Bobbi Kristina’s autopsy shows mixture of drugs, alcohol
Bobbi Kristina Brown’s autopsy report contained evidence of recent cocaine use by the daughter of Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston before she was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her home last year. But a medical examiner’s office said last Friday it could not establish whether her death after months in a coma was accidental or intentional. Ms. Brown suffered brain damage and died of pneumonia resulting from drug intoxication and her face being immersed in water, the Fulton County Medical Examiner said.
A song and a prayer
Musician starts campaign linking prayer and healing
One year after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, James Johnson Jr., the minister of music at Cedar Street Baptist Church of God in the East End, is releasing a song and initiating a national prayer campaign. Both are called “Agree.”
Former First Lady Nancy Reagan dies
Nancy Reagan, the former actress who was fiercely protective of her husband, President Ronald Reagan, through a Hollywood career, eight years in the White House, an assassination attempt and his Alzheimer’s disease, died Sunday, March 6, 2016, at her Los Angeles home.
Personality: Lee Brazzell
Spotlight on local president of the National Association of Women Business Owners
Lee Brazzell is on the front lines promoting the interests of women business owners as president of the Richmond/Southeast Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). She was elected to the post in 2015 and is committed to serving two more years.
Petersburg shake-up nets new chief operating officer
Amid crumbling finances, the City of Petersburg has shaken up its government leadership. After firing City Manager William E. Johnson III last week, the seven-member Petersburg City Council handed executive authority to three of its members, including Mayor W. Howard Myers, Ward 5, the city’s titular leader. The shuffle is the City Council’s latest effort to deal with millions of dollars in unpaid bills, a multimillion-dollar revenue shortfall and a malfunctioning water billing system.
City facing grim budget choices
Parking at a Downtown meter could soon be more expensive. So could the annual city fee to register a vehicle and the cost of trash collection. Those are some of the fee increases Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones is proposing in the $709 million spending plan for fiscal year 2017 that begins July 1. He presented the plan last Friday to Richmond City Council. It would be up to the council to approve the fee increases as part of its work on the budget.
Planned school cuts causing pain
North Side resident Sherri Davis said she is concerned about planned budget cuts that may close schools, crowd classrooms and have parents scrambling to arrange transportation for their children. “It becomes a safety issue when you propose to put more kids in classes,” the mother of two Richmond Public Schools students told the Free Press on Wednesday. “It’s already hard enough for teachers to teach the large numbers of students they have in their classrooms.”
Rudd’s Trailer Park sold; new owner takes over in April
Ronnie Soffee exchanged hugs and accepted well wishes from residents at Rudd’s Trailer Park early Saturday afternoon. He even shed a few tears as several people stopped by the office of the mobile home park at 2911 Jefferson Davis Highway.
GOP surprise
Cuccinelli then McCullough poised for Va. high court
Ending a long-running dispute with the governor, the Republican majority in the General Assembly will cap the legislative session by filling a vacant state Supreme Court seat with their own choice. However, as has been traditional, the choice will be a seasoned jurist — Stephen R. McCullough of the Virginia Court of Appeals, GOP leaders in the House and Senate announced Wednesday.
Lighted VUU tower enhances city skyline
Virginia Union University now has a brighter profile on the city’s skyline. The landmark Vann Memorial Tower at the Belgian Friendship Building on campus is lighted at night and visible across the city and to motorists on Interstate 95.
Richmond sheriff sued for disability violation
Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. has been hit with a federal lawsuit for firing a deputy who became disabled by a heart condition.
Richmond Police plans to curb domestic violence
The Richmond Police Department is stepping up efforts to stem domestic violence in partnership with the YWCA of Richmond and the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
Preliminary figures show $4.7M surplus for city in FY2015
City Hall could fill a big chunk of a projected $9.6 million deficit for the current fiscal year once outside auditors sign off on the city’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for fiscal year 2015 that ended June 30. Based on preliminary figures, the city finished fiscal year 2015 with a $4.7 million surplus.
Weldon Hill moves from VSU provost to professor
New Virginia State University President Makola M. Abdullah will soon be putting his stamp on the university’s administration.
What would Maggie Walker want?
The people have spoken. The city Public Art Commission has spoken. The city has decreed that the live oak tree at Broad and Adams streets cannot co-exist with the Maggie Walker statue. But one voice has been surprisingly absent from the discussion: Maggie Walker’s.
Déjá vu
Now that the political pundits of the major media outlets have gulped down the teas that were the South Carolina Democratic primary and Super Tuesday, they are busy trying to read the leaves left in their respective cups. One of the questions they are trying to fathom is: “Why are black voters splitting between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders?”
True winners
Before the thrill of the annual CIAA Tournament wears off, we offer our hearty congratulations to the Lady Panthers of Virginia Union University and the Virginia State University Trojans men’s basketball team for such exciting CIAA championship wins last Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
Super Tuesday: Just how super?
Super Tuesday is over. And for fans of Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, it was a great night, with multistate victories for both candidates ranging from Massachusetts to Georgia to Arkansas.
Plunky and Oneness wins 2 IMA awards
Plunky and Oneness, a Richmond-based jazz-funk fusion group, is among the winners in the 2016 Independent Music Awards.
Host Chris Rock rocks the Oscars
Comedian Chris Rock launched his return stint as Oscar host Sunday by immediately and unabashedly confronting the racially charged elephant in the room — the furor over the all-white field of performers nominated for Hollywood’s highest honor.
