May 25 27, 2017 issue by Richmond Free Press

Art purchase sets record

NAACP leader out

VOL. 26 NO. 21

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

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c e l e b rat ing o u r 2 5 t h A nniv e r s ar y

May 25-27, 2017

Hometown welcome Basketball star Frank Mason III returns to Petersburg, fan honors By Fred Jeter

Frank Mason III left Petersburg High School in 2012 with stars in his eyes but with no guarantees of success. What has followed since for the young basketball player is anything but typical. The 23-year-old son of Sharon Harrison and Frank Mason Jr. returned home last weekend, having dramatically reached the stars — even dancing among them. The University of Kansas point guard finished his senior

Related story, A10 and final season sweeping virtually every national individual basketball honor possible. He leaves the Jayhawks — and looks forward to a possible NBA career — as the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year, James A. Naismith College Player of the Year, Associated Press Player of the Year, CBS Sports National Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches Player of the Year and winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy, John R. Wooden Award and Bob Cousy Award. Please turn to A4

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Frank Mason III enters Petersburg’s Union Station to the ovation of about 100 fans, friends and family members last Friday during the Frank Mason III Day celebration.

Trump’s budget plan raises hackles, skepticism with deep cuts to social programs

City quietly pumps $833,569 more into Monroe Park renovation By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Free Press staff, wire report

WASHINGTON Angry Democrats and skeptical Republicans are fighting back against attempts by administrative officials to defend President Trump’s proposed $4.1 trillion budget that slashes safety net programs for the poor, targeting food stamps, Medicaid and student loan forgiveness, while relying on rosy projections about the nation’s economic growth to balance the budget within 10 years. The cuts are part of a budget blueprint for the upcoming fiscal year that amount to a dramatic restructuring of the government, with protection for retirement programs for the elderly, billions of dollars more for the military and the rest of the government bearing the bulk of the reductions. The plan, released Tuesday, would cut $610 billion from Medicaid, the federal-state health care for the poor and disabled; slash federal assistance for the food stamp and feeding programs by $191 billion, or nearly 30 percent; reduce mental health services and substance abuse treatment grants to states by nearly $300 million; and make deep gashes in education funding, including cutting $2.3 billion for teacher training and class-size reduction, $1.2 billion from after-school programs and $190 million for literacy programs. Additionally, it would cut student loan programs by $143 bilPlease turn to A4

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Behind construction fencing, part of Monroe Park appears untouched. But heavy equipment is digging up ground elsewhere on the 7.3-acre site. The city’s oldest park has been closed to the public since November to make way for $6.6 million in improvements. Work began in April and could take 18 months to complete.

The renovation of Monroe Park is a prime example of why Richmond City Council is becoming more aggressive in overseeing city spending. After telling City Council in December that the projected $6 million Monroe Park project — half to be paid by private donations — had adequate funding, the city’s chief administrative officer, Selena Cuffee-Glenn, quietly shifted $833,569 to the project in recent months from reportedly unused capital funds. The shift was made without notice to City Council and was disclosed as the result of queries from Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, 5th District, and the council’s budget staff. Mr. Agelasto also was surprised to learn that nearly half of the money shifted, $394,000, was listed as coming from two paving projects in his district that already had been completed and paid for — one involving Please turn to A4

Mother-son youth outreach expands with plans for summer camp By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Pick me! Ahmad Anderson, left, and his Carver Elementary School classmate Zay’Mya Harris wave their hands with the answer during an activity at the Children’s Book Festival last Friday at Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward. The first-graders were among students from four area school systems to participate. Please see more photos, B2.

William Duron Carter has a passion for assisting young people. He wants to go beyond his current efforts of helping an estimated 1,700 students from Central Virginia and Hampton Roads go to college on sports scholarships. The 37-year-old Richmond native is embarking on a new venture. He is opening a summer camp for youths ages 6 to 14 through the ASSIST Foundation. The foundation was started by Mr. Carter and his mother, Chana R. Carter, and is operated on a shoestring budget. A big man who talks softly, Mr. Carter

said the camp is aimed at promoting positive values while engaging youngsters in creative activities ranging from sports to cooking, gardening and computer technology. “We want this camp to be a fun place where campers can boost their self-esteem and creativity, to develop courage and humility and learn other values, such as goal-setting,” said Ms. Carter, a retired postal clerk and partner in the venture. Camp ASSIST will run for nine weeks — from June 24 to Aug. 25 — at a cost of $150 per student per week, she said. Mr. Carter said that Youth Excel & Advancement, a community mental health

services provider, has made the camp possible. He said Youth Excel has donated the use of several buildings for the camp, including the former Boys & Girls Club building at 910 S. Harrison St. in Richmond, and a complex at 500 Baptist Lane in Chester. “We have all the space we need and more to operate successfully,” Mr. Carter said. There are a lot of details to get a camp open, and the Carters are working hard to generate support, secure equipment and recruit the campers to make the program Please turn to A4

Richmond Free Press

A2 May 25-27, 2017

Local News

Memorial Day celebration May 29 at Virginia War Memorial The 61st Commonwealth’s Memorial Day Ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Monday, May 29, at the Virginia War Memorial, 621 S. Belvidere St. Maj. Gen. Timothy P. Williams, adjutant general of Virginia, will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony co-hosted by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and the American Legion’s 11th District. Also participating will be Delegate Richard Anderson of Prince William County, chairman of the Virginia War Memorial Board; Al Hillman, commander of the American Legion’s 11th District; and Clay Mountcastle, director of the Virginia War Memorial. Music will be provided by the 392nd Army Band at Fort Lee, Powhatan High School, St. Andrews Legion and Benedictine Cadet Pipes and Drums; and Bugles Across America. A wreath-laying ceremony will follow. At 2 p.m., the Thomas Jefferson Alumni Cadet Corps and Friends Band will hold a free concert of patriotic music at the War Memorial’s Shrine of Memory. The programs, which will honor those who died in military service to the nation, are open to the public.

Holiday schedule

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

A list of closings and schedule changes for Memorial Day, Monday, May 29: Government Federal offices: Closed Post offices: Closed State government: Closed Department of Motor Vehicles customer service centers: Closed Courts: Closed City and county offices: Closed City and county schools: Closed

Public Libraries: Closed. In Richmond, the Broad Rock Branch also will be closed on Sunday, May 28. The Library of Virginia will be closed Saturday, May 27, through Monday, May 29. Parking meters: Not enforced. Trash and recycling: Pickups and collections will be a day late next week.

Transportation GRTC: Buses will run on a Sunday schedule. Customer service will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (804) 358- 4782 or www.ridegrtc.com

Businesses Shopping malls and most stores: Open. Banks: Closed. ABC stores: Close at 6 p.m. Richmond Free Press: Closed.

Richmond names new city assessor Richie N. McKeithen is the new city assessor. Richmond City Council named him Monday to succeed James D. Hester, who retired last year. The 54-year-old Washington native is to start Monday, June 5. He is expected to earn about the same amount as Mr. Hester, whose salary was near $145,000 when he retired. Mr. McKeithen brings significant experience to the position of valuing properties for tax purposes, including previous service as the chief assessor for Hampton, Philadelphia and the District of Columbia. Mr. McKeithen Most recently, he served as the City of Petersburg’s assessor. The Hampton University graduate previously worked in the Richmond Assessor’s Office from 2001 to 2005, and said he regards Richmond as his home. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS

Senior fair set for June 6 A second information fair for Richmond’s senior adults will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 6, at the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3000 Belt Boulevard, in South Side, Richmond City Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell has announced. Ms. Trammell said city government and nonprofit groups will be on hand to offer information on a wide range of topics. Details: Ms. Trammell, Reva.Trammell@Richmondgov.com or (804) 240-5050.

Sarah H. Scarbrough

Mohawk for the sheriff Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. sports a mohawk, as the haircut that leaves a strip of hair in the center of a bald head is known. He got the new look from Emmanuel Gayot of Edify Barber Academy, who also teaches the barbering trade to jail inmates. Sheriff Woody and members of his staff and former inmates took part in the national 1 Million Mohawks for Mental Health Challenge. Conceived by the You Rock Foundation, the goal is to use the attentiongetting haircut to talk about mental health. “I’m glad to do what I can to bring awareness and attention to this important issue,” the sheriff said in explaining his participation. Mental health is a big issue for the Richmond Justice Center he manages. His office reports that 22 percent of inmates have been diagnosed with a mental health issue and are on medication. Nearly nine of 10 of those mentally ill individuals are repeat offenders who are arrested and returned to the city jail soon after release, officials said.

Cityscape Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

Only dirt remains where the former Armstrong High School once stood at 1611 N. 31st in the East End. Heavy equipment now is preparing the site for the construction of 175 mixed-income and senior apartments. Construction is to begin this summer. Another 81 single-family homes also are planned for the site. The public-private development is the first step in the grand plan to attack poverty by replacing the nearby 504-unit Creighton Court public housing community that fronts Nine Mile Road. Once the new units on the Armstrong site are completed in 2018, the units will be marketed, with some Creighton Court residents to move in. That will allow demolition to begin in Creighton Court, which is also is slated for redevelopment. Former Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones pushed the redevelopment plan, which is being spearheaded for the city by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The city is funding infrastructure changes, while the private partner in the project is The Community Builders, a Boston-based nonprofit.

Va. attorney general to recoup money for Target data breach investigation Remember when Target reported in November 2013 that hackers had stolen the personal and credit card data for more than 60 million customers? Nearly four years later, the retail giant has agreed to pay $18.5 million to resolve the investigation of 47 state attorneys general into the cyber attack, including Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring. Mr. Herring announced Tuesday that Virginia will receive $352,710 as its share of the settlement, mostly to recoup the cost of the work undertaken by his office. The incident was one of the largest publicly disclosed hacks of a retail company. While more than 60 million customers were affected, the most serious problems impacted 41 million customers whose personal data from payment card accounts was stolen. The computer thieves, exploiting weaknesses in Target’s system, were

able to gain names, telephone numbers, email and mailing addresses, payment card numbers, codes and expiration dates and encrypted debit card PINs. “This settlement requires Target to provide security safeMr. Herring guards and create and maintain a comprehensive data security program,” including employing an executive to execute the plan, Mr. Herring said. Target also must keep customer data separate from the rest of its internal computer network, he said, and have an independent company monitor the company’s security program to ensure that it remains strong enough to prevent further thefts of customer data.

Mr. Herring described the settlement, which essentially memorializes steps the company has long since taken, as a model that other companies should follow. He also urged consumers to remain vigilant regarding their data, including monitoring credit card and bank statements and credit reports. “Unfortunately, attacks like the one that occurred at Target are becoming all too frequent, and businesses and consumers alike should do everything they can to safeguard personal and financial information,” he added. Since that attack, Target has not reported another data breach, and there have been no widespread reports of customers having their identities stolen as a result of the first theft. The company has provided free credit monitoring to customers as part of its effort to restore trust in its ability to hold onto data. — Jeremy M. Lazarus

Money moved to restore alley blitz By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The alley blitz is back on track. Bobby Vincent, director of the Richmond Department of Public Works, received the $700,000 his department needs to begin hiring up to 20 temporary workers and to rent front loaders and rollers. He expects the three-month effort to get underway within two weeks now that his money problem has been solved. The money became available Monday night as Richmond City Council voted 8-1 to allow Mayor Levar M. Stoney to shuffle funds among departments in the current budget for the 2017 fiscal year that will end June 30. That included promised funding for the alley blitz and $400,000 to support Public Works’ efforts to step up grass mowing at parks and schools and on median strips and other city property. Overall, the budget amendment slashed about $4 million in spending to reflect reduced revenues, although some departments including Public Works received extra funds. There were no fireworks. The only opposition came from Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, 5th District. He said his no vote was a protest against having to rubberstamp the changes that were presented to the council only last week. His main complaint was the inability to get adequate information “about five or six things” included on the list of changes. Mr. Agelasto said that since May 9, he has been asking Mr. Vincent and Selena Cuffee-Glenn, the city’s chief administrative officer, for information on what alleys would be done in his district. So far, he said, he has been stonewalled. “People who have been calling the city would like to know if their alley will be among those that will get fixed, but I can’t tell them,” he said. Mr. Vincent distributed information showing the number of miles of alleys to be improved per council district, but offered no specifics on locations. In the 5th District, 29 miles of alleys are to be improved. Overall, 209 miles are to be improved in 98 unspecified neighborhoods, the information sheet indicates.

The eight other council members were ready to allow the changes, particularly after Mayor Stoney announced he would not veto a controversial fiscal 2018 budget amendment that the council approved requiring the administration to seek permission to move money within major departments. While Mayor Stoney called the amendment “an overreach,” he said he would accept the amendment last Friday before flying to Las Vegas to spend most of the week pitching Richmond to commercial developers and major retail stores in a bid to attract new business to the city. However, during the discussion Monday night, council members raised concerns. For example, Andreas D. Addison, 1st District, said he hopes the administration would present information like this in a more timely fashion in the future. Kristen N. Larson, 4th District, also noted that most of the money came from savings from positions that were authorized, but left unfilled. She noted that departments came to the council during the hearings on the new budget to ask for funding for positions that

were essential but which the mayor and his administration failed to fund. She said she had a hard time understanding how the city could generate millions in vacancy savings at the same time department leaders were bombarding the council with pleas for help to pay staff. One item that raised eyebrows was the $1.47 million in vacancy savings that came from the Richmond Police Department. Chief Alfred Durham, who had pleaded for more cash to improve salaries and hire more people, said the money resulted from retirements and departures of officers who could not immediately be replaced. He said he has the funding to be able to nearly reach his authorized strength of 750 sworn officers, although at least 43 are recruits who will either complete seven months of training or will start training in the next three weeks. Still, it remains a sore point for the council that they were pushed in December to approve $1.6 million to enable Chief Durham to start a new recruit class and now find that he would have had most of the money he needed in his current budget as a result of the departures.

RPS closes Norrell Annex By Jeremy M. Lazarus

It took a shooting, but the A.V. Norrell Annex finally has been closed by Richmond Public Schools and boarded up. The building at 201 W. Graham Road was to be closed earlier this year, but school officials delayed the shutdown. That changed on May 1, when three intruders managed to get into the building, and an employee with the school system’s food services department was shot and wounded when she encountered them. They fled. No arrests have been made. The wound was not life threatening, and the employee was treated and released from a local hospital. But the incident ended the school system’s dawdling on closing the building, and the remaining employees were moved

out within days. Meanwhile, a few RPS employees remain nearby at the former A.V. Norrell Elementary School, 2120 Fendall Ave., although that building also was slated to be shuttered earlier this year. The remaining offices are expected to be moved by the end of June. One reason the Norrell Elementary School building may have been kept open is that it is used as a city voting precinct. Area residents will vote there on Tuesday, June 13, in the primary election. Once closed, the buildings could become targets for development into apartments or for other uses. As yet, there has been little discussion about the future of either, both of which remain under the control of the Richmond School Board. The buildings are named for one of the first AfricanAmerican principals in Richmond.

Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

TO THE

BRAVE MEN &

WOMEN OF

EMS K Y N O A U H T

You run without hesitation to answer the call for help. You give selflessly to assist others who may never say thank you or even know your name. At VCU Health we salute you. Thank you for being heroes every day and making our community strong.

EMS Week. May 21-27, 2017 To learn more about trauma care and prevention visit vcuhealth.org/trauma

Richmond Free Press

A4 May 25-27, 2017

News

Trump’s budget plan raises hackles, skepticism with deep cuts to social programs Continued from A1

lion and phase out a program that forgives student loan debt in exchange for public service. It also would eliminate federal funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides access to justice for low-income Americans; eliminate the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program that provides grants to help localities, farmers and others reduce pollution into the Chesapeake Bay; eliminate cost of living adjustments for retired federal employees; and reduce federal funding for transportation infrastructure projects. Under President Trump’s plan, the cuts would be accompanied by a proposed $54 billion increase in military spending, financed by an equal cut to nondefense programs, which meant slashing medical research and foreign aid. Law enforcement and border security would get increases, along with a $1.6 billion down payment to begin building a wall along the border with Mexico, a central program of the Republican’s presidential campaign. It also would cut tax rates, but rely on erasing tax breaks and economic growth to avoid adding to the deficit. It would create three tax brackets — 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent — instead of the current seven. Opposition to the plan was swift and loud from lawmakers and advocates for a myriad of programs that would be affected.

“The president’s budget is nothing but Robin Hood in reverse — stealing from those most vulnerable while rewarding those who already have the most,” said Rep. A. Donald McEachin of Henrico, a Democrat who represents Virginia’s 4th Congressional District. “As proposed, it would make egregious, draconian cuts to programs that Americans count on. It would take our country back to a time when government turned their backs on hardworking families. Middle class Americans, minority communities, low-income families, children and the elderly will suffer under this budget, which fails to protect funding for public education, health care, housing and the social safety net.” U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a Democrat, promised to work with his Democratic and Republican colleagues on the Senate Budget Committee to “prevent these harmful, short-sighted cuts” that he said would dismantle critical programs that support thousands of Virginia families. “After promising not to cut Medicaid, Trump’s budget would slash the program, which provides more than 1 million Virginians — including more than 594,000 kids, 112,000 seniors and 186,000 people with disabilities — with health care,” Sen. Kaine said. President Trump’s budget chief, former Tea Party congressman Mick Mulvaney, defended the budget plan Tuesday during

testimony before the House Budget Committee. He said he went line by line through the federal budget and asked, “Can we justify this to the folks who are actually paying for it?” On Monday, he told reporters, “We need people to go to work. If you are on food stamps, we need you to go to work. If you are on disability and you should not be, we need you to go back to work.” The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan policy organization, said the plan relies on gimmicks, unrealistic cuts and “rosy assumptions” of economic growth that would reach 3 percent annually by the end of President Trump’s first term. The Congressional Budget Office projects the economy to grow at an annual pace of 1.9 percent over that period. While GOP Rep. Dave Brat of Hanover, who represents Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, called President Trump’s budget plan “a serious attempt to bring federal spending under control,” he said it is time “to have a real debate about Washington’s spending priorities and balance the budget as soon as possible.” Other lawmakers, including Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, predicted the Medicaid cuts wouldn’t survive the Senate. “But almost every president’s budget proposal that I know of is basically dead on arrival.”

Mother-son youth outreach expands with plans for summer camp Continued from A1

a success. However, Mr. Carter and his mother, who are both unpaid volunteers in their foundation, have proved to be experts in making a way out of no way. Since 2003 and shortly after graduating from Bridgewater College where he played basketball and earned a degree in business, Mr. Carter has operated a program to assist students with gaining sports scholarships. It’s the foundation’s centerpiece program, ASSIST Student Athletes. ASSIST stands for Athlete Scholastic Support Initiative for Securing Success Tomorrow. Supporting himself as a substitute teacher in Chesterfield County and as a part-time recreation aide in Richmond, Mr. Carter has kept the program going, attracting coaches to come see overlooked players. “Many of these kids come from families that can’t afford to participate in AAU leagues,” he said. To help spotlight the young athletes, Mr. Carter stages clinics, showcases and other events — mostly in basketball and football — that provide

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

William D. Carter and his mother, Chana R. Carter, are starting a summer camp for 200 youngsters ages 6 to 14 through their ASSIST Foundation, best known for helping overlooked student athletes gain college sports scholarships.

college coaches seeking players to take another look at athletes they may have missed.

Mr. Carter acknowledges that plenty of players come through his program and still do not get a nibble, but each

year, 50 or more young adults receive scholarship offers that open the door to higher education. Mr. Carter wins rave reviews from coaches for his effort. Karen Blair, Virginia Commonwealth University’s assistant women’s basketball coach who leads recruiting, is typical in her praise of Mr. Carter and his ASSIST program. “When I first started at VCU, (Mr. Carter) was one of the first calls I made,” she said. “He’s a solid resource. He puts on clinics and games that help with my recruiting.” Ms. Blair noted two players on the VCU roster for the 2017-18 season are ones she identified through ASSIST showcases. Keith Walker, Delaware State University’s head basketball coach, also is a fan of the ASSIST program. He calls it “a positive for young men and women,” and said it has been a big help with identifying Central Virginia players who might not come to his attention otherwise. He called Mr. Carter “an honest broker who does a good job of evaluating potential student talent and providing information about

their academic status. We’ve taken a lot of players he has recommended.” One player who benefited from ASSIST is Greg Parham, a basketball star at Monacan High School. After graduation in June, he’ll be heading to Virginia Military Institute on a basketball scholarship that he credits Mr. Carter with helping him to obtain. Despite being a state Player of the Year as a junior and scoring 20 points a game as a senior, he said not a single recruiter expressed interest in him after the season. He said with Mr. Carter’s help, he began drawing interest from Division II and III schools as he participated in ASSIST showcases, finally attracting the attention of VMI, a Division I school. “I don’t think I would have had these kind of choices without his help,” Greg said. For Camp ASSIST information and registration: www.mycampassist.com or (804) 397-3261 or (804) 300-1550. For information on ASSIST Student Athletes, including a schedule of events: www.assiststudentathletes.com.

City quietly pumps $833,569 more into Monroe Park renovation Continued from A1

Allen Avenue and the other involving paving at Meadow Street, Colorado Avenue and Harrison Street. In a May 17 memo to the administration, Mr. Agelasto wrote that the city administration appears to have used those projects as a faulty excuse to reduce the funding for street paving in the Capital Improvement Budget. He noted the spending for the two projects in his district had been recorded in the wrong account and that the council was told that money for them was to be re-recorded in the appropriate account in the capital budget — street paving. Instead, the money was designated as available and shifted to Monroe Park, a shift he stated that would “not be in keeping with the spirit” of the City Charter section allowing such transfers and that would reduce already inadequate funding for repaving streets. “The City Auditor and the Department of Public Works has confirmed the city is significantly delinquent in its repaving program,” Mr. Agelasto stated. “Increasing the capital budget for Monroe Park (above its original budget) is a nicety and not a necessity. It should not come at the cost to our streets and the paving account.” Ms. Cuffee-Glenn has not responded to Free Press requests for an explanation about the funding transfer. However, according to information on the city’s website, the city’s share of the Monroe Park project’s cost has ballooned by 30 percent. While the December report to City Council showed $2.77 million had been appropriated for the park project, a separate procurement department report shows the city projected it would actually need $3.6 million for its share of the work — an increase of about $833,000. Finding that extra money became crucial after the city awarded South-

wood Building Systems Inc. on March 23 a contract to undertake the work in the 7.3-acre park, the city’s oldest. The Ashland-based company beat out two competitors with its total bid of $6.25 million, according to city records. That includes the city’s share of the park renovation cost and the $3 million raised by the Monroe Park Conservancy, a nonprofit group that City Council has designated to oversee and manage the park that dates to 1851. Without the shift of city funding, the city would have been short in covering the cost of the contract. Mr. Agelasto said the council rarely is consulted on capital projects once the budget for infrastructure is approved. He, for one, is tired of being left in the dark or learning after the fact. Other council members said they also want more up-to-date information before decisions are made. Such feelings helped fuel the council’s recent reform regarding general fund spending. As part of approving a new budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year that will begin July 1, City Council amended Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s proposed budget to focus on programs and service codes within departments and require the administration to seek council approval before shifting funds between programs in major departments. New council members Kim B. Gray, 2nd District, and Kristen N. Larson, 4th District, led the reform that left Mayor Stoney fuming that the change could disrupt services. Both Ms. Gray and Ms. Larson, who previously served on the Richmond School Board, consider the mayor’s claims overblown. They note the School Board already follows a similar practice, and they could not recall an instance where controversy erupted between the board and the school administration over transfers of funds between programs.

Hometown basketball hero Frank Mason III signs the jersey of 7-year-old Davy Rasmussen during a celebration last Friday at Petersburg’s Union Station honoring the Petersburg native. The youngster was accompanied by his grandfather, Dick Gooley.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Basketball star Frank Mason III returns to Petersburg, fan honors Continued from A1

Returning home last weekend, Mason was honored with Frank Leo Mason III Day, where he was feted by fans in a two-day series of events in his hometown of Petersburg and in Richmond, where he often played. At a halftime exhibition game last Saturday at Petersburg High School in which he coached but did not play, Mason’s Crimson Wave No. 15 jersey was retired. The returning hero addressed a roaring crowd of some 1,200 people who were pumped up by the band at William Lawson Jr. Gymnasium. “It’s an honor having my jersey retired,” he said. “There have been so many great players here … Moses (Malone), Darrell (Stith), Mark (West) and Kenny (Harris) … and the list goes on. “I appreciate everyone who has come out. I want to thank my family and friends and everyone I love. And besides those people, I do it for Petersburg.” Mason’s No. 15 jersey now joins Malone’s No. 24, Stith’s No. 30, West’s No. 52 and Harris’ No. 12 in the gym’s rafters. Following the festivities at the gymnasium, Mason threw out the first pitch at the Richmond Flying Squirrel’s baseball game at The Diamond. In leading the Jayhawks to 31-5 record, Mason averaged 21 points, five assists and four rebounds, while hitting 47.1 percent from the 3-point distance. Mason also was honored Friday, May 19, at Petersburg’s Union Station in historic Old Town, where Petersburg Mayor Samuel Parham presented him with a key to

the city. He hopes more outstanding scholar-athletes will follow him from Petersburg or Richmond. “Like I always say, just believe in yourself,” Mason said to the youngsters at the jersey retirement event. “Surround yourself with the right group of guys and get your education. “And always make the right decisions and always think about the bigger picture in every situation,” he said to applause. Among those attending the weekend festivities was Kansas Assistant Coach Kurtis Townsend, who first spotted Mason as a postgraduate player at Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock in Virginia’s Shenandoah County in 2013. It was Coach Townsend who suggested to UK Coach Bill Self that the Jayhawks sign Mason, even though he was a bit short — 5-foot-11 — by major college standards. Coming out of Petersburg High, his best offer had been from mid-major Towson University in Maryland, and he needed some improvement academically. He not only showed he belonged at Kansas on college basketball’s brightest stage, but that he could dominate on the floor and hold his own in the classroom, earning a liberal arts degree earlier this month. Mason’s star has never shined brighter. His bevy of fans and supporters are looking for his name to be called in the June 22 NBA draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Through it all, Mason has never forgotten Petersburg, nor has Petersburg forgotten No. 15.

Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

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DominionEnergy.com

Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

News

Cornell Brooks out as head of national NAACP Free Press staff, wire reports

“We’ll continue to move forward, we’ll continue to organize and we’ll continue to seek to recruit young people to carry on the work, ” said James E. “J.J.” Minor III president of the Richmond Branch NAACP. That was his take on the unexpected ouster of Cornell W. Brooks, the national NAACP president and CEO since 2014. Preparing for the civil rights organization’s national convention in July, the board of the Baltimore-based national NAACP announced last Friday that Mr. Brooks’ contract was not extended. The 56-year-old attorney will leave the post on June 30, when the contract expires. Mr. Brooks was eager to continue leading the 300,000-member organization that operates on a $27 million annual budget. He called the decision “baffling” after learning he is losing the leadership post of the venerable civil rights group that dates to 1909 and is working to maintain its relevance in the Trump era. Despite a high-proﬁle protest arrest, Mr. Brooks apparently was too low key for the board, which apparently wants someone more aggressive and outspoken and more in tune with liberal activists. In a statement announcing the decision, the board promised a “transformational, systemwide refresh” in order to do more to challenge President Trump and the policies he is undertaking to rollback hard-won gains on various fronts, ranging from voting rights and public education to environmental justice. During the search for a new leader, board Chairman Leon W. Russell and Vice Chairman Derrick Johnson will manage day-to-day operations, according to the announcement. Mr. Russell, who has been a member of the board for 27 years, served as president of the Florida State Conference NAACP, while Mr. Johnson, who was elected national board vice chair in February, was state president of the Mississippi NAACP and executive director of One Voice Inc. Mr. Johnson said ofﬁcials will embark on a “national listening tour” to “push the needle forward on civil rights and social justice.” Mr. Russell acknowledged that the outcome of the November 2016 presidential election, President Trump’s governance and fast-moving news cycles have required the 108-year-old organization to do some soul searching and end business as usual. He said a spate of recent executive orders and the sweeping policy changes in President Trump’s new budget also were factors in the decision to seek a more aggressive leader.

Mr. Russell said. Mr. Russell also cited U.S. Attorney “We want to meet those demands and General Jeff Sessions’ order to federal ensure that we are harnessing the energy prosecutors to pursue the toughest charges and voices of our grassroots memberand sentences against drug crime susship. As we reimagine ourselves, we pects, reversing efforts of the Obama want to be formed in the likeness of administration to reduce penalties for the people whom we serve — and some nonviolent drug offenses. to do so, we must first see, meet and Mr. Russell said he also is worried listen to them,” he continued. about President Trump’s executive “Everyone will have a place at the order to revive the coal industry and table,” he said, “including the new nullify President Obama’s work to Mr. Brooks movements for social change, local combat climate change. And he is concerned by efforts of Betsy organizers helping to rebuild our neighborhoods, DeVos, the U.S. secretary of education, to push the faith leaders and other traditional and historic for more school choice programs while cutting African-Americans organizations that provide much needed services to their communities. resources from public schools. “We also want to hear from social justice adVirginia NAACP President Linda Thomas is vocates tackling income inequality, the millions of among those accepting the change. She praised Mr. Brooks for the job “he has marchers who have taken to the streets for women’s done,” but accepts the board’s decision about rights and immigrant rights, the activists who are fighting for equality for LGBTQ Americans, busi“the need for change.” “What I do know is that the NAACP needs to ness leaders, philanthropists lending private sector continue to evolve to better respond to community support and the longtime civil rights guardians who have spilled blood so that we can enjoy the needs,” she told the Free Press on Monday. Mr. Brooks had been an activist since taking Paid Political Advertisement over from Benjamin T. Jealous three years ago. He opened his tenure with a justice tour seeking information on community needs and was arrested in January for leading a sit-in at the Alabama office of then U.S. Sen. Sessions in a bid to halt his confirmation as attorney general. Mr. Brooks also was at the forefront in calling for a study of police practices after protests broke out in Ferguson, Mo., after a white police officer gunned down unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. However, that was not good enough for the board, which wants a new face to help the NAACP more effectively push back against restrictions on voting rights, cutbacks in support for public education, a rollback in efforts to reduce climate change and a reversal in efforts to reduce America’s huge prison population. Largely overshadowed by the youthful Black Lives Matter movement and the growing opposition to the president, the NAACP hopes the tour during the fall will help it find its way. Mr. Russell said that as part of its transformation, the NAACP is working to train members on how to quickly get the word out about Trump administration proposals that undermine progress and on mounting legal challenges to objectionable policies. The tour, though, is seen as the real turning point. “It is clear that Americans of all genders and ages, from all of the corners of all 50 states, have been aching to be understood, to be seen — and now, they are demanding to be heard,”

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freedoms we have today.” Mr. Brooks has been aware of the discontent and already had started looking at ways the NAACP could both engage with the Trump administration and show its opposition to policies objectionable to the people it serves. He rejected the notion that the NAACP is out of touch. He pointed to an 87 percent increase in membership and a 200 percent increase in donations as strong signs the organization is seen as both needed and important to many. “The NAACP has been visible, vocal, multiracial and youth-supported,” he said. While some in the civil rights community give him high marks, it is people like Johnetta Elzie, 28, who apparently sealed his fate. Ms. Elzie is a leader in the We The Protesters group that was born in the protests in Ferguson, Mo. “I don’t ever think about the NAACP as a resource,” she said. “I don’t ever look in their direction to see what’s going on. I think that’s a problem because their legacy means we should be looking to them for leadership at all times.” Paid Political Advertisement

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Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

News

Blind George Wythe H.S. student transferred after bullying claims By Jeremy M. Lazarus Already under a federal investigation for allegedly engaging in heavy-handed and disparate student discipline, Richmond Public Schools is facing new allegations of ignoring bullying of students with physical and mental disabilities. Kandise Lucas, an advocate for students with special needs, alleges that Richmond Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden and other officials have failed to act on reports about such bullying, most notably at George Wythe High School. Not so, RPS spokeswoman Kenita Bowers responded. Ms. Bowers told the Free Press that RPS “takes all allegations of bullying seriously. Our violence prevention specialists are conducting an investigation and will follow up with inclusive recommendations for all students.” The issue went public last week when Alicia Jeter-Toler pleaded at the Richmond School Board meeting May 15 for the emergency transfer of her legally blind daughter from George Wythe. She said her daughter was surrounded on May 12 at school by a group of girls who planned on beating her up as part of a bullying game. The terrified student was not harmed because another student defended her until security arrived, Ms. Jeter-Toler said. “I was called to the school to come get my daughter for her safety,” she tearfully told board members. “My daughter has never been in trouble.” She said she and her daughter later met with the principal and two assistant principals, but she said an assistant principal “called my daughter a liar to her face,” even though the daughter had reported the incident. Ms. Jeter-Toler also said Dr. Bedden had indicated there would be an investigation, but had not responded further to her request to transfer her daughter from the South Side school. Ms. Jeter-Toler told the board that her daughter became a target for girls in a competition to beat up handicapped students in regular classes. She said the girls earn popularity points for “banking” or surrounding and beating up such students and posting the beating on Facebook or other social media. Ms. Jeter-Toler did not respond to repeated interview requests from the Free Press. School officials and other could not confirm her report about a bullying game taking place at the school.

Two George Wythe teachers who are popular with students told the Free Press that they knew nothing about such a game, either from students or from staff meetings. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they are barred from speaking to reporters without official RPS permission. However, in the wake of Ms. Jeter-Toler’s testimony, the student has been transferred to Huguenot High School, Ms. Lucas reMs. Lucas ported. According to Ms. Lucas, reports about the game have come from four families whose students have been “mercilessly bullied” with little response from the school. One student threatened suicide, Ms. Lucas stated. Ms. Lucas said RPS officials moved too slowly to respond to the concerns from Ms. Jeter-Toler about the safety risk, forcing her to go public. And despite the anti-bullying policy, Ms. Lucas said, officials aren’t doing enough “to end the bullying or develop

plans to address disability harassment.” She also alleges the district has not filed required reports documenting the bullying and, in some cases, failed to notify a parent. Ms. Lucas said such actions do not comply with policy recommendations from the state Department of Education to deal with bullying. RPS is facing a probe from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Dr. Bedden Rights whether it deals more harshly with African-American students than it does with white students who violate the Student Code of Conduct. The probe is based on a complaint filed last August by the Richmond Branch NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia alleging that African-American students and students with disabilities are 12 times more likely to be suspended than white students.

School choice to be expanded by feds Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trump administration is proposing “the most ambitious expansion” of school choice in American history, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced Monday while giving few details on how the program would work. “We must offer the widest number of quality options to every family and every child,” Ms. DeVos said in a speech in Indianapolis. “We stand on the verge of the most significant opportunity we have ever had to drag American education out of the Stone Age and into the future.” Ms. DeVos gave few specifics other than to say that the state of Indiana could serve as a model. Indiana has one of America’s

largest and fastestgrowing school voucher programs to give low-income families scholarships to help pay private school tuition. Ms. DeVos insisted that decisions on school choice must be left to states, not Ms. DeVos the federal government. But she also warned states against boycotting reform. “If a state doesn’t want to participate, that would be a terrible mistake on their part. They will be hurting the children and families who can least afford it,” Ms. DeVos said at an event hosted by

the American Federation for Children, the school choice advocacy group she used to lead. “If politicians in a state block education choice, it means those politicians do not support equal opportunity for all kids.” Earlier this month, President Trump asked Congress to work with him on expanding charter and private school voucher programs nationwide, but he gave no specifics. School choice advocates are divided over whether to push charter schools and vouchers on the federal or state level. Voucher and charter school programs are facing fierce criticism from teachers unions and many Democrats, who believe they drain resources from already underfunded public schools while failing to produce clear academic gains.

School culture change needed with new superintendent By Holly Rodriguez

Richmond Public Schools needs a new leader with a new plan because what has been done in the past is not working. That was the general sentiment of parents, teachers, staff and RPS supporters who gathered Tuesday at John Marshall High School to discuss the ideal qualities and expectations for the city’s next schools superintendent. At the North Side meeting, the third of four public forums on the subject, nearly all 50 people in attendance agreed that a change in school system culture is a top priority. “We all appreciate the necessity of basic educational credentials and experience, but that’s what we’ve always had with RPS, and it hasn’t worked,” said Kevin Starlings, a community volunteer and organizer. “Some of us are feeling like maybe it’s time for something new — traditional experience plus.” Low teacher and student morale, discipline problems and aged and crumbling school buildings and facilities are among the issues that have been raised repeatedly during the forums held by the Richmond School Board. The problems have caused erosion in the culture of several schools, people said. At a forum held last week, participants largely focused on the need for transparency and clear communication by school officials. At Tuesday night’s event, several groups said Richmond’s next superintendent must have experience in an urban school district, as well as financial and political savvy. “We need somebody who can look at a budget and make decisions in fiscal prioritizing and understanding the business side of making education work,” Mr. Starlings said. “And we need a collaborator, because the superintendent-School Board relationship is just like a CEO and board of directors.” The need to improve school system culture was a sentiment expressed by Barbara Haas, who has a daughter who’s a sophomore at Richmond Community High School and a child who is graduating from Maggie Walker Governor’s School. “The culture in the school is so important because there are so many facets to it and it impacts everything,” she said.

“The little things add up over time to make a child not want ing was productive and more than just chatter. Five members to come to school, to make a teacher not want to come to of the School Board attended and listened to the comments. work. The conditions of the buildings can be demoralizing.” “I’m excited about the board being receptive to community feed From trash on the floor, to graffiti or light bulbs that need to back,” Mr. Starlings said, “because that hasn’t always been the case.” be replaced, Ms. Haas said she is looking for a superintendent Information gathered from the forums will be posted to the who will address these issues with school principals if they are RPS website at www.rvaschools.net in the School Board’s secnot being resolved. tion of the site. “The person needs to be willing to take ownership and be a Superintendent Dana T. Bedden’s last day is June 30. An inreal leader,” she said. terim superintendent, not yet appointed, will begin July 1, while Trim: 7.278” | Bleed 10.125” | Color: | Pub: Richmond Free Press Insertion: January Both Ms.x 10” Haas and7.403” Mr. xStarlings said 4cp they felt the meeta |national search2017 for a permanent replacement is conducted.

Here we reach further. Confident in our ability to stretch beyond limits, we fearlessly explore new directions and pursue creativity that defies convention.

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Richmond Free Press

Virginia War Memorial in Downtown

Editorial Page

May 25-27, 2017

Memorial Day In memory of many, in honor of all. “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” — Pericles Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Crimes without punishment Once again, a white police officer has killed a person of color with impunity. On Sept. 16, 2016, Tulsa, Okla., Officer Betty Jo Shelby shot and killed Terence Crutcher even though he was unarmed and had his hands in the air. On T h u r s d a y, May 18, a jury found Officer Shelby not guilty of a crime. In years past, statutes written into the legal codes of this country reaffirmed the notion that people of color were of less worth than white people. We have come a long way since then, and many of us are given to congratulating ourselves for now having just and egalitarian laws. But laws are not just those statutes that are written in the books. There are two kinds of laws. The laws written in books are called de jure. But the laws enforced out on the streets are called de facto laws. The difference between these two types of laws is evident if we look at the speed limits posted on the public highways. While the posted legal speed limit may be 70 mph, it is unlikely that someone traveling at 75 mph will be stopped for speeding. While 70 mph is the de jure law, 75 mph is the de facto law. Additionally, an attractive female driver stopped for speeding at 85 mph may not be ticketed by the police, while an unattractive male caught driving at the same speed may be required to appear in court and possibly go to jail. The de facto law may vary from case to case. Law enforcement officers are decision makers as much as judges and juries. And they are the ones usually who establish and carry out the de facto laws in this country. But in far too many cases, their decisions result in an unwarranted execution of an innocent and unarmed person. For years now, activists have taken to the streets, putting their bodies in harm’s way, to end this long-standing evil in our country. Our legislators, on the other hand, have been disappointingly slow to adequately address this problem. Two years ago, there was much back slapping and victorious smiles in Congress when the Police Reporting Information, Data, and Evidence Act of 2015 — the

PRIDE Act — was introduced in the U.S. Senate. This act, if passed, would require police departments to keep a record of and report killings by ofﬁcers in their employ. But the PRIDE Act has been stuck in the Senate Judiciary Committee since its introduction.

Oscar H. Blayton In the current atmosphere of conservative triumphalism, it is unlikely that this act will become a law. Even in the unlikely event that this law is passed, it would only echo the LifeLock television commercial, where the person dressed as a bank guard explains that he is a “bank monitor” not a bank guard, and his only function is to report on bank robberies, not to prevent them. Terence Crutcher lies in his grave because Betty Jo Shelby made the de facto decision to kill him, even though he was unarmed, walking away from her and had his hands in the air where she could see them. But an Oklahoma jury made the de jure decision to acquit his killer. Walter Scott of South Carolina lies in his grave because North Charleston police officer Michael Slager made the de facto decision to kill him even though he was unarmed and running away with his back to Officer Slager. But in December, a South Carolina jury made the de jure decision to not convict the killer. In both cases, the white officers said that they feared their victims, both of whom were black men. Simply monitoring these killings will not stop them. Something more needs to be done. We need de jure laws in place that will override the ability of police officers to make de facto legal decisions that result in the unwarranted killing of black and brown people. People of color sit in legislatures in almost every statehouse in the nation. This is a result of decades of struggle and sacrifice. Now it is time to make use of those gains for which we paid so dearly, and make policies that will protect us. It is time that we make demands of all our legislators, but particularly of our legislators of color. We must demand that they do more than attend public functions and present birthday resolutions to centenarians who live in their districts. Legislators make laws, and people of color are in dire need of some new laws in

America. For starters, we should make it a crime for a police officer to knowingly use deadly force against an unarmed person who presents no threat. Legislators in every state and in Congress should pass laws that would make this a reality. The language could read like this: Any individual who uses deadly force against any person who is more than five feet away, and is visibly unarmed, shall be presumed to have the intent to commit murder against that person against whom the deadly force is used. Any individual who uses deadly force against any person who is seated or in the prone position, is visibly unarmed and has initiated no physical contact with the person using the deadly force, shall be presumed to have the intent to commit murder against that person against whom the deadly force is used. Fear alone, if proven, shall not rebut the presumption of the intent to commit murder in any circumstance described in this section. No authority, vested in any individual by any governing body for the reasonable use of force, shall rebut the presumption of the intent to commit murder in any circumstance described in this section. Police officers in America have a “get out of jail free card” that they routinely play when they are caught abusing a person’s rights by engaging in the use of excessive force. That “get out of jail free card” is played by officers simply by stating that they feared for their own safety because of a perceived threat from the victim. A law, such as the one suggested, would eliminate that card and require the officer to prove that his or her belief that the victim presented a threat was reasonable and that the perception was commonsensical. This is not making the officer “guilty until proven innocent,” as many in law enforcement would argue. There are many laws that put the burden of proof upon the accused. For example, a teenager caught with marijuana in the glove compartment of the car he is driving must prove that the marijuana is not his. Law is supposed to follow the common sense rule, and there is nothing commonsensical about fearing someone who has his hands in the air 15 feet away from you, or

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.

someone running away from you. We can no longer allow racial bias to trump common sense and allow the murder of citizens by agents of the state. And until we begin to ﬁx our laws, racial bias will tolerate the murder of people of color by white agents of the state. We should urge lawmakers to pass laws to stop these injustices. Otherwise we will prove Justice Roger B. Taney right when he delivered his opinion in the Dred Scott case and stated that AfricanAmericans, and by extension, all people of color have “no rights which the white man (is) bound to respect.” The writer is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.

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Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

Letters to the Editor

Wanted: RPS leader who thinks outside the box

Re “Common concerns emerge in forum on superintendent search,” May 18-20 edition: Like most of his predecessors, Richmond Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden was

an “in the box” thinker. The prevailing theory of the last 50 years has been to just throw a little more money at “the problem” and it will go away. Richmond now spends almost twice

Changes in meat, dairy industries? Indeed, Global Meat News reports that nearly half of consumers are reducing their meat intake. Beef consumption has dropped by 43 percent in the past 40 years. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt views replacement of meat by plant protein as the world’s No. 1 technical trend. The financial investment community is betting on innovative startups such as Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods while warning clients about the “death of meat.” Even Tyson Foods’ new CEO

Last Sunday, animal rights activists celebrated the end of the 146-year-old Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus after years of effectively exposing them for animal abuse. Can the meat and dairy industries be far behind? The shift toward plant-based eating is everywhere. Fast food chains like Chipotle, Quiznos, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell and Wendy’s offer plant-based options. Parade, Better Homes & Gardens and EatingWell magazines all are touting vegan recipes.

Tom Hayes sees plant protein as the meat industry’s future. The industry needs to transition to plant-based foods or shut down like the Greatest Show on Earth. In the meantime, every one of us can shut the meat and dairy industry out of our own kitchen by checking out the rich collection of plant-based entrees, milks, cheeses and ice creams in our supermarket. ROGER TESSELMAN Richmond

the per student amount than the state average and the problem has not gone away. In fact, it has gotten worse. The first step in solving a problem is to separate the problem from its symptoms. Based on 50 years of experience, it appears that the problems in Richmond Public Schools have never been addressed. The prospective superintendent has to be someone who thinks “out of the box” and is able to separate the problem from its symptoms.

• •

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Important tax notIce

Payment(s) for Individual Personal Property, Business Personal Property, and Machinery and Tools Taxes are due on June 5, 2017. Payment(s) must be received and/or postmarked on or before June 5th. Payments postmarked or received after the June 5th due date will be assessed a 10% late penalty and will accrue interest charges at a rate of 10% per annum. Please mail your notice and payment in the envelope provided with your bill. Failure to receive a billing notice will not relieve the penalty and interest added if your payment is not made on time. If you require a billing notice please call 646-7000 or visit us online at www.richmondgov.com. For your convenience, you may pay online at www.richmondgov.com or pay via telephone at 1-800-272-9829 (use locality code 1059). A convenience fee may be charged for use of these payment options. You may also pay in person at city Hall, 900 E. Broad Street Room 102 M-F 8-5; at our Southside office, 4100 Hull Street M-F 8 – 5; or at our east District office at 701 N. 25th Street, M-F 8:00 – 1:30; 3:00-5:00. You may also deposit your check payment in the payment drop box at each location.

Vote

with your

dollars We can make a difference. That is, if we vote daily with our dollars.

We urge our readers to think in economic terms and to use the advertising columns of the Free Press as a guide when making purchases and/or voting. Corporations and governmental entities that place advertising in the columns of the Free Press are sending the message that they appreciate our patronage and respect us as customers. Let nobody fool you. Our family of more than 130,000 Free Press readers holds tremendous economic clout. Economic clout so great that it determines whether most companies in the Richmond area make a profit. As customers and taxpayers, we should vote with our dollars — but only for those businesses and government jurisdictions that respect rules of fair play from the board room to the checkout and service counters. They also should respect and appreciate us and our hard-earned dollars — just as they do the readers of other media. Vote daily with your dollars to make a difference. Economic power is essential to freedom.

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On May 4, 2017, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Virginia Power (“Dominion” or “Company”), pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 4 (“Subsection A 4”) of the Code of Virginia (“Code”), filed an application (“Application”) with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) for approval of a rate adjustment clause designated as Rider T1. In this proceeding, Dominion seeks approval of a revenue requirement for the rate year September 1, 2017, through August 31, 2018 (“Rate Year”). This revenue requirement, if approved, would be recovered through a combination of base rates and a revised increment/decrement Rider T1. Rider T1 is designed to recover the increment/decrement between the revenues produced from the transmission component of base rates and the new revenue requirement developed from the Company’s total transmission costs for the Rate Year. The total revenue requirement to be recovered over the Rate Year is $625,361,637, comprising an increment Rider T1 of $134,891,545 and forecast collections of $490,470,092 through the transmission component of base rates. This total revenue requirement represents a decrease of $55,380,805 compared to the revenues projected to be produced during the Rate Year by the combination of the base rate component of Subsection A 4 (the Company’s former Rider T) and the Rider T1 rates currently in effect. References in this notice to “transmission” are inclusive of demand response costs identified in Subsection A 4. Implementation of the proposed Rider T1 on September 1, 2017, would decrease the average weighted monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by $2.07. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on June 29, 2017, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, to receive testimony from members of the public and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Any person desiring to testify as a public witness at this hearing should appear in the Commission’s courtroom fifteen (15) minutes prior to the starting time of the hearing and contact the Commission’s Bailiff. The Company’s Application and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing are available for public inspection during regular business hours at each of the Company’s business offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Copies also may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Lisa S. Booth, Esquire, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. If acceptable to the requesting party, the Company may provide the documents by electronic means. Copies of the public version of all documents filed in this case also are available for interested persons to review in the Commission’s Document Control Center, located on the first floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Any person or entity may participate as a respondent in this proceeding by filing a notice of participation on or before June 13, 2017. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of the notice of participation shall be submitted to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. A copy of the notice of participation as a respondent also must be sent to counsel for the Company at the address set forth above. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”), any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00057. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing. On or before June 13, 2017, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission and serve on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of such testimony and exhibits shall be submitted to the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Respondents also shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. Respondents shall refer in all of their filed papers to Case No. PUR-2017-00057. On or before June 22, 2017, any interested person wishing to comment on the Company’s Application may file written comments on the Application with the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Any interested person desiring to file comments electronically may do so on or before June 22, 2017, by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Compact discs or any other form of electronic storage medium may not be filed with the comments. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00057. The Commission’s Rules of Practice may be viewed at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. A printed copy of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and an official copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding may be obtained from the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY d/b/a DOMINION VIRGINIA POWER

On May 4, 2017, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Virginia Power (“Dominion Virginia Power” or “Company”) filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) its application (“Application”) pursuant to § 56-249.6 of the Code of Virginia seeking an increase in its fuel factor from 1.971 cents per kilowatt hour (“¢/ kWh”) to 2.383¢/kWh, effective for usage on and after July 1, 2017. The Company’s proposed fuel factor, reflected in Fuel Charge Rider A, consists of both a current and prior period factor. The Company’s proposed current period factor for Fuel Charge Rider A of 2.342¢/kWh is designed to recover the Company’s estimated Virginia jurisdictional fuel expenses, including purchased power expenses, of approximately $1.58 billion for the period July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018. The Company’s proposed prior period factor for Fuel Charge Rider A of 0.041¢/kWh is designed to recover approximately $27.6 million, which represents the net of two projected June 30, 2017 fuel deferral balances. In total, Dominion Virginia Power’s proposed fuel factor represents a 0.412¢/kWh increase from the fuel factor rate presently in effect of 1.971¢/kWh, which was approved in Case No. PUE-2016-00047. According to the Company, this proposal would result in an annual fuel revenue increase of approximately $278.7 million between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018. The total proposed fuel factor would increase the average weighted monthly bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kWh of electricity by $4.12, or by approximately 3.6%. The Commission entered an Order Establishing 2017-2018 Fuel Factor Proceeding (“Order”) that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing to be held on June 14, 2017, at 10 a.m. in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, to receive testimony from members of the public and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Any person desiring to testify as a public witness at this hearing should appear 15 minutes before the starting time of the hearing and contact the Commission’s Bailiff. Individuals with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in the hearing should contact the Commission at least seven (7) days before the scheduled hearing at 1-800-552-7945. Copies of the public version of all documents filed in this case are available for interested persons to review in the Commission’s Document Control Center located on the first floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. The public version of the Company’s Application, pre filed testimony, and exhibits are available for public inspection during regular business hours at all of the Company’s business offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A copy of the public version of the Company’s Application also may be obtained, at no cost, by written request to counsel for Dominion Virginia Power, William H. Baxter II, Esquire, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Riverside 2, Richmond, Virginia 23219. If acceptable to the requesting party, the Company may provide the documents by electronic means. On or before June 13, 2017, any interested person wishing to comment on the Company’s Application shall file written comments with Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. Any interested person desiring to file comments electronically may do so on or before June 13, 2017, by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Compact discs or any other form of electronic storage medium may not be filed with the comments. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00058. Any person or entity may participate as a respondent in this proceeding by filing a notice of participation on or before June 2, 2017. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of the notice of participation shall be filed with the Clerk of the Commission at the address set forth above. A copy of the notice of participation as a respondent also must be sent to counsel for the Company at counsel’s address set forth above. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (“Rules of Practice”), any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00058. Interested persons should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for further details on participation as a respondent. On or before June 2, 2017, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission and serve on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of such testimony and exhibits shall be submitted to the Clerk of the Commission at the address set forth above. In all filings, respondents shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice, including 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUR-2017-00058. The Commission’s Rules of Practice may be viewed at the Commission’s website: http://www.virginia.scc.gov/case. A printed copy of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and an official copy of the Commission’s Order Establishing Fuel Factor Proceeding in this proceeding may be obtained from the Clerk of the Commission at the address set forth above.

VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY

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Dominion Virginia Power (“Dominion”) has applied to update its Rider T1 by which it recovers certain transmission and demand response program costs. Dominion’s request represents a decrease of $55.4 million annually, which would decrease the bill of a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by $2.07. A Hearing Examiner appointed by the State Corporation Commission will hear the case on June 29, 2017. Further information about this case is available on the SCC website at: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY’S REQUEST TO REVISE ITS FUEL FACTOR CASE NO. PUR-2017-00058

Get rid of debts that you can’t pay.

ERIC W. JOHNSON Richmond

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY D/B/A DOMINION VIRGINIA POWER FOR APPROVAL OF A RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE PURSUANT TO § 56-585.1 A 4 OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA CASE NO. PUR-2017-00057

•

city of richmond Business and personal tax payments are due by monday, June 5, 2017

Most urban school systems seem to have the same situation as Richmond. That would indicate that 99 percent of all prospective superintendents nationwide think the same. The Richmond School Board’s dilemma is how to identify the 1 percent of people who are ready to address the problem and not be criticized because he or she is an “out of the box” thinker.

A10 May 25-27, 2017

Richmond Free Press

Sports Stories by Fred Jeter

Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge shattering height records, TVs in the major leagues Aaron Judge is large and in 87.7 mph. charge. His 13th homer on May 3, when The New York Yankees rookie right the Yankees took on the Toronto Blue fielder has head-turning size, with talJays, was clocked at 112.5 mph leavent to match. He also stands above the ing the bat. crowd with his “Wow!” factor. Then there’s his name. “The whole stadium stops when It is apropos Judge’s first name stirs Aaron comes to bat,” teammate Matt memories of former all-time home run Holiday told Yankees Magazine. king Hank Aaron, who played mostly “He’s a beast,” added teammate, Delwith the Atlanta Braves. lin Betances. “If I wasn’t on his team, Judge was born April 26, 1992, I’d buy an expensive ticket to watch and adopted the next day by Patty and him play.” Wayne Judge, both Linden High School Judge has lived up to the hype and physical education teachers. then some. Using his considerable size, strength Through his first 28 games, Judge has and speed, he starred in baseball, basAaron Judge led the American League with 14 home ketball and football at the California runs, many of the towering, jaw-dropping variety. High School, earning college scholarship offers in The 25-year-old African-American from Linden, all three. Calif., also had 29 runs batted in — tied fourth in the Stanford University and the University of Notre American League — while hitting .331 and helping the Dame were among his football suitors. Yankees to a 24-16 record to tie the Baltimore Orioles “But baseball was in my heart,” Judge told Yankee atop the AL East. Magazine. At 6-foot-7 and a wellJudge chose baseball Judgment Day tapered 282 pounds, Judge at Fresno State and was ranks among the tallest and drafted by the Yankees in African-Americans have become scarce on heaviest non-pitchers ever the first round in 2013. Major League Baseball diamonds. to reach the big leagues. He was the 32nd overall According to the Institute of Diversity and Ethics Even Judge’s pinstriped pick. for Sports at the University of Central Florida, only jersey – No. 99 – seems On his way to the Bronx, 8.3 percent of MLB players in 2016 were Africanoversized in a sport played he spent part of 2015 with American. mostly by average-size the Class AA Trenton That’s a decline from about 22 percent in 1971, men. Dating to the late Thunder in New Jersey. the highest percentage of African-American players in the major leagues. 1800s, only 11 non-pitchHe missed the Thunder’s That makes New York Yankees’ slugger Aaron ers as tall as 6-foot-7 have series with the Richmond Judge stand out all the more. Some teams have ever reached the majors. Flying Squirrels due to no African-Americans on their active roster. What better place to injury. Semantics are important here, however. shine than in the media Judge was promoted to Athletes of color from other countries, primarily capital of the world? Even the New York Yankees in from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, the Wall Street Journal has September and played the are placed in a different category — Hispanic. run a profile on Judge. final month with the parent Judge is vying to become the first AfricanRight field at Yankee club without losing rookie American to win the American League Rookie of Stadium holds a revered status for this year. the Year Award since 1996, when Yankee player Derek Jeter won it. chapter in baseball lore. Nothing seems beyond Before Jeter, the last African-American rookie Some of the most legendthe reach of Judge when he winner in the American League was Detroit’s Lou ary sluggers in baseball launches a baseball. Whitaker in 1978. annals patrolled right field Yankee Stadium reStar African-American baseball players with U.S. at the Yankees’ ballyard cently installed a jumbo birth certificates have become almost a novelty, at 1 E. 161st St. in the TV screen far behind the so much so that Sports Illustrated last week ran Bronx. The list starts with left-centerfield fence. It an eight-page feature on Hunter Greene of Notre Babe Ruth. was assumed it was out Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif. Roger Maris, Dave of reach—and it is for The headline: “Hunter Greene is exactly what Winfield and Reggie Jackmore players, but not baseball needs.” Already, it seems, they’re looking for the next son were among others Judge. During pregame Aaron Judge. who came later. batting practice on May Judge, who has flexed 2, Judge belted a ball prodigious power from the right side of the plate, more than 500 feet that smacked against the screen, might be able to wallop a baseball farther than any shattering a section. of them. Through Judge’s first 88 plate appearances, “The guys have been kidding me all night,” Judge the average velocity of a ball leaving his bat was said in a postgame interview. “They told me the team 94.9 mph. That compares to the league average of was taking it out of my check.”

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Gift Ngoepe grabs for the ball while protecting his base in a recent game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Baseball opens door to first African player Gift Ngoepe has opened Major League Baseball’s door to Africans. On April 26, Ngoepe, who is from South Africa, became the first player from the African continent to play in the big leagues. The 27-year-old, right-handed second baseman debuted with the homestanding Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park against the Chicago Cubs. Dramatically rising to the occasion, Ngoepe singled in his first plate appearance, helping the Pirates to a 6-5 victory. Teammate “Francisco Cervelli hugged me and I could feel my heart beating through my chest,” Ngoepe told OkayAfrica.com’s international edition. “It was emotional and I had to fight back the tears.” The 5-foot-8, 200-pound Ngoepe was called up to Pittsburgh from the Indianapolis Indians, the Pirates’ AAA farm club in Indianapolis, where he played parts of the past three seasons. Baseball is not a popular sport in Africa; soccer is far and away the dominant athletic activity. South Africa hosted international soccer’s World Cup in 2010. Ngoepe was attracted to baseball because his mother, Maureen, was a

clubhouse attendant for the Randburg Mets baseball club near Johannesburg. Maureen Ngoepe and her sons lived in a room adjacent to the clubhouse. Ngoepe quickly showed talent with his glove, bat and speed and was named to South Africa’s National Team. That earned him a tryout in 2008 in Tirrenia, Italy, where he was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in October 2008. Prior to Ngoepe signing, a few other South Africans, all of whom were white, had signed professional contracts with American teams, but none reached the majors. Ngoepe’s younger brother, Victor, also has since signed with Pittsburgh and plays for the Pirates’ Gulf Coast League affiliate in Florida. While Ngoepe’s first appearance in the majors was April 26, it was April 27 back home in South Africa, a day that is celebrated there as Freedom Day. On April 27, 1994, black South Africans were first allowed to vote in national elections. Ngoepe is not a lock to stick with the Pirates. He was called up, in part, because of an injury to infielder David Freese, and also because of visa problems involving infielder Jung Ho Kang of South Korea.

Frank Mason III hopes to become next small man in NBA

McNeill twins, left, Shareka, No.11, and Shameka, No.12, sign with the VUU Panthers.

VUU Lady Panthers sign N.C. twins Virginia Union University women’s basketball has added what it hopes will spell double trouble for the Lady Panthers’ opponents. Twins Shareka and Shameka McNeill of Harding University High School in Charlotte, N.C., have signed National Letters of Intent with VUU Coach AnnMarie Gilbert. The 5-foot-6 guards both scored more than 1,000 career points while posting remarkably similar statistics during the

last season for the math, science and technology school. Shareka averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.7 steals, while Shameka averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 steals. The McNeills, who served as co-captains of the Harding team, will join a powerful VUU program that advanced to the NCAA Division II final earlier this year before losing to Ashland University.

The NBA is something of a reallife Brobdingnag, that fictional land of giants in the novel “Gulliver’s Travels.” How else to describe a population with more men taller than 6-foot-9 than under 6 feet? Frank Mason III of Petersburg hopes to be the next basketball player to prove that to make it in the NBA, you don’t have to be a giant as long as you can play like one. The NBA draft will be conducted June 22, with just two rounds and representing 60 players. The general consensus is that Mason will go as early as the late first round but more than likely in the second round. At the recent NBA Combine in Chicago, Mason sparkled in every category but height. He is 5-foot-11 without shoes. Showing he is a “tall 5-foot-11,” Mason’s wing span was measured at 6-foot-3.5 and his vertical leap was an astounding 41 inches — the third best at the NBA Combine. His body fat was tested at a hummingbird-like 4.3 percent. In a pair of 5-on-5 scrimmages against other NBA hopefuls, Mason scored 21 points with two assists in one scrimmage, and eight points and four assists — with no turnovers — in another. Mason needs to look no further than diminutive Boston Celtics’ point guard Isaiah Thomas for inspiration. The 5-foot-9 Thomas averaged 25.4 points and 6.5 assists for 13 games in leading Boston to playoff series wins over the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. That included a 53-point explosion in an overtime Game 2 victory over the Wizards.

At the Combine, Mason likened his size and attitude to those of Thomas, calling it “heart over height.” Like Mason, Thomas was a brilliant college performer before entering the NBA. Thomas scored more than 1,700 points in three seasons at the University of Washington before becoming a second round draft pick of the NBA Sacramento Kings in 2011. Thomas earned second team, All-NBA honors this season even though he is likely no taller than your neighborhood bank teller. Here’s a review of some of the NBA’s most notable short subjects:

Muggsy Bogues (5-foot-3 of Baltimore): Shortest NBA player ever; All-ACC performer at Wake Forest University; Washington Bullets’ first round draft pick in 1987; averaged eight points and eight assists between 1987 and 2001 and famously blocked a shot of 7-foot Patrick Ewing in 1993. Earl Boykins (5-foot-5 of Cleveland): Was so small as a child, his father would sneak him into games in his gym bag to keep from paying; was second in NCAA in scoring during his senior year at Eastern Michigan University; in 652 NBA games, averaged 8.9 points, 3.2 assists. Spud Webb (5-foot-7 of Dallas): With theme “last in height, first in flight,” he won the NBA 1986 Slam Dunk Contest; played under Jim Valvano at North Carolina State University; in the NBA, he averaged 10 points, 5.3 assists from 1985 through 1998; reportedly dunked at 5-foot-3 at Dallas’ Wilmer-Hutchins High School. Greg Grant (5-foot-7 of Trenton, N.J.): Authored book “94 Feet and Rising,” referencing the length of

Frank Mason III

the court; led NCAA Division III in scoring at Trenton State College and was the Phoenix Suns’ second round draft pick; averaged three points and three assists in 274 NBA games from 1989 through 1996. Nate Robinson (5-foot-9 of Seattle): Originally enrolled at the University of Washington on a football scholarship, but switched to basketball; averaged 11 points in 618 NBA games, with a high of 17.2 points with the New York Knicks in 2009; incredibly, was three-time, All-Star Slam-Dunk champ. Calvin Murphy (5-foot-9 of Norwalk, Conn.) Shortest member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame; also a College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee from Niagara University; averaged 18 points 1970 through 1983 with the Houston Rockets; among NBA’s best foul shooters (89 percent); the accomplished baton twirler often entertained at college games. Not to be forgotten … Jonte Hall (5-foot-2 of Baltimore): Known as “Too Tall Hall,” he never played in the NBA, but in 2012, he became the shortest ever Harlem Globetrotter; specialized in fancy dribbling and the Globetrotters’ innovative “4-point shot” from a 35-foot distance.

May 25-27, 2017 B1

Section

Richmond Free Press

Happenings

Personality: Dayal Baxani

The Motley Family presents

The Official Book Launch for

Spotlight on chair of Neighborhood Housing Services’ Casino Royale 2017 Dayal Baxani began to build his relationship with Neighborhood Housing Services of Richmond the same way he builds many of the relationships that have maintained his family’s business, 707 Fine Clothing, for nearly 40 years — word of mouth. “In 2015, a customer recommended another customer to me who told me about an organization she worked with,” Mr. Baxani recalls. “She told me that one aspect of NHSR was helping veterans, and I thought, ‘That’s cool.’” Mr. Baxani became a volunteer on the board of the organization, a private, nonprofit corporation created nearly 30 years ago to help create affordable housing for Richmonders and their families, including veterans. This year, the 34-yearold takes on an even more challenging role as volunteer chairman of the organization’s event designed to thank supporters and raise awareness about the group — the Casino Royale event. The black-tie fundraiser supports the organization’s “A Home for Our Heroes” initiative to assist physically impaired servicemen and women and their families who are homeless. Fine clothing may appear to be removed from fundraising for veteran housing, but Mr. Baxani views the two as quite comparable. “It’s about building relationships and helping people,” he says. Growing up in the business of tailored fine clothing, Mr. Baxani says he had no interest in continuing in the family tradition. When he started Virginia Commonwealth University as an accounting major, he found the idea of sitting behind a desk all day crunching numbers rather unappealing. He switched to business management, but then the family business began to suffer because of a downturn in the economy. “I stopped going to school and started working with my dad to build the business back up,” he says. The hard work paid off. He began to understand his father’s passion for the business, and that passion became contagious. When the opportunity arose to help by giving back to veterans through NHSR, he says he jumped at the opportunity. “Our veterans come back from serving. They’ve seen things we’ve never seen and are wounded in ways we can and cannot see,” he says. “It just hit me in my heart. “With the sacrifices our veterans make, the thought that I could make a difference in their lives is the least I can do.”

Want to go? What: 6th Annual Casino Royale 2017: A Home for Our Heroes, black-tie fundraising gala sponsored by Neighborhood Housing Services of Richmond When: Saturday, May 27, 8 p.m. to midnight Where: Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa – Short Pump, 12042 W. Broad St.

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more of it. Kindergarten taught me: To have fun in life. The person who influenced me the most: My parents. Book that influenced me the most: “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod.

Meet this week’s Personality and housing advocate, Dayal Baxani: Volunteer position with Neighborhood Housing Services of Richmond Inc.: Board member and chair, Casino Royale. Occupation: Haberdasher at 707 Fine Clothing. What I do: We design and dress men in fine clothing. Date and place of birth: Aug. 2 in Richmond. Education: Godwin High School. Family: Wife, Thao Tran; two boys, Dayal Baxani Jr., 3, and Bach Baxani, 6 months. When and why I became involved with NHSR: I like helping disabled veterans who have fought for us so that we can enjoy the gift of our lives. We owe it to them to assist them in their time of need. How I find time to support NHSR: I attend board meetings once a month and manage work-life balance. NHSR mission: Successful homeownership and revitalizing communities. Status of affordable housing in our area: Unsatisfactory. We need more affordable housing and funding support. How housing market has changed over the past few years: The market has slowly improved, but it’s more expensive to find a decent home and there are not enough affordable homes for veterans. No. 1 budgetary challenge in this economy: Housing funding for low-income families. How I start the day: Thankful to have another day to make a positive impact on the world.

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B2 May 25-27, 2016

Richmond Free Press

Happenings

Basquiat work sells for record $110.5M Free Press wire, staff report

A little-seen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat that sold for $19,000 in 1984 soared to an astounding $110.5 million at Sotheby’s auction of contemporary art last week. Sotheby’s officials said the May 18 sale of “Untitled” was an auction record for the artist. It also set a record price for an American artist at auction. The painting’s graffiti-like typography depicts a face in the shape of a skull. Art lovers heralded the sale, in part, because of the mercurial background and meteoric rise of the artist, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to a Haitian father and Puerto Rican mother. He rose from a homeless 15-year-old, whose raw talent was recognized during his early participation at the Children’s Art Carnival in Harlem, to his work gaining the attention of Andy Warhol, with whom he later collaborated. Mr. Basquiat died of a heroin Jean-Michel Basquiat overdose in August 1988 at age 27. “Tonight, Jean-Michel Basquiat entered the pantheon of artists whose works have commanded prices over $100 million, including Picasso, Giacometti, Bacon, and Warhol,” said Gregoire Billault, head of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Department in New York. Mr. Basquiat’s vibrant, untitled 1982 portrait achieved the

2017 The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat/ADAGP, Paris/ARS, via Sotheby’s

“Untitled,” a Basquiat painting from 1982, sold for $110.5 million at Sotheby’s auction on May 18.

sixth-highest price for any work of art at auction, bearing testament to the eagerness of deep-pocketed collectors to spend freely on trophy pieces. The canvas was bought by noted Japanese collector and entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa, founder of e-commerce giant Start Today, after a 10-minute, old-school bidding war that included four participants beyond the $60 million pre-sale estimate. “When I saw this painting, I was struck with so much excitement and gratitude for my love of art,” said Mr. Maezawa, adding he hopes it “brings as much joy to others as it does to me.” Mr. Maezawa said he intends to lend the work for public exhibitions around the world before housing it in his own museum in his native Chiba, Japan. Sustained whoops and cheers that harked back to the tenor of the post-2010 art market boom, which was marked by spiking

prices and ever-new records, broke out as the hammer came down in Sotheby’s packed salesroom. “We are living in extraordinary times,” said Oliver Barker, Sotheby’s senior international specialist of contemporary art who also served as auctioneer, as jubilant Sotheby’s officials toasted the sale. “This is what the auction theater is really about,” Mr. Barker added. “You had two determined bidders who really had to have this picture.” The room’s atmosphere, he observed, took on that of a nightclub after the Basquiat work’s success. The sale was not without other highlights, though none in the same league. Roy Lichtenstein’s “Nude Sunbathing” fetched $24 million, while Gerhard Richter’s “Abstraktes Bild” went for $15.4 million. Both works sold in the middle of their estimate range.

Jordan Peele’s film success continues Free Press wire report

Photos by Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Children’s Book Festival Dozens of first- and second-graders from Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield and Hanover enjoy a day of fun and learning last Friday at the inaugural Children’s Book Festival sponsored by the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia and Dominion Energy. Youngsters participated in a variety of activities led by authors, illustrators and other presenters at Abner Clay Park in Jackson Ward. In one activity, students from Henrico’s Mehfoud Elementary School, left, illustrate an imaginary forest. Below, Ken Kellner, a teacher at Richmond’s Stuart Elementary School, leads youngsters as they clap and sing along in another activity. The event was designed to show youngsters that reading is fun and to encourage them to read during the summer when school is out.

Jordan Peele, the comedian turned filmmaker who wrote, produced and directed the blockbuster film, “Get Out,” is following up with a provocative original thriller set for release in March 2019. Universal Pictures announced the release date for Mr. Peele’s untitled film on Monday. “Get Out” became a box office phenomenon this year, grossing $229.6 million worldwide at the box office while having a production budget of only $4.5 million. Universal Pictures distributed “Get Out” and has since set a first-look deal with Mr. Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions. Currently untitled, the new movie’s plot details are being kept under wraps. Mr. Peele will write, direct, and produce the social thriller based on his original idea. “Through extraordinary imagination and fearless humor, Jordan has proven himself to be a game-changer who is driven to tell stories that are as commercially entertaining as they are disruptive and provocative,” Donna Langley, chairman of Universal, stated in an announcement on the company’s website. Mr. Peele His new movie may face competition from Brie Larson’s “Captain Marvel,” which is to open the week before, and Millie Bobby Brown’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” which is set to launch the following week. Under his new deal, Mr. Peele also will produce a wide range of movies for the studio through his Monkeypaw Productions, including several micro-budget projects with Jason Blum, as he did with “Get Out.” Mr. Peele also recently announced plans to develop “Lovecraft Country,” a new HBO event series with Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson, and “Underground” co-creator and showrunner Misha Green. Mr. Peele broke out — along with Keegan-Michael Key — on the Comedy Central sketch series “Key & Peele.”

Clement Britt

Urban League group to host candidate town hall May 25 The Urban League of Greater Richmond Young Professionals is hosting a gubernatorial candidate town hall 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St., in the East End.

Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former Congressman Tom Perriello, the Democratic candidates vying for their political party’s nomination for governor, will speak. The winner of the June 13 primary election will run for governor in the November general election.

Feeling the rhythm Percussionist, vocalist and choreographer Alberto Limonata of Fredericksburg leads a line of dancers during an AfroCuban Rumba workshop last Saturday at Dogtown Dance Theatre in South Side. The event was part of the Afro-Cuban Mini-Fest sponsored by Claves Unidos that featured music, dance, food and a film with an Afro-Cuban flavor.

Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

Happenings

t h g e n i r k i v er c o R

More than 100,000 spectators were drawn to Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar in Downtown last weekend for the 9th Annual Dominion Riverrock festival, where they enjoyed outdoor sports, live music and food with the city’s James River and skyline as a backdrop. The three-day event ended Sunday with record crowds, according to organizers. Kayakers showed off their tricks in the Sierra Nevada Kayak Freestyle event Sunday in the rapids by Brown’s Island, while spectators enjoyed a kayak boatercross and stand-up paddleboard cross on Saturday. Events also included the Filthy 5K Mud Run, the James River Scramble 10K Trail Run and Freestyle Bikes. Festivalgoers also could try their skills at various sports, including kayaking, paddleboarding, slacklining and bouldering.

Mike Kent, winner of the slopestyle finals, shows off a daring move with his bike while navigating a sloping course at Dominion Riverrock.

Photos by James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

A canine performer goes for it in the A record-setting 25,000 spectators attend the final day of the riverfront festival on Sunday. Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs event.

The James River rapids can’t stop Emily Wade, one of the competitors in the Sierra Nevada Kayak Freestyle on Sunday.

Makaiya Johnson, 9, practices gymnastics during the festival.

Haruki Kinoshita competes in the slackline competition, a sport similar to tightrope walking, to an enthralled audience.

2017 Festival of Arts at Dogwood Dell kicks off with Memorial Day concert The Festival of Arts will launch its 61st season of public entertainment with a Memorial Day concert at Dogwood Dell amphitheatre in Byrd Park. At 4 p.m. Monday, May 29, the 11-member James River Bell Ringers will serve up music on the stage under the direction of Dr. Lynn Atkins, the handbell group’s second artistic director in its nearly 20-year history. The concert is the first of 21 separate shows that will be showcased this season for the Festival of Arts, which is a production of the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. Another highlight of the festival will be the musical comedy, “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” which will play the last weekend of July and the first weekend in August on the Dogwood Dell stage. Eight shows for children also are planned, with three at the Ha’Penny Stage in Byrd Park by the Carillon and five at the theater at Pine Camp Arts & Community Center on North Side. The festival will kick off in earnest 8 p.m. Sunday, June 18, with the Richmond Men’s Chorus and continue through Friday, Aug. 18, with indie rocker Janet Martin wrapping

up the season at Dogwood Dell with an 8 p.m. show. The traditional July 4th celebration concert and fireworks will take place and include performances by the City Dance Theatre and the Richmond Concert Band.

Additionally, the 8th Annual Gospel Music Fest will take place 5 p.m. Sunday, July 9. Shows also will include a performance from Richmond’s Plunky and Oneness at 8 p.m. Friday, June 30; an orchestralchoral concert that Richmond

music teacher, saxophonist and composer Samson Trinh will lead 8 p.m. Saturday, July 1; and a presentation of African dance by the city-based Ezibu Muntu troupe at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11. A tribute to the golden age

of radio will take place at the Pine Camp Theater, 4901 Old Brook Road. Three shows are planned — one at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22, and shows at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 23. And the popular 10th An-

nual Latin Jazz & Salsa Festival will move to Broad Rock Park at Broad Rock Boulevard and Warwick Road for a festival grand finale from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26. Full schedule: www.richmondgov.com/parks.

Richmond Free Press

B4 May 25-27, 2017

Faith News/Directory

Trump’s views on Islam ‘continue to evolve’ Free Press wire report

JERUSALEM President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week has begun to soften his attitudes about Islam, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday after a two-day summit in which the president was treated to extraordinary Arab hospitality. “I think the president’s views — like, we hope, the American people’s views — are going to continue to evolve,” Mr. Tillerson said on the flight from Riyadh to Tel Aviv. Mr. Tillerson’s candid assessment, made to reporters

aboard Air Force One, represents a remarkable turnaround for President Trump, who campaigned on a platform that argued for “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Mr. Tillerson also suggested there’s even more room for President Trump to moderate his views as he’s exposed to more Muslim leaders. “Nothing helps you learn and understand people better than coming to their homes, where they live, and seeing them face to face, seeing their families and seeing their communities,” Mr. Tillerson said. “We all share

Remembering my father and celebrating a great man’s glorious life. You are still deeply missed. With love from your son, Raymond

the same wants and desires for ourselves and our people, and our families. “We want our children to grow up without fear. That’s such a strongly held view around the world, certainly among the Muslim world, certainly among the non-Muslim world.” Mr. Tillerson’s remarks came the day after President Trump delivered a speech widely seen as an olive branch to the Muslim world. Rather than use the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism,” President Trump referred to “Islamist extremism,” a subtle but meaningful distinction that suggests the extremism is more ideological than religious. “This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations,” the president said. “This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life, and decent people of all religions who seek to protect it.” It’s a far cry from President Trump’s campaign rhetoric that accused Muslims of hating America — even repeating unfounded claims that hundreds of Arabs cheered the destruction of the World Trade Center from across the river on 9/11. “I think Islam hates us. There’s something there. There’s a tremendous hatred there,” the president told CNN’s Anderson Cooper last year. Over two days in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the kings

Wilson & Associates’ Funeral Service, Inc.

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Monthly Obituary Column • April 2017

Thank you to the following bereaved families for allowing us to serve you during the month of April 2017. You are still in our prayers and thoughts. View full obituaries online at www.wilsonafs.com Ophelia E. Cotman Tommy Sou Cheng Tammy Y. Roy Myrtle Virginia Johnson Irene Vera Hudson Sheryl Bailey Alma Jean Hill Michael Morton Marva D. Seymore Thomas J. Johnson

Haywood “Zeke” Johnson Lucille B. Price Paul Randolph Gray, Sr. Vonda’rae Thomas Michael Jerome Peoples Earl Carter, Jr. James “Bay” Wilson, Jr. Norma A. Brown Dennis L. Otey Raymond “Jack” Harris

Gerald Lee Stovall, Jr. Mary R. Johnson Willa Frederick Washington Calvin S. Hawkins, Jr. Alan Faszczewski Samuel Edward “Sammy” Churchwell Edward “Big Ed” Wilkerson Ella Mae Cotman Brown

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and crown princes of the Persian Gulf heaped honors and accolades on the American president. “We were treated incredibly well,” President Trump said Monday. “I was deeply encouraged by my conversations with Muslim world leaders in Saudi

JERUSALEM When it comes to Jewish observance, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump may be in a class by themselves. An unnamed rabbi gave special dispensation to President Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, both Orthodox Jews, to fly to Saudi Arabia on Air Force One with President Trump on Friday, May 19, Politico reported, quoting a White House official. It’s the second time the couple is known to have received a dispensation to travel during the Jewish Sabbath. They were allowed to ride in the presidential motorcade on the night of President Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 21, which also fell on the Sabbath. Orthodox Judaism prohibits traveling in vehicles after sundown on Friday night until Saturday night. The prohibition does not cover life-threatening

Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor “There’s A Place for You” Tuesday Sunday 10:30 AM Bible Study 9:30 AM Church School 6:30 PM Church-wide Bible Study 11:00 AM Worship Service 6:30 PM Men's Bible Study (Each 2nd and 4th) (Holy Communion Thursday each 2nd Sunday) Wednesday (Following 2nd Sunday) 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting

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effort into understanding one another better, understanding each other’s cultures, understanding each other’s beliefs, and I think talking more openly about those. “I think there’s a great deal that’s misunderstood about the Muslim world,” he said.

By Michele Chabin Religion News Service

Good Shepherd Baptist Church

“MAKE IT HAPPEN”

Arabia.” Mr. Tillerson said President Trump’s speech was directed not just to the leaders of Muslim nations, but also to Muslim Americans. One of the takeaways of the trip, Mr. Tillerson said, was that “we need to put a lot more

President’s family gets special dispensation to fly on Sabbath

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Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

President Trump delivers remarks to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last Sunday.

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Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump depart Air Force One with their children in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 10.

emergencies, including when a woman goes into labor. Religiously observant Israeli leaders have sometimes received dispensations to conduct urgent business on the Sabbath, and soldiers and other security personnel can carry out tasks like driving and writing that ordinarily are forbidden. In her book, “Women Who Work,” Ms. Trump, who underwent an Orthodox conversion in 2009, wrote about how her family observes Shabbat.

“During this time, we disconnect completely — no emails, no TV, no phone calls, no internet. We enjoy uninterrupted time together and it’s wonderful,” she said. President Trump’s nine-day trip, the first since he became president, has taken him to Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Vatican and other parts of Europe. Mr. Kushner reportedly organized much of the visit to Saudi Arabia, the first stop on the president’s itinerary.

Callista Gingrich to be nominated as ambassador to the Vatican Free Press wire report

Callista Gingrich, the wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is expected to be nominated by President Trump as the next ambassador to the Vatican. A devout Catholic, Ms. Gingrich, 51, is the third wife of the 2012 Republican presidential hopeful. They met when he was House Minority Whip and she was working in the office of former GOP Rep. Ms. Gingrich Steve Gunderson of Wisconsin. She worked as a clerk in the House Committee on Agriculture until 2007. She is a successful children’s book author and has served as president of the couple’s production company, Gingrich Productions, which has made documentaries and historical films. She told the Christian Broadcasting Network in a 2011 interview that she has “always been a very spiritual person.” Her husband was a close ally of President Trump during the presidential campaign and was considered for a cabinet position, but decided against taking a role in the administration. Soon after the inauguration, Newt Gingrich told CNN that President Trump was considering his wife to be the ambassador to the Holy See. The U.S. Senate must confirm her nomination. Mission Statement: People of God developing Disciples for Jesus Christ through Preaching and Teaching of God’s Holy Word reaching the people of the Church and the Community.

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

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Richmond Free Press

May 25-27, 2017

Faith News/Directory

Ebenezer marks its 160th

th 5 Birthd 0 1 y p p ay a H

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Ebenezer Baptist Church will host a series of public events this week to mark its 160th anniversary as a beacon of faith in Jackson Ward, it has been announced. The milestone celebration for one of Richmond’s oldest African-American churches begins 6 p.m. Friday, May 26, at the church, 216 W. Leigh St., with a community conversation focusing on “Ebenezer’s Role in Jackson Ward.” Radio talk show host Gary Flowers will lead the discussion with a panel to include attorney Arnold Henderson V, former housing developer Preddy Ray and educational consultant Carmen F. Foster. On Saturday, May 27, the church will host a jazz vesper service at 5 p.m., featuring Glennroy Bailey & Co. The service is open to the public without charge. The events will wrap up Sunday, May 28, with an anniversary worship service. The guest speaker is the Rev. Wilbert D. Talley, president of the adoption advocacy group Virginia One Church, One Child and pastor of Third Union Baptist Church of King William County. The church will host a history tour following the service. An offshoot of First African Baptist, Ebenezer Baptist has stood at the corner of Leigh and Judah streets since its founding in 1857, four years before the start of the Civil War. Along with worship services, Ebenezer has engaged in community service. In 1866, amid the recovery from the war, Ebenezer opened the first public school in Richmond for African-American children. In 1883, Hartshorn Memorial College, which opened to provide higher education for African-American women, spent its first year at Ebenezer. The college moved the following year to what is now the site of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School and operated independently until it merged in the early 1930s with Virginia

Helena Marie ountain

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Ebenezer Baptist Church has stood at the corner of Leigh and Judah streets since its founding in 1857. For more than a century, members of the Jackson Ward church have made significant contributions to civic life in Richmond.

Union University. Ebenezer also launched the first Girl Scout troop for African-American girls in Richmond in 1935. And former members have founded other churches, including Cedar Street Memorial Baptist and Mt. Carmel Baptist in Church Hill and Riverview Baptist in the West End. Many of the church’s members have gone on to hold significant posts in Richmond, including Ruth B. Blair, the city’s first African-American female police officer, and Dr. Lois Harrison-Jones, the city’s first African-American female superintendent of schools. The congregation also was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and has remained active in the community in the

decades since, according to the Rev. Brenda B. Summerset, the church’s minister of Christian Education and chair of the Anniversary Committee. Looking ahead, members now are focused on the church’s “search for a new pastor to bring us a new vision,” Rev. Summerset said. Dr. Levy M. Armwood Jr. is retiring June 30 after nearly 15 years as Ebenezer’s pastor. Once a church of 1,600 members, Ebenezer now has 575 members. Still, Rev. Summerset said the church remains engaged in good works. For example, she said the Men’s Ministry mentors children at Carver Elementary School and raises money for school supplies, while the

Women’s Ministry participates in community health and wellness programs. “One of our mission circles works with the prison system to assist families of the incarcerated with food and other needs,” said Rev. Summerset. “We also work with CARITAS to host the homeless for at least one week each winter,” she said. “We’ll also be holding a summer Bible Institute that is open to the community, and we have a sister-church relationship with Second Presbyterian Church to promote racial reconciliation.” Like other congregations in Downtown, Rev. Summerset said, “We’re trying to do our small part to help people and make the city a better place.”

Helena celebrated her 105th birthday with the senior citizens at Quioccasin Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. She was born May 24, 1912 in Henrico County (Ziontown) to Henry and Edna Fountain. She had a brother Aubrey and sister Ellen Fountain. She is the aunt of Aubrey W. Fountain, II (Jean). Helena resides in the same home in which she was born. She is the oldest member in Quioccasin Baptist Church where she was baptized at an early age. She is the last member to be baptized in the church’s outdoor pool. Before that they were baptized in the James River. She played the organ for the Sunday School and enjoyed making over 100 rolls for homecoming. She never married and her family and church are the love of her life. She attended Virginia Randolph Vocational Training School and worked as a cook and housekeeper for wealthy families in the River Road area. Her hobbies have always been cooking and flower gardening. Helena is a lady personified. She possesses all the qualities and attributes of a lady and serves as a role model of a true Christian. Such a Phenomenal Woman. She loves the 23rd Psalm and her favorite song and prayer are: “Order My Steps in Your Word Dear Lord.”

May God Continue to Bless You — The Family —

St. Peter Baptist Church Dr. Kirkland R. Walton, Pastor

Worship Opportunities During the month of May all Sunday Worship Services will be held at 10 a.m. Church School will be held at 8:30 a.m.

Thursdays:

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

Youth Emphasis Unity Worship Service Sunday, May 28, 2017 at 10 a.m. Music rendered by

The Sunbeam & The Praise Fellowship Youth Choirs 2040 Mountain Road • Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 Office 804-262-0230 • Fax 804-262-4651 • www.stpeterbaptist.net

Mount Olive Baptist Church 2017 Theme: The Year of Elevation



 

May 28, 2017 10:30 A.M.

Join Us for Morning Worship!

May 22-‐ 25, 7:00 P.M. Nightly

"Positioned to Listen, Empowered to Launch: Let The Walls Fall!" Guest Preachers For the Week:

1408 W. eih Sree  ichmo a. 0 804 5840

Rev. Melvin Shearin, Pastor, Great Hope Baptist Church, RVA Rev. Dr. C. Diane Mosby, Pastor, Anointed New Life Baptist Church, RVA Rev. Dr. Joseph P. Lee, Jr., Pastor, Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church, Norfolk Rev. Dr. Cheryl Ivey Green, Executive Minister, First Baptist Church of South Richmond



 8:45 a.m. 10 a.m.

Wee#ly Wo(shi,: Sundays @ 10:30 A.M. :hu(;h S;hool: Sundays @ 9:00 A.M. =i>le Study: Wednesdays @ Noon & 7:00 P.M. 2901 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 648-2472 ~ www.mmbcrva.org Dr. Price London Davis, Senior Pastor

 1 p.m.

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

Zion Baptist Church 2006 Decatur Street, Richmond, VA 23224 ZBCOFFICE@VERIZON.NET • (804) 859-1985 Church Office Dr. Robert L. Pettis, Sr., Pastor

Join us as we celebrate our Church in

Park the

4060 Forest Hill Ave., Richmond - Shelter 2

After morning worship, there will be food, fun and games In case of inclement weather, service will be at our church address For Transportation, call the Church Office

Come See A Man! John 4:29

Spring Revival Giveaway

Three Nights: Wed. May 31 - Fri. June 2 • 7:00 pm

Each Night enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card “Come out and hear this Anointed Man of God” “Get Empowered, Get Delivered, And Get Your Praise On!”

Blessed Hope Baptist Church

2311 Ford Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23223 (804) 643-7317 Pastor’s Study • Email address: bhbcrva@gmail.com

Rev. L.T. Edwards, Pastor

Pastor New Bridge Baptist Church Richmond, VA

Spring Revival At MMBC



10 AM at Forest Hill Park

Guest Preacher:

Rev. Marcus Martin,

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

Sunday, June 4, 2017

Darryl G. Thompson

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

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

129th Church Anniversary

Pastor

(First Peter 5:6)

Baptist Church

ile Su

Sunday, June 4, 2017 Worship Service 10:00 AM

Rev. Darryl G. Thompson, Pastor

Riverview

Church School Worship Service

st Pastoral Family Anniversary

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

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

SERVICES

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

Mosby Memorial Baptist Church Thirty-first Street A Caring Community Committed to Listening, Loving, Learning and Leaning While Launching Baptist Church into our Future

everence e with e evanc R g Lenten Season binin Dr. Morris Henderson, Senior Pastor o ❖ C

SUNDAYS

Church School 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. ❖

DR. JAMES L. SAILES PASTOR

WEDNESDAYS Bible Study 12:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. ❖

Rev. Dr. Price L. Davis, PastorMONDAY-FRIDAY

Nutrition Center and Clothes Closet 11:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. 823 North 31st Street Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 226-0150 Office www.31sbc.org

Richmond Free Press

B6 May 25-27, 2017

Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities 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, June 12, 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. 2017-099 To amend sections 214, 21-42, 21-44, 21-50, 21-63, and 21-67 of the City Code, concerning public procurement, for the purpose of reflecting amendments to state law that Va. Code § 2.2-4343(A)(12) requires the City to follow. (COMMITTEE: Governmental Operations, Thursday, May 25, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-100 To amend City Code § 2-761, concerning the classification of boards, commissions, and committees and requirements to make reports, for the purpose of allowing annual written reports instead of annual presentations as a reporting mechanism. (COMMITTEE: Governmental Operations, Thursday, May 25, 2017, 5:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-103 To amend and reordain City Code § 2-112, concerning legal services provided to certain entities and prosecution of certain criminal offenses by the City Attorney, for the purpose of requiring the City Attorney to provide legal services to the Advantage Richmond Corporation and certain state employees performing services for the City. (COMMITTEE: Education and Human Services, Thursday, June 8, 2017, 12:00 p.m., Council Chamber) Ordinance No. 2017-104 To authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, for and on behalf of the City of Richmond, to execute a Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Health, Statement of Agreement between the City of Richmond and the Virginia Department of Health to facilitate the performance of public health services by the Richmond City Health District. (COMMITTEE: Education and Human Services, Thursday, June 8, 2017, 12:00 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 OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO MARSON GOODING, Plaintiff v. JACQUELINE GOODING, Defendant. Case No.: CL17001007-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from Jacqueline Gooding on the ground that the parties have lived separate and apart for a period exceeding one year. It appearing by affidavit that the Defendent’s last known address is not known, the Defendant’s present whereabouts are unknown, and diligence has been used by or on behalf of the Plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city the Defendant is without effect, it is ORDERED that the Defendant appear before this Court on or before the 10th day of July, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests herein. A Copy, Teste: HEIDI S. BARSHINGER, Clerk Linda Y. Lambert, Esq. Law Offices of Leonard W. Lambert & Associates 321 North 23rd Street Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 648-3325 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER TERESA LONG, Plaintiff v. WILLIAM LONG III, Defendant. Case No.: CL17001213-00 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 7th day of July, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and protect his Continued on next column

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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

Father’s last known address was located in Cordoba Veracruz, Mexico 94650. Approve factual findings that will permit Oswaldo Rogel Perez to apply for special immigrant juvenile status with the US citizenship & immigration services pursuant to Sect. 101(A)(27)(J), 8 USC Sect. 1101(A)(27)(J)(I), & 8 CFR Section 204.11. It is ordered that the defendant Hector Luis Rogel Mendoza appear at the above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before July 17, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.

(Father) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 12, 2017 at 2:00Pm, CourtRoom #5

above-named Court and protect his or her interests on or before June 23, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.

an interest in the property by inheritance, Affidavit having been made and filed that there are or may be persons whose names are unknown, interested in the subject matter of this suit; It is ORDERED that Unknown Heirs of Alice B. Wright, and Parties Unknown, if then living or be dead, their heirs devisees, or successors in title, and other unknown heirs or unknown parties who have an interest in the subject matter of this suit, who are proceeded against as Unknown Heirs and Parties Unknown, appear before Court on or before July 6, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. to protest their interests, if any, in this suit. A Copy Teste: HEIDI S. BARSHINGER, Clerk Paul R. Mack (VSB#25197) SAUNDERS, PATTERSON & MACK 10620 Trade Road North Chesterfield, VA 23236 (804) 330-3350 Telephone (804) 330-3811 Facsimile prmack@spmvalaw.com Counsel for Plaintiffs

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JENNIFER HINSON, Plaintiff v. JOHN HINSON, Defendant. Case No.: CL17001216-00 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 7th day of July, 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 REGINA GIBBONS, Plaintiff v. CHARLES GIBBONS, Defendant. Case No.: CL17001215-00 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 7th day of July, 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 Chesterfield ALICIA E. RAMOS, Plaintiff v. JUAN JESUS VEGA, Defendant. Case No.: CL17-949 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to: Obtain a divorce a vincullo matrimonii or from the bonds of matrimony. It appearing from a affidavit that diligence has been used without effect, by or on the behalf of the plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city defendant is. It is ORDERED that Juan Jesus Vega appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before the 21st day of June, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. A Copy, Teste: WENDY S. HUGHES, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JENNIFER IYANDA, Plaintiff v. FATAI IYANDA, SR., Defendant. Case No.: CL17001040-00 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 15th day of June, 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 ELIJAH JABBAAR File No. J-91956-04-05-08 The object of this suit is to: Provide notice of Elijah Jabbaar’s custody status to UNKNOWN (FATHER) and KATRINA CABBLE (MOTHER) of ELIJAH JABBAAR child, DOB 10/08/2015 It is ORDERED that the defendant Unknown (Father) & Katrina Cabble to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 17, 2017 at 2:40Pm, CourtRoom #4 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE cOuNty Of HENRICO Commonwealth of Virginia, in re THOMAS TOLLEY File No. J-1000236-01,02 The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of RODNEY DOVE, identified birth father and any other possible unknown birth father of a child known as Thomas Tolley who was born on February 17, 2017 to Christina Leigh Tolley in Richmond, Virginia. The birth mother has given her consent to adoption and has executed an affidavit identifying the birth father as Rodney Dove but stating that his whereabouts is unknown. It is ORDERED that the defendant RODNEY DOVE (Father) and UNKNOWN FATHER to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 5, 2017. virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re QUON’ASIA WHITAKER File No. J-92163-05-06 The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) DAQUON WHITAKER (FATHER), & Keonna Faison (Mother) of Quon’Asia Whitaker child, DOB 2/24/2016, “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 DAQUON WHITAKER (Father) & KEONNA FAISON (Mother) to appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 11, 2017 at 9:20Am, CourtRoom #2 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re TYLER AiDEN BANKS Case No. J-90236-11-12 The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) JOY STEPHONE BANKS (MOTHER), & JALAWRENCE WHITAKER (FATHER) of TYLER AIDEN BANKS, DOB 3/14/2013, “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 Joy Stephone Banks (Mother), & Jalawrence Whitaker (Father) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 31, 2017 at 9:40Am, CourtRoom #4

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of Chesterfield Commonwealth of Virginia, in re OSWALDO ROGEL PEREZ, LIZET B. PEREZ DE LA ROSA v. HECTOR LUIS ROGEL MENDOZA Case No. JJ086207-03-00 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON The object of this suit is to: Determine custody of Oswaldo Perez Rogel (DOB: 2/16/00), whose mother is Lizet B. Perez De La Rosa & Father is Hector Luis Rogel Mendoza, pursuant to Virginia Code Section 16.1-241A3.

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re SKYE Miracle Williams-Johnson Case No. J-92789-06-07 The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) TIERRA L. WILLIAMS (MOTHER), & UNKNOWN (FATHER) of SYKE MIRACLE WILLIAMSJOHNSON DOB 10/4/2016. “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 Tierra L. Williams (Mother), & Unknown

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CUSTODY

virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of thE city Of richmOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re MELVIN BURKE, JR. & LILVELL MAYO-BURKE Case No. J-90987-10, J-90988-10 The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) MELVIN BURKE, SR. (FATHER) of MELVIN BURKE, JR., child, DOB 12/1/2012 & LIVELL MAYO-BURKE, child DOB 3/19/2014. “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 Melvin Burke, Sr. (Father) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 17, 2017 at 9:20Am, CourtRoom #4

PROPERTY VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO MARK HOPKINS And VALERIE HOPKINS, Plaintiffs, v. THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF ALICE B. WRIGHT, And PARTIES UNKNOWN Defendants Case No. CL17-902 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to establish title by adverse possession to certain parcel of real property in Henrico County, Virginia, being originally owned by Alice B. Wright, more particularly described as follows: THAT certain lot, piece or parcel of land, commonly known as 5524 Moss Side Avenue, Henrico County, Virginia, Parcel ID number 786-750-5688, Plan of Club Court, Block 5, Lot10, conveyed to Alice B. Wright by Club Court Development Corporation by deed dated January 7, 1929, recorded in the Henrico County Circuit Court Clerk’s office June 17, 1929, in Deed Book 246C Page 457. Unknown Heirs and Parties Unknown may have

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 For Free The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) BETTY SPENCER (MOTHER), CHARLIE MOSES HARRIS (FATHER) of YOLANDA HARRIS, DOB 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 Betty Spencer (Mother), & Charlie Moses Harris (Father) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before July 24, 2017 at 10:30Am, CourtRoom #4 Virginia: In the circuit Court for the County of Chesterfield ERIN PAGE MCCARTHY WOLFE, and ERIC C. WOLFE Petitioners, v. JERRY WAYNE BROCKWELL, JR., Respondent. In re: Peyton Mathew Wolfe (DOB: 08/09/2001) Case No. CA17-14 April 26, 2017 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a step-parent adoption. WHEREFORE, an affidavit having been filed by the Petitioners that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the location of Jerry Wayne Brockwell, Jr., it is ORDERED that Peyton Mathew Wolfe appear before this Court on 5th day of July 2017 at 8:30 a.m. to protect his interests herein. A Copy Teste: WENDY S. HUGHES, Clerk Sarah J. Conner, Esquire Friedman Law Firm 9401 Courthouse Rd., Suite A Chesterfield, VA 23832 804-717-1969 Virginia: In the circuit Court for the County of Chesterfield ERIC C. WOLFE, and ERIN PAGE MCCARTHY WOLFE, Petitioners, v. RITA PEARLE BATES, Respondent. In re: Britney Page Wolfe (DOB: 04/08/2001) Case No. CA17-15 April 26, 2017 ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this suit is to obtain a step-parent adoption. WHEREFORE, an affidavit having been filed by the Petitioners that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the location of Rita Pearle Bates, it is ORDERED that Rita Pearle Bates appear before this Court on 5th day of July 2017 at 8:30 a.m. to protect her interests herein. A Copy Teste: WENDY S. HUGHES, Clerk Sarah J. Conner, Esquire Friedman Law Firm 9401 Courthouse Rd., Suite A Chesterfield, VA 23832 804-717-1969 virgiNia: iN thE JuvENiLE aND DOmEstic rELatiONs District cOurt Of Chesterfield Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Kimberly Hernandez, adriana hernandez v. albert soriano Case No. JJ091324-01-00 OrDEr Of puBLicatiON The object of this suit is to: Determine custody of Kimberly (DOB 10/27/02), whose mother is Adriana Hernandez and whose father is Albert Soriano pursuant to Virginia Code Section 16.1-241A3. Father’s last known address was 1632 Valor Street, Petersburg VA 23803. It is ordered that the defendant appear at the Continued on next page

Press:

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL The University of Virginia seeks a firm to provide: Occupational Health and Safety Training Support Services To view a copy of RFP # FM051717 go to Procurement Services Site: http://www.procurement.virginia. edu/main/publicpostings/RFP. html, or email pur-rfp@virginia.edu

The ACLU of Virginia seeks four dynamic individuals to join its team and help expand its presence and accomplishments as the leading advocacy organization for civil liberties and civil rights in the Commonwealth. Director of Finance and Administration Director of Advocacy Senior Staff Attorney Investigator Positions open until filled. Job descriptions and information on how to apply can be found on our website: https://acluva.org/about-us/jobs/ The ACLU of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of Virginia encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status. Persons with disabilities may request accommodations.

Saint Mark Baptist Church

of Maidens, Virginia, established in 1873

is praying to God for a spiritual, mature individual who has a calling from God to pastor.

The Pastor must be an example of a true disciple to the community and the congregation; be responsible for leading our church according to God’s Holy Word; be the “under” shepherd of the flock and exercise oversight in the church; and proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers in the community. All interested applicants should submit their resume to the Pastoral Search Committee by mailing to St. Mark Baptist Church, Attn: Pastoral Search Committee, 4596 Factory Mill Road, Maidens, VA 23102 or by email to pastorsearc@aol.com

The City of Richmond is seeking to fill the following positions: Assistant City Attorney I 10M00000026 Richmond City Attorney Apply by 06/04/17 Assistant City Attorney II 10M00000018 Richmond City Attorney Apply by 06/04/17 Construction Inspector III – Gas Distribution 35M00000220 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 Director of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities (Executive/Unclassified) 30M00000013 Department of Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities Apply by 06/18/17 Equipment Operator II, Buildings & Grounds 35M00000241 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 Family Services Worker – Resource Family Unit 27M00000170 Department of Social Services Apply by 06/04/17 Maintenance Technician II – Mechanical – Wastewater Utility 35M00000746 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 Maintenance Technician IV – HVAC - Wastewater 35M00000303 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 Management Analyst I – Trauma Informed Care 27M00000248 Department of Social Services Apply by 06/04/17

Part-time Teaching Opportunities J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College is the third largest community college in Virginia and offers a variety of academic programs and services to the residents of the City of Richmond and five nearby counties. Annually, our three campuses serve approximately 17,500 credit students and provide training for an additional 11,000 students through the Community College Workforce Alliance. During our 44-year history we have educated nearly 340,000 people in the Richmond area and 1 in 4 local working adults has attended Reynolds. Additional information is available at the College’s Website: www.reynolds.edu. Reynolds is seeking applicants who share in its commitment to students and teamwork. The College supports a culture of life-long learning, celebrating its diversity, and recruiting and retaining star-quality employees. The College is excited to announce part-time teaching opportunities for Fall 2017 and Spring 2018. For specific teaching disciplines and information on how to apply, please visit the college’s website: www.reynolds.edu. AA/EOE/ADA/Veterans/ AmeriCorps/Peace Corps/ Other National Service Alumni are encouraged to apply

Pretrial Probation Officer – Supervision 15GRANT0027 Department of Justice Services Apply by 06/04/17 Project Management Analyst – Water Resources Division 35M00000916 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 Social Services Case Manager – Homeless Services 27M00000532 Department of Social Services Apply by 06/04/17 Utilities Instrument & Control Technician II 35M00000492 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 Water Quality Technician 35M00000653 Department of Public Utilities Apply by 06/04/17 ****************** 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

Freelance Writers: 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.

Graphics position: The Richmond Free Press is seeking a reliable and creative person for a part-time graphics position. Proficient in Indesign and Photoshop to produce accurate, quality camera-ready advertisements and creative news page layouts for print production. Meticulous attention to details. Must be able to be flexible and work under deadline in a team environment is essential. Submit resumé and samples of work to address: Human Resources, Richmond Free Press, P.O. Box 27709, Richmond, Virginia 23261. No phone calls please.

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Richmond Free Press call 644-0496