Richmond Free Press August 26-28, 2021 edition

Richmond Free Press © 2021 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 30 NO. 35

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

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Meet this week’s Personality: Founder of Soul Vegan Block Party B1

AUGUST 26-28, 2021

Re-igniting a classic

Mayor Stoney announces revival of the Armstrong-Walker Classic, with the help of a 15-member committee and others to plan parade, peewee football game and tailgate party for Nov. 27

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Stadium and was held annually between 1939 and 1978 before Richmond Public Schools reorganized the city high schools, putting an end to the game.

Just as in the past, the new Armstrong-Walker Classic will be held the Saturday after Thanksgiving – this year on Saturday, Nov. 27.

It also will feature a parade on Leigh Street, a youth football game and a tailgate party on the Virginia Union University campus.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney used the backdrop of the Black His-

A fresh attempt is being made to revive the biggest sporting event in Richmond — the Armstrong-Walker Classic.

City Hall is now backing a coalition of alumni from the city’s two former Black high schools, Armstrong and Maggie L. Walker, who are leading the charge to stage an event honoring and commemorating the storied Thanksgiving weekend football clash between the friendly rivals.

The hugely popular game drew 25,000 to 35,000 people to City

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Clement Britt

Mayor Levar M. Stoney announces the return of one of “the great community traditions” – the ArmstrongWalker Classic – during a news conference Wednesday at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia in Jackson Ward. Left, this photo gives evidence of the huge crowds that packed the City Stadium during the heyday of the big contest between the two city high schools. Antique cars parade in front of the stands during pre-game festivities in this scene.

Dr. Oliver

Dr. Edloe

Dr. Benoit-Wilson

Dr. Villanueva

Black health professionals make push for vaccination efforts in Black and Brown communities

Free community testing for COVID-19 continues.

The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: • Saturday, Aug. 28, 4 to 7 p.m., Mosby’s Summer Night Lights, 1601 Littlepage St. • Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1 to 2 p.m., Southwood Resource Center, 1742 Clarkson Road, Apt. A. • Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1 to 3 p.m., Eastern Henrico Recreation Center Pavilion, 1440 N. Laburnum Ave. Appointments are not necessary, but can be made by calling the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by registering online at https://bit.ly/RHHDCOVID. Testing will be offered while test supplies last.

In Richmond alone, only 33.4 percent of the city’s African-American residents and 7.1 percent of Latino residents are fully vaccinated, according to health department data posted on Monday.

The numbers are only slightly higher when factoring in those who have had at least one dose of the vaccine. According to the data, 34.5 percent of African-Americans and 7.7 percent of Latinos in Richmond have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The data also show that African-Americans and Latinos continue to account for a disproportionate number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the virus not only in Richmond, but across Virginia and the United States.

As a result, Virginia, like many other states, is seeking to improve its approach to vaccinating communities of color, including re-assessing their methods during what is called “a critical moment for us to slow the spread,” said Dr. Cameron Webb, a Charlot-

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By George Copeland Jr.

With a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases and the continuing spread of the highly contagious delta variant, calls to vaccinate vulnerable populations have increased, with a variety of plans being floated to ensure the protection of people of color.

“We’ve learned a lot of lessons,” said Dr. M. Norman Oliver, Virginia’s health commissioner, in a recent Free Press interview.

Dr. Oliver explained that after the initial wave of the

pandemic that heavily impacted Virginia’s minority residents, health officials are working to better target these communities for advocacy and access “to ensure that they get testing, ensure that they get vaccination,” particularly as the potential for booster shots of the vaccine become a reality.

While the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines has continued to hold against new variants, the ability and willingness of some African-Americans and other people of color to get vaccinated has remained a challenge.

Free COVID-19 testing, vaccines

Vacancies hurting Richmond’s emergency operations

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Every element of public safety in Richmond is under stress due to manpower shortages.

For example, an ambulance took 22 minutes to show up to a shooting scene Tuesday afternoon in South Side — or more than double the standard response time.

And the emergency transport for the most seriously wounded person, who died at a nearby hospital, had to come from Chesterfield County.

The Richmond Ambulance Authority, which is short-staffed, had its entire cadre of paramedics and vehicles tied up on other calls, the RAA reported.

Separately, city firefighters are working backto-back, 24-hour shifts — a previously taboo practice, according to Keith Andes, president of the union local that represents them. He said “no one blinks an eye” at the change that is aimed at ensuring there are sufficient trained personnel to respond to calls.

Chief Smith

Chief Carter

Mr. Decker

Sheriff Irving

“My members are flat worn out,” Mr. Andes stated in an email response to a Free Press query. He said the heavier workload is forcing firefighters to spend more time away from their families and is taking a toll on their mental and physical health.

Meanwhile, the Richmond Justice Center, the city’s jail, still reports at least 100 vacancies among the deputies who monitor and guard the inmates. The staff shortage makes it harder for those remaining to do their jobs, making them more vulnerable to attack and leaving inmates more in control of cellblocks.

But the most serious situation may involve the Richmond Police Department, which now has 118 vacancies among its sworn officers, including 39 positions that City Hall has blocked the department from filling to help Please turn to A4

City launches youth violence prevention pilot

By George Copeland Jr.

Richmond is launching a pilot project to provide more protections and a better path forward for youths at risk of gun violence.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney on Tuesday announced the new initiative to prevent young people from being caught up in gun violence.

He said the city would use a $500,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and work with a coalition of community partners to launch the new program.

The program initially would seek to enroll

about 40 over-age middle school students who have struggled with academics, according to the city. The initial cadre, which would be divided into groups of eight to 10 young people, would be recruited from Martin Luther King Jr. and River City middle schools.

According to the mayor, the program would be for 15- and 16-year-olds who either have witnessed gun violence or who have a sibling who has been involved with gun violence. The mayor said the program would seek students Please turn to A4

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Pencils, paper, books When the pencils, paper and notebooks come out, you know it’s time for school. Fosio Issack, left, and Jennah Elganainy, both 15, volunteer to help distribute backpacks filled with school supplies on a recent Saturday at ICNA Relief’s Back2School program. ICNA Relief is a national domestic relief organization that is part of the Islamic Circle of North America. The backpacks were distributed to children of all faiths and backgrounds in conjunction with Henrico County Public Schools. It was part of a national effort by the organization to equip 45,000 students with the essentials they need to succeed in the classrooms. The volunteer effort took place at the Islamic Center of Henrico/Al Falah on Impala Drive in the county. It was also the organization’s food distribution day.

Volunteers packed bags of nutritious goods to be distributed as well.

Richmond Free Press

A2 August 26-28, 2021

Local News

Former principal alleged to have defrauded renters

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

For at least five years, Dr. Carl S. Vaughan appeared to offer a lifeline to people facing barriers to securing a place to live.

The former Armstrong High School principal’s creative approach was to lease apartments or homes at reduced rate from owners and then sublet the residences to people with bad credit or other problems that prevented them from renting directly.

To create cash flow, he charged the tenants $100 or so extra a month in rent above what he was required to pay, pushing for volume.

Citing his education credentials, he also promised those who sublet that they would receive a variety of “wraparound” services to get them back on their feet, including credit and behavior counseling, assistance in finding employment, tutoring in household management and help in obtaining a GED. He allegedly charged a $50 processing fee to those who enrolled in the additional services and added an additional monthly charge for those services.

The only problem: It was all a fraud, according to Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring.

In a scathing civil lawsuit filed Aug. 18 in Richmond Circuit Court, Mr. Herring’s office Mr. Vaughan alleges that Dr. Vaughan never provided the services, never responded to requests for repairs to the units he subleased and, until 2019, never disclosed to those from whom he rented that he was subletting the residences.

To add insult to injury, according to the complaint, Dr. Vaughan “aggressively evicted, often based on inaccurate billing and payment records,” relying on arbitrary rules and regulations that were undefined to act against tenants, particularly those who complained about the condition of their units.

Between 2016 and the filing of the lawsuit, Mr. Herring’s office alleges that Dr. Vaughan’s company, JumpStart University, signed lease contracts with 275 people and sought evictions against 200.

The complaint alleges that Dr. Vaughan also had prospective tenants sign contracts that violated the Landlord-Tenant Act as well as the state’s consumer protection law and often refused to return security deposits on bogus grounds.

The suit names Dr. Vaughan and the two companies he ran the operation through, JumpStart University Inc. and Vasilios Educational Center Inc., and requests that Dr. Vaughan and his companies be hit with heavy fines of $2,500 for each violation, that he make full restitution to the tenants who suffered financial injury and that the companies essentially be shut down.

Dr. Vaughan, who was forced to resign from Richmond Public Schools 15 years ago after six Armstrong teachers and staff members complained he sexually harassed them, has not yet responded to the civil filing.

The lawsuit states that 275 people sublet units from Dr. Vaughan and his companies since 2016, indicating Dr. Vaughan could face more than $500,000 in fines if the court upholds the request.

Mr. Herring filed the lawsuit the day after Dr. Vaughan settled with a former tenant, Sherita Cotton, who had sued him on virtually the same grounds that Mr. Herring alleged in his complaint.

Dr. Vaughan, according to the suit, “used his companies to take advantage of Virginians who were in tough financial situations — selling them a bill of goods that he would never be able to fulfill.”

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Cityscape Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

This fallen monster of a tree in Byrd Park exemplifies the damage that has resulted from repeated heavy rains in recent weeks. Location: Boat Lake and Westover Drive. The photo was taken Aug. 19, but it is unknown when the tree fell. Richmond was spared substantial impact from the remnants of Hurricane Fred, which largely bypassed Central Virginia as it moved North. So far during August, the Richmond area has recorded 8.22 inches of rain – or the equivalent of 80 inches of snow.

The total rainfall is about 5 inches more than the 10-year rainfall norm for August. The rain spigot was turned off in much of Metro Richmond this week as hot, humid days returned. The forecast indicates that isolated thunderstorms may roll through again on Saturday and Sunday.

Marsh Elementary School dedication this Saturday

By Ronald E. Carrington

This Saturday, Aug. 28, will be a banner day for former state Sen. Henry L. Marsh III and the new elementary school in Church Hill named in his honor that will be officially dedicated.

The 10 a.m. ceremony at the school, built in the 800 block of North 28th Street in Church Hill adjacent to where George Mason Elementary used to stand, will celebrate the accomplishments of Mr. Marsh who also served as Richmond’s first African-American mayor.

“I am excited and very proud and I am grateful to have the opportunity to have my name associated with the school,” Mr. Marsh, now 87, said in an interview this week. “This is a very humbling experience.”

The ceremony, which is by invitation only because of COVID-19, will take place in the lobby of the school where items in a showcase will trace his life of dedicated service to Richmond, civil rights and the improvement of the lives of people across the Commonwealth.

Richmond School Board Chairwoman Cheryl L. Burke, in whose 7th District the new school is located, has been beyond elated since the decision was made in Feb-

ruary 2020 to name the building after the longtime civil rights attorney.

Mr. Marsh said two generations of his family attended George Mason Elementary, which Marsh Sen. Marsh Elementary now replaces. He went there as a youngster and so did his children. The Marsh family lives near the school.

Mr. Marsh said that he has always looked for an opportunity to serve. He won election to Richmond City Council in 1966 and was chosen as vice mayor in 1970. He became Richmond’s first Black mayor in 1977, when he was selected by his fellow council members to serve in that role following an election in which African-Americans had won a majority of the nine City Council seats for the first time in history.

He lost his mayor’s seat in 1982, but remained on City Council until 1991, when he won election to the state Senate.

He resigned from his Senate seat in 2014 to accept a gubernatorial appointment to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control

Commission. He has since retired.

A 1952 graduate of Maggie L. Walker High School, Mr. Marsh served as vice president of his senior class, editor of the school newspaper and president of the student NAACP chapter.

He said he hopes that students attending Marsh Elementary will find inspiration in the new school once classes start Sept. 8 for in-person learning after being shut down since March 2020 because of the pandemic.

He said he hopes the adjustment will be easy, particularly for younger children who may be going to school for the first time.

“One of the reasons for renaming a school, historically, is to inspire students to aspire to take on leadership roles and make a better community,” Mr. Marsh said.

He said education was always a major focus for his family going back to his grandparents. He said he was a “typical student” when he was in Richmond Public Schools. He said RPS has always been able to provide students with a well-rounded education.

“I was very interested in extracurricular activities,” he recalled. “My teachers encouraged me. They told me to focus on the academics, which I did. I also focused on being a leader.”

Wells Fargo changes course to keep North Side bank branch open Wells Fargo bank has reversed itself and will continue operating its branch at 1800 Chamberlayne Ave., the financial giant announced Tuesday.

The bank stated in a letter to account holders that the decision was made “after listening to the concerns of the community and understanding how we can continue to reach the needs of our customers.”

The branch had been scheduled to close in September, expanding the banking desert in the North Side and the East End, as the Free Press previously reported.

This is one of the last full-service bank branches east of Brook Road outside of Downtown. Aside from this Wells Fargo branch, the only bank offerings in the area are ATMs in Highland Park and Church Hill.

With customers increasingly banking online, most banks also have closed branches in most of South Side, as well.

Credit unions, which also offer banking services, have only one or two operations located in the eastern half of the city, most notably Richmond Heritage Federal Credit Union.

Getting ready Efforts are in full swing to get youngsters ready for the start of classes in Richmond Public Schools. On Wednesday, Gov. Ralph S. Northam, second from left, and his wife, First Lady Pamela Northam, second from right, join Richmond city and school officials in filling new backpacks with school supplies at the Ultimate Backpack

Supply Drive.

RPS partnered with CoStar Group, the VCU Alumni Association and Communities In School for the fourth annual event that took place at The Diamond on Arthur Ashe Boulevard. The goal was to collect up to 15,000 backpacks to give to city students as they return to in-person learning for the first time

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

The Wells Fargo Bank branch at 1800 Chamberlayne Ave. in North Side.

Correction The new Cardinal Elementary School located at 1745 Catalina Drive in South Side cost $42.5 million.

An article about the school’s official dedication that was published in the Aug. 19-21 edition contained an incorrect figure of $147 million, which was the combined cost of the three newest schools in the city – Cardinal Elementary, Henry L. Marsh III Elementary and River City Middle School.

The Free Press regrets the error.

Clement Britt

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

since March 2020.

With Gov. and Mrs. Northam are, from left, City Council President Cynthia I. Newbille, School Board Chairwoman Cheryl L. Burke and RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras.

Above, on Tuesday, community volunteers Tracie Tucker, left, and Barbara Burton, the parent of two RPS graduates, participated in a “PPE Party Packing” effort at the Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center next to The Diamond to pack kits of personal protective equipment, or PPE, for students.

Also joining in the effort were RPS teachers and staff and Richmond social workers and employees from the Office of Community Engagement. Each kit contains hand sanitizer, a mask, a water bottle, a thermometer and a magnet printed in both English and Spanish with the symptoms to check for during the pandemic. The group hoped to pack at least 25,000 PPE kits that will be given to students on the opening day.

Gov. Northam and the state health commissioner have issued public health orders for all Virginia students in kindergarten through 12th grade to wear masks inside schools. The goal is for students to stay healthy and avoid the coronavirus.

Richmond Free Press

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Richmond Free Press

A4 August 26-28, 2021

News

Mayor announces revival of the Armstrong-Walker Classic Continued from A1

tory Museum & Cultural Center in Jackson Ward to announce on Wednesday the effort “to bring back one of the great community traditions.”

He said the Armstrong-Walker Classic was “a cherished annual event that allowed the Black community to come together, share and celebrate education, self-determination, excellence …

It was an opportunity to show up and show out.”

Mayor Stoney said the importance of the game “was undervalued at the time by the powers that be. That was then, this is now.”

He said he has sought to use his role as a public servant “to right past wrongs. The Classic is another example and an opportunity to build on the legacy of the Black community and be proud of what we have built. We need to lift up the Black experience” and honor the trailblazers, activists, educators, professionals and political leaders who came from the two schools.

This is the second effort in recent years to create a remembrance event. Between 2009 and 2011, a nonprofit group led

by Bernice Travers sought to stage an event featuring semi-pro football teams from Richmond and other cities wearing jerseys

of the two high schools.

But she said the event never attracted more than 5,000 people.

“All I can say is good luck to them,” Ms. Travers said after the announcement.

The mayor credMr. Lanier Mr. Wilder ited Maggie L. Walker alumni Cary C. Mitchell, whose father, the late journalist and radio broadcaster John Thomas “Tiger Tom” Mitchell, was the announcer for the games at City Stadium, and Reginald E. “Reggie” Gordon, the city’s deputy chief administrator for human services, for bringing the idea for a legacy event to him.

Mr. Mitchell’s brother, John H. Mitchell, also is credited with building the website, AWfootballclassic.com, which offers the details.

According to the website, a 15-member committee of graduates of the two schools is planning the legacy parade that will travel Leigh Street between 5th Street and Lombardy Street where the Maggie Walker building is located. It is now a regional

governor’s school. The parade is to end on the adjacent Virginia Union University campus.

Dr. Howard Hopkins, a former athletic director and coach at Maggie Walker and a longtime city high school principal, and McDaniel Anderson, a former Armstrong quarterback, are co-chairing the parade initiative.

Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, a 1947 graduate of Armstrong High School, and football Hall of Famer Willie Lanier, a 1963 graduate of Maggie L. Walker High School, are the honorary cochairs, just as they were for the event that Ms. Travers staged.

The city Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will stage the youth football contest. The inaugural game, the Free Press was told, is to feature peewee teams – the Chiefs of the Powhatan Community Center in Fulton and the Ducks of the Southside Community Center.

Vacancies hurting city’s emergency operations City launches youth violence prevention pilot Continued from A1

with a history of exposure to violence, substandard academic performance, and low household income and education.

“Together with our partners, we’re going to wrap our arms around these children and shepherd them through some of the most formative times in their life,” Mayor Stoney said. “We’re going to provide supports both in school and during those integral hours immediately after school. We’re going to give them the support they need to steer clear of gun violence.”

The support would include stipends for participants, tutoring, preparation for careers and other positive activities, he said.

The announcement came amid a rising tide of gun violence. So far this year, 45

people have been killed, according to data from the Richmond Police Department.

RPD also has reported 262 instances in which guns were displayed or fired in robberies and other crimes.

During school hours, students in the program and their families are to receive intervention support from Communities In Schools of Richmond.

After classes end, the students in their small groups would be provided with after-school programs focusing on helping them improve their grades and gain job training.

Two adults would be in charge of eight teams of students, the mayor said, including a trained staff member from the city Department of Parks and Recreation and a behavioral or mental health expert

from either ChildSavers or the Challenge Discovery Projects.

The hope is to create a model that could serve larger numbers of young people in a bid to reduce the number of youths willing to shoot other people out of rage or pain, Mayor Stoney said.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s research indicates programming can reduce gun violence when it helps young people increase their commitment to schoolwork and involvement in positive activities and enables them to build trust and form close relationships with adults who are seeking to assist them.

“We all benefit when our kids thrive,” Mayor Stoney said, “and every child in Richmond deserves the chance to thrive.”

Black health professionals push vaccination efforts Continued from A1

tesville physician and senior policy adviser of equity for the White House’s COVID-19 Response Team.

“More and more people from the Black community are saying that they are vaccine ready,” Dr. Webb said during a recent virtual forum with other Black health professionals. “But that still means that we’ve got some folks that we need to reach in order to make sure our communities are protected.”

Dr. Leonard L. Edloe, president-elect of the Virginia Pharmacists Association, said the challenges surrounding current vaccination efforts within minority communities are nothing new. From his work as a consultant to Westwood Pharmacy in Richmond and as pastor of New Hope Fellowship Church in Middlesex County, he has faced a variety of obstacles around COVID-19 vaccinations, from simple fears in the moment to “a whole lot of wives’ tales” among some church-goers.

The challenges Dr. Edloe and others cited include long-standing issues between the Black community and America’s health care system, complacency to the threat of COVID-19 and a lack of confidence in the vaccines. They also pointed to misinformation and the barriers to access people of color face, not just geographically, but in their ability to set aside work or other concerns to go get the vaccine.

Taken altogether, these obstacles call attention to the plight of communities without the means and infrastructure to address their health concerns and to get needed support.

“The resources aren’t in the community,” Dr. Edloe said of the current vaccination effort.

“That makes it difficult.”

In response, medical professionals have outlined a number of potential solutions to get vaccines into the arms of people in communities of color. They are centered largely on advocacy and further expanding access.

While initial efforts to vaccinate communities of color focused on local community leaders like preachers, recent discussions have stressed the importance of using trusted health care providers, in particular physicians, to encourage individuals and their families to get vaccinated.

These providers, as explained by Dr. Samuel Hunter, president of the Richmond Medical Society, an organization of Black physicians, would best work as established parts

of minority communities, with an “continuity of care and trust” and understanding of a patient’s health. With this relationship, doctors could address any misgivings and misinformation patients have around critical health matters, including COVID-19 vaccination.

The importance of medical professionals in quelling concerns about the vaccine was echoed by several other health officials.

“We have to be able to sit down and talk to (patients) and really understand what questions they need answered,” said Dr. Michele Benoit-Wilson, an OBGYN with WakeMed Health in North Carolina. “We went into medicine because we wanted to serve our communities, and we know that Black and Brown physicians are the ones who are taking care of more Black and Brown patients. It is so vitally important for us to get the message out that vaccination is safe and it’s necessary in order to keep us all safe.”

A major issue, however, is that many Black and Brown people don’t have primary care physicians, as historic inequities have resulted in health disparities that have been highlighted during the pandemic.

Another option pointed to is the importance of local, trusted sources for information, such as Black-owned media, to answer the public’s questions and spread facts and resources that can be shared in the community. This can help not only reduce misinformation and worries, but can also aid in the work being done by those in the medical field.

“We’re the individuals that Black and Brown patients have trusted to take care of them, and we need for them to continue to trust in our care,” said Dr. Rachel Villanueva, president of the National Medical Association, the largest and oldest professional organization that represents the interests of more than 50,000 African-American physicians across the country and the patients they serve.

“We need for our communities to trust us to have that conversation to allay their fears and to encourage the decision to get vaccinated,” Dr. Villanueva said.

Along similar lines, friends and families are seen as potential influencers who can stress the need for vaccination.

In terms of access, government officials and various businesses continue to employ various measures to encourage vaccinations among the public.

These efforts are likely to increase with the growing surge in COVID-19 cases.

But health officials also warn that vaccinations are not all that’s needed. They stress, too, the importance of wearing face masks and using social distancing to protect individuals, families and communities.

Time will tell what impact these efforts will have on vaccination numbers in Richmond

and beyond. But many are committed to stemming the impact of COVID-19 in Black and brown communities and closing the racial gaps in health care generally.

“Together we can, we absolutely must and we will do this,” Dr. Villanueva said. “I firmly believe in the power of the collective, and we need this collective to surmount the pandemic.”

Free COVID-19 vaccines Continued from A1

COVID-19 testing also is available at various drug stores, clinics and urgent care centers throughout the area for people with and without health insurance. Several offer tests with no out-of-pocket costs.

A list of area COVID-19 testing sites is online at https://www. vdh.virginia.gov/richmond-city/richmond-and-henrico-area-covid19-testing-sites/ The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov/ coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites/.

Want a COVID-19 vaccine?

The Richmond and Henrico health districts are offering free walk-up COVID-19 vaccines at the following locations: • Friday, Aug. 27, 9 a.m. to noon – Henrico West Health Department Clinic, 8600 Dixon Powers Drive, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson; 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – East End Branch, Richmond Public Library, 1200 N. 25th St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.

• Saturday, Aug. 28, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Broad Rock Farmers Market, Back to School event, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd.; 4 to 7 p.m. – Mosby Summer Night Lights event, 1400 Spotsylvania St., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson Children ages 12 to 17 may only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Appointments are not required, but individuals can schedule an appointment online at vax.rchd.com or by calling (804) 205-3501.

VaccineFinder.org and vaccines.gov also allow people to find nearby pharmacies and clinics that offer the COVID-19 vaccine.

U.S. regulators gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, potentially boosting public confidence in the shots and instantly opening the way for more local governments, school systems, universities and companies to make vaccinations mandatory.

The Pentagon promptly announced it will press ahead with plans to force members of the military to get vaccinated amid the battle against the super contagious delta variant.

More than 200 million Pfizer doses have been administered in the United States under emergency provisions — and hundreds of millions more worldwide — since December. In going a step further and granting full approval, the Food and Drug Administration cited months of evidence that serious side effects are extremely rare.

In Richmond, where city employees are now required to be vaccinated against COVID-19, roughly 75 percent are either partially or fully vaccinated, while another 10 percent have asked for religious or medical exemptions as of Tuesday, officials said.

3,060 of Richmond city employees are either partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Of the 3,000 or so employees who have responded so far, about 300 requested exemptions.

Those who haven’t responded have until Sept. 1 to turn in paperwork showing their vaccination status or requesting an exemption, otherwise they will be placed on leave without pay, city officials said.

On Wednesday, state health officials reported the highest daily count of COVID-19 cases in months – 3,454. With that number, Virginia has reached a total of 747,640 cases during the course of the pandemic, with 33,096 hospitalizations and 11,715 deaths.

Virginia’s seven-day positivity rate continues to rise at 9.8percent.

Last week, it was 8.6 percent.

According to state health department data, 56 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, while 63.3 percent of the population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

State data also show that African-Americans comprised 22.8 percent of cases statewide and 25 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 15.3 percent of cases and 6.4 percent of deaths.

Reported COVID-19 data as of Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021

Cases Hospitalizations Deaths Richmond 19,291 849 281 Henrico County 28,712 1,141 647 Chesterfield County 31,728 1,087 462 Hanover County 9,433 341 171

Continued from A1

balance its budget.

According to the department, RPD has an authorized strength of 756 officers, which includes 45 for slots for recruits. Currently, 38 are in training, but only half, 19, will graduate from the academy in September, and none would be street-ready without additional field training under the tutelage of a more experienced officer.

The upshot: Of the 711 positions for sworn officers who can work on their own, only 592 are currently filled, taking the force by some estimates to its lowest level in years.

That number, however, is further reduced because all of those officers are not available. On any given day, 30 to 40 officers will be testifying in court, on vacation, nursing injuries, recovering from illness, serving in the National Guard, away on family medical leave or sidelined for an investigation of claims of violations of one or more department policies.

That is reflected at roll calls. Recently, First Precinct in Church Hill had only two officers to report for a shift, instead of the 15 or so who should be on hand.

The city’s three other precincts are regularly reporting that three to six people are available per shift. Only one officer was available to work a Saturday night in Shockoe Bottom when the bars emptied, compared with the squad of five to six officers who previously had been assigned the duty.

Police Chief Gerald M. Smith downplayed the situation in a report to City Council’s Public Safety Committee last month.

He reported only 76 vacancies at the time and said the recruits in training would provide some relief. He also did not mention the frozen positions.

Despite his positive view, officers are expressing concern about the dwindling ranks and retirements that mean more mandatory overtime for those remaining. With violent crime up 14 percent and shootings rampant, officers on patrol are flooded with 911 calls and often must overlook lesser crimes.

“It’s fair to say we are in a crisis,” said an officer who commented on condition of anonymity due to concern about retaliation from superiors. “We’re working our butts off, and we can’t catch a break.”

The department has been facing a turnover problem since April 2020 after the pandemic hit, followed by the surging racial justice protests in which Richmond officers were often pelted with rocks and hit with bags filled with urine. More than 80 officers retired or resigned through June 30, 2021, a big increase for a department that usually loses 45 officers a year.

The loss of officers has continued. Since Chief Smith’s report to the committee, at least three more officers have left, and the department has noted that five officers have submitted notices that they will retire by the end of the year.

Internal reports the Free Press has received suggest the attrition among officers could be far greater. The Free Press was told the retirement count could go as high as 12 by Thanksgiving.

The Free Press also was told that 50 younger Richmond Police officers have applied or been hired by police departments at Virginia Commonwealth University and in Chesterfield, Henrico and other nearby counties that offer better pay and more stable working conditions.

If that happens, the total available force on any given day could drop below 500 people, the numbers indicated.

Richmond is not alone. Both private companies as well as government agencies in Virginia and across the country are reporting problems in finding workers to fill vacancies.

And police departments are among the most challenged to recruit new people, according to national and state police chiefs.

In a majority-minority city, recruiting is harder for Richmond’s public safety operations, which face budget limits and must seek diverse recruits. Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Snead told the Public Safety Committee in July that his department received more than 800 applications from experienced firefighters who want to transfer in or from people who want to be firefighters.

He said that more than 85 percent of the applicants were white.

He said only about 27 total would be offered positions or entry into the academy in large part due to diversity considerations.

For the city, there are some hopeful signs. Chip Decker, chief executive officer of the Richmond Ambulance Authority, said that he has hired 18 people who will help fill a portion of his 40 vacancies.

He said that, despite a $1 million reduction in the city’s subsidy in each of the last two years, he has been able to start increasing pay for paramedics and emergency medical technicians and believes he could be back to full strength in six to 12 months.

Fire Chief Melvin Carter told the Free Press that he has applied for a federal grant that would allow him to hire 60 more firefighters to relieve the need for mandatory overtime. He said he currently has 33 vacancies — 42 counting frozen positions — some of which should be filled by October. About 10 to 12 trained firefighters have been hired as transfers from other fire departments.

Whether that will provide relief is uncertain. The Free Press has been told at least 25 current firefighters have applied to or been hired by departments in neighboring counties, and Mr. Andes is anticipating the loss of an additional 15 to 20 firefighters by the end of the year.

For Chief Smith and city Sheriff Antionette V. Irving, there appears to be no relief in sight. Both have advised that their recruiting efforts have not gone well.

Chief Smith said he is trying “to move money around so we can fill some of the frozen positions.” He also has started taking his executive team to roll calls to speak with officers and offer praise for their work. Whether that will help retention remains to be seen.

Richmond Free Press

August 26-28, 2021 A5

Preparing for a happy and healthy school year As we face another school year with COVID considerations, you may have some questions.

We have answers.

How is this school year going to be the ƞðšěʅðƞɋʅůƖʅĔŀȁěƖěţƪʅƪĻðţɋʅŘðƞƪʅǑěðƖɑ A couple months ago it was looking like this year was shaping up to be a bit more ‘normal’ than last year, but the delta variant has thrown us another curve. Families and school systems are going to need to remain vigilant with infection prevention practices – washing hands, watching distance and wearing masks – at least as we begin the school year.

What are the rules and recommendations ðƖůƲţĔʅšðƞŕƞʅŀţʅƞčĻůůŘƞɑ • The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that everyone in K-12 schools wear masks, whether they’ve had the vaccine or not.

• Richmond Public Schools are requiring masks for everyone.

• The mask guidelines are a matter of protecting ourselves and others, including those who are not able to get the vaccine, while COVID-19 still poses a very real health threat.

Back to school safety tips

Wear your mask over your nose and mouth

Wash your hands

How can families help their kids who may be anxious about returning to school for the ȆƖƞƪʅƪŀšěʅŀţʅðʅNjĻŀŘěɑ Even kids who are excited to get back into the school building may have some anxiety about doing it for the first time in a long time.

• Encourage your child to voice their feelings and validate what they say.

• Gradually work to get everyone back on a normal school schedule, allowing time for plenty of sleep, healthy meals, reading and exercise.

• If your child isn’t used to wearing a mask for several hours at a time, spend some time practicing.

• Check in with the teacher and school counselor to see how your child is handling the transition back to school.

What can families do to keep kids as safe ðţĔʅĻěðŘƪĻǑʅðƞʅƓůƞƞŀČŘěʅƪĻŀƞʅƞčĻůůŘʅǑěðƖɑ • Infection prevention strategies continue to be essential.

• Perform a health check each morning. If your child shows signs of illness, such as a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher, sore throat, cough, body aches, severe headache, diarrhea or vomiting, they should not go to school.

• The vaccine remains our best line of defense against COVID-19. Arrange for your child to get the vaccine when it becomes available to them.

• Be sure they get their flu vaccine this fall too!

Watch your distance when possible

Get the COVID-19 vaccine when you’re eligible

Keep up with the latest updates, including COVID vaccine availability for expanded age groups, at chrichmond.org/COVID

CHoR_FreePress_happy-school-year_v3.indd 1

8/23/21 4:07 PM

Richmond Free Press

Turtles at Three Lakes Park in Henrico

Editorial Page

A6

August 26-28, 2021

Aug. 28 and Dr. King

Saturday, Aug. 28 is the 58th anniversary of the historic March on Washington.

More than 250,000 people heeded the call of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others and gathered on that day in the nation’s capital where they marched and heard speakers call for equal rights for African-Americans in this nation.

People most commonly reference Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech delivered at the event pointing out that people should be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin.

But if that’s the extent of someone’s knowledge of Dr. King, then we urge him or her to go back and read Dr. King’s books, speeches and letters that show the radical Dr. King. He pushed for living wages to lift families out of poverty. He called for an end to war and the militaryindustrial complex that sucks critical resources away from human needs in this nation. He also backed people taking to the streets to demonstrate—and going to jail if need be—for greater causes, such as voting rights and civil rights.

“There is another America, and that other America has a daily ugliness about it that transforms the buoyancy of hope into the fatigue of despair,” he said in a speech to union workers in New York in March 1968.

“By the millions, people in the other America find themselves perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. …The great tragedy is that the nation continues in its national policy to ignore the conditions that brought the riots or the rebellions into being.”

He said while the riots can be quelled “by superior force,” he couldn’t advise that people follow a path of “just sitting around signing statements and writing articles condemning the rioters or engaging in a process of timid supplications for justice.”

He continued, “The fact is that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed — that’s the long, sometimes tragic and turbulent story of history.”

On this Saturday, and at this time, we are both reassured and inspired by those who are reclaiming Dr. King’s legacy and tactics by marching in Washington and in communities across the nation to demand that President Biden and members of Congress stand up and take action against the assaults against democracy being perpetrated by ultraconservatives in state legislatures to nullify the voting power of Black and brown people.

The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law found that 49 states introduced bills this year to restrict voting rights, with about 18 states already enacting about 30 laws to restrict access to the polls.

Criminalizing giving water to people standing in long voting lines and barring early voting on Sundays are clear efforts to undermine Black and brown turnout for elections.

Unless federal action is taken by the U.S. Senate to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the For the People Act, people of color and disabled people in many communities are going to face even greater obstacles in trying to cast their ballots in upcoming elections.

“Black voters’ ability to overcome unequal burdens (to voting) does not diminish the fact that those burdens exist. Nor does our Constitution countenance two systems of voting in this country — one in which Black and other marginalized voters require an independent, nongovernmental apparatus to exercise the fundamental right to vote while white voters do not,” said Samuel Spital, director of litigation for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

It is unlawful, he said.

We urge President Biden and members of the U.S. Senate to get rid of the filibuster so that Senate Democrats can pass voting rights protections. Republicans have found a way around the filibuster, which requires 60 votes for a measure’s passage, to pass tax cuts for the wealthy and to stack the U.S. Supreme Court with conservative justices.

Voting rights are essential and we demand that the Senate find an exclusion to the filibuster to pass federal voting protection.

Additionally, we stand with the striking workers at the Mondelez International bakery plant in Henrico County near Richmond International Airport who were considered “essential workers” during the pandemic and put their health and lives at risk to continue producing Chips Ahoy, Ritz crackers, Nilla Wafers and Oreo cookies that are shipped across America.

The workers, who have been on strike since last week, are seeking “a fair contract.” According to the union, the company wants to require some workers to take on 12-hour shifts rather than normal eight-hour shifts, to eliminate overtime or premium pay on the weekends and make workers help pay for their health insurance benefit.

We must not forget that Dr. King was shot and killed in Memphis in April 1968 while supporting striking garbage workers who were protesting dangerous working conditions that denied their humanity.

We cannot turn a blind eye to companies and corporations that grow richer off the sweat of the workers whose humanity they deny. These injustices continue to exist even after decades of protests and struggle.

In releasing the 2020 census data on Aug. 15, the U.S. Census Bureau wrote, “Understanding the role of race is complicated because even before the pandemic, the Black population was more likely to be poor, less likely to have health insurance and more likely to work in the front-line jobs that put them at risk of both infection and unemployment during the pandemic.”

As Dr. King said, fairness and justice will not be given by the oppressor. It must be demanded.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Infrastructure must emphasize equity President Biden’s American Jobs Plan would provide a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure system, create millions of quality, good-paying jobs, revitalize our communities and work to address the climate crisis through sustainable, forwardlooking policy solutions.

The United States is among the wealthiest countries in the world, yet we continuously rank among the worst when it comes to the overall quality of our infrastructure. As Congress sets its sights on this once-in-a-generation investment in America, we must recognize our past shortcomings, understand their impacts and resolve to address the long-standing inequities that have resulted from those mistakes.

When you stop to look at historic infrastructure investments in our country, you will find that short-sighted approaches have impacted communities across the nation. And too often these investments disproportionately impact low-income families and communities of color, isolating them and leaving them in need of basic economic resources.

Infrastructure should help bridge communities together. Unfortunately, previous investments have divided neighborhoods, created barriers to opportunity and stagnated growth and innovation.

The American Jobs Plan seeks to address these historic disparities through a more inclusive, thoughtful investment

approach that provides actionable steps to mitigate past wrongdoings. The plan proposes $20 billion for a new program that will help reconnect neighborhoods that have been cut off from previous infrastructure investments while promoting opportunity, prioritizing racial equity and environmental jus-

Rep. A. Donald McEachin tice and promoting affordable access.

The bipartisan infrastructure framework developed by the U.S. Senate includes a small fraction of the initial amount, allocating only $1 billion to reconnect disconnected neighborhoods and communities.

While this is an important first step in righting our previous wrongs, we must do more. Future infrastructure packages need to include robust investment in these efforts to ensure we are doing our part and addressing these systemic challenges created by previous infrastructure upgrades.

This program would have real, tangible impacts for historically disenfranchised communities and neighborhoods like Jackson Ward in Richmond. The neighborhood was cut off by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1965, one of the largest historic infrastructure investments in our country’s history that aimed to create a national interstate highway system. Despite its burgeoning, well-established economy, large sections of the Jackson Ward neighborhood were leveled in the 1950s to make way for the construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike — what is now known

as Interstate 95.

Construction of the highway left entire portions of Jackson Ward unrecognizable. It cut directly through the neighborhood, destroying historic buildings and structures, ousting small businesses and entrepreneurs and wreaking havoc on residents’ lives and livelihoods.

Not only did the highway’s construction have an immediate and undeniable impact on Jackson Ward, it ultimately would lead to increased levels of air pollution and other detrimental health hazards.

The program outlined in the American Jobs Plan would provide substantial funding to create new opportunities in neighborhoods like Jackson Ward, prioritize racial equity and promote thoughtful investments that consider the communities and their residents.

I am supporting President Biden’s efforts in the House of Representatives and have helped lead legislation that aims to ameliorate some of the wrongs low-income communities and communities of color face. During this Congress, I have co-sponsored H.R. 2833, the Reconnecting Communities Act, to help mitigate the impacts of exclusionary infrastructure investments that have isolated and cut off entire communities.

The legislation would fund efforts to reconnect neighborhoods and create more opportunity for residents. The bill would allocate $15 billion to cap, remove, fill in or reduce the impact of highways and interstates like I-95 that were constructed through predominantly low-income communities and communities of color in the mid- to late 20th century.

Soul music in Black cultural history During the past five weeks, I have seen three films that showcase and celebrate the contributions of soul music to the cultural history of Black people.

“Summer of Soul” celebrates soul music’s contributions to the 1969 Harlem Arts Festival; “Respect” celebrates the key role of it in the life of Aretha Franklin who was, and for many, still is the Queen of Soul; while “Ailey” celebrated its role in the life of Alvin Ailey, a master choreographer whose “Revelations” is one of the greatest artistic creations of the 20th century.

Alvin told me when I assisted him in the writing of his memoir, “Revelations, the Autobiography of Alvin Ailey,” that “Revelations began with the music. As early as I can remember I was enthralled by the music played and sung in the small Black churches in every small Texas town my mother and I lived in. No matter where we were during those nomadic years, Sunday was always a church-

going day. There, we would absorb some of the most glorious singing to be heard anywhere in the world. With profound feelings, with faith, hope, joy and sometimes sadness, the choirs, congregations, deacons, preachers and ushers would sing Black spirituals and gospel songs. They

A. Peter Bailey sang and played the music with such fervor that even as a small child, I could not only hear it, but almost see it.”

Aretha was equally “enthralled” by the Black music she first heard when attending Black churches as a small child.

She absorbed it all and used that spirituality in all of her songs. This is clearly evident when hearing Jennifer Hudson brilliantly sing Aretha’s masterpieces in the film. Aretha also used that same powerful spiritual and communal spirit as a force for bringing Black people together during the Civil Rights Movement.

The same intense feelings described by Alvin and Aretha also are created by the singing of, among others, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, Nina Simone, Mavis Staples and Gladys Knight in the

“Summer of Soul.” It was evident when watching and feeling the intense reaction of the thousands of Black folks—from small children to senior citizens—who attended the festival.

Watching the three films brought about precious memories since I attended the Harlem Arts Festival, assisted Alvin Ailey in writing his autobiography, as well as having seen “Revelations” at least 20 times through the years and attending at least a dozen Aretha Franklin concerts while living in Harlem.

Don’t get me wrong. The films were not flawless. “Summer of Soul” should have featured at least two songs by B.B. King and Gladys Knight. “Ailey” failed to note the major role played by Carmen de Lavallade in Alvin’s entry into the world of dance. “Respect” was hampered by occasional repetition that made it overly long.

Still, if my eight grandchildren, ages 8 to 28 lived here in D.C., I would take them as a group to see the films and then discuss with them the importance of soul music in our cultural history.

The writer is an author and teacher and can be reached at alfonzop.bailey@gmail.com.

The Free Press welcomes letters The Richmond Free Press respects the opinions of its readers. We want to hear from you.

We invite you to write the editor. All letters will be considered for publication. Concise, typewritten letters related to public matters are preferred. Also include your telephone number(s). Letters should be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Richmond Free Press, P.O. Box 27709, 422 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23261, or faxed to: (804) 643-7519 or e-mail: letters@richmondfreepress.com.

Investments in our communities’ infrastructure systems must consider the impacts on all residents, regardless of their ZIP code. It is time we revitalize these once-thriving neighborhoods like Jackson Ward and reconnect them to the resources and opportunity they need to succeed. I will continue working to advocate for the 4th Congressional District and advance meaningful policies that prioritize fair and equitable development for all.

Congressman McEachin represents the 4th Congressional District, which runs from Richmond south to the North Carolina border and includes all or parts of Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell, Colonial Heights, Emporia, Suffolk and Chesapeake and the counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, Charles City, Prince George, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Southampton, Surry and Sussex.

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Richmond Free Press

August 26-28, 2021 A7

Letters to the Editor

Virginia GOP ‘suffering voter-suppression envy’ Re Article “Who are we?” and editorial “Redistricting,” Free Press Aug. 19-21 edition: In the front page article, “Who are we?” Jeremy M. Lazarus cogently analyzed the changes in Richmond’s demographic makeup revealed by the 2020 Census.

However, the most immediate impact of the census will be the use of it for legislative redistricting. Virginia’s voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum calling for redistricting by commission from their desire for fairly drawn legislative boundaries that will ensure an equal voice to every citizen.

Recent strides in assuring equitable access to the ballot box — early voting, no-excuse absentee ballots — make the current impasse at the redistricting commission doubly disappointing.

That the commission is at loggerheads is unsurprising, however. A facile interpretation attributes the deadlock to polarized American politics and holds Democrats and Republicans equally culpable. The facts belie this notion.

The University of Southern California has found that gerrymandering facilitated minority rule by the GOP in Virginia after the 2017 election. Democratic candidates garnered far more votes statewide, yet did not take power until the margins in the 2019 election overcame the gerrymander.

Nevertheless, Republicans retain representation disproportionate to votes received. The existing maps make Virginia the nation’s most gerrymandered state, despite a 2018 federal court order to redraw racially dubious boundaries. The salient question — Who benefits if new maps conform closely to the old ones? — is not difficult to answer.

A second question—Which party negotiates in better faith?

— is readily answered by posing queries that sadly have become rhetorical. Which party evinces greater reservations regarding the expressed will of voters? Which party in Virginia eschews primaries in favor of activist-dominated conventions? Which party is conducting a Kafkaesque-“audit” of Arizona’s 2020 election results? Which party is pushing legislation to curtail

Pass along rental assistance information to others

Re “State still has $788M available to help families facing eviction,” Free Press Aug. 5-7 edition: Thank you, Free Press, for letting more people know about the help they may receive before being evicted.

I see, according to the article, that the city court dockets showed landlords were seeking orders to evict 129 families. The article covered extensively how someone may apply for these available funds. It was stated that the state Department of Housing and Community Development is taking the applications.

If you are not cognizant on how to fill out one of these applications, I am sure someone will help you complete the form.

No one wants to be evicted. Many individuals are doing their best to try and survive.

First, talk with your landlord to see if there is any possible resolution to the predicament that you are in. I hope he or she will have some compassion even though some of landlords don’t.

access to the ballot box? Which party has convinced many adherents that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent and that the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was either a tourist jaunt or a project of leftist provocateurs? In which party does 67 percent of its supporters believe that voting is a privilege, not a right?

One must wonder whether Virginia’s GOP is suffering voter-suppression envy. The Republican Party’s 2010 REDMAP project facilitated undemocratic gerrymandering of many GOPcontrolled states, gerrymandering whose racist assumptions suffuse the computer hard drives of the late Thomas Hofeller, the party’s redistricting guru. Debarred by its minority position from robust participation in the GOP’s Rightline 2020 initiative — effectively REDMAP 2.0 — Virginia’s GOP seems intent on throwing redistricting to the courts in hopes of preserving something near the status quo. This would circumvent the will of the Commonwealth’s voters.

The Virginia GOP is clearly angst ridden. As the saying goes, when someone is accustomed to privilege — here the privilege of disproportionate influence from the minority — then the prospect of equality must indeed seem oppressive.

DAVID ROUTT Richmond

Hopefully from reading this article, a person will be able to tap into some of these resources. Everyone deserves to have a roof over their head and food in the refrigerator. To me, these are essentials of having a quality life. Whether people realize it or not, many of us are one or two paychecks from being in the same situation.

Thanks again Free Press for lending readers a helping hand by writing a story about this program because I am sure many people were unaware of this. Now that we know, we should also pass this information on to those that need it and still are unaware.

Remember the saying, “I am my brother’s and sister’s keeper.”

Please pass the information on.

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in the Deep South.

He had the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton, assassinated. A guilty, but not sorry, country paid $1.82 million for this murder to Mr. Hampton’s family.

The felonious President Nixon, in an obvious attempt to worship a like-minded lunatic, signed into law the legislation authorizing the naming of the FBI building after Mr. Hoover two days after the racist’s death in 1972.

A better choice would have been to name it after Dr. King, who really did believe in equal justice under the law.

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J. Edgar Hoover doesn’t deserve to be memorialized

Why is J. Edgar Hoover’s name memorialized on the FBI headquarters building in Washington? This is like putting the image of the devil on the front of a church.

He was a morally corrupt white supremacist who used his authority in an iron-fisted, racist manner. His atrocities included using nefarious tactics to try to smear the reputations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. He declared that the Black Panthers were the most dangerous domestic terrorist group in the country, totally mischaracterizing the self-help organization while bypassing the rotten-to-the-core Ku Klux Klan.

He kept vital information from the Freedom Riders that could have protected them from the savage beatings that awaited them

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Richmond Free Press

A8 August 26-28, 2021

Sports Stories by Fred Jeter

Richmond, are you ready for some football?

Four high schools kick off Friday

Four Richmond high schools will open their football seasons Friday, Aug. 27, and all four will have new head coaches.

Armstrong High School, under first year Coach Jeremy Pruitt, will play at Thomas Jefferson High School, led by new Coach Josef Harrison.

Coach Harrison, originally from Baltimore, played football at Virginia Union University.

John Marshall High, under new Coach Willie Gillus, will play host to I.C. Norcom High from Portsmouth.

Huguenot High, with new Coach James Riley, will entertain Louisa County High.

Richmond’s lone returning coach is Jimmy Hart at George Wythe High. The Bulldogs open Friday, Sept. 3, at Caroline

High School.

Friday will be the first games for Richmond Public Schools since the close of the 2019 season. All games were canceled a year ago because of the pandemic.

The last game played by a Richmond school was Dec. 7, 2019, when Thomas Jefferson High School lost at Stuarts Draft in Augusta Coach Harrison County in the Class 2 State semifinals.

Thomas Jefferson finished what was its best-ever season at 11-3. Since then, Coach P.J. Adams left for the head coaching position at Mills Godwin High School in Western Henrico.

WNBA champions Seattle Storm honored by President Biden

Before CoachAdams’arrival, Thomas Jefferson lost previous Coach Chad Hornik to Deep Run High School, also in Western Henrico.

Two years ago, Coach Bryan Jennings left Huguenot High to take over the program at Clover Hill High School in Chesterfield County.

Let’s get started Richmond Public Schools football openers Friday, Aug. 27: Armstrong High at Thomas Jefferson High, 4 p.m.

I.C. Norcom High of Portsmouth at John Marshall High, 7 p.m.

Louisa County High at Huguenot High, 7 p.m.

VS.

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Biden honored the 2020 WNBA champions Seattle Storm on Monday, celebrating their success on the court and hailing the four-time title holders for changing lives with their activism.

The visit marked the first time that an NBA or WNBA team has visited the White House since the Cleveland Cavaliers were feted by former President Obama in 2016.

Presidents typically host college and major league sports champions for a White House ceremony. But the two big basketball leagues skipped such celebrations during former President Trump’s administration as several prominent players and coaches were outspoken about their opposition to President Trump’s rhetoric and policies.

President Biden marveled at the team and its feats on the court. The team includes three players who won gold medals as part of Team USA’s women’s basketball team at this summer’s Olympic games — Sue Bird, Jewell Lloyd and Breanna Stewart. The three presented President Biden with a souvenir Storm jersey.

President Biden also took a moment to note team members’ efforts to spotlight the issue of police brutality in Black communities, promote voter registration, speak out about violence against transgendered people and encourage Americans to get vaccinated.

“What makes this team remarkable is they don’t just win games, they change lives,” the president said. “That’s what winners do. They shine the light and lift people up.

Howard Bison to take on UR Spiders Sept. 4

Susan Walsh /Associated Press

President Joe Biden, left, poses Monday for a photo with Seattle Storm’s Jewell Lloyd, center, and Breanna Stewart, right, during an event in the East Room of the White House to celebrate their 2020 WNBA Championship.

They’re a force for change.

That’s the Seattle Storm, that’s the WNBA.” Storm co-owner Ginny Gilder also praised the team’s activism and noted WNBA players’ efforts last year on behalf of Democrats the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in their winning U.S. Senate campaigns in Georgia.

Sen. Warnock defeated Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, co-owner of the Atlanta Dream. Ms. Loeffler, an ally of President Trump, came under criticism from WNBA players for attacks on the Black Lives Matter movement. Ms. Loeffler and her fellow owners sold the team this year.

“It feels good to be back in this place and have our achievements celebrated in this way,” Ms. Stewart said in brief remarks at the ceremony.

Before the visit, Ms. Bird

Gregory Odom Jr. takes honors in collegiate championship Howard University golf is back on the map and Gregory Odom Jr. is making the most of the opportunity.

With the strong financial help of basketball star Steph Curry, the MEAC school in Washington has revived golf after a decadeslong absence.

Curry has agreed to fund the program for six years.

Gregory Odom This past spring, Odom, a rising senior at Howard, took medalist honors in the Division I level of the PGA WORKS Collegiate Challenge at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Playing on the famed TPC Sawgrass course, Odom shot 71-75-74 for a 4-over 220. Howard University finished fourth overall in an event featuring HBCUs. Odom, 20, is a native of Memphis and transferred to Howard from the University of Memphis.

said that with President Trump out of office, she was happy to visit the White House “now that it’s back in a place where it’s considered an honor.”

Many WNBA players, including Ms. Bird, have been outspoken in their embrace of social justice movements such as Black Lives Matter, which President Trump characterized as a violent, radical ideology. He also was critical of Ms. Bird’s fiancée, U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe.

“I think for a very long time, up until 2016, going to the White House was an honor — it wasn’t necessarily political,” Ms. Bird said before the visit. “It was to meet the president of the United

States. The person who holds that office acknowledging your team’s success.”

During his campaigns and presidency, President Trump got in several public spats with prominent athletes and coaches who have sought to use their celebrity to spotlight social justice and other issues.

He lashed out at Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warrior teammates in 2017 after they declined the customary White House invitation. The Republican also has repeatedly feuded with Lakers’ star LeBron James, who was an outspoken critic of President Trump and endorsed Hillary Clinton’s and President Biden’s White House runs.

Howard University can only hope its upcoming football game at the University of Richmond goes better than the previous meeting.

Coach Larry Scott’s Bison will play at Robins Stadium Saturday, Sept. 4. Kickoff is 2 p.m.

The Bison have disappointing memories of the first game between the two teams. On Sept. 16, 2017, Howard fell to the host Spiders 68-21.

Both schools are members of the NCAA Football Championships Division. Howard plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, or MEAC, while UR competes in football in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Howard has two local athletes on its team—both from Highland Springs High School. They are senor lineman Aaron Motley and sophomore linebacker Christian White.

UR opted out of fall football a year ago because of the pandemic but posted a 3-1 mark in the spring.

Howard also opted out of fall football in 2020 and went 0-2 in the spring under Coach Scott, with both losses to Delaware State University. Coach Scott, 44, was named HU’s coach in February.

The Bison play a challenging early schedule. Following the UR game, the Washington HBCU heads to College Park, Md., for a Sept. 11 date with the University of Maryland.

Coach Scott, a native of Florida, is no stranger to big-time football. He is a former assistant coach at the University of Florida, the University of Tennessee, the University of Miami and the University of South Florida. In 2015, he went 4-2 as interim head coach at Miami.

His teams competed in 10 different bowls in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

In 2019, Howard went 1-8 under Coach Ron Prince. Prior to that, former Richmonder Coach Michael London posted an 11-10 mark in 2017 and 2018 at Howard.

Frederick ‘Duke’ Slater, first Black lineman in the NFL, honored by alma mater It has been a century since imposed a Frederick “Duke” Slater played ban on Black football for the University of players that Iowa, but his alma mater hasn’t wasn’t lifted forgotten him. until 1946.

The university’s field at Kinnick FollowStadium in Iowa City was named ing his disDuke Slater Field last month. The tinguished new name was approved by the football Judge Slater Iowa Board of Regents. career, Mr. The late Mr. Slater, who grew Slater became one of the first up in Clinton, Iowa, was a two-way Black lawyers in the Chicago lineman for the Hawkeyes from area and was elected a judge 1918 to 1921 and later became on the Cook County Municithe first Black lineman in the NFL pal Court in 1948. In 1960, he with the Rock Island Independents became the first Black judge in 1922, and later the Milwaukee to serve on the Superior Court Badgers and the Chicago Cardiin Chicago. nals. His NFL career lasted from He died in 1966 in Chicago 1922 to 1931. at the age of 67.

Often the only Black man on Mr. Slater is a member of both the field, he became a five-time the College and Pro Football Frederick ‘Duke’ Slater All Pro. halls of fame. A bronze sculpture Following Mr. Slater’s retirement from the game, the NFL of him stands outside Kinnick Stadium.

No redemption for Sha’Carri Richardson Sha’Carri Richardson’s redemption race didn’t go as planned.

The American sprinter, who was denied the opportunity to race in the Olympics, finished ninth in a field of nine runners in the 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic last Saturday in Eugene, Ore. Following her loss, Richardson then withdrew from the 200-meter competition.

The 100-meter winner was Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah in 10.54 seconds, followed by Jamaican teammates Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson. The same trio won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, at the Tokyo Olympics.

Richardson trailed the field in 11.14.

Thompson-Herah’s time was the second fastest in history, behind only the 10.49 posted by the late Florence Griffith Joyner in 1988.

Racing on that same Hayward Field track in Oregon in July, Richardson won the U.S. Olympic Trials in convincing fashion.

She later was disqualified from Olympic competition for testing positive for marijuana.

The Prefontaine men’s 100 champ was Canadian Andre De Grasse in 9.74. He was followed by Americans Fred Kerley (9.78), Ronnie Baker (9.82) and Trayvon Bromell (9.86).

August 26-28, 2021 B1

Richmond Free Press

Section

Happenings

B

Personality: Adriea Clarke

Spotlight on founder of Soul Vegan Block Party Adriea Clarke is founder of an event that seeks to bridge the gap between the public and veganism and provide a space for African-Americans to share and show the curious, particularly people of color, an entry point into the lifestyle.

The event, Soul Vegan Block Party, will take place 1 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 11, at Chimborazo Park, 3215 E. Broad St. And Ms. Clarke is as optimistic as ever in its mission of introducing a plant-based lifestyle with fun and uplift.

“Soul Vegan aims to be a reminder that food is a part of culture and that there is still soul in plant-based eating,” Ms. Clarke says.

More than 70 vendors are expected, including food vendors, speakers, a cooking demonstration, a hip-hop cardio class, music and people selling an array of hand-crafted items and other products.

Ms. Clarke says she hopes the event will help dispel some of the stereotypes surrounding veganism, including that it’s “for a specific demographic; they’re all hippies; they’re sickly and frail; they hate anyone who isn’t vegan; they only eat salads; and that they’re concerned about protein.”

Outside of some stereotypes, she says she hopes the event will help educate people “on getting back to more ancestral eating.”

“Although this (ancestral) eating pattern may not be completely devoid of eating meat, it did focus more highly on plant-based whole foods – fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds,” Ms. Clarke says, “and it can be the start of a healthier lifestyle.

While the Soul Vegan Block Party was started in December 2018, Ms. Clarke’s path to veganism began years earlier.

In the wake of health concerns, she sought holistic methods to improve her health, eventually becoming a vegan in February 2016 after seeing positive change through her new food choices.

However, Ms. Clarke also became aware of the lack of diversity in these spaces, and ultimately resolved to change

the stereotypical image of veganism and open the lifestyle wider for all.

“I’ve visited multiple vegan festivals but at some, I noticed there weren’t a lot of Black attendees and vendors and decided that there was no reason for there not to be.”

The Soul Vegan Block Party has grown yearly from its initial 54 vendors and around 2,500 attendees.

“Although the vegan scene is rapidly growing and expanding nationwide, at the community level there’s still confusion and hesitancy about what it is and how it can be done,” Ms. Clarke says. “This event shows that being vegan can be fun, delicious and attainable.”

Meet a proponent of healthy eating through veganism and this week’s Personality, Adriea Clarke: No. 1 volunteer position: Founder, Soul Vegan Block Party.

Date and place of birth: Jan. 17 in Richmond.

Where I live now: Richmond.

Education: I was homeschooled for high school and went to Reynolds Community College for a couple years. I then went to the Bon Secours School of Medical Imaging for radiation sciences and then earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Averett University.

Occupation: I am a traveling radiology and computed tomography technologist. I travel to facilities around the country, with Arizona being the furthest state from Virginia where I’ve accepted a contract.

Family: Parents and younger sister.

Soul Vegan Block Party is:

that meals can be more than salads; and that there is a community of Black vegans or vegancurious so no one has to travel this journey alone.

I hope people also leave more educated on how to incorporate more plantbased foods into their daily routine. Eating less meat can have a dramatically positive impact on health.

An event to introduce and promote a plant-based lifestyle in a positive environment with a focus on uplifting communities of color.

When it began: December 2018.

Where I got the idea: After I got all the way to Arizona, my work contract was canceled so I came home. As I was trying to fall asleep, I had the idea to have a vegan festival focused on the African-American community. I’ve visited multiple vegan festivals but, at some, I noticed there weren’t a lot of Black attendees and vendors and decided that there was no reason for there not to be.

Why it is needed in Richmond: Although the vegan scene is rapidly growing and expanding nationwide, at the community level there’s still confusion and hesitancy about what it is and how it can be done. This event shows that being vegan can be fun, delicious and attainable;

SICKLE CELL ASSOCIATION OF RICHMOND - OSCAR

A vegan is: An individual who does not consume any animal products or their byproducts and also does not use/wear animal products. This means that a vegan does not consume any meat, poultry, seafood, gelatin, dairy, eggs or honey. They also would not wear items containing animal skins, like leather, or use products that contain animal milk or beeswax.

A vegetarian is: An individual who does not consume any animal products but might still consume dairy and/or eggs.

There are many variations of vegetarianism but vegans do it better.

I chose a vegan lifestyle because: Of a health concern. I had a cyst on my ovary, which I had surgically removed. At a follow- up appointment, a fibroid was found. I was determined not to have surgery again so I began to look into holistic ways of either stopping its growth or at least slowing it down. I came across a website that talked about how a vegan lifestyle could cause fibroids to shrink. I decided to try it for six months, which was also around the time for another follow-up appointment. It had started to shrink so I committed to the lifestyle.

I have been a vegan since: February 2016.

Three easy ways to become a vegan: 1. Take it one meal at a time. Figure out one thing you can substitute. 2. Follow vegan creators on social media/YouTube. 3. Give yourself grace and forgive yourself often. Mistakes happen and so does giving into urges. However, the key is not to stay there and to make a plan so you don’t feel trapped or tempted. I used to take a plate to Thanksgiving dinner or the cookout. Now they tell me what they’ll have for me and make a special space on the grill for my Beyond Sausage. Soul Vegan aims to be a reminder that food is a part of culture and that there is still soul in plant-based eating.

How I start the day: With a prayer of gratitude, meditation and 16 ounces of water after a “shot” of spirulina and chlorophyll. If I have seamoss, I take a spoonful of that, too.

Three words that best describe me: About-the-business, funny and passionate.

Best late-night snack: A spoonful of peanut butter with chocolate chips (yes, there are vegan chocolate chips) or dried chili mango slices.

Favorite vegan meal: If we’re talking homemade, a loaded baked sweet potato with seasoned black beans, kale, corn, grape tomatoes and guacamole.

Curry chickpeas and rice is a close second. If dining out, pizza or Mexican food.

Favorite vegan chef: Honestly, I don’t have a favorite vegan chef because I am not a fan of cooking. However, @brownvegan, @damgoodvegan, @ sweetpotatosoul and @chefkeva

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What I’m reading now: “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” by Nedra Glover Tawwab.

Next goal: I’d like to be a traveling vegan creative. But honestly, I’m still figuring it all out.

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Richmond Free Press

B2 August 26-28, 2021

Happenings ‘New Shoes For Back To School’ reaches 15-year mark of providing for youngsters

By Ronald E. Carrington

Courtesy of Rita Hayes Willis

In this 2019 photo, new shoes of all sizes are set up on tables at Third Street Bethel AME Church for youngsters to select before the first day of school. With the pandemic, school principals will work this year with participating churches to get shoes for students who request them.

As students across the metro region prepare for in-person classes, they are looking to get new school clothes, especially rocking shoes and fine sneakers.

Rita Hayes Willis is continuing her efforts to make sure students have new shoes through the “New Shoes For Back To School” ministry she leads under a metro area partnership of churches.

The ministry was established 15 years ago through Third Street Bethel AME Church to provide shoes for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Church members and others donate money to purchase shoes, while some stores donate stores or offer discounted prices.

Youngsters then select the new shoes they want during an event that was held for several years at the church and, later, at several sites before the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 80,000 pairs of shoes

have been distributed since the program began.

This year, nine churches have joined in the effort to provide shoes – from a kids’ size 10 small and up—to Title I schools in Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield from Sept. 1 to 17.

According to Ms. Willis, parents are encouraged to call their child’s school to request shoes as soon as possible. In turn, the school principal will request shoes from the participating church in their area.

Pick-up times will be arranged between the churches and the school principals.

“We are collecting shoes right now,” Ms. Willis said. “Church families are also going out buying brand new shoes with donations dollars.”

Participating churches include Broad Rock Baptist Church; Ebenezer Baptist Church; First Baptist Church, Midlothian; Lyndale Baptist Church; Sharon Baptist Church; Temple Beth-El; Temple of God Ministries; Third Street Bethel AME

Church; and Trinity United Methodist Church.

Ms. Willis, who founded the program during her time as president of the Women’s Missionary Society at Third Street Bethel AME Church, remembers how important it was to have brand new shoes on the first day of school.

“When I was going to school, it really wasn’t about our outfits,” she said. “It was about our shoes. You had to have a brand new pair of shoes to go to school.”

She said there is something about having a new pair of shoes and that is where the name of the ministry came from.

Ms. Willis said any shoes not given away at the beginning of the school year are saved in Richmond Public Schools’ warehouses and are available for students who need them throughout the year.

Details: See the “New Shoes For Back To School Ministry” Facebook page at www.facebook.com/newshoeministry/ or call (804) 221-7394.

3rd Annual I Have A Dream Festival set for Aug. 28 Replenish Richmond and Virginia Free Farm are hosting the 3rd Annual I Have A Dream Festival celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his famous speech from the 1963 March on Washington from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 28, outside Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St. The free community event is being put on in partnership with Richmond Dr. King Public Schools and will feature voter registration, health and wellness vendors, information on community gardening, bicycle tune-ups by the OAR of Richmond Ride 2 Re-entry program, activities in the ball fields by the Police Athletic League and recycling inspired arcade games, as well as food and music.

The event is being held on the 58th anniversary of Dr. King’s march for jobs and freedom that drew more than 250,000 people to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to draw attention to the inequities and challenges faced by African-Americans nearly a century after the end of the Civil War and Emancipation.

Parking for the festival is available behind the middle school and in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. Pre-school at 900 Mosby St. Tours also will be available of the proposed MLK Unity Park and MLK Urban Ag.

Celebrating historic Westwood

The Jacksons

Rev. Jesse Jackson, wife remain hospitalized with COVID-19

Current and former residents of Westwood celebrate last Sunday a new state historical marker honoring the community in Richmond’s West End that was started by formerly enslaved people following the Civil War. Location of marker: Willow Lawn Drive and Dunbar Street.

Residents built homes, a church, a school and businesses, as well as social and cultural organizations in the community that originally was a part of Henrico County. It was annexed to Richmond in 1942 and residents later successfully fought attempts by city officials to demolish the community and replace it with a public park. Westwood Baptist Church remains the most prominent landmark. Kathleen Hopkins Valentine, 93, seated at right, is the oldest resident living in Westwood. She said she and her family moved

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

when she was 4 from Philadelphia to what was then called Westwood Village. Others pictured here are, from left, Kelly Johnson Crowder, whose mother, Jane Cooper Johnson, integrated Westhampton Junior High and Thomas Jefferson High School in the early 1960s; Charlene Hopkins, kneeling, and Frances Bush Jones, both cousins of tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr., whose grandparents lived in Westwood; Warrick Taylor, a former Westwood resident; Norfolk State University professor Dr. Colita Nichols Fairfax, immediate past chair of the Virginia Board of Historic Resources, kneeling, and her mother, Brenda Dabney Nichols, who was born and raised in Westwood; and Lennie Anderson Thornton, a former Westwood resident. The Friends of Westwood Playground paid for the marker.

Free Press wire report

CHICAGO The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Tuesday that he’s feeling “fairly well” and receiving great care at a Chicago hospital after a breakthrough COVID-19 infection.

He spoke briefly by phone with The Associated Press from Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he and his wife, Jacqueline, have been hospitalized in separate rooms since the weekend when they tested positive for the virus.

“I’m doing fairly well,” the civil rights leader said.

The 79-year-old, who has Parkinson’s disease, has been fully vaccinated. He received his first dose at a public event in January, where he encouraged others to do the same. But his 77-year-old wife, Jacqueline, who grew up in Newport News, Va., has not been vaccinated. She has been receiving some oxygen but is breathing on her own without a respirator, according to family members.

Rev. Jackson said his wife didn’t get vaccinated because she has a “pre-existing condition” they were worried about. He did not elaborate.

Generally, public health experts strongly encourage people with existing health conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, to get vaccinated as they are at increased risk for severe illness.

Family members have said the Jacksons were admitted to the hospital in part because of their age and that both have been responding positively to treatment. They have been married nearly 60 years.

“The health status of both my parents is unchanged,” one of their sons, Jonathan Jackson, said in a Tuesday statement. “They continue to rest comfortably and to receive treatment.”

Rev. Jackson, who was hospitalized early this year for gallbladder surgery, has remained active and continues traveling and advocating for voting rights and other causes.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

‘We Care’ festival Karma Delvalle, 13, picks up school supplies last Saturday during the 15th Annual “We Care” festival at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School in Highland Park. Because of the pandemic, the festival was set up as a drive-thru event in the school’s driveway, with cars inching along past the booths and people getting out to pick up materials. Festival-goers enjoyed music and picking up the giveaways from various community organizations. COVID-19 testing and vaccines were available at the festival from Capital Area Health Network.

Richmond Free Press

August 26-28, 2021 B3

Faith News/Directory

Video screenshot

At right, Nathan Burrell, left, with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation receives headstone from Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

Photo courtesy of the Office of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan

Headstones from historic African-American cemetery being relocated Free Press wire report

Dozens of headstones from a historic African-American cemetery in the nation’s capital that were used for erosion control along the Virginia shoreline of the Potomac River are being relocated to a memorial garden in Maryland.

Virginia Gov. Ralph S. Northam, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser attended a ceremony in Caledon State Park in King George, Va., on Monday to mark the transfer of the first 55 headstones from Virginia to Maryland, officials said. The grave markers will be part of a memorial garden at National Harmony Memorial Park in Prince George’s County, Md., honoring the 37,000 people buried at the original cemetery.

The Columbian Harmony Cemetery was established in 1859 and was the most prominent burial site for African-Americans

in Washington. Among the people buried there were Elizabeth Keckly, a former slave who became a seamstress and trusted confidante of President Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln; Osborne Perry Anderson, the only African-American survivor of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry in October 1859; Mary Ann Shadd Cary, America’s first African-American female newspaper editor in 1853; and Philip Reid, a foundry worker who helped build the Statue of Freedom at the U.S. Capitol, officials said.

The cemetery, however, was moved in the 1960s to make room for development, including the Rhode Island AvenueBrentwood Metro station. Remains were moved to a memorial garden in Maryland, but the gravestones were sold or given away, officials said.

Grave markers ended up along a 2-mile stretch of the river

in King George County, where Virginia Sen. Richard Stuart discovered them in 2016 while exploring a property he had just purchased. Historians helped Sen. Stuart to learn about the origin of the gravestones and he then worked with other state leaders to return them to a proper memorial site.

Officials from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia are working with History, Arts and Science Action Network, a restorative justice nonprofit organization based in Hyattsville, Md., that has been working with descendants and researching the stories of those buried in the cemetery.

This fall, National Guard members from Virginia and Maryland will recover more headstones in the area where the first artifacts were found, officials said. Virginia approved $4 million for recovery and restoration of the gravestones and the creation of a shoreline memorial, Gov. Northam’s office said.

Rev. Gina Stewart first woman elected to lead national Black Baptist organization

By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service

In a path-breaking decision, the Rev. Gina Stewart has been elected as the first woman president of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, marking the first time a female has been chosen for the highest post of a Black Baptist organization.

Rev. Stewart, senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., has previously served in vice presidential roles of the missions organization for six years, three as second vice president and three as first vice president.

She was elected Aug. 12 to a three-year term as president, succeeding the Rev. Gregory Jackson to lead the society, which dates to 1897. The organization is named after the Rev. Lott Carey, a formerly enslaved African-American man who purchased his freedom and established the first Baptist mission work in Liberia in 1822.

“I’m honored, first of all, for the privilege to lead and to serve,” Rev. Stewart told Religion News Service in an interview on Aug. 16. “I think it’s significant that this organization, that is Baptist by heritage but ecumenical in its practice and its commitment, is taking the step, a courageous step, to elect a woman to serve in a titular leadership position.”

She said she was not aware of any other woman who had been chosen for a similar top position in Black Baptist circles, though women have served as presidents on state and regional levels.

“I don’t think that there’s any national organization that has a female serving in a senior leadership role as president,” Rev. Stewart said. “I believe Lott Carey is the first.”

Rev. Stewart said she and her church have worked for two decades with Lott Carey, an ecumenical organization with Black Baptist roots that partners with about 2,000 congregations, the Red Cross and other groups to meet needs in some 20 countries.

Among its causes are fighting hunger, addressing HIV/AIDS and seeking to reduce human trafficking.

Rev. Stewart plans to hit the ground running, as she already has met with other leaders of her organization about how to assist

Haiti as it begins to recover from the massive earthquake on Aug. 14 that has killed more than 2,200 and injured thousands more. They are planning to start raising an initial $50,000 to help meet immediate needs, including purchasing medical supplies and food.

“Lott Carey already has partners in Haiti,” Rev. Stewart said. “Because we already have the infrastructure, it’s a lot easier for us to make some significant moves in terms of supporting them in this crisis.”

In addition to her roles as a pastor and a new organization president, Rev. Stewart, 61, is the author of the book “We’ve Got Next: HERstory in HIStory.”

The Rev. Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, professor of African-

American studies and sociology at Colby College, called Rev. Stewart’s rise in the ranks of Lott Carey “absolutely

Moore Street Missionary

Riverview

Baptist Church

1408 W. Leigh Street · Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 358—6403

Dr. Alonza L. Lawrence, Pastor

Rev. Gina Stewart

Courtesy photo

historic” and a “really big” development about the role of African-American female religious leaders.

“The presidency of Lott Carey is historic and it represents the reaching of very high ground in the struggle for equity, justice, and inclusion for Baptist women,” she said in an email message.

Anthea Butler, professor of religion at the University of Pennsylvania, said this marks a shift for Black Baptists, who often have not supported female leaders.

“I think it is significant, important, and past time for a woman to be in leadership in Black Baptist circles, missions or otherwise,” she said in an email message. “Women are the fundraisers and foundation of the church.”

The Rev. Emmett Dunn, Lott Carey’s executive secretary-

treasurer, welcomed the new role Rev. Stewart will have in the organization.

“Dr. Stewart is very strong in the area of advocacy, in the area of social justice and gender equality,” he said in an interview. “She desires for the Christian communion to be respectful of all people, whether you’re Black or white or male or female. And so she brings that passion to the presidency of Lott Carey.”

In response to a tweet by the Lott Carey organization calling her “the first female president of a national AfricanAmerican Baptist organization,” Rev. Stewart tweeted “#HonoredToServe To God be The Glory! The ‘wind’ blows where it will.”

Baptist Church Sunday School – 9:30 AM Sunday Services – 11:00 AM Via Conference Call (515) 606-5187 Pin 572890# Also Visit Us On Facebook Sunday Service – 11:00 AM 2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org

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Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor

Broad Rock Baptist Church 5106 Walmsley Blvd., Richmond, VA 23224 804-276-2740 • 804-276-6535 (fax) www.BRBCONLINE.org

“Due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, Services Are Cancelled, until further notice; but, please join us, by visiting BRBCOnline.org or YouTube (Broad Rock Baptist Church).”

“MAKE IT HAPPEN”

BIRTH.BIRTHDAY.AWARD.GRADUATION.HONOR.ENGAGEMENT.WEDDING.ANNIVERSARY.LIFE.

Pastor Kevin Cook

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Richmond Free Press

B4 August 26-28, 2021

Obituaries/Faith Directory

Charles A. Gill Sr., who shared a big lottery win to help the Richmond community, succumbs at 63

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Struggling to make ends meet for his family, Charles Allen Gill Sr. sought to change his luck and became an instant millionaire in the process.

His stroke of good fortune came when he drove with a brother to Washington, D.C., three days before Christmas in 1993 to play the lottery.

The Chesterfield County resident split a $90 million jackpot with another person who also beat long odds and, like Mr. Gill, picked the six numbers drawn in the Powerball game on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 1993.

Among other things, the big win enabled Mr. Gill and his wife, Wanda E. Gill, to join with Richmond City Hall and Richmond Public Schools to build the first indoor recreation center in the Fairfield Court public housing community where Mr. Gill grew up.

The Charles and Wanda Gill Community Center stands adjacent to Fairfield Court Elementary School on Phaup Street and is an enduring memorial to Mr. Gill following his death on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021.

He reportedly succumbed to COVID-19. He was 63.

“He was the best,” said a grief-stricken Mrs. Gill.

Final tributes are to be paid to the Richmond native 11 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 28, at the United Nations Church, 214 Cowardin

Ave. The Rev. Angelo Chatmon is to officiate. The U.S. Army veteran is to be interred in Quantico National Cemetery.

Mr. Gill, who had been a barber and worked at the Defense General Supply Center, said he was in between jobs when he made the drive to Washington. He said at the time that he bought $15 worth of tickets using a combination of numbers from his birthday and that of his 4-year-old daughter, Tionna M. “Tee” Gill.

Mr. Gill He was in bed watching the late news when he saw the winning numbers come up — 1, 3, 13, 15, 29 and the Powerball, 12. He said his wife didn’t believe him when he told her they had won, so he said he just turned over and went to sleep.

But it was all true, and resulted in the Gills receiving a check, after taxes, for more than $1.2 million each year for 20 years.

(There was no lump sum opportunity at the time.)

Mr. Gill was able to fulfill a dream of taking his family to Paris and building a dream home in Powhatan County. He also operated for years a limousine company that is now closed.

Former Richmond businessman Jon C. King Sr. dies at 75

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

spearheaded the creation of the first public business incubator in Downtown to help Jon C. “Sugar” King Sr. was an influ- fledgling Black and minority entrepreneurs ential force in Richmond in opening doors to get their businesses off the ground. to ensure Black participation in business At the chamber, he was involved in and the arts. bringing low-cost airlines to Richmond, A creator of Exclusive Staffing, a niche supporting the change to a “strong mayor” provider of engineers, computer techs and form of city government and developing the other temporary specialists to big compa- HYPE program to enable young creatives nies, Mr. King also became a key figure in Richmond to interact socially. in building bridges with Mr. King died WednesRichmond’s white business day, Aug. 11, 2021, at his community. retirement home in New Without holding public Orleans. His family said office, he ranked among the his death was due to cancer. most connected Black men He was 75. in the city, an insider who Family and friends will was frequently consulted gather Saturday, Aug. 28, during policy making. His at the Free People of Color ability to deal with people Museum in New Orleans to was unrivaled. In a world celebrate his life. of quick tempers and sound Born in South Bend, Ind., bites, Mr. King was regarded in 1946, Mr. King planned as the consummate, unflapto spend his life working for Mr. King pable professional who the U.S. Postal Service after never spoke an angry word, used profanity graduating from high school. He credited or took offense. his military service for changing his life.

But the outward calm and restraint he Instead of accepting the Army draft during displayed was known to mask a seething the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the U.S. passion for ensuring that Richmond fairly Air Force, trained as a mechanic and had shared opportunities across racial lines eye-opening experiences fixing airplanes and a determination to persist to make at bases in Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, it happen.

England and the Philippines.

Along with his business, he promoted He later earned assignments to the Naequity by building relationships and serving tional Security Agency and to the White on the boards of multiple organizations, House, where he worked in a supervisory ranging from the Greater Richmond Cham- post in a new division involving computer ber of Commerce whose board he chaired, systems analysis, his family said. to the Black History Museum & Cultural Finding his education deficient, he left Center and the Downtown booster group the military and earned a business degree Venture Richmond. from Howard University, shifted gears and As chair of the city’s Economic De- began a career in banking. He started out velopment Authority, for example, he with Bankers Trust in New York, became a

vice president for Hibernia National Bank and came to Richmond to be a vice president of trust operations at Crestar Bank, which later merged into SunTrust.

In 1990, he left to start Exclusive Staffing of Virginia with his wife, LaVerne, to fill some of the professional staffing needs that he found at the bank and at other companies. The Kings operated the business that had 10 full-time employees and sent more than 200 people to corporate assignments weekly. Mrs. King mostly ran the day-to-day operations while he was out creating connections.

His busy schedule included service on the boards of the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Virginia Council for Economic Education. He also was involved with the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance and served on the boards of First Market Bank and the Bon Secours Virginia Health System. He also was a member of the Management Round Table.

In 2000, Mr. King was recognized with the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership for his work to create the business incubator at 5th and Franklin streets in a formerly vacant eight-story office building.

Along with his wife of 46 years, Mr. King’s survivors include his son, Jon C. King Jr; daughters, Cherrie King and Courtney King; mother, Inez Mildred King; brothers, Brian King, Eugene King, Jimmy King, Larry King, LeRoy King and Ricky King; sister, Leslie King; two grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made either to the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond or the Free People of Color Museum in New Orleans.

8LIQI JSV 1SFMPM^MRK *SV 1MRMWXV] 6IJVIWLMRK 8LI 3PH ERH )QIVKMRK 8LI 2I[ We Embrace Diversity — Love For All! Come worship with us!

Sunday Service will not be held in our sanctuary.

Join us for 11:00 AM Worship by going to our website www.sixthbaptistchurch.org

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Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor

Antioch Baptist Church 1384 New Market Road, Richmond, Virginia 23231 | 804-222-8835

SERVICES

SUNDAY WORSHIP HOUR – 10:00 A.M. CHILDREN’S CHURCH & BUS MINISTRY AVAILABLE SUNDAY SCHOOL (FOR ALL AGES) – 9:00 A.M. TUESDAY MID-DAY BIBLE STUDY – 12 NOON WEDNESDAY MID-WEEK PRAYER & BIBLE STUDY – 7:00 P.M. A MISSION BASED CHURCH FAMILY EXCITING MINISTRIES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS & SENIOR ADULTS BIBLE REVELATION TEACHING DIVERSE MUSIC MINISTRY LOVING, CARING ENVIRONMENT

C

DR. JAMES L. SAILES PASTOR

400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Moses Alphonso “Sporty” Norrell III, a football coach, educator and guidance counselor for 42 years at his alma mater Armstrong High School, has died.

Mr. Norrell died Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, eight months after his wife, Laura Yvonne “Lolly” Norrell, succumbed to illness, the family said. He was 83.

The couple’s lives were celebrated at a joint funeral service on Mr. Norrell Friday, Aug. 20, at Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church. The pastor, Dr. Roscoe D. Cooper III, officiated and delivered the eulogy for the couple, for whom final tributes were delayed because of the pandemic.

A star quarterback for Armstrong High and at Virginia State University, Mr. Norrell began his career with Richmond Public Schools around 1960 after graduating from VSU with a degree in physical education. He later earned a master’s in guidance counseling from the University of Akron in Ohio.

At Armstrong, he returned to the gridiron as a coach and served as the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats while also holding full-time positions at the school. He retired in 2002.

His family noted in the program that “countless young men and women shared the sentiment that without his influence and assistance, they would not be who they are today.”

Mr. Norrell also was an avid tennis player. He also was a former president and member of Club 533.

Survivors include a son, Mark A. Norrell; a daughter, Dr. Lavdena A. Orr; and three grandchildren.

Good Shepherd Baptist Church 1127 North 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223 s Office: (804) 644-1402

Due to the COVID-19 Corona Virus All regular activities have been suspended until further notice.

Visit https://youtu.be/qqzhnIEQyQc for inspirational messages from Pastor Smith “The Church With A Welcome”

Sharon Baptist Church 500 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222 www.sharonbaptistchurchrichmond.org (804) 643-3825 Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor

(near Byrd Park)

(804) 359-1691 or 359-3498 Facebook Fax (804) 359-3798 sixthbaptistrva www.sixthbaptistchurch.org

Thirty-first Street Baptist Church

“Redeeming God’s People for Gods Purpose”

Armstrong coach, educator, counselor Moses Norrell dies at 83

Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor “There’s A Place for You”

7M\XL &ETXMWX 'LYVGL A 21st Century Church With Ministry For Everyone

The Gills, who regularly contributed to youth-serving charities, also provided $750,000 to build the new center in Fairfield Court that he hoped would provide programs to halt youth violence.

“I want to do something,” he explained. “Those young kids are killing each other. They’ve got to wake up. I’m going to do what I can to stop it.”

Despite making the contribution, the Gills were frustrated that the center did not open until late May 1999 due to city-created delays, budget shortfalls and other snafus.

Today, the building serves as classroom and recreation space for students at the elementary school and as an indoor recreation space during the winter and spring for Luck Field Playground, a nearby outdoor-only recreation area.

Richmond School Board Chair Cheryl L. Burke called the building “an important element of this community.” She said that during the past year when both the elementary school and public recreation were shut down, the building was temporarily used for storage.

But the building is being cleaned out as the school prepares to reopen for in-person classes next month, she said.

Along with his wife of 28 years and his daughter, Mr. Gill’s survivors include his son, Charles A. “L.G.” Gill Jr.; his parents, Junious and Helen Gill; a brother, Edward Gill; a sister, Mary Glo Taylor; and a granddaughter.

e with Reverence elevanc R g in Rev. Dr. Joshua Mitchell, Senior Pastor bin ❖ om

The doors of the church are open for worship!

No registration required.

Join us in person or online on Facebook or YouTube

10:30 a.m. Sundays

823 North 31st Street Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 226-0150 Office

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Richmond Free Press

August 26-28, 2021 B5

Legal Notices City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the City of Richmond Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. and the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the Second Floor of City Hall, located at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia, to consider the following ordinances: Ordinance No. 2021-214 To amend Ord. No. 2010028-36, adopted Feb. 22, 2010, which authorized the special use of the property known as 5724 Patterson Avenue for the purpose of waiving certain yard requirements, to allow additional floor area within the shopping center for restaurant use, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a B-2 Community Business Conditional District. The Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Community MixedUse. Primary Uses: r e t a i l / o ff i c e / p e r s o n a l service, multi-family residential, cultural, and open space. Secondary Uses: Single-family houses, institutional, and government.

Ordinance No. 2021-215 To amend Ord. 2020-023 authorizing the special use of the property known as 821 N. 25th Street to allow the construction of a multi-family structure containing three livework spaces that do not conform to some of the features required in the R-63 Multi-Family Urban Residential District, to now modify certain occupancy requirements, upon certain terms and conditions. The Richmond 300 Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Community Mixed-Use. Primary uses: Retail, office personal service and multi-family residential.

Secondary uses: Singlefamily homes, institutional and government. The density of the proposed development is approximately 53 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2021-216 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1505 West Main Street for the purposes of a mixed-use building, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a UB Urban Business Conditional District and PO3 Main Street/Uptown Parking Overlay District. The Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Community MixedUse. Primary Uses: r e t a i l / o ff i c e / p e r s o n a l service, multi-family residential, cultural, and open space. Secondary Uses: Single-family houses, institutional, and government. The density of the proposed development is 46 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2021-217 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1520 West Main Street for the purposes of two mixeduse buildings containing commercial uses, outdoor dining, and up to 20 multifamily dwelling units, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a UB Urban Business Conditional District and PO3 Main Street/Uptown Parking Overlay District. The Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Community MixedUse. Primary Uses: r e t a i l / o ff i c e / p e r s o n a l service, multi-family residential, cultural, and open space. Secondary Uses: Single-family houses, institutional, and government. The density of the proposed development is 33 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2021-218 To authorize the special use of the property known as 2320 East Marshall Street for the purpose of two single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in an R-63 Multifamily Urban Residential District. The Richmond 300 Master Plan designates the future land use category for the subject property as Neighborhood MixedUse. Primary Uses: Single-family houses, accessory dwelling units, duplexes, small multifamily buildings, and open space. Secondary Uses: Large multifamily buildings, retail/ office/personal service, institutional, cultural and government. The density of the proposed Continued on next column

Continued from previous column

development is approximately 11 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2021-219 To authorize the special use of the property known as 4331 Shackleford Road for the purpose of a twofamily detached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. The City’s Richmond 300 Master Plan designates a future land use for the subject property as Residential.

Primary uses: Singlefamily houses, accessory dwelling units, and open space. Secondary uses: Duplexes and small multi-family buildings, institutional, and cultural uses. The general density is 2 to 10 dwelling units.

The density of the proposed development is approximately 8.5 units per acre.

Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so by following the instructions referenced in the September 13, 2021 Richmond City Council Formal meeting agenda.

Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at https:// www.rva.gov/office-cityclerk, and in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Candice D. Reid City Clerk

Divorce VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO GLORIA PERRY SCOTT, Plaintiff, v.

WARREN FERGUSON SCOTT, III, Defendant.

Civil Law No.: CL21-4904 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of the abovestyled suit is to obtain a divorce from the bonds of matrimony from the defendant on the grounds that the parties have lived separate and apart without interruption and without cohabitation for a period of more than one year, since May 15, 2012.

And it appearing by Affidavit filed according to law that Warren Ferguson Scott, III, the above-named defendant, is not a resident of this state and that due diligence has been used by or in behalf of plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city the defendant is, without effect.

It is therefore ORDERED that the said Warren Ferguson Scott, III, do appear in the Clerk’s Office of the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Henrico County, 430 East Parham Road, Henrico, Virginia 23273, on or before October 12, 2021 and do whatever necessary to protect their interest in this suit.

An Extract Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HENRICO MYLEKKA ANN SANDS, Plaintiff, v.

DONISHA ELISE SANDS Defendant.

Case No.: CL21-4734 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bonds of matrimony from the defendant on the ground that the parties have lived separate and apart in excess of one year.

It appearing from an Affidavit filed by the plaintiff that the defendant’s whereabouts are unknown, it is ORDERED that the defendant appear before this Court on or before October 4, 2021 at 9 a.m., to protect her interests herein.

A Copy Teste: HEIDI S. BARSHINGER, Clerk I ask for this: Shannon S. Otto, VSB # 68506 Locke & Quinn 1802 Bayberry Court Suite 103 Richmond, VA 23226 Telephone: (804) 545-9408 Facsimile: (804) 545-9400 Email: otto@lockequinn.com Counsel for Plaintiff VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JEANNE MOORE, Plaintiff v.

TERRY MOORE, Defendant.

Case No.: CL20004805-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, who has been served with the Complaint by posted service appear here on or before the 21st day of September, 2021 at 9:00 AM, and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Counsel VSB# 27724 The Law Office of Continued on next column

Continued from previous column

Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER BERNARD STRONG, JR, Plaintiff v.

SUSAN STRONG, Defendant.

Case No.: CL20002491-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 17th day of September, 2021 at 9:00 AM and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure, Esquire Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER BONNIE BUTLER, Plaintiff v.

CLIFFORD BUTLER, III, Defendant.

Case No.: CL21002471-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from the defendant on the ground of living separate and apart without any cohabitation and without interruption for a period exceeding twelve months.

It is ORDERED that the defendant, whose whereabouts are unknown, appear here on or before the 17th day of September, 2021 at 9:00 AM and protect his interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Law Office of Dorothy M. Eure, P.C. Dorothy M. Eure, Plaintiff’s Attorney VSB# 27724 8460 Mount Eagle Road Ashland, VA 23005 (804) 798-9667

CUSTODY VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re SIAN CHASE BROOKS rdss v.

David Walls, Unknown Father, & Makiya BrooksWells Case No. J-99041-04, 05, 06 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) of David Walls (Father), Unknown (Father), & Makiya Brooks-Wells (Mother) of Sian Chase Brooks, child DOB: 5/19/2020.

“RPR” means all rights and responsibilities remaining with Parent after transfer of legal custody or guardianship of the person, including but not limited to rights of: Visitation; adoption consent; determination of religious affiliation; and responsibility for support and that:

It is ORDERED that the defendants David Walls, (Father), Unknown Father (Father), Makiya BrooksWells (Mother) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 10/20/2021, at 10:00 AM, Courtroom #AKT.

PROPERTY VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

COREY D. ASKEW, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-1971 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 304 East Brookland Park Boulevard, Tax Map Number N0000978/011, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Corey D. Askew.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, COREY D. ASKEW, who is not a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, has not filed a response to this action; that CITICORP PERSONTO-PERSON FINANCIAL CENTER, INC, an entity listed as inactive in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 763 page 553 on January 28, 1980, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; that CLYDE A. BILLINGS, JR, Registered Agent for FIRST HORIZON BANK pka FIRST HOME LOAN CORPORATION, Continued on next column

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

Continued from previous column

Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 06-10629 on April 3, 2006, has not filed a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/ or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

I T I S OR D ERE D that COREY D. ASKEW, CITICORP PERSON-TOP ER S O N F I N A N CI A L CENTER, INC, an entity listed as inactive in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 763 page 553 on January 28, 1980, CLYDE A. BILLINGS, JR, Registered Agent for FIRST HORIZON BANK pka FIRST HOME LOAN CORPORATION, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 06-10629 on April 3, 2006, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949

“Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that CHARLES WEIR, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949

CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

MWW, LLC, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-2643 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2214 Hull Street, Tax Map Number S000-0570/006, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, MWW, LLC.

An Affidavit having been filed that said WALLACE WARDEN, Registered Agent for MWW, LLC, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that WA L L A CE WA R D E N , Registered Agent for MWW, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949

and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

I T I S OR D ERE D that MARK ANTHONY MARSHPUND, JOHN WAYNE MARSHPUND, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949

DORIS W. HAILE, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

HELEN K. ALVIS, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-2197 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1311 Enfield Avenue, Tax Map Number S007-1177/019, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Helen K. Alvis.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, HELEN K. ALVIS, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action; that CHIPPENHAM MANOR, INC, an entity not listed in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Credit Line Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 447 page 1072 on July 27, 1995, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that HELEN K. ALVIS, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, CHIPPENHAM MANOR, INC, an entity not listed in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Credit Line Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 447 page 1072 on July 27, 1995, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

CHARLES WEIR, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-3346 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1649 Hopkins Road, Tax Map Number C009-0199/022, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Charles Weir.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, CHARLES WEIR, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of Continued on next column

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

CATRICE BENAVIDES, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-2619 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2119 Wright Avenue, Tax Map Number S007-1582/015, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Catrice Benavides and Albert Lee Gilmore, Jr.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, CATRICE BENAVIDES and ALBERT LEE GILMORE, JR, who have been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to their last known address, have not been personally located and have not filed a response to this action; that CM COMMONWEALTH M OR T G A G E , L L C f k a CO M M O N W E A L T H MORTGAGE COMPANY, an entity listed as inactive in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 401 page 345 on July 17, 1972, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that CATRICE BENAVIDES, ALBERT LEE GILMORE, JR, CM COMMONWEALTH M OR T G A G E , L L C f k a CO M M O N W E A L T H MORTGAGE COMPANY, an entity listed as inactive in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 401 page 345 on July 17, 1972, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

MWW, LLC, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-2642 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2212 Hull Street, Tax Map Number S000-0570/007, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, MWW, LLC.

An Affidavit having been filed that said WALLACE WARDEN, Registered Agent for MWW, LLC, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that WA L L A CE WA R D E N , Registered Agent for MWW, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING Continued on next column

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

LILLIE M. GREEN, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-2904 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2900 Decatur Street, Tax Map Number S000-1341/008, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Lillie M. Green.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, LILLIE M. GREEN, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to her last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action; that THE BANK OF CHESTERFIELD, listed as inactive after a merger undocumented in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Credit Line Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 193 page 304 on February 10, 1989, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that LILLIE M. GREEN, THE BANK OF CHESTERFIELD, listed as inactive after a merger undocumented in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Credit Line Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 193 page 304 on February 10, 1989, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

MARK ANTHONY MARSHPUND, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-1970 AMENDED ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2906 Hopkins Road, Tax Map Number C009-0606/014, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner/s of record, Mark Anthony Marshpund and John Wayne Marshpund.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, MARK ANTHONY MARSHPUND a n d J O H N W AY N E MARSHPUND, who have been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to their last known address, have not been personally located and have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title Continued on next column

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

THEO E. LOVING, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-2905 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 3056 Decatur Street, Tax Map Number S000-1580/004, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Theo E. Loving.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, THEO E. LOVING, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has/have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that THEO E. LOVING, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

WILLIE N. HAILE, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-3347 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 4008 Forest Hill Avenue, Tax Map Number S000-2921/010, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner/s of record, Willie N. Haile and Doris W. Haile.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, WILLIE N. HAILE, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and DORIS W. HAILE, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that WILLIE N. HAILE, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, Continued on next column

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

GEORGE H. MACKLIN, JR, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL21-3199 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 701 Faye Street, Tax Map Number C005-0830/016, Richmond, Virginia, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, George H. Macklin, Jr.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, GEORGE H. MACKLIN, JR, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action, and that any heirs, devisees, assignees, successors in interest, successors in title and/or any creditors with a current or future interest in said property, have not been identified and/or served despite diligent efforts to do so and are defendants to this suit by the general description of “Parties Unknown.”

IT IS ORDERED that GEORGE H. MACKLIN, JR, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before OCTOBER 14, 2021 and do what is necessary to protect their interests in this matter.

An Extract, Teste: Edward F. Jewett, Clerk Gregory A. Lukanuski, Esq. City of Richmond, Office of the City Attorney 900 E. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 804-646-7949

BID COUNTY OF HENRICO, VIRGINIA CONSTRUCTION BID ITB# 21-2156-4JOK Four Mile Creek Restroom Water/Sewer Project Due: September 15, 2021 at 2:00 pm.

For additional information visit https://henrico.us/ finance/divisions/purchasing/ solicitations/ COUNTY OF HENRICO, VIRGINIA CONSTRUCTION BID ITB# 21-2210-8JOK Dorey Park Recreation Center Splash Pad Due: September 21, 2021 at 2:00 pm.

For additional information visit https://henrico.us/ finance/divisions/purchasing/ solicitations/

License B&B Barzo LLC Trading as: Capitol Waffle Shop 9101 Midlothian Turnpike Suite 600 Chesterfield, Virginia 23235 The above establishment is applying to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage C ontrol (ABC) AUTHORITY for a Beer And Wine On And Off Premises license to sell or manufacture alcoholic beverages.

Brad Barzoloski, Owner NOTE: Objections to the issuance of this license must be submitted to ABC no later than 30 days from the publishing date of the first of two required newspaper legal notices. Objections should be registered at www. abc.virginia.gov or 800-5523200.

To advertise in the

Richmond Free Press call 644-0496 Follow the Free Press on

@FreePressRVA @RichmondFreePressUSA

Richmond Free Press

B6 August 26-28, 2021

Sports Plus

Washington rookie proves to be preseason surprise Surprise! Surprise! Jaret Patterson is that shiny package you never expected.

Undrafted and at first lost on the depth chart, the 5-foot-8 running back from the University of Buffalo has become the buzz of the Washington Football Team’s preseason.

If an MVP were to be picked after two exhibition games, the 21-year-old rookie who wears jersey No. 35 would be a top contender.

Dipping and darting through and around tacklers, flashing speed and power and soft hands, the unheralded rookie has 111 yards rushing and 44 receiving yards on five grabs.

For good measure, he added a thrilling 37-yard kickoff in

Coming soon Final exhibition game 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28 Baltimore Ravens at Washington Start of regular season 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12 Los Angeles Chargers at Washington

the Washington NFL team’s 17-14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 20.

Patterson’s exploits have caught many off guard. When Washington trained in Richmond, he was a lowly fifth on the running backs depth chart.

It’s starting to look like he might start the season as No. 2 behind last year’s top ball carrier,

Antonio Gibson, who had 795 yards rushing last season.

“This is just the beginning,” Patterson told the Washington Fan Nation. “I can be versatile.

I’m a blue collar, underdog type of guy and I can handle business.”

He has drawn comparisons to 5-foot-10 Alfred Morris, a sixth round draft pick in 2012 out of Florida Atlantic University. Morris unexpectedly erupted for 1,613 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns as a rookie and went on to have three straight 1,000-plus rushing seasons for Washington.

From Glenn Dale, Md., Patterson grew up a Washington fan along with his twin brother, James, who is 6 feet tall.They

Jaret Patterson

were born Dec. 23, 1999.

At St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, Md., it was actually James who drew more

scouting attention than Jaret.

They enrolled at Buffalo as a “package deal” and sat out their first season to qualify for full scholarships.

Jaret developed quickly at the Mid-American Conference school and last season enjoyed one of the greatest games ever played by a running back.

In a victory over Kent State University, he rushed for 409 yards and eight touchdowns, matching Howard Griffith for the most rushing touchdowns in the history of college football.

Griffith ran for eight touchdowns for the University of Illinois in 1991.

In three seasons toting the leather for the University of Buffalo Bulls (not to be confused with

Abreu stands out, even with jersey No. 79 B Fred Jeter

José Abreu wears jersey No. 79 — a number more common to football than baseball—for a reason.

His mother, Daysi Correa, suggested he pick those unusual digits when he was growing up in Cuba so he “would be noticed more” by the pro scouts.

The well-intended idea probably wasn’t necessary. As it turns out, the current Chicago White Sox first baseman would likely stand out in a crowd no matter what number, big or small, he wears.

The 34-year-old Cuban defector is just the third major league ballplayer dating to the 1800s to ever wear No. 79 and is by far the most impressive physically and statistically.

Known as “Bueno Beefcake” for his thickly muscled 6-foot-3, 250-pound frame, Abreu is a can’t-miss reason why the White Sox are running away with the American League Central Division title.

As of Aug. 21, Chicago was 72-51 and 11.5 games ahead of second place Cleveland.

Abreu’s multiple gold chains he wears get bopping when he swings the bat and sprints the bases, and the shiny jewelry has been dancing overtime this summer on Chicago’s South Side.

Abreu is at the heart of José Abreu an attack that has spurred the Sox, aka “Pale Hose,” “South Siders,” “Medias Blancas,” etc., to a commanding position in the standings.

Thrilling fans at Guaranteed Rate Field (formerly U.S. Cellular), manager Tony La Russa’s squad started the week with a 72-53 record. As of Aug. 23, Abreu has 21 doubles, 25 homers and a major league leading 92 runs batted in, or RBIs. It’s a continuation of the shortened 2020 season in which Abreu won MVP and the Hank Aaron Award.

After fleeing Cuba, Abreu signed a six-year contract with Chicago in 2013 for $68 million, the richest contract in franchise history. The team

quickly collected on its investment. He was Rookie of the Year in 2014 and has been a four-time Silver Slugger recipient and three-time All-Star.

He has 223 homers and 253 career homers and was RBI kingpin in 2019 and 2020.

The White Sox have deep roots in Cuba.

Abreu is joined on the current roster by three native Cubans—catcher Yasmani Grandal, centerfielder Luis Robert and third baseman Yoán Moncada.

In all, 17 Cubans have played for the White Sox, starting with Minnie Miñoso in 1951. Miñoso was also the club’s first Black player.

The squad may be among the major league leaders in players of color as well as victories.

Tim Anderson, the 2019 batting champion, ranks with the elite shortstops. Anderson is from Tuscaloosa, Ala. Also, outfielder Billy Hamilton (313 career stolen bases) ranks with the fastest players in major league history. Hamilton had 366 steals in the minor leagues, including an all-time record of 155 in 2012.

Abreu is known for blasting home runs into bleachers and grandstands around the league. And

NFL Buffalo Bills), Patterson rumbled for 3,884 yards and 52 touchdowns in 33 games.

His brother James made All-MAC and is now a senior linebacker on the school’s 2021 roster. He may reach the NFL next year.

Despite his collegiate triumphs, Jaret was not among the 259 players selected in the six-round NFL draft April 29 through May 1 in Cleveland.

He became Washington’s lone undrafted free agent.

During July practice sessions at the Bon Secours Training Center in Richmond, Patterson went largely unnoticed.

Now he’s the oh-my-gosh surprise you can’t help but notice.

Windy City connection There is a link between Richmond and Chicago, but you need to go back nearly a half century to find it.

In 1972, Tony La Russa, now the 76-yearold manager of the Chicago White Sox, was the star second baseman for the Richmond Braves at Parker Field.

La Russa led the R-Braves with a .308 batting average and a .430 on-base percentage. He knew how to get on base, as evidenced by 120 hits, 72 walks and 11 times being hit by a pitch.

now cornfields can be added to his long-ball destinations.

On Aug. 12 in Dyersville, Iowa, Abreu launched a rocket that landed deep in the corn stalks behind the left field fence in a 9-8 win over the New York Yankees. Anderson swatted the walk-off game winner in the ninth.

The occasion was the inaugural Field of Dreams Game that drew the largest TV audience for a regular season game since 2005.

On that night, like many others, an onlooker might suggest powerful No. 79 in black, silver and white togs had the pitcher’s number.

Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities

The City of Richmond announces the following project(s) available for services relating to: IFB No. 220001284: Broad Street @ 16th Street Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Project (UPC 111164) Pre-Bid Conference Call Meeting: Thursday, September 9, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. For all information pertaining to this IFB conference call, please logon to the Richmond website (www.RVA.GOV).

Bid Due Date: Tuesday, October 5, 2021/Time: 11:00 A.M.

The City of Richmond announces the following project(s) available for services relating to: IFB No. 220001929, Systemic Pedestal To Mast Arm Signal Improvements Project (UPC 110841).

Pre-Bid Meeting: September 01, 2021 AT 3:00 P.M. For all information pertaining to this IFB pre-bid meeting call, please logon to the Richmond website (www.RVA.GOV).

Proposal Due Date: October 11, 2021 / Time: 2:00 P.M.

Information or copies of the above solicitations are available by contacting Procurement Services, at the City of Richmond website (www.RVA.GOV), or faxed (804) 646-5989. The City of Richmond encourages all contractors to participate in the procurement process.

Information or copies of the above solicitations are available by contacting Procurement Services, at the City of Richmond website (www.RVA.GOV), or faxed (804) 646-5989. The City of Richmond encourages all contractors to participate in the procurement process.

NOTE: Bidders choosing to submit bids through hand-delivery should allow extra time for delivery of bids. Hand-delivered bids will be accepted only during the hours of 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday at the 9th Street entrance to City Hall at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Bidders choosing to handdeliver bids must sign in at the security desk on the 1st Floor before delivering bids to the 11th Floor, Suite 1104. Bids will not be accepted after the Due Date and Time listed above.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS: Skanska USA Building, Inc., CM at Risk for the Virginia State University Academic Commons Building project, located in Petersburg, VA, ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂĐĐĞƉƟŶŐ ďŝĚƐ at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 for the following Bid Packages – 1.0 Turnkey Ceramics Building, 2.1 ʹ ĞŵŽůŝƟŽŶ͕ ϯ͘Ϭ ʹ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ŽŶĐƌĞƚĞ͕ ϱ͘Ϭ ʹ ^ƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĂů ^ƚĞĞů͕ Ϯϲ͘ϭ ^ŝƚĞ ůĞĐƚƌŝĐĂů͕ ϯϮ͘Ϭ ^ŝƚĞǁŽƌŬ͕ ĂŶĚ ϯϮ͘ϭ ŐŐƌĞŐĂƚĞ WŝĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ consists of a new 172,000 SF Academic Commons Building and a new Ϯ͕ϬϬϬ ^& ĞƌĂŵŝĐƐ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ͘ ĞŵŽůŝƟŽŶ ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚƐ ŽĨ ƌĞŵŽǀŝŶŐ ĞdžŝƐƟŶŐ Harris Hall Building and Plaza.

A ƉƌĞͲďŝĚ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽũĞĐƚ ƐŝƚĞ ǀŝƐŝƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞƐĞ ďŝĚ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ ǁŝůů ďĞ held at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at Virginia State hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͕ >ŽĐŬĞƩ ,Ăůů͕ ZŽŽŵ ϮϯϮ͘ zŽƵ ŵĂLJ ĂƩĞŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞͲďŝĚ ŝŶ ƉĞƌƐŽŶ Žƌ ǀŝƌƚƵĂůůLJ ǀŝĂ tĞďdž͘ WůĞĂƐĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ DĂƌŬ ŽůůŝŶƐ Ăƚ ŵĂƌŬ͘ĐŽůůŝŶƐΛ ƐŬĂŶƐŬĂ͘ĐŽŵ͕ Žƌ ďLJ ƉŚŽŶĞ ;ϵϭϵͿ ϯϲϵͲϬϱϬϰ ƚŽ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ Ă tĞďy ŵĞĞƟŶŐ ŝŶǀŝƚĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞͲďŝĚ ŵĞĞƟŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƚŽ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ďŝĚ ĚŽĐƵŵĞŶƚƐ͘ dŚĞ ^ƚĂƚĞ ƌĞƐĞƌǀĞƐ ƚŚĞ ƵŶƋƵĂůŝĮĞĚ ƌŝŐŚƚ ƚŽ ƌĞũĞĐƚ ĂŶLJ ĂŶĚ Ăůů ƉƌŽƉŽƐĂůƐ͘ ^ŬĂŶƐŬĂ h^ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ͕ /ŶĐ͘ ŝƐ ĂŶ ƋƵĂů KƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ŵƉůŽLJĞƌ ĚĞĚŝĐĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĞŶƐƵƌŝŶŐ ^ŵĂůů͕ DŝŶŽƌŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ tŽŵĞŶ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŶƚĞƌƉƌŝƐĞ ƉĂƌƟĐŝƉĂƟŽŶ on this project.

Request for Proposals (RFP) for Executive Search Firm Release Date: August 26, 2021 Due Date: September 14, 2021

Senior Connections serves the citizens of Planning Service Area 15 (PSA15) ZKLFK LQFOXGHV WKH FRXQWLHV RI &KDUOHV &LW\ &KHVWHU¿HOG *RRFKODQG +DQRYHU +HQULFR 1HZ .HQW DQG 3RZKDWDQ DQG WKH &LW\ RI 5LFKPRQG 6HQLRU &RQQHFWLRQV is part of a nationwide network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) that provide LQIRUPDWLRQ DGYRFDF\ DQG GLUHFW VHUYLFHV WR VHQLRUV DQG WKHLU IDPLOLHV 6HQLRU &RQQHFWLRQV VHHNV WR UHWDLQ D FRQVXOWDQW ¿UP RU RUJDQL]DWLRQ WR DVVLVW WKH ERDUG DQG VWDII WR UHFUXLW DQG KLUH WKH RUJDQL]DWLRQ¶V QH[W ([HFXWLYH /HDGHUVKLS 7KLV 5)3 RXWOLQHV WKH H[SHFWDWLRQV DQG WLPHOLQH IRU WKH VFRSH RI ZRUN 7KH VHOHFWHG ¿UP ZLOO SRVVHVV FDSDFLW\ DQG FRPSHWHQFLHV RQ D IXOO UDQJH RI VHUYLFHV LQFOXGLQJ H[SHULHQFH ZLWK FRQGXFWLQJ VXFFHVVIXO H[HFXWLYH VHDUFKHV IRU VLPLODU VL]HG QRQSUR¿W RUJDQL]DWLRQV DQG LPSOHPHQWLQJ HTXLWDEOH DQG LQFOXVLYH UHFUXLWLQJ DQG KLULQJ SURFHVVHV :H ORRN IRUZDUG WR ZRUNLQJ ZLWK WKH ¿UP WR DWWUDFW D TXDOL¿HG DQG GLYHUVH set of candidates to hire our next Executive Leadership to carry forth 6HQLRU &RQQHFWLRQV 7KH &DSLWDO $UHD $JHQF\ RQ $JLQJ 3OHDVH YLVLW KWWSV VHQLRUFRQQHFWLRQV YD RUJ HPSOR\PHQW WR OHDUQ PRUH

NOTE: Offerors choosing to submit proposals through hand-delivery should allow extra time for delivery of proposals. Hand-delivered proposals will be accepted only during the hours of 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday at the 9th Street entrance to City Hall at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Offerors choosing to hand-deliver proposals must sign in at the security desk on the 1 st Floor before delivering proposals to the 11 th Floor, Suite 1104.

Proposals will not be accepted after the Due Date and Time listed above.

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 Anointed New Life Baptist Church is looking to ¿OO D IXOO WLPH SRVLWLRQ IRU DQ RUJDQL]HG H[HPSODU\ Executive Minister WR RYHUVHH RXU FKXUFK¶V RSHUDWLRQV DQG WR OHDG DQG GLUHFW RXU JURZLQJ VWDII 7KH ([HFXWLYH 0LQLVWHU UHSRUWV WR WKH 3DVWRU DQG LV UHVSRQVLEOH IRU WKH RYHUDOO OHDGHUVKLS DQG GLUHFWLRQ RI FKXUFK VWDII DQG WKH DFFRPSOLVKPHQW RI WKH FKXUFK¶V PLVVLRQ DQG YLVLRQ 7KLV LQFOXGHV ZHHNO\ ¿QDQFLDO RSHUDWLRQV VWUDWHJLF SODQQLQJ DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ PLQLVWU\ PDQDJHPHQW DQG RYHUVLJKW RI SDVWRUDO FDUH 7KH ([HFXWLYH SDVWRU PXVW EH DEOH WR OLVWHQ ZHOO ZKLOH FRPPXQLFDWLQJ WUXWK ZLWK ORYH DQG FRPSDVVLRQ 0XVW EH DEOH WR KDQGOH WHQVLRQ ¿OOHG GHFLVLRQV DQG VLWXDWLRQV ZLWK FDUH JUDFH DQG NHHQ LQVLJKW 7KH ([HFXWLYH 0LQLVWHU PXVW DOVR KDYH WKH LQQDWH DELOLW\ WR SXW SUDFWLFDO IHHW WR WKH 3DVWRU¶V FUHDWLYH YLVLRQ 6HQG UHVXPH RU OHWWHU RI LQWHUHVW WKDW LQFOXGHV ZRUN H[SHULHQFH WR DQOEFEXVLQHVV#DQOEF FRPFDVWEL] QHW

REQUEST FOR BIDS For Easement, Franchise, Privilege, Lease or Right Over, Under, Through, Upon and Across 6120 Warwick Road In the City of Richmond The City of Richmond is seeking bids for a non-exclusive easement over, under, through, upon, and across certain portions of the property located at 6120 Warwick Road for the laying, construction, operation, and maintenance of one or more lines of underground conduits and cables and all equipment, accessories, and appurtenances necessary in connection therewith to provide electrical VHUYLFH WR WKH &LW\·V ( FRPPXQLFDWLRQV WRZHU LQ DFcordance with a certain Right of Way Agreement, for a duration of 40 years, subject to certain responsibilities to be imposed by the Right of Way Agreement and subject further to all retained rights of the City of Richmond.

All bids for the easement hereby offered to be granted PXVW EH VXEPLWWHG LQ ZULWLQJ WR WKH &LW\ &OHUN·V RIÀFH E\ 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 10, 2021. Bids will be SUHVHQWHG WR WKH SUHVLGLQJ RIÀFHU RI WKH &RXQFLO RI WKH City of Richmond on Monday, September 13, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. in open session and then will be presented E\ WKH SUHVLGLQJ RIÀFHU WR WKH &RXQFLO DQG EH GHDOW ZLWK and acted upon in the mode prescribed by law.

The City of Richmond expressly reserves the right to reject any and all bids. The successful bidder shall reimburse the City for all costs incurred in connection with the advertisement of this ordinance in accordance with section 15.2-2101 of the Code of Virginia and shall post the bond required by the ordinance. $ FRS\ RI WKH IXOO WH[W RI WKH RUGLQDQFH LV RQ ÀOH LQ WKH &LW\ &OHUN·V 2IÀFH DQG WKH IXOO WH[W RI WKH RUGLQDQFH DQG Right of Way Agreement to be executed is available at: https://richmondva.legistar.com/LegislationDe WDLO DVS[",' *8,' ( & %& $ & $'))( &' Please address any questions or bids to: Candice D. Reid, City Clerk City of Richmond (DVW %URDG 6WUHHW 6XLWH 5LFKPRQG 9LUJLQLD

Part-time (20 hours) Church Sexton (custodian)

First Union Baptist Church, South Richmond.

Send resume or letter of interest that includes work experience to fubc.secretary@gmail.com

Retirees Are Welcome!

Assistant Director of Financial Aid, #FA154

Reynolds Community College has an exciting opportunity available to join the college as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid. This position supports the Director of Financial Aid in the administration RI D FRPSUHKHQVLYH SURJUDP RI VWXGHQW ÀQDQFLDO assistance for all campuses of the college and in the SODQQLQJ DQG GLUHFWLRQ RI WKH RIÀFH PDQDJHPHQW DQG LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ RI RIÀFH REMHFWLYHV DQG GHFLVLRQV The Assistant Director of Financial Aid manages the full range of human resource services to staff and DVVLVWV LQ WKH WUDLQLQJ DQG GHYHORSPHQW RI ÀQDQFLDO aid staff. This position provides management and OHDGHUVKLS LQ WKH ÀQDQFLDO DLG DZDUGLQJ SURFHVV WR LQFOXGH YHULÀFDWLRQ DZDUGLQJ DQG DXWKRUL]DWLRQ DQG GLVEXUVHPHQW RI ÀQDQFLDO DLG IXQGV 7KH $VVLVWDQW 'LUHFWRU SURYLGHV RYHUVLJKW DQG VXSHUYLVLRQ RI RIÀFH staff in virtual and face-to-face environments to ensure WKH GHOLYHU\ RI TXDOLW\ FXVWRPHU VHUYLFH ZLWK RWKHU FROOHJHV LQIRUPDWLRQDO UHTXHVWV IURP RXW RI VWDWH JUDQW DJHQFLHV VFKRODUVKLSV DQG RWKHU WKLUG SDUW\ DUUDQJHPHQWV UHKDELOLWDWLYH VHUYLFHV $PHUL&RUSV etc. The Assistant Director researches and resolves student dissatisfaction issues. The Assistant Director provides input to revisions and updates informational materials; and stays abreast of and

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