The VPM Daily Newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before.
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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Dec. 18, 2024:
Patriot Front members settle civil suit over defaced Arthur Ashe mural
Reported by VPM News’ Dean Mirshahi
Five members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front settled a civil lawsuit over defacing the Arthur Ashe mural in Richmond’s Battery Park in October 2021.
Details of the settlement are confidential, according to the national civil rights organization that filed the lawsuit for two anonymous neighborhood residents. Their attorneys declined to comment on the deal.
The residents alleged Patriot Front targeted the Ashe mural because of its location in a historically Black neighborhood and conspiring to violate their civil rights under a law known as the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, which ensures protections against intimidation and violence.
The mural of Ashe, a Black tennis icon and Richmond native, was eventually restored by Sir James Thornhill, one of the local artists who originally conceived of and completed the mural.
Hanover exploring plans for former Henry Clay ES campus
Reported by VPM News’ Lyndon German
After years of planning, Hanover County consolidated John M. Gandy and Henry Clay elementary schools into Ashland Elementary School, which opened in a newly-constructed building in August.
The former Gandy Elementary building has since been nearly fully demolished, and the county is now exploring potential uses for the Henry Clay property at 310 S. James St. — which the school division transferred to the county in October.
Hanover’s board of supervisors is seeking public input on what to do with the 10.5-acre property, which includes the school, the gym, multiple outbuildings and ball fields.
“There's so much potential and so many possibilities, but we want to hear what citizens want, and we want it to be a productive part of the community and add to the community again,” Ashland Supervisor Faye Prichard said at a recent board meeting.
In other news:
- VCU worked to make campus streets safer. Improvement has been moderate. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
- Greene, Orange counties could share future reservoir (The Daily Progress)*
In case you missed it:
- Spanberger, Wexton prepare to leave Congress at a critical moment (The Associated Press)
- Owner of LGBTQ-friendly Virginia nudist resort gets approval to expand (The Virginian-Pilot)*
- Virginia’s cannabis regulator moves downtown HQ to Henrico (Richmond BizSense)
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
