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Stop the violence
The deadly violence by police against African-Americans and other people of color continues unabated. The latest victim, 37-year-old Alton Sterling, was killed Tuesday outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La. As the graphic video shows, he had been wrestled to the ground and restrained by one police officer when another shot him five times at point blank range in his chest and back.
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Carver Elementary’s ‘enemies are internal’
Re Letter to the editor, “Carver Elementary’s success became ‘a target on its back,’ ” Free Press Aug. 9-11 edition: Like many others, I could not have been more disappointed in the behavior of teachers and administrators over the Standards of Learning debacle, especially because I was a student at Carver Elementary School the very first year it opened.
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VCU to turn over its bus service to GRTC
Students, faculty and employees of Virginia Commonwealth University will continue to ride free on GRTC buses, including Pulse, local and express service for at least three more years.
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Preserving slave district is an ‘ethical imperative’
Re ‘Opponents fear Main Street Station plans will run over slave memorial,’ Free Press Nov. 30-Dec. 2 edition:
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Personality: Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr.
Spotlight on Hill-Tucker Public Service Award winner
Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr. loves to converse about his more than six decades as an attorney and change agent involved in civil rights. He has stories about the many icons he has met and worked with during that time. “I was involved in so many things through the years,” the engaging 81-year-old Chester- field County resident says. “I was always moving on, trying to make things better.” Mr. Dunnaville is among a special cadre of African-American attorneys who waged important legal battles against discrimination and forever changed the nation’s landscape.
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Personality: Lucia Medek
Spotlight on co-founder and president of Salem’s Light
A chance encounter led Lucia Medek to take up the cause of animal advocacy in Richmond in a major way.
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Cityscape // A family walks on the frozen edge of the James River on Sunday, evidence of the frigid conditions that gripped the city over …
Published on January 13, 2018
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‘Raise the wage’ rally Naomi Isaac, right, of the People’s Justice Alliance addresses a crowd seeking an increase in the state’s minimum wage during a …
Published on December 27, 2019
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A sign of support or a statement? This homemade “Black Lives Matter” banner was spotted on a brick wall in front of a Monument Avenue …
Published on October 8, 2020
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As Black History Month gets underway, this dramatic mural provides an artistic celebration of the people and events who represent protest, progress and achievement. Location: …
Published on February 4, 2021
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Museum of the Bible, funded by conservatives, avoids contentious issues
Eight years ago, Hobby Lobby president Steve Green found a new way to express his Christian faith. His family’s $4 billion arts and craft chain was already known for closing stores on Sundays, waging a U.S. Supreme Court fight over birth control and donating tens of millions of dollars to religious groups.
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VUU pulls out a win in last 21 seconds
The Virginia Union University Panthers have played like Houdini in their last two outings, escaping disaster on their home field. This Saturday, Oct. 5, the Panthers hope to take that magic to Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C., in a battle of CIAA championship contenders. In sports jargon, there’s winning by a nose, by a hair, even by a split second. In defeating Winston-Salem State University last Saturday, VUU won by an instep — that of soccer-style kicker Jefferson Souza. The final score: 16-15. The Brazilian born Souza booted three field goals during the game at Hovey Field, most dramatically a game-winning 25-yard field goal with a mere 21 seconds left. VUU fans are getting accustomed to being nervous. The week before, the heavily favored Panthers weren’t assured victory over Johnson C. Smith University until Sterling Hammond’s interception and touchdown return in the game’s closing minute. Jarrett Sumiel was the Panthers’ late-game defensive savior against Winston-Salem State. The defensive back from Westmoreland blocked a Rams punt with 1:52 to go and recovered on the Winston-Salem State 19-yard line. That set up Souza’s decisive kick that pushed VUU’s record to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the CIAA. Tabyus Taylor led the Panthers’ ground-and-pound running game with 76 bullish yards. The junior from Hopewell also caught two passes for 30 yards and returned a kickoff for 58 yards. Panthers quarterback Khalid Morris hit 11 of 14 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown to former Highland Springs High star Jaiden Reavis. Tyrone Glanton and Hammond spearheaded the Panthers’ defense against Winston-Salem State. Glanton, a graduate student from Miami, was in on eight tackles and has 31 stops for the year. Hammond, arguably the CIAA’s top NFL prospect in years, had seven tackles against the Rams and has 40 for the season. Like VUU, upcoming opponent Livingstone College also is enjoying life on the gridiron. The Blue Bears are 4-0, with wins over Chowan University, Elizabeth City State University, Allen University of Columbia, S.C., and most recently a 35-19 victory over Lincoln University. Livingstone travels best by the arm of quarterback Miles Hayes. The Miami native has hit 68 percent of his passes. He averages 204 yards through the air with eight touchdowns. Livingstone appears to be on the uptick under fifth-year Coach Daryl Williams. The Blue Bears were 0-10 in 2017 and 3-6 a year ago, including a 52-19 loss to VUU at Hovey Field. Livingstone’s only CIAA titles came back to back in 1997 and1998, while VUU has won 11 CIAA crowns, most recently in 2001. This is a pivotal game for both teams. With tough schedules looming, both need a victory to remain viable candidates for the CIAA cham- pionship game in Salem.
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$1.45M grant to assist VSU students with child care costs
Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine have announced that Virginia State University will receive $1.45 million to assist student-parents (students who are also parents) with child care costs. The funds, which will be distributed over the next four years, will be used to offer student-parents access to affordable child care services both on and off campus.
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VUU enrollment increases
Virginia Union University is experiencing a surge in freshmen enrollment to start the fall semester, joining other area universities in reporting an increase in first-time students.
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He breaks stereotypes at Arizona State
Jackson He is big, fast and strong, about what you’d expect of a football player at Arizona State University. But what makes him really special is his nationality. He is Chinese.
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2021: A football season to forget for Richmond high schools
This won’t be a football season to fondly remember for Richmond’s five comprehensive high schools.
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VUU’s Butler, Osborne heading to Houston
The basketball season isn’t over yet for Virginia Union Coach Jay Butler and senior standout Robert Osborne.
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Maggie Walker statue is 80 years overdue
I write with renewed disquiet over what appears to be the stalling of the Maggie Walker statue at the corner of Broad and Adams streets in Downtown.
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GOP ‘needs to cease their tireless efforts to deny and restrict folks’ from voting
I must take umbrage with the Republican majority of the General Assembly and its leadership. Once again, this partisan body of legislators has shown that it is more concerned with wasting taxpayers’ dollars in a frivolous lawsuit against Gov. Terry McAuliffe over restoration of voting rights for more than 200,000 individuals rather than providing for the medical care of 400,000 families in the Commonwealth.
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Muslim firefighter settles lawsuit
A Muslim firefighter who said he was subjected to firehouse harassment over his faith and race, including being fed pork in violation of his religious beliefs, has settled his lawsuit against New York City.