Armstrong-Walker Alumni Club to honor Coach Christian
The Armstrong-Maggie Walker Alumni Club will honor the late Bill Christian at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at Send-A-Chef Restaurant, 1303 Hull Street, in South Side.
CIAA legend to be inducted into Hall of Fame
Abraham “Ham” Mitchell has wowed audiences at the CIAA Basketball Tournament for more than four decades with his dazzling attire, engaging personality and stylish strut. Known as “Mr. CIAA,” he has entertained thousands of appreciative fans with the dapper tailor-made suits he wears during games that often reflect the official colors of the teams playing at the time on the basketball court.
Walker statue to rise above Downtown plaza
The bronze statue of Richmond businesswoman Maggie L. Walker is to be the centerpiece of a 3,000-square-foot circular plaza made of granite. The preliminary design was unveiled last Saturday to an audience of about 100 people at the Richmond Public Library’s Main Branch in Downtown.
Cooper responds to Henrico school video apology
“We need not apologize for the video.” That’s the view of Henrico School Board member Rev. Roscoe Cooper III about the 4-minute video on racism that was shown to Glen Allen High School students Feb. 4 at two assemblies.
Petersburg roils with turmoil
There’s trouble in Petersburg. Petitions are being circulated to remove Petersburg Mayor W. Howard Myers. Separately, a majority of the Petersburg City Council has voted to begin talks to remove Petersburg City Manager William E. Johnson III and City Attorney Brian K. Telfair, although some are questioning whether the action came at a legal meeting. All of this comes as residents are venting over the way the city is being managed, over sky-high water bills and about property tax bills that are arriving close to the deadline for payment.
Super Tuesday
Virginians to vote in presidential primaries March 1
Now it is up to the voters. Next week, Virginians will help pick the Democratic and Republican nominees for president. The presidential primary elections for both parties are scheduled for Tuesday, March 1, in the Old Dominion, with polls open from 6 a.m to 7 p.m. in Richmond and across the state.
Trailer park on auction block
Rudd’s Trailer Park owner Ronnie Soffee said that he has scheduled an auction in March to sell the 9.2-acre South Side property that members of his family have owned and managed since 1936. The once bustling community at 2911 Jefferson Davis Highway has long served as a home to many of the city’s most vulnerable and those in poverty.
Creighton Court residents still dealing with heating issues
Tina Shaw and residents of four other apartments in Creighton Court have sufficient heat, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority reports. RRHA conducted heat tests of the apartment Ms. Shaw occupies and those of other residents in response to complaints Ms. Shaw lodged with the Free Press about radiators in her apartment not functioning.
Bond blocks eviction appeal
Janice Wiggins was eager to appeal to Richmond Circuit Court when a General District Court judge sided with her landlord and approved her eviction for nonpayment of December’s rent. Ms. Wiggins believed she could win her case if another judge heard it. She said she had presented a receipt, acknowledged by the landlord, that showed she had paid the rent and late fees before the Jan. 21 court hearing. She wanted a chance to prove Judge Barbara J. Gaden was in error when she ruled the payment was for January’s rent, rather than for the missing December rent.
Woman raises concern over fees charged by court
In the world of local courts that seems to have an endless list of fees and costs, one thing has always been free: Subpoenas and summonses for witnesses in a criminal case. However, a recent incident has left a Richmond woman concerned that the policy has changed in Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Concerned Black Men seeking mentors for youths
The Richmond Chapter of Concerned Black Men National is holding an orientation session for men interested in mentoring youths.
Gerrymandering is a ‘political fix’
Gerrymandering in Virginia has taken away any value my congressional vote may have had otherwise. This is because election districts have been redrawn by political design by one party or the other to create an overwhelming number of voters of that same party.
Evangelical voters snared in a conundrum
Evangelical voters have a serious problem with their understanding of the Gospel and how Jesus served the poor. They belong to Christian churches that emphasize the teachings and authority of the Scripture, especially the New Testament. But the leading Republican presidential nominees are seeking to win the nomination by profiling the works of the flesh. To even consider Donald Trump or Ted Cruz as their nominee exposes the real beliefs of these evangelical voters.
‘People are disgusted’ by candidates’ name calling
Soon, the airwaves will be filled with political attack ads as the Republican and Democrat candidates move South for the next round of presidential primaries.
The shame of it all
A few weeks ago, Rep. Sean Duffy took to the House floor to scold black lawmakers like me. Citing high abortion rates among African-American women, the Wisconsin congressman accused abortion providers of preying on minority communities. “I’ve heard many of my liberal friends and a lot of friends from the [Congressional Black Caucus] talk about how there is targeting and unfair treatment of African-Americans in the criminal justice system,” Rep. Duffy said. “But what I don’t hear them talk about is how their communities are targeted in abortion.” Recently, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson accused Planned Parenthood of building “most of their clinics in black neighborhoods” so they could “control that population.”
More Flints in our future
For the residents of Flint, Mich., the water crisis continues. Their governor and President Obama have declared states of emergency. Congress is holding hearings. Presidential candidates are doing tours and debates. Free filters are being handed out. Residents can pick up bottled water. The city has gone back to water coming out of Lake Huron rather than the Flint River. But for parents, the fears remain — and almost nothing has been done. They will join in a March on Flint on Friday, Feb. 19, to demand action at the national and state level.
Rewriting history
It starts small. But changing the facts to rewrite history is an insidious problem, one that has long-plagued this nation and detrimentally impacted the African-American community. Rewriting history can steal credit from those to whom credit is due. It can allow perpetrators to shirk responsibility and criminal or civil penalty for misdeeds. It can turn villains in life into heroes at death, all of which lead to the mis-education of the public.
The ugly truth
Sometimes the truth is ugly. And sometimes, the truth hurts. The greater an ugly truth, the more it hurts.
Kendrick Lamar wins big at Grammy Awards
Hip-hop ruled the stage Monday night at the Grammy Awards in performances that put racial tension back in the national spotlight and where some of music’s biggest stars failed to deliver, or in the case of Rihanna, failed to show up at all. Rapper Kendrick Lamar went into the awards with 11 nominations and looked to be on course to win album of the year for his critically acclaimed “To Pimp a Butterfly.” While he led Grammy winners with five wins, he lost album of the year to country-turned-pop artist Taylor Swift, who won with “1989,” the best selling album of 2014.
Pine Camp to host Virginia Opera program on Marian Anderson
In 1939, singer Marian Anderson was denied the opportunity to perform at Constitution Hall in the nation’s capital because of racism and segregation. Her experience mobilized public outrage and gained the support of the national NAACP and other national organizations and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
