Oct. 18 Newsletter: School board race updates, and students quiz the mayoral hopefuls
Weather: A warmer weekend, with temperatures in the mid-70s.
On this date in 1941, M.G. Francisco, a merchant in Hanover, was found guilty of selling beer on Sunday. He argued the state’s blue law “no longer holds good in the light of present general opinion.” Francisco was fined $5 (about $107 today), and Virginia’s blue laws weren’t fully repealed until 1988.
School board race updates
The Richmonder is committed to providing complete coverage and important information for voters ahead of this year's local elections.
3rd District: Read our comprehensive guide to the 3rd District school board race.
- Charlene Riley wants to replace Jason Kamras, while Ali Faruk believes current data supports keeping the superintendent.
- Kevin Starlings believes his three embezzlement convictions would not keep him from performing the job’s duties.
- Find out about endorsements, fundraising and other priorities of the candidates. Read more here.
8th District: E.J. “Emmett Jay” Jafari filed in Richmond Circuit Court to have opponent P.H. “Cruz” Sherman removed from the ballot because he only listed the year his voting rights were restored, not the exact date, on official paperwork.
- Richmond Registrar Keith Balmer said his office consulted with the Virginia Department of Elections and received guidance on how to properly handle the issue at the time.
- Jafari has previously run unsuccessfully for office eight other times, and has filed numerous lawsuits against the city.
Mayoral race updates
Student forum: Armstrong High School's AP Government class hosted the five mayoral candidates for a forum where students asked the questions.
- Of the five candidates, Michelle Mosby appeared to be the student favorite, garnering the loudest applause on several questions. Asked who they thought was going to win this November, four of six students said Mosby, while two said Dr. Danny Avula.
The event made a concrete difference to at least one student: Jahkei Chavis, 18, one of the few young people whose birthday made him eligible to vote this year, said he hadn’t been planning on casting a ballot in the runup to the forum but had changed his mind.
Read more about the questions and answers given during the forum here.
Internal poll: A poll commissioned by Avula's campaign shows him having overtaken Mosby for the lead, though 27% of Richmonders remain undecided with the election just 18 days away.
Internal polling should be taken with skepticism because campaigns have an incentive to show potential donors they’re building strength. But given the lack of independent public polling on the mayoral candidates, the memo offers rare data points on where the race might stand heading into the final weeks.
Read the full memo, and get more details, here.
Finance reports: Avula was the top fundraiser in the mayoral contest for the month of September, raising a little more than $240,000 for the month.
For the entire election cycle, Avula has now raised more than $1 million, making him the first candidate to pass that milestone. Software investor Harrison Roday wasn’t too far behind after raising more than $916,000 across the entirety of his campaign.
Jay-Z's company hosting unique job fair at Convention Center
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, a number of companies with a local presence will be on site at the Richmond Convention Center for a large-scale job fair.
The event is being staged by Jay-Z's Roc Nation company, in conjunction with the REFORM Alliance. All job seekers are welcome, but there is a particular emphasis on those who have previously been imprisoned or on probation.
Read more about the companies in attendance and services offered here.
In other news...
- RPD preparing briefing after officer shoots 36-year-old man during domestic dispute (The Richmonder)
- Man dies after Scott's Addition assault, his family is left searching for answers (CBS 6)
- Richmond’s Black History Museum joins UNESCO slavery education network (VPM)
- Henry Winkler tells Chesterfield students: 'Every one of you is powerful' (Times-Dispatch)
The editor's desk:
A big night in sports ended with the Hokies getting back to their winning ways on the gridiron, but the real news was earlier, as UVA hoops coach Tony Bennett announced his abrupt retirement. I covered Bennett for four years and was struck by his faith and humility in a space where both are rare attributes.
He was no fan of changes that allowed players to transfer to new schools every year, preferring to build into his athletes over an extended period. The turmoil in college sports didn't start with player empowerment, though - as schools have chased every possible dollar, often at the cost of student health, it's fair for the athletes to ask for their share of the money they've created.
Bennett's timing is reminiscent of Dean Smith's, who left UNC right before the season so the school would have no choice but to elevate his chosen successor into the role. Like Smith's departure, the sport is far worse off today without Bennett and his moral compass.
Michael Phillips, founding editor
mphillips@richmonder.org
