Richmond Free Press December 27-29, 2018 Edition

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Richmond Free Press © 2018 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 27 NO. 52

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

National NAACP suspends Frank J. Thornton, Henrico Branch president

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

In an extraordinary action, national NAACP President Derrick Johnson has suspended for a year the membership of Frank J. Thornton, president of the Henrico Branch NAACP and son of Frank Thornton, chairman of the Henrico County Board of Supervisors.

The action hit with a complete surprise as Mr. Thornton publicly has been regarded as an active and energetic leader.

During his two-year tenure, the Henrico Branch has added new members and, according to Mr. Thornton, undertaken 36 initiatives on issues ranging from police actions and bus transportation to financial literacy and addiction. He also has frequently been Mr. Thornton quoted in news reports on county issues, including public education and spending on GRTC. The suspension is on hold as Mr. Thornton appeals to the NAACP national membership committee and the national board.

Mr. Johnson stated he took the action after a three-member panel of national board members upheld a complaint from 20 Henrico Branch members, including past president Drusilla Bridgeforth, alleging that Mr. Thornton misused chapter funds and operated without consulting the chapter’s executive board.

The panel issued its recommendation after hearing Mr. Thornton’s rebuttal of the charges in a conference call on Nov.

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DeCEMBER 27-29, 2018

$ for schools Mayor Levar M. Stoney announces $800M plan to fully fund school construction over next 20 years

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Mayor Levar M. Stoney said it couldn’t be done.

He insisted that the funds didn’t exist to modernize most of the city’s aged public school buildings that are now falling apart.

At one point, he said there was no money hidden under the sofa cushions at City Hall. At another, he said the city didn’t have a “magic money tree.”

But with a Jan. 1 deadline looming and community groups hammering him for putting a new Coliseum ahead of school

needs, Mayor Stoney reversed course.

The mayor announced a plan on Dec. 20 to provide the $800 million that Richmond Public Schools wants to improve and modernize schools, a majority of which are 60 or more years old and seven of which are 100 years old.

But under the plan, the lion’s share of the work would start after Mayor Stoney leaves office and could take up to 20 years for the work to be finished.

Despite the stretched out timetable, the plan Mayor Stoney will take to City Council in mid-January represents City Hall’s first commitment to modernize

Please turn to A4

Councilwoman to seek state help on Agelasto residency issue

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

all of the city’s schools, instead of just a handful, like the four schools done in the late 1990s during the tenures of former Mayors Larry Chavis and Tim Kaine, now a U.S. senator; the four done during former Mayor Dwight C. Jones’ tenure; and the three for which Mayor Stoney and other officials just broke ground.

Mayor Stoney was elected in 2016 as the “education mayor” by pledging to improve city schools and chart a way to move forward by meeting the division’s escalating capital needs.

Under the mayor’s plan, RPS is getting a down payment on the plan of $150 million from the city’s increase in the tax on restaurant meals.

That money, in part, will pay for a new Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School and two new elementary schools, George Mason and E.S.H. Greene, for which ground was Mayor Stoney broken last week and that are to open in fall 2020.

The rest of the money to improve, upgrade, renovate or replace other schools is to come from the city’s traditional general obligation bonds. As debt capacity for new borrowing is freed up as the city pays off past debt, Mayor Stoney proposes that $200 million be made available for school modernization in 2024, $212.2 million in 2029 and $237.8 million in 2034.

Richmond also would have nearly $774 million to borrow for other needs in the 20 years from 2019 to 2038, without any increase in taxes.

None of the new money would come from the proposed Navy Hill proposal that involves replacing the Richmond Coliseum, the mayor stated in his Dec. 20 news release announcing the school funding plan.

Mayor Stoney stated the plan, crafted by the city’s financial adviser, David P. Rose

Parker C. Agelasto’s future as the 5th District representative on City Council apparently will depend on whether the General Assembly or another state entity gets involved.

Sixth District Councilwoman Ellen F. Robertson, who was rebuffed on her plans to Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press Ms. Robertson introduce legislation to City Council seeking Mr. Agelasto’s removal from office because he no longer lives in the 5th District, said she plans to seek help at the state level, T-shirt clad Whaki Fox, 12, shoots a few hoops Monday on a sunny and mild possibly through the General Assembly.

Christmas Eve while visiting his grandmother in the Randolph neighborhood Ms. Roberston said she gave up the idea of local action after during his winter break from school. High temperatures are expected to rise again City Attorney Allen L. Jackson advised that “the council could to the 60s on Friday and Saturday before dipping to the 40s to close out 2018.

Please turn to A4 not do this by ordinance as this was a matter that must be handled at the state level.”

The issue of Mr. Agelasto’s status has been on the front burner following his acknowledgement just before Thanksgiving that he and his wife purchased a larger home in the to remember that urban renewal destroyed thriving time. But they don’t have to.”

By Dr. Ron Daniels 4200 block of West Franklin business districts in black communities across the In Atlanta, the “Black Mecca” of the South, Vine Street during the summer and Gentrification has emerged as a major threat to country in the latter part of the 20th century. In City, the neighborhood where Dr. Martin Luther are now living there, outside black communities that have been centers for black fact, there is a historical pattern of marginalizing, King Jr. and civil rights and political leader Julian of his district. Their home business and economic development, cultural and subverting or outright destroying black communi- Bond lived, no longer exists. It was wiped out by is located civic life for generations. ties to thwart our ability to achieve full political sports stadium projects. Public housing development in the 1st Gentrification has become and economic empowerment and equity in this after public housing development has been felled District. the watch-word for the disnation. Gentrification is the latest manifestation by an advancing wave of “progress.” The “Sweet He and placement of black people and of this pattern.

Auburn” District in Atlanta, which was once the his family culture. Gentrification is the There are a multiplicity of testimonies about this home of major black businesses, is now stagnant. previous“Negro Removal” program” In the face of this onslaught, a youthful group of ly lived in of the 21st century. There is community advocates called the Community MoveCommentary the 1900 an urgent need for people of ment Builders recently launched an anti-gentrification block of African descent to mount a seridestructive phenomena. The caption of a feature campaign to mobilize community residents and their Mr. Agelasto Dr. Daniels Floyd Avous offensive to defend black article in the May 2, 2018, edition of The New York allies to address the massive displacement of black enue, within the 5th District. communities from this insidious onslaught.

Times captured the essence of the crisis confronting working-class and poor people from their neighborBoth the state Constitution During the civil rights and “Black Power” era, black communities across the country: hoods. One of their slogans is “Stop Gentrification: and state law require state and the term “Negro Removal” was virtually synony“When Home No Longer Looks the Same: Keep Residents in Place.” local elected officials to live in mous with “urban renewal,” the local, state and Rapid Change in Durham Has Left Many Black Development in Washington, D.C., the original the district they represent and federal highway and development projects that often Residents Feeling Unwelcome.”

“Chocolate City,” has displaced thousands of black to surrender their seat when disconnected and destroyed stable black communiThe article details how the revitalization of people, forcing them to move to surrounding suburban they move. ties. It was not unusual for a local highway project Durham, N.C., has increasingly meant develop- areas. The prosperous central city neighborhood and Mr. Agelasto has said he designed to benefit residents from the suburbs or a ment and progress for middle- and upper-income black business district in Seattle has vanished as would not seek re-election to component of an interstate highway system to be white people, but displacement for large numbers black people have been forced to flee to Tacoma, a third term in 2020, but has routed through the center of a black community, of black working class and middle class people Wash., and other outlying cities where housing is declined to give up his seat uprooting and displacing black people or permanently who can no longer afford to live in certain sec- more affordable. before his current term ends weakening businesses, institutions, networks and tions of the city.

In Los Angeles, the Crenshaw Subway Coaliin two years. He said he might relationships that bound folks together.

An article in the Oct. 21, 2018, edition of the tion is vigorously resisting a subway extension that return to his former residence, As advocates for black entrepreneurship cor- Houston Chronicle is also illustrative of the grow- would spur gentrification in one of the most storied pointing to a 2014 attorney rectly urge black people to create and support black ing concern about gentrification in black America: Please turn to A5 business districts in our communities, it is useful “Historic black neighborhoods disappear all the Please turn to A4

Christmas Eve hotshot

Gentrification: The ‘Negro Removal’ program displacing black people, culture

Chief Durham reflects on his tenure in Richmond

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Chief Durham

Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham is done.

He wrapped up Dec. 20 by issuing promotions to 12 officers, including naming three deputy chiefs and tapping one, William C. Smith, to serve as acting chief.

Saying “I’m burned out; I have nothing else to give,” Chief Durham walked out

of his office for the final time and headed to see family in Washington. He turned in his badge and department-issued gun as he took vacation ahead of his official retirement date on Dec. 31 from his Richmond post and policing.

His retirement will bring to an end a 31year career in law enforcement, along with four years of active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps and 13 years in its reserves.

Now 55, he rose to deputy chief in Washington during his 25 years there and served as a major and chief of staff in Richmond before becoming Richmond’s 18th police chief in February 2015.

He will leave behind a department that has become the best in the country in solving homicides as a result of the hard work of officers and detectives and strong community support, but which

remains short-handed as it struggles to fill its ranks.

Acting Chief Smith, who had been Chief Durham’s chief of staff, will serve as the department’s commander until Mayor Levar M. Stoney and Selena Cuffee-Glenn, the city’s chief administrative officer, name an interim chief during the search for Chief Please turn to A4

Richmond Free Press

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Local News

New Year’s holiday closings In observance of New Year’s Day, Tuesday Jan. 1, please note the following: Government offices Federal, state, city and county offices will be closed Monday, Dec. 31, and Tuesday, Jan 1.

Public schools Richmond, Henr ico, Chesterfield and Hanover public schools will be closed through Wednesday, Jan. 2. Classes will resume Thursday, Jan. 3.

Public libraries Richmond and Henrico public libraries will be closed Monday, Dec. 31, and Tuesday, Jan. 1.

Chesterfield public libraries will close at 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec 31, and will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

Garbage and recycling collection No trash or recycling collection on Tuesday, Jan. 1. The collection schedule will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.

U.S. Postal Service No regular mail delivery on Tuesday, Jan. 1.

Department of Motor Vehicles customer service centers DMV offices will be closed Monday, Dec 31, and Tuesday, Jan. 1.

GRTC Buses will operate on a Sunday schedule on Tuesday, Jan.1.

Banks and financial institutions Closed Tuesday, Jan. 1.

ABC stores Closing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1.

Malls, major retailers, movie theaters Varies. Inquire at specific locations.

Richmond Free Press office Closed Tuesday, Jan. 1.

Medicaid enrollment jumps More than 182,000 Virginia adults — or nearly half of the 400,000 projected to be eligible — have enrolled in Medicaid health care coverage that will begin Jan. 1, Gov. Ralph S. Northam announced.

“I’m proud of the tremendous progress we’re making to enroll Virginians who are newly eligible for health coverage under Medicaid expansion,” Gov. Northam stated Dec. 19 in a news release.

The new health coverage is available to people ages 19 through 64 who meet the expanded income requirements that went into effect after the General Assembly voted in May to expand Medicaid.

For example, a single adult with an annual income at or below $16,754 may be eligible for the health program. An adult in a three-person family with a total household annual income at or below $28,677 also may be eligible.

Enrollment has been simplified for people who receive food stamps, according to Dr. Daniel Carey, state secretary of health and human services.

Enrollment for Medicaid is open year-round, unlike the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, which have enrollment deadlines.

Since Nov. 1, the Cover Virginia call center has received more than 140,000 calls about the program.

Details on eligibility: www.coverva.org or (855) 242-8282.

Those needing hearing assistance may call (888) 221-1590. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS

City tackling polluted water Richmond’s most heavily polluted watersheds that drain into the James River will get some extra attention, thanks to a $1 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, it has been announced.

According to the city’s Department of Public Utilities, the money will allow the department to partner with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to create a “green master plan” that would propose methods to capture and treat stormwater runoff into Cannon’s Branch/Shockoe Creek in North Side and Downtown, Gillie’s Creek in the East End and Manchester Canal/Goose Creek in South Side.

The master plan would identify places where projects need to be installed to capture stormwater, including pervious water retention systems and permeable sidewalks and streets to allow stormwater to soak into the ground and be filtered rather than running over pavement into the streams, and planting watercapturing trees and native plants.

The ultimate aim would be to reduce the amount of polluting nitrogen, phosphorus, petroleum products and sediment entering the streams and ultimately the river, said DPU Deputy Director Jennifer Hatchett.

The plan of action will “cover all the public lands” in those three watersheds that were identified as the most polluted in the city in the RVA-H20 regional plan that was developed earlier, she said.

She said the grant would help the partnership create cleaner water faster. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Cityscape Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

New concrete structures rise on land in the 1600 block of North 31st Street where the former Armstrong High School once stood. These are the first steps in the creation of 105 new apartments — 45 for seniors and 60 for families, a majority of whom currently live nearby in the Creighton Court public housing community. The $26 million development is being undertaken by a partnership involving a nonprofit developer, The Community Builders of Boston, and the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The development is located near Nine Mile Road, about six blocks east of a residential, retail and commercial complex going up at Nine Mile Road, 25th Street and Fairmount Avenue that is to include a full-service grocery store.

Contractors claim they are left out of city lead removal contracts is designed to help localities cover the cost of improvements to remediate lead.

Small African-American contractors like Anson Bell and Mr. Mouer, a city project manager in the Department of Nathan Beyah claim they are being locked out of work to Housing and Community Development whom Mayor Levar remove from 150 Richmond homes and apartments toxic lead M. Stoney credited with leading the effort to secure the grant, paint that yearly damages the developing brains of dozens of notified the Free Press last Friday that he would need another young children. week to respond to questions whether untrained workers have Since receiving a three-year, $2.71 million federal grant been allowed to perform lead abatement by project:Homes. in June 2017 to pay for encapsulating or removing lead paint Separately, the Free Press found that project:Homes had from windows and interior and exterior walls, City Hall and promised to hold such training, funding for which is included the Richmond City Health District have failed to hold in the federal grant, according to HUD. Last April, classes to certify owners and workers in lead paint Mr. Miller included such a promise in an email to containment and removal.

Mr. Beyah.

According to Mr. Beyah, that has allowed “Starting this fall,” Mr. Miller wrote, “we will be project:Homes, a 26-year-old nonprofit that the city offering a series of lead worker and lead supervisor and the health district subcontracted with to run the trainings towards the relevant certifications from lead paint abatement effort, to limit the work to three DPOR,” the Virginia Department of Professional companies, two of which Mr. Beyah alleges employ Occupational Regulation, whose oversight includes people who are not certified to work on lead abatecontractors.

Mr. Beyah ment. Both are minority-owned companies.

“These trainings will be offered free of charge The third, Blake Construction, is a large, majority-owned supported by the City’s HUD grant. I will let you know details company that Mr. Beyah said is getting most of the work, which once we set the dates,” Mr. Miller continued. involves contracts of $5,000 to $10,000 per residence, an ideal Mr. Bell, a state-licensed Class A mechanical, electrical and size Mr. Beyah said for small companies. plumbing contractor, said he is disappointed that no classes have The Free Press contacted Daniel Mouer, City Hall’s point been held. He said he had been certified in lead abatement, but person on the lead paint program, Dr. Danny Avula, director of his state certifications lapsed. the Richmond City Health District that is operating the program “I expected there to be training for contractors like myself so for the city, and Zack Miller, who runs the lead paint program we could renew our certification, but it just hasn’t happened,” for project:Homes about Mr. Beyah’s allegation on the lack of he said. training.

Mr. Beyah, who has had extensive experience in overseeing Mr. Mouer said he needed more time to respond; Dr. Avula re- and removing lead, mold and asbestos and currently operates ferred questions to Mr. Mouer; and Mr. Miller did not respond. a licensed Class A residential contractor business called New A search found no evidence that City Hall, the Health District Industries, also expected training to be offered so he could renew or project:Homes has announced dates or times for certification his lead abatement licenses and compete for contracts. training for workers or contractors.

When the training never materialized, “I became impatient The grant that the city and its health district received is the and attempted on many occasions to get training on my own,” first in 13 years that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban he stated. But trainers around the state “could not put on the Development has awarded to the city for lead paint removal. classes because there were not enough interested students,” he In 2004, a nonprofit won the grant after HUD found the city said. “That’s one of the many reasons HUD includes training mishandled the money and did not get the work done. Despite as a part of the grant,” he stated. being banned in 1978, toxic lead paint is still found in thousands In the past 40 years, “I have been involved in at least six of residences in Richmond and across the country. lead grant programs, and the reason the training is included is Testing finds 30 to 70 children a year in the city who have high, because HUD knows that because of the often long time lapses potentially brain-damaging levels of lead in their bloodstream, between grants, most contractors’ certification expires.” often from breathing dust with high lead levels or ingesting Mr. Beyah noted that “small minority companies are often chips from peeling paint. criticized for not having the experience or qualifications as the In Richmond, the city Health District has played a key role in reason for not obtaining contracts.” investigating problem and ensuring children get tested for lead.

In this case, the failure to offer training classes ensures that The district also has sought to work with families, homeowners small companies like his cannot compete, making it “a great and landlords when high levels of lead are detected. The grant example of discrimination,” he said.

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Information blackout in new city ambulance permit case?

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The Richmond Ambulance Authority has, for now, avoided competition for non-emergency transports that help financially support its crucial emergency service.

City Council followed a committee recommendation in voting 9-0 on Dec. 17 to kill an ordinance sought by Mayor Levar M. Stoney to allow an Atlanta-based company to operate an ambulance service for non-emergency transports in the city and take business from the authority.

Mayor Stoney apparently was following the recommendation of Richmond Fire Chief Melvin Carter.

So far, Chief Carter has not provided an explanation to City Council or to the public for his recommendation to allow Western-Star Ambulance Authority’s operating arm, Metro Health EMS, to compete with the city’s ambulance authority.

Chief Carter, as well as City Attorney Allen L. Jackson and Chief Administrative Officer Selena Cuffee-Glenn, have not responded to a Dec. 7 request by the Free Press for the information.

The request, filed under Chief Carter the Freedom of Information Act, requested copies of documents issued by Chief Carter in support of his finding that a “public necessity” exists to allow Metro Health to operate ambulances in the city.

According to a city policy established 28 years ago under former City Manager Robert C. Bobb, city officials would have to determine that the ambulance authority was not providing a service to justify the “public necessity” finding.

Mr. Bobb put the policy in place in 1990 when the ambulance authority was established to centralize and upgrade emergency services

in the city.

Metro Health, which has an office in Henrico County, filed for the permit based on its claim to have been awarded a contract to provide non-emergency patient transport to and from the McGuire Veterans’ Administration Hospital.

The VA has not issued any announcement of such an award, and the city ambulance authority continues to provide the service.

The authority estimated its non-emergency transport service brings in about $1.67 million a year in revenue that helps support its more expensive emergency service. VA payments represent about 37 percent of the nearly $5 million the authority earns annually from non-emergency transports, its financial reports show.

According to Chip Decker, chief executive officer of the ambulance authority, any reduction in the authority’s income from non-emergency transports would require the city to increase its annual subsidy to the authority “to ensure the residents of Richmond have proper and adequate

emergency services.”

He estimated that if the ambulance authority lost the transport of VA hospital patients, the authority would need an additional $1.47 million from the city for emergency services.

The city currently provides a $5 million subsidy annually to the ambulance authority to help pay for emergency care to city residents, at least 25 percent of whom cannot afford the cost.

Metro Health has sued the city in federal court in seeking to gain a permit to operate in the city, but so far the city has fended off the legal attack.

A federal judge rejected Metro Health’s request for a temporary injunction in early October to force the city to allow it to operate until its lawsuit is heard.

On Dec. 19, U.S. District Court Judge John A. Gibney Jr. lifted a temporary stay in the case following council’s vote and notified Metro Health that it has until Thursday, Jan. 3, to submit an amended lawsuit in pursuing its case.

Richmond Free Press

December 27-29, 2018

Dominion Energy has been named America’s best managed electric and gas company.

It helps when 1 in 5 new hires is a veteran.

This year’s “Management Top 250,” published by The Wall Street Journal, ranks the best run U.S. companies based on customer satisfaction, employee engagement and development, innovation, social responsibility and financial strength.

Dominion Energy was ranked as the top electric and gas utility. And military publication G.I. Jobs ranks Dominion Energy top in our industry and 5th among all U.S. companies. It marks the 10th consecutive year Dominion Energy has been recognized as a military-friendly company. So to each and every one of our 16,000+ dedicated employees, THANK YOU for your commitment to excellence, your dedication to community and most of all for the energy you bring to this company each and every day.

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Careers.DominionEnergy.com

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Richmond Free Press

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Local News

Mayor announces $800M plan to fully fund school construction over next 20 years

renovated or replaced and a timetable.

“I’ll wait for the details,” Mr. Goldman said. of Davenport & Co., represents his response to a change in the The mayor is to deliver the plan to City Council on Monday, City Charter that voters passed overwhelmingly in 2017 over Jan. 14, at the next meeting. the mayor’s strong opposition and that won virtually unanimous “We are grateful to the mayor for laying out this $800 million support this year from the General Assembly and the governor plan,” Richmond schools Superintendent Jason Kamras stated in who enacted it. a communication to the Free Press. “Every one of our building That change required Mayor Stoney to come up with a fully should shout, ‘We love you,’ to our students. Sadly, that’s just funded plan for fixing public schools that did not raise taxes or not the case right now. This plan will change things once and to explain why he could not. Once the plan is submitted, the for all,” he stated. council has 90 days to take “action it deems appropriate,” acThere are skeptics, including an elementary teacher, who cording to the charter amendment. asked to remain anonymous.

Mayor Stoney’s proposal represents City Hall’s first public “Although it is a very generous proposal for the schools to be acknowledgement of the huge impact of fully funded for 20 years, by that time, the referendum that was spearheaded by we may need a lot more money because Paul Goldman, a longtime campaign and there are rising costs every year,” the political strategist and former chairman teacher stated. of the Virginia Democratic Party, and School Board Chairwoman Dawn such allies as the Richmond Crusade for Page, 8th District, said she’s optimistic, Voters and the Falls of the James chapter but wants to hear more details about the of the Sierra Club. mayor’s plan. She said she “looks forward “The referendum effort had and has to reviewing the plan with my board colonly one public-spirited goal: Getting leagues and sharing our feedback with the long-denied RVA children out of decrepit, mayor and citizens at that time.” intolerable, immoral building conditions School Board member Jonathan and into clean, modern, worthy facilities Young, 4th District, said the mayor’s necessary for a 21st century education,” proposal means “it is on us, the School Mr. Goldman wrote on Facebook after Board, to adopt a plan that right-sizes our the mayor issued his announcement. capital outlay, incorporates closure and Despite getting bashed for pushing consolidation to expedite new construca change that the mayor and his allies tion and renovation, earns the support variously described as “a stunt,” “a disof future mayors and city councils and traction,” “illegal” and “a waste of time,” secures the respect of the taxpayers.”

Mr. Goldman noted, “I knew — as did Board member Kenya Gibson, 3rd the Richmond Crusade for Voters and District, called the mayor’s statement “a the Sierra Club — that City Hall, City first step towards progress that is decades Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free press Council, editorial writers, columnists and overdue.” Writing that “this is what dethe Chamber of Commerce would not do it without putting the mocracy looks like,” Ms. Gibson praised voters who “believe our proverbial political gun to their heads” — the overwhelming schools are our priority” and the Goldman team for “all their work support of citizens. to bring the referendum on school modernization to the voters.”

Mr. Goldman said that if the city’s political and business Councilwoman Kim B. Gray, 2nd District, also hailed citizens leaders “join together to do the right thing, I will be cheering who signed petitions to get the referendum on the ballot in 2017 the loudest and will give them all the credit for ridding the city and those who voted for it. While she declined to comment on of the biggest monuments to segregation.” the mayor’s proposal before seeing the details, she stated that “as As yet, he is not certain that the mayor’s funding proposal the mayor conceded, he would not have submitted the proposal meets the definition of a fully funded plan that is called for under without the overwhelming push from the voters.” the charter. He said it also would require a list of schools to be Staff writer Ronald E. Carrington contributed to this article.

Continued from A1

Councilwoman Robertson to seek help on Agelasto residency issue Continued from A1

general’s opinion that an elected official’s move to another part of a locality would be legal if it were temporary.

At this point, no city official is able to challenge Mr. Agelasto on whether he should continue to serve as the 5th District representative. Richmond Voter Registrar Kirk Showalter, about the only city official other than the council with enforcement power, has rejected a complaint from three 5th District residents challenging Mr. Agelasto’s residency. In her response, she stated she is barred by state law from investigating Mr. Agelasto’s residency because he is not alleged to have moved out of the city.

And the city attorney’s official opinion appears to have iced the council, whose members have mostly remained mum on the issue. Council President Chris A. Hilbert, 3rd District, secured a written statement from Mr. Jackson that the issue of Mr. Agelasto’s residency was not an “appropriate matter” for him to consider or for the council to take up.

Ms. Robertson, however, plans to

persist.

“My concern is the ward system that we fought to achieve and which must be maintained for the very reasons it was established” more than 40 years ago, she wrote to the Free Press.

“If council members are not required to live in the district represented, this nullifies the district requirement and potentially reverses equal representation,” she stated. “This is a major issue that must be addressed.”

Her words echo those of former City Councilman Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson, who gave the council and Mr. Agelasto a tongue-lashing on the matter at the council meeting on Dec. 17.

Mr. Richardson, who lives in and formerly represented the 5th District, was one of the three people who petitioned the city voter registrar about Mr. Agelasto’s residency.

Mr. Richardson recalled how Richmond City Council had long been dominated by white representatives from the West End when members were elected at large.

He also reminded the council that the city had annexed 23 square miles of Ches-

terfield County in 1969 in a bid to bolster the white population and block the election of more than two African-American representatives.

He noted that it took federal Voting Rights lawsuits and a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court to bring about the current district system that ended at-large voting and enabled the city’s African-American voters to have an opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. As a result of the legal battles, the city secured in 1977 its first majority African-American City Council and its first African-American mayor, Henry L. Marsh III. Mr. Richardson argued that Mr. Agelasto’s decision to remain on City Council without any penalty undermines the district system and puts the city on track to return to an at-large voting system.

“This undermines democracy,” Mr. Richardson said. While he called Mr. Agelasto a friend and excellent council member, Mr. Richardson said Mr. Agelasto “has to go.”

Despite his admiration for Mr. Agelasto, “I believe in democracy more,” he said.

National NAACP suspends Frank J. Thornton Continued from A1

28 and found against him on allegations that he said “are baseless and without merit.”

The Dec. 17 decision from the civil rights group’s national leader, if upheld at the national board’s February meeting, would effectively strip Mr. Thornton of his ability to participate in the organization or serve and seek re-election as the branch’s leader.

He would also have to petition the board for reinstatement after the suspension ends.

Separately, the national office in mid-November put an indefinite hold on the Henrico branch’s election of officers as Mr. Thornton’s case headed for a hearing. Mr. Thornton had been running for re-election.

“This is a sad reflection on this organization,” said Mr. Thornton, 49, an adjunct professor of educational technology at Virginia Union University, where his father previously taught French.

Mr. Thornton said that the evidence, which includes chapter minutes and copies of expenditure receipts that he provided to the hearing panel and the Free Press, refutes every allegation the 20 members filed against him and demonstrates that he has operated in an above-board manner in the best interests of the branch and the NAACP. He also noted that Mr. Johnson’s action appears to violate national bylaws, which Mr. Thornton said state that the national president no longer has authority to suspend a member once a panel of the board hears a case and sends its recommendation to the national membership committee.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Mr. Thornton said.

The main complaint in the Article X complaint is that Mr. Thornton made unauthorized purchases with branch funds and has not accounted for payments made to a PayPal account set up for purchases of tickets to the Henrico Branch NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet.

The complaint lists seven expenditures that Mr. Thornton allegedly undertook without authority. Four are for bill payments of less than $100, which Mr. Thornton had been authorized by the executive committee to pay without seeking their permission.

According to Mr. Thornton and branch records, one payment of $118.26 was for refreshments provided at two approved branch events, a public safety forum and a youth opioid workshop, and another for $200 represented a deposit on space for the branch’s approved Women in the NAACP event, which was refunded after the Women of Elegance Awards program was moved to another location.

The final item, $1,010, represents reimbursement for itemized expenses Mr. Thornton incurred while attending the 2017 NAACP national convention. Minutes show that the executive committee approved the payment in an online survey in December and at committee meetings in January and April.

Mr. Thornton said he had the branch’s bank issue a $1,000 cashier’s check that cost $10 after branch Treasurer Gail Jones rejected the committee’s decision and refused to issue payment.

Ms. Jones is one of the complainants. Emails between Ms. Jones and Mr. Thornton reflect the dispute.

In response to a Free Press request for comment, Ms. Jones said that she is referring all such requests to the national office.

“All of the spending was documented,” Mr. Thornton said.

“I haven’t taken a dime. All the money was spent on behalf of the chapter or on approved items.”

Mr. Thornton also dismissed the allegation that payments to the chapter’s PayPal account for Freedom Fund tickets were not accounted for.

In his rebuttal, he stated that Ms. Jones could have a complete accounting simply by going into the account and downloading the information that PayPay accumulates. She has not done so, he stated, but instead has publicly accused Mr. Thornton of diverting the money. He called that “a blatant lie.”

The complaint also alleges that there is no record of contributions from some of those listed as patrons and supporters in an online souvenir journal for the banquet.

Mr. Thornton said he shifted to an online souvenir journal after finding a physical journal was ineffective and to reduce costs. He said money received from people who contributed was deposited into the branch’s account. He also noted that many of the people listed contributed in-kind support rather than dollars.

He also is alleged to have used the online “Survey Monkey” site to allow the executive committee to vote on issues during weeks when meetings were not scheduled, though that does not appear to violate any of the NAACP’s rules.

Mr. Thornton joined the NAACP four years ago and was elected chapter president in 2016.

“Under my leadership,” he wrote in his appeal of the Article X complaint, “I have transformed the Henrico NAACP into a credible social justice organization that is respected.”

He said those who signed the Article X complaint seeking his removal involve individuals “who have not participated in doing work on committees, workshops, raising funds, bringing in new members, lobbying, changing policy or handling complaints.”

Chief Durham reflects on his tenure in Richmond Continued from A1

Durham’s successor.

Essentially leaving his stamp on the department before his successor arrives, Chief Durham also promoted Maj. Sydney G. Collier, who previously served as acting deputy chief of patrol and major of Operations Area 1 for First Precinct and Second Precinct, to deputy chief for operations.

Chief Durham also promoted William Friday, a civilian from finance to deputy chief for business services, while giving Maj. Darrell Goins, who had been serving as acting deputy chief for business and support services, command of Operations Area 1.

In a press release on the promotions and in comments to reporters on his final day, Chief Durham urged Mayor Stoney to look inside the department for his replacement rather than continuing the practice of previous mayors and city councils of choosing a chief from elsewhere.

“One of the strengths of the RPD is the outstanding quality of its officers and civilian employees,” Chief Durham stated in announcing the promotions. “As I retire, I know these new assignments will secure the progress we have made in the nearly four years I was chief.”

During a discussion with reporters, he emphasized the point.

“We have the talent. … I’m confident there are several members of the senior command staff that could step up.”

Along with naming six new sergeants and two lieutenants, Chief Durham promoted Capt.

John O’Kleasky to major and put him in charge of Operations Area 2, which includes Third Precinct and Fourth Precinct.

Acting Chief Chief Durham expressed Smith pride that violent crime had dipped this year after a spike in 2017.

He leaves behind a department that is better equipped with computers in cars and bodyworn cameras, which have helped dispel false complaints, he said, such as the one spread by gardening activist Duron Chavis about being stopped for the “smell of marijuana” rather than because he was driving a car with expired license tags and an expired inspection sticker. During the stop, officers also learned he was driving on a suspended license, the chief said.

Chief Durham, who spent his final day wearing a suit and tie, said he realized he needed to retire on Nov. 12, Veterans Day, when he got an email “saying citizens are complaining about traffic and speeding.

“I’ve said over and over again that, with limited resources, we’re going to try and do the very best we can, but that was not an acceptable answer to her,” he told reporters. “And it hit me, and I said, ‘If I can’t even solve a simple traffic problem, then it’s time for me to go.’ ”

Known for his personal touch and willingness to go out to meet and build relationships with residents, he said he sought to “build those bonds, creating those bridges that we can cross together in making this city a better place.”

Deputy Chief He said he would mainCollier tain a residence in Richmond and hinted about playing a future role in an organization that seeks to help young people find the road to achievement and success.

“I feel in my heart that there is still work for me to do here,” he said, noting that out of uniform, “I won’t be as restricted.”

In his view, police must do more than arrest people in order to deal with crime, and he cited two programs he considers proactive alternatives.

He spoke with pride about working with exinmates who created the RVA League for Safer Streets, which provides financial and life skills workshops along with competitive basketball for residents of public housing.

He also touted the work of LIFE, Law Enforcement Intervention Focused on Education, a nine-week program that seeks to keep youths out of juvenile court.

Chief Durham also has ensured that officers get crisis training to better deal with people with mental health issues. At this point, two-thirds

of Richmond’s officers have received the training, with the remaining officers to receive training during the next two years.

He also installed classes to reduce implicit bias for officers responding to complaints and pushed gender Deputy Chief and racial inclusion.

Friday Chief Durham also said that he has laid the groundwork for his successor to install a new records management system in the next two years that would improve the collection of data and for bringing back an improved red-light camera operation to replace the faulty one he dropped in 2015.

Still, he’s not unhappy to give up the stress and lack of sleep he has coped with as the department’s leader. He’s glad to give up the 3 a.m. calls about violent crimes and more than ready to focus more on his own problems, he said.

He said that officer-involved shootings took a toll on him, and he’s ready for someone else to deal with the aftermath.

If he leaves a positive legacy, it “is not just for me,” he said. “That legacy is for every member of this police department and the work they have done; for my fellow colleagues in local government who have supported me; and citizens in the community; and you, the media who share and tell our story.”

Richmond Free Press

December 27-29, 2018 A5

News

Criminal justice reform bill signed into law

By Reginald Stuart

WASHINGTON The widespread unhappiness across the nation over President Trump’s partial federal government shutdown at Christmas may have all but overshadowed the guarded praise surrounding a bipartisan victory for Congress and the president.

The root of the muted celebration was congressional passage of long-delayed federal prison sentencing reform legislation that President Trump signed into law last Friday, just hours before the government shutdown and the congressional recess began.

Passage of the prison reform bill came after Congress did not give President Trump the gift he vociferously demanded of $5 billion in taxpayers money to build a wall along part of the nation’s southern border between the United States and Mexico.

Amid doubts about when roughly 800,000 federal workers would get paid and considerable uncertainty about who is charting the nation’s foreign policy, President Trump momentarily dropped his big picture rhetoric and attention in order to focus on giving his support to the bipartisan effort for reforming the highly controversial and increasingly unpopular federal minimum mandatory federal prison sentencing law.

President Trump signed the so-called “First Step” law late on Dec. 21, restoring the discretion of federal judges to adjust sentences for federal drug law offenders eligible for mandatory minimum sentences. It also expands rehabilitation programs for people convicted of federal drug offenses, particularly nonviolent, first-time offenders.

It also reduces the life sentence for some drug offenders with three convictions, or “three strikes,” to 25 years.

Another provision would allow about 2,600 federal prisoners sentenced for crack cocaine offenses before August 2010 the opportunity to petition for a reduced penalty.

That will be a win for minorities who were caught up in a sentencing system that made crack cocaine a more serious offense than other types of cocaine, said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2020.

Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

A sign was posted at the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site in Jackson Ward informing visitors that the site is closed with the partial shutdown of federal government operations. The National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is impacted by the shutdown brought on by President Trump’s insistence for $5 billion to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico. Congress has refused, offering $1.5 billion instead for border security. Roughly 800,000 federal employees are impacted by the shutdown, which was in its fifth day on Wednesday. Of those, 420,000 employees considered “essential,” including air traffic controllers, FBI agents and others, must continue to work without pay.

“When you correct an injustice in a biased system, it dramatically helps the marginalized people,” Sen. Booker said. “With that provision alone, 96 percent of the people who are helped by that are black or Latino.”

National NAACP officials lauded the action.

Justice Ginsburg recovering from surgery to remove cancerous growths Free Press wire report

WASHINGTON U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is recovering after surgery to remove two malignant growths in her left lung.

Doctors found “no evidence of any remaining disease” and scans taken before the surgery on Dec. 21 showed no cancerous growths elsewhere in her body, the court said in a statement. No additional treatment is currently planned, it said.

This is the third time the oldest justice on the nation’s highest court has been treated for cancer since 1999.

The 85-year-old Justice Ginsburg is the leader of the court’s liberal wing. She has achieved an iconic status rare for U.S. Supreme Court justices, and is known as the “Notorious RBG” to some of her most ardent fans.

In recent days, Justice Ginsburg has basked in the warm applause of audiences that turned out for screenings of a new feature film about her life.

Her health is closely watched by liberals and conservatives alike. If she were to step down now, President Trump would choose her replacement and further shift the U.S. Supreme Court in a more conservative direction.

The growths were found incidentally during tests Justice Ginsburg had after she fractured ribs in a fall in her office on Nov.

7, the court said.

Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York performed a procedure called a pulmonary lobectomy on Justice Ginsburg.

The growths they Justice Ginsburg removed were determined to be malignant in an initial pathology evaluation, the court said, citing Justice Ginsburg’s thoracic surgeon, Dr. Valerie W. Rusch.

Justice Ginsburg was released from the hospital on Christmas Day. “If she doesn’t need anything but the surgery, it is a very good sign,” said Dr. John Lazar, director of thoracic robotic surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.

It’s not uncommon to see slow-growing lung cancers in women in their 80s, and they tend to respond well to surgery and go on to die of something unrelated, he said.

“This is just luck” that the growths were found through those rib X-rays because accidentally discovered lung tumors tend to be early stage when surgery works best, said Dr. Giuseppe Giaccone, an oncologist at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

While doctors will have to see the final pathology report to know exactly what kind of tumors Justice Ginsburg had and how

aggressive they were, her previous bouts with cancer were so long ago they’re unlikely to be related, Dr. Giaccone said.

Both doctors said patients typically spend three or four days in the hospital after this type of operation.

It was unclear whether Justice Ginsburg would be back on the bench when the court next meets on Jan. 7. She has never missed U.S. Supreme Court arguments in more than 25 years as a justice.

She told an audience in New York at a recent screening of the movie “On the Basis of Sex” that she was about to resume her now-famous workout routine.

Justice Ginsburg had surgery for colorectal cancer in 1999 and pancreatic cancer 10 years later. Doctors found the growth on her pancreas in the course of routine screenings as a result of her first cancer.

Among other health problems, she also broke two ribs in a fall in 2012 and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. She was hospitalized after a bad reaction to medicine in 2009.

Appointed by President Clinton in 1993, Justice Ginsburg rebuffed suggestions from some liberals that she should step down in the first two years of President Obama’s second term, when Democrats controlled the U.S. Senate and would have been likely to confirm her successor.

She already has hired clerks for the term that extends into 2020, indicating she has no plans to retire.

“The First Step Act is not the end,” said Hilary O. Shelton, the national NAACP’s chief Washington lobbyist. “It is just the necessary first step in a series of efforts to improve and reform the federal criminal justice system.”

His comments echoed those of a broad spectrum of federal prison sentence reform advocates addressing the needs of the more than 1 million people behind bars in the federal prison system, many of them serving time for drug offenses.

Virginia’s 3rd District Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, who began championing sentencing reform more than two decades ago as a member of the Virginia General Assembly, guardedly lauded the unexpected Trump move on sentencing reform. He noted there are many unresolved details to be addressed.

“It is clear that this bill will help some,” Rep. Scott said in a statement, cautioning as to the law’s full impact. It “is clear that the bill may actually make our system less just and fair for all,” he said. “I decided to vote for this legislation, but I hope that in the New Year, and with a new Congress, we can revise some of these problematic provisions,” he said.

Among the advocates of the legislation was a diverse and unlikely group that included presidential adviser Jared Kushner, Kim Kardashian West, the National Urban League, black ministers and minority lawmakers and libertarian-leaning conservatives.

Some of the bill’s advocates said it was a tough decision to work with a White House that is deeply unpopular with black people. More than 8 in 10 African-Americans said they thought President Trump was racist in a February poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Because the bill only affects the federal system, anyone given harsh sentences at the state and local levels will have no recourse. Those inmates make up the bulk of people behind bars across America.

African-Americans constitute 38 percent — or about 68,000 — of the more than 180,000 inmates in the federal prison population, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons. Latinos make up 32 percent — or about 58,000 — of federal prison inmates, with about 122,000 non-Hispanics in federal prison.

Some groups say the bill will open the door to increased surveillance of minority communities through electronic monitoring of released inmates. Others point out limitations in the bill on which federal prisoners will benefit from its changes.

The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 black-led organizations, called the legislation “custom-made for rich white men.”

“All of the carve-outs make the vast majority of our people ineligible for the benefits of the bill,” the group said.

A wire report from The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Gentrification: The ‘Negro Removal’ program Continued from A1

communities in black America. In neighborhood after neighborhood in New York City — from Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx to Harlem — gentrification is rapidly displacing hundreds of thousands of black people. In a few years, Harlem, the cultural and political capital of black America, will hardly be recognizable. A Whole Foods Market now stands were Malcolm X once held his legendary rallies.

“Chocolate Cities,” once the domain of black political and economic power, are vanishing as increasing numbers of Caucasians who in previous generations abandoned urban centers for the suburbs are now returning to establish more comfortable and convenient spaces in closer proximity to their work places. “Development” to accommodate the newcomers is driving up the cost of housing, especially rental properties, in a manner that is unaffordable for large numbers of black residents. Property taxes are also skyrocketing, putting enormous pressure on black homeowners, as well.

As black residents are displaced and replaced by newcomers, this is inevitably leading to dramatic shifts in political power — from neighborhood advisory boards, to city councils and the office of mayor. Black power is diminishing.

What is equally egregious are the attitudes of some of the newcomers whom residents of black communities sometimes characterize as “invaders” or “neo-colonialists.” This is because some newcomers are not content to become a part of the community. They arrogantly attempt to change the rhythms, culture and character of the community.

For decades, it has been a well-established and accepted custom that scores of drummers gather on a designated date at a regular time in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem to play African music. But once a large number of “invaders” became occupants of a nearby apartment building, they began to complain to the police and

Community Movement Builders/IBW

Young members of Community Movement Builders in Atlanta stage a protest against gentrification in a section of the city that threatens to displace black working class and poor people.

petitioned local elected officials, seeking to ban this longstanding weekly ritual.

In Detroit, three white women who are newcomers to a predominately black neighborhood falsely accused a black man of being a pedophile and demanded that the police file charges against him. The man in question was starting a community garden on a vacant lot in the neighborhood, and the women protested this activity taking place in “their neighborhood.”

Fortunately, the judge dismissed the charges in a case of “gardening while black.”

Reports of these kinds of attitudes and behavior across the country are breeding resentment and hostility toward the “invaders.”

Let me be clear, as a civil right, any person in the United States has the freedom to live wherever they choose. People of African descent have waged a relentless struggle to achieve this precious right. People also have the right to live amongst their own nationality, ethnicity of ethnic group if they choose, hence the Irish, Italian, Polish, German and Jewish communities in this country.

Occasionally, these communities change in composition. “Little Italy” in lower Manhattan in New York is now mostly shops and stores as

people of Italian descent have chosen largely to migrate to other neighborhoods.

Voluntary migration is one thing; forced displacement is another matter.

Time and time again, black people have faced schemes, targeted policies and outright violence — e.g., Tulsa, Okla., and Rosewood, Fla. — to force their removal from neighborhoods and communities they worked and invested in to develop as their home.

Black people believe in development, and no reasonable person would be opposed to improvements or progress that would better their community. The crucial issue for people of African descent is not development; it is development that is displacing black people and culture. Therefore, the order and challenge of the day is to achieve development without displacement.

The question is can development strategies be devised that prioritize improving the lives of the current residents and preserving the culture and character of their communities?

The answer to that question is yes. The collective brain power, skill, experience and will exists within black America to mount an offensive to defend black communities against gentrification, the “Negro Removal” program of

the 21st century. Therefore, we must gather our brightest and best, the conscious and committed in our brain trust, to devise plans and a policy agenda to rescue and preserve black communities. We possess the collective genius to develop just, safe, viable, vibrant and sustainable black communities.

To that end, the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, or IBW, is issuing an urgent call for a National Emergency Summit on Gentrification to be convened April 4 though 6 in Newark, N.J., in conjunction with the annual commemoration of the martyrdom of our beloved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Newark has been selected because the city’s ambitious development plans incorporate community-based strategies designed to mitigate gentrification.

IBW has requested that Ras J. Baraka, the mayor of Newark, host the emergency summit.

This gathering is viewed as an extension of the milestone Urban Marshal Plan and Black Economic Development Symposium convened

by IBW in Newark in April 2018.

We envision anti-gentrification advocates, community economic development practitioners, mayors, urban planners, faith, civil rights, labor, business and professional leaders attending the Emergency Summit on Gentrification. The Urban Strategies Program of Faith In Action, the National Urban League, Democracy Collaborative and Freedom Caucus of the Center for Community Change already have signaled a willingness to partner with IBW on this crucial undertaking.

Now is the time to act boldly and courageously to defend black communities from the destructive forces of gentrification.

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” We must muster the collective resolve to stop gentrification from devastating black communities, from displacing black people and culture — and we will!

The writer is president and chief executive officer of Black World 21st Century.

Richmond Free Press

Holly at Richmond Hill in Church Hill

Editorial Page

A6

December 27-29, 2018

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Trump and the wall

May the peace, blessings and joy of the New Year be yours throughout 2019!

“Yes, if we don’t get what we want, one way or the other … I will shut down the government,” President Trump said to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, referring to his demand for $5 billion to build his border wall.

Because the president insisted on the money, a good portion of the government was shut down, beginning Friday, over his wall. He festooned his demand with his customary lies, claiming that much of the wall has already been built (it hasn’t), that immigrants are spreading disease (they aren’t), and that border agents recently detained “10 terrorists in a short period of time” (they didn’t). In reality, illegal immigration has been declining, not rising.

This isn’t a crisis; it’s a political ploy designed to fan fear and division.

The Bible teaches us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” We will be judged by how we treat the least of these. In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of the stranger on the Jericho Road, who was robbed, stripped and beaten by a band of thieves. He is ignored by a priest and a religious official.

He is saved by a Samaritan — a people who were widely despised at the time — who binds his wounds, takes him to an inn and pays for his stay.

“Go and do likewise,” Jesus instructs.

In contrast, President Trump slanders the strangers. His ad-

Jesse L. Jackson Sr. ministration has ripped babies from their parents, shackled pregnant women and locked up thousands indefinitely. He has constricted legal immigration, even as employers seek new workers as the baby boomers age and retire.

And now he has shut down a good part of our own government in an effort to waste billions of dollars on the wall that Mexico won’t pay for. In the midterm elections, President Trump, worried about mobilizing his base, descended into hysteria, threatening to revoke the citizenship of those born here — a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution — and rousing fears about a supposed invading army of migrants. He eventually dispatched 7,000 troops to the border, an insult to our military and to our border patrols.

He succeeded in raising the importance of the issue, but he lost the argument. Democrats swept to a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Polls showed most Americans still believe that immigrants benefit this nation, as opposed to costing it. The percentage of Americans supporting lower levels of immigration has fallen from a high of nearly two-thirds in the mid-1990s to an all-time low of less than 30 percent in June.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, who immigrated from India at age 16 and is the first Indian-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and one of 12 naturalized citizens, notes that a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill exists — one that once got 68 votes in the U.S. Senate. It paid for more border security, while providing a clear road map to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented, including the Dreamers, and fixed many of the problems of our system — outdated family visa caps, cruel immigration backlogs and a failure to address pressing needs of employers.

President Trump, however, doesn’t seek a solution. He seeks the preservation of an issue, one that he believes can help him divide and conquer. What’s needed, instead, as Rep. Jayapal wrote, is a moral imagination about immigration.

This is not about “open borders,” as President Trump slanders Democrats. It is about creating a humane, sensible,

Top 10 stories of 2018 At the end of each year, people begin writing New Year’s resolutions that they pretty much know they will not be keeping.

Yet, it’s a popular ritual.

I know because I write the resolutions, too, with every intention of keeping them. But somehow, as the year goes by, I fall behind.

Another ritual, we tend to go through is “Top 10 Stories of the Year.” We don’t always agree to what those stories are.

I’ve already read several lists of top stories for 2018. To make my point, I’ll use the Associated Press’ list of the Top 10. On that list, not necessarily in order of importance, are: 1) The murder of Jamal Khashoggi, 2) Climate change, 3) California wildfires, 4) Kavanaugh hearings, 5) U.S. immigration, 6) U.S. midterm elections, 7) Mass shootings, 8) #MeToo movement, 9) TrumpRussia probe and 10) Parkland school shooting.

I agree all of the above are important stories. However, if you happen to be a black person in America, you might say that all of those things concern you and many were handled badly by the person who currently occupies the White House.

Just in case AP’s list was in order of importance, we’d prob-

ably organize them in a different order, and have several more to add that would place pretty high on the list.

1) Voter suppression, considering how votes were counted in Georgia for gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, in Florida for gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum and in Mississippi

Dr. E. Faye Williams for U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy. I’m also concerned about Beta O’Rourke’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Texas; 2) All of the women who won elected office at all levels for the first time; 3) Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s continuing campaign for justice; 4) Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming” and its phenomenal sales — being named the best-selling hardcover book of the year and selling more than 2 million copies in the first 15 days; 5) Democrats taking back the U.S. House of Representatives so they can block some of the craziness on the other side of the aisle; 6) Parkland, Fla., high school shooting and the aftermath of the attention the students brought to gun control; 7) Proof that the current administration in charge of governing in Washington has lost all credibility and nothing can save them;

8) Without completing it, the Mueller investigation has shown us that No. 45 has nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. He doesn’t know when to hold them, when to fold them, when to throw down and when to walk away.

But now is a good time; 9) Former President Obama’s continuing to be a class act by bringing joy to so many, such as his recent visit to the District of Columbia Children’s National Medical Center while bearing gifts; 10) The absolute unending, never-before-seen craziness, lying, dangerous, stupid, criminal behavior we continue to witness from the occupant in the White House — the one who promised to “drain the swamp.”

Each day I wake up, I turn on the news to see what we’re facing for the coming day.

Even the White House staff members don’t know until they hear No. 45’s plans on the news!

From tweets, we learn that we are in for another crazy, unpredictable day.

There were many good things that happened in 2018, but they were overshadowed by the antics of No. 45, who dominated the news week after week, not in a good way, but what is believed to be criminal behavior. Many of us are left wondering when will this be over!

The writer is national president of the National Congress of Black Women Inc.

The Free Press welcomes letters Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Fireworks over the James River in 2015.

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.

smart system to deal with legal immigration, cut down on illegal entry and address those desperately seeking asylum. We would also be wise to seek to assist, rather than destabilize, our neighbors so that their economies thrive. People don’t want to leave their homes. Only desperation for their families leads them to venture into the unknown.

As we head into a New Year, it is a good time for each of us to look into our hearts, to see our neighbors without blinders. They aren’t seeking to invade America. They aren’t longing to leave their families, their homes, their communities.

They are struggling to survive.

They are strangers on the Jericho Road. We should meet them with an open heart, not a closed mind.

The writer is the founder and president of the national Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

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Richmond Free Press

December 27-29, 2018

A7

Letter to the Editor

Richmond’s ‘devaluing of black history’ Mayor Levar M. Stoney recently posted on Twitter that he was “pleased” to receive a petition seeking to rename the Boulevard after Arthur Ashe Jr., the accomplished black tennis player and Richmonder. He shared this endorsement as a photo of a proposal written by a Columbia University student and the author is correct: There is no better time than the present to introduce black figures into post-Confederate spaces.

Despite rich legacies from both, Richmond has had a contentious relationship between its black history and its Confederate history. And today, it still goes unreconciled.

While a great deal of Richmond area history is derived from the Civil War and Reconstruction, its black history is equally monumental — from the establishment of Virginia Union University by the slave wife of Robert Lumpkin, to Richmond’s integration of black students into all-white Chandler Junior High School, to extensive development made by some of Virginia’s first black architects, largely in Jackson Ward.

What’s disappointing is that, despite the abundance of black history, for most Richmonders, this historical awareness is almost entirely

optional. Historically black neighborhoods go largely unacknowledged, and what monuments to black history that exist actually exist in areas obscured from the average citizen’s eye.

On the iconic and highly traveled Monument Avenue, only one of the statues is of a black person — that of Mr. Ashe, which was placed 22 years ago. The others, most of which were placed more than 100 years ago, are of Confederate war generals.

Even at an educational level, we seem to eschew black history. Richmond’s tribute to Maggie Lena Walker, the first woman to charter a bank in the United States, now comes in the form of an exclusive public high school. Once a haven for black students, Maggie L. Walker High School was shut down for many years before being expropriated and turned into a regional Governor’s School in 2001 that is now majority white.

This is no small issue. It’s representative of a broader problem, that of a systemic devaluing of black history. It affects all Richmonders, both white and black. Black history is not taught in public schools beyond obligatory February touchpoints, and residents aren’t shown the

history of black Richmond in their respective spaces. At the crux of the issue of Confederate memorabilia in Richmond, in an area with such rich Confederate and black history, why is it that the history of white Richmond be the only thing heralded as late as 2018?

I have witnessed how the protection of Confederate figures has roused my white peers into racism against black students and how the presence of such statues has maintained the ideology of white supremacy. I see how the diminutive regard of black history emboldens white supremacists to organize in Richmond and elsewhere, including in Charlottesville, where a young woman was killed during a white supremacist rally in August 2017. I also see the profound psychological effects on my black peers being told their history doesn’t matter.

I have witnessed them quit sports teams and transfer classes because of harassment from pro-Confederate classmates who knew little about the South other than the legacy of the Confederacy.

Though we can critique Richmond’s numerous statues of Confederate war heroes, we can’t do this without acknowledging that most of these

tributes run through an area entirely segregated from black Richmond, i.e., Monument Avenue, with houses ranging in value from $500,000 to $3 million. Even real estate valuation feeds into the mindset that Confederate history is the only important history of the Richmond.

At any rate, if we were to rename the Boulevard, the question of access and visibility to the nearby black community is still up in the air.

While Mayor Stoney has an obligation to commit to the amelioration of systemic oppression in Richmond, i.e. statues, education, legislation, black Richmond has an obligation to commit to advocacy. This advocacy requires being vocal and visible, not just in gentrified spaces or through legal or political channels, but spaces that are seemingly reserved for white, moneyed positions. We must show our faces in Short Pump, Stony Point and the like and don’t let ourselves be silenced.

XAN VESSELS New York City The writer is a Hanover County native who is studying for her undergraduate degree at Columbia University.

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A8 December 27-29, 2018

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Dr. S. Dallas Simmons, late VUU president, to be inducted into CIAA Hall of Fame

The late Dr. S. Dallas Simmons, former president of Virginia Union University, is among seven people chosen for induction into the 2019 John B. McLendon CIAA Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony will be 9 a.m. March 1 at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina in conjunction with the CIAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

Dr. Simmons, who died in July 2014, served as VUU’s president for 14 years starting in 1985. Prior to coming to the

Lombardy Street campus, Dr. Simmons served as president of the former St. Paul’s College in Lawrenceville from 1981 to 1985, and as an administrator at North Carolina Central University and Norfolk State University.

Others to be inducted into the 2019 Hall of Fame: • Thomasina Cunningham, a track and field standout at Hampton University from 1981 to 1984 and one of the CIAA’s top women track and field athletes.

Dr. Simmons

• Antwain Smith, a basketball standout at the former St. Paul’s College who was drafted by the NBA Vancouver Grizzlies and later played in the International Basketball League and the National Basketball Development League.

• Eric Moore of Fayetteville State University, a longtime sports information director who is credited with his impact on and preservation of CIAA history and statistics. He now serves as executive director of the Black

College Sports Information Directors’ Association.

• John Lockett, a top scorer and rebounder in the CIAA as a member of the St. Augustine’s University men’s basketball team in the 1960s.

• Retired Lt. Col. Robert L. Weeks Sr., a football standout at WinstonSalem State University in the 1970s.

• James “Jim” Burch, a longtime former basketball official who retired in June as CIAA coordinator of basketball officials.

VUU fans get Christmas gift in Jordan White

LA Chargers get new jolt with Coach Anthony Lynn

Coach Butler’s squad doesn’t play again Virginia Union University basketball fans received a “White Christmas” in a way they until Thursday, Jan. 3, at Queens University of Charlotte. weren’t expecting.

White signed with VUU out of Clinton Wrapped in maroon and steel colored ribbons, Jordan White was the Panthers’ surprise Christian School in Upper Marlboro, Md., just east of Washington. package heading into holiday break.

Not coincidentally, current VUU freshman star After settling for cameo roles earlier, White, Demarius Pitts (team best 17.5 scoring a 6-foot-6 sophomore from Frederick, average) hails from Frederick Douglass Md., came off the bench Dec. 15 with High in Clinton, Md., also in Prince a showing in Barco-Stevens Hall that George’s County. fans won’t soon forget.

This isn’t by accident. Coach “I was happy for Jordan. He made Butler is a Washington native who some huge shots,” said VUU Coach built recruiting contacts in Greater Jay Butler of White’s effort against Washington while serving as the visiting Livingstone College. women’s basketball coach for 11 “We’ve known all along how good Jordan White seasons at the University of the a player he is. We’ve been waiting on District of Columbia. him to have a game like that,” Coach While Pitts has been an overnight sensation at Butler said.

For three seasons now, Coach Butler had VUU, the Panthers had to wait for White’s emerbeen raving about White’s potential. Against the gence. The wing forward saw action as a freshman CIAA Blue Bears, White turned his potential but was red-shirted a year ago. Jokingly, players refer to it as being “stuck in cold storage.” into productivity.

Chilly red-shirted players can practice with “I’d been struggling with my scoring. I might the team but don’t play — or even dress — on have lost some confidence,” White said.

Confidence began to return as he hit one game night, making for a frosty winter.

“It was very tough,” White said of his season shot, then another and another, from all angles sitting out. “But there’s always a bigger picture. and distances.

“Against Livingstone, I was happy to get back It’s going to work out in the end.”

VUU won the CIAA basketball title last on my groove and help the team,” he said. “I feel like I have an in-and-out game, but I like winter with seven seniors playing prominent roles. White, after waiting his turn, expects no getting started inside.”

Before the Livingstone game, White had less than a repeat this season.

“Our goal is the same — to be playing on never scored in double digits as a Panther. He served as a backup in 2016-2017, then was Saturday night,” said White, referencing the CIAA Tournament’s traditional Saturday night red-shirted last season.

That dubious streak ended as he tallied 26 championship game.

Longtime VUU fans might venture as far points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field, 3 of 4 from behind the arc and 3 of 4 at the foul line, as to suggest winning the CIAA is almost like Christmas in March. as VUU broke a three-game losing skid.

Filling up the statistics sheet, White added six rebounds, two blocked shots, a steal and assist VUU’s D.C. connection as VUU rolled to an 82-76 victory.

Virginia Union University basketball Panthers But White wasn’t through. Before heading from the Greater Washington area: north to Maryland for the holiday, he had some • Eric Bowles, Alexandria, Va. last-minute scoring to do before Christmas.

• Demarius Pitts, Clinton, Md. White followed up his career outing with 10 • DeAndre Thomas, Camp Springs, Md. points in just 15 minutes in the Panthers’ 79-65 • Jordan Thornton, Fredericksburg, Va. home win over Johnson C. Smith University • Jordan White, Frederick, Md. on Dec. 17.

• Dante Yancey, Oxon Hill, Md. The uplifting, back-to-back victories enable VUU to take a 5-6 overall mark into the holidays, with a 2-1 record in the CIAA so far.

After a lengthy, listless period, the NFL’s new- Ventura, Calif. Coach Lynn and Todd Haley, est Los Angeles franchise is all charged up. whom he was traveling with, were Cowboys With much credit going to second-year Coach assistants under Bill Parcells. The driver who Anthony Lynn, the Los Angeles (not San Diego) caused the near-fatal wreck was later determined Chargers are at last playing like the lightning to be intoxicated. bolts on their helmets suggest.

It was a harrowing experience. Coach Lynn The Chargers (aka “Bolts”) shook the sports suffered two collapsed lungs and temporary world with two head-spinning developparalysis of his legs. He underwent ments on Jan. 12, 2017. After calling four surgeries.

San Diego home since 1960, team Despite all that, the strong-willed owner Dean Spanos announced the coach returned to the team for the franchise would be relocating to the start of the regular season.

Los Angeles area.

The Chargers are surging despite Later that same day, Spanos anhaving the NFL’s worst attendance and nounced Coach Lynn would become the fact that Los Angeles hasn’t fully the program’s first African-American embraced the newly relocated team.

Coach Lynn coach, replacing Mike McCoy, who The Chargers will play in StubHub was 9-23 in 2015 and 2016.

Center in Carson, Calif., primarily a Coach Lynn, 50 and a native Texan, is a former soccer facility, until Los Angeles Stadium at HolNFL running back and well-traveled assistant coach. lywood opens in 2020 as the home of both the Los He has provided the Chargers an overdue jolt.

Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers have been to just one Super The Chargers are led by veteran quarterback Bowl — losing to the San Francisco 49ers in Philip Rivers, whose career has taken off under 1994 — and hadn’t made serious playoff noise Coach Lynn. In a victory over the Arizona Carin sunny Southern California, it seems, since dinals on Nov. 25, Rivers tied an NFL record the Beach Boys were in their prime. with 25 consecutive pass completions. He was Coach Lynn’s rebuilding project took wing 28 for 29 for the game. last year, with the team ending the season with Rivers’ preferred target is receiver Keenan a 9-7 record and narrowly missing the playoffs. Allen (88 catches, 1,074 yards).

Momentum escalated this year as the AFC West The Chargers’ running game showcases squad carried an 11-3 mark into last weekend. tailback Melvin Gordon, who has averaged A former All-Southwest Conference running more than 5 yards per carry. Gordon also has back at Texas Tech, Coach Lynn played with 44 receptions for another 453 yards. the NFL Denver Broncos and the San Francisco Through 14 games, the Chargers were fourth 49ers from 1993 to 1999, earning two Super Bowl offensively of the 32 NFL teams, and ninth titles with the Broncos in 1997 and 1998. defensively.

Having never coached a college team, Coach Possibility looms for an “All L.A. Super Lynn has an extensive sidelines résumé that is Bowl,” with the crosstown NFC Rams also all about the NFL. having clinched a playoff berth. Super Bowl 53 Coach Lynn was an assistant with the Denver will be played on Feb. 3 at Atlanta’s MercedesBroncos, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Dallas Benz Stadium.

Cowboys, the Cleveland Indians, the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, where he December report card was interim head coach for Here’s a rundown of the records of the NFL’s African-American one game, before coming to coaches through 14 games: the rescue in Los Angeles.

• Todd Bowles, New York Jets, fourth season, 4-10 Coach Lynn is happy to • Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos, second season, 6-8 be coaching and happy to • Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals, 16th season, 6-8 be alive.

• Anthony Lynn, Los Angeles Chargers, second season, 11-3 • Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers, 16th season, 8-5-1 On Aug. 20, 2005, he was • Steve Wilks, Arizona Cardinals, first season, 3-11 the victim of hit-and-run near Dallas’ training facility in

Noted female Little League pitcher signs with HU Mo’ne Davis became a celebrity in 2014 by showing off her lively pitching arm in the Little League World Series.

Next fall, the native Philadelphian will be putting that arm to use for the Hampton University Lady Pirates.

Davis, now a senior at the private Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia, will enroll at HU in fall 2019, with the intent to play shortstop or second base for Coach Angela Nicholson’s Pirates in the Big South Conference. Davis plans to major in journalism or mass communications.

In August 2014, Davis, with braids flowing from beneath her cap, led the Taney Youth Baseball Association of Philadelphia to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Under the national spotlight, she became first girl to record a pitching victory.

The drama caught the attention of many. She made the cover of Sports Illustrated and was invited to the White House to meet President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

In 2015, she pitched one inning for a barnstorming Philadelphia outfit that took on a local baseball team at RF&P Park in Glen Allen.

At Springside, Davis plays basketball and soccer along with softball. She has been a member of the varsity basketball team since eighth grade and currently is a captain of the team. She has not played any sports on the boys’ teams.

Davis stands 5 feet, 5 inches tall, the same height she was in 2014 as a 13-year-old Little League hero.

December 27-29, 2018 B1

Richmond Free Press

Section

Happenings

B

Personality: Herbert H. Southall Jr. Spotlight on 2018 Astorian of the Year Herbert H. Southall Jr. is proud to carry on the legacy of his father and to uphold the traditions of the Astoria Beneficial Club, a Richmond men’s club started 117 years ago to help eliminate the barriers to full citizenship for African-Americans.

The mission continues today as the organization works“to inspire men to a higher moral, intellectual, civic and social standing” through activities promoting racial equality and building a stronger community.

Mr. Southall, a 1956 graduate of Maggie L. Walker High School and electronics designer who retired as a manager from Lucent Technologies in New Jersey, was selected as the 2018 Astorian of the Year.

He was presented with the award Nov. 18 in a ceremony at The Grace Center in North Side.

“I was really surprised,” says Mr. Southall, who has been a member of the Astoria Beneficial Club for 30 years and serves as its financial secretary and on several committees. “When you do your job, you don’t expect to receive an award.”

What makes the award even sweeter for Mr. Southall is that his late father, Herbert H. Southall Sr., former president of the Southern Aid Life Insurance Company in Jackson Ward, won the same high honor in 1963.

“My father would have been very proud that I participated in the club,” he says.

Historically, the Astorians

are known in Richmond for their community betterment projects, including the push for voting rights and voter registration, paving the way for the City of Richmond to hire African-Americans and promoting equal pay for African-American teachers in Richmond.

The organization also commissioned the statue of Richmond native Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, a nationally known tap dancer and entertainer, at the intersection of Adams and Leigh streets in Jackson Ward where Mr. Robinson had paid to put a stoplight in the 1930s to protect young African-American children crossing the street.

The Astorians also played a key role in the placement

of “The Headsman” statue on Brown’s Island that commemorates the African-American boatmen who contributed to the commercial development along the James River in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today, the Astorians’ major initiative, Parental Assistance Leadership Services, or PALS, encourages youngsters at Fairfield Elementary School in the East End through members spending time as mentors, lunch buddies and helping with homework.

With its long history of civic involvement and helping its members, the Astorians are looking to recruit the next generation of Astorian men.

“Our new president, Jonathan G. Johnson, is young and looking to recruit (young men) with the need or desire to express their civic responsibility and to help make that happen in Richmond,” Mr. Southall says.

“It’s vitally important to be able to help make life a lot better in our community.”

Meet this week’s Personality and Astoria legacy award winner, Herbert H. Southall Jr.: No. 1 honor: Named 2018 Astorian of the Year by the Astoria Beneficial Club.

Date and place of birth: June 2 in Richmond.

Neighborhood of residence: Glen Allen.

Education: Maggie L. Walker High School, Class of 1956; New Jersey College of Engineering, Technology Division (now New Jersey Institute of Technology), 1967.

Family: Two sons, a granddaughter and three greatgrandchildren.

How I got the news that I was award winner: I was told during a committee report at our monthly meeting, to my surprise.

What this award means to me: I am greatly humbled and honored to be recognized for just doing what I was elected to do as financial secretary of the Astoria Beneficial Club.

What motivated me to become an Astorian: Astoria was part of my life growing up because my Dad was a longtime member and a past president of the club. But it was my Mom who motivated me to become a member after returning to Richmond with my job.

Astoria is important to me because: It is a group of dedicated men who are passionate role models who push for a positive change in various sectors of the community. This also includes the support of the Astorian Wives organization.

How I start my day: With prayer.

A perfect day for me is: Completing my list of tasks and requests for the day and working outside in the fresh air.

How I unwind: Watching sports on TV.

At the top of my to-do-list: To make my office neat, which is almost an impossible task.

Best late-night snack: Popcorn.

Most people would never imagine that: I was a member of the old Richmond Community Orchestra, which was the core group for the Richmond Philharmonic, and played the viola for more than 25 years.

A quote that I am inspired by: “Plan your work, then work your plan”—Author unknown.

The best thing my parents taught me: Be yourself, but be a good person.

Person who influenced me the

most: There are many. First of all, my parents who were nurturing and supportive, and along the way, so many great teachers in Richmond. They are too numerous to name.

The book that influenced me the most: Because of my background, any technical publications and articles are my choice, while “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale is at the top of my all-time favorites.

If I’ve learned one thing, it is: Help others and treat everyone with fairness and respect as you would want to be treated.

My next goal: Continue to praise God and live life to its fullest.

The Baptist Ministers Conference of Richmond & Vicinity Dr. Cheryl Ivy Green, Conference President Celebrates

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Richmond Free Press

B2 December 27-29, 2018

Happenings

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Above, Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax waves to a cheering crowd after taking the oath of office in January. He is only the second African-American to be elected to statewide office in Virginia. His wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, a dentist, is seated next to him with Attorney General Mark Herring and First Lady Pam Northam and Gov. Ralph S. Northam, right. Left, Kanya N. Nash puts blankets and quilts up at the windows to stave off January’s cold in her apartment in the Hillside Court public housing community. She was among hundreds of public housing residents impacted by poor maintenance and the replacement of failed heating systems in buildings run by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

2018 year in photos Ava Reaves

A reflecting pool offers a serene setting in the rear of Virginia Commonwealth University’s new Institute for Contemporary Art that opened in April at Broad and Belvidere streets in Downtown.

Clement Britt

Hip-hop musician J. Roddy Rod joins a crowd of more than 300 people at a June rally and march protesting the shooting death of Marcus-David Peters, 24, by a Richmond Police officer.

During the last 12 months, the Free Press has documented life and events in the Richmond area.

Photographers have captured through their lenses the continued engagement of people in civic affairs — through protests, celebrations, elections, citizenship, policy changes, renaming of a school and the whimsies of Mother Nature. Here, photographically, are some of the highlights.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Richmond resident Beato Hernandez, 33, a native of Mexico, poses for a photo with Judge Roger L. Gregory, chief judge of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Hernandez became a U.S. citizen in a naturalization ceremony in July outside the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Left, Ruth R. Little, a retired teacher, greets students on their first day of classes at the newly named Obama Elementary School on Fendall Avenue in North Side in September. Above, hundreds of people of different faiths, races and backgrounds raise lights of hope in a show of unity and love during a vigil at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center on Monument Avenue in October following a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in which 11 people were killed. Above right, Towanda C. Lee of Mechanicsville cries as she and her brother, Damon R. Charity, right, receive the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of their father, the late Sgt. Herman Russell Charity Sr., who was one of the nation’s Montford Point Marines. Retired Master Sgt. Forest E. Spencer Jr., left, presented the award in October.

Richmond Free Press

December 27-29, 2018 B3

Happenings

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

Clement Britt

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Left, after donning a mask and feather boa, 4-year-old Marshall Howard gets a henna tattoo during the 7th Annual Mardi Gras RVA celebration in Richmond’s Manchester in February. Above, jubilant John Marshall High School basketball players show off their 3A state championship trophy after their big victory in March over Western Albemarle High School at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center. This was the Justices first state championship since 2014. Above right, a young marcher champions his message as thousands of people turned out to demand gun control and school safety during the March for Our Lives demonstration in March from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School to the State Capitol.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

A University of Virginia student expresses her disgust at State Police who blocked off part of the Charlottesville campus in August in anticipation of protesters on the first anniversary of the 2017 white supremacist rally in the city in which one woman was killed and dozens of others were injured when a neoConfederate drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.

Left, Christopher Hudert walks on stilts high above the crowds enjoying the annual Easter on Parade celebration on Monument Avenue in April. Above, this litter marks Richmond’s public housing residents getting ready in May for a new smoking ban to take effect in August prohibiting them from smoking inside their units, on patios or balconies or in stairwells. With the ban written into leases, violators may be subject to eviction.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

A man surveys the remnants of the Old Dominion Floor Co. building in Chesterfield County after a tornado spawned by the high winds of Hurricane Florence destroyed property and killed an employee of the business in September.

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Left, Democrat Abigail Spanberger of Henrico heads to the podium on Election Night in November to claim a razor-thin victory in the 7th Congressional District contest against incumbent GOP Rep. Dave Brat. Above, a wind-blown blanket of snow covers a North Side neighborhood in early December, when nearly a foot of snow fell in Metro Richmond. It was the second largest snowfall in the city in December since 1908.

B4 December 27-29, 2018

Richmond Free Press

Happenings New Year’s is a time for self-reflection and hope, with people opening their hearts and minds with dreams and resolve on how to make the next 365 days better than the past.

As we greet 2019, the Free Press hit the streets to ask Richmond area residents:

“What is your wish for the New Year?”

Interviews and photos by Ronald E. Carrington/Richmond Free Press

Bernie Johnson, 72, Stratford Hills, retired Richmond Public Schools administrator: “Continued good health, happiness and prosperity for all.”

Michael Worrell

Mayor Levar M. Stoney shows off the “Champion for Children” Award he received from the Richmond Chapter of The Continental Societies at the group’s Dec. 21 fundraising dinner-dance in Downtown. With him are Beverly Davis, left, chair of the organization’s Ways and Means Committee, and Nkechi George-Winkler, president of the Richmond chapter.

Richmond Continentals honor Mayor Stoney, others at annual fundraiser

Ms. Johnson

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The 33-member chapter, led by Nkechi George-Winkler, also presented “Champion The Richmond Chapter of the Continental for Children” awards to Henrico County-based Societies Inc. honored Mayor Levar M. Stoney Genworth Financial, which contributes to childwith its “Champion for Children” Award at the serving nonprofits, and to Necole Parker Green, group’s 43rd Annual Elegance in Black & White a Virginia Union University graduate who is gala on Dec. 21. the founder and chief executive officer of The In brief remarks to the audience of nearly 500 Elocen Group in Bowie, Md., and raises money for scholarships and other student supports through her company’s foundation.

Congresswoman-elect Abigail Spanberger of Henrico County offered greetings at the event before she heads to Washington to be sworn in early next year to represent Virginia’s 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Other speakers included Jordan Woods, an Old Dominion University freshman repRegina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press resenting students who have Dr. Clinton V. Turner, former Virginia secretary of received Helen W.P. Wallace agriculture and consumer services, poses for a photograph scholarships from the chapter, with Congresswoman-elect Abigail Spanberger of Henrico and Makaia Ransom, a spoken County during the reception at the Richmond Continentals’ word artist and George Wythe “Elegance in Black & White” fundraising gala.

High School student who was people who gathered at a Downtown hotel for the among 11 students sponsored by the chapter in fundraising dinner-dance, Mayor Stoney touted the annual NAACP ACT-SO competition. his efforts to make children the top priority for The $100-a-person gala, which featured the the city since taking office in 2017. music of the Katz Band, is the chapter’s main He cited the expansion of after-school programs, fundraiser. the opening of community centers on weekends, the The chapter has long provided winter coats pending construction of three new schools and his for needy schoolchildren. It also delivers Easter plan to invest $800 million in additional schools in baskets to hospitalized children, helps pay for the next 20 years as evidence of such efforts. inner-city children to attend Richmond summer The mayor was one of three honorees at camps and provides about $10,000 annual in the event. college scholarships.

Mr. Daniels

Ms. Harrison

Norman Hicks, 65, Highland Park, part-time security officer: “Goodwill and people treating each other right. Getting rid of the anger and disrespect.”

Mr. Hicks

Jeffery Daniels, 37, Northern Virginia, electrician: “To get back on top, get my financial house in order and be on good footing with my children.”

Nicole Fitzgerald, 38, West End, Richmond Public Schools teacher: “For Richmond Public Schools to be fully funded.”

Grace Harrison, 72, Church Hill, travel leader: “For all of my dreams to come true. In 2019, I am building a home and will be moving to Moseley.

Ms. Fitzgerald

Sean Moore, 22, South Side’s Manchester, communications technician: “Good health for me and my entire family. I hope all of us get through 2019 happy and healthy.”

Mr. Moore

Nick Cone, 70, museum district, retired: “To establish a better relationship with my older brother; and for the country, a new government.”

Mr. Cone

Jean Gonzales, 65, Carytown, retired child caregiver: “To have people care about what other people are interested in, and not just care about themselves.”

Ms. Gonzales

Velma “Mama J” Johnson, 71, Fulton, restaurant owner: “To be prosperous in business, to be healthy, to pray for my city of Richmond and to do away with all of the crime we have in our nation.”

Tiffany Wilson, 40, Midlothian, nurse: “Peace on Earth.”

Ms. Wilson

Ms. V. Johnson

Madam C.J. Walker’s New York estate sold

Free Press wire report

IRVINGTON, N.Y. The New York estate built a century ago by Madam C.J. Walker, a daughter of slaves who made her fortune selling hair care products for black women, has been bought by the owner of Essence magazine and his family.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced Dec. 20 that Villa Lewaro, Madam C.J. Walker’s century-old Italianate villa-style mansion in New York City’s northern suburbs, was recently bought by Richelieu Dennis, founder of a skin and hair care products Mr. Dennis company, and his family.

A purchase price wasn’t released.

Mrs. Walker was born Sarah Breedlove in Louisiana in 1867 to former slaves. After marrying St. Louis newspaperman Charles Joseph Walker, she changed her name to Madam C.J. Walker and began selling her own hair care and beauty products made for black women, a venture that made her wealthy. Her products, and her name, became well known across the United States, Central America and the Caribbean.

Mrs. Walker is considered the first self-made female millionaire in the United States.

She followed her daughter, Lelia Walker

passed down by his grand- first two letters of each word in Mrs. Walker’s mother. He acquired the daughter’s name. The home was designed by Walker brand in 2013 and Vertner Woodson Tandy, the first licensed black relaunched it in 2016 as architect in New York state. Built on the heights Sephora. Earlier this year, overlooking the Hudson River’s east bank, the he purchased Essence mansion stood out even in an area dotted with from Time Inc. estates owned by such wealthy white people as Mr. Dennis’ New Voic- the Rockefellers. es Foundation, an organiMrs. Walker’s daughter, who changed her zation that aids women name to A’Lelia, left the estate to the NAACP of color entrepreneurs, after she died 1931. The organization, struggling will renovate and operate financially during the early years of the Great the former Walker estate, Depression, sold the property immediately after he said. acquiring it. It had several owners over the next “It is a place where few decades before investment banker Harold — against all odds — E. Doley Jr. and his wife, Helena, bought the dreams were formed, property in 1993. visions were realized and The home was named a National Treasure Villa Lewaro, built from 1916 to 1918 for Madam C.J. Walker, entrepreneurs were born, by the Washington, D.C.-based National Trust was recently purchased by Richelieu Dennis and his family. and we look forward to in 2014. It is now among a growing number returning its use to support of historically black properties being protected Robinson, to Harlem in 1916. Two years later, that mission,” Mr. Dennis said in a statement. as part of the organization’s Cultural Heritage Mrs. Walker built Villa Lewaro in Irvington, on Mr. Dennis and his family bought the property Action Fund, started last year to help ensure the Hudson River in Westchester County. in mid-September. historical sites important to African-American By the time Mrs. Walker died of a kidney Villa Lewaro’s name was taken from the history are no longer endangered. ailment there in 1919, her 34-room mansion DiamonDs • Watches had become a gathering place for leaders of the C.L. Belle’s JeWelry • repairs Harlem Renaissance, including W.E.B. DuBois 19 East Broad strEEt and Langston Hughes. richmond, Va 23219 Mr. Dennis, a Liberian immigrant, started (804) 648-1044 Sundial brands in 1992 with his mother, mak3101 W. Broad Street www.wallErjEwElry.com ing products based on African healing traditions (804) 358-3406

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Richmond Free Press

December 27-29, 2018

B5

Faith News/Directory

By Ronald E. Carrington

Deacon Charles Williams has been appointed interim director of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond’s Office for Black Catholics.

The appointment was made by Bishop Barry C. Knestout, effective Dec. 1.

The appointment was a surprise to Deacon Williams, 67, who is assigned as a deacon at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and works to support the diocese’s prison ministry.

“I did not seek the position,” Deacon Williams told the Free Press last week.

“I did not ask for it. It’s got to be from God. God spoke through the bishop.”

He succeeds Pam Harris, who became director of Catholic Ethnic Ministries for the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, in July.

Deacon Williams’ responsibilities with the Office for Black Catholics will be in addition to his current duties.

The Office for Black Catholics was started in 1980 by Sister Cora Marie Billings , its first director, to advocate for more African-Americans to become priests and nuns, more diverse leadership in the Roman Catholic church, equality in education, social justice issues and pastoral ministries

Deacon Williams

Deacon Charles Williams named interim head of Office for Black Catholics

throughout the community.

According to Bishop Knestout’s announcement, Deacon Williams will continue the office’s mission by seeking opportunities for continuing inclusion and participation of black Catholics within the diocese and to oversee a pastoral planning process to effectively serve the black Catholic community, as well as a renewed focus on evangelism within the AfricanAmerican community.

Deacon Williams said he wants to build on the work of Ms. Harris.

“One of the great things the office did was to bring black priests to this diocese,” he said, noting that few black priests were part of the Richmond diocese.

“You have to be able to see people that look like you and have someone to talk to if you feel a call to the religious

life. I want young, interested AfricanAmericans to be able to know someone or reach out to someone so they can explore the options.” Of the 222,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Richmond, 6,200 are African-American, Deacon Williams said.

Deacon Williams, who grew up in Richmond’s Jackson Ward, is a product of Catholic education. He believes Catholic education is vital to all people in Metro Richmond, regardless of ethnicity or religious background.

He attended Van de Vyver, the Catholic school that was located next to the former Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church at 1st and Jackson streets in Jackson Ward, and Cathedral Elementary School for eighth grade before going to Benedictine High School, where he graduated in 1969.

After graduation, he attended Howard University until he joined the U.S. Air Force.

Deacon Williams said his road to attaining his position with the Catholic church.

“When the Richmond diocese closed down Van de Vyver and Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, I got tremendously angry at the church, God and the whole religious thing,” he recalled. “I thought that if God allowed my church to be closed, then I didn’t need God or church.”

Then in 1996, his father, Charles Williams Sr., was murdered in Church Hill.

“About three years before, he began to go back to church, attending St. Paul’s Baptist Church,” Deacon Williams continued. “In all of my life, I never saw my father step foot

in a church. He thought preachers were hustlers trying to bank other people’s money.

“He found something at St. Paul’s Baptist Church, and then our relationship changed.”

Three months after his father’s death, Deacon Williams went back to church — at St. Paul’s Catholic Church.

“I was running to make up the 25 years that I had missed. I didn’t realize how much church and religion meant to me. I spent that whole time probably living another life. I had a successful career but it was not anything that was fulfilling.”

Since retiring from his job as data center operations manager for Dominion Virginia Power in 2003, he has found fulfillment working in the church. He was ordained as a deacon in 2013.

He said he believes God had this calling for him for years, but he ignored it because “I didn’t have the role models.”

“When all of this was stirring around in me, I didn’t know what it was and didn’t have anyone in the church that looked like me to talk to.”

He said because of his life, he is an example of what the Catholic Church can do in people’s lives.

‘Revival!’ brings mostly black cast to movie depiction of Gospel of John

By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service

WASHINGTON For creator Harry Lennix, the new movie “Revival!” — a retelling of the Gospel of John with a mostly African-American cast — is a film whose time has come.

“I think to be able to imagine yourself as somebody like Christ is a great, powerful tool that has been denied us, not necessarily even from outside sources,” said Mr. Lennix, a black writer, producer and actor in the film.

Neither John nor the other gospel writers describe Jesus’ skin color, but Mr. Lennix, in an interview just after the film’s world premiere on Dec. 4 at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, said depicting him as a man of color is something black people often “don’t have the daring to delve into, and that’s a shame.”

The movie, which features singers Chaka Khan as Herodias, Michelle Williams as Mary Magdalene and Mali Music as Jesus, was released Dec. 7 in 10 cities from New York to Los Angeles and is expected to expand to more cities in January.

Mr. Lennix, co-star of NBC’s “The Blacklist,” said the production, which mixes onstage, movie-set and technological performances, was conceived at his New Antioch Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles, with an aim to include spirituals and gospel music.

“New Antioch is made up of mostly black people,” he said of the Pentecostal congregation. “When it comes to singing that kind of music, it is vital to have the authentic voices.”

Mr. Lennix’s twin goals for the look and the sound of the movie were met in his choice for the character of Jesus. Mali Music is a Grammy-nominated gospel and R&B artist who added original songs to the movie, including “Not My Will,” sung in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus contemplates his

pending crucifixion.

“Acting as Christ and portraying Christ is so powerful, but portraying Christ in a musical is even more because no one thinks how he would sing, what words it would be, how his voice would be,” Mali Music said before the premiere, which was attended by 350 faith, business and community leaders.

In addition to Mali Music’s and other contemporary gospel tunes, spirituals are used to accompany the story: “Down By the Riverside,” in the scene where Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist; “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep,” as Mary and Martha share Mali Music a short-lived grief over the death of their brother Lazarus; and “Wade in the Water.” During the latter, dancers surround an onstage boat and use blue strips of fabric to simulate waves as Jesus walks on water.

Mr. Lennix said he chose the Gospel of John in part because it was the poetic book that included “dense imagery” that was “perfect for film,” with the wedding at Cana — where Jesus is said to have turned water into wine — and the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

The former Catholic seminary student — Mr. Lennix had considered joining the priesthood — cited Romans 8, which speaks of conforming to God’s image, as a key motivation for the people who partnered on “Revival!”

“That’s a mighty thing: ‘So that you can be conformed to look like him in his image,’ and nobody does that with us,” Lennix said of black people. “So I’ve taken the liberty.”

T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh plays Rebah, a female member of the Sanhedrin, the traditionally male tribunal of rabbis, who call for Jesus’ death. She embraced the focus on what she called

Photo courtesy of TriCoast Worldwide

as Jesus in a scene from the new film “Revival!”

“the color correction” of the film.

“It’s not colorblind casting, in my opinion; it is correct,” said Ms. Keymáh, who was an original cast member of the sketch comedy series “In Living Color.”

“The people of that time were brown. So this is, to me, not a black version of something. It’s just telling of a story,” she said.

“Revival!” is not the first time a predominantly black cast has recounted biblical stories. Playwright Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity,” which premiered more than a half-century ago, was adapted into a 2013 movie that focused largely on the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Mr. Lennix, who created his own adaptation of John’s gospel, unexpectedly joined the cast as Pontius Pilate when Scottish actor and “Braveheart” star Angus Macfadyen was not able to film his scenes because a snowstorm canceled his flight.

“It’s kind of a big part and so I had to figure out a way that somebody could know those lines,” Mr. Lennix recalled. “Since I wrote them, I figured, ‘Why not?’ ”

Southern Baptist seminary report ties founders to slavery, white supremacy

By Adelle M. Banks Religion News Service

LOUISVILLE, Ky. Founders of one of the nation’s largest seminaries owned more than 50 slaves and said that slavery was morally correct.

But an internal investigation found no evidence the school was directly involved in the

slave trade, according to the seminary’s president.

A 71-page report released Dec. 12 from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Southern Baptist Convention’s flagship seminary, said its early trustees and faculty “defended the righteousness of slaveholding.”

Triumphant

Baptist Church 2003 Lamb Avenue Richmond, VA 23222 (804) 321-7622 Dr. Arthur M. Jones, Sr., Pastor Sunday, December 30, 2018 11:15 am Service Missionary Sunday & Ordination of Deacon Elect: Juliette L. Greene

“They argued first that slaveholding was righteous because the inferiority of blacks indicated God’s providential will for their enslavement, corroborated

by Noah’s prophetic cursing of Ham,” the report stated. “They argued second that slaveholding was righteous because southern slaves accrued such remarkable material and spiritual benefits from it.”

The seminary was founded in 1859 in Greenville, S.C., but suspended operations in 1862 during the Civil War and reopened in Louisville in 1877.

The Southern Baptist Convention was founded in 1845 when its members defended the right of missionaries to own slaves. Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Riverview

Baptist Church Mount Olive Baptist Church Rev. Darryl G. Thompson, Pastor

8775 Mount Olive Avenue, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 (804) 262-9614 Phone • (804) 262-2397 Fax • www.mobcva.org

2018 Theme: The Year of Transition

Sunday, December 30, 2018 MOBC Unity Worship Service

Service location: MOBC Multi-Purpose Building at 10:00 AM (wear your favorite sweater - casual attire)

Monday, December 31, 2018 MOBC New Year’s Eve Celebration Praise Mix @ 12:00 Noon

Minister Sheilah Belle (104.7 FM) Musical Guests: Minister James Johnson and Minister Linda Witherspoon (wear your favorite Sports Team - casual attire)

2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 (804) 353-6135 www.riverviewbaptistch.org Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor Rev. Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr. Pastor Emeritus

SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9:45 A.M. SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 11:00 A.M.

  

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 Church School Worship Service

8:45 a.m.

10 a.m.

 ile Su

1 p.m.

 e ercies iisr  a.m. ul ile Su :0 p.m. ie oore Sree o 

said the investigation expanded said “we lament and repudiate the knowledge and truth of what historic acts of evil such as that defense meant. slavery” and “we genuinely “What we did not know repent of racism of which we and should have known was have been guilty.” the degree to which Brantley Gaopen expressions of saway, chair of white racial supremBucknell Univeracy were a part of the sity’s religious studdefense of slavery ies department, said even on the part of the report, like the some of the foundearlier resolution, is ing faculty of this “symbolically sigschool,” he said. nificant.” It shows Dr. Mohler The report demthat some Southern onstrates how interwoven Baptist leaders have grown in Southern Seminary’s history their sensitivity to diversity and has been with the wider racial racial reconciliation, he said. and political history of the But he said it did not point to denomination and the nation. substantive policy or structural It follows a 1995 resolution changes. passed by Southern Baptists “The leaders of Southern on the 150th anniversary of Seminary confess and lament the denomination in which they their racist heritage, but they

pledge only to continue to welcome and celebrate racial diversity at their institution,” said Dr. Gasaway, whose research focuses on evangelicals.

“Such an approach reflects most evangelicals’ view that racial reconciliation does not necessarily include any reparations or recompense for the injustices suffered by minorities.”

Dr. Mohler said his decision to call for a one-year investigation by a team of six faculty — three AfricanAmerican and three white — was prompted by actions of other institutions of higher education, specifically Princeton University, which released a report last year on its ties to slavery, including the sale of slaves on its campus.

Richmond Free Press

B6 December 27-29, 2018

Obituaries/Faith Directory

Jeffrey A. Goode, area wedding and funeral singer and member of Bak ’n Da Day, dies at 57

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Jeffrey Antoine Goode regularly sang at funerals, weddings and other family and community events and was a tenor for 18 years with the popular Richmond a cappella quintet Bak ’n Da Day that serves up Motown, R&B and Broadway show tunes.

But the dedicated city social worker who used his vocal talent to bring joy to others has been silenced.

A tall, powerfully built man with a fun-loving approach to life, Mr. Goode died Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018, of congestive heart failure at a friend’s home in Henrico County. He was 57.

He will be remembered during a funeral service at 1 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 27, at Second Baptist Church of South Richmond, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd.

Angela M. “Boo-Boo” Sims said, “Jeffrey was doing what he loved” — singing around her house — when she left to run errands last week. She said she returned to find him on the floor.

Ms. Sims said that Mr. Goode was generous to everyone.

After doctors told him his only chance for survival was a heart transplant, she said he refused to put his name on the waiting list for a new organ.

“He told me, ‘I don’t have any children. There are people who need a heart more than me,’ ” Ms. Sims said.

Russell Bennett, who founded Bak ’n Da Day in 1999, called Mr. Goode an integral singer.

He said Mr. Goode was a diligent member who made a “real im-

pact” since 2001, when he replaced one of the original members.

“He was like a brother,” Mr. Bennett said. “He had the best ear in the group,” Mr. Bennett noted. “He could hear the different parts and tell when someone was off. He would stop us in the middle of rehearsal when he heard something go wrong.”

Mr. Bennett said Mr. Goode made everyone laugh, something he will miss. “We always pray before a concert, but he’d have us laughing before we went on stage.”

And Mr. Goode was the most popular, Mr. Bennett said. “He was always the one that the women wanted to talk to after a show.”

He said Mr. Goode, when he wasn’t touring, was in demand.

“We all sing at different churches,” Mr. Bennett said, but it was Mr. Goode “who got the most calls. Every funeral home in the city had his number. He might do two or three funerals a week, plus weddings and other events.”

Ms. Sims said it wasn’t unusual for people to call him at the last minute to sing at a funeral and “he’d stop eating to go do it.” She said he never charged a set fee; “he’d just ask for a love offering.”

She said his favorite hymns were Alma B. Androzzo’s “If I Can Help Somebody” and “ Jesus, You’re the Center of My Joy,” by Gloria Gaither and Richard Smallwood.

He loved music growing up and played the drum in the marching band at George Wythe High School. He found his voice, Ms. Sims said, after he graduated from Virginia State University.

William Lomax, longtime barber in Jackson Ward, dies at 87

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Longtime Richmond barber and NAACP stalwart William Lomax has died.

Mr. Lomax, who was best known for his barbershop in Jackson Ward, succumbed to illness Friday, Dec. 21, in hospice in Henrico County. He was 87.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete at Free Press deadline.

“He was a kind and loving man who would help anyone he could,” said Ora Lomax, his wife of 63 years.

Mrs. Lomax, a longtime NAACP youth adviser at the state and local level, said she first met her future husband as a teenager when she came to Richmond on summer visits to relatives. They were friends for 12 years before they married, she said.

The president of the Richmond Branch NAACP also paid tribute to Mr. Lomax.

“His passion and dedication to everything he did was an inspiration,” James E. “J.J.” Minor III wrote in an email announcement of Mr. Lomax’s death to members.

He described Mr. Lomax as “a civil rights activist, a community activist, a

Mr. Lomax

politician and a friend. RVA will not be the same without him.”

Born in Church Hill, Mr. Lomax said in a 2016 Free Press interview that he learned the barbering trade at Maggie

Walker High School. For 64 years, he was a hair-cutting fixture on 2nd Street, the main commercial corridor of Jackson Ward. He recalled starting his career in 1949 at Scotty’s Barber Shop, which has since been demolished. He left to serve two years in the Army during the Korean War and returned to Richmond to resume his trade.

After working for others, he operated his own shop at 420 N. 2nd St. for nearly 50 years before giving up the space in early 2016, Mrs. Lomax said.

Mr. Lomax briefly reopened a shop on Hull Street and then moved to a shop on Broad Street. He retired in December 2016 after being injured in a traffic accident.

Along with being a life member of the NAACP, he also belonged to the Richmond Crusade for Voters. He was a member of the Prince Hall Masons and Mocha Temple No. 7.

Mr. Lomax also belonged to Trinity Baptist Church and was a former deacon of Mount Olivet Baptist Church.

Other than his wife, he has no immediate survivors.

Mr. Goode

But singing was a side job for him, just like the rest of the members of Bak ’n Da Day. Ms. Sims said that after graduating from VSU, Mr. Goode spent more than 10 years as the linen manager at a local hospital, where he oversaw the use, cleaning, storage, replacement and purchase of sheets, towels and similar items used by patients.

Seeking more fulfillment, he joined the Richmond Department of Social Services, Ms. Sims said. She said he first worked in child protective services and then was involved in records management during his 22-year career. At his death, he worked with adult protective services, she said.

Ms. Sims said that Mr. Goode had survived a series of heart attacks in recent years and recently had stents installed to improve blood flow. She said he collapsed after traveling on Dec. 15 to Laurel, Md., with Bak ’n Da Day for a concert. Ms. Sims said she picked him up from the hospital on Dec. 18 after he was released.

“He was too weak to stay by himself so he stayed with me,” she said.

The two had been friends since the first grade when they both lived in South Side, she said.

She recalled with amusement how he helped her win election as president of the sixth-grade class at Elkhardt Middle School.

“He handed out suckers to the kids who voted for me. It might not have been exactly legal, but he was always there for me.”

Carlton T. Brooks Funeral Home “Our Service … A Sacred Trust”

“Offering Pre-Need Arrangements”

Office: 804-233-8027 | Fax: 804-232-6085 2200 Hull Street, Richmond, Virginia 23224

Good Shepherd Baptist Church 1127 North 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223-6624 • Office: (804) 644-1402 Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor “There’s A Place for You” Tuesday Sunday 10:30 AM Bible Study 9:30 AM Church School 6:30 PM Church-wide Bible Study 11:00 AM Worship Service 6:30 PM Men's Bible Study (Each 2nd and 4th) (Holy Communion Thursday each 2nd Sunday) Wednesday (Following 2nd Sunday) 6:30 PM Prayer Meeting

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

Serving Richmond since 1887

Early Morning Worship ~ 8 a.m.

Sunday School ~ 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship ~ 11 a.m.

4th Sunday Unified Worship Service ~ 9:30 a.m.

Bible Study: Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Sermons Available at BRBCONLINE.org

3200 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23223• (804) 226-1176

“MAKE IT HAPPEN”

All ARe Welcome

Pastor Kevin Cook

New Deliverance Evangelistic Church

1701 Turner Road, North Chesterfield, Virginia 23225 (804) 276-0791 office (804)276-5272 fax www.ndec.net

Founders’ & Church

Anniversary

Bishop G. O. Glenn D. Min., Pastor Mother Marcietia S. Glenn First Lady

Friday, January 25th 7:30 p.m. & Sunday, January 27th 9:00 a.m.  Theme: “The Lord Hath Brought us To This Place” Deuteronomy 26:8-11

Wednesday Services No Noonday or Night Bible Study during the month of December 2018

Sharon Baptist Church 500 E. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, VA 23222 www.sharonbaptistchurchrichmond.org (804) 643-3825



WedneSday 12:00 p.m. Bible Study 7:00 p.m. Bible Study

“The Church With A Welcome”

Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor

VBS 2017 Ebenezer Baptist Church

Sunday, december 30, 2018 8:30 a.m. ....Sunday School 10:00 a.m. ...Morning Worship

monday, december 31, 2018 Joint New Year’s Eve Service 10:00 p.m. ...Rev. Kenneth Davis and Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church

1858

“The People’s Church”

216 W. Leigh St. • Richmond, Va. 23220 Tel: 804-643-3366 • Fax: 804-643-3367 Email: ebcoffice1@yahoo.com • web: www.richmondebenezer.com Sunday Worship Sunday Church School Service of Holy Communion Service of Baptism Life Application Bible Class Mid-Week Senior Adult Fellowship Wednesday Meditation & Bible Study Homework & Tutoring Scouting Program Thursday Bible Study

11:00 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Every 3rd Sunday 2nd Sunday, 11 a.m.

Mon. 6:30 p.m.

Tues. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Wed. 6:45 p.m.

Wed. 4:30 p.m.

Wed. 6:00 p.m.

Thurs., 11:45 a.m.

Dr. Wallace J. Cook, Pastor Emeritus  Rev. Dr. James E. Leary, Interim Pastor

St. Peter Baptist Church Dr. Kirkland R. Walton, Pastor

Worship Opportunities: For the remainder of December, all Sunday Worship Services will be held at 10 a.m. Church School will be held at 8:30 a.m.

Thursdays:

Bible Study is now on winter break and will reconvene on January 10th.

Missions Emphasis Unity Sunday

December 30, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.

• Installation of 2019 Officers/Leaders • Larry Bland & The Volunteer Choir • Youth Ministry Pre-New Year’s Eve Fellowship

Watch Night Worship Service Monday, December 31, 2018 at 10:30 p.m.

2040 Mountain Road • Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 Office 804-262-0230 • Fax 804-262-4651 • www.stpeterbaptist.net

Sixth Baptist Church

Sunday 8:00 a.m. Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Worship Service

Sunday 9:00 a.m. Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Worship Service

11:00 AM Mid-day Meditation

Tune in on Sunday Morning to WTVR - Channel 6 - 8:30 a.m.

ChriStiaN aCaDEMy (NDCa)

Saturday

ENROLL NOW!!!

8:30 a.m. Intercessory Prayer

Accepting applications for children 2 yrs. old to 5th Grade

You can now view Sunday Morning Service “AS IT HAPPENS” online!

Also, for your convenience, we now offer “full online giving.”

Visit www.ndec.net.

Our NDCA curriculum also consists of a Before and After program.

Now Enrolling for our Nursery Ages 6 weeks - 2yrs. old.

For more information Please call (804) 276-4433 Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Theme for 2018-2020: Mobilizing For Ministry Refreshing The Old and Emerging The New We Embrace Diversity — Love For All! A 21st Century Church With Ministry For Everyone

Come Worship With Us!

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2018 10:45 AM Worship Through Prayer and Meditation 11:00 AM Worship Celebration Message by: Pastor Bibbs Fired Up and Ready To Go Part II

Watch Night Service MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2018 10:30 PM Concert and Preaching Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor

Twitter sixthbaptistrva Facebook sixthbaptistrva

400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

(near Byrd Park)

(804) 359- 1691 or 359- 3498 Fax (804) 359- 3798 www.sixthbaptistchurch.org drbibbs@sixthbaptistchurch.org

Richmond Free Press

December 27-29, 2018 B7

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 Monday, January 7, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. in the Fifth Floor Conference Room of City Hall and the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing on Monday, January 14, 2019 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. 2018-322 To amend Ord. No. 95198-182, adopted Jul. 24, 1995, as previously amended by Ord. No. 2000-208-199, adopted Jun. 26, 2000, and Ord. No. 2002-70-101, adopted Apr. 22, 2002, which authorized a Community Unit Plan (CUP) of the 62.9-acre property at the southwest corner of Chippenham Parkway and Forest Hill Avenue, to authorize drive-up, freestanding automated teller machines (ATM) as a principal use in the area designated as Parcel A, to authorize warehouses and self-storage facilities in the area designated as Parcel B as a principal permitted use, upon certain terms and conditions. The subject property is a vacant 7.75 acre property, known as 2100 Sheila Lane, is part of the Chippenham Forest Square Community Unit Plan and is located in the Huguenot Planning District. The underlying zoning of the subject property is R-2 (SingleFamily Residential) district. The City of Richmond’s current Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as General Commercial (page 190). Primary uses include a broad range of office, retail, general commercial, wholesale, and service uses. The recommended zoning district for land with the General Commercial recommendation is B‑3 General Business.

Self‑storage warehouses would be permitted by‑right in this zoning district. A copy of the proposed plan, known as “Forest Hill Storage,” dated August 27, 2018 and revised October 15, 2018, may be viewed in the Office of Land Use Administration, Department of Planning and Development Review, located on the 5th floor of City Hall (Room 511) at 900 East Broad Street, Richmond VA 23219. Plans can also be requested by contacting David Watson, Senior Planner, at David.

Watson@Richmondgov. com or 804-646-6304.

Ordinance No. 2018-323 To conditionally rezone the properties known as 35, 41, 47, 53, 59, and 65 Rodman Road from the B-3 General Business District to the R-4 SingleFamily Residential District (Conditional), upon certain proffered conditions. The City of Richmond’s current Master Plan designates a land use category for the subject properties as Economic Opportunity Areas. These areas are identified as appropriate for a range of general office, corporate office, retail, general commercial, service or light industrial uses. No residential density is specified for this land use category.

Ordinance No. 2018-324 To amend and reordain Ord. No. 2007-131-174, adopted Jul. 23, 2007, which authorized the special use of the property known as 1400 Grove Avenue for the purpose of permitting a multifamily dwelling consisting of no more than ten units and authorized the special use of the properties known as 1410 and 1412 Grove Avenue for the purpose of allowing single-family attached dwellings on substandard sized lots, together with accessory off-street parking, to remove from the ordinance the provisions pertaining to 1412 Grove Avenue, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is located in the R‑6 Single‑Family Attached Residential District. The City of Richmond’s current Master Plan designates the property for SingleFamily Medium Density land use which includes, single-family and twofamily dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities of 8 to 20 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2018-325 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1412 Grove Avenue for the purpose of either a single-family attached dwelling or a single-family detached dwelling and up to four rooms or groups of rooms for short-term rental use, upon certain terms and conditions. The property Continued on next column

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is located in an R-6 Single-Family Attached Residential District. The City of Richmond’s current Master Plan designates the subject property for Single-Family Medium Density land use which includes, single-family and two-family dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities of 8 to 20 units per acre. The density of the existing single-family use of the property is approximately 10 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2018-326 To amend Ord. No. 2014121-201, adopted Nov. 10, 2014, as previously amended by Ord. No. 2016-171, adopted Sept. 12, 2016, which authorized the special use of the property known as 1650 Overbrook Road, for the purpose of authorizing multifamily dwellings with up to 205 dwelling units, to permit up to 117 multifamily dwelling units and other site amenities and an additional 55 dwelling units in place of commercial space, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a M-1 Light Industrial District.

The City of Richmond’s Master Plan designates the subject property for “industrial” land use, which includes a wide variety of manufacturing, processing, research and development, warehousing, distribution, office-warehouse and service uses. No residential density is specified for this land use designation.

Ordinance No. 2018-327 To authorize the special use of the property known as 202 West 15th Street for the purpose of a dwelling unit within an accessory building, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in an R-8 Urban Residential District.

The City of Richmond’s Downtown Plan designates the subject property as being within a General Urban Area, which is “characterized by medium density, mixed use development along medium sized blocks [and includes] single family homes, sideyard houses, row-houses, and small multi- family buildings, such as duplexes, triplexes, and quads” (p. 3.23). No residential density is specified for this land use designation.

Ordinance No. 2018-328 To amend Ord. No. 2014222-204, adopted Nov. 10, 2014, which authorized the special use of the property known as 2319 Grove Avenue for the purpose of authorizing an expansion to an existing day nursery, to authorize further expansion of the existing day nursery, upon certain terms and conditions. The City of Richmond’s current Master Plan designates a future land use category for the subject property as Single Family Residential at Medium densities. Primary uses for this category are single family and two family dwellings, both detached and attached, at densities of 8 to 20 units per acre. Includes residential support uses such as schools, places of worship, neighborhood parks and recreation facilities, and limited public and semi-public uses. The current zoning for this property is R-6 (Single Family Attached Residential).

Ordinance No. 2018-329 To authorize the special use of the property known as 2413 Carrington Street for the purpose of a dwelling unit within an accessory building, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a R-63 Multifamily Urban Residential District. The City of Richmond’s current East Planning District Land Use Plan designates a land use category for the subject property as Mixed Use Residential.

“Primary uses include single, two, and multifamily dwellings, live/work units and neighborhood serving commercial uses developed in a traditional urban form.”

No residential density is specified for this land use designation.

Interested citizens who wish to speak will be given an opportunity to do so. Copies of the full text of all ordinances are available by visiting the City Clerk’s page on the City’s Website at www.

Richmondgov.com; the Main City Library located at 101 East Franklin Street; 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

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Plaintiff v.

MICHELLE URTARTE, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003767-00 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 is a nonresident, appear here on or before the 5th day of February, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her 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

been used without effect, by or on the behalf of the plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city defendant is.

It is ORDERED that Cleopatra (Jackson) White appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before the 15th day of February, 2019.

A Copy Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk

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 28th day of January, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. 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

protect his/her interest on or before 3/19/2019, at 9:40 AM, Courtroom #2.

described as 1801 Alaska Drive, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number C0060607/086, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Flossie L. Blair and Dorothy Mitchell.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, FLOSSIE L. BLAIR and DOROTHY MITCHELL, 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 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 FLOSSIE L. BLAIR, DOROTHY MITCHELL, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940

CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

STERLING R. HARRIS, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5876 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1323 North 32nd Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E000-0801/024, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Sterling R. Harris.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, STERLING R. HARRIS, 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 STERLING R. HARRIS, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF CHESTERFIELD CYNTHIA A. ROBINSON-CARNEY, Plaintiff v.

RAYMOND A. CARNEY, IV, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18-2618 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce a vinculo matrimonii on the grounds that the parties have lived separate and apart for a period greater than one (1) year; WHEREFORE, an affidavit having been filed by the Plaintiff, Cynthia A. Robinson-Carney, that due diligence has been used without effect to ascertain the location of the Defendant, Raymond A. Carney, IV, it is ORDERED that Raymond A. Carney, IV appear before this Court on January 24, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. to protect his interests herein.

It appearing from a affidavit that diligence has been used without effect, by or on the behalf of the plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city defendant is.

An Extract Teste: WENDY S. HUGHES, Clerk I ASK FOR THIS: Courtney A. Anderson, Esquire (VSB #92078) Friedman Law Firm, P.C. 9401 Courthouse Road, Suite A Chesterfield, Virginia 23832 (804) 717-1969 (telephone) (804) 748-4161 (telecopier) canderson@friedmanlawva.com Counsel for Plaintiff/Wife VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JOEVETTE MALCOLM, Plaintiff v.

ORAL MALCOLM, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003768-00 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 5th day of February, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. 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 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER KHALIL KAMARA, Plaintiff v.

KADIATU KAMARA, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003822-00 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 5th day of February, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her 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

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER ANTHONY URTARTE, SR.,

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE CITY OF Richmond LAWRENCE EDWARD WHITE, Plaintiff v.

CLEOPATRA (JACKSON) WHITE, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18-5717 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Obtain a divorce a vincullo matrimonii or from the bonds of matrimony.

It appearing from an affidavit that diligence has

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Divorce

VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER MONICA HARPER, Plaintiff v.

DAVID HARPER, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003774-00 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 28th day of January, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. 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 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER TAMMIE MCGHEE, Plaintiff v.

JAMES MCGHEE, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18002756-00 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 28th day of January, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. 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 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER STAFFORD ANDREW SPRINGER, Plaintiff v.

ADRAMAE SPRINGER, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003773-00 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 28th day of January, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her 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 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER JERRY WASHINGTON, Plaintiff v.

ANGELA WASHINGTON, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003787-00 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 28th day of January, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her 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 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER MARIA RIDEOUT, Plaintiff v.

CLEMMIE LOVETT, Defendant.

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VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER NORRIS CARTAGENA FLORES, Plaintiff v.

SILAS FLORES CISNEROS, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003642-00 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 28th day of January, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. 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 ADRIAN CLIFTON GILL, ADIAN CLIFTON GILL & ADRIANNA BELLA GILL Case No. J-89613-09-00, J-89614-08-00, J-89615-08-00, ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) Chelsea Arnold (Mother), of Adrian Clifton Gill, Jr., child, DOB 7/1/2014, Adian Clifton Gill, child DOB 7/1/2014, & Adrianna Bella Gill, child DOB 7/1/2014 “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.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Chelsea Arnold (Mother), to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 2/6/2019, at 9:20 AM, Courtroom #5.

VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re ADRIAN CLIFTON GILL, ADIAN CLIFTON GILL & ADRIANNA BELLA GILL Case No. J-89613-08-00, J-89614-07-00, J-89615-07-00, ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) Adrian Clifton Gill, Sr. (Father), of Adrian Clifton Gill, Jr., child, DOB 7/1/2014, Adian Clifton Gill, child DOB 7/1/2014, & Adrianna Bella Gill, child DOB 7/1/2014 “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.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Adrian Clifton Gill, Sr., (Father), to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 2/6/2019, at 9:20 AM, Courtroom #5.

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

THELMA GREEN, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-1268 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 13 West Lancaster Road, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N000-0598/003, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Thelma Green, and Diane Green aka Valerie Diane Hunter.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, THELMA GREEN, 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 THELMA GREEN, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

ALICE LORETTA JACKSON, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5255 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2407 Melbourne Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0120278/004, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Alice Loretta Jackson aka Alice Loretta Sellars.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, ALICE LORETTA JACKSON, 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 CECIL G. MOORE, Trustee, EVA D. HINDS, Trustee and LESLIE P. SMITH, Trustee, Trustees per Substitution of Trustees filed in the records of Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 97-23219 on October 22, 1997, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action; that CONTIMORTGAGE CORPORATION, an entity purged from the records o f t h e Vi r g i n i a S t a t e Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Transfer of Assignment of deed of trust filed at Instrument Number 97-11985 on June 4, 1997, 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 ALICE LORETTA JACKSON, CECIL G. MOORE, Trustee, EVA D. HINDS, Trustee and LESLIE P. SMITH, Trustee, Trustees per Substitution of Trustees filed in the records of Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 97-23219 on October 22, 1997, CONTIMORTGAGE CORPORATION, an entity purged from the records o f t h e Vi r g i n i a S t a t e Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Transfer of Assignment of deed of trust filed at Instrument Number 97-11985 on June 4, 1997, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940

VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re maniyah sade bowles Case No. J-90398-12-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (“RPR”) Marquis Jeremiah Bowles (Father), of Maniyah Sade Bowles child, DOB 11/7/2014. “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.

It is ORDERED that the defendant Marquis Jeremiah Bowles (Father), to appear at the above-named Court and

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

FLOSSIE L. BLAIR, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5439 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly

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

ETHEL M. ARNOLD, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5880 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1108 North 26th Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0000519/009, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Ethel M. Arnold.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, ETHEL M. ARNOLD, 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 ETHEL M. ARNOLD, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

MICHAEL L. CAMPBELL, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-3274 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 712 West Fells Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N0000441/009, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Michael L. Campbell.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, MICHAEL L. CAMPBELL, is not a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and has not filed a response to this action; that MIDATLANTIC EXTERIORS, INC., a corporation purged from the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, 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 MICHAEL L. CAMPBELL, M I D - A T L A N T I C EXTERIORS, INC., a corporation purged from the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940 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.

CLARENCE DAVIS, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5877 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1423 North 32nd Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0000800/017, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner/s of record.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owners, CLARENCE DAVIS, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and INEZ DAVIS, 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 CLARENCE DAVIS, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, INEZ DAVIS, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND JOHN MARSHALL COURTS BUILDING CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

MABEL LEE CLARKE, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5254 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2401 Melbourne Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0120278/001, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Mabel Lee Clarke.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, MABEL LEE CLARKE, 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 MABEL LEE CLARKE, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before FEBRUARY 21, 2019 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 804-646-7940

Richmond Free Press

B8 December 27-29, 2018

Sports Plus

Actor Michael B. Jordan in spotlight for athletic role in ‘Creed II’

By Fred Jeter

Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed in the movie “Creed II.”

Moviegoers are wowed by Jordan’s powerful, chiseled physique. Since the original “Creed,” he has maximized muscularity while minimizing body fat — sort of Body by Michelangelo.

Jordan’s carved abs resemble an oldfashioned washboard. Then there are the boulder shoulders and waist of a ballerina.

In real-life workouts under celebrity trainer Corey Calliet, Jordan said the goal was to get “lean” and “shredded.”

“I worked out maybe three or four times a day,” he told US Weekly. “I ate four or five times a day — lots of brown rice, chicken and broccoli. I just really wanted to be defined. I wanted to evolve on the look we gave in ‘Creed I’ and really raise the bar this time around.”

Unlike Michael Jordan the iconic basketball player, Michael B. Jordan has a modest athletic resume. He played basketball and baseball at Arts High School in Newark, N.J., but was not a star. He got into tap dancing and modeling at a young age before pursuing a career in television and film.

“Creed” wasn’t his first athletic role.

Jordan played the part of Jamal in the 2001 movie “Hardball” about an inner-city baseball team. He also played quarterback Vince Howard in the 2009-2011 TV series “Friday Night Lights.”

Jordan’s other notable roles were as N-Jakada/Erik “Killmonger” Stevens in the

It could be that the most talked about Michael Jordan nowadays isn’t Michael Jordan the athlete, but Michael Jordan the actor.

Michael Bakari Jordan has scored a cinematic knockout for his role as a boxer in “Creed II,” a sequel to the original 2015 film “Creed,” a continuation of the “Rocky” movies.

In the latest film, Jordan, a 31-yearold native Californian who grew up in Newark, N.J., is cast as Adonis Creed, son of fictional boxer Apollo Creed. Having become heavyweight champ, Adonis trains in the movie under the tutelage of screen boxing icon Rocky Balboa, played

by Sylvester Stallone. Adonis’ training is all in preparation to face his brutal challenger, Viktor Drago, played by Florian Munteanu.

Here’s the plot: In 1985 during “Rocky 4,” Apollo Creed lost his life in a bloody, brain-rattling ring battle with Ivan Drago, the father of Viktor, who was played by Dolph Lundgren.

In “Creed II,” Adonis seeks to avenge the death of his father in his match against the son of the man who gave Apollo a merciless beating.

There are two Adonis-versus-Viktor fights in “Creed II,” the first in Brooklyn, the second supposedly in Moscow.

film “Black Panther” in 2015 and as Oscar Grant in “Fruitvale Station” in 2013.

Despite his jaw-dropping physique, Jordan is viewed as the underdog in “Creed II.” At 6-feet, he is towered over by the 6-foot-4 Drago with camera angles and tricks making the difference look much greater. Drago is depicted as an assassin in gloves, with no sense of humor.

Much is made of Adonis Creed growing up in a single-parent family. He never knew his famous boxing father until adulthood, long after Apollo’s death. In the film, he grew up with the last name Johnson. His on-screen mother is played by Phylicia Rashad.

Also in the film, Creed and his wife, Bianca, played by Tessa Thompson, deal with the anguish of having a newborn baby with a disability. There are tears galore.

Then there are Creed’s multiple boxing injuries that resulted in an extended hospital stay and lingering side effects — physical and emotional — accompanying such a mauling.

Some have labeled Creed as “the black Rocky” or “the millennial Rocky.” There have been five Rocky movies, plus a sixth titled “Rocky Balboa” in 2006. There was always another menacing challenger lurking on the horizon, wanting to cut Rocky down to size.

With that thought, don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last you’ve seen of Adonis Creed.

Employment Opportunities Applications are now being accepted for the following positions.

PCA and Licensed Medication Aide.

Please bring a current TB report when applying.

Good pay – Good days off.

Call for appointment (804) 222-5133.

Custodian

Mount Olive Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia is seeking a part-time Custodian (12-20 hours per week) during the evening hours and on weekends.

Day hours will be required periodically. Please visit the church’s website at www.mobcva.org to view the complete job announcement for this position.

A Criminal History Background Check is required.

Clinical Director

Runs fiscal oper, financial reporting. Supervises & evaluates work activities of medical professionals & staff. Maintains interdepartmental functioning, analyzes risk management. Implements coordination of medical staff, conducts recruitment & training of personnel. Updates technological processes. Develops & maintains computerized record management systems.

Masters degree in Medical Admin or related field.

3 yrs exp-clinical dir or dir in related field VA Healthcare Services of Richmond Resume & Cover letter to amostafa@va-hcs.com Richmond, VA

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SEVERE DISABILITIES PROGRAM/ADAPTED CURRICULUM CONSORTIUM

DIRECTOR METROPOLITAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CONSORTIUM

School of Education

School of Education

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education (SOE) is recruiting applicants for the position of Assistant Professor of Severe Disabilities Program/ Adapted Curriculum Consortium with a start date of September 2019. At VCU, we believe different perspectives and expertise enhance possibilities and solutions. This philosophy drives our recruitment process, so we welcome applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, who will contribute to an already diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.

The severe disabilities program/adapted curriculum consortium in the VCU School of Education and Partnership for People with Disabilities provides graduate students with research-based professional studies and clinical experiences necessary for effective teaching, advocacy, and leadership in diverse geographic and socioeconomic settings. Specifically, our faculty, students, university colleagues, and community partners work together to generate knowledge, investigate effective strategies, disseminate evidence-based practices, advocate for individuals and their families, and promote exemplary programs.

Required Qualifications • An earned Doctorate in special education, education, or closely related field • Experience advising graduate students • Experience with providing clinical supervision to graduate students • Experience working with children with disabilities • Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU For additional information and to apply, please follow the link below: https://www.vcujobs.com/postings/85672 Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action University providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation or disability.

To advertise in the

Richmond Free Press call 644-0496

The Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC), a VCU School of Education affiliated center, seeks applications for the position of Director, with a start date of July 1, 2019. This is a twelve-month, term faculty position. At VCU, we believe different perspectives and expertise enhance possibilities and solutions. This philosophy drives our recruitment process, so we welcome applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, who will contribute to an already diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.

To learn about the Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC), please visit https://merc.soe.vcu.edu/ Position Description: The Director will provide overall leadership for the center to ensure that activities and accomplishments are consistent with the need to promote, conduct, and produce rigorous research that leads to improvements in educator preparation and ongoing professional development and PK-12 student learning outcomes; seek external funding from federal, state, and local sources; facilitate a research to practice dialogue between practitioners and researchers; provide meaningful research experiences for students; and enable SOE faculty and students to access school populations for research.

Qualifications Required The ideal candidate will have: • A Ph.D. degree in educational research, educational leadership, or related discipline; • Significant hands-on experience planning and conducting funded research and/or program evaluations; • Strong quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods design and data analysis skills; • Experience working in or with PK-12 schools; • Experience obtaining external funding.

For additional information and to apply, please follow this link: https://www.vcujobs.com/postings/85673

Office Assistant/Reception Entry-level position available in downtown courts building: Customer Service and Clerical Duties to include routine public service at front counter and on the telephone; data entry; issuing oaths; issuing marriage licenses; general office duties. Bi-lingual in English/ Spanish a plus. Candidates must be detail-oriented, with good organizational skills and the ability to prioritize.

Please send resume and salary history (MANDATORY) to: CircuitCourtClerkEmployment@Richmondgov.com or mail to Richmond Circuit Court Clerk’s Office 400 N 9th St. Richmond, VA 23219 Attn: Personnel

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Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action University providing access to education and employment without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, veteran’s status, political affiliation or disability.

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

Vote

Spinal Cord Injury Research Biomedical Engineer in Richmond, VA. Perform advanced image processing incl. finite element analysis & 3D construction from anatomical models; computer prog’g & database queries; transcranial magnetic stimulation & deep brain stimulation; assist w/exercise research device calibration & adjustment; EMG/EEG signal processing. Mail resume to R. Dresch, McGuire Research Institute, 1201 Broad Rock Blvd., Richmond, VA 23249.

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