Story
School Board taps RPS COO as interim superintendent
After hashing out the details of outgoing Superintendent Dana T. Bedden’s early departure, the Richmond School Board selected Thomas E. Kranz, the school district’s chief operating officer, to serve as interim superintendent.
Story
Automatic expungements can help remove barriers by Mayor Levar M. Stoney
Unjust and racist policies continuously serve as a barrier to progress for our Black and brown communities, creating a stifling environment for socioeconomic mobility that makes it less and less likely for each generation to be better off than the last.
Story
Step up
We are greatly disappointed by Richmond City Council’s failure Monday night to approve a tax on cigarettes. The 80 cents per pack tax, proposed by Councilman Parker C. Agelasto, would have generated $5 million annually that would have been dedicated to the repair and maintenance of Richmond’s aged and dilapidated public school buildings.
Story
City Council poised to scrap residency requirement for top officials
For nearly three decades, City Hall executives have been required to move into the city within a year of being hired.
Story
Fans pick ‘The 50 Greatest Black Athletes’
If compiling lists is meant to stir controversy, “The 50 Greatest Black Athletes” struck its target. The survey, released Aug. 8, is a collaboration of The Undefeated and Survey Monkey and makes an attempt — some suggest a wild stab — at naming the 50 greatest black athletes of all time.
Story
March Madness to Miserable May? by Julianne Malveaux
Basketball fans were looking forward to March Madness, those weeks when the best college teams face off against each other. Madness is replete this March, but it isn’t on the basketball courts.
Story
Class action suit filed against BB&T for stop payment request violation
When Ronnie and Christine Gilliam told BB&T bank they were revoking the right of a payday lender to take electronic payments from their checking account, they allege the bank ignored the request.
Story
Gun buyback is on track
Richmond is on track to sponsor its first gun buyback program — despite substantial evidence that such programs are largely public relations gimmicks that do not affect gun violence.
Story
Between hope and despair, by Julianne Malveaux
Black people occupy a place between hope and despair.
Story
City may wind up with surplus from 2020-21 budget year
City Hall appears to have weathered the financial storm caused by the pandemic and could wind up reporting a surplus for the 2020-21 fiscal year that ended June 30 after the final numbers are in.
Story
Story
Class warfare always has existed, by Julianne Malveaux
The United Auto Workers and the Big Three automobile manufacturers – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis haven’t been able to agree on worker compensa- tion, and no wonder. The UAW leader, Shawn Fein, is fiercely committed that workers should be better compensated and should recoup some of the concessions they made to manufacturers when the automobile industry was in trouble in 2009. On the other side, the CEOs of the big three are touting their “generous” offer to the union, claiming they’d be bankrupt if they met union demands, and using terms such as “class warfare” to describe the current stalemate.
Story
Legalized torture of prisoners
Freddie Gray is neither the first nor will he be the last person to die in police custody. According to a 2011 report from the U.S. Department of Justice, 4,813 people died in police custody between 2003 and 2009 (the most recent data, reported in 2011). However, not every state reports their data, so the number is probably higher. A new report is scheduled to be released this year or next.
Story
Graduation, with more hurdles to clear
Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther, graduated from Howard University in 2000. His writing partner is also an HU graduate. Mr. Bozeman came back to his alma mater to address the Class of 2018 and to receive an honorary degree. The Howard University graduation on Saturday is one of more than 100 HBCU graduations, and more than 4,000 graduations around the country.
Story
GRTC board OKs service expansion to Short Pump, airport and Amtrak station
GRTC is promising faster daily service on the Pulse bus rapid transit line, new service to Short Pump and more service to Richmond International Airport effective Sunday, Sept. 16.
Story
Commemorate Brown decision by adequately paying teachers
Columnists
Sixty-five years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Brown v. Board of Education case that the doctrine of “separate but equal” was unconstitutional.
Story
Kevin McCarthy was an early architect of the Republican majority that became his downfall
The day before he was ousted, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was doing what he loved — stopping to greet tourists at the Capitol, gushing about the beauty of the place and its history at the center of American democracy.
Story
Rev. Curtis W. Harris, civil rights activist, 1st black Hopewell mayor, dies at 93
The Rev. Curtis W. Harris Sr. devoted his life to battling the racism and bigotry that oppressed African-Americans in Hopewell and across Virginia.
Story
No longer spinning their wheels
Richmond nonprofit uses circles to break cycles of poverty
For millions of Americans, living at or near the federal poverty line means barely getting by is a constant struggle. Census Bureau estimates show more than 20 percent of Richmond’s residents are living in poverty — a figure nearly 50 percent higher than the national average. Many of these residents work, and many feel as though they’ll never get ahead. Such was the case for Sherrell Thompson, 43, a resident of Churc Hill and Richmond native. Two years ago, the single mother and grandmother worked as a certified community health Wworker for Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Everyday she helped others in her job, but she also knew she needed help herself. “I really felt stuck where I was financially and I just didn’t know what steps to take next,” Ms. Thompson said by phone recently. One day, she took a deeper look at Circles RVA — a lo- cal organization she’d referred clients looking to better their financial circumstances to before. Ms. Thompson decided to put in her own application and was accepted to the program in August 2020. In that same cohort was Barbara Yates, 67, a mother, grand- mother and great-grandmother, who was born in Baltimore but moved to Richmond as a child. Both were drawn by Circles RVA’s vision “that everyone has enough money, meaning and friends to thrive.” In a recent phone interview, Circles RVA co-president Valena Dixon and coach Debbie Williams highlighted how the organiza- tion works alongside program participants — known as leaders — to help them realize that vision of financial stability, purpose and support in their lives. “Allies and volunteers create a circle of support around lead- ers and intentionally create relationships,” Ms. Dixon explained. “These relationships expand their networks and introduce them to resources that can reduce the barriers that hinder their rising out of poverty.” “You’re building communities by building intentional rela- tionships,” Ms. Williams added. “These relationships make all the difference and give leaders the support they need to move from surviving to thriving.” Circles RVA began with volunteers who were looking for ways to address Richmond’s poverty issue at the community level. It became a registered nonprofit in June 2017, modeled after Circles USA which sees circles, or the personal and professional networks each person has, as resources that can be shared. With Circles RVA, leaders undertake a 12-week educational program during which they are matched with allies and work to create SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals for themselves. Over the next 18 months, leaders and allies meet weekly to ensure that leaders continue to progress toward their goals. As Ms. Dixon puts is, “Plan the work, work the plan.” And plans are working. Circles RVA graduated its fourth cohort in June, and its latest newsletter highlights the achievements of its 15 leaders who so far have completed the program. Many show average increases of about $1,200 in monthly income and $2,000 in total assets. Ms. Thompson and Mrs. Yates graduated in the June 2022 cohort and have seen the benefits. With her allies’ help, Miss Thompson revamped her résumé and secured a new, higher paying job with her employer as a resident services coordinator. She has used the extra income to reduce her debt and boost her credit score by more than 100 points. “I never thought I’d be able to do that,” Ms. Thompson said. “Circles RVA helped me so much. I was so happy I just cried through my whole graduation.” Learning to better manage her budget also helped Mrs. Yates. “Before I was an Amazon addict, but not anymore,” Mrs. Yates said, noting that she frequently made purchases from the online retailer. “Writing (down) where all of (my) money was going made it easy to see where you could bring your expenses down.” Mrs. Yates has started saving some of what she used to spend. She has a “rainy day fund” and is continuing to save toward another goal — travel. “I really enjoyed the program. You are constantly learning something every week,” Mrs. Yates said. “My allies were very supportive and encouraging. Whenever I was struggling, they helped me think like that little train, ‘I think I can. I think I can.’” Mrs. Yates and Ms. Thompson plan to stay connected with the friends they made through Circles RVA. Ms. Thompson even wants to apply to rejoin the program — this time as an ally. “I have benefitted so much that I need to pass that on.” To learn more about Circles RVA and its next cohort of lead- ers, visit https://circlesrva.org/
Story
Personality: Tara Michele Sample
Spotlight on ThisAbility’s founder who builds awareness, acceptance for people with disabilities
For more than a decade, Tara Michele Sample has provided a space for children and adults living with disabilities.
