Louis Gossett, Jr. championed justice beyond Hollywood, by Ben Jealous
It was my last year as national president of the NAACP, at the end of 2013 Image Awards. I was with my dear friend Louis Gossett, Jr., the actor and activist who won an Oscar for his role in the film “An Officer and a Gentleman.” Lou said to me, “You know, Ben, I’ve been in this racial justice movement my whole life, but you know, sometimes, brother, I feel like we’re fighting over who’s in first class. What we should be doing is looking out the window, because the plane has fallen like 20,000 feet in the last two minutes.”
UR’s Grant named finalist for Buck Buchanan Award
University of Richmond defensive end Jeremiah Grant has been named among the nation’s top defensive players as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this season, the award is presented yearly to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
Virginia Union makes history, advances to NCAA quarterfinals
Virginia Union University’s record-setting football season continued with a decisive 44-12 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University on Saturday in the NCAA Division II Playoffs second round.
River City Sportsplex expands with four new fields
The River City Sportsplex just got bigger and better. Last week, the complex unveiled four additional lighted turf fields, pushing its total to an impressive 16 fields.
MMA Legends host fight night in Richmond
UFC icons Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and Kamaru Usman are set to host “APFC 15: Virginia Fight Night III,” an evening of mixed martial arts at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Sunday, Dec. 8. Doors open at 2 p.m., with fights scheduled from 2:30 to 9 p.m., delivering non-stop action for fans of all ages.
“Up the Ridge” screening to highlight Red Onion prison issues
The Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality will host a public meeting on Saturday, Dec. 7, to examine issues at Red Onion State Prison, a supermax facility in Virginia. The event, titled “Crisis at Red Onion Supermax: How You Can Help!” will take place at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, 1720 Mechanicsville Turnpike in Richmond’s East End.
VUU Gospel Choir performs on BET’s ‘HBCU Honors’
Virginia Union University’s Gospel Choir performed with Grammy-winning artist Fantasia and hip-hop legend MC Lyte at the HBCU Honors, a celebration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The performance, led by VUU Gospel Choir Director Joel T. Lester, and airing on BET on Dec. 1, marked a milestone for the choir.
Christmas concert to bring harmony and hope to shelter animals
A new holiday album from Shockee Records is hitting all the right notes – and helping local animals in the process.
Personality: Laura Schewel
Spotlight on board president for RVA Rapid Transit
Climate change poses a fundamental threat to human health, affecting the physical environment and threatening global economic stability, according to the World Health Organization. Laura Schewel is looking for ways to reduce carbon emissions, leading her to green transportation advocacy work both professionally and in the community.
Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy Weekend returns
The 4th Annual Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy Project Weekend celebrates the historic rivalry between Armstrong and Maggie L. Walker high schools with events from Nov. 29 through 30. The weekend honors the football game that drew as many as 40,000 fans annually between 1938 and 1978.
NBA warns players of burglary rings targeting athletes
The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley Jr. and NFL Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
Trial set for Richmond employee’s FOIA lawsuit
A $250,000 suit filed against the City of Richmond by former employee Connie Clay is set to be heard in a jury trial next September, following a contentious hearing over the current state of the case Friday.
North Side church hosts annual Thanksgiving distribution
Cars began lining up before 10 a.m. outside Trinity Baptist Church last Saturday, eager to receive a box of food for Thanksgiving. The event, hosted by the Sarah T. Turner Missionary Society, saw more than 150 families receive boxes filled with pantry staples such as bread, turkey stuffing mix, canned goods, Top Ramen, Kool-Aid packets, Kraft Mac and Cheese and fresh vegetables.
Henrico CASA swears in 11 new advocates to support children
Eleven community members were sworn in Nov. 20 as the newest Court Appointed Special Advocates in Henrico County, joining a critical mission to support children who have experienced abuse or neglect.
City highlights progress, unveils new standards under RVA Green 2050 plan
Richmond’s efforts to ensure a sustainable future came into greater focus last Friday as city leaders and officials shared the initial results of their work to ensure environmental sustainability and new standards for city construction.
Richmond leaders named to Avula’s inauguration committee, transition team
Mayor-elect Danny Avula has enlisted dozens of local officials and experts as he prepares to take office next year. Key leaders will participate in an inauguration celebration scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 11, while others will advise his administration on the challenges ahead in 2025.
Investigation: Registrar, elections office wasted almost $500,000
About $500,000 in wasted expenses was one of many revelations in a report released Monday following a months long investigation into allegations of misconduct by Richmond’s General Registrar Keith Balmer and the Office of Elections. The report, completed by the Richmond Office of the Inspector General led by James Osuna, cites Balmer and the office with 25 counts of waste, fraud and abuse of city funds, resources and authority.
Thanksgiving travel cranks up
The Thanksgiving holiday rush neared its full stride at U.S. airports Tuesday, putting travelers’ patience to the test. The Transportation Security Administration expected to screen more than 2.8 million people on Tuesday and 2.9 million on Wednesday after handling more than 2.5 million people on Monday.
T.D. Jakes suffers health incident during sermon
The founder of Dallas-based megachurch The Potter’s House, Bishop T.D. Jakes, suffered what the church called a “slight health incident” while delivering his sermon at the church.
