Richmond Free Press September 10-12, 2020 edition

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Remembering Dr. Diane Harris Marsh

A look at Glass B1

Richmond Free Press © 2020 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 29 NO. 38

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

Virtual jitters

www.richmondfreepress.com

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SEPTEMBER 10-12, 2020

First day of school has ups and downs for Richmond families with online learning

By Ronald E. Carrington

When the first day of school came to an end Tuesday, Richmond Public Schools parents Safiya and Kendell Wilson happily exhaled. Their sons, Kevin, 8, and Kyle, 6, are students at Chimborazo Elementary School. Kevin is in third grade, while Kyle is a first-grader. The brothers had an easy time logging on with their Chromebooks and being on time for the first day after a quick walkthrough by Kyle’s teacher. The Wilsons, who both work at night, were standing by to help out. They said they will do whatever needs to be done to make sure their sons stay excited and engaged as they work with their classmates and complete online and offline assignments. For 24,000 RPS students and parents, this was a first day like no other. Because of the coronavirus, students will be learning online for at least the first semester. “We are all about opening with love,” RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras said on Tuesday. “The administration knows virtual learning is new and scary. That’s why our mantra is ‘Low Stress. High Grace.’ Shower everyone with grace.” Grace settled in at the Wilson household. “Kevin and Kyle saw about 10 to 12 of their classmates and friends, as well as their teachers as they introduced themselves,” Mrs. Wilson said. “There were enough students on the screen to know that they understood the process. Thankfully, they got it.” Throughout the first day, the youngsters had “small assignPlease turn to A4

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Chimborazo Elementary School students Kyle, 6, left, and Kevin Wilson, 8, connect with their teachers and classmates Tuesday, the first day of school, using Chromebooks provided by Richmond Public Schools. The kitchen table at the Wilson family’s Fulton home was turned into a virtual classroom when school began at 9:15 a.m., with mom Safiya Wilson monitoring activity.

City day care program rolls out with waiting list By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Christopher J. Woody said he hasn’t slowed down since donating a kidney to his cousin for transplant in 2013. He will be featured on NASCAR driver Joey Gase’s No. 51 car to promote living donors during Saturday’s race at Richmond Raceway.

Man’s gift of life to be highlighted during NASCAR race Saturday By Jeremy M. Lazarus

When a 14-year-old cousin’s kidneys failed, Christopher J. Woody stepped up after testing found him genetically compatible. He donated one of his kidneys to save Tyshawn Morris’ life. This weekend, Donate Life Virginia and NASCAR driver Joey Gase are teaming up to make Mr. Woody the face of organ donation Saturday, Sept. 12, when the stock cars return to race the oval at Richmond Raceway in Henrico County.

The 35-year-old Richmond resident will have his face plastered on Mr. Gase’s car No. 51 of which Donate Life is a sponsor to help call attention to and promote organ donations from the living. “This is the first time ever we will feature a living donor on the car,” said Lara Malbon, executive director of Donate Life Virginia, the state’s 40-year-old organ registry that has made car sponsorship an element of its marketPlease turn to A4

The new school year launched Tuesday with all classes online in Richmond, but the promise of a robust, city-supported day care program for children of working parents and for parents with weak links to the internet has yet to be fulfilled — and it is unclear when it will be. As Mayor Levar M. Stoney announced Wednesday that the first two day care sites supported by city subsidies had opened, all 80 slots at the two sites being managed by the YMCA through its Student Success Program are already filled and have waiting lists. Despite a rush to get more sites open, City Hall delivered its own blow to parents desperate for a safe and secure space to leave their children and where students could be linked into virtual Richmond Public School classes under adult supervision. Even as he talked up the need, Mayor Stoney kept silent on the internal decision blocking use of the city’s recreation centers as potential day care sites. Fearing his staff could be infected by COVID-19, Chris-

Paging Dr. Webb Political cards lined up for young, Black M.D.-J.D. from Charlottesville By Reginald Stuart

This time a year ago, Dr. Cameron Webb of Charlottesville had no idea he would be among the top contenders this fall for election to the U.S. House of Representatives. The 37-year-old Democrat, a former White House Fellow and physician at the University of Virginia Health System who holds both a medical degree and a law degree, is running in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District centered in the Piedmont region. The district, which encompasses an area with more square miles than the state of New Jersey, stretches for more than 200 miles from Fauquier County in Northern Virginia through 21 counties and the cities of Charlottesville and Danville to the North Carolina border. Please turn to A4

topher Frelke, director of the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, issued a statement last week that he would not allow any use of the community centers that have been shuttered almost since COVID-19 arrived in Richmond around March 18.

Mr. Frelke, who for weeks led a city task force seeking to get the day care program underway, announced that the only help his agency would provide would be outdoor popup recreation programming for Please turn to A4

Free COVID-19 testing Free community testing for COVID-19 continues. The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: Date

Location

Thursday, Sept. 10, 4 to 6 p.m.

Hotchkiss Field Community Center 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd. in North Side

Saturday, Sept. 12, 9 to 11 a.m.

Fairfield Middle School 5121 Nine Mile Road in Eastern Henrico If it rains, event moved to Sept. 14 at Diversity Richmond.

Monday, Sept. 14, 4 to 6 p.m.

Diversity Richmond 1407 Sherwood Ave. in North Side

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 4 to 6 p.m.

Broad Rock Community Center 4165 Ferguson Lane, South Side

Thursday, Sept. 17, 9 to 11 a.m.

Robinson Theater Community Arts Center 2903 Q St., East End

People are advised to bring an umbrella in case of inclement weather or to use as shade from the sun while waiting in line. Appointments are encouraged by calling the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walk-up testing will be offered while test supplies last. The Chesterfield County Health Department also is offering free COVID-19 testing at the following location: Date

Location

Friday, Sept. 11, 5 to 7 p.m.

Faith and Family Center 7900 Walmsley Blvd.

Testing is encouraged for those who have COVID-19 symptoms, and it is free for those who are uninsured or underinsured. Some appointments will be reserved for walk-ups, but appointments are recommended by contacting the Chesterfield County Health Department at (804) 318-8207. The Virginia Department of Health reported on Wednesday a total of 129,289 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, along with 10,008 hospitalizations and 2,697 deaths. Officials reported a 7.8 percent positivity rate statewide. According to the data, African-Americans comprised 25.7 percent of cases and 26.8 percent of deaths for which ethnic and racial data is available, while Latinos made up 31.8 percent of the cases and 10.8 percent of deaths.


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