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Petersburg’s pioneering educator and mayor, Dr. Florence Saunders Farley, dies at 94

Dr. Florence Saunders Farley, a trailblazing psychologist who also served as Petersburg’s first Black female mayor, has died.

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World premiere musical ‘Gabriel’ portrays the statewide insurrection led by a slave

Finally, the long-awaited world premiere of a musical focusing on Gabriel and the slave rebellion he almost pulled off in Richmond 222 years ago is set to go at the Firehouse Theatre next week.

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Sistine Chapel frescoes come to Richmond

Most people know about the remarkable paintings that Michelangelo created on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, even if they have never been to Rome. Now Richmond area residents can get a close-up view of his famous frescoes that still fill the ceiling of the chapel that is located within the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence in Vatican City, the independent Catholic enclave inside Italy’s capital city.

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City packs heat with little impact

Gun buyback nets 126 broken weapons, 227 handguns, 117 rifles and shotguns

City Hall touted Richmond’s first gun buyback program as an “overwhelming success” despite evidence that the event is unlikely to have any impact on violence or gun ownership.

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After much labor, city workers can bargain for better wages

Labor Day has mostly marked the end of summer in Richmond, a day off for most best known for pool parties and retail shopping sales. But this year, the national holiday celebrating worker contributions to American progress will have new meaning, particularly among City Hall and School Board employees, when it arrives Monday, Sept. 5.

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VCU’s 2022 ‘Common Book’ further exposes Richmond’s racist past, by Chip Jones

Parking in front of a massive stone clubhouse, I was ready to enjoy an evening visit with a book club in the suburbs.

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Branch Museum panel highlights news media’s ‘design and hope’

Members of the Richmond Free Press staff will provide insight into the art and design behind the newspaper’s coverage of social justice protests movement two years ago following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

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Brown’s Island goes Caribbean on Sept. 3

Brown’s Island will be filled with the sounds and food of Jamaica this Saturday, Sept. 3.

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Richmond Community High School grad’s vegan cooking satisfies hungry New Yorkers

Middleburg Chef Shenarri Freeman started cooking 10 years ago at the 9:30 Club, a concert hall in Washington, D.C. Then a pre-physical therapy student at Howard university, she took the gig to get free concert tickets.

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Hawaii defeats Curacao in Little League final

Curacao’s magic carpet ride to the Little League World Series ended with a frustrating finish.

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$10,000

Biden announces big student loan forgiveness plan

President Biden on Wednesday announced his long-awaited plan to deliver on a campaign promise to provide $10,000 in student debt cancellation for millions of Americans — and up to $10,000 more for those with the greatest financial need — along with new measures to lower the burden of repayment for their remaining federal student debt.

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Personality: Lynette Lewis Allston

Spotlight on the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Board of Trustees president

When the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts named its newest Board of Trustees president, Lynette Lewis Allston became the first Native American elected to the role in the museum’s 86- year history. The current chief and chair emeritus of the Tribal Council of the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia also will be the first Native American board chair of a top 10 U.S. comprehensive art museum.

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Braves enjoy homegrown talent with Michael Harris

Rising star could be National League Rookie of Year

Major League Baseball teams toss their fishnets all over the globe in hope of landing talent. No distance is too far. Other times teams get lucky and find what they’re looking for in their own backyard.

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Hopewell’s legendary coach Bill Littlepage dies

Legendary coach led a mostly Black team to state title

When the TV show, “The White Shadow,” debuted in 1978, it starred Ken Howard as the white coach of a mostly African-American basketball team. Bill Littlepage, who died Aug. 16 at age 87, beat Hollywood to it.

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Mixed deal

Sheriff’s playing cards lack ‘empathy’ for crime victims’ loved ones

Sheriff Antionette V. Irving, who has been under fire for her jail management and attacks on deputies, has sought to shift the narrative.

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VSU hopes for a winning season

With football practices in full swing, Virginia State University is hopeful some of that Bowie State Bulldogs magic rubs off on the Trojans.

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Cultural traditions and world music highlight Down Home Family Reunion

African and African-American folklife will be celebrated and explored during the 31st Down Home Family Reunion on Saturday, Aug. 20, in Jackson Ward’s Abner Clay Park.

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Liberation Church’s intent is children’s learning center, not homeless shelter, says pastor

The founding pastor of Liberation Church is pushing back against a report that the city was considering placing a large homeless shelter on the site of the main sanctuary at 5501 Midlothian Turnpike. Founding Pastor Jay Patrick said the church never considered that idea.

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Richmond reduces charge for natural gas

The cost that Richmond customers must pay for natural gas is coming down, for now.

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Serena’s legacy: Plenty of wins, plenty of stands on issues

A couple of days before Serena Williams claimed the 22nd of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles at Wimbledon in 2016, she was asked what she makes of it when people refer to her as one of history’s greatest female athletes. Her reply: She prefers being characterized as “one of the greatest athletes of all time.” That one, brief response from Williams said quite a lot — about her one-of-a- kind talent with a racket in hand, about her status as an icon, about her willingness to stand up for herself, about why women’s sports should not be thought of any differently than men’s sports. That all came to mind again Tuesday, when Williams indi- cated she is preparing to walk away from her professional tennis career as the start of the U.S. Open approaches on Aug. 29 and her 41st birthday next month nears. Yes, with shouts of “Come on!” marking the journey, she’s won the most major singles championships in the profes- sional era of tennis, which began in 1968; more than the 22 for Steffi Graf or Rafael Nadal, more than the 21 for Novak Djokovic, more than the 20 for Roger Federer, more than the 18 for Chris Evert or Martina Navratilova, more than anyone else. And, yes, Williams won a total of 73 tour-level singles titles and spent more than six years’ worth of weeks ranked No. 1. And she combined with older sister Venus to claim 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles. And then there are the four Olympic gold medals. Still, mere numbers can’t capture everything Williams has represented during a dis- tinguished career that began when she was a teenager in the 1990s and is remarkable for not just the successes but also the longevity, including a record10majorchampionships after turning 30. “She’s lasted longer than most, if not all, female tennis pros. She’s transcended tennis and become a leader on many important cultural, social and gender issues. She has lived an extraordinary life,” Evert wrote in a text message to The Associated Press, “and will undoubtedly continue to crash the glass ceiling in the future.” Indeed, what Williams did without a racket in her hand is rather noteworthy, and extends past the millions in endorse- ment deals; the flirtations with acting; the interest in fashion design and penchant for bring- ing the catwalk to the court with body suits and knee-high boots and whatever else she decided to try; the celebrity and place in pop culture; and, most recently, the work as a venture capitalist (“Seventy-eight per- cent of our portfolio happens to be companies started by women and people of color, because that’s who we are,” Williams said). “It is important to take a step back and think about everything that Serena has brought to our sport and what she has accomplished both on and off the court,” said Steve