
RRHA gets heat to all apartments in time for spring temps
Every public housing unit in the city finally had working heat as of April 12, although three still only had partial heat, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority is reporting.

Plans gain steam to rehab old Fulton Gas Works
A four-year-old plan to turn the now vacant Fulton Gas Works in the East End into a modern hub of the city’s gas utility is quietly gaining momentum, although a separate project by Stone Brewing to create a restaurant to complement the company’s beer factory appears to have stalled.

Arthur Ashe Blvd. dedication June 22
Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 22. That’s the date of the official dedication of the new Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond. Richmond City Council voted Feb. 11 to rename The Boulevard for Richmond native Mr. Ashe, the late, great tennis champion and humanitarian.

Chesterfield to stay in recycling program through Dec.
The Richmond region’s recycling program will remain intact at least through December. Chesterfield County is still mulling its future with the program and has agreed to participate for the rest of the year in the 10-year-old operation run by the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority.

Agelasto facing 3rd suit for his removal from office
Parker C. Agelasto is facing the threat of a third lawsuit seeking his removal from the 5th District City Council seat for moving to the 1st District. Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring told the Free Press that he would file his own lawsuit to remove Mr. Agelasto if the City Council member fails to notify Richmond City Council soon that he will resign his office by the end of the year.

Small City of Richmond Radio Shop produces big results
• Interior car temperatures monitored by a cellphone application. • Lights and sirens that shut off automatically when the vehicle is put into park. • Windows that come down when the interior gets too hot.

Mayor Stoney ruffles council members with remarks
Mayor Levar M. Stoney, frustrated by City Council opposition to his plan to raise the city property tax rate and impose a new cigarette tax to raise new revenue, is taking verbal shots at council foes, riling them.

Questions raised about charity status of Navy Hill entities
Now stumping for tax increases that he claims will go to pave streets and repair aging schools, Mayor Levar M. Stoney has clearly put a proposal to build a new, larger Richmond Coliseum on the backburner.

Hip-Hop Poetry Slam on April 24
A Hip-Hop Poetry Slam will be held next week to allow Richmond area youths to speak out on preventing substance abuse, it has been announced.

Community Easter egg hunt April 22 in Highland Park
An Easter egg hunt and other activities will offered for children age 12 and under 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 22, in Highland Park, it has been announced.

Family Easter at Maymont and Easter on Parade highlight season this weekend
Two of Richmond’s most popular seasonal events are being held this weekend — the Dominion Energy Family Easter at Maymont on Saturday, April 20, and Easter on Parade on Monument Avenue on Sunday, April 21.

Clem Daniels, AFL’s leading rusher, dies at 83
Clem C. Daniels Jr., the leading rusher in American Football League history, died Saturday, March 23, in Oakland, Calif. He was 83. Mr. Daniels rushed for 5,138 yards — the most ever by an AFL back — while also catching passes for 3,314 yards and scoring 54 touchdowns.

Local couple in Paris bears witness to Notre Dame fire
George K. Martin of Mechanicsville and his wife, Anita, arrived in Paris on Sunday night and made a sightseeing list that included some of the top tourist spots in the City of Lights, including Notre Dame Cathedral.

Personality: Vanessa Myers Mason
Spotlight on founder and president of MOMS Inc.
She was grief-stricken when her mother passed away two years ago. Now Vanessa Dale Myers Mason has wiped away her tears and come up with a positive way to honor her mother.

Tiger Woods roars back to win Masters Tournament
Tiger’s back! The fallen hero and crippled star is now a Masters champion again. The 43-year-old Tiger Woods thrilled viewers — and himself — as he rallied to win the Masters Tournament for the fifth time on Sunday in a comeback that goes well beyond the two-shot deficit he erased before a delirious audience that watched memories turn into reality at Augusta National.

Parent’s FOIA request shows more to RPS 2018 toilet paper debacle
Richmond Public Schools expects to finish the current school year with plenty of toilet paper, paper towels and cleaning supplies at each of its buildings, according to Michelle Hudacsko, chief of staff to RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras.

Shake-up
10 RPS principals out, 7 others on warning, sources report
Ten Richmond schools will have new principals next fall as part of a leadership shake-up that Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras is undertaking as part of his schools improvement plan, the Free Press has learned.

Medical marijuana dispensaries to open in Va.
Virginians with a doctor’s recommendation soon will have access to medical marijuana through CBD and THC-A oil dispensaries throughout the state. The Virginia Board of Pharmacy has approved five companies to open the dispensaries — one in each of the commonwealth’s five health service areas.

‘Put our children first’ when it comes to education
As a native of Prince Edward County, I think the number of folks using the Brown v. Board of Education decision to perpetuate their respective narratives regarding the state of our public schools, specifically Richmond Public Schools, is appalling.

History marker dedicated to Charles City County lynching victim
Virginia’s first history marker to a lynching victim now stands near the historic courthouse in Charles City County. The new marker recalling the brutal hanging of Isaac Brandon was dedicated Sunday, April 7, 127 years almost to the day when it happened.