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Va. Legislative Black Caucus on ‘wrong side of history’
The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) states, in part, that its mission is to “improve the economic, educational, political and social conditions of African-Americans and other underrepresented groups in the Commonwealth of Virginia.” Given this pointed self-description, the VLBC clearly appears to have betrayed its own mission in its decision to deny a Virginia Supreme Court judgeship to state Appeals Court Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr., an African-American.
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Gilpin Court community to undergo major change
The city’s housing authority has begun a search for a master developer to transform Gilpin Court.
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New City Council has history-making membership
Along with welcoming two new members, City Council installed two veterans and allies of Mayor Levar M. Stoney in its top leadership posts Monday and reshuffled committee chairmanships.
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Louis Stokes, 90, Ohio’s first black congressman
Louis Stokes served 15 consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives during which he investigated the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.
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Paisley Park opens as museum Oct. 28
Paisley Park, the estate and studio of the late musician Prince, will operate permanently as a museum after a rezoning request was approved by the Chanhassen City Council on Monday night. The 65,000 square-foot estate where Prince died on April 21 of an accidental, self-administered overdose at the age of 57 is located in the Minneapolis suburb and will be open to the public on Friday, Oct. 28.
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African-American mayors elected in 3 cities
Voters in Norfolk and Roanoke elected African-American mayors in Tuesday’s municipal elections. And in Hampton, Mayor George Wallace lost his re-election bid to another African-American.
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Despite no home court, Huguenot goes to state quarterfinals
A basketball season that couldn’t have started much worse is now on track to be Huguenot High School’s best ever.
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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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Former Richmonder Todd taking talents to NBA draft
Former Richmonder Isaiah Todd is among those hop- ing to hear his name called in this year’s NBA Draft.
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Harold C. Glenn, also known as ‘Soul Santa,’ dies at age 90
During a time that it was rare for a Black person to play the familiar holiday role of Santa Claus anywhere in the country, that fact did not deter Harold Cecil Glenn.
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Personality: Zarina Fazaldin
Spotlight on Richmond Folk Festival Programming Committee Chair
Zarina Fazaldin left her family in Tanzania to complete high school and earn her bachelor’s degree in India before coming to Richmond to pursue post graduate studies. Back then, her dream job was to work at the United Nations. More than 30 years later, Ms. Fazaldin still lives in Richmond, a city that she loves and considers her own. Her friends in Richmond have become family, she says.
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Chuck Berry, rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, dies
nd lyricists, creating raucous anthems that defined the genre’s sound and heartbeat, died Saturday, March 18, at his Missouri home. He was 90.
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What would Ida B. Wells do?
Crusading journalist Ida B. Wells, who fearlessly and tirelessly worked against racism and violence targeting African-Americans in the late 1800s and early 1900s, was posthumously honored last week with a Pulitzer Prize.
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Jehovah’s Witnesses move annual conventions online for second year
For the second consecutive year, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have canceled their large, in-person annual three-day conventions in Richmond and around the globe because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Henrico schools to reopen virtually this fall
The Henrico School Board voted unanimously last week to reopen schools this fall using a full virtual learning format for the first semester.
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Green light shines on Diamond District
The huge plan to redevelop 67 acres of publicly owned land around The Diamond baseball stadium has a green light — despite questions about the soundness of its financial structure.
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Bus Rapid Transit
Can Richmond afford to maintain proposed expensive bus service?
Can Richmond afford to operate the proposed Bus Rapid Transit system that promises speedier travel and is described as the biggest revamp in public bus service in the city in at least 50 years?
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Trial in ‘Operation Varsity Blues’ college admissions scandal gets underway
The first full trial in the college admissions bribery scandal opened Monday with defense attorneys seeking to portray the two parents accused of buying their childrens’ way into school as victims of a con man who believed their payments were legitimate donations.
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$1.1M needed for new voting equipment
Richmond is hoping to borrow voting machines to use in the upcoming June 9 Democratic primaries. At the same time, the city voter registrar is seeking more than $1.1 million from the city government to buy new voting equipment to use in the November general election. The city is one of 30 localities facing an emergency situation involving voting machines. The upheaval is the result of Tuesday’s action by the state Board of Elections decertifying the WINVote touch-screen machines that the 30 localities have used in their elections for 10 years. The board’s action essentially bans the use of the WINVote machines in any future elections, including the June 9 primaries that will be held in Richmond and nine other localities.
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Board votes to change school names
The Richmond Public School board voted during its Nov. 21 meeting to change three elementary schools’ names.