Thursday, July 10
A tribute to Black legacy in performance and public service
Richmonders paid tribute to two historic legacies with commemorative events held days apart. The Richmond Fire Department and community partners marked the 75th anniversary of Virginia’s first Black professional firefighters, while the Astoria Beneficial Club Inc. hosted its 52nd annual service honoring the enduring legacy of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.
Thousands gather in Richmond for Ahmadiyya Muslim convention
Nearly 10,000 Muslim Americans gathered at the Greater Richmond Convention Center over the Fourth of July weekend for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s 75th annual convention.
Camels, ostriches and zebras set to race at Colonial Downs
Colonial Downs is adding a wild twist to its summer racing season with exotic animal races set for Friday, July 11.
CIAA extends Baltimore basketball tournament partnership
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Board of Directors approved Baltimore as the host city for the men’s and women’s basketball tournament through 2029 during its annual spring meeting last month at Virginia State University.
Vick era at Norfolk State to kick off in primetime, bolstered by new recruits
The Michael Vick era at Norfolk State will begin on a national stage with a primetime matchup and a bolstered roster.
Squirrels sweep Baysox with 12-2 rout, set season high in runs
The Richmond Flying Squirrels capped a dominant weekend with a 12-2 blowout win over the Bowie Baysox on Sunday afternoon at Prince George’s Stadium, completing a three-game sweep and setting a new season high for runs scored.
Trump’s promises of cuts lost in a sea of costly waste
In these hectic weeks of the Trump administration, America has witnessed has witnessed division, hatred, complete disregard for the Constitution and the law. There have been sudden cuts and disruptions to important departments such as the Department of Education, USAID, DEI programs and other departments. Employees have been fired, furloughed without notice and given ultimatums.
Divesting from education is divesting from our future, by Ben Jealous
The big ugly boondoggle, which our president calls the “Big Beautiful Bill,” is a transfer of resources from the poor to the wealthy, preserving 2017 tax cuts, cutting Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps), imposing new work requirements for benefits, and increasing defense spending by at least 13%. Kasey Kosgarian, director of the National Priorities Project of the Institute for Policy Studies, posed our choices as “weapons and war or food and health care.” We have apparently chosen weapons and war, and the rest of us exist in peril.
School spirit
I didn’t attend school in Richmond Public Schools, but even from a distance I was aware of the strong school spirit that some Richmonders have for their high schools. It’s similar to a sorority or fraternity, in some ways, except that the schools were less picky about who they let in.
Morenike Miles appointed to VSU Board of Visitors
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has appointed Morenike Miles, a senior executive at Dominion Energy, to the Virginia State University Board of Visitors, the university announced.
Beto O’Rourke to host town hall in Glen Allen on July 19
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke will hold a public town hall meeting at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.
Charles brings listening tour to Richmond theater
Independent gubernatorial candidate Donna Charles will host a community listening session Saturday in Richmond as she seeks to become Virginia’s first elected female governor.
Voices sought to shape memorial at lost burial site in Shockoe Hill
City officials and local partners are inviting the public to weigh in on plans for a permanent memorial at the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground, where an estimated 22,000 free and enslaved African Americans were laid to rest.
Richmond’s procurement director steps into interim deputy CAO role
Rene Almaraz, Richmond’s director of procurement, has been named interim deputy chief administrative officer for finance and administration.
Henrico gets a head start with back-to-school bash
Henrico County Public Schools will hold its annual Back-to-School Kickoff on Thursday, July 31, at the Henrico Sports & Events Center, marking the second consecutive year the event will take place at the spacious venue. The free, divisionwide event aims to energize students and families ahead of the first day of school on Aug. 18.
Personality: Will Melton
Spotlight on the board chair of Housing Families First
Will Melton carries with him the memory of the housing insecurity his family faced growing up in Lansing, Mich. That experience, along with the loss of his father at age 12, shaped his resilience. As his mother worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, he took on the responsibility of helping care for his siblings. Despite the hardships, Melton channeled those struggles into a relentless drive, using his work as a springboard to build a different future.
City advances upgrades to water system and emergency plans
Following a series of high-profile water system failures earlier this year, Richmond officials say they are making steady progress on state-mandated improvements to the city’s water treatment operations and emergency response plans.
Festival returns to Chimborazo Park to uplift East End youth
The seventh annual RVA East End Festival is set for Saturday, Sept. 27, from noon to 7 p.m. at Chimborazo Park, 3215 E. Broad St., organizers announced Monday.
Juicy tradition continues at Hanover Tomato Festival
The 47th annual Hanover Tomato Festival returns Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12, at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville. This free, family-friendly event celebrates Hanover’s signature juicy tomatoes with live entertainment on two stages, nearly 100 vendors, and a variety of children’s activities, all centered around the beloved tomato.
New York Knicks hire Mike Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year
The New York Knicks liked Mike Brown’s experience with championship teams, after he worked for four of them.
Fighting the prevalence of gun suicides requires more attention, action, by Roger Chesley
They’re an ever-growing crisis, often underreported and overlooked because they involve a topic – killing oneself – the news media have been reluctant to cover.
‘Welfare queen’ legends haunt Trump’s budget plan, by Clarence Page
As the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives neared passage of President Donald Trump’s beloved — and enormous — “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” my mind raced back as it often does in such debates to memories of the late Linda Taylor, a Chicago woman better known as “the welfare queen.”
Our city, our rules
The Richmond Police Department did the right thing in pulling the plug on federal access to its license plate reader system after learning it had been misused to track down people over immigration issues.
Gun thefts from cars surge nationwide, now account for 40% of cases
A growing number of firearms are being stolen from parked cars nationwide, especially in urban areas including Virginia Beach, Virginia, according to a new report that highlights a frequently overlooked source of illegally circulating guns.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs gets standing ovation from inmates after court victory, lawyer says
Sean “Diddy” Combs got a standing ovation from fellow inmates when the music mogul returned to jail after winning acquittals on potential life-in-prison charges, providing what his lawyer says might have been the best thing he could do for incarcerated Black men in America.
Digital project aims to preserve and expand the legacy of Bayard Rustin
Social justice advocates are creating a queer history archive that celebrates Bayard Rustin, a major organizer in the Civil Rights Movement and key architect of the March on Washington.
Richmond police cut ATF access over immigration data use
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said in a press release Tuesday afternoon that data from the department’s license plate reader program was used to assist with immigration enforcement, in violation of the department’s policy.
Proposals sought for transformation of Intermediate Terminal Building
Sitting along the James River waterfront, the Intermediate Terminal Building stands as both a relic of Richmond’s industrial past and a blank canvas for its future. Now, city officials are looking for proposals to bring new life to the historic structure at 3101 E. Main St.
‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ unofficial Black national anthem, celebrates 125 years
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” is a hymn many African Americans of older generations just know. They sang it in church, learned it in school and stood for what is dubbed the unofficial Black national anthem just like they might for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Family of Alabama teen shot by police seeks access to video of shooting
Lawyers representing the family of a Black teenager shot and killed by police in an Alabama suburb said the state’s refusal to release body-camera video during an investigation is fueling mistrust over the shooting.
School board weighs renaming Armstrong High School
A spirited debate over school names and legacies prompted the Richmond School Board to hit pause Monday night, choosing instead to let the community weigh in on whether Armstrong High School should become Armstrong-Kennedy High School.
Thursday, July 3
Museum to close select galleries for expansion project
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts will temporarily close galleries displaying African art, Indigenous American art and Pre-Columbian art beginning July 7 as it prepares for its largest expansion and renovation project.
Going fourth
Star-Spangled Squirrels Fest, Dogwood Dell “Big Show” at Byrd Park, Henrico County Red, White & Lights at Meadow Farm Museum, and more...
Flying Squirrels drop series finale to Fightin Phils, 5-3
The Richmond Flying Squirrels fell behind early and couldn’t recover in a 5-3 loss to the Reading Fightin Phils on Sunday afternoon at The Diamond.
Norfolk State names M.L. Morgan head baseball coach
Norfolk State University has named Merrill “M.L.” Morgan as its new head baseball coach, the school announced last week.
VCU duo achieves NBA dreams as Shulga and Watkins get drafted
Two former VCU standouts achieved their NBA dreams Thursday night, with both Max Shulga and Jamir Watkins hearing their names called in the draft.
Ouster of UVA’s president attacks academic freedom, by David W. Marshall
The forced resignation of James E. Ryan as president of the University of Virginia at the hands of the Trump administration marks a dangerous precedent for American higher education. The federal government’s ultimatum that Ryan step down as a condition for resolving a civil rights investigation into UVA’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is not just governmental overreach — it is a direct threat to the independence of public universities and the principles of academic freedom.
Audit finds oversight gaps in Richmond’s fuel program, officials pledge reform
A new report from the Office of the City Auditor has found significant weaknesses in the City of Richmond’s fuel program, including poor tracking of fuel usage, inadequate controls over fuel card access and PIN management and a lack of standardized procedures and training.
Public voting opens for BLK RVA Community Awards
Finalists have been named for the 2025 BLK RVA Community Awards, an annual event that spotlights the people, businesses and organizations making a cultural impact across the Richmond region.
July fourth holiday schedule
In observance of the Independence Day holiday on Friday, July 4, please note the following:
Baskin named deputy director of research at VCU Massey
Monica L. Baskin has joined the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center as deputy director of research.
Senate budget plan threatens hospital funding, Virginia officials warn
With roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid funding at stake, Congress is racing to finalize a sweeping budget package, dubbed the “big, beautiful bill,” ahead of President Donald Trump’s July 4 deadline — but key decisions about cuts to the health care program remain up in the air.
Powhatan dad gets another shot at American Ninja Warrior glory
Barry Boyd grew up in a cramped three-bedroom home with 13 other family members. When Child Protective Services deemed the living situation unsuitable, 6-year-old Barry and his two younger brothers were sent to live with their grandfather. But after that arrangement broke down, the siblings entered foster care, where they remained for five years. That challenging start helped shape the resilience and drive that now fuels his life as a competitor and father.
Investigation finds Rev. Barber did not misdirect funds to pay ex-wife alimony
An independent investigation into allegations that the Rev. William Barber II paid his ex-wife alimony from the finances of his nonprofit concluded the civil rights leader did nothing wrong.
Personality: Sherod Davis
Spotlight on the owner of Misfit Tattoo Society
When Richmond’s predominantly white tattoo industry didn’t provide an opportunity for Sherod Davis to learn the craft, he taught himself. Now, as the owner of one of Rich- mond’s Black-owned tattoo shops, Misfit Tattoo Society, he offers a safe space for apprentices to learn and his customers to feel at home. His shop opened in February 2024.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is denied bail after mixed verdict clears in sex crimes case
Sean “Diddy” Combs dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put one of hip-hop’s celebrated figures behind bars for life. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and denied bail as he awaits sentencing.
‘RPS Five’ reinstated in wake of pay dispute
“Reinstated! Twenty-nine years! Twenty-nine years! Reinstated!” The voice of Richmond Public Schools bus driver Cynthia Cole echoed through City Hall’s entryway Monday as she, four other drivers, and their supporters celebrated their rehiring following a tentative contract agreement between RPS and the drivers’ union.
Withers’ message still resonates in song, service and support for others
How refreshing it was to read your article, “Celebrating Bill Withers’ music, message through song and service,” about the legendary singer-songwriter’s daughter, Kori Withers, performing her father’s music at the Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen.
‘Ayida’ at VCU’s ICA celebrates Caribbean culture and diaspora
The Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University recently opened “Ayida,” a group art exhibition celebrating the Caribbean and its diaspora, that will be on display through early 2026.
Virginia Union to induct 8 and 1992 basketball team into Hall of Fame
Virginia Union University will induct eight individuals and the 1992 men’s basketball team into its Thomas “Tricky Tom” Harris Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 19.
New York’s mayoral race a testing ground for a Democratic comeback?, by Clarence Page
A seasoned veteran of Chicago politics once told me that it often takes Democrats a couple of four-year cycles out of office before they can pull their fractious factions together into a winning coalition.
Between freedom and the fireworks
Juneteenth and the Fourth of July sit days apart on the calendar, yet for many of us, they couldn’t feel further apart. Both are marked by celebrations, but one party doesn’t feel like the other.
Richmond utility rates increase as new billing cycle begins
City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities customers will see higher bills this month, as new utility rates approved by City Council have taken effect.
State Democrats celebrate new maternal health care laws
“Moms, babies and families across the commonwealth will begin to feel the benefit of maternal health policies that fundamentally transform how Virginia supports mothers, babies, and families,” said LeVere Bolling. The crowd fanned their faces with handouts on the package legislation, which Democrats called “the momnibus.”
In the loop
Richmond Triangle Players and Firehouse Theatre stage “A Strange Loop,” a Pulitzer and Tony-winning show about Black queerhood, family and finding your “inner white girl.”
Maxine Jenkins remembered for a life of service, education and compassion
For years, Maxine Turner Jenkins was a major part in the beginnings and endings of Richmond residents’ lives. Through her career in education and decades working in the funeral business, Maxine Turner Jenkins occupied a unique place in Richmond, touching many lives before her death on June 26 at age of 85.
After outages, city and county officials seek common ground on water
Richmond and Henrico County officials agreed Monday on their commitment to ensure reliable water service for the region, but they have not yet settled on the best way to make that happen.
