All results / Stories / Jeremy M. Lazarus
Richmond jail staffing shortage blamed for rise in injured deputies, inmates
In the past four weeks at the Richmond City Justice Center, one deputy had his shoulder dislocated after he was thrown to the ground while trying to stop two prisoners from assaulting another inmate. Another deputy was head-butted by an inmate after refusing to provide the inmate with another prisoner’s food tray, according to information provided to the Free Press. In addition, the Free Press has learned another inmate was stabbed during this period, apparently the fourth this year. And early Monday, the jail reported to Richmond Police the third death of an inmate this year, though the identification was not released. For the second time since late October, an inmate who was transported to the John Marshall Courts Building was found to be carrying a concealed blade, according to information provided to the newspaper.
Heat, water problems plague residents in new Highland Park apartment building
Ernest L. Fox has stopped showering since moving into the new Highland Park Senior Apartments, a former school building being converted into 77 residential apartments at East Brookland Park Boulevard and Second Avenue.
Hundreds of lives saved in the city
In Virginia, more people are dying from drug overdoes than from homicides or traffic accidents, data from state agencies show.
‘Defunding police’ rejected
Richmond City Council kills proposal to examine police funding in social, mental health and community services and move the money to other departments
No to reducing the Richmond Police budget to assuage demonstrators’ demands to “defund police.”
City attorney: City Council has no authority to remove Confederate statues
Does Richmond City Council have the legal authority to remove or relocate the Confederate statues from Monument Avenue?
Put Schools First offers $650M plan to modernize city schools
The volunteer Put Schools First committee is rolling out a plan that calls for spending $650 million to modernize all of Richmond’s public schools — with a goal of having 19 completed within seven years and the remaining buildings done within 12 years.
City Council vote on meals tax hike set for Feb.12
Proving more adept at corralling a majority of City Council votes on a big issue than former Mayors L. Douglas Wilder and Dwight C. Jones, Mayor Levar M. Stoney is rushing to gain quick approval of his plan to raise the city’s current 6 percent meals tax by 1.5 cents.
Opponents fear Main Street Station plans will run over slave memorial
Hopes of creating a memorial park in Shockoe Bottom recalling Richmond’s role as a center of the slave trade appear to conflict with efforts to make Main Street Station a more significant passenger rail stop.
Mayor pushes private development of new Coliseum
A pie-in-the-sky fantasy or a realistic prospect for overhauling the Coliseum area of Downtown? That question remains to be answered in the wake of Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s call for companies to provide plans for revitalizing the 10-block area from 5th to 10th streets between Marshall and Leigh streets.
Mayor Jones’ final bow
Richmond’s chief executive reflects on his 8 years in office
Mayor Dwight C. Jones entered City Hall in 2009 amid the worst recession in 75 years. He sought to be “a unifier” who would end the turmoil between the Mayor’s Office, City Council and the School Board and would create a Richmond people were proud of.
‘Toothless’
Critics assail Mayor Stoney’s proposal to give a new civilian review board only limited authority in handling complaints against city police
Richmond could soon have its first civilian board to review serious complaints against police officers.
Richmond sheriff’s race heats up
Sheriff Antionette V. Irving wants voters to re-elect her to a second four-year term based on her track record operating the Richmond City Justice Center and handling other duties of the office.
New ‘Emancipation and Freedom Monument’ unveiling draws crowds, tears
“Overwhelming!” “Excited!” “Proud!” Those were some of the comments from onlookers as they viewed the state’s new “Emancipation and Freedom Monument” that was unveiled Wednesday on Brown’s Island on the James River in Richmond’s Downtown.
Full-court press
Navy Hill District Corp. is pulling out all stops as Feb. 24 vote by City Council on $1.5B Coliseum replacement and Downtown development nears
From robocalls to press conferences, the Navy Hill District Corp. that Dominion Energy top executive Thomas F. Farrell II heads is pulling out all the stops to generate public support for the $1.5 billion Richmond Coliseum replacement plan ahead of the scheduled vote by City Council in late February.
Mayor eschews status quo, urges city to think bigger in State of City address
Stop being afraid to do something great. That’s Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s response to the opposition to the $1.5 billion Coliseum replacement plan that so far has failed to gain widespread public support.
Virginia playing central role in high-stakes Nov. 6 election
Call it a high-stakes referendum on Donald Trump’s presidency and the Republican agenda that includes proposals to slash spending on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and anti-poverty programs to pay for tax cuts, appoint conservative judges to roll back voting rights and affirmative action, eliminate environmental protections and end abortions.
Final stanza
Larry Bland, director of The Volunteer Choir, is calling it quits as group reaches 50th anniversary
A local gospel music group that has been generating sounds of joy and inspiration for 50 years could soon be no more. Larry Bland & The Volunteer Choir is scheduled to make three appearances this year to mark its golden anniversary milestone, and then Mr. Bland said he will retire as the group’s director and chief organizer.
Broken promises end legacy at 17th Street Farmers’ Market
They have been fixtures at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market in Shockoe Bottom for decades, just like their parents and grandparents before them. Now, sisters Evelyn Luceal Allen, 84, and Rosa L. Fleming, 80, have closed their stand beside the market from which they daily sold greens, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes and other produce grown on their land in Hanover County.
RPS school construction costs, process criticized
Richmond School Board members Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, and Jonathan Young, 4th District, used Monday’s School Board meeting to express concern that the bidding process Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration used to choose contractors to build three new district schools has added tens of millions of dollars to the cost.
Area meal programs feed first responders, help restaurants
City Hall is planning to pump more than $500,000 over the next two months into Richmond-based restaurants that serve meals to Richmond police officers, firefighters and ambulance staff.
