Police

Fed up with gun violence, event encourages community change

All too often, gunfire and police sirens have formed the soundtrack at Richmond’s John F. Kennedy Park. It sounded different Saturday afternoon. When hip-hop blared through loudspeakers, and friends and family of veteran community organizer Elana Bolds celebrated “Put Down the Guns.” Bolds and community allies have organized the annual event for the last eight years. After singing at too many funerals and witnessing the suffering gun violence caused, Bolds said she decided to do something. “I was tired of…

Attorney General listens to Richmond leaders

U.S Attorney General Loretta Lynch came to Richmond on Friday, ending a national tour in a city starting to shake off its reputation as a crime capital. Lynch, addressing a cross-section of community leaders in the Richmond City Council chambers Friday, said she wanted to learn from cities that have “fought their way back from the brink.” Richmond has been attracting recognition as a model of improved community and police relations. Yet on Friday, a small crowd protested before Lynch spoke,…