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Free Press staff report

Stories by Free Press

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Virginia General Assembly launches HBCU caucus

Members of the Virginia General Assembly announced the launch of the Virginia Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus on Tuesday, a bipartisan, bicameral legislative group aimed at promoting and protecting the interests of the state’s HBCUs and the students and communities they serve.

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Winter storm may bring heavy snow, dangerous travel conditions

Be ready

Richmond is bracing for a winter storm this weekend that could bring significant snowfall, hazardous travel and a sharp drop in temperatures.

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James Sweat, longtime Hampton and Norfolk State coach, dies

James Sweat, a Hall of Fame coach who led Hampton University and Norfolk State University to championships and helped define an era of women’s basketball in the CIAA, has died.

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Gladys West, mathematician whose work enabled GPS, dies at 95

Gladys West, a pioneering mathematician whose work helped lay the foundation for the Global Positioning System, has died.

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VUU, VSU split Freedom Classic

Virginia Union and Virginia State split a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association doubleheader Saturday at the VSU Multi-Purpose Center, with the host Trojans’ women rallying for a 68-66 victory before the Panthers’ men dominated 65-37.

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Boyz II Men to perform at VSU scholarship gala

The vocal harmony group Boyz II Men will perform during a scholarship fundraiser April 25 at the VSU Multi-purpose Center.

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Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church to screen film on King’s Richmond legacy

Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church will host a screening of the short historical feature “Echoes of a Dream: MLK’s Legacy in Richmond, VA” on Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

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Youth baseball league honors King with tournament

The Metropolitan Junior Baseball League celebrated its 60th anniversary with the 18th annual MJBL East-West All-Star Game during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.

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Chef Leah Branch named James Beard Award semifinalist

Richmond’s Leah Branch has been named a 2026 semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.

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School to induct 4 into Athletics Hall of Fame

Richmond High School for the Arts will induct four athletes into the George Wythe High School Athletics Hall of Fame during halftime of the boys basketball game against Midlothian on Jan. 30.

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Black College Football Hall of Fame reveals 2026 inductees

Four former players, a coach and a journalist will enter the Black College Football Hall of Fame this year, the organization announced Wednesday.

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Elegba Folklore Society receives national ‘Walking Together’ grant

Elegba Folklore Society has been awarded a $50,000 grant through “Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color,” a national pilot program supporting traditional artists and cultural organizations rooted in communities of color.

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Virginia General Assembly debuts permanent Capitol exhibit

The Virginia General Assembly has unveiled a new permanent exhibit at the Capitol Visitor Center designed to immerse visitors in the history, architecture and work of the state’s government.

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Virginia Union track team opens indoor season strong

The Virginia Union University women’s track and field team hit the ground running at the VCU Invitational on Jan. 9, turning in strong performances in their first meet since winter break.

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Richmond Christmas tree recycling event rescheduled

Richmond’s annual “Bring One for the Chipper” Christmas tree recycling and e-cycle event was postponed one week due to forecasted weather and will be held Saturday, Jan. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1710 Robin Hood Road.

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Church hosts exhibit on transforming lives of children in poverty

Visitors to Hill City Church last weekend got a glimpse into the lives of children living in poverty halfway around the world without leaving Richmond.

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Sharpton, National Action Network to honor Holder, Scott at King Day breakfast

The National Action Network will hold its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Awards Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Monday, recognizing former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and other leaders for their public service and advocacy.

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Flu spike prompts masking guidance in Central Virginia

Central Virginia hospitals and health systems are reinforcing masking guidance and infection prevention measures as influenza and other respiratory illnesses surge across the state.

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Freedom Classic men’s basketball players for Week Nine brings VSU, VUU rivalry to Petersburg

Virginia State University and Virginia Union University renew one of the region’s fiercest HBCU basketball rivalries this Friday in the annual Freedom Classic.

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First Baptist Church of Midlothian marks 180th anniversary

First Baptist Church of Midlothian, the oldest African American church in Chesterfield County, is preparing to celebrate its 180th anniversary under the theme “A Legacy of Grace, A Future in Faith.”

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Historic weekend welcomes Spanberger swearing-in

Abigail Spanberger will be sworn in as Virginia’s 75th governor on Saturday, making history as the first woman to hold the office. Her inauguration weekend offers several opportunities for residents to join the celebration, with a mix of ticketed and free events.

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CIAA honors standout women’s and men’s basketball players for Week Nine

Dominant post play, elite rim protection, efficient scoring and impressive rookie contributions highlighted Week Nine of CIAA basketball, the conference stated Tuesday.

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‘Gospel Symphony Praise Party’ set at Carpenter Theatre

Grammy-nominated gospel artist Pastor Mike Jr. will join the Richmond Symphony for a fusion of orchestral music and contemporary praise anthems at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24 in the Carpenter Theatre at the Dominion Energy Center.

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Exhibit of Wilder’s watercolors to benefit scholarship fund

Visitors to the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia will get a closer look at L. Douglas Wilder’s artistic side this month as the former governor’s watercolor paintings go on display in an exhibit and auction benefiting the Wilder National Ovation Scholarship.

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Richmond Symphony to perform Damien Geter’s ‘African American Requiem’

Audiences at the Carpenter Theatre on Jan. 17 will have a chance to experience music that asks them to listen as much as to feel.

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Chesterfield stadium construction marks final phase of baseball complex overhaul

Construction crews are building a new stadium field at The Diamonds at Ironbridge baseball and softball complex in Harry G. Daniel Park, completing a project that began in 2023.

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Jill Scott announces sixth studio album

Jill Scott is returning to music with her sixth studio album, “To Whom This May Concern,” set for release Feb. 13 through Human Re Sources/ The Orchard. The first single, “Beautiful People,” is available on all streaming platforms.

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Metropolitan Junior Baseball League marks 60th anniversary

The Metropolitan Junior Baseball League is celebrating 60 years of providing life skills and opportunities to young athletes with a series of events and partnerships in 2026.

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Henrico schools to host on-site vaccination clinics for rising 7th, 12th graders

Henrico County Public Schools and the Virginia Department of Health will hold free vaccination clinics at all Henrico middle and high schools for students entering seventh or 12th grade in the 2026-27 school year.

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Acclaimed journalist Jelani Cobb to discuss MLK’s legacy

Jelani Cobb, Pulitzer Prize finalist and dean of the Columbia Journalism School, will reflect on the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a conversation with Randolph-Macon College President Michael Hill on Jan. 21 as part of a weeklong series of events honoring the slain civil rights leader.

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Hampden-Sydney professor earns national communication awards

Hampden-Sydney College rhetoric professor Miranda Rouse received two national awards last month for her work in communication studies at the National Communication Association’s annual convention.

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CIAA to honor eight inductees at 2026 Hall of Fame ceremony

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced its 2026 John B. McLendon Hall of Fame class, recognizing former student-athletes, officials, administrators, historians and media figures whose contributions helped shape the nation’s oldest historically Black athletic conference.

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Cristo Rey hires vice president of advancement

Cristo Rey Richmond High School has appointed Cynthia Coleman as its new vice president of advancement, the school announced Tuesday.

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Trojans turn defense into offense in 74-53 victory over Wasps

The Virginia State University women’s basketball team turned defense into offense Saturday, forcing 29 turnovers and converting them into 38 points in a 74-53 home victory over Emory & Henry.

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River City Fight Night series to expand with monthly boxing events

River City Fight Night, one of Central Virginia’s growing combat sports series, will host monthly boxing events throughout 2026, organizers announced Tuesda

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Martin reaches 1,000 point, sets sights on school record

Maggie L. Walker junior continues scoring run with career achievement

Maggie L. Walker junior Jamie Martin was recognized during a game on Tuesday against Hermitage High School for achieving what few high school basketball players ever do: scoring her 1,000th career point.

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Richmond mails more than 73,000 notices to identify lead water lines

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities has begun mailing more than 73,000 notices to residents in an effort to identify and replace lead water service lines as part of its expanded Lead Free Water program.

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Richmond, Henrico health officials warn against gunfire on New Year’s Eve

Richmond and Henrico health officials are reminding residents to celebrate New Year’s Eve safely by avoiding celebratory gunfire and keeping firearms securely stored.

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Richmond seeks public input on intersection safety improvements

The Richmond Department of Public Works announced Dec. 22 the launch of two public surveys aimed at improving safety at intersections across the city, where the vast majority of fatal and serious injury crashes occur.

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Moon to lead Virginia’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts

After four years in which Virginia’s diversity office was renamed and redirected under Republican leadership, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has moved to restore a broader equity focus with the appointment of Sesha Joi Moon as the state’s next chief diversity officer and director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Gov.-elect Spanberger appoints secretary of labor

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has announced the appointment of Jessica K. Looman as Virginia’s next secretary of labor, selecting a longtime labor official with experience in federal and state government.

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Spanberger family to open Virginia Executive Mansion for inaugural weekend

Virginians will have a chance to tour the Executive Mansion and meet the new first family during inaugural weekend, the Spanberger Inaugural Committee announced Monday.

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Downtown ballpark, statewide games lead Richmond’s 2026 sports lineup

Richmond will open a new downtown ballpark and host relocated statewide games while the region welcomes back professional golf and NASCAR among a packed calendar of sporting events in 2026.

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DeSean Jackson, others honored with HBCU Superlative Awards

As the HBCU college football season winds down, BOXTOROW, a media outlet covering HBCU sports, has recognized the top performers with its annual HBCU Superlative Awards. The awards are voted on by media members who cover HBCU football.

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Johnson claims ACC Player of the Week after record game

Virginia junior guard Kymora Johnson earned Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week honors for her scorching performance during games played Dec. 15-21, the league office announced.

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El Paso running back named first Hispanic High School Football Player of Year

El Dorado High School senior running back Ryan Estrada has been named the inaugural Hispanic High School Football Player of the Year, the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame announced Monday.

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VSU announces Hall and Wall of Fame Class of 2026

Virginia State University Athletics recently announced the Hall of Fame and Wall of Fame Class of 2026, recognizing former student-athletes, coaches, teams and supporters who made significant contributions to Trojan Athletics.

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‘King James’ follows two friends through a decade of basketball devotion

Richmond Shakespeare will present “King James,” a comedy by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Rajiv Joseph, running Jan. 15 through Feb. 1 at Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Theatre Gym.

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Gov.-elect Spanberger appoints longtime public administrator to lead state operations

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has appointed Traci J. Deshazor as Virginia’s next secretary of administration, naming a longtime public administrator with experience in local, state and federal government.

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Midtown64 development set to bring retail, apartments and hotel to Henrico

Greenberg Gibbons last week broke ground on Midtown64, a $500-plus million, 46-acre mixed-use development at the Interstate 64/Broad Street junction in Henrico County.

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