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Black patrons turned away from Fan restaurant
Is a Richmond restaurant using a “dress code” to bar African-American patrons? To Amanda Whitlow, it seemed that way when she went to District 5 restaurant in The Fan for Sunday brunch with her boyfriend, her brother and friends to celebrate her 23rd birthday.
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Richmond Kickers given 40-year lease to operate City Stadium
Wrapping up its four-year term, Richmond City Council rushed Monday to give the Richmond Kickers, the area’s professional soccer team, control of the 20,000-seat City Stadium in the West End.
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Petersburg meltdown averted with short-term loan
Petersburg’s once bleak financial situation is starting to brighten. Banking giant Wells Fargo provided a $6.5 million, short-term loan to the city last week that has eased the city’s financial crunch, enabled it to meet payroll through the end of the budget year on June 30 and ensured payment of current bills.
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Dr. Frank S. Royal steps down as chair of Meharry Medical College
For decades, Dr. Frank S. Royal regularly flew to Nashville to lead board meetings at historic Meharry Medical College. But at 77, the retired Richmond physician has decided “it is time to let someone else take over.”
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GOP at it again
Republican leaders seek to hold Va. governor in contempt for restoring voting rights of 13,000 former felons last week
Gov. Terry McAuliffe once again is under attack from Republican leaders in the General Assembly who are determined to halt his efforts to restore the voting and political rights of hundreds of thousands of felons who have served their time. In a new filing Wednesday, GOP leaders asked the Virginia Supreme Court to hold the Democratic governor in contempt for restoring the political rights of 13,000 felons last week and for trying to do so in coming months for more than 200,000 others who have completed their sentences.
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Woodland, Evergreen cemeteries for sale
A Richmond foundation is pursuing the purchase of two historic, but privately held African-American cemeteries, the Free Press has learned.
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Dr. Berry leaving Fourth Baptist to lead Georgia megachurch
Dr. Emory Berry Jr. is bidding Richmond farewell after nearly six years of leading the 600-member Fourth Baptist Church in Church Hill.
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Richmond Democratic Committee and REA endorse Stoney
Richmond mayoral candidate Levar Stoney has picked up two significant, but not unexpected endorsements.
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New Church Hill grocery gets green light
Richmond City Council cleared the way Monday for a variety of new developments, including a new grocery store in Church Hill, after listening to activists lobby for expanding a slavery memorial site in Shockoe Bottom.
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Richmond native, fashion designer returns for Fashion Design and Art Week
Raymona Thomas has created the career in fashion that she dreamed about growing up in Church Hill. Now known as JustRaymona, she has explored every inch of the fashion world as a seamstress, a model, a clothing merchandiser, a designer for the likes of Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes and Lady Gaga and as a star on fashion reality shows such as Lifetime’s “24 Hour Catwalk.”
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School Board member hosts 8th Annual Back-to-School Rally Saturday at MLK
Shonda Harris-Muhammed once again is seeking to help cash-strapped parents in Richmond ensure their children will start school in early September with the supplies they need.
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City School Board candidate may be impacted by court’s felon voting rights revocation
At least one Richmond candidate could be impacted by the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling July 22 throwing out Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s recent executive orders restoring the rights of 206,000 felons to vote and run for office.
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Petersburg strains to keep operating with shrunken workforce
During her eight-month stint as Petersburg’s interim city manager, Dironna Moore Belton had a simple solution to handling the bills the city had no money to pay.
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Several candidates support larger park plan
The small Lumpkin’s Jail site could be expanded into a larger memorial park remembering Richmond’s role in slavery after Mayor Dwight C. Jones leaves office, according to advocates for the expanded site.
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GRTC to pilot on-demand service for elderly, disabled
Taxicab, Uber and Lyft drivers soon could be taking elderly and disabled people shopping, to the doctor and to other places in Richmond and Henrico County.
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Petersburg strains to keep operating with shrunken workforce
During her eight-month stint as Petersburg’s interim city manager, Dironna Moore Belton had a simple solution to handling the bills the city had no money to pay.
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Fight brewing over Richmond NAACP leadership
A leadership fight has entangled the Richmond Branch NAACP. President Lynetta Thompson is facing opposition in her bid for re-election to a second, two-year term. Her challengers are Dr. Ravi K. Perry, an associate professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, and James J. “J.J.” Minor, chairman of the Richmond City Democratic Committee and son of Richmond Delegate Delores L. McQuinn.
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Bobb caught in seesaw hiring decision
He was in, he was out and now Robert C. Bobb apparently is in again in Petersburg.
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First African Baptist group adopts half-acre to maintain at historic cemetery
The Men’s Ministry at First African Baptist Church wants to do its part to help restore the neglected, but historic Evergreen Cemetery, while also challenging other churches to get involved.
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VCU grad starts STEAM conference for girls
Dozens of middle school girls from across the Richmond area will troop into Virginia Commonwealth University’s daVinci Center for Innovation on Friday, July 21.
