LeVar M. Stoney, Richmond's New Mayor, Sworn In

January 16, 2017 (Richmond, VA) - Richmond has sworn in its newest mayor, The Honorable Levar M. Stoney.

"I'm humbled", Stoney said in a jammed-packed ceremony at City Hall on Saturday.

In his swearing-in speech Stoney, Richmond's youngest mayor at age 35, described Richmond as a "diverse city", an "inclusive city", and "a welcoming city."

New mayor of Richmond, Levar M. Stoney remarks during 
his swearing ceremony Saturday.

But Stoney also said that there is "another city", one he described as a city where 1 in 4 residents and nearly 40% of the city's children live on the poverty line.

"And that has to change", he said to applause from attendees. Stoney has championed the proposed 'One RVA' campaign, which suggests 'opportunities for all' who lives in the city.

Stoney is the 80th mayor of Richmond. He is the product of two teen-aged parents and was raised by his father and grandmother who he credits for his victory.

Stoney with his brother and public officials
attend swearing in ceremony.

"Instead of anger and apathy, they gave me hope and opportunity", Stoney said. "That's why I'm here today."

Stoney's brother joined him at the podium during his swearing in. Governor Terry McAuliffe and Senator Tim Kaine were also present at the ceremony.

Stoney defeated former mayor Dwight C. Jones who had been the city's mayor since 2009. Jones was not in attendance.


Stone(y) cold facts:

Graduate of James Madison University
First African American Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Youngest member of Governor Terry McAuliffe's cabinet
Worked to restore civil and voting rights
Served as McAuliffe's Deputy Campaign Manager

Youngest leader of a state Democratic party in the country
2006 graduate of Richmond's Minority Political Leadership Institute
VCU Massey Cancer Center Advisory Board member
Member of  the NAACP and Richmond Crusade for Voters
Born March 20, 1981
First in his family to graduate both high school and college
(Source: Stoney Inaugural program)

Packed house for Stoney swearing in at City Hall.

Public officials attend Stoney swearing in.

A Levar Stoney yard sign adorns the front yard of an RVA home.

Photos:CD Brown

Richmond Roads Reveal Desparate Repair Needed

If you've traveled over Richmond's roads lately, you've probably hit a pot hole, or two. Richmond's road, in certain areas, have reached an all time embarrassment for the Capital of Virginia.

On Richmond's North side, we witnessed parts of Chamberlayne Avenue in need of completed repair. During the summer, road work began on a mile-long stretch of the avenue, giving the impression that the road was being repaired.  Road crews blocked much of the left side of the northbound lane, interrupting traffic flow for weeks.   The assignment was never completed and still remains a hazard to drive on.

We tried to avoid this tactless display of road repair at the intersection of Brook Road and Bellevue, also on Richmond's North side. 

Take a look at the view at the intersection, and again at the close-up view.

Intersection of Bellevue and Brook Road.  Photos/ CD Brown.

Intersection of Bellevue and Brook Road.  Photo/ CD Brown.

The downtown district doesn't fair much better.   We thought only the roads in Shockoe Slip were supposed to be bumpy and rocky because of the cobble stone roads, and don't expect the same on asphalted roads.

If you'd like to see the roads-of-Richmond in much better condition, join us by emailing the representative in your district and tell them the roads where you live and work need to be repaired (professionally) as soon as possible, and definitely by the upcoming November 5th election.

You may also contact the Mayor's office by clicking here, and selecting the 'Citizen's Request' tab.
Call the Mayor's office at 646-7970, or fax your pot hole concern to 646-7987, or email the mayor at askthemayor@richmondgov.com.

--
Join our RVA pothole campaign on Twitter!

Use hash tag #RoadsInRichmond on Twitter.  Tweet your pothole sighting to help get it repaired!

The Game of Change Comes to the White House

The 1963 Loyola Ramblers Honored by President Obama

by Valerie Jarrett | White House Blog | July 11, 2013

On March 15, 1963, the Ramblers played Mississippi State in a regional semifinal game known as the Game of Change.

The year: 1963, right in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. The team: The Loyola Ramblers, coached by George Ireland. The controversy: The Ramblers started four African-American players on the “Iron Five” lineup, even though the unwritten rules of college basketball allowed only two African-American players to start, and an unwritten law in Mississippi wouldn’t allow play against integrated teams.

Earlier in the year, the Ramblers had won 20 consecutive games and earned a tournament berth. The Game of Change took place in East Lansing, Michigan. The all-white Mississippi State team snuck into Michigan in defiance of an injunction issued by the Governor of Mississippi that was intended to prohibit the game.

President Barack Obama greets members of the 1963 Loyola University Chicago Ramblers NCAA Championship men's basketball team in the Oval Office, July 11, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)  LINK

Judy Van Dyck, the daughter of the Head Coach, George Ireland, accompanied the team today. She told me that she remembered her father saying, with tears in his eyes, that the time had come for change,that these were his kids, and he wanted to make a difference so that no other kids would have to go through what they went through.

And that’s just what happened.

The Ramblers won 61-51. Before tip-off, photographers captured one of the great moments in college sports history when Loyola captain Jerry Harkness, and Mississippi State captain Joe Dan Gold shook hands at center court. The team gave President Obama a framed copy of that famous photo today.

The Ramblers went on to eventually win the 1963 NCAA Championship, by beating the Cincinnati Bearcats in overtime, 60-58, denying the Bearcats their third consecutive national title.

All nine players from the 1963 Ramblers graduated from Loyola, and many went on to excel in graduate studies. And this November, the Ramblers will become the first team to be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Their induction coincides with several major 50th year anniversaries of the Civil Rights movement—from the murder of Medgar Evers, to the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, to the Children’s March, to the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door in Alabama, to the March on Washington and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

The Ramblers broke barriers by refusing to give in to prejudice, and simply playing their best. As I watched President Obama speak with the players in the Oval Office, I thought of just how far we’ve come.

In 1963, a governor refused to let them play. But today, a President welcomed them to the White House with open arms.

Valerie B. Jarrett is a Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama. She oversees the Offices of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs.

 

RELATED POST:

Honoring Our Civil Rights Heroes

Doing Good In Richmond's Communities

Several community events were held Saturday in and around the Richmond area to help the community.

New Kingdom Christian Ministries, located at 3200 Dill Avenue, held it's annual free food, car wash and clothing give away.



Youth gives free car wash.

Church youth minister, Vance Chisholm, also known as 'Minista -V' to the young people, hosted the free car wash.  His organization, Youth Ministry Entertainment (Y-ME) provides after school and summer enrichment programs, conflict resolution and bully prevention services, life skills, Bible study and more.

Free summer hair cuts were provided by Barber Wendell.   Said Barber Wendell, "I'm just using the talent God gave me to give back to the community." 



Barber 'Wendell' gives youth a free hair cut.





Community clothing giveaway.

Radio One's Kiss 105.7/99.3 FM, with support from Richmond's Power 92.1 FM, hosted a community men's forum to "assist with the repair of our families, communities, and nation".



Men listen during the 'Men Are Talking' men's forum.



Anthony Pressley talks finances and credit.



Talib Muhammad wins ticket give away.

The event, Hosted by Kiss FM's Ms. Community, Clovia Lawrence, was held at the Trinity Family Life Center at 3601 Dill Road and featured guests who shared information on nutrition and fitness, personal finance, men's roles in the home and community, and spirituality.




U.S. Congressman Bobby Scott was also in attendance at the forum, now in it's 5th year.

The event featured giveaways and tickets to upcoming summer events such as the Hampton Jazz Festival, a wine tasting event, and more.  While the event focused on men's roles in the community, women were also invited to attend, but were not allowed to participate.  

The next forum will be held jointly with the women's forum in September.



Photos by UrbanRVA Magazine.