School Board extends Kamras contract
By Victoria A. Ifatusin
Superintendent’s compensation rises to $275,000 in new four-year deal
Union groups call for rehiring of RPS bus drivers
By George Copeland Jr.
Union leaders, parents, and students are calling for the reinstatement of five longtime Richmond Public Schools bus drivers who were fired after protesting proposed changes to their overtime pay.
The future of the drivers—who collectively have more than 75 years of service with RPS—was a central issue at Tuesday’s School Board meeting. More than two dozen people, including members of the Richmond Education Association, Teamsters Local 322 and Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 804, rallied outside City Hall before the meeting in support of the workers.
Attendees spoke about the drivers’
value to the school system and criticized the firings, which followed their appearance at an April 8 School Board meeting to speak out against proposed changes to afterschool route pay.
“We were invited to and we attended a School Board meeting like we do every month to address the issues that drivers face,” said Kimya Williams, one of the terminated drivers. She and the four others Catina Hickman, Sonny Randolph, Darryl Brinson-Williams and Cynthia Kole have also been barred from public employment for a year.
For students, parents and staff that have relied on some of the drivers for years, their absence is deeply felt.
“I’m trying to do everything I can to
City
get these five back,” said parent Dwaun Williams. She stood beside Randolph, a bus who has worked with RPS for almost a decade, and praised the impact he has had on her autistic son’s life. Tears filled Randolph’s eyes as she spoke.
The drivers and their supporters accounted for the majority of speakers during a 40 minute public comment period in the meeting itself. Alongside others present for separate matters, the audience completely filled out the meeting room and its auxiliary room.
A recent email from Superintendent Jason Kamras, obtained by the Free Press, stated the drivers were dismissed after RPS
forces RPS cuts, community projects find support
By George Copeland Jr.
With Richmond officials set to finalize the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget next Monday, leaders from Richmond Public Schools and the People’s Budget initiative are adjusting plans in response to funding levels and proposed changes.
Richmond School Board meetings Monday and Tuesday featured discussions of a revised 2026 budget proposal for Richmond Public Schools that includes nearly $13.8 million in reductions.
The change followed the city’s budget proposal, which includes a $9.6 million increase in RPS
Hundreds rally in Richmond for workers’ rights on May Day
By George Copeland Jr.
place across the state, the nation and the globe. “I thought it was outstanding,” said Johne Bandino, a New York native who came to Richmond 40 years ago and hadn’t protested since 1969. “I’d like to see more people come out, this is really important stuff.”
Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Demonstrators gathered in Richmond on Thursday,
Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Darryl Brinson-Williams joined representatives of Richmond Public Schools unions at a press conference Tuesday, May 6, outside of City Hall. The group criticized what they described as anti-union actions by RPS administrators
Parayo to oversee opening of Live! Casino
Virginia in Petersburg
Free Press staff report
Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies recently appointed Penny Parayo as senior vice president of operations and general manager for Live! Casino Virginia, the gaming facility scheduled to open in Petersburg by the end of the year. Parayo, a gaming industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience, recently served as senior vice president of property operations for Live! Casino & Hotel in Hanover, Maryland. She has held other leadership roles with the Live! brand, including vice president of slot and beverage operations from 2013 to 2018. In her new role, Parayo will oversee the development, opening and daily operations of the facility, which will serve as an interim casino while construction continues on the $1.4 billion project. The temporary venue will include approximately 75,000 square feet of gaming space, 900 slot machines, 33 liveaction table games, a casino bar, a restaurant and free parking.
“We are incredibly fortunate as a company to have a leader as skilled and knowledgeable as Penny,” said Joe Billhimer, chief operating and development officer of Cordish Gaming Group.
Bruce Smith Enterprise and The Cordish Companies broke ground earlier this year on the permanent resort, which is expected to open in 2027. Bruce Smith, a Virginia native, Pro Football Hall of Famer and former NFL all-time sack leader, heads Bruce Smith Enterprise.
Upon completion, Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia will feature more than 450,000 square feet of gaming, hotel and dining space, along with 75,000 square feet of meeting and entertainment areas. Plans alsoinclude a 4,000-seat concert and event venue, a 200-room hotel with 20 suites, a resort pool and fitness center, 1,600 slot machines, 65 table games, a 22-table poker room, high-limit gaming areas, a sportsbook and 10 food and entertainment venues.
More information is available at valive.casino
Chesterfield seeks input on Route 10 corridor plan
Chesterfield County planning staff are seeking input from residents and businesses on how best to guide development and land use along a key stretch of Route 10.
A public open house introducing the proposed Northern Route 10 Corridor Plan was held May 6 at the Beulah Recreation Center in Chesterfield. The plan focuses on a 3.5-mile section of Route 10 between Route 288 and Rock Spring Drive/Lakemere Drive, covering nearly a square mile.
The corridor serves as a major gateway into the county and connects the Courthouse and Chester areas. The study area includes large tracts of vacant or undeveloped land, a vacant grocery store building and ongoing residential development. The nearby airport has seen growth in service and new construction is occurring in the Courthouse area.
The county sees the corridor plan as an opportunity to revise long-range land uses, enhance infrastructure and adopt design standards that distinguish Route 10 from other major corridors, according to a press release.
Residents and business owners can submit comments online through 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 23. For more information and maps of the study area, visit chesterfield.gov.
Early voting
Early in-person voting for the June 17 primary election continues through Saturday, June 14. Richmond voters can cast their ballots at the Office of Elections, at 2134 W. Laburnum Ave. City Hall, at 900 E. Broad St. and Hickory Hill Community Center at 3000 E. Belt Blvd. will open for early voting Monday, June 2. Voting hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with additional Saturday hours on June 7 and June 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Henrico County residents can vote at the Henrico Western Government Center at 4305 E. Parham Road and the Eastern Government Center at 3820 Nine Mile Road from Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. starting Friday, May 2. The Varina Library at 1875 New Market Road will open a voting location starting Monday, June 2, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All locations also will be open on Saturday, June 7, and June 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Five mail drop boxes are accessible at the Administration Annex building at the Henrico Western Government Center, the Eastern Government Center, Deep Run Park Recreation Center at 9900 Ridgefield Pkwy., the Varina Library and the Tuckahoe Area Library at 1901 Starling Drive. Chesterfield County is hosting early voting at the Central Library at 7051 Lucy Corr Blvd. starting Friday, May 2 until Saturday, June 14, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, June 7, and June 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Voters are asked to park on the side of the library, and can vote in the large meeting room across from the Cooperative Extension office.
A drop box for mail-in ballots and curbside voting for those with disabilities or those age 65 and older also is available outside the entrance to the Cooperative Extension office.
Another drop box is available at the Office of the General Registrar at 9848 Lori Road from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday, May 2, to Friday, June 13, and Saturdays, June 7 and 14, and Monday, June 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
These options won’t be available Monday, May 26, as the Office of the General Registrar will be closed for Memorial Day. Early voting in Hanover County began Friday, May 2, in the Wickham Building at the Hanover Courthouse Government Complex at 7497 County Complex Road from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday, June 7, and 14 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Curbside voting options available for handicapped and voters over the age of 65 are also available.
A ballot drop off station will be on site at the Wickham Building from Friday, May 2, until Tuesday, June 17, at 7 p.m.
No excuse is needed to vote early in Virginia. Bring an acceptable form of ID or be prepared to sign an ID confirmation statement. Those interested must register to vote in this election by Tuesday, May 27, while applications to vote by mail must be submitted by Friday, June 6. For more information, visit elections.virginia.gov.
Chesterfield County’s Dale District Supervisor Jim Holland was surprised Wednesday, May 7, when the Beulah Recreation Center was renamed in his honor. The renaming coincides with the anniversary of the center’s official opening in June 2023. Holland played a key role in the $12.5 million renovation of the former elementary school, which serves as one of the district’s primary community hubs, hosting a wide range of events and activities.
Harbor School could become Richmond’s first new charter in nearly a decade
By Brodie Greene
Virginia could soon see its first new charter school in nearly nine years. On Thursday, May 8, the state Board of Education’s Charter School Standing Committee will review an application for the Harbor School, a proposed middle school in Richmond.
The Harbor School’s model is based on a homeschool pilot program started by New Schools for Virginia, that began during the pandemic and lasted until 2022. The school uses a learner-centered approach, where teachers and students come up with education plans that align with students’ interests, while preparing them for life after high school.
“After 20 years in Richmond education, I’ve seen first hand that one size fits all schooling doesn’t serve all children,” said Jon Bibbs, NSVA’s director of community engagement. “The Harbor School was built with our families, for the kind of future we want to see for our children. It’s a place where kids are seen, challenged and lifted up.”
Jayden Crosby-Brewer, now a high school junior, took part in the homeschool pilot program during his eighth-grade year. Before that, he attended traditional public schools, but said he felt disconnected—even in honors-level courses—because of the routine lesson structure and large class sizes.
“I think when you have so many students in the classroom, it could be really hard to put focus on one student. If … one student is getting it and you have about 36 and only that one student is answering your question, you can make the assumption that the class knows, but the truth is that we just didn’t know,” Crosby-Brewer said.
Crosby-Brewer isn’t alone in feeling left behind by traditional schooling. In 2024, only 44.38% of Black and 41.3% of Hispanic eighth graders in Richmond City schools passed the SOL English Reading exam, compared to 92.17% of White eighth graders, according to the Virginia Department of Education. While
By Marlin Adams Capital News Service
Virginia consumers should see less hidden fees on the purchase price of certain items, starting in July.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin on May 2 approved twin bills from the Virginia House and Senate that update the Virginia Consumer Protection Act and will force certain businesses to disclose the total price of services and products before a purchase.
Hidden fees and surcharges often tacked on near the end of a purchase will become a more clear part of the advertised price, according to the legislation.
The bills were stalled at the governor’s office after clearing the General Assembly.
the Harbor School is tuition-free and open to students across Richmond, enrollment is limited. According to a press release from the school, it was designed with the experiences of Richmond’s Black youth in mind..
Tonya Robinson, whose two children were part of the pilot program, helped shape the school’s early design. She also worked with the school to gather parent feedback through community interviews and discussions.
“Before this program, I couldn’t see where my kids would be in five years. And with this program, they were telling me what they wanted … They went from not knowing nothing about what they wanted in the next five years for their life to planning and I have a senior next year that’s in a criminal justice program,” Robinson said. The school’s application was accepted by the Virginia Board of Education in April and is scheduled for review by the Charter School Standing Committee on May 8. That committee will make a recommendation for approval or denial to the full board, which will then vote on the application.
If approved, the Harbor school plans to apply to become a part of the Richmond Public School system in October of 2025 and open in the Fall of 2026. The school would be located in Richmond, but the exact location has not yet been determined. The Harbor School plans to have 48 students when it opens, but expects to have 324 students at full enrollment five years after opening. According to Virginia law, charter schools cannot operate privately or with goals of profit, and must be tuition-free and open to all. They operate within the public schools system and must be authorized and overseen by local school boards.
Fifth district Richmond School Board
Youngkin had sent the bills back with the request to have a 2026 reenactment clause, which meant it would have faced the same legislative process next year. All 100 seats in the House of Delegates face an upcoming election, which could have changed the current Democratic-majority and possibly swayed the bill’s outcome.
Youngkin also asked for health clubs to be included in the list of businesses exempt from mandatory fee disclosure.
There was some bipartisan support among lawmakers, who rejected his changes and sent the bills back to the governor. Youngkin had until May 2 to take any counter action, such as a veto.
An average U.S. household spends around $650 in junk fees a year on the 10 most dominant industries that use
member Stephanie Rizzi expressed concerns about equity issues that could arise from having to share resources with charter schools. The public school system has not been a priority for state or federal funding, and is facing teacher and staff shortages, she said.
“I’m sure that [Harbor School leaders] are coming from a good place and that they really do have great ideas,” Rizzi said. “Maybe we could take those ideas and see if we can’t integrate them into public schools in some kind of way. And if not, then that’s where the advocacy needs to happen.”
Jonathan Bibbs responded to those concerns by saying many Richmond students can’t afford to wait for change to happen at the state level.“They need a drastic, what we call a transformational change, in their educational experience. And we think that under Virginia law, the mechanism that’s available for us to achieve that kind of transformational innovative change is our charter school,” Bibbs said.
If the Harbor School were authorized by the Richmond Public School System, it would receive the same amount of funding per student allocated to traditional public schools within the district. Bibbs said that this funding would cover about one third of the school’s anticipated operational costs for the first year, but that they plan to raise funds through donations to cover the remaining two thirds.
“Then, over the next four years after that first year, the ask will increase,” Bibbs said. “But here’s the good news—and this is different from any other public school—if RPS looks at the Harbor School at the end of that five years and it determines that it is not worth the investment … they get to shut it down. And that is a really important thing because you can’t do that with any other kind of public school.”
Virginia requires charter schools to use a lottery system for enrollment. Bibbs added that the Harbor School has considered implementing a tiered lottery to give priority to economically disadvantaged students and is recruiting in communities the school is designed to support.
junk fees. In addition to credit card and banking fees, some of the fees are from industries that include airlines, hotels and food delivery, according to a 2024 White House report.
Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax County, introduced Senate Bill 1212 and Del. Adele McClure, D-Arlington, sponsored House Bill 2515. Pekarsky first introduced the mandatory fee disclosure bill during the 2024 session, but it was shot down in the House after passing the Senate. Pekarsky told the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee that they worked on the legislation in the past year to ensure it was clear and understandable.
“This new version of the bill is modeled after legislation that was successfully passed in other states,” Pekarsky said.
Julianne Tripp
Hillian/Richmond Free Press
Jonathan Bibbs
Penny Parayo
From South Side to CEO, Taylor returns for VCU graduation speech
Free Press staff report
When Everette Taylor takes the stage at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on May 10, it will be a homecoming. The Richmond native and CEO of Kickstarter has been named keynote speaker for Virginia Commonwealth University’s spring commencement ceremony. Taylor, 35, leads the Brooklyn-based crowdfunding platform, which supports creative projects across the globe. Before joining Kickstarter in 2022, he held executive roles at companies including Skurt and Artsy. By the age of 30, he had founded four companies that reached multimillion dollar valuations. His path to success was far from conventional. Raised in Richmond’s Broad Rock neighborhood on the city’s South Side, Taylor was brought up by a single mother and experienced periods of homelessness as a teenager. He briefly attended Virginia Tech before leaving to pursue business ventures full time.
“Richmond made me the man I am today because it kept me hungry. It kept me ambitious,” Taylor says. “I grew up on a rougher side of the city so I saw the gangs, I saw the drugs, I saw the assaults and all those things, but at the same time, I saw really hard-working people and hardworking families in the South Side.”
Since becoming CEO, Taylor has led several changes at Kickstarter, including the addition of new features such as payment installment plans. He has also focused on improving company culture and customer engagement.
Everette Taylor, Kickstarter CEO who rose from homelessness in Richmond’s South Side to tech industry success, returns to his hometown to
Sean Leow, the company’s chief operating officer, called him “one of the most impactful leaders” he has worked with.
“Now we’re focusing on customers and making sure
that we’re empathetic in everything we do,” Leow said. “There was some complacency in the past towards growing the company, and Everette really is a shot in the arm in terms of wanting to bring that energy that this thing matters to the world.”
The VCU appearance will be Taylor’s second commencement address. He previously spoke at Shaw University, where he received an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contributions to society and public welfare.
Taylor said he’s still shaping what he plans to say to VCU’s graduates, but hopes to leave them with a message of resilience.
“I want the people in the room to feel the power,” Taylor says. “To feel like no matter what the obstacles in life that will come, because they surely will come, anything that they really want to do is possible.”
Taylor will deliver the commencement address for Virginia Commonwealth University on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
Warnock to speak at Virginia Union’s 2025 commencement
Free Press staff report
Virginia Union University recently announced U.S. Sen. Raphael G. Warnock will deliver the keynote address at its 2025 commencement ceremony. The event will take place 9 a.m., Saturday, May 10, at Hovey Field on the university’s campus. In addition to his address, Warnock will be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree in recognition of his leadership in public service, advocacy for social justice,and commitment to education and equity.
Sen. Warnock, who was elected Georgia’s first Black U.S. senator in 2021, also is the senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. His work spans both public service and faith leadership, with national recognition for his efforts in areas such as racial justice and voting rights.
“We are excited to have him join us to inspire our graduates as they embark on their next chapter,” said Hakim J. Lucas, president of Virginia Union University.
In other commencement news, Virginia State University also announced its keynote speakers for the spring graduation ceremonies. Virginia Speaker of the House Don Scott and Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas will address graduates at two separate ceremonies on May 17 at the VSU Multi-Purpose Center.
Scott, the first African American to serve as speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, will deliver his address at the morn-
Chesterfield Schools adds 6 to Education Hall of Fame
2022.
The 2025 inductees include Katherine Baugher, theater teacher at Midlothian High; Bessie Cooper, principal of Bensley Elementary; Kathy Kitchen, assistant superintendent of business and finance; Catherine “Kitty” Neale, Spanish teacher at Bird High; Brad Peebles, who rose from biology teacher to principal of the Juvenile Detention Center; and Linda Wood, who served as a fourth-grade teacher, principal of Harrowgate Elementary and director of elementary education.
The Hall of Fame, a partnership between the school system and the Chesterfield Education Foundation, recognizes retirees and volunteers who have made significant contributions to the district.
Nominations for 2026 inductees are being accepted until Aug. 31 through an online form. A digital Hall of Fame featuring photos, biographies and videos of honorees is available at mychesterfieldschools. com. Photos of inductees are also displayed at the Thomas R. Fulghum Conference Center.
ing ceremony, starting at 8:30 a.m. This ceremony will honor graduates from the College of Education and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Scott has represented the 88th District since 2020 and is a former naval officer and attorney. Sen. Louise Lucas will speak at the afternoon ceremony, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. Lucas has served in the Virginia Senate since 1992 and is the first African American woman to
Free Press staff report
Norfolk State University will offer Virginia’s first college course on gaming management this fall. The course, Introduction to Gaming Management, will be available entirely online through the Business School’s Tourism and Hospitality Management program.
The course will provide an overview of the gaming industry, touching on facets such as staffing, security, control, taxation, government regulations and its integration with hotel operations. Students will also delve into the social, economic and cultural
1 in 12 African
chair the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee.
Meanwhile, Norfolk State University has announced that its 2025 commencement ceremony will take place Saturday, May 10, at 9 a.m. in William “Dick” Price Stadium, where more than 600 graduates are expected to receive their diplomas. The keynote speaker will be actress, producer, activist and author Sheryl Lee Ralph. Ralph, a cast member of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” has received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award and Critics’ Choice Award for supporting actress in a comedy series. Her career includes a Tony Award nomination for “Dreamgirls” and roles in television and film such as “Moesha,” “Sister Act 2” and “Ray Donovan.” Ralph also is known for her advocacy work in public health and LGBTQ+ rights through her nonprofit, the D.I.V.A. Foundation.
impacts of gaming on communities.
“We created this course in 2021 in response to the planned Norfolk casino, and now that construction is underway just a stone’s throw from NSU’s campus, it’s the perfect time to offer it,” said professor Larry Epplein, the program’s advisor.
The course aligns with the growing interest in Virginia’s gaming landscape, especially as developments continue, including the ongoing construction of the casino in Norfolk. It will be offered in partnership with Boyd Gaming, the operator of the Norfolk casino, to highlight career opportunities within the expanding
gaming industry.
“If the discipline proves popular, we aim to offer a multi-course certificate program and potentially a minor in gaming management through NSU’s School of Business,” added Moncef Belhadjali, associate dean.
While the course is an elective for NSU students, it also is open to the public.
The course comes as casino development continues to gain momentum across Virginia. Petersburg recently secured approval for a casino development, while Richmond has seen multiple attempts to bring a casino to the city that have not materialized.
When two people with Sickle Cell Trait have a child, there is a 1 in 4 chance with each pregnancy, that the child will have a painful life threatening disease called Sickle Cell Disease. Request for Qualifications Contract ID #: C00122773DB140 Route 28 Innovative Intersections
Do you have Sickle Cell Trait? Get tested! For more information, call sICKLe CeLL AssOCIAtION OF RICHMONd - OsCAR 804-321-3311
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is seeking Statements of Qualifications for the Route 28 Innovative Intersections design-build project, located in the County of Prince William and the City of Manassas Park, from qualified and experienced respondents with design and construction experience. The Route 28 Innovative Intersections project includes the design and construction of innovative intersection improvements along Route 28 (Centreville Road) between Manassas Drive (Route 213) and Spruce Street. These improvements include converting existing Route 28 intersections at Maplewood Drive and Browns Lane to restricted crossing U-turns and construction of a median U-turn between Birch Street and Spruce Street. The project will also include turn lane extensions, new and reconstructed concrete medians, sidewalk and curb ramp construction, striping, and associated drainage and stormwater management.
Questions/clarifications regarding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) should be submitted to Marshall Eichfeld, PE, Assoc. DBIA (marshall.eichfeld@vdot.virginia.gov).
Copies of the RFQ and additional submittal requirements can be found on Bid Express (bidexpress.com).
The Department assures compliance with Title VI requirements of non-discrimination in all activities pursuant to this advertisement.
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Don Scott Raphael Warnock L. Louise Lucas
Richmond Free Press
Mother’s Day tribute ‘The Negro Mother’
This was originally published in the Richmond Free Press on the Editorial Page for the May 10-12, 2007, edition as a special Mother’s Day tribute.
This inspirational poem, “The Negro Mother,” written by Langston Hughes in the early 1930s, is reprinted here to hopefully depict the harsh treatment and struggles common to Black women. It is reprinted also because its subject and message remain relevant, stirring and poignant. Although bittersweet, this vivid piece, filled with pride, will ring in the ears of Black women from all walks of life — the field worker, the factory worker, the teacher, the social worker, the medical professional, the homemaker, the businesswoman.
Many of the injustices suffered by women upon whom this lamentation focuses still abound today. And yet, the poem is a clarion call to the mother of the nation’s children to hold on and rise up, ever persistent — ever hopeful — ever proud — in the quest for justice, peace, learning and the opportunity which all deserve.
Children, I come back today
To tell you a story of the long dark way
That I had to climb, that I had to know
In order that the race might live and grow. Look at my face—dark as the night— Yet shining like the sun with love’s true light.
I am the child they stole from the sand
Three hundred years ago in Africa’s land.
I am the dark girl who crossed the wide sea Carrying in my body the seed of the free.
I am the woman who worked in the field
Bringing the cotton and the corn to yield.
I am the one who labored as a slave, Beaten and mistreated for the work that I gave— Children sold away from me, husband sold, too. No safety, no love, no respect was I due.
Three hundred years in the deepest South: But God put a song and a prayer in my mouth. God put a dream like steel in my soul. Now, through my children, I’m reaching the goal. Now, through my children, young and free, I realize the blessings denied to me. I couldn’t read then. I couldn’t write. I had nothing, back there in the night. Sometimes, the valley was filled with tears, But I kept trudging on through the lonely years. Sometimes, the road was hot with sun, But I had to keep on till my work was done: I had to keep on! No stopping for me— I was the seed of the coming Free. I nourished the dream that nothing could smother Deep in my breast—the Negro mother. I had only hope then, but now through you, Dark ones of today, my dreams must come true: All you dark children in the world out there, Remember my sweat, my pain, my despair. Remember my years, heavy with sorrow— And make of those years a torch for tomorrow. Make of my past a road to the light Out of the darkness, the ignorance, the night. Lift high my banner out of the dust. Stand like free men supporting my trust. Believe in the right, let none push you back. Remember the whip and the slaver’s track. Remember how the strong in struggle and strife Still bar you the way, and deny you life— But march ever forward, breaking down bars. Look ever upward at the sun and the stars. Oh, my dark children, may my dreams and my prayers Impel you forever up the great stairs— For I will be with you till no white brother Dares keep down the children of the Negro mother.
On the night of Jan. 11, 1989, near the end of a 21-minute farewell address, President Ronald Reagan asked the TV audience, “How stands ‘the city’ on this winter night?”
The city — a reimagined America based on the vision of the highly controversial pioneer John Winthrop — refers to the country being a beacon of light.
cally, the key moments below — resonate more than ever before and bring into question whether America is still that “shining city on a hill,” or if the beacon of light has become a sporadic flicker suggesting a more serious, underlying issue.
Four minutes into the president’s address, Reagan stated that with the “recovery of our morale, America is respected again in the world and look to our leadership.”
“A shining city on a hill, teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace. Its doors open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here,” is what Reagan told the nation, answering his question by stating that the nation (under his leadership) was more prosperous, more secure and happier than it was eight years prior to when he first took office.
And although many have disagreed with his answer and argued to the contrary of Reagan’s more prosperous, secure and happier time, it stands without question that Reagan’s farewell address helped coin America as the shining city on a hill — the gold standard for other nations to emulate.
Now, 36 years later, the former president’s address — specifi-
Will Trump have Chicago to kick around anymore? Is
That question, an update of Richard Nixon’s memorable farewell to news reporters as he dropped out of the California governor’s race in 1962, came to mind on the heels of some unusually welcome news about violent crime in Chicago.
The city finished April with 20 re ported homi cides, the low est count of any April since 1962, accord ing to a WBEZ analysis
Also, the public radio station found that the city’s “116 murders through this year’s first four months mark the lowest January-through-April tally since 2014.”
Even as the city braces for its usual summertime surge in violent crimes, Chicago still appears to be on pace to hit Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 goal of having fewer than 500 homicides for the first time in a decade. Meanwhile, is Washington tuned in to the good news — and how we can have more of it?
President Trump’s historic blizzard of executive orders in the first 100 days of his second term in office poked his presidential nose back into Chicago’s affairs at the very moment when good news is happening without him. Three of his executive orders in particular seemed to be aimed at Chicago. One seeks to end all federal consent decrees governing police reform efforts.
That would include Chicago’s agreement, which dates back to the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, 17, by then-Chicago
Today, a new 29-country Ipsos poll reports the United States’ reputation as a positive influence in the world has declined in 26
R.L. Byrd
of the 29 countries surveyed. Our northern neighbor, Canada, showed the sharpest decline — from a 52% negative perception in October 2024 to 19% in April 2025.
The Netherlands (20%), Sweden (22%), Belgium (23%), and Germany and France (both at 30%) round out the top five countries with the lowest negative perception of the U.S. And China — for the first time in Ipsos’ decade-long surveys — places ahead of the United States as a positive influence on the world by the 29 countries surveyed.
Seven minutes into Reagan’s farewell address, he states “com-
Police Officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014. McDonald died after Van Dyke pumped 16 9mm bullets into him. In 400 pages of reports, police claimed McDonald was acting “crazed” while walking down the street and had lunged at officers after refusing to drop a knife, leading department su-
pervisors to rule the homicide justifiable.
Video of the incident released later showed McDonald was walking away. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder, and Chicago and the U.S. Department of Justice signed a consent decree to address the underlying civil rights issues of the case.
A second executive order by Trump calls on state and federal officials, as WBEZ reported, to “publish lists of jurisdictions often called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with federal officials’ attempts to arrest immigrants who are in the country illegally.”
That sounds like Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance. First declared by Mayor Harold Washington in 1985 via executive order, it aims to ensure undocumented residents are not prosecuted “on the basis of immigration status.”
Yet another order signed by Trump would increase access to excess military equipment by state and local officials. It would also increase legal support for officers accused of wrongdoing while on official duty.
Although I believe in supporting law enforcement, the use of military equipment by local
mon sense told us that when you put a big tax on something that people would produce less of it.”
Ten minutes into the 21-minute address, Reagan reiterated three words long associated with America: We. The. People.
The former president stated, “We the people tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver. The government is the car and we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.”
Reagan summarized this point by affirming, “Our Constitution is a document in which ‘We the People,’ tell the government what it is allowed to do. We the people are free.” But are our freedoms and liberties at stake today? A recent survey by Bright Line Watch questions if democracy is on the decline as America’s “We the People” appear not to be immune from heading toward some form of autocracy. Bright Line Watch reports, “In the weeks since [President Trump] took office, Trump launched a blizzard of executive actions that have not only shifted policy, but, in many cases, challenged key principles of contemporary American democracy.”
U.S. democracy shifts when “we the people” experience a decline in once-held values, freedoms and liberties — the
departments opens up another long-running debate about the wisdom and effectiveness of militarizing local police, as it could lead to unnecessary use of excessive force on, for example, political protesters.
Finally, Trump signed an order reinforcing an existing federal law that requires English-language proficiency for commercial motor drivers. That doesn’t sound too drastic, but I’m curious about how a Republican president whose party usually emphasizes local solutions for local problems is so eager to stick Washington’s nose into this one.
Amid these executive orders, will Trump and his MAGA movement notice the good news happening on Chicago streets and other big cities?
Is it possible that Trump and MAGA have drawn so much political mileage out of the crime-ridden-hellhole narrative about Chicago to be deterred by mere facts?
My years of covering crime and other problems in Chicago’s communities have shown me how a lot of street-savvy and dedicated professionals and volunteers at the grassroots neighborhood level have been the unsung heroes that lead to safe and peaceful communities, if we give them a chance.
We can learn a lot from such apparent successes as community violence intervention, or CVI, programs. They hire ex-offenders to mediate gang conflicts and steer high-risk individuals to social services and jobs.
Can the answers to our urban crime problems be found on the same streets that produced them?
It’s worth a try.
The writer is columnist with the Chicago Tribune.
components that make up a democracy — including: loss of free speech or freedom of expression; repression of civil society organizations; freedom and fairness of elections; freedom of academic and cultural expression; and eroding (or disobeying) liberal aspects such as the rule of law, and legislative and judicial constraints on the president. Almost four decades after Reagan’s farewell address other countries are now in position to take over pivotal roles America held and dominated for well over a century.
A change in direction that should have every person residing within the “shining city on a hill” asking the question President Reagan posed some 36 years ago: How stands “the city” today? The writer is the author of “Looking for Sweet Love” and “Black Coffee.”
Clarence Page
Reese has rousing return to Baton Rouge
The Associated Press
Former LSU star Angel Reese’s homecoming in the Chicago Sky’s WNBA exhibition opener was a smashing success.
Reese had 15 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Sky to a rousing 89-62 victory over the Brazilian national team Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Reese was smiling the moment she entered the arena where her college career took off after transferring from Maryland. She earned All-American honors twice and led LSU to the national title in 2023.
“I’m just happy to be back to see all the fans, even down to the security guards, because I know how much was put into this program,” said Reese, who’s entering her second season with the Sky after earning WNBA All-Rookie honors last year when she set a league single season rebounding record.
A crowd of 6,373, many of whom wore Sky T-shirts and Reese No. 5 jerseys, cheered her and rookie teammate Hailey Van Lith’s every move. Van Lith was an LSU teammate of Reese in 2023-24 before playing her final collegiate season at TCU.
Patriots rally late to beat Squirrels 5-4 in series finale
Free Press staff report
The Richmond Flying Squirrels surrendered four late runs and fell to the Somerset Patriots, 5-4, in Sunday’s series finale at The Diamond.
The Flying Squirrels (8-19) split the six-game series with the Patriots (12-15) and saw their three-game win streak come to an end.
Richmond led 4-1 entering the seventh inning before Garrett Martin’s RBI double and Max Burt’s run-scoring single brought the Patriots within a run. In the eighth, Rafael Flores hit a two-run homer off reliever Dylan Cumming (0-2) to give Somerset its first lead since the first inning.
The Flying Squirrels loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Patriots reliever Cole Ayers (save, 1) entered and got Bryce Eldridge to fly out to end the game. Somerset scored in the first inning on a Richmond error — the only run allowed by Squirrels starter John Michael Bertrand. The lefthander struck out five over 4.2 innings. Richmond responded in the bottom half with an RBI single from Cal Mitchell to tie the score. Devin Mann followed with a go-ahead single to give the Squirrels a 2-1 lead.
Carter Howell added a solo homer in the second inning, his third of the series, to push the lead to 4-1. Somerset’s bullpen shut down the Richmond offense the rest of the way. Will Brian, Kelly Austin (1-0), Heuston Morrill and Ayers combined for 5.1 scoreless innings. The Flying Squirrels began a sixgame road series against the Harrisburg Senators on Tuesday night. Richmond returns to The Diamond for a six-game homestand against the Erie SeaWolves from May 13 through 18.
VUU sweeps in shot put, discus at CIAA championship
Free Press staff report
Virginia Union University made history at the CIAA Men’s Track & Field Championship by sweeping both the shot put and discus throw for the first time, taking first, second and third place in each event. The landmark achievement capped a season in which the Panthers broke more than 10 school records, signaling major growth for the program.
VUU finished second overall at the championship meet, improving on last year’s thirdplace finish.
Zachary Jones led the Panthers with a standout all-around performance. He claimed first place in both the shot put and discus throw, added a fifth-place finish in the javelin, and emerged as the highest individual scorer at the championship with 23 points.
Franklin Kipchirchir also had a strong showing, winning the 5,000m run in 15:08.77 and placing second in the 1,500m run. Dequan Boone finished
second in the shot put, while Jabari Wilson took second in the discus with a personal-best mark of 46.38 meters.
Mychael Tucker secured second in the 400 meters and fifth in the 200 meters. Rodgers Korir finished second in the 5,000 meters and third in the 1,500. Carson Calhoun placed third in the high jump with a best mark of 2.04 meters.
Tajhir Tate earned third in the shot put with a season-best throw of 15.06 meters, while Timothy Butler rounded out the discus sweep in third place.
Additional top-five finishes included Jeremiah Palacious, who placed fifth in the long jump; Javelin Pinnock, who finished fifth in the triple jump; and Chase Burke, who took fifth in both the 400 and 800 meters.
The 4x400m relay team of Darryl Wilson Jr., Tucker, Jeremiah Brown and Burke placed
third and set a new school record with a time of 3:14.56. The 4x100m relay team—Wilson Jr., Palacious, Elijah Steele and Brown— finished fourth overall.
Head Track & Field Coach Franck Charles praised his team’s perseverance and progress throughout the season, despite several challenges.
“I want to start by congratulating all of our studentathletes and coaches for the amazing work they’ve put in throughout the season,” Charles said. “We fell just short of our ultimate goal, but that doesn’t take away from the incredible progress we’ve made as a program. Despite losing two of our top student-athletes from last year and facing multiple injuries—including a serious one to Antonio Smith on day one—our team showed heart, depth and resilience.”
River Rats roll big
Van Lith entered the game to a loud ovation with 5:43 left in the third quarter and finished with seven points, five assists and three rebounds. Reese and Van Lith were honored before the game with video highlights of their time at LSU. Tigers Coach Kim Mulkey gave the duo bouquets and hugs. Kia Nurse added 11 points for the Sky. Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso, playing against her Brazilian countrywomen, had six points and eight rebounds. Manu Alves led Brazil with nine points.
Takeaways Friday’s game was the first for new Sky Coach Tyler Marsh. The Sky also debuted a revamped starting lineup, with veteran free agent signees Nurse and Courtney Vandersloot and trade acquisition Ariel Atkins joining Reese and Cardoso.
The result was a smooth offense guided by Vandersloot, a four-time all-league guard in her first 12 WNBA seasons with the Sky. She spent the last two years with the New York Liberty. Brazil’s next stop in its U.S. tour will be an exhibition against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Sunday at the University of Iowa’s arena in Iowa City, where Clark starred in college.
Long-hitting golf great Jim Dent dies at 85
By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press
Jim Dent grew up in the caddie yards of Augusta, Ga., eventually working at the Masters and honing his game at the municipal course known as “The Patch.”He went on to become one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters and one of the top Black golfers of his generation.
Dent died Friday, May 2, 2025, at age 85, a week before his birthday, his grandson posted on Facebook. The PGA Tour said on its website that Dent suffered a stroke the day after Augusta National announced plans for Tiger Woods to design a par 3 course at The Patch.
“What I learned about playing golf has probably kept me all through life,” Dent told the USGA for a story in 2012. “You had to be honest. You had to work at it. You just couldn’t pick up today and not come back ‘til next week. And if you broke a rule, you had to turn yourself in.”
Dent worked hard enough on his game that he entered a few United Golfers Association tournaments, a league devote to Black players, moved to California and took lessons from former U.S. Open champion Johnny Goodman.
He finally earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school in 1970, and while he never won on tour, he kept a full schedule of at least 22 tournaments for the next 16 years.
His best result was in the 1972 Walt Disney World Open Invitational, when he trailed Jack Nicklaus by two shots going into the final round. Nicklaus shot 64 and won by nine.
Dent won the Michelob-Chattanooga Gold Cup Classic in 1983, a Tournament Players Series event for players who were not fully exempt — the tour had gone to the all-exempt tour that year instead of the majority of the field going through Monday qualifying.
Dent never met any of the qualifying criteria to play in the Masters, but he made the cut in eight of the 11 majors he played — six at the PGA Championship, five at
the U.S. Open. He was best known for his prodigious length, and Dent won the inaugural World Long Drive Championship in 1974.
After turning 50, he won 12 times on the PGA Tour Champions. Al Geiberger said after Dent shot 64 to win his first Champions event, “Jim Dent ought to be outlawed (for) the way he can hit the ball.”
“A lot of people will remember Jim Dent for how far he hit the ball, and he really did,” said Miller Brady, president of the PGA Tour Champions. “Yet his long-term success, especially on our tour, proved Jim was more than just long off the tee.”
The fourth of six children, Dent lost both parents by the time he was 12 and was raised by his aunt, Mary Benton. She was opposed to him caddying at The Patch and told him, “If you learn how to caddie, you’re going to learn how to gamble.”
“Kids think they’re the smartest people in the world,” Dent said in the USGA story. “Second thing I learned how to do when I learned how to caddie was shoot dice and play cards. She was dead right.” He worked at Augusta Country Club, and Dent recalled how caddies could play if they were willing to cut crabgrass out of the greens. Among the players he caddied for at Augusta National for the Masters were Bob Goalby and Bob Rosburg.
Augusta named the road leading into The Patch as “Jim Dent Way” in 2020 as a tribute. Two years later, Dent was inducted into the Caddie Hall of Fame. His son, Jim Dent Jr., now is the head pro at The Patch. Augusta National is pouring support into upgrading the municipal course under the work of architects Tom Fazio and Beau Welling. It will include a longer, conditioned course with a new short-game area and clubhouse. Woods is designing a Par 3 course called the “Loop at The Patch” to honor Augusta National caddies who played there.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) drives to the basket against Brazil forward Manu Alves in the second half of a WNBA exhibition game in Baton Rouge, La.
John Michael Bertrand
Zachary Jones
Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press Brianna “Killer B” Walker (#612), a member of Richmond’s roller derby team, the River City River Rats, helps lead her team to a dominating 269-55 victory over a Greensboro team in the first matchup of a Roller Derby Double Header at the Greater Richmond Convention Center on Saturday, April 26. In the second bout, the Hollywood Undertakers edged out Poe’s Punishers in a tightly contested game, 122-111. The derby action returns to Richmond on May 31.
AP Photo/Scott Martin, File
Jim Dent watches his ball from the 18th tee
Feb. 18, 2000, during the first round of the GTE Classic at The Tournament Players Club in Tampa, Fla.
Faith leaders arrested during Capitol Rotunda prayer protest
By Jack Jenkins Religion News Service
Five faith leaders were arrested while praying in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Monday, May 5, the second time in as many weeks clergy and others have been handcuffed as they speak out against the Republican-led budget bill.
Among those arrested was Shane Claiborne, a longtime activist and co-director of Red Letter Christians, a Christian social justice group. Claiborne prayed side by side with others for several minutes before being arrested by Capitol police.
“Reorder our moral compass,” Claiborne said, standing near a statue commemorating famous suffragettes and abolitionists. “Stir the conscience of our nation. Let justice rise up on these very steps, let truth trouble the chambers of the Capitol. Let there be no peace where there is no justice. Let there be no comfort for those who legislate cruelty.”
Claiborne added: “Let those of us gathered here rise not with fear but with fire, because as long as the details are still being worked out in committee …” as the group, which included Christian and Jewish activists, responded in unison: “You can work a miracle.”
Shortly after an officer
gave multiple verbal warnings, roughly two dozen officers surrounded the group and began arresting them one by one.
Members of the group prayed and some sang “This Little Light of Mine” as they were led away.
Also arrested were the Revs. Alvin Jackson and Hanna Broome, both affiliated with Repairers of the Breach; Ariel Gold, USA director of The Fellowship of Reconciliation; and the Rev. Joel Simpson, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Taylorsville, N.C.
Police cleared the Rotunda to make the arrests but allowed press to continue documenting the scene. In an email to RNS, Capitol Police confirmed they arrested five people after multiple warnings, charging them with “crowding, obstructing, and incommoding.”
Reached by phone after his release, he cited inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s civil rights advocacy and argued the GOP-led budget constituted an emergency for the poor.
“We think that these are extreme times, and they warrant extreme measures,” Claiborne said. “So we’re going to bear witness, non-violently.”
The protest is the latest in an ongoing Monday effort launched last month by the Rev. William Barber, a prominent
pastor and anti-poverty activistl. The campaign targets the proposed Republican budget, with organizers protesting potential cuts to Medicaid and other programs designed to help low-income Americans.
Last week, Barber and two others were arrested while praying in the Rotunda.
“It is a sad day in America when you can be arrested in the people’s house for merely praying because the congresspeople in a party in that house are choosing to prey — P-RE-Y — on the most vulnerable of this nation, along with the president of the nation,” Barber told RNS. “But we will not bow. We will not stop. We have to raise moral dissent.”
“We are gathered here in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, and in the shadow of the Capitol, to stand up and to speak out about a federal budget that seems to have emerged like a phoenix from the very pit of hell,” said the Rev. Leslie Copeland-Tune of the National Council of Churches.
Claiborne also railed against the bill and criticized those who
have invoked faith to defend President Trump’s policies. He held up a version of the four biblical gospels with all verses about the poor, love, and compassion redacted.
“It’s called the Gospel of
Donald Trump,” he said.
Organizers say they plan to continue the demonstrations as Congress continues to debate the budget bill. Claiborne said even as he and the others sat in the back of a police van on
Monday, they were already planning future actions.
St. Peter Baptist Church
“We were doing two hours of organizing with Rev. Alvin (Jackson) in there,” Claiborne said, laughing. “One less Zoom call.” The Reverend Reuben
RNS photo/Jack Jenkins
The Rev. Leslie Copeland-Tune speaks at a rally near the U.S. Supreme Court on May 5 in Washington.
J. Boyd, Jr., Pastor