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4 named to Mayor Stoney’s staff
Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney has added four new people to his staff at City Hall, including three policy advisers and a senior assistant, as he seek to put his stamp on the city government.
10,000 consumers to benefit from state deal with loan company
Thousands of desperate Virginia consumers who borrowed money from a supposed Native American company called Western Sky Financial soon will have their loans forgiven or will get a refund of the illegal sky-high interest they paid. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced the refunds and loan forgiveness for borrowers Tuesday in disclosing a settlement with the company, CashCall Inc., that posed as the now defunct Western Sky in what he described as a deceptive and illegal borrowing scheme.
Better Housing Coalition advances plans for apartments on former St. Elizabeth’s School site
A fresh attempt is being made to create affordable apartments on the site of a long closed Catholic school in North Side. The nonprofit Better Housing Coalition is advancing the latest proposal.
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.
FAMIS program reaches 15th anniversary with more than 1 million youngsters covered
More than 1.6 million low-income Virginia children have benefited from government health insurance programs during the past 15 years.
Giving Heart’s Community Thanksgiving Feast warms community for 11 years
A festive Thanksgiving meal that everyone can enjoy — that’s what a community-spirited group will be offering in Richmond on “Turkey Day.”
Henrico officer’s trial starts Monday for motorist shooting
Beautician Kimberly McNeil is still recovering from the four gunshots she suffered nearly a year ago. Next week, the man who nearly killed her, Henrico Police Officer Joel D. Greenway, will go on trial in one of the rare instances of a local law enforcement officer facing charges for shooting someone.
10 groups interested in leading Boulevard redevelopment project
At least 10 groups have responded to Richmond’s call for companies to redevelop the 60 acres of mostly cleared city property that includes The Diamond baseball stadium and the Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center on North Boulevard. “This is the kind of response that we wanted,” Lee Downey, the city’s chief development officer, said as the city begins the process of selecting a master developer to transform the area into a potential $300 million complex of offices, retail stores and residential units.
Petersburg official involved in water meter problems put on leave
A Petersburg official who played a key role in the city’s water meter snafu has been placed on administrative leave, the Free Press has learned.
Scholarship aimed at helping former inmates
A new scholarship has been set up to help former inmates at Richmond’s jail gain work in the building trades, attend community college or secure a high school equivalency degree, or GED. Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. announced the program as part of a partnership with a Richmond area nonprofit that provides re-entry services to released offenders, OAR, which stands for Opportunity, Alliance, Re-Entry.
GRTC plans speedier service
Plans for speedier GRTC bus service that would slash 15 to 30 minutes from trips Downtown and other parts of the city were introduced to passengers and the public this week.
Religious order reviewing bids on former Powhatan boarding school property
The future of a historic 2,200-acre property in Powhatan County, where thousands of African-American children once were educated in long-closed Catholic boarding schools, remains in limbo.
Sheriff Woody answers federal ADA lawsuit
Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. plans to vigorously defend his office against a federal lawsuit accusing him of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to find a civilian position for a deputy suffering from a disabling heart condition. Tony Pham, the in-house lawyer for the Sheriff’s Office, stated that the sheriff followed the law and “vehemently denies that the former employee was discriminated against under the ADA” as the U.S. Justice Department alleged in its suit filed March 3 in federal district court in Richmond.
Highland Park dry cleaners to reopen under new ownership
Good news for Lonnie McLaurin and up to 30 other people. They will soon be able to get their clothes back from a closed dry cleaners in Highland Park. As the Free Press described in the June 9-11 edition, Mr. McLaurin has been trying to get his clothes since the business at 1311 E. Brookland Park Blvd. shut down in late April. He, like others, had been required to pay in advance for the dry cleaning service.
National commission to commemorate arrival of Africans in America approved by House
A federal commission to recognize the trials, tribulations and contributions of African-Americans since 1619 is one step closer to becoming a reality.
Free oral history workshop at Black History Museum
Historian Lauranett L. Lee has devoted her life to uncovering the lost stories of African-American women and men to help spotlight their contributions both locally and nationally. Now Dr. Lee wants to inspire people to preserve their own family histories to expand appreciation and knowledge of where they come from.
Second chances
‘Ban the box’ has opened door for city employment
Richmond City Council’s decision to “ban the box” has helped hundreds of people with criminal records gain a second chance at employment in city jobs during the past four years.
Petersburg pays bond bill ahead of deadline
Dironna Moore Belton appears to be getting a handle on struggling Petersburg’s finances — although she has yet to find a way to secure the short-term loan she has called essential to keeping the city’s government afloat.
Natural gas price rising for Richmond customers
The cost of natural gas — the fuel most Richmond residents cook and heat with and that many businesses use — is going up for the first time in more than two years.
City’s energy savings plan didn’t pan out
Earlier this year, City Hall rejected a proposal to use energy savings to pay for $13 million in improvements to an array of city buildings, including replacing old boilers, aging windows and outdated lighting.
