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Personality: Sylvia Alexander-Wall
Spotlight on founder and president of The Ladies of Elegance Inc.
The purpose pushing Sylvia Alexander-Wall’s passion to help people and families enduring cancer can be summed up in two words: Early detection.
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Happy birthday to Medicaid
For more than a half century, Medicaid has been a shining example of the good and essential support government can provide those most in need across all ages. Through the years, we have been striving to live up to the promise of ensuring all children and young people a chance to reach healthy adulthood — laboriously and successfully expanding coverage to more children thousands by thousands, millions by millions, state by state.
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Personality: LaShara Smith
Spotlight on president of Richmond Professionals Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers
The engineering profession needs more African-Americans, including women. That’s the word from LaShara Smith, president of the Richmond Professionals Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.
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A federal case
U.S. Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to investigate unequal discipline in Richmond Public Schools
The pursuit of justice for two Richmond Public Schools students has resulted in a federal investigation of the school district’s disparity in disciplinary procedures for African-American students and students with disabilities.
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Personality: Amber J. Adams
Spotlight on president of Richmond Metropolitan Chapter of NABA
In 1969, only 136 of the nation’s 100,000 certified public accountants were African-American. In response to that dismal lack of representation, nine African-American accountants met in New York to discuss the quandary faced in their profession. They formed the National Association of Black Accountants to address the concerns of minorities entering the accounting profession and to make a commitment to professional and academic excellence. They chose a theme/motto for the nonprofit organization: “Lifting As We Climb.”
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Pulpit to politics, remembering Leonidas B. Young II
The Rev. Leonidas B. Young II rose from the pulpit of historic Fourth Baptist Church in the East End to the pinnacle of Richmond political power, serving as the city’s mayor from 1994 to 1996. Elected to Richmond City Council representing the East End’s 7th District from 1992 to 1999, he was considered a rising political star by many at the time.
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July 1 was red-letter day for former inmate Rojai Fentress
Rojai Fentress, arrested in 1996 on a murder charge when he was just 16 years old, woke up on July 1 at the Augusta Correctional Center as inmate No. 1038804.
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Gov. Northam releases progressive 2020-22 budget plan
Smokers might have to shell out an extra 30 cents in tax for a pack of cigarettes to help offset the cost of tobacco-related illnesses that the state must pick up through Medicaid and other health care programs.
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New 'RVA Illuminates' to kick off holiday season Dec. 6 at Kanawha Plaza
It’s the most wonderful and magical time of the year, as dazzling and brightly colored displays and holiday festivities take over the city.
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Veterans group wheels out new gift for single mother
While living in Richmond’s Fairfield Court public housing community for nine years, Kiocia Wilkerson spent much of the time riding buses back and forth to work each day. She also relied on bus transportation to take her two children, one of whom is autistic, to and from school and to doctors’ appointments.
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Love stories
The Free Press proudly presents its annual Valentine’s Day feature. It shares the love stories of four Richmond area couples.
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John Marshall High wins 2A state championship
John Marshall High School’s statewide domination of boys’ basketball doesn’t figure to end any time soon.
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RPS attendance officers’ jobs on chopping block despite crucial need, service
With little public attention, the Richmond delegation to the General Assembly joined most Democrats and Republicans last year in voting to dismantle most of the 20-year-old requirements imposed on Virginia public schools to prevent truancy.
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Incumbent Thornton facing 2 challengers in Fairfield District primary in Henrico
All five seats on the Henrico County Board of Supervisors are up for election in November.
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Local couple in Paris bears witness to Notre Dame fire
George K. Martin of Mechanicsville and his wife, Anita, arrived in Paris on Sunday night and made a sightseeing list that included some of the top tourist spots in the City of Lights, including Notre Dame Cathedral.
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Racial disparity in health care
Recognizing problem is Rx for change
The headlines about health problems plaguing the African-American community are frequent and alarming. From diabetes to hypertension and heart disease, to asthma and certain types of cancer, the statistics are clear: Black people suffer from a multitude of chronic health conditions and at a rate higher than other racial and ethnic groups.
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Dementia and religion: Inside a church’s Alzheimer’s support group
They sat in a circle in a room usually used by high schoolers and talked about the people they loved who no longer recognized them or who had died forgetting the names of family caregivers in their last days.
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Personality: Ashley S. Bland
Spotlight on Richmond Public Schools 2021 Teacher of the Year
Ashley S. Bland has received a coveted award that could set off a journey to additional state and national education awards. The 30-year-old Ms. Bland was named Richmond Public Schools 2021 Teacher of the Year.
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Personality: Marc Cheatham
Spotlight on The Cheats Movement hip-hop enthusiast
Marc Wesley Cheatham, founder of The Cheats Movement blog and podcast, says Democrat Tim Kaine’s 2009 appointment as chairman of the Democratic National Committee was a catalyst for the evolution of a platform for local hip-hop.
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Personality: LaToya Gray Sparks
Spotlight on the winner of ESRI’s 2020 Educational Map Contest
LaToya Gray Sparks’ digital story map of how Richmond’s first master plan impacted Black residents contains a wealth of information.
