Richmond Free Press January 28-30, 2021 edition

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Meet this week’s Personality B1

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

VOL. 30 NO. 5

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

www.richmondfreepress.com

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Black History Month B2

JANUARY 28-30, 2021

Skipping school

Data show that 40% to 60% of Richmond area teachers are absent from the classroom 11 or more business days a year By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Students always seem to be the focus of concern when the discussion centers on the ill effects of class-cutting, truancy and chronic absenteeism on education. Far less attention is paid to the many full-time teachers who also regularly play hooky from their classrooms. On any given day, 10 percent to 40 percent of teachers are

taking time off in Virginia and across the country, according to national figures, leaving school systems scrambling to find substitutes and adding to instructional costs. U.S. Department of Education data show 36 percent of teachers are away from their classrooms 11 or more day each year, in addition to the regular vacation days for Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks and national holidays. Data show teacher absenteeism is higher than the national

Beloved slugger, MLB Hall of Famer Hank Aaron dies at 86 By Fred Jeter

Growing up poor in Mobile, Ala., during the Great Depression, Hank Aaron began playing baseball by hitting bottle caps with sticks. From those humble roots, he became one of baseball’s all-time greats and among the most admired men in all of sports history. Mr. Aaron is being remembered by the sports world and people around the globe following his death Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, at 86. A private memorial service was held Tuesday, Jan. 26, at Truist Park in Atlanta, while a private funeral attended by former President Bill Clinton and former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig were held Wednesday, Jan. 27, at Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta. Survivors include his wife, Billye, their children, Gaile, Hank Jr., Lary, Dorinda and Ceci and several grandchildren. Called an “agent of change” in the post-Jim Crow South, Mr. Aaron was a hero on and off the diamond. His brilliance as an athlete was combined with a quiet dignity in the face of racial prejudice. Known as “Hammerin’ Hank” because of his record at one time as baseball’s alltime home run king, he was a beacon of unmatched grace

average in the Richmond area, with school divisions reporting 40 percent to 60 percent of teachers absent 11 or more business days a year. That’s a big deal given that educational research has found that teachers are a key element of student achievement and that student success rates appear to fall when teacher absenteeism is high. Please turn to A4

Mayor Stoney has COVID-19; state of city address postponed Free Press staff report

Mayor Levar M. Stoney announced Wednesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in a 14-day isolation after developing mild symptoms. “While I do not feel 100 percent, I am thankful that my symptoms are currently manageable and that I can continue to work from my home to ensure the continuity of city government,” the mayor stated in his announcement. He is now numbered among the 12,000 Richmond residents who have contracted the virus.

“As my personal experience should tell you, the pandemic is still far from over and must be taken seriMayor Stoney ously,” even with the rollout of vaccines, Mayor Stoney said. In early November, Mayor Stoney and members of his city and campaign staffs went into quarantine after one of his campaign team members tested positive for the coronavirus. The person had come into contact with staff at the Richmond Voter Registrar’s Please turn to A4

VEA president learns a hard lesson about COVID-19

Although Dr. Fedwash your hands derman is no longer and do everything Dr. James J. Fedderman that public health contagious, he said is a career educator, but he’s physicians and govhis recovery remains learned more than he cares to ernment officials are incomplete. know about COVID-19. Still, the longtime urging people do to The first African-American protect themselves music educator in man to serve as president of from the virus. Accomack County the 40,000-member Virginia Public Schools on And he is urging Dr. Fedderman Education Association is a coro- public schools systhe Eastern Shore navirus survivor, but he is still tems to take all precautions, is grateful he is increasingly recovering from his bout with including inoculations, before able to complete his work the potentially deadly virus. teachers and students are al- and participate more actively That’s why he’s pleading lowed to return to the classroom with the VEA. He said he has with VEA members and ev- for in-person learning. learned his lesson on how easy eryone else to wear a mask, His message: Take the virus it is to get COVID-19 from the Please turn to A4 maintain social distancing, seriously; it is all too real. people you love the most — your family. Just a few days after a family gathering in mid-December, Dr. Fedderman said he tested positive for the coronavirus. That started a 19-day medical chain of events. By George Copeland Jr. “We have run out of patience and toler“I experienced things I ance,” the letter continued. “Our citizens never experienced before,” Dr. Virginia’s teachers, grocery store workers deserve better. They also deserve account- Freeman said in an interview. and the elderly are facing delays in getting ability as to what personnel or systems are “Every day brought a new inoculated against COVID-19. A sharp reducresponsible for the inordinate challenges that medical challenge.” tion in the supply of vaccine has left local arise almost daily.” After being diagnosed as health departments, including Richmond’s The board said that a recent order by positive, Dr. Fedderman said and Henrico’s, without enough doses to the county for 8,000 doses of the vaccine he tried not to sleep because meet demand. resulted in only 1,000 being delivered. “And he didn’t know if he would Dr. Avula The situation has left many local officials now we’re being told to only expect 1,500 wake up. and area residents frustrated as they have trouble trying to doses per week over the next four weeks.” A divorced father of two receive a vaccine. Teachers, police officers, firefighters, day care workers children who lives alone, he “Virginia’s campaign to vaccinate the masses is totally and people working with the homeless and in correctional said his journey with the disease defective,” the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors facilities are the latest groups deemed eligible to receive began on Dec. 14, following wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to Gov. Ralph S. Northam the vaccine under the state’s plan prioritizing who should the family get-together. He said and other state officials. two days later, he saw a doctor Please turn to A4 to get tested. He said he developed shortFree COVID-19 testing ness of breath and physical Free community testing for COVID-19 continues. weakness. He was coughing, The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are had chills and sweats, back pain offering testing at the following locations: and a loss of smell. His throat and ears were irritated, and he Friday, Jan. 29, 1 to 3 p.m., Eastern Henrico Health Department, 1400 N. Laburnum Ave., in Eastern Henrico. had headaches. He also began Drive-thru testing. losing weight rapidly, about 30 Wednesday, Feb. 3,1 to 3 p.m., Hotchkiss Field pounds in two weeks. Community Center, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd., in “The only thing I could taste North Side. and desired were sour pickles,” Friday, Feb. 5, 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern Henrico Health Dr. Fedderman recalled. Department, 1400 N. Laburnum Ave., in Eastern Henrico. Drive-thru testing. His first tests came back Appointments are encouraged by calling the Richmond negative. Concerned, he took a and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 second, more accurate test. a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by registering Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press On Friday, Dec. 18, he online at https://bit.ly/RHHDCOVID. Terri Roe, a registered nurse with Henrico County Public received a late-night call from Testing will be offered while test supplies last. Schools, fills syringes with the Moderna coronavirus his physician telling him that he The Chesterfield County Health Department also is vaccine Jan. 21 at the Old Dominion Building at the had the virus. By Saturday, the By Ronald E. Carrington

Vaccine supply, distribution problems frustrate area residents

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

On a walk with ‘PaPa’ Recent days with warm sunshine made it perfect for an outdoor stroll for Harris Wheeler, aka “PaPa,” and his granddaughter Nia Rose Henderson, 2. The pair were enjoying a walk on DuBois Avenue in North Side.

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Richmond Raceway, where the Richmond and Henrico health districts are conducting mass inoculations.

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