
Personality: Jerome Legions Jr.
Spotlight on board president of the Richmond Crusade for Voters
Jerome Legions Jr. hopes to bring new energy to one of Richmond’s oldest civic and civil rights groups in the new year.

Absenteeism at RPS is down 1.8 percent, but remains high
Chronic absenteeism among school-aged children who miss 10 percent of days or more due to excused and unexcused absences continues to plague school systems, including Richmond Public Schools, throughout the country.

Review: Clumsy Whitney Houston biopic mars its star’s skill
Whitney Houston’s voice was one of a kind and the creative team behind a new big-budget biopic of the singer had no choice but to agree.

Why?
Here’s the good news: So far, there have been no reports of unsheltered people freezing to death in the Arctic blast that hit the Richmond area just before Christmas.

New Year’s 2023 Closings
In observance of New Year’s Day, Sunday, Jan. 1, please note the following:

Richmond Alumnae Delta House Foundation awards scholarships
The Richmond Alumnae Delta House Foundation has announced its 2022 RVA Infinite Scholars scholarship recipients.

We will always be proud ‘Wildcats’
I always enjoy reading the “Personality” profile each week in the Richmond Free Press. I was shocked to see the Armstrong High School mascot referred to as a “Spartan” in the Richmond Free Press Nov. 24-26 edition.

City councilwoman wants to revive apartment inspections
Apartment buildings in Richmond would have to undergo a city inspection at least once every four years and more often in the case of violations under a proposal that 5th District Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch plans to introduce in January.

Ready to serve
Jennifer McClellan defends rushed primary after landslide victory
Richmond state Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan is on the fast track to Washington.

First 2 years revealed President Biden’s generational ambition
WASHINGTON When he ran for the White House, Joe Biden told voters his presidency would be a bridge to the next generation. His first two years on the job have revealed it to be a much more ambitious venture. As he nears the halfway mark on his first term, President Biden is pointing to legacy-defining achievements on climate change, domestic manufacturing and prog- ress on the COVID-19 pandemic — all accomplished with razor-thin majorities on Capitol Hill and rather dim views from the public. President Biden’s legislative accom- plishments extend to nearly every aspect of American life — although their impact may take years to be felt in some cases — and his marshaling of a global coalition to back Ukraine’s defenses and of democra- cies against China’s growing influence will echo for decades. He defied history in the

Want a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot?
The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free walk-up COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the following locations:

Personality: Daniel Harthausen
Spotlight on HBO Max competition show winner
From pop-up food events to TV stardom and back, Daniel Harthausen is cooking up a unique culinary presence in Richmond.

Keishawn Pulley sweetens Randolph-Macon’s success
Of all the college basketball programs in America, perhaps the most consistent winner of all is just 19 miles north of Richmond.

Influential African-Americans who died in 2022
They were literary giants, luminaries of stage and screen, and masters of their chosen professions – be it music, sports or fashion. Most are famous, a few are notorious. Yet they all profoundly impacted their fields of endeavor.

Henrietta Lacks statue concept drawing unveiled in Roanoke
The future statue of Henrietta Lacks will depict the historical figure from Roanoke standing with arms folded in a blazer, long skirt and heeled shoes, according to a recently released drawing.

RPS program receives $20,000 grant
Young Kings in Action, an enrichment program for sixth- through eighth-grade boys at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Ujima Legacy Fund.

Writing competition open to RPS students
The Game Changer Citywide Writing Competition, exclusively for Richmond Public Schools students, is open through Feb. 1, 2023. Contestants have the opportunity for students to win up to $500.

Minimum wage going up; sales tax cut on groceries
Most of Virginia’s lowest paid workers will ring in the New Year with a $1-an-hour pay hike, while grocery shoppers will see a smaller tax bite on their purchases.

RPS makes history in collective bargaining negotiations
Richmond Public Schools recently negotiated agreements with four collective bargaining “units” that will result in increased salaries, compensation and benefits for those employees. The RPS school board was the first in the state to pass a collective bargaining resolution last December since the Virginia Supreme Court banned such agreements for public sector employees 45 years ago.

Hanover County announces water assistance program
Hanover residents who have customer accounts with the county’s Department of Public Utilities can now apply for water and wastewater bill assistance through Virginia’s Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program.