Brotherly love
TJ’s Stovall plays in slain sibling’s honor
Whenever Dashawn Stovall steps onto a football field, he is fueled by flesh, bone and a full tank of emotion. He carries the pigskin and makes tackles for Thomas Jefferson High School, but also for his slain brother, Davonte, who was murdered in 2019 in a shooting on Selden Street.
Personality: W. Weldon Hill, Ph.D.
Spotlight on CultureWorks board chair
Jazz pianist and retired educator W. Weldon Hill, Ph.D., believes in freedom of expression through art.
Thompson Hospitality to donate $1M to Virginia State University
Thompson Hospitality, the nation’s largest black-owned and privately held hospitality company, will donate $1 million to Virginia State University. The donation, made by Warren Thompson, is a tribute to his parents, Fred and Ruby Thompson. It marks the second $1 million contribution to VSU from the Thompson Family, following an initial pledge in 2011.
America’s ticking fiscal time clock, by Charlene Crowell
For the second time this year, Congress’ inability to reach consensus on essential fiscal legislation has devolved into largely partisan bickering and literal, last-minute temporary financial Band-Aids. On Sept. 30, the last day of the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year, a continuing resolution (CR) provided a 45-day reprieve, just in time to meet a midnight deadline that would have resulted in a federal government shutdown.
Henrico’s 1st phase of Ashland-to-Petersburg trail will be built in Lakeside
Henrico County is set to begin construction of its portion of the 43-mile Fall Line trail, following a ceremonial groundbreaking today in Lakeside for the trail’s 0.26-mile Park Street Phase.
Pulse North-South route endorsed
Five years after installing the East-West Pulse bus rapid-transit line, GRTC has embraced a vision of a adding a North-South line – though it is at least seven years and $100 million or so away from development.
Could Youngkin be on presidential campaign trail?
Most say it’s a ‘no’ for Virginia’s governor
Glenn Youngkin was waving off talk about running for the White House back in 2021, before he’d even made it to the Virginia governor’s mansion.
New General Assembly building opens
The elevators go up and down all 15 levels in a jiffy. There’s light and windows everywhere. The committee rooms can seat hundreds. The upsized cafeteria has ample seating and a pizza oven. And there’s new technology throughout designed to help the people of Virginia see and influence what their elected representatives are doing in Richmond. A week before the official ribbon was cut on the new Virginia General Assembly Building on Oct. 11, state officials who had overseen the nearly $300 million project for the last six years were proudly preparing to reveal the almost-finished product.
Yes or no?
The announcement that former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn will not run for governor in 2025 comes amid continuing rumors that Virginia’s current governor may make a late entry into the 2024 presidential race.
Do the right thing Alabama, by Marc H. Morial
“We are not aware of any other case in which a state legislature — faced with a federal court order declaring that its electoral plan unlawfully dilutes minority votes and requiring a plan that provides an additional opportunity district — responded with a plan that the state concedes does not provide that district.” – U.S. District Court, Northern District of Alabama, Southern Division
Panthers cruising into homecoming
What more could you ask for? Virginia Union University has the wind at its back, a full head of steam and arguably the nation’s top running back heading into homecoming weekend.
Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy exhibit opens at Richmond’s Black History Museum
The Armstrong Walker Football Classic Legacy Project has returned to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia with a new exhibit that will run until Nov. 22. During the exhibit visitors will view artifacts that help explore the history of the sports rivalry between Maggie L. Walker High School and Armstrong High School.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
Private school’s closure leaves students without a classroom
The sudden closure of Richmond-based Metropolitan Day School has left some disabled public schools students in the lurch.
Biden condemns Hamas for ‘unadulterated evil’
President Joe Biden on Tuesday condemned the militant group Hamas for “sheer evil” for its shocking multi-pronged attack on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip that has killed hundreds of civilians, including at least 14 American citizens.
Personality: Zarina Fazaldin
Spotlight on Richmond Folk Festival Programming Committee Chair
Zarina Fazaldin left her family in Tanzania to complete high school and earn her bachelor’s degree in India before coming to Richmond to pursue post graduate studies. Back then, her dream job was to work at the United Nations. More than 30 years later, Ms. Fazaldin still lives in Richmond, a city that she loves and considers her own. Her friends in Richmond have become family, she says.
More states are teaching financial literacy
Inside a high school classroom, Bryan Martinez jots down several purchases that would require a short-term savings plan: shoes, phone, headphones, clothes, and food. His medium-term financial goals take a little more thought, but he settles on a car — he doesn’t have one yet — and vacations. Peering way into his future, the 18-year-old also imagines saving money to buy a house, start his own business, retire and perhaps provide any children with a college fund.
Fire Department 40-year veteran Earl Dyer dies
‘He was a dedicated public servant,’ Fire Chief Carter said
Battalion Chief Earl Dyer of the Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services is being remembered as a “consummate professional and a man of the highest integrity” following his death after experiencing a medical emergency at work.
Black support for Deion Sanders and Colorado is just as much about representation as it is wins
One of Trevon Hamlet’s core memories from attending the University of Colorado is living on campus his freshman year and being able to count on one hand how many Black people he’d see in a day.
Annual checkup
A year after scathing New York Times article, Bon Secours’ prescription for East End community includes jobs, training, upgraded facilities
Richmond Community Hospital continues to buzz with construction as its owner, Bon Secours, builds up operations at the East End health care center.
