VSU looking to bounce back from Fayetteville State loss
Virginia State University is hopeful of better weather and better health as it tries to rebound from its first CIAA loss in three seasons. After winning 17 straight conference games, the injury-plagued Trojans lost 33-20 on Sept. 26 in the rain and wind to visiting Fayetteville State University.
NSU’s Scott defeats his alma mater, HU, to win Battle of the Bay
For probably the first time in his life, Coach Latrell Scott wanted his alma mater, Hampton University, to lose a football game. It’s easy seeing why.
Granderson may play grand role in MLB playoffs
Curtis Granderson provides everything expected of a leadoff man — and much more. “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas could be his walk-up-to-the-plate music, if it isn’t already. “The Grandy Man” bats first in the lineup for the revitalized New York Mets, who have won the National League East title and likely will face Los Angeles in the divisional series Friday, Oct. 9.
Free flu shots available
Get your flu shot now. That’s the message from officials at the Richmond City Health District.
Herring: Training key to curb police bias, killings in the state
Better training. That’s the way to begin improving relationships between police officers and the residents they serve, particularly people of color, according to Attorney General Mark R. Herring. At a time when officer actions resulting in African-American deaths and injuries regularly make headlines, Mr. Herring announced he is taking action to upgrade training to head off such incidents in Virginia.
Graduation rate in city inches up
Richmond awarded diplomas to 1,156 students in June, or 81.4 percent of the 1,421 students in the Class of 2015, new data from the Virginia Department of Education shows. The good news: That is Richmond’s best showing since the state began reporting systematic graduation results for each class in 2008.
Turmoil, charges rock Chesterfield NAACP
The president of the Chesterfield County Branch NAACP is facing a charge of assault in the wake of a bizarre incident in which he sought to block a critic from attending a branch meeting, which usually is open to the public. LaSalle J. McCoy Jr. was arrested Saturday on a misdemeanor charge and released on his own recognizance in the case that has embarrassed both the branch and the state NAACP, Virginia’s oldest and largest civil rights group.
VEC ruling sets precedent
Richmond Public Schools and other employers who fail to follow their agency’s own drug policy cannot prevent alleged violators from collecting unemployment benefits, the Virginia Employment Commission has ruled.
Golf tournament to benefit scholarship program
A day of golf will help raise money to provide scholarships for deserving Richmond Public Schools students who live in the city’s public housing communities.
Free Press photographer honored with ‘Acts of Kindness’ award
“It’s not what you have, it’s what you give. And I have been blessed by doing that.” Rudolph “Rudy” Powell, a Richmond resident and part-time Free Press photographer, lives by that credo.
U.S. greets pope
Pope Francis urged the United States to help tackle climate change and touched on other divisive U.S. political issues such as immigration and economic inequality on his first visit to the world’s richest nation. In a speech Wednesday on the White House South Lawn, the Argentine pontiff — known as “The People’s Pope” — lauded President Obama’s efforts to reduce air pollution, months after Pope Francis made the environment one of his top issues by issuing a landmark encyclical letter to the church.
VUU Panthers plan to take Golden Bulls by the horns
Native Richmonder Kermit Blount would love to rain on Virginia Union University’s football parade Saturday at Hovey Field. At the same time, Mark James will do everything in his power to spoil Blount’s return to his hometown. Here’s the deal:
‘What about white-on-white crime?’
Regarding Megyn Kelly of Fox News and her ignorance challenging Professor Cornel West on black-on-black crime. I would like to tell her, and those who think like her, that there is no such thing. There is only American crime. People tend to kill those in communities in close proximity to them. White people don’t kill white people?
Invest in our children, our schools
When any city, town or neighborhood loses its talent and tax base, it becomes a poverty area. Large urban areas have seen this deterioration over the decades. During integration we called it “white flight” and we saw it in Newark, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Detroit.
Free Press fighting the good fight again
Re “No hero” editorial, Sept. 10-12 edition: Thank you for the editorial, “No hero,” in reference to Kim Davis, the clerk of Rowan, Ky., who refuses to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because of her religious convictions. While some have compared to her to Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we found those connections insulting and based on total ignorance.
What happens after the bike races?
What is the City of Richmond going to do after the UCI Road World Championships is over? What’s next for the city? What if the bike races hadn’t come to Richmond? Would city officials have spent the money fixing up parts of the city? Where would that money have gone?
Black women hold primary power
Those advising political candidates hope to gain a winning advantage by spotting key, unexpected trends long before the actual voting. Admittedly, the Virginia Democratic presidential primary voting isn’t until March 1, 2016, with the field in limbo as front-runner Hillary Clinton and her main rival, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont waiting to learn whether Vice President Joe Biden will run.
Where are we in political arena?
Here is something to think about as we watch the political circus that is currently dominating the news: Black people are nowhere to be found in the real action, nowhere to be found in determining the candidates from which we will eventually choose to compete for the presidency, and nowhere to be found in the debate questions or answers. We are merely watching from the balcony, as we had to do in the 1950s in segregated theaters and churches.
Papal lessons
We join in the excitement surrounding Pope Francis’ visit to the United States. It is the pontiff’s first visit to this country. In addition to saying Mass in Washington and Philadelphia and visiting with cheering throngs of the faithful on this six-day visit, he is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress on Thursday and speak to the U.N. General Assembly on Friday in New York.
