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State backs Dominion Energy plan for electric school buses by 2030
Gov. Ralph S. Northam announced Tuesday that the state would contribute $20 million to help replace diesel-powered school buses with cleaner, but more expensive electric buses in Richmond and across the state.
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System failure
RPS loses thousands of laptops
Richmond Public Schools wasted millions of federal support dollars buying 20,000 extra Chromebook laptop computers it didn’t need after going virtual during the pandemic, an internal audit has found.
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Goldman drops appeal in plan for Coliseum referendum
Paul Goldman, leader of the Put Schools First campaign, is dropping his appeal of a Richmond Circuit Court ruling that blocked his efforts to put an advisory referendum on the ballot last November for Richmond voters to weigh in on the $1.5 billion Coliseum replacement plan.
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Washington NFL team drops racist name
The most polarizing name in North American professional sports is gone.
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Biden administration says colleges must fight ‘alarming rise’ in antisemitism and Islamophobia
The Biden administration is warning U.S. schools and colleges that they must take immediate action to stop antisemitism and Islamophobia on their campuses, citing an “alarming rise” in threats and harassment.
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Father’s Day
What wisdom did your father instill in you?
Father’s Day will be celebrated Sunday, June 19, with people across the country grilling, baking cakes and cookies and buying ties for the man who has a special place in the hearts and lives of their family. In honor of fathers everywhere, the Free Press put the following question to several people
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Florida faith leader: Black history toolkit gains interest outside the state
When the Rev. Rhonda Thomas decided to create a toolkit to help teach Black history outside the public school system — after Florida legislators approved revisions to its required instruction — she expected Black churches like her own would be the ones to use it.
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Sign’s messages inspire passers-by
Motorists slow down and often do double takes as they drive by Chicago Avenue Baptist Church on South Side. The reason: The church at 2331 Broad Rock Blvd., led by Dr. Marlon Haskell, features lots of creative, eye-catching messages on its sign display.
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Council raises percentage of vehicle tax owners must pay
Richmond vehicle owners can expect to see bigger personal property tax bills for their cars and trucks this year.
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Spartans hoping for long shot win over JMU
Norfolk State University’s football role has quickly switched from clear favorite to distant long shot.
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Civil War was about ‘secession, not slavery’, says reader
Marc H. Morial, in excoriating Nikki Haley, parrots the tiresome myth of American history by claiming the Civil War (which it was not, by definition) was “about” slavery, quoting slavery as one among the reasons for the secession of the Southern states.
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Richmond graduation rate falls
The percentage of Richmond students graduating in four years is dropping, while the dropout rate is going up, according to a new state report.
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Students turn to TikTok to fill gaps in school lessons
Mecca Patterson-Guridy wants to learn, but for some subjects, she isn’t always comfortable asking her teachers. So she has been turning to TikTok.
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'Yes in God's Backyard' to use church land for affordable housing
Faith congregations across California are responding to the state’s housing crisis by sharing their parking lots with people living in their cars, providing mobile showers for the homeless and joining their neighbors in calling for rent control in their communities.
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Flying Squirrels’ GRASP program seeks VUU, VSU applicants
The application process is underway for the $5,000 Richmond Flying Squirrels “34” Scholarship. .
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Plans to use city schools for day care program break down
Talks between City Hall and Richmond Public Schools over using five school buildings as day care sites have broken down.
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VCU’s 2022 ‘Common Book’ further exposes Richmond’s racist past, by Chip Jones
Parking in front of a massive stone clubhouse, I was ready to enjoy an evening visit with a book club in the suburbs.
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Cleared
Allegations dismissed that Mayor Dwight C. Jones used city resources to benefit his church
Mayor Dwight C. Jones is off the hook. Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring announced Wednesday that Mayor Jones has been cleared of allegations that he used city resources to benefit the South Side church where he also is senior pastor.
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Personality: Bryan Price
Spotlight on the board chairman of Equality Virginia
Part of Bryan Price’s email signature includes his favorite quote. It is from Muhammad Ali, and it speaks to the things we see as impossible to overcome — and to the power of each of us to affect change in the world.
