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Historic city credit union seeks new growth
Amid the recovery from the Great Depression, 10 African-American Richmond educators organized a new credit union for teachers in the city that would provide the personal touch and financial services then largely unavailable to them at most banks in segregated Richmond.
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Is Hakeem Jeffries the next Obama? Don’t rush him, by Clarence Page
No, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries does not want to be the next Barack Obama, although sometimes it seems as if everyone is asking.
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Council approves Highland Park housing units, ban on wild animals, and more honorary street signs
Rushing to get to their August recess, City Council spent less than 90 minutes passing more than 40 pieces of mostly routine legislation that largely involved approvals of special use permits for development and authorizations for future transportation projects.
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Speaking truth to power
“Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Invite one to stay.” — Maya angelou
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Land conservancy to acquire 5.2 acres on riverfront for parkland
Instead of private condos or offices, a major piece of Dock Street property that nestles the James River is on its way to becoming parkland everyone can use.
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Pilot program to provide free dinner for students
Beginning in March, Richmond Public Schools will provide free dinners to students at eights of its schools in underserved communities. Those students also will be given backpacks containing free meals to take home for the weekend and extended school breaks such as holidays and inclement weather closings.
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Movie screening to raise money for Sudan refugees
Virginia Commonwealth University is hosting a screening of the movie “The Good Lie” 4 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at the VCU Commons Theater. The goal is to raise money to aid Sudanese refugees living in camps across the Sudan border in Gambela, Ethiopia, according to Manyang Reath Kher, founder and CEO of the Henrico County-based Humanity Helping Sudan Project. The group is organizing the fundraiser. An estimated 200,000 Sudanese now live in such refugee camps, Mr. Kher said.
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Stop the violence is plea from Richmond youths
These letters were written by young people participating in the Richmond Peace Education Center’s Youth Gun Violence Prevention Workshop this summer and submitted by the workshop’s lead facilitator, Alison R. Wilson.
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Richmond Christian Center to search for new pastor
The Richmond Christian Center is moving to replace its founding pastor, Steve Parson. Two months after emerging from bankruptcy, the fundamentalist South Side church announced Tuesday that it has begun a search for a new full-time pastor to be in place by July.
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Mayor seeks to change definition of emerging small business
For more than 15 years, City Hall has sought to use its purchasing power to boost start-up and fledgling companies, often with minority ownership, that generally bring in less than $500,000 a year in revenue and have 10 or fewer employees.
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City Council looks to ease zoning for homeless shelter locations
City Council this week took the first step toward lifting zoning restrictions that have largely limited homeless shelters to Downtown and low-income sections of the city.
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Plan collapses for South Side homeless shelter and services center
It’s back to the drawing board for City Hall and Commonwealth Catholic Charities in seeking a new space for a shelter and resource center for the homeless in Richmond.
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City Council approves use of Giles Center for winter overflow shelter
Homeless people once again will find shelter on bitter cold days at the Annie Giles Community Resource Center in Shockoe Valley, if they can get there.
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TJ Vikings looking for victories
Coach Chad Hornik’s checklist for Thomas Jefferson High football is nearing completion.
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Negro League players may alter MLB record books
Slugging catcher Josh Gibson always had the talent to be a Major League Baseball player. That was never in question. But it wasn’t until last week that the man known as the “Black Babe Ruth” officially became a major leaguer.
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Ready for sale: City wants to dispose of high-value property
The vacant Richmond Coliseum in Downtown. The aging Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center in North Side. The historic but long-closed Fulton Gasworks in the East End. These are among 13 pieces of city property described as high-value that Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administra- tion wants permission to sell.
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Bitter pill to swallow
When Donald Trump was running for president, he specifically targeted the white working class, telling them he would prevent their jobs from leaving the country, bring back manufacturing jobs and revive the oil and steel industries. He hasn’t taken office yet, but he already has celebrated the fact that Carrier, a heating and air conditioner manufacturer in Indianapolis, Ind., has agreed to keep jobs in the United States, even though the company had announced earlier that it would move jobs to Mexico.
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Early voting starts Friday, Sept. 18
The presidential election, as well as contests for U.S. Senate, Congress, Richmond City Council and Richmond School Board, will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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Dr. Marshall Banks, retired urologist and Roman Catholic deacon, dies at 78
Dr. Marshall D. “Billy” Banks devoted his life to ministering to people as a physician and as a deacon at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart near Virginia Commonwealth University.