COVID-19 hospitalizations show slight increase
Local and national health officials are reminding the public to stay safe during the summer season amid record high temperatures and a small but noticeable increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
City hires urban forester
Michael Webb is the City’s first urban forester. Mr. Webb will work with the community to develop the City’s Urban Forestry Master Plan.
A 6-year-old said ‘I did it’ after shooting his teacher at Virginia school, warrants say
In the moments after a 6-year-old shot his teacher in a Virginia classroom last January, the boy made statements, including “I shot that (expletive) dead,” and “I did it. I got my mom’s gun last night,” according to recently unsealed police search warrants.
Going green with RVA Urban Ag Kickoff
Urban agriculture and the benefits of a sustainable community will be the focus of a new event in Richmond on Thursday, Aug.17, as the inaugural RVA Urban Ag Kickoff is set to be held at Miles Jones Elementary School at 200 Beaufont Hills Drive from 1 to 3 p.m.
New law addresses temporary detention orders during mental health crises
‘A law like this was needed’ says woman who faced hospital stay
A new state law might have prevented Jamisha L. Seward’s ordeal nearly a year ago when she was handcuffed and shackled by her leg to a hospital bed for more than 80 hours while a rotating shift of Henrico County police officers kept an eye on her.
Riverfront brawl brings unwelcome attention to historic civil rights city in Alabama
Three white boaters in Alabama’s capital city will be charged with misdemeanor assault for a riverfront brawl with a Black boat captain that drew nationwide attention, with more charges likely to come, police said.
Pregnant woman sues Detroit, police officer after arrest involving facial recognition
A Detroit woman is suing the city and a police officer, saying she was falsely arrested when she was eight months pregnant and accused of a carjacking based on facial recognition technology that is now the target of lawsuits filed by three Black Michigan residents.
Smoke and mirrors
Last week, City Hall pulled back from installing a “burn building” where firefighters could train in handling simulated fires on 2-acres of lawn at the Hickory Hill Community Center in South Side.
Handling extremism, by Dr. E. Faye Williams
At one time we could confidently turn to the U.S. Supreme Court for relief from extremist behavior that attempted to take away rights we already had or rights we were fighting to achieve. Today, unfortunately, we experience extremism in so many areas of our lives.
FTC hindering Black economic achievement, by Julianne Malveaux
The Biden administration has been pushing hard for credit for its significant economic successes. Coining the phrase “Bidenomics,” the term is meant to direct attention toward the administration’s striking successful economic agenda.
Richmond’s new police chief details plans to deter crime, build community outreach, be transparent
After a nationwide search, Richard “Rick” Edwards’ interim position as Richmond’s police chief became permanent when the 24-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department was sworn in July 24 as the city’s 21st police chief.
Virginia NAACP responds to traffic stop data
The Virginia State Conference NAACP (Virginia NAACP) acknowledges the findings of the 2023 Report on Analysis of Traffic Stop Data Collected under Virginia’s Community Policing Act. It continues to be alarming that Black drivers are 19.4% of the driving population but make up 30.4% of those who are stopped. The report findings are also alarming that Hispanic and Native American/Indian Americans also are stopped at a higher percentage than their population.
Richmond Area SCLC opposes closing early voting locations
The Richmond Area Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which represents Central Virginia as a chartered member of the national SCLC, would like to express our disappointment with and determination to address the decision by the City of Richmond Electoral Board to close two satellite early voting offices for the upcoming 2023 November election.
Graham is VUU’s human stop sign
Shamar Graham wears jersey No. 36, but an octagon stop sign in maroon and steel colors might better describe his gridiron duties. Not much in the way of ball carriers or pass receivers get past Virginia Union University’s aggressive, always ready to rumble linebacker out of nearby (3.2 miles apart) Thomas Jefferson High. “You don’t get 80 tackles standing around in a great defense like ours,” Coach Alvin Parker said. “Shamar makes plays ... he’s a playmaker.” In his first season as a starter, Graham had 84 tackles in 2022, including 7.5 for losses. He added two sacks, and three passes broke up. “I like to go full speed to the ball, sideline to sideline ... and never give up on a play,” Graham said. His ability to crush oppo- nent’s best-laid plans has earned him a nickname – “Showtime.” Among all returning CIAA players, Graham has the most tackles from the 2022 season. “He plays at such a high speed,” Coach Parker said. “He sees where the ball is going, and he goes after it.” The 6-foot-1, 225-pound Graham was here, there and ev- erywhere in a defensive unit that dominated opponents in a 9-2 season that produced an NCAA Division II invitation. Allowing just 17.9 points per game, VUU ranked second in the CIAA behind only conference champion Fayetteville State (17.3). Graham hails from a winning background. As a TJ senior in 2019, he earned All-State honors as a running back and linebacker as the Vikings reached the Class 2 state semifinals. The Richmonder is just warming up at VUU. Despite his tackling heroics, he didn’t make All-CIAA as a sophomore. That’s an award he’s in line for in 2023. The stop sign isn’t going away. There is good news and bad news regarding players coming and going. All-CIAA receiver John Jiles entered the transfer portal and will not likely be back, according to Coach Parker. The North Carolina native caught 40 passes for 627 yards and nine TDs last season after transferring to VUU from Fort Scott Community College in Kansas. On the plus side, 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback J’Bore Gibbs, a former starter at FCS power South Dakota State, has transferred to VUU where he will compete with returnees Chris- tian Reid and R.J. Rosales. Gibbs, a native Chicagoan, had a banner freshman year at South Dakota State in 2019 before suffering a knee injury. He later transferred to the University of Idaho where he had yet another knee injury.
VCU Rams score victories in Greece
New VCU basketball Coach Ryan Odom is piling up the miles on his “Odometer” before his first season begins.
Simone Biles dazzles in her return from a 2-year layoff to dominate the U.S. Classic
Simone Biles spent two years trying to distance herself from those strange days in Tokyo and all the outside noise that came along with it.
Former VUU star Fairley dies
Nathan Fairley, a swift, bruising fullback during a highly successful era of Virginia Union football, died Monday, July 31, 2023, of natural causes. He was 65.
Down Home Family Reunion is ‘Bringing the World Home’
The 32nd Annual Down Home Family Re- union will bring music, dance, stories, food, shopping and enrichment to Jackson Ward’s Abner Clay Park on Saturday, Aug. 19. Presented by the Elegba Folklore Society, this year’s cultural arts festival highlights “A Celebration of African American Folklife.”
