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VOL. 28 NO. 31

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

www.richmondfreepress.com

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Big Herm’s again only black-owned food vendor at NFL training camp A3

AUGUST 1-3, 2019

Paradox of history As Trump speaks at Jamestown commemoration for 400th anniversary of representative government, Va. Legislative Black Caucus boycotts with commemoration of the enslaved

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Carlos Barria/Reuters

Left, Fairfax Delegate Ibraheem Samirah unfurls a sign in protest during President Trump’s keynote speech Tuesday at the 400th anniversary commemoration in Jamestown. Above, Attorney General Mark Herring joins members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and other Democratic officials in prayer at the site of Lumpkin’s Jail in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom during their alternative commemoration boycotting President Trump’s appearance in Jamestown.

Jamestown commemoration Free Press wire report

JAMESTOWN President Trump marked the 400th anniversary of American democracy Tuesday, but Virginia’s African-American lawmakers boycotted his celebration of the initial experiment in self-government in this country to protest his continued disparagement of a veteran black congressman and the majority-black Baltimore district he represents. The positive rhetoric from President Trump marking the beginnings of representative government here 400 years ago contrasted sharply with his stream of attacks against U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland before and after the event. The president said in remarks to members of Virginia’s General Assembly and other dignitaries that the United States has had many achievements, but “none exceeds the triumph that we are here to celebrate today.” “Self-government in Virginia did not just give us a state we love — in a very true sense, it gave us the country we love, the United States of America,” he said. The General Assembly grew out of a gathering that convened in July 1619 as the House of Burgesses. In 1867, after the Civil War, the legislature was dissolved for two years by an act of Congress. That enabled black men to join in writing a new state constitution recognizing for the first time their citizenship and their right to vote and serve in the legislature, which resumed

Enslaved commemoration

operations in 1869. But as President Trump addressed the lawmakers and others in a tent on the lawn of a history museum near the site of the original Jamestown colony, members of Virginia’s Legislative Black Caucus held an emotional ceremony about 60 miles away in Richmond, at the site of a oncenotorious slave jail, where they took turns condemning the president. Please turn to A4

The grand, but still stalled $1.4 billion plan to replace the now-closed Richmond Coliseum and potentially create thousands of new jobs is supposed to include development of nearly 3,000 affordable and marketrate apartments. There’s just one small problem — Mayor the current suburban-style Coliseum Mall Zoning District that covers the 10-block area near City Hall where the development is proposed to take place doesn’t permit housing or the tall buildings that are being contemplated or even the kind of signage that might be needed. The snafu, which was first noted last winter, is getting fresh attention as Mayor Levar M. Stoney prepares to announce the project and all of its details, according to sources. While nothing had been announced as of the Free Press deadline Wednesday evening, the mayor was scheduled to hold a press conference 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at City Hall with area black contractors hoping for a big share of the work, if the project proceeds. A highly placed source told the Free Press that “all of the financial kinks” have been worked out, and this is the day when the mayor will announce he is sending the development packages to City Council to consider. The council earlier agreed to hold a special meeting on Monday, Aug. 5, for the introduction of papers, but as of Wednesday, that meeting was not listed on the official schedule of public meetings maintained by the City Clerk’s Office. Still, if the project is to proceed, the identified flaws in the current regulations for the CM Zoning District would need to be corrected.

Members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus gathered Tuesday morning at the site of the former Lumpkin’s Jail in Shockoe Bottom, where enslaved people were bought and sold, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Africans arriving in Virginia in 1619. The legislators and a crowd of about 100 people recognized the journey made by AfricanAmericans, while also boycotting President

Hanover supervisors get earful over weak KKK response By George Copeland

Hanover County residents brought their concerns about growing Ku Klux Klan activity in the area to the streets last week — and to their local elected officials during a meeting of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. “Are you a board of all the people or are you a board that supports white supremacy?” asked Beaver Dam resident Holly Jackson Conrad. She was among 60 people who attended the July 24 board meeting, where, during a public comment period, 14 people questioned the board’s muted response to a KKK recruitment rally that was held by the North Carolina-based Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan outside the Hanover County Courthouse on Independence Day weekend. Mr. Barnette

Please turn to A4

Sources: Mayor Stoney to advance Coliseum project for Downtown By Jeremy M. Lazarus

By George Copeland

With little fanfare, notice of the problem was given to City Council before it voted in late December to give the green light to the city Planning Commission and the staff of the Department of Planning and Development Review to prepare and introduce proposed changes to the rules governing the CM Zoning Stoney District. Fast forward seven months, and nothing has been proposed — despite the assertion of the planning department’s leadership last winter that the staff was in the process of “finalizing” Please turn to A4

Mr. Peterson

Trump’s visit to Jamestown and the racist attitudes that underscore the distance that still needs to be crossed in a divided America. The commemoration followed a ceremony inside the State Capitol where about 14 AfricanAmerican and white state legislators placed a wreath under plaques inscribed with the names of the first African-Americans to be elected to the Virginia General Assembly after the Civil War and the emancipation of America’s slave population. “It is now time for us to re-energize,” said Richmond Delegate Delores L. McQuinn, who coordinated the VLBC events. “Stand for justice, stand for freedom and stand for what is right!” The VLBC quickly put the events together as an alternative to the 400th anniversary commemoration of the first meeting of the Virginia General Assembly in Jamestown in 1619 after learning President Trump would serve as the keynote speaker at the event in Jamestown. The president had been invited to Jamestown by Gov. Ralph S. Northam, a Democrat; the Republican leaders of the General Assembly, Sen. Majority Leader Tommy Norment of James City County and House Speaker Kirk Cox of Colonial Heights; and the board of American Evolution, which is organizing the 1619 commemoration events. The invitation was not rescinded in spite of President Trump’s abysmal record on race, which in recent weeks includes racist attacks against members of Congress, public figures and comPlease turn to A4

State sales tax holiday this weekend With the new school year on the horizon and hurricane season already here, consumers in Richmond and across the state will automatically save 5.3 percent on back-to-school and hurricane supplies this weekend. The reason: Virginia’s sales tax holiday is back. From Friday, Aug. 2, through Sunday, Aug. 4, items including notebooks, textbooks, pens, pencils, paper, clothing, sneakers, flashlights, batteries, disinfecting wipes and first aid kits can be purchased without the added state sales tax, provided each item falls within certain price guidelines. Energy efficient stoves, refrigerators and other appliances also are part of the tax-free weekend. The tax holiday is meant to spur greater

spending in retail stores and shops, take some of the financial burden off of lower-income residents and ensure school and emergency preparedness, according to state officials. Items don’t need to be purchased solely for school use or emergencies to be eligible. Seeking to boost sales, many retailers drop the state sales tax on all purchases of nonfood items, giving customers an acrossthe-board discount. The tax holiday does not apply to food sales or the meals tax on prepared foods. Qualifying items include school supplies that are $20 or less per item and clothing and footwear that is $100 or less per item. Details, including a list of qualifying items: www.tax.virginia.gov/virginia-salestax-holiday.

Winner of next week’s primary likely shoe-in for city commonwealth’s attorney By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Next week, Richmond residents can take part in deciding who should be the city’s next commonwealth’s attorney — Colette W. McEachin, who currently holds the office, or her challenger, Alexander L. “Alex” Taylor Jr., a former member of the office. The choice of a Democratic Party nominee, whose selection is considered tantamount to election, will take place on two days at two locations — 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, and 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, it has been

announced. The locations to vote: Richmond Public Library’s Main Branch, 101 E. Franklin St. in Downtown, and the South- Mrs. McEachin side Community Services Center, 4100 Hull Street Road in Southside Plaza, according to the Richmond City Democratic Committee. The “firehouse primary” is part of the process of selecting a replacement for Michael N. Herring,

who resigned as the city’s top prosecutor on July 1. Mrs. McEachin, who most recently has served as deputy commonMr. Taylor wealth’s attorney, was sworn in July 2 to replace him until the Nov. 5 election. All city voters can participate in the Democratic Party primary, but only a fraction of the city’s 150,000 registered voters are expected to do so given the limited locations and

the limited time to cast ballots. Mrs. McEachin and Mr. Taylor are scrambling to line up supporters to show up at the polls. Both have been knocking on doors and attending community meetings to make their respective cases for election. Party officials have said that a turnout of 5,000 people would be huge, and both candidates indicated that 1,500 votes might be enough to win. Victory in the nomination contest is considered likely to be decisive. While the deadline to file is Tuesday, Please turn to A4