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Chaos and violence
Mass shootings claim lives at gatherings over July Fourth holiday
Mass shootings broke out at festivals, block parties and other gatherings in a handful of cities this week as the U.S. celebrated the Fourth of July. Gun violence that flared in Washington, D.C, Louisiana, Florida, Philadelphia, Texas and Baltimore left more than a dozen dead and almost 60 wounded — including children as young as 2 years old.
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Keeping Kamras
Richmond School Board votes 6-3 to extend Superintendent Jason Kamras’ contract for another 4 years
It’s official: Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras will stay on for another four years.
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Daphne Maxwell Reid rejoins cast for ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ reunion
Actress Daphne Maxwell Reid recently joined the cast of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” for a reunion show airing this week, 30 years after the popular TV sitcom premiered in 1990.
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City Council member wants to send Richmond 300 plan back to drawing board
Too many flaws. That’s City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson’s take on a proposed new master plan, dubbed “Richmond 300,” to guide the city’s future development and enable Virginia’s capital to become the “welcoming inclusive, diverse, innovative place” it seeks to be.
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Black women and breast cancer diagnosis — just different, by Dr. Vanessa B. Sheppard
While we have made great strides in improving cancer outcomes among many populations over the last several decades, one group remains consistently, inequitably left behind: Black women in America.
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Biden and Trump agree to 2 presidential debates, leaving VSU date in doubt
President Biden and former President Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to hold two campaign debates — the first on June 27 hosted by CNN and the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC — setting the stage for their first presidential face-off to play out in just over a month.
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Officer charged in killing motorist
“He purposely killed him.” That’s how an Ohio prosecutor described a white police officer’s gruesome actions in gunning down an unarmed African-American motorist he pulled over for not having a front license plate.
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Lady Walker and the Cleveland-VUU connection
It’s a small world. If you didn’t believe that before, you will with Virginia Union University basketball standout Lady Walker. For starters, her first name really is Lady. She has the same name as her fraternal grandmother. “It’s funny,” she said with a smile. “I’ll hear someone on the street say, ‘Hey, Lady!’ and I think they’re talking to me. And then I see they’re calling someone else.”
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Sessions denies any collusion with Russia during Trump campaign
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday denounced as a “detestable lie” the idea he colluded with Russians meddling in the 2016 election, and he clashed with Democratic lawmakers over his refusal to detail his conversations with President Trump.
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Breakfast with Bernie
Bernie Sanders had breakfast in New York with the Rev. Al Sharpton just hours after trouncing Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire Democratic presidential nominating contest Tuesday. His meeting with the iconic civil rights leader marked the recognition by Mr. Sanders that his campaign must swiftly broaden its base of support if he has any chance of mounting a long-term challenge to Mrs. Clinton, who consistently polls better among African-American voters.
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Movement afoot to remove Lee statue in Charlottesville
Charlottesville residents who are uncomfortable with a local park could affect a monumental change if renewed protest over a nearly 100-year-old statue gains enough support. On Tuesday, local community leaders called on the city’s elected officials to rename Lee Park and remove the statue of the park’s namesake, Gen. Robert E. Lee of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.
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VUU takes game from VSU by 2 to claim Freedom Classic win
Long-limbed and athletic, Ray Anderson is gifted with excellent speed, quickness and jumping ability. Yet he does some of his best work standing still. In helping Virginia Union University win the Freedom Classic 70-68 over Virginia State University last Sunday at the Richmond Coliseum, Anderson left the Trojans in a “foul” mood.
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Go 'Red4Ed:' Teachers lobby for education $
The State Capitol echoed with the chants “Fund Our Future!” and “Red4Ed!” as educators, students and their supporters gathered in the thousands Monday afternoon to press for increased state funding for teachers and public schools in Virginia.
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Chief Smith embraces police reform, but wants to control it from the catbird seat
New Richmond Police Chief Gerald M. Smith is raising a yellow caution flag for those pushing to reform the department and support budget cuts to “defund the police.”
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Mars has star power winning 6 Grammys
R&B artist Bruno Mars won the top prize at the Grammy Awards on Sunday in another victory for pop-driven music over rap, now the most popular genre in the nation.
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VUU Lady Panthers, VSU Trojans favored in CIAA Tournament
Virginia State University’s men and Virginia Union University’s women are clear favorites on paper at this week’s CIAA Tournament in Charlotte, N.C.
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RRHA tenants to get refunds in lawsuit settlement
The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which is the landlord for Richmond’s public housing, has agreed to refund nearly $1 million to current and former tenants who were overcharged for electricity over four years. In addition, the RRHA plans to return nearly $80,000 to tenants as it implements new utility allowances that will increase the amount of power tenants can use before they must pay.
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Jury recommends neo-Nazi spend life behind bars for death at Charlottesville rally
A Charlottesville jury says the man who killed 32-year-old paralegal Heather Heyer and injured nearly 40 other people with his car during a neo-Nazi rally last year should spend the rest of his life in prison.
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Remove or keep a statue? South Africa also debates painful legacy
A hulking statue of a late 19th century white leader, with a cane and top hat, has been a flashpoint for cultural conflict in South Africa for years. Black protesters threw paint on it. White supporters rallied around it. Authorities surrounded the statue with barbed wire and then ringed it with a more permanent fence.
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Problems, solutions discussed at criminal justice summit
The state of criminal justice in Virginia is poor, according to a panel of local, state and national officials, educators and experts who discussed the topic during a summit last Saturday at the Richmond Justice Center.
