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Coalition pushes Black inclusion in marijuana legalization
Five years ago, after the General Assembly legalized the growing of marijuana’s cousin, industrial hemp, veteran grower Leroy Hardy Jr. sought to be among the people chosen to plant the first test plots to help interested farmers get the most from the crop.
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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.
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Dr. Thelma Bland Watson, who was dedicated to advancing the needs of the elderly, dies at 70
Dr. Thelma Bland Watson was 9 when she began providing assistance to her maternal grandmother. That experience turned Dr. Watson into a champion for the elderly.
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14 African-Americans connected to Jackson Ward to be recognized with honorary street signs
Honorary brown street signs soon will go up in Jackson Ward to call attention to 14 deceased Black men and women who made a lasting imprint on Richmond and often on the nation.
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Slot machine-style ‘skill games’ end July 1, taking away some people’s ‘joy’
James E. Henson is not going to wear black. But he will join in mourning the loss of the so- called “gray machines” that are on the way out of convenience stores, truck stops and a host of other retail establishments with Virginia ABC licenses to sell beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages.
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Veteran, challenger talk reform in Democratic primary for commonwealth’s attorney
Criminal justice reform is the common theme of the two Democrats competing to be Richmond’s chief prosecutor, or commonwealth’s attorney.
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City plans $3.5M sale of Public Safety Building for new development
Unveiled nine months ago, a $325 million plan to replace the city’s decaying Public Safety Building in Downtown is gathering steam.
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PayPal names new award for Richmond legend Maggie L. Walker
Trailblazing businesswoman Maggie L. Walker sought to empower women in her pioneering efforts in business and banking in Richmond at the turn of the 20th century.
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New coalition offers blueprint for more affordable housing
A coalition of Richmond groups is advancing a policy agenda they hope can be a blueprint for City Hall’s efforts to reduce evictions and make affordable apartments and homes more available.
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South Side churches merge, with Pastor Alexander ‘Jay’ Patrick as new head
Celebration Church and Outreach Center, formerly the Richmond Outreach Center, ap- pears to have merged with the nearby Liberation Church, with Pastor Alexander “Jay” Patrick of Liberation named the pastor of the newly merged church.
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City Council expected to provide $300,000 ‘seed money’ for planned slavery museum in Shockoe Bottom
Richmond is poised to pour $300,000 into a new attempt to create a national slavery museum.
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City may wind up with surplus from 2020-21 budget year
City Hall appears to have weathered the financial storm caused by the pandemic and could wind up reporting a surplus for the 2020-21 fiscal year that ended June 30 after the final numbers are in.
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Tough love
Task force recommends subpoena powers for police oversight board
A recommendation for creating a powerful new city office to police the police has been sent to Richmond City Council for review.
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REA wins victory giving city teachers, staff collective bargaining authority
In a nearly unanimous vote, the Richmond School Board voted 8-1 Monday night to approve a resolution giving teachers and other school staff the power to establish a union and collectively negotiate for pay and benefits.
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State NAACP weighing appeal of new redistricting maps to U.S. Supreme Court
Will there be an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court?
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Vacancies continue to rise in Richmond Police Department
The Richmond Police Department is continuing to shrink in size.
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Traffic concerns lead to removal of several curb planters on Brookland Park Boulevard
A battle over traffic safety measures in North Side has ended in at least a partial win for supporters of on-street vehicle parking in business districts.
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Casino referendum fails in close no vote
The people have spoken: Richmond will not become a gambling mecca.
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Full-time City Council voted down
Forget about it. That’s what a suddenly balky Richmond City Council has decided about a proposal to take control of setting their own salaries so they could be full time.
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Sewer system upgrades may result in bills tripling for city customers
Richmond faces many challenges, but one of the biggest and most expensive lies underground in the sewer system.
