Lighting adds a ghostly touch to the Virginia War Memorial in this twilight view from 2nd Street near the Lee Bridge. The crane and materials on the hill evidence the $25 million construction project underway to expand the 62-year-old building that now pays tribute to the nearly 12,000 state residents killed in combat in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. The work was initiated last year during the tenure of former Gov. Terry McAuliffe and is designed to add space to honor Virginians who have died in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq and in the global war on terrorism. Also planned is an expansion of the education center and installation of 170 spaces of underground parking. The state is contributing $23.75 million, and the war memorial foundation is seeking to raise $1.25 million to provide the balance, according to officials. The new space is expected to open in April 2019. Location: 621 S. Belvidere St. overlooking Downtown and the James River.

Higgins in words, photos// Noted photographer Chester Higgins, whose work has appeared in numerous publications including Newsweek, Essence, Life, Fortune and the New York Times, where he was a staff photographer from 1975 until 2014, talks about his life and career during an Artist Talk last Friday at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Mr. Higgins’ work in the exhibit, “Like a Study in Black History,” is on view at the museum through May 6. As part of the 28th Annual National African-American Read-In, the museum will host several community leaders reading from African and African-American literature related to works in the permanent collection. The free event will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at the museum, 200 N. Boulevard. Among the readers will be Mayor Levar M. Stoney, former Obama administration official Melody C. Barnes, Virginia Commonwealth University Assistant Professor Brandi Summers and consultant Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher, wife of University of Richmond President Ronald A. Crutcher.