, students and citizens stood in line at the microphone for nearly an hour to express their concerns regarding the needs of Richmond Public Schools and to offer their opinions about the best candidate for the job. The board will choose a 3rd District representative at its meeting Monday, March 20, with the new board member to be sworn in on Tuesday, March 21. Roderick Bullock, an advocate of sports in RPS, said athletics is key to improving public schools. “And that’s why I support David Lambert,” he said about the optical director at American Eye Center/Optical Sensations and a former RPS tutor. “We need someone who has their hand on the pulse of the community. It’s important to have not just someone who has children in the Richmond Public Schools system, but also understands the needs of the district.” During his interview, Mr. Lambert did not mention sports, but offered specific ideas to help students and the need to provide youngsters with opportunities and consequences. “Poor vision leads to behavior issues,” Mr. Lambert said. “Students are labeled as a bad apple and then we have to go through the process of resolving the perception.” He suggested vision screenings and setting up a database to keep track of students’ vision needs. He also recommended creating a summer jobs program for all eligible RPS students and instituting a smartphone and personal electronics ban in underperforming schools. Supporters of the various candidates shared personal experiences in working with the prospective board members and specific attributes they said would be beneficial in the job. Susheela Varky, an attorney with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, said Kenya Gibson, a marketing strategist at HTK Marketing Communications and vice president of the Linwood Holton Elementary School PTA, is the best candidate for the seat because she understands education as a civil rights issue. “I know the importance of education in helping people get legal services for better jobs and to have better lives,” and so does Kenya, Ms. Varky said. Mrs. Gibson said her children have a disadvantage when compared with her public school education because of the lack of diversity within their school. “The issue of school segregation is the key issue that we face as a city and so many other urban schools face as well,” she said during her interview. “White flight is a not a myth. It is a fact. And as part of the team, I hope I would be a part of more integrated schools.” Half of the people commenting on the candidates spoke in support of Dr. Joann Henry, a retired RPS administrator and founder and director of Dream Academy, a nonprofit adult education center. A member of Dream Academy’s board of directors talked about Dr. Henry’s strengths in organizing, planning and employing a team-oriented strategy that raises the bar. “She knows our children and what is best for them,” said Johnny Walker. “She knows how to work with others to meet challenging goals and objectives. She’s done a fab job at Dream Academy, and I know she’ll do the same as a member of the School Board.” “How do you speak about a woman who has changed your life?” said Angie Johnson, a Dream Academy student. “She’s the one that if I’m in the bed, she calls me and says, ‘Where are you? Come on into school, now.’ ” Dr. Henry said her passion for student success paired with her experience with RPS first as a student and, later, as an administrator, make her uniquely qualified to fill the 3rd District vacancy. “I have worked in just about every department in Richmond Public Schools, so I am familiar with the system, policies and procedures of our students,” she said. “With 30 years of experience, I may be able to help with policies and procedures you may not be familiar with because you are just getting started,” she said, noting many of the School Board members are new to the board. She said the tools to get RPS back on track already exist. “We need to use the resources that we have, and make our schools excellent again,” she said. Adrena Woodson, a teacher at the Richmond Technical Center, said Dr. Henry understands the Standards of Learning and RPS students. She “will put the pieces of the puzzle back together again as a member of the RVA School Board,” Ms. Woodson said. Other candidates interviewed by the board were Tanya Arney, Hassan Fountain Sr., Patrick R. Hanes, Lathaniel Kirts, Cindy Menz-Erb, Robert Peck, Hilary Scribner and Eric Spivack. The candidate appointed to the seat will hold the position until a special election is held in November to fill the seat for the remaining three years of the board term.

Chesterfield Historical Society offering beginner genealogy class The Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia is offering a sixweek beginner genealogy class on Saturdays starting April 1. The classes are designed to offer practical and personal help in compiling a family history. Beginners will learn how to organize their data, add to it, search Census and other records and document family stories. The classes will be held from 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday from April 1 to May 13. The course is limited to 20 participants. The cost: $25, with a $5 discount for CHSV members. To register, or for more information, go to www. chesterfieldhistory.com or contact instructor Bette Kot at (303) 520-2903.

Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

A portrait of Richmond icon Maggie L. Walker, left, and a marquee message welcome people attending a celebration last Friday at the Hippodrome Theater in Jackson Ward. The “Dear Co Workers” event celebrated the team of volunteers who helped Heather Huyck, an adjunct history professor at the College of William & Mary, in a seven-year effort to preserve documents, letters and papers of Mrs. Walker and the mutual aid society she led and through which she founded a bank, a newspaper and a department store. The papers are Slices of life and scenes now protected in 20 boxes that in Richmond owners Margaret T. and Wanda D. Stallings hope to donate to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The highlight of the three-hour program: The announcement of the find of another box of documents. This latest box, like the other 15,000 documents now preserved and digitized, was found in the attic of the Stallings family’s vacant St. Luke Building in Gilpin Court. The four-story building was once the headquarters of the Independent Order of St. Luke that Mrs. Walker ran for much of her life.

Cityscape

Va. redistricting cases winding through state, federal courts Free Press staff, wire reports

WASHINGTON In a slap at Virginia’s Republican-led majority in the General Assembly, the U.S. Supreme Court has directed a lower federal court to reassess whether lawmakers unlawfully tried to dilute the clout of African-American voters when it drew a series of state legislative districts six years ago. A group of voters who filed suit to overturn 12 districts argued to the court that Virginia’s legislators improperly made race a primary factor when mapping the boundaries of state House of Delegates districts, an argument a lower federal court dismissed in previously upholding the plan. Essentially, the plaintiffs are arguing that legislators packed African-Americans into the 12 districts, reducing their influence on adjacent districts and aiding Republicans to win more seats — an argument that led to the overhaul of the 3rd and 4th districts of the U.S. House of Representatives last year. As a result of the earlier case, Virginia for the first time has two African-Americans in its congressional delegation — U.S. Reps. Robert C. Scott of Newport News and A. Donald McEachin of Henrico County. Meanwhile, a separate suit got underway this week in Richmond Circuit Court challenging 11 state House and Senate districts. The plaintiffs claim the districts violate a key requirement of redistricting contained in the Virginia Constitution — creation of compact districts that are not oddly shaped and do not overly split counties and cities. The new Virginia case is one of a number of lawsuits across the country accusing Republicans of reducing the influence of Democratic-leaning African-American and Latino voters by packing them into constricted, oddly shaped districts to expand the number of GOP-friendly districts. Linda Thomas, president of the state NAACP, hailed the March 1 ruling from the nation’s highest court. “It is clear that the state of Virginia unfairly packed black voters into districts, diluting their political power and depriving them of having their voices heard,” she stated. “This type of racial gerrymandering is dangerous to our democracy and causes tremendous harm to communities of color. We applaud this decision and hope the district court acts to end this unconstitutional gerrymandering,” she added. Gov. Terry McAuliffe also used the high court’s ruling to urge Republican lawmakers to agree to set up a nonpartisan

panel to handle redistricting, a concept that the GOP-controlled legislature rejected during the legislative session that ended last month. “For too long, the redistricting process has been defined by partisanship, racial politics and costly litigation,” the governor stated in urging Republican leaders to “drop your defense of Virginia’s gerrymandered map and work with me on the nonpartisan redistricting plan our commonwealth deserves.” (Gerrymander is a 19th-century term that refers to drawing districts to benefit the party in power.) As expected, the governor got a quick “No,” from Republican leaders. Retiring House Speaker William J. Howell of Stafford, for example, called the governor’s message “premature” and “political gamesmanship.” Speaker Howell has staunchly defended the House redistricting plan the U.S. Supreme Court refused to uphold, having repeatedly noted that the line changes passed with bipartisan support after the 2010 Census, including support from most of the House members in the Legislative Black Caucus. (By law, election districts must be redrawn after each 10-year Census to reflect population changes.) Democrats are using the courts “to do what they couldn’t do at the ballot box,” said GOP Delegate S. Chris Jones of Suffolk, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. A federal district court in 2015 upheld the 12 contested districts. But in its ruling, all eight U.S. Supreme Court justices directed the three-judge panel of the lower court to take a fresh look at the propriety of 11 of those districts. In the opinion for the court, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the lower court did not sufficiently analyze the consideration of race during the redistricting process. The lower court had said it needed to look at race only if the district in question was not drawn based on “traditional redistricting principles.” The high court faulted that approach, saying that a regularly drawn map does not tell the full story. “If race for its own sake is the overriding reason for choosing one map over others, race may still predominate,” Justice Kennedy wrote. “For these reasons, a conflict or inconsistency between the enacted plan and traditional redistricting criteria is not a threshold requirement or a mandatory precondition … to establish a claim of racial gerrymandering,” he added. All of the 12 districts, including four in the Richmond area and at least seven in Hampton Roads, were created to have

a majority-black voting age population of at least 55 percent, according to the court, making race a predominant factor. Justice Kennedy found that in 11 of the districts, including the four in Richmond, that the General Assembly might not have been justified in creating districts with such a high percentage of black voting age residents. The court did decide 7-1 to uphold a higher black voting age population in the 75th House District that Delegate Roslyn C. Tyler of Sussex, chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, represents. Justice Clarence Thomas, the court’s lone black member, dissented, asserting that Delegate Tyler’s district should not have been upheld because race was a predominant factor in deciding its boundaries. He opposes the use of race as a consideration in redistricting. Race can be considered in redrawing boundaries of voting districts only in certain instances, such as when states are seeking to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act, as GOP leaders insisted was the case with the Virginia map. That law seeks to protect AfricanAmerican and Latino voters’ rights to elect candidates and was enacted to address a history of racial discrimination in voting, especially in Southern states. In 2015, the high court, in a 5-4 decision, threw out a lower court’s decision upholding a Republican-backed redistricting plan in Alabama that crammed AfricanAmerican voters into certain districts in a way critics claimed lessened their influence at the polls. The Supreme Court has never said redistricting cannot be based on nakedly partisan aims, such as maximizing one party’s election chances or helping incumbents gain re-election. However, a case challenging such gerrymandering is now making its way through the courts. In the separate Richmond case, Circuit Judge W. Reilly Marchant has twice refused to throw out the challenge to the 11 House and state Senate districts as he began hearing evidence. The four-day trial began Monday. The advocacy group OneVirginia2021, which futilely lobbied for General Assembly approval of a nonpartisan redistricting commission, brought the legal challenge. “We have a Senate map that was drawn by the Democrats, and we have a House map that was drawn by the Republicans, and we’re challenging both of them,” said Wyatt B. Durrette Jr., a former GOP legislator and gubernatorial candidate now representing OneVirginia. “I don’t care what political party benefits,” Mr. Durrette said. “What I know is that the current process is an abject failure.”

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News

CARE van service eyed by Council Continued from A1

Dickerson, who retired as director of the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg’s Infant & Toddler Connection and its 211 information call center. She said she was able to get help from Senior Connections to find an alternate means of transportation, otherwise she would have had to cancel her surgery. At times, vans have picked up passengers up to four hours late, she said. “I had a call from a vision impaired person who wasn’t picked up and had to catch a cab. It is frightening for someone like that to be left waiting on the street for a van that never comes. It is frightening for someone like me who is using a wheelchair to wait and wait.” While CARE van service has never been excellent, Ms. Dickerson said, it has suffered since MV Transportation took over in November 2014, and has declined even more sharply in the past 12 months. Ms. Pace said concerns like those expressed by Ms. Dickerson have resulted in “GRTC working closely with MV Transportation on service level improvements to meet what we expect for our riders.” She said that “addressing CARE needs a high priority right now.” One problem has been high turnover among the drivers, who are paid substantially less than GRTC bus drivers. Improvement plans include efforts to quickly hire and train new drivers to fill vacancies, Ms. Pace stated, noting that some new drivers have begun working in the past month. Hiring moves more slowly because applicants need near perfect driving records to be considered. MV Transportation also is considering subcontracting some of the workload to other companies “to assist with demand,” Ms. Pace stated, although that has not yet happened. And GRTC is still trying to get a program off the ground that would use taxis or online ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft as options for CARE customers, she added. Meanwhile, GRTC also has struggled to field enough vans because of breakdowns in the aging fleet, which leaves fewer vehicles available to make scheduled pickups. “Thirteen new vans have been delivered to GRTC,” Ms. Pace said, and should be in service soon, though she did not specify a date. She said that staff met with GRTC’s board and held a meeting with riders to discuss the changes. GRTC plans to brief City Council’s Land Use, Housing and Transportation Committee headed by 6th District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 21. “We’ve heard this before,” Ms. Dickerson said of GRTC’s response, “but the promised improvements never seem to happen. We’ve heard so much that they are hiring new drivers, and those drivers are as nice as they can be. But they still are picking up people late. The reality is that GRTC and MV keep talking about improvements, but the situation has not gotten better.” Ms. Dickerson maintains a busy schedule of volunteer activities at her church and in the community. She also is an appointee to the city Committee on the Elderly and Disabled. She said she would drive herself to her meetings and appointments if she could, “but I’ve had to give up driving because of health reasons.” The CARE van is an affordable option, but the unreliable service is frustrating, she said. “I have to schedule a van for three to four hours earlier to try to ensure that I can get to meetings,” she said. On Wednesday, she was notified that a pickup she scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to get to a 12:30 p.m. meeting would be least an hour late. She said she gets regular calls from people who have had to cancel appointments with physicians or who have had their dialysis treatment cut short because they got to a center an hour or more late. She also gets calls from people who are being threatened with losing their jobs or who have been fired because the CARE van constantly makes them late. Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell, 8th District, called it a matter of “life and death” for the service to be improved. The problems must be addressed, Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, 5th District said. He said that the council needs to consider launching an in-depth investigation to determine what is going wrong and to usher in change. Mr. Agelasto said that the service problems cannot be allowed to continue.

State of city schools Continued from A1

members is that 17 of 44 schools in the district are now accredited, a significant increase from when Dr. Bedden started in January 2014. More students are taking the SATs and continuing their education beyond high school at two- and four-year colleges, he said. On the downside, Dr. Bedden told the audience there has been a slight dip in the number of students who are graduating on time, 78 percent of the RPS student population qualifies for free and reduced lunch, 40 percent live below the poverty line and many students need trauma-informed care because of the abuse, neglect and household dysfunction that is a part of many students’ childhood. These challenges facing RPS are further compounded by a wide budget gap between the more than $21 million funding increase the School Board recently requested for the

2017-18 fiscal year and the $6.1 million increase for schools included in Mayor Stoney’s budget proposal to City Council. The only way forward, Dr. Bedden said, is the continued support of the 125 community partners, 842 volunteers, dedicated teachers and involved parents working together to create a pathway to success. “It takes a community of support,” he said. “It will take time to get there, but we will get there.” Beginning with the John Marshall High School drum line, student performances included a step performance from students of Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School belting out messaging based on the RPS theme “Resilience, Pride and Success,” an interpretive dance routine from Binford Middle School dancers to the song “Rise Up” by Andra Day, and drumming by kindergartners from the Martin Luther King Jr. Preschool Learning Center. Students were not the only ones show-

Report forecasts millions would lose health insurance under Trumpcare Continued from A1

age to 20 million to 22 million people, or 43 percent of those who lacked coverage before the law went into effect. The report offers “tangible evidence of just how empty the president’s promises — that everyone will be covered and costs will go down — have been,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. “This should be a looming stop sign for the Republicans’ repeal effort.” The White House and others in the Trump administration were quick to attack the report as inaccurate, unbelievable and biased. Strikingly, the plan’s architect, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, embraced the report, happily noting the CBO’s estimate that his proposal would reduce the deficit by $367 billion over 10 years and lower premium costs for younger, healthier people who would no longer be forced to purchase health insurance. He did not mention portions of the report indicating that premiums would

skyrocket for people ages 50 to 64 who are too young to qualify for Medicare and whose employers do not provide health insurance. Others are appalled that the president and his allies were working on a plan that would leave so many people without access to affordable coverage. Among them is Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott of Newport News. He called the report confirmation “of what we already knew — that millions of Americans would lose access to affordable health insurance” under the Republican plan that seeks to replace subsidies that make insurance affordable with smaller tax credits. He was not alone. “We do not need a health care bill that would cover fewer individuals and weaken available protections,” said U.S. Rep. A. Donald McEachin of Henrico County, who called the report a “devastating blow” to the GOP plan. “My Republican colleagues claim they want to benefit families,” he continued.

American taxpayer forks over each year, but below the 27.4 percent that taxpayers earning $1 million a year average were paying at the time, according to data from the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. The tax form was obtained by Pulitzer prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston, who runs the website DCReport.org, and reported on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.” Mr. Johnston, who has long reported on tax issues, said he received the documents in the mail, unsolicited. President Trump took to Twitter early Wednesday to cast doubt on Mr. Johnston’s account. “Does anybody really believe that a reporter, who nobody ever heard of, ‘went to his mailbox’ and found my tax returns? @NBCNews FAKE NEWS!” Mr. Johnston, speaking to ABC’s “Good Morning America” Wednesday, said it’s entirely possible that he received the returns from President Trump himself or someone close to him, saying, “Donald has a long history of leaking things about himself.” He noted that the real question remains the sources of President Trump’s income, saying the president “doesn’t want us to know who he’s beholden to.” President Trump’s hefty business loss appears to be a continued benefit from his use of a tax loophole in the 1990s, which allowed him to deduct his creditors’losses on his failing casinos as his own business losses, which he then used to offset his personal

“But their health care plan roughly shifts more than $600 billion in tax breaks over 10 years to wealthy families and big corporations,” while wiping out affordable insurance for those who need it most, low-income families, single mothers, the elderly, the disabled and those with preexisting conditions. Both Virginia senators, Democrats Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, view the report as exposing Republican claims that their plan is better than Obamacare. Sen. Mark R. Warner noted that new CBO-JCT report shows “that Trumpcare will raise costs for consumers, particularly seniors, and leave millions of Americans without coverage.” He said he was most concerned by the report’s findings that the GOP plan would “shift costs to states by radically restructuring and cutting Medicaid — a critical safety net that insures more than 600,000 children in Virginia, as well as thousands of elderly and disabled Virginians who depend on the program, in order to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans.”

Sessions seeks to revive program that targeted African-Americans Continued from A1

ing FBI statistics that show homicides and other violent crimes have been on the upswing since 2014. The invitation-only event organized by the DOJ and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia was open to many in law enforcement, but not all. Those snubbed included state Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring — all Democrats. None received invitations to the talk. The Richmond Free Press also was not invited. A reporter and photographer from the state’s largest black-owned publication were turned away by security. Joshua Stueve, director of communications for Dana Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and acting deputy attorney general, acknowledged Wednesday after receiv-

Leaked Trump 2005 taxes show $153M in earnings Continued from A1

ing off RPS progress. The superintendent called on several school principals to share innovative approaches used in their schools and the successful impact they have had on students. Indira Williams, principal of Ginter Park Elementary School, said some of the ideas are quite simple and spontaneous. “An example of positive behavior reinforcement at our school has included rolling out the lunch tables the other day when the weather was nice so the students could sit outside and enjoy the weather,” she said. Binford Middle School principal Melissa Rickey said the school is having great success with a curriculum that teaches the Common Core subjects through art. “We have great scientists and mathematicians and others who are learning through art,” she said. “Clearly, great things are happening all over the district, and we are looking forward to even greater things.”

taxes in future years. In 1995, President Trump reported a loss of more than $900 million — an amount that had dwindled to $103 million by the 2005 filing. Tax records obtained by The New York Times last year showed the losses were so large they could have allowed President Trump to avoid paying taxes for up to 18 years. But the 2005 filing shows that another tax prevented him from realizing the full benefit of those deductions. The bulk of President Trump’s tax bill that year was due to the Alternative Minimum Tax, a tax aimed at preventing high-income earners from paying minimal taxes. The AMT requires many taxpayers to calculate their taxes twice — once under the rules for regular income tax and then again under AMT — and then pay the higher amount. Critics say the tax has ensnared more middle-class people than intended, raising what they owe the federal government each year. Were it not for the AMT, President Trump would have avoided all but a few million dollars of his 2005 tax bill. President Trump’s campaign website called for the end of the AMT, which is expected to bring in more than $350 billion in revenues from 2016 to 2025. As a candidate and as president, President Trump has refused to release his tax returns, breaking a decades-long tradition. Although he initially promised to do so, he later claimed he was under audit by the Internal Revenue Service and said his attorneys had advised against it, although experts and IRS officials said such audits don’t bar taxpayers from

releasing their returns. The White House pushed back even before the release of the documents Tuesday night, saying that publishing the information was illegal. “You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago,” the White House said in a statement issued on condition that it be attributed to an anonymous official, although the president has decried the use of anonymous sources. The unauthorized release or publishing of federal tax returns is a criminal offense, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and up to five years in jail. But Ms. Maddow argued that MSNBC was exercising its First Amendment right to publish information in the public interest. President Trump long insisted the American public wasn’t interested in his returns and said little could be learned from them. But his full returns would contain key details about things like his charitable giving, his income sources, the type of deductions he claimed, how much he earned from his assets and what strategies he used to reduce his tax bill. The issue was a major point of attack from his election rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, who suggested he had something to hide. The White House has not said whether the president plans to release his returns while he’s in office. More than 1 million people have signed a White House petition urging the president to release them.

ing a complaint from the Free Press that the newspaper was not invited. He was responsible for sending out invitations to news outlets and said in a telephone response that the Free Press was excluded because the 25-year-old publication was not on his office’s media list. He promised to update his media list to include the Free Press. In his prepared remarks and in wire reports from the meeting, Mr. Sessions stated that one of his priorities would be to bring back Project Exile. That’s the 1990s program that FBI Director James Comey originated in Richmond when he was in the U.S. attorney’s office here. It allowed local authorities to turn gun crime cases over to federal prosecutors and the federal courts, where they carried mandatory five-year prison terms. Mr. Sessions described Project Exile as “an excellent model for how we can lock up violent criminals and reduce crime.” “During the spike in violent crime in the late ’80s and early ’90s, Richmond consistently had one of the top 10 per-capita murder rates among American cities,” he stated in his remarks. “In response,” he stated, federal prosecutors worked with state and local law enforcement in 1997 to launch Project Exile “to take off the streets those who were mostly likely to commit gun violence: Criminals with guns. “Over the decade that followed, murders and armed robberies in Richmond declined dramatically,” he stated. “A study published in the journal Criminology & Public Policy credited Project Exile with the reduction in gun homicides in Richmond.” While other experts have suggested the results are far less certain, Mr. Sessions said he would “promote” Project Exile nationwide, along with similar strategies that he stated bring together all levels of law enforcement. Despite his praise, Project Exile was seen as racially biased in targeting mostly African-American offenders. Federal judges also expressed concerns about their courts being clogged with cases that state and local officials and courts previously handled. Acknowledging that Project Exile and similar programs led to more targeting of African-Americans, Mr. Sessions said that law enforcement has “to be so sensitive to those issues.” He also acknowledged that “crime rates in our country remain near historic lows. Murder rates are half of what they were in 1980. The rate of violent crime has fallen by almost half from its peak. “The people of Richmond have seen this progress firsthand,” he stated. “Since 1995, murder and violent crime rates in Richmond have fallen by two-thirds.” But he stated that getting tough on crime is the only way to combat what he sees as an upward trend. “The latest FBI data tell us that from 2014 to 2015, the violent crime rate in the U.S. increased by more than 3 percent — the largest one-year increase since 1991. The murder rate increased 10 percent — the largest increase since 1968. “Since 2014, the murder rate has gone up in 27 percent of our country’s 35 largest cities,” he stated. “Here in Richmond, the preliminary murder total for 2016 was 44 percent higher than the year before, jumping from 43 to 61. And all of this is taking place amid an unprecedented epidemic of heroin and opioid abuse.” He stated that years earlier when he was a prosecutor in Alabama, “the people in those communities pleaded with us to have more police and do a better job of getting thugs off the street.” He said he is starting to hear those pleas again.

Richmond Free Press

March 16-18, 2017

News

GRTC stands to get more money under mayor’s proposed budget By Jeremy M. Lazarus

GRTC turns out to be one of the big winners in Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s proposed budget. The mayor is asking Richmond City Council to boost the total GRTC subsidy by about $1.65 million from the current level in a bid to keep the transit company solvent as it prepares for a major overhaul of its routes and to subsidize the new GRTC Pulse or Bus Rapid Transit service.

The 2017-18 fiscal year budget plan includes $14.69 million for GRTC, compared with the $13.04 million the city is providing in the current budget year. If approved, that would represent a 12 percent increase, one of the largest proposed increases in recent years. It also would be good news for riders as the extra money likely would ward off any prospect of a fare increase or further reductions in service resulting from the changes in bus routes now under

consideration. It also includes the $190,000 the city provides to allow GRTC to offer lower ticket prices for retirees and people with disabilities on its regular routes and about $540,000 to cover GRTC’s borrowing for equipment. The lion’s share of the $1.65 million in additional money, 53 percent, would cover the cost of Pulse operations that are expected to begin in October, according to GRTC spokeswoman Carrie Rose Pace. Based on GRTC’s percentage, the city’s subsidy for Pulse’s first eight months of operation is projected at $884,000, a bit higher than the city’s estimate of $717,000. The rest of the new money would go to pay for wage increases and higher costs for health insurance for drivers and other staff, Ms. Pace said, and increases for other operating expenses. Labor and health costs are going up as a result of the new collective bargaining agreement that was approved last year. Jim Nolan, the mayor’s press secretary, said the increase is needed because GRTC “did not receive an increase in operating assistance” in the current budget or in the previous 2015-16 budget.

Harvard Law Review elects first black woman president By Zenitha Prince Special to Trice Edney News Wire from Afro American Newspapers

ImeIme Umana, one of four daughters born to Nigerian immigrants, was elected as the 131st president of the Harvard Law Review out of 12 candidates, eight of whom were minorities and eight of whom were women. Ms. Umana is the second African-American to snag the coveted position. President Obama became the first when he was elected in 1990 during his law school years at Harvard. “It still feels like magic that I’m here,” Ms. Umana told The New York Times of her election to the highly competitive position at the widely circulated law journal. But colleagues and others said Ms. Umana’s election was not by chance. “ImeIme is one of the most brilliant, thoughtful and dedicated people I’ve ever met, and the Law Review is in phenomenally good hands,” said Michael Zuckerman, Ms. Umana’s predecessor, in a statement. “Like many others around campus, I’ve been blown away by ImeIme since she was an undergraduate in Harvard’s Lowell House. And it has been thrilling to watch the Law Review’s membership recognize so heartily what a special human being she is. I am excited for all of the amazing work that she will do for our institution in the year ahead.” A native of State College, Pa., Ms. Umana is a 2014 graduate of Harvard College, where she earned dual degrees in AfricanAmerican studies and government. She plans to intern with the public defender’s office in Washington. Already, she has lined up a clerkship with Judge Robert L. Wilkins of the U.S. Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia upon her graduation next year.

Graduation rate for African-American players on NCAA Tournament teams lower than white counterparts By Steve Reed Associated Press

The graduation rate of African-American men’s basketball players from teams participating in the NCAA Tournament is 74 percent compared with 93 percent for white players. That’s according to a study released Tuesday by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida. The rate in 2016 was 75 percent. It’s the first decrease since 2011, according to the study’s author, Richard Lapchick. The graduation rate for white male basketball players remained the same as last year. White female basketball players on tournament teams graduated at a rate of 96 percent compared with 87 percent for black female players. “While it’s a slight decrease, it’s concerning because it reverses a positive trend,” Dr. Lapchick said of the 74 percent

rate. “Graduation rates had been increasing for a number of years up until this point.” However, NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn pointed out the most recent single-year graduation rate in 2015-16 for black men’s basketball players overall was at 77 percent — an all-time high. She said during the 15-year period the NCAA has been collecting data, the graduation rate for black men in basketball has increased from 46 percent to 77 percent, which indicates major progress. For white men over the same span, it increased from 76 percent to 94 percent. Overall, the study indicated women’s teams in the tournament are graduating at a rate of 90 percent, compared with 76 percent for the men. “Some schools are taking risks on admitting students who are not at a level of traditional students being accepted into the campus,” Dr. Lapchick said of some men’s teams. “Unless the university provides programs to bring the student up to that

academic standard of the normal admitted student, then you are almost guaranteeing their failure.” The one-and-done factor on the men’s side doesn’t apply to the study, Dr. Lapchick said. Those students are not included in the findings if the athlete leaves in good academic standing. “In most of those situations, schools are pretty careful to make sure that student stays eligible,” he said. Dr. Lapchick suggested the NCAA needs to raise its academic progress rate to 60 percent rather than the current 50 percent. He said 78 percent of the men’s teams and 97 percent of the women’s teams currently meet those standards, but more schools need to strive to reach that level. “I think raising that would be incentive for schools that are still hovering around the 50 percent rate standard,” Dr. Lapchick said. “When there is a threat of the loss of scholarships or postseason play, that is a big incentive for coaches to increase the graduation rates that are contributing to the gap.”

No clues yet U.S. Black Chambers launches on Trump’s ‘Buy-Black, Bank-Black’ initiative Africa policy By Hazel Trice Edney

TriceEdneyWire.com/Global Information Network

If President Trump has an Africa policy in the works, he’s keeping the details close to his chest. So far, there is neither an assistant secretary of state for Africa nor an ambassador. The incumbent secretary, Linda Thomas Greenfield, retired on Friday, March 10. Peter Pham, vice president and Africa director of the Atlantic Council in Washington, reportedly is seeking a position. In a strategy paper prepared for the Trump administration, Mr. Pham proposed an initiative he calls “earned engagement.” The United States, he said, should grant diplomatic recognition only to governments with legitimate sovereign control over their countries. Somalia, for example, would not be among those countries, having had 15 transitional governments following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. None of these were recognized by Republican or Democratic administrations. Recognition might also be withdrawn from the Democratic Republic of Congo if President Joseph Kabila fails to honor his commitment to retire this year after elections. More resources would be channeled into Africom, according to Mr. Pham, not only to address insecurity directly, but also to continue to beef up African militaries. Other clues as to President Trump’s Africa plans appeared last month in a New York Times article which revealed a retreat from development and humanitarian goals while pushing business opportunities across the continent. New executive orders reportedly are being prepared, with drastic funding cuts to U.N. peacekeeping operations — now almost a third of which are funded by the United States — the International Criminal Court and the United Nations Population Fund, which oversees maternal and reproductive health programs. Anton du Plessis, head of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies, fears that President Trump will “securitize” U.S. policy, funding and engagement in Africa, focusing heavily on security problems such as Boko Haram, while ignoring efforts to create stability in the long term through democracy, good governance and sustainable development. Among such efforts would be one of former President Obama’s most successful programs — the Young African Leaders Initiative, or YALI, which brings several hundred young African professionals and entrepreneurs to the United States for six weeks each summer. “It is possible that Trump’s term in office will surprise us on Africa,” observed former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson. “Republican administrations have outperformed on this front before. President Bush certainly did, and his two landmark initiatives — PEPFAR and the Millennium Challenge Corporation — remain extremely popular.” But given the absence of any serious White House interest in Africa, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, with limited knowledge of Africa having dealt mainly with corrupt and authoritarian leaders as head of ExxonMobil, may become the key American player on Africa.

It is the No.1 reason that black-owned businesses fail: Not enough money and not enough places to get it. That’s why as America commemorated Black History Month, the U.S. Black Chambers Inc., an association of more than 122 black chambers of commerce and 265,000 business owners, touted its partnership with historic, black-owned Liberty Bank based in Louisiana. Both entities are determined to break economic barriers that have historically oppressed African-Americans. “Our history is full of trailblazers and pioneers who fought to build our community from the ground up. We owe it to them to sustain our community,” said Ron Busby, USBC president and CEO. “The top three concerns facing black entrepreneurs are access to capital, access to capital, and access to capital,” Mr. Busby said. “As the voice of black business owners, our focus during Black History Month is to highlight the importance of economic sustainability in the black community and the dire lack of funding facing black businesses.” The USBC launched what it calls a “Buy-Black, Bank-Black” initiative as a solution to spur economic growth in the African-American community. “Bank-Black is the single most powerful economic movement currently taking place in black America,” Mr. Busby said. “Now is the time to utilize our black banks as more than a place to hold our money, but as a resource for securing capital.” As a part of this initiative, a USBC Bank-Black Credit Card is being offered in partnership with New Orleans-based Liberty Bank, a historic institution and one of the leading banks of the National Bankers Association. “Through our relationship with Liberty Bank, we can now provide access of up to $10,000 with an unsecured line of credit at an annual percentage rate of 9.96 percent and with a credit score as low as 570. We think this is game-changing in that it now provides the needed resources for African-Americans to be able to move our communities to sustainability,” Mr. Busby said. Black businesses have long suffered oppressive redlining by major national banks.

Even the Small Business Administration has barely reached 3 percent in its loans to black-owned businesses. The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2014 that more than half of black business owners do not apply for business loans when they need it because of fear of being turned down. According to a report by NewsOne Now, their “fear is justified” because “only 47 percent of black business owners get the full amount they requested versus 76 percent of whites.” The Wall Street Journal reported last year that national banks tilting toward major mortgages “means fewer loans for blacks, Hispanics.” This leaves blackowned community banks to do what

step up and revive access to credit?’ That’s what this has done.” Despite negative stereotypes, Mr. Grant points to the education and professionalism of African-Americans in business and in banking as what enables them to create their own economic strategies for survival. For example, Liberty Bank President Alden J. McDonald Jr. is among the longest tenured African-American financial executives in the country. His nearly 45 years of experience in the banking industry was first established with his presidency of Liberty, which started with the bank’s founding in 1972. The bank’s website credits his “strategic vision and hard work” for the success of the bank. Assets have grown from $2 million in 1972 to more than $600 million currently. “Our relationship and our partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers is a partnership that will make certain that available credit is based on a level playing field,” Mr. McDonald said. “And one of the reasons why we feel the relationship with Liberty Bank is Mr. McDonald Mr. Busby Mr. Grant important is because Liberty Bank is they have historically done — serve the very sensitive to the credit challenges of the underserved. Despite the proven historic community. And therefore, our underwriting wrongs of government and corporate dis- standards are taken into consideration for crimination, National Bankers Associa- the small business person.” tion President Michael Grant said black Mr. Grant stressed that black-owned business owners now must find ways to banks can strengthen the economy of the rescue themselves. black community while operating within “When it comes to the burden of proof a stringent regulatory environment. of who is ultimately responsible for the “Our banks, like any bank, have to adeconomic survival of the black community here to the regulators. We can’t get around in America, I’m arguing that the burden of that. What we can do is when you come proof has shifted to the black community to our banks, we can talk with you, we itself,” Mr. Grant said. can take a little extra time with you. We “It does not in any way remove the can tell you where the flaws are in your responsibility of government to be fair,” business plan, we can tell you that if you he continued. “It doesn’t remove the re- don’t qualify for credit, then here are the sponsibility of corporate America to be things that you can do so that you can fair and to treat black consumers and their become credit worthy. But, the bottom line businesses with equity.” is that the burden of proof has shifted to He continued, “Even if it means our the black community and its leaders and advocacy, supporting our own businesses, its organizations,” he said. going to our leadership asking, ‘What are Ultimately, money in black-owned your plans for the economic survival of banks is a win for everyone, Mr. Busby black people in this country?’ the burden of concluded. proof has shifted to us. And this credit card, “It’s a win for the black bank, which in no small way, says that we are accepting has additional capital to lend. It’s a win the burden of proof. We’re saying, ‘Okay, for the individuals because they can now if our businesses are having a difficult time get capital at an affordable rate. And it’s a in majority banks getting access to credit, win for the community because the banks what can the black banks do about it? How can now make the loans that homeowners can we accept that burden? How can we and business owners need,” he said.

Richmond Free Press

Artistic image of Bojangles statue in Jackson Ward

Editorial Page

March 16-18, 2017

Trump’s alternative facts We all should be familiar by now with the way President Trump views the world and the “alternative facts” he seeks to spread through his ministers of misinformation, Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The latest lies are how Trumpcare, the GOP plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, would offer better and less expensive health insurance than Obamacare. If anyone believes that, just read a few pages of the Congressional Budget Office’s report released Monday. The nonpartisan office’s analysis forecasts that millions of people would lose their health care coverage under Trumpcare. It also predicts that many older people would pay more for less coverage and that rural areas would be hard hit with the cuts planned for Medicaid and the elimination of subsidies to help low-income families pay for health insurance. The GOP measure, pushed by House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, has no redeeming features. Trumpcare’s tax provisions would end up being a multimillion-dollar tax cut benefiting the wealthiest Americans — President Trump and his cronies — while eliminating health insurance for the poorest. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont correctly called it “Robin Hood in reverse.” “Millions of Americans are going to lose their health insurance,” he said. “Millions more, especially older people, will be paying more than they are right now. And we have $275 billion in tax breaks going to the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans over a 10-year period.” Even some clear-eyed Republicans are rejecting President Trump’s lies. They continue to hear from their constituents with diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other illnesses about how having health insurance under Obamacare has, in many cases, saved their lives. If President Trump and Congress insist on changing Obamacare, then let them embrace a single-payer health care plan for everyone in the nation. President Trump said during the campaign that his plan would provide health insurance for everyone. If he means that, then we would urge Congress to simply expand Medicare and Medicaid to cover all Americans. There would be no risk pool problems to work out, no complex calculations for tax breaks, tax credits or subsidies. No more lies. Just expand the two plans and be done with it.

Thirst for history, truth Next week, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture will celebrate the six-month mark since its opening in September. Already, more than 1 million visitors have passed through the contemporary structure designed by architect Sir David Adjaye. The Tanzania-born son of a Ghanaian diplomat lived in Egypt, Yemen and Lebanon before his family moved to Great Britain when he was 9. He was knighted earlier this year for his vast contributions to the field of architecture. The building is a perfect showcase for the more than 3,000 objects in the inaugural exhibits that tell the history of African-Americans in this nation for the last 400 years. The museum has set records of its own, including one that speaks to how its 11 interactive galleries captivate visitors. Museum officials note that on weekends, the average length of time a visitor stays in the museum is unparalleled — at six hours or more. Comparatively, visitors at most museums stay for 75 minutes to two hours. The huge crowds are a tangible indication of the thirst for knowledge and truth about the history of AfricanAmericans in this country and an understanding of how we, as a nation, have arrived at this point in race relations. It also demonstrates the need we have to see ourselves and our contributions reflected and documented in important and permanent places. Also in this first six months, the museum’s restaurant, Sweet Home Café, was named as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards for Best New Restaurant. Its mixture of down-home and refined regional dishes link stories of African-American culture through food. News of the nomination is a real treat, particularly because museum restaurants rarely receive such an honor. As a side note, Sweet Home Café is run in part by Thompson Hospitality, an African-American firm owned by Warren M. Thompson, a native of Isle of Wight County, and his siblings Fred Thompson Jr. and Benita Thompson-Byas. Each of the hard-working Thompsons earned undergraduate or master’s degrees from the University of Virginia. We are proud of the great work done by the museum’s founding director, Lonnie G. Bunch III, and Rex M. Ellis of Williamsburg, the museum’s associate director for curatorial affairs. They have populated the museum with everything that’s good for the soul. “It has truly become a place of healing, reconciliation and celebration where people can embrace — not only African-American history and culture — but how that layered history has shaped America’s identity,” Dr. Bunch said in announcing the visitation numbers. Tickets to visit the museum, while free, are going like hotcakes. Already, the advance tickets for June are taken, with most people now eyeing July and beyond. We encourage our readers to make a trip up the road to enjoy the Smithsonian’s newest gem.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Attack on education

The effort to repeal and replace health care insurance is generating headlines, and the attempt to investigate our 45th president’s Russia connections is of high importance. The specious claim that former President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, too, has generated interest, largely because it is unprecedented for one president to accuse another of a felony, and because 45 has absolutely no proof that President Obama has done any such thing. While President Obama, with a multimillion-dollar book deal tucked into his pocket, is living his life like it’s golden, 45 has indulged in several public tantrums, with episodic moments of calm. Too many of us have been riveted to the drama, while there is a more quiet revolution happening in Congress with the approval of the White House. There has been an attack on education, with legislation being introduced as early as Jan. 23. That legislation, HR 610, is titled the Choices in Education Act. It would repeal the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and would limit the authority of the Department of Education so

that it should only award block grants to states. It also sets up a voucher system. If states do not comply with the rules of this legislation, they would be ineligible for block grants. The legislation also would repeal nutritional standards for the national school breakfast and lunch programs, which were set

Julianne Malveaux by the No Hungry Kids Act of 2012. Schools no longer would be required, as First Lady Michelle Obama advocated, to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods at lunch. Are we going back to the days when President Reagan declared that ketchup should be considered a vegetable? Seems like it! The 1965 legislation was passed as civil rights legislation, providing more opportunities to a broader range of children, including requirements to make provisions for disabled children. It requires reporting around issues like the achievement gap, bullying and underperforming schools. All of these provisions would be eliminated if HR 610 were passed. Not to be bested by legislation that would limit the reach of the Department of Education, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has

introduced a sentence-long piece of legislation. HR 899 reads, in total, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2018.” Of course, Rep. Massie hasn’t put the thought into considering how things like Pell grants would be administered, or would he eliminate those, too? HBCUs are part of the education budget. What would that mean for us? HR 899 is co-sponsored by several of Rep. Massie’s colleagues. It speaks to a national antipathy toward education, so that even as we hunger for jobs and elected 45 so that he could “create” them, we are prepared to limit pathways to job preparation. Even though he nominated the extremely limited Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, 45’s pre-campaign policy book advocated the elimination of the Department of Education. Is the hidden agenda to run the department into the ground to the point that elimination is the only option? One-note Betsy, with her focus on school choice, must be gratified, especially by HR 610. The Department of Education is one of the lowest-spending government agencies. Eliminating it could save taxpayers more than $68 billion, enough perhaps to “build a wall.” Of course, 45 is finding lots of other fund sources for the wall, with proposed cuts to the U.S. Coast Guard and the State Department.

Debt collection reform needed

When many consumers think of billion-dollar industries, banks and Wall Street often come to mind. Yet there is another industry in the same lucrative league that affects more than 70 million consumers each year — debt collection. In recent years, debt collection has consistently topped the list of consumer complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state attorneys general. According to the CFPB, more than 25 federal debt collection cases have been filed for deceiving and abusing consumers. Collectively, the cases have brought more than $300 million in restitution and another $100 million in civil penalties have resulted from these filings. As state legislatures convene across the country for 2017 sessions, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators has taken note of the harms that are caused by illegal debt collection practices. An NBCSL resolution calling for an end to abusive debt collection practices was ratified during the group’s annual meeting in December. Sponsored by state Sen. Floyd B. McKissick Jr. of North Carolina, the resolution notes that “the overwhelming majority of people who are in debt and being pursued by debt collectors are not in debt by choice, but due to circumstances such as unexpected

job loss, divorce or other marital problems and serious illness.” Many black neighborhoods are more likely to have residents with debts in collection. The resolution further states that our neighborhoods also have double the number of debt judgments compared to white areas, regardless of income levels. “Unfair, abusive and decep-

Charlene Crowell tive debt collection practices are hurting consumers and as a result, court judgments are entered against people for debts they do not legally owe,” said Sen. McKissick. “The NBCSL resolution affirms the need for strong consumer protections at the state and federal level. This is critically important as abusive debt collection practices frequently target not only African-American communities, but seniors and military families as well.” In calling for state legislatures to adopt initiatives requiring more detailed and accurate information and documentation in debt collection actions, the resolution also notes and supports CFPB’s efforts to promulgate a federal rule to address debt collection abuses. Consumer advocates agree that a call for continued and coordinated support from both state and federal regulators is needed before consumers can find financial relief. “States should continue to strengthen the rules and laws for

debt collection to better protect consumers,” said Lisa Stifler, deputy director of state policy with the Center for Responsible Lending. “Too often we’ve seen debt collectors file lawsuits in state courts against the wrong person or for a debt not owed.” The need for reforms is supported by a recently released CFPB report on consumer experiences with debt collection. The report, based on a survey, explored a range of issues such as frequency of contact, lawsuits and the accuracy or inaccuracy of claims. Prominent among survey findings: • About 75 percent of consumers sued do not go to the court hearing, which generally makes them responsible for the debt; • 53 percent of consumers reported receiving collection attempts that were incorrect because the debt was not theirs, was the wrong amount or was owed by a family member; • More than 40 percent of non-white consumers reported being contacted about a debt in collection, while only 29 percent of white consumers reported having the same experience. The CFPB survey demonstrates the urgent need for a strong federal rule on debt collection, said Melissa Stegman, a CRL senior policy counsel. “We commend the CFPB for exploring this important topic in depth and look forward to the bureau proposing a strong rule that frees consumers from abusive debt collection practices.” The writer is communications deputy director with the Center for Responsible Lending.

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.

The good news about this odious proposed legislation is that it has not passed. It has been referred to the House Education and the Workforce Committee. (Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott of Newport News is the ranking Democrat on the committee.) After being vetted by the committee, the measure also must be approved by the Senate. But these bills need not even come out of committee if opponents are vocal. Check out www. edworkforce.house.gov to find out who is on this committee. Call and write them and tell them that you support the 1965 legislation, as most recently amended, and that the Department of Education should not be eliminated. This is an opportunity to unleash our voices and resist Trumpism. The writer, a former president at Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., is an economist, author and founder of Economic Education.

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Richmond Free Press

March 16-18, 2017

Letters to the Editor

Congratulations to the Free Press Re “Free Press in the Congressional Record,” March 2-4 edition: I wanted to drop you a note of congratulations on recently receiving a citation — now memorialized in the Congressional Record — from 4th District Congressman A. Donald McEachin commemorating the newspaper’s 25th anniversary.

Many thanks to you and our beloved Free Press founder and former editor Raymond H. Boone for not only reporting the news, but always highlighting the very best in us, contrary to your mainstream contemporaries. The Richmond Free Press has always sought to inform, educate and enlighten our people and remains a constant source of pride for

NOTICE OF PRIMARY ELECTION CITY OF RICHMOND

our community. Congratulations on reaching such an important milestone. Looking forward to the next 25 years!

The State Board of Elections ordered Primary Elections be held in the City of Richmond on:

TUES DAY, JUNE 1 3, 2 017

DAMON J. KEITH Detroit The writer is a senior judge for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Detroit.

The purpose of these elections is to nominate candidates for the following offices that will be on the ballot in November:

Democratic Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House of Delegates Districts 68, 69, 70, 71 and 74, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Treasurer and Sheriff

New GRTC bus routes avoid travel within public housing communities After painstaking research, multiple workshops with Leaders Of The New South and interviews with city residents, it is apparent there will no longer be buses moving through the public housing neighborhoods in Richmond. My communications devices won’t stop ringing about the problem. The power resides with Richmond City Council. It was reported that the council didn’t want to hold up a vote on changes to the

Republican Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, House of Delegates Districts 68, 70 and 71

GRTC bus routes, but we can always make needed changes in the plan. Changes must be made!

Information about participating in a primary election as a candidate or in the general election as a non-party candidate can be found at www.elections.virginia.gov. NOTE: A primary election will not be held for any office in which only one candidate qualifies to have their name appear on the ballot.

KING SALIM KHALFANI Richmond The writer is founding managing director of ARMED, Americans Resisting Minority & Ethnic Discrimination

THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION IS MONDAY, MAY 22, 2017 Qualified residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia may apply for, or change, their voter registration online at www.elections.virginia.gov, or in person at the Office of the General Registrar, Room 105, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, except holidays. Applications are also available at all City libraries, post offices and DMVs.

Interventionists can help with handling addicts Often, interventionists can be more successful in handling the addict than the family since, in many cases, the interventionist is an ex-addict himself. By having gone through addiction, the interventionist can level with the addict, speak from their reality and truly understand and have empathy for what they are going through. The interventionist is also a neutral party and not heavily emotionally involved in the situation like the family is. Interventions can help an addict make a logical choice for himself or herself when he or she might not be able to alone.

If an addict is struggling with addiction but refuses help, interventions can be a powerful tool used to save their life. For more information on interventions, go to www.narconon-suncoast.org/blog/ the-power-of-an-intervention.html. If you are in need of a referral to a treatment center, please call (877) 841-5509.

The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot through the mail for this election is Tuesday June 6, 2017. The deadline to apply for and vote an absentee ballot in person is 5:00 PM, Saturday, June 10, 2017, except in the case of certain emergencies. The Office of the General Registrar will be open for absentee voting during regular business hours, and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday, June 10, 2017. Persons with a VA DMV issued ID can also apply online for an absentee ballot through the mail at: www.elections.virginia.gov. PHOTO ID IS NOW REQUIRED TO VOTE IN PERSON. See www.elections.virginia.gov for more information.

LUKE NICHOLS Clearwater, Fla. The writer is community relations director for Narconon, a nonproﬁt drug treatment and education center.

Call (804) 646-5950 for more information.

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Interventions can be the difference between life and death for a drug addict or an alcoholic. Not every person in need of rehab is going to initially jump at the chance to get clean and handle the issues that drove them to addiction. While some addicts or alcoholics have been so badly beaten and battered by their lifestyle that they grasp at the ﬁrst opportunity to deal with their problems, others need some type of external help in order to seek help. Interventions are extremely helpful tools for families who are dealing with a loved one who is completely against getting help and resistant to going to treatment. Some families believe if an addict or alcoholic isn’t willing to get help and go to drug rehab on their own, they aren’t going to force them to go and certainly won’t waste their money. Here’s an interesting fact: If some addicts or alcoholics believe they can continue to drink alcohol or use drugs without any type of consequences for their behavior, they will continue to do so because the problems caused by their addiction are still less than the power of the addiction over them. There are two types of interventions: One where the family sits down with the addict and has a professional interventionist conduct a family intervention, where the addict is confronted and offered drug rehab. If they choose not to attend drug rehab, the family gives the addict consequences for their choice. The other type of intervention is done by an interventionist and conducted on a one-on-one basis, where the interventionist works with the addict alone to get their agreement to go to treatment. In either case, once the interventionist gets the addict to choose help, they will escort them to the treatment center the family has picked out and get them successfully checked in.

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Richmond Free Press

A8 March 16-18, 2017

Sports Stories by Fred Jeter

VUU Lady Panthers claim NCAA regional title, advance to Elite Eight

Photo courtesy Virginia Union University Athletic Department

Virginia Union University’s Lady Walker poses with the victory trophy and net Monday night after the Lady Panthers defeated California University of Pennsylvania to win the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region title. Lady Walker scored 32 points in the regional championship game and was named to the All-Atlantic Region team.

Virginia Union University women’s basketball Coach AnnMarie Gilbert is making plans to return to familiar territory — the state of Ohio. The next stop for Coach Gilbert’s Lady Panthers is Columbus, Ohio, site of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Sixth-seeded VUU will play No. 3 Columbus State University of Columbus, Ga., in a quarterfinal game at noon Tuesday, March 21, at Ohio Dominican University. Columbus State is 31-1 and has won 22 straight games. Other quarterfinal matchups are Ashland University of Ohio against West Texas A&M University, Harding University of Arkansas against Queens College of New York and California Baptist University against the University of West Florida. The VUU Lady Panthers, now 26-4, qualified for Ohio and became the Atlantic Region champion by defeating host California University of Pennsylvania 85-69 on Monday night. Earlier, the Lady Panthers ousted Wheeling Jesuit University of West Virginia 66-58 in the Atlantic Region quarterfinals and Indiana University of Pennsylvania 62-58 in the regional semifinals to advance to the finals. Coach Gilbert starred as a player — leading Division II in

scoring — and later became a successful head coach at Oberlin College of Ohio. Her husband, Jonathan Walker, is from Cleveland. Also, VUU standout center Lady Walker, who scored 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against California University, hails from Cleveland. Two Lady Panthers reserves, Lawren Nelson and Morgan Daniel, also are from Cleveland. Lady Walker was named to the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Atlantic Region team. The Elite Eight semifinals will be Wednesday, March 22, with the championship game set for Friday, March 24. The Lady Panthers won the regional title without leading scorer Brittany Jackson. The junior guard was benched because of a disciplinary infraction. The university hasn’t announced whether Jackson, a 5-foot-9 multidimensional guard, will be reinstated for the Elite Eight. The Lady Panthers won the NCAA Division II title in 1983 and was runner-up in 1984. Last year, the team won the Atlantic Region title at Barco-Stevens Hall on the VUU campus before losing in the national quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, S.D.

VCU takes on St. Mary’s College in NCAA first round in Salt Lake City

Randy Singleton

The Hampton University Lady Pirates celebrate their sixth MEAC title under Coach David Six that was clinched in last Saturday’s 52-49 victory over Bethune-Cookman University at the Norfolk Scope. At the center of the celebration is Hampton University President William R. Harvey.

‘6 for Six’

Hampton’s Lady Pirates win sixth MEAC title

Hampton University’s women’s basketball squad has succeeded in meeting its first goal — a quest dubbed “6 for Six.” Now it’s on to the NCAA Tournament for Coach David Six’s Lady Pirates, who will play Duke University on Saturday, March 18, in Durham, N.C. Hampton is the 15th seed, while Duke is the No. 2 seed in what is the Bridgeport, Conn., Region. Last Saturday, the Lady Pirates defeated top-seeded Bethune-Cookman University 52-49 for its sixth, all-time

MEAC title under Coach Six — thus the slogan “6 for Six.” Jephany Brown had 10 points and five steals and Mikayla Sayle had 10 points and eight rebounds in helping HU to a 20-12 record. On the season, HU’s top scorer has been Virginia Commonwealth University transfer Monnazjea Finney-Smith with an average of 12.5 points per game. Finney-Smith is from Portsmouth’s I.C. Norcom High School. Her brother, Dorian Finney-Smith is a rookie with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. Another

brother, Ben Finney, is a former standout at Old Dominion University. HU’s last MEAC crown came in 2014. The Lady Pirates then lost to West Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

NC Central defeats NSU to win MEAC Norfolk State University’s up-anddown basketball season ended with a couple of downers. Finishing with a 17-17 record, the Spartans lost 67-59 to North Carolina Central University in the MEAC Tournament final last Saturday at the Norfolk Scope. About 48 hours later, NSU lost 73-64 to host Liberty University in Monday night’s first round of the CIT, or Collegeinsider. com Tournament in Lynchburg. It marked the sixth straight season NSU has finished at least .500 — no small achievement in a conference where most of non-conference games are played on the road. The Spartans had 10 road games before getting into MEAC play in January. Before losing to North Carolina Central in the MEAC finals, NSU defeated South Carolina State University in the quarterfinals and Howard University in

the semifinals. NSU Coach Robert Jones must replace three seniors, most notably All-CIAA player Jonathan Wade, who had 22 points against Liberty University in his final college game. In just two seasons as a Spartan, Wade scored 852 points, while averaging 19.4 this past season. Nine players will be returning for NSU, in addition to 6-foot-6 Preston Bungei, who sat out this season with an injury. North Carolina Central University (25-8) advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where the Eagles were to meet University of California-Davis on Wednesday, March 15, in a First Four match in Dayton, Ohio. The winner of the N.C. Central-UCDavis game will be seeded 16th in the Midwest Region and will face No. 1 seed University of Kansas at 6:50 p.m. Friday, March 17, in Tulsa, Okla. That game will be broadcast on TNT.

Randy Singleton

Kyle Benton of North Carolina Central University hangs from the rim after a slam dunk on Norfolk State University’s Zaynah Robinson in last Saturday’s championship game in the MEAC Tournament at the Norfolk Scope.

Virginia Commonwealth University’s legion of basketball fans has come to expect two things — continued excellence and lengthy journeys to cheer on their Rams in the NCAA Tournament. VCU has qualified for the NCAAs a noteworthy seven straight years. Only three schools have longer streaks. On each occasion, the team’s selection has sent black and gold-clad fans begging for days off from work and scrambling for plane tickets and hotel reservations. The most recent destination is Salt Lake City, some 2,143 miles from Richmond. There in Utah, the Rams will play St. Mary’s College of California on Thursday, March 16, in West Region action. Tipoff is set for 7:20 p.m., with the game to be broadcast on TBS. The winner of the VCU-St. Mary’s match gets to play No. 2 seed Arizona on Saturday, March 18, also in Salt Lake City. For the No. 10 seed Rams, the games only will get more difficult. The West Region Sweet 16 is set for San Jose, Calif. The Rams are joined in the NCAA field by the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. U.Va. will play the University of North Carolina-Wilmington at 12:40 p.m. Thursday, March 16, in Orlando. The game will be broadcast on TruTV. Vi r g i n i a Tech will face The Rams’ NCAA long haul the University Cities where the Virginia Commonwealth of Wisconsin University Rams have journeyed for NCAA at 9:40 p.m. Tournament games. T h u r s d a y, 2011: Dayton, Ohio; Chicago; San Antonio; March 16, in and Houston. Buffalo, N.Y. 2012: Portland, Ore. That game will 2013: Auburn Hills, Mich. be televised on 2014: San Diego, Calif. CBS. 2015: Portland, Ore. VCU is 2016: Oklahoma City. 26-8 after 2017: Salt Lake City. If the Rams win two falling to the games in Salt Lake City, they go on to play University of in San Jose, Calif. Rhode Island 70-63 in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament final last Sunday in Pittsburgh. St. Mary’s College, a Roman Catholic school located in Moraga, about 20 miles east of Oakland, is 28-4, with three losses to juggernaut Gonzaga University of the West Coast Conference. Now imagine if you’re a Rams fan, one of the supporters contributing to 99 straight sellouts at the Siegel Center. VCU loyalists are renowned for their ability to hit the road and even “take over” opponents’ gymnasiums. VCU easily had the most fans at the A-10 Tournament in Brooklyn, N.Y., from 2013 through 2016 and this latest tournament go-round in Western Pennsylvania. VCU was hoping for an NCAA East Region berth in Greenville, S.C. Even Buffalo, N.Y., or Orlando, Fla., would have been much preferred to distant Salt Lake City. In Utah, the Rams will face a St. Mary’s outfit with six Australians, including 6-foot-11 center Jock Landale, who is averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. St. Mary’s has close connections with the Outback. Current NBA players and Australian natives Patty Mills and Matt Dellavedova played at St. Mary’s. Unlike VCU, with a predominately African-American men’s basketball roster since the early 1970s, St. Mary’s has just one active African-American player, reserve guard Jordan Ford. VCU fans must wonder why the Rams keep getting sent so far from home for NCAA Tournament play. Part of it is TV ratings. By placing an East Coast team in the western time zone, the game receives better ratings nationwide. In the A-10 Tournament, VCU defeated George Mason University and the University of Richmond, in overtime, before falling to the University of Rhode Island in the finals. JeQuan Lewis made the All-Tournament team and Justin Tillman continued his inside dominance, scoring 10 points and snaring 17 rebounds in the final. It marked the 11th double-double of the season for Tillman, a 6-foot-7 junior from Detroit. There’s no relief in sight for Rams fans who know something about Final Four excursions. Being optimistic, should VCU win two games in Salt Lake City and two more in San Jose, the NCAA Final Four will be — get your bags packed — in Glendale, Ariz., at the University of Phoenix Stadium.

March 16-18, 2017 B1

Section

Richmond Free Press

Happenings

Personality: Jill Bussey Harris Spotlight on president of Richmond Chapter of The Links Inc. Jill Bussey Harris has been building a vibrant dental practice in Richmond for 20 years, making history along the way and always finding time to give back to the community. But her 31-year relationship with the Richmond Chapter of The Links Inc., holds a special place in her heart. She has served as chapter president since 2013. “The Links was founded in 1946 by two friends when we needed help in our community,” says the Louisville, Ky., native known professionally as Dr. Bussey. “There was a lack of cultural enrichment in the community. And it is ironic, but we still need that enrichment today.” For 65 years, The Richmond Chapter of The Links Inc. has been engaged in various programs to uplift the Richmond community. To celebrate, the organization is hosting its 9th Biennial Art in the Atrium, an art auction and dinner on Saturday, March 25, at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Proceeds will benefit the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, the Fisher House at McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center, Virginia Union University and other programs, including its cultural enrichment program, FMA Squared — Focused, Motivated Achievers at Franklin Military Academy. The theme for the event: “Celebrating 65 Years of Service — Honoring Our Past, Building a Legacy.” In addition to auctioning 26 pieces of art by local noted artists, the fundraising event also will feature a silent auction of five luxury packages, including accommodations in Virginia’s horse and wine country, a VIP experience at the Richmond Jazz Festival, red carpet treatment with star-studded access to films, parties and movie premieres at the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville and thrillseeker packages for Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens theme parks. There also will be raffle tickets for fine jewelry and electronics. “I hope people (will leave the event) feeling exhilarated by having the opportunity to purchase world-class art while supporting a worthy cause in the community,” Dr. Bussey says. The chapter continues to provide programs to a select group of eighth-grade girls at Franklin Military Academy. It has been working with the students since they were sixthgraders and will continue through the girls’ graduation from the specialized high school within Richmond Public Schools. Every Tuesday, the students meet with volunteers for such programs as etiquette, dental screenings, theatrical and ballet performances and trips to

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forming lives, one child at a time, through education, health and wellness and cultural engagement. Number of Links chapters in area: Three chapters in Richmond. Total number of Links chapters: 283 chapters. How does art impact you personally: I feel that art is an expression of love, freedom and joy. Art exposes the beauty in all of us. It is inspirational.

places including The Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, Dr. Bussey says. Passionate about history, education and enriching the lives of young women, Dr. Bussey says she had the support she needed and understands how that support has fueled her success. Dr. Bussey was the ﬁrst African-American female full-time assistant professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry when she was hired in 1989. She also is busy with her private dental practice in the city’s West End. “Service to our youths is so important,” she says. Meet this week’s Personality, Jill Bussey Harris: Occupation: Dentist. Place of birth: Louisville, Ky. Current residence: Richmond’s West End. Education: Fisk University, B.A. in biology; University of Louisville School of Dentistry, D.M.D. Family: Husband, Dr. Monroe E. Harris Jr. and children, Monroe E. Harris III and Madison Bussey Harris. Present volunteer leadership position: Richmond Chapter of The Links Inc., president, 2013 to 2017. Other leadership roles in the community: Owner of Beautiful Smiles by Dr. Jill Bussey; 2016-17 Bon Secours Grand Rounds for Community Leaders; 2016-17 W.I.S.H. Circle Fairy Godmother for Make-A-Wish Foundation; SPARC Board; Richmond Ballet trustee; and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden board. The Links mission: Trans-

Why art is important to a community: Art is a preservation of our culture. Art in our community makes Richmond a much better place. Kindergarten taught me: To always listen to my parents because they have my best interest at heart. Outlook at start of day: I always start with prayer and meditation because each day is an opportunity and I am an optimistic person. Every day is a good day. How I relax and unwind: Spending time with my family and loved ones, preferably anywhere there is a warm climate. Nobody knows that I: Wanted to be a professional singer.

Want to go? What: 9th Biennial Art in the Atrium, fundraising auction of art and luxury items and dinner, sponsored by the Richmond Chapter of The Links Inc. When: 5 p.m. Saturday, March 25 Where: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard Theme: “Celebrating 65 Years of Service — Honoring Our Past, Building a Legacy” Honorary chairperson: Barbara Grey, director of the Virginia Union University Museum Galleries in the L. Douglas Wilder Library on the VUU campus. Artists: Eugene Vango, Norman Wyatt, Dennis Winston, Danny Robinson, Faithe Norrell, Lisa French, Stanley Rayfield, S. Ross Browne, Sir James Thornhill, William Tolliver, Ronald Walton, Woodrow Nash, Richard Mayhew and Najee Dorsey. Tickets: http://richmondlinksinc.org/art-in-the-atrium/

most: “Before the Mayﬂower: A History of Black America” by Lerone Bennett Jr.

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City Hall

Thursday, March 23rd 10am - 3pm East District Initiative (701 North 25th Street)

Friday, March 24th 10am - 3pm Southside Community Center (4100 Hull Street)

Visit cordpu.blogspot.com today for more information.

Richmond Free Press

B2 March 16-18, 2016

Happenings

Horror-satire film ‘Get Out’ makes box office history Free Press wire reports

man. It also had a $50 million budget. By comparison, Mr. Jordan Peele’s hugePeele produced “Get ly popular debut horrorOut” with a budget of satire film “Get Out” $4 million. has made box office Mr. Peele reached history. the historic $100 milIt is the first film by lion mark in just 16 an African-American days, setting a record as writer-director to earn the fastest film to hit that more than $100 milmark for Blumhouse lion. production company, That threshold was according to Deadreached last weekend — line. just the third weekend in Typically, horror the film’s release. movies rake in the most Mr. Peele, who is money during opening best known as half of weekend, and then the Justin Lubin/Universal Pictures the comedy duo Key and box office haul drops Peele, acknowledged Mr. Peele on the set of “Get Out.” off in subsequent weeks. the historic mark with consecutive posts on Twitter, But that hasn’t been the case with “Get Out.” saying he’s the “first of many,” followed by “meaning Despite competition from “Logan” and “Kong: I won’t be the last.” Skull Island,” two blockbusters released last weekBlackfilm.com noted that other African-American end, “Get Out” saw only a 25 percent drop from the directors have had feature debuts earn $100 million, previous weekend, earning $21 million and pushing but none have been with their own screenplays. Among Mr. Peele’s film to an estimated $111 million box them: “Straight Outta Compton,” a 2015 film directed office take. by F. Gary Gray. It was Mr. Gray’s ninth as a director. The film currently ranks as the fifth highest-grossing But it was written by Andrea Berlott and Jonathan Her- film of the year.

Wellness Block Party to combine health info, fun

Music, health screenings and health information are the focus of a VCU Wellness Block Party that students from Virginia Commonwealth University’s medical campus will host this weekend at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St. The event, which is open to the public without charge, will take place 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 18, and will

include entertainment, lunch and door prizes with the health initiatives. This is the 10th year for the student-run event. Organizers are joining with two nonprofits, Camp Diva and Aloha Health, to stage this year’s event that promotes healthy lifestyles and seeks to spread information about community resources for well-being.

Area restaurants, groceries and other private businesses are co-sponsoring the event. Dr. Richard Seely, founder and director of Aloha Health, said his organization is working with tenant organizations and Church Hill Activities and Tutoring, or CHAT, to provide rides for people from nearby public housing communities. Information: HealthfairVCU.org.

‘Date with Dad’ celebrates 10th anniversary this weekend By Holly Rodriguez

When Kai Banks began working for Girls for a Change through AmeriCorps five years ago, she said she was only one year into recovering from a difficult marriage. She helped plan activities for the organization’s “Date with Dad” event, a series of activities intended to strengthen bonds between fathers and their school-age daughters in Richmond’s African-American community. Longing for a stronger relationship with her father, she decided at the last minute to invite him to the group’s signature event, a father-daughter dance. “I realized that I had not shared with him what I’d been going through,” she said. “The dance has helped me so much because now we intentionally work on having a better relationship with each other.”

founder Angela Patton started “Date Ms. Banks said she has seen a with Dad,” and has worked to grow benefit for just the dads as well. the event during the past decade. “I love that we have the opportuThrough her efforts, the event has nity to celebrate dads, and they get to attracted celebrity guests and special support each other,” she said. “They speakers, including radio personality are building their own network.” Tom Joyner, actors Malik Yoba and This month, “Date with Dad” is Chad Coleman and “This Is Life” celebrating its 10th anniversary with host Lisa Ling. a weekend of events, including a This year’s special guest at Satsemi-casual father-daughter dance urday’s “Wonder-Filled Dance at the Saturday among the flowers at Lewis Ms. Carter Garden” is Olympian Michelle “Shot Ginter Botanical Garden in Henrico County and Sunday’s father-daughter dance Diva” Carter, who won the gold medal in the shot put during the 2016 Summer Games in Rio at the Richmond City Justice Center. “A Dance of their Own: A Father-Daughter de Janeiro and broke her own American record Dance in Jail,” that includes a dinner, dancing with the winning toss of 20.63 meters. Ms. Carter is the daughter of former San and activities, is designed to bring incarcerated dads together with their daughters for Francisco 49ers football player Michael Carter, who also won a silver medal in the shot put uninterrupted time. Girls for a Change CEO and Camp Diva during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Southern Women’s Show this weekend at Richmond Raceway Complex Free wine frappes, gift cards, a chance to hit the lottery, makeovers and free admission for teachers are some of the highlights of the 26th Annual Southern Women’s Show this weekend at the Richmond Raceway Complex, 600 E. Laburnum Ave. From Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19, more than 300 exhibitors will offer products and services ranging from bras to stun guns. The event will feature food, fashion, shopping, health, beauty and lifestyle advice, along with celebrities. Shena Dixon Mason, Mrs. Virginia United States 2016-17, will greet visitors from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day of the show. A graduated of Virginia Commonwealth University, Mrs. Mason earned a law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. Mrs. Mason Also appearing will be actor Keegan Allen, known as Toby Cavanaugh to fans of the television series “Pretty Little Liars.” He will be signing copies of his book, “life.love. beauty,” at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 18. At 2 p.m. Saturday, Midlothian High School graduate and cancer survivor Danielle El-Jor will perform. She has performed with country music stars Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Mr. Allen The show runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $12; youngsters ages 6 to 12, $6. Discounts are available for online purchases, group purchases and for all three days. Sunday is Teacher Appreciation Day, with teachers admitted without charge by showing their work ID. Details: https://southernshows.com/wri/ or call (804) 228-7540.

The event from 4 to 9 p.m. will be hosted by comedian Antoine Scott and singer Nickey McMullen, and will include a scavenger hunt, tours of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, a photo booth, live entertainment, activities, contests and prizes. Additional activities this weekend include “Active Dads,” an evening for fathers and their daughters to focus on fitness, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 17, at the Downtown YMCA, 2 W. Franklin St., and “Daughters Discovering Science with Dad,” which includes a free ticket for daughters who are accompanied by their dads, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad St. For more details and tickets, contact Ms. Banks at (804) 683-7999 or www.eventbrite. com/d/va--richmond/date-with-dad-weekend-2017/

Joni Sledge of hit musical group Sister Sledge remembered at 60 Associated Press

NEW YORK Joni Sledge, who with her sisters recorded the enduring dance anthem “We Are Family,” has died, the band’s representative said last Saturday. She was 60. Ms. Sledge was found dead in her home by a friend in Phoenix, Ariz., on Friday, March 10, the band’s publicist, Biff Warren, said. A cause of death has not been determined. He said she had not been ill. TMZ reported on Tuesday that Ms. Sledge died of a pre-existing medical condition, but it did not have information to elaborate further. The celebrity news website stated that its sources said an autopsy was unnecessary because a doctor signed off on “natural causes.” “On yesterday, numbness fell upon our family. We welcome your prayers as we weep the loss of our sister, mother, aunt, niece and cousin,” read a family statement. Ms. Sledge and her sisters Debbie, Kim and Kathy formed Sister Sledge in 1971 in Philadelphia, their hometown, but struggled for years before success came. “The four of us had been in the music business for eight years and we were frustrated. We were saying: ‘Well, maybe we should go to college and just become

Joni Sledge

lawyers or something other than music, because it really is tough,’” Ms. Sledge told The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom in an interview last year. But then they met Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers of the hit group Chic, and

their breakout soon came. The pair wrote and produced their album, “We Are Family,” and soon the women had their first major hit with disco jam “The Greatest Dancer,” which made the Top 10 in May 1979. It would sampled years later for Will Smith’s hit “Getting Jiggy Wit It.” But their biggest hit would come a month later with the title track, an infectious dance anthem that celebrated their familial connection with the refrain, “We are family, I got all my sisters with me.” While it celebrated their sisterhood, the 1979 hit also became an anthem for female empowerment and unity. It would become Sister Sledge’s signature hit and was nominated for a Grammy Award. Both the song and album sold more than 1 million copies. The women also had a hit with a cover of the Mary Wells song “My Guy” in 1982, but would never duplicate the success they had in the 1970s. Still, Sister Sledge continued. While sister Kathy left the group for a solo career, the trio of sisters continued to perform and record, including a performance for Pope Francis in 2015. Mr. Warren said they last performed together in concert in October. Joni Sledge is survived by a son, her sisters and other relatives.

Richmond Free Press

March 16-18, 2017

Faith News/Directory

Phylicia Rashad to headline 10th Annual Transformation Expo Actress Phyliin the upcoming cia Rashad will Amazon series, headline Radio “Jean Claude One’s 10th AnVan Johnson.” nual TransformaOther gospel tion Expo at noon greats scheduled Saturday, March to perform at the 18, at the Greater Transformation Richmond ConExpo staged by vention Center. R a d i o O n e ’s Ms. Rashad, Praise 104.7 in Ms. Rashad Ms. Adams Ms. Winans 68, best known Richmond infor playing wife and mother Claire Huxtable clude Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Claire Cloninger, for eight seasons on “The Cosby Show” in James Fortune, Ernest Pugh and Chris Searcy. the 1980s and early 1990s, will be the main Richmond’s Sheilah Belle, a radio DJ and speaker at the event that also will feature such publisher of a national online gospel newsletrenowned gospel performers as Yolanda Adams ter, is to serve as the emcee and also will speak and CeCe Winans. about her recovery from cancer. A Houston native and Howard University General admission tickets are $38 and are graduate, Ms. Rashad currently has a recurring available at etix.com, www.praiserichmond.com, role as Diana Dubois on the popular FOX televi- St. Paul’s Baptist Church or Radio One’s local sion series “Empire.” She also is slated to appear studio, 2809 Emerywood Parkway.

SpelmanCollege College Spelman Glee Club Glee Club

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

New home for City Park Church Pastor Joe Ellison and his wife, Kendra Ellison, stand in front of Tenth Street Baptist Church, which is renting space to the Ellisons to operate their independent City Park Church. Location: 2300 Fairmount Ave. in Church Hill. The Ellisons, who previously operated a church and day care in Essex Village in Henrico County, plan for their new church to focus on programs and services for residents of the nearby Fairfield Court public housing community. Pastor Ellison also serves as a chaplain for NASCAR and for sports teams in the Richmond area.

Sharon Baptist Church

Mount Olive Women’s Day Baptist Church Celebration

22 E. Leigh Street, Richmond, VA 23219 • 643-3825 thesharonbaptistchurch.com Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor

Rev. Darryl G. Thompson, Pastor

Pastoral Anniversary



8775 Mount Olive Avenue Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 (804) 262-9614 Phone (804) 262-2397 Fax www.mobcva.org

10:00 a.m. Morning Worship Theme: Speaker: Rev. Curtis Ballard “Great Is Your Faithfulness”

Mar. 19, 2017 10:30 A.M.

Join Us for College Day Worship!

Coll

In In Concert Concert Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Tuesday, March 21, 2017 ▪ 7:00 7:00 p.m. p.m.

Women’ss Day ~ Marc Women

“The The Sto ”

1177

1701 Turner Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia 23225 (804) 276-0791 office (804)276-5272 fax www.ndec.net

er Play ~ April 15, 2017 20177 20

1 w

Weekly Sundays @ 10:30 A.M. Church School: Sundays @ 9:00 A.M. Bible Study: Wednesdays @ Noon & 7:00 P.M.

Antioch Baptist Church

“Redeeming God’s People forBaptist Gods Purpose” Mosby Memorial Church

1384 MarketCommunity Road, Richmond, Virginia 23231 | 804-222-8835 “ANew Caring Committed to Listening, Loving,

Learning and Leaning While Launching into our Future.”

❖

SERVICES

SUNDAYS

ission & P

M ith

Conference

THEME:

Bishop G. O. Glenn D. Min., Pastor Mother Marcietia S. Glenn First Lady

Sunday 8:00 a.m. Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Worship Service

SUNDAY Church School 9:30 a.m. Lenten Season Upcoming Events WORSHIP HOUR – 10:00 A.M. Wednesday Services Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. College Day ~ MarchNoonday 19, 2017Bible Study CHILDREN’S CHURCH & BUS MINISTRY AVAILABLE 12noon-1:00 ❖ churchp.m. activities! SUNDAY SCHOOL (FOR ALL AGES) – 9:00 AWear .M. your College gear for morning worship & after Attendance WEDNESDAYS TUESDAY Good Medicine for the Soul ~ April 8,Are 2017 Sanctuary - All Welcome! Bible Study MID-DAY BIBLE STUDY – 12 NOON An afternoon of music, laughter, spoken word Evening and fellowship. DR. JAMES L. SAILES Wednesday Bible Study 12:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. PASTOR WEDNESDAY 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. ❖ 15, 2017 MID-WEEK PRAYER & BIBLE STUDY – 7:00 P.M. “The Story” Easter Play ~ AprilAttendance MONDAY-FRIDAY Purchase Tickets at MMBC on Sundays or through our members. A MISSION BASED CHURCH FAMILY Saturday Nutrition Center EXCITING MINISTRIES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, 8:30 a.m. Intercessory Prayer and Clothes Closet YOUNG ADULTS & SENIOR ADULTS 11:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. BIBLE REVELATION TEACHING Rev. Dr. Price L. Davis, Pastor You can now view D IVERSE MUSIC MINISTRY Sunday Morning Service 823 North 31st Street LOVING, CARING ENVIRONMENT “AS IT HAPPENS” online! Richmond, VA 23223 Also, for your convenience. Upcoming Events (804) 226-0150 Office

Black History Celebration

www.31sbc.org

Garland Avenue Baptist Church

February 26, 2017 During Morning Worship…

Celebrates

celebrates

Friday and Saturday, April 21-22, 2017 - 9 AM

For more information and to Register go to: www.ndec.net or call 1-844-699-4054 Doubletree Hotel Reservations: 1-800-222-8733 or 804-379-3800 {Reference New Deliverance Evangelistic Church}

Tune in on Sunday Morning to WTVR - Channel 6 - 8:30 a.m.

Years of Music Ministry

Sunday, March 19, 2017 3:30 p.m.

G.M.W.A.

Richmond, VA Chapter

Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr.

Men of Faith

• Pastor Emeritus Riverview Baptist Church

• Adjunct Professor-Church History Union University

(Acts 17:28a NIV)

J. Plunky Branch

Sunday, March 19, 2017 11:00 a.m. Speaker:

• Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology Virginia

SCRIPTURE: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.

Also Featuring

MEN’S DAY

• Past President Virginia University

Friday, April 21, 2017 and Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 9:00AM

In His Presence “Living For His Glory”

Hood Temple Male Chorus

We will have Black History moments, a presentation from our Creative Arts Ministry and end the day with a shared meal.

Dr. Jeffery O. Smith, Pastor 2700 Garland Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23222

h Annual Wom se t 9 urpo

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

everence e with e evanc R g in Dr. Morris Henderson, Senior Pastor bin

The Steps of a Righteous Man

Guest Psalmist: Min. Allison Lilly

Purchase Tickets at MMBC on Sundays or through our our members.

Thirty-first Street Baptist Church

Theme:

Associate Minister Greenwood Baptist Church Ashland, Virginia

New Deliverance Evangelistic Church

Speaker for the day will be Rev. Dr. MarQuita Carmi Carmichael-Burton

Freeand and Open Open to Free to the thePublic Public

Rev. Torlecia Bates,

21st Pastoral Anniversary

Wear your College gear for morning worship & after church activities!

Good Shepherd Shepherd Baptist Baptist Church Good Church 1127 Street 1127 North North 28th 28th Street Richmond, Virginia 23223 Richmond, Virginia 23223

10 a.m.

(one service only) Guest Preacher:

(First Peter 5:6)

Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles Sunday, March 19, 2017 & 1st Lady 8:30 a.m. Sunday School Rebecca P. Coles

Sunday, March 19, 2017

2017 Theme: The Year of Elevation

Master of Ceremony Rev. James D. Lewis

Moore St. Missionary Baptist Church Unity Choir

Hood Temple A.M.E.Z. Church

31st St. Baptist Church

Rev. Tony D. Henderson, Pastor

All are Invited! Free Admission

16 W. Clay St., Richmond, VA 23220 For more info call 804.644.7586

Male Chorus

Richmond Free Press

B4 March 16-18, 2017

Faith News/Directory

Black Southern Baptists support Dr. Moore in denomination controversy By Adelle M. Banks

Embattled Southern Baptist ethicist Dr. Russell Moore, the public face of the nation’s largest Protestant group, has at least one group of vocal supporters — African-American Southern Baptist leaders. From the head of the SBC’s black fellowship to former Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter, these ofﬁcials have made it clear that, as one of their statements said, “We are pulling for Dr. Moore.” On Monday, Dr. Moore met with Frank Page, president of the SBC’s Executive Committee, as news swirled that Dr. Moore’s job as president of the denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission might be on the line. Dr.

Moore was a sharp critic of presidential candidate Donald Trump at a time when the overwhelming number of white evangelicals supported him. But after the meetRev. ing, the two noted in a joint statement that “racial reconciliation” was among the topics they discussed as they “developed mutual understanding on ways we believe will move us forward as a network of churches.” About 81 percent of white evangelicals voted for President Trump. But the nation’s largest evangelical denomination also is striving to improve its race relations — especially given its Civil War-era history

of defending slavery — and Dr. Moore has been one of the SBC’s most vocal champions of that effort. Alan Cross, a Southern Baptist minister who authored a Luter book on racism and Southern evangelicals, said the declarations by African-American Southern Baptists “were very strong and I do believe were key in moving this in a healthy direction.” “Seeing the SBC led by African-American pastors in calling for reconciliation in this divide is signiﬁcant,” he said. Two of three recent statements featuring African-American leaders’ support of Dr. Moore compare him to the

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader whose messages about justice were rejected Dr. Moore by some of his generation, including some Southern Baptists. In an open letter published last week in Baptist outlets, Byron J. Day, president of the National African-American Fellowship of the SBC, called for unity within the denomination. “There are some who have suggested withholding cooperative dollars until Dr. Moore is either disciplined or ﬁred. However, Russell Moore has

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Cemetery cleanup

 

Hundreds of volunteers — and a few goats — responded last Saturday to a call to help spruce up historic, but long neglected, East End and Evergreen cemeteries where an estimated 17,000 AfricanAmericans have been buried since the 1890s. Right, Tonya Jefferson snips uncontrolled vines that have taken over many of the gravesites where the likes of businesswoman and civic activist Maggie L. Walker and crusading newspaper editor and banker John Mitchell Jr. are interred. Richmond Delegate Delores L. McQuinn led the effort. Mayor Levar M. Stoney, Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham and City Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille were among an estimated 200 volunteers who participated. The volunteers also included a few goats. State funding is expected to be available after July 1 to support the volunteer effort to tend the cemeteries.

Triumphant

Baptist Church

2003 Lamb Avenue Dr. Arthur M. Jones, Sr., Pastor (804) 321-7622 Church School - 9:30 a.m. Worship Service - 11:15 a.m.

Baptist Church 2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor Rev. Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr. Pastor Emeritus

SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9:45 A.M. SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 11:00 A.M.

Communion - 1st Sunday

1858

“The People’s Church”

216 W. Leigh St. • Richmond, Va. 23220 Tel: 804-643-3366 • Fax: 804-643-3367 Email: ebcofﬁce1@yahoo.com • web: www.richmondebenezer.com

St. Peter Baptist Church

Dr. Kirkland R. Walton, Pastor

Worship Opportunities Sundays: Morning Worship Church School Morning Worship

8:45 a.m. 10 a.m.

 ile Su

1 p.m.

 e ercies iisr  a.m. ul ile Su :0 p.m. ie oore Sree o 

Pastor Kevin Cook

Theme for 2016-2020: Mobilizing For Ministry Refreshing The Old and Emerging The New A 21st Century Church With Ministry For Everyone

We Embrace Diversity — Love For All!

Come worship with us! Sunday, March 19, 2017 10:45 AM Worship Service

Christ Kids And Christ Teens Worship Every Sunday Nursery During Church School and Worship

Rev. Dr. Yvonne , Pastor

Early Morning Worship ~ 8 a.m. Sunday School ~ 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship ~ 11 a.m. 4th Sunday Uniﬁed Worship Service ~ 9:30 a.m. Bible Study: Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. & 7 p.m. Sermons Available at BRBCONLINE.org

“MAKE IT HAPPEN”

8 A.M. 9:30 A.M. 11 A.M.

Sixth Baptist Church

11:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Every 3rd Sunday 2nd Sunday, 11 a.m. Mon. 6:30 p.m. Tues. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wed. 6:45 p.m. Wed. 4:30 p.m. Wed. 6:00 p.m. Thurs., 11:45 a.m.

 Dr. Levy M. Armwood, Pastor  Dr. Wallace J. Cook, Pastor Emeritus

Church School Worship Service

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

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

Ebenezer Baptist Church



Broad Rock Baptist Church

Thursdays: Mid-Day Bible Study 12 Noon Prayer & Praise 6:30 P.M. Bible Study 7 P.M. (Children/Youth/Adults)

Prayer Services: Wednesday (1st & 3rd ) 7 a.m. Every Wednesday 8 p.m.

Sunday Worship Sunday Church School Service of Holy Communion Service of Baptism Life Application Bible Class Mid-Week Senior Adult Fellowship Wednesday Meditation & Bible Study Homework & Tutoring Scouting Program Thursday Bible Study

Riverview

Unity Sundays (2nd Sundays) Church School 8:30 A.M. Morning Worship 10 A.M.

Bible Study: Tuesday - 9 a.m. Wednesday - 7 p.m.

done nothing worthy Moore as “a Gospelof discipline or fircentered and faithful ing,” he wrote. “He voice for Southern has represented all Baptists.” Southern Baptists, A third endorsecontending for the ment came from Pashighly visible ethical tor William Dwight issues of abortion McKissic Sr. of Arand biblical marlington, Texas, who riage; but he has also Pastor McKissic suggested that preaddressed social injustices such dominantly minority churches as racism which have been long may want to determine their overlooked.” future contributions to the Roger S. Oldham, spokes- Southern Baptist Convention man for the SBC Executive based on the final decision Committee, confirmed that on Dr. Moore’s status in the some churches have threatened denomination. to siphon donations away from “The implications of the the SBC, but said those con- executive committee’s invessiderations do not relate to Dr. tigative report is staggering Moore alone. A study commit- and could be tantamount to an tee will investigate the reasons earthquake in the convention,” for those requests and determine Pastor McKissic predicted. “If how to resolve them. Dr. Moore is marginalized or “Over the past several fired, 80 to 90 percent of Southmonths, we have received nu- ern Baptist Black Churches merous phone calls from pastors who share Dr. Moore’s views and other individuals saying their on President Trump would also churches were considering with- simultaneously feel as if their holding or escrowing funds from political convictions regarding the convention over a number the current president of the of issues,” he said. United States would also be Other statements of support officially reprimanded, rejected were issued after Dr. Moore and rebuked by the Southern wrote a column apologizing to Baptist Convention.” Southern Baptists who thought Pastor McKissic proposed he was critical of anyone who the original language for the voted for President Trump and resolution adopted at last year’s after national and state Baptist SBC annual meeting that called organizations decided to con- for repudiating the Confederate sider investigations related to flag, a step Dr. Moore called for his agency. the previous year, saying, “Let’s Rev. Luter’s was the first take down that flag.” name on a letter posted on When that statement was adthe New Orleans Baptist As- opted, Dr. Moore said Southern sociation website responding Baptists “made history in the to a request received by the right way.” Louisiana Baptist Convention “This denomination was to study recent actions by the founded by people who wrongly ERLC. defended the sin of human “Dr. Moore speaks with a slavery,” Dr. Moore said at the prophetic voice to this gen- time. “Today, the nation’s largest eration,” said Rev. Luter and Protestant denomination voted other signatories, including to repudiate the Confederate African-American, white and battle flag, and it’s time and Hispanic Baptists. “We may well past time.” not like everything that he says, Religion News Service but we fear what our faith community may become if we lose his voice.” Dr. Moore has said that he is  confident he will remain in his 1408 W. eih Sree  ichmo a. 0 post. Ken Barbic, who chairs the 804 5840 ERLC board, has described Dr. 

Twitter sixthbaptistrva

400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

Facebook sixthbaptistrva

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

(near Byrd Park)

Richmond Free Press

March 16-18, 2017 B5

Legal Notices PUBLIC NOTICE Pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135; 49 U.S.C 5303 and 5304, the TriCities Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) hereby provides area citizens an opportunity to review and comment on the Transportation Improvement Program. This transportation plan has been developed by local and State agencies represented on the TriCities Area MPO. A copy of this draft document has been made available for public viewing during regular visiting hours at public libraries in the TriCities Area during a 30 day public review period beginning February 19, 2017 and ending March 22, 2017. One public meeting will be scheduled to receive comments on this draft plan on March 22, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Petersburg Multi-Modal Station located 1 0 0 W. Wa s h i n g t o n Street in Petersburg, VA. Persons in need of special accommodations to participate in these public meetings are requested to forward this information either by contacting the Crater Planning District Commission at 804-8611666 or by email using the address listed below one week prior to the meeting date. Persons with a hearing impairment may contact the Virginia Relay Center at 1-800-828-1120 to forward information to the Crater Planning District Commission and Tri-Cities Area MPO. The purpose of the Transportation Improvement Program is to recommend highway and transit improvements for the Tri-Cities Area. A copy of this draft plan and other information related to the Tri-Cities Area MPO has been made available in electronic format located http://craterpdc. org/transportation/mpo. htm The Crater Planning District Commission and the Tri-Cities Area MPO assure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, handicap, sex, age or income status, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent nondiscrimination laws, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity. Written comments on Transportation Improvement Program should be addressed Crater Planning District Commission, P.O. Box 1808, Petersburg, Virginia 23805 and or sent email dhyder@craterpdc.org and received within the review period ending March 22, 2017.

City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL Public Notice Notice is hereby given that the City of Richmond Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Monday, April 3, 2017 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, April 10, 2017 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 ordinance: Ordinance No. 2017-072 To amend and reordain City Code § 30-930.5 to establish the Mason’s Hall Old and Historic District at 1807 East Franklin Street to be known as the Mason’s Hall Old and Historic District. Ordinance No. 2017-073 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1117 West Franklin Street for the purpose of an expansion of an existing institutional use, upon certain terms and conditions. The City of Richmond’s Master Plan recommends SingleFamily (Medium Density) land use for the subject property. Primary uses in this category include single-family and twofamily dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities of 8 to 20 units per acre. These areas also include residential support uses such as schools, places of worship, neighborhood parks and recreation facilities, and limited public and semipublic uses. Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so. Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at www. Richmondgov.com; the Main City Library located at 101 East Franklin Street; 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. Jean V. Capel City Clerk

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, March 27, 2017 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. 2017-033 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer to accept funds in the amount of $670,813.00 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services; to amend the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Special Fund Budget by creating a new special fund for the Sheriff and Jail called the Jail Mental Health Program Special Fund; and to appropriate the grant funds received to the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Special Fund Budget by increasing estimated revenues and the amount appropriated to the Sheriff and Jail’s Jail Mental Health Program Special Fund by $670,813.00 for the purpose of providing mental health services to inmates at the City J a i l . ( CO M M I T T EE : Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, March 16, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-034 To declare a public necessity for and to authorize the acquisition of certain fee simple interests and easements in a parcel of real property owned by North Falls Acquisition, LLC at 1300 East Byrd Street for the public purpose of providing public access, stairways, and walkways associated with the Kanawha Canal. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, March 16, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-035 To amend and reordain City Code § 26-549, concerning the moratorium on acceptance of applications for tax exemptions, for the purpose of imposing a new requirement that triennial applications for retention of the exempt status by designation of real or personal property be filed with and reviewed by the City Assessor during such moratorium. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, March 16, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-067 To amend Ord. No. 2016-053, adopted May 13, 2016, which adopted a General Fund Budget for Fiscal Year 2016-2017 and made appropriations pursuant thereto, to transfer funds in the amount of $35,000 from the Department of Economic and Community Development agency and to appropriate this $35,000 to a new line item in the Non-Departmental agency called the Carytown, Inc. – Litter Cleanup line item for the purpose of making a grant to Carytown, Inc. to support litter cleanup activities in the Carytown area. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, March 16, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-068 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Grant Contract between the City of Richmond, Virginia, and the Better Housing Coalition to make a grant of $250,000 to the Better Housing Coalition for the purpose of supporting feasibility analysis and predevelopment activities for the development and redevelopment of the Eastview neighborhood in the city of Richmond. (COMMITTEE: Finance and Economic Development, Thursday, March 16, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-069 To amend City Code §§ 8-58, 8-61, 8-62, and 8-63, concerning the sale of City-owned real estate, for the purpose of providing for the conduct of a competitive process prior to the acceptance of an unsolicited offer to purchase City-owned real estate. (COMMITTEE: Land Use, Housing and Transportation, Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 3:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-070 To authorize the Director of Procurement Services, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Goods and Services Contract between the City of Richmond and CliftonLarsonAllen LLP for auditing services. ( CO M M I T T EE : Governmental Operations, Thursday, March 23, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-071 To (i) repeal Ord. Nos. 89-202-180, adopted Jul. 10, 1989; 89-203-181, adopted Jul. 10, 1989; 94-156-147, adopted Jun. Continued on next page

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27, 1994; 96-172-155, adopted Jun. 10, 1996; 98200-251, adopted Jun. 22, 1998; and 2004-356-351, adopted Dec. 13, 2004; (ii) repeal art. III, §§ 26 and 31 of the pay plan adopted by Ord. No. 93-117-159, adopted May 24, 1993; and (iii) amend art. III of the pay plan adopted by Ord. No. 93-117-159, adopted May 24, 1993, by adding therein new §§ 26A (concerning reduction-inforce), 26B (concerning severance), and 26C (concerning amicable departure agreements); all for the purpose of revising the City’s provisions governing severance pay for classified and unclassified employees, including senior executive employees. ( CO M M I T T EE : Governmental Operations, Thursday, March 23, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so. Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at www.Richmondgov. com 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. Jean V. Capel City Clerk

Divorce VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER STEPHANIE THOMAS, Plaintiff v. GREGORY THOMAS, Defendant. Case No.: CL17000574-00 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 25th day of April, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER OTELIA THROWERMEADOWS, Plaintiff v. RUSSELL MEADOWS, Defendant. Case No.: CL17000573-00 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 25th day of April, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

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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 11th day of April, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

( F ath e r ) & Ta s h i a Nicole Allen (MOTHER) of JOHNETTE ALLEN child, DOB 06/19/2001, “RPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support. It is ORDERED that the defendant Dwayne Anthony Holloway (Father) & Tashia Nicole Allen (Mother) to appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/her interest on or before May 10, 2017 at 2:00 PM, Courtroom #5. Diane Abato, Esq. 900 E. Broad St., 4th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493

NA, THOMAS ROBINSON and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 20, 2017, and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7940

a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” I T I S OR D ERE D t h a t C H U RC H H I L L P RO P ER T IE S , L C , A Cancelled Virginia Limited L i a b i l i t y C o m p a n y, WALTER A. HOOKER, P.C., A Terminated Virginia Corporation, Substitute Trustee of a certain Note secured by a Deed of Trust dated June 20, 2006, with respect to said property, recorded June 22, 2006, in Instrument Number 06-20975, or its successor/s in title, ROBERT G. WATTS, JR., Trustee of a certain Note secured by a Credit Line Deed of Trust dated February 21, 2001, with respect to said property, recorded March 2, 2001 in Instrument Number 015058, or his successor/s in title, M. ANDREW MCLEAN a/k/a MARK ANDREW MCLEAN, Trustee of a certain Note secured by a Credit Line Deed of Trust dated February 21, 2001, with respect to said property, recorded March 2, 2001 in Instrument Number 015058, or his successor/s in title, ROSTORMEL FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC., A Delaware Limited Liability Company for which the Authority to Transact Business in the Commonwealth of Virginia has been Cancelled, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 20, 2017, and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter. An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7940

consists of .rehabilitating 1.7 miles of 8-inch diameter gravity sewer pipe and manholes, replacing/rehabilitating associated sewer service connections, and providing 0.8 mile of ductile iron water pipe and approximately 190 water service relocations. Due 3:00 pm, April 11, 2017. Additional information available at: http://henrico.us/ purchasing/.

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER HEATHER WATSON, Plaintiff v. JOHN WATSON, Defendant. Case No.: CL17000427-00 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 11th day of April, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO GALINA RAMSEY, Plaintiff v. BILL W RAMSEY, Defendant. Case No.: CL 16002125-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground that the parties have live separate and apart, without cohabitation and without interruption, for more than one year. An affidavit having been filed that the present residence of the Defendant is unknown to the Plaintiff and the diligence has been used by and on behalf of Plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city the Defendant is located, without effect, it is ORDERED that the defendant appear before the Circuit Court of Henrico on or before March 20, 2017, and do what is necessary to protect his interest herein. A Copy, Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk

CUSTODY VIRginia: IN THE Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the County of chesterfield Commonwealth of Virginia, in re carter warner westbay Brian keith branch, tracy l. branch v. Unknown father Case No. JJ090846-01-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Determine custody o f Ca r t e r Wa r n e r Westbay (DOB: 5/4/16), whose mother is Christina Ann Moore and whose father is unknown, pursuant to Virginia Code Section 16.1-241A3. Father’s whereabouts are unknown. It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown Father appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his interests on or before 5/5/2017 at 9:00 AM

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER DUSTIN TYSON, Plaintiff v. TIANNA WILLIAMS, Defendant. Case No.: CL17000586-00 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 25th day of April, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests. A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure Counsel for Plaintiff VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

VIRginia: IN THE Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re ANTONIO LUKE Case No. J-778958-06-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Leticia Babette Luke (MOTHER) of ANTONIO LUKE child, DOB 11/23/2003, “RPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support. It is ORDERED that the defendant Leticia Babette Luke (Mother) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 5/9/2017 at 2:00 PM Courtroom #2

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER AJA RIDDICK, Plaintiff v. KENELM RIDDICK, Defendant. Case No.: CL17000425-00 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

VIRginia: IN THE Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re johnette allen Case No. J-82401-08-09 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Dwayne Anthony Holloway

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VIRGINIA: In the CIRCUit Court of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of virginia, in re QUentin JOYNER Case No. CL17-445 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Change minor child’s name It is ORDERED that Christopher Joyner appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before March 27, 2017 An Extract,Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk VIRginia: IN THE Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the City of Richmond Commonwealth of Virginia, in re YOLANDA HARRIS Case No. J-91792-05-06 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of Charlie Moses Harris (Father) & Betty Jean Spencer of YOLANDA H A RRI S c h i l d , D O B 10/19/2014, “RPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support. It is ORDERED that the defendant Charlie Moses Harris (Father) & Betty Jean Spencer (Mother) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before April 24, 2017 at 9:40 AM Courtroom #4 Kate O’Leary, Esq. 900 E. Broad St., 4th Floor Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-646-3493

Property VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. TIMOTHY HARRISON, et al., Defendants. Case No.: CL16-1894-4 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1510 North 24th Street, Richmond, Virginia, Ta x M a p / G P I N # E 0 0 0 0780/006,, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, TIMOTHY HARRISON and WILLIE EARL BRADLEY. An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, TIMOTHY HARRISON, who has been served by posting at his DMV legal presence address, and by mailing a copy of the complaint to that address and to the one Mr. Harrison has given as his address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action; that said owner, WILLIE EARL BRADLEY, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action; that CREDIT CAR AMERICA INC., A Purged Corporation, which may be a creditor with an interest in said property, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; that CITIBANK, N.A., a Foreign Corporation for which the Authority to Transact Business in the Commonwealth of Virginia has been Revoked, Successor by Merger to CITIBANK SOUTH DAKOTA, NA., which may be a creditor with an interest in said property, has not filed a response to this action; that THOMAS ROBINSON, who may be a creditor with an interest in said property, has not been locate and has not filed a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.” IT IS ORDERED that T I M O T H Y H A RRI S O N , WILLIE EARL BRADLEY, CREDIT CAR AMERICA INC., A Purged Corporation, CI T I B A N K , N . A . , a Foreign Corporation for which the Authority to Transact Business in the Commonwealth of Virginia has been Revoked, Successor by Merger to CITIBANK SOUTH DAKOTA, Continued on next column

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v. CHURCH HILL PROPERTIES, LC, A Cancelled Virginia Limited Liability Company, et al., Defendants. Case No.: CL16-914 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 3104 3rd Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N000-0991/011 to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, CHURCH HILL PROPERTIES, LC. An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, CHURCH HILL PROPERTIES, LC, A Cancelled Virginia Limited Liability Company, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; that WALTER A. HOOKER, P.C., A Terminated Virginia Corporation, Substitute Trustee of a certain Note secured by a Deed of Trust dated June 20, 2006, with respect to said property, recorded June 22, 2006, in Instrument Number 06-20975, or its successor/s in title, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action; that ROBERT G. WATTS, JR., Trustee of a certain Note secured by a Credit Line Deed of Trust dated February 21, 2001, with respect to said property, recorded March 2, 2001 in Instrument Number 01-5058, or his successor/s in title have not been located and have not filed a response to this action; that M. ANDREW MCLEAN a / k / a M A R K A N D RE W MCLEAN, Trustee of a certain Note secured by a Credit Line Deed of Trust dated February 21, 2001, with respect to said property, recorded March 2, 2001 in Instrument Number 01-5058, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action, or his successor/s in title; that ROSTORMEL FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC., A Delaware Limited Liability Company for which the Authority to Transact Business in the Commonwealth of Virginia has been Cancelled, which may be a creditor with an interest in said property has not files a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with

BIDS COUNTY OF HENRICO, VIRGINIA CONSTRUCTION I T B # 1 7 - 1 3 4 4 - 3 CE – Montrose Heights & Shurm Heights Area (GC-08 Phase 3) Sewer & Water Rehabilitation - This project Continued on next column

License The BrewCrew LLC Trading as: Brewers Cafe 101 W 12th Street, Richmond, Virginia 23224 The above establishment is applying to the Virginia D epartment of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) for a Mixed Beverage on premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Anthony Brewer Jr, Managing Member NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-5523200. Juno Restaurant Group II LLC Trading as: The Stables Wine & Beer on Premises & Mixed Beverage 201 N. Belmont Ave. Richmond, Virginia 23221-2811 The above establishment is applying to the Virginia D epartment of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) for a Wine & Beer On Premises & Mixed Beverage license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages. Steven J. Gooch, Member NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-5523200.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 153858-FH The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is requesting proposals from firms to provide ITS Infrastructure and Field Maintenance Services. All proposals must be received by 2:00 PM, April 20, 2017, at the Virginia Department of Transportation; Central Office Mail Center-Loading Dock Entrance; 1401 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. A manadatory Pre-proposal Conference will be held at 10:00 AM on March 23, 2017. For a copy of the Request for Proposals (RFP # 153858-FH), go to the website: www.eva.virginia.gov VDOT assures compliance with Title VI Requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement. For questions or additional information email: frederick.haasch@vdot. virginia.gov

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TransiT sysTem

GRTC TRANSIT SYSTEM AUDITING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES GRTC Transit System invites all interested parties to submit proposals for providing auditing and financial services. Interested firms may download a copy of RFP# 157-17-03 from GRTC’s website www.ridegrtc.com (menu options: About Us, then Procurement) or obtain a copy from Tonya Thompson, Director of Procurement at (804) 358.3871 ext. 372. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held on March 21, 2017 at 10:00 am for this procurement. Responses are due no later than 11:00 am on April 7, 2017. All inquiries pertaining to the request or any questions in reference to the solicitation documents should be directed to: Tonya Thompson Director of Procurement (804) 358.3871, extension 372 Supplier diversity program“providing equal opportunity for small businesses”

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Richmond Free Press The People's Newspaper

Richmond Free Press

B6 March 16-18, 2017

Sports Plus

Monacan’s Megan Walker ends high school career as nation’s top player By Fred Jeter

In her final Monacan High School game, Megan Walker showed she was human — but more importantly that she was great. Now an exclamation point can be placed at the end of the final line of the final chapter of the story of one of the greatest basketball players in Richmond area history. “Megan is a great, great player and she proved it tonight,” Monacan Coach Larry Starr said after the Chiefs’ nail-biting 60-59 win over King’s Fork High School of Suffolk in the State 4A women’s basketball finals last Friday at the Siegel Center. “Megan put us on her shoulders.” Wearing her signature orange fingernail polish and white headband, the 6-foot-1 Walker tallied 35 points, 11 rebounds, six blocked shots and five steals, all with her ponytail flapping. In a pressure cooker setting, she scored Monacan’s final 14 points, including the game winner — a short flip through a windmill of arms with 14 seconds left. “Teams try to deny Megan, but she’s hard to deny,” said Coach Starr. “No. 32 (Walker) refused to lose.” Still, the tense crowd of some 5,000 fans saw the human side of the 17-year-old who is headed to college at NCAA juggernaut University of Connecticut. Uncharacteristically, she was 0 for 3 from behind the arc and just 15 for 24 at the foul line, drawing groans from a partisan crowd. She had three turnovers. Still, her greatness outshined the flaws by far. Asked afterward if she could have scripted the events more perfectly, she replied: “You always like to think you can do better, but I’ve had a crazy tremendous career at Monacan.” Walker has the ranking and honors to show for it. Her laundry list of honors starts with being the nation’s No. 1 ranked player by ESPN. She is a three-time State 4A Player of the Year, as well as a three-time 4A East Region and Conference 20 Player of the Year. Here are some of the Monacan team’s numbers: • The Chiefs’ Friday, March 10, win over King’s Fork High gives Monacan High three consecutive state titles. • The Chiefs finished 30-0 this season and 59-1 during the past two seasons combined. The team’s record was 104-7 during Walker’s four seasons. • Striking inside, outside and all areas in between, Walker accumulated 2,162 points — 708 points this season alone — despite sitting out many minutes of her team’s lopsided victories. • As an eighth-grader, she led Manchester Middle School to an undefeated season and the Chesterfield County title in 2013, setting the stage for her success at Monacan. Walker exits as one of the premier players in area annals and almost certainly the most heavily sought. In assessing “all-time greatness,” Walker’s only competition might come from Jessie Hicks, the 6-foot-4 Thomas Jefferson High School center who twice earned All-ACC honors at the

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Megan Walker, center, of Chesterfield County’s Monacan High School gets through the defensive pack of King’s Fork High School of Suffolk to go in for the basket during Monacan’s 60-59 state 4A championship win last Friday at the Siegel Center in Richmond. Walker, the nation’s top-ranked high school player, is headed to the University of Connecticut, where she will play for the championship Huskies.

University of Maryland in the early 1990s. Hicks was the 12th overall pick in the 1997 WNBA draft four years after she finished at Maryland. Also mentioned among top players is Chantel Adkins of the Henrico High School Class of 1991, who scored 2,320 points and later starred at Temple University. Midway during her freshman year at Monacan, Walker drew serious attention from the nation’s elite college programs, including the Connecticut Huskies. It wasn’t uncommon to see Huskies Coach Geno Auriemma, among others, on a star search in Chesterfield County. Walker will be going from one of the most successful high

schools program in Virginia to unquestionably the best college program. UConn has won 10 NCAA titles since 2000, including the last four. The Huskies are now on an unfathomable 100-plus game winning streak. Now get this: There is an opening for an incoming freshman in the UConn lineup. The Huskies’ seniors include Saniya Chong, a wing guard (Walker’s likely college position) averaging more than 30 minutes per game. Those having witnessed Walker at Monacan are convinced her greatness will continue in college, with the only difference being she’ll change her nail color from Monacan orange to UConn navy blue.

Norcom High senior, Travis Ingram, is first player on 4 championship teams

As a sophomore in 2015, he was part of the Greyhounds’ 4A championship win over King’s Fork High School of Suffolk. Last year as a junior, he was a big part of Norcom’s championship triumph in the 3A tournament over Hopewell High School. An All-Region East pick, Ingram will continue next year on a basketball scholarship at Towson University in Maryland. The Greyhounds also won state Group AAA crowns in 2010, defeating Petersburg High School, and in 2011, topping L.C. Bird High School. Norcom is among a handful of formerly all-black high schools still in existence after the Virginia Interscholastic Association merged with the allwhite VHSL in 1969. VIA oversaw athletic and extracurricular activities and competitions among the state’s all-black schools during segregation. Other VIA high schools still in existence are Armstrong High School in Richmond and Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk. Most VIA high schools were converted into elementary or middle schools or closed after school desegregation.

By Fred Jeter

Travis Ingram has enjoyed an unforgettable basketball career at I.C. Norcom High School of Portsmouth. The 6-foot-3 senior becomes the first player in Virginia High School League history to play on four state championship teams. Ingram had 19 points and seven rebounds Friday, March 10, as the Greyhounds topped Northside High School of Roanoke 51-41 for the state 3A championship at the Siegel Center. Norcom High also is the first school to claim four consecutive boys’ state crowns — two in the state 4A division and now twice in the 3A division. Princess Anne High School of Virginia Beach added its fourth straight girls’ basketball 5A title on Saturday, March 11. Ingram was Norcom High’s lone freshman in 2014 when the team started its successful four-year run in Richmond by defeating John Handley High School of Winchester in the 4A state final.

Travis Ingram

Employment Opportunities 1 PCA or 1 CAN

PASTOR Fourth Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia is currently seeking a Full Time Pastor. Fourth Baptist is 157 years old and located in historic Church Hill. We are seeking a pastor who has a strong calling to minister. Minimum requirements are a Master of Divinity Degree from an accredited educational institution and a minimum of five (5) years of pastoral experience. Qualified candidates should mail their resume to the following address. Postmarked no later than April 30, 2017. Pastoral Search Committee, P. O. Box 26686 Richmond, Virginia 23261

Project research sPecialist

Richmond The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) seeks a Project Research Specialist in the Research Division to write comprehensive, customized proposals to market Virginia and its communities to prospective new and existing businesses considering a Virginia location. Responsibilities include: researching and evaluating comprehensive and diverse data and parameters for the development of proposals, RFI responses, and customized incentive packages, developing and maintaining topic databases for proposal production, and conducting special projects. All candidates must apply through our website: http://www.yesvirginia.org/AboutUs/Employment. Application deadline: March 17, 2017. EOE/M/F/V/D

Detention Home Superintendent

County of Henrico, Virginia IRC84259. Directs and supervises the operation of the Henrico County Juvenile Detention Home; does related work as required. For a more specific description of duties and qualifications and to apply, visit our iRecruitment site on the Internet at http://henrico.us/services/jobs/. Deadline 3/27/2017. EOE.

English Instructor (Position #FO273) (J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Richmond, VA) Master’s degree in English or Composition/Rhetoric; or Master’s degree in any field but must include eighteen (18) graduate semester hours in English or Composition/Rhetoric. The selected candidate must be able to successfully pass the college’s pre-employment security screening. TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: Full-time, ninemonth teaching faculty-ranked appointment. Salary range: $31,876-$102,279. Approximate maximum hiring salary: $50,000. Salary commensurate with the education and experience of the applicant. Additional information is available at the College’s website: www.reynolds.edu. APPLICATION PROCESS: Review of applications will begin MAY 5, 2017, position to be filled for Fall 2017. AA/EOE/ADA/Veterans/ AmeriCorps/Peace Corps/Other National Service Alumni are encouraged to apply.

Programmer/Analyst 4 in Richmond, VA, to develop, design & implement tech solutions using SOA to integrate Oracle Webcenter w/apps & middleware. Reqs BS or foreign equiv degree in Comp Sci + 6 yrs exp. Add’l specific exp req’d. Resumes to Lori Peters, McKesson Corp, 9954 Mayland Drive, Ste 400, Richmond, VA 23233

needed for 12 hour shift at Assisted Living Facility. Also need 1 PCA or CAN to work as a relief person on 12-hour shift. Please bring a current TB report when applying. All references will be checked.  Good pay  Good days off Need licensed medication aide for 12-hours shifts. Call for appointment (804) 222-5133. Freelance Writers: The Richmond Free Press has immediate opportunities for freelance writers. Newspaper experience is a requirement. To be considered, please send 5 samples of your writing, along with a cover letter to news@richmond freepress.com or mail to: Richmond Free Press, P. O. Box 27709, Richmond, VA 23261 No phone calls.

S A Counselor - FT Downtown Richmond Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or related field with two years’ related experience. Must have CSAC, LCP, LCSW preferred. EOE. Email brendw@hricorp.org or marym@hricorp.org or fax 804-644-6310 or call (804) 592-2852.

To advertise in the

The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring Field Representatives in the Richmond metro area. If you are customer focused, self-motivated and have excellent communication skills, please call 1-800-563-6499 for more information and to be scheduled for a testing near you. The Census Bureau is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

The City of Richmond is seeking to fill the following positions: Customer Service Supervisor – Revenue Recovery 35M00000501 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 03/26/17 ****************** For an exciting career with the City of Richmond, visit our website for additional information and apply today! www.richmondgov.com EOE M/F/D/V

Richmond Free Press call 644-0496