Kyle Jean-Baptiste, 21, rising Broadway star
Kyle Jean-Baptiste appeared to be headed to acting stardom. This summer, the talented 21-year-old became the first African-American and the youngest performer to play Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” on Broadway.
NBA’s ‘Chocolate Thunder’ Darryl Dawkins dies at 58
Darryl Dawkins was a mountain of a man with a persona to match. To the delight of fans and the media, he shattered backboards, gave poetic names to his power dunks, sparked the invention of the breakaway rim and made NBA history at 18 by challenging and defeating the system.
Personality: Monica Smith-Callahan
Spotlight on community engagement director for Richmond 2015
Monica Smith-Callahan recalls her first public speaking experience at age 5 at Antioch Baptist Church in the Varina community where she grew up.
U.S. Supreme Court allows McDonnell to remain free
Bob McDonnell once again has had his date with a federal prison cell postponed. This time, the former Virginia governor got help from the U.S. Supreme Court.
City schools start with teacher vacancies, new salad bars
Timothy Billups and his staff in the Richmond Public Schools Department of Human Resources began the summer with the daunting task of filling nearly 400 teacher vacancies. With school bells set to ring for the new RPS school year Tuesday, Sept. 8, they’ve whittled that number to well under 100. The latest tally submitted by Mr. Billups on Aug. 25 to the Free Press shows 76 vacant teacher positions — five in elementary schools, 41 in secondary schools and 30 in special education.
Back-to-school success tips
For thousands of public school students across the region, summer’s almost over. School officially starts Tuesday, Sept. 8.
A resurrection story
Richmond Christian Center climbing back from bankruptcy with entrepreneurial efforts
Richmond Christian Center climbing back from bankruptcy with entrepreneurial efforts
Dance-Morrissey race opens with rift over death penalty
Petersburg Sen. Rosalyn R. Dance is promising to propose a moratorium on executions of death row prisoners if she is re-elected.
McDonnell remains free while high court considers his case
Free Press staff, wire reports Bob McDonnell’s date with prison has been delayed again. The former Virginia governor, convicted of 11 counts of corruption, won a temporary reprieve Monday from the U.S. Supreme Court.
New United Way head faces fundraising challenge
Giving to United Way is continuing to shrink. Ten years ago, the umbrella charity could raise at least $20 million between Labor Day and Thanksgiving through its workplace campaign to benefit nonprofit partners.
Organization aims to improve health in state
Keisha Smith is on a mission to provide better access to health care for all Virginians, particularly in underserved communities such as Richmond. She aims to do so in her new position as the executive director of the Henrico County-based Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority.
He’s helping released jail inmates get services
Devon Simmons said he gets deep satisfaction from helping inmates leaving local jails gain a new lease on life. “Instead of warehousing them, we need to provide them with more services to give them a better chance to succeed after they are released,” he said.
McDonnell remains free while high court considers his case
Bob McDonnell’s date with prison has been delayed again.
Promoter David ‘Big Daddy’ Cooper, 81, first to bring Jackson 5 to Richmond
David Junior “Big Daddy” Cooper had multiple careers in Richmond — from concert promoter to private investigator to truck driver and concrete layer. His multifaceted life is being remembered following his death Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, at a Richmond hospital. He was 81. During his heyday as a promoter, Mr. Cooper was the first to bring The Jackson 5 to Richmond, creating a memorable show in 1971.
Football debut for Huguenot’s stadium
In the final scene of the “Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy says over and over, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” On Richmond’s South Side, Huguenot High’s Falcons would like to add an “amen” to that notion. After three years of “have bus, will travel,” Huguenot has a sparkling new on-campus stadium with synthetic turf to call home sweet home.
Lecture: Role of black church in fight against apartheid
Black churches played an important but overlooked role in the battle to free Nelson Mandela from prison and overturn the harsh regime of apartheid in South Africa, according to Dr. Columba A. Nnorom, a Virginia Union University adjunct professor.
Black churches do better weathering decline in number of Christian faithful
At Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, the pews start to fill more than half an hour before the service begins. Ushers guide people of all ages to their seats. Some stand and wave their hands in the air as the large, robed choir begins to sing.
Juvenile justice system focus of Art 180 exhibit for First Friday
Youths from the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center are using artistic expression to voice their perspectives on the juvenile justice system and suggest ways to reform it.
