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Richmond Christian Center gets 4-month reprieve from sale
The Richmond Christian Center has been given a four-month reprieve from the forced sale of its South Side sanctuary in the 200 block of Cowardin Avenue and other holdings.
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VUU president accused of fraud
Dr. Hakim J. Lucas was supposed to be the ideal fit when Virginia Union University’s board named the 40-year-old as the historic institution’s 13th president in August.
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New details emerge about Coliseum replacement plan
Richmond City Council President Cynthia I. Newbille, rushing to get the governing body to vote on the $1.5 billion Coliseum replacement plan in late February, authorized a $25,000 increase in the contract for a private consultant to conduct a review of the proposal for City Council without first gaining a council vote, the Free Press has learned.
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Lt. Gov. Fairfax announces he will run for governor in 2021
Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax plans to run for governor in 2021, confident that he no longer will be held back by allegations that he sexually assaulted two women in separate incidents nearly two decades ago.
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'Bunching' problem plaguing Pulse service
The Pulse’s reputation for fast, reliable service has begun to take a hit, with the potential to undermine the public transit company’s ability to get more people to skip their cars and take the bus.
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Nonprofit regional partnership works to tackle housing affordability issues
Soaring housing costs are leaving tens of thousands of families across the Richmond region hard-pressed to pay the rent or purchase a residence.
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Casino gambling advances with Pamunkey Tribe in the driver's seat
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe has gained a boost from the General Assembly in its efforts to build lavish casino-resort hotels in Richmond and Norfolk.
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Concerns raised over NAACP official's close ties to state political party
Has the Virginia State Conference NAACP crossed into partisan territory by naming the No. 2 officer of the state Democratic Party as its chief lobbyist?
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Joy from pain
2 women impacted by gun violence work to bring comfort to others at Thanksgiving and throughout the year
Turning tragedy into something positive for the community — that’s what two Richmond area women are striving to do even as they grieve losses from gun violence.
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RPS school construction costs, process criticized
Richmond School Board members Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, and Jonathan Young, 4th District, used Monday’s School Board meeting to express concern that the bidding process Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration used to choose contractors to build three new district schools has added tens of millions of dollars to the cost.
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4 school rezoning plans are up for final consideration
Four school rezoning plans — two of which include proposals for pairing some elementary schools and all of which keep Bellevue Elementary open — are now considered finalists.
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House Dems elect women to top posts
Fresh from sweeping enough seats in the Nov. 5 election to take the majority in the House of Delegates, Democrats plan to install two women in the top posts for the first time in state history.
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Black-owned health companies claim insurers are forcing them out of business
Small companies that are largely African-American-owned are fighting against an effort that they claim will put them out of business by stopping them from providing mental health and substance abuse services to Medicaid patients.
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City Council calls for Washington team to pay its way or end relationship
Will Washington’s pro football team continue to run a summer training camp in Richmond after 2020? That question is expected to be decided after Mayor Levar M. Stoney and team representatives hold talks, likely in May, on a potential extension of the current agreement.
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Historic city credit union seeks new growth
Amid the recovery from the Great Depression, 10 African-American Richmond educators organized a new credit union for teachers in the city that would provide the personal touch and financial services then largely unavailable to them at most banks in segregated Richmond.
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Herring’s new policy seeks to eliminate cash bond system
Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring is stepping up his efforts to eliminate the cash bond system that forces people to stay in jail while awaiting trial because they cannot afford to put up the money or property for bail or to pay the fee of a bail bonding company willing to do it.
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Historic Resources officials make way for Intermediate Terminal building demolition
The state Department of Historic Resources has upheld City Hall’s view that a landmark warehouse in the city’s East End, once a major source of jobs for African-Americans, has no historical value and can be demolished to make way for the modern bistro and restaurant that Stone Brewing Co. wants to build.
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New Fulton program helps youths develop skills for jobs, money
As a full-time city recreation specialist, Wyatt Kingston sees plenty of Richmond youths who need and want to make money to help their families.
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Crusade for Voters history detailed in new book
Kimberly A. Matthews was surprised that no one had ever written a history of the Richmond Crusade for Voters, the oldest African-American political organization in continuous operation in the state.
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Medicaid expansion to be key in state budget battle April 11
The high-stakes battle over Virginia’s next two-year budget resumes next Wednesday, April 11. On the line: Expansion of health care to 300,000 to 400,000 low-income Virginians, pay raises for state workers and teachers, and increased state support for education, mental health and workforce development.
