Student loan forgiveness is a drop in the bucket, by Julianne Malveaux
President Biden made a campaign promise to alleviate some student loan debt, and on Aug. 24, he honored his commitment.
RRHA gets it right with Steven Nesmith
We look forward to seeing what Steven B. “Steve” Nesmith will do as the new chief executive officer of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
Afrikana Film Festival includes live performances, panels, workshops
“The Birth of a Planet,” a 30-minute documentary film about post-Civil War era “Richmond Planet” newspaper editor John Mitchell, will launch the three-day, 7th An- nual Afrikana Independent Film Festival at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. The event is free and open to the public.
VCU names Aaron J. Hart vice president for student affairs
Aaron J. Hart will join Virginia Commonwealth University as its next vice president for student affairs, beginning Oct. 25.
Renowned Virginia Tech professor and poet retires
Internationally known poet Nikki Giovanni retired Sept. 1 as an English professor at Virginia Tech University, bringing an end to a celebrated career at the university that spanned more than 30 years and earned her accolades inside and outside the university.
Council defeats proposal to change how Richmonders vote in elections
Ranked-choice voting — aimed at ensuring that election winners have majority support — has been booted from Richmond.
Scholarship established for slain journalist Sierra Jenkins
Reporter Sierra Jenkins, who was shot and killed in March while leaving a Norfolk pizza restaurant, will live on in a college scholarship for future journalists.
Free insurance for released inmates
Inmates being released from the Richmond City Justice Center will leave with free health insurance, Sheriff Antionette V. Irving announced Wednesday.
Plan linking city traffic lights with regional emergency vehicle system stalled
When lights and sirens are activated, drivers of fire trucks and ambulances in Chesterfield and Henrico counties have equipment that can turn traffic lights from red to green as they respond to emergencies. The bottom line: Safer and smoother travel on congested streets, say officials in both counties, which began making the equipment standard in 2000. Not so in Richmond, which has far more traffic lights and more emergency calls.
Group announces bus trip for veterans to visit national memorials
World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans in the Richmond area are being sought for a free trip to visit the war memorials of Washington, D.C., courtesy of Old Dominion Honor Flight.
Invisible men, women and children
Slavery out in tours of Gov. Mansion
One topic is conspicuously absent from the current tour of Virginia’s historic governor’s mansion — slavery.
New exhibit celebrates Black History Museum’s 40th year
Photographs, narratives and artifacts explore Black people in Richmond
Want to know more about Black achievements and accomplishments in Virginia?
VUU’s Grant thrills fans in opening win against VUL
If JahkariGrant’spassingarmgathered any rust after four years of inactivity, it didn’t show in his Sept. 1 Virginia Union University coming out party.
Personality: Barbara S. Brown
Spotlight on Coming Together Virginia’s board chairwoman
Coming to the Table was founded in 2006 when a small group of descendants of slaves and slave holders met at a table in Harrisonburg with a goal of “Taking America Beyond the Legacy of Enslavement.”
Students return to campus amid water crisis in Mississippi
While its water crisis continued, students in Mississippi’s capital returned to class for the first time in a week Tuesday with assurances that the toilets and sinks in their buildings would finally work.
Is COVID-19 winding down? Scientists say ‘no’
New booster shots are here and social distancing guidelines are easy but COVID-19 infections aren’t going away anytime soon, experts say. They predict the scourge that’s already lasted longer than the 1918 flu pandemic will linger far into the future.
Laptop overload
Despite thousands of unused Chromebooks, RPS plans to buy 4,000 more
Three months ago, the Richmond School Board was told that the school system had enough Chromebooks to provide every student with a laptop “for years to come.” Now the board is being advised that Superintendent Jason Kamras’ administration plans to buy at least 4,000 more Chromebooks using a newly awarded federal grant.
Don L. Scott Jr. is ‘an inspired and inspiring man’
I read the start of the article on the front page regarding House Minority Leader Don L. Scott Jr. in the July 14-16 issue of the Richmond Free Press. Turning the page, I expected to find a few more words about him, but saw half a page.
