RPS announces graduations A2
Richmond Free Press © 2022 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOL. 31 NO. 23
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
www.richmondfreepress.com
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Meet this week’s Personality B3
JUNE 2-4, 2022
Making moves
Delegate Scott
Delegate Don Scott Jr. new Democratic House leader By Jeremy Lazarus
In just two years, Democratic Delegate Don Scott Jr. has done the extraordinary—leaping from novice legislator to House Minority Leader. The 52-year-old Portsmouth attorney made history Wednesday when his Democratic colleagues in the House elected him to take charge and take on the challenge of rebuilding a majority. First elected to the House in 2019 from the 80th District, Delegate Scott led the charge to oust the first female and Jewish House leader, Fairfax Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn, after the Democratic ranks in the House shrank from 55 to 48 members following the 2021 election. As her replacement, Delegate Scott just became the first Black man to fill the Minority Leader post in the legislature, with a prospect of becoming speaker should Democrats regain their House majority. Delegate Scott, who grew up in a poor Texas family and served time in prison before becoming an attorney, beat out two others who sought the post, including another Black Democratic leader, Alexandria Delegate Charniele Herring, who will continue as the Democratic Caucus chair, the No. 2 post she has Please turn to A4
Publisher announces new managing editor I am pleased to announce that Bonnie Newman Davis has been appointed managing editor of the Richmond Free Carlos Bernate Press following the resignation of Bonnie Winston, who served in that role for seven years. Ms. Davis began her tenure with Richmonders and members of the U.S. military attended the Commonwealth Memorial Day Ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond on Monday. Memorial Day, a federal holiday, typically is observed by mourning U.S. the Free Press on May 16. military personnel who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. The Virginia War Memorial, established in 1955, The Free Press newsroom is in capable was originally dedicated to Virginians killed in World War II and the Korean War. In 1980, the Shrine was enlarged hands. Ms. Davis is a seasoned journalMs. Davis to honor Virginians killed in action in the Vietnam War. For more Memorial Day photographs, see Page B2. ist whose résumé includes experience in print and digital journalism as a reporter, copy editor and editor. Ms. Davis spent nearly 20 years with The RichmondTimes Dispatch and the former By Jeremy Lazarus In addition, the audit found overhaul of the program’s processes Richmond News Leader before more than 2,000 students were — including ending individual serving as a journalism profesRichmond Public Schools assigned multiple computers and school involvement in inventory sor at Virginia Commonwealth wasted millions of federal sup- 1,700 students who left the public management and assignment of University, the University port dollars buying 20,000 extra schools system never turned in their computers to students. of North Carolina at Chapel Chromebook laptop computers assigned computers. Next fall, RPS’ technology Hill and Washington and Lee it didn’t need after going virtual The report is expected to be officials will have sole control University. during the pandemic, an internal presented and discussed at the and directly assign computers to From 2011 to 2015, Ms. audit has found. upcoming School Board meeting students, according to the RPS adDavis was the Greensboro The audit also found that a June 6. ministration led by Superintendent News & Record/Janice Bryant key inventory control system was RPS’ internal audit staff of Jason Kamras. Howroyd Endowed Professor bypassed so the assignment of Milton Parker and LaTonya HolThe School Board authorized at North Carolina A&T State computers to more than 10,000 loway spent months preparing the University, her alma mater in her students was not recorded. report that already is leading to an Please turn to A4 hometown of Greensboro, N.C. Ms. Davis also is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s master’s degree program in journalism. An active member of several journalism organizations, along with other civic, social By Jeremy Lazarus tion that would have made and philanthropic endeavors, it easier for people at the Ms. Davis is the author of the Landlords have always held the upper hand low end of the income scale By George Copeland Jr. forthcoming book, “African when it comes to evicting people. to appeal their eviction to Gov. Youngkin American Women Journalists: Republican Gov. Glenn A. Youngkin is a higher court. Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Virginia 1960-2020.” keeping it that way, according to advocates Richmond State Sen. Jennifer L. McClellan and nationally, a gap in reported positive cases has continued Please join the Free Press for tenants. and Richmond Delegate Jeffrey M. Bourne called throughout Virginia, one that has persisted as the approach to team in welcoming Ms. To the dismay of area General Assembly it “deeply disappointing” that Gov. Youngkin monitoring the worst of the virus and testing for infection has Davis. — JEAN PATTERSON members who sought to give low-income tenants changed and expanded, locally and statewide. Please turn to A4 BOONE a little more clout, the governor vetoed legislaAccording to Catherine Long, public information officer for the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts, local health officials do believe the current count of positive cases locally and statewide may be an undercount for a number of reasons. Positive cases are typically detected through tests at local pharmacies, doctor’s offices or local health district events, which are then reported to the Virginia Department of Health. As a result, positive tests outside certain home tests aren’t counted among total numbers reported, unless those using them report positive cases on their own terms. VDH officials noted other
An indelible honor
System failure: RPS loses thousands of laptops
Youngkin snubs lawmakers’ efforts to support tenants
COVID-19 cases going unreported
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Free COVID-19 testing, vaccines
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Pooling their options Xuri Griffn Williams, 2, and her 8-year-old brother Kamari Stone cool off in the Blackwell Community Pool in South Side on Memorial Day weekend. The Blackwell Pool was one of four city pools open for the holiday.
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues. The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: • Thursday, June 2, 5 to 7 p.m. - Broad Rock Sports Complex, 4899 Old Warwick Road • Wednesday, June 8, 9 to 11 a.m. - East Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 N Laburnum Ave. • Thursday, June 9, 5 to 7 p.m. - Broad Rock Sports Complex, 4899 Old Warwick Road. Call the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804)
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