Concert honors Sister Rosetta Tharpe at Hippodrome
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a former Barton Heights resident often called the “mother of rock & roll,” helped shape modern music with her pioneering guitar work and gospel-infused rock style. Her influence can be heard in the music of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix. During the height of her career, Tharpe made Richmond her home, and now a group of musicians are coming together to honor her legacy.
City’s vacuum leaf collection program ends March 14
Piles of leaves still lingering in Richmond yards may not be going anywhere soon unless residents act fast. The city’s vacuum leaf collection program is wrapping up for the season, with the last day to request service set for March 14.
‘Prides of March’ protest headed to State Capitol
Protesters will take to the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol on Saturday, March 15, as Virginia 50501 hosts a “die-in” to advocate for transgender rights and gender equity.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
For the week ending Saturday, March 8, COVID-19 accounted for 1.1% of all emergency department visits in Virginia, with overall respiratory illness rates low and trending down compared to previous data. No COVID-19-related deaths were reported during this period at press time.
Citizens group calls for halt to Fall Line Trail
The Fall Line Trail will be a major construction project and a permanent addition to the city. It should be built only after thorough study and consideration of the cost, safety, environmental, traffic and neighborhood impacts.
VSU names alumna Tiffani-Dawn Sykes new athletic director
Virginia State University recently named Tiffani-Dawn Sykes as its new associate vice president for intercollegiate athletics, bringing a former Trojan student-athlete back to her alma mater.
New bill relaxes physician requirements for boxing, wrestling events
The General Assembly passed a bill making it easier for a physician to serve ringside at certain sporting events, and extending the period a promoter has to declare any earnings. Before the bill passed, physicians who examine boxers, martial artists or wrestlers before they enter the ring must have held a medical license in Virginia for at least five years.
Outdoor Festivals signal the changing seasons in Richmond
As sure as the temperatures begin to rise, Richmond’s festival season begins, signaling the arrival of spring. The city’s streets and parks become gathering places for food, music and celebration as locals shake off the winter chill and welcome the outdoors again.
Celebrity guests and activities highlight expanded GalaxyCon
The line between fantasy and reality blurs later this month when superheroes, villains and beloved characters from across the entertainment universe converge on Richmond for the city’s largest pop culture event. GalaxyCon returns to Richmond March 27-30 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center for a four-day pop culture celebration.
Smith qualifies for NCAA Indoor Nationals
Virginia Union University freshman Antonio Smith has qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Nationals. Smith will compete Friday, March 14, at Fall Creek Pavilion in Indianapolis.
Marching Forth
Protest challenges Trump policies
Hundreds gathered in Capitol Square on Tuesday for the “March 4th Democracy,” protest march, a show of resistance aimed against the Trump administration’s policies that threaten reproductive rights.
Personality: Bernette Hardy-Keyes
Spotlight on Richmond area president of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women
Bernette Hardy-Keyes saw an opportunity when a stranger knocked on her door, inviting her to help charter the National Coalition of 100 Black Women -Richmond Metropolitan Area Chapter (NCBW-RMAC). She had been searching for a community service organization to join, and a neighbor, aware of her work with the local homeowners association, recommended her.
Olympic champions, amateurs flock to Kenya for world-class training
As dawn breaks over the sleepy town of Iten, its dusty tracks come alive with packs of runners keeping rhythm, often followed by cheerful children headed to school. Some of the athletes are elite Kenyans. Others travel from farther afield.
Poor communication, delayed maintenance blamed for water crisis
Poor communication, a lack of preparation and decades of deferred maintenance projects worsened a crisis that began with an outage at Richmond’s water treatment plant and left residents without running water for days last month, according to a new report released Monday.
VMI board votes against contract renewal for first Black superintendent
Virginia Military Institute’s first Black superintendent will leave his position June 30 after the school’s board voted against renewing his contract, a decision that followed months of political debate.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
For the week ending Saturday, March 1, COVID-19 accounted for 1% of all emergency department visits in Virginia, with overall respiratory illness rates low and trending down compared to previous data. No COVID-19-related deaths were reported during this period at press time.
Protesters in Jefferson Park denounce treatment of immigrants
About 50 Richmond area residents gathered Sunday afternoon at Jefferson Park to support immigrant communities facing state and federal investigations, detention and deportation.
RPS proposes $30.8M spending increase in budget
The Richmond School Board unanimously approved a revised fiscal year 2026 budget increase of $30.8 million over the previous year at Tuesday’s meeting, following weeks of deliberation and public input.
A chorus of goodbyes
The hits just keep coming, for people who love music and the people who make it. This year, we’ve already said goodbye to a remarkable group of artists across genres who each left a lasting impact on music and culture.
Don’t ‘reverse’ our national progress, by Clarence Page
Marlean Ames of Akron, Ohio, is not gay or a member of a racial minority. But, please, she points out, don’t hold that against her, as she alleges her employers have, as she takes her “reverse discrimination” case all the way to the Supreme Court.
