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Boost the homefront first
America is literally falling apart. In Flint, children were poisoned by the lead contamination of the water. In Washington, the subway system is plagued by fires and delays. Arlington Memorial Bridge, which connects the North to the South, the Capitol to Arlington National Cemetery, may have to be closed soon. President Kennedy’s eternal flame may burn forever, but the bridge is on its last legs.
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Madonna, Stevie Wonder pay homage to Prince at Billboard Music Awards
Madonna paid homage to Prince by wearing his signature color and bringing another icon, Stevie Wonder, onstage to sing the classic “Purple Rain” at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards. Sitting atop a purple throne, Madonna kicked off the tribute with a version of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which Prince wrote and Sinead O’Connor recorded. She was teary-eyed as she sang the song, videos and photos of Prince projected behind her.
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Bishop Tutu’s daughter quits priesthood after gay marriage
The daughter of Nobel laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa has given up her clergy credentials after marrying a Dutch woman. Mpho Tutu told South African media that because her church did not recognize her wedding, she could no longer serve in the country.
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MLB’s Jackie Bradley has Richmond roots
The hottest hitter in major league baseball has deep Richmond roots. Boston Red Sox centerfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who has an epic 29-game hitting streak, was born in Richmond in 1990, and played baseball in the Metropolitan Junior Baseball League.
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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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Deadline May 30 for city storm drain art competition
The City of Richmond’s Department of Public Utilities is seeking five artists who can paint a picture of the importance of keeping the James River, the city’s source of drinking water, clean.
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City workforce center can help those denied federal job assistance
Re “Ignoring call to duty: Failure to sign up for Selective Service hurts thousands,” May 5-7 edition: A Richmond Free Press article informed readers how failing to register for the Selective Service can hinder men from receiving federal financial assistance, such as workforce services and Pell Grants for education.
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Personality: Dr. Susan T. Gooden
Spotlight on president of American Society for Public Administration
Being in leadership is not always an easy thing. Leaders must tackle the tough decisions and issues for their organization. But Dr. Susan T. Gooden, professor of public administration and policy at Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, is up to the challenge.
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Gun used to kill Trayvon Martin auctioned; is bid real?
Online bidding for the gun used by George Zimmerman to kill unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., in 2012 ended on Wednesday, although it was not clear whether the final offer of $138,900 was legitimate.
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Flint, country in crisis
The Flint water crisis is now two years old — and the water still isn’t safe to drink. There have been civil and criminal investigations, two congressional hearings and extensive reporting, particularly during the presidential primary in Michigan. Gov. Rick Snyder appointed a special task force. Yet only 33 pipes — 3 of every thousand — have been replaced.
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Police host safety forum
The Richmond Police Department is hosting a safety awareness forum for places of worship from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, May 14, at the Richmond Police Training Academy, 1202 W. Graham Road.
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Settlement reached in South Side mobile home suit
The war over mobile homes in Richmond appears to have ended in a truce. Under a settlement approved Monday in federal court, the City of Richmond has agreed to modify an aggressive code enforcement program that led to the condemnation of dozens of mobile homes in the past three years, displacing mostly Latino families.
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Sisters act to save home
Nuns rally support to block sale of historic St. Emma’s, St. Francis property
Defying their superiors, four nuns are fighting to save the historic 2,265-acre property in Powhatan County that was once home to two Catholic boarding schools for African-American youths.
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Lower electric bills expected
Warmer winter weather and cheaper natural gas are fueling plans by Dominion Virginia Power to lower electricity costs for residents.
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Our children pay the price
Editor’s note: The 65th anniversary of the historic Moton School student strike in Prince Edward County over
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Ignoring call to duty
Failure to sign up for Selective Service hurts thousands
Register for Selective Service. Otherwise, you could ruin your life. Jacquel Parker wishes he could tell that to every young man turning 18.
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Janis Jones, right, and Mary Beth Joyner, librarians at the former Byrd Middle School, ask Henrico School Board members to change the school’s name on …
Published on May 5, 2016
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Maggie Walker Class of 1967 starting cleanup effort at area cemeteries
A renewed effort is being mounted to clean up four long neglected, but historic African-American cemeteries that sit on the eastern border between Richmond and Henrico County.
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Malia Obama headed to Harvard — in 2017
Malia Obama has chosen Harvard University to be her college home. The long-waited announcement came Sunday. The oldest daughter of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama has elected to take a year off after high school, however, and will enter the prestigious university in Cambridge, Mass., in the fall of 2017.