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North Side man surprised to find his portrait in library exhibit
The Rev. Robert W. Oliver’s jaw dropped and his eyes lit up with delight when he walked into the Richmond Public Library’s Gellman Room in Downtown.

CBC head backs America’s College Promise Act
“Some people believe HBCUs are no longer needed and are irrelevant. They are under assault.” That was the sobering message U.S. Rep. George Kenneth “G. K.” Butterfield, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, delivered on the state of historically black colleges and universities.

GRTC unlimited fare passes start Sunday
GRTC passengers can begin using unlimited ride passes Sunday, Nov. 15, according to Carrie Rose Pace, the transit company spokesperson.

VCU to drop SAT requirement
Virginia Commonwealth University is joining a growing national trend and no longer will require applicants to submit Scholastic Aptitude Test scores. The change will apply to applicants with a high school GPA of 3.3 or higher. VCU President Michael Rao delivered the news in his State of the University address Tuesday to students, faculty and staff in the University Student Commons.

Sign’s messages inspire passers-by
Motorists slow down and often do double takes as they drive by Chicago Avenue Baptist Church on South Side. The reason: The church at 2331 Broad Rock Blvd., led by Dr. Marlon Haskell, features lots of creative, eye-catching messages on its sign display.

McDonnell seeks to discredit prosecution's case
The ex-governor and his defense team quickly went to work to shoot holes in prosecutors’ claims that Mr. McDonnell participated in a secret gifts-for-political favors scheme while in office.

Richmond School Board elects new chairman
“I think we are at a critical time at our tenure and at a critical juncture in making progress in Richmond Public Schools. I felt compelled to continue the progress that we have made.” Jeffrey M. Bourne, 3rd District, told the Free Press on Tuesday that’s why he agreed to serve as chair of the Richmond School Board.

'Sneakerheads' converge on the city Sunday
"Sneakerheads" will be looking to buy, sell and trade sneakers and clothing accessories from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Peep My Feet Sneaker & Streetwear Convention.

Racist song played at school by black student, sources say
Who was responsible for playing the racist, demeaning song laced with the n-word over the public address system last Friday at predominantly white Glen Allen High School in Henrico County during warm-ups for the homecoming football game against predominantly black John Marshall High School of Richmond?

Violent crime in city down in 2015
Mayor Dwight C. Jones and Police Chief Alfred Durham trumpeted a major decrease in violent crimes committed in the city during 2015 at a news conference last Friday. But the grim reality of crime’s impact on the community was illustrated when Charlene Boone stepped to the podium during the officials’ announcement last Friday at the Richmond Police Training Academy.

Washington training camp is a business flop
If success means attracting people, then the Washington NFL franchise’s training camp is a winner. But if success is measured by economic activity, the camp does not appear to make the cut.

$3M civil suit filed against ABC agents
How much is Martese Johnson’s pain, suffering and bleeding worth? Mr. Johnson, now a fourth-year honors student at the University of Virginia, was slammed onto the pavement outside a Charlottesville pub last March by three agents from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control who suspected him of trying to use a fake ID to enter.

Video ban raises concern
The African-American members of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors voiced frustration this week after Henrico school leaders apologized for showing a 4-minute video to students Feb. 4 at Glen Allen High School that portrayed the oppression and systematic racism in the United States that African-Americans have endured for centuries.

CIAA legend to be inducted into Hall of Fame
Abraham “Ham” Mitchell has wowed audiences at the CIAA Basketball Tournament for more than four decades with his dazzling attire, engaging personality and stylish strut. Known as “Mr. CIAA,” he has entertained thousands of appreciative fans with the dapper tailor-made suits he wears during games that often reflect the official colors of the teams playing at the time on the basketball court.

Richmond Outreach Center sheds properties
The Richmond Outreach Center continues to try and shed high-priced properties in the wake of the sex scandal involving its former senior pastor, Geronimo “Pastor G” Aguilar. The South Side church has had its former School of Urban Ministry at 3000 Chamberlayne Ave. on North Side for sale since October.

UR chooses Ronald A. Crutcher as next president
For the first time in the 185-year history of the University of Richmond, the new head of the private liberal arts college that borders Richmond and Henrico County will be an African-American. Dr. Ronald Andrew Crutcher has been named as the 10th president of the university. The announcement was made Monday at the institution founded in 1830.

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.

Lumpkin’s Jail site to get new life
After years of neglect by the city, the site at Lumpkin’s Jail is headed toward a multimillion-dollar makeover. The jail site was a holding pen for enslaved people in Shockoe Bottom that later served as the launching ground for Virginia Union University.

Protest over teacher transfers
Dozens of angry teachers, parents and students protested Richmond Public Schools’ plan to move 10 teachers from four elementary schools into classrooms at other schools in the district. Teachers held signs proclaiming “Save Our Teachers,” “Our Students Deserve Better” and “Teacher Power!” Their protest mounted at Monday’s meeting of the Richmond School Board is against the school administration’s process known as “leveling,” which Superintendent Dana T. Bedden explained is to provide more equitable teacher-student ratios in schools across the district.
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