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‘Jury still out’
Mayor Levar M.Stoney finishes first year amid ambivalence despite human touch
Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney has probably shaken more hands, taken more selfies with city residents, issued more tweets and participated in more events, programs and festivals than any mayor in recent memory.
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RPS summer meals program begins June 29
After school closes June 24, Richmond Public Schools will still serve free breakfast and lunch at six schools to ensure students are not hungry most of the summer, it has been announced.
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Public meeting March 1 on Henrico schools superintendent search
The public will have an opportunity to tell Henrico officials what they want to see in a new Henrico schools superintendent at a meeting 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at L. Douglas Wilder Middle School, 6900 Wilkinson Road.
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Gang demands $17M ransom for 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti
A gang that kidnapped 17 members of a U.S.-based missionary group has demanded a $17 million ransom for them, according to Haiti’s justice minister, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal.
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Variety of scams targeting all people of color, by Charlene Crowell
Just as the annual holiday season of shopping and celebrating nears, a major federal financial regulator released new research detailing how communities of color not only are targeted by well-known types of predatory lenders, but new forms of fraud seek to exploit consumers in the throes of the COVID- 19 pandemic.
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Can Richmond afford 4 planned new schools?
One unanswered question hovers as the Richmond School Board and schools Superintendent Jason Kamras push the city to seek bids for new buildings to replace four aging schools: Can the city afford them?
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Washington training camp is a business flop
If success means attracting people, then the Washington NFL franchise’s training camp is a winner. But if success is measured by economic activity, the camp does not appear to make the cut.
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Shielding from responsibility?
City mum on funds diverted to police
Mayor Levar M. Stoney joined community partners Tuesday to announce the city is all for trying to prevent the killings that leave bodies in the street and families in mourning. However, during his City Hall press conference, the mayor didn’t mention that just a few weeks ago his administration gained approval from
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CBS 6 shows ‘callous attitude’ toward President Obama
WTVR-TV, CBS 6 in Richmond continuously refuses to broadcast speeches when President Obama is on air. This, I feel, is disrespectful and should be brought to the attention of our community.
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New program to create jobs, new homes and opportunity
Buy vacant lots in depressed sections of Richmond. Then have small, black-owned construction firms fill the lots with modern, affordable homes that can sell quickly while creating jobs for nearby residents.
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City Council green lights projects for 2nd Street, North Side, East End
New apartments finally could rise on the site of the former Eggleston Hotel at 2nd and Leigh streets in Jackson Ward. City Council gave a thumbs up Monday by voting 9-0 to allow the long-stalled project to receive a grant of $250,544 over seven years through the city’s Economic Development Authority. Developer Kelvin Hanson, who initially proposed Eggleston Plaza five years ago, said he hopes to have the $5.8 million project underway this summer.
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Some ‘Legacy Vendors’ to have spot at renovated 17th Street Farmers’ Market
Evelyn “Luceal” Allen and Rosa Fleming will be coming back to the 17th Street Farmers’ Market, while Timothy “Tim” Christian likely will not. For now, he will remain by Main Street Station.
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City Public Defender’s Office gets award, no pay supplement
The Richmond Public Defender’s Office received high praise Monday night from City Council.
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Teacher shortages in high-poverty schools, by David W. Marshall
There is no way one can put a price on the value of a child’s education. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.”
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Price of incarceration
Hip-hop legend Jay Z celebrated Father’s Day this year by allowing incarcerated fathers to spend the day with their families. Pick any day of the week in America and an estimated 700,000 people are populating our nation’s local city and county jails. Of those behind bars, 60 percent — nearly half a million people, many of whom are African-American and Hispanic — will remain in jail, not because they have been convicted of any crime, but because they are guilty of the unpardonable crime of poverty and cannot afford the court-stipulated price tag placed on their freedom.
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Bankruptcy trustee recommends RCC sale to another church
And the apparent winner is United Nations Church International. Aiming to keep the Richmond Christian Center a place of worship, a court-appointed trustee is recommending a sale of the church’s 5-acre property in South Side to Richmond-based UNCI for $2.9 million.
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Richmond Symphony to perform long-overlooked ‘Negro Folk Symphony’
When the Richmond Symphony takes the stage for two performances this weekend, one of the pieces they will perform is being billed as “the greatest symphony you’ve never heard.”
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Healing in the Black community focus of spring symposium
Healing in the context of community will be the central theme of this year’s 14th Annual Lemon Project symposium taking place March 22-23 at the William & Mary School of Education.
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Officials launch probe into B.B. King’s death
Nevada officials said Monday they would conduct a homicide investigation into the death earlier this month of legendary musician B.B. King, after two of his daughters leveled accusations that the blues great was murdered. The Clark County, Nev., coroner’s office said in a post on Twitter that it had taken jurisdiction over Mr. King’s body, and autopsy results would take a minimum of six to eight weeks.
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Triangle Players bring Broadway to Richmond
An ensemble of Broadway performers will appear in “Arts Ignite Richmond: A Broadway Spectacular” at the Richmond Triangle Players’ Robert B. Moss Theatre on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. The theatre is located at 1300 Altamont Ave. Conceived by Dr. Keith Bell and Mary-Mitchell Campbell (“Company,” “The Prom,” “Mean Girls”), audience members will be given a glimpse into Broadway’s living room that includes personal journeys and Broadways hits. Appearing will be Jessica Vosk, who made her Carnegie Hall debut with a sold-out solo show in November 2021. She will make her London debut at Cadogan Hall this summer. Also appearing are Marissa Rosen (“Legally Blonde,” “Foot- loose”), and Rueby Wood (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Disney’s Better Nate Than Ever”). Arts Ignite, a New York-based nonprofit organization, em- powers youths to expand their creative capacity and sense of community. Tickets may be purchased online at https://donate.artsignite. org/richmond
