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The dope on marijuana
Here’s what’s legal and what’s not in Virginia beginning Thursday, July 1
Potheads, rejoice. Smoking a joint will be legal in Virginia beginning next Thursday, July 1.
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Ball now in Gov. Northam’s court on latest GOP redistricting plan
Can Virginia’s Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox cut a deal with Democratic Gov. Ralph S. Northam over a new, constitutional map for the 100 districts in the House of Delegates? That’s the big question that hangs over the release Tuesday of proposed GOP changes to House districts that Republican leaders call “race blind.”
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Northam, appeasement, atonement and black voters
In recent days, some Democrats in Virginia have seemingly adopted the principal that electoral expediency trumps zero tolerance for racism. Unfortunately, they received an eye-opening reminder that this strategy will be met by resistance from many of the very people whose votes will be essential for any Democratic victory in November.
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Folk Festival returns this weekend
Louis Armstrong once said, “All music is folk music. I ain’t never heard a horse sing a song.” Music by people and cultures from around the globe will be featured in Richmond this weekend at the three-day 12th Annual Richmond Folk Festival.
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Finally, a listening tour
The national office of the NAACP has made a couple of significant changes lately. They dismissed chairwoman Roslyn M. Brock and president Cornell Brooks.
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Area meal programs feed first responders, help restaurants
City Hall is planning to pump more than $500,000 over the next two months into Richmond-based restaurants that serve meals to Richmond police officers, firefighters and ambulance staff.
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August Moon, a man of many names and vocations, dies at age 85
One of Richmond’s most colorful figures in entertainment and politics has died.
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Judge Cavedo and no more regrets
Judge Bradley B. Cavedo did the right thing by removing himself from further involvement with cases concerning the Confederate statues along Monument Avenue and in Richmond.
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Will Richmond be the next Charlottesville?
In defiance of Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s ban on demonstrations at the Robert E. Lee statue on Monument Avenue, a little known Tennessee-based group of Confederate sympathizers is going ahead with a rally to promote protection of the statue.
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Emancipation Proclamation Day service to take place online
With a stroke of a pen, President Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in the warring South 158 years ago.
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10,000 consumers to benefit from state deal with loan company
Thousands of desperate Virginia consumers who borrowed money from a supposed Native American company called Western Sky Financial soon will have their loans forgiven or will get a refund of the illegal sky-high interest they paid. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced the refunds and loan forgiveness for borrowers Tuesday in disclosing a settlement with the company, CashCall Inc., that posed as the now defunct Western Sky in what he described as a deceptive and illegal borrowing scheme.
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New online magazine to focus on people making contributions
B.K. Fulton, a creative media entrepreneur in Richmond, has launched an online entertainment and lifestyle magazine.
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New boss at VSU
Hampton provost to take reins
Pamela V. Hammond is on track to become the first woman to lead Virginia State University in the school’s 132-year history, the Free Press has learned.
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U.S. Supreme Court hears Muslim travel ban arguments
The U.S. Supreme Court has so far had little to say about Donald Trump’s time as president, even as the nation has moved from one Trump controversy to another. That’s about to change.
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VUU enjoying turnaround
Long story short — Coach Jay Butler has turned things around at Virginia Union University. In recent times, VUU’s men’s basketball team would return from the CIAA Tournament in Charlotte, N.C., with no victories and little cause for optimism. The image brightened last week as VUU won its first tournament game since 2009 (over Shaw University), nearly tacked on a second win against two-time defending champ Livingstone College, and did so with a roster oozing with skilled underclassmen.
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HOME explains role in RRHA housing issue
Re “Prospect of home ownership escapes 70-year-old Randolph resident,” Free Press June 29-July 1 edition: The role of Housing Opportunities Made Equal in the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s scattered site process was to provide education and counseling. HOME is not a lender and does not provide financing.
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Huguenot Falcons hope to boost wins under new coach Jared Taylor
Huguenot High School has improved the number of victories its team has secured on the girdiron each of the past three seasons.
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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.