Richmond Free Press

08/16/2024

Raindrops in the West End last week. Photo by Sandra Sellars/ Richmond Free Press.

08/16/2024

Barry Wilkerson watches the wheels go by next to his 2016 Camaro. The Department of
Motor Vehicles marked its 100th anniversary with a “Through the Decades: DMV Classic Car
Show” on Aug. 3. Photo by Sandra Sellars/ Richmond Free Press.

08/16/2024

It’s never too hot for jazz and other types of good music. That’s something the people who attended the 12th annual Richmond Jazz and Music Festival already know. They came to get down and they did, to the sounds of rapper Ludadris, the jazz tones of Najee, Gregory Porter and Kevin Robinson, among others. The three day festival concluded on Sunday, with performances from St. Paul and the Broken
Bones, R&B songstress Monica and jazz legend Bob James. Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian.

08/16/2024

CoStar Group colleagues Keenan Winston, left, and Neri Stephenson team up with hundreds of volunteers to pack over 39,000 backpacks for Richmond Public Schools students during the seventh annual Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive
on Aug. 8 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. This is just in time for opening day of Monday, August 19. Photo by Regina H. Boone/ Richmond Free Press.

08/16/2024

Historic hospital’s fate hangs in balance as debate continues

Plans for the partial demolition of Richmond Community Hospital, the city’s first Black hospital, were met with mixed reactions last Thursday as Virginia Union University and developers unveiled details of a multimillion-dollar housing project during a community meeting.

VUU officials and developers presented housing information and renderings during a community discussion at the Claude G.
Perkins Living and Learning Center to a crowd of about 100 people, leading to condemnation and celebration from some attendees.

“If the community sees that building destroyed, it would be devastating,” said Viola Baskerville of the Save Community Hospital group. “The community is not against development, it is against demolition.”

The renderings included plans for incorporating the hospital building, first opened in the 1930s to provide medical care to African Americans. The building’s front, cornerstone and sign would be part of one of two six-story buildings at the site. A total of 200 housing units would be built in its place at the site, with bricks from the former hospital also incorporated into the construction.

An additional 100 housing units will be part of a mixed-use development project, called Gateway North, at the corner of Brook Road and Lombardy Street. The Brook/Overbrook project will be handled by the Steinbridge Group, while the Hanson Company will handle the Brook/Lombardy project.

“I’m trying to balance economics, I’m trying to balance the needs of the community, I’m trying to balance what Virginia Union needs in the form of revenue,” said Garfield Antonio, vice president of development for the Steinbridge Group and leader of the Brook/Overbrook Development Project. “This is unpopular, but the building has sat for a number of years.”

The incorporation of the hospital is part of planned commemorations of its staff and history, and include naming green spaces and structures for Black doctors such as hospital co-founder Sarah Garland Jones, and producing oral histories of the hospital.

The commemorative effort will cost $5 million, alongside the projected $40 million for the development.

The details provided marked the most comprehensive update since VUU announced in February its plan to redevelop parts of the area through a housing development partnership with Steinbridge.

The announcement that the hospital could face demolition sparked months of community pushback, including gatherings outside the building.

The discussion among attendees largely focused on the partial demolition of the hospital building, with questions and criticism over its use leading to back-and-forth responses between VUU and development officials and the audience.

People connected to the hospital through birth, work or family, historic preservationists and others were among those challenging the plans and advocating for the building’s rehabilitation and reuse.

“For Virginia Union not to recognize the importance related to the community hospital — it is insulting,” said J. Maurice Hopkins, who accused the school of focusing on profit. “Our legacy, our history is being washed away, and you’re responsible!”

Not everyone was critical of the development plans. Some in the audience saw it as a way to ensure VUU’s survival through a new venture and a fair compromise to maintain the hospital’s legacy.

“I completely understand and relate to the passion and comments that have been made regarding the preservation of the hospital,” VUU graduate Pamela Parker said. “But I personally want to applaud the efforts of your companies in trying to create a way to save Virginia Union.”

VUU President and CEO Hakim J. Lucas pushed back against criticism of the plan and their choice to decline offers by groups like Historic Richmond to assess the building and provide suggestions to preserve and incorporate it into the development.

“Let us be clear [...] this is not uninformed at all,” Lucas said. “The decision is not rooted in money at all. It’s rooted in one thing that’s important to all students here — housing.”

Additional questions focused on the ownership of the land following construction, the apartment’s affordability, the percentage of rent that would go to VUU and the college’s decision to involve itself in housing development.

“It’s not affordable. We’re talking about one- and two-bedroom apartments for the most part - $2,000 a month,” School Board member and City Council candidate Kenya Gibson said in a social media post after the meeting. “Same stuff we’ve seen all over the city.”

The organization of the meeting also drew some scrutiny.

Although it was billed as a chance for public clarity, non-VUU attendees and media outlets were barred from livestreaming or recording the event.

Construction on the Steinbridge development is set to start by the end of 2024, and both it and Gateway North are expected to be finished in 2025.

Link to the entire story reported by staff writer is here: http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/15/historic-hospitals-fate-hangs-in-balance-as-debate-continues/

Photos by
architectural rendering provided by .

Let us know your thoughts about this in the comments and/or by writing a Letter to the Editor: [email protected]

08/15/2024

Please meet our Personality of the Week: Kenneth Lannell Ragland, 2024 National Police Athletic/ Activities League president.

08/15/2024

Happy Thursday! Our latest edition is out and online for you! Our team has been working hard for you! Let’s go! Pick up a copy. Read us online. Take one to a neighbor , a friend or a colleague. Click on us: follow, read and share too!

08/11/2024

Dr. Michon Johnson Moon holds flowers as she stands with her and her late husband August
Moon’s daughters, Dr. Sesha Joi Moon, Enjoli Moon, Tiffany Diamond, Rochelle Britton Allen,
and Sidell Britton, beneath the newly unveiled honorary street sign at the corner of 12th and
Hull streets in South Side Saturday, Aug. 3. August Moon, often called the “Mayor of South Side,” among other monikers, died on July 12 last year. The Moon family presented a $10,000 check to Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras to create the August and Michon Moon Endowed Scholarship Fund. Photo by Regina H. Boone/ Richmond Free Press.

08/11/2024

Richmond Free Press staff writer George Copeland Jr. reports on the latest with the Diamond District. Read his story here: http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/08/diamond-district-developers-confident-despite-40m-lawsuit/

As Richmond’s Diamond District project begins in earnest, partner real estate developers expect to see no interference in the work to come, even as a new $40 million lawsuit has been levied against those involved in the redevelopment of the area.

08/10/2024

Richmond Public Schools hosted the RVA Summer Fest and the 16th Annual
Citywide Back 2 School Rally at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School for students
and families to pick up school supplies and prepare for the start of school.

Photo 1: Tisha Erby, center, and her two Broad Rock Elementary School sons Elijah Erby, 8, left, and his brother Emanuel
Erby, pause to chat with Richmond Public
Schools Superintendent
Jason Kamras at the rally on Aug. 3.

Photo 3: Edward Butler III, left, shows his enthusiasm with Salena Scott, right, a teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, as Nicole Sparkman, a teacher at Armstrong
High School looks on.

Photos by Regina H. Boone /Richmond Free Press.

08/10/2024

Farmer John Boyd Jr., founder and president of National Black Farmers Association of Boydton in Mecklensburg, Va. is in a photo from 2021. Photo by Regina H. Boone / Richmond Free Press.

Black farmers win $2.2 billion payout in USDA discrimination case

After a decades-long fight for Black farmers to receive financial assistance for their farms, the rain made grain this week.

A $2.2 billion payout was awarded to Black farmers who applied for the restitution disbursement back in 2021 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last Wednesday.

Nearly 45,000 farmers around the country – with most payouts heading toward Mississippi and Alabama – will receive payouts up to $500,000, with the average award being $82,000. This payout provides farmers financial assistance after years of racial discrimination, protests, lawsuits and failed legislation.

Fourth-generation farmer and National Association of Black Farmers founder, John Boyd, said the large payout was a “huge victory” for the organization and himself.

“It’s a huge victory for the National Association of Black Farmers, even a bigger victory for me as somebody who’s been trying to get this stuff done for 41 years,” he said.

The NBFA was founded over 40 years ago to educate and advocate for Black farmers in fighting for civil rights, land retention, accessibility to farm loans and economic development.

Boyd got the news of the payout last week from a phone call with Stephen Benjamin, the Biden administration’s director of the office of public engagement.

Continue reading the rest of staff writer Paula Phounsavath ‘s reporting: https://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/08/black-farmers-win-22-billion-payout-in-usda-discrimination-case/

08/10/2024

Before the rain cut the event short last Friday , August 2, a crowd enjoys the music, food and fun of 804 Day, in Shockoe Bottom. The annual free festival is presented by Shockoe Records. Photos by Brian Palmer.

08/10/2024

A night out
McGruff the Crime Dog, 11-year-old Anthony
Johnson, and Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards share a cheerful moment during the annual National Night Out event. The community gathering took
place Tuesday, Aug. 6, at
Hobson Lodge on Richmond’s
South Side. Photo by Regina H. Boone/ Richmond Free Press.

08/10/2024

Two-time Paralympic gold medalist Trevon “Trey” Jenifer served as guest coach at Sportable’s Wheelchair Basketball Camp last weekend.

The camp, held Aug. 3-4 at Randolph Macon College’s Brock Sports & Recreation Center, was designed for junior athletes ages 5 through high school with permanent lower limb impairments.

Hunter Leemon, Sportable CEO, said, “Hosting a Paralympian of Trey’s caliber in Richmond just a few weeks before he competes with Team USA in Paris was a tremendous opportunity.”

Jenifer joined Sportable coaches for the two-day preseason camp, which included over 30 youth wheelchair basketball players from six states. The camp focused on skill development, teamwork and sportsmanship in preparation for the upcoming National Wheelchair Basketball Association season.

Born without legs due to congenital phocomelia, Jenifer began playing wheelchair basketball at age 4 near Washington, D.C. He later excelled in track and high school wrestling before returning to basketball in college.

A two-time All-American at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Jenifer made his Team USA debut in 2010. He won bronze in London 2012 and gold in Rio 2016 and in Tokyo 2020. In 2022, he helped the U.S. team win the World Championship in Dubai. Jenifer, 35, lives in Fairfax with his two children.

He works as a personnel security specialist for the U.S. Secret Service.

Photo by Brian Palmer

08/08/2024

Please meet our Personality of the Week:Lloyd Young, founder of River City Dreams. Photo by Regina H. Boone/ Richmond Free Press.

08/08/2024

Another week, another edition and lots of news for you to stay on top of! Our team has been working hard for you! Read, share, comment, send a Letter to the Editor ! Stay engaged with us! Let’s go!

08/06/2024

: Kamala Harris picks Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate.

08/05/2024

Community meeting set for VUU’s plans
for former hospital

Virginia Union University President Hakim Lucas will take part in a discussion of the university’s plans for the former Richmond Community Hospital building this week. The meeting will mark the latest community discussion of the hospital and its future since the Save Community Hospital group paused its gatherings in front of the building every first Sunday afternoon of the month due to the summer heat.
The meeting is open to the public and will be held 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8 at the Claude G. Perkins Center at VUU.
VUU officials have previously said that the university may hold additional meetings to share their plans for the hospital
and the surrounding area. Reporting by staff writer . Richmond Free Press photos. Virginia Union University

08/04/2024

Unseated: Bench for Confederate marker removed

Without prior notice or announcement, a bench adjacent to the Confederate marker near the Department of Public Utilities substation on Wise Street was removed. Only the four bolts that anchored the bench remain, stuck in the concrete on the spot where it was installed in 2023.

The bench, alongside fencing that was removed recently, was part of recent additions to the almost century-old memorial. The marker was placed by the Richmond branch of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1939 to honor the lives of Confederate soldiers who died in a makeshift hospital across the street from where the marker and substation are now.

The additions, which cost over $16,000, were made at the request of a resident who claimed their ancestor was among the Confederate soldiers memorialized by the marker.

These claims have been challenged by research, emails and documentation from Mike Sarahan, a former employee in the City Attorney’s Office who has criticized the Confederate memorials still present in the city. Sarahan first noticed the missing bench Sunday evening.

“I hope this is just the first step in carrying out [Deputy Chief Administrative Officer] Robert Steidel’s original plan to dismantle and remove the whole thing, marker and all,” said Sarahan in an email, referring to internal communications over how to handle the marker he was provided as part of his research.

“The City people certainly owe the public an explanation of everything that has happened here.”

City of Richmond officials didn’t provide a response to a request for information about the bench ahead of publication.

Reporting by staff writer .

08/03/2024

Our editor’s thoughts about what happened at the national annual conference of (NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago. http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/01/inviting-disrespect/

Inviting disrespect

When word got around that the National Association of Black Journalists had invited the Republican Party’s presidential nominee to its annual convention, things got bad for the 48-year-old organization pretty fast. Some members refused to attend, others dropped out of roles on panel discussions and the convention’s co-chair resigned. On social media, African American journalists expressed their outrage and disdain.

“While NABJ does not endorse political candidates as a journalism organization, we understand the serious work of our members, and welcome the opportunity for them to ask the tough questions that will provide the truthful answers Black Americans want and need to know,” NABJ President Ken Lemon wrote on the association’s website.

A day after the Chicago interview, we’re still waiting for answers from the former president.

Instead of responding to queries from the three black female journalists on the panel, he disrespected them, talked over them and questioned their legitimacy. After taking the stage late, he used much of the time he was given to disparage the record and reputation of another black woman, the presumptive Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris.

I’m not sure why the organizers didn’t see this coming. This is a man who has the opposite of the midas touch and taints everything that he’s allowed to get his hands on. On their website, the NABJ found it necessary to explain that they hadn’t been paid off to give the convicted felon and presidential candidate a platform at their convention. Not a good position to be in.

While providing a platform for diverse voices is crucial, it’s also important to consider the consequences of giving airtime to those who have repeatedly shown disrespect for journalists and Black folk in general. Don’t invite people over that will wipe their feet on the carpet and expect a full tour.

It appears there needs to be some serious discussions about leadership at NABJ. Fortunately, many of the members are all under one roof until Aug. 4, so maybe there can be some real talk about the direction of the organization.

When word got around that the National Association of Black Journalists had invited the Republican Party’s presidential nominee to its annual convention, things got bad for the 48-year-old organization pretty fast. Some members refused to attend, others dropped out of roles on panel discussions an...

08/02/2024

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08/01/2024

Please meet our Personality of the Week: Cheryl Groce-Wright, The Innerwork Center ()board president. Photo by Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press.

08/01/2024

It’s August 1, already! Summer is still coming in hot 🔥and so are we with our latest edition hitting the streets and online today! Let’s go! Pick up a copy or a few! Share them with neighbors, friends, and colleagues. Or check us out online and share our link! Remember to please stay cool and hydrated!

07/31/2024

Powerful words from our managing editor, Crag Belcher:


http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2024/jul/25/arresting-behavior/

Arresting behavior

Last month, a black woman in Springfield, Ill., called the police to report an intruder in her home.

Shortly after two police officers arrived, the woman, Sonya Massey was killed. Her family members said police officers led them to believe that their loved one, who suffered from mental illness, was killed by an intruder, according to one report. Her father told People magazine that the police suggested that her wounds were “self inflicted.”

Recently obtained bodycam footage of the incident told the real story this week. You may not be surprised to learn that the police lied about what happened that night.

In the video, it appears Massey was shot in the face by one of the officers, who pulled his gun out when she stood near a pot of boiling water. Massey is heard rebuking the officer, “in the name of Jesus.”

The officer, Sean Grayson, responds with an expletive laden threat to shoot her in the head. Massey apologizes, and Grayson fires his weapon anyway, killing her. In the moments afterward, he appears nonchalant and unbothered and he discourages his partner from administering medical attention.

Last week, Grayson was indicted on three counts of first degree murder, along with other charges related to the incident. He was denied a pretrial release.

The tragedy brings to mind other Black women who have suffered similar fates at the hand of police officers: Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, and Sandra Bland, to name just a few. These cases highlight a disturbing pattern of violence against Black women by law enforcement, often rooted in racial bias and a disregard for life. It also reminds us of the death of Micheal Otieno, killed while in law enforcement custody and suffering from mental illness.

Some say that a better trained “force,” could produce better outcomes from situations such as these. A comment from Grayson’s supervisor makes the case that this may not be the answer.

“The Body Worn Camera footage has now been released, and the public can see what we saw: Sonya Massey lost her life due to an unjustifiable and reckless decision by former Deputy Sean Grayson,”

Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell stated on Monday. “Grayson had other options available that he should have used. His actions were inexcusable and do not reflect the values or training of our office.”

He’s saying his officer knew better, but chose brutality instead.

The frequency of these incidents point to a lack of transparency and accountability within law enforcement. The attempts to mislead Massey’s family about the circumstances of her death reveal a “cover-up culture” that erodes what’s left of the public trust.

Let’s hope the recent endorsement of former prosecutor Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate brings a new dimension to the conversation on police reform. Her background in criminal justice has drawn both praise and criticism, placing her in a unique position. We hope her candidacy sparks discussion about addressing the deep-rooted issues in our criminal justice system, including the use of force against Black people and those with mental health challenges.

Meaningful change will require more than just policy adjustments. We hope Harris’ presence on the national stage pushes these crucial conversations to the forefront.

Last month, a black woman in Springfield, Ill., called the police to report an intruder in her home.

07/31/2024

http://m.richmondfreepress.com/news/2024/jul/25/new-book-explores-the-black-appalachian-experience/

Author Christopher A. Brooks has spent his career spotlighting often overlooked stories from the African continental and Diaspora experience.

07/31/2024

Water flows at Bryan Park. Photo by April Coleman / Richmond Free Press.

07/31/2024

Proud Aloud
Festivalgoers feel the vibes July 20 as singer and musician Teshia LaSane, second photo, performs at the annual Black Pride RVA at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Melanin Monroe, the event’s MC, shows off a
stunning pink outfit. Photos by Sandra Sellars/ Richmond Free Press.

07/31/2024

Mayor Levar M. Stoney, City Council member Stephanie Lynch, along with artists Silly
Genius and Chis Visions, opened the public art initiative titled “Part of Parking Lot Pieces”
and “Carytown Street Art Jam” on July 15 at the Carytown Garage. Photo by Brian Palmer.

07/27/2024

Woodville Elementary joins extended school year program this week.

Photo one: An excited Cynthia Matthews, a fourth-grader at Woodville Elementary School,
arrives for her first day back Monday as a
part of the RPS200 program. She is steps
ahead of her mother, Angelica Blackman,
who brought her to school.

Photo two: Woodville Elementary School Assistant Principal Nsombi Morrison, right, hugs and cheers for students on their first day back at school Monday, July 22, as a part of the
RPS200 program.

Photo three: Mayor Levar M. Stoney, right, gives a high five to a Woodville Elementary School student as they arrive on their first day back at school on Monday, July 22. The school
is part of the RPS200 pilot program that was launched last year.

Photos by Regina H. Boone/ Richmond Free Press.

07/27/2024

ICYMI: our latest edition!

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