Tennis League Expanding Into Richmond

B2 SATURDAY,OCTOBER 12,2013 uuu RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH

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Allen cites ‘urgent public stance against what it Kim Allen will director of the Virginia State personal matters’ in sees as the “resegregration” of resign as presi- Conference NAACP. “It’s a very Crime and the Richmond Public Schools dent of the orderly succession,” he said. Police News decision to leave post through the School Board’s de- Richmond chap- “I’m sorry to see her go,” cision to close three schools, as ter of the NAACP Khalfani said of Allen. “She was a Injured Pa. couple found BY GRAHAM MOOMAW well as the NAACP’s collabora- effective Nov. 8. godsend to the state office be- Richmond Times-Dispatch tion with another group, Rich- cause she was available, she was along southbound I-95 monders for Quality Education, doing things, she handled Rich- RICHMOND — Police are Kim Allen will resign as presi- that has filed a legal challenge to spected and sought out. Howev- mond issues, so that was great investigating the circumstanc- dent of the Richmond chapter of that decision. er, there are urgent personal for me. And we worked well es that led to the discovery of the NAACP next month because She also touted record atten- matters that demand my imme- together.” an injured Pennsylvania cou- of “urgent personal matters,” dance at the group’s monthly diate attention.” As for Wood, “she knows the ple in a pickup truck along the according to an email she sent meetings and the launch of a Allen also highlighted an edu- lay of the land,” Khalfani said. shoulder of southbound In- this week to members of the radio show on WCLM. cation conference that was held He intends to work with the terstate 95. group’s executive committee. “I want to thank the members at Ebenezer Baptist Church and branch during the transition to Virginia State Police Sgt. “I am proud that my tenure as of the Richmond branch for abus trip for the 50th anniversa- leave in place the framework Thomas J. Molnar said a 56- president has resulted in the their support and commitment ry of the March on Washington. established by Allen, “so we year-old man and his 56-year- NAACP taking part in several during this past year,” Allen Allen’s resignation will be ef- don’t get inundated again with old wife from the northern issues that are important to our wrote. “I wish you all the best fective Nov. 8. Richmond issues.” Philadelphia suburb of Ivyland, city, our state and our nation,” and I am sure that you will fan Sylvia Wood, a past Richmond Pa., were taken to VCU Med- Allen wrote in the Oct. 8 letter. the flame of this momentum. It branch president now serving as [email protected] ical Center for treatment. The Allen, whose LinkedIn page is difficult to step down after first vice president, will assume (804) 649-6839 male had serious injuries, and states that she has served in the working so hard to make sure the reins of the organization his wife had minor injuries. position since December 2012, that the voice of the Richmond when Allen steps down, said Staff writer Michael Paul Williams Molnar said troopers were highlighted the group’s recent branch of the NAACP is re- King Salim Khalfani, executive contributed to this report. called to the southbound right shoulder of I-95 at the Rich- mond-Chesterfield County line shortly before 11:30 p.m. Columbus Day Thursday and found the cou- holiday ple inside a Chevrolet Silverado schedule pickup that had minor front- end damage. FEDERAL He declined to detail the GOVERNMENT nature of their injuries and said the cause remains under in- OFFICES — Closed Monday. vestigation. There was no in- POSTAL SERVICE — Closed Mon- dication either had been shot, day; no delivery. he said. STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICES — Closed Monday. Bicycle-riding thieves DMV — Customer-service centers closed Monday. strike on VCU campus RICHMOND — Two suspects RICHMOND AREA on bicycles yanked head- COUNTY, CITY OFFICES — Charles phones from someone walking City, Goochland, Powhatan and New across Virginia Commonwealth Kent closed Monday. Richmond, University’s main academic Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico campus. open Monday. The victim was not injured COLLEGES — Open. in Thursday’s incident, which SCHOOLS — Hanover, Henrico, occurred at 5:25 p.m. in the 100 Goochland and Powhatan closed block of North Linden Street. Monday. Richmond closing early Monday. Charles City, Chesterfield The victim said both sus- and New Kent open Monday. pects were black juveniles who COURTS — Closed Monday. fled south on Linden after stealing the headphones from LIBRARIES — Richmond and Pow- hatan closed Monday. Henrico, atop the victim’s head. Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover Friday evening, VCU police and Heritage Public Library (Charles said a review of video evidence City and New Kent branches) open led them to arrest a juvenile on Monday. agrand larceny charge. The TRASH — On Monday, collections headphones were recovered, will be on a regular schedule. Most police said. transfer stations and landfills open; contact for specific information. Central Virginia Waste Management Chesterfield mother Authority on regular schedule Mon- P. KEVIN MORLEY/TIMES-DISPATCH charged with neglect day. Dayle Sampson is back in his apartment at St. Joseph’s Villa’s Hollybrook Apartments, housing for RECYCLING — Curbside recycling on adults with disabilities. The apartment complex caught fire on Sept. 5. CHESTERFIELD — A Chester- regular schedule Monday. field County woman was charged with child neglect TRANSPORTATION St. Joseph’s Sept. 5 was also the eve of Sampson’s 50th Friday after police say she left TRAFFIC — On Monday, city parking birthday. Residents and staff sang “Happy Birth- her baby unattended in a car. meters, time-zone signs and peak- From Page B1 day” to him outside after the fire and carried on Ebimaru Ayaghiro, 37, was time travel lanes will not be en- with a surprise party the following day. charged Friday morning out- forced. “Little did I know I was praying for myself,” he “It humbled me,” said Sampson, an aspiring side a Walmart in the Chatta- GRTC — Buses will run on a normal said. nooga Plaza in Midlothian. schedule Monday. chaplain. When it comes to misfortunes, “you Firefighters wheeled him and the other resi- look at it and try to overcome it.” “The child was asleep,” said BUSINESS / dents out of the apartments to safety. The blaze Sampson moved back into his apartment Chesterfield police Lt. Mike COMMERCE was extinguished in less than 30 minutes, and no about two weeks later, after the smoke damage Breeden. The 11-month-old one was injured. Damage was estimated at had been left alone for at least STOCK MARKET — Open Monday. was cleared. $150,000. St. Joseph’s Villa invited Henrico firefighters 18 minutes, he said. BANKS — Most closed Monday; Henrico firefighters from Station 21 disas- contact for specific information. earlier this week for the banner’s unveiling: sembled, transported and reassembled the resi- “Thank you Henrico Fire for saving our lives.” ABC STORES — Open Monday. dents’ hospital beds and moved equipment to Armed robbery MAJOR MALLS — Open. their temporary housing on the St. Joseph’s [email protected] investigated in Hanover TIMES-DISPATCH — Will be deliv- campus that night and checked on them the next (804) 649-6243 ered. RichmondDowntown offices Timesopen Mon- Dispatchmorning, 10/12/2013St. Joseph’s VillaCopysaid Reducedin a statement. to %d%% from Twitter:original@kebedefaith to fit letter page Page : B02 HANOVER—Authorities are day. investigating the armed robbery of three men at an apartment complex in Hanover County that resulted in injuries to one victim. Hanover sheriff’s Lt. Chris R. Tennis league expanding into Richmond Whitley said the injured victim was treated at Memorial Re- Recreational teams an offshoot The big advantage of World TeamTennis, gional Medical Center for mi- organizers say, is that players in each divi- If you go: nor injuries and released. of World TeamTennis; could sion can play for regional and national titles, Whitley said the robbery bring major names to area including a chance to play at the WTT What: World TeamTennis Richmond occurred about 10 p.m. Thurs- Nationals. Invitational day when the victim and two men were sitting in a car in a BY LOUIS LLOVIO Hood would not say if the long-term goal When: 4:30 p.m. today Richmond Times-Dispatch is to bring a team to Richmond, but said parking lot in the Brandy Hill he’d like to see the Washington Kastles play Where: Willow Oaks Country Club, 6228 Apartments and were con- World TeamTennis, the competitive amatch here in the next couple of years. Forest Hill Ave. fronted by three men bran- league co-founded by Billie Jean King in the World TeamTennis has a long history in Cost: Free dishing handguns. 1970s, is expanding into Richmond with a the mid-Atlantic region, which could make Whitley said the men or- recreational league that could, in coming Richmond a natural spot for expansion, Contact: (804) 320-3244 dered one man out of the car years, bring some of the top names in the some in the sport say. and forced him to the ground, sport to the area. World TeamTennis was started in 1974 where they kicked him in the Virginia Tennis is organizing and admin- but shut down after five seasons. It was the Willow Oaks Country Club. ribs and struck him in the back istering the local league in Richmond. restarted in 1981 and has continued since The free match will feature four teams of the head with what was Tom Hood, president of Virginia Tennis, then. made up of some top club pros and players believed to be a handgun. said he was drawn to the concept because of The professional league is made up of in the area. The winning team gets $1,500 in The suspects, who robbed the flexibility it offers. eight teams in two conferences. prize money and qualifies for the WTT the three of money, credit Players at almost every skill level will be In addition to young talented profession- Finals at Indian Wells, Calif., later this year. cards and other valuables able to form teams and compete against one als, team rosters are dotted with some big Cris Robinson, director of tennis at Wil- before fleeing on foot toward another in singles, doubles and mixed dou- names in modern tennis. John McEnroe, low Oaks and one of the team captains Lee Davis Road, were de- bles competitions. The teams are grouped Jim Courier, Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and Saturday, described the event as a festival of scribed as black men of aver- according to players’ skills levels. the Bryan brothers are all on teams. tennis with mascots and prizes, where spec- age height and weight who “The WTT format is about both genders Martina Hingis, who was once ranked tators can bring lawn chairs to watch. were all wearing dark hooded working together on an equal playing field first in the world and a champion at Wim- Hood would like to see the league start sweatshirts and had their faces and it adds an extra dimension to team beldon, the U.S. Open and the Australian early next year. covered. Anyone with informa- competition,” King said. Open, plays for Washington. tion can call the Hanover The teams will be able to form their own To introduce the team concept to the County Sheriff’s Office at (804) [email protected] subleagues and compete against others in area, Virginia Tennis is holding the World (804) 649-6348 365-6140. the area. TeamTennis Richmond Invitational today at Twitter: @LouisLLovio —From staff and wire reports