Quantcast

Show advanced options

All results / Stories

Tease photo

VUU’s Shawheem Dowdy wins coveted Lanier Award

Willie Lanier starred for Morgan State University. But until now, no athlete from a historically black college or university had won the Touchdown Club of Richmond’s Lanier Award. The drought ended Dec. 9 when Virginia Union University quarterback Shawheem Dowdy won the Lanier Award. The trophy was presented to Dowdy by Lanier, a Richmond native, at a Henrico County hotel. The Lanier Award, dating to 2004, goes to Virginia’s top performer in the NCAA Division II or III or the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Tease photo

Miguel Ojeda new manager of Flying Squirrels

For the second straight season, the parent San Francisco Giants have turned to a Latino to manage the Class AA Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Tease photo

John Marshall’s ‘Baby-faced Bomber’ morphs into ‘J-Rock’

It seems fitting Jeremy Carter-Sheppard goes by two surnames. That’s because he’s about twice as hard to guard as most teenagers. John Marshall High School’s hyphenated hero can wow you in so many ways. John Marshall Coach Ty White was asked if his senior star was most effective popping from outside, driving to the basket or dishing to teammates. Coach White’s quick reply: “All of the above.”

Tease photo

Charles A. Brown, 73, former Virginia Power official

Charles A. Brown woke up every morning with the same purpose in mind. “He wanted to help as many young people as he could,” said Pauline Brown, his wife of 48 years. “He was an exceptional man, very loving and caring. He would give you the shirt off his back,” she added.

Tease photo

New VSU president shares vision, receives support at official introduction

Brimming with confidence and eager to get started, the new president of Virginia State University is promising to first listen to students, faculty and staff and then roll out a “strategic vision that will be bold and purposefully challenging.” Among other things, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah wants VSU to be known for providing “a quality education,” to invest in specialty academic areas that would make the university more attractive while continuing to be “an opportunity university” for students who might not be admitted elsewhere.

Tease photo

Labor of love

Chesterfield family embraces unique joy of special needs

Tease photo

AIDS: Getting to zero

“Three decades into this crisis, let us set our sights on achieving the “three zeros” ­— zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. On this World AIDS Day, let us pledge to work together to realize this vision for all of the world’s people.” — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, United Nations, World AIDS Day 2010

Tease photo

SCLC Empowerment Conference sends message of collective change

Educate yourselves about issues of importance to the African-American community. Engage both individually and collectively with legislators in the General Assembly via emails, letters and phone calls. And go to the State Capitol in person to voice your concerns.

Tease photo

Melvin Johnson brings heart, big numbers to Rams

Melvin Johnson obviously enjoys big cities, big name basketball opponents and national TV cameras. VCU is hoping his sharpshooting trend continues next Tuesday when the Rams travel to Atlanta to play ACC member Georgia Tech in a 9 p.m. tipoff on ESPN2. The Rams are 5-3 after a 76-71 loss Sunday at Atlanta’s Philips Arena to another ACC school, Florida State University, on ESPNU.

Tease photo

NAACP march to protest death of Linwood Lambert

The Halifax/South Boston Branch NAACP is holding a “Day of Courage 4 Justice in Virginia March” on Saturday, Dec. 12, in South Boston, located about 100 miles southwest of Richmond.

Tease photo

Pope Francis spreads message of love, peace in Africa

Pope Francis wrapped up his six-day trip to Africa in the war-torn Central Africa Republic on Monday by warning that religious conflicts are spawning civil war, terrorism and suffering throughout the continent.

Tease photo

Tips from rags to riches life

Omar Periu is truly a rags to riches story. He came to America at age 7 with his parents who were escaping Fidel Castro's regime. They came with nothing but the clothes on their backs. He has built an amazing business that has generated millions of dollars and also has been inspiring corporations and individuals for more than 20 years. He specializes in sales, negotiations and wealth building.

Tease photo

A ‘kill-and-cover-up’ police culture?

When public officials refuse to release a video that shows alleged misconduct by a police officer, you should only expect the worst. That’s particularly true in Chicago, where one “bad apple” too often has signaled a bushel of coverups and other problems underneath.

Drop a dime on a cop

The City of Chicago, situated on the windswept shores of Lake Michigan, is  part of Cook County, Ill. Many of the locals call it “Crook County” because of its long and notorious history of corruption. A report last year by the University of Illinois, Chicago campus, listed about 150 county politicians and employees who had been convicted in recent years for wrongdoing.

Tease photo

VUU’s Joe Taylor to be inducted into MEAC Hall of Fame

Virginia Union University Athletic Director Joe Taylor soon will add another feather to his cap. The highly successful former football coach will be inducted into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame on March 10.

Tease photo

Police chief out amid protests of teen’s murder in Chicago

Chicago’s police chief was ousted on Tuesday following days of unrest over video footage showing the police shooting of a black teenager and the subsequent filing of murder charges against a white police officer in the young man’s death. The white officer, Jason Van Dyke, was charged Nov. 24 with first-degree murder in the killing of Laquan McDonald, 17, who was shot 16 times. The video of the killing was released on the day the former officer was charged.

Tease photo

Petersburg learns on free speech lesson

Linwood Christian and others in Petersburg no longer will be barred from addressing the Petersburg City Council because they owe taxes, fines or fees to the city.

Richmond school athletic programs need help

I feel profound sadness and dismay about the state of our athletic programs in Richmond. Having been born, raised, educated and employed here, I have witnessed our children being humiliated year after year with no end in sight. As Richmond’s mayor, former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder tried to offer leadership in regards to Richmond Schools by contending that there were too many schools. He was right. Inaction has relegated our schools to second class status. This is not to suggest that athletics is the most important issue facing our schools. Absolutely not!

Tease photo

Miss Fields, Mr. Witherspoon wed in sunrise ceremony

Yolanda Gail Fields and John Wesley Witherspoon are wed. The couple exchanged vows during a 7 a.m. ceremony Saturday, Sept. 26, at a private waterfront residence in Dunnsville. Pastor Gwendolyn G. Young of The Lord’s Healing Church in Chesterfield and the Rev. Robert Murray, pastor of First Baptist Church-Bute Street of Norfolk, officiated.

Tease photo

Panthers b-ball hopes to come roaring back

There’s a common thread between one of Virginia Union University’s all-time basketball greats and its current leading man. Both A.J. English II and his protégé, Ray Anderson, hail from the hard courts of Wilmington, Del. The VUU faithful are hoping Anderson, hailed by some as the “Ray of Hope,” can usher the program back to the glory road. English recommended VUU to Anderson and arranged for a visit, recounted the 6-foot-3 junior guard Anderson. “That’s how I got here,” he said.