> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.richmonder.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Feb. 4 Newsletter: Bill Martin's legacy - URL: https://www.richmonder.org/feb-4-newsletter-bill-martins-legacy/ - Published: 2026-02-04T11:00:26.000Z - Updated: 2026-02-04T11:00:28.000Z - Description: The Valentine's leader was a quiet champion for the LGBTQ+ community. Plus, Anne Holton is selected to the School Board, RPS adds school days, the Walk for Peace rolls through Richmond, and the rest of the day's news. - Author: Michael Phillips - Tags: Newsletter **Weather:** High of 35\. Snow flurries are possible this evening, but with minimal accumulation. **On this date** in 1962, a small aircraft makes an emergency landing on Route 1 in Brunswick County. The plane was then moved to the side of the road until it could be fixed. [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/2025/12/vcu-Richmonder-Opportunity-900x150px.jpg)](https://www.vcu.edu/uncommon/) **Today's newsletter sponsored by** [**Virginia Commonwealth University**](https://www.vcu.edu/uncommon/)**:** As a top 50 public research institution, Virginia Commonwealth University has an unparalleled drive to discover, innovate and create. VCU impacts the human experience and tackles the problems of tomorrow. It's a university unlike any you’ve ever seen. --- [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/2026/02/martin_valentine--1-.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/bill-martin-was-known-as-the-valentines-leader-he-was-also-a-quiet-champion-for-richmonds-lgbtq-community/) ### Bill Martin was known as the Valentine's leader. He was also a quiet champion for Richmond's LGBTQ+ community. Bill Martin’s advocacy began as a Virginia Tech student in 1975, when he successfully sued for the right to form a gay student union. 🏳️‍🌈 "A lot of folks, when they are working towards progress ... they want to make themselves the center of that – and that's just not what Bill did. Bill did it quietly, subtly, but very powerfully,” said one friend. Ahead of Saturday's open house in his memory, those close to him reflect on Bill Martin's contributions to the LGBTQ+ community. [**Read more here.**](https://www.richmonder.org/bill-martin-was-known-as-the-valentines-leader-he-was-also-a-quiet-champion-for-richmonds-lgbtq-community/) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/2026/02/IMG_6064--1-.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/richmond-adds-two-in-person-school-days-to-make-up-for-lost-time/) ### Richmond adds two in-person school days to make up for lost time Richmond students will now attend school on Easter Monday. In addition, Tuesday, Feb. 17 will be converted from a teacher work day to a full instructional day. ❄️ Richmond and Chesterfield students return to school today on a two-hour delay after missing the last seven school days. Henrico and Hanover remain virtual. In lobbying for the decision to add days, Superintendent Jason Kamras said that virtual school does not make up for in-person learning. “I think two things can be true: educators worked their very best to their abilities, and in-person instruction is most beneficial for our students and they would benefit from having an additional day,” he said. [**Read more here.**](https://www.richmonder.org/richmond-adds-two-in-person-school-days-to-make-up-for-lost-time/) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/2026/02/WFP2-1611-1.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/photos-thousands-gather-as-walk-for-peace-passes-through-richmond/) ### Photos: Thousands gather as Walk for Peace passes through Richmond The city came to a stop on Tuesday afternoon as thousands assembled in front of City Hall to hear from a group of Buddhist monks who are currently on a 2,300-mile "Walk for Peace" across America. "This pilgrimage comes at a critical time when communities across our nation face rising mental health challenges, divisions, and global uncertainties, serving as a reminder that peace is not merely a destination, but a practice that begins within and radiates outward to families, to communities, and to our nation," Mayor Danny Avula said. [**See more photos from the walk here.**](https://www.richmonder.org/photos-thousands-gather-as-walk-for-peace-passes-through-richmond/) [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/2026/02/monk-watch-01-1-1.jpg)](https://www.richmonder.org/the-math-is-not-mathing-frustrations-persist-around-rps-budget/) ### ‘The math is not mathing’: Frustrations persist around RPS budget Almost two weeks after its initial release, Richmond Public Schools administrators continued their attempts to provide explanations around the details of this year's proposed budget. The head of the teachers' union noted that the budget document shows a funding decrease for multilingual learner success from $7.7 million last year to $2.6 million in the upcoming year, and an increase for psychologists from $1.3 million to $3.5 million. It is difficult to provide feedback to the administration when “you don’t even know what you’re looking at," she said, adding that Kamras’ presentation “doesn’t tell you everything you need to know about the budget.” Confusion also remains over proposed layoffs, which have not been explained in detail. [**Read more here.**](https://www.richmonder.org/the-math-is-not-mathing-frustrations-persist-around-rps-budget/) --- ### Today's sponsor: [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/99/06/99067822-fdfd-42b1-ab19-555c33eefb89/content/images/2025/12/mcv25_0518_900.jpg)](https://vcu.exposure.co/at-vcu-impactful-innovation-follows-multiple-paths) ### **At VCU, impactful innovation follows multiple paths** VCU, a top 50 public research institution, leads all other Virginia public universities in licensing revenue generated from its inventions, according to AUTM, an association representing the academic research community. Researchers across VCU’s campuses are increasingly building new business ventures, forming partnerships with companies, licensing technologies and collaborating with industry and government agencies in ways that directly shape patient care, public health, advanced manufacturing and even national security. [**Read more**](https://vcu.exposure.co/at-vcu-impactful-innovation-follows-multiple-paths) about how VCU researchers are turning inventions into ventures and why industry and government are taking notice. --- ### In other news - [**Anne Holton selected to vacant Richmond School Board seat**](https://www.richmonder.org/anne-holton-electe-vacant-school-board-seat/) - [**Trinity pulls away from St. Catherine's to avenge January girls basketball loss**](https://www.richmonder.org/trinity-pulls-away-from-st-catherines-to-avenge-january-loss/) - [**A former speakeasy mansion for sale in Church Hill**](https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/02/03/church-hill-bagley-mansion-speakeasy-richmond-sale?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=newsletter%5Faxioslocal%5Frichmond&stream=top) (Axios) - [**Jon Baliles pays tribute to Ed Slipek**](https://rva5x5.substack.com/p/bill-and-eds-excellent-richmond-adventure) (RVA 5x5) - [**MTX Group and Virginia Union University Announce Strategic AI-Driven EdTech Partnership**](https://www.vuu.edu/news/mtx-group-and-virginia-union-university-announce-strategic-ai-driven-edtech-partnership) (Virginia Union) - [**Icy conditions continue to cause mail delivery delays in Central Virginia**](https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/mail-delays-richmond-virginia-feb-3-2026#google%5Fvignette) (CBS 6) --- ### The reporter's notebook Anyone who's ever been to a concert, City Council meeting or even a grocery line in Richmond knows: Richmonders like to talk. But on Monday, thousands who gathered to see the Venerable Monks of Dhammacetiya on their 100th day of their 2,300-mile Walk for Peace were utterly silent as they stood outside City Hall, hands folded on their chests, listening to the sound of their heartbeat and their breath. "Peace is something that we have to work for, just like you have to go to work," the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara told the crowd. "We are walking from Fort Worth, Texas to here. It's not that we brought peace to here, but we walk to let all of us know that peace has been with us. All we need to do is just open it up, awaken it." *Sarah Vogelsong, Reporter* *svogelsong@richmonder.org* --- Sent this by a friend? [**Sign up for our free thrice-weekly newsletter here.**](https://www.richmonder.org/sign-up-for-the-richmonders-free-newsletter/) Want to support The Richmonder? 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