Thursday, October 9
Hispanic Football Hall unveils college Player of the Year watch list
Fifteen college football standouts of Hispanic heritage were named Wednesday to the first-ever watch list for the Hispanic College Football Player of the Year Award.
Darville powers Virginia State to split with Winston-Salem in CIAA showdown
Virginia State split a doubleheader with Winston-Salem, improving the Trojans’ record to 5-8 overall and 4-1 in CIAA play.
Korir, Hawkins lead VUU to fifth at HBCU Challenge
The Virginia Union University men’s cross-country team placed fifth out of 13 schools at the HBCU Challenge on Oct. 3 in Cary, North Carolina, led by medal-winning runs from freshmen Rodgers Korir and Darryl Hawkins Jr.
Norfolk State coaching legend Charles Christian set for Hall of Fame
Former Norfolk State University men’s basketball coach Charles Christian, a Richmond native and Armstrong High School alumnus, will be posthumously enshrined into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame this November.
VSU opens largest building in school history
Virginia State University has opened the Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons, the largest facility in the school’s 143-year history.
‘Gabriel Gathering’ to honor enslaved rebellion leader
Supporters of efforts to reclaim and memorialize Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom district will gather Friday, Oct. 10, for the 23rd annual Gabriel Gathering.
Folk Festival to feature ‘Riverlore’ films, discussion
The Richmond Folk Festival will highlight Virginia’s rivers this year with a special film screening and launch party on Thursday, Oct. 9, ahead of the festival, which runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 10-12, at Brown’s Island and the downtown riverfront.
City expands Zoning Advisory Council
Mayor Danny Avula announced Wednesday the addition of four new members to the city’s Zoning Advisory Council, expanding the panel from 17 to 21 members in response to resident calls for broader representation in planning decisions.
Early voting
Richmond voters are now casting ballots early for the 2025 elections, including races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the House of Delegates. Early voting allows residents to vote in person before Election Day and can help reduce wait times at polling places.
Norfolk State to host only Virginia gubernatorial debate Thursday
Norfolk State University will host the only face-to-face debate between the Republican and Democratic candidates for Virginia governor on Oct. 9.
Luxury trains and metro access: Fans plan for Commanders’ RFK comeback
Wealthy Virginians used to travel to NFL games in Washington aboard a 1919 luxury rail car now displayed at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond.
Personality: Anthony Clary
Spotlight on the founder of WeOffTheCouch
Growing up in Blackwell on South Side, Anthony Clary rarely saw Black people running or exercising. Now, as founder of WeOffTheCouch, he’s working to change that reality.
Don’t let pharmacy deserts swallow our communities by Ed Towns
We certainly live in challenging times. Shortly before RFK Jr.’s hand-picked CDC panel met last month to abandon its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, Sen. Adam Schiff publicly asked insurers to cover routine vaccines for illnesses, no matter what the group recommended.
Not your ordinary shutdown — lives at risk by Julianne Malveaux
The federal government shut down Oct. 1, and the impasse between congressional Democrats and Republicans suggests it could be a long one. Speaker Mike Johnson has already sent Congress home to do “district work.”
Revolutions for freedom and equality remain unfinished by Ben Jealous
In my house, two legacies face each other. On one wall hangs a reproduction of “The Spirit of ’76,” painted by my cousin Archibald M. Willard for the nation’s 100th birthday.
Surprise, surprise
How can you tell it’s October in Richmond? Even without a calendar or a smartphone, a few signs stand out.
Debt-burdened Virginians in limbo with new payment plans, government shutdown
Changes in student loan repayment plans have coincided with the government shutdown, which could leave Virginia borrowers in limbo.
DNA and facial reconstruction offer clues in decades-old South Richmond case
On Aug. 27, 2002, the body of a man was found in a ravine next to a brickyard in Blackwell.
Virginia school board members rate districts higher than the public, study finds
Most school board members in Virginia and across the country have a higher level of optimism about their school districts than the public, reflecting a key public education disconnect, according to a study published by the Fordham Institute on Wednesday.
Former Gov. Doug Wilder scraps lawsuit against VCU officials
Two months after former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder sued a pair of VCU leaders over a recent workplace investigation involving him, Wilder is voluntarily dropping the case.
John W. ‘Casey’ Jones Sr., beloved dentist and mentor, dies at 83
For generations of Richmond residents, John W. “Casey” Jones Sr. helped keep their teeth clean and smiles bright.
Dementia documentary screening at Real Life Ministries
Wisdom Watch Alliance will host a free community screening of the documentary “Remember Me: Dementia in the African American Community” on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. at Real Life Ministries COGIC, 113 Wilkinson Road.
Tavares Floyd indicted on felony election fraud charges
Tavares Floyd, whose 2024 campaign for Richmond City Council drew scrutiny after the accuracy of his campaign finance filings was questioned, was indicted Monday on four counts of felony election fraud.
Questionable gifts cloud Earle-Sears’ governor bid
Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle- Sears built her political brand on transparency and accountability.
School Board stalls vote on bargaining changes
Richmond Public Schools’ historic collective bargaining agreement will remain unchanged for now after the Richmond School Board voted 6-3 Tuesday to defer a decision on proposed changes.
Thursday, October 2
Virtual talk to explore roots of Confederate monuments
The Library of Virginia will host a free virtual talk at noon Wednesday, Oct. 8, featuring Donovan Schaefer, a Virginia Humanities fellow, on his research project “Nationalism & Cosmopolitanism in the Creation of Richmond’s Confederate Monuments.” Registration is required at https://lva-virginia.libcal.com.
Greater Mt. Moriah hosts festival of unity, peace
Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church joined with city leaders and the Richmond Police Department to host “Falling for the Culture: A Festival of Unity, Peace, and Hope” on Sunday along the Jackson Ward and Gilpin Court corridor.
Faith, festivities to highlight first Catholic Fest
The Catholic Diocese of Richmond will host its inaugural “Catholic Fest” on Saturday, Oct. 11, at The Diamond, offering a day of free activities for families and the broader community.
New Jersey bishop to lead revival at Second Baptist Church (West End)
Bishop Liston Page Jr., a Virginia Union University graduate who has preached nationally and abroad, will return to Richmond next week to lead the fall revival at Second Baptist Church (West End), 1400 Idlewood Ave.
Virginia State sweeps Lincoln in straight sets
Virginia State volleyball needed just three sets to dispatch Lincoln (Pa.) on Monday, rolling to a 25-9, 25-9, 25-11 win at the Multipurpose Center.
Virginia Union rolls past Shaw 59-7
Virginia Union University’s offense piled up 611 total yards as the Panthers routed Shaw University 59-7 on Saturday at Durham County Memorial Stadium.
Atlanta’s first all-Black high school polo team wins inaugural match
The Atlanta BEST Academy Polo Team made history at the eighth annual Atlanta Polo Party, not only becoming the first all-Black high school polo team to compete but also winning its debut match.
Vape age
When we look back on 2025, once we process the general upheaval of governmental norms and the fractured political discourse, we might ask ourselves a question: What was up with all those vape and smoke shops?
Virtual panel to show police footage of Richmond’s civil rights era
For decades, footage of Richmond’s marches, rallies and protests sat quietly in police archives. This week, VCU Libraries will bring these rarely seen films into public view.
Free Press headquarters in Downtown Richmond up for sale
The Imperial Building, home to the Richmond Free Press since 2001, has been listed for sale, officials confirmed.
8 arrested, 60 pounds of marijuana seized in area vape shop raids
Eight people were arrested and more than 60 pounds of marijuana seized during coordinated raids on vape shops, a storage unit and residences across the Richmond area, Henrico County police said Wednesday.
RPS faces union opposition to proposed bargaining revisions
Four years after Richmond Public Schools became the first division in Virginia to recognize collective bargaining rights for its employees, school officials and unions are at odds over proposed changes to that process.
Jackson State tops 2025 HBCU football media poll
The Jackson State Tigers remain the No. 1 team in HBCU football for the sixth consecutive week, continuing their dominance from the preseason, according to the 2025 HBCU Football Media Poll administered by BOXTOROW.
Early voting
Richmond voters are now casting ballots early for the 2025 elections, including races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the House of Delegates.
ICA at VCU rolls out fall slate of artist talks and performances
The Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University is opening its fall season with an expanded schedule of artist talks, performances, film screenings and a new chef residency.
Communities pay the price for ‘free’ AI tools
AI is everywhere, but its powerful computing comes with a steep cost to our planet, our neighborhoods and our wallets.
Personality: Tanesha Powell
Spotlight on the executive director of ART 180
With a passion for youth development and a love for the arts, Tanesha Powell has stepped into the role of executive director at ART 180, the Richmond nonprofit that has empowered young creators for nearly 30 years.
Ettrick native Rudi Johnson leaves lasting mark on football and community
Burudi Ali “Rudi” Johnson, a standout running back from Ettrick in Chesterfield County, built a lasting sports legacy both on and off the football field.
Conflict entrepreneurs behind our broken politics by Clarence Page
I have long become accustomed to what I call the “BTMF” reflex whenever a great, newsmaking calamity or outrage happens.
Artists’ solidarity offers a blueprint against blacklists by Ben Jealous
Everywhere I go lately, people whisper the same question: Are we sliding into another blacklist era?
We see you
Look out, my fellow tenacious reporters and grizzled editors — we think there may be a person on council that’s after all of our hearts.
Virginia universities report historic targeting of Black communities
As Virginia’s public colleges and universities expanded to meet growing demand for higher education, several targeted majority-Black neighborhoods.
Takeaways from historic governor’s race include reduced spending
The upcoming Virginia gubernatorial election will make history, with the state’s first female governor poised to take office in January, but it is not generating as much money as some past races.
Harris, Moore urge Congressional Black Caucus to stand firm
Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore urged members of the Congressional Black Caucus to remain resilient and take action in the nation’s challenging political climate during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 54th annual Legislative Conference Phoenix Awards Dinner on Saturday.
RPS pays former auditor $30,790 amid unexplained exit
The Richmond School Board paid $30,790 to its former director of internal audits, Douglass Graeff, as part of his separation agreement with the division.
City launches budget plan with more input
Richmond officials are launching a revamped budget process that starts earlier, adds more public input and reorganizes work sessions to improve efficiency.
Government shuts down after Senate deadlock; Trump signals mass layoffs
Health care tax credits remain at center of standoff
The federal government began shutting down early Wednesday after Congress failed to approve a funding bill before the start of the new fiscal year, setting off nationwide disruptions and giving the Trump administration an opening to lay off federal workers.
