#Richmond times-dispatch

[subsidystadium]

The Washington Commanders/Commanders have officially stopped screwing over Richmond, Virginia

The year is 2012. The city of Richmond at this time was dealing with “revenue shortfalls” that “forced (public) schools to cut millions of dollars … forcing scores of layoffs, furloughs and other job cuts”. What better time to help out a billionaire sports owner. That year, the Washington Redskins (Commanders will be used from now on) announced that their training camp would move 100 miles south…

[mrbopst]

My article about Dexter Romweber for the Richmond Times Dispatch 9/22/11

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…March 23, 1957

The Richmond Times-Dispatch tells the story of how Buster Keaton recovered from a near-death experience in hospital when a check for $50k was waved under his nose to sell his life story.  It makes for a better story than the movie itself & it might be just as truthful ;)

[quatermasspitt]

“Eight Pre-historic Monsters Visit New York” published in the Richmond times-dispatch, February 28, 1915

https://www.paper-dragon.com/fistsand45s/dinosaur-visit-nyc-1915/

[reasoningdaily]

Childhood, goes the conventional wisdom, should be a time of innocence, discovery, and careful guidance. Unless—as generations of Black people can attest—the kids are Black. In this country, Black children do not get the luxury of having their innocence presumed and protected by the majority-White society in which they live. 

Known as "adultification," examples of this disturbing phenomenon are rife. In a recent viral video, a White NYPD officer can be seen repeatedly punching 14-year-old Kyonna Robinson in the head; in November, a 12-year-old boy in Richmond, VA was pinned to the ground and given a concussion by officers who had volunteered to run the tennis program he attended; in October, a White woman in Caldwell, NJ called police when she saw 9-year-old Bobbi Wilson spraying a homemade insecticide on lanternflies in their neighborhood. "There’s a little Black woman walking, spraying stuff on the sidewalks and trees," the woman told the dispatcher. "I don’t know what the hell she’s doing. Scares me, though.”

It has always been so for Black children in this country, since well before the nation's founding. Treated by White society as expendable, an enslaved workforce, a nuisance, or a menace, Black children are not just dehumanized along with the rest of their communities but routinely treated as if they were adults, their childhood dismissed, denied, and stolen, with those responsible only rarely held to account.

In their research for “The Essence of Innocence," CPE Co-founder and CEO Phillip Atiba Goff and his co-authors found that the period of time during which White youth are not expected to be fully responsible for their actions can extend well into their late 20s. By contrast, Black children are often treated as adults by age 13, if not well before, regularly perceived as older, less innocent, and more threatening than their White same-age peers. 

One alarmingly frequent outcome is that, in any interaction they may have with the country's criminal legal systems, Black children are routinely held to adult standards. Moreover, Goff and his co-authors found, a broadly-shared association in White-dominated culture between Black people and apes predicted racially disparate levels of police violence toward children who are Black. 

The domino-like effect this has on the functioning of our criminal legal systems can be seen in the findings of two separate courts at opposite ends of the country. In March 2022, a Washington state intermediate-level appellate court issued a published opinion acknowledging frankly that “adultification is real and can lead to harsher sentences for children of color if care is not taken to consciously avoid biased outcomes.” 

The Washington state court's determination came just three months after the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that the 1993 sentencing of then-14-year-old Keith Belcher to an effective 60 years' incarceration was imposed illegally—a direct result of the sentencing judge's reliance on the false and racist superpredator theory. 

The court found that the superpredator theory—which posits primarily Black children as potentially “radically impulsive [and] brutally remorseless"—amplified racist stereotypes and that, by relying on it, the trial court had violated Mr. Belcher’s right to due process.

There is some encouragement to be found in the fact that some in our criminal legal systems have begun to address this grievous reality, but as a growing body of deeply troubling evidence demonstrates, the simple truth remains that the vast majority of Black children who find themselves interacting with school resource officers, law enforcement, or the court system are met with rank dehumanization. The school-to-prison pipeline, itself a horrific expression of adultification, is frequently the reason these children find themselves in the country's criminal legal systems in the first place. 

Take, for example, a recent CBS report on arrests of elementary school children. Inexcusable no matter the racial identity of the child in handcuffs, CBS found that in 2015, the most recent year for which the federal government has figures, half of the fifth-grade or younger children arrested were Black—despite only making up some 15% of their schools' population. 

When Black children are held to adult standards, the harm goes far beyond their own lives and that of their families, the trauma affecting whole communities, not least because those responsible are so infrequently held accountable. Keith Belcher and his family had to wait nearly 30 years for the Connecticut courts to acknowledge its grotesque sentencing of a 14-year-old boy; the family of 14-year-old Emmett Till, tortured and murdered by a group of White men in 1955, is still waiting for someone to answer for his lynching. 

It is incumbent on the adults of this nation—within our criminal legal systems and across society—to take every step to end the systemic adultification of Black children, rectify its appalling injustices, and address the destruction it has wrought on entire generations of Black communities. The moment may pass, but the impact does not. Every child deserves to be treated, always, as exactly who they are: A child.

[noonesgaylikegatson]

July 12, 2023

Trans people have long maintained that transphobia does not just affect us. That’s been proven true in the worst way, with reports of two cis people being murdered for allegedly misdirected anti-trans hostility.

In a Sunday blog post, PGH Lesbian Correspondents collected the stories of Michelle Dionne Peacock and Collin Smith. Peacock was a 59-year-old Black cis woman who was reportedly murdered by 67-year-old Tommy Wayne Earl in Richmond, Indiana in June. Officers were dispatched to the Merle Henderson Apartment complex in Richmond on June 30, according to local outlet FOX 59. Peacock’s body was found with a laceration to the throat, and she was pronounced dead on the scene.

Officers found Earl armed with a straight razor and with blood on his hands and clothing. Earl resisted arrest, and according to FOX 59, went so far as to tell one of the officers that he would kill him too.

During interviews with investigators, Earl allegedly referred to Peacock as “a male acting like a woman” several times, per FOX 59, and that he would “do it again.” Earl claimed he had been having a “dispute” with Peacock for months and made reference to the possibility of having had a psychotic break, telling investigators he had recently adjusted how he administered drugs prescribed to him by the V.A. He also reportedly told investigators that he needed to be kept away from Black inmates, saying that he “does not get along with them.”

Earl is being held at the Wayne County Jail and has been charged with a level 1 felony of murder, a level 6 felony of intimidation, and a class A misdemeanor of resisting law enforcement, according to FOX 59.

On her Facebook page, Peacock wrote that some of her many hobbies include shopping, mahjong, cooking, and trivia games. In between Facebook game updates, Peacock had even updated her profile picture to a photo of herself wearing a shirt that said “Legalize Being Black” on March 2. Her daughter, Rochelle Peacock, made a GoFundMe last week to raise money for her funeral. In the description, Rochelle shared that Peacock had lived in Richmond for three years and had been battling “a long life of cancer.” She also stated that Earl had been “bully[ing] her,” and although Peacock made numerous complaints, “nothing was done.”

It’s worth noting that cis Black women are often targeted by transphobia, especially as it intertwines with white supremacy. As Derrick Clifton wrote for Them in 2021, there’s a long history of Black women athletes’ bodies being policed in sports, with people “mak[ing] cruel remarks about their perceived femininity and creat[ing] racist depictions of their physicality.”

In a separate incident, 32-year-old Colin Smith was stabbed to death in Portland, Oregon on July 2. He had been out with coworkers at the High Dive Bar when 24-year-old Rahnique Jackson started harassing one of his coworkers, who is trans. When Smith tried to intervene, Jackson allegedly stabbed him to death, according to local outlet KOIN. He was arrested by U.S. Marshals last Friday and was arrested on charges of second degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, according to a press release from the Portland Police Bureau.

Smith was remembered as someone who “loved those around him unconditionally,” as his former partner, Paulina Solis, told KOIN. “He always looked out for the people that got overlooked, and a protector which is, you know, how he went — protecting those he cared about,” Solis said. Eater Portland additionally described Smith as having “an unrelenting dedication to service, both in his work and in his relationships.” He also loved animals, cooking, and the outdoors. A GoFundMe for Smith’s family called him a “truly special person.”

Although these incidents may seem disparate, they’re a harsh reminder that transphobia is deadly, and trans people are far from the only people affected by it.

[knithacker]

"A love letter to Richmond: The Knitorious M.E.G., yarn bombing and Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden" 👉 https://buff.ly/3lfoKaW via Richmond Times-Dispatch ❤️🧶

[thisdayinwwi]

Richmond Times-Dispatch - Jun 17 1917

How a Converted Battleship Would Appear "Squatting" on the Trenches and Dealing Death and Destruction for Miles with Its Great Guns and High Explosives.

On the Left Is a Cross Section Diagram Showing the Arrangement of the Wheel Axles and the Braces Inside the Hull of the Converted Ship.

THE EDITOR of the Electrical Experimenter, a leading scientific publication in that field, advances the unusual idea of converting our old battleships into supertanks for use in trench warfare abroad. The battleships are to be placed on wheels and run under their own power over the trenches.

No war has been richer in the invention of extraordinary and terrifying machinery or in fantastic, death-dealing appliances than the present world war. Extraordinary as this proposition of running ships over the land is, the strength of a man's latent desire to kill man is over-stepping, even now, all bounds of the imagination.

At once, of course, several objections to Dr. Gernsback's plan present themselves. First, there is the tremendous weight of the battleship-from 10,000 to 30,000 tons. It is difficult to conceive how any wheels could be constructed which would prevent this mighty mass from crushing down into the earth and becoming as immovable as a fort. There is, second, the fact that a ship is built for stresses in the water, and not for the gravitational pull on land.

And there is, third, the fact that the battleships are armored only down to a certain part of the hull, and that the unarmored part would be vulnerable as a land boat. These objections Doctor Oernsback answers in his article in the Electrical Experimenter, but whether convincingly or not the reader must decide.

It would seem that our old battleships could be so used, but their effectiveness would not be in pursuit of armies or where any speed at all is concerned. They might take the place, however, with tremendous effectiveness, of the "tanks," as the armored tractors are known abroad. These tractors, while effective, are nevertheless vulnerable to three-inch guns and over. The land battleship could withstand, no doubt, as heavy shells on land as at sea. and, loaded with high explosives and great guns, could crawl out to the trenches, squat upon them and proceed to deal out death and destruction for many square miles.

Doctor Gernsback in his article says: "I do not claim to be the originator of the idea to run battleships or other ships over land. That idea is old. Twenty-five years ago there was published in a German weekly an idea to run a powerful car, moving over a dozen closely-spaced paralleling tracks, under a ship. This car, after the ship was made fast to it in a suitable manner, was then to be drawn overland-over the present Panama Canal route-by powerful locomotives.

"A battleship weighs anywhere from 10,000 tons upward-quite a respectable weight. How, then, can we run such a monster on land? How can it be propelled! "The United States Navy has a number of battleships of the pre-dreadnought type, good ships as vet, but obsolete as first-line ships. I refer to ships of the Oregon, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky. Massachusetts, Indiana class. These ships are fully equipped now, have good crews and good guns. But the chances are that ten years from now they will be used as targets or otherwise will be relegated to the scrap-heap. So why not send these ships to the front? Briefly, the idea is this: "Let us send these ships, men, guns and all to France. In the holds of the vessels we pack channel irons and "T" as well as 'I' steel beams, cut to the right length before sailing. These pieces are fashioned much after the structural toy steel pieces-you can make almost anything out of them.

"When our battleship arrives in France it is immediately put in drydock, and the crew at once proceeds to make the wheels from the channel steel. These huge wheels, measuring over fifty to sixty feet in height, are made on the plan of a Ferris wheel, light but strong. Of course, to sustain a weight of 10,000 tons or more, a set of single wheels won't do. Rather each wheel is fashioned of a number of wheels, from five upward, paralleling each other, as shown by the accompanying illustration. These separate wheels are bolted or riveted together by means of steel "I" beams running over the circumference, of the separate wheels. The latter are strengthened by additional crosstruss work, as seen in the illustration. Thus a very light, as well as powerful wide wheel, is formed. With a little previous drilling the crew should be able to construct the necessary six wheels in less than one week-yes, it can be done, providing the pieces are cut to the right dimensions at home. "Next the 13-inch hollow steel shaft is considered. 'This, of course, has been brought from America, too. The hollow shaft is advised, first, because it weighs less, and second, because such shafts are equally as strong as solid ones, within a reasonable proportion. "The two wheels at the stern are 'idlers,' the same as the front wheels on an automobile. No power is applied to them; they simply rotate on the shaft, extending from one wheel to the other, clear through tho ship. The two small centre wheels are also idlers. They serve to take up undue shocks, which might break the ship in two, when negotiating difficult terrain.

"The two front (bow) wheels are the 'drivers.' They are bolted solid to the shafts, two of the latter being used, as will become apparent at once. Our illustration shows that the two shafts revolve in a common bearing (which might be an old reconstructed gunbarrel). Each shaft in turn is directly coupled to a slow-running electric motor armature. as clearly shown. And this, by the way. is the much discussed electrical drive, adopted in our latest monster battle cruisers now being constructed. From this it becomes apparent how the land battleship is propelled overland in a simple and practical manner. The steering is equally simple and efficient. By running one molor at a slightly higher or lower speed the ship must either turn to the right or to the left, as desired by its commander.

"A huge wheel, such as the ones here described, will easily ride over the widest trenches. Ordinary shell holes will be negotiated as easily as a cartwheel runs over a hole in the street due to a missing cobblestone. Rivers will be forded easily, if there is a fair approach. Even steep banks will be negotiated by running the craft diagonally through the stream. Low hills will prove no obstacle at all, while steeper ones can be climbed by running the ship in a zig-zag line. "It goes without saying that in order to carry the enormous strain the ship must be strengthened by a good deal of cross-truss steel work, as indicated in our illustration. Otherwise the shaft would rip clear through the decks. The reader has already guessed that no new power plant is required. The old one is of course utilized, the ship burning coal the same as if it were on the ocean.

"After finding the range of the enemy guns, the ten-inch guns of the 'Oregon on wheels' can either silence them or crush the German battery by simply running over it. There is no escape for them, for we have the advantage of quick mobility (the ship from fifteen to eighteen miles per hour) against the slow mobility of the enemy guns, which cannot be moved quickly.

"After annihilating these, the land monster runs amuck, destroying ammunition dumps, and raising general havoc bclilnd the lines. Small guns and machines guns prove of little use against our armored battleships, and even if, as is to be expected, enemy shells find their mark, they cannot 'sink' us or stop us. For the engines as well as all other vital parts are protected by heavy armor. The wheels themselves will not be put out, of running order easily, because they are not solid. The shells, even if they do hit, will hardly destroy the entire wheel. Beyond ripping out a few steel beams, no great, damage will be done. "If several battleships are simultaneously in a grand attack, there is no question that the enemy must fall back over a wide area. "And it will be impossible for the enemy to board the swiftly moving vessel. Even if forced to stand still, its machine guns and other guns would ward off all close attacks. "There remains the aeroplanes dropping bombs into the ship. The answer here would be-anti-aeroplane guns, installed already now on every modern ship. Besides, our own aeroplanes would protect the ship by beating of? tho enemy flyers."

[the-delta-42]

Road to Recovery

Road to Recovery

Louis tried not to worry too much. Vi and AJ were just out fishing. Not a big deal.

Clementine had just been out fishing too. Said a voice in the corner of his mind.

He shook his head. Clementine was alone, she told Aasim to head back and deliver the fish they caught. Louis found himself thankful that the mess with Richmond and Delta had been dealt with. He was even gladder that they’d managed to sort out electricity with one of those fancy generators. Louis shook his head, taking his thoughts back to the day Clementine vanished.

They’d caught enough fish to last them a couple of weeks, some going for trading for supplies and some weapons. Of course, Louis had flipped when Aasim told them that Clementine was alone. Before anyone had said anything, Louis had taken off toward the fishing shed. When he arrived, Clementine’s hat and leg were lying on the ground, with Clementine nowhere to be seen.

Louis had been in a bad mood for the first month, a couple of her friends from Richmond had visited and tried to help find her, but after half a year, everyone was starting to lose hope.

Louis had fallen into the co-leadership role with Violet, he finally understood the perpetual headache that both Marlon and Clem had mentioned. He’d hoped that Clementine was alive, although he was beginning to have his doubts.

A few people had joined their group, an actual doctor, a woman who’d tended to their wounds, all the while teaching Ruby more medical techniques. Then there was a woman who’d actually come looking for Clementine. Louis hadn’t bothered to remember her name, not when he had more important things to deal with.

A soft knock on the office door made him freeze, before AJ’s voice reached him, “Louis, we’re back. Violet’s got Robin cutting up some of the animals were caught.”

Louis frowned, Robin was an experienced hunter and dealt with the whole skinning and disgusting shit that came with preparing food for cooking. He was a metaphorical ‘gift’ from Richmond, he had a daughter who was the same age as them. Maria had spent a lot of time with Violet. Louis shook his head again, he needed to keep his mind on the present.

“Okay,” Responded Louis, “I’ll be down in a few minutes. Tell Kirsten to help with storing it.”

“You mean Christa?”

“Yeah, her.”

Louis heard AJ hum and walk off. He groaned and ran his hands down his face, if Clem could see him now, she’d be laughing her ass off. He hoped that his hair wasn’t going gray.

RTR

She flinched at the sound of her cell door opening. A small whimper escaped her throat.

“Hello, mouthy.” Jeered one of her captors, “We got a job for you.”

She whimpered, she had a name once, she couldn’t remember it, but she knew she had one. She knew she had friends, before they killed them all. They’d taken great pleasure in telling her that, after feeding them to her.

“Aw, got nothin’ to say?” Sneered the man, grabbing her face, “Well, you shouldn’t have bitten us, then we wouldn’t need to feed you through a straw.”

He dropped her on the ground and kicked her side. She was sent sprawling, her screams not escaping her mouth, unable to get past the stitches. She caught sight of people standing outside the cell, with one of the hunters lying on the floor, bloodied and bruised.

The boot impacted with her side, making her release more muffled screams.

RTR

Richard waited until ‘Lucifer’ was gone. The man had taken to seeing himself as the devil, Richard thought it was just a sign that the man had gone insane when this all started. It was now the middle of the night, and here he was, armed with a knife, going to break out a prisoner who was too scared to go to the bathroom. He just hoped the clothes he’d stolen would fit her.

The guards were easy to dispatch, the real struggle came from getting the girl out of her cell. Richard quietly swore, before knocking her out and leaving the guards to reanimate. ‘Lucifer’ wanted hell anyway. He only hoped the other three had a fucking car ready.

RTR

Louis tried not to groan as the group argued around the table. AJ had mentioned looking for Clem and Omar had, without thinking, said she was dead. With then led to everyone at the table, bar him, Violet and a couple of adults, to weigh in their own opinions.

Thankfully, for Louis at least, a bell ringing made everyone shut up. Louis, Violet and Christa all got up to investigate the noise, Louis picking up chairles as he did.

“We’re not expecting guests, are we?” Asked Violet, making Louis frown.

“Only the Richmond guys, but they’re supposed to be here tomorrow.” Responded Louis, the group of three unaware that the rest of the survivors were following them.

Christa frowned at the sight of five people, one appearing to be huddled against a car, while the other four were trying to climb the fence.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Demanded Violet, aiming a crossbow are the highest of the figures.

“Oh,” Said a red-haired woman, “We thought you didn’t hear us.”

“Who are you?!” Demanded Louis, making the huddled person flinch.

“W-we’re survivors.” Said one, with a Russian accent.

“We need to get in, there are walkers out here.” Said a man with dark skin, as the highest man dropped down and hauled the huddled person to their feet.

“We’ve got her,” Said the man, pushing the person forwards, “She’s from here, isn’t she?”

Louis frowned, before slowly walking towards the person. They were trembling violently and appeared to be rocking themselves back and forth, as if to comfort themselves. The man suddenly grabbed her hair and jerked her head back.

Louise froze, before rushing forward and stopping in front of the fence, to make sure his eyes weren’t tricking him.

In front of him was Clementine, bloody, bruised, her hair past her shoulders, an eye and ear missing, and with her mouth sewn shut.

“C-Clementine?” Whispered Louis, making her start breathing violently, her eye darting around. Muffled screams, whimpers and pleads could be heard from her. Louis dropped chairles, before opening the gate and pulling Clementine inside. Her muffled screams getting a fraction louder. As soon as Louis released her, she dashed to the fence and curled up into a ball with her arms covering her head.

“What the fuck have you done to her?” Demanded Violet, as Christa slowly approached Clementine.

“That wasn’t us.” The woman protested, weakly.

“I’m finding that hard to believe.” Snarled Louis, glaring at them.

“A, a group had her.” The Russian, “We found her.”

“When you say we, are you talking about that group,” Demanded Christa, looking away from Clementine, “or yourselves?”

There was silence, AJ looking over at them, before focusing on Clementine.

“…That group.” Said the dark-skinned man.

“Mike!” Snarled the apparent leader of the group.

“What? They’re going to find out anyway, we might as well be honest now, instead of later.” Said the dark-skinned man, Mike.

“He’s got a point, Richard.” Said the woman, “Even if Clementine doesn’t recognise us, they’re still going to want to know how we knew where she was and how we got her out.”

“Shut up, Bonnie.” Snarled Richard, glaring at her.

“What do you mean, recognise you?” Asked Violet, glancing toward Clementine.

“She probably saw them while they were torturing her.” Dismissed Louis, as the Russian inched forwards.

“We knew her, that why we take her.” Said the Russian man, making everyone look at him.

Everyone stopped and stared at him, bar Christa who was trying to coax Clementine towards her.

“You knew her?” Demanded Violet, glaring at him.

“Don’t say anything, Arvo.” Hissed Richard, as Mike slowly put more distance between himself and the group.

“We knew her from another group.” Said Bonnie, slowly making her was towards them, “The same group that AJ’s parents were in.”

Louis quickly glanced back towards the school, internally groaning when he was the rest of the group.

“Clementine said everyone in the group died.” Argued Violet, glaring at them suspiciously.

“We left.” Said Bonnie, quickly.

“After Arvo shot her.” Muttered Mike but was still heard by everyone.

Arvo froze when everyone looked at him, before he saw a boy, around eight or nine, aiming a pistol at him. Louis didn’t flinch at the pop behind him or Arvo’s head snapping back when the bullet hit him.

Everyone started at the dead man, before looking at AJ.

“Dude, seriously.” Groused Louis, walking over to him.

“They took and hurt Clementine.” Said AJ, aiming at Bonnie.

“Is that how Clementine’s raised you?!” Demanded Bonnie, before noticing the gun was being pointed at her, “We didn’t take part in any of the stuff they did to her.”

“Why wait so fucking long, then?” Snarled Violet, pointing the crossbow at Richard.

“We had to be sure.” He tried to bluff, before a groan from Mike cut him off.

“Richard wanted to trade her to you in exchange for protection, the rest of us felt guilty.” Admitted Mike, making Louis see red. He grabbed Chairles and stormed out of the gate, before bringing the makeshift club down on Richard’s head. Christa finally managed to get Clementine to come towards her, and quickly guided her towards the school.

“Amanda, we’re going to need your help with her.” Said Christa, making Amanda and Ruby head towards the school.

AJ was torn between watching Louis smash Richard’s head in and going after Clementine. Violet nudged him towards the school, just a Louis stopped bringing Chairles down on Richard’s head. He then turned to Bonnie and Mike.

“Leave.” Snarled Louis, glaring at the pair, “And don’t even think of coming back.”

Mike and Bonnie shared a brief look, before turning and running into the nearby forest. Louis took some deep breaths, before looking down at Richard’s corpse. He glared and sneered at it, before walking back towards the school.

RTR

Amanda rummaged around the draws, while Ruby tried to calm Clementine.

“Clem, please, it’s me.” Pleaded Ruby, “It’s Ruby.”

The panic hums from Clementine, and the violent thrashes in an attempt to escape showed that Clementine didn’t recognise her.

“Clementine?” Asked AJ, alerting the two medics to his presence.

Clementine froze, before turning her panic-stricken eye to AJ. Allowing Amanda and Ruby to restrain her and start cutting away the thread that kept her lips sealed together. Clementine tried to break free of their grip. Amanda cut the final thread, nodding to Ruby to release Clementine’s jaw.

The shrill, ear-piercing scream had them stepping back. Clementine scrambled away from them and towards the corner of the room and curling up into a ball. Soft pleads and whimpers escaped her, her arms covering her head as she violently rocked back and forth.

AJ waited a moment, before approaching Clementine.

“C-Clementine?” Asked AJ, making her stop.

She looked at AJ, “AJ?”

Ruby placed her hand over her mouth, Clementine’s voice sounded so broken. AJ nodded, before Clementine surged forward, grabbed him and curled around him. Soft sobs started to fill the room, Clementine buried her face in AJ’s hair.

Louis stopped at the door, staring at Clementine, her sobs turning into wails. Louis felt his chest tighten; he could vaguely see AJ in Clem’s arms. He glanced at Ruby, silently asking if he should approach. Ruby looked at Amanda, before giving a hesitant nod. Louis took a deep breath, before slowly walking up to Clementine. Her wails seemed to get louder as he got closer to her.

Louis crouched down in front of her, he hesitantly reached out for Clementine’s shoulder. Her wails suddenly stopped, small whimpers replacing them. Clementine slowly raised her head, her remaining eye stopping on Louis. Louis flinched at the complete and utter terror in her gaze.

“Hey, Clem.” Whispered Louis, quietly hoping she wouldn’t freak out. Clementine stared at him, AJ’s head nestling under her chin. She started trembling, which prompted Louis to open his arms to her. Clementine stared at Louis, as if she was waiting for him to disappear. After a minute, just as Louis started to lower his arms, Clementine surged forwards and buried her face in his chest.

“That was unexpected.” Muttered Amanda, frowning, “Normal torture victims will try to avoid physical contact with others.”

Louis opted to tune the two out, focusing on Clementine, while also making sure AJ didn’t suffocate between them.

RTR

Louis quietly cleaned an old colt .45 that Clementine had gotten hold of shortly after she lost her leg. One of her favourite jokes was that it could kill anything. Which, taking current events into consideration, wasn’t wrong. They’d managed to get Clementine to rest, with her initially panicking at the suggestion of being separate from AJ and Louis. Christa had blindsided them when she managed to get Clem to calm down.

Louis was thankful that the ‘keep Clementine calm’ group had another member, but he was at a loss for how Christa, a stranger, was able to do it.

Javi and Gabriel, two people from Richmond, had arrived, along with the goods they were trading. Of course, they’d been told that Clementine had been found, which then led Gabe wanting to see her, which led to an argument, which led to why Louis was cleaning a gun that hadn’t been used in little over half-a-year.

He’d just finished rebuilding the gun, when the door slowly opened. Aasim poked his head in and looked around, before spotting Louis.

“Clementine’s awake.” Was all he said, before Louis shoved past him.

Louis stopped as he entered Clementine’s room, Ruby was nervously glancing between him and the door.

“I just came to give her some food.” Said Ruby, before Louis spotted a wet spot on the floor, “W-what did they do to her?”

Louis shrugged, before approaching the bed, “Where did she go?”

“Either under the bed or into the closet.” Answered Ruby, “S-she screamed, I jumped and when I looked, she was gone.”

“I take it the wet spot is the food?” Asked Louis, ducking down to look under the bed.

“Some of it.”

Louis couldn’t see Clementine under the bed, before looking at Ruby, “What do you mean ‘some of it’.”

“She was standin’ there when I came in, Amanda said to give her small portions, since her stomach might’ve shrunk.” Ruby looked down, “Amanda also said that she might’ve less control over her ‘bodily functions’ after what they did.”

Louis frowned, folding his arms, “What’d they do?”

“Well,” Ruby nervously glanced towards the closet, “maybe we should see to Clem first.”

Louis paused, before nodding and gently opening the closet door. No one appeared to be in there at first glance, before he noticed a pile of sheets and towels that looked like they were trembling.

“Clementine?” Asked Louis, making the pile freeze.

Louis slowly reached out to the pile, gently moving the top fabric to the side. He almost reared back at the look of terror on Clementine’s face.

“It’s okay, Clem.” Soothed Louis, slowly crouching down in front of Clementine, “You’re safe.”

Clementine let out a small whimper, before Louis gently pulled her towards him. Little by little, Louis gently led Clementine out of the closet and towards the bed.

“We may have to see about getting restraints.” Louis’s head whipped in the direction of the door, where Amanda was standing. Clementine’s breathing sped up, as she started to struggle against Louis.

Not wanting to cause her any more distress, Louis released Clementine, who scrambled back to the closet.

“You’re a fucking idiot.” Louis glared at Amanda, as Javier shimmied his way into the room.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, looking around them.

Louis tried not to scowl at him, he glanced toward the closet Clementine had retreated into. Javi followed his gaze and wandered over to the closet.

“Clem?” Whispered Javi, slowly reaching his hand out to her.

Clementine’s eye darted between Javi’s hand, face and bat. Javi noticed, quickly removing the bat and throwing it behind him. The bat clattered behind him, making Clementine flinch. Louis silently watched as Javi quietly murmured to her. The former baseball play stood up and quietly made his way over to Louis.

“I’m going to see about getting either Lingard or Eleanor to come here,” Muttered Javi, “Both are familiar with Clem, so they might make some further progress.”

“She knew Ruby, and she still freaked out.” Whispered Louis, scowling at Javi.

“What did she first do when she recognised you?” Asked Javi, making Louis freeze.

“She looked at us.”

“Like she wasn’t expecting to see you.” Finished Javi, frowning. He walked over to his bat and left the room, gently guiding Ruby and Amanda away from the room.

Louis sighed through his nose, before turning and walking over to the closet to try and coax Clementine out of hiding.

RTR

Louis watched Clementine take impossibly small bites of the piece of bread Eleanor had given her. Louis didn’t want to admit it, but Javi had been right. Having someone Clementine knew previously treat her had helped with her recovery.

“Clementine, you need to take bigger bites than that.” Said Louis, gently encouraging Clementine to eat more.

Clementine hesitantly took a larger bite, wincing as she swallowed. Louis gently grabbed her hand. She gave him a small hesitant smile. Louis gave her a smile of his own. Over the past three months they’d managed to get Clementine to leave the room and walk around the grounds. Christa had been working on helping Clementine to adjust to shooting and operating with only one eye. Louis glanced at the colt in the holster on Clementine’s thigh.

“Do you want to talk about when happened there?” Asked Louis, running his thumb over Clementine’s knuckles.

“No.” Whispered Clementine, after a moment, “I’ll probably tell you at some point, but right now, I want to forget it.”

Louis hummed lacing their fingers together, “AJ took out a walker earlier, it was tangled up in a trap we set up.”

“Did we lose anything?”

“No, the trap was pretty much mangled, but it’s repairable.”

“That’s good.”

Louis sighed through his nose, watching as Clem scratched the buzzcut she now sported. They found Clementine needed some stitches on her scalp and her hair was so matted it needed to be cut off. Louis thought Clementine looked cute, but he always thought Clem looked cute.

“We’ve got your room all set up, so we can go back to having our hospital room.” Said Louis, making Clementine tense, “We can move you in there when you’re ready.”

“I” Said Clementine, “I don’t think I’m ready to sleep on my own yet.”

Louis’s smile fell a little.

“C-can I sleep in your room with you, please?” Asked Clementine, quietly.

Louis stiffened, before swallowing. He gave a small nod, making a relieved smile appear on Clementine’s face. Louis smiled back, his eyes drifting down to some bandages on Clem’s arm.

“How’s your arm?” Asked Louis, making Clem look down.

“It’s getting better.” Shrugged Clem, glancing down at her arm, “Eleanor said the skin should grow back, since they didn’t do it properly.”

Louis swallowed, gently squeezing Clem’s hand, “I love you, Clem.”

Clementine shyly looked down, absently wetting her lips, “I-I l-love you too.”

Louis gave her a small smile and gazed at her.

“I-I think I need to go to Christa now.” Mumbled Clementine, getting up and hobbling away from the table. Louis’s smile fell, sadly watching Clementine walk away from him. He got to his feet and headed back inside the school.

RTR

Christa held Clementine’s shoulders as she threw up into an empty pot. The older woman gently rubbed Clementine’s back. Clementine, after she finished vomiting, clapped her hands over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her sobs and wails. Christa gently lowered both Clementine and herself to the ground.

“Breath, Clem.” Murmured Christa, “In through the nose and out through the mouth.”

Clementine heaved air in and out. She slowly became aware of her surroundings.

“It’s going to be okay.” Soothed Christa, carefully moving Clementine’s head to her shoulder, “You’re going to be alright.”

“No, I’m not.” Sobbed Clementine, “T-they’re going to know, a-and they-they’ll-”

“They won’t throw you out, Clem.” Dismissed Christa, firmly, “They love and care about you.”

“No, no,” Wailed Clementine, “T-they, they’ll t-think t-t-that-”

Christa gently held Clementine’s head to her chest.

“They won’t throw you out, Clem,” Soothed Christa, “They’ll understand.”

Clementine hiccupped, trying to muffle her sobs.

Christa pulled Clementine towards her as gently as possible. Not for the first time, Christa wished Omid, Kenny or Lee were still alive.

RTR

Bonnie silently watched Mike feed the fire.

“Do you think we did the right thing?” Asked Bonnie, making Mike look up at her.

“I don’t know, maybe.” Dismissed Mike, leaning forwards.

“We took her to Lucifer.” Argued Bonnie, “We did nothing as he…broke her.”

“But we also broke her out.” Argued Mike, “And that got Arvo and Richard killed.”

“But both of them took part in his ‘activities’.”

Mike poked the fire with his stick, “I didn’t like it either, but arguing who did and didn’t do what isn’t going to help us.”

Bonnie sighed through her nose. She glanced at the radio she’d kept from her time with Carver. She’d managed to get a hold of Shel and Becca, the two had been travelling with the rest of their group from before they joined Carver.

RTR

Clementine gasped as she woke up, accidentally waking Louis.

“Clem?” Yawned Louis, looking around for her. He spotted her curled up, under the piano. Her arms were over her head and her breathing sounding like a saw cutting through wood. Louis stumbled out of the bed and towards her.

“Clem?” Whispered Louis, reaching his hand out to her.

“No, no.” Whimpered Clementine, curling into a tighter ball, “Not again, please.”

Louis paused, before gently taking her hand, “Clem. Clem!”

Clementine’s head snapped toward him, freezing as soon as she saw him. Louis gently pulled her to him, carefully picking her up and walking toward the make-shift sofa. Louis gently rubbed his hand up and down her back. Clementine let out small hiccups, her fingers tightly gripped Louis’s shirt.

Clementine took several deep breaths, swallowing her sobs, before speaking quietly, “They raped me.”

Louis jumped as Clementine spoke. He subconsciously tightened his grip around her, as she continued to speak, “T-they would beat me, starve me. They sewed my mouth shut because I would scream at them and bite them. They tried to flay me a-and they-they.”

Clementine swallowed, “They would force me to eat other people, t-they said t-that they’d killed you and AJ a-and f-fed you t-too me.”

Louis swallowed, everything suddenly clicking into place, why Clementine froze when she saw him and AJ, why she seemed so comfortable around the two of them. Why she didn’t want to be away from either of them.

Louis gently scooped her into his arms and cradled her against his chest. Clementine stiffened, hearing Louis’s heartbeat. She slowly relaxed, swallowing the sobs appearing in her throat.

“I, I think I’m pregnant.” Murmured Clementine, “A-and I don’t know what to do.”

Louis froze, before resting his cheek on Clementine’s head.

“We’ll figure something out, love.” Whispered Louis, laying both Clementine and himself down onto the sofa.

RTR

Clementine sat up and looked around her. She was in a cabin somewhere, there was a fire going and a polaroid camera sat on the floor in front of her.

“You’re still awake.”

Clementine turned her head and froze. Sarah nervously tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Everyone else is asleep.” Said Sarah, sitting down across from Clementine.

“You’re not.” Retorted Clementine, scratching her head.

“Rebecca and Alvin snore,” Said Sarah, looking at her hands, “they’re very loud.”

Clementine let out a small giggle, “AJ’s the same.”

“You must sleep like a log.” Giggled Sarah, “You came to visit again.”

Clementine sighed through her nose, “Things have been really difficult lately. I’m wondering if I’m a danger to everyone around me.”

“You’re not.” Dismissed Sarah, “You constantly put yourself in the line of fire to get others to safety. If anything, you’re a danger to yourself at the behest of everyone around you.”

“Is that a new word, Sarah?” Smirked Clementine, looking around the cabin, “God, what am I doing?”

“What do you mean?” Asked Sarah, tilting her head.

“I’m talking to a dead girl, who’s a figment of my imagination.” Groaned Clementine, running her hands down her face.

“What’s wrong with that?” Asked Sarah, leaning forwards.

“Because it’s all in my head and it’s not real!” Snapped Clementine, “It’s just my fucked-up mind torturing me with the people I’ve killed!”

“You didn’t kill me, Clem.” Said Sarah, “You were the only one who thought about saving me. You did your best to protect everyone you care about, even if it’s likely to kill you.”

Clem removed her hand from her eye and looked at Sarah. Tears were running down her face.

“That doesn’t change that fact that your group is dead because of me.” Said Clementine, her voice cracking, “I left Pete to be devoured, I failed to save Alvin from Carver, I distracted your dad which got him shot, I didn’t find Nick in time, I failed to save you, I got Rebecca killed by forcing her to walk before she recovered, I failed to save Luke on the lake, and I let Kenny kill Jane.”

Sarah stared at Clementine, “Everything you just said was wrong. It wasn’t your duty to protect or save anyone. Everyone knew that they may die, to varying degrees, but our deaths aren’t on you.”

“Then why do I feel like it’s my fault?” Demanded Clementine, “Why do I feel like I could’ve done more? Why do I hate myself for feeling happy knowing something that you can’t experience? Why do I feel like I’ve failed everyone who’s had fucking faith in me?!”

“Survivors guilt.”

Clementine turned her head to the doorway. Rebecca stared at her, before slowly walking towards them.

“Sarah right, Clementine.” Said Rebecca sitting next to Clem, “We all knew we might die, but it was worth the risk. I got to hold my baby; I was able to make sure would be safe after I went.”

Clementine swallowed, allowing Rebecca to pull Clem toward her. Her eye burned, before the dam broke and Clementine sobbed into Rebecca’s chest.

RTR

When Clementine woke up, Louis was curled protectively around her, she sniffed and rubbed her eyes. Seeing Sarah and Rebecca again, even if they were just part of a dream, had helped calm her mind. Sighing, Clementine carefully wriggled out of Louis’s hold and started to get dressed. She swallowed, she needed to do this. It’d been three months. She was going to find it difficult, but if she was going to survive, she needed to overcome her fear.

Swallowing, the first thing Clem did was check the time, before heading out to the watch tower. Ruby was on watch, if she recalled correctly, she probably needed some sleep. Clem slowly hobbled her way over to the ladder attached to the watch tower. With unsteady hands, she hauled herself up the ladder. Ruby froze at the grunting sound coming from the ladder, immediately ruling out a walker, considering the amount of curses coming from them.

“Aasim?” Asked Ruby, as Clementine’s head appeared over the edge.

“No.” Grunted Clementine, hauling herself onto the deck, “That fucking hurt.”

“No shit,” Snapped Ruby, rushing Clementine into a sitting position, “You’re still recovering from having your bones broken.”

Clementine laughed, making Ruby pause, “I thought I was out of shape.”

Ruby scowled, before looking out towards the forest, “Why are you up here?”

“I thought you needed relieving.” Shrugged Clem, getting comfortable, “And I was awake and didn’t want to be left to my thoughts.”

Ruby sighed through her nose, glancing back at Clem, “Well, I ain’t going anywhere.”

Clementine folded her arms and looked over the treetops, “Anything happen before I got here?”

“A couple of walkers got stuck in a tree, kinda like how you got stuck in that apple tree you found on the grounds.” Chuckled Ruby, getting a wry smile from Clementine.

“You mean the one where Louis was too busy staring at my ass to help me get down?”

“Yeah, just before you got the colt.”

Clementine leaned back in her makeshift seat. Wincing as her back cracked.

“Amanda wanted me to talk to you about some of the activities you’ve been getting into,” Said Ruby, after a moment of silence, “She wanted me to give you some big ol’ speech about how it’s important to recover before ‘reclaiming’ your body. She, uh, also wanted me to ask when your last period was.”

Clementine was silent, before drawing her remaining leg up to her chest, “A couple of months ago.”

“So, after you were brought back.”

“Yeah.”

Ruby let them sit in silence for a while, before nervously breaking it, “I, uhm, I take it that Louis has been helpin’ in that department?”

“Yeah,” Murmured Clementine, “I don’t know why or how we started, but it makes me forget about… t-that place.”

Ruby was silent, before she carefully got to her feet, “There’s someone down there.”

Clementine quickly hobbled to her feet, internally thanking Willy for finally fixing her leg while she was gone. She unholstered the colt from her hip, looking down at the singular person walking around the gate. He stalked around it for a few seconds, before unknowingly stepping into the moon light. Clem froze when she saw ‘Lucifer’ trying to get into the school.

“That’s him.” Whispered Clem, her hands shaking.

“They said he had dozens of people, why aren’t they here?” Questioned Ruby, looking down.

They heard him grunt, and snarl at the gate. Clementine frowned, before letting out a short whistle. ‘Lucifer’ suddenly look up, giving Clem and Ruby a good look at his face. The walker continued to try and get to them, Clementine glanced over at a salt lick that somehow got up on the watch tower, after a memorable bet between Louis and Aasim.

“Wanna give it a headache?”

Ruby looked at Clem, before looking at the salt lick. A minute later, the two girls shuffled towards the edge with the salt lick.

“Okay, on three.” Said Clementine, as she and Ruby started to swing the salt lick, “One. Two. Three.”

They watched as the salt lick fell to the ground, impacting the walker’s head. They watched blood pool around it’s remains, before looking at each other.

“Nailed it.”

RTR

Louis yawned, his arm falling against the seat. He patted around, trying to find Clementine. His eyes snapped open and looked around. Louis jumped to his feet and hurriedly rushed out of the room. Aasim looked up from the site map he was examining with Willy when Louis rushed past the door.

“Any idea what his problem is?” Asked Aasim, getting a shrug from Willy.

Louis barrelled through the front doors, almost skidding to a halt when he saw Clementine quietly talking to Christa. Relief filled Louis, as he slowly walked over to the women.

“I told Louis last night,” Said Clem, her hands wrapped around her coffee cup, “I also spoke to Ruby. She thinks that, if I am pregnant, Louis is the father.”

She was quiet, before looking up at Christa, “How did you know it’d work?”

Christa sigh, “For a long time, Clem, after Omid died, I hated you. I travelled around alone, I kept moving and avoiding large groups. On my travels, I found Kenny, what was left of him anyway.”

Clementine swallowed, her mind flashing back to Kenny’s death.

“I decided to search him,” Continued Christa, “I was hoping for bullets, but I found a picture. Of you and your boy. I was so angry, that someone I hated got what I lost. Then I saw the note at the bottom of it. Did you know Kenny wrote your age down?”

Clementine shook her head, neither had noticed that Louis was standing near them.

“I saw your age and all that anger I had towards you vanished, I felt horrible for how much hate I had towards a child, who’d lost more than I did.”

“I didn’t lose more than you.” Objected Clementine.

“Clementine, you lost your whole family, both your birth and found. You saw your reanimated parents, had to execute Lee, get put through the shit I did after Omid died, found and lost Kenny and all the shit that you were forced to go through before you found this place.” Listed Christa, “And that’s only the stuff I know about!”

Clementine swallowed, “I kept getting people killed. A couple of days after I woke up her, two people died, another day or so after that, two more people died. After we got separated, I got two entire groups killed. I tried to leave AJ with the Garcia’s in Richmond.”

“Why didn’t you?” Asked Christa, placing a hand on Clementine’s arm.

“He followed me, for a good few miles before I noticed him.” Said Clementine, “I was so angry, I want him to be safe, to have a family. And he just said that he’d always be safe with me.”

Louis felt his throat tighten.

“I never told him that I was going to end my own life,” Confessed Clementine, “he unknowingly saved my life. He’d been doing that everyday before we arrived at Ericson’s.”

Clementine’s voice cracked, “A-and when t-those people said they’d fed him to me, I felt like I’d failed in the one fucking purpose that I had.”

Clementine choked back tears, as Louis slid into the seat next to her. He quietly wrapped an arm around Clem, gently pulling her towards him.

“We’ll deal with them, Clem.” Murmured Louis, glancing at Christa, “We’ll find them and deal with them.”

“You don’t have to.” Muttered Clementine, after she got her breathing under control.

“We want to keep you safe from them.” Said Louis, making Clementine look up at him.

“No, you don’t have to,” Reiterated Clementine, “His walker tried to break through the gate last night, so Ruby and I dropped a salt lick on his head.”

Louis and Christa shared a look.

“Well, that explains your good mood this morning.” Remarked Christa, getting a snort from Louis.

“Should we give the two of you a trophy?” Joked Louis, as Clementine adjusted herself and got comfortable against his chest, “Walker kill of the year sound good to you?”

Clementine giggled, listening to Louis’s heartbeat. Her giggle died down, slowly thinking on her condition, “I can’t remember my full name.”

Louis looked down at her, before frowning, “Well shit, I can remember my own either.”

Clementine sighed through her nose, “It probably doesn’t matter anymore, we don’t use them anymore anyway.”

Louis silently pressed his lips to Clementine’s temple. Clementine quietly made a not to find a pregnancy test on a future supply run. She’d made progress, but she was still on the road to recovery. She absently became aware of AJ climbing into the seat on her other side and curling into her. Clem knew she might never fully recover, but as long as she had her boys, she felt she’d be fine.

[subsidystadium]

Richmond leaders approve Diamond District ballpark but seem unclear what they just agreed to do

Several days ago, we found out that the City of Richmond had finally come to an agreement with the developers of the Richmond Flying Squirrels, a minor league baseball team. For years now, the minor league team has been threatening to relocate unless they were built a brand-new ballpark. Here is the owner of the Flying Squirrels in 2015 – “Lou DiBella, President of the Flying Squirrels, (wrote)…

[beardedmrbean]

Three University of Virginia star football players have been identified as the victims allegedly killed by a fellow student and former college football player in a mass shooting on the campus.

Linebacker D’Sean Perry, 22; Lavel Davis Jr, and Devin Chandler died on Sunday night when suspected gunman Christopher Darnell Jones allegedly opened fire around a parking garage on the university’s main campus along Culbreth Road in Charlottesville.

On Monday, Davis’s father Lavel Davis Sr wrote, “Lord please help me,” on Facebook, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Davis, who was 6’7” tall, ranked No 2 in the nation and No 1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference for average yards per reception after the 2020 football season, the Associated Press reported.

He had returned to the field this year after suffering an injury in 2021. He was on a watch list for 2022 Comeback Player of the Year, per the AP.

Perry’s grieving father Sean Perry also confirmed his son’s death to the Richmond Times-Dispatch and said that he and the victim’s mother Happy were flying from their hometown of Miami to Virginia.

Perry, who was 6’3” tall and weighed 230 pounds, was a linebacker and defensive end for the Virginia Cavaliers football team – the same University of Virginia team that Mr Jones made the roster for back in 2018.

The 22-year-old football star played just hours before his death, when his team took on Pittsburgh on Saturday.

According to a profile on the Virginia Cavalliers website, Perry previously played linebacker, defensive line and tight end at Gulliver Prep and was named the South Florida Conference’s 2018 Defensive Player of the Year.

He also made the Team USA under-19s team and appeared in the International Bowl in Dallas, Texas.

After graduating high school, he majored in studio art at the University of Virginia.

Head football coach Tony Elliott said early Monday afternoon that the victims “were all good kids” and he would speak about them when the time is right.

Sean Lampkin, an assistant football coach at Newberry College, confirmed that his cousin Davis was also killed in the shooting.

He paid tribute to the wide receiver as “one of his most kind, humble, loving soldiers” and said that his family is “devastated” by the news.

“Saddening, saddening news this morning. God took one of his most kind, humble, loving soldiers off of the battlefield last night. Please pray for my family as we are devastated by the passing my cousin Lavel Davis Jr. Love and already miss you, kid,” he tweeted.

As a talented wide receiver, Davis was added to the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Watch List just last month.

Jack Hamilton, a professor at UVA, said on Twitter that both Chandler and Davis were in his class and remembered the students as “wonderful people.”

“[D]evin was new to UVA last spring (he was a transfer student) and I had him in a large lecture class. he nevertheless made a point to come to my office hours repeatedly, often just to ask questions about how things worked around uva,” Mr Hamilton tweeted about Chandler.

“Later I helped him declare his American studies major, which he was really excited about. he was an unbelievably nice person, always a huge smile, really gregarious and funny. one of those people who’s just impossible not to like. It is so sad and enraging that he is gone.”

Mr Hamilton also said about Davis: “One thing that struck me about vel was how much his classmates liked him and vice versa. in my experience star athletes often tend to hang out with other athletes (understandable, given the time commitment) but vel seemed to go out of his way to make friends with non-athletes

Originally from Dorchester, South Carolina, Davis played wide receiver and safety at Woodland High School before he was selected to play in South Carolina’s North-South all-star game.

The two victims wounded in the mass shooting are yet to be publicly identified.

It is not clear if the victims knew their alleged killer or if the shooting rampage was targeted or carried out at random.

UVA Police Chief Timothy Longo revealed on Monday that a UVA multidisciplinary threat assessment team launched an investigation after receiving reports that Mr Jones made comments about owning a gun to an individual unaffiliated with the university.

Mr Longo said that Mr Jones had not made threats at the time, but simply mentioned he had a firearm.

“Because I want to be transparent with you, I want you to know … Mr Jones came to the attention of the University of Virginia’s threat assessment team in the fall of 2022,” Mr Longo said. “They received information that Mr Jones had made a comment about possessing a gun to a person that was unaffiliated with the university.”

It is unclear how the investigation unfolded, but Mr Longo said that the individual in question and Mr Jones’ roommate, who did not see the gun, were questioned. Mr Longo also mentioned that Mr Jones had been investigated in connection to an alleged hazing incident but the inquiry fell apart after witnesses did not come forward with information.

The team learned that Mr Jones had violated protocol by not informing the university about a criminal incident in February 2021 in which he had been involved. The criminal investigation took place outside of Charlottesville and was in relation to a concealed weapon violation, NBC reported.

An hours-long manhunt took place for Mr Jones, a 22-year-old student and former football player for the college, before his arrest was announced just before 11am on Monday.

He was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket, blue jeans and red shoes and was thought to have been driving a black SUV with the licence plate TWX3580, police said.

A campus-wide lockdown was lifted on Monday morning after students had been told to shelter in place and warned not to approach the “armed and dangerous” suspect.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were drafted in for the search, with a Virginia State Police helicopter circling the area and classes cancelled for Monday across the university.

University of Virginia Police tweeted on Monday morning that law enforcement teams were carrying out a “complete search on and around UVA grounds”.

The shooting unfolded at around 10.30pm on Sunday at the parking garage before Mr Jones allegedly went on the run.

Three victims were killed while another two were wounded and taken to hospital for treatment, with their conditions unclear at this time.

Sophomore student Em Gunter told the Times-Dispatch that she was watching a lecture in her dorm room when she heard six gunshots ring out at around 10.15pm.

The 19-year-old lives in the International Residential College, located across from Culbreth Road where the shooting took place.

She quickly messaged the other 350 students in her dorm building warning them to stay inside and hunkered down with her friends in her room.

“I just have no words. This is insane,” she said.

Ms Gunter told the paper that she used to live in Southwest Virginia which was the site of the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting.

According to a profile for Mr Jones on the Virginia Cavaliers website – the University of Virginia’s football team – he was on the team roster in 2018 but did not appear in any games that year.

The bio lists the 22-year-old’s numerous accolades and honours during high school.

He was described as a played linebacker and running back at Petersburg High School who “earned honorable mention all-conference honors as a senior”.

He spent his first three years of high school at Varina High School “where he earned honorable mention all-conference as a freshman and second-team accolades as a sophomore and junior”, the bio says.

Mr Jones was a “member of the National Honor Society … National Technical Honor Society … president of Key Club … president of Jobs for Virginia Grads Program … named Student of the Year as a freshman and sophomore at Varina … son of Margo Ellis and Christopher Jones, Sr. … has three siblings, Eliza, Darrius and Varian,” the bio reads.

The 22-year-old was previously hailed as something of a success story after overcoming something of a troubled childhood to become a model student.

One of four siblings, he grew up in housing complexes in Richmond, according to a 2018 Times-Dispatch story.

Mr Jones’ father abandoned the family when he was a boy and he reportedly got into trouble at school for fighting.

But, the “smart and quiet” student appeared to turn things around, playing football and graduating from Petersburg in 2018.

As news spread of the campus shooting, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin released a statement saying he was “praying” for the university community.

“Suzanne and I are praying for the UVA community. Virginia State Police is fully coordinating with UVA police department and local authorities,” he tweeted on Monday.

“Please shelter in place while the authorities work to locate the suspect.

[busterkeatonsociety]

This Day in Buster…July 24, 1921

The Richmond Times-Dispatch compares the two stars of “The Saphead” - William H Crane, having come out of stage retirement as “the oldest star in point of service in the theatrical world in America,” and Buster Keaton, “the newest actor to be elevated to stellar prominence in the screen world.”

[ablackwomansurvivingrape]

Middle School Counselor, Accused of Soliciting a Minor for Prostitution, Stays on the Job More Than a Year and a Half – Crime Online

A Virginia school counselor kept working at his job for 20 months after he was arrested on charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Darren Thornton, 50, was employed by the Fairfax County Public Schools when he was charged in an undercover chat operation in Chesterfield County in November 2020.

Court documents say Thornton set up a meeting for sex with an undercover officer, who told him she was 17, the Richmond Times-Dispatch said.

He was convicted on March 11 and sentenced to five years, the newspaper said, but the sentence was suspended pending good behavior, following the law, and paying court costs. He also had to register as a sex offender.

Then Thornton was caught up again in another chat operation in June 2022 and was charged with solicitation of prostitution and frequenting a bawdy place, one of 36 men arrested in that sting operation. Those charges related to adults.

Thornton told the newspaper that he was set up by law enforcement but didn’t elaborate.

And yet last month, when the Times-Dispatch contacted the school district, spokeswoman Julie Moult said Thornton was still on the payroll. His staff page on the district’s website was finally deleted on July 28.

School Superintendent Michelle Reid, who started her position on July 1, sent a message to families on Thursday saying Fairfax County “took immediate steps to dismiss the employee” as soon as she and the board knew of the situation.

She also said she had set in motion an independent investigation.

“There is no higher priority than the safety of our students and, on behalf of the school board and myself, I want to make this very clear: This entire situation is unacceptable from any perspective,” Reid said. “We are deeply concerned about how this happened in one of our schools. I want to assure you that we are doing everything possible so this cannot happen again. I am committed to keeping you updated on this issue.”

According to WUSA, Reid also said she was petitioning the state to revoke Thornton’s license.

WUSA said that Thornton worked as a counselor at Glasgow Middle School.

Chesterfield County Police said they notified Fairfax County of Thornton’s arrested the day after his November 2020 arrest and again the day after his June 22 arrest, as required by Virginia law.

Thornton registered as a sex offender after his June arrest, WUSA reported, giving “self-employed” as his work. He’s due in court on September 27.

[fleshbeetle]

An advertisement from the Richmond Times Dispatch, November 7th, 1920.

[hemp-pot]

HEMP.gg : Online public comment portal for hemp task force open until Friday - Richmond Times-Dispatch

Online public comment portal for hemp task force open until Friday  Richmond Times-Dispatch source https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/online-public-comment-portal-for-hemp-task-force-open-until-friday/article_b35950e8-29eb-50fe-b67d-71d66e2642aa.html