Story
Bettye Jean Branch Bragg, former Head Start aide, dies at age 80
Bettye Jean Branch Bragg touched the lives of hundreds of Richmond children during her 34 years as a teacher’s aide in Head Start, a program to prepare 3 and 4-year-olds for kindergarten and higher grades.
Story
Personality: Hassan Fountain Sr.
Spotlight on founder of Fountain for Youth Foundation
Hassan Fountain Sr. has a vision of placing children’s libraries in every subsidized housing community across Virginia, especially in Richmond, to increase literacy and help youths see a brighter future.
Story
If it’s June, it must be Black Music Month
While Juneteenth has been a primary focus for many Black Americans throughout June, another observance — Black Music Month — has also captured their attention.
Story
Personality: Mary R. Sadovszky
Spotlight on chair of CancerLINC’s Bags & Bourbon Benefit
Mary R. Sadovszky, chair of the Bags & Bourbon Benefit, a live and silent auction to benefit CancerLINC, is working weekends and nights to make this charitable event Richmond’s most memorable spring fundraiser.
Story
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.
Story
Kind acts should be recognized
There are many acts of kindness in the Richmond community that I think go unrecognized and deserve more attention. I’d like to point out three that I know of: Eight-year-old Marty Cobb was killed last May trying to protect his 12-year-old sister from a sexual assault. He made the greatest sacrifice: He gave his life for his sister.
Story
VSU Trojans, VUU Lady Panthers win CIAA; next stop NCAA regionals
The powerful engine that is Virginia State University basketball barely tapped its brakes rumbling through Charlotte, N.C., and the CIAA Tournament championship last weekend.
Story
In affirmative action and student loan cases, some see backlash to racial progress in education
As a Black student who was raised by a single mother, Makia Green believes she benefited from a program that gave preference to students of color from economically disadvantaged backgrounds when she was admitted over a decade ago to the University of Rochester.
Story
Personality: Frances T. Hayes
Spotlight on host chapter president of Club Dejouir’s 60th conclave
Frances T. Hayes served two terms as president of the Richmond Chapter of Club Dejouir Inc. in the 1970s. Now, four decades later, she has embarked on her third term as president of the nonprofit women’s social and civic organization.
Story
Personality: Myra Goodman Smith
Spotlight on board chair of the Annabella R. Jenkins Foundation
With the rise of the omicron variant of COVID-19, focus again is being directed toward the systemic issues surrounding health care and health care delivery systems. These types of issues have been a lifelong focus for Myra Goodman Smith.
Story
Not letting anyone steal our joy, by Ben Jealous
A congressional meeting room might be the last place people would expect to find joy.
Story
Anderson gives NSU spark from arc
Daryl Anderson Jr. is Norfolk State University’s spark from the arc. Most of his points come in bunches of threes.
Story
From youthful harmonies to senior sounds
Melvin Short's love for community never misses a beat
Melvin Short Sr. might be the first person to say he is surprised to have founded and led multiple youth and senior singing groups over the years.
Story
Adoption advocate and political campaign volunteer Annette ‘Nettie’ Gordon dies at 82
Annette White “Nettie” Gordon, who helped build an adoption program focused on Black children and volunteered in campaigns of Democratic candidates, has died.
Story
Personality: G. Sylvia Jackson
Spotlight on Grand Worthy Matron of the Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star of Va.
She’s one week away from the 118th Annual Session of the Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star of Virginia, Prince Hall Affiliation. And Grand Worthy Matron Gertrude Sylvia Jackson is fighting the good fight, leading a group of organizers the public still sees “as old ladies in white who belong to a secret organization,” she says.
Story
‘Nobody had to wonder whether she would accept the outcome’
Richmond resident and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, who was tapped to be Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential running mate, introduced her Wednesday before her concession speech. His wife, Anne Holton, former Virginia secretary of education, was by his side:
Story
Personality: Melissa Hagerman
Spotlight on volunteer Richmond chair of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
In 2002, Melissa Hagerman found herself at a crossroads following the death of her mother, whose experience with Alzheimer’s disease, in her words, slowly took her away from her family.
Story
Lessons taught at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Nine teams passed on Paul Pierce in the 1998 NBA draft, and if you think he doesn’t remember each and every one of them, then you don’t know Paul Pierce.
Story
We were medical guinea pigs, by Julianne Malveaux
People who don’t know Black history have probably heard more about the Tuskegee syphilis “experiment” in the last month than they have in their whole lives.
Story
Pope Francis publicly acknowledges clergy’s sexual abuse of nuns
Pope Francis publicly acknowledged the scandal of priests and bishops sexually abusing nuns and vowed to do more to fight the problem, the latest sign that there is no end in sight to the Catholic Church’s abuse crisis — and that it now has a reckoning from the #MeToo movement.
