Police Shoot York County Teen, Community Outcry Over School Board Member's Racist Comments, and More
Police Shoot York County Teen, Community Outcry Over School Board Member's Racist Comments, and More
Historic Triangle News Roundup April 14 - 20
Good morning! It’s been a busy week at Round the Triangle. For the first time, I published a summary of a WJCC school board meeting with the help of ChatGPT. If you want these summaries in your inbox, upgrade to a paid subscription for $5/month or refer a friend to Round the Triangle to get one month complimentary access.
I also released the latest local history podcast, featuring community historian and artist Mary Lassiter and her brothers, who share their insights on the history of segregation in the Historic Triangle area and why they think the school names of James Blair Middle School and Magruder Elementary should be changed.
Okie-dokie, let’s get to last week’s top stories
Community Members Rally in Support of Non-English Speakers at School Board Meeting
A large crowd showed up at this week’s WJCC school board meeting in response to racist comments made by board member Michael Hosang, who discriminated against Non-English speaking students and questioned their legal status.
While some sided with Hosang, the majority of those who spoke during public comment defended English Language Learners and multilingual students, and others supported Vice Chair Andrea Donnor’s callout of Hosang’s remarks.
Donnor read quotes from an email Hosang sent to school administration requesting information about 20 “Spanish-speaking males” attending Warhill High School, saying that he was concerned about “illegals” “raping” and “killing.”
Law Enforcement Withholds Body Cam Footage of Deputy Shooting Teen
Last Sunday, a York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Deputy shot and critically injured a teenager near a York County playground in the early evening. They claim the 16-year-old had a firearm, but the body cam footage has not been released.
A Daily Press reporter said that social media video shared with the press did not clearly show a gun. Witnesses have contradicted other parts of the police narrative, such as one woman claiming the teen didn’t barricade himself in a car.
One neighbor expressed disappointment that the incident ended in a shooting: “They should have Tased him or used pellets. That wasn’t even attempted.” The boy’s mother has asked the community to pray for him as he recovers.
Other Headlines
A mistrial was declared in the case of one of the men charged with the 2019 murder of W&M running back Nate Evans when the jury could not reach a verdict after hours of deliberations. Evans was only 19 at the time.
Earlier this month, a VA-based “prepper” militia ousted member Russell Vane IV after he talked about making bombs. Vane reportedly died of suicide shortly after, but then showed up alive at court last week on charges of manufacturing poison.
In some good news, two WJCC teachers have volunteered to provide a liver and kidney transplant to student Langdon Richardson, diagnosed as a baby with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, who will undergo surgery soon.
Upcoming Events
Grove Christian Outreach Center 20th Anniversary Celebration:
When: April 23, 24, and 26
Where: Various Locations
Virginia Historic Garden Week:
When: April 20 - 27
Where: Various Locations
When: Saturday, April 27
Where: 331 Water Street, Yorktown