Richmond Free Press
July 6-8, 2017
A3
Local News
City sheriff candidates
Virginians to be impacted by new laws now in effect
City treasurer candidates
Free Press wire report New state laws went into effect Saturday, July 1, that could impact how Virginians drive, what kind of alcohol they buy and what they wear when they go hunting. The 2017 legislative session lacked any landmark compromises between the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Instead, lawmakers focused on adjusting the state budget to give public employees raises, particularly law enforcement officials. Still, new laws could affect Virginians’ daily lives in ways big and small. Here’s a sampling: Driving too slow in left lane Driving in the left lane on state highways without a good reason could now result in a $100 fine. The bill’s sponsor, Delegate Israel O’Quinn of Bristol said he wants to prevent people from driving too slow in the left lane, which he said endangers law enforcement and spurs road rage. Opioid crisis The opioid crisis gripping Virginia’s neighbors has made its way into the Old Dominion, and lawmakers made addressing the rising number of overdose deaths a priority, passing laws that allow for a needle-exchange program and help new mothers addicted to opioids to more easily get treatment. Everclear State-owned liquor stores now are able to sell a high-proof grain alcohol that is “without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color,” which includes the well-known brand Everclear. University officials had voiced concern about binge drinking, but proponents of the law noted that Everclear can be purchased legally in most other states and is often used in cooking. Female genital mutilation State law now makes it illegal to perform a female genital mutilation, or for a parent or guardian to consent to one for their daughter. Genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision or cutting, has been condemned by the United Nations and outlawed in many parts of the world. But the practice is common for girls in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Driver’s license revocation Adults convicted of possessing marijuana will no longer automatically have their driver’s license suspended for six months, but instead be required to perform 50 hours of community service. Blaze pink Hunters no longer are required to wear blaze orange, but can instead wear blaze pink if they so prefer. The new law is designed to encourage more women to hunt. Dogs and cats Cities and counties can now offer lifetime pet licenses, which cannot cost more than $50. Hair removal regulations Laser hair removal now will have to be performed by a medical practitioner or someone trained and supervised by one, unless people do it at home with their own equipment. The law’s sponsor said the legislation was prompted by a constituent who said a janitor was removing hair at a spa. Scalpers’ rights Delegate David Albo of Fairfax County, a selfdescribed “metal head,” said he sponsored the Ticket Resale Rights Act after he bought tickets for an Iron Maiden show, then couldn’t attend and wasn’t able to resell them. The law prohibits ticket sellers from using systems that prevents purchasers from lawfully reselling tickets on the internet platform of their choice. It also prohibits individuals from being denied admission because they purchased a second-hand ticket.
Ms. Irving
Ms. Jackson
Mr. Jafari
Ms. Armstead
Ms. Harvey
Ms. Mosby
Mr. Kirts
Mr. Starlings
School Board candidates
Ms. Menz-Erb
Mr. Daniels
Dr. Henry
Ms. Gibson
Candidates line up for Nov. 7 election for Richmond offices
She beat incumbent Richmond Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. in the June 13 Democratic primary. Now Antionette Irving, a retired major from the Henrico Sheriff’s Department, will face two independent challengers in the Nov. 7 general election in her bid to become Richmond’s next sheriff. The Democratic nominee will face Nicole Jackson, a former major in the Richmond Sheriff’s Office who is making her first bid for public office, and businessman Emmett J. Jafari, who previously has challenged Sheriff Woody. Both qualified for the ballot, according to Richmond Voter Registrar Kirk Showalter. A third potential challenger, former Richmond Police detective Kenneth Foster, did not qualify, Ms. Showalter said. He did not submit the required
number of valid signatures on his candidate petitions, she said. Meanwhile, two former members of Richmond City Council, Michelle Mosby and L. Shirley Harvey, qualified to run as independents against Nichole O. Richardson Armstead for city treasurer. Ms. Armstead, the daughter of former City Councilman Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson, won the Democratic nomination for treasurer in a primary battle with Tavarris Spinks, a business analyst. The race is to succeed retiring city Treasurer Eunice Wilder, who has served since 1992. Most of the office’s work involves collecting unpaid state income taxes. The final local race on the Richmond ballot involves filling the 3rd District School Board seat previously held by Jeff Bourne, now a delegate to the General
Assembly. Cynthia Menz-Erb was appointed to fill the seat earlier this year and is now seeking her first term. Five challengers qualified for the ballot, including Dorian O. Daniels, Joann Henry, Kenya Gibson, Lathaniel Kirts and Kevin A. Starlings. Two of the challengers, Mr. Daniels and Mr. Starlings, fell short last year in runs for city offices. Mr. Daniels unsuccessfully challenged incumbent 3rd District Councilman Chris Hilbert, and Mr. Starlings lost to Mr. Bourne in the School Board race that took place before Mr. Bourne moved to the General Assembly. The three other challengers, Dr. Henry, Ms. Gibson and Mr. Kirts, competed with Ms. Menz-Erb for the School Board appointment. — JEREMY M. LAZARUS
Schools petition drive organizer files suit against Va. Department of Elections By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Paul Goldman is taking the state Department of Elections to court. The former chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia is accusing the state agency of using a state law to undermine efforts to get a school improvement initiative on the Richmond ballot. On Wednesday, Mr. Goldman asked the Richmond Circuit Court to enjoin the department from using the law to block his petition campaign access to the department’s computerized lists of registered voters, which can provide information on a block-by-block basis. Department officials and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office did not respond to Free Press requests for comment. Mr. Goldman’s request for an injunction follows his filing of a lawsuit last Friday challenging the law’s constitutionality. The law he cites allows incumbents, candidates, government officials, po-
litical action committees and required for the schools initianonprofit advocacy groups tive to make the ballot. access to the election departHe and the Richmond ment’s information. But the Crusade for Voters have collaw does not allow access to laborated on the drive. So far, individuals engaged in politinearly 7,000 signatures have cal activity, such as leading a been collected. petition drive. The campaign has until Mr. Goldman said the about Aug. 18 to gather department offered to provide and submit signatures to the Mr. Goldman the information, but refused to Richmond Circuit Court. That tell him if he is eligible to receive it. would give the court time to check the He declined to accept it and, instead, signatures and issue an order for the filed suit after the department’s ac- initiative to be placed on the ballot, Mr. ceptance form stated that he could be Goldman said. prosecuted and, if convicted, sentenced If the petition drive is successful, to up to 10 years in prison if he was the initiative would seek voter approval later deemed ineligible. to change the City Charter to require “I shouldn’t have to face going to Mayor Levar M. Stoney to come up prison to gain access to this informa- with a fully financed plan to improve tion,” he said. or replace the city’s aging school buildMr. Goldman said the voter infor- ings or declare that such a plan could mation is vital to running an efficient not be developed. drive to gather the signatures of 10,400 If the initiative passes, it would go to the registered Richmond voters, the number General Assembly for final approval.
Mr. Goldman believes his suit will benefit from a 2010 Richmond Circuit Court decision that struck down a related law as unconstitutional. In that decision, Judge Melvin R. Hughes issued his ruling on the law spelling out access to the elections department’s information on the voting history of registered voters. He issued his ruling after a nonprofit group challenged the department for denying access to voter history information so it could gather petitions. In his ruling, Judge Hughes issued a permanent ban on the elections department and its board from “refusing to provide the said list upon request.” In response to the ruling, the General Assembly amended the law to increase access to the lists by a wider range of groups as well as individuals. However, no similar changes were made to the separate law involving access to lists of registered voters that do not include voting histories.
City receives grants for lead paint abatement, workforce development By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Richmond has been awarded grants totaling $4.6 million that will enable the city Health District to do more to reduce lead poisoning of children and to beef up the city’s workforce programs that seek to reduce poverty.
The biggest grant, $2.7 million, is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. To be spread over three years, the funding will enable the city Health District to pay for removing lead paint, mold and other hazards to children’s health from an estimated 150
aging residential properties, officials said. Richmond also was awarded $1.9 million from the Virginia Department of Social Services to support the Richmond Office of Community Wealth Building and its workforce development and job training programs. Richmond was one of two
Autistic student back at TJ High By Jeremy M. Lazarus
For six months, Stephanie Priddy has fought a Richmond Public Schools decision to remove her from Thomas Jefferson High School. Now she is back at TJ taking summer classes after RPS officials suddenly changed their position and re-enrolled her. School Board Chairwoman Dawn Page and new interim Superintendent Thomas E. Kranz are being credited for shifting course and allowing her to return to TJ. Neither responded to Free Press requests for comment. However, Sa’ad El-Amin, an advocate for Stephanie, said that Mr. Kranz “indicated he wanted no part of the situation,” and opened the door for her return. The decision to readmit her “just shows how ludicrous the administration (under former Superintendent Dana T. Bedden) was in essentially punishing her for behavior resulting from her disability,” said Mr. El-Amin, a former City Councilman who now specializes in representing clients in administrative proceedings. Stephanie has been diagnosed with autism. The departure of Darin Thompson, the
school’s principal, also apparently helped, Mr. El-Amin said. Stephanie, who lives in South Side and is zoned to attend Huguenot High School, was admitted to Thomas Jefferson under the open school plan. She attended TJ as a freshman and sophomore, was home-schooled as a junior and returned for her senior year. When the school repeatedly marked her as skipping classes, Mr. Thompson revoked her permission to attend TJ, and she was directed to go to Huguenot. On Dec. 9, Stephanie was arrested for trespassing at TJ when she showed up after being told she was banned. The case was not prosecuted. However, Stephanie was home-schooled as her family fought to overturn her removal. Her mother, Michelle Priddy, alleges that the school’s records were poorly kept and that her daughter either was in class or had excused absences that were not properly recorded. The case was appealed to the state. A state hearing officer ruled at the end of May that RPS did not violate federal or state laws governing the education of students with disabilities with the transfer. Until RPS changed its position, her only recourse would have been to appeal the hearing officer’s decision to U.S. District Court.
Virginia cities that HUD listed as recipients last week of the grants. The other was Roanoke. Despite being banned in 1978, lead paint remains in thousands of Richmond homes. Testing finds about 40 children a year with elevated levels of lead in their blood from breathing in dust from lead paint, according to the Richmond Health District. This is the first time in 13 years that HUD has awarded the lead paint grant to the city. Richmond had been a regular recipient until 2004, when HUD found the city was failing to use the money and essentially blacklisted the city. Since then, HUD has awarded grants for lead paint removal in Richmond to a nonprofit organization that sought to raise awareness about the continuing problem of lead paint. HUD also provided the money to Petersburg and other cities. “We assembled a good team,” said city grants writer Chris Johnston in explaining how Richmond once again received a lead elimination grant. Despite the loss of HUD funds, the city Health District has continued to operate a Lead Safe/Healthy Homes initiative to test children at risk of lead poisoning and to work with families to reduce risks for
children, said Yvonne Johnson, who has been involved with the program for 27 years. She said while HUD funding to remediate lead paint, mold and other hazards has not been available, she said the Health District has worked with landlords to address conditions after testing turns up children who are suffering. “We still have had enforcement powers,” she said. The state workforce grant will more than double the funding the OCWB will have for programs to link unemployed Richmond residents to jobs. City Council approved Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s request to increase funding for the office’s workforce training from around $700,000 to $1.4 million in the new city budget that went into effect July 1. The state grant will push the total to $3.3 million, helping the office move toward its goal of lifting at least 1,000 people a year out of poverty by training and placing them in jobs. One new program, the OCWB’s Center for Workforce Innovation, is launching aims to fill a shortage at area hospitals of technicians to sterilize surgical equipment. The office also plans to expand training for truck drivers and other jobs that pay more than $15 an hour.