Richmond Free Press January 9-11, 2020 edition

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Art on auction block B2

Richmond Free Press

VOL. 29 NO. 2

© 2019 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

www.richmondfreepress.com

JANUARY 9-11, 2020

In deep

Have your say

IRS filings show Dominion Energy committed $20M over 20 years for naming rights for a new Coliseum By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Dominion Energy is more entwined in the $1.5 billion Coliseum replacement and Downtown redevelopment proposal than previously disclosed. The energy giant, led by Thomas F. Farrell II who also is spearheading the Coliseum replacement plan through the Navy Hill District Corp., has agreed to pay $20 million over two decades for the naming rights to the proposed $235 million, 17,500-seat arena. Under the plan, Navy Hill would build the new Coliseum and Richmond taxpayers, including his company, would pay for it. The discovery of Dominion’s enhanced role emerged as a new poll conducted Jan. 4 through 7 by the American Research Group found that 60 percent of residents in the city’s 3rd District, which is represented by City Council Vice President Chris A. Hilbert, oppose the Coliseum proposal.

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Meet Mr. Universe B1

The results of the is taking as it moves poll of 300 residents toward a vote in late mirror those from a February on the massive previous ARG poll of plan for a new arena 5th District residents and private development that found a similar near City Hall. level of opposition. Mayor Levar M. New Councilwoman Stoney is pressing the Stephanie Lynch reprecouncil to approve Mr. Mr. Farrell Mr. Thomas Mr. Griffin sents the 5th District. Farrell’s plan. The discovery came as City Council began public The plan also calls for bringing in more than hearings on the findings of its nine-member Navy Hill 2,000 apartments, a 527-room hotel, office space, a Development Advisory Commission. By a 5-2 vote GRTC transfer station and restaurants and retail to with two abstentions, the commission recommended transform eight blocks of largely city-owned property in late December a rejection of taxpayer involvement located north of Broad Street between the Coliseum in the Coliseum replacement plan, finding the pro- and City Hall, as well as two blocks of city-owned posal would not be “a sound and reasonable public land south of Broad Street. investment.” The public hearings are among the steps City Council Please turn to A4

Want to express your thoughts about the Coliseum replacement and Downtown redevelopment plan? Richmond City Council is holding a series of public hearings on the proposed Navy Hill project. The schedule: Thursday, Jan. 9, 6 p.m., Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center, 4901 Old Brook Road Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m., Southside Community Services Center, 4100 Hull Street Road Wednesday, Jan. 15, 6 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St. Thursday, Jan. 16, 6 p.m., Richmond City Council Chambers, 2nd floor Richmond City Hall, 900 E. Broad St. Details or questions: Contact Richmond City Clerk Candice D. Reid, (804) 646-7955 or candice.reid@ richmondgov.com.

Va. General Assembly starts on historic note

By George Copeland Jr. and Jeremy M. Lazarus

important watchwords. Mayor Levar M. Stoney issued a tweet applauding the council vote and noting “the ball is now in the GA’s court” on awarding the city authority “to control public spaces.” Dr. Jones acknowledged later that the adopted resolution only asked for control of statues on city property, which would not impact the Robert E. Lee statue at Monument and Allen avenues that is state-owned and was described in 1890 by African-Americans as a symbol of the increasing oppression they were facing.

The General Assembly was gaveled into a potentially history-making session Wednesday with Democrats in control of both houses and eager to usher in changes that will make it easier for Virginians to vote, reduce the barriers they face in renting amd increase the minimum pay they receive for working. Northern Virginia Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn was sworn in as the first woman speaker of the House of Delegates in the legislature’s 401-year history. With a record number of African-American and female legislators filling seats in both the House of Delegates and state Senate, a wave of policy changes is anticipated that also would impact education, gun purchases and the environment, with swift action predicted on a number of high-profile issues that Republicans have blocked for years. Among other things, Democrats are promising to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to give women equal constitutional standing, raise the minimum wage to as much as $15 an hour, decriminalize marijuana possession and

Please turn to A4

Please turn to A4

Brian Palmer

Volunteers with Monumental Justice Virginia steady a banner before Wednesday afternoon’s rally at the State Capitol, where more than 100 people gathered in support of legislation that would give localities control over Confederate monuments and other statues in public spaces.

City Council takes step to control Confederate statues By Jeremy M. Lazarus

The Richmond City Council took its first step toward control over the statues of the slavery-defending Confederate traitors that line Monument Avenue and have long sat on other public property in the city. On his third try, 9th District City Councilman Michael J. Jones finally won a positive vote from his colleagues on a resolution seeking from the General Assembly local authority to decide the fate of the increasingly controversial statues. The 6-2 vote on Monday to add Richmond’s voice to those of Charlottesville, Norfolk, Alexandria and other communities urging local control over such statues came just before Wednesday’s start of the 2020 General Assembly session where bills to make it happen appear likely to be adopted. Bills to lift a long-standing state ban on tampering with or removing the rebel statues have generated strong support among the Democratic majorities that will control both the House of Delegates and state Senate, along with the backing of Gov. Ralph S. Northam. The pressure on Virginia to take action, or at least allow localities to do so, has been ratcheting up amid the revival of hate groups waving Confederate symbols and moves by other cities, from Baltimore to New Orleans, to remove their Confederate statues. Dr. Jones, who considers the statues a racist promotion of white supremacy that needs to be eliminated, sought to downplay the potential impact, declaring during the City Council meeting that “this is not about tearing down statues” but about gaining decision-making authority over them. “It’s not about erasing or changing history,” he said. “This is about us as legislators doing what we were elected to do — legislate.” But to many, it also is about getting rid of symbols of Richmond’s segregationist and oppressive past in favor of a more modern vision in which inclusion and diversity are

Ava Reaves

Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax County is sworn in as speaker of the House of Delegates on Wednesday by Virginia Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons. She is the first woman to hold the powerful position in the 401-year history of the Virginia legislature.

Ms. Owen

Ms. Burke

Richmond School Board elects new officers By Ronald E. Carrington

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Racing into 2020 Alani Mason, 6, takes off in a sprint to the finish line during a game Tuesday at the Northside Family YMCA on Old Brook Road. The youngster and her friends in the YMCA after-school program were ready to burn some energy after returning to school this week at the start of a new decade.

The Richmond School Board has two former educators leading the board for 2020. Linda B. Owen, 9th District, a retired teacher and librarian, and Cheryl L. Burke, 7th District, a retired principal of Chimborazo Elementary School, were elected chair and vice chair, respectively, at a meeting Monday night of the board at George Mason Elementary School. The vote: 7-2. The two dissenters were board members Kenya Gibson, 3rd District, and Dr. Patrick Sapini, 5th District. In a call for more board transparency and accountability, Dr. Sapini said, “I cannot support the election of the chair or vice chair.” He did not elaborate. Dr. Sapini is a former vice chair of the School Board. “I accept this position with humility and I hope moving forward that I will do the job … with the best possible outcome for the students and teachers,” Ms. Owen said following the vote. “I know my colleagues are working with the good of children in our hearts.” The change in leadership comes at a time when all nine School Board seats will be up for election in November. Ms. Owen was elected to a four-year term in November 2016, while Ms. Burke initially was appointed to the board in 2017 on an interim basis before winning a special election in November 2018 to represent the district through the remainder of the term in December 2020. Please turn to A4


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