Richmond Free Press October 10-12, 2019 Edition

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Queen Latifah coming to Richmond B2

Richmond Free Press © 2019 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 28 NO. 41

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

www.richmondfreepress.com

Bad for grads By Ronald E. Carrington

in 2015 graduated within four years, which is considered on time. That’s well below the statewide on-time graduation rate of 91.5 percent. “We are of course deeply disappointed by the latest graduation numbers,” Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said in a state-

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Meet the founder of ‘Be the Change RVA’ B1

OCTOBER 10-12, 2019

Richmond Public Schools’ 70.6% on-time graduation rate is lowest in Virginia

ment released Tuesday. “But as we shared last spring, we knew a decline was possible — if not likely — as we stopped a number of inappropriate adult practices that were artificially inflating our rate. “We’ve taken a number of steps to guard against these practices from returning, and

have put a variety of supports in place to help our students graduate on time,” the statement Richmond Public Schools had the lowest continued. “We clearly have more work to do, graduation rate in Virginia last June. but I’m confident we are now heading in the According to data from the Virginia Departright direction.” ment of Education, only 70.6 percent of RichMr. Kamras did not offer details of the mond students who started school as freshmen “inappropriate practices,” but school officials revealed earlier this year that students were given easier tests than required by the state and many were put on Individualized Educational Plans, or IEPs, to circumvent state graduation requirements. For the 2017-18 academic By Jeremy M. Lazarus year, RPS’ on-time graduation Predictions that a 50-cent rate was slightly higher at 75 per pack city tax on cigapercent. rettes would be a disaster The state data, released for convenience stores in on Tuesday, also exposed a Richmond appear to be deeper concern, showing that coming true. 24.4 percent of RPS students While it is still early, inidropped out in 2018-19. tial City Hall financial data The rate was highest among suggest sales of cigarettes in the city’s Hispanic students, the city have fallen sharply with 57.3 percent dropping since the tax went into efout, while 17.4 percent of fect July 1, at the start of African-American students and the fiscal year. 15 percent of white students The tax was recomdropped out. mended by Mayor Levar According to the data, 100 M. Stoney and approved percent of RPS’ Asian stuby a City Council majority dents graduated on time in to raise $3.5 million in new 2018-19. revenue. Statewide, the dropout rate The data corresponds for the Class of 2019 was 5.6 with anecdotal reports from percent. storeowners that cigarette “We have been doing a sales volumes have crashed very inadequate job … for our since the tax went into efEnglish as a Second Language fect as customers go elsestudents, new arrivals and the Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press where. most vulnerable populations,” Raleigh “Red” Carr and his wife, Jean, are seeing customers dwindle at their gas station and convenience store City Finance Director in South Side since the city imposed a 50-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes beginning July 1. The store in the 2200 Richmond School Board mem-

Profits up in smoke as city merchants report hefty sales slumps since start of city cigarette tax

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block of Broad Rock Boulevard has been the couple’s main livelihood for nearly 50 years.

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Mayor Stoney throws over Columbus to proclaim Oct. 14 Indigenous Peoples’ Day By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Columbus statue in Byrd Park.

Richmond has long refused to recognize the annual federal Columbus Day holiday that will fall on Monday, Oct. 14, to remember the European explorer Christopher Columbus who “discovered” America. Until now, City Hall has registered its disapproval by staying open even as federal and state offices closed. Going further, Mayor Levar M. Stoney plans to proclaim next Monday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, joining Alexandria, Charlottesville and 60 Mayor localities across the country in honoring the native people who were displaced and largely destroyed as a result of the European invasion. The mayor will host a brief public ceremony 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, in City Council Chambers at City Hall to present his proclamation of

Indigenous Peoples’ Day to representatives of the 11 Virginia Indian tribes. The mayor has not sought council’s concurrence on the change of designation for Oct. 14, but is using his authority to issue proclamations. He or his successor would need to issue such a proclamation annually to continue the practice unless and until City Council passes legislation to formally rename the day. Still controversial, the idea of replacing Columbus Day with a day honoring the First Nations people has gained momentum since 1990. Seven Stoney states now recognize the holiday as Native American Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “The mayor considers it highly appropriate to recognize and celebrate the contributions Please turn to A4

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Fun at the festival Iyana Reeder, 5, plays a game at the special Kidz Zone last Saturday at the 2nd Street Festival in Richmond’s Historic Jackson Ward. Thousands of people turned out for the free, two-day festival. Please see more photos, B2.

Joshua Brown, key witness in Botham Jean case, fatally shot Free Press wire report

Dallas authorities are insisting that the slaying of Joshua Brown, a key witness in the murder trial of a former Dallas police officer, was part of a drug deal gone bad and not connected to his testimony in the case against Botham Jean’s killer. Mr. Brown, whose testimony helped prosecutors piece together the events of Mr. Jean’s murder in September 2018, ultimately led to a jury convicting the former officer, Amber Guyger, of murder on Oct. 1. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Oct. 2. Mr. Brown’s slaying just two days later on Oct. 4 has raised jarring questions and widespread speculation that his death may have been at the

hands of police in retribution for his testimony against the former police officer. Assistant Police Chief Avery Moore sought to quash the rumors at a news conference Tuesday. He said that three men from Alexandria, La., will

face capital murder charges in the killing of Mr. Brown, 28, in the parking lot of a Dallas apartment complex. One of the three, he said, is in police custody at a Dallas hospital, while a second suspect was arrested in Marksville, La.,

by federal marshals on Tuesday evening. A third man is being sought by authorities. Assistant Chief Moore said the hospitalized man in custody told police that Mr. Brown shot Please turn to A4

Some see rush to forgive as rush to forget racial violence By Errin Haines Associated Press

When a white Dallas police officer who killed an innocent African-American man in his own living room was sent off to prison last week with a hug from the victim’s brother and the African-American judge on the case, some saw it as a moment of amazing grace and redemption. Many African-Americans, though, saw

something all too familiar and were offended. Some saw the rush to forgive as a rush to forget racial violence. They argued that the gesture of forgiveness took the focus off the crime and made it all about the white woman. They complained, too, that it served to soothe white people’s conscience. And they said that white America has pracPlease turn to A4

Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP pool

Joshua Brown, left, a neighbor of slain Botham Jean, testifies about the layout of the apartment complex during the murder trial of Amber Guyger in response to questions from Assistant District Attorney LaQuita Long, right. Mr. Brown was shot and killed Oct. 4.


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