Shift in city procurement practice hurt black-owned businesses
After nearly a decade of using its own pricing list to purchase supplies from local companies and save money, Richmond City Hall last year shifted to using the state’s electronic purchasing system, known as eVA, after Mayor Levar M. Stoney took office.
Black businesses feeling left out
Too many black-owned businesses are feeling left out of a booming Richmond economy.
Blackwell Historic District consideration delayed until Oct.
A state agency is hitting the pause button on a decision to create a new historic district covering much of the Blackwell neighborhood in South Side.
Bike lane hearing Sept. 11
Want bike lanes on Brook Road? Hate the idea? Next Tuesday, Sept. 11, residents can speak their minds about the proposal to reduce the four-lane road to two lanes for traffic, with one lane in each direction reserved for cyclists and parking.
New laws tighten school suspension practices
Ahead of the start of the new school year, new policies have been in place to reduce long-term suspensions of misbehaving students across the state.
Court may wind up redrawing lines for House of Delegates districts
Federal judges could end up redrawing the boundaries of 11 districts in the House of Delegates — including four in the Richmond-Petersburg area and seven in Hampton Roads — that were found to be illegally overloaded with black voters.
Monroe Park Conservancy issues new guidelines for feeding
Feeding the homeless will return to Monroe Park once it reopens, but with new rules that will limit the number of charities that can operate at one time, according to Alice M. Massie, president of the park’s governing body, the Monroe Park Conservancy.
Justifiable homicide
Richmond Police officer cleared in May shooting death of teacher Marcus-David Peters, who was naked and unarmed
Justifiable homicide. That’s the ruling Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring has applied to the bizarre and tragic case of 24-year-old Marcus-David Peters, the unarmed man who was fatally shot by a police officer last spring off of Interstate 95 while apparently suffering mental distress.
Chief Durham refutes claims that smell of weed falsely being used for searches
Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham said he has sought to hold his department to high standards and to impose discipline when he finds officers fail to uphold them.
African-American burial ground could impact proposed Cumberland landfill
A long forgotten African-American burial ground is gaining renewed attention as opponents use it to raise fresh objections to a proposed 1,200-acre landfill in rural Cumberland County about 50 miles west of Richmond.
Supplies surprise: $200 shopping spree helps teachers get ready for school
Wednesday was a big day for about 200 teachers from the three city public schools that sit along Forest Hill Avenue in the 4th Council District.
GRTC board OKs service expansion to Short Pump, airport and Amtrak station
GRTC is promising faster daily service on the Pulse bus rapid transit line, new service to Short Pump and more service to Richmond International Airport effective Sunday, Sept. 16.
‘Deeply disappointing’
RPS superintendent reacts to city SOL scores showing 2 of every 5 students unable to pass one or more tests
The good news: More than half of Richmond’s public school students passed one or more state Standards of Learning tests in 2018 and are meeting state objectives in the core subjects of reading, writing, math, science and history/social studies.
Lux Church moves into Sharon Baptist Church’s former Jackson Ward home
Last Sunday was a big day for Pastor Victor Immanuel “Manny” Peña and the 100-member congregation of Lux Church. Bubbling with enthusiasm, the 35-year-old pastor led the rejoicing as church members held their first service in the church’s new home at 22 E. Leigh St., the former home of Sharon Baptist Church.
New regulations to help people with sickle cell anemia
It’s official. Sickle cell anemia sufferers now can get high doses of potentially addictive pain medications without any limitations in Virginia. The treatment exemption for people who live with the pain from the genetic blood disorder — mostly African-Americans — became effective when the state Board of Medicine’s new regulations governing physician use of opioids were published in the Virginia Administrative Code earlier this month.
Design competition open to re-imagine Monument Avenue
How would you re-imagine Monument Avenue? That’s the question behind a new design competition called “Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion.”
Signs of 2019 shutdown for Coliseum
The 47-year-old Richmond Coliseum could go dark next year even in the face of continuing uncertainty about a private group’s proposal to tear it down and replace it with a new $220 million arena.
Plan collapses for South Side homeless shelter and services center
It’s back to the drawing board for City Hall and Commonwealth Catholic Charities in seeking a new space for a shelter and resource center for the homeless in Richmond.
First black Virginia child to be remembered
In 1624, the newly born William Tucker was baptized in the Anglican Church in Jamestown. What made the event special is that he was the first child of African descent documented as born in the English colony that became the United States.
ACLU calls for prohibition of ‘marijuana smell’ warrantless searches
Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring is aware that police officers are using the claim of “I smell marijuana” to justify pat-downs of people and car searches, particularly “in poor communities of color.”
UR religion professor honored for 54 years
There is one word in the English language that Frank Edwin Eakin Jr. never utters: “Retirement.” Dr. Eakin has spent 54 years teaching religious studies courses, including 52 years at the University of Richmond, and he’s still going strong.
Rev. Nathaniel Morris, gospel singer, playwright, minister, dies at 67
The Rev. Nathaniel “Nat” Morris went from singing in a Richmond church as a child to the Broadway stage as an adult. An ordained minister, playwright, actor and singer, Rev. Morris was 18 when he made his debut in 1968 as a cast member in the rock musical “Hair” when it went to Broadway.
Dr. Katie G. Cannon, renowned scholar who elevated role of black women in theology, dies at 68
Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon made history in 1974 as the first African-American woman to be ordained a Presbyterian minister in the United States. Dr. Cannon would use that breakthrough to become a driving force in creating the womanist theology that promotes the inclusion of women of color in shaping the understanding of faith.
Mitchell named GRTC interim CEO
GRTC has never had a female chief executive. Nor did any of its predecessor public transit companies. That is not changing as the bus company moves to replace David Green, who announced last week that he would step down as GRTC’s chief executive officer at the end of the month.
Neo-Confederates returning to city
4th rally in a year
Once again, Richmond must deal with a potentially volatile gathering of neo-Confederates seeking to preserve the Confederate statues on Monument Avenue.
Plan launched to rename the Boulevard for tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.
A new effort is underway to rename the Boulevard in honor of Richmond-born humanitarian and tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr. Richmond City Councilwoman Kim B. Gray said this week she plans to introduce legislation in September to change the street’s name to Arthur Ashe Boulevard.
GRTC CEO leaving
GRTC is looking for a new leader. The search is about to begin following the sudden resignation of David Green, GRTC’s chief executive officer, less than two months after launching the new Pulse bus rapid transit system ushering in a controversial overhaul of all other GRTC bus routes.
City alleys now to receive maintenance on regular schedule
The roar of heavy equipment over a backyard fence signals the start of work on another alley. Suddenly, with little publicity, city alleys are starting to get regular attention and care.
Meeting Aug.15 on Brook Road bike lane plans
Civic leaders in North Side will get their first look at an updated City Hall plan to install bike lanes on Brook Road and reduce space for traffic to one lane in each direction.
City Council member raises host of questions on homeless plan
City Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson feels caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to a proposal to create a housing services center for the homeless in a church building in South Side.
‘Smell of marijuana’ new police tactic?
A new police tactic is opening the door to warrantless searches of individuals, vehicles and homes. To generate the “reasonable suspicion” that courts require for police to conduct such a search, officers are claiming to smell marijuana, possession of which is still illegal in Virginia, according to defense attorneys and area residents.
New city shelter for the homeless?
For the past four winters, men and women who lack shelter have streamed into the shabby and increasingly vacant Public Safety Building near City Hall to spend the night when temperatures fall below 40 degrees.
Annie Giles Day called off
Saturday was supposed to be Annie Giles Day in Whitcomb Court. ... But the Aug. 4 event that organizers called “a day of love” will not be held. Nor are their plans to hold it in the fall.
Cheating at Carver
During her six-year tenure as principal of George W. Carver Elementary School, Kiwana Yates allegedly orchestrated a major educational scam that ensured students scored high on state Standards of Learning tests even if they could not read well, write well and had not mastered arithmetic.
Richmond woman rattled by incident with Henrico police
Qunita Jones knows how actor Ving Rhames felt when he was confronted at his California home by police investigating a neighbor’s call that a “large black man” was breaking in.
Work nearly complete on RRHA heating systems
The Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority is near the finish line when it comes to repairing or replacing hundreds of apartment radiators that failed to work last winter in public housing units.
Jamie Nolan wins city Democratic Committee leadership post
The rising political influence of women is being felt in Richmond. In an unprecedented move, the reorganized Richmond City Democratic Committee elected five women to the top six leadership positions Saturday in undergoing a major shakeup.
Chesterfield reader offers payment to Morning Star Baptist guest preacher
The Rev. Ernest Blue Jr. finally has been paid for delivering a guest sermon July 1 at Morning Star Baptist Church in South Side.
Officials mum on future of training camp
Will Washington’s pro football team hold a summer training camp in Richmond after 2020? That question is still unanswered as the NFL team returns to Virginia’s capital for the sixth season Thursday to begin a 19-day stay that will be capped by a youth football program on Tuesday, Aug. 14.
Nerves on edge as smoking ban takes effect in RRHA housing
Gwendolyn Harris doesn’t smoke. But the 54-year-old Creighton Court resident is concerned that friends in the East End public housing community who do soon may have to choose between their nicotine habit or facing fines and potential eviction.
RRHA, Club 533 seek rezoning for new development
The old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” appears to be at work in Jackson Ward. Six years after the collapse of a plan to build an eight-story hotel on North 3rd Street next to the interstate, a new effort is being mounted to make it happen.
CARE van drivers reject latest contract offer
Union drivers who provide door-to-door service for the elderly and disabled on the area’s CARE vans have rejected a new contract that lacked the wage increases and improvements they sought.
Economic injustice?
Report shows city spending with minority-owned businesses has dropped nearly 48 percent since 2014
From the mayor’s office to key positions at City Hall, African-Americans continue to play big roles in Richmond’s government. But the issue of city spending with black businesses and the promotion of black inclusion, inexplicably, appears to be taking a backseat to other priorities, with Mayor Levar M. Stoney having publicly spoken little about inclusion and economic justice during his 18-month tenure.
Settlement to give current, former RRHA tenants refunds or credits
Cora Hayes is celebrating a big win in a legal case challenging the oversized electricity bills that the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority has imposed on its low-income tenants since 2012.
Historic Resources reaches out to Blackwell residents
Julie Langan and her staff are doing more to notify residents of Blackwell about a proposal to include the neighborhood on the state and federal registers of historic places.
At 91, Carlton T. Brooks still going strong
Carlton T. Brooks said as a young man he faced the big decision of figuring out how to make a living.
City center vision
NH Foundation looks to new coliseum to spur major redevelopment in Downtown
How do you build a $220 million coliseum for Richmond without putting up any money?
Jones to revive effort for city control over Confederate statues
Richmond City Councilman Michael J. Jones is going to try again to get City Council support for removing state control of the Confederate statues that litter Richmond’s landscape.
Sacred Ground project wins $75,000 national grant for slavery memorial park
A group supporting development of a memorial park in Shockoe Bottom to recall the crucial role this area of Richmond played in the slave trade has won a $75,000 grant from a national trust to support its work.
New Fulton program helps youths develop skills for jobs, money
As a full-time city recreation specialist, Wyatt Kingston sees plenty of Richmond youths who need and want to make money to help their families.
