L
EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
WEDNESDAYS • March 3, 2021
INSIDE Va. segregationist to be removed - 2 Are POC the future of America ? - 4 The struggle for a memorial park - 5
Richmond & Hampton Roads
LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM • FREE
Va. lawmakers vote to forgive $18 million in unemployment insurance overpayments NED OLIVER VM - The General Assembly passed legislation Saturday that would forgive an estimated $18 million in unemployment insurance claims the state says it erroneously paid out amid the pandemic and has since been attempting to claw back. The bill’s sponsor, Del. Sally Hudson, D-Charlottesville, said it was unfair to send collections notices to low-income Virginians to make up for errors caused by the state. As a result of the legislation, she said the Virginia Employment Commission will send a notice in July to people who have received overpayment warnings since March of last year. “If those people can show economic need and that they were not at fault for their overpayment, that overpayment will be forgiven,” she said. Virginia is one of just 11 states that doesn’t forgive any overpayments, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. As initially passed by the House, the legislation would have continued to forgive the overpayments after the pandemic ends. But lawmakers in the Senate opposed making it a permanent policy, agreeing only to the measure if it expired on July 1, 2022. Senate lawmakers also attached a sunset clause to language in the bill that would have permanently
barred the state from cutting off benefits after they had started without first holding a hearing. Gov. Ralph Northam has used his executive authority to temporarily implement a similar policy. Hudson told her colleagues she was disappointed by the amendments. Lawmakers in the Senate, who passed the bill on Saturday morning, presented it as a good compromise. The amended version also shifts the source of the money for repayments from unemployment insurance payroll taxes paid by
employers to the state’s general fund, a step aimed at avoiding increasing those business’ tax liability. Republicans largely opposed the measure and, in the Senate, praised their Democratic colleagues for working to at least rein in the bill. “Our colleagues from the Senate fought to make sure sunset provisions applied to the whole bill,” said Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, who called it an “academic approach to a very real practical problem” that he doubted
would “really work so well in the real world.” Hudson said she had hoped that the mistakes made during the pandemic would result in lessons learned and improved policies for the future. “People who don’t have to interact with public benefits programs forget just how hard they are to navigate,” she said. “That’s why I think it’s urgent — in this moment when one in six Virginians has had to interact with this broken system — to build back better for the future.”
The LEGACY
2 • March 3, 2021
Statue of segregationist to be removed from Capital Square ELLIE WATSON CNS - Sixty-five years after Harry F. Byrd Sr. called for “massive resistance” to integration, the Virginia General Assembly voted last week for a statue of him to be removed from Capital Square in Richmond. HB2208, sponsored by Del. Jay
Jones, D-Norfolk, passed 36-3 in the Senate on Tuesday, requiring its removal. The bill will now go to Gov. Ralph Northam to sign. Byrd, a Democrat, served as Virginia’s governor from 1926 to 1930, and as a U.S. senator from 1933 to 1965. He is credited with introducing “pay-as-you-go” policies
to Virginia and constructing the state’s highway system. Byrd was also a passionate segregationist, called the “architect of Massive Resistance” against racial integration in schooling that was ruled in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Brown v. Board established that segregation in schools was
Del. Jay Jones
Bowers Hill Interchange Improvements Study Cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk Citizen Comment Opportunity www.BowersHillInterchange.com Review information and provide comments on an improvements study to consider potential safety and operational improvements in the Bowers Hill interchange area in Chesapeake and Suffolk. The Bowers Hill Interchange Improvements Study area includes segments of I-664, I-64, I-264, Route 460, Route 58, Route 13 and Jolliff Road (Route 191). The needs of this study are to reduce congestion, improve travel reliability and provide additional travel choice on I-664 from and including the Bowers Hill interchange to College Drive. In lieu of an in-person meeting, citizens are invited to learn more by viewing a video presentation and to submit comments using an online survey. Study information will be online as early as Feb. 12, 2021 with the video presentation online on March 15, 2021. Public comments will be received March 15 through March 25, 2021. The presentation, survey, past meeting materials and more study details are available at www. BowersHillInterchange.com. Comments can also be sent to bowershill@vdot.virginia.gov or mailed to Bowers Hill Interchange Improvements Study, 11827 Canon Blvd. Suite 402, Newport News, VA 23606. 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 need special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact VDOT’s Civil Rights Division at 757-956-3000, TTY/TDD 711. State Project: 0664-131-028, P101 Federal Project: 31103 UPC: 111427
unconstitutional, striking down the “separate but equal” doctrine that had guided educational practices. “I acknowledge it and we all acknowledge it,” Sen. Jill Vogel, R-Winchester, said of Byrd’s racist beliefs, calling it “a great stain” on his legacy. “[But] I urge the members of the body to consider his life in its entirety and his contributions to the Commonwealth of Virginia.” Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, said “He was the architect and the face of Massive Resistance, not just in Virginia, but across the country… Capital Square is the ultimate public park in the commonwealth of Virginia. Everything on it and in it should reflect the values of our commonwealth.” Byrd called integration “the gravest crisis since the war between the states,” advocating for several Mass Resistance policies. These included restricting funds to schools promoting integration and creating the Pupil Placement Board, which had the power to assign students to specific schools.
(continued on page 6)
www.LEGACYnewspaper.com
Actions
March 3, 2021 • 3
Speak
Louder Words have value, especially when they are used to make a promise. But the most important thing about a promise is the action you take afterward. At Dominion Energy, we believe in taking action – to deliver on our commitment to help people, communities, and the environment.
COVID-19 Response and Support In response to the pandemic’s economic impact, Dominion Energy has stepped up to meet the needs of our customers. We suspended all service disconnections for non-payment to provide uninterrupted, reliable service 24/7. We have given more than $1 million to support coronavirus relief efforts by the American Red Cross and other nonprofits, to help our communities in need.
Social Justice and Higher Education At Dominion Energy, we believe higher education is critical to addressing centuries of institutional racism. That is why we have committed $35 million to our initiative supporting historically Black colleges and universities, and to minority student scholarships. In addition, we have allocated another $5 million to promote social justice and community building.
Solar and Wind Energy To build a cleaner energy future, we have added more than 3.5 million solar panels throughout Virginia, helping to make us America’s third largest in solar. In addition, we are developing the largest offshore wind project in the U.S., which will produce enough energy to power 660,000 homes by 2026.
EnergyShare® For years, our EnergyShare® program has helped our neighbors across Virginia, assisting individuals and their families with bill payment and energy saving upgrades. As of today, the program has helped more than 858,000 people. In 2020, we expanded the EnergyShare® program to assist those impacted by the coronavirus with an additional $500,000 to help provide energy bill relief for small businesses, nonprofits, and houses of worship throughout Virginia.
Lower Rates And to help residential customers, we have kept our rates more than 10%* below the national average.
Turning promises into reality is what defines us. That is why we are proud to invest in what we believe in, and what we know is important to you.
*Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, as of 1/26/2021
4 • March 3, 2021
Op/Ed & Letters
The LEGACY
POC: The Future of America
ROGER CALDWELL As America struggles with the challenges of Covid-19, and a depression/recession, there is sunshine and a belief of tremendous success with people of color (POC). Truth, integrity and factual information are the foundation that President Biden and VicePresident Harris are building their administration upon. The past four years were based on corruption, lies and textbook racism. But Democracy — and America’s voice: the vote — won again. Many Republicans and political pundits may see the new administration as a mistake, but The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 7 No. 9 Mailing Address P.O. Box 12474 Richmond, VA 23241 Office Address 105 1/2 E. Clay St. Richmond, VA 23219 Call: 804-644-1550 Online www.legacynewspaper.com
84 million people, the most in the history of America, voted with their hearts and their souls. So, this is the new truth. America has shifted, and Republican foolishness and corruption will be exposed and destroyed on a daily level. There is dangerous behavior being exhibited in the Republican Party, with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. On Thursday, 2/4/21, Congresswoman Greene was stripped of her committee posts, in education and budget. The House Democrats joined by 11 Republicans felt she was a danger to the integrity of the body, and many are calling for her to resign her position as a Congresswoman. 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 Other states - $75 Outside U.S.- $100 The Virginia Legacy © 2020
“Mostly, the headlines have been about her (previously held) conspiratorial QAnon beliefs, claims that 9/11 did not happen, that school shootings such as the one at Sandy Hook 2012 in Connecticut that killed 26 children and adults were staged and more,” says Andrew Buncombe – reporter for The Independent. This is an indicator that millions of Americans think like her, and they are caught up in a delusionary reality. As the Republicans remain in gridlock, the Democrats have learned that they cannot wait for them to make up their minds, nor wait to see which way they will go. The Democrats have majorities in the Senate/House, and they are preparing to move forward. There is a diversity explosion taking place across the country, in the White House, in Congress, with women and with people of color. The new census reports confirm the importance of racial minorities as the primary demographic engine of the nation’s growth. “The new census projections indicate that for youth under
the age of 18, the post millennia population, minorities will outnumber Whites in 2020,” says William Frey, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program. This is amazing data for people of color, because Whites are not replacing themselves with babies. Soon there will be an inflection point, and there will be more people of color than White people in America. William Frey is projecting in 2045; America will become “minority White.” There is nothing Americans can do about this scientific fact. As the Biden administration begins to address criminal justice and prison reform, the killing of Black and Brown people must end. There are many organizations across the country, fighting in solidarity to change policing in America. There are now more than 40 percent of the residents in the country, who identify themselves as people of color (POC). The future of America is with people of color, because they are an interchangeable
(continued on page 5)
www.LEGACYnewspaper.com
P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.
March 3, 2021 • 5
Struggle for Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park Once again, the struggle to reclaim and properly memorialize Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom, once the epicenter of the U.S. domestic slave trade, has entered another critical stage - and this may be the decisive one. Some of the highlights are: Gov. Ralph Northam proposes $9 million more for Shockoe Bottom memorialization. News reports mistakenly imply the money would go to the single site of the Devil’s Half-Acre (Lumpkin’s jail) and not to the community proposal for a nine-acre memorial park. During a tour of Shockoe Bottom led by Defender Ana Edwards, Sen. Mark Warner raises the possibility of federal money. The Defenders raise questions about the governor’s proposal in a Richmond Times-Dispatch op-ed piece. Defenders hold a half-hour telephone meeting with the governor and his chief of staff. He explains the proposed $9 million
would go to the city government to use as it decides, and not be earmarked for Lumpkin’s Jail. We raise the proposal for a community committee to ensure strong input from the descendant community. Northam says he will speak with Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney about this. Defenders take steps to strengthen the community’s voice in this struggle. Ana Edwards, chair, Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project & Phil Wilayto, The Virginia Defender
Humanity must step up
Pardon me while I irritate some progressives. Government spending and programs are not the only answer to some of the nation’s most persistent needs. That’s not to say we shouldn’t enact more federal relief for people who’ve been financially wrecked by no fault of their own during the coronavirus pandemic. We should, and soon! But target the spending to those whose livelihoods and economic security have been crushed, their families left homeless and queued in long lines outside food pantries. Put the cash where it’s needed, not with those who’ve fared well. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t spend — and mightily — on our crumbling national infrastructure, on America’s vulnerable electrical
grid and information technology networks. The past month’s headlines prove the dire urgency of it and there is ready bipartisan concurrence on those needs, yet somehow nothing gets done. And that is not to say that there is no role for local, state and, yes, federal governments to spend what is necessary to ensure that every child has an equal educational chance regardless of whether his or her school is in an affluent suburb, the gritty inner city or dirt-poor farm towns. Government can do a lot to position its people to better their circumstances, but real change isn’t authored in legislative salons and spelled out in mind-numbing study commissions. It isn’t executed by auditors, consultants and mid-level administrators in corporate cubicles. If government action were a panacea, the Post Office would be a model of punctuality and efficiency, the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination effort would be going swimmingly and Virginians who lost jobs by the thousands would not wait helplessly for months on end for backlogged unemployment benefits. The most effective way to improve the lives of others is when individuals see a need and have the skills, initiative and the passion to embark on a simple, single-minded quest to make things better than they found them. Bob Lewis
(from page 4) member of a shared group, and also has a unique identity such as Black or Hispanic. Public discussion often overlooks the fact that groups called minorities can choose from several identities. A person of color can call themselves Black, Latino, Asian, Mexican, Jamaican, Chinese or any other culture they are comfortable with. Depending on the circumstances, this is a new identity that will get larger as people refuse to call themselves White. As America shifts under the administration of Biden, the majority in the Democratic Party will be people of color (POC). This makes sense as it reflects the commonality of America, and the fight is for racial equity, and respect for people as human beings. As anti-racist efforts and organizations continue to grow and unfold, the battle will be coordinated and organized by people of color. People of color will no longer be the minority, they will become the majority, and this will happen before 2045. The responsibility of people of color is to stand up and be counted. To relax and wait for change is no longer an option. If you want change, remember you are no longer the minority as people of color, and register and vote.
6 • March 3, 2021
The LEGACY
(from page 2) “As a result, over 100,000 students in Virginia were kept out of schools for four years,” Sen. Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax, said. “We should not be honoring somebody who would’ve forced such a policy on this state,” he said.
The statue was constructed in 1976. The plaque alongside it honors Byrd’s “devotion throughout a long public career to governmental restraint and programs in the best interest of all the people of Virginia.” (Pictured) Sen. Richard Saslaw
Route 40 (Martin Luther King Highway) Bridge Replacement over Otterdam Swamp Surry County Find out about the proposed plans to replace the bridge and approach roadway on Route 40 (Martin Luther King Highway) over Otterdam Swamp in Surry County. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has designated the existing bridge, built in 1954, in need of replacement. The proposed bridge replacement project is located on Route 40 (Martin Luther King Highway) from 0.196 miles west of Route 601 (Hickory Hill Road) to 0.006 miles west of Route 601 (Hickory Hill Road) and approximately 7.7 miles southwest of the intersection with Route 10. The project will involve staged construction with reduced traffic capacity in order to maintain vehicle access throughout the project. Review project information and the National Environmental Policy Act document in the form of a Programmatic Categorical Exclusion (PCE) in person at VDOT’s Hampton Roads District Office located at 7511 Burbage Drive, Suffolk, VA 23435, 757-956-3266, TTY/TDD 711. Due to current visitor guidelines, please call ahead to make an appointment with appropriate personnel to review documents and/or answer your questions. If your concerns cannot be satisfied, VDOT is willing to hold a public hearing. You may request that a public hearing be held by sending a written request to Mrs. Nancy Marshall, Virginia Department of Transportation, 7511 Burbage Drive, Suffolk, VA 23435 on or prior to March 15, 2021. If a request for a public hearing is received, notice of date, time and place of the hearing will be posted. 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 need special assistance for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency, contact Project Manager Mrs. Nancy Marshall at the phone number listed above.
State Project: 0040-090-753, P101, R201 0040-090-760, M501, B605 Federal Project: STP-BR05(271)
UPC: 109254 & 111342
“There are other places this statue can go and be put into context,” McClellan said. The Byrd statue will join other Virginia monuments that have been removed in the past year, including statues of several Confederate soldiers that have lined Monument Avenue in Richmond.
March 3, 2021• 7
www.LEGACYnewspaper.com
Classifieds
AUCTIONS, LEGAL, EMPLOYMENT, FOR SALE, SERVICES
AUCTIONS ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions reaching your target audiences. Call this paper or Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
newshowerdeal.com/vapress
HOME IMPROVEMENT Vinyl Replacement Windows Starting at $235* Installed w/Free Trim Wrap Call 804-739-8207 Siding, Roofing, Gutters and More!
REAL ESTATE ATTN. REALTORS: Advertise your listings regionally or statewide. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions that get results! Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
GENERAC Standby Generators provide backup power during utility power outages, so your home and family stay safe and comfortable. Prepare now. Free 7-year extended warranty ($695 value!). Request a free quote today! Call for additional terms and conditions. 1-877-636-0738
ATTN. CONTRACTORS: Advertise your business statewide and in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions to reach Homeowners. Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804521-7576, landonc@vpa.net
CU00012453- Procurement 0302 HAMPTON SOLICITATION CITY OF HAMPTON Wednesday, March 17, 2021 1:30PM ET-RFP 21-42/CLP Provide on-call professional engineering services for electrical/ mechanical consulting services in support of the maintenance, repair, and design required for upgrade to City owned facilities and other related City projects. Tuesday, March 23, 2021 10:00 a.m. ET – ITB 21-39/AP Thursday, March 25, 2021
Plumbing Supplies
SERVICES 10:00 a.m. ET – ITB 21-38/TM Emergency roof Repairs and DIVORCE-Uncontested, Restoration $395+$86 court cost. WILLS $195.00. No court appearance. Tuesday, March 30, 2021 Estimated completion time 10:00 a.m. ET – RFP 21-40/TM Pharmaceutical Services twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-0126. Se Habla Wednesday, March 31, 2021 Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! Espanol. BBB Member. https:// 1:00 p.m. ET- RFP 21-43/CLP Serving Richmond hiltonoliverattorneyva.com. & Hampton Roads LeafFilter, the most advanced Provide medical examinations and services for sworn and 409 debris-blocking E. Main St.gutter #4 protection. (mailing) • 105 1/2 E. Clay St. (office) civilian Hampton Sheriff Division personnel. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter Up to $15,000.00 of Richmond, GUARANTEED VA 23219 Life Insurance! estimate today. 15% off Entire 804-644-1550 (office) No • 800-783-8062 Purchase. 10% Senior & Military medical exam or health(fax) Wednesday, March 31, 2021 3:30PM-ET RFP 21-44/CLP Discounts. Call 1-877-614-6667 questions. Cash to help pay ads@legacynewspaper.com funeral and other final expenses. Seeking proposals for the Hampton Sheriff Division, from local surrounding dental providers in the Hampton Roads Thinking about installing a new Call Physicians Life Insurance shower? American Standard Company- 844-509-1697 or visit area to provide dental services to the inmate population. makes it easy. FREE design www.Life55plus.info/vapress Adyour Sizeshower 3.4 inches - 1 column(s) X 1.7 inches) consultation. Enjoy For all forms or additional information, see our web page at again! Call 1-866-854-7620 today https://www.hampton.gov/bids-contracts or call (757)727-2200. to see how you can save $1,000 Minority-Owned, Woman-Owned and Veteran Businesses are on installation, or visit www. encouraged to participate. 1 Issue - $37.40
Rate: $11 per column inch
Includes Internet placement
Thank you for your interest in applying for opportunities with The City of Richmond. To see what opportunities are available, please refer to our website at www.richmondgov.com. EOE M/F/D/V
Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail. If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted. Ok X_________________________________________ Ok with changes X _____________________________ REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m.
Pleas If you
This shouldn’t be how we say hello...or goodbye.
It’s our reality right now. But it won’t be if we do what it takes to beat COVID-19. Vaccines are coming, but until enough of us are vaccinated, we all still need to wear our masks, stay at least six feet from others, and avoid indoor social gatherings. The more we slow the spread, the faster we’ll return to normal hellos … and fewer goodbyes. Learn more about vaccines and slowing the spread at cdc.gov/coronavirus
Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services