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Restore the Voting Rights Act, by Marc H. Morial
“Although the court did not deny that voter discrimination still exists, it gutted the most powerful tool this nation has ever had to stop discriminatory voting practices from becoming law. Those justices were never beaten or jailed for trying to register to vote. They have no friends who gave their lives for the right to vote. I want to say to them, ‘Come and walk in my shoes.’” — Congressman John Lewis reacting to the U.S Supreme Court’s Shelby v. Holder deci- sion in 2013.
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New Police Chief Gerald Smith greeted with eventful first day
For Gerald M. Smith, the first day as Richmond’s new police chief was anything but routine.
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Mayweather chooses ‘right dance partner’ for final fight
At the start, Conor McGregor was cool, calm and collected, and an upset seemed possible. In the end, the rugged Irishman melted from the heat of a relentless Floyd Mayweather Jr. attack last Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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Thousands fill the Staples Center for Kobe Bryant’s ‘Celebration of Life’
A gallery of basketball legends joined thousands of Kobe Bryant fans in Los Angeles on Monday to pay tribute to the transcendent NBA star, his daughter and seven others who died in a helicopter crash last month that shocked the world of sports and beyond.
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Fashion's LaQuan Smith embraces the champagne lifestyle
LaQuan Smith is all about the champagne lifestyle — bubbly, luxurious and, especially when it comes to the women’s clothes he creates, sexy.
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Don't let 'holiday heart syndrome' ruin your holidays
From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, emergency room visits and hospital admissions for acute illnesses tend to spike. While the holidays are a joyous time when friends and family gather to celebrate the season, there can be significant health dangers lurking.
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Henrico man awarded patent for golf cart cover
Golf carts have been part of John Houze Jr.’s life for decades.
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Richmond native returns as star of film, helping others at Richmond International Film Festival
The Richmond of Tamika Lamison’s youth has evolved into a thriving artistic hub. Ms. Lamison, an actor and director who now lives and works in Los Angeles, grew up in South Side in the 1980s. “When I come home, I certainly see a huge effort to completely infuse a great deal of artistic life into Richmond,” Ms. Lamison told the Free Press in a telephone interview last week.
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Getting a pass?
Some fully accredited schools don’t always spell success
Are public schools that are labeled fully accredited actually providing a good education for at least the large majority of their students?
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Mayor on hook for school modernization plan with charter change signing
Backed by a unanimous legislature, Gov. Ralph S. Northam has signed a new charter measure for Richmond that will require Mayor Levar M. Stoney to come up with a fully funded plan for modernizing every city school without a tax increase or explain why he cannot.
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Martin Luther King III brings message of hope to VCU
Be guided by your dreams, not distracted by your fears. This was the message that Martin Luther King III offered to students, faculty and the community during his talk Sunday evening at Virginia Commonwealth University.
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Jermaine Marrow brings excitement — and big fan numbers — to Hampton Pirates
Two of the brightest subjects regarding Hampton University basketball are Jermaine Marrow and home attendance. It’s reasonable to assume the two are linked.
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Richmond Public Library to take over equipment, programming for city’s public access cable TV station
The Richmond Public Library is poised to add a new element to its offerings — a TV studio that will allow residents to continue to air live shows on a Comcast public access channel.
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VUU fans get Christmas gift in Jordan White
Virginia Union University basketball fans received a “White Christmas” in a way they weren’t expecting.
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LA Chargers get new jolt with Coach Anthony Lynn
After a lengthy, listless period, the NFL’s newest Los Angeles franchise is all charged up.
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Nation bids farewell to former President George H. W. Bush
Former President George H.W. Bush was celebrated with high praise and loving humor Wednesday at a farewell to the man who was America’s 41st president and the last president to serve on active duty in wartime.
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City social services department finds itself stressed with a shortage of workers
As the coronavirus stalks the city, more people are turning to the Richmond Department of Social Services for help.
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VUU alum played for late Coach Don Shula with the Baltimore Colts
A native Richmonder played at least a small role in the historic coaching legacy of the late Don Shula.
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What happens when we return to ‘normal’? by Glenn Ellis
Where should we be focusing our attention as a community at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic?
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Federal unemployment checks ease money worries for newly laid off during pandemic
Just a few weeks ago, journalist-turned-bartender and server Lyndon German was feeling desperate. In the past year, the 26-year-old Mechanicsville native has seen his reporter jobs in Hopewell and Petersburg end as a result of newsroom cutbacks, and now his restaurant job in a popular local café has disappeared as a result of COVID-19.
