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EGACY Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
WEDNESDAYS • Sept. 18, 2019
INSIDE • SWaM and DBE business ‘opportunities’ lauded • Lt. Gov. Fairfax faces uphill battle with lawsuit • Papa John’s founder seeks to connect with blacks • Grant to enable pro bono health care to expand
Richmond & Hampton Roads
LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM • FREE
Judge to award attorneys fees, rules against damages over Confederate statue shrouds FROM WIRE REPORTS
A Charlottesville Circuit Court judge has closed the book on this chapter of a lawsuit over City Council votes to remove two downtown Confederate statues, ordering that they must stay but not awarding any damages. The lawsuit has moved at a glacial pace for the last 2½ years, punctuated by lengthy legal proceedings and the deadly white supremacist Unite the Right rally, ostensibly organized over the statue votes. Triggered by a 2017 City Council vote to remove a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee, a group of area residents filed a lawsuit in March 2017 alleging the vote violated state code. The lawsuit was later amended to add a vote to remove the statue of Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. On Friday, the third day and final day of trial, Judge Richard E. Moore ruled that though no damages could be awarded under the statute, attorneys fees will be given to the plaintiffs’ counsel. Prior to Moore’s rulings, attorneys for the two sides presented arguments on damages and attorneys fees. Ralph Main, an attorney for the plaintiffs, argued that the 188 days the statues were covered by tarps encroached on a state law protecting war memorials and caused his
Jock Yellott (left) and Frank Earnest arrive at Charlottesville Circuit Court for the final day of the three-day Confederate statues trial on Friday. PHOTO: Zack Wajsgras clients emotional distress. The statues were reportedly shrouded as a sign of mourning following the murder of Heather Heyer and the deaths of two Virginia State Police officers at the Aug. 12, 2017, rally. Moore initially ruled that the tarps did not constitute
encroachment, but he reversed that ruling after it became apparent to him that the City Council did not intend to remove them. Lisa Robertson, chief deputy city attorney representing the city and City Council, argued the code section in question only allowed for damages
to be awarded for physical harm to the statues, which the suit does not allege. During his explanation, Moore appeared at first to side with the plaintiffs, pointing to the harm he
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The LEGACY
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News
Black Press of America Awards ‘Courageous Leaders’ With a lively and capacity crowd inside the Renaissance D.C. Downtown Hotel in the nation’s capital Sept. 12, National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., and NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards presented the annual National Leadership Awards. The 2019 honorees are Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA); Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD); Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA); Rep. Bennie Thompson D-MS); Ray Curry, secretarytreasurer of the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agriculture (UAW); Shani W. Hosten, vice president of multicultural leadership, AARP; Dr. Kim Smith-Whitley, clinical director of hematology and director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); and Crystal Windham, director, Cadillac interior design, General Motors. Each of the recipients joined NNPA corporate partners and sponsors to reflect on the importance of the Black Press. “I’d like to particularly thank the Black Press for keeping sickle cell disease in the light,” said Smith Whitley, who praised the Black Press for helping to shed light on the fact that one in 12 African Americans have the sickle cell trait, and the blood disorder disproportionately affects black people. Windham also applauded the Black Press for its work. Windham, the first African American woman director in General Motors Design history, said it was remarkable that the Black Press of America will celebrate 192 years. The NNPA observes its 80th anniversary in 2020. “Do not stop doing what you do,”
Rep. Bobby Scott (Virginia) she said, before encouraging others to follow her historical path. “I owe it to the individuals that paved the way for me. I’m just an ordinary girl from Detroit,” Windham said. “If I can do it, you can do it too.” The UAW’s Curry addressed attendees, applauding the Black Press and reminding the audience of the role that unions have played in America’s civil rights struggles. He also shared some of his own history as a beneficiary of benefits gained through the labor negotiation process. An NNPA and UAW resolution reads, “Whether it was hosting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as he wrote his historic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in Solidarity House, or providing bail for Dr. King’s 1963 release from Birmingham City Jail, the women and men of the UAW have and continue to play a historic role in our nation’s civil rights movement. Hosten, of AARP said he grew up reading the Richmond Free Press and the Richmond Afro... “they were staples in our home, around our community, and in our church. “Those stories told our stories, and I thank the Black Press for the continued partnership with AARP, and for 192 years of telling our story
in our community which is so critical now more than ever.” The festive gathering also included appearances by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, NAACP Chairman Leon Russell, Cuban Ambassador to the United States José Ramón Cabañas, and famed film producer and MIT Media Lab research scholar Topper Carew. The awards honor individuals who are national leaders in their specific fields and whose actions have helped
to improve the quality of life for African Americans and others. The NNPA, the trade organization representing black-owned newspapers, like this one, and media companies throughout the country, began the Leadership Awards in 2014 when it was decided that the optimal time to host such an event would be during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) a week-long gathering that’s held each September.
DBE and SWaM businesses connect with decision makers on contract for expansion Virginia last week welcomed small business owners at a networking event hosted by Hampton Roads Connector Partners (HRCP), the prime contractor for the Hampton Roads-Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) Expansion project. The $3.8 billion project was announced in April and is the largest transportation project in Virginia’s history. The purpose of the event was to increase access for small businesses by connecting 600 contractors with the project’s primary decision makers. Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned (SWaM) subcontractors will have an opportunity to bid on as much as $1 billion of contract work. “Ensuring that Virginia’s minority business community has the opportunity to grow and succeed in our commonwealth is key to creating a healthy economy and is an important part of our efforts to make Virginia more equitable
and inclusive,” said Northam. “The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion will have a tremendous economic impact in the region, and we want to ensure that our small businesses get a share of that. I am thrilled that this event is tapping into our DBE and SWaM companies to build the pipeline of diverse teams that will be critical to the successful completion of this project.” In an effort to create a more transparent, equitable, and inclusive state contracting process, Governor Northam signed Executive Order Thirty-Five in July, directing state agencies to place a deliberate focus on the participation of DBE and SWaM businesses in Virginia’s contracts. The Executive Order set a goal of 42 percent of discretionary spending for executive branch agencies with small businesses certified by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier
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75 new jobs in the city of Newport News Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam recently announced that Eagle Aviation Technologies, LLC, an industry leader in composites design and fabrication, will invest $207,500 to expand its manufacturing facility in the city of Newport News. The company will add new production equipment at the operation and create 75 new jobs. “Innovative companies like Eagle Aviation Technologies have an important role in propelling our 21st-century economy forward, which is why my administration has made it a priority to support businesses of every size and in all industries,” said Northam. “The success of the company has reached new heights from its growing operation in the city of Newport News, and we are proud that the Virginia Jobs Investment Program will bolster the hiring and training efforts for 75 new jobs being created.” Eagle Aviation Technologies, LLC engages in the concept development, design, analysis, manufacture, and testing of prototype systems and components for the aviation, space, and marine industries. Founded in 2009, the company currently employs 75 in Virginia and is experiencing significant growth due to the expansion and diversification of its business client portfolio. “Through its pro-business environment and industry-driven workforce programs and trade schools, the Hampton Roads region provides manufacturing companies with a significant competitive advantage,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “We look forward to Eagle Aviation Technologies’ continued growth and job creation in Newport News and the commonwealth.” “We are excited to be part of the Newport News business community,” said Mia Copeland, vice president of Contracts and
Gov. Ralph Northam Administration. “Eagle Aviation Technologies, LLC is proud to work with Northam, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and city of Newport News staff on this program. The Virginia Jobs Investment Program is a tool we can use to help grow our business and provide good-paying jobs to the local community. “We are thankful these programs exist for growing small businesses in the commonwealth of Virginia.” The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the city of Newport News to secure the project for Virginia and will support Eagle Aviation Technologies’ job creation through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP). VJIP provides consultative services and funding to companies creating new jobs or experiencing technological change in order to support employee training activities. As a business incentive supporting economic development, VJIP reduces the human resource costs of new and expanding companies. VJIP is statefunded, demonstrating Virginia’s commitment to enhancing job opportunities for citizens. “We have had the opportunity to develop a strong relationship
with Eagle Aviation Technologies throughout the years and assist in numerous ways, and we are pleased to join with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership on this important initiative to help with their workforce needs,” said Florence Kingston, director of Development for the city of Newport News. “Eagle Aviation Technologies’ expansion in Newport News is a great example of building upon success to develop systems for our future,” said Sen. Monty Mason. “I am proud that the Virginia Jobs Investment Program is working with Eagle Aviation to bring 75 new jobs to the Virginia Peninsula as
the company grows and diversifies its portfolio. The expansion of the manufacturing facility, the new jobs, and the partnership with the commonwealth and the city of Newport News demonstrates that Virginia is a great place to live and work.” “As chairman of the Aerospace Advisory Committee, I am thrilled that Eagle Aviation Technologies’ expansion will bring 75 new jobs to our community,” said Del. David Yancey. “It is projects like these, in addition to the STEM education that we have been focusing on, that will help provide 21st-century jobs for the young people of the city of Newport News.”
(from page 2) said Sandra D. Norman, Virginia Diversity (DSBSD), which would be the highest percentage of expenditures since fiscal year 2004. “The HRBT Expansion project is expected to generate 28,000 new jobs over the life of the project,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “This networking event is an example of our commitment to ensure DBE and SWaM contractors have a place at the table.” The 725,000 small businesses that call Virginia home employ 1.5 million Virginians and represent an important economic engine, making up 97 percent of all businesses in the Commonwealth. Between now and 2025, this project is expected to generate a total economic impact of $4.6 billion in Hampton Roads—and $5.3 billion across Virginia—supporting commerce, tourism, shipbuilding, the military, and the Port of Virginia. “VDOT’s Civil Rights Division works hard to ensure that small businesses have an equal opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts on projects such as the HRBT Expansion and other projects across Virginia,”
Department of Transportation Civil Rights Division administrator. This project will add two new two-lane tunnels. It will widen the four-lane sections of Interstate 64 in Hampton between Settlers Landing Road and the Phoebus shoreline, as well as the four-lane section of I-64 in Norfolk between the Willoughby shoreline and the I-564 interchange. More than 100,000 vehicles currently use this facility during peak travel periods. The project is expected to be completed by Nov. 1, 2025. “T[he] DBE and SWaM Opportunity Event at the Hampton Roads Convention Center is an excellent opportunity for small businesses that want to be involved in the HRBT Expansion Project to meet members of the project’s design-build team,” said Jose Ignacio Martin Alos, project executive for Hampton Roads Connector Partners. “We look at every design-build phase need—from services such as surveying and geotechnical analysis to construction materials such as ready mix concrete and rebar—as a DBE and SWaM opportunity.” Additional information is available at www.hrbtexpansion.org.
The LEGACY
4 • Sept. 18, 2019
Creditors look to force Colortree into bankruptcy Three months after Colortree Group abruptly shut its doors, three companies that did business with the Henrico County-based direct mail and printing company are attempting to force it into bankruptcy in an effort to retrieve over $8 million. An involuntary petition seeking Chapter 7 liquidation was recently filed in federal bankruptcy court against Colortree, which put its approximately 240 employees out of work when it ceased operations June 3. The petition was filed on behalf of three companies: Lindenmeyr Munroe, a New York-based commercial printing paper and packaging supplier with locations in Henrico and Colonial Heights; Domtar Corp., a paper producer with corporate offices in Montreal and South Carolina; and G.E. Richards Graphic Supplies, a Pennsylvaniabased commercial printing equipment wholesale distributor with an office in Henrico. The businesses list more than $8.17 million in money owed them for goods and services. Lindenmeyr Munroe is seeking in excess of $8 million, Domtar lists over $155,000 and G.E. Richards seeks about $11,000. The petition states that Colortree is not paying its debts as they become due. The companies are represented by Williamsburg attorney Gregory Bean of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani. Bean did not return a call seeking comment. A message left for Colortree President and owner James “Pat” Patterson was not returned. Despite the closure, the company’s voicemail and website remained active at press time, Sept. 16. The company’s headquarters at 8000 Villa Park Dr. appeared deserted mid-afternoon, save for
a few vehicles parked around the building. Last week, the day after the petition was filed, a U.S. District Court judge entered an order certifying class-action status for a lawsuit brought against Colortree in June on behalf of all employees who lost their jobs due to the closure. The suit, which was brought by former employee Terry Kennedy, a prepress operator at the company for three years, alleges Colortree violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act and the Virginia Wage Payment Act by not providing the employees with 60 days’ written notice of their terminations, as the WARN Act requires. The suit seeks to recover lost wages and benefits, as well as employees’ accrued vacation time and other compensation owed. In its response to the suit, filed July 3, Colortree denied that it failed to provide notice to employees or “appropriate governmental agencies pursuant to the WARN Act and applicable exception…” and contends that it provided such notice “as soon as practicable and in accordance with the WARN Act.” Several employees told reporters they received no notice of the closure and were given 15 minutes to clear out before the building was locked. That followed a conference call in which it was conveyed to employees listening in that the 31-year-old company was shutting down. News of the closure prompted several businesses to offer jobs to former Colortree employees. In a letter dated the same day as the closure, Colortree sent a WARN notice to the Virginia Employment Commission and Henrico County that said it was permanently closing “some or all of its divisions” and laying off approximately 240
A photo of the empty parking lot at the Colortree facility taken in June. employees. The notice was signed by Patterson, who purchased full ownership of the company two years ago. Colortree says it sought funding In its lawsuit response, Colortree said it “worked diligently and in good faith to secure financing that would have enabled it to remain in business and continue to (employ), or provide additional notice, to affected employees,” adding that it “continues to seek such financing.” The company contends it is covered by the “faltering business” exception to the WARN Act “because it was actively seeking capital or business which it had a realistic opportunity to obtain…” and believed that giving notice would have precluded it from obtaining the needed capital or business. It said it paid employees for all hours worked in accordance with state law and seeks dismissal of the suit. Williams Mullen attorney Laura Windsor is representing Colortree in the case. Employees in the class action are represented locally by
Spotts Fain attorneys Jennifer West and Edward Bagnell Jr., who are working the case with Jack Raisner and Rene Roupinian of New Yorkbased employment law firm Outten & Golden. Meanwhile, an auction of Colortree’s presses, equipment and other assets is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Illinoisbased PPL Group is conducting the auction, which will be held at the Colortree building and benefit Sterling National Bank. The involuntary bankruptcy petition against Colortree comes three months after a similar action was taken against Live Well Financial, a Chesterfield-based mortgage company that closed in May. A similar petition from three of that company’s creditors was granted in July, and one of the lenders – Michigan-based Flagstar Bank – recently won approval to take control of a bond that Live Well had owned, representing $37 million of the $70 million the bank was owed. -RBizSense
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Fairfax’s $400 million suit could face uphill fight JEFF RAINES CNS - Lt. Gov Justin Fairfax has filed a $400 million defamation lawsuit against CBS for their reporting on sexual assault claims made against him. While defamation cases are common in the courtroom; winning one is not. Fairfax must prove CBS either knowingly reported false claims or intentionally did not investigate them, with specific intent to damage his reputation and political career. Public figures — politicians, high-ranking government officials and celebrities, for instance — are required to prove actual malice to recover damages from defamatory statements. “Actual malice is a mindset that you mean to do something maliciously; it’s willful,” said Carl Tobias, a constitutional law expert and law professor at the University of Richmond. “It’s much worse than negligence. You blatantly fail to do something that causes somebody else a lot of harm,” he said. Fairfax, a lawyer, claims CBS aired false statements from Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson, two women who allege they were sexually assaulted by Fairfax 15 and 19 years ago, respectively. The lawsuit claims the network acted intentionally and “recklessly disregarded” attempts to verify the women’s claims by not running an independent investigation. Tobias said “the case relies on allegations of what CBS failed to do.” Proving CBS acted negligently and did not thoroughly investigate the sexual assault claims is not enough to prove actual malice. The lawsuit might contain plausible arguments, Tobias said, but that doesn’t mean it will hold up in the courtroom or be resolved anytime soon. CBS is probably going to fight the case, even if it ultimately settles later, Tobias said.
Fairfax has claimed his innocence since the beginning and said he had consensual encounters with both women. After the CBS interviews aired, Fairfax released the results of polygraph examinations that he said exonerate him. Fairfax said the allegations made against him were a “political hit job” and that the timing was a “deliberate and calculated” effort to harm his career as he was poised to possibly ascend to the governorship. Gov. Ralph Northam was engulfed in a blackface scandal that erupted days before the Fairfax allegations, when a picture from Northam’s page in his medical school yearbook was released that showed a person in KKK garb and a person in blackface. Fairfax accused CBS of acting with actual malice by “hyping” the allegations and airing the interviews “to maximize ratings for CBS in light of the ongoing scandal” with the governor. Fairfax also claims the network aired the interviews in an attempt to align with #MeToo victims after internal scandals rippled all the way up to CBS CEO Les Moonves, who was fired over sexual misconduct allegations. “CBS This Morning” co-anchor Charlie Rose was fired after eight women made sexual harassment allegations. “60 Minutes” executive producer Jeff Fager left the network also in the face of sexual misconduct allegations. Fairfax’s legal team concluded that “the network sought to visibly align itself on the side of perceived victims to improve its public image.” Watson and Tyson stand by their claims of sexual assault and offered in the spring to testify at the General Assembly, but legislators said criminal investigations should be held in states where the alleged assaults occurred. No criminal charges have been filed against Fairfax. The lawsuit also asks for an
Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax was surrounded by reporters in February. injunction that would stop the network from “disseminating, distributing, or publishing any footage or statements that are judicially
determined to be defamatory.” CBS said in a statement: “We stand by our reporting and we will vigorously defend this lawsuit.”
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Op/Ed & Letters
The LEGACY
The story on reparations I’m not qualified to write WILLIAM SPIVEY Every once in a while I read a story that reminds me of how little I know about subjects I think I’m pretty well versed in. I’m not mad about it, it just reminds me how much more there is for me to learn. The story I wish I could write about reparations requires a comprehensive knowledge of American and world history, knowing how events are interrelated and the intent and impact of laws, court decisions, and even acts of Congress. Although I have an economics degree from Fisk University, I am unable to document both the benefits to the nation from 250 years of free labor which literally helped build this nation and the negative impact on slaves and their descendants as a result of not only slavery but all the laws that replicated slavery as best they could. Ta-Nehisi Coates set the standard in his June 2014 article in the Atlantic; “The Case For Reparations,” a story he worked on for almost two years. When I read that story five years ago. I recognized I couldn’t have written it in 20 years, I wasn’t qualified. The LEGACY NEWSPAPER Vol. 5 No. 38 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
“Two hundred fifty years of slavery. Ninety years of Jim Crow. Sixty years of separate but equal. Thirty-five years of racist housing policy. Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole.” 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 © 2016
Felice Leon from, “The Root,” produced a video, “We Built This” documenting the financial impact of slavery and how the very infrastructure of the nation and the economic advantage America had vs. other world powers. I previously knew some of what Felice put together so well, but was missing too much information. I couldn’t have put together this video, I wasn’t qualified. The House of Representatives judiciary subcommittee on the constitution, civil rights, and civil liberties held hearings on Reparations including testimony from Ta-Nehisi Coates and Danny Glover. Republicans were predictably against the concept of reparations. Black writer Coleman Hughes said, “If we were to pay reparations today, we would only divide the country further, making it harder to build the political coalitions required to solve the problems facing black people today.” Former NFL player Burgess Owens added, “What strangers did to other strangers 200 years ago has nothing to do with us because that has nothing to do with our DNA.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell who has demonstrated his willingness to block any manner of legislation from reaching the Senate floor said this, “It would be pretty hard to figure out who to compensate,” and claims “none of us currently living are responsible for what happened 150 years ago.” He makes the case which seems to represent the view of most white Americans. “Why penalize me for something I had nothing to do with?” The primary argument against Reparations is that individuals today shouldn’t bear the brunt of what happened long ago and that enough time has passed since (choose one); the end of the Civil War, the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the end of Jim Crow, the end of school segregation… that equality should have been achieved. Although I’m admittedly not qualified to make the case on the overall economic impact of slavery; beneficial to the country and detrimental to the slaves and their offspring. I’m on solid ground when addressing the political response in opposition to reparations.
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Sept. 18, 2019• 7
P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.
(from page 6) The case for reparations has never been to exact retribution from generic white people for the harm done to slaves in time past. The case is best made against the United States government, which has been part of every effort to suppress black people since they came to this country until the present day. The much-beloved founding fathers provided for slavery in the Constitution. In addition to the widely-known counting of slaves as “three-fifths” of a person. The lesserknown Article 1 Section 9 forbade the elimination of importing slaves for over a quarter of a century, until 1808. The Constitution gave black people none of those “unalienable rights” slave-owner Thomas Jefferson wrote about in the Declaration of Independence. They did outlaw the International Slave Trade in 1809 but only to protect and keep up the prices its domestic bred slaves. They literally supported the slave breeding farms which were the feeder system to Southern plantations. The government assuaged any guilt it might have felt about slavery by doing what politicians do, they compromised. As the nation expanded they decided in the Missouri Compromise that prohibited slavery in some new states while allowing it in others. It banned slave trading in Washington D.C. while still allowing slavery. Four years later that was undone
by the Kansas-Nebraska Act that let territories decide for themselves. After several states seceded from the Union over the issue of slavery, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This wasn’t from any sense of altruism, he only freed the slaves in those states that had seceded, leaving it in place in multiple states and territories without issue. Lincoln himself at various times was in favor of sending slaves back to Africa or having them colonize Central America. In one of his famed debates with Stephen Douglas, he said: The two primary reasons for the emancipation were to disrupt the economy of the South which was stronger than that of the North and to keep France and Britain from siding with the South in the Civil War. With the war almost over, in the first recognition that some sort of reparations were due, General Sherman issued Special Field Order #15 authorizing that 400,000 acres be set aside for the freed slaves, each family receiving 40 acres. Later it was decided the army could loan families a mule which is where 40 acres and a mule comes from. After Lincoln’s assassination, Andrew Johnson rescinded the order, returning the land in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, to the original slaveholders. Many slaves had already been transported to the lands and started working in the fields. The government issued reparations, then took them back. For those that feel that equality
was achieved in 1865 at the end of the Civil war, I submit it was only the presence of federal troops throughout the South which helped maintain the peace. Black men at least gained the right to vote and during what was called Reconstruction began a period which arguably saw the freedmen on a trajectory toward equality. They started businesses, owned land, elected local officials and Representatives of Congress. Mississippi elected someone to a statewide office. The year after the war ended also saw the birth of the Ku Klux Klan but the troops partially kept them at bay. After a contested presidential election in 1876, in yet another compromise, the Republicans were awarded the presidential victory (Rutherford B Hayes) while the South got what they wanted most, removal of the federal troops. That action, The Compromise of 1877, effectively ended Reconstruction, empowering both Democrats and the Klan to take back all the gains made in the previous decade, primarily through violence. The U.S. government through its actions and inactions led to the reversion to an underclass, buttressed by the Jim Crow laws that defined the next 90 years. One might believe that oppression and suppression was a purely Southern thing and the North was exempt. The primary means most American families attained wealth was housing. Banking laws,
approved by Congress, provided for red-lining and segregated housing. Sanctioned discrimination kept black people in many cases from obtaining loans and otherwise dictated they live in inferior neighborhoods, generating less wealth. While numerous civil and voting rights acts have been passed by Congress throughout the years. Every single one without exception has been diluted by the Supreme Court which has always found something Unconstitutional to legislate in favor of black people or minorities. Let’s remember that the Constitution gave no value to black people originally so why would any interpretation of it later find differently? The case for reparations isn’t one where your white co-worker, or neighbor, or struggling white family that Mitch McConnell is appealing to should sacrifice part of their earnings for a black person that was never a slave. The case must focus on the U.S. government and its systemic policies that didn’t end with slavery, or Jim Crow, the government that deprived black people of benefits from the G.I. Bill. Discrimination didn’t end under the Federal Housing Act of 1968 or the most recent of civil rights and Voting Rights Acts of the 1960s. As it always has, discrimination simply took another form, not always based on race, sometimes on class like the 2017 tax cut.
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The LEGACY
Faith & Religion Once accused of racial insensitivity, Papa John’s founder gives money to black Baptists BOB ALLEN BNG - Papa John’s founder and former CEO John Schnatter, who left the pizza company last year amid controversy over comments criticized as racially insensitive, recently donated $1 million to Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically black school with ties to Baptist groups including the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. According to local media, Schnatter said recently that part of the money will go to build a lodging facility at a retreat center owned by the National Baptist Convention of America, a predominantly black denomination that moved its headquarters from Dallas to the Simmons College John Schnatter, former face of the Papa John’s pizza empire, announces plans for the John H. campus in Louisville, in 2017. Schnatter Family Foundation to provide capital to build a three-story lodging facility on the campus of “This donation is not about me,” the National Baptist Convention of America’s retreat center. PHOTO: NBCA Schnatter reportedly said at the resigned as chairman of the Papa purchased property near Louisville Louisville’s poorest neighborhoods. convention’s 2019 annual session John’s board the same day. The in 2017 for what was described as National CBF leaders recently took held Sept. 8-13 in Oklahoma City. “It’s about the lives that are going next week Forbes followed up with a the only retreat and conference part in a program sponsored by to be impacted, the communities report describing a “toxic culture” at center in Kentucky run by African Simmons College at St. Stephen that will be transformed and the Papa John’s that included spying on Americans. Baptist Church in Louisville young people who will go to school workers and sexually inappropriate “Some folks told me that’s the commemorating the 400th and grow to be great businessmen, conduct. wrong city,” Tolbert, pastor of anniversary of the arrival of the first businesswomen, doctors, engineers Schnatter originally admitted to Greater Saint Mary Missionary African slaves in what is today the and teachers.” using “inappropriate and hurtful Baptist Church in Lake Charles, United States of America. Schnatter, who began the language” regarding race but in Louisiana, recalled conversations Leaders of Empower West recently 5,000-store chain in 1984 by recent days told Fox Business his this week in Oklahoma. “Why would asked Southern Baptist Theological installing a pizza oven in his dad’s comments were “misconstrued” we go to Louisville with a little Seminary – a historic school owned tavern in Jeffersonville, Indiana, got and “benign,” and accused business college with less than 500 students? by the Southern Baptist Convention in hot water last year after blaming rivals of using race to “steal the Why would we put our headquarters that has acknowledged it once poor sales on the National Football company.” there? Well, God wanted it there.” benefited from slavery – to donate League’s handling of players Samuel Tolbert, president of the The Cooperative Baptist part of its endowment to Simmons kneeling during the National National Baptist Convention of Fellowship, a predominantly white College as a gesture of repentance. Anthem in protest of racial injustice. America, thanked Schnatter for the group with about 1,800 churches, Seminary officials said it would be Forbes magazine reported in funding, commenting “this is truly works through its Kentucky inappropriate to give away money July 2018 that Schnatter had how you do better.” chapter with Simmons College a donated by Southern Baptists to casually used a racial slur during a The 3.5 million member National partnership called Empower West support an institution outside the conference call about how to avoid Baptist Convention of America aimed at economic development in convention’s control. future PR problems. Schnatter
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Why Newspapers For Political HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT NEWSPAPER READERS IN VIRGINIA WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS
87% are registered to vote in their districts (11% more likely than non-newspaper readers) 52% more likely than non-readers to vote in statewide elections 48% more likely to always vote in local elections 80% of newspaper readers always vote in presidential elections Source: Scarborough 2017
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The LEGACY
Rooted & rising: Richmond thrives with BLK RVA NORRIN NICHOLAS “It’s more than just what’s in your history books.” BLK RVA showcases the booming black cultural scene that’s made Richmond what it is today. In the last 10 years, Richmond has exploded as a creative hub — in a good way. As someone who was born and raised here, I understand the potential culture this city has to offer, and recently it has acted on that potential. Now more than ever, creative spaces are being opened, small festivals are spread out across the city throughout the year, and even small indie and underground artists are gaining an increase in recognition. But as natives, this is something we’re all used to; we’re almost unbothered by some of these things, because they happen so often. Yet as we reach 2020, the city has grown into a creative hub not many would have believed possible looking back on it years ago. It’s not the largest hub there is, but it’s definitely there — and it’s definitely working. Inside of the gears of the City of Richmond, the black community has been working tirelessly to bring more attention to the cultural efforts they’ve produced in our home. What they’ve produced is nothing short of amazing, and it’s been influential to the culture of the entire River City. The black community has helped complete an unfinished circle in the perfect Virginia experience: one that many people who call themselves Virginians have never truly seen before. Luckily for them, a platform that emphasizes this black Richmond experience is here, and sits at our fingertips at this very moment. BLKRVA is a platform that highlights black spaces and black faces. It showcases Richmond to travelers from all around the world, working to spread the history and
culture of the city to the extent that it deserves. Its central base is a tourism website, which features a plethora of blackowned businesses, events, and artists — ultimately it’s everything you’d want to see in Richmond, that you’d never know is right around the corner. “We’re the only ones in the Commonwealth to do something like this, and I believe we’re the second in the nation, behind Philadelphia,” said Amy Wentz, Member of BLKRVA Action Team. Because of our city’s history with slavery and as the capital of the Confederacy, outsiders may have cringed at the thought of visiting Richmond. But with the light in our dark history, we’ve grown with the past, and Richmond is more now
than just a scarred city. Much of that is thanks to the very people who were scarred by that history. While the black experience is not all there is in Richmond, it’s a major part of the overall Virginia experience. BLKRVA has given this experience a louder voice, telling the public, “It’s more than just what’s in your history books, and you’ll never know until you see it.” Their key tagline, “Rooted & Rising,” serves as both a reminder and realization: a reminder of their rich history in the state of Virginia, but also a “call to action,” rising against the negative connotations that come with it. Richmond is a hot spot in commemorating the history of America, and with that comes
a commemoration of enslaved Africans. Over time, they helped advance Richmond into what it is today, despite the hardships they faced in their lives. Though the BLKRVA campaign was only launched earlier this summer, the organizers have been working behind the scenes on this plan for years. They have seen success working with larger black-owned events, such as the Afrikana Film Festival and The Black Restaurant Experience, which brought crowds of people nationwide to see the new cultural perspective Richmond has to offer. As time went on, the members of the campaign noticed a surging trend in foreign visitors coming to appreciate the efforts of black Richmond culture. This led them to reformat their work, bringing a focus to blackowned businesses that are staples of the city. From there, the BLKRVA campaign was created with Richmond Region Tourism as a one-stop-shop, categorizing all the different black Richmond events for visitors and residents alike. Their listings include well over 100 restaurants, attractions, and events that take place across the city throughout the year. Listings include Addis Ethiopian, the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, Big Herm’s Kitchen, Treat Shop RVA, C’est Le Vin Art & Wine Gallery, the Hippodrome Theater, Elegba Folklore Society’s Cultural Center, Sheep Hill Bistro, and many more. Along with highlighting these black spaces in Richmond, BLKRVA also tells the stories of black citizens in the city, focusing on black creatives and writers. With this platform, creatives can explain their day-to-day activities to tell the story of a day in the life of a black Richmonder. Their interviews and
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(from page 1) said is caused whenever a public work is hidden from view. “Whenever something of public value is hidden from view, that is a loss, and there are damages associated with that,” he said. “It may not be a tangible harm, but it is present, nonetheless. Certainly, the plaintiffs felt it.” At first, Moore said he did not take issue with tarp shrouds being used as a sign of mourning, but 30 to 60 days would have been more appropriate. After approximately six months of being covered, Moore ordered the tarps removed. At first, Moore said he considered awarding damages for part of that period. However, after giving it some thought, he said he could not find that the code section allowed for emotional damages to be awarded. As he read it, the law allows only for damages to be awarded
(from page 10) features put the spotlight on public figures like Mecca Williams, Nadira Chase, Nickelus F, and Samantha Willis. “If you want to be as a local would be, these interviews will give you everything you need,” said Wentz. It’s not often that people like this are given a voice, which makes their recommendations even more special than before. Ultimately, it fills the visiting experience for those who want to see our city from a different perspective. “It’s time for us to start celebrating and uplifting the black experience here; because of the easier access to travelling now, it’s up to us to change that connotation about Virginia,” Wentz said. “And it starts with things like this.” A decade ago, Wentz started “BlackRVA” single-handedly, as the original plan for showcasing black events and black-owned business in Richmond. With the help of her action team, she was able to
Sept. 18, 2019 • 11 primarily to repair the statue. With no physical damage to them, he therefore could not award any, he said. Moore also will not award damages for the cost of the tarps used to cover the statues, ruling that doing so would essentially be charging taxpayers twice. The 12 plaintiffs were seeking $500 each, totaling $6,000, a number Moore cited as part of the range of money he had at one point considered appropriate. Though no damages were awarded, Moore said he will award attorneys fees. The exact amount has not been determined yet, with the judge opting to read some cases and weigh arguments before issuing his complete ruling. In total, the plaintiffs are seeking $604,038.33 in legal costs, the bulk of which comes from the hourly rates of four attorneys and one paralegal who worked on the case. Robertson argued against the fees
on the grounds that the statute only provides them if damage has been done. Given Moore’s earlier ruling, she said she did not think the plaintiffs met the statutory requirements. Moore disagreed with this argument, pointing to a temporary injunction he ordered to prevent the statue of Lee from being removed. It did not make sense to wait for damage or removal to happen in order to file a lawsuit protecting the monuments, he said. “It seems inconsistent to say that, because they acted to prevent harm, that they cannot acquire attorneys fees,” he said. On the first day of trial, Moore issued a permanent injunction, preventing the removal, disturbance, violation or encroachment of the statues. Swayed in part by arguments from Robertson that various factors — including legal work for issues the
manifest BLKRVA into the large, influential position it’s in today. “When I first started it, I had so much going on. I could hardly manage it how it should be… how it is now,” said Wentz. “So I’m very grateful to be able to work with so many different creatives, and bring out the true potential that BLKRVA had to offer.” As BlackRVA grew into BLKRVA, a Richmond Region Tourism platform, the potential to highlight the black culture scene in Richmond has grown along with it. They’ve expanded their coverage beyond the Greater Richmond area, and further into surrounding counties like Hanover, New Kent, Henrico, and Chesterfield. Because of the innovative boom in the city, a new atmosphere has grown. It has allowed BLKRVA to flourish and prosper into successful platform — from one woman’s idea to the powerhouse of a team it is today, time has treated BLKRVA well, and given the team the tools they needed to build the
organization up. “It feels great to know that these places are trusting us with what we do, because it’s never been done before. If we don’t make these places noticeable, they may never get the recognition they deserve,” said Wentz. “It’s one thing to do your own advertising, but to work with a cohesive brand and a team of other businesses just makes the impact more effective.”
plaintiffs did not prevail on — Moore said he will perhaps decide to lower the attorneys fees he awards. However, Moore said he could not disregard the actions of the City Council when they voted to remove the Lee statue in February 2017. In doing so, he said the councilors not only violated the law by ignoring the state code, recommendations from the city attorneys and the Blue Ribbon Commission — a group tasked with determining what to do with the Confederate monuments. “It appears the City Council just decided what they wanted to do and did it,” he said. “[The statute] was nothing new, they knew it existed and they proceeded anyway. That will flavor my decision on attorneys fees.” Moore did not give a timeline for when he would determine how much he would award.
PHOTO:S BLKRVA If you want to get involved with BLKRVA, check out their website to become a part of their upcoming events in the 2019 season, or message them to talk about volunteer or donation opportunities. Whenever you’re thinking about how to change your Richmond experience, I’d advise paying BLKRVA’s website, at visitblkrva.com, a visit. You may find exactly what you’re looking for. - RVA MAG
12 • Sept. 18, 2019
The LEGACY
Menchville HS students win national award for service Fare Share, a community service group from Menchville High School in Newport News, recently earned a $10,000 Grand Prize Award from Lead4Change, a national organization that provides free leadership training for students while engaging them in community service. The $10,000 is a grant that students could award to the nonprofit of their choice. In September, students presented the check to THRIVE Peninsula during a reception in the Menchville High School Auditorium. THRIVE is a nonprofit that provides emergency food and financial aid to individuals and families. A key part of the Fare Share program at Menchville High School is volunteerism. During the 2018-2019 school year, the 22 students in the program spent over 1,200 hours hosting food collections, leading cleanups at the Menchville school garden and outdoor learning center, collecting items for the school’s backpack program, and conducting anti-bullying campaigns. Club members also raised over $3,000 and collected more than 3,100 pounds of food during the school year and, through the school’s food pantry and backpack program, students packed or served nearly 4,000 meals. In addition to rolling up their sleeves to work, students also wanted to educate and inform the public of food scarcity and socio-economic issues in the city. Through partnerships with the Newport News Department of Human Services and THRIVE Peninsula, Fare Share students researched the topic and conducted interviews with members of the community and employees from Human Services to create an informational video. The final video, which was recorded, edited and produced entirely by the Fare Share team, can be found on their YouTube page. This is the second time Menchville High School’s Fare Share program has won Lead4Change’s Grand Prize Award in the past five years. During this time, students have collected and donated over 20,000 pounds of food, created and sustained a school garden and food pantry, and participated in dozens of community service projects.
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Sept. 18, 2019• 13
Restaurant workers face low wages and food insecurity. One chef is working to change that The resulting five-week program, GO Cook, is on its fifth cohort and has helped all but two graduates find new jobs, Brinson said. The two graduates not currently pursuing food careers had personal reasons or a better offer in another industry,
Culinary Concepts founder Antwon Brinson in his classroom. PHOTO: Charlottesville Tomorrow EMILY HAYS This is part of a food justice series reported in collaboration with Brianna Hamblin of CBS19. When Ryan East first started cooking professionally, he was not eating healthy food. East said that the restaurant he worked for was chaotic, with high staff turnover and long hours, and he had a minimal meal allowance per day. On average, workers in the hotel and food industry in most parts of Virginia make $10.25 an hour, according to 2018 data collected by the Virginia Employment Commission. The low wages and inconsistent hours can mean that those working at restaurants have little control over their own diets. “If you’re a cook or a chef and you’re cooking, you’re always eating, you’re always tasting your food. I probably didn’t eat as well as I should have — a chicken tender here, some fries here,” East said. Now, East said, he eats the same
food he serves as a cook at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business hotel and conference center. East said that this job has good wages and benefits, the kitchen is well-organized and he can eat as much as he wants at the employee buffet without the cost coming out of his paycheck. The transition was made by possibly by chef Antwon Brinson’s culinary boot camp. Brinson started his company, Culinary Concepts, in 2018 and formed a partnership with the city’s economic development department, which runs the Growing Opportunities program, soon after. “[$10.25] is not a self-sufficient wage, which is why we see so many people in this industry working multiple jobs in order to earn enough income to pay for basic necessities,” said Hollie Lee, Charlottesville’s chief of workforce development strategies. “Our goal with GO Cook is to get people started on a career track in the culinary arts.”
Brinson said. Students do not have to pay to participate in the program. A combination of funds from the city, state and Albemarle County cover the costs of the class for city and
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14 • Sept. 18, 2019
The LEGACY
Grant expands pro bono behavioral health care to Richmond-area underserved populations The Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded a $1.35 million grant to a program that embeds Virginia Commonwealth University psychology doctoral trainees in eight Richmond-area health safety-net clinics, where they provide free behavioral health services to underserved populations. The grant to the Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative, part of the Department of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences, will fund the program’s continuation and expand it to include training in substance abuse screening and treatment, behavioral health services to supplement medical treatment for opioid use disorder, and telehealth services to primary care clinics in rural Virginia. “First and foremost, our goal is to provide care to vulnerable and underserved communities in Richmond, including adults and kids, as well as the growing Latinx community in Richmond,” said Bruce Rybarczyk, Ph.D., a professor of clinical psychology and principal investigator on the grant. “And all of the services we provide are pro bono and are integrated into the places where they are already receiving primary care services. So these patients don’t have any financial or access barriers.” The program places clinical and counseling psychology doctoral trainees at VCU-affiliated and other safety-net clinics throughout Richmond. They provide behavioral health care services alongside medical providers, often including VCU Health medical residents. The trainees provide services for issues such as adjustment to chronic medical conditions, diabetes management, pain, insomnia, smoking cessation, substance use and weight loss. Also, mental health
issues such as attention deficient hyperactivity disorder, anger management, anxiety, depression, grief, neurocognitive screenings, parent-child relationship issues, postpartum depression, psychosis screenings, risk assessment of potential harm to self or others, stress management, and traumainformed care. The Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative operates at the VCU Health Ambulatory Care Center, the VCU Academic Medical Center Pediatric Residents Clinic, the VCU Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic, the VCU Complex Care Clinic, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry Clinic, Daily Planet, the Hayes E. Willis Health Center and Health Brigade. As part of the new grant, the training collaborative also will operate at the VCU Health Multidisciplinary Outpatient Intensive Addiction Treatment Clinic, or the MOTIVATE Clinic, and with Telehealth at VCU Health in partnership with VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill. Since the program started in 2008, the Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative has provided more than 16,000 pro bono sessions at Richmond-area clinics. A key part of the program’s mission is to equip future psychologists to meet the workforce demands of a changing health care system that includes integrated primary care. Since 2008, it has trained 140 doctoral students. Each year, the Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative provides 15 to 20 graduate student fellowships for both clinical and counseling doctoral students in the Department of Psychology. It also provides practicum training experiences for another 10 to 15 students annually.
“We’re training up a cadre of students who are equipped to work in the fast-paced world of primary care psychology, an emerging new area of health care that provides first-line behavioral health services in the same place where patients get their routine medical care. They are also being equipped to work with vulnerable individuals who face a wide array of environmental stressors and traumatic experiences and have received either inadequate or no behavioral health services in the past,” Rybarczyk said. “Of the 140 people we’ve trained, we have a remarkable number who’ve given us the feedback that this was a gamechanging experience for them in developing their skills and also in helping them make a choice to work with underserved populations in
their future careers.” The program also involves research into the effectiveness of brief behavioral interventions in health safety-net settings, as well as the overall efficacy of the integrated care model. The team has published 18 chapters and research articles, with three more currently under review, as well as more than 50 conference presentations. “We’re the first line of treatment. We try to do the most good we can by providing brief but effective interventions to the largest possible population of patients and their families,” Rybarczyk said. “So we’re studying how well this model works. We’re seeing low-income patients who have very limited access to mental health care. Can we make a significant difference with brief
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Calendar 9.19, 6 p.m.
Explore options for paying for college and learn tips on reducing costs in a workshop offered by Virginia Credit Union. The seminar will be held at Virginia Credit Union in the Boulders Office Park, 7500 Boulder View Dr., Richmond. Participants will learn how options such as federal financial aid, scholarships, grants, student loans and college savings plans can work together to fund goals for education. To register to attend, call 804- 323-6800 or visit www.vacu.org/seminars.
9.20, noon
Hampton Roads locals will join together in support of the international Global Climate Strike at Old Dominion University. VegODU, a vegan/vegetarian group at Old Dominion University, is hosting a gathering on Kaufman mall for students to learn about climate change and rally in solidarity with strikers all over the world. Groups like Mothers Out Front, Sierra Club, and many other grassroots organizations are coming together on these local events as a unified front to demand transformative action on climate. Youth around the world have been striking from school on Fridays, demanding action to stop the global climate crisis. These youth are calling for a mass mobilization on Friday, September 20th — three days ahead of a United Nations emergency climate summit — to move world governments to take emergency action and end the fossil fuel era. Over 1,700 strikes are planned in more than 150 countries to disrupt business as usual, and strikers are calling on everyone to join them throughout the week of Sept. 20-27.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Kids Fast & Dash planned Pediatric Research and Advocacy Initiative (PRAI) – is hosting it’s 3rd annual PRAI 5k & Kids Fast Dash presented by Children’s Hospital at VCU, Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. at Bon Secours Redskins Training Center. Last year, Style Weekly readers voted this empowering event one of Richmond’s best family-friendly 5k’s. This chip-timed run will support research and education for children with a group of complex immune-mediated inflammatory brain diseases called PANS & PANDAS. “Families of children with these neuroimmune disorders are determined to find a cure for their children,” said Jessica Gavin, executive director for PRAI. “It’s complicated because there are few resources for these disorders. PRAI is working to change that.” Children with PANS, Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder associated with Strep) have rapid personality changes, including OCD, anxiety, sensory abnormalities, tics, emotional lability and often exhibit behavioral problems at home and in school. While researchers know these symptoms are related to a dysregulated immune response, they don’t quite know the exact mechanism that’s causing their brains to be attacked. “Many times children are misdiagnosed with psychological disorders,” said Mrs. Gavin, “and they miss the co-morbid medical condition entirely.” The nonprofit is in the final stage of launching a patient registry to give scientists exactly what they need; more data to build hypothesis around. “We have to think outside of the box,” said board chair Christina Teague. “Parents are working to find solutions for their families because it has upended their lives. I encourage people to watch the documentary My Kid is Not Crazy to understand what they go through.” Following the 5k event, families will enjoy watching some of Richmond’s best mascot dash across the Redskin’s field followed by a Kids Fun Run. Afterwards, they’ll stay and play on inflatable obstacle courses, bounce house, enjoy music from a live DJ, princesses, glitter art, vendor fair and more. PRAI is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to spread awareness of neuroimmune disorders, advocate for patient care, and support data-driven research that will ultimately lead to effective treatments and cures for these disorders. For more information, visit praikids.org, on Facebook, or email Jessica Gavin at jessica.gavin@praikids.org
Submit your calendar events by email to: editor @ legacynewspaper.com. Include the who, what, where, when & contact information that can be printed. Deadline is Friday.
9.23, 3 p.m.
Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services will host a free, public event to recognize its 50 years of service. Each year, the agency provides intellectual and developmental disability, early intervention, prevention, mental health and substance use services to about 10,000 individuals from Henrico, New Kent and Charles City counties. Tours of the new East Center, remarks from officials and refreshments takes place at Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services East Center, 3908 Nine Mile Rd. A brief program, beginning will include remarks by Tyrone E. Nelson, chairman of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors and Varina District representative; John A. Vithoulkas, county manager; Jessica Young Brown, chairwoman of Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services Board; and Laura S. Totty, executive director of Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services
9.25, 6 p.m.
Henrico County will present spoken word artist Joseph Green at the Henrico Theatre, 305 E. Nine Mile Rd., in a free event to commemorate National Recovery Month. In an appearance titled “The Raw Spoken Words of Change,” Green will discuss his recovery and how communities can focus on prevention and healing. The event is sponsored by Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services, the Henrico County Sheriff’s Office and the Henrico Drug Court.
Sept. 18, 2019• 17
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(from page 13) county residents, Lee said. Along with the cooking certifications and new ways of thinking about food, GO Cook offers students the chance to develop a career mindset. “When you go into an interview, you are interviewing them, just like they’re interviewing you. You want to make sure this is a good fit for you. It’s not about the money,” Brinson said. Brinson said that he has partnered with 58 restaurants in the Charlottesville area, including Harvest Moon Catering and the Farmington Country Club. He emphasizes that he has started training the GO Cook graduates, but the employer has to continue the mentorship. Brinson said that part of his work is with restaurateurs to change the culture in their kitchens. Sometimes, smaller establishments do not think they can afford to pay higher wages or invest in employee training but that turnover is already draining their budgets, he said. “If the employer does right by this individual and grows them, it’s endless. A cook can become a chef one day,” Brinson said. Some GO Cook graduates are already on their way to becoming restaurant owners. Shamia Hopkins is the owner of the Three and Me Cooking Co. Hopkins’ three children inspire her business and its name. She wants to save to buy a house for her family and for her children to be able to go to the movies without worrying about money. “I want my kids to have that drive,” Hopkins said. “You don’t want to work for somebody for 30 years and not have a 401(k) plan.” Being able to save is particularly important to Hopkins, given racial wealth gaps that are true across the country. She saw the pattern when her own grandmother died and was not able to leave much to her children.
“Speaking for my culture, black people don’t have a lot of things to leave behind,” Hopkins said. Working as a cook for more than 10 years, Hopkins found it hard to stretch her salary to cover her food and bills, much less save up for a house. Hopkins’ main obstacle now is finding herself a kitchen. She lives at Piedmont Housing Alliance’s Friendship Court and is hoping to convince the nonprofit and the resident advisory council to add a rentable commercial kitchen when the housing complex redevelops. In the meantime, she has her eye on Trinity Episcopal Church’s Bread and Roses Community Kitchen, which she said is in high demand. “As soon as it opens, I have to jump on it,” Hopkins said. For both Hopkins and East, GO Cook has also brought the fun back to food. In his free time, East is developing his own barbecue sauce. He said that he would market it to the region near Amherst County, where he’s from. “That would just be cool to be able to go into a country store down there and see my sauce sitting there and people actually buying it, or go into someone’s house to have a barbecue or something and they have a bottle of my barbecue sauce sitting in their cabinet,” East said.
(from page 14) with another important HRSA interventions? Which interventions work best? Can we prevent mental health problems from becoming chronic and debilitating by catching and treating them at their earliest stage?” The idea, he said, is that with brief interventions, the program can have a broad impact across the region’s underserved populations. “We’re distributing our services across a very wide population of patients, more than 1,000 every year,” he said. “The idea is to give each patient two, three or four sessions, and try to make an impact within this brief intervention framework.” The Graduate Psychology Education grant is from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program has a goal of expanding training in psychology services for low-income, underserved populations, while also creating a professional pipeline of future clinical psychologists to serve those communities. This is the fourth consecutive Graduate Psychology Education grant in support of the Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative awarded to Rybarczyk and is paired
training grant awarded to Heather Jones, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology. Combining these grants, they have created the largest psychology doctoral training program nationally in terms of HRSA funds awarded, number of students and faculty who participate, and clinics and patients served. In addition to Rybarczyk and Jones, faculty on the new grant include Paul Perrin, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology, and Leila Islam, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, along with program alumna and community psychologist Carla Shaffer, Ph.D. Key partners also include F. Gerard Moeller, M.D., chair of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry in the VCU School of Medicine; Vimal Mishra, M.D., associate professor in the School of Medicine and medical director for the Office of Telemedicine; and Alan Dow, M.D., the Seymour and Ruth Perlin professor of Medicine and Health Administration and assistant vice president of health sciences for interprofessional education and collaborative care in the Department of Internal Medicine.
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18 • Sept. 18, 2019
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Will hold a Public Hearing in the 5th Floor Conference Room, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA on October 2, 2019, to consider the following under Chapter 30 of the Zoning Code: BEGINNING AT 1:00 P.M. BZA 41-2019 (CONTINUED FROM SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 MEETING): An application of Nordrow Investments LLC for a building permit to construct a single-family detached dwelling at 1901 GEORGIA AVENUE. BZA 42-2019: An application of Eleven Eleven 25th LLC for a building permit to construct a new single-family detached dwelling at 2319 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE. BZA 43-2019: An application of Kyle Johnston for a building permit to construct a new single-family detached dwelling at 205 BEAUMONT AVENUE.
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BZA 44-2019: An application of Altadonna Properties LLC for a building permit to construct a new single-family detached dwelling at 1509 NORTH 22nd STREET. BZA 45-2019: An application of Elliot and Kristine Becker for a building permit to construct an addition and porch on the rear of an existing single-family detached dwelling at 4401 STUART AVENUE. Roy W. Benbow, Secretary Phone: (804) 240-2124 Fax: (804) 646-5789 E-mail: Roy.Benbow@richmondgov.com Resource Information Help for the Disadvantaged and Disenfranchised (RIHD) www.rihd.org ● (804) 426-4426 P.O. Box 55 Highland Springs, Virginia 23075
Sept. 18, 2019• 19
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AUCTIONS AUCTION Saturday September 28, 2019 – 9:00AM. Kelley’s Country Store. 13311 Hanover Courthouse Rd. Hanover, VA 23069. 100’s of antiques – collectibles – Thornhill Wagon. www.TilmansauctionS.com Tilman’s Auction VA AR #348. 804347-4963 ATTN. AUCTIONEERS: Advertise your upcoming auctions statewide or 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 EDUCATION/CAREER TRAINING AIRLINES ARE HIRING – Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial aid for qualified students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance SCHEV certified 877-204- 4130 FARM EQUIPMENT GOT LAND? Our Hunters will Pay Top $$$ To hunt your land. Call for a FREE info packet & Quote. 1-866-309-1507 www.BaseCampLeasing.com HELP WANTED / DRIVERS Need CDL Drivers? Advertise your JOB OPENINGS statewide or in other states. Affordable Print and Digital Solutions to reach truck drivers. Call Landon Clark at Virginia Press Services 804-521-7576, landonc@vpa.net REAL ESTATE FOR SALE 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 SERVICES DIVORCE-Uncontested, $395+$86 court cost. WILLS $150.00. No court appearance. Estimated completion time twenty-one days. Hilton Oliver, Attorney (Facebook). 757-490-0126. Se Habla Espanol. BBB Member. https:// hiltonoliverattorneyva.com.
DENTAL INSURANCE Call Physicians Mutual Insurance Company for details. NOT just a discount plan, REAL coverage for 350 procedures. 844-709-6890 or http://www. dental50plus. com/28 Ad# 6118
CUO 0010145- Procurement 0913 HAMPTON SOLICITATION CITY OF HAMPTON Wednesday, October 2, 2019 2:00 p.m. ET-RFP 20-09/CLP Develop, Implement and Manage Youth Civic Engagement and Youth Development Activities/Programs Friday, November 15, 2019 4:30 p.m. ET – RFP 20-08 Development of Former Quality Inn Briefing on September 26, 2019 at 9:00 AM, One Franklin Street, Hampton, VA 23669, Sixth Floor, EDA Conference Room For all forms or additional information, see our web page at http://www.hampton.gov/bids-contracts or call (757)727-2200. Minority-Owned, Woman-Owned and Veteran Businesses are encouraged to participate.
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