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Unity of Richmond to host Kwanzaa service Dec. 26
A West End Richmond worship center will help launch the local celebration of Kwanzaa on Sunday, Dec. 26, the start of the seven-day holiday that runs through New Year’s Day.
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Mobilize for voting rights, by Marc H. Morial
“After decades of struggle and a year of our leaders choosing the Jim Crow filibuster over our voting rights, our time is now. On this day of action, I call on Congress and the White House to eliminate the filibuster and pass voting rights to protect millions of Black and Brown voters. The arc of the moral universe is long. Join me on January 17 to demand that it bends toward justice.” — Martin Luther King III
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Our dollars as a form of resistance, by Julianne Malveaux
Our nation’s gross domestic product, or GDP, is a function of consumer spending. We are prodded, cajoled, enticed and engaged in the spending exercise, and all that happens because money makes the world go round.
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Richmonder’s baking passion turns into burgeoning family business during the holiday
It’s holiday time — a time for family and friends and to give thanks for blessings of the past year. Richmonder Linda Shaw is doing just that — giving thanks as she makes memories and money with her LindaGrams, a trademarked graham cracker-based cookie she created and now sells online and in pop-up events.
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Richmond, VLBC stand to lose under redrawn district maps
A major political shake-up. That’s the expected result when the Virginia Supreme Court approves new boundaries for the state’s 100 House of Delegates districts, 40 state Senate districts and 11 congressional districts.
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Woodland Restoration Foundation hopes descendants will help with continuing cemetery upkeep, plans
Call him the headstone hunter.
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Officials urge caution during the holidays with omicron variant
Virginia health officials are urging caution and for people to protect themselves as omicron, a new variant of the coronavirus, rapidly spreads throughout the United States.
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RPS would need $44M to cover Gov. Northam’s proposed teach pay hike
If Gov. Ralph S. Northam’s proposal to increase teacher and school staff pay by 10 percent over the next two years wins support from the General Assembly, Richmond taxpayers could feel the impact.
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GRTC to reduce service on some bus routes beginning Dec. 19
GRTC will play the Grinch just before Christmas and cut service as it struggles with a shortfall of about 50 full- and part-time drivers and shortages in the maintenance staff of mechanics and body shop personnel.
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The people deserve the right to decide the fate of the Lee monument pedestal
Re “On the way out: Gov. Ralph S. Northam orders removal of 40-foot granite pedestal that held Confederate Robert E. Lee’s statue on Monument Avenue, and for the land to be turned over to the city,” Dec. 9-11 edition:
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REA wins victory giving city teachers, staff collective bargaining authority
In a nearly unanimous vote, the Richmond School Board voted 8-1 Monday night to approve a resolution giving teachers and other school staff the power to establish a union and collectively negotiate for pay and benefits.
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On the way out
Gov. Ralph S. Northam orders removal of 40-foot granite pedestal that held Confederate Robert E. Lee’s statue on Monument Avenue, and for the land to be turned over to the city
When the giant monument of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee went up 131 years ago, fiery Richmond Planet editor John Mitchell Jr. described it as monument that would hand down to future generations “a legacy of treason and blood.”
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Personality: James Harris Jr.
Spotlight on founder of Men to Heal
James Harris Jr. knows the trials and tribulations of the therapy experience.
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Trammell to introduce collective bargaining ordinance at next City Council meeting
Richmond is poised to consider expanding collective bargaining to city employees.
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More options under consideration for RPS academic calendar
Richmond Public Schools is considering a fourth option in adjusting the academic calendar for the 2022-23 school year.
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Sources: $12.8M city budget error found by outside auditor
Richmond’s outside auditor has uncovered a $12.8 million error that has inflated the amount of surplus the city has reported for several years, the Free Press has been told.
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Youngkin inaugural plans include pricey dinner, music acts
Incoming Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin is planning a celebratory inaugural weekend that will include a mix of high-dollar ticketed events and other functions open to the public, according to a program that also touts an appearance by an unspecified Grammy-winning musical artist.