Tag: Richmond Virginia

Virginia Election Official Resigns After Report Found He Spent $500,000 on Alcohol, Hotels, Private Security, and Office Remodel

Tom Pappert
Keith Balmer

The top two election officials in Richmond, Virginia, resigned on Wednesday after a report claimed their office misappropriated $500,000 on expenses, including alcohol, unnecessary hotel stays, private security, and a luxury remodeling of office space leased by a government agency. Their resignations will reportedly take effect on December 31.

Richmond General Registrar Keith Balmer resigned on Wednesday, with the Richmond Electoral Board reportedly accepting both his resignation and the resignation of his deputy, Jerry Richardson. This comes just one week after Richmond Inspector General James Osuna released a report claiming their office wasted almost $500,000 in taxpayer money.

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Former Richmond Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail After Virginia USPS Prompt Bipartisan Response

Tom Pappert
USPS VAns

A former postal carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS) pleaded guilty on Friday to stealing hundreds of pieces of mail in an episode that may explain part of the delivery issues that prompted a bipartisan response from Virginia’s federal representatives.

Former USPS postal carrier Wendy Lawrence of Richmond, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ), stole hundreds of pieces of mail from “over 180 victims.” She then removed “gift cards, checks, and other items of value” and used the information to engage in other criminal activity.

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Two Richmond Detectives Indicted by Grand Jury on Misdemeanor Assault Charges Related to Summer Protests

Jacob Taylor

Two Richmond police detectives have been indicted on misdemeanor assault and battery charges stemming from the protests that took place during the summer, the Richmond Police Department said in an emailed statement Monday night.

The charges were brought against the two detectives after Richmond’s Commonwealth Attorney Colette McEachin presented 18 sealed indictments to a Grand Jury on Monday concerning the actions of certain officers during the protests.

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Vote Fraud? Richmond Metro Area Mailboxes Broken into, USPIS Investigating

Jacob Taylor

The United State Postal Investigative Service (USPIS) has launched an investigation after a group or individual forcefully opened and stole mail from collection boxes throughout the Richmond metro area between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning, according to the U.S. Postal Service.

“This morning we received several calls from some of our local post offices as they opened up that they believed their blue collection boxes, outfront of their post offices, had been tampered with or vandalized,” Michael J. Romano, U.S. Postal inspector team leader, said in an interview with The Virginia Star. “It would appear that the boxes themselves were pried open and entry was gained.”

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Richmond Bans Guns While City Collapses from Rioters

Jacob Taylor

Richmond Police Department (RPD) officers were seen at the Robert E. Lee monument on Saturday morning posting signs on the recently-passed Richmond city gun ordinance. 

The new ordinance, passed unanimously by the Richmond city council early this month, does not outright ban firearms in public spaces, but it does call for restrictions when a permitted event is taking place.

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Richmond Protest-Related Fires Caused More Than $4 Million in Loses over 18-Day Period

Jacob Taylor

Richmond firefighters responded to 48 fires believed to be protest-related causing more than $4 million in estimated losses from late May to mid-June, according to internal fire & EMS department analysis obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch (RTD).

From May 29, the Friday after George Floyd was murdered by police in Minnesota, to June 15th eight buildings, 16 dumpsters, six vehicles as well as other fires involving trash or debris, according to the RTD.

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Protesters Gathered Outside Richmond Councilwoman Kim Gray’s Home

Jacob Taylor

A large group of protestors amassed outside the home of Richmond councilwoman and mayoral candidate Kim Gray in the Jackson Ward neighborhood during a mid-July protest, Gray said during an interview with The Virginia Star.

Gray was first alerted to a possible threat via phone call from a someone at a protest in another part of Richmond who was told that Gray’s house had burnt down. The councilwoman, who was in her home when she answered the call, immediately notified Richmond police, she said.

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Confederate Group Plans to Rally at Lee Monument in Richmond Regardless of Protest Ban

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

A ban against protesting at a statue of Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia, isn’t stopping a neo-Confederate group from moving forward with its plans to rally there next week. The New Confederate States of America (CSA II) said it’ll hold a demonstration at Richmond’s Lee monument Sept. 16, notwithstanding a recently enacted executive order singling…

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WATCH: Richmond Journalist Assaulted During Confederate Statue Protest

Tennessee Star Staff

Protestors assaulted a Virginia reporter during a march calling to remove Confederate statues Sunday night. The CBS 6 photojournalist attended the march, outside of his work capacity, and filmed many of the protesters as they marched down the streets of Richmond. Some of the protesters got angry with the photojournalist documenting the protest and confronted him.…

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