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Richmond Free Press
VOL. 25 NO. 37
© 2016 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
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Meet Toastmasters International Top 10 public speaker
SEPTEMBER 8-10, 2016
Stuck at start New RPS bus plan adds to first day issues By Lauren Northington
At 7:35 a.m. Tuesday, sixth-grader Ayanna Street and her mother, Yakysha Langhorne, stood excitedly outside Westover Hills Elementary School waiting for Ayanna’s scheduled 7:53 a.m. school bus to take her to Binford Middle School. Like Ayanna, more than 23,000 students started their first day of the 2016-2017 academic year in Richmond Public Schools in a fit of nerves, new outfits and new opportunities. Mrs. Langhorne had taken the day off from her job in Short Pump to see her daughter off to her first day of middle school and eagerly snapped photos of a beaming Ayanna standing at the bus stop. As one of thousands of students affected by the Richmond School Board-approved bus transportation plan for the new school year, Ayanna seemed unphased by the loss of her neighborhood bus stop. Despite having to get to a “hub” bus stop at a neighborhood elementary school to catch her bus to Binford, Ayanna seemed more anxious about attending a new school than worrying about where to catch the bus. But the family’s joy faded to anxiousness and then upset as, an hour after the scheduled pick up time, the bus had not yet arrived. After calling Binford Middle School, Mrs. Langhorne was advised to find alternate transportation for Ayanna for the morning because her bus was not coming. Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press “I can’t lose my job waiting at a bus stop, and I cannot take Sixth-grader Ayanna Street, left, and her mother, Yakysha Langhorne, embrace during a first-day-of-school pep talk off work just to bring her all the way up to Westover Hills while waiting at the bus stop Tuesday at Westover Hills Elementary School. The South Side elementary school is everyday,” Mrs. Langhorne said. Ayanna’s hub to get to Binford Middle School in the West End under the new transportation plan. The problems were a mixture of first day kinks and the new transportation plan, which shifts the cost of transportation from the school district to parents. RPS cut the pupil transportation budget by 3.2 percent even as two-thirds of the city’s students are transported daily on school buses. On Tuesday, many parents By Jeremy M. Lazarus 18 and 25 firefighter positions to save at waiting with their middle least $675,000. Smokers will pay an extra 80 cents in Barraged by complaints that the fire- and high school students at tax for each pack of cigarettes they buy house closing would threaten public safety, Westover Hills complained inside the city limits of Petersburg begincouncil members backed off and voted to about the RPS administration ning Oct. 1 — a move the city officials leave all four firehouses open — leaving using them to offset costs in hope will generate $900,000 a year in it to interim City Manager Dironna Moore transportation. Mr. McDonnell “I don’t understand why much needed revenue. Belton to find another way to save the they don’t see the impact of On the same date, residents will face money. Mayor Myers Ms. Belton modest increases in taxes on cars, resAdding pressure, the council voted to the transportation on parents, taurant meals and hotel rooms and will The deficit amounts to about $375 for keep paying $183,000 a year to Southside as if school administrators have to pay an extra $6 a month for trash each of the city’s 33,000 residents. Virginia Emergency Crew (SVEC) to keep aren’t parents or have children collection, all aimed at generating at least Still, it remains uncertain whether City the 70-year-old ambulance service in opera- in Richmond Public Schools,” $1.2 million in additional cash Petersburg Council went far enough with the package tion in two districts to supplement the Fire Mrs. Langhorne said while needs to pay its bills. of cuts and tax increases that won approval Department’s emergency medical services several parents nodded and At the same time, Petersburg will slash in front of a largely hostile audience of — rather than expanding the department’s spoke in agreement. Like many RPS students Free Press wire report $3.4 million in yearly support for public more than 500 residents. service to replace SVEC as the consulting schools, freeze the hiring of police offices, The seven-member council stopped The U.S. Supreme Court Please turn to A4 Please turn to A4 overturned federal corruption close its five museums and tourist centers, $1 million short of eliminating the $12.5 convictions against former Gov. cut recreation programs for city youths, million deficit. They also took no action end a subsidy for a minor league baseball to create a roadmap for paying off an Bob McDonnell in June. But the former Republican team and extend a 10 percent cut in city estimated $14 million in accumulated, unpaid bills from the previous year. governor’s legal woes may not employee pay for the full year. Those are just some of the changes that Despite the financial stress, the council be over. the Petersburg City Council approved Tuesrejected a recommendation from their Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern day night in a bid to dry up most, but not financial consultant, Public Financial District of Virginia reportedly all, of the $12.5 million in red ink that has Management of Richmond, to close one of its four firehouses and eliminate between recommended that the U.S. engulfed the current 2016-17 budget. Justice Department retry Mr. McDonnell. Free press wire report According to the Washington WASHINGTON Post, “people familiar with the President Obama nominated a Washington case” mentioned that the recomattorney for the federal bench Tuesday. If mendation does not guarantee confirmed, he would be the first Muslim that Mr. McDonnell will have Mr. Qureshi American to serve as a federal judge. to return to court to again fight By Jeremy M. Lazarus to vote, run for office, serve on a President Obama nominated Abid Riaz Qureshi of Maryland for corruption charges. jury and act as a notary public. the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Higher ranking officials will Gov. Terry McAuliffe is facWhile Gov. McAuliffe and Mr. Qureshi’s bio at Latham & Watkins LLP says he specializes decide at a later date whether Mr. ing a new challenge from the his allies are vowing to fight, in cases involving fraud and securities violations. Mr. Qureshi also McDonnell will return to trial. Republican-dominated Virginia they face an uphill battle given has managed large, complex investigations on behalf of international Asked if she would accept the General Assembly to his authority the Republican majorities in companies. recommendation of prosecutors to restore the rights of felons who the state Senate and House of He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1997 and Cornell who handled the case, U.S. At- have served their time — even Delegates. University in 1993. torney General Loretta E. Lynch on a case-by-case basis. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Norment An advocacy group called Muslim Advocates is applauding the told the Washington Post, “That’s Blocked by the Virginia SuThomas K. Norment, R-James nomination, saying that diversity helps ensure the fair administration working its way through the preme Court from issuing blanket orders City County, has opened the new front. of the law, and it is vital for Muslims to be included. process, so I’m not able to give to restore felons’ rights and hit with a Offended that the Democratic governor The group said he had worked with the organization on a pro bono you a comment on that.” Republican request that the high court hold has sought to restore the voting rights of basis in two important civil rights cases. Federal prosecutors have him in contempt for allegedly trying to get every felon who completes his or her senThe White House regularly has cited President Obama’s efforts to until Monday, Sept. 19, accord- around the ruling, Gov. McAuliffe now is tence — regardless of the crime — Sen. bring diversity to the federal judiciary, noting he has appointed 120 ing to the Washington Post, to trying to halt a move by GOP lawmakers Norment has introduced a constitutional minority federal judges and 138 female federal judges. inform the 4th U.S. Circuit Court to strip him and future governors from any amendment to overhaul the 186-year-old However, confirmation by the U.S. Senate is uncertain. role in the rights restoration process. Please turn to A4 Restoration of rights includes the right Please turn to A4
Petersburg City Council raises taxes, cuts funding to keep city afloat
Retrial for former governor?
GOP ups ante to block felons’ rights restoration
President Obama nominates Muslim American to federal judiciary