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New East End festival to bring music to Chimborazo Park
Another festival is coming to festival city. The first “RVA East End Festival: The Gift of Music,” will play Friday, May 6, through Sunday, May 8, in Chimborazo Park. Adding to the excitement, Bon Secours Richmond Health System has joined festival partners toward a pledged goal of $100,000 to provide musical instru- ments and related materials for East End students at Richmond’s Bellevue, Chimborazo, Fairfield Court, George Mason and Woodville elementary schools, Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, Armstrong High School and Franklin Military Academy.
Ebola: Is Richmond prepared?
Fears and concerns about the deadly Ebola virus are spreading in Texas and across the nation after a second health care worker in Dallas has been quarantined with the disease. The big question here: Is Richmond ready should an incident occur?
Henrico Police hold meetings for faith leaders
The Henrico County Police Department is introducing a new initiative seeking to strengthen its ties with leaders of the faith community.
GRTC’s Secret Santa speads joy to riders
GRTC bus riders were pleasantly surprised last week when Santa Claus took time away from his busy holiday preparations and greeted them at the transfer plaza in Downtown.
City cooling shelters open during high heat
The City of Richmond provides cooling shelters on days when the heat index is anticipated to reach 95 degrees or higher. Shelter locations:
Misinformation ‘devastating’ to African-American community
Journalist, author and lecturer A. Peter Bailey does not count himself among the fans of the popular, award-winning movie “Straight Outta Compton,” which chronicles the rise and fall of the legendary gangster rap group N.W.A. “I refuse to go see it,” he told about 40 people at the 4th Annual State of Black America Address for Central Virginia on Saturday at Thirty-first Street Baptist Church in the East End.
School Board weighs options to close schools
Richmond Public Schools is considering a seismic shift in how it attempts to solve overcrowding issues and meet other pressing demands related to its burgeoning student population. For the first time, Superintendent Dana T. Bedden and his leadership team are publicly admitting they could close up to six school buildings and move those students into existing schools even if no new buildings are constructed. Those findings are part of the thick new Richmond Public Schools Facilities Needs Report, which focuses on current and future building needs.
‘Future Centers’ to help students with life after high school
Students in at least three of the city’s five comprehensive high schools will have new centers in their buildings this fall designed to help connect them to college and career opportunities.
$32.7M
That’s the amount state gives city for jail costs
That’s how much cash-strapped Richmond has received from the state for reimbursement of costs related to the construction of the six-story, $134.6 million Richmond Justice Center in Shockoe Bottom, Tammy Hawley, a spokesperson for Mayor Dwight C. Jones, told the Free Press last Friday.
Designs for Broad St. rapid transit unveiled
Travelers along Broad Street will see a far different thoroughfare through the heart of the city in October 2017. That’s when the highly anticipated bus rapid transit known as “GRTC Pulse” is scheduled to whisk riders along a 7.6- mile route from Willow Lawn in the West End to Rocketts Landing in the East End.
Rev. Wright: Faith traditions give hope for life’s journey
His voice didn’t reach the thunderous crescendo for which he is well known. Nor did he use the fiery cadences with which he has stirringly moved worshippers and other audiences for more than four decades.
Henrico church sends water filters to Flint
When members of Mountain of Blessings Christian Center in Henrico County learned about the water contamination in Flint, Mich., they decided to pitch in to help residents living through the crisis. Pastor Dimitri Bradley Mountain of Blessings first reached out to the Victorious Word Church in Flint after he learned the church was in need of assistance. He also wanted to assist other residents of the predominately African-American community, 40 percent of whom live in poverty.
City schools start with teacher vacancies, new salad bars
Timothy Billups and his staff in the Richmond Public Schools Department of Human Resources began the summer with the daunting task of filling nearly 400 teacher vacancies. With school bells set to ring for the new RPS school year Tuesday, Sept. 8, they’ve whittled that number to well under 100. The latest tally submitted by Mr. Billups on Aug. 25 to the Free Press shows 76 vacant teacher positions — five in elementary schools, 41 in secondary schools and 30 in special education.
Bon Secours expansion delayed again
Promises. That’s all East End residents have heard from Bon Secours and city officials so far on Bon Secours’ $8.5 million contractual obligation to expand Richmond Community Hospital at 1500 N. 28th St. Bon Secours is required to further the hospital’s reach into the neighboring East Richmond community by adding at least 25,000 square feet of medical space. It’s part of the highly publicized agreement Bon Secours reached with Mayor Dwight C. Jones and the city in 2012 that made Bon Secours a partner in developing the Richmond training facility for Washington’s professional football team.
Body cameras coming
Richmond police officers could be wearing body cameras as early as this fall. Chief Alfred Durham said Tuesday the nearly 740-officer force should have about 200 body cameras purchased and ready for use by officers “by October or November.”
In wake of terror attacks
Kaine: Will you hold on to your principles, faithfulness?
Religious leaders and community members of various faiths exchanged smiles, hugs and well wishes as they made new acquaintances Sunday at Congregation Beth Ahabah near Virginia Commonwealth University. Several hundred people gathered at an event designed to promote religious tolerance and nonviolence. Many wore the head coverings of their religions — Muslim women wearing hijabs, Sikh men in turbans and some Jewish men wearing kippahs. The occasion was the first “Standing Together” faith unity gathering organized by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.
‘Let Freedom Ring’ initiative aimed at healing America
Descendants of Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s third president, and Sally Hemings, the African-American woman he enslaved and fathered six children with, are scheduled to gather at historic First Baptist Church of Williamsburg at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1.
Police, prosecutors rely on community
There's intensive and collaborative effort by prosecutors and other departments to curb violence in the city.
Tea Party’s Brat to be sworn in Nov. 12
Republican Dave Brat, a darling of the ultraconservative Tea Party movement, easily topped Democrat Jack Trammell in Tuesday’s 7th District House of Representatives race.
