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EGACY

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WEDNESDAYS • Dec. 9, 2015

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“We cannot turn against each other by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam.” -President Barack Obama

Terror threat has entered ‘new phase’ WIRE President Barack Obama has vowed to hunt down anyone plotting militant attacks against the United States as he seeks to reassure Americans after last week’s deadly California shooting rampage that has raised new questions about U.S. defenses against homegrown extremism. In a rare Oval Office address, Obama tried to counter mounting criticism he has not acted decisively enough to keep the United States safe from the Islamic State militant group, but he stopped short of offering any major shift in his strategy. “The threat from terrorism is real but we will overcome it,” Obama said. Obama spoke just four days after U.S.-born Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his Pakistani wife, Tashfeen Malik, 29, opened fire on a holiday party for civil servants in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people. The pair were killed hours later in a shootout with police. Obama condemned the attack as “an act of terrorism designed to kill innocent people,” but also called it a “new phase” in the fight against Islamist militancy. But Obama said there was no evidence the assault was directed by a militant group overseas or part of a broader conspiracy at home. Meanwhile, Virginia’s junior U.S. senator, Tim Kaine urged leaders in Congress to consider an ISIL-specific authorization for the use of military force to the top of the legislative agenda. “I introduced an authorization to use military force against ISIL in September 2014,” said Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees. “It received a favorable vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last December, but Congress refused to act by year-end. “In June, Senator Jeff Flake and I introduced a new bipartisan war authorization but Congress has remained on the sidelines. The events of

recent weeks demonstrate that Congress can no longer ignore this threat.” The Obama administration plans to seek greater cooperation from U.S. technology companies to help ferret out such apparently homegrown attack plots, which could rekindle a privacy-versus-security debate between the government and Silicon Valley. Even so, Obama cautioned against over reaction to the terrorism threat at home. “We cannot turn against each other by letting this fight be defined as a war between America and Islam,” he said, alluding to the incendiary rhetoric by Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump, which is seen by critics as fear-mongering against the Muslim community. Given that the California couple were not on the U.S. national security radar before they launched their shooting spree On Dec. 2, Obama faced the challenge of convincing the U.S. public he is doing everything possible to deal with an evolving militant threat. Republicans quickly dismissed the president’s speech and plans as more of the same ineffectual prescription that came as U.S. officials worried about holiday-season attacks in America either directed or inspired by ISIL. “President Obama offered no changes to his reactive, indirect, and incremental strategy. He continues to assume that time is on our side. It is not,” said Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “If we do not destroy this threat now, and fast, no one should be surprised if America gets attacked again.” Obama, in his speech, worked to banish any doubts that he has responded forcefully to the threat, underlining that the U.S. has “surged” intelligence cooperation with its allies and stepped up the military campaign against ISIS. He called on Congress to help tighten restrictions on visa-free travel to the United States, an attempt to prevent ISIS fighters who are Western European citizens from carrying out attacks in the United States. He

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2 • Dec. 9, 2015

The LEGACY

News

McAuliffe proposes cutting Va. corporate income tax Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced Thursday that he would trim corporate taxes in his budget plan, a proposal that irked some liberal supporters and seemed designed to corner business-friendly Republicans. McAuliffe says reducing the corporate income tax from 6 percent to 5.75 percent would make Virginia more competitive and help lure businesses to the state. During frequent international trade missions, he said, “the first question we always get is ‘What is your tax rate?’ ” But some in the GOP say they expect the governor to pay for the cuts and more tax credits with money that the state would save if McAuliffe was able to expand Medicaid. The Republican-controlled legislature has consistently blocked McAuliffe’s efforts to insure 400,000 Virginians through the Affordable Care Act, which he says would save the state about $353 million over two years. The latest strategy could put Republicans in the awkward spot of sacrificing a corporate goody in order to keep Medicaid expansion at bay. McAuliffe declined to say how he would pay for the tax cuts or whether he would embed the potential Medicaid savings into the two-year budget proposal he will unveil Dec. 17. “I’ll be honest with you: I don’t want to answer your question today because . . . the news today is what I’m proposing here today on tax issues,” he said during a forum hosted by the Associated Press and the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce applauded McAuliffe’s tax cut plan while the liberal-leaning Progress Virginia and the Commonwealth Institute called it a misplaced priority. Del. S. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, warned McAuliffe

against incorporating Medicaid into the budget but reserved judgment on the tax cut. “Everything within the budget is a puzzle piece, and until we have all the pieces there is not much to say,” he said in a statement. “However, it would be unwise for the governor to predicate new spending or initiatives based on so-called savings from Medicaid expansion.” Republicans have consistently stymied McAuliffe’s efforts to expand the federal health-care program for the disabled and poor since he took office almost two years ago. But the state’s hospitals association this week gave him a potential new path to expansion without using state dollars. The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association reversed its longstanding aversion to new fees that could be used to draw down a federal match. That money would create a pool of funding that could be used to insure more Virginians. “Arriving at this moment did not come easily,” VHHA President Sean T. Connaughton said in a letter to McAuliffe. Hospitals throughout the commonwealth and especially in rural areas have complained of a financial crunch exacerbated by their mandate to provide free or reducedprice care to indigent patients. Yet depending on hospitals to finance Medicaid expansion appears to be a non-starter in the General Assembly. “The skyrocketing cost of the current program, concerns over fraud and abuse, and the need for reforms to improve access for patients all argue against expansion,” House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) said. “The House understands that Obamacare has put immense pressure on hospitals, but doubling down on Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion is not the solution.” McAuliffe said going that route was

Gov. Terry McAuliffe one option he would explore. “There are very creative ways of how we can administer this so we don’t have to incur any state dollars at all,” he said. Asked whether he has already contacted the federal government about securing special permission to set up such a program, McAuliffe touted his vast network built over decades of fundraising at the highest levels of national politics. “I am in constant communication with most of the federal cabinet secretaries on a variety of different issues,” he said. His budget will also seek to reduce by half the use of an accounting trick known as accelerated salestax collections. Highly unpopular with retailers, it requires certain merchants to prepay a portion of their July sales-tax remittance one month early. In addition, he will call for a $15 million tax credit for companies spending more than $5 million on research and development, and a bigger tax credit for affluent individuals who provide capital for start-ups, known as angel investors. But the $64 million corporate tax cut could have the most lasting effect on

the state’s economy. Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) said he would oppose the tax cuts if they were “tied to [McAuliffe’s] unrelenting singlemindedness on this issue that’s proving across the country to be a bad move.” But the governor’s spending plan is widely expected to use Medicaid expansion to indirectly bankroll more teachers and other items popular with the Democratic base. His strategy of rolling out the tax plan ahead of the full document created an odd dynamic, with Republicans afraid to speak in favor of cuts that might be linked to Medicaid expansion and liberal Democrats upset by what they perceived as corporate welfare. “Cutting taxes for corporations at the same time that we are laying off school staff and raising college tuition is not the way to build a strong middle class and a prosperous economy for Virginia,” said Michael Cassidy, president of the Commonwealth Institute. “This is a tax break for wealthy business owners and big profitable corporations.” © WaPo


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Dec. 9, 2015 • 3

Group brings awareness to pollution prevention A dozen CARE Scouts, children ages 6 -12 working to bring awareness to the negative impacts of air pollution on asthma from the Southeast Community of Newport News, travelled to Richmond to hand deliver over 1,000 petitions to the Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward last week. The children were joined by supporters of the Southeast CARE Coalition. Concerned citizens came together to announce the journey from Newport News and to celebrate broad community support for air monitoring as a first step towards achieving clean air. “The children [were] very excited to make the journey to Richmond and to work towards cleaning up the air in their community,” said Angela Harris, founder of All from One, Inc., a youth focused mentoring group. “We are allowing them to lead the way because they know the impact that air pollution has on respiratory disease which is prominent here.” The Southeast CARE Coalition bills itself as a community based environmental justice initiative of the Greater Southeast Development Corporation. It is located in the

Southeast Community of Newport News. At the beginning of the summer, the coalition launched a local campaign to address air pollution concerns and to reduce toxic air emissions especially those from heavy traffic, ports, coal terminals and industry. Proponents in the Southeast CARE Coalition has collected petitions in favor of establishing a communitybased air monitoring program in which citizen science is included to get a more realistic picture of local air quality and of establishing an official air monitoring station in the Southeast Community recognized by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). “Understanding air quality and its effects on the health of residents in the Southeast Community is complicated due to the numerous sources of toxic air emissions and the constitutes of such emissions,” said Dr. Erica Holloman, program coordinator of the Southeast CARE Coalition. “As a fence-line community located next to multiple sources of toxic air releases, the lack of community-specific air quality data is discouraging and makes

Background The Southeast CARE Coalition notes that as of 2013, 72 percent of the toxic air emissions in Newport News occurred in the Southeast Community. To remedy the situation and reduce the pollution, the coalition notes that it has been pressing the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality as well as Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward to designate an official State and Local Air Monitoring Site (SLAMS). It is also petitioning the National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS) in Newport News, and to also assist with the development of a community-based air monitoring program to further assess air quality and to determine the community's level of exposure to toxic pollution from nearby industry, diesel and car exhaust from Interstate 664 as well as nearby ports. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory data for 2013 (the most recent year available) showed that Huntington Ingalls (Newport News Shipyard) reported an additional 40,000 pounds of toxic air pollution, a 31 percent increase in toxic air emissions over 2012.

air monitor and community-based understanding health implications air monitoring system including difficult.” Gethsemane Baptist, Universalist However, air monitoring is viewed Unitarian Fellowship of the as the first step towards achieving Peninsula, Moms Clean Air Force, clean air by obtaining accurate Community Involved Seniors, measurements of pollutants such Pearlie’s Restaurant and Guibuka’s as volatile organic carbons (VOCs), heavy metals, diesel emissions, toxics Variety Store. “I was shocked to find out that the and particulate matter (PM). area did not have any monitoring Achievable Dream Academy, system. From a business perspective, ranked by USA Today as one of pollution impacts people and the worst schools in the country in potential customers wanting to come terms of exposure to toxic air, is an into the community whether it’s elementary school located within the unsightly, unhealthy or a bad smell. Southeast Community. It makes people want to leave. We Julia Andrews, RN at Achievable should put in place initiatives to Dreams Academy School said the reduce air pollution. We need an air main chronic disease in the school is monitoring system to improve the air asthma. quality.” said Guibuka Waheed, coThere are 700 students enrolled, 409or E.17 Main St. #4 (mailing) • 105 of 1/2 E. Clay St. (office) owner Guibuka’s Variety Store. 116 of them percent have a VA “It 23219 is not right for minority or poor medical diagnosis of asthma Richmond, and 75 (office) •communities 1-800-783-8062 (fax) to higher to be exposed students have 804-644-1550 their rescue inhaler levels of pollutants than wealthier here at school,” she said. ads@legacynewspaper.com “I’ve seen communities. firsthand how children are impacted. “It is the moral duty of religious I see them coming in after playing communities to speak out on behalf coughing, wheezing and sometimes you can see their muscles contracting of our brothers and sisters who are in harm’s due to the actions trying to pull the airAd in.Size: 6 inches (2 column(s) X 3way inches) or inactions of others – so, we are “Air pollution, especially 1 Issue -speaking $102 out. Clean, pollution-free particulate matter, worsens asthma. Rate: $17 per column inch air is a God-given right that should Unfortunately, poverty and lack be guaranteed of transportation here inNext the run date: Nov. 25, 2015 by our government agencies.” said Dr. Robin van Tine, a community also act to complicate asthma treatment and management.” Green Faith Fellow, and Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the More than 25 churches, businesses Peninsula member speaking on and community organizations have behalf of the church. signed a letter of support for an

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4 • Dec. 9, 2015

The LEGACY

Dom grant to fund community purposes 529 opens for Dominion Resources is providing $1 million in grants through its charitable Dominion Foundation to help feed, shelter and care for people in need across 12 states this holiday season. The Critical Community Needs grant donations will be shared by 119 non-profit organizations that are providing essential community services in areas of housing, food security, medicine and medical services. “The grants will support proven programs that provide the basic necessities we all need to survive and thrive, such as safe shelter, nutritious meals and medical care,” said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman, president and CEO. “These essential programs strengthen the fabric of our

communities by improving lives and providing hope for people in need.” Among the grant recipients: •A $5,000 grant to Family Promise of Greater Cleveland to guide families from homelessness into stable housing by guiding them through the process of securing and budgeting for affordable housing. •A $10,000 grant to Local Food Hub in Charlottesville for its “Fresh Farmacy,” a partnership with three health clinics to provide families with a “prescribed” supply of fresh fruits, vegetables and eggs, along with recipes and educational programs to encourage healthy home cooking. • A $5,000 grant to Neighborhood Health Services in Alexandria, for its

mobile health unit, the “WOW Bus,” which brings professional dental care to children in the Alexandria City Public Schools. Eligible organizations in targeted areas of Connecticut, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and other areas within Dominion’s footprint were encouraged to apply for grants of up to $50,000 each. More than 250 applications were considered, with selections made based on an organization’s demonstrated ability to serve communities, meet basic human needs, and prevent future need for assistance.

Denbigh Boulevard Bridge Replacement Over I-64 and CSX Railroad City of Newport News Design Public Hearing Tuesday, December 15, 2015, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Denbigh High School 259 Denbigh Boulevard, Newport News, VA 23608 Come and see the proposed project plans for the replacement of the Denbigh Boulevard Bridge over Interstate 64 and CSX railroad in the City of Newport News. The proposed project includes the construction of a new bridge with four lanes, a 16-foot raised median, and two 8-foot sidewalks. Review the proposed project plans and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation at the public hearing; at the VDOT Interstate Maintenance Office, 1992 South Military Highway, Chesapeake, VA 23320, 757-494-5470, 1-888-723-8400, or TTY/TDD 711; or at the VDOT Williamsburg Residency Office, 4451 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg, VA 23188, 757-253-5138. Please call ahead to ensure the availability of appropriate personnel to answer your questions. Property impact information, relocation assistance policies and tentative construction schedules are available for your review at the above addresses and will be available at the public hearing. Give your written or oral comments at the hearing or submit them by December 28, 2015, to Mr. Ricardo Correa, P.E., Project Manager, VDOT, 1992 South Military Highway, Chesapeake, VA 23320. You may also email your comments to Ricardo.Correa@VDOT.Virginia.gov. Please reference “Denbigh Boulevard Bridge Replacement Comment” in the subject line. In compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 and 36 CFR Part 800, information concerning the potential effects of the proposed project on properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places is provided in the environmental documentation. VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For more information or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact VDOT’s Civil Rights Division at 757-925-2500 or TTY/TDD 711. State Project: 0064-121-195, P101, R201, C501, B635

Federal Project: IM-5A03(530)

UPC: 93077

college savings Families looking to beat the rising tide of higher education costs can get a jump on college tuition starting today. The annual enrollment period for Virginia529 prePAID (prePAID) runs through March 30, 2016. Each semester purchased now will fund a future semester of the normal, full time undergraduate in-state tuition and mandatory fees at a Virginia public two- or fouryear institution. Students may use prePAID at any institution across the country where 529 plans are accepted, although payouts will differ. “When customers tell us why they chose prePAID, the biggest reason is peace of mind,” explained Mary Morris, CEO of Virginia529. “The sacrifice one may have to make now by paying in advance yields tremendous relief when the first college bill arrives.” Parents, grandparents and other loved ones can start a prePAID account for a child with as little as $30 a month for a Tier II semester. Prices and payment options vary by the age of the child, length of payment term, and number and type of semesters purchased. Families may spread the payments out monthly for a term they select, pay in a lump sum or combine the two with a down payment followed by monthly payments. A prePAID calculator available at Virginia529.com illustrates the full array of price and payment options. Families can try out various scenarios before deciding what works best for their goals. The cost – and gift of college – can be spread by having multiple family members purchase one or two semesters. The application period is open through March 31, but the first payment is not due until May 1, 2016. As one of four 529 college savings programs offered by Virginia529, payments to a prePAID account are deductible from Virginia individual taxable income, up to $4,000 per account per year.


www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Dec. 9, 2015 • 5

Virginia Senate hopeful raised more than $20K a day but still came up short Democrat Gary McCollum pulled in more contributions than any other candidate in the home stretch of this year’s Virginia Senate races, averaging $23,000 a day. The last-minute influx amounted to $808,000 in just over a month’s time, but it did not add up to victory on Election Day. He failed to unseat Sen. Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach), who raised $125,000 over the same period. Their race was among the hardestfought Senate contests this year. Big money poured into those campaigns right up to and even after Election Day, according to newly filed campaign finance reports covering donations made between Oct. 23 and Nov. 26. All 140 seats in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates were on the ballot in November, but most of the money and attention were on a handful of Senate seats that would determine control of Richmond’s upper chamber. Only six candidates for the 100-member House raised six figures in the last month, compared with 10 in the 40-seat Senate. Because the GOP dominates the House, flipping the Senate was the term-limited Democratic governor’s best hope for building a legislative legacy. Democrats could have taken control by picking up just one seat because of the tie-breaking authority of Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D). But in the end, Republicans held onto their 21-19 majority. McCollum began the race as one of the Democrats’ brightest hopes. The cable executive with a military background and an upby-the-bootstraps biography was taking on an incumbent ranked as one of the legislature’s biggest recipients of corporate gifts. Then in September, McCollum’s campaign was hurt by revelations that he had misrepresented his military record. The controversy did not stop the flow of money to McCollum, although he supplied more than half of what he took in over the final month. His

Sturtevant, who raised $496,000; and Democrat Dan Gecker, who raised $476,000. Sturtevant, a Richmond school board member and attorney, defeated Gecker, a Chesterfield County supervisor and developer. Jill McCabe, a pediatric emergencyroom doctor, raised $419,000 in the

final period — far more than the $59,000 pulled in by the incumbent she had hoped to unseat, Sen. Richard H. Black (R-Loudoun). But Black, a former Marine combat pilot and lawyer who is among the Assembly’s most conservative members, prevailed. ©WaPo

AG Herring urged to oppose ‘policing for profit’ in Va.

and stand with the people.” Civil asset forfeiture, allows police to keep 90 percent of the property they seize regardless of any evidence of wrong-doing. The amount of funds from seized property the Department of Criminal Justice Services disbursed to local law enforcement agencies climbed from $110,899 in 2006 to $4.9 million in 2010. “Right now in Virginia, law enforcement can take a person’s money or property without even charging that person with a crime,” Gastañaga said in the letter. “Virginia’s un-American civil asset forfeiture laws fail to protect property owners, are ripe for abuse, and actively encourage policing for profit.” The Virginia Forfeited Asset Sharing Program allows sheriff’s offices and local prosecutors to keep 80 percent of the proceeds collected through civil asset forfeiture, which can include cash, cars, and other property. The practice is not one limited solely to the states. In 2000, Congress passed the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act. It allows the federal government to seize money from a variety of criminal syndicates. These included mobsters, drug dealers and terrorist organizations. In federal cases, when no criminal activity is charged, the IRS often negotiates to return only part of the seized money, leaving citizens with little option but to accept the IRS’ offer or continue a lengthy and very expensive legal battle to try to get their legitimately earned money back.

STAFF Gary McCollum $808,000 haul included $494,000 in contributions and loans from the candidate himself, $135,000 from Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s political action committee, and $7,500 from billionaire environmentalist Thomas Steyer, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Democrat Jeremy McPike had the second-biggest haul for the period, raising $746,000. The volunteer firefighter won the Northern Virginia seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Prince William). About $428,000 of his contributions came from the Democratic Party of Virginia and $178,000 from McAuliffe’s Common Good VA PAC. Manassas Mayor Harry J. “Hal” Parrish II, took in $738,000 in the home stretch. Of that, $230,000 came from the campaign account of Sen. Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment (R-James City). Three other Senate candidates raised upward of $400,000 over the last month. Two of them were competing for the Richmond-area seat being vacated by retiring Sen. John Watkins (R-Powhatan): Republican Glen

The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia is calling on Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring to change his position on law enforcement’s ability to seize private property without first obtaining a criminal conviction. In a letter to Herring last week, ACLU-VA Executive Director Claire Guthrie Gastañaga said the practice, known as civil asset forfeiture, is “un-American” and creates a profit incentive for police to grab private citizens’ money, cars and other property. The ACLU’s letter is in response to a 9-3 vote of the Virginia State Crime Commission not to oppose proposed legislation that would prohibit seizure of private property until the owner is convicted of a crime and exhausted all appeals. Chief Deputy Attorney General Cynthia Hudson, who sits on the panel, voted with the majority to support current practices. “There is a time to stand with law enforcement and there is a time to stand with the people of the commonwealth of Virginia,” Gastañaga wrote. “When it comes to policing for profit and a fee-based criminal justice system, the ACLU of Virginia urges you to reverse course


6 • Dec. 9, 2015

Op/Ed & Letters

The LEGACY

An open letter to the black pastors who met with Donald Trump SHANITA HUBBARD What were you thinking? My least favorite thing about nonspoken forms of communication is the room for misunderstanding that comes from not being able to detect the tone of a person. Please allow me to minimize the possibility of a misinterpretation by first outlining exactly how I feel. I am angry, disappointed, slightly confused and fully embarrassed. But this isn’t the type of hurt or anger one can achieve without having some sort of personal connection to the “offender.” This is more that type of hurt and anger that I always assumed served as the catalyst for Michael Eric Dyson’s essay about Cornel West. It’s the level of anger that comes when a person you hold (or previously held) in high regard does or says something so offensive that you feel compelled to respond. Only a person with whom you currently have an emotional connection can evoke that level of emotion from you. Who else would have that sort of power? I have spent a significant portion of my life with you. By “you,” I am referring to black pastors in AfricanAmerican churches. While I may not have attended any of your specific churches, as a black Christian I regularly attend African-American services and have developed a The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 1 No. 45 Mailing Address 409 E. Main Street 4 Office Address 105 1/2 E. Clay St. Richmond, VA 23219 Call 804-644-1550 Online www.legacynewspaper.com

respect, love and appreciation for the office of pastor. So by default, this respect was extended to you as well— that was, until I watched the media coverage after the meeting with Donald Trump. A public endorsement of a man who is blatantly racist and willfully ignorant and has a political agenda that does not seem to include the very people who selected you as their pastor? None of this makes any sense. It is perfectly clear why Trump would consider it beneficial to blast this meeting that would include, as he stated, “endorsements from 100 black pastors.” Yet it is unclear why you would allow him to use you in this ridiculous ploy. To be frank, pastors, it makes me question your motives. In fact, it’s making many people question your motives and speculate about exactly how many building funds were paid off in exchange for your Uncle Ruckus “Mr. Trump sho is a good man” verdict. I could hardly stand to watch the coverage, and I certainly don’t have the stomach to continue to follow it. I’m not sure how the members of your congregations feel, but I, personally, am embarrassed. And to be clear, the notion of wanting some form of political influence that might benefit the black community isn’t lost on me. I understand that.

(continued on page 7 ) The LEGACY welcomes all signed letters and all respectful opinions. Letter writers and columnists opinions are their own and endorsements of their views by The LEGACY should be inferred. The LEGACY assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Annual Subscription Rates Virginia - $50 U.S. states - $75 Outside U.S.- $100 The Virginia Legacy © 2015

An American guilt trip On Dec. 2, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik burst into a meeting at San Bernadino, California’s Inland Regional Center and opened fire, killing 14 and wounding any more. The two were later killed in a shootout with the police. In the wake of this horrific attack, media reports are emerging that the couple’s neighbors observed “suspicious activities” at their Redlands, California townhouse and Farook's mother’s home, but didn’t report those activities for fear that they would be accused of racial profiling. What were these “suspicious activities?” One was an apparent domestic dispute. The others were general in nature: They were observed “doing a lot of work out in the garage” and received “quite a few packages in a short amount of time.” I’ve lived in America for 49 years. During that time, I’ve observed numerous domestic disputes (and had a few myself). I’ve done plenty of tinkering around in my garage (when I've had a garage to tinker around in). And the local mail carrier and UPS and FedEx drivers know my home well -- my family members and I do a LOT of online shopping. Unless the media reports are omitting significant details, the only “suspicious” aspect of the activities in question were that Farook and Malik “looked middle eastern.” Reporting them on the basis of those activities would indeed have been an instance of racial profiling. The neighbors are beating up on themselves. That’s understandable. But they shouldn’t be doing that. That their suspicions turned out to have been well-founded does not retrospectively make those suspicions rational. Normal activities aren’t -- or at least SHOULDN’T be -- “suspicious” just because the people engaging in them don’t look like one of Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers circa 1940. This is how the terrorists win, folks. The goal of terrorism is to terrorize us. What could possibly be a more effective means of that than getting us to live in fear not of some far-away foreign threat, but of our own neighbors? It’s a numbers game, with hooks reaching down into one of the darkest and ugliest aspects of our history: Our racial and ethnic stereotypes and prejudices. For every active terror cell in the United States, there are almost certainly millions, maybe even tens of millions, of innocent Americans, native and immigrant alike, who look just like that cell’s members. “Suspicion” based on such appearances is a force multiplier for the bad guys. It may well not be that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. But when it comes to terrorism, unfounded and unbounded fear is our main weakness. If we can beat that weakness, we will inevitably beat the terrorists along with it. Thomas L. Knapp


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Dec. 9, 2015 • 7

P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.

Senseless

I’ve heard whites and Blacks alike try to minimize the significance of this murder by questioning the lack of indignation when Blacks murder Blacks. This is a false equivalence. Anyone who’s grown up in the midst of urban violence has learned by experience to calculate the odds of becoming a victim of violence. Contrary to this understanding, the expectation for encounters with representatives of the law is for reasonable action and justice to prevail. Conventional thinking does not support a belief that police are allowed to shoot someone 16 times for an act that, at its worst, could be called “brandishing a weapon”, but more likely a minor peace disturbance. It is my belief that we have once again seen the demonstration of the complete devaluation of a Black life by a police officer. Given what was seen on the video, Van Dyke made the conscious determination that Laquan McDonald’s actions had breached societal good order to the extent that he no longer had or deserved the right to live. Or maybe Laquan’s Blackness was so offensive to this officer, that he felt justified in exterminating this offensive creature What is clear is that Van Dyke did not exercise the judgment or professional discretion that is commonly taught in modern police academies. His “malicious remedy” to the problem he saw in Mr. McDonald is the basis for the appeal that “Black Lives Matter.” If for no other reason than to have police officers re-consider their own real attitudes toward people of color, we must not waiver in our demand that people acknowledge that Black Lives

DO Matter! Dr. E. Faye Williams

Just hype

According to a Gallup consumer survey, Americans plan to spend $830 on gifts this year, 15 percent more than we spent in 2014, and more than any year since 2007. My snarly tone about holiday hype isn’t likely to change hearts, minds, or spending habits. Without snarling, then, my suggestion is to think before you spend, and to let your spending reflect your values. You appreciate small businesses? Shop with them. You care about black entrepreneurship? Look for black businesses. If you can’t find a bricks and mortar store, shop online. Why not use these last few weeks of the year to do some of the good we neglected to do earlier in the year? Why not show love, regard, respect through words and deeds, and not through stuff? Why feed the great consumer machine that exploits consumers. If there is shopping that should be done (and don’t get me wrong – I like to shop as much as the next person does) why not spend your dollars with black-owned businesses? Why not gift your friends (especially children and young adults) with great books. As you contemplate holiday giving, consider Maggie Anderson’s “Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest to Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy”. Anderson’s book is both sobering and empowering. Sobering – it was a chore to buy black because black folks don’t own things like gas stations. Julianne Malveaux

(from page 6) Trump campaign and the power that What I don’t understand is how any form of endorsement of Trump would help ensure this. Again, I suspect that this is also clear to you, too, which reiterates my original point of questioning your motives. In the interests of still honoring the office of pastor, I won’t go any further with that statement. But still, the fact that there was a large gathering of black pastors who came together and agreed that Trump is “misrepresented by the liberal media” is stunning. Getting any large group of heterogeneous people to coordinate their schedules and operate in agreement is no small task and requires effort. Yet you were able to pull this off. This is probably the part I find most disappointing as a social-justice advocate. Getting many influential community leaders together and organizing around a substantial cause has historically yielded positive change in our community. It is what helped birth such profound changes in the fight for civil rights, and it is the very thing that could help continue the progress of the Black Lives Matter movement. Pastors, could this same level of organization and agreement not have been more impactful if redirected to actually address how victims of police violence are always misrepresented by the conservative media? Or perhaps to even display a similar level of intolerance for injustice that the very Jesus you teach about often demonstrated? I ask these questions without honestly expecting a response; I don’t have the machine of the

provides. I am asking in hopes that it may plant a seed that will produce a shift in your thinking that will be reflected in your future actions. Maybe—and this is a big maybe—I will see all of you surround the families of those who were victims of police violence, and champion for them the way you did for Trump. But again, those families also lack the machine of the Trump campaign behind them. As I close, I sincerely hope that the rationale for such an emotional response, and the intent of this letter, were fully conveyed. More important, I hope that the suggestions noted above will be considered. And if my prayers are answered, maybe some of them will be applied. Finally, pastors, please remember that I did not write this from a position of an authority figure seeking to condemn you. I wrote this as a person with a genuine emotional connection to the black church and a keen understanding of the power it has within the community—a community that is often neglected by the candidate you publicly support. This community deserves better that that, and you deserve more than to be reduced to a silly political ploy. If nothing else, I hope that this letter reminds you of what I never forgot— which is how instrumental your leadership has been when it wasn’t for sale, and used only to advance our people, not a political agenda. Hubbard is a mom, writer, socialjustice advocate and Nas stan, and lover of a great twist-out and good books.


The LEGACY

8 • Dec. 9, 2015

Faith & Religion

Pastor pens verses on gun violence to the tune of hymns (RNS) Gun violence has reached a point in this country that the Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, who has written several hymns about it, can’t keep up. Before the massacre Dec. 2 in San Bernardino, Calif., before the Planned Parenthood clinic shootings in Colorado and before the recent attacks in Paris, Gillette reached for her writing pad after a rampage at an Oregon community college and jotted new verses on the ubiquity of gun violence. That hymn, “335,609 (I Cried to God),” speaks of the number of people who died in the U.S. from gun violence between 2000 and 2010. It was sung last month at a “United to Stop Gun Violence” event at Washington National Cathedral. The

fourth verse, sung to the tune of “Be Still, My Soul,” includes the phrase: “Give us the strength to make the killings cease.” Gillette lives near Wilmington, Del., a city dubbed “Murder Town USA” by Newsweek. She said she tries to provide “sung prayers” for a problem that seems difficult to solve while also spurring people to end gun violence. She compares her hymns to those, like “We Shall Overcome,” that jailed freedom riders sang for encouragement during the civil rights movement. “I’m hoping that I’m helping people find the words to sing, to find the courage to do what God wants them to do in this world, and that’s to work for a less violent world, a world where we have more justice and more

Arm yourselves against ‘Islamic terrorists’, Liberty U. president tells students Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Christian-based Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is encouraging students to carry concealed weapons on campus for protection, a local newspaper reported. Falwell made his remarks at the school’s weekly convocation on Friday night, according to The News & Advance in Lynchburg. The comments came two days after a shooting in San Bernardino, California left 14 people dead and in the wake of other shooting sprees in the United States, including some on college campuses. “It just blows my mind when I see that the president of the United States that the answer to circumstances like that is more gun control,” Falwell said, according to the newspaper. “I’ve always thought if more good people had concealed carry permits, then we could end

those Muslims before they walked in.” Later on Friday, Falwell clarified via Twitter that he was referring to Islamic terrorists, not all Muslims, the paper reported. Falwell, whose father Jerry Falwell Sr. was an evangelical Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative political commentator, urged students to take free classes offered by the university’s Police Department to obtain a concealed weapon permit, the newspaper reported. “Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here,” he said. Liberty University is a private institution with about 14,500 students taking courses on campus and another 95,000 enrolled online, according to the school’s website. Falwell also tweeted that he had received a wave of support for his comments.

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette peace.” Gillette, 54, who co-pastors a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation with her husband, has written more than 300 hymn texts and paired them with well-known melodies that have been sung from hymnals, sometimes for centuries. About half of them have a social justice theme and about half a dozen have focused on gun violence. Gillette, who was interviewed before the San Bernardino shooting, said she doesn’t write about every tragedy. But some of her writings timed to specific crises have helped people find words to lament on other occasions. “O God, Our Words Cannot Express,” which she wrote after the 9/11 attacks (using the tune “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”), was sung at a recent college chapel where students were wrestling with gun violence. Its first verse reads: “O God, our words cannot express/The pain we feel this day./Enraged, uncertain, we confess/Our need to bow and pray.” Though timed to U.S. events, her words have reached beyond the

country’s borders. “They Met to Read the Bible,” written days after nine people were fatally shot at Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, S.C., spread as far as St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa. That hymn, sung to the tune of “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” includes this third verse: “We grieve a wounded culture/ Where fear and terror thrive,/Where some hate others for their race/And guns are glorified./We grieve for sons and daughters lost,/For grandmas who are gone./O God, we cry with broken hearts: This can’t continue on!” Though mostly used in congregational settings, some have taken her hymns to the streets. In November, the Rev. Jim Atwood joined a group of about two dozen people for a monthly gun violence vigil outside a courthouse in Harrisonburg, Va., and sang the freshly written “335,609.” “As soon as I saw that hymn I thought, ‘We’ve got to sing that,’”

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as a child. Now, they are tools for moving people beyond the paralysis they may feel when they hear the latest bad news. Baylor University’s publication “Christian Reflection” has commissioned her to write for an upcoming issue titled “Patterns of Violence.” Even as she prepares new verses for Advent, she included gun violence amid lyrics on peace, joy, love and hope, because she believes words need to tie everyday issues to the faith of hymn singers. The second verse of “The Candle of Hope” (sung to “O Worship the King, All Glorious Above”) reads: “The candle of peace shines bright with God’s plan;/The wolf will lie down and dwell with the lamb./Our guns and our weapons, our hatred and war,/Will give way to gardens that heal and restore.” “Right now one of the big issues for us in this country, I think, is guns and weapons and violence,” she said. “I think hymns shouldn’t just be sort of lofty otherworldly kinds of things. They should help us relate, basically, to the events of this world and our daily lives.”

said Atwood, one of about 2,000 people who get regular email updates about her hymns. Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregation in Vallejo, Calif., sang Gillette’s “We Pray for Youth We Dearly Love” outside their church in May in response to the unrest in Baltimore after Freddie Gray, an unarmed black man, died in police custody. The verse, to the tune of “Though I May Speak,” was written in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen, in Florida. “By writing timely words to well-known tunes, Pastor Carolyn gives voice to feelings people have trouble expressing,” said the Rev. Pamela Griffith Pond, whose Vallejo congregation will sing one of Gillette’s new Advent hymns on Sunday. “Her music helps people understand their grief, their anger, their sorrow and also their joy in light of their faith.” Gillette recalls learning hymns

THE STATE BALLET OF VIRGINIA ARTISTIC DIRECTOR STONER WINSLETT

(from page 1) Islam that are incompatible with pressed tech companies to work with law enforcement to make it harder for extremists by restricting the public’s access to encrypted communications that might defy surveillance. Obama also pressed Muslims in America and around the world to “decisively and unequivocally” confront the kind of extremism in their midst that has fueled the rise of the so-called Islamic State. “An extremist ideology has spread within some Muslim communities. That’s a real problem that Muslims must confront without excuse,” Obama said in just his third such message from his inner sanctum in the West Wing. “Muslim leaders here and around the globe have to continue working with us to decisively and unequivocally reject the hateful ideology that groups like ISIL and al-Qaida promote — to speak out against not just acts of violence, but also those interpretations of

the values of religious tolerance, mutual respect and human dignity,” he said. Sen. Kaine, a fellow Democrat, said the president laid out a “comprehensive strategy” for defeating ISIL and unequivocally called on Congress to finally vote to authorize the use of military force against the terrorist group. “The president stated that such a measure would demonstrate that the American people are united and committed to this fight. “More than 3,500 American troops are serving in the battle against ISIL far from home. American troops, hostages and civilians have now been killed in this war. The national legislatures of Germany, England, France and Russia have stepped up to debate and vote on military action to counter this threat. Congress should now do the same in order to show our allies and our troops that we are unified in resolve against ISIL.”

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10 • Dec. 9, 2015

The LEGACY

‘Creed’ revives ‘Rocky’ movie franchise Kam Williams NNPA - When most people think of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), what automatically comes to mind is the iconic image of a gutsy underdog easy to root for who held his own in the boxing ring against a variety of imposing adversaries. Each installment of the series has basically revolved around the hype leading to a riveting championship bout between a veritable David and Goliath. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Creed is a worthy spin-off which not only pays homage to that tried-andtrue formula but also represents a bit of departure for the beloved franchise. What’s new is the fact that this film devotes as much attention to character development as to ratcheting up the tension surrounding the fateful showdown. The picture reunites Coogler with Michael B. Jordan, the star of his directorial debut, the criticallyacclaimed “Frutivale Station.” Here, Jordan plays, Adonis Johnson, a juvenile delinquent who’s had his share of scrapes with the law, thanks to a quick temper and a tendency to settle differences with a pair of unusually powerful fists. Just past the point of departure, the hot-headed orphan is informed by Apollo Creed’s (Carl Weathers) widow (Phylicia Rashad) that he is the illegitimate son of Rocky’s original archenemy. That at least explains the inclination to fight that’s ostensibly been baked into his DNA. Fast-forward a few years, when Adonis has learned to channel his anger and explosive might via boxing. Over the objections of his adoptive mom (Mrs. Creed) he decides to follow in his father’s footsteps. So, he moves from L.A. to Philly where he finds Rocky running a restaurant called Adrian’s. Adonis prevails upon the ex-champ to serve as his trainer. Rocky agrees on the condition the kid changes his surname to Creed, and the next thing you know the kid rises in the ranks to #1 contender and luckily lands a title fight with Pretty Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellow).

Michael B. Jordan stars in ‘Creed.’ Meanwhile, Adonis falls in love with his next-door neighbor, Bianca (Tessa Thompson), an aspiring hiphop artist on the verge of making it in her own right. Away from the gym,

he spends some quality time with Rocky, too, offering a little heartfelt, if unsolicited advice that just might save his aging mentor’s life. “Rocky” and the next Roman

numeral might not be in the title, but this engaging and faithful seventh episode includes all the fixins to amount to a highly-recommended spin-off of the storied franchise.


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Dec. 9, 2015 • 11

President lights Christmas tree, appeals for brotherhood

Ask Alma My unmarried daughter is pregnant Dear Alma, I am crushed and ashamed that my daughter is pregnant. My young, unmarried, “from a Christian home” daughter is pregnant. This is just the worst thing that could have happened. Her father died when she was young, and I feel like this is all my fault. I sent her to visit family for the summer and she came back pregnant. How can I ever show my face in church again? Darlena C. Tulsa, Oklahoma ‘Sister Mary Magdalene’, I’m not sure what church you attend, but you need to find one with some scared-kneed folks. Sure, this is a bad situation, but let’s put things into their proper perspective: First, why is it that mothers feel so totally guilty when our young, unwed daughters get pregnant? Are we simply embarrassed, or are we pained by the future that lies ahead for them – a future we view through the prism of our own failed life choices and experiences? Mother to mother, you do need to ring your daughter’s bell one good time – with words, of course, nothing demeaning or physical. Lay it all out. Let her know that you are disappointed. You’ve got to or you’ll release that negative energy in another direction. Be clear that disappointment does not mean you won’t support her. Reassure your daughter that you love her unconditionally. Don’t forget to give

her a hug. You’ve got to make a decision right here, right now, to support your daughter and lay down the future rules of engagement. For example, she will be a mother! Not the baby mama, baby friend or comother to grandmama’s baby. You hear me? This is not your baby. As for your church family, rise above the whispers of your “wedon’t-sin” Christian friends (and you stop doing it, too, in case you were a part of that group). Find some “here-comes-trouble” Biblereading sisters and brothers. You know what they say – trouble don’t last always, but “him and his boys” are always waiting for you, just around the corner. After you make your way through these muddy waters, the baby will be born healthy and as cute as ever. You’ll look down into those beautiful brown eyes and see the faces of your loved ones who have gone on to glory. You’ll also see that expression – Grandma, you got me, right? Get ready to love your grand like no other. Don’t be embarrassed. We all have neck bones in our closets. It’s just that some of us have gone vegetarian and forgot when we use to eat meat. ***** Want advice? E-mail questions to alwaysaskalma@yahoo.com.Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma *****

President Barack Obama jumpstarted the holiday season Thursday, lighting the National Christmas Tree but also appealing to Americans to “come together as brothers and sisters” one day after 14 people were shot to death in Southern California. “This is of course the most wonderful time of the year, but we would be remiss not to take a moment to remember our fellow Americans whose hearts are heavy tonight, who grieve for loved ones, especially in San Bernardino, California,” Obama said. “Their loss is our loss, too. We’re all one American family,” he added. Moments earlier, the president, his wife, Michelle, daughters Malia

and Sasha, and his mother-inlaw, Marian Robinson, together flipped a switch and illuminated the Christmas tree near the White House. The festive ceremony was held under somber circumstances following the previous day’s events in California. As a backdrop to the ceremony, the U.S. flag flew at half-staff atop the White House, on Obama’s orders, in remembrance of the victims. Obama closed the ceremony by taking over the microphone to help Santa Claus belt out “Jingle Bells.” Actress Reese Witherspoon served as host. Musicians Crosby, Stills and Nash, Aloe Blacc, Kelsea Ballerini and Fall Out Boy also performed.


12 • Dec. 9, 2015

The LEGACY

Vet killed in Planned Parenthood attack remembered as hero at memorial JESSE PAUL COLORADO SPRINGS — Leyonte Chandler was in denial. Minutes after a gunman opened fire at a Planned Parenthood branch in Colorado Springs last week, Chandler began frantically racing to hospitals hoping someone could tell him his brother was still alive. Then homicide detectives called: Ke’Arre Stewart, the 29-year-old Iraq war veteran and married father of two, was dead. Stewart hadn’t even made it to an emergency room. “It was surreal,” Chandler recounted last week at a viewing for his brother. “It was like a movie. I was racing in and out of traffic with my hazard lights on, going from hospital to hospital trying to find out what was going on. I’m the man in the family now. H’e’s gone.”

Sharon Lloyd, mother of Ke’Arre Stewart, hugs Ashley Stewart, wife of Ke’Arre Stewart, while in front of his casket during a visitation on Dec. 3 in Colorado Springs. Ke’Arre Stewart Leyonte Chandler wipes away tears while talking about his brother, Ke'Arre Stewart, during a visitation at Angelus Chapel on Dec. 3, 2015 in Colorado Springs. Stewart was one of the three people killed during the shooting that took place at the Planned Parenthood clinic on Nov. 27, 2015. Stewart, a 10-year veteran of the Army, leaves behind a wife, two children, a mother and a brother. PHOTO: Brent Lewis

Dozens gathered at a funeral home to pay tribute to Stewart and remember the 29-year-old’s life. Tearful mourners made their way one-by-one to his casket, draped in an American flag, to pay their last respects and whisper messages of farewell. “That was my big brother,” Chandler said. “I don’t have that anymore.” Several people were overcome

with emotion as they stepped before Stewart's casket, their wails echoing in the small chapel as they rushed out in tears. “He was a hero to me already, and now the community knows that he is a hero,” said Stewart’s mother, Sharon Lloyd. Family members say they were told by witnesses Stewart was shot outside of the Planned Parenthood clinic and then ran into the building

seeking cover and warning others to do the same. That valor, they say, was just part of his character. “I don’t want to believe it,” Stewart’s wife, Ashley, said as her eyes hung low. “It’s hard. I keep telling myself I’m going to wake up, but ...” She let the room’s silence finish her phrase. Stewart served in the military for almost a decade and was awarded several decorations. He was discharged in 2013 after last being stationed at Fort Carson, military records show. Stewart’s family was initially

worried when he joined the Army in the heat of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last week, they struggled to find words to understand the irony of his surviving battle in Iraq only to come home and be killed in a normally quiet city. Pictures of Stewart in the military, as well as with his daughters and friends, were displayed above the brown coffin. Several retired soldiers came to pay their respects. Rosalinda Sanchez worked under Stewart last year at a call center in Colorado Springs. She said he was a great supervisor who always was there to listen, generous and amiable to his staff. “He was soft-spoken,” she said. Sharon James didn’t know Stewart, but she came to pay her respects and honor his life. “He was a hero,” said James. “He was a soldier who protected this country. It’s just getting too close to home,” she said of mass shootings. The service is the only public remembrance of Stewart in Colorado. The former Army private was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Waco, Texas, his hometown. Officer Garret Swasey and 35-yearold mother Jennifer Markovsky were also killed in the Nov. 27 attack. The two were remembered at services on Friday and Saturday in Colorado Springs. Nine others, include five officers, also were wounded. At the Planned Parenthood clinic where the shootings unfolded on Nov. 27, a few investigators remained at the scene last week. A makeshift memorial for the attack’s victims lay on the perimeter hugging the sidewalk as life in the surrounding shopping center returned to normal. Lloyd said when she last talked to Stewart, her son was craving her famous beans and cornbread. If she could tell him one thing, it would be that she’s ready for him at her table. “I would definitely tell him, ‘I got that bowl waiting on you, honey,’” Lloyd said. “‘Mama be right here waiting on you.’”


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Dec. 9, 2015 • 13

Senate passes eugenics bill to protect recipients’ federal benefits STAFF & WIRE A bipartisan bill aimed at shielding living eugenics victims from being unduly locked out of federal benefits passed the U.S. Senate last week with unanimous support and is now in the hands of a U.S. House committee. The Treatment of Certain Payments in Eugenics Compensation Act would protect eugenics victims who receive compensation payments from having those payments disqualify them from receiving federal benefits or reduce the benefits for which they may be eligible. Under the bill, compensation payments would not affect such benefits as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, Supplemental Security Income and SSI-Disabled. The Senate bill has been sent to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. U.S. senators, Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA), said that without this legislation, many eugenics victims who receive compensation payments from states, including Virginia and North Carolina, could see their federal benefits reduced or even have their eligibility eliminated. Its consideration is now up to the committee’s chairman, U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican. In July, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-10th, and U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-1st, introduced a companion bill. McHenry is working with Chaffetz to advance the bill. In 2002, then-Virginia Gov. Warner formally apologized for Virginia’s decision to forcibly sterilize nearly 7,500 Virginians between 1924 and 1979. His apology was the first by the governor of any of the more than 30 states that conducted eugenics sterilizations on a combined 60,000 citizens. Gov. Warner’s act coincided with the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Buck

imbecility, &c…” for the greater welfare of society did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law. As a result of this ruling, sterilization rates increased and the categories of people that qualified for sterilization were gradually broadened to include criminals. It is estimated that between 7,200 and 8,300 people were sterilized in Virginia from 1927-1979. In most cases, the individuals were “patients” at state mental institutions who were sent there because of alleged mental illness, physical deformity, “feeblemindedness,” or simply because they were homeless. Twenty-two percent of the individuals sterilized were African Americans (about equal to the population in the state at the time) and two-thirds were women.

Many of those sterilized were not even told they were being sterilized, but instead given some other explanation for their operation. “Largely unnoticed, forced sterilizations and state-run eugenics programs represent one of the darkest episodes of human rights violations and injustices of our country’s past,” said Sen. Kaine. “Today, I am pleased to see the Senate take a major step to right this historical wrong by passing the bipartisan Treatment of Certain Payments in Eugenics Compensation Act. “This bill excludes payments from state eugenics compensation programs from consideration in determining federal benefits. I’m glad that Virginia has begun the process of compensating victims, but there is still more we must do.”

Va. highway marker on eugenics v. Bell decision upholding Virginia’s eugenics sterilization law. Earlier this year, Virginia became the second state to pass legislation compensating the victims of a staterun eugenics program. Virginia will award $25,000 to each individual who was involuntarily sterilized and was still alive as of February 1, 2015. “This shameful period in Virginia’s history is thankfully in the past, but there are still living victims who are suffering from its dark legacy,” said Sen. Warner. “Receiving just compensation for this horrible injustice should not unintentionally prevent victims from receiving federal assistance they’re entitled to. I’m pleased that this bill has passed the Senate and encourage the House to right this wrong by doing the same.” The eugenics movement was the forced sterilization of those deemed to be unworthy or unfit to procreate. It sought to protect the “purity of the American Race”. Virginia’s Eugenical Sterilization Act of 1924 became the model for the nation after it survived constitutional review by the U.S. Supreme Court in Buck v. Bell (1927). The high court ruled that the state’s law allowing forced sterilization of “any patient afflicted with hereditary forms of insanity,

Main Street (Route 5) Bridge Replacement over Railroad City of Richmond Citizen Information Meeting

Thursday, December 10, 2015, 5–7 p.m. Chimborazo Elementary School 3000 E. Marshall Street Richmond, VA 23223 Come see and hear about plans to replace the Main St. (Rt. 5) bridge over the Norfolk Southern railroad. The road will be closed and a detour will be in place during construction. Give your written comments at the meeting or submit them no later than December 20, 2015 to Joe Fecek, P.E., Virginia Department of Transportation, 2430 Pine Forest Drive, Colonial Heights, VA 238349002 or Joe.Fecek@VDOT.Virginia.gov. VDOT ensures nondiscrimination and equal employment in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If you need more information in regards to your civil rights on this project or special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact the project manager at the telephone number listed above. * In the event of inclement weather on December 10, this meeting will be held December 17 at the same time and location above. State Project: 0005-127-957,P101, B630, C501, R201


14 • Dec. 9, 2015

The LEGACY

Panel recommends changes to Va. health care regulations ERIC BOEHM If lawmakers in Virginia are going to reform state regulations that limit health care choices and stifle competition, they now have a playbook for how to do it. After more than six months of work, a special review panel appointed by the Virginia General Assembly published its final report on the state’s Certificate of Public Need law. In the final report, the COPN Working Group identified several problematic areas where the state’s COPN law is poorly defined or applied, and they called for streamlining of the licensing process along with increased public transparency. “While health care has changed dramatically in the last two decades, the COPN program, though serving a purpose in terms of the establishment and siting of hospitals and services, has remained largely unchanged,” the group concluded, saying the state Legislature and state Department of Health and Human Resources should make changes to “improve access to healthcare services while establishing strong guidelines for indigent care.” The group included members of the state Department of Health and representatives from different aspects of the health care industry, including hospitals, insurers and nonprofits. The COPN Working Group was created by the Legislature, which is considering reforms to the COPN law. The law authorizes the state Board of Health to exercise broad powers within the health care market that affect costs, access to care and competition between health care providers. But that law is the subject of a federal court case and has come under scrutiny from federal agencies. In a 94-page report, the group issued a call for changes to keep up with the pace of innovation in the

Left: William A. Hazel, Jr., M.D., VA Secretary of Health and Human Resources. Critics of Virginia’s COPN law say it gives existing health care providers powerful control over the state’s health care market, allowing them to exclude competition as a mechanism to protect established providers from competition and to ensure higher prices. health care industry. Amazingly, the group found the COPN law does not have any clear “statement of purpose” that outlines what the law is supposed to do. The working group said the Legislature should fix that as soon as possible to give the state Department of Health a clearer understanding how to use the COPN law. The group also made a series of recommendations intended to streamline the application process for health care providers seeking a COPN license, to better analyze the usefulness of requiring such licenses for various health care services and to increase transparency within the application process. “During the workgroup’s deliberations, there was considerable discussion and a general consensus that VDH needed to do a much better job in making COPN information readily available to the public,” the report reads. Critics of the COPN law say it unnecessarily restricts what services health care providers can offer as a mechanism to protect established

providers from competition and to ensure higher prices. The Virginia Department of Health maintains the COPN law exists to contain health care costs and ensure access to care. But data suggests Virginians do not have the same access to care as residents of states with less-restrictive regulations. A study by the Mercatus Center, a free market think tank based in Virginia, found there are 131 fewer hospital beds per 100,000 people in Virginia compared to the rest of the United States. Virginia may also offer fewer advanced health care services, including 41 fewer hospitals offering MRI services, and 58 fewer hospitals offering CT scans. The COPN law in Virginia is facing scrutiny on multiple fronts. As lawmakers consider the recommendations made by the COPN Working Group, a federal appeals court in Richmond is preparing to hear oral arguments in a case that challenges the law’s validity. The group’s final report comes at a time when Virgina’s COPN law is

facing scrutiny from several angles. A federal appeals court in Richmond is planning to hear oral arguments next week in a case challenging the law’s legitimacy. At the same time, federal agencies are applying pressure to states like Virginia who use Certificate of Need laws (that’s the more general name, though Virginia uses a different term) to regulate health care markets. In October, the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice issued a joint statement outlining several problems with CON laws in general and with Virginia’s COPN law specifically. The laws were enacted as part of an effort to reduce health care costs and improve access to care, the federal agencies reported. “However, it is now apparent that CON laws can prevent the efficient functioning of health care markets in several ways that may undermine those goals,” they wrote. “CON laws create barriers to entry and expansion, limit consumer choice and stifle innovation.” © Va. Watchdog


Dec. 9, 2015 • 15

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Students of defunct forprofit college to receive $28 million in loan forgiveness Beginning this month, the Obama administration will forgive nearly $28 million in federal student loans for 1,312 former Corinthian Colleges students who say the defunct forprofit chain violated their rights. The move marks the first major step the Education Department has taken in resolving thousands of defense-to-repayment claims, a petition for the government to discharge federal loans on the grounds that a school used illegal or deceptive tactics in violation of state law to persuade students to borrow. Advocates say the department is still taking too long to approve claims, while some policymakers worry that the government is on a path to losing billions of dollars in taxpayer money. On Thursday, the independent monitor appointed to oversee the process, Joseph A. Smith, said his team focused on claims from people who attended Corinthian’s Heald Colleges, the heart of a $30 million fine the department levied against the company in April for falsifying job rates. The established evidence in Heald case made it easier to grant relief to Heald students, Smith The monitor reviewed 1,670 claims from Heald students, 358 of which remain under consideration. Notices will go out to people who have been

relief and say it is taking too long for the government to clear the debts of former students of a chain toppled by evidence of pervasive fraud. “The department funneled billions of dollars to executives and shareholders of these fraudulent schools for over a decade. It now approved starting Friday. Within 120 wants to save face by creating a days, they will receive confirmation Rube Goldberg-type contraption to from the department that their prevent as many people as possible loans have been forgiven, and credit from seeking the relief they deserve,” reporting agencies will update their the Debt Collective, reports to reflect the group of former Corinthian Colleges aCorinthian discharge. students Anyone granted a shut down its who have fought discharge will not to have their loans ground campuses have to pay federal after the Education cancelled, said in a income taxes on Department said it statement. the money or need Education to file additional was fining the for- Undersecretary Ted forms declaring the Mitchell has said the profit institution amount forgiven, the department does not $30 million for Treasury Department the authority to misrepresentation. have said Thursday. grant blanket relief Senate Democrats, but is investigating including Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), whether inflated job placement Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Richard rates were prevalent throughout Blumenthal (Conn.), advocated for Corinthian. the department to relax the tax rules “We will continue to provide for students harmed by Corinthian. forgiveness to every student who has While Durbin and Blumenthal been similarly mistreated,” Mitchell praised the Treasury and Education said in a statement on Thursday. departments for taking action Evidence of widespread distortion to provide Heald students relief, of job placement rates has emerged they said in a statement that the at Corinthian’s Everest and Wyotech Education Department needs to schools, as the result of a joint “step up the pace and scope of its investigation between the Education Corinthian debt relief efforts to give Department and California Attorney those students the relief they deserve General Kamala Harris. Last month, under the law now.” they said about 85,000 students Liberal lawmakers and advocacy from those schools could have a groups are demanding collective debt

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better chance of having their claims approved, which Smith confirmed in his latest report. California’s top prosecutor found Corinthian marketing material that said the school set its sights on “isolated, impatient people with low self-esteem and few people in their lives who care about them, and who are stuck and unable to see and plan well for their future.” The for-profit targeted single mothers, veterans and low-income people with promises of jobs that it failed to deliver. In the past several months, the department has been inundated with claims from Corinthian students. Charges that the company lied about the success of its programs ultimately led to the loss of its access to federal funding and its bankruptcy. The collapse left students unsure of what to do with their debt or even where to complete their education. Under pressure from advocacy groups and lawmakers, the administration said in June that anyone who had attended a Corinthian school as of June 20, 2014, could apply for what’s known as a closed-school discharge of their federal loans. All other students were invited to file a claim if they could prove they were defrauded by their colleges.

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16 • Dec. 9, 2015

The LEGACY

Calendar

12.10, 12:30 p.m.

This is a date designated by the United Nations as Human Rights Day and five people with special ties to Richmond history will hold a press conference in Richmond at the site of Lumpkin’s Jail to press the case for a nine-acre Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park. The confirmed speakers are: Pamela Bingham – Descendant of Richmond’s slave-rebellion leader Gabriel Ana Edwards – Chair, Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project Elizabeth Cann Kambourian – Richmond Historian who rediscovered the existence of the African Burial Ground and has identified nearly 100 sites related to the Shockoe Bottom slave trade John Mitchell – Grandson of John Mitchell Jr., the “Fighting Editor” of the Richmond Planet newspaper Vera J. Williams – Descendant of Solomon Northup, author of “12 Years a Slave” ​ For more information, contact DefendersFJE@hotmail.com or call 804-644-5834.

12.10, 7 p.m.

The 25th Annual Holiday Memorial for Survivors of Homicide wil be held at Richmond City Hall, 900 E. Broad St.. The keynote speaker will be Mayor Dwight Jones. The public is invited to attend and offer support for survivors of homicide during the holiday season in memory of loved ones. The event is sponsor by The Coalition Against Violence and Richmond Victim Witness Services. Office of the Commonwealth Attorney founded by Linda Jordan.

12.11, 7.p.m

Hedges and ByWays of Life Ministry will host a Friends and Family “Christmas with Praise” event at Mt. Tabor Baptist Church, 2011 Fairmount Ave., Richmond. The event will include local guest artists gospel singer, Rev. Phillip Knight; and Mt. Tabor soloist, Renee Bolden. Featured praise dancers include DaVonda and Leah Thomas, Eternal Praise and Royalty Dance Company.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

12.11, 7 p.m.

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Change of Service fee will apply if you cancel the Protection Plan during the first 6 months. DIGITAL HOME ADVANTAGE: EQUIPMENT: All equipment remains the property of DISH at all times and must be returned to DISH within thirty days of account deactivation or you will be charged an unreturned equipment fee ranging from $100 to $400 per receiver. Lease Upgrade fees are not deposits and are non-refundable. Maximum of 6 leased receivers (supporting up to 6 total TVs) per account. You will be charged a monthly equipment rental fee for each receiver beyond the first, based on model of receiver. WHOLE-HOME HD DVR: Monthly fees: Hopper, $12; Joey, $7, Super Joey, $10; second Hopper, $12. First Hopper HD DVR receiver and up to 3 Joey receivers available for a one-time $199 Upgrade fee. $199 Upgrade fee waived at time of service activation with subscription to America’s Top 120 and above or DishLATINO Plus and above. A second Hopper HD DVR receiver is available for a one-time Upgrade fee: $49 for a Hopper, $99 for a Hopper with Sling. With a second Hopper HD DVR receiver, one additional Joey receiver is available for a one-time $99 Upgrade fee. Hopper and Joey receivers cannot be combined with any other receiver models or types. PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop features must be enabled by customer and are subject to availability. With PrimeTime Anytime record ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC plus two channels. With addition of Super Joey record two additional channels. AutoHop feature is available at varying times, starting the day after airing, for select primetime shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC recorded with PrimeTime Anytime. Recording capacity varies; 2000 hours based on SD programming. Equipment comparison based on equipment available from major TV providers as of 12/01/14. Watching live and recorded TV anywhere requires an Internet-connected, Sling-enabled DVR and compatible mobile device. On Demand availability varies based on your programming subscription. Requires Android OS 4.0 or higher to watch on an Android device and iOS 7.0 or higher to watch on iPhone or iPad. Select DVR recordings cannot be transferred. ALL OTHER RECEIVER MODELS: Lease Upgrade fee(s) will apply for select receivers, based on model and number of receivers. Monthly DVR and receiver fees may apply. Digital Home Advantage offer is available from DISH and participating retailers for new and qualified former DISH residential customers in the continental United States. You must provide your Social Security Number and a valid major credit card. Participating retailers may require additional terms and conditions. The first month of DISH service must be paid at time of activation. Number of channels may decline. Local and state sales taxes and state reimbursement charges may apply. Where applicable, monthly equipment rental fees and programming are taxed separately. Standard Professional Installation includes typical installation of one single-dish antenna configuration, typical hook-up of an eligible receiver configuration and equipment testing. More complex installations may require additional fees; other installation restrictions apply. Prices valid at time of activation only; additional fees will apply to upgrade after installation. Any unreturned equipment fees will automatically be charged to your DISH account or credit or debit card provided to DISH. DISH shall determine eligibility for this offer in its sole and absolute discretion. Programming and other services provided are subject to the terms and conditions of the Digital Home Advantage Customer Agreement and Residential Customer Agreement, available at www.dish.com or upon request. Blackout and other restrictions apply to sports programming. All service marks and trademarks belong to their respective owners. ©2015 DISH Network L.L.C. All rights reserved. HBO®, Cinemax® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. HBO On Demand® and Cinemax On Demand® require compatible HD DVR receiver model. HBO GO® and MAX GO® are only accessible in the US and certain US territories where a high-speed connection is available. Minimum connection of 3 Mbps required for HD viewing on laptop. Minimum 3G connection is required for viewing on mobile devices. Some restrictions may apply. SHOWTIME and related marks are registered trademarks of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS Company. STARZ and related channels and service marks are property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. ESPN GamePlan, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, ESPN Full Court and MLS Direct Kick automatically continue at a special renewal rate each year provided DISH carries this service, unless you call to cancel prior to the start of the season. ESPN GamePlan, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, ESPN Full Court and MLS Direct Kick are nonrefundable, nonproratable and nontransferable once the season begins. NHL, the NHL Shield and Center Ice name and logo are registered trademarks and The Game Lives Where You Do is a trademark of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2015. All Rights Reserved. NBA, the NBA logo and team identifications are the exclusive property of NBA Properties, Inc. © 2015. All rights reserved. © 2015 NFL Enterprises LLC. NFL and the NFL Shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League. MLS Direct Kick is a trademark of MLS. Sling is a registered trademark of Sling Media, Inc. All new customers are subject to a one-time processing fee.

Submit your calendar events to calendar@legacynewspaper.com. Include contact infomation that can be published.

Chesterfield County Public Library will host writer D. Randall Blythe, more popularly known as the lead singer of the rock band Lamb of God. The lyricist will talk about his recently published memoir as part of the library’s author visit series. The memoir called “Dark Days”, documents Blythe’s recent experience in a nineteenth century prison in the Czech Republic after being arrested for manslaughter. He was incarcerated for over a month in a cell with individuals who spoke little English. Blythe will share his journey-from arrest to acquittal-- at the Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield. Copies of the book will be available for sale and a book signing following the program. Members of the Friends of the Chesterfield County Public Library will get priority seating at the event and will be invited to a preevent reception and book signing. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 804-751-CCPL or visit library.chesterfield.gov.

Ongoing

Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health is offering the FAMILIES Program, a free, federally grant funded program to provide counseling support to caregivers of persons with dementia. To determine if you are eligible for this program or to learn more, call Riverside Senior Care Navigation at 757-856-7030. HOUR: MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The program is currently available to residents of James City County, York County, Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, Williamsburg, Gloucester and Mathews.

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Dec. 9, 2015 • 17

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

Black Americans face new Double V campaign against terrorism at home & abroad TEWIRE -- With pervasive protests against police killings of AfricanAmericans; plus a heightened alert of possible terrorism from abroad, Black America currently faces a situation reminiscent of the historic Double V campaign, led by black newspapers in the 1940s, some justice advocates believe. “We see, not only historical parallels, but we see a historical imperative that we become even more outspoken,” said Dr. Ben Chavis, president/CEO of the National

Newspaper Publishers Association, the Black Press of America. “And similar to the Double V movement of the past, we not only have to claim victory abroad, but victory at home. Victory at home means we must end the terrorism on black America. In order to have an affective foreign policy, it must emanate out of our domestic policy. And so, as we end domestic terrorism, we will be stronger to end global terrorism.” In a nutshell, the Double V campaign, primarily led by the

Pittsburgh Courier during World War II in early 1942, referred to black American participation in fighting for Victory against totalitarianism abroad while also fighting for Victory against racism at home. The campaign is widely credited by historians as being the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. Wade Henderson, president/CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, agrees that AfricanAmericans are fighting a dual battle akin to the historic campaign. “Black Americans are deeply concerned about ISIL and the possibilities of terrorism both at home and abroad,” he said. “But, at the same time we’re also concerned about the increase in police killings of black men and the apparent increase in efforts by white supremacist groups to challenge African-American protestors...I think the comparison has some legitimacy. Obviously, like all Americans, we are concerned about terrorism both abroad and at home and we support the president’s efforts to address it.” President Barack Obama has urged Americans to remain vigilant in the wake of threats by ISIS and other terrorist groups. "Right now, we know of no specific and credible intelligence indicating a plot on the homeland,” Obama said, promising that he is “taking every possible step to keep our homeland safe.” The statement, intended to comfort Americans, came two weeks after ISIS claimed responsibility for the deaths of 130 people in a series of terrorist attacks in Paris and released videotaped threats on New York and Washington, D.C. On the day before Thanksgiving, Obama encouraged Chicago protesters to remain peaceful following the video release of the police killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. McDonald was shot 16 times by Officer Jason Van Dyke

as the teenager walked away from police officers, holding what appeared to be only a pocket knife Oct. 20, 2014. Dyke, who had 18 previous complaints against him, has been charged with first-degree murder, but only after a court ordered the release of the video, which President Obama described as “deeply disturbing”. The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. whose Rainbow/PUSH Coalition is based in Chicago, has called for the resignations of Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez in the handling of the McDonald shooting. In an interview, Jackson said another prong to the fight for justice by African-Americans is the fight for urban reconstruction; especially in high crime areas – those areas largely plagued by police shootings and street violence. “In all of these cities, there are disparities in jobs, access to capital, health care, education and housing," Jackson said. “Urban blacks must be a part of a plan for reconstruction. In Baltimore, Chicago, nor St. Louis, there is no plan for reconstruction.” Chavis applauded the thousands of youth who have taken to the streets in leadership against injustices by police over the past several years. He said as the 2016 elections come closer, that level of activism must be escalated. “It appears that the issues that impact the quality of life of AfricanAmericans are not on the front priority agendas of those seeking to be the next president of the United States,” he said. “And I think that we cannot afford to be bystanders of the upcoming national election. We are probably going to need the largest voter turnout in our history to ensure that the country does not go backwards, but go forwards; not only on race relations, but on the issues of inclusion, on the issues of equal justice – not just equal political justice – but equal economic justice.” Reflecting on the Double V campaign, Chavis concluded, “I find great reassurance as we study our past. We’ve had these difficulties before in our communities. And our fore parents rose to the occasion at every moment. And I am thankful that the Black Lives Matter Movement appears also to be regenerating some of the forceful audacity that’s necessary to challenge the contemporary forms of racial inequity and racial injustice that African-Americans have to endure.”


18 • Dec. 9, 2015

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Dec. 9, 2015 • 19

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com ANNOUNCEMENTS DRPT FY17 PUBLIC NOTICE - The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is accepting applications for transit, rail and transportation demand management (TDM) grants for the 2017 fiscal year. The state’s annual grant application period is open from December 1, 2015, through February 1, 2016. Transit and TDM funds are available through multiple state and federal funding sources to support transit service, human service transportation, senior transportation, ridesharing and TDM programs in Virginia. Eligible project categories include capital purchases, administrative and operating costs, technical assistance, demonstration grants and TDM/ridesharing program costs. Funds are available for passenger and freight rail initiatives through the Rail Enhancement, Rail Preservation, and Intercity Passenger Rail Operating and Capital programs. In addition, funding to provide access to freight rail shipping for Virginia businesses is available year round through the Rail Industrial Access program. Complete details on eligibility and the application procedures for DRPT grant programs are available online. To learn more about transit, rail and transportation demand management funding administered by DRPT, visit www.drpt.virginia.gov. Applications can be filled out online at https://olga.drpt. virginia.gov/. DRPT has also revised State Management Plans (SMP’s) for the federal Section 5310, 5311, 5316, and 5317 grant programs, awarded to Virginia by the Federal Transit Administration. Draft plans can be found at: www.drpt.virginia.gov/.

DRPT is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For additional information on DRPT’s nondiscrimination policies and procedures or to file a complaint, please visit the website at www.drpt.virginia. gov or contact the Title VI Compliance Officer, Linda J. Balderson, (804) 786-4440, or 600 E. Main Street, Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219.

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156-1204 HAMPTON SOLICITATION The Director of Finance or his designated representative will accept written responses in the Procurement Office 1 Franklin Street, 3rd floor, suite 345 Hampton, VA on behalf of the Entity (ies) listed below until the date(s) and local time(s) specified. HAMPTON CITY Tuesday, January 5, 2016 2:00 p.m. ET – RFQ 16-46/DM The City of Hampton is seeking qualifications from qualified offerors to provide Historic Downtown Hampton Courthouse Reuse Feasibility Study. Wednesday, January 13, 2016 2:30 p.m. ET – ITB 16-48/E Rehabilitation/Repairs to the Roof of the Hampton’s Golf Clubhouse. A Mandatory Pre-bid Meeting will be held Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. local time, 320 Butler’s Farm Road, Hampton, VA. 3:00 p.m. ET – ITB 16-49/E Replace Chiller at Hampton’s Main Public Library. A Mandatory Pre-bid Meeting will be held Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. local time, 4207 Victoria Blvd, Hampton, VA 23669. Wednesday, January 27, 2015 2:00 p.m. ET – RFP 16-45/DM Development and Administration of the Public Safety Promotional Process. HAMPTON CITY SCHOOLS Monday, December 28, 2015 3:00 p.m. ET – RFP 16-356253/DM Insurance Services For additional information, see our web page at http://www.hampton.gov/bids-contracts A withdrawal of bid due to error shall be in accordance with Section 2.2-4330 of the Code of Virginia. All forms relating to these solicitations may be obtained from the above listed address or for further information call; (757) 727-2200. The right is reserved to reject any and all responses, to make awards in whole or in part, and to waive any informality in submittals. Minority and Woman-Owned Businesses are encouraged to participate.

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GUARANTEED This holiday season, give a gift that brings people together... send world-famous, exquisitely tender Omaha Steaks® Filet Mignons, Top Sirloins and more. Aged to perfection and flash-frozen at the peak of flavor, Omaha Steaks are 100% guaranteed and delivered to their door. You’ll save 76% when you send the Happy Family Celebration.

Happy Family Celebration 2 (5 oz.) Filet Mignons 2 (5 oz.) Top Sirloins 2 (4 oz.) Boneless Pork Chops 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts (1 lb. pkg.) 4 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers 4 (3 oz.) Gourmet Jumbo Franks 16 oz. pkg. Omaha Steakhouse® Fries 4 Caramel Apple Tartlets Omaha Steaks Seasoning Packet

$ Reg. $209.91 | Now Only 47222VMD

49

99

Limit 2 pkgs. at this price. Your 4 free burgers will be sent to each shipping address that includes the Happy Family Celebration 47222. Limit of 1 free box of 4 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers per shipment. Standard S&H will be added per address. Not valid with other offers. Expires 12/31/15.

PLUS, 4 more

Burgers

FREE! ©2015 OCG | 510B120 | Omaha Steaks, Inc.

1-800-342-4670 ask for 47222VMD | www.OmahaSteaks.com/mbfave11


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