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Westwood Baptist, other groups host park cleanup
The Enrichmond Foundation is partnering with a historic West End church, a community bank and the City of Richmond to organize the cleanup of a park they call a “hidden gem” in the West End.
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Harlem churches see gospel tourist boom
The stern warning issued from the pulpit was directed at the tourists — most of whom had arrived late — a sea of white faces with guidebooks in hand. They outnumbered the congregation itself: A handful of elderly black men and women wearing suits and dresses and old-fashioned pillbox hats.
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Criminal charges filed in Michigan water crisis
The Flint water crisis became a criminal case Wednesday when two state regulators and a city employee were charged with official misconduct, evidence tampering and other offenses over the lead contamination that alarmed the country and brought cries of racism.
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Price of first class stamp drops by 2¢
A postage stamp now costs 47 cents — a drop of 2 cents for a first class letter.
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Frustration growing
City Council offers amendments to add millions of dollars to RPS while School Board approves cost-cutting measures
Community members are becoming increasingly angry and concerned about the future of Richmond Public Schools, especially after the Richmond School Board voted Monday to cut costs by shutting down two North Side buildings and implementing a new bus transportation system in the fall of 2016 that will make it more difficult for some students to get to their schools.
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GRTC’s planned Bus Rapid Transit already $11.5M over projection
Richmond’s Bus Rapid Transit system is going to cost an additional $11.5 million to develop. But the state — and not Richmond — will pick up the extra expense, GRTC spokeswoman Carrie Rose Pace disclosed Tuesday. “Under the project agreement, the Commonwealth of Virginia will cover any costs that exceed the estimated project budget,” she stated in an email to the Free Press.
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State NAACP election results upheld
After months of uncertainty, Linda Thomas is officially the president of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP. She replaces Carmen Taylor of Hampton, who lost a close election last fall at the state convention. “I’m feeling pretty good. I’m anxious to get started, and the other members of the executive committee are anxious to get started,” said Ms. Thomas, a Caroline County resident whose husband, Floyd W. Thomas, serves on the Caroline Board of Supervisors
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Price puts events out of reach for some area residents
Re: “First African-American police officers to be remembered in April 30 ceremony,” March 31-April 2 edition: I remember very well three of the four policemen who are to be honored. They were officers in my younger days. I would like to come to the ceremony, however, I cannot afford to pay the $50 the event organizers are charging to attend the ceremony. I am a citizen who lives off a very low income each month.
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Clinton crime bill in context
Former President Bill Clinton mixed it up with Black Lives Matter activists last week as he defended his presidency and his 1994 crime bill while campaigning in Philadelphia for his wife, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. Hillary fans will say it isn’t fair that the Black Lives Matter folks keep raising issues from the Bill Clinton presidency. But the Clintons campaigned in 1992 by asserting that they were a “two for one” presidency, so raising those issues is at least somewhat fair.
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VUU holds scholarship ball April 15
R&B singer Will Downing will be a special guest at the 4th Annual Virginia Union University Scholarship Gala & Masquerade Ball this Friday, April 15, at The Richmond Marriott Hotel, 500 E. Broad St. in Downtown.
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Children’s choir presents free concert April 16
The Greater Richmond Children’s Intermediate Concert Choir will perform 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16, in the Gellman Room at the Richmond Public Library’s Main Branch, 101 E. Franklin St., in Downtown.
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Russell Wilson’s mother to speak at Women’s Day
She’s the mother of Richmond hometown hero Russell Wilson, star quarterback of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. And Tammy Wilson is going to be keynote speaker at the Women’s Day service 11 a.m. Sunday, April 17, at Third Street Bethel AME Church, 614 N. Third St., in Jackson Ward. Mrs. Wilson is expected to talk about her faith and her s
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Ed Davis, former Benedictine standout, looks toward NBA playoffs
Ed Davis’ reputation for rugged play under the backboards has earned him the nickname “Phys Ed” with the NBA Portland Trail Blazers. The 240-pound southpaw has developed into an elite rebounder —and short-range scorer — coming off the bench. “It’s not pretty,” he said of his ready-to-rumble style. “But someone has to set the hard screens, hit the offensive boards, do the dirty work.”
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Unsold food is ‘a godsend’
Boxes of tomatoes, peppers and other fruits and vegetables fill four tables in the basement social hall at Zion Baptist Church on South Side, creating the look of a small grocery store. “This is a pretty small load,” said John Thombs, who had brought the cornucopia to the church at 2006 Decatur St., where his wife, Betty, set it up with a few helpers.
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Free Press wins big
The Richmond Free Press continues its 24-year tradition of award-winning excellence. The newspaper was recognized with 10 awards — including five first-place awards and runner-up for the Journalistic Integrity and Community Service Award — at the annual Virginia Press Association competition in writing, photography, news presentation and advertising.
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Candidate forum draws 12 seeking to become mayor
Richmond City Council President Michelle R. Mosby pledged “to renew a sense of trust in government.” Jack Berry, former director of Downtown booster group Venture Richmond, said, “I will make sure that the first dollar goes to the schools, not the last dollar.”
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Rock star Bruce Springsteen canceled his April 10 concert at the Greensboro, N.C., Coliseum, the latest in a line of protests over a new state …
Published on April 15, 2016
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Transgender law tweaked in N.C. after backlash
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory slightly altered a new state law denounced as discriminatory with an executive order Tuesday, but the Republican stood firm on a controversial provision restricting transgender bathroom access. The governor’s order expands protections against discrimination for state employees to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Gov. McCrory also asked lawmakers to restore the right to sue in state court for discrimination, an option taken away by the measure passed last month.
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Marching for dollars
City Council takes first steps to give more to RPS
Before dozens of students, parents and teachers began pleading, berating and challenging Richmond City Council to beef up funding for city schools, the nine members of the governing body had already taken the first step. In a 9-0 vote Monday night, in front of a packed council chamber of school supporters, the council approved an ordinance requiring the city administration to give to the schools real estate tax money collected from surplus property previously owned by the school system.
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U.S. Supreme Court rejects conservative challenge in voting rights case
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upheld the method all states use to draw their legislative districts, rejecting a conservative challenge that could have given more clout to white, rural voters.
