Story

Washington rookie proves to be preseason surprise
Surprise! Surprise! Jaret Patterson is that shiny package you never expected.
Story

Abreu stands out, even with jersey No. 79
José Abreu wears jersey No. 79 — a number more common to football than baseball—for a reason.
Story

Pass along rental assistance information to others
Re “State still has $788M available to help families facing eviction,” Free Press Aug. 5-7 edition:
Story

Who are we?
Richmond’s population grew by 11 percent, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. But the number of city residents who identify solely as Black slides, while the white population rises slightly.
The 2020 U.S. Census did not surprise anyone when it confirmed what everyone can see with their own eyes— Richmond’s population is on the grow.
Story

Personality: Ra-Twoine Shameel ‘Rosetta’ Fields
Spotlight on founder and program director of More Than Art: Inner City Mural Project
It’s a time of sweeping artistic development for the city of Rich- mond, with a wide variety of new pieces, programs and exhibits in various districts.
Story

Ulysses Kirksey, longtime music director and conductor of the Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, succumbs after illness
Ulysses Kirksey grew up in Richmond, traveled the world with his cello and landed back in Petersburg, where he led the community’s symphony orchestra for 32 years.
Story

Area teen spreads anti-bullying message
Adults forbid it and impose rules against it, but bullying continues to take place in schools.
Story

’I think she’s out,’ deputy says after violent arrest
A woman who pulled off a road to change drivers during a trip with her father and three young children was knocked unconscious and arrested by two Northern California sheriff’s deputies, who then lied about the encounter to responding paramedics and on official reports, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Story

RPS mandates vaccinations for teachers, staff
Richmond Public Schools teachers, staff, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, volunteers, contractors and anyone else working with the district must be fully vaccinated against the corona- virus by Friday, Oct. 1.
Story
Story

Kamras proposes changing role for SROs; board gives green light to new 1,600-student high school
Richmond schools Superintendent Jason Kamras presented a proposal to the School Board Monday night to re-imagine the role of school resource officers, or SROs, the police hired to provide public safety in the city’s public schools.
Story

Waiver sought for RPS student-athletes to continue playing sports
Student-athletes in Richmond whose grades suffered when schools went virtual could still play football or participate in other fall sports.
Story

Premier Bank, which traces its history to Maggie L. Walker, sold to Ohio banking company
The bank that history-making business pioneer Maggie L. Walker founded and led in Richmond soon will be under new ownership.
Story

Rally-goers call for reinstatement of parole in Virginia
“He was incarcerated when I was young, and I can’t remember a day with him not behind bars.”
Story
Story

Climate change must be dealt with, by Julianne Malveaux
Tuvalu is a tiny Polynesian island nation located midway between Hawaii and Australia. Home to just 11,000 people, it is just 10 square miles. It is smaller today than it was a decade ago. Thanks to world climate change, Tuvalu is sinking, and the evidence is everywhere.
Story

State mandates COVID-19 vaccinations for state workers; Richmond School Board to follow suit
First came the universities. Then came the City of Richmond. Then Gov. Ralph S. Northam followed their lead in imposing a mandate on most state employees to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
Story

Jury still out
After a year on the job, Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith has not won over many officers or residents either through style or substance
A year ago, Gerald M. Smith was introduced to the city as an “innovator” and a “reform-minded change agent” as Mayor Levar M. Stoney introduced him as Richmond’s new police chief.
Story

First wave of Afghan evacuees arrive at Fort Lee
It has been nearly two weeks since the first flight evacuating Afghans who worked alongside Americans in Afghanistan brought more than 200 people, including scores of children and babies in arms, to resettlement in the United States, and officials at Fort Lee are calling the operation a success so far.
Story

Afghanistan: To go, to stay; either way, many are likely to pay
President Biden has announced that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by Aug. 31.