
Union Presbyterian Seminary given grant to develop park
Union Presbyterian Seminary has received a $1,000 grant to help develop its new Yaupon Place Eco-Park in Richmond’s Northside.

RPS music program nationally recognized
Richmond Public Schools has received the “Best Communities for Music Education” designation from The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.

Area school districts review safety measures after Uvalde school shootings
The May 24 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, has prompted local school systems to review their safety measures.

Former city nursing home to become 86 apartments
Ground was finally broken on June 1 to officially start the conversion of Richmond’s former nursing home into 86 units of housing for low-income individuals who also receive on-site supportive services from Faith Community Baptist Church and other partners.

RPS Spring 2022 Graduation Dates
All graduations will take place at Richmond’s Flying Squirrels Diamond Stadium, 3001 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd.

Six ‘Strong Men & Women’ recognized for leadership and lasting impact
A union leader who fought for Black railroad workers, a self-trained civil rights attorney, and an advocate for women in science and technology are among six African Americans whose work will be honored by Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia on June 16 at the Richmond Marriott.

GRTC’s ad policy struck down
When an animal rights group wanted to pay GRTC to carry its message opposing publicly funded experiments on dogs and other animals, the company said, “No way” in rejecting it as too political.

Federal judges deny bid for House elections, but a new suit may change that
There is still a slim prospect that elections for the Virginia House of Delegates could be held this year.

Dance, jazz, theater and Prince highlight Festival of the Arts
Two popular local bands will launch Richmond’s largest lineup of free summer entertainment, including the annual Fourth of July festival and fireworks.

Trojans’ first home game to cover new turf
Virginia State University will have a new football coach and a new football field to start the 2022 season.

Civil rights advocate Xernona Clayton is still ‘fearless’
A key aide to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who helped sustain the civil rights movement in the 1960s says she’s deeply saddened by the hate crimes seeking to terrorize people across America. But Xernona Clayton has been working for racial harmony since the movement began, and refuses to accept mass killings as routine.

Longtime VCU executive assistant dies
Antoinette Louise Best Dickerson was ‘values-driven and even-keeled’
For three decades, Antoinette Louise Best Dickerson worked behind the scenes to help keep Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts humming.

Personality: Sanaa Hayes
Spotlight on Richmond Public Schools top 2022 valedictorian with 5.03 GPA
It was in early May when Sanaa Hayes learned that she was an extraordinary academic achiever, not just for her high school, but the entire Richmond Public Schools system.

In historic shift, far fewer teens face adult U.S. courts
David Harrington spent a tense eight months in a Philadelphia jail when he was a teenager — the result of a robbery charge in 2014 that automatically sent his case to the adult court system under state law.

An occasion for his honor
S. Bernard Goodwyn is second African-American to serve as chief justice
The investiture of S. Bernard Goodwyn as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia took place Wednesday in the Chambers of the Supreme Court of Virginia before family, friends, colleagues and fellow Supreme Court of Virginia Justices at 100 N. 9th St.

Strategist suggests Richmond voters will support casino funds earmarked for schools
Political strategist Paul Goldman sees a path for Richmond to recover from the stinging political defeat it has suffered at the General Assembly after a bipartisan coalition rejected the state capital city’s plans for a second vote to bring a $565 million casino-resort to South Side.

System failure
RPS loses thousands of laptops
Richmond Public Schools wasted millions of federal support dollars buying 20,000 extra Chromebook laptop computers it didn’t need after going virtual during the pandemic, an internal audit has found.

Mayor Stoney and city developers missing mark on Diamond District plans
For the past two decades, I have been outspoken about the city failing to carry out the wishes of Arthur Ashe to build an African-American museum honoring the legacy African-American athletic achievement by way of his well-researched classic book series, “Hard Road to Glory.” In my view, such a facility, with the addition of an indoor sports complex, would be such a major game changer for the city to reap major tourist and revenue benefits for decades to come.

No vacation from education, by Julianne Malveaux
Students everywhere are anticipating, or already experiencing, their summer vacation. It means freedom from daily classes and the opportunity to break, “chill” and perhaps attend a summer program for many. We know, however, that there is knowledge erosion over the summer, especially for students who don’t continue to read or learn.