Richmond Free Press February 28-March 2, 2019 Edition

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VOL. 28 NO. 9

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

www.richmondfreepress.com

February 28-MARCH 2, 2019

Making moves Legal battle to remove Parker Agelasto from City Council ramps up

Mr. El-Amin

Mr. Agelasto

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The legal fight to remove 5th District City Councilman Parker C. Agelasto from office as the result of his move to the 1st District last year is gaining new energy.

Former City Councilman Sa’ad El-Amin told the Free Press that he is on the verge of filing a request with the Richmond Circuit Court to remove Mr. Agelasto from office because he no

longer lives in the district he was elected to represent.

Mr. El-Amin, who served five years on council from 1998 to 2003 and now operates a legal consulting firm, said he is waiting until he meets on Friday with Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael N. Herring.

“I’m ready to file,” Mr. El-Amin said Tuesday, adding that he put his filing on hold after Mr. Herring invited him to discuss the matter.

Mr. El-Amin said he is still hoping that Mr. Herring will agree to file the action as he is empowered to do.

In a letter dated Feb. 13, Mr. El-Amin urged Mr. Herring to ask the Richmond Circuit Court to issue a “writ of quo warranto” that would find Mr. Agelasto’s continued service on City Council represents a violation of the state law that requires every state Please turn to A4

Lt. Gov. Fairfax compares ‘rush to judgment’ against him to Jim Crow-era lynching Free Press staff, wire reports

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

No laughing matter It looks like a stare down. But youngsters in the Greater Richmond Children’s Choir were performing “No Laugh Race” on Saturday, a song interspersed with a challenge requiring two people to stare at each other without laughing. The first one to laugh loses. The choir also engaged members of the audience in the performance. Please see more photos, B3.

With his political career in tatters, embattled Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax took a stand against his critics in the final moments of the 2019 General Assembly session.

He likened himself to Jim Crowera lynching victims as he decried the “rush to judgment” he has faced since two women went public with allegations that he sexually assaulted them long before his election to statewide office.

Lt. Gov. Fairfax, who has stoutly resisted calls to resign and has repeatedly asserted that he never assaulted the women or anyone else, vented his frustration Sunday that he is assumed to be guilty before any attempt is made to back up the allegations with evidence.

Speaking impromptu from the rostrum of the state Senate where he serves as presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Fairfax renewed his plea for a full investigation of the charges rather than allowing “political lynchings without any due process or any evidence being given.”

He said it’s as if Virginia has turned back the clock to the era of segregation when that was the way things were done.

“I’ve heard much about anti-lynch-

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax’s impromptu impassioned speech Sunday to the state Senate was met by silence. Moments before, he had been applauded by the 40 senators for his professionalism during the General Assembly session while dealing with piercing allegations.

ing on the floor of this very Senate, where people were not given any due process whatsoever, and we rue that,” referencing legislation that both the Senate and the House of Delegates passed expressing “profound regret” for lynchings in Virginia between 1877 and 1950.

“And we talk about hundreds, at least 100 terror lynchings that have happened in the Commonwealth of

Virginia” in which people were killed based solely on often false accusations, he said. For the accused, there was no trial and no need for proof.

Yet despite the apology for lynchings, “we stand here in a rush to judgment with nothing but accusations and no facts and we decide that we are willing to do the same thing,” Lt. Please turn to A4

City Council approves expansion of real estate tax relief

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Elderly and totally disabled homeowners won increased relief from real estate taxes beginning in January 2020.

Separately, Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s administration secured permission to essentially donate Richmond’s former nursing home in the East End to Virginia Supportive Housing, clearing the way for the nonprofit housing group to move ahead with its plan to invest $30 million to transform the long vacant building into 105 apartments for homeless individuals and low-income families.

And the administration also received the green light to overhaul the school crossing guard program, use nearly $517,000 to boost pay for some city employees and spend $425,000 to acquire a Brook Road property as the new headquarters for its parking program.

All of those actions won unaniMayor Stoney mous approval Monday night from Richmond City Council, which sidelined any controversies and rushed to clear the decks as it prepares to receive proposed updates and budget amendments from Mayor Stoney for the 2019-20 fiscal year that is to begin July 1.

The mayor is scheduled to make his budget presentation to the council at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 6.

The revamped tax relief plan that council approved could potentially allow hundreds more people to qualify and could require the city to budget an extra $1 million to cover the increased cost of the program, which benefited 2,530 homeowners in 2018.

The goal of the upgraded program: To counter the impact of soaring real estate values on longtime residents with fixed incomes who are under pressure to sell their homes to avoid higher city real estate tax bills, council members said.

The 9-0 vote overrode opposition from the Stoney administration led by Chief Administrative Officer Selena Cuffee-Glenn and Chief Financial Officer Lenora Reid.

At the Finance Committee last week, both Ms. Cuffee-Glenn and Ms. Reid urged the council to reconsider using extra dollars for tax relief. They said it would reduce the funds available for paving streets, public safety and other city needs.

Along with Finance Director John B. Wack, the city’s two top administrators also indicated that extra staff likely would be needed to verify the financial information provided by the growing pool of applicants the expansion would generate.

The approved plan would provide 100 percent relief from real estate taxes for homeowners with incomes of $30,000 a year or below. Under the current program, 100 percent relief is available only for people with incomes of $20,000 a year or below.

The change is expected to benefit more than 730 homeowners with annual incomes between $20,001 and $30,000 a year who

currently get 70 percent relief, but still must pay 30 percent of the tax bill.

Council’s vote also will boost tax relief for those with annual incomes of $30,001 to $40,000 to 75 percent of the tax bill, up from the current 35 percent relief. It also would increase relief for those with annual incomes of $40,001 to $50,000 to 50 percent of the tax bill, up from the current 35 percent relief.

For the first time, council also agreed to provide 25 percent tax relief for homeowners with higher annual incomes, $50,001 Please turn to A4

School Board sends proposed $310.6M budget to mayor

By Ronald Carrington and Jeremy M. Lazarus

The Richmond School Board voted 6-3 Monday night to send to Mayor Levar M. Stoney a proposed $310.6 million operating budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year that will begin July 1 — equaling a per pupil cost of $13,362 for each of the estimated 23,200 students expected to be enrolled in city schools next fall in preschool through 12th grade.

The budget proposal calls on the mayor and City Council to boost the city’s share of the cost of public schools to $174.6 million — or $7,526 per student, an increase of $224 per student over the city’s current year contribution of $169 million in city spending on public education.

After a one-week postponement and a tense meeting Monday, the board signed off on Superintendent Jason Kamras’ spending

proposal. As happens every year, the board will revisit the proposal in late May and early June and finalize the budget after City Council reviews the spending plan the mayor will issue next Mr. Kamras Wednesday, March 6, and adopts its version in mid-May. One of the key priorities for the School Board is to get the mayor and council to restore about $12.5 million that was provided this year, but is not supposed to be available in the 2019-20 budget year.

In preparation for losing that money, Mr. Kamras won board support for slashing $13 million in spending by eliminating 49 positions in the schools administration, or about 20 percent of the 250 headquarters employees who apply for grants, supervise

teachers and principals, keep track of spending, handle purchasing, pay bills and perform other important oversight tasks.

If the city does not restore the funding, the city contribution would fall from around $169 million this year to about $156.6 million, or $6,750 per student.

However, in the proposal the School Board sent to the city, that money is to be restored and an additional $6 million tacked on, with the $18.5 million in new city money to be used to fund some of the innovations that Mr. Kamras wants to launch to improve educational programming. It would not be used to restore schools administration jobs.

Among the key items, the spending plan includes $37 million in state and local funds to provide a 5 percent salary increase for teachers.

Please turn to A4

A2 February 28-March 2, 2019

Richmond Free Press

Local News

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

The still swollen James River is an awesome sight as it rushes Wednesday through Richmond’s Downtown near the Federal Reserve Bank and Riverfront Towers. Still, the water was beginning to subside and had fallen below the 12-foot flood stage in this area by the afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which

Doris Causey honored with Hill-Tucker Public Service Award One of the top civil lawyers for low-income residents in the Richmond area has received recognition for the important work she is doing.

Doris H. Causey, managing attorney for the Richmond Office of the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society, is the 2019 winner of the Hill-Tucker Public Service Award.

The Richmond Bar Association presented the award to Mrs. Causey Feb. 21 in recognition of her “conspicuous public service and distinguished service beyond the practice of law.”

The award is named for two civil rights legal giants, Oliver W. Hill Sr. and Samuel W. Tucker, who fought segregation and broke down color barriers in education, employment, health care and the courts as attorneys in Richmond.

The association cited Mrs. Causey for Mrs. Causey traveling the state representing indigent clients through which, the association stated, she has “made a difference in the lives of thousands of Virginia residents, positively influenced the public’s perception of the legal profession and the justice system and served as an excellent leader and role model for her fellow bar members.”

Mrs. Causey became the first African-American president of the Virginia State Bar in 2017 and was also the first Legal Aid lawyer to be elected to that post.

She also is the first State Bar president to serve on the executive committee of the American Bar Association’s National Council of Bar Presidents.

Mrs. Causey serves on the executive committees of the Virginia State Bar, the Old Dominion Bar Association and the Virginia Law Foundation’s CLE Committee and has participated in various other bar associations to advance the legal profession, the Richmond Bar Association stated.

Rogers named Dumfries town manager Keith C. Rogers Jr. has been a quiet, friendly but active presence at City Hall.

During his 12 years with Richmond’s city government, he, among other things, oversaw the city study that led to the creation of the Pulse bus rapid transit system, played a key role in expanding the residential recycling program and helped craft a grants program for community partners.

On Tuesday, Mr. Rogers reported to his new position — town manager of Dumfries in Prince William County. The post pays nearly $134,000 a year.

The Dumfries Town Council last week voted 5-1 to hire Mr. Rogers to lead dayto-day operations for the community of about 5,300 people near the Quantico Mr. Rogers Marine Base.

He replaced Mayor Derrick Wood, who has served as interim manager for eight months since the previous manager was fired.

“As a council, we took our time to ensure Keith’s experience and values would help us to continue to develop the Town of Dumfries into a community where businesses want to locate and families want to live, work and play,” Mayor Wood said after the vote.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the town and excited to become a part of positive change and the excitement that’s currently happening in the town,” Mr. Rogers stated.

Mr. Rogers most recently was a senior assistant to city Public Works Director Bobby Vincent and previously had worked out of the office of the city’s chief administrative officer.

A Richmond area native, he has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Cityscape Slices of life and scenes in Richmond

keeps close track of the flow. On Tuesday, the river had risen to more than 16 feet as it passed through the area, fueled by weekend rains in the western part of the state. The city, which is protected by a floodwall in much of its Downtown, did not report any significant disruption or damage from the high water.

Mayor names members of new city History and Culture Commission

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Nine people, including a university president, three museum officials and an African-American history advocate, were named Tuesday to Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s new History and Culture Commission.

The mayor created the advisory group as a follow-up to the Monument Avenue Commission, which spent more than a year conducting a study of the Confederate statues along that street and issuing a report last summer.

The mayor stated that he wants the commission to advise him on ways to implement the recommendations of the Monument Avenue Commission, including ideas for better explaining the statues’ promotion of white supremacy.

However, the new commission initially will be assigned to consider how to best memorialize the history of the slave trade in Shockoe Bottom, Mayor Stoney stated.

The apparent goal: To gain some forward motion on a project that has been

undergoing planning for at least three years, but has gone nowhere despite City Council and the state collectively setting aside more than $10 million to support the effort.

The creation of the commission, though, would not end the Richmond Planning Commission’s ultimate authority under the City Charter to determine how best to proceed in both areas.

“In order to move forward in creating more equitable spaces and opportunities for all Richmonders, we must ensure the stories we tell uplift and empower, not tear down or divide,” Mayor Stoney stated in announcing the advisory commission members.

“We must reclaim our complete history and dismantle the systemic racism and inequities that resulted. I am confident this commission will provide appropriate and rightful guidance in this important task.”

The commission members are Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, president of Virginia Union University; Jamie O. Bosket, presi-

dent of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture; William J. “Bill” Martin, director of the Valentine Richmond History Center; Paula Saylor-Rollins, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ director of audience development and outreach; and Free Egunfemi, a history strategist and founder of Untold Richmond, an AfricanAmerican history initiative.

Other members are Dr. Melanie Buffington, a Virginia Commonwealth University associate art education professor; Dr. Julian Hayter, a University of Richmond historian and assistant professor of leadership studies; Maurice Henderson, NASA education and exhibits outreach coordinator; and Ryan Rinn, executive director of the Storefront for Community Design.

The commission also is to include four non-voting members: City Council President Cynthia I. Newbille, planner Kimberly Chen of the city Department of Planning and Development Review and two youth members that the commission is to name later after it convenes this spring.

Virginia Reads One Book kicks off Friday in city elementary schools Free Press Staff report

Richmond elementary schools are joining Virginia Reads One Book, a program designed to help schools and communities build reading habits, increase student and family literacy and family financial literacy.

At school assemblies starting March 1, students will receive a free copy of this year’s book, “Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire” by Sundee T. Frazier. The book features a girl of color as an aspiring entrepreneur and business leader whose story takes place on the playground, where she discovers basic financial principles.

“We’re so excited that we are offering free copies of the book to all Richmonders who want to participate,” said John Dwyer,

executive director of Read to Them, a Richmond-based nonprofit promoting family literacy that is sponsoring the effort. “It’s a great opportunity for grandparents, aunts and uncles and other family and community members.”

Local business and community leaders, including NFL and college athletes and radio personalities, will speak during the assemblies to encourage students to read. Other volunteers also will be involved. Students can take their books home and read with their families.

Some of the city schools participated in a similar reading program in the fall, officials said.

“It was great to see so many of our

elementary students enjoying ‘Friendship According to Humphrey’ (by Betty G. Birney) during the fall,” said Richmond schools Superintendent Jason Kamras, who has a copy of the new book ready to go.

Among the leaders speaking at assemblies scheduled for Friday, March 1, Monday, March 4, and Friday, March 8, are Dr. James Lane, state superintendent of public instruction; Mayor Levar M. Stoney; LaFarn Burton, owner of LaFarn and Company; CarolAdams of the Richmond Police Department; Tim Hightower, a former University of Richmond football standout and current NFL running back and free agent who has played with the Arizona Cardinals, the Washington NFL team and the New Orleans Saints; Montrell Brown, owner of Browns Lawn in Order; Dr. Lauren Powell, director of the state Health Department’s Office of Health Equity; Alexandra Hicks, creator of Nerd Squad; and Anthony “A.J.” Brewer, owner of Brewer’s Café.

State NAACP officer charged with embezzlement from local branch

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The Virginia State NAACP, already under national scrutiny, is facing more woes following the disclosure that an officer has been charged with misdemeanor embezzlement from the Chesterfield Branch NAACP. LaSalle J. McCoy Jr. of Chester, the state NAACP secretary and longtime president of the Chesterfield branch, was released on a summons after he was served with a complaint that member Nicole Martin obtained that was filed Feb. 20.

Mr. McCoy, who is charged with embezzlement of less than $200, is to be arraigned in Chesterfield General District Court on Wednesday, March 13. He has

obtained an attorney, Stephen L. Hewlett.

Mr. McCoy could not immediately be reached for comment, but is expected to mount a vigorous defense.

Sources told the Mr. McCoy Free Press that questions about the use of the Chesterfield Branch’s dollars came into question after newly installed officers reviewed the branch’s books and found what they considered to be questionable spending. They used the information to obtain a warrant, making public another embarrassing situation for the state

conference of the civil rights group.

Last week, the Free Press reported that the national board at its Feb. 16 meeting suspended the membership of the former president of the Henrico Branch NAACP, Frank J. Thornton, for alleged mismanagement of branch funds before he was removed in December. Mr. Thornton has strongly denied the allegations.

The Free Press also reported that the board also had considered a recommendation from its field staff to impose greater oversight of the state conference’s operations and decisions based on member complaints. To date, the national board and its staff have not announced what steps were approved to resolve the situation.

Richmond Free Press

February 28-March 2, 2019

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Richmond Free Press

A4 February 28-March 2, 2019

News

Legal fight to remove Agelasto ramps up Continued from A1

and local elected official to live and be eligible to vote in the district he or she serves.

Mr. Herring acknowledged that Mr. El-Amin provided an accurate summary of the law and provided a legal basis for seeking a writ. But Mr. Herring so far has pledged only to “consult with appropriate parties” and to “take the time I need to reach a well-reasoned decision on any action by my office.”

Under a little known provision of state law, the attorney

general, the commonwealth’s attorney or “any interested person” can ask a circuit court to issue a write of quo warranto “against a person for the misuse or nonuse of any privilege conferred upon him by law” or “against any person who intrudes into or usurps any public office.”

Mr. El-Amin, who lives in the 6th District that he represented on council, notified City Council members of his request to Mr. Herring. He also urged council members to consider making a request to Mr. Herring to file the writ, and he informed them he would apply to the Richmond Circuit Court for the writ if

Fairfax compares ‘rush to judgment’ against him to Jim Crow-era lynching Continued from A1

Gov. Fairfax said.

He was largely addressing the announcement from the Republican chairman of a House of Delegates Committee that his committee would provide a platform at some point in the future for the two accusers to repeat their allegations.

Neither of the women have filed criminal charges.

After Lt. Gov. Fairfax finished his surprise remarks, the 40 senators responded with complete silence.

The lieutenant governor spoke after Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment, R-James City County, praised Lt. Gov. Fairfax “for his professionalism” and his “even-handed approach” in presiding over the Senate despite his situation, which drew standing applause from the Senate for Lt. Gov. Fairfax.

The allegations involving Lt. Gov. Fairfax, only the second African-American to hold statewide office, have come to overshadow the uproar involving his two 2016 running mates, Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring, for wearing blackface decades ago to impersonate African-American entertainers.

Gov. Northam and Mr. Herring also have rejected calls for their resignation.

Lt. Gov. Fairfax’s career took a nosedive Feb. 3 when a California university professor, Dr. Vanessa Tyson went public with an allegation that Mr. Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex in his hotel room during the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004.

Her lawyer has said Dr. Tyson has plans to meet with prosecutors in Massachusetts to detail her 14-year-old allegation, but she has yet to do so.

After Dr. Tyson’s allegation went viral, Meredith Watson of Maryland, added to Lt. Gov. Fairfax’s troubles in airing her allegation that he raped her in 2000 while they were students at Duke University.

Ms. Watson, who has never returned to Durham, N.C., to speak with authorities about a criminal charge, has repeated her accusation in interviews and also clamored for the General Assembly to hold a public hearing to allow her to speak to them.

Two days before the 2019 legislative session adjourned on Feb. 24, Republican Delegate Robert B. “Rob” Bell III of Albemarle County announced that the House of Courts of Justice Committee he chairs would hold that hearing, though he did not give a date or provide much detail.

He said that Ms. Watson, Dr. Tyson and

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Protesters from around the state converge Saturday on the Capitol continuing their call for the resignation of Gov. Ralph S. Northam. One sign also called for Lt. Gov. Justin E. Fairfax’s impeachment.

Lt. Gov. Fairfax all would be invited to testify before the committee, a move that Lt. Gov. Fairfax and many Democrats have panned as a political ploy aimed at publicly shaming the lieutenant governor.

Lt. Gov. Fairfax has indicated he won’t participate in the hearing, leaving it an open question whether Delegate Bell and his GOP colleagues would try to compel him to appear, even if he would not testify.

Lt. Gov. Fairfax has said the accusations should be investigated by law enforcement authorities. In his Senate remarks, he said, “I am confident in the truth” and believes that he would be cleared.

Republican House Majority Leader Del. C. Todd Gilbert of Shenandoah County called Lt. Gov. Fairfax’s comments about lynchings highly inappropriate.

“That is the worst, most disgusting type of rhetoric he could have invoked,” Delegate Gilbert said. “It’s entirely appropriate for him to talk about due process, and we would intend to offer him every ounce of it, and he’s welcome to take advantage of that anytime he would like.”

However, African-American legislators disagreed.

“He said what he needed to say,” said Democratic Sen. Mamie Locke of Hampton.

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Chair-

man Delegate Lamont Bagby of Henrico said he has heard similar rhetoric from his constituents, whom he said have expressed concerns that Lt. Gov. Fairfax is being treated unfairly because of his race.

Petersburg Delegate Lashrecse D. Aird also took Republicans to task on the House floor, noting that they are treating Lt. Gov. Fairfax differently in deciding to hold a hearing on his situation when they never took such action when other delegates and statewide leaders were “actually charged with criminal activity.”

Describing the Republican-led hearing as a “political game,” Delegate Aird noted that such a hearing could only be for show.

“What happens after the hearings?” she asked. “We can offer no conviction, we can offer no real action and we would have taken all parties involved through a political exercise that in the end can actually cause more harm than good and could have a chilling effect on others seeking justice.

“Let me make it crystal clear, as called for in earlier statements, due process is needed and should be afforded to all involved,” she said. “The justice and due process that we seek should be by a law enforcement entity and not by individuals who will be on the ballot in November.”

Mr. Herring did not.

Council President Cynthia I. Newbille said Monday night she has no plans to schedule a meeting with council colleagues to discuss the letter and that other members of the council have not requested such a meeting. That in large measure is because of the advice of City Attorney Allen L. Jackson.

In response to Mr. El-Amin’s letter, Mr. Jackson wrote a memo to City Council in which he described Mr. El-Amin’s letter as identifying “the correct legal process for challenging the right of an elected official to hold office,” but also advised the council not to get involved.

Mr. Jackson stated that he believes that the City Charter only empowers the council to remove a member for committing a crime or “malfeasance in office or neglect of duty, neither of which can properly be said to be present in this situation.” In his view, the issue of Mr. Agelasto’s residence can only be decided by a “judge or jury in a proceeding brought in Circuit Court” under the writ of quo warranto procedure.

However, Mr. Jackson did not address Mr. El-Amin’s point that the city attorney never mentioned to City Council members that the writ of quo warranto existed or advised the governing body that it could request Mr. Herring use it.

Separately, former 5th District City Councilman Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson, who served on the council from 1977 to 1995 and who still lives in the district, is renewing his legal challenge to Mr. Agelasto.

In January, Mr. Richardson had acted as his own lawyer in filing a request for the Richmond Circuit Court to issue a declaratory judgment finding that the 5th District seat is vacant because of Mr. Agelasto’s move from Floyd Avenue in the district to a home he and his wife purchased last summer in the 4200 block of West Franklin Street that is in the 1st District.

Last week, Mr. Richardson said he planned to throw out his initial filing after retaining attorney David O. Prince to take charge.

On behalf of Mr. Richardson, Mr. Prince filed a new request dated Feb. 14 for the Richmond Circuit Court to issue a declaratory judgment that the 5th District seat is empty because of Mr. Agelasto’s failure to adhere to the state residency law.

Despite receiving high marks for his work on the council and on behalf of constituents, Mr. Agelesto has galled supporters like Mr. Richardson who believe that Mr. Agelasto’s presence on the council after moving to another district undermines the progress of past decades.

Both Mr. Richardson and Mr. El-Amin have cited the extended legal battle in the 1970s that ushered in the city’s nine district system of representation and majority African-American control of City Council and of City Hall. As a result, Richmond’s first African-American mayor, Henry L. Marsh III, was elected in 1977.

For them, Mr. Agelasto’s continued service on council while not living in the district represents the first step to a return to the system of at-large voting that allowed wealthy white men from the 1st District to dominate and control city government prior to the legal challenge.

Mr. Agelasto, who has said he will not seek re-election to a third term in 2020, has hired an attorney, former Virginia Attorney General Anthony Troy, to deal with the legal fallout from his move.

Mr. Agelasto, who has issued a blanket “no comment” to questions about his residence, earlier said that he still owns his former home in the 5th District. He continues to maintain his voter registration at that former address, city records show, even though he has rented the home to others since he and his family moved.

Mr. El-Amin and Mr. Richardson have been combing state laws after the eight other members of City Council declined to get involved on the advice of the city attorney.

Mr. Agelasto appeared likely to survive on council after his colleagues declined to move against him and after Kirk Showalter, the city’s voter registrar, advised that state and federal voting laws bar her from taking any action to determine if Mr. Agelasto’s residency for voting purposes is valid.

She said she could only investigate or hold a hearing on a voter’s registration in a case that involved a move out of the city, unlike Mr. Agelasto’s situation that involves a move from one precinct to another within Richmond.

That outcome ensured that Mr. Agelasto remains a registered voter in the 5th District, which he is required to be to serve on council.

City Council approves expansion of real estate tax relief Continued from A1

to $60,000.

Those affected would have until March 31, 2020, to apply to the city’s Finance Department under the upgraded program, which also allows those who qualify to receive free trash collection and recycling pickup, which now costs $21 a month.

Mr. Wack said there is no way to predict how many applications the revamped program would attract, but he forecast that the cost of the upgraded tax relief could add between $750,000 to $1 million to the cost of the program. This year, City Hall budgeted $3.4 million for tax relief due to rising valuations of residences.

Meanwhile, City Council also took action on the city’s former Seven Hills Nursing Home at 1900 Cool Lane. The failing nurs-

ing home that served some of the poorest elderly people in the city was closed in 2008 after then-Mayor L. Douglas Wilder and the council approved the sale of the bed rights to a developer planning a new nursing home in Hanover County.

Since then, the city has fended off purchase offers from Virginia Supportive Housing and others, while insisting it had plans for reusing the building possibly for an employment and job training center. But nothing ever materialized, and the building continued to decay.

The city finally dropped its objections and embraced the latest proposal that Virginia Supportive Housing submitted in October that also had the support of the Henrico County government.

The housing group, which operates 17 lowincome rental communities, including several in Richmond, indicated it could take until Janu-

ary 2021 to assemble the financing and begin construction on a project to serve people and families with incomes of 50 percent or less of the area’s median incomes and provide them with supportive services through partnerships with nearby churches and other community groups.

Housing for individuals and families with little income will be beneficial, the nonprofit noted in pitching the city. “It costs a community $31,000 a year for a chronically homeless person to be homeless,” Virginia Supportive Housing noted, but that cost drops to $10,000 a year “to provide this same individual with permanent supportive housing.”

In other action, the council: • Cleared the administration to use the already budgeted $517,000 to revamp salaries of some employees whose pay is below levels recommended in a wage study;

• Authorized the Richmond Police Department to provide $45,581 to city schools to cover the cost of hiring two additional crossing guards to help students cross streets in going to and from their schools. The move is the first step in turning the crossing guard program over to Richmond Public Schools on July 1. The Police Department currently employs five crossing guards and has two vacant positions, with the two new positions boosting the total to nine authorized people; • Approved the purchase of the former home of Price Automotive Service at 1617 Brook Road to house the parking program and its 51 employees, who now work out of a tiny office space at 101 N. 6th St.; and • Agreed to rezone two industrial properties in the 1800 block East Franklin Street to open the door for redevelopment of the buildings into apartments and retail space.

School Board sends proposed $310.6M budget to mayor Continued from A1

The board also hopes that increased city and state contributions would allow for a $92 million investment to pay for curriculum improvements aimed at raising the number of students who can pass state Standards of Learning tests, cover the cost of 40 additional teachers to bolster computer coding, foreign language and arts courses, allow three high schools and three middle schools to be transformed into themed schools and boost the number of school nurses and mental health and social workers.

These investments represent the springboard for RPS’ goal of having all 44 schools in the district fully accredited by 2023, according to Mr. Kamras.

School Board Vice Chair Patrick Sapini, 5th District, voted against the budget plan as did Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, and Felicia Cosby, 6th District, largely because Mr. Kamras declined to publicly disclose the positions that would be cut in the central office.

Ms. Gibson noted each board member had received two bud-

get documents prior to the board meeting – a 31-page budget summary and a detailed 228-page budget.

Ms. Gibson, referring to the documents and the need for transparency, objected to the public only having access to the 31-page document.

“I was shown job cuts in a closed session, and now I don’t have a list to go back and say, ‘This is what we agreed on as a board.’ I don’t have it. I don’t know what we are voting for, and this is of grave concern for me.”

Others were ready to vote yes even if details were not fully disclosed. For example, Jonathan Young, 4th District, who has advocated for central office cuts, voted for the schools budget for the first time since taking office in 2017.

“This is the first phase,” School Board Chair Dawn C. Page, 8th District, told her colleagues. “There will be opportunity to make changes, if they are needed, before we adopt the budget in June,” Ms. Page said.

After the meeting, Mr. Kamras said that he didn’t know of “any organization that discusses personnel cuts in public. We

will make those decisions in a closed session and then make the information public.

“We will give the impacted employees a notice by April 1, three months before the end of their contracts, so they can make the appropriate arrangements.

“These are the tough choices we have to make if this budget is to achieve the goals we laid out for the board,” he continued.

“We must make sure we are fiscally responsible and fully fund a teacher raise. It is now up to the city to put everything on the table to ensure the pie for RPS resources gets larger,” Mr. Kamras said.

Mayor Stoney, without hinting what he would propose in public education spending, offered some praise. “The School Board faced a number of tough decisions in crafting this budget, and I appreciate it choosing to pass a plan that prioritizes students and teachers.

“I am committed,” he stated, “to identifying the resources needed to provide our students with the learning opportunities they deserve.”

Richmond Free Press

February 28-March 2, 2019

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Local News

General Assembly wraps up 2019 session

By Alan Suderman Associated Press

Virginia lawmakers wrapped up this year’s scandal-marked legislative session Sunday after passing a state budget that includes pay raises for teachers and state employees and significant new spending on public education.

This year’s session has been unlike any other in recent memory, with the state’s top Democratic elected officials facing calls to resign.

Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring acknowledged that they wore blackface in the 1980s, while Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax has been accused by two women of sexual assault, which he denies. The lieutenant governor gave a surprise speech Sunday just before the Senate adjourned in which he compared himself to Jim Crow-era lynching victims.

This year’s session was already highly charged before the wave of scandals started at the beginning of February. All 140 legislative seats are up for grabs in November, and Democrats had high hopes of flipping control of both the House of Delegates and the state Senate as President Trump has led suburban voters to flee the GOP in recent Virginia elections. But Republicans are counting on the recent scandals to help hold their narrow majority, as they portray themselves as the stable hand in a time of turmoil.

“The General Assembly brought stable leadership and delivered results on the issues that matter most at a time when the Commonwealth needed it most,” Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox said.

Some notable legislation that passed this year includes a tax overhaul that will mean refunds of up to $220 for many taxpayers, a study on

legalizing casinos and a measure requiring Dominion Energy to clean up coal ash pits.

Here’s a look at the key issues: TAXES AND SPENDING A key question looming over the session was what to do with a massive windfall in state taxes projected to be generated by changes in the federal tax code. A 2017 federal tax overhaul slashed tax rates but also put new limits on how businesses can account for losses and what kind of deductions individuals can take — changes projected to boost state tax revenues.

The GOP-led General Assembly balked at Democratic Gov. Northam’s initial proposal to keep most of the money and spend it on areas he said the state has long neglected. Instead, lawmakers decided to return the money to taxpayers by issuing refunds of up to $220 this year and increasing the state’s standard deduction in future years.

Lawmakers passed a budget that includes new money for many of the areas outlined by Gov. Northam, including pay raises for teachers.

Gob. Northam said in a statement that he was “heartened that the budget reflects a number of our administration’s priorities.”

GAMBLING Gambling interests in Virginia went on a spending spree with donations and hiring lobbyist during this year’s session in hopes of legalizing casinos and sports betting.

Lawmakers balked at outright approval of proposed casinos in Bristol, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Danville and Richmond, but did approve a broad study of casinos and sports betting and are set

to take up the issues again next year.

Last year, lawmakers legalized slots-like betting machines at the Colonial Downs horse track and off track betting parlors around the state, including one scheduled to open this spring in South Richmond. The racetrack pressed for a study, angering some lawmakers who backed casinos.

“It’s pretty rich that Colonial Downs is the one pushing so hard for a study when not only did we not study their issue last year, but they essentially hoodwinked the vast majority of the General Assembly,” said Republican Delegate Israel O’Quinn, who advocated for a casino in Bristol.

Colonial Downs supporters said there were no attempts to mislead last year and the state is taking the right approach by studying the casino issues further.

OTHER ISSUES A heavily lobbied push to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment met with success in the Senate but was blocked by House Republicans.

A plan to put tolls on I-81 to pay for improvements that had the backing of Gov. Northam and some Republican lawmakers fell apart in the face of opposition from the trucking industry and the Virginia Manufacturing Association.

The General Assembly also approved legislation last Friday to require Dominion Energy to recycle or store in lined landfills millions of cubic yards of coal ash currently located at sites around the state.

Dominion said it also supported the plan. The company had argued for years that leaving coal ash in unlined pits was safe and the best alternative.

Coal ash is waste left from burning the fossil fuel to produce electricity.

‘Mayorathon 2019: Policy Jam’ set for Feb. 28

Mayor Levar M. Stoney will participate in a in-depth, informal discussion about his first two years in office from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Virginia Commonwealth University Institute for Contemporary Art, 601 W. Broad St. More than a dozen area nonprofits have joined with host moderators from Richmond magazine and The Spark Mill to present “Mayorathon 2019: Policy Jam.” The mayor will be quizzed about issues facing the city, with suggestions

for priorities for the mayor and City Council to undertake during the remainder of Mayor Stoney’s term through December 2020.

Richmond magazine held an initial mayorathon leading up to the 2016 election.

Seating is available on a first-come, firstserved basis, with an overflow space available to view the event. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., with beer, wine and snacks available for purchase.

Details and RSVP: richmondmag.com/ mayorathon2.

Richmond woman files $30M lawsuit alleging rights violation in police traffic stop

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

An African-American resident of Richmond is seeking $30 million in damages from the City of Richmond and the white police officer who put her in handcuffs during a traffic stop for a defective headlight and tail light — a restraint practice the suit alleges affects mostly African-American drivers in violation of their constitutional rights.

Attorneys for Thelma N. Brown filed the suit Feb. 6 in Richmond Circuit Court seeking $10 million in compensatory damages from the officer who made the stop, Benjamin J. Frazer, and the City of Richmond and $20 million in punitive damages aimed at deterring police officers from willfully using handcuffs during such stops.

“Only a judgment in such a large amount will act to punish police departments, in general, and the City of Richmond, specifically, as well as identify and develop strategies to actively discourage … discriminatory practices and equal justice violations,” states the lawsuit filed by attorneys David P. Baugh and Christopher L. Anderson.

The city was served with the suit Feb. 13, but the officer is not listed as having been served yet, according to court records. The city’s policy is to bar any comment on pending litigation beyond the responses and paperwork filed with the court.

The incident that led to the suit began with the stop around 11:30 p.m. Nov. 19 on Midlothian Turnpike near Ms. Brown’s residence. Officer Frazer ultimately issued Ms. Brown two tickets, one for each defective light. Those tickets ended up being dismissed Jan. 4 when the cases were heard in Richmond General District Court, according to court records.

The lawsuit revolves around Ms. Brown’s interaction with Officer Frazer before the tickets were written.

When the officer approached her car, Ms. Brown “demanded to know why the officer pulled her over. She said he would not tell her, but instead asked for her license and registration, and it escalated from there,” Mr. Baugh said.

The interaction was captured on Officer Frazer’s body camera, Mr. Baugh said, which is expected to be a key piece of evidence if the case goes to trial. Previous court rulings make it difficult for civilians to prevail in suits involving police officers.

The suit claims that Ms. Brown “was subjected to threatening and intimidating behavior” and “was compelled to exit her vehicle and handcuffed by the side of the street.”

Mr. Baugh said that an informal Brown’s awareness of news reports survey he conducted indicates that concerning police shootings of unit is a frequent practice for officers armed African-Americans.” to tell African-American drivers to Her concern mounted, the suit leave their cars during a stop and states, when she noticed that Officer to place the driver in restraints — a Frazer’s summons book displayed practice that Mr. Baugh said white political stickers supportive of two drivers rarely are subjected to and people she considers hostile to Africanwhich he called “a denial of equal Americans, President Trump and Vice Mr. Baugh protection rights.”

President Mike Pence.

According to the suit, Officer Frazer “placed According to the suit, Officer Frazer intended the plaintiff in fear and concern for her life” for Ms. Brown “to see and be intimidated at the based on his behavior and demeanor and Ms. sight of the political stickers.”

The suit also blames the city for failing in its duty “not to hire or retain officers who are prejudiced;” failing in its duty to train officers to properly engage with the public without creating fear and anxiety; and failing to do any studies to determine if the Richmond Police Department “discriminates against African-Americans in the application of traffic and criminal charges.”

As a result, the suit states, “has engaged in a pattern of negligent indifference or calculated tolerate to efforts … to actively deprive African-American citizens of equal treatment under the law.”

New study shows disparity in number of city police encounters with African-Americans

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

African-Americans in Richmond are involved in nearly two out of three civilian encounters with police officers, with lopsided contacts when police are checking out suspicious persons or activities, a new study finds.

The study, based on 27,432 field interview reports, or FIRs, that Richmond Police officers submitted between Jan. 1 and Oct. 1, 2018, found that African-Americans comprise 65 percent of those who had contacts with police officers.

The study was produced by a new coalition called the Richmond Transparency and Accountability Project, an umbrella group started in 2016 that includes the New Virginia Majority, the Legal Aid Justice Center and Southerners on New Ground, as well as Dr. Liz Costen, a Virginia Commonwealth University sociology instructor involved in preparing the study.

The study found officers recorded 17,808 encounters with African-Americans during the period, or more than twice the 7,942 contacts with white individuals, the second largest group.

According to the study, the racial disparity was more evident when the contacts were broken down by category. For example, African-Americans were listed in 71 percent of the field reports involving suspicious persons and 66 percent of field reports involving suspicious activities.

The study also found the field reports

overrepresented African-Americans in contacts involving teen curfew violations (98 percent), driving without a valid license, (86 percent), gang activity (79.6 percent), trespassing (78 percent) and disorderly conduct (76 percent).

Interim Police Chief William C. Smith, who released the field reports in mid-January, has not responded to a Free Press request for comment on the findings.

Dr. Costen said field reports provide the first inside look at Richmond Police activity.

However, the reports, she said, leave an unanswered question: “Whether police are doing their jobs or whether they are using the letter of the law to disproportionately stop and/or surveil particular groups.

“Given some of the vast disparities that were found, this is an important question,” she said.

The study noted the field reports recorded 8,700 encounters involving suspicious persons, suspicious activities or suspicious vehicles, although Dr. Costen noted that the data did not include any information on how many different individuals were involved.

Of the 4,605 encounters involving suspicious persons, 3,271 or 71 percent involved officer interactions with African-Americans.

The field reports also show that AfricanAmericans were encountered 2,346 times in field reports on suspicious activities, representing two out of three of the 3,539 encounters included in the field reports.

In the nebulous category of “other activities,” officers reported 3,612 encounters with

African-Americans, or 67 percent of the 5,406 field reports.

Another red flag the study found involved a special category documenting police encounters with individuals in the Broad Street corridor in Downtown — 80 percent of the 45 field interview reports involved police contacts with African-Americans.

The Richmond Transparency and Accountability Project coalition spent two years lobbying City Hall and former Police Chief Alfred Durham for release of the information on police contacts with the public, including leading a protest last August outside City Hall.

Before leaving his post in December, Chief Durham, with support from Mayor Levar M. Stoney, agreed to release the field reports and dropped a previous request that the transparency project pay for the cost of generating this first-of-its-kind look at police work.

Chief Smith released the field report data on Jan. 18. In a letter accompanying the data, he wrote, “Field interview cards are completed at the officer’s discretion based on the nature of the interaction with the individual and are not necessarily indicative of criminal activity. … Please note that officers may have completed field interview cards on the same person multiple times.”

Despite the shortcomings, Jasmine Leeward, a spokeswoman for the New Virginia Majority, called the release of the field reports “a huge victory considering the black box around law enforcement activity across the country that keeps the public in the dark on who is policed and what that policing looks like.”

Dominion to ask U.S. Supreme Court to hear pipeline appeal Free Press wire report

Dominion Energy said Tuesday it will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal after a lower court refused to reconsider a ruling tossing out a permit that would have allowed the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross two national forests, including parts of the Appalachian Trail.

Lead pipeline developer Dominion said it expects the filing of an appeal in the next 90 days. On Monday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request for a full court rehearing from Dominion and the U.S. Forest Service.

A three-judge panel ruled in December that the Forest Service lacks the authority to authorize the trail crossing and had “abdicated its responsibility to preserve national forest resources” when it approved the pipeline crossing the George Washington and Monongahela National Forests, as well as a right of way

across the Appalachian Trial.

The 605-mile natural gas pipeline would originate in West Virginia and run through North Carolina and Virginia.

The appellate ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the Sierra Club, Virginia Wilderness Committee and other environmental groups. The denial “sends the Atlantic Coast Pipeline back to the drawing board,” the law center and Sierra Club said in a joint statement on Monday.

The groups said they believe it is impossible to build the pipeline “without causing massive landslides and threatening the Appalachian Trail and our clean water.”

Dominion said it is pursuing “legislative and administrative options” in addition to seeking U.S. Supreme Court review.

“We are confident that the U.S. Departments of Interior and Agriculture have the authority to resolve the Appalachian Trail crossing issue administratively in a manner that satisfies the

Court’s stated objection,” the company said in its statement.

Dominion said it believes the issue can be resolved in time to allow partial construction work to resume later this year.

A company spokesman declined to elaborate on what kind of legislative and administrative remedies Dominion would seek if the nation’s highest court declines to hear its appeal.

D.J. Gerken, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, said the 4th Circuit’s ruling in December made it clear that the Forest Service lacks statutory authority to issue pipeline right of ways over the Appalachian Trail on federal land.

Mr. Gerken said Dominion could conceivably ask Congress to give statutory authority to the Forest Service or another federal agency.

“They are trying to avoid going back to the drawing board and doing a responsible job,” Mr. Gerken said.

Richmond Free Press

Duck in Fountain Lake at Byrd Park

Editorial Page

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February 28-March 2, 2019

New History and Culture Commission We were interested to see the list of appointees on Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s new History and Culture Commission that was released this week. It has been charged with advising the mayor and the city on creating more “equitable spaces and opportunities” when it comes to public monuments and spaces of historical and cultural significant.

While the new panel is an outgrowth of the mayor’s former Monument Avenue Commission, we hope that it will not be a continuation of the weak, accommodationist group that buckled on removing all of the shameful statues to Confederate traitors along Monument Avenue.

That now defunct commission bowed to the pressure of factions who hide behind the hood of heritage as an excuse to maintain the public statues honoring white racists who fought a war to keep black people in human bondage. Last year, the commission recommended that only the statue to Jefferson Davis, the former Confederate president, be removed and that signs of “context” be added to the four other statues of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, J.E.B. Stuart and Matthew Fontaine Maury. The commission also suggested that additional statues be added to Monument Avenue.

Mayor Stoney views the new History and Culture Commission as providing direction on implementing the recommendations of the Monument Avenue panel. But we hope the new panel will see its mission as broader and more important than implementing the wimpy suggestions of the moribund group.

The new nine-member commission is comprised of five African-American and four Caucasian voting members who have a diverse range of talent and experience. We hope they have the backbone and vision to recommend and help create a clear, uncut, unvarnished, inclusive and complete history of Richmond in our public spaces that honors the memory and contributions of true heroes. We need a group that will honestly question why we still have scores of street names, bridges, buildings, statues and other nomenclature recognizing the Lost Cause.

We hope people of conscience will be vigilant in monitoring the new commission’s meetings and actions and provide critical input to make their work fruitful and reflective of the positive contributions of generations of people — particularly people of color — who built this city.

We all want a Richmond we can be proud of. We want a city that visitors can enjoy as they learn about the richness of our past.

And we want a city that can attract new and growing companies because we are a visibly inclusive and forward-thinking community that publicly honors the proud parts of our past.

What we choose to publicly honor — through statues, street and bridge names and others — says a lot about us. We hope the History and Culture Commission will act upon that fact.

The price of reconciliation Out of crisis comes opportunity.

And the blackface scandal that has thrown Virginia into chaos during the last month is no exception. But while Gov. Ralph S. Northam selfishly is determined to hang on to his seat rather than do the right thing and resign, we urge our community to understand and walk through the door of opportunity this horrid situation presents.

For the governor, there is “no short road to redemption,” as Delegate Joe Lindsey of Norfolk stated, noting that Gov. Northam’s revised $117 billion, two-year state budget that was approved Sunday on the final day of the General Assembly session was a good starting point in dealing with racism in Virginia head-on.

Many of the items negotiated and now approved in the revised budget were priorities sought by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus: $25 million for school districts such as Richmond that have large numbers of “at-risk” students as indicated by the numbers receiving free and reduced price lunch; $15.5 million in additional financial aid for disadvantaged students at Virginia’s public colleges and universities, especially those attending HBCUs; $52 million to freeze public college tuition; $1.5 million more in state funds for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund; and just over $100,000 for an eviction prevention study.

This may start us on the road toward dealing with the vast inequities resulting from Virginia’s racist past. But there are many, many more racist laws, policies, practices and procedures still in place today that were designed to keep African-Americans subjugated in this state. We must continue to call them out and demand and work toward change.

The national conversation about race spawned by the blackface confessions of Gov. Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring puts Virginians in the driver’s seat in shaping what reconciliation and healing should look like. African-Americans now must be able to clearly articulate what it is we want to secure a more equitable and inclusive future.

Gov. Northam, who has been hiding in the Executive Mansion, shows that he is not ready to confront the sins of his own past.

He scrubbed the launch of his so-called “reconciliation tour” last week when Virginia Union University students, speaking through Student Government Association President Jamon K. Phenix, said they didn’t want him to come to the historically black campus and disrupt the celebration honoring alumni known as the Richmond 34, the true heroes who as students in 1960 risked their lives and future careers by staging a sit-in at the all-white lunch counter and restaurant at Thalhimer’s department store in Downtown.

Gov. Northam must understand that true reconciliation and atonement includes more than his alternative of hosting the Richmond 34 for a quick breakfast at the Executive Mansion and then tweeting out photos of himself looking chummy with African-Americans.

Those pictures, along with the photos the governor tweeted of himself visiting with John W. Boyd, head of the National Black Farmers Association, don’t signify that everything is alright and that he can sit easy in the job.

We are not duped by such images, nor will we be placated by invitations to break bread with the governor or join with others who mistakenly think such things will satisfy the long injustice meted out in this Commonwealth and this nation.

Gov. Northam must understand that as long as he remains in office, he will face public criticism and humiliation as a consequence of bringing hurt, humiliation and shame to Virginians and then deciding to stay in office. It will not be pretty, and it will not blow over soon. He must deal with it as part of the healing.

In the larger view, Gov. Northam must know that our community seeks sea change that can only be brought on by an authentic commitment to meaningful and impactful addressing of issues.

While we still believe that resignation is the price Gov. Northam must pay, we urge the community to thoughtfully and skillfully outline a plan to ensure a better future.

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Smollett and real hate crimes

“I’m left hanging my head and asking why. Why would anyone, especially an AfricanAmerican man use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? How could someone look at t h e h a t re d and suffering associated with that symbol and see an opportunity to manipulate that symbol to further his own public profile? How can an individual who’s been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everybody in the face making these false claims?” – Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson Last week, the Southern Poverty Law Center announced that the number of hate groups in the United States continued to rise for the fourth consecutive year in 2018.

Also, last week, a television actor was arrested on charges of staging a fake racist and homophobic attack on himself, allegedly so he could appear more sympathetic in salary negotiations.

The announcement by Chicago Police of the case against “Empire” actor Jussie Smollet sparked outrage and dismay across the nation, particularly among people of color and

LGBTQ people who are increasingly targets of hate crimes like the one Mr. Smollett allegedly staged.

Mr. Smollett is, of course, presumed innocent until proven guilty and is entitled to due process. But the accusations shock

Marc H. Morial the conscience.

The SPLC said the 30 percent rise in the number of hate groups since 2014 coincided with a 30 percent increase in the number of hate crimes reported to the FBI from 2015 through 2017.

At least 50 people were killed in a wave of right wing violence in 2018, according to the AntiDefamation League.

Just a week ago, too, federal authorities arrested a selfdescribed white nationalist Coast Guard officer who authorities said had stockpiled 15 firearms and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition in his Maryland home to launch a violent attack against politicians and journalists to establish a “white homeland.” His hit list of prospective victims included prominent Democratic politicians, activists, political organizations and media personalities.

In the face of the growing menace of hate-fueled terrorism, it would be tragic if the collapse of Mr. Smollett’s story makes it harder for true victims of hate crimes to be believed. As New

York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie noted on Twitter, the details of many hate crimes are outrageous and accounts of the horrors of lynchings and other racially motivated terrorism are sometimes met with incredulity.

“Take a deep dive into the history of racist violence in the United States and you’ll come away with countless items that sound absurd or even … conspiratorial. But they are true, and the truth of them informs reactions today,” Mr. Bouie wrote.

Mr. Bouie was responding to a conversation that included mention of the 1998 murders of James Byrd Jr. and Matthew Shepard. White supremacists attacked Mr. Byrd in Jasper, Texas, spraypainted his face and chained him by his ankles to the bumper of a pickup truck. He was dragged 3 miles, conscious for most of the ordeal until he was decapitated.

Mr. Shepard’s attackers, motivated by homophobia, tied him to a fence and pistol-whipped him into unconsciousness in Laramie, Wyo. The University of Wyoming student hung on the fence for 18 hours before he was found, and lingered nearly a week in a coma before he died.

The Chicago Police appear to have done thorough work in Mr. Smollett’s case. They took his complaint seriously, devoted considerable resources to investigating his claims and followed the evidence where it led. Every

Slavery, history and warped games According to some historians, Afrodescendants first entered these United States in 1619 off the coast of Virginia. If we believe that narrative, Afrodescendents have been in this country for 400 years. If the people who were kidnapped and brought here had to tell the story, would they tell the same one? Would they say that we came before Columbus? That some of us might have been here even longer? There were captured Africans that came from the mother continent in 1619, but also, thanks to the transatlantic slave trade, Africans were here who had come from Bermuda, Jamaica and other places.

Why is this relevant? Because there is a misguided group of Afrodescendants who are throwing shade at those who are not “American descendants of slaves,” or ADOS. Their shade is an odd version of the “Am I Black Enough For You” game that some folks ran against former President Obama and are now running against presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Cory Booker.

What is black enough when we, Afrodescendant people, all have enslavement in our background? Let’s make it plain. Europeans went to the African continents, kidnapped people (sometimes with African acquiescence), brought them to

the Western Hemisphere and sold us. Goods and people flowed between England, the Americas and Africa, including sugar, tobacco, manufactured products, guns and humans. Understand that everyone in the triangle was affected and that enslaved people were freely traded between the United States and other parts of

Julianne Malveaux the Americas.

I am not sure what kinds of warped brains dreamed up the realities of enslavement and the ways that a minority in the South was able to control a majority. The laws that managed enslavement included laws that prevented literacy, ownership and much else.

Fast forward 400 years. Why are teachers in Loudoun County, Va., forcing fifth- and sixth-grade students to simulate enslavement with an obstacle course they called “The Underground Railroad”? Why were many of these students Afrodescendants? Why are the leaders of the school silent about the discipline that was ordered on the rogue teachers who took it upon their ignorant selves to construct such an exercise? Why has David Stewart, principal of the Madison Trust School in Loudoun County, sent out a vapid apology for a “culturally insensitive” exercise and not a more strongly worded condemnation of the racism implicit in this nonsense.

We have been here at least 400 years and still some folks aren’t clear about the ways enslavement

has shaped our nation. In Virginia, where both the governor and the attorney general — two of the top three elected officials in the state — have admitted to masquerading in blackface, albeit 30-odd years ago, teachers don’t see anything wrong with subjecting black students to a reenactment of enslavement. Oh, they said they were teaching “teamwork.” Really.

We have been here at least 400 years and our nation is not yet clear about its flawed foundations. There would be no house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. — which should not be called the White House, but the House that Enslaved People Built — were it not for the labor of kidnapped people and their descendants. There would be no banking system if enslaved people were not used as collateral for European devilment. There would be no insurance industry were it not for the enslaved.

But our collective ignorance allows us, all of us — AfricanAmericans, European Americans and others — to live in denial, pretending that there is fairness in a racist, patriarchal, predatory, capitalist society.

We have been here at least 400 years, but we still aren’t clear about the nonsense and exploitation that affects and infuses our very foundation. Our entire nation needs to go back to school to learn some history.

But there is a special place in hell for teachers in Loudoun County who think that enslavement is some kind of game.

The writer is an economist and author.

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

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

report of a hate crime should be investigated as thoroughly.

Many questions remain about the Smollett case. False reports — particularly in a high-profile case — represent a squandering of precious law enforcement resources. Chicago, battling a wave of gun violence, can ill afford the distraction.

Indeed, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said, “I just wish that the families of gun violence in this city got this much attention because that’s who really deserves the amount of attention that we’re giving to this particular incident.”

Rather than minimize the true victims of hate crimes, we should take this opportunity to turn our attention to the rising threat. And should Mr. Smollett be proved beyond a reasonable doubt to have betrayed the public trust, he must be held accountable for his actions.

The writer is president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.

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Richmond Free Press

February 28-March 2, 2019

A7

Letters to the Editor

More from Free Press readers on Gov. Ralph S. Northam Accountability, not disrespect I could not help but notice the African-American politicians, religious and community leaders who have chosen to side with Gov. Ralph S. Northam. Either they have forgotten or just overlooked his nickname, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coonman.â&#x20AC;? Of all the people they could have put their trust in, they chose the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coonman.â&#x20AC;? And that is not a nickname you are given by accident.

Amazingly, the day the racist photos surfaced from Gov. Northamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical school yearbook, these people were outraged, furious and calling for his resignation. Now, after several private meetings with the governor, their whole perspective on the matter has changed dramatically. They went from calling on the governor to resign, to saying letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use this situation as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;teachableâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;healingâ&#x20AC;? moment.

The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus stated after Gov. Northamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s press conference that it had renewed their belief that he should go.

This was the perfect opportunity to hold Gov. Northam accountable for his actions. It would have sent a strong message going forward that African-Americans would no longer tolerate or accept being disrespected or dehumanized by anyone.

It is an absolute shame that African-Americans would rather settle for an apology, a breakfast or some form of luncheon without any consequences.

I applaud the groups and organizations that continue to rally and demand that Gov. Northam resign. You are the true leaders and you are standing on the right side of â&#x20AC;&#x153;justice.â&#x20AC;?

Wayne Holmes Richmond

Eastern Virginia Medical School via Associated Press

This image shows Virginia Gov. Ralph S. Northamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s page in his 1984 Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook. The page shows a picture of a person in blackface and another wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood next to different pictures of the governor.

Dismantle racist systems and start anew

The culture of white supremacy is the foundation upon which this nation was built. It has dominated every system of power in this country for the past 400 years. This moment in Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history provides us with a glaring opportunity to confront the culture of white supremacy and begin deconstructing the flawed systems that perpetuate the lie that there is a dominant and a subordinate culture.

The RISE for Youth Coalition and our youth-led arm, Youth for RISE, are not repulsed by Gov. Ralph S. Northam or any other official who, in their past, took part in racially insensitive actions used to rehearse and reinforce white supremacist systems and structures. We are repulsed and refuse to turn the cheek to these hateful, racist and white supremacist actions and the lies they represent and perpetuate.

It is time for a reckoning in the Commonwealth of Virginia â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a reckoning that demands not just acknowledgment of the vileness of these actions, but accountability and the hard work of developing a concrete plan to change the trajectory of the systems of government and power in Virginia.

Dismantling Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s racist systems and structures is not synonymous with Gov. Northam stepping down. Neither would his stepping down make those most harmed â&#x20AC;&#x153;feel betterâ&#x20AC;? about the hurt and betrayal of trust rippling through our communities.

But there are times when taking full responsibility and championing change require drastic action.

Virginia needs a champion willing to condemn white suprema-

cist ideology to embrace and build the new Virginia legacy of equity, unity and justice for all â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a champion willing to seize this opportunity to tear down the systems and structures of white supremacy and to work to build an equitable future for all in our state and our nation.

Accomplishing the monumental task of deconstructing hate and the poisoned systems of disparity and disenfranchisement hate breeds, and building a new and equitable system of unity and justice for all will take the commitment of every Virginian.

RISE for Youth is asking Gov. Northam to take the extended hand of the harmed communities of Virginia and lead the charge for overdue and much-needed change in racial, social and juvenile justice â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not reaching down from an exalted position of supreme authority, but as our fellow community member, a husband, a father and a fellow Virginian, with rolled sleeves ready to do the hard work.

Gov. Northam, RISE for Youth asks you to stand shoulder to shoulder with your countrymen to dismantle the old and begin again.

VALERIE SLATER, Executive Director RISE for Youth Coalition Richmond RISE for Youth is a nonpartisan campaign promoting the creation of community-based alternatives to youth incarceration and works to challenge racial injustice.

Blackface dehumanizes African-Americans Gov. Ralph S. Northamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past actions are inexcusable and his current behavior is awful. Explicit, intentional racism is condemned in much of America, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still failing to eliminate implicit racism caused by ignorance, status quo and apathy.

Regardless of Gov. Northamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intentions, he has failed to empathize with African-Americans. He has failed to educate himself on how blackface has historically undermined accurate representation of the black experience. He has failed to evaluate how Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historical subjugation of people of color has pervaded the values of every nation ever touched by imperialism, leaving the persistent message that light skin is inherently of more value than dark skin, a message that can only be eliminated through vigilant education, compassion and empathy.

Blackface does and always has perpetuated the dehumanization of African-American people, and it is not the place of white people to decide where and when blackface is permissible.

This situation is incredibly unfortunate, but I do hope it inspires Gov. Northam, regardless of his future political career, to evaluate the trivialization of the black identity for entertainment and to develop greater empathy for people of color. HANNAH RIPLEY Richmond

7E RECORD IT WEEKS A YEAR )N A FAIR MINDED ENLIGHTENED CONTEXT 7E CELEBRATE OUR HEROES AND HEROINES IN EVERY EDITION

Richmond Free Press

Richmond Free Press

A8 February 28-March 2, 2019

Sports Stories by Fred Jeter

VSU could meet VUU in men’s final

It’s possible something could occur this week that’s never happened in CIAA Basketball Tournament history dating to 1946.

Next-door rivals Virginia State and Virginia Union universities, which are on opposite sides of the bracket, could meet in the March 2 tournament final at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. This is no far-fetched theory. VSU and VUU both journeyed to the Queen City feeling a stiff breeze at their backs. VSU Coach Lonnie Blow’s Trojans, the top seed in the CIAA Northern Division, are 24-4 overall, 16-1 in the CIAA. VSU has won 20 of the last 21 games, with its only loss during that run a 75-67 rout at VUU on Feb. 9 at Barco-Stevens Hall. It marked the Trojans’ lone loss since Nov. 28.

This domination is no fluke. VSU is 95-21 under Coach Blow during the past four seasons.

VSU was set to open Wednesday against either Winston-Salem State University or Elizabeth City State University. A victory would send the Trojans to the semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday, March 1.

As the No. 2 seed in the Northern Division, VUU opens at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, against either Claflin, Chowan or Johnson C. Smith universities depending on which team wins earlier round games.

VUU Coach Jay Butler’s defending CIAA champion Panthers are 18-10 overall, 13-4 in the CIAA, and have won seven of the past eight games, including the bold-letter win over VSU. VSU is led by 6-foot-6 Cleveland native Jahmere Howze averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game. Point guard C.J. Wiggins is among the CIAA’s assists leaders and Cyonte Melvin may be the conference’s top perimeter defender. Brandon Holley and Jalen Jackson are 3-point specialists.

VUU features ample star power, too. Guard Terrell Leach, who joined the Panthers 17 games ago, averages 21.1 points, followed

by Will Jenkins (15.1 points) and Demarius Pitts (13.1 points).

Coaches from VUU and VSU deserve much credit for navigating their teams through choppy water. Coach Butler lost seven seniors from last year’s Panthers team, and earlier this month, guard Jemal Smith was sidelined with a broken hand.

Coach Blow also has rebuilt his lineup from a year ago. The Trojans lost three senior starters from 2018. Then Walter Williams, among the top returnees, was lost for the season in November with a foot injury.

While VUU and VSU have never met in the CIAA finals, they did collide in the 2018 semifinals with the Panthers prevailing in an upset.

VSU is ranked third in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region and will likely receive a NCAA tournament bid regardless of what happens in Charlotte. Unranked VUU will likely have to win the tournament to keep its season afloat.

A top reason why both VSU and VUU never reached the final dance together was the overwhelming presence of Norfolk State University. Before bolting to the MEAC, NSU made the CIAA finals 21 times between 1965 and 1996.

The championship game at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2, is a break from the CIAA’s Saturday night tradition. Typically, Friday’s semifinal games don’t end until about midnight. So the teams playing in the championship will take the court after

only a short rest.

Aspire TV will televise the quarterfinals, semifinals and final games.

• Shaw University’s Bears are the top seed in the CIAA’s South Division, with the team’s marquee attraction being Amir Hinton.

If form holds, VUU would play Shaw in the semifinal nightcap at 9 p.m. Friday, March 1.

Hinton is bidding to become the fifth CIAA athlete to lead the NCAA Division II in scoring. The 6-foot-5 native Philadelphian who transferred to Shaw from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, was averaging a nation’s best 30.4 points as of Feb. 21. Second at 29.3 points is Concord University’s Tom Bolte.

Hinton has dominated CIAA scoring.

Coach Butler Second in the CIAA is Livingstone College’s Roger Ray at 21.6 points. Hinton also averages about five rebounds and five assists, while hitting nearly 90 percent from the foul line.

Earlier this season, Hinton pumped in a Bears’ record 52 points in the team’s loss at the University of Tampa.

CIAA players leading the NCAA in scoring were: • 1967: Earl Monroe, Winston-Salem State University, 41.5 points • 1981: Greg Jackson, St. Paul’s College, 27.6 points • 1990: A.J. English, Virginia Union University, 33.4 points • 1991: Gary Mattison, St. Augustine’s University, 29.5 points

Shameka and Shareka McNeill

Lady Panthers expected to dominate CIAA

Twin sisters Shameka and Shareka McNeill should feel right at home at this weeks’ CIAA Tournament in Charlotte, N.C. Virginia Union University’s sophomore 5-foot-5 guards hail from Harding High School in downtown Charlotte.

Under Coach AnnMarie Gilbert, the Lady Panthers are the defending champions and the clear favorite to claim the tournament Coach Gilbert crown again this year. The Lady Panthers are 24-2 overall, 15-2 in CIAA and have outscored opponents by an average of 75 to 51.

Shameka McNeill is among the top players in the CIAA and throughout NCAA Division II. She averages 23.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and has nailed 77 3-pointers.

Virginia State and Virginia Union universities are well Coming off a knee injury, Shareka Mcrepresented on what amounts to the CIAA’s men’s’ and women’s Neill is a VUU sparkplug off the bench. basketball honor rolls.

VUU lost a key inside player Feb. 9 Superlatives were announced Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C., following when Nigeria native Ifunanya Okoye sufa vote of league coaches and sports information directors. fered an injury in the game against Virginia Jahmere Howze of VSU and William Jenkins of VUU have State University. made the All-CIAA first team while VSU Coach Lonnie Blow Coach Blow If VUU wins its quarterfinal game as was named CIAA Coach of the Year. expected, the Lady Panthers would play Shaw University’s Amir Hinton was named Player of the Year, while Jenkins was in the semifinals at 1 p.m. Friday, March named Defensive Player of the Year.

Demarius Pitts of VUU was named Rookie of the Year while his Panthers teammate, 1. The women’s title game is 1 p.m. SatRaemaad Wright, made the All-Rookie team. urday, March 2.

On the women’s side, Shareka McNeill of VUU was named Player of the Year and The women’s semifinal and final games freshman Ifunanya Okoye was selected to the All-Rookie team. Unfortunately, Okoye will be televised by Aspire TV. is out for the season with a leg injury.

Coach Gilbert’s squad is ranked No. Surprisingly, VUU’s Terrell Leach was shut out in the balloting, although he rarely 2 in the NCAA Atlantic Region behind comes up empty on the floor.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Since joining VUU 17 games ago, the 6-foot guard has averaged 21.1 points, with is virtually assured a bid to the NCAA 53 3-point connections. He is also a dazzling jumper.

Tournament, no matter the team’s outcome Leach will try and win the last laugh in Charlotte. in Charlotte.

VSU’s Lonnie Blow named Coach of the Year

John Marshall rolling toward second straight state title

James Haskins/Richmond Free Press

John Marshall High School senior Aubrey Merritt goes up for the score during the Justices’ 10062 victory over Culpeper County High School on Feb. 22 in the regional final.

In its quest for a second straight state basketball title, Richmond’s John Marshall High School has switched from a No. 1 single star to a galaxy of shining lights.

Among those making Coach Ty White’s eyes twinkle brightest is versatile 6-foot-1 senior guard Aubrey Merritt.

“Aubrey’s a leader, selfless and tough as nails,” Coach White said after the team’s 100-62 rout of Culpeper County High School in the Feb. 22 Class 3, Region B final held in Richmond at Huguenot High School.

Merritt is one of four senior standouts returning from last year’s 3A State title run.

Rather than list his position as guard, forward or center, Merritt is more of a hybrid. His pergame averages of 12 points and six assists don’t reveal the full extent of his capabilities.

“He does whatever I ask,” Coach White said.

“If I ask Aubrey to score, he scores. If I ask him to pass, he passes. If I ask him to take out the trash, he takes out the trash.”

John Marshall won last year’s title with marquee attraction Isaiah Todd, who was rated among the top players in the nation in the Class of 2020. Todd has since transferred to Trinity Academy in Raleigh, N.C. Without Todd, the Justices haven’t lost their pole position in the State 3A’s fast lane. If anything, the blue and white clad team from North Side might have even shifted up a gear.

“We lost one star, so we all go harder on offense and defense,” Merritt said. “The goal is the same — the state championship, absolutely.”

For now, Merritt is leaning toward taking his cross-over dribble to Life University in Marietta, Ga., but he’s keeping his options open. He figures to continue to impress as John Marshall edges closer to another state crown.

If basketball was a game of poker, Coach White would be holding a fistful of aces. Here are the first six in minutes logged: Merritt: Splits ball-handling duty with Levar Allen. He is a threat from a distance and relentless in pressure defense.

Jairus Ashlock (6-foot-4, senior): Another all-round performer, he excels in the open floor and attacks the rim with vengeance.

Levar Allen (6-foot-1, senior): This four-year starter runs the show. He is surprisingly quick and nimble at 227 pounds.

DeMarr McRae (6-feet, senior): Has huge NCAA Division I potential. He peaked in the region semifinals with 43 points against Richmond’s George Wythe High School.

Elijah Seward (6-foot-0, junior): An excellent shooter and jumper. He wowed the crowd with a two-handed, alley-oop slam against Culpeper.

Roosevelt Wheeler (6-foot-10, sophomore): Known as the “human eraser” for his shot-blocking skills. He had eight blocks against Culpeper.

Add to that a group of bench players who’d be starters on many other 3A squads. Also, John Marshall had a strong junior varsity season with eighth-grader Te’Quan Allen, Levar Allen’s brother, an exciting up-and-comer.

• For the second straight year, the Justices have continued gathering momentum throughout season.

Last year’s team won its last 13 games in a

row and 19 of its final 20 games.

The current team, with a 20-4 record, has won 14 of the last 15 games and hasn’t suffered defeat since a 57-55 loss to Class 5 L.C. Bird High School of Chesterfield County on Feb. 2.

• Richmond schools have won nine state championships since the merger of the formerly all-white Virginia High School League and the all-black Virginia Interscholastic Association.

Here’s the list: 1971: Maggie Walker High School, Group AAA 1975: Thomas Jefferson High School, Group AAA 1976: Maggie Walker, Group AAA 1982 and ’83: Marshall-Walker, Group AAA 1984: Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe, Group AAA 2014: John Marshall, 3A 2015: George Wythe, 3A 2018: John Marshall, Class 3 Based on enrollment, the VHSL went from a three-division alignment (AAA, AA, A) to six divisions (labeled 1 through 6) in 2014.

’s next opponent John Marshall High School’s next opponent is among the most decorated programs in state history — the I.C. Norcom High School Greyhounds from Portsmouth.

John Marshall plays Norcom at 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, in the State Class 3 quarterfinals at the Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center.

Roosevelt It’s a rematch of sorts, with John Marshall the clear favorite.

Wheeler The Justices defeated Norcom 79-52 on Dec. 8 at the Ashe Center. Norcom lost to Phoebus High School of Hampton 79-57 in its regional final on Feb. 22.

Norcom (13-12) is having a down season by its high standards, but its past achievements are all over the VHSL record book.

The Greyhounds won six state titles between 2010 and 2017. The team took the AAA crown in 2010 and 2011, the 4A title in 2014 and 2015 and the 3A championship in 2016 and 2017.

Any talk of Norcom hoops would be remiss without reference to Johnny Morris. On Feb. 22, 1961, Morris scored 127 points by himself in a victory over Mary Smith High of the Eastern Shore. At the time, both schools were in the Virginia Interscholastic Association.

Morris’ mark is considered the all-time state individual record for VIA and VHSL schools combined.

Kaepernick, Reid reach settlement with NFL In what amounts to a secret agreement, Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid last week resolved their grievances with the NFL. They will receive an undisclosed settlement based on claims that NFL owners colluded against them as retaliation for kneeling during the playing of the national anthem.

Both sides — the players’ lawyers and representatives of the NFL — have agreed that no details will be announced. The NFL Players Association has approved the settlement.

Kaepernick, who was a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began kneeling during the 2016 season as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was played to protest the oppression of black people and people of color, particularly the killing of

African-Americans by police.

The next person to kneel was Reid, then a safety for the 49ers.

Soon after, black players throughout the NFL followed suit, as well as college and high school players across the country.

The bold stance against racial injustice was applauded by many, but criticized by others, including President Trump, who urged team owners to fire the protesters. In many cases, TV networks stopped showing the national anthem being played in hopes of cooling off what became a hot issue.

Kaepernick, who quarterbacked the 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl, became a free agent following the 2016 season and was not picked up by another team.

He has not played since the 2016 season, despite

numerous job openings around the league.

The 31-year-old native of Milwaukee contends he was blackballed by NFL owners for what some considered an unpopular stance.

Kaepernick’s career, despite the long detour, may not be over. Among the teams showing interest now are the Seattle Seahawks, where he might become the backup to quarterback Russell Wilson.

Reid’s situation is much different. He has continued playing throughout the controversy.

After leaving San Francisco following the 2017 season, Reid played this past season with the Carolina Panthers. On Feb. 11, he signed a three-year deal worth $22 million with the team based in Charlotte, N.C. Still, Reid contends he has been singled out

as a target by the NFL for his protest and support for Kaepernick. This past season, he was tested for banned substances seven times, an inordinate amount based on Colin Kaepernick the league average. A former first round draft choice out of Louisiana State University, Reid passed all the tests.

Since the settlement, Nike has launched online sales of a “Colin Kaepernick Icon Jersey” for $150. It is black and silver, colors similar to those of the Oakland Raiders, with No. 7 on the front and back.

The jersey went on sale Feb. 20 and sold out within hours.

February 28-March 2, 2019 B1

Richmond Free Press

Section

B

Happenings

Personality: Jamon K. Phenix

Spotlight on VUU Student Government Association president “Richmond has a history of segregation and bigotry. And if we don’t take a stand to start and continue an honest dialogue that would hurt but is necessary, then we will never receive full equality and justice. We will never eradicate institutional racism.”

Jamon K. Phenix, president of Virginia Union University’s Student Government Association, takes this position as a student leader and one of the gatekeepers of his university.

The 21-year-old Atlanta native is a senior studying history and political science. Upon graduation, he wants to attend law school at either Howard University or the University of Richmond to become a civil rights attorney.

In representing the SGA, Mr. Phenix found himself in the media spotlight last week when he wrote a letter to Gov. Ralph S. Northam asking him to delay a visit to the VUU campus planned for a chapel service on “Faith, Identity and Social Justice” that was to honor the Richmond 34, VUU students arrested in Feb. 22, 1960, for protesting at the whites-only lunch counter at the former Thalhimer’s department store in Downtown.

Gov. Northam has come under continued criticism and calls to resign after the public disclosure that his 1984 medical school yearbook page featured a photograph of a person in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe.

While Gov. Northam first apologized for appearing in the photo he subsequently said neither person in the photo was him.

But he acknowledged wearing blackface later in 1984 as a 25year-old medical resident in San Antonio, Texas, to impersonate Michael Jackson during a dance competition.

The governor has refused to step down from office and planned

to use his attendance at the VUU event on Feb. 21 to launch his “reconciliation tour.”

Because of the letter, Gov. Northam announced the evening before the event that he would bow out.

“I respect the wishes of the student body,” Gov. Northam wrote on Twitter. “In lieu of my attendance, I will host the Richmond 34 at the Executive Mansion … to honor their bravery and courage.”

“We invited Gov. Northam to a roundtable event where he could speak, answer our questions and have an honest dialogue about race and reconciliation,” Mr. Phenix says, although no date for such a meeting has been set. “That would give the Gov. Northam an opportunity to have a dialogue and answer questions versus being a part of an audience.”

Civil rights and social justice are important to Mr. Phenix.

“I grew up just down the street from Dr. Martin Luther King’s first home. I was always reminded by my grandparents that you always are to treat people with compassion and love as well as forgiveness,” Mr. Phenix says.

But he said as he grew older, he discovered those concepts were missing from the world. That led him to want to pursue a legal career and to fight for social equity, criminal justice and the right for all people to become productive citizens. He says he chose to attend VUU because it resembled his values and vision and could help shape him as a student leader.

“Student leadership is important because it is a launching pad for careers and professional development,” Mr. Phenix says. “It is an indicator whether a person will be a servant leader to society or a follower.”

As SGA president, he serves on the President’s Council.

“I am able to sit at the table

Phenix of Atlanta.

How did it feel growing up near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthplace: Growing up in the heart of Atlanta engrained me with a deep sense of justice and community. Being close to Dr. King’s birth home reminded me that the two principals were synonyms and essential to move a people forward. Whether I was attending a Sunday church service or sitting in a city council meeting, I was being exposed to a level of information that has rooted me inside of civil rights and social justice.

every Tuesday as a member of the council as they create policy and insert my opinions about what is recommended and how it will affect students,” he says.

He says VUU, with its history starting at the Lumpkin’s Jail slave pen in Shockoe Bottom in 1865, “is at the heart of race and reconciliation” in the Commonwealth.

“I will not stop carrying the banner of freedom until every unjustified action is handled,” Mr. Phenix says. “That’s why I believe in social justice and civil rights for all.”

Meet this week’s Personality and student-community leader, Jamon K. Phenix: No. 1 volunteerposition: President of the Student GovernmentAssociation, Virginia Union University.

Date and place of birth: May 25 in Atlanta.

Current residence: Richmond.

Classification: Graduating senior.

Family: The youngest of three sons to Sholon Green and Christopher

Why you decided to run for Student Government Association president: As I began to notice systemic issues that affected my institution, I started to think of solutions to combat those problems. After two years in student leadership, I decided to throw my name in the hat to help lead with a progressive vision and goal-setting attitude.

What prompted you to write to Gov. Ralph S. Northam: This step was taken as the result of a town hall meeting that was held on campus. In our meeting, we discussed the importance of the event, and some even publicly opposed the governor. However, we created an action plan out of that meeting. The letter was a result of the town hall.

Consensus from VUU’s student body regarding the request: Majority of students stood by the letter and will continue to support honest conversation. We are anticipating the governor’s roundtable and we are preparing accordingly.

What does reconciliation look like to you: Reconciliation must be achieved by first starting with honest and open dialogue, with

politics off the table. Let’s admit it, we’re human. However, we have to stand by our mistakes and understand that they will sometimes have unfavorable outcomes.

That’s accountability. This must be followed up with action.

What history lesson do you think people received in these past few weeks: The lesson becomes there is more fighting to be done. The Civil Rights Movement has taken on another form and another fight.

I believe education is at the heart of that fight.

What policy changes should we seek to betterAfrican-American communities: Policy becomes a blanket to issues if not treated at a deeper level. The improvement of theAfrican-American community stands at a crossroads of action and accountability. The letter that was written to the governor was about holding our elected officials accountable.

What role do you see for young people in bringing about change: We have to be at the heart of the change. We are thankful for our ancestors who have fought for the ground we stand on today.

However, if we want to continue to see history progress in the right direction, then we must continue to be at the table always prepared to speak up for those who are not able.

What does blackface mean to you and your generation: It represents America’s dark history.

It is not surprising to me that our elected officials participated in these heinous acts. For every single public official who is caught in this behavior, there are probably 10 more people doing it willingly and freely.

Do you see demonstrations as a viable option like those of the Richmond 34 more than 50 years ago? Yes, these actions are taken to disrupt injustices, which

is key to nonviolent progressive liberation.

Is it much more complex today: No, the grassroots principles of nonviolent protest remain the same, just different people carrying them out.

How I start the day: Praying, stopping at Starbucks to grab a double shot caramel macchiato with almond milk, my planner in hand and then making my way to class.

A perfect day for me is: Enjoying a day around campus, probably having a few meetings, talking with fraternity brothers, speaking with my SGA family and then heading into work. How I unwind: Heading to the library after work, reading African proverbs and talking to my grandma.

A quote that I am inspired by is: “If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Best thing my parents evertaught me: Treat everyone with respect and compassion.

Person who influenced me the most: My grandparents, William and Mary Green.

The book that influenced me the most: “The Substance of Things Hoped For” by Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor.

What I’m reading now: “Soar!

BuildYour Vision from the Ground Up” by T.D. Jakes and “Campaign Craft: The Strategies, Tactics, and Art of Political Campaign Management” by Michael J. Burton et al.

The one thing that I’ve learned in life is: Never be too hard on yourself and always forgive people with a heart full of compassion and thanks.

My next goal: Getting accepted into law school and becoming a civil rights attorney.

Toxic Air in Urban Veggie Gardens featuring

Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah, PhD, VUU Duron Chavis, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

TUESDAY, MARCH 5 Hardywood Park Craft Brewery • 2408 Ownby Lane, Richmond VA Doors Open 5:30 PM • Program Begins 6:30 PM FREE event • Food and drink available for purchase • Limited Seating Is urban air good for our garden veggies? Dr. Cobb-Abdullah will talk about the interaction between pollutants and the produce grown in urban environments. Plus, Duron Chavis will speak about Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s collaborative greenhouse work at Virginia Union University and increasing access to quality seedlings.

For more information go to ideastations.org/sciencepub

Richmond Free Press

B2 February 28-March 2, 2019

Happenings

Diversity a big winner at 91st Academy Awards LOS ANGELES Filmmaker Spike Lee won his first competitive Oscar Sunday night at the 91st Annual Academy Awards that was awash in historic wins for diversity, including awards for Ryan Coogler’s superhero sensation “Black Panther,” Alfonso Cuaron’s black-andwhite personal epic “Roma” and the Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

“Green Book,” the hotly debated road trip drama based on the travels of pianist Don Shirley, played by Mahershala Ali, to the Deep South with his

burst into applause.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Lee, whose film included footage of President Trump following the violent white supremacist protests in Charlottesville, spoke about the upcoming election.

“The 2020 election is around the corner. Let’s all mobilize.

Let’s be on the right side of history,” said Mr. Lee, who was given an honorary Oscar in 2015. “Let’s do the right thing! You knew I had to get that in there,” he said, referencing the name of his 1989 classic film.

main character, played by actor Chadwick Boseman.

Ms. Carter and Ms. Beachler also became just the second and third African-American women to win non-acting Oscars.

“It just means that we’ve opened the door,” Ms. Carter, a veteran costume designer, said backstage. “Finally, the door is wide open. I’m mentoring in hopes of raising others up and give them hope.”

Ms. Carter, who garnered previous Academy Award nominations for her work on “Amistad” and “Malcolm X,” dedicated her award to her 97-

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

A gleeful Spike Lee gives an impassioned acceptance speech Sunday upon winning the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman.”

white chauffer, former bouncer Tony “Lip” Vallelonga, played

by Viggo Mortensen, stunned many in the Dolby Theatre audience and those watching at home when it won the Academy Award for best picture.

Mr. Lee’s win for best adapted screenplay for his drama “BlacKkKlansman,” about a black undercover cop in Colorado exposing a white supremacists ring, gave the Dolby Theatre ceremony its signature moment. As the crowd rose in a standing ovation, Mr. Lee leaped into the arms of presenter Samuel L. Jackson.

Even the backstage press room

Ruth E. Carter, a Hampton University graduate who got her start working with Mr. Lee on the 1998 film, “School Daze,” won the Oscar for costume design for “Black Panther,” while Hannah Beachler won for its production design. It was a first win for African-Americans in both categories.

Ms. Beachler broke down in tears during her acceptance speech with fellow production design awardee Jay R. Hart, saying she “stands here stronger than … yesterday.”

She helped create the cinematic world of Wakanda, the fictional homeland of the

year-old mother.

“Marvel may have created the first black superhero,” Ms. Carter said during her acceptance speech. “But through costume design, we turned him into an African king.”

Ms. Carter has said she drew inspiration for the film’s stylish and colorful garments from her travels to Africa. She spoke with people of the continent to understand the history of each artifact to ensure the different characteristics were represented properly in the film.

The costumes have become so popular that people of different ages and eth-

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Celebrating phenomenal women Kelli Lemon, left, shows off a newly completed mural celebrating about two dozen phenomenal Women in Richmond’s present and past that was done by artist Emily Herr, right. The mural was unveiled last Friday and can be seen in the front windows of Ms. Lemon’s café, Urban Hang Suite RVA, at 304 E. Broad St. The project is titled “Girls Girls Girls.” Among the women featured is Richmond Free Press Publisher Jean Patterson Boone.

nicities have worn Black Panther-themed costumes to theaters and at parties.

Some even dressed in Wakanda couture at a pre-Oscar event.

The lush, big-budget “Black Panther” also won an Oscar for Ludwig Goransson’s score.

In the hostless event, the motion picture academy leaned on its presenters to engage the audience.

Tina Fey, alongside Amy Poehler and Maya Rudolph, welcomed the audience to “the one-millionth Academy Awards.”

Ms. Rudolph summarized a rocky Oscar preamble that featured numerous missteps and backtracks by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: “There is no host, there won’t be a popular movie category and Mexico is not paying for the wall.”

Ruth E. Carter prances in the press room with her Oscar for best costume design for the blockbuster hit “Black Panther.” She is the first African-American to win in that category.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

rican-American actor to win two Oscars following Denzel Washington, who won for “Glory” and “Training Day.” Mr. Ali dedicated the award to his grandmother.

“Green Book” also won for best original screenplay.

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” which kicked off the ABC

Jordan Stauss/Invision/AP

Winners of the top acting awards pose for a photo in the press room following Sunday’s awards show. They are, from left, Rami Malek, best actor in a leading role for “Bohemian Rhapsody;” Olivia Colman, best actress in a leading role for “The Favourite;” Regina King, best supporting actress for “If Beale Street Could Talk;” and Mahershala Ali, best supporting actor for “Green Book.” Below, Hannah Beachler, left, and Jay Hart hold their Oscars high after winning the award for best production design for “Black Panther.”

The trio then presented best supporting actress to Regina King for her role as a matriarch in Barry Jenkins’ adaptation of James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk.” The crowd gave Ms. King a standing ovation for her first Oscar.

“To be standing here representing one of the greatest artist of our time, James Baldwin, is a little surreal,” said Ms. King, who also thanked her mother who was seated in the audience. “James Baldwin birthed this baby.”

Two years after winning for his role in “Moonlight,” Mahershala Ali won again for his supporting performance in the road trip drama “Green Book,” a role many said was really a lead.

Mr. Ali is the second Af-

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

telecast with a performance

by Queen, won four awards despite pans from many critics and sexual assault allegations against its director, Bryan Singer, who was fired in midproduction.

The film’s star, Rami Malek, won best actor for his full-bodied and prosthetic teeth-aided performance, and the film was

R. Kelly pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting teens, posts $100,000 bail Reuters

CHICAGO Grammy-winning R&B star R. Kelly pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he sexually assaulted three teenage girls and a woman in alleged incidents dating back to 1998, weeks after a television documentary leveled new accusations against him.

The 52-year-old performer, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was charged in a 10-count indictment returned last Friday by a Cook County grand jury in Chicago, and later surrendered to police. If convicted, he would face up to seven years in prison for each count.

Bond was set last Saturday at $1 million, and Mr. Kelly remained locked up over the weekend.

On Monday morning, Mr. Kelly, wearing an orange jail

jumpsuit, appeared in a Chicago courtroom before Associate Judge Lawrence Flood and spoke only to confirm his name.

His lawyer, Steven Greenberg, entered a not guilty plea on Mr. Kelly’s behalf.

“Mr. Kelly has done absolutely nothing wrong,” Mr. Greenberg told reporters. “No one has showed us any evidence that he has done anything wrong.”

The recording star was released from custody several hours later after $100,000 cash bail was posted by a friend, county sheriff’s spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said.

Mr. Kelly, best known for his hit single “I Believe I Can Fly,” had been confined to a prison hospital ward to keep him apart from the general inmate population, his lawyer said.

Prosecutors said Mr. Kelly’s alleged victims include a teenager he met when she sought an autograph during his 2008

trial on child pornography charges, another he met at her 16th birthday party and a third, a hairdresser, who was 24 at the time. The singer was acquitted of the 2008 pornography charges.

A fourth charge is based on a videotape that purportedly shows Mr. Kelly and a 14-yearold girl engaged in sexual acts, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors in the 2008 case also introduced a video as evidence against Mr. Kelly, but the victim did not testify.

The new charges emerged in a different environment after the #MeToo movement had made accusers more willing to come forward and law enforcement more likely to believe them.

Attorney Michael Avenatti, who said he represents two of the alleged victims in the indictment and a third accuser, told reporters after Monday’s hearing that he had turned

over a second videotape to prosecutors earlier in the day.

The 55-minute video that dated from around 2000 also showed a 14-year-old girl, although Mr. Avenatti did not specify whether it was the same girl as in the first video.

Mr. Avenatti said he obtained both tapes from two “whistleblowers” who he also represents, but said none of his clients appear in either video.

The charges against Mr. Kelly come just weeks after the Lifetime television network aired a six-hour documentary series, “Surviving R. Kelly,” in which multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct and abuse.

Los Angeles-based lawyer Gloria Allred said she represents six women who have come forward to accuse Mr. Kelly of sexual abuse, including some who were featured in the documentary. But she said none of her clients are included in the Cook County case.

At least four law enforce-

honored for editing, sound mixing and sound editing.

“We made a film about a gay man, an immigrant who lived his life unapologetically himself,” Mr. Malek said in accepting his award. “We’re longing for stories like this. I am the son of immigrants from Egypt. I’m a first-generation American, and part of my story is being written right now.”

The film “Roma,” notched Mexico’s first foreign language film Oscar. Mr. Cuaron also won best cinematography, becoming the first director to ever win for serving as his own director of photography. Mr. Cuaron referenced an especially international crop of nominees.

“When asked about the New Wave, Claude Chabrol said there are no waves, there is only the ocean,” Mr. Cuaron told the audience, referring to the French filmmaker. “The nominees tonight have proven that we are a part of the same ocean.”

The inclusivity of the winners Sunday stood in stark contrast to the #OscarsSoWhite backlash that marked the 2016 and 2015 Academy Awards.

Since then, the academy has worked to diversify its largely white and male membership, adding several thousand new members and opening the academy internationally.

Reuters/Kamil Krzaczyncski

R.Kelly leaves Cook County jail in Chicao after posting $100,000 bond.

ment agencies outside Cook County have opened investigations into her clients’ complaints, Ms. Allred told a news conference on Monday, including the New York Police Department and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.

Richmond Free Press

February 28-March 2, 2019 B3

Happenings 7 recognized at URâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural Black Excellence Gala

Photos by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Honoring the Richmond 34 Above, Elizabeth Johnson Rice listens as Virginia Union University President Hakim J. Lucas reads a proclamation honoring Ms. Johnson Rice and the 33 other VUU students who were arrested on Feb. 22, 1960, while protesting all-white lunch counters and restaurants at the former Thalhimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s department store in Downtown. The Richmond 34, as the demonstrators have become known, were honored during a chapel service Feb. 21 at VUU. Above right, Dr. Dwight C. Jones Sr., a former Richmond mayor and a VUU alumnus, spoke at the service, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Faith, Identity & Social Justice,â&#x20AC;? on the need for students and others today to similarly stand up on issues confronting the community.

On Feb. 22, Richmond 34 members participated in a panel discussion, center, at the university. They are, from left, Dr. Anderson J. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A.J.â&#x20AC;? Franklin, Rev. Leroy Bray, Ford T. Johnson Jr. and his sister, Ms. Johnson Rice. Later last Friday, Richmond 34 members head to the John Marshall Courts Building in Downtown, right, where several members had their arrest records from 59 years ago expunged in a hearing before Chief Judge Joi Jeter Taylor in Richmond Circuit Court.

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Richmond Black Restaurant Experience starts serving it up Sunday The city is set to celebrate and consume a wide range of culinary delights during the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience.

The eight-day celebration of RVAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest cuisine starts Sunday, March 3, and runs through Sunday, March 10.

This is the third annual event, which supports Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s black-owned restaurants, food truck and cart operators, caterers and local chefs.

Amy â&#x20AC;&#x153;MiMiâ&#x20AC;? Wentz, a co-founder of the culinary experience, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Foodies can delight in a variety of cuisines served by 29 participating restaurants and vendors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from Jamaican, Caribbean and African fare to soul food and fine dining, with a blend of Southern and European accents.â&#x20AC;?

She said four restaurants from Chesterfield and Henrico counties are joining the list of dining locations this year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mobile Soul Sundayâ&#x20AC;? will kick off the event from noon to 5 p.m. along Hull Street between 11th and 14th streets in South Side.

A 15-truck food court and a stage featur-

Five students, a faculty member and an administrator at the University of Richmond were celebrated for achievements during the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural Black Excellence Gala held at the campus last Saturday.

The student honorees were science and technology student Noah Walker; basketball star Jaide Hinds-Clarke; leadership role model Dom Harrington; inspiration leader Kiana Gunn; and political activist Alicia Jiggetts.

Dr. Shannon Z. Jones, director of biological instruction and coordinator of the UR Integrated Science Experience program, reMs. Bernard ceived the Distinguished Educator Award.

Chantelle E. Bernard, associate director of Multicultural Affairs and Disability Services and an organizer of the gala, was saluted for her work to build â&#x20AC;&#x153;meaningful and impactful relationships with students.â&#x20AC;?

During the gala, Donitrae Goodson of George Wythe High School was awarded a $1,000 scholarship that was provided through a partnership between the Upsilon Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity at UR and the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 423 Fund.

The black-tie affair that drew nearly 300 attendees was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the admission of the first AfricanAmerican students at the University of Richmond in 1968 and to raise awareness of the integral role African-American students have played in promoting diversity and excellence at UR, Ms. Bernard said.

She described the event â&#x20AC;&#x153;as a new tradition where we unite our past, present and future, acknowledge our history and applaud our strides.â&#x20AC;? erywhere mentheevfraternity The Office of ca Multicultural Affairs sponackand bl w ne re to ll up ke wa A the event. sored

ing performances by entertainers will be featured, along with games and inflatables for children. Four local breweries also will be present at the kickoff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to Ms. Wentz highlight black business in South Richmond,â&#x20AC;? Ms. Wentz said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also want the community, especially new residents, to attend this amazing event put on by amazing black and brown faces where people can come, eat some good food and have a great time.â&#x20AC;?

During the eight days, foodies can explore different events called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Culture Meets Cuisine.â&#x20AC;? They include â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art for the Soulâ&#x20AC;? at 6 p.m. Friday, March 8, where 30 African-American visual artists will showcase their work to wine tasting at Studio 23, 3300 W. Clay St.; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brunch on the Trolley,â&#x20AC;? 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,

March 9, where a trolley takes diners to different locations; and a film screening on veganism at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 7, at Old Manchester Square, 1012 Hull St. The celebration closes with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stick a Fork In Itâ&#x20AC;? from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 10, at the Arthur Ashe Jr. Athletic Center, 3001 N. Boulevard, where five chefs will do live demonstrations and 12 caterers will showcase their fare. The closing event is free, with food samplings costing $3 to $5.

The Legends band will perform.

A portion of the proceeds from the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience will go to the Mary G. Brown Transitional Center, which was founded by Lynetta Thompson, chair of the Community Unity in Action Civil Rights Committee, to help address the needs of people returning to the community from incarceration.

Details, including a list of participating restaurants and special events, are available at www.vablackrestaurant experience. com

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Music for the soul Youngsters from the Greater Richmond Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choir perform songs celebrating the various seasons and holidays of the year during a concert last Saturday in the Gellman Room at the Richmond Public Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Branch in Downtown. Left, Donte Beal and his 11-month-old daughter, Ashlynn, are ready for the music that Ashlynnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s older siblings were performing.

Directing the choir is Crystal Jonkman. The GRCC offers opportunities for youngsters ages 8 to 18 to study and perform choral music with other dedicated musicians. Registration is open for the 2019-2020 season. Details: GRCChoir.org or contact Anne Williford, GRCC executive director, at (804) 201-1894.

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Richmond Free Press

B4 February 28-March 2, 2019

Obituaries/Faith News/Directory

City’s first African-American fire chief Ronald C. Lewis dies at 84

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Ronald Charles “Ron” Lewis led the modernization of Richmond’s Fire Department after being installed as the city’s first African-American fire chief in 1978.

During his 17-year tenure, the department overhauled its equipment, renovated seven firehouses, launched a fire safety education program for fifth-graders in Richmond Public Schools, operated the first giveaway programs of smoke detectors and decreased fire deaths in the city by 75 percent.

A founding member of the International Association of Black Firefighters, Mr. Lewis died in Richmond on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019.

He was 84.

Final tributes will be paid during a service at 11 a.m. Friday, March 1, at Fifth Baptist Church, 1415 W. Cary St., with a repast afterward at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 216 W. Leigh St., according to Scott’s Funeral Home.

A Philadelphia native, Mr. Lewis attended the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University after high school and joined the fire department in his hometown at age 22.

Rising through the ranks, he was promoted to a fire lieutenant in 1963 when he was in his late 20s, fire captain in 1968 in his mid-30s and fire battalion chief in 1974, when he turned 40.

In November 1978, Mr. Lewis was installed as Richmond’s fire chief, becoming one of the

Mr. Lewis

first major appointments for then-Richmond Mayor Henry L. Marsh III and the new majority African-American City Council, which had gained control of Richmond’s governing body a year earlier in 1977.

As the Fire Department’s 17th chief, Mr. Lewis quickly ushered in change to the pre-

dominantly white department that had admitted its first African-Americans in 1950.

The department released a list of the multiple ways that Mr. Lewis impacted firefighting in the city, including pushing diversity in hiring to attract more African-Americans, Asians and Latinos into the service and implementing the first major reorganization to improve efficiency.

“Many of the programs he introduced served as a model for other departments and continue to operate today,” according to a department statement announcing the former chief’s death.

Mr. Lewis, for example, secured funding to update trucks, equipment and firefighters’ protective clothing and breathing apparatuses, the department noted, and increased the standard size of hoses to four inches to push more water onto fires.

The department also cited Mr. Lewis’ launch of the first hazardous materials team and creation of a firefighter physical fitness program in the department. He also established a career development program to enable firefighters to improve their skills and move into management.

He started a sign language program to enable firefighters to better serve the deaf and printed ID cards in Braille to enable the blind to identify firefighters.

During his tenure, the department shifted from educating second-graders to pushing fire safety for fifth-graders.

Before Mr. Lewis stepped down in 1995,

the department had begun planning to become the first department in the country that relied solely on quints, or trucks that combine ladder and hose operations.

He also pushed the department to become involved in responding to medical emergencies and enabled firefighters to train as emergency medical technicians.

Before coming to Richmond, he was active in the International Association of Black Firefighters that he helped start. He served as northeast regional vice president for four years and as the regional affirmative action officer for three years.

He also was a former president of the Club Valiants Inc., an African-American firefighters group; a past member of the board of the Philadelphia Fire Officers Association and the only African-American named to the Fire Department Federal Appeals to improve diversity hiring in Philadelphia.

Mr. Lewis won numerous awards during his career, including the Richmond Branch NAACP’s Freedom Award and the Virginia Fire Programs’ EEO Person of the Year Award.

Survivors include his wife, Leslie A. Lewis; three daughters, Terri A. Lewis, Anita M. Lewis and Audrey Y. Davis; a son, Kenneth E. Taylor Jr.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Ronald C. Lewis Scholarship Fund at the Richmond Fire-Police Credit Union, 900 Hermitage Road, Richmond, Va. 23220.

Pitching legend Don Newcombe dies at 92

By Fred Jeter

In the late 1940s, the Brooklyn Dodgers rattled baseball’s foundation by boldly breaking the color line. It was to be a major turning point in all professional sports.

Jackie Robinson led the way in 1947, followed in 1949 by pitcher Don Newcombe, aka “The Newk,” who also signed with the Dodgers. In 1949, he became the first African-American pitcher to start a World Series game, winning the Rookie of the Year Award.

Mr. Newcombe, a dominating right-handed pitcher on the short list of baseball’s greatest hurlers, died Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 92 following a lengthy illness.

“Mentor at first, friend at the end, missed by everyone who got to know him,” pitching great Sandy Koufax said on the Dodgers’ website.

The burly 6-foot-4, 225pound native of New Jersey is one of two pitchers — Justin Verlander is the other — to

win Rookie of the Year (1949), the Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player (both in 1956) trophies during their career.

“Newk was a big man in every way. He truly was a big man on and off the field and he will be missed by all,” said the Dodgers’ famed announcer Vin Scully.

Mr. Newcombe remained active at Dodgers functions through this past season and was known for his charming personality and snappy wardrobe.

Mr. Newcombe posted a 14990 career record, was a four-time All-Star and helped the Dodgers to four World Series, including winning the 1955 title over the New York Yankees. He fanned a total of 1,129 batters while posting 136 complete games and 24 shutouts. His pinnacle season was 1956, going 27-7.

In all, he had three seasons of 20-plus victories.

He was feared for his blazing fastball, sharp curve and his menacing stare. Batters rarely dug in close to the plate with the intimidating “Newk” on

Mr. Newcombe

the mound.

Pace setters: By 1949, Brooklyn had four black players, Robinson, Newcombe, catcher Roy Campanella and pitcher Dan Bankhead. That was more than the rest of baseball combined. Other black pioneers joining Brooklyn by 1953 were Cuban Sandy Amoros, Joe Black and Junior Gilliam, NL Rookie of the Year in 1953.

Mr. Newcombe was actually the third black pitcher to reach the majors, following teammate Dan Bankhead and the legendary Satchel Paige with

the Cleveland Indians.

Before Brooklyn: The son of a chauffeur, Mr. Newcombe grew up in Elizabeth, N.J., and went to Jefferson High School there. Because the high school didn’t offer baseball, Mr. Newcombe began playing semiprofessional ball while still a student. At 18, he signed with the Newark Eagles, a Negro League team.

He played with the Eagles in 1944 and 1945, catching the eye of Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey.

He signed with the Dodgers, playing first with the team’s farm club in Nashua, N.H., in 1946, becoming part of the first racially mixed pro team in the United States in the 20th century. He later played for another Dodgers’ farm team, the Montreal Royals in Canada, before joining the parent club in 1949.

Soldier duty: Mr. Newcombe missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons while serving in the Army during the Korean War. Those would have been prime seasons in which

he would have likely won more for Don Newcombe.” than 40 more games.

Also, Mr. Newcombe gets Aslugger, too: Had Mr. New- a mention in the classic song, combe not been such a fearsome “Talkin’ Baseball,” by Terry pitcher, he’d have likely made Cashman: it to the big leagues at another “We’re talkin’ baseball, position. While he threw right- Kluszewski, Campanella; handed, he hit left-handed — and Talkin’ baseball, The Man with considerable power. He was and Bobby Feller; often used as a pinch hitter in The Scooter, the Barber and games he didn’t pitch.

The Newk; In 1955, he hit an astounding We knew ’em all from Bos.359, with seven homers and 23 ton to Dubuque; runs batted in. For his career, he Especially Willie, Mickey hit .271 with 15 homers. and The Duke.”

Also an excellent fielder, he The Dodgers, which moved twice compiled a perfect 1.000 to Los Angeles in 1958, anpercentage with the glove. nounced that all players will Legacy: Mr. Newcombe wear on their uniforms a No. figures heavily into author 36 patch — Mr. Newcombe’s Roger Kahn’s touching book number — throughout the 2019 “The Boys of Summer,” about season. the 1950s Dodgers.

Speaking at a fundraising Write: I’ll Listen Ministry event for U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer of California in 2010, “Enthusiasm” Sunday, President Obama referred to February 21, 2019 Mr. Newcombe, who was in School Sunday 9:3016113 AM P.O. –Box attendance, as “someoneMorning who Worship – 11 AM Richmond, Virginia 23222 helped make America what it is … I would not be here if it weren’t for Jackie, and if not

Pope calls for ‘all-out battle’ against sexual child L.C. Garland Seniorsabuse

Union Baptist Church

of the

Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY In his final address to nearly 190 bishops attending last week’s Vatican summit on sex abuse, Pope Francis called for the eradication of abuse both inside and outside the Roman Catholic Church.

“I make a heartfelt appeal for an allout battle against the abuse of minors both sexually and in other areas, on the part of all authorities and individuals, for we are dealing with abominable crimes that must be erased from the face of the earth. This is demanded by all the many victims hidden in families and in the various settings of our societies,” Pope Francis said.

The pontiff’s address, which referred to clerics who abuse children as “tools of Satan,” began with a litany of statistics regarding multiple kinds of sex abuse and its effects in various parts of the world.

He then outlined eight principles for the church: Protecting children; maintaining “seriousness” and rejecting cover-ups; “purification” within the church; better screening for candidates for the priesthood to avoid potential abusers; taking a united approach to the issue across bishops conferences; accompanying those who have been abused; confronting child pornography and online abuse; and combating “sexual tourism.”

“If in the church there should emerge even a single case of abuse — which already in itself represents an atrocity — that case will be faced with the utmost seriousness,” he said. “Indeed, in people’s justified anger, the church sees the reflection of the wrath of God, betrayed and insulted by these deceitful consecrated persons.”

As the pontiff concluded the conference, which focused on “the Protection of Minors in the Church,” clerics in the room burst into applause.

The pope’s remarks capped off an intense four days of discussion and debate at the Vatican summit on the topic of sex abuse. Speakers at the conference, Pope Francis who included bishops, nuns and journalists who have covered the abuse crisis, put forward several recommendations on how to tackle abuse.

Advocates for abuse survivors were quick to express frustration with the pope’s speech. Standing in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, Peter Saunders, a sex abuse survivor visiting Rome with the group Ending Clergy Abuse, said he was “very disappointed” with both the pontiff’s address and the summit in general.

“The fact that it lacked passion or commitment is one thing, but it contained nothing concrete. They’ve had four days to decide on the things they could do that could make a difference, and they have avoided that,” Mr. Saunders told Religion News Service. “They’ve heard some impassioned speeches. They’ve had cardinals admitting burning files. We’ve had nuns saying it’s terrible … but they haven’t said, ‘Right, this is what we do next.’ ” Virginia’s two Roman Catholic dioceses published on Feb. 13 lists of 58 priests credibly accused of sexually abusing minors. Forty-two of those priests were connected in some way with the Diocese of Richmond, while the names of 16 priests were on the list released by the Diocese of Arlington.

The bishops of both dioceses apologized to victims in letters that accompanied the lists, and said none of the clergy who names were on the lists are currently in active ministry.

The Virginia dioceses joined others around the country in answering calls to make public the names of abusive clergy.

The Richmond diocese list is available on www.richmonddiocese.org.

News also was released Monday that the most senior Catholic cleric ever charged with child sex abuse has been convicted in Australia of molesting two choirboys after celebrating Mass.

Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ top financial adviser and the Vatican’s economy minister, bowed his head but then regained his composure as the 12-member jury delivered unanimous verdicts in the Victoria state County Court on Dec. 11 after more than two days of deliberation.

The court had previously forbidden publication of any details about the trial.

Cardinal Pell faces a potential maximum 50-year prison term after a sentencing hearing this week. He has foreshadowed an appeal.

The revelations came in the same month that the Vatican announced Pope Francis approved the expulsion from the priesthood for a former high-ranking American cleric, Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal and archbishop of Washington, for sexual abuse of minors and adults.

The jury convicted Cardinal Pell of abusing two 13-year-old boys whom he had caught swigging sacramental wine in a rear room of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne, Australia, in late 1996, as hundreds of worshippers were streaming out of Sunday services.

Cardinal Pell, now 77 but 55 at the time, had just been named the most senior Catholic in Australia’s secondlargest city, Melbourne.

The jury also found Cardinal Pell guilty of indecently assaulting one of the boys in a corridor more than a month later.

Cardinal Pell had maintained his in-

1813 Everett St., Richmond, Va. 23224

Blac

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Rev. Cheryl S. James 3:00 PM New Covenant A.M.E. Zion Cardinal Blase Cupich, the head of Please Plan To Attend the Archdiocese of Chicago who earlier last week had presented a detailed plan to hold bishops accountable, told RNS that the pope’s address showed REV. ROBERT C 2604 Idlewood Avenue Richmond, Va. 23220 he was intent on establishing “norms, (804) 353-6135 not just aspirations.” He also noted the www.riverviewbaptistch.org forthcoming creation of a task force Rev. Dr. Stephen L. Hewlett, Pastor that will “provide some insight and Rev. Dr. Ralph Reavis, Sr. visibility into what’s happening around Pastor Emeritus the world” regarding abuse.

SUNDAY SCHOOL - 9:45 A.M. “As (the pope) said, we have to get SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 11:00 A.M. this right because we have a moral voice on so many issues, and if we don’t get this right we squander that,” the cardinal said. “The safety of the next generation: That’s why this is so  profoundly important.”  At a news conference, Vatican of  ficials formally announced the pope’s intention to create “task forces of  competent persons to help episcopal  conferences and dioceses that find it  difficult to confront the problems and produce initiatives for the protection  of minors.”  Other next steps include a formal  papal Motu proprio “on the protection  of minors and vulnerable persons” and  a new Vatican document that will serve as a guide to “help bishops around the  world clearly understand their duties  and tasks.”

97 Anniversary

Usher’s2IVERVIEW Day"APTIST #HURCH

 

Richmond Free Press

February 28-March 2, 2019

B5

Faith News/Directory

Local chef-caterer turns empty church kitchen into a busy business On weekdays, the kitchen at Faith Community Baptist Church in Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s East End is a beehive of activity six hours a day.

Tiara S. Smith has turned the once-empty kitchen into the cooking headquarters for her growing lunch delivery and catering company, Drop Off Chef.

Amid controlled chaos, she cooks meals and orchestrates deliveries to a growing list of customers who call for her chicken and fish creations five days a week.

She said the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s willingness to rent the space for $300 a month has been a godsend for her and the 11 part-time people she pays to help prepare and deliver the meals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Commercial kitchens are expensive. Finding a fully equipped space that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost an arm and a leg means I can concentrate on building the business,â&#x20AC;? said Ms. Smith, a former bartender who is passionate about the food she prepares and the encouraging messages she sends out to her customers.

And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the kind of activity that the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founding pastor, Dr. Patricia A. Gould-Champ, hoped for when she offered to rent the kitchen to Ms. Smith two years ago and turn what had been mostly unused space into a place that generates jobs and new opportunity in a struggling area of the city.

For years, Dr. Gould-Champ, who also is an associate professor of practical theology at Virginia Union Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seminary, has beaten the drum for churches to get more involved in using their space to support community business growth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all have parking lots and kitchens and other spaces that we use on Sundays, but are left empty the rest of the week,â&#x20AC;?

Dr. Gould-Champ said.

In her view, churches should be looking for ways to make their empty space more productive in ways that benefit the community. And that means doing more than giving away food and clothing to the needy, she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to go beyond preaching to helping to create prosper-

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Finding God, Finding Health Is there a connection?

A LECTURE

with speaker

Michelle Nanouche

Member, Christian Science Board of Lectureship, Christian Healer and Teacher

Followed by Q&A session

ity,â&#x20AC;? she said. That includes turning portions of church land into small farms to generate fresh food, as her church also is doing.

Along with renting to Drop Off Chef, Dr. Gould-Champ said that she invites other chefs and fledgling food entrepreneurs to come in on two Sundays a month to prepare and sell lunches to congregants and others.

Across the city, churches use part of their property to operate day care centers, schools and similar operations that create jobs and also provide another stream of revenue to support operations.

And there are other examples, such as First Baptist Church of South Richmond, which has developed apartments and office space on its property, built homes in nearby neighborhoods and also provided rental space for community and private events in its Imani Center on its South Richmond campus.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also the case with United Nations Church International, which continues to rent part of its South Side property to small businesses whose offerings attract people who belong to the church while also generating employment opportunities.

Still, Dr. Gould-Champ believes most ministers and church leaders have little interest in subletting space to private businesses.

When she looks out at her church parking lot, she sees an opportunity for a food court. She sought to jump-start that idea by purchasing a food cart, but she could only operate it one day a week.

She said other churches in the East End turned her down when she urged them to buy their own carts that could be set up at her church or another mutually agreed upon site.

However, that could change this year. Ms. Smith has taken over operation of the food cart and believes she can persuade other vendors to set up on the lawn in front of the church later in the spring.

Meanwhile, Ms. Smith is staying focused on Drop Off Chef.

Ms. Smith, who trained to be a chef at Johnson & Wales University, noticed that few places offered lunch delivery and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Church With A Welcomeâ&#x20AC;?

3HARON "APTIST #HURCH

SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2019 8:30 a.m. ....Sunday School 10:00 a.m. ...Morning Worship and Holy Communion

THURSDAYS WEDNESDAYS 1:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m. ..... Prayer Service Bible Study 6:30 p.m. ..... Bible Study (The Purpose Driven Life)

1127 North 28th St., Richmond, VA 23223-6624 s Office: (804) 644-1402

$R +IRKLAND 2 7ALTON 0ASTOR

Worship Opportunities Sundays:

Morning Worship Church School Morning Worship

8 A.M. 9:30 A.M. 11 A.M.

Unity Sundays (2nd Sundays): Church School Morning Worship

8:30 A.M. 10 A.M.

Dr. Sylvester T. Smith, Pastor â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A Place for Youâ&#x20AC;?

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

18 East Broad Street Richmond, VA 23219 â&#x20AC;˘ (804) 643-1987 Hours M-F 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Honoring God ... and serving people THANKS TO YOU for over 64 years and looking for 64 more years

&BTU #SPBE 4USFFU 3JDINPOE 7JSHJOJB r

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

Ash Wednesday Service Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

7M\XL &ETXMWX 'LYVGL 8LIQI JSV 1SFMPM^MRK *SV 1MRMWXV] 6IJVIWLMRK 8LI 3PH ERH )QIVKMRK 8LI 2I[ We Embrace Diversity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Love For All! A 21st Century Church Come Worship With Us! With Ministry For Everyone

SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2019

11:00 AM Worship Celebration Message by: Pastor Bibbs

11:00 AM Mid-day Meditation

We invite you to come worship with us as we plan to prepare for the Lenten Season.

-OUNTAIN 2OAD s 'LEN !LLEN 6IRGINIA /FlCE s &AX s WWW STPETERBAPTIST NET

Triumphant

Baptist Church 2003 Lamb Avenue Richmond, VA 23222 Dr. Arthur M. Jones, Sr., Pastor (804) 321-7622

â&#x20AC;&#x153;MAKE IT HAPPENâ&#x20AC;?

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

Remember...

At New Deliverance, You Are Home!

See you there and bring a friend.

Bible Study - Wednesday - 7 p.m.

Communion - 1st Sunday

Sunday Morning Worship Communion Sunday March 3, 2019 @ 10:30 A.M. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Weekend March 15-17, 2019

This weekend includes the Secret Sister Purse Swap, Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prayer Breakfast & Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Special Worship Service. Check our website for additional details.

Weekly Worship: Sundays @ 10:30 A.M. Church School: Sundays @ 9:00 A.M. Bible Study: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30 P.M.

2901 Mechanicsville Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23223 (804) 648-2472 ~ www.mmbcrva.org Dr. Price London Davis, Senior Pastor

Preaching The Seven Signs & Wonders Recorded in John

5106 Walmsley Blvd., Richmond, VA 23224 804-276-2740 â&#x20AC;˘ 804-276-6535 (fax) www.BRBCONLINE.org

Church School - 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service - 11:15 a.m.

Upcoming Events & Happenings

New Sermon Series Title: Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Got It Under Control! (#7 of 7)

Broad Rock Baptist Church

Early Morning Worship ~ 8 a.m.

Sunday School ~ 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship ~ 11 a.m.

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

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

Sermons Available at BRBCONLINE.org

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

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

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrew 12:14 (KJV) www.ndec.net

Wednesday Services

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

Noonday Bible Study 12:00 p.m. (Noon) Sanctuary - All Are Welcome!

Wednesday Evening Bible Study 7:00 p.m. (Bible Study)

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (NDCA)

Saturday 8:30 a.m. Intercessory Prayer

You can now view Sunday Morning Service â&#x20AC;&#x153;AS IT HAPPENSâ&#x20AC;? online!

Also, for your convenience, we now offer â&#x20AC;&#x153;full online giving.â&#x20AC;?

Visit www.ndec.net.

refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the k of peace and brotherhood can never become a realityâ&#x20AC;Ś. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.â&#x20AC;?

ENROLL NOW!!!

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

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

ALL ARE WELCOME

Thursdays:

Mid-Day Bible Study 12 Noon Prayer & Praise 6:30 P.M. Bible Study 7 P.M. (Children/Youth/Adults)

Usher Badges â&#x20AC;˘ Clergy Shirts â&#x20AC;˘ Collars â&#x20AC;˘ Communion Supplies â&#x20AC;˘ Much More!

Serving Richmond since 1887

5420 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226

St. Peter Baptist Church

Barkyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Rev. Dr. Paul A. Coles, Pastor

Good Shepherd Baptist Church

Sponsored by Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Richmond www.rvachristianscience.com

believed she could fill that niche. In 2015, she started using her home kitchen to make lunches and deliver them to friends. But she soon saw she needed better and larger space after people started spreading the word about her food to their friends and on social media.

She said her business has quadrupled since moving to the church in 2017, and is making a profit as her lunch orders increase and more people hire her for catering jobs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This has been an amazing journey,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am so grateful that Faith Community Baptist was there to help me achieve my dreams.â&#x20AC;?

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

Saturday, March 2, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ 2 p.m.

West End Branch - Richmond Public Library

Jeremy M. Lazarus/Richmond Free Press

Tiara S. Smith prepares a chicken dish in the kitchen of Faith Community Baptist Church in the East End where she has run her lunch business and catering company, Drop Off Chef, since 2017.

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Worship on Wednesdays â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6:00 PM Pastorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dialogue class Dinner served Worship to follow 400 South Addison Street Richmond, Va. 23220

Twitter sixthbaptistrva

Rev. Dr. Yvonne Jones Bibbs, Pastor

(near Byrd Park)

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

Facebook sixthbaptistrva

Ebenezer Baptist Church 1858

¹4HE 0EOPLE´S #HURCH²

216 W. Leigh St. â&#x20AC;˘ Richmond, Va. 23220 Tel: 804-643-3366 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: 804-643-3367 Email: ebcofďŹ ce1@yahoo.com â&#x20AC;˘ 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

Antioch Baptist Church â&#x20AC;&#x153;Redeeming Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s People for Gods Purposeâ&#x20AC;?

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

SERVICES

SUNDAY WORSHIP HOUR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 10:00 A.M. CHILDRENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHURCH & BUS MINISTRY AVAILABLE SUNDAY SCHOOL (FOR ALL AGES) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:00 A.M. TUESDAY MID-DAY BIBLE STUDY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12 NOON WEDNESDAY MID-WEEK PRAYER & BIBLE STUDY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7:00 P.M. A MISSION BASED CHURCH FAMILY EXCITING MINISTRIES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS & SENIOR ADULTS BIBLE REVELATION TEACHING DIVERSE MUSIC MINISTRY LOVING, CARING ENVIRONMENT

DR. JAMES L. SAILES PASTOR

Richmond Free Press

B6 February 28-March 2, 2019

Legal Notices/Employment Opportunities 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, March 18, 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, March 25, 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. 2019-035 To rezone the property known as 3516 Belt Boulevard from the R-4 Single-Family Residential District to the M-1 Light Industrial District. The property is zoned in the R-4 Single-Family Residential District. The City of Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master Plan designates the subject property for Industrial uses. Primary uses in this category include a wide variety of manufacturing, processing, research and development, warehousing, distribution, officeâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;warehouse and service uses.

Ordinance No. 2019-036 To authorize the special use of the property known as 507 North 30th 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 Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current Master Plan designates the subject property for Mixed Use Residential (MUR) uses which include asingle, 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.

Ordinance No. 2019-037 To authorize the special use of the property known as 700 North 31st Street for the purpose of up to six single-family attached dwellings, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is situated in a R-6 Single-Family Attached Residential District. The City of Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current Master Plan designates the subject property for Single Family Medium Density (SFâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;MD). Primary uses are singleâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;family and twoâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;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 semiâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;public uses. The density of the proposed project is approximately 26 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2019-038 To authorize the special use of the property known as 1113 North 32nd Street for the purpose of a twofamily detached dwelling, upon certain terms and conditions. The property is zoned in the R-6 Single-Family Attached Residential District.

The City of Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Master Plan designates the subject property for Singleâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;Family (Medium Density) uses. Primary uses in this category are â&#x20AC;&#x153;singleâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;family detached dwellings at densities between 8 and 20 units per acre.â&#x20AC;? The density of the parcel if developed as proposed would be a ratio of approximately 22 units per acre.

Ordinance No. 2019-039 To authorize the special use of the property known as 6807 Midlothian Turnpike for the purpose of permitting certain signs, upon certain terms and conditions. The subject property is situated in a B-3 General Business District. The Master Plan designates the area in which the subject property is located as an Economic Opportunity Area. The Master Plan states these areas are â&#x20AC;&#x153;sitespecific areas identified in a District Plan as appropriate for a range of general office, corporate office, retail, general commercial, service, or light industrial usesâ&#x20AC;ŚThis category identifies areas or large sites appropriate for new development or redevelopment that will generate significant private investment and employment opportunities.

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 Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s page on the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

City of Richmond, Virginia CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Richmond has scheduled a public hearing, open to all interested citizens, on Monday, March 11, 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 ordinance: Ordinance No. 2019-034 To amend and reordain City Code § 2-1177, concerning the duties of the History and Culture Commission, for the purpose of requiring the History and Culture Commission to comply with the provisions of City Code §§ 8-7 through 8-10 when making any recommendations to name or rename any City facility. (COMMITTEE: Governmental Operations, Thursday, February 28, 2019, 12:00 p.m., Council Chamber) 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 Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s page on the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Website at www.Richmondgov. com and in the Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 900 East Broad Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Candice D. Reid City Clerk

Divorce VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE CITY OF Richmond WILLIAM EDWARD MENEFIELD, Plaintiff v.

HAVETTE MENEFIELD, Defendant.

Case No.: CL19-572-8 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 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 Havette Menefield appear at the above-named court and protect his/her interests on or before the 19th day of April, 2019.

A Copy Teste: EDWARD F. JEWETT, Clerk VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HANOVER ANGELA LEE SHOOK, Plaintiff v.

BRAD ROBERT SHOOK, JR., Defendant.

Case No.: CL19000442-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony, from the defendant, on the ground that the parties hereto have lived separate and apart continuously, without cohabitation and without interruption for more than one year.

And it appearing from an affdavit that the whereabouts and address of the defendant are unknown and that he may not be a resident of Virginia, it is Ordered that the defendant appear before this Court on April 3rd, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. pursuant to this notice and protect his interests herein.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I Ask For This: Donald M. White, Esquire 130 Thompson Street Ashland, Virginia 23005 (804) 798-1661 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE COUNTY OF HENRICO MICHAEL L. WINSTON Plaintiff, v.

VALERIE COLEY, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18-5455 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to obtain a divorce from the bond of matrimony from Valerie Coley on the ground that the parties have lived separate and apart for a period exceeding one year.

It appearing by affidavit that the Defendantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last known address is not known, the Defendantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s present whereabouts are unknown, and diligence has been used by or on behalf of the Plaintiff to ascertain in what county or city the Defendant is without effect, it is ORDERED that the Defendant appear before this Court on or before March 18, 2019 at 9 a.m. and protect her interest herein.

A Copy Teste: Heidi S. Barshinger, Clerk Law Offices of Leonard W. Lambert & Associates 321 North 23rd Street, Richmond, Virginia 23223 (804) 648-3325 VIRGINIA: IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF HANOVER DERRICK WILLIAMS, SR., Plaintiff v.

LAVON STRONG, Defendant.

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Case No.: CL19000289-00 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 29th day of March, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests.

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

CITY OF RICHMOND, Plaintiff, v.

WALTER L. CRADDOCK, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-6180 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 738 Arnold Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N0001153/026, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owners of record, Walter L. Craddock and Alena Craddock.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, WALTER L. CRADDOCK, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action; that said owner, ALENA CRADDOCK, 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 UNITED MORTGAGE SERVICING CORP, an entity not listed in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 661D page 210 on November 17, 1969, 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that WALTER L. CRADDOCK, upon information and belief deceased, or his heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, ALENA CRADDOCK, UNITED MORTGAGE SERVICING CORP, an entity not listed in the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Deed Book 661D page 210 on November 17, 1969, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 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

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

personally located and has not filed a response to this action; that TINA B. MCDANIEL, Registered Agent for NECTAR PROJECTS, INC, Trustee per a Substitution of Trustee filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 03-29785 on August 11, 2003, 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 FIELDSTONE MORTGAGE COMPANY, an entity purged from the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 02211 on January 2, 2002, has not been located and has not filed a response to this action; that MICHAEL E. MYERS, Trustee of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 02-211 on January 2, 2002, 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that ANTHONY JOHNSON, TINA B. MCDANIEL, Registered A g e n t f o r N E C TA R PROJECTS, INC, Trustee per a Substitution of Trustee filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 0329785 on August 11, 2003, FIELDSTONE MORTGAGE COMPANY, an entity purged from the records of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Beneficiary of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 02-211 on January 2, 2002, MICHAEL E. MYERS, Trustee of a Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 02-211 on January 2, 2002, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 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

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THERESA TAYLOR SPARKS, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-6111 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 3837 Old Post Road, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number C0090687/003, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Theresa Taylor Sparks.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, T H E R E S A TAY L O R SPARKS, 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that THERESA TAYLOR S PA R K S , a n d P a r t i e s Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 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 HANOVER MICHAEL MITCHELL, Plaintiff v.

KENISHA COLEMAN, Defendant.

Case No.: CL18003369-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

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

It is ORDERED that the defendant, who has been served with the Complaint by posted service appear here on or before the 22nd day of March, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. and protect her interests.

A Copy, Teste: FRANK D. HARGROVE, JR., Clerk I ask for this: Dorothy M. Eure 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 ZAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ONA M. HOPKINS Case No. J-093277-14 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPRâ&#x20AC;?)

Unknown Father of Zayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ona M. Hopkins, child DOB 03/31/2013, â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPRâ&#x20AC;? 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 Unknown Father to appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/her interest on or before 05/20/2019, at 9:20 AM, Courtroom #4 VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re Quinshell Bailey Case No. J-78250-13-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPRâ&#x20AC;?)

ELROY JONES (FATHER), of Quinshell Monae Bailey, child DOB 02/28/2006, â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPRâ&#x20AC;? 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 defendants Elroy Jones (Father) to appear at the above-named Court and protect his/her interest on or before 05/14/2019, at 9:00 AM, Courtroom #2 VIRGINIA: IN THE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Commonwealth of Virginia, in re CHASIDY JAQUEL CARDWELL Case No. J-78955-12-00, J-78955-13-00 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to: Terminate the residual parental rights (â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPRâ&#x20AC;?)

CHAUNCERY SHERROD C A R D W E L L ( Father ) & Unknown FATHER ( Father ) o f C h a s i d y Jaquel Cardwell, child DOB 10/14/2007, â&#x20AC;&#x153;RPRâ&#x20AC;? 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 defendants Chauncery Sherrod Cardwell (Father), & Unknown Father (Father) to appear at the abovenamed Court and protect his/her interest on or before 05/14/2019, at 9:00 AM, Courtroom #2

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

HAWTHORNE VENTURES, LLC, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5997 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 901 North 2nd Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N0000069/021, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Hawthorne Ventures, LLC.

An Affidavit having been filed 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 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

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

SONNYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAINTING, LLC, et al.

Defendants.

Case No. : CL18-6179 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 1524 North 19th Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E0000930/007, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Sonnyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Painting, LLC.

An Affidavit having been filed 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 2019 and do what is necessary to protect their

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PROPERTY

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

JENNY ORGRODNIK, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-6113 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 2605 Q Street, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number E000-0475/003, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Jenny Orgrodnik.

An Affidavit having been filed 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 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.

ELVIN H. JEFFERSON, JR, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-5896 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 3018 Grayland Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number W0001354/026, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Elvin H. Jefferson, Jr. and Dorothy F. Jefferson.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, ELVIN H. JEFFERSON, JR, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been personally located and has not filed a response to this action; that said owner, DOROTHY F. JEFFERSON, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, have not been located and have not filed a response to this action; that CECIL STONE and SHELIA THOMPSON, TRUSTEES of a Credit Line Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 06-22744 on July 6, 2006, or their successor/s in title, 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 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parties Unknown.â&#x20AC;?

IT IS ORDERED that ELVIN H. JEFFERSON, JR, DOROTHY F. JEFFERSON, upon information and belief deceased, or her heirs, devisees, assignees or successors in interest, CECIL STONE and SHELIA THOMPSON, TRUSTEES of a Credit Line Deed of Trust filed in the records of the Richmond Circuit Court at Instrument Number 0622744 on July 6, 2006, or their successor/s in title, and Parties Unknown, come forward to appear on or before APRIL 25, 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.

ANTHONY JOHNSON, et al, Defendants.

Case No.: CL18-6024 ORDER OF PUBLICATION

The object of this suit is to subject the property briefly described as 3118 4th Avenue, Richmond, Virginia, Tax Map Number N0000997/017, to sale in order to collect delinquent real estate taxes assessed thereon in the name of the owner of record, Anthony Johnson.

An Affidavit having been filed that said owner, ANTHONY JOHNSON, who has been served by posting and by mailing a copy of the complaint to his last known address, has not been Continued on next column

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

Request for Qualifications Contract ID #: C00100200DB104 0060-047-627 Skiffes Creek Connector Design-Build Project The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is seeking Statements of Qualifications for Skiffes Creek Connector Design-Build Project from qualified and experienced respondents with design and construction experience of highway facilities.

The project is located in James City County, Virginia. The purpose of this project is to create efficient local connectivity between Route 60 (Pocahontas Trail) and Route 143 (Merrimac Trail), in the area between Route 199 and Route 238, in a manner that improves safety, emergency evacuation, and the movement of goods along the two primary roadways. The Project involves construction of a new two-lane roadway, and includes bridge at Skiffes Creek, bridge over CSX Transportation Railroad, and intersection improvements at the two termini. The work includes all work required to support the design and construction including but not limited to: roadway design, survey, environmental, geotechnical, hydraulics and stormwater management, traffic control devices, transportation management plan, right-of-way, utilities, railroad coordination, public involvement/relations, quality assurance and quality control, construction engineering and inspection, and overall project management.

Questions/clarifications regarding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be submitted to Sudha Mudgade, PE (Sudha.Mudgade@vdot.virginia.gov).

Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found at http://www.virginiadot.org/business/request-for-qualifications.asp.

The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.

Applications are now being accepted for the following positions.

PCA or CNA and Licensed Medication Aide.

Please bring a current TB report when applying.

All references will be checked.

GOOD PAY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GOOD DAYS OFF. Call for appointment (804) 222-5133

PARTNERSHIP FOR FAMILIES POSITION AVAILABLE SOCIAL WORKER â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FULL TIME Partnership for Families (PFF) is seeking highly qualiďŹ ed candidates to ďŹ ll the position of Social Worker for PFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Families Learning Together Program (FLTP). The focus of the FLTP is to provide supportive services to families as they strive to achieve self-sufďŹ ciency while supporting the early education of their young children.

In this role you will provide family-centered supportive services to families of young children 0 to 5 in Richmondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Northside. The role will cover a full range of social work services within commonly accepted standards of social work practice, including case work, individual, family and group counseling, case management and other services as appropriate.

SpeciďŹ cally, you will be responsible for family needs assessments as well as plan development and implementation of plan priorities in collaboration with families and partner organizations. You will be an integral part of our program as you monitor plans, make referrals, and provide crucial support to family engagement activities including conducting home visits.

Required Education: Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree in Social Work Preferred Experience: Minimum of 5 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in social work/social service preferably in the non-proďŹ t arena; Strong knowledge, training and/or experiences with child development, early childhood education, family strengthening and/or mental health support services.

Preferred QualiďŹ cations: Mastersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Degree; Experience entering and managing case management data.

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.

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AVAILABLE Downtown Richmond first floor office suite 5th and Franklin Streets 422 East Franklin Street Richmond, Virginia 23219

804.358.5543 Bedros Bandazian

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Raffi Bandazian

Principal Broker, GRI

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