Speaker Scott, Youngkin at Events, Black Biz at Agribiz Dinner, Richmond School Board Block of Mass Shooting Report Goes to Trial, Speaker Scott Focuses on Rural Healthcare
Speaker Scott, Gov. Youngkin Enjoy Annual First Week Events
RICHMOND, VA — At Virginia Union’s 16th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Breakfast on Jan. 12 at the Richmond Marriott, Speaker Don Scott and Gov. Glenn Youngkin appeared and spoke to the crowd of at least 2,000 people. The must-attend breakfast was the third event in two days that the new Speaker and the Governor appeared at as the Virginia General Assembly began their work this week. The annual prayer breakfast and the MLK breakfast are all but mandatory events each year before session.
Speaker Scott received an award from Virginia Union and spoke about the support and guidance he’d received from the late Congressman Donald McEachin. Governor Youngkin made remarks on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and the history seen this week on the floor of the Virginia General Assembly.
At a reception on January 11, Speaker Scott’s law firm, Breit Biniazan, honored the historic Speaker, who is also one of Virginia’s top trial attorneys, with a reception. Gov. Youngkin stopped by the reception before addressing the annual Virginia Agribusiness Council Dinner. The bipartisan gathering featured several Virginia Beach leaders.
Report Blocked by Richmond School Board on H.S. Graduation Mass Shooting: CBS6, Stanfield, RTD FOIA Lawsuit Goes to Trial as City Hides Report
RICHMOND, VA — On June 6, 2023, Shawn Jackson, 18, and his father, Lorenzo Smith, were shot to death after a high school graduation for Huguenot High School. One of the other graduates, Amari Pollard, 19, was later indicted in the mass shooting. The graduation took place at the Altria Theater near the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
Seven other people were shot that day. The shocking mass shooting stunned the city and made national news.
Richmond Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras completed an internal report on the shooting but a majority of the Richmond School Board voted for an external report citing problems with the Kamras report. The report was shown to school board members in closed session during a meeting on Nov. 6, 2023 — but board members were no permitted to keep copies of the document and the public was prohibited from seeing it.
Virginia has some of the worst freedom of information act laws in the U.S. The current guidelines create numerous ways for the government to exempt itself from complying with FOIA requests.
Richmond’s CBS6 and The Richmond Times Dispatch requested a copy of the Kamras report under the freedom of information act. The city blocked them and sent CBS6 reporter Tyler Layne a heavily redacted version of the document with numerous blacked out lines on a majority of the pages. CBS6, The Richmond Times Dispatch and anti-corruption pro-transparency in government advocate Josh Stanfield sued the city to see the full report.
Yesterday’s full day of trial on the FOIA request was heard at Richmond Circuit Court and included testimony from Kamras.
Richmond Judge Reilly Marchant ordered the Richmond School Board to give him the report for his review. Judge Marchant is likely to make a ruling on whether the report will be made public before Jan. 18.
CBS6 investigative reporter also Tyler Layne took the stand to testify during the trial and answered questions on his FOIA request to the School Board. Video of Richmond School Board meetings where the matter was discussed here shown at the trial. Several school board members appeared at the courthouse under subpoena but not all were called to testify.
Other notes on the case of Lee BHM Corp. et al vs. School Board of the City of Richmond:
At an earlier hearing the plaintiffs were consolidated as Lee BHM Corp (owners of The Richmond Times Dispatch), Josh Stanfield, and Tyler Layne/Scripps/WTVR (CBS6) had all requested the mass shooting report the city is hiding from the public and the media.
The attorneys representing the Richmond School Board was John Cafferky of Blankingship Keith. The attorneys for Lee/RTD were David Lacy and Harley McClellan of the Christian & Barton. The attorney for Scripps/WTVR CBS6 was Brett Spain of Wilcox Savage and Stanfield is pro se.
Sweet Temptations and Northern Neck Sauce Attend Annual Virginia Agribusiness Events
The Virginia Agribusiness Council held their 52nd Annual Legislative Appreciation Banquet at Richmond’s Main Street station on Jan 11. The well attended reception and dinner is one of the most popular events each year as it features Virginia’s food and beverage businesses. Speaker Don Scott, Governor Glenn Youngkin and Lt. Governor Sears were all in attendance as well as leaders in business and politics.
Two Black owned businesses were present at the opening reception: Northern Neck Sauce LLC, and Sweet Temptations of Chesterfield.
Speaker Scott Creates Panel on Rural Healthcare
In one of his first acts as Speaker, Don Scott announced the creation of a new committee addressing the lack of access to healthcare in rural Virginia. The problem has been a difficult policy challenge for many rural areas, particularly in the South.
A temporary committee focused on the problem will convene May 1st and complete their work by November 15th. They will then make recommendations to the 2025 Legislative Session. Delegate Rodney Willett will chair the committee and Delegate Bobby Orrock will serve as Vice-Chair.
More in the release from Speaker Scott: ➡️ “For the first time in generations, life expectancy in the United States has decreased,” said Speaker Don Scott. “This is acute in our rural communities where suicide, overdose deaths, and diabetes are on the rise. As we endeavor to live by our oath to serve the people of Virginia, it is critical that we address this matter with the urgency it deserves. I know Delegate Rodney Willett will get the job done.”.
The members of the committee will include Delegates Rodney Willett (Chair), Mark Sickles, Candi Mundon King, Nadarius Clark, Joshua Cole, Kannan Srinivasan, Amy Laufer, Robert Orrock (Vice-Chair), Israel O’Quinn, Ellen Campbell, Daniel Marshall, and Otto Wachsmann.
The committee requires approval from the clerk’s office for funding. Members of the press interested in learning more about the committee or Sickles’ appointment should contact Amanda Pittman at amanda@speakerdonscott.com or Morgan Hopkins at morgan@vahousedems.org.
LISTEN TO THE BLACK VIRGINIA NEWS PODCAST!
Events!
➡️ SUBSCRIBE TO BLACK VIRGINIA NEWS. “One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.” —Ida Wells. 👨🏽💻 Send your press releases, submissions, tips, pitches, comments and corrections to BlackVirginiaNews@gmail.com.