3,000+ Join Call with Virginia's Women Leaders; Mayors Jones and Wood at Tech Summit; Harris Campaign's Black Base; RTD on Richmond City Hall Corruption... Again
➡️ 7 days until the Virginia Black Business Expo on Aug. 2
➡️ 27 days until the DNC in Chicago on Aug. 25
➡️ 38 days until the Bobby Scott Labor Day Cookout on Sept. 2
🚩 56 days until early voting in Virginia: Sept. 20
🚩 102 days until Election Day Nov. 5
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Photos: Virginia Mayors Phillip Jones and Derrick Wood Attend Tech and Public Safety Summit
Next Week: Virginia Black Business Expo
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RTD Hits Richmond City Hall (… Again) as Corruption on Credit Cards Spending Stays in the News
“It’s best to look away when peeling the proverbial onion. Take Mayor Levar Stoney’s City Hall. No matter how you scale the layers, the tears just keep coming,” yet another editorial on corruption at Richmond City Hall on July 21.
“The latest saga — still-unfurling abuses in the city’s purchasing card program — is ripe with irony and ineptitude that’s both bizarre, yet somehow unsurprising: A program created to help City Hall run more efficiently now has city officials stonewalling the media, refusing to answer questions and once again violating the Virginia Freedom of Information Act,” they continued.
The editorial in the Richmond Times-Dispatch follows a series of reports on corruption and wild credit card spending at Richmond City Hall by RTD reporter Samuel Parker. Mayor Levar Stoney has not directly commented to RTD much on the questionable spending.
RELATED: Editorial: At Stoney's City Hall, the Lack of Transparency is Blinding (July 21, 2024)
“On Friday [July 19], The Times-Dispatch reported more widespread issues, with nearly 100 cardholders exceeding the $5,000 single-purchase limit in 2023, along with several instances of apparent “transaction splitting” — breaking up purchases to skirt dollar limits and procurement rules — in violation of city policy,” wrote RTD’s editorial board, yet again, on July 21.
The credit card spending by various employees at Richmond City Hall has been in the news week after week, yet none of the candidates currently running for Mayor in Richmond have commented on the ongoing situation or how they would handle transparency and FOIA issues if they were elected Mayor.
3,000 Plus: Black Women Leaders in Virginia Join on Call to Rally on Kamala Harris and the 2024 Campaign
NEW ENERGY. Last night over 3,000 people led by women leaders in Virginia joined on a zoom call. The gathering was the latest example of the new energy around the Harris for President campaign. On the call last night were Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, State Senators Lashrecse Aird, Jennifer Carroll Foy, Delegates Cia Price, Angelia Williams Graves and many others.
Tomorrow in Hampton Roads many of the same leaders will gather at at six hour Grassroots Summit at Hampton High School. Highlights include a discussion of Project 2025 with Congressman Bobby Scott, and State Senators Louise Lucas and Mamie Locke.
Harris Campaign: Black Base “Leads Charge” in Uniting Around Kamala Harris
THE BASE. During a week that started off with huge change at the top of the Democratic ticket, Harris’ campaign sent out a communication today that focused on a core base of the Democratic Party: Black voters.
“In the first three days after President Biden’s endorsement, Team Harris raised a historic $126 million, thanks in part to Black organizers and voters, who raised millions of dollars in a matter of hours, leading the charge in mobilizing grassroots enthusiasm. Sunday evening, a record 44,000 Black women organizers joined a “Win With Black Women” zoom which raised more than $1.6 million in just three hours. And, it’s not just Black Women — Over 53,000 of Black men joined a virtual "Win With Black Men" conference call Monday which raised $1.3 million in four hours for the Harris campaign and Black voter mobilization organizations,” the Harris for President e-mail in part read.
Since Harris’ team took the reins, communication has been more pointed. Yesterday, the campaign sent out an email with a header that read, “Statement on a 78-Year-Old Criminal’s Fox News Appearance.” News also hit late yesterday that Donald Trump is unlikely to debate Harris. A second debate is unlikely now that Harris, a prosecutor who was particularly skilled at questioning witnesses in Senate committees, is the likely Democratic nominee.
Virginia Education Board Adopts New School Accreditation Regulations
By Nathaniel Cline for the Virginia Mercury - After a years-long input process, the Virginia Board of Education approved its newly designed Standards of Accreditation regulations on Thursday. These regulations simplify how schools are rated and allow the state to separate accountability from accreditation.
A final vote on the accountability system is expected at next month’s board meeting. The accountability system includes Virginia’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, readiness indicators and weighting.
“I’m really excited for what this new system provides for our students, for our parents, for our families, for our teachers [and] for our school divisions across the state,” said Board President Grace Creasey, who was appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. “I think it absolutely contributes to increasing transparency and understanding the outcomes that our students are achieving, and how well our schools are ensuring students are having those positive outcomes for life beyond our schools.” READ ENTIRE
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