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INSIDE > Losing religion: What does God have to do with it? - 8 | Black History Month: The legacy of Lead Belly - 10

The words disruption and lack of commitment have emerged several times in discussions among Richmond Public School stakeholders following news that the school districts superintendent may be heading to Boston.

Dr. Dana Bedden, confirmed by the Richmond School Board in December 2013, emerged as one of four finalists in the search for Bostons next superintendent. Boston expects to pick a candidate next month.

Bedden said last week that he wasnt looking for a way out of Richmond. He applied to the Boston job after being invited to do so.

Boston is one of the most

innovative urban school systems in America, he said. Its an alpha city.

One Richmond teacher who requested anonymity said she was saddened by the thought of Richmond having to begin a new search for a superintendent, should Bedden prevail in Boston.

I thought we were going to start getting things back on track but here we are, disrupting the education process to build his resume, said the teacher.

Paul Goldman, a local lawyer and Democratic elder, said in published reports that Richmond needs someone who is committed to sta[ying] the course for at least

three years. Antione Green, a local education

advocate, noted that Beddens plan of action to improve city schools and halt declining academic performance may be years away from producing desired student outcomes for students, parents and taxpayers. The school system faces various challenges, including budget deficits, and waning graduation rates.

Should he stay to finish the job or head north for greener pastures? Green posed on social media.

Tichi Pinkney Eppes, a Richmond School Board member representing the 9th District, responded that with or without Bedden, the school

districts work will continue.Kimberly Johnson, another

concerned party, said it is difficult to foster meaningful progress with such changes.

[The fact that] he did not withdraw his candidacy ... to me shows a lack of true interest or desire to do right by our children, noted Johnson. Furthermore, how do you foster a supportive parental and even community effort and ask them to buy into something when you yourself arent dedicated to your plan? I say let him go, even if Boston doesnt pick him, because the die has already been cast; he doesnt care about me, you or the children.

The Watoto Choir braved freezing temperatures last week to perform in Virginia as part of a Portsmouth churchs Black History Month celebration. The internationally acclaimed choir, whose name means children in Swahili, were at Grove Church where they charmed the crowd with their riveting storytelling, songs and dance.

The Watoto Choir members travel all over the world as advocates for the estimated 50 million children in Africa, orphaned because of HIV/AIDS, war, poverty and disease. Each of the children in the choir has suffered the loss of their parents, through either war or disease. They live in Watoto childrens villages.

In 1994, Kampala Pentecostal Church began rescuing orphans. Watoto was born out of the need to place orphaned children into loving families. Through Watoto, these children receive a spiritual awakening, an excellent education and a family.

LL

A choir with a mission: Children perform in Va.

Likely Bedden departure a sore point

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2 Feb. 25, 2015 The LEGACY

NewsThe days of Uber, Lyft and other

app-based ride-sharing services uncertain legal status are nearly over at least in Virginia and nearby District of Columbia.

New regulatory frameworks for the growing industry are soon to be in place allowing the services to operate legally.

Theyll probably say these regulations are not perfect, but they allow them to operate without fear of fines and cease-and-desist letters and things like that, said Matthew Feeney, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute. It gives them a certain degree of peace of mind.

Under regulations signed by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) last week, the companies must pay $100,000 for a license to operate in the state, provide at least $1 million in liability insurance and abide by a zero-tolerance policy regarding the use of drugs and alcohol by drivers. Drivers also must undergo background checks and be properly licensed to drive.

In D.C, the council passed a bill in October that sets new governing rules for ride sharing. The measure was signed by former mayor Vincent C. Gray (D), and pending congressional review is set to become effective March 10.

It will authorize the use of private vehicles for public transportation, provided the rides are summoned only through an app or via electronic means. Like Virginia, the D.C. rules also require minium levels of insurance coverage and background checks for drivers.

Virginia is leading the way on attracting and supporting innovative companies in every sector of our economy, and I am glad that the General Assembly was able to build upon the progress our administration made this summer in allowing transportation network companies (TNCs) to effectively and safely operate in Virginia, said McAuliffe.

Virginia Attoney Gegeral Mark Herring also praised the regulation change.

As other states grapple with

regulation of TNCs and the emerging sharing economy, they should look to Virginia, where we have found a balance between safety, passenger protection, and innovation, said Herring, also a Democrat.

This law will strengthen our economy, give consumers more transportation options, and further cement Virginias reputation as a national leader for pro-business policies and reasonable regulation.

Uber and Lyft have praised the solutions reached in the District and Virginia, calling them good compromises that will allow them to expand in this top market. But the services still have hurdles to clear in Maryland, where they continue to operate illegally.

Some localities have said that Uber must abide by regulations imposed on passenger-for-hire services and obtain a motor carrier permit to operate in the state as a for-hire carrier. The company has argued that it is a technology company, not a transportation company, and therefore exempt from regulation.

Since then, commission staffers have drafted regulations that would apply to the app-based services that are similar to those approved in Virginia, including requirements for driver background checks and insurance coverage.

The rules would require the companies to provide passengers with access to photos of their driver and the vehicles license plate number before pickup.

The driver would be required to take his or her vehicle for inspection; the regulations also prohibit drivers from picking up passengers via street hails and soliciting fares at taxi stands or Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport.

While neighboring D.C. and Virginia have enacted laws that recognize ride sharing as a new transportation alternative, [the Maryland Public Service Commission] has proposed a framework that would severely restrict our ability to provide access to jobs and reliable, affordable rides,

Uber spokesman Taylor Bennett said.. We look forward to continuing to work with legislators on a sensible solution for ride sharing that promotes choice and opportunity in Maryland.

Chelsea Wilson, a Lyft spokeswoman, said Lyft also aims for a solution that recognizes the difference between ride sharing and other transportation models.

We really want the opportunity to talk about our model and why we very much believe in having regulations tailored specifically for the ride-sharing driver, she said. Rules for these type of services dont exist, and thats why we are open to having those conversations to crack those rules.

Some Maryland jurisdictions began to take steps to regulate that rapidly spreading industry. In Annapolis, for example, city officials determined that ride-share drivers operate as

taxi drivers and must have a taxi license. They recently announced that police would be citing ride-share drivers without a taxi license with fines of up to $2,500.

The taxi industry is particularly upset by Ubers continuing operations in the state since the August ruling that the company should abide by the states regulations of common carriers.

They are just ignoring it. They are breaking the law. They keep saying, We dont think you control us, said attorney John Lally, who represents the interests of cab companies in Prince Georges County. But if you are going to play in this pool, you have to play by the rules, which means get FBI background checks, inspect the cars and adopt a set rate.

Although the new rules in the District and Virginia provide some

(continued on page 4)

Regulations for Uber and Lyft may lead to expansion

Uber sends a car to where the passengers are, the company says.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com Feb. 25, 2015 3

RICHMOND (CNS) A remorseful Maureen McDonnell (above) stood Friday in a federal courtroom where she had been convicted of taking bribes and asked a judge for leniency. He responded by sentencing the former first lady to 12 months and one day in prison.

I would ask in your sentence today that you consider the punishment Ive already received, the former first lady said, holding back tears and referring to the humiliation she has received in the media and the deterioration of her personal relationships.

My marriage is broken, my family is hurting and my reputation is in tatters.

Throughout the bribery scandal involving former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell has been cast in a dark light by the media and others. She had been blamed for allowing a serpent into her home the businessman Jonnie Williams, who showered the McDonnells with loans and gifts in exchange for their promoting his companys health products.

On Friday, Maureen McDonnell took responsibility in her first statement on the corruption case.

I am the one that opened the door, and I blame no one but myself, she said.

U.S. District Court Judge James Spencer said that even with all the information he had, he did not know who the real Maureen McDonnell is. He summed up the case as tragic, sad and puzzling.

The hundreds of written letters on her behalf, as well as witnesses and documents, point to a woman with two sides: one kind and loving and the other cruel and vindictive.

This duality was exemplified by the testimony of Elizabeth Mancano, the former policy liaison for the first lady of Virginia. She signed a letter written by the FLOVA staff that demanded the end of the horrible treatment dished out by Maureen McDonnell. The letter said her staff members would get a sick feeling whenever they saw her name on their caller ID.

In court, though, Mancanos testimony did not hint at that abuse. She lavished praise on the former first lady, saying that overall it was a fantastic experience.

All of the eight witnesses attested to the quality of Maureen McDonnells character. They said the anxiety and pressure of being first lady had an incapacitating effect on her.

Lisa Thomas, a good friend who has known Maureen McDonnell since 2005, said she is passionate, resilient and honest. But through the whole ordeal, Thomas said, Maureen has struggled.

One of the most heartbreaking things is, shes lost her dignity, Thomas said. You can only punish a person so much before that punishment starts to invade who they are.

James Michael Burke was hired to help the McDonnells in October 2011. Burke, who has a Ph.D.

in psychology, is the director of Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Performance Management Group, a consulting service that works with individuals and organizations. He said Maureen McDonnell was very often overwhelmed and fearful of disappointing Bob, her team and the people she served.

Maureens anxiety took its toll on those around her especially her family and the staff at the Executive Mansion. On Feb. 1, 2012, Burke met with Bob McDonnell and recommended that the first lady move out of the mansion because of the stress. Burke added, She expected herself to go above and beyond what most people could accomplish.

Defense Attorney Randy Singer called Maureen McDonnell a fundamentally good woman.

As Judge Spencer said, she loved her family; she gave everything for her family. She loved this commonwealth, and she issued a heartfelt apology, Singer said. She made mistakes. She owned the mistakes she made.

As punishment for her offenses, Maureen McDonnell and her defense attorneys sought two years of probation, during which she would perform 4,000 hours of community service with a local nonprofit.

Early in February, the defense filed court papers asking that Maureen McDonnell be spared incarceration pending an appeal. Spencer granted the motion on Friday. Maureen McDonnell plans to appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond.

The 4th Circuit has already found substantial issues for appeal that could overturn this verdict, Singer said. We intend to file an appeal and pursue those issues vigorously. We still believe in Maureens innocence, and we intend to seek her complete vindication.

Prosecutors recommended that Maureen McDonnell be sentenced

to 18 months in prison; they said this would deter others from lying in the public eye. (Bob McDonnell was sentenced to two years in prison; he also is appealing.)

In his sentence, Spencer sided more with the prosecution than with the defense. He apparently wasnt swayed by the testimony from such witnesses as the McDonnells daughter, Rachel.

Rachel McDonnell said it had been difficult for her mother to transition into the role of first lady. But she described her mother as a remarkably loving and caring person with a big heart. She said that her mom is a simple person whose dream life is spending time at home with her family wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt.

Evidence in the case showed that the McDonnells received at least $177,000 in loans and gifts from Williams, then the CEO of Star Scientific Inc. For example, in 2011, Williams took Maureen McDonnell on a shopping spree in New York, where she spent $19,289 of his money on designer clothes, purses and other accessories.

At her sentencing, witnesses said Maureen McDonnell did not know she was breaking the law by taking gifts from Williams. They said she is not a lawyer and not well versed in bribery law.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber offered a description of Maureen McDonnells behavior that stood in contrast to the humbling character testimony given by witnesses.

Aber said Maureen McDonnell might have been humiliated but it is her fault. Although McDonnell had only a high school education and no legal training, she was not absolved from moral or legal responsibility, Aber said.

She said Maureen McDonnells conduct was driven by an opportunistic greed and was made conscious decision by conscious decision.

From designer clothes to orange robesMaureen McDonnell sentenced to a year and a day in bribery case

The LEGACY4 Feb. 25, 2015

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Jerrauld C. Jones, a judge in the Circuit Court of the City of Norfolk, recently became just the second black law professional presented with the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award. Noted civil rights attorney, Oliver W. Hill, was the first black presented with the award in 2000.

The award, bearing the name of the former Virginia Supreme Court chief justice, was established in 1991. Carrico, according to the Virginia State Bar (VSB), promoted the ideals of professionalism during his 42 years on the states highest court.

The VSB Criminal Law Section presented its 2015 Carrico Professionalism Award Virginia State Bar during its 45th Annual Criminal Law Seminar in Williamsburg.

In his letter nominating Jones, VSB President Kevin E. Martingayle wrote that he has seen Jones, a former legislator, consistently focused, prepared, kind, insightful, compassionate and intelligent.

He has been one of the finest legislators, lawyers and judges I have had the pleasure of knowing, and he has touched the lives of many in a consistently positive way, wrote Martingayle

Jones holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Washington

and Lee School of Law in 1980. Jones served as the first black

law clerk to the Supreme Court of Virginia. He later returned to Norfolk and served as an assistant commonwealths attorney before opening his private law practice. He stayed in private practice until 2002 when then-Gov. Mark Warner appointed him state director of juvenile justice.

He represented Virginias 89th District for nine terms in the Virginia House of Delegates before then-Gov. Tim Kaine appointed him to the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in 2005. The governor appointed him to the circuit court in 2008 and the General Assembly elected him to a full eight-year term in 2009.Jerrauld C. Jones

Judge Jones just 2nd black to gain Carrico VSB Award

clarity for the services, they dont end the long-standing beef with the traditional taxi industry.

When they made the service legitimate, they didnt do it in a way that serves all parts of the public. They didnt make these regulations in a way that acknowledges the service that taxi drivers have been providing to the D.C. area for years, said lawyer Royale Simms, an organizer with cabbies affiliated with the Teamsters. Their service was illegal. It wasnt supposed to be operating the way it did in Washington, D.C. thats the part of the conversation that is often lost.

Critics also say the question of fair competition was left unanswered. While the regulations touch on consumer protection, taxi drivers argue that individuals driving for Uber and Lyft still wont be required to undergo the same level of screening as taxi drivers. Nor will they have the same insurance and licensing costs.

It is inherently unequal and unfair, said Jon Liss, with Tenants and Workers United, which lobbied against the Virginia legislation on behalf of Arlington and Alexandria taxi drivers.

Liss (pictured) predicts that many of the 5,400 taxi owners in Virginia will eventually abandon the industry, some possibly to earn lower wages working for Uber and Lyft where they will be subject to less-stringent regulations.

Some experts say that although

taxi drivers have legitimate concerns, regulating ride sharing separately, as Virginia and the District have opted to do, is the right approach.

A lot of the taxi drivers have legitimate complaints when they say, Look, we have jumped through all these regulatory barriers, we have paid all these fees and we have done all the licensing requirements, and now some people can just move in without paying the costs. I understand that frustration. But regulators ought to look carefully at this issue rather than hearing the complaints from market incumbents, said Feeney, of the Cato Institute.

Experts say the competition is good in that it will force the taxi industry to modernize and improve, which in the end is good for customers.

These services are monstrously popular among consumers, Feeney said. We shouldnt be surprised to see them expanding into more towns and cities and become increasingly popular in the Washington, D.C., area, unless taxi companies manage to compete with them and that remains to be seen. WP

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Virginia housing authorities recently received more than $30.4 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments (HUD) Capital Fund Program to allow local public housing authorities to build, repair, renovate and modernize public housing in Virginia.

Housing complexes maintained by housing authorities such as those in Richmond, Hampton and other cities have been known to be in

good conditions and U.S. senators representing Virginia, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, said by making large-scale improvements, such as replacing roofs or making energy-efficient upgrades to replace old plumbing and electrical systems, or to pay down debt.

These funds will expand affordable housing options for Virginia families and help ensure that public housing is poised for future viability, said Warner. Sustainable affordable

housing stabilizes underserved neighborhoods and strengthens communities for the long term.

The total for Virginia is $30,412,003 with several local housing authorities earning as follows;

Chesapeake, $627,239 Hampton, $792,694 Hopewell, $589,972 Newport News, $2,888,854 Norfolk, $6,988,486 Petersburg, $611,996 Portsmouth, $1,651,640

Richmond, $6,415,087 Williamsburg, $139,093This funding will ensure more

Virginians have access to safe, affordable housing, said Kaine. As a fair housing attorney for nearly two decades, I know that affordable housing can make a huge impact on a persons life.

From Lee County to Chesapeake, this funding will benefit communities across the commonwealth for years to come.

Grants meant to improve affordable housing in Va.

As tax season ramps up, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is asking the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to be more proactive in preventing and addressing cases of identity theft and taxpayer fraud. According to new Government Accountability Office (GAO) data, the IRS issued about $5.8 billion in fraudulent refunds during the 2013 filing season $600 million more than previously estimated.

As Warner wrote in a letter to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen last week, Data thieves only need a taxpayers name and Social Security Number (SSN) to perpetuate a fraudulent refund. Last year alone, hackers stole more than 6.5 million Social Security numbers.

Warners letter questions whether

the IRS could detect and combat fraud by checking taxpayer refunds against employer-provided W-2 data something the agency currently does not do until July, months after fraudulent refunds have been issued.

Warner also pressed the agency on its process for notifying taxpayers and law enforcement when the IRS identifies a case of potential fraud.

The IRS often uncovers an incident of identity theft before the victim does when a data thief files a fraudulent tax return using a stolen SSN. Unfortunately, the agency has interpreted privacy laws as prohibiting the IRS from warning taxpayers that their SSN may have been stolen, said Warner, adding he has introduced legislation to change that.

Senator targeting tax fraud

The LEGACY6 Feb. 25, 2015

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The Virginia Legacy 2015

Op/Ed

By MaryAnne Howland The film Selma calls us to

consider where we stand today and what we are doing as individuals and communities about racial justice.

In the past few months a rainbow of people has taken to protesting in cities throughout the country. Racial injustice brought to light by failures of grand juries to indict white police officers after the deaths of unarmed black men is moving citizens of all backgrounds to action.

The media feature voices of passionate, concerned black, brown and white people, students and, of course politicians. We see the arts community in solidarity with the movement. Athletes and entire sports teams put their careers on the line to speak up.

But where are the voices of the business community?As a business person, I am deeply disturbed by the silence of my peers.

Is the travesty of justice and police corruption, lack of respect and utter disregard for human dignity not our concern? Many of us are already leaders in our communities, working hard to strengthen local and regional economies. Most are good people running responsible businesses. But what does our silence say?

Silence is a signal of acceptance. Silence is seen as an endorsement of the status quo. Silence is not good for business.

More and more businesses owners are turning business into a force for good. We recognize the interconnected and circular nature of our economy. If we take care of our employees, they take care of us. If we pay a living wage, then our community has purchasing power that ultimately benefits our business.

Ensuring just policing and a fair justice system are part of the same value

proposition. Many police officers and grand juries already act this way. But when they lose sight of these principles, its bad for residents, bad for the police themselves, and bad for the community.

It gets in the way of the mutual trust and respect we need in order to get along with each other and do business with one another.

It doesnt help our employees bring their best self to work if they live in constant fear that they or their children or partner will be singled out for state-sanctioned violence and an unfair justice system for no reason other than the color of their skin.

I run a small business in Nashville, Tenn. I do everything I can to run a fair and just workplace, one in which everyone is judged according to their contribution and not how they look. I believe my workplace is better off because of this commitment. I serve on the board of a national business organization, the American Sustainable Business Council, which seeks to bring these principles of justice and opportunity to the economy as a whole.

As business owners, we have a special obligation to stand up at times like these. Its time to stop holding our collective breath.

We need to push for the course corrections necessary to stop racial injustice. We must demand change that will help create resilient communities in which everyone can succeed and thrive.

We should call our local, state and federal officials and tell them we want to see solutions. We should engage with others in our communities, such as faith leaders and social service agencies, to push for change. And we should start by letting our employees know that we are committed to making a difference.

We also should support organizations that are working to uplift black and brown men and women. Even better: Employ them, train them and, most important, stand behind them. If the police knew there was a businessman or woman behind the individual they are about to attack, surely they would think twice.

The American business community is the most powerful economic force in the country. We are its leaders. We have power. We can make a difference. So, lets make it.-------------------- Howland is president and CEO of Ibis Communications in Nashville, Tenn., and a board member of the American Sustainable Business Council.

Is the American business community biased?

P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com Feb. 25, 2015 7

Placing blame

Getting healthy

History revisited

By watching the daily news one can clearly see that America is getting farther away from God and still headed straight towards Gods judgment and ultimate destruction. Too many in America have said there is no God.

One of the many reasons Americans have reached such a high point of unbelief, is because they were brought up in school systems which teaches mans false idea that every living being started from a single cell and evolved into millions, or even billions, of species, including humans. Some have theorized humans evolved from ape like beings.

But how a person, who is composed of 200, or 300 trillion highly specialized interrelated cells, can

believe that it all started from a single cell, should be beyond belief. Actually, the single cell theory of evolution only proves mans folly.

First, man totally dismissed Gods legitimate claims that he, God, created Heaven and Earth and everything in them including the first man, Adam. Second, man refused to believe the documented biblical history of God dealing with mankind on Earth, where God again and again, demonstrated and proved his awesome supernatural powers.

Among these demonstrations of power, were turning the rivers and waters in Egypt into blood, parting the Red Sea while millions of Israelites crossed on dry ground, and then drowning the very large pursuing Egyptian Army. After that God proved himself again and again by providing food and water for forty years while His chosen people wandered in the desert.

In the Word of God, the Holy Bible, God showed his chosen people that he had complete control over Earth and the Heavens, because, he wanted them to be witnesses to the rest of the world. He wanted the people of the world to believe in Him so they would not perish.

This world would be a much better place if people believed in the living God and followed his just commandments. We would love each other like the brothers and sisters that we are, because, we are all His children.

God gets no pleasure in his children going to hell. It is a great tragedy that so many in America are rejecting God and his son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins on the cross. Accepting Jesus and his sacrifice is a

The U.S. Advisory Panel on Dietary Guidelines has finally mustered the courage to recommend that Americans eat less meat and dairy products.

And not just to lower our risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, but also because it slows the rate of climate changes, with its own devastating consequences.

The 572 page report notes that half of all Americans have preventable diet-related chronic diseases and that two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight. It concludes that a dietary pattern higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods is more health promoting and associated with lesser environmental impact than the current U.S. diet.

The 1977 recommendation that Americans eat less meat by the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs was quashed by the meat industry, and subsequent dietary guidelines panels have been very cautious. The 2010 dietary guidelines panel merely shoved meat and dairy off the official MyPlate icon, representing the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

Though the experts have now told the truth, our familys health is still up to us. Fortunately, local supermarkets offer a variety of meat and dairy-free options and the internet has lots of advice on vegan recipes and transition tips.Vlad Coiner

Nearly 4,000 black men, black women and black children were lynched between 1877 and 1950 in 12 Southern states, and their violent murders were celebrated, attracting huge crowds including some who used the occasion to hold picnics.

The Equal Justice Initiative published, Lynching in America: Confronting the Legacy of Racial Terror. They reported that 3,959 African Americans were victims of terrorist lynchings in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

More than 90 percent of terrorist lynching victims were black men, and some of the victims were boys as young as 12 and 13.

The study noted that at least 700 more African Americans were murdered in lynchings than had been previously reported. The report focuses on racial terrorist lynching, which whites, including the police, elected officials, ordinary citizens and federal bureaucrats participated in the murders or condoned them to enforce Jim Crow laws and racial segregation.

These lynchings were not frontier justice because they generally took place in communities where there was a functioning criminal justice system that was deemed too good for African Americans, the report stated. Terror lynchings were horrific acts of violence whose perpetrators were never held accountable.Indeed, some of public spectacle lynchings were attended by the entire white community and

conducted as celebratory acts of control and domination, the report said.

Terror victims were murdered without being accused of any crime; they were killed for minor social transgressions, including bumping a white person, wearing their military uniforms after World War I and not using the appropriate title to address a white person.

The history of terror lynching complicates contemporary issues of race, punishment, crime and justice, the report stated. Mass incarceration, excessive penal punishment, disproportionate sentencing of racial minorities and police abuse of people of color reveal problems in American society that were framed in the terror era.Frederick Lowe

must to go to Heaven.America must return to God.

Manuel Ybarra, Jr.

The LEGACY8 Feb. 25, 2015

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(continued on page 15 )

The fewer the words the better

A desperate executive sought the counsel of an old guru who lived in a mountain cave. The executive was living a harried and hurried life. He was frustrated, his prayers were powerless, and his soul was tired. The holy man listened to his guest for a while, then retreated deep into his cave, returning shortly with a basin.

He scooped water from the muddy little stream passing by the mouth of the cave and offered it to the executive to drink. Of course, the executive rejected it, even though he was very thirsty from his journey. The water was far too dirty.

After a while he offered the water again, but this time, all the silt had settled to the bottom of the basin and the water was clear and pristine. The man readily drank it. The wise man then asked, What did you do to make the water clean? The man answered, I didnt do anything.

Exactly! said the old monk. Your life is dark and troubled; it is disturbed and muddy because you are always allowing the water to become agitated. Only when it is calm will you have peace. So do nothing. Be still and let the water settle.

Be still. Thats harder than it sounds, no doubt, but it is one of the best things for the health of our souls. Learn to turn down the noise (and stop contributing to the noise). Learn to cultivate some distance from this clamorous world, because distance is a good thing when it comes to things and people who are harmful. Learn, by healthy boundaries to keep the raucous environment that is contemporary society at arm and ears length, and you might begin to let the water of your own soul peacefully settle.

I dont have to work very hard to convince you that this world is a noisy place, do I? Talking heads, radio and viewpoint shows, 24-

hour news, analysis on every hand, opinions like armpits: Court is always being held, comments are always being made, and there is a constant eagerness to share the oh-so-correct perspective. Theres always someone babbling about something, and the air becomes so saturated with pandemonium, it seeps into our souls.

Jesus understood this. He once instructed his disciples, When you pray, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseendo not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. What a stark and necessary correction. Even in prayer, the fewer the words the better, it seems.

Do not be like them, Jesus says. That is, Dont be like this ear-splitting world that thinks loud opinions will actually be heard. Dont put on a show with your yammering, bloviated prattle. Shut up. Be still. Get quiet. Its good for you, not to mention how everyone else will appreciate is as well.

Its not unlike the familiar story from Lyndon B. Johnsons administration as told by Skip Heitzig. Once, at a special dinner, Johnson was hosting a few members of his staff, and he called upon one of the men to say grace. The man, named Jim, began to pray and President Johnson, in his brash, demanding way interrupted. He said, Speak up, Jim, I cant hear you. Jim answered, With all due respect, Mr. President, I wasnt talking to you.

Oh, thats exactly what Jesus is teaching his disciples. Too often, far too often, public prayer (much of religious instruction, actually) is not an invitation to stillness and humility before God. It is an invitation to commotion. It is babble, or vain repetition as the King James Version translates Jesus instructions. It is foolish rambling, tedious chattering, words that continue to stack up, but never really mean anything.

I have a friend who noted recently the the words listen and silent are spelled with exactly the same letters and mean the same thing. And I think stillness is the quickest way to hear God, to let the water settle, and find true peace.

(RNS) Nadia Bulkin, 27, the daughter of a Muslim father and a Christian mother, spends zero time thinking about God.

And she finds that among her friends both guys and gals many are just as spiritually disconnected.

Surveys have long shown women lead more active lives of faith than men, and that millennials are less interested than earlier generations. One in three now claim no religious identity.

What may be new is that more women, generation by generation, are moving in the direction of men away from faith, religious

commitment, even away from vaguely spiritual views like a deep sense of wonder about the universe, according to some surveys. Michaela Bruzzese, 46, is a Mass-every-week Catholic, just like her mother, but she sees few of her Gen X peers in the pews.

Nadia Bulkin wears a silver triquetra necklace she bought for herself. She said it is a religious symbol used by both Christianity and paganism. She said "I personally like it, because it signifies balance. I like the geometric appeal of it. It is also

Losing their religion: More women join the unspiritual set

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com Feb. 25, 2015 9

In 1980, when Bob Dylan was baffling much of his audience by writing and singing gospel songs, he stood on the stage of the Warfield Theater in San Francisco and spoke about the folk singer known as Lead Belly. He explained that Lead Belly had been a prisoner in Texas who was discovered by a musicologist and brought to New York.

At first, he was just doing prison songs and stuff like that, Dylan said. Hed been out of prison for some time when he decided to do childrens songs, and people said, Oh, why did Lead Belly change? Some people liked the old ones. Some people liked the new ones. Some people liked both songs.

But he didnt change, Dylan concluded emphatically. He was the same man.

Lead Belly, who died in 1949, cast a giant shadow on the music that followed him, directly influencing performers from Dylan to Kurt Cobain with his versatility, his gravelly voice full of power and emotion, and his pioneering 12-string guitar style. Even his image and marketing, often emphasizing his criminal past, provided a blueprint for the presentation of hip-hop and rock artists decades later.

On Tuesday came the release of Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection, a five-disc set that is the first comprehensive overview of this monumental, sprawling career. The compilation, a follow-up to a 2012 Grammy-winning Woody Guthrie boxed set, includes 108 songs (most taken from the Folkways archives), 16 of them previously unreleased. One of the discs comes from a series of radio shows that Lead Belly made for WNYC in the 1940s, which have seldom been heard since. Guthrie recommended him for the show, telling the producer that of all the living folk singers hed ever seen, Lead Belly is ahead of them all.

On Monday, Legend of Lead Belly, a new documentary that serves as a companion to the collection, had its premiere on the Smithsonian Channel, and an all-star Lead Belly tribute concert is planned for April 25 at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Born Huddie Ledbetter in the northwest corner of Louisiana in 1888, Lead Belly sang an astonishing

range of styles blues, work songs, pop hits based on the days headlines or on age-old games and chants. Songs associated with Lead Belly, either his own compositions or his recordings of traditional material, have been recorded by vocalists as different stylistically as Frank Sinatra, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Tom Waits.

Goodnight, Irene was a No. 1 hit for the Weavers in 1950, setting in motion much of the folk revival that peaked in the 1960s. Lonnie Donegans version of Rock Island Line inspired Englands skiffle craze, whence emerged the bands of the British Invasion. Nirvana performed Where Did You Sleep Last Night as the final song of its 1993 Unplugged show, and Lead Bellys Last Sessions album was the only pre-Beatles record that Kurt Cobain included on a list of his top 50 favorites, scrawled in his journal. A number of Lead Bellys musical heirs commented on his legacy in email interviews.

From the blues and beyond, stories of heroes, villains, cowboys, presidents, legendary figures, famous and infamous set to song, Robert Plant (who recorded Gallows Pole with Led Zeppelin) wrote, describing Lead Bellys music. Compulsory education for those who seek a place in the world of folk and fable.

Van Morrison, who has repeatedly invoked the singers name as a kind of talisman in his lyrics, wrote: Lead Belly is still a mighty inspiration. Arguably, more relevant today than

ever.Robert Santelli, executive director

of the Grammy Museum and a co-producer of the boxed set, noted that Lead Belly was best considered in the tradition of the songster, a kind of human jukebox who could play whatever a given audience might want to hear.

Perhaps more than any other folk artist, his ability to cross genres and musical paths was unparalleled, he said. We wanted to select the tracks that not only best told his story but also revealed the landscape from which he worked, and allow new people who are interested to get it in one place.

Lead Bellys life was the stuff of melodrama (In 1976, Gordon Parks directed a biopic titled Leadbelly, using the alternative spelling of his subjects name; the movie poster blared You cant bury a black legend like Leadbelly!) He was in and out of prison in his 20s, most notably receiving a 35-year sentence in 1918 for murdering a relative in a fight over a woman. Gov. Pat Morris Neff of Texas, who often brought guests to the prison on Sundays to hear Lead Belly perform, pardoned the singer after he served seven years, but in 1930 Lead Belly was sent to the infamous Angola prison in Louisiana after stabbing a man during a fight, and that was not his last arrest or conviction. In 1933, the musicologists John and Alan Lomax came to Angola as part of their long-term effort to collect folk songs, and they recorded Lead Belly for the first time.

When he was released the following year, he was hired by John Lomax, and by 1940 he was living in New York, performing frequently as part of a politically charged folk music scene. Lead Belly still represents the American dream that nave idea we Americans have that anything is possible, the young blues-rocker Benjamin Booker said. Sometimes it is.

The collections five discs are organized thematically. The first CD is a kind of Lead Bellys Greatest Hits, with his best-known and most pivotal songs. The second and third offer a general overview of his work, from play songs to prison work songs to topical titles like National Defense Blues and Hitler Song (Mr. Hitler), and previously unreleased numbers including Been So Long (Bellevue Hospital Blues) and the gospel song Im So Glad, I Done Got Over.

The fourth disc includes the WNYC recordings, among them two complete 15 -minute shows in which he races through a half-dozen songs, offering up a brief introduction or explanation for each. The final disc is taken from the three evenings in 1948 that were Lead Bellys last sessions before his death from A.L.S., known as Lou Gehrigs disease, the following year. It includes tracks from the Last Sessions album as released, but also such remarkable moments as an impromptu duet created by Lead Belly singing along with a 78 r.p.m. record of Bessie Smiths Nobody Knows You When Youre Down and Out.

What has always astonished me is that his music is as broad, intricate, and paradoxical as the life he lived, the singer-songwriter Ben Harper said. The boxed sets packaging is as extensive as its musical scope, with an oversize 140-page book containing multiple essays; dozens of photographs, many previously unpublished; and reproductions of session sheets, letters, newspaper clips and concert fliers.

I worry about someone now who cares about the context and history of music, said Jeff Place, archivist for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and a co-producer. Downloading means missing all of that story, so we wanted to create a book that has CDs with it, rather than the other way

The LEGACY10 Feb. 25, 2015

(continued on page 12)

Lead Belly, above, in New York, circa 1949, in his final days. PHOTO; Richard S. Blacher/Lead Belly Estate, via Smithsonian Folkways

Lead Belly, folk-music giant, has a Smithsonian moment

www.LEGACYnewspaper.com Feb. 25, 2015, 11

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12 Feb. 25, 2015 The LEGACY

Ohio State President Michael Drake did the twist and sang at Ross Heart Hospital as part of a discussion about music during the Civil Rights era.

I think all of us are moved by music, and we get to hear people communicate things (through music) that are meaningful to us in ways that resonate for years to come, Drake said in an interview with The Lantern at the event.

Drake gave his keynote speech at the hospitals annual Black History Month event, which this year was called Reaching for the Top: Music of the Civil Rights Era.

With an interactive presentation drawn from a former class he taught at University of California-Irvine, Drake took the audience through decades of black music culture, from slave songs of the 1800s, to love songs of the 1950s and resistance songs of the 1960s.

However, black music and white music were sometimes exactly the same, Drake said. In the 1950s, identical songs with slight rhythmic differences would be classified as rock n roll when sung by white people, but as race music, or R&B, when sung by black people.

Drake said the 1960s began changing pop music culture, from singing about teenage love experiences to expressing distaste

about race issues in the U.S.Drake highlighted Pete Seeger, Bob

Dylan, The Beatles and The Freedom Singers as some of the key musicians that sang against oppression. Some of the songs were sung during marches and protests of the Civil Rights Movement.

The arts came from the philosophical, political and social circumstances of the artist, Drake said. It allows us to connect with how people were feeling and behaving.

Motown was one of the first genres to form a bridge between whites and blacks, with music that was appropriate and applicable to both races, Drake said.

He analyzed various aspects of the music he presented to the audience, from the tone artists used to the instruments they played.

In fact, one of the event coordinators said the idea to focus on music at the event was Drakes.

Music is a passion of (Drakes), said Diane Gordon, administrative director of operations at University Hospital East and one of the coordinators of the event.

Quinn Capers, associate dean in medicine administration at the Wexner Medical Center, said music is a wonderful way to reflect upon society.

(Drake) did a masterful job

of taking us through a couple of decades, Capers said.

The more we learn about each other, the more we respect each other, the more powerful we will

all be as a country and in medicine. Im empowered to save lives when I know more about different cultures and different religions and different ethnicities.

All of us are moved by music

Ohio State President Michael Drake

around a museum exhibit in a coffee-table set.

Despite the tremendous sweep of Lead Bellys influence, revisiting his story is also a reminder that his image was marketed as a kind of proto-gangster rapper, leaning heavily on the so-called authenticity of his criminal past. He was often asked to perform wearing overalls or even prison stripes. He was a curiosity when he first came to New York, Place said. He was really presented as a savage character from the swamplands.

In 1937, Life magazine ran a three-page article with Lead Bellys name and a racial epithet in the title; it also featured a photo of his fingers playing the guitar with the caption These hands once killed a man. A poster promoting a concert at the Apollo Theater, reproduced in the box, leads with the pitch A Texas jury sentenced him for murder the governor pardoned him!

Woody Guthrie was the guy from the Dust Bowl who rode the rails, and Lead Belly had that image of the worker, the prisoner, the oppressed black man down South who could share those tales, Santelli said.

He realized the value of that image and often would play to it, but underneath that he disliked it. He much preferred to be photographed and to play in a suit.

It was a product of the times, not unlike blackface, Aunt Jemima, minstrels, etc., Harper wrote. Where perpetuating negative black stereotypes was not seen as bad, but simply as good for business. Either way, it simply does not get more authentic than Lead Belly not in America.

Having tackled Woody Guthrie and Lead Belly, Place and Santellis next project will be a similar examination

of Pete Seegers career, completing what Santelli called the holy trinity of American folk music. Yet even within this exalted company, Lead Bellys legacy feels distinctive, linking multiple strands of American history and tradition, bridging generations to create music that was truly universal. Everybody have the blues, Lead Belly says, introducing his recording of Good Morning Blues in 1943. Sometimes they dont know what it is, he says.

Whats the matter? he continues. Why, the blues got you. They want to talk to you. You got to tell em something.

(from page 10)

Feb. 25, 2015 13www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY FOR APPROVAL OF A PILOT AND EXPERIMENTAL RATE,DESIGNATED RIDER DCS, TO ENABLE CUSTOMER PURCHASES OF DISTRIBUTED SOLAR GENERATION

PURSUANT TO 56-234 B OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIACASE NO. PUE-2015-00005

On January 20, 2015, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Virginia Power (Dominion Virginia Power or the Company), pursuant to 56-234 B of the Code of Virginia and in accordance with the blanket certificate of public convenience and necessity (Blanket CPCN) for its Solar Partnership Program, filed with the State Corporation Commission (Commission) an application for approval of the Dominion Community Solar Pilot (DCS Pilot) and experimental rate, designated Rider DCS Dominion Community Solar (Experimental) (Rider DCS), to enable voluntary customer purchases of electric energy output from a Company-owned, 2 megawatt (MW) direct current distributed solar generation (Solar DG) facility sited in Virginia (Application). The Company states in its Application that this Solar DG facility would be constructed under the Blanket CPCN that the Company received in Case No. PUE-2011-00117 to construct and operate up to 30 MW (DC), in the aggregate, of Solar DG facilities in its service territory for the Solar Partnership Program. The Application states that the proposed DCS Pilot will allow the Company to assess the level of interest of customers who want to support the development of Solar DG in the Commonwealth, but may not be able or willing to install solar generation facilities on their homes or businesses. Dominion Virginia Power states that the proposed DCS Pilot would further the Companys ability to study the impacts and assess the benefits to its customers of Solar DG on the Companys distribution system and would complement the following currently approved voluntary renewable energy programs: the Dominion Green Power program, the Solar Partnership Program, the Solar Purchase Program, and the Renewable Generation Pilot Program (RG Pilot Program and Rate Schedule RG). Further, the Company believes that the DCS Pilot would advance the policy goals of Chapter 771 of the 2011 Virginia Acts of Assembly to promote solar energy through distributed generation. The Application states that customers in Rate Schedules 1, 1P, 1S, 1T, DP-R, 1EV, 5, 5C, 5P, 6, 6TS, 10, 25, 29, GS-1, DP-1, GS-2, GS-2T, and DP-2 would be eligible to participate in the proposed DCS Pilot. Customers in the GS-3 and GS-4 rate classes are not eligible as they already have the option to support renewable energy through the Companys RG Pilot Program and Rate Schedule RG. As proposed, customers participating in the DCS Pilot would have the opportunity to purchase a portion of their electricity needs under Rider DCS from output produced by a new Company-owned 2 MW (DC) Solar DG facility, and would purchase the remainder of their electricity needs under their current rate schedule. Under the proposed DCS Pilot, the Company proposes to sell blocks of output from the Solar DG facility in increments of 100 kilowatt hours, each referred to as a DCS Block. The Application states that the cost for each DCS block is $4.00. According to the Company, this rate is designed to recover the costs of the participating Solar DG facility, but with an offset for the value of the power produced and the associated renewable energy certificates to reduce the DCS Pilot costs for participating customers. The Company proposes that the purchase price for the DCS Blocks be fixed for the two-year term of the DCS Pilot. The Company is proposing minimum and maximum consumption allotments, in order to allow for a larger number of participants. Under the Companys proposal, in order to participate in the DCS Pilot, customers would purchase a minimum of one DCS Block, up to a maximum of five DCS Blocks, for residential customers, or ten DCS Blocks for non-residential customers, on a monthly basis during the two-year term, with automatic renewals from month to month. Enrolled customers may increase or decrease the amount of energy purchased through Rider DCS upon notification to the Company, with increases subject to the maximum consumption allotments and program availability. The Companys proposal would also allow customers to opt out (with 30 days prior notice required for a customer to terminate service under the program), during the two-year term of the DCS Pilot. After receiving a termination notice, the Company would terminate service under Rider DCS effective with, or prior to, the customers usage occurring after the next meter read date, but no later than 60 days after the date on which the Com-pany received the customer termination notice. According to the Application, the costs to construct and operate the Company-owned Solar DG facility, as well as the funds received under Rider DCS, would be tracked separately and accounted for as a subset of the $80 million cost cap approved by the Commission for the Solar Partnership Program. The Company states that the DCS Pilot should therefore have no ad-ditional impact to base rates paid by non-participating customers. If the Companys Application is approved, eligible customers may enroll in the DCS Pilot online through their individual account page via the Companys self-service web portal, or by telephone through Dominion Virginia Powers Customer Service from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern local time on non-holiday weekdays. If the DCS Pilot becomes fully subscribed, the Company will add additional customers wishing to subscribe to the pilot to a Deferred Enrollment List and permit future enrollments on a first-come-first-served basis. The Company proposes that Rider DCS become effective on the first day of the month following the later of (a) within ninety (90) days after the date of the Commissions final order in this proceeding, or (b) the participating Solar DG facility is installed and fully operational. The Application states that, if the proposed two-year DCS Pilot is approved, the Company will as-sess the level of customer interest, the efficacy of the pricing structure in Rider DCS, the billing processes, and, if successful, how best to integrate and grow the DCS Pilot. The Company states that at the end of the DCS Pilot term, or earlier depending on customer participation, it may file for an extension and/or expansion of the DCS Pilot, or for approval of a permanent program that may be independent of the Solar Partnership Program. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of Dominion Virginia Powers proposed DCS Pilot program. The Companys Application is docketed and assigned Case No. PUE-2015-00005. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing to commence at 10 a.m. on June 23, 2015, in the Commissions courtroom located on the second floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, to receive testimony from members of the public and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commissions Staff. Any persons desiring to testify as a public witness at this hearing should appear fifteen (15) minutes prior to the starting time of the hearing and contact the Commissions Bailiff. Individuals with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in the hearing should contact the Commission at least seven (7) days before the scheduled hearing at 1-800-552-7945 (voice) or 1-804-371-9206 (TDD). The Application and the Commissions Order for Notice and Hearing are available for public inspection during regular business hours at each of the Companys business offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Copies also may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, William H. Baxter, II, Esquire, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, RS-2, Richmond, Virginia 23219. If acceptable to the requesting party, the Company may provide the Application by electronic means. Copies of the Application and documents filed in this case also are available for interested persons to review in the Commissions Document Control Center, located on the first floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commissions website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. On or before April 10, 2015, any person interested in participating as a respondent in this proceeding shall file a notice of participation. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of a notice of participation shall be submitted to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. The respondent shall simultaneously serve a copy of the notice of participation on counsel for the Company, William H. Baxter, II, Esquire, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, RS-2, Richmond, Virginia 23219. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commissions Rules of Practice and Procedure (Rules of Practice), any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. Any organization, corporation, or government body participating as a respondent must be represented by counsel as required by 5 VAC 5-20-30, Counsel, of the Rules of Practice. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUE-2015-00005. On or before May 1, 2015, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission and serve on the Commission Staff, the Company, and all other respondents any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of such testimony and exhibits shall be submitted to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. Respondents also shall comply with the Commissions Rules of Prac-tice, including: 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUE-2015-00005. On or before June 16, 2015, any interested person may file with Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118, written comments on the Application. Any interested person desiring to submit comments electronically may do so on or before June 16, 2015, by following the instructions found on the Commissions website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Compact discs or any other form of electronic storage medium may not be filed with the comments. All comments shall refer to Case No. PUE-2015-00005. The Commissions Rules of Practice may be viewed at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. A printed copy of the Commissions Rules of Practice and an official copy of the Commissions Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding may be obtained from Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118.

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An unlikely duo has teamed up on prison reform. Legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)could help ease the reentry process for the formerly incarcerated.

According to the senators joint statement, the Corrections Oversight, Recidivism Reduction, and Elimination Costs for Taxpayers in Our National System Act aims to reduce the prison population and offer a better integration process for returning citizens through the use of existing programs such as recidivism reduction, risk-based time credits, and drug treatment and mental health services.

For many returning citizens, the prospect of integrating themselves back into their communities is daunting, leading some to fall into poverty.

Prisons in the United States, which has the highest incarceration rate in the world, are severely overcrowded and prison costs have rapidly grown.

The federal Bureau of Prisons budget nearly doubled between FY 2000 and FY 2013, from $3.668 billion to 6.445 billion, and the annual cost of incarcerating a prisoner has jumped from $21,603 to $29,291 over the same time period.

These costs leave little room to in the budget to spend on increasing capacity or modernizing prison facilities. The Bureau of Prisons, for example, has a backlog of major modernization and repair projects at a cost of $348 million, according to a March 2014 report from the Justice Department. This backlog, per the report, doesnt include the universe of unfunded repair and improvement minor projects.

Cornyn and Whitehouse see this as a problem that has to be addressed soon.

We agree with the senators that when inmates are better prepared to re-enter communities, they are less likely to commit crimes after they are released. This is an important step in addressing the mass incarceration problem that perpetuates cycle of hunger and poverty, said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World.

The legislation would allow for certain low-risk offenders with exemplary behavior to spend the end of their earned-time credit under community supervision. Other provisions encourage those in prison to participate in recidivism reduction programs and other activities, like prison jobs, which can lead to the awarding of earned credit.

Still, many states enforce lifetime bans on non-violent drug offenders for safety-net programs, such as SNAP, (formerly food stamps) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), programs that are vital to many returning citizens as

they look for work and try to rebuild their lives. Advocates want to see legislation that would also get these bans lifted.

While this bill is a good step, Congress must also address the larger issue of sentencing reform, said Beckmann.

In addition to ensuring that prisoners have access to the skills they need to properly re-enter society, we must reexamine lengthy and inflexible mandatory sentences imposed on low-level, non-violent offenders, and implement alternatives to imprisonment where appropriate.

The federal prison population has increased from approximately 25,000 in 1980 to nearly 216,000 today.

African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately incarcerated and tend to receive longer sentences than white defendants convicted of the same crime. A reform of our prison system must be guided by our moral obligation to truly give those who want a second chance an opportunity to succeed. Beckmann added.

Legislation will ease reentry process for former inmates

useful when I am questioned by very Christian religious people in Nebraska. They can assume it is the Holy Trinity, and I say, yeah, thats what it is. Triquetra was used in this campy TV show called Charmed, about witches living in San Francisco, and I love the show! Thats where I first saw it. It sort of symbolizes my weird relationship

Nadia Bulkin wears a silver triquetra necklace she bought for herself. She said it is a religious symbol used by both Christianity and paganism. She said: I personally like it, because it signifies balance. I like the geometric appeal of it. It is also useful when I am questioned by very Christian religious people in Nebraska. They can assume it is the Holy Trinity, and I say, yeah, thats what it is. Triquetra was used in this campy TV show called Charmed, about witches living in San Francisco, and I love the show! Thats where I first saw it. It sort of symbolizes my weird relationship with pop spirituality.

I have women friends who grew up Catholic who think my choice to stay Catholic is like I choose to keep believing in Santa Claus. They just dont get what is in the church for me, said Bruzzese.

For me, Catholicism is a verb it is the action of being in the world and trying to live the gospel, said Bruzzese, who teaches theology at a Catholic high school in Albuquerque, N.M. Many of her students go home to parents who no longer observe the faith.

That fits with the findings of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, which tracks Catholic faith and practice.

In 1974, CARA research found 46 percent of men and 45 percent of women considered themselves to be strong Catholics. By 2012, both groups had dropped significantly on that question men to 24 percent and women to 30 percent.

On the rise: Those who call themselves not very strong Catholics. That self-description by men climbed to 67 percent in 2012, up from 44 percent 1974. Among women, 57 percent said their faith was not very strong, up from 43 percent 40 years ago.

Senior researcher Mark Gray, director of CARA polls, sees some evidence of a closing gender gap but Im not sure how to disentangle

this from life-cycle effects. It may be as women age they become more religious or spiritual and men do not (as much).

Another survey one that asked questions about spirituality found significant differences between men and women and marked change between generations.

In the fall of 2014, the Public Religion Research Institute asked four spirituality questions as part of a larger survey on attitudes toward climate change.

Respondents were asked how frequently they sensed a connection to all life; a deep inner peace or harmony; a deep connection with nature and the earth; and a deep sense of wonder about the universe.

Almost a third of Americans said these spiritual experiences were not a regular part of their lives. And each age group described themselves as experiencing less wonder and connection than the age group before.

While 49 percent of seniors (ages 65 and older) rated high on the spirituality index, only 29 percent of young adults (ages 18-29) did likewise.

And 44 percent of women scored high on the index but only 36 percent of men.

Bulkin scored especially low on those PRRI questions. To talk about the attachment to the universe for me means thinking about science its an intellectual connection, she said.

Bulkin was born in Indonesia then moved to Nebraska when she was 11. Today, her mother, a self-proclaimed atheist, attends a Unitarian Universalist congregation. But Bulkin, a consultant in Washington, D.C., is more inclined to use her Sunday morning for a calming yoga class.

Sometimes I do say Im spiritual but not religious, but it depends on your definition, said Bulkin. Im more an agnostic when I think about it. But I spend zero time thinking about it.

Her male friends who do claim a religious identity are more culturally attached than religious, she said. I know more girls who are religious Christians who struggle to find a guy who is the same.

Juliet Vedral, 33, a pastors daughter who is active in her Christian faith, is enrolled in the Young Adult Life and Leadership Initiative at the Shalem Institute in Washington, D.C.

Vedral said her friends fall into roughly three groups: Religious (mostly women); spiritual but not religious (more women than men) and folks who are not into it at all (definitely more male).

At Shalem, most participants in its contemplative prayer and leadership programs are women in the second half of life said Leah Rampy, the executive director. Older women may have more time to participate, or they may be more willing to be part

of institutional religion.Young people want their

spirituality to be very personal, not corporate. It might be yoga or mindfulness or chanting but it has to be authentic and it has to work for them, said Rampy.

This may be in part because young men and young women are experiencing the world with less difference between their lives in the workplace and in education, said sociologist of religion Cynthia Woolever. All the same forces that would move men toward the none category (away from brand-name religion) are present for women, too, now that whatever fence was around women is removed.

Woolever also points to the marriage rate as an influence in religiosity, if not necessarily spirituality. Its married women who go to church and they take their kids. Certainly single women go to church, too, but at a much lower rate, said Woolever.

Protestant scholar and author Phyllis Tickle, 81, who has observed American spirituality for decades, also cited the changing cultural context of womens lives.

In evangelical and even in some progressive parts of Christianity, women are getting very mixed signals, said Tickle. There is a view that a woman should be subordinate on Sunday, equal to men the five workdays of the week and Saturday is up for grabs. Shes told at home and at church the man is to be the servant leader, but then she goes to work where she has to be as tough as the guys to succeed.

Tickle called it religiously imposed schizophrenia. My generation didnt have the pressure to be the perfect wife and the perfect professional. It doesnt leave you any time for spirituality or any internal time at all. Whatever the female of the 22nd century is going to be spiritually, we just dont know, Tickle said.

When Bruzzese looks ahead, she has no benchmarks for how her three young daughters might one day connect to a Catholic life as adults.

I hope they live lives of faith that reflect the joy and the liberation promised by Jesus, she said. But how they express this, and whether they follow her and their grandmother into Catholic church pews as adults, Bruzzese said, is not up to me.

Feb. 25, 2015 15www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

(from page 8)

Nadia Bulkin

16 Feb. 25, 2015 The LEGACY

2.27, 7 p.m.In conjunction with the celebration

of Black History Month, the topic of a lecture on Friday, Feb. 27 will be 1860-1900: from Slavery to Citizenship and Community Development presented by African-American historian Bernard Anderson who serves as treasurer on the board of The Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia - CHSV. It takes place at Lucy Corr Village, 6800 Lucy Corr Boulevard.

The lecture is free to members. For more information, call 804-796-7121 or visit the CHSV website at www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

Calendar COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Submit your calendar events to calendar@legacynewspaper.com and include contact infomation that can be published.

Annual MegaGenesis event

2.28, 9 a.m.Baptist Young Women

Missionary Circle Ministry will host its 43rd anniversary prayer breakfast on Saturday Feb. 28 at Queen Street North Worship Center, 98 N. Armistead Ave., Hampton.

The speaker will be Evangelist Rebecca Reed. For more information, call 757-723-6630.

2.27, 7:30 p.m.Cultural Libations presents Say

It Loud, Im Black & Im Proud: The Soul & Spirit of James Brown on Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. at Unity of Richmond, 800 Blanton Ave., Richmond. Performed by local James Brown impersonator Joseph Bagby, this new program is an entertainment symposium that will be hosted by Professor Renee Charlow of Bowie State University.

It will feature local smooth jazz band, QuintEssential Jazz, who will be playing six of James Browns hits. A love pffering is accepted for donation. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. For more information call 757-285-2117 or 434-808-2472.

MegaGenesis is the Zeta Lambda Education Foundations implementation of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.s national GoToHigh School, GoToCollege program. It is conducted annually in collaboration with Newport News Public Schools, Cooperating Hampton Roads Organization for Minorities in Engineering (C.H.R.O.M.E.), Inc. and Denbigh Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

This year the event will take place Saturday, Feb. 28, and consists of four major phases:

1) Corporate and Community exhibits that are on display to demonstrate to the students how various college degrees are practically applied

2) College Expo; 3) A highly recognized motivational speaker who emphasizes the importance

of goal setting, high standards and achievement; 4) Students have the opportunity to attend career workshops from an

extensive menu, each representing a different profession. Professions include,surgeons, engineers, veterinarians, psychologists, military officers, technologists and others.

This multifaceted program is embarking on its 20th consecutive year and continues to identify a vast array of boys and girls from diverse backgrounds who possess the potential for pursuing higher education and becoming vital citizens in our community.

MegaGenesis 2014 was attended by over 800 students and parents. They had the opportunity to see over 26 corporate/educational/community exhibits, visited with 31 college and universities and professional programs, and had the opportunity to choose from 32 career workshops and practical sessions in law, medicine, science-engineering technology, business & management, and covering subjects such as SAT preparation, and College Athletics. For more information, visit www.megagenesis.org.

2.28, 7:30 p.m.Tim Reids Legacy Media Institute

will host a free Community Screening of the documentary, The Life and Times of Elizabeth Keckly at the Appomattox Regional Governors School, 512 W. Washington St. in Petersburg. The evnt begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday night, Feb. 28.

Elizabeth Keckly, a true Renaissance woman, who despite the Civil War milieu, became one of the most extraordinary success stories of that era. She was born enslaved in Virginia, supported herself as a seamstress and dressmaker, and amassed $1,200 to purchase her freedom.

Moving to Washington, D.C. in 1860, Keckly soon developed an elite clientele among the women of the nation's capital. Her dressmaking skills brought her to the attention of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, and she became the first lady's favorite dressmaker and later her confidante, and personal and traveling companion.

To obtain your free tickets, go to http://www.legacymediainstitute.org.

WANTEDVintage photographs and stories of Historic Fulton!Do you have archives of old photographs or vintage postcards? Are you

knowledgeable about your local history? Would you like to help preserve your communitys fascinating history?

Local resident Steven M. Reiss is currently compiling a photographic book of historic Fulton and is looking for your help! He is assembling images of historic Fulton and the stories that go with them to include in an upcoming book to be published by Arcadia Publishing, the nations leading publisher of local and regional history.

To share your photographs and stories, contact Steven M. Reiss at 804-577-7195 or stevenr0520@yahoo.com.

2.28, 1 p.m.The Crater Small Business

Development (SBDC) of Longwood University is hosting a free four part Boot Camp Session for Women Entrepreneurs. The first part tackles understanding the credit process.

Lauren Welch, an accredited financial counselor and owner of Thrive Financial Counseling will offer her expertise.

Other upcoming boot camp topics will tackle financing through the eyes of a lender, the importance of having a business budget and steps to accessing business loans. Sessions will be held at Petersburg Public Library, 201 West Washington St. RSVP required at www.sbdc-longwood.com or 804-518-2003.

Feb. 25, 2015 17www.LEGACYnewspaper.com

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Directory TO ADVERTISE, YOUR SMALL BUSINESS, EMAIL ADS@LEGACYNEWSPAPER.COM

Kids in our community need super parents like you.

Call us today! 855-367-8637 www.umfs.org

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We Fix: Basements, Crawlspaces,Cracked/Settling Foundations, Bowing Walls

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18 Feb. 25, 2015 The LEGACY

EMPLOYMENT, ANNOUNCEMENTS, FOR SALE, SERVICES, FOR LET

Start the new year off in a new home. 0 down payment. 24/7 free recorded message. Call 1-877-222-8264ext.18. Ricks Lifelong Realty

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newspapers!Pick up

your copy of The Legacy

ClassifiedsDid you know...Nearly 7 out of 10 adults have read a newspaper in the past week thats 147 million Americans! Readers are highly engaged with newspapers in print, online, smartphones and tablets because they value the news, advertising and local feature coverage. 79% of newspaper users took action on a newspaper ad in the past month.Want your ad to reach thousands without breaking the bank? Send it to ads@legacynewspaper.com

CONTRACT SALES REP

We are looking for a contract sales representative to help us maximize our revenue potential by selling ad space through a multi-platform advertising program that includes newspaper, special editions and online advertising.

The ideal candidate is knowledgeable in newspaper sales, but your motivation and drive to learn are much more desirable qualities.

We pay a small weekly stipend with the bulk of your earnings coming from commission paid on closed sales. You must have reliable transportation.Your responsibilities will include developing and executing sales strategies while meeting and exceeding monthly goals.

You must be professional, motivated, well spoken, willing to learn, organized and well-written.

Please submit your resume, cover letter, references, and contact information to ads@legacyewspaper.com. No phone calls please.

SEIBERTS is now accepting vehicles on consignment!Reasonable Sellers Fees.

Ad Size: 5.25 inches (1 column(s) X 5.25 inches)

2 Issues (Feb. 18 & 25) - $115.50 ($57.75 per ad) Rate: $11 per column inch

Includes Internet placement at www.voicenewspaper.com

Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail.If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted.

Ok X_________________________________________

Ok with changes X _____________________________

REMINDER: Deadline is Fridays @ 5 p.m.

642 W. Southside Plaza Dr.Richmond

(804) 233-5757WWW.SEIBERTSTOWING.COM

VA AL # 2908-000766

Auction will include the vehicles listed below plus many others:

PUBLIC AUCTION of Unclaimed Vehicles

Monday, March. 2, 2015

100+/- IMPOUNDED AUTOS, LIGHT TRUCKS &

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Gates open at 9:00 AMAuction begins at 10:00 AM

The VOICE is now The LEGACYServing Richmond and Hampton Roads

804-644-9060 757-244-5654 (office) ads@legacynewspaper.com

2005 DODGE DURANGO 1D4HD38K45F5365051994 FORD TEMPO 1FAAP31XXRK2411951996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 3VWWA81H7TM1211471996 NISSAN ALTIMA 1N4BU31D5TC1838112011 TAOTAO 50 L9NTEACB6B10123632008 ZHEJIANG TAIZHOU SUPER SCOOTER LFFWKT3C5831011082003 TOMOS SCOOTER ZZ1A641243K0772771997 FORD E-250 1FTFE24L6VHA405241993 FORD EXPLORER 1FMCU24X5PUC39935

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THECITY OF RICHMOND BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Will hold a Public Hearing in the 5th Floor Conference Rm., City Hall, 900 East Broad St., Richmond, VA on March 4, 2015, to consider the following under Chapter 114 of the Zoning Code:

BEGINNING AT 1:00 P.M.

05-15: An application of Scott and Shelley Stuart for a building permit to construct an accessory building to a single-family dwelling at 2322 WEST GRACE STREET.

06-15: An application of Scott and Shelley Stuart for a Certificate of Zoning Compliance for a Home Occupation (artist studio) to be located in a proposed building (garage) accessory to a single-family dwelling at 2322 WEST GRACE STREET.

07-15: An application of Michaux, LLC for a building permit to construct a new single-family attached dwelling at 601 NORTH 23RD STREET.

08-15: An application of Michaux, LLC for a building permit to construct a new single-family attached dwelling at 601 NORTH 23RD STREET.

09-15: An application of Richmond Parks and Recreation for a building permit for the construction of a City of Richmond salt storage facility at 814 FOREST LAWN DRIVE.

10-15: An applicatio