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Council approves $1.7M for new police hires
During the next eight months, Richmond expects to add 75 new police officers to beef up its declining force. That includes two classes of recruits at the Training Academy and two additional classes of recruits to begin the six to seven months of training within two months, according to Police Chief Alfred Durham.
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Places To Go, People To See
Looking for something to do or new experiences in the months ahead? Here are just a few of the upcoming fun events and adventures:
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Overcharged? 4 Richmond School Board members question surging costs to build new schools in city
The projected cost of the three new schools that Richmond is preparing to build has jumped an average of $107 per square foot in just five months, adding tens of millions of dollars to the cost, according to four members of the Richmond School Board.
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Richmonder Aleem rising up national boxing ranks
Immanuwel Aleem may have been barely old enough to play a hand of poker — his favorite card game — at the Valley Forge Casino Resort in suburban Philadelphia on Saturday night. But the 21-year-old boxer’s fists had enough experience to floor his opponent in an eight-round bout by King’s Promotions.
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Eureka!
FDA approves milestone treatments for sickle cell disease
Two breakthrough gene therapies can now be used to treat and possibly cure sickle cell anemia, the genetic blood disorder that afflicts 100,000 mostly Black Americans and 20 million people worldwide. But the announcement from the Food and Drug Administration of approval of the treatments — the first use of medicines to address an inherited disease — drew cheers and caution flags from those in the field.
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GRTC slated to start CARE-on-demand service Aug.1
Roderyck Bullock is gaining a new transportation option. Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 1, the Richmonder will be able to use a new Uber-style, on-demand service that GRTC is putting in place to upgrade service to the elderly and disabled who rely on the company’s CARE paratransit service.
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City Council votes to move $9M from fund to help cover budget shortfall
Three months ago, City Hall was happily stuffing $12 million into savings accounts while enthusing about how the city’s economy in the 2019-20 fiscal year had proven more robust and resilient than anticipated during the pandemic.
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USDA updates rules for school meals that limit sugars
The nation’s school meals will get a makeover under new nutrition standards that limit added sugars for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture an- nounced Wednesday. The final rule also trims sodium in students’ meals, although not by the 30% first proposed in 2023. And it con- tinues to allow flavored milks — such as chocolate milk — with less sugar, rather than adopting an option that would have offered only unflavored milk to the youngest kids. The aim is to improve nutrition and align with U.S. dietary guidelines in the program that provides breakfasts to more than 15 million students and lunches to nearly 30 million students every day at a cost of about $22.6 billion per year. “All of this is designed to ensure that students have quality meals and that we meet parents’ expectations,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters. The limits on added sugars would be required in the 2025-2026 school year, starting with high-sugar foods such as cereal, yogurt and flavored milk. By the fall of 2027, added sugars in school meals would be limited to no more than 10% of the total calories per week for breakfasts and lunches, in addition to limits on sugar in specific products. New WIC rules include more money for fruits and veggies. They also expand food choices Officials had proposed to reduce sodium in school meals by as much as 30% over the next several years. But after receiving mixed public comments and a directive from Congress included in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill approved in March, the agency will reduce sodium levels allowed in breakfasts by 10% and in lunches by 15% by the 2027-2028 school year.
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City budget deficit pegged at $4.1M
The City of Richmond is facing a $4.1 million deficit and likely will have to dip into savings to avoid being in the red when the books close June 30 on the current 2015-16 fiscal year. That’s according to Lenora Reid, the city’s chief financial officer.
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State vital records now online
Millions of individual records of births, deaths, marriages and divorces in Virginia in the past 100 years are now available online, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced this week.
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Absenteeism at RPS is down 1.8 percent, but remains high
Chronic absenteeism among school-aged children who miss 10 percent of days or more due to excused and unexcused absences continues to plague school systems, including Richmond Public Schools, throughout the country.
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New registration system to aid COVID-19 vaccination process
Local health officials announced a new initiative to help with management of the COVID-19 vaccines.
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The yearly event, sponsored by the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Richmond and Vicinity, is a part of a Richmond tradition celebrating the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation …
Published on January 6, 2017
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Bump stocks banned
The Trump administration on Tuesday banned the high-power gun attachments of the type used in last year’s Las Vegas shooting massacre of 58 people, giving the owners of “bump stocks” 90 days to turn in or destroy the devices and blocking owners from being able to register them.
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New dating apps — and ‘in person’ mixers — target religious and political niches
Dating today can be a bit like ordering at Chipotle. The universe of dating apps makes it easier than ever to custom-order a partner of your choosing — their height, their food preferences, their religion.
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Training camp fails to score finances, developments for city
After five football seasons, the Washington pro football team’s training camp at 2401 W. Leigh St. apparently is failing to generate enough income to pay off the cost of its construction.
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Insurance company details cost of rebuilding Fox Elementary
The insurance company that provides coverage for Richmond’s school buildings has reaffirmed its commitment to replace fire-damaged William Fox Elementary School.
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Positive COVID-19 tests dash U.S. Olympians’ dreams
When the flame is lighted Fri- day, July 23, kicking off the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the U.S. team will be minus several competitors because of COVID-19.
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VSU considering move to MEAC
Virginia State University, a member of the CIAA since 1920, may be considering a move to the MEAC.
