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Early voting begins April 23 for Democratic primary
Early voting for the June 8 Democratic primary will get underway this Friday, April 23 – 45 days ahead of primary day.
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Texas Rangers’ Tony Beasley lives stone’s throw from Richmond
It may come as a surprise to area baseball fans that one of the Texas Rangers’ coaches resides just a half hour north of Richmond.
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Free community testing for COVID-19 continues
The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations:
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Photographer Louis Draper’s work to be preserved by VMFA
The work of photographer Louis Draper, a Henrico County native who moved to New York City in 1957 to explore his passion, is internationally regarded for documenting the everyday lives of African-Americans and notable leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
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Churches change their sermon delivery, tithing methods for mandate guidelines
Churches across Richmond have undergone a substantial transformation in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic as state and national officials have forced them to adopt a new paradigm.
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Rep. Omar, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia
A Muslim civil rights organization has called on Fox News to fire host Jeanine Pirro for questioning Rep. Ilhan Omar’s loyalty to the United States in a monologue on her weekend show “Justice with Judge Jeanine” and suggesting the Minnesota Democrat’s decision to wear a hijab is “antithetical” to the U.S. Constitution.
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Philonise Floyd, center, the brother of the late George Floyd, puts his hand on the spot where Mr. Floyd died at 39th Street and Chicago …
Published on March 18, 2021
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Uziah Smith-Bashir, 8, visits the Tesla dealership on West Broad Street in Glen Allen with his parents, Nafeesa Bashir-James and Torrey James. The second-grader at …
Published on March 17, 2022
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Dominion, Library of Virginia honor ‘extraordinary people during challenging times’
A Roanoke pastor and civil rights leader, the first Black woman nuclear engineer at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and the first Black NASCAR race winner were among the six African-Americans honored during the 11th annual “Strong Men & Women in Virginia History” awards program June 15 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel and Spa. The annual awards ceremony recognizes the determination and perseverance displayed by extraordinary people during challenging times, according to the event sponsors.
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State Police to probe handling of city contract to remove rebel statues
Did Mayor Levar M. Stoney violate the state’s procurement law when his administration provided a sole-source emergency contract worth $1.8 million to remove city-owned Confederate statues?
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Affordable housing for whom?
Next week, City Council plans to declare an affordable housing crisis in Richmond as rents and house prices soar, leaving many with below average incomes unable to afford housing. However, neither the council nor Mayor Levar M. Stoney who has pushed the resolution to be voted on Monday, April 10, plan to mention the ways he and the governing body have quietly reduced funding to support development of housing for families with incomes of $40,000 or less a year.
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Shift in city procurement practice hurt black-owned businesses
After nearly a decade of using its own pricing list to purchase supplies from local companies and save money, Richmond City Hall last year shifted to using the state’s electronic purchasing system, known as eVA, after Mayor Levar M. Stoney took office.
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Energy numbers shed light on RPS spending, savings
Richmond expects to spend $8 million to $10 million to ensure three new schools meet the standard of a national energy conservation program, according to the Joint Construction Team that is overseeing the work.
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Focus on Africa
President welcomes 49 leaders to White House
President Obama is promoting business relationships between the United States and African countries.
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To save lives, lawmakers must seek common ground on gun legislation, by Roger Chesley
Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly, now in charge in both chambers in the session that opened last week, hope to pass several gun-control bills. The wish list includes legislation to ban the sale of new assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, The Washington Post reported.
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Councilwoman hopes proposed changes to City Charter find support
Under proposed changes to the City Charter or constitution, City Council would gain new authority over housing subsidies and real estate tax relief to residents with low to moderate incomes, in addition to setting its own compensation and modi- fying zoning. Fifth District Councilwoman Stephanie A. Lynch hopes to gain unanimous support from her eight colleagues at the Monday, Dec. 11, council meeting for the changes she has negotiated with Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration. If passed by the council, the package would be sent to the General Assembly for approval in the upcoming 2024 session. Many of the changes follow recommenda- tions that a council-created Richmond City Charter Review Commission submitted Aug. 2 after a year of study. As the most significant package of charter changes proposed since the 2004 creation of a mayor elected citywide, the amend- ments do not address the current relationship between the council and the mayor ahead of the 2024 elections for the governing body and chief executive. The biggest proposed change could well be the tax and housing initiatives that the charter review commission did not address. The proposed Section 2.09 amendment would allow the city to defer property taxes and tax increases for qualifying low or moderate income property owners, using the definition of such individuals established by the Virginia Housing Development Authority, now known as Virginia Housing. Such a program could allow the taxes to accumulate over time to be paid off from proceeds after the property is sold. In addition, the proposed charter change would authorize the city to create a program that could help such qualifying individu- als buy a home or receive rental subsidies. The city also could use state or federal funds to advance such initiatives. The charter amendment also would declare the creation of programs that could provide funds directly to individuals for housing to be “in the furtherance of a public interest” to get
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Petersburg City Council raises taxes, cuts funding to keep city afloat
Smokers will pay an extra 80 cents in tax for each pack of cigarettes they buy inside the city limits of Petersburg beginning Oct. 1 — a move the city officials hope will generate $900,000 a year in much needed revenue.
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Trump lays out tough agenda in address before Congress
Heralding a “new chapter of American greatness,” President Trump issued a broad call for America first, investing in the nation’s infrastructure, slashing taxes and revamping health insurance in his first address to Congress.
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Preddy D. Ray Sr., longtime affordable housing advocate who sought to keep people in their neighborhoods, dies at 69
In 1971, Preddy Drew Ray Sr. was among a group of nine Richmond college students who packed their bags and went to a Cincinnati conference on af- fordable housing and the role community groups could play.
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Foundations buy Ebony and JET photo archives for preservation at Smithsonian
The sale of the photo archive of Ebony and JET magazines chronicling African-American history is generating relief among some who worried the historic images may be lost.
