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Meal program expanded
Schools’ decision to participate in a federal program that provides nutritious free breakfasts and lunches to the entire student body at Carver and the city’s 43 other public schools.
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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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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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Personality: Sixto M. Cancel
Spotlight on White House ‘Champion of Change’ honoree
Virginia Commonwealth University senior Sixto Martin Cancel is headed to the White House next week, where he will be recognized for making a difference in the community. He is one of 12 former foster youths from around the nation who will be saluted Tuesday, May 19, as a “Champion of Change.”
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Displaced Fox Elementary students to start classes May 9 in Clark Springs building
Fox Elementary School students, teachers and staff will move into Clark Springs Elementary School in early May for the remainder of the school year.
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New law hopes to quiet loud music, noise
Artist and composer Paul Rucker long has been frustrated by the loud music that blasts into his Downtown residence from nearby clubs. He is among those thrilled that City Council on Monday unanimously approved a major overhaul of the city’s noise ordinance that will allow police officers armed with sound meters to start issuing costly tickets to businesses and residents that are disturbingly loud.
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Members to decide fate of Fourth Baptist Church’s funds, trustees
The battle for control of Fourth Baptist Church will come down to an in-person congregational meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19.
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Youth Jazz Guild students receive scholarships
Six students from the Richmond Youth Jazz Guild collectively have been awarded $381,000 in college scholarships, according to Ashby Anderson, guild founder and artistic director.
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Special election July 21 for 74th House District
Voters in the 74th House of Delegates District will be going to the polls twice. First, there will be a special election to fill the district’s vacant House of Delegates seat Tuesday, July 21.
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Electoral Board seeking legal decision on candidate qualification
Richmond has put a hold on printing ballots for the Nov. 8 general election while the city’s Electoral Board tries to figure out whether two candidates’ names should be listed.
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Crusade weighs charter change to help replace decrepit city schools
The Richmond Crusade for Voters, the city’s oldest and largest African-American political group, is considering putting the city’s failure to overhaul its decaying public school buildings on the front burner.
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World Sickle Cell Day June 19
June 19 is World Sickle Cell Day. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. The disease causes red blood cells to function abnormally. The cells become rigid and curve into sickle shapes. The red blood cells become hard and sticky and they die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells.
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Schools petition drive shifts to voter turnout
Political strategist Paul Goldman is shifting gears. Now that his petition drive has been successful to get the issue of modernizing the city’s aging schools on the Nov. 7 ballot, he is working to get voters to the polls to approve the City Charter change.
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Samantha Cunningham of VSU earns All-CIAA honors
Virginia State University softball slug- ger Samantha Cunningham went out with a bang, or rather a sharp ping from her metal alloy bat. In her final season wearing the Trojans’ orange and blue, the senior third base player from Waukegan, Ill., earned All-CIAA hon- ors while leading the conference in hitting at .467. Cunningham finished with 13 doubles, three home runs, 29 runs batted in and struck Delaware State president, athletes decry search of team bus by Georgia deputies Associated Press SAVANNAH, Ga. The president of Delaware State University, a historically Black college, accused sheriff’s deputies in Georgia of intimidating and humiliating the university’s women’s lacrosse team when deputies pulled over the athletes’ bus and searched it for drugs. Delaware State University President Tony Allen said he’s “incensed” by the April 20 traffic stop along Interstate 95 south of Savannah as the team returned from a game in Florida. In a letter to students and faculty, Dr. Allen said nothing illegal was found and campus officials were “exploring options for recourse — legal and otherwise.” “We do not intend to let this or any other incident like it pass idly by,” Dr. Allen said in the letter posted Monday on the university’s social media pages. Liberty County, Ga., Sheriff William Bowman, who is Black, said Tuesday his office is conducting a formal review of the traffic stop. He said deputies had stopped other commercial vehicles the same morning along I-95 and found drugs on a different bus. The team’s chartered bus was stopped because it was traveling in the left lane, which is a violation of Georgia law, he said. The sheriff said deputies decided to search the team’s bus when a drug-sniffing dog “alerted” alongside it. “I do not exercise racial profiling, allow racial profiling or encourage racial profiling,” Sheriff Bowman told reporters. The sheriff added that based on what he already knows, “I believe the stop was legal.” No one was arrested or charged. The sheriff said the bus driver was given a warning. Video posted online by one of the Delaware State lacrosse players shows two white deputies on the bus. One of them tells the bus passengers that possessing marijuana remains illegal in Georgia. “If there is anything in y’all’s luggage, we’re probably going to find it, OK,” the deputy says. “I’m not looking for a little bit of marijuana, but I’m pretty sure you guys’ chaperones are probably going to be disappointed in you if we find any.” The deputy continues : “You guys are on a lacrosse team, correct? If there is something in there that is questionable, please tell me now. Because if we find it, guess what? We’re not going to be able to help you.” Sydney Anderson, the student who posted the video, wrote in the campus publication The Hornet Newspaper that team members felt there was “underlying racism” behind the search. “The team members were in shock, as they witnessed the of- ficers rambling through their bags,” Ms. Anderson wrote. “They brought the K-9 dog out to sniff their luggage. The cops began tossing underwear and other feminine products, in an attempt to locate narcotics.” Georgia courts have held that the odor of marijuana is enough to give police probable cause to search vehicles without a warrant. The sheriff said he welcomes feedback from the lacrosse team. “We realize that in this current environment, even a traffic stop can be alarming to citizens, especially African-Americans,” Sheriff Bowman said. out only four times in more than 100 plate appearances. Earning second team honors for the Trojans were designated player Macy Beville from nearby Dinwiddie and pitcher Alaijah Pratt from Lusby, Md. Also, Pratt and Desmyn Owens of Lawrenceville made the All-Freshman team. Under first-year Coach Jameshia Smith, VSU finished 20-13 overall and 13-4 in the CIAA. The Trojans’ season ended with a 6-4 loss to Bowie State University on May 7 in the loser’s bracket final of the CIAA Tournament in Glen Allen.
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Veteran church keyboard artist presents gospel show, despite health setback
One of Richmond’s biggest gospel shows ever is headed to Trinity Baptist Church in North Side to showcase Richmond’s best known performers.
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Dr. Adam L. Bond, Ebenezer Baptist Church’s new pastor, eases into transition during pandemic
Dr. Adam L. Bond is blending the old with the new at historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, despite the disruption from the pandemic.
