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Va. Supreme Court to hear voting rights restoration challenge July 19
The Virginia Supreme Court will not rush to hear a Republican challenge to Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s April 22 order restoring voting rights to 206,000 felons. In an order issued Wednesday, the seven-member court announced it would sit in special session on Tuesday, July 19, to hear arguments in the case aimed at deciding the governor’s authority to issue a blanket restoration of rights rather than acting on a case-by-case basis.
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City goes dim on solar streetlights
Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones has boasted many times during the last seven years about the solar streetlights that were installed in a West End neighborhood with taxpayers’ dollars.
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No $ to fix schools
The same rundown buildings that many Richmond students attend are likely to be the same buildings where a new crop of students will be attending class 10 years from now.
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Hundreds to benefit from payday loan settlement
Hundreds of low-income Richmond area residents will benefit from the settlement of a lawsuit challenging the lending practices of Advance ‘Til Payday, a company that charges up to 960 percent interest on loans of $100 to $300. The settlement will result in the dismissal of at least 50 garnishment actions and 800 judgments that Advance ‘Til Payday had obtained in court against borrowers who defaulted on the loans, according to Jay Speer of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, which brought the suit.
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Parking, trash collection fees to increase under new city budget
Beginning July 1, Richmond residents will be charged an extra $3.55 a month for trash collection and recycling services, largely to help fund the city’s leaf collection program. That’s an 18 percent bump that will raise the monthly cost from $19.44 to $22.99.
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Jeremy Carter-Sheppard
Published on May 26, 2016
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Carter-Sheppard no longer headed to Central Florida
Jeremy Carter-Sheppard has announced on Twitter that he is de-committing from the University of Central Florida and will re-open his recruitment. The John Marshall High School senior basketball standout signed with UCF coach Donnie Jones last November. On March 23, former Duke University All-American Johnny Dawkins was named the new basketball coach at UCF, replacing Coach Donnie Jones, who was fired.
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Manchester Courthouse renamed to honor Henry and Harold Marsh
Civil rights was central to the law firm that Henry L. Marsh III organized with the late legal giants Oliver W. Hill Sr. and Samuel W. Tucker.
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Republicans file suit to rescind rights restoration to 206,000 Virginians
Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe is facing a court fight over his April 22 order restoring voting rights to 206,000 felons who have completed their sentences, including about 40,000 people convicted of violent offenses. In a case filed Monday, Republican leaders in the General Assembly and four voters have asked the Virginia Supreme Court to find the governor acted illegally and to order him to rescind the blanket restoration of rights that allowed the affected individuals to vote, serve on juries and run for office.
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Mistake may prevent hundreds from voting
A flawed list could keep hundreds of felons in Richmond and possibly thousands across the state from being properly registered to vote and having their votes counted in the upcoming June 14 primary election, the Free Press has learned. At least 420 felons in Richmond were still waiting to be put on the voter rolls by Monday’s voter registration deadline even though they believe they are covered by Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s April 22 order restoring rights to 206,000 people who had completed their sentences and any probation or parole requirements.
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Gordon to be among highest paid city officials
Reginald E. “Reggie” Gordon is looking forward to the new challenge of leading the Office of Community Wealth Building, City Hall’s anti-poverty initiative, after nine years of overseeing American Red Cross operations in the Richmond area and most of the state.
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Yoga behind bars
Relaxation, meditation techniques can help heal inmates
Yoga and meditation are being offered at Richmond’s jail to help prepare inmates for positive re-entry into the community — and help keep them from returning to jail.
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Full-service grocery store planned for East End
A new full-service grocery store is headed to Church Hill, it was announced Tuesday. Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, City Councilwoman Cynthia I. Newbille, 7th District, and T.K. Somanath, executive director of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, issued a joint statement about the planned market that is expected to bring about 25 full-time and 22 to 30 part-time jobs to this employment-starved area of the city once it opens — likely a year or more from now.
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Manchester Courthouse to be renamed for Marsh brothers on May 20
It took 16 months, but the long-awaited public ceremony to rename the Manchester Courthouse for Richmond’s first African-American mayor, Henry L. Marsh III, and his late brother, Harold M. Marsh Sr., will take place Friday, May 20. Mayor Dwight C. Jones, who proposed the renaming, will lead the 4 p.m. rededication of the building at 920 Hull St. in South Side.
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Chocolate Chip: A radio treat for 40 years
Chocolate Chip is still spinning records as a Richmond radio disc jockey. Every Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m., he takes listeners on an R&B stroll down memory lane with his oldies show on WCLM-AM 1450.
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Gordon to lead Office of Community Wealth Building
Reginald E. “Reggie” Gordon is leaving his leadership post with the American Red Cross to direct Richmond’s anti-poverty initiative.
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Recycle old electronic equipment this Saturday
Richmond residents can recycle old and broken computers and other electronic equipment, as well have their sensitive documents shredded, in an E-Cycle event 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at 6807 Midlothian Turnpike, the parking lot of a former Kmart.
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2 hospitals team up to explore new rehab facility
VCU Health System and Sheltering Arms Hospital have taken the first step to develop a new hospital for people suffering from stroke, brain or spinal cord injuries or other severe physical injuries. The hospitals announced a joint venture Monday to build a new inpatient care center for those needing surgery and other acute treatment for disabling physical conditions. As yet, no site has been identified, although VCU has long preferred to develop this type of facility on its medical campus Downtown.
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Coleman not seeking re-election to School Board
The Rev. Donald L. Coleman will not be seeking re-election to the Richmond School Board. The two-term, 7th District representative announced Monday he would be stepping down in December — becoming one of at least three members who will not return.
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City Council to strip Mayor Jones’ detail
Will Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones have to handle his own commute to and from City Hall rather than being chauffeured by a police officer when the new budget year begins July 1?
