🌱 AP African American Studies Class + Child Dies After School Lunch

Morning, everybody. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Variable cloudiness. High: 62 Low: 56.
• Thursday: Breezy. High: 85 Low: 54.

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Here are the top three stories in Richmond today:

1. Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia has requested a review of the proposed Advanced Placement African American studies course that was rejected by Florida, to ensure compliance with his executive order banning "inherently divisive concepts" from being taught in the classroom. This request is part of a wider effort by Republicans to focus on classroom lessons related to race, history, and gender identity while banning critical race theory from the education system. The College Board's proposed AP course, piloted in 60 high schools nationwide, was criticized by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who prevented its implementation in the state. (WRIC ABC 8News)
2. A community in nearby Chesterfield is mourning the death of a Providence Middle School student, 13-year-old Josue Nolasco, who died three days after choking on his lunch at school. The parents of the student remember him as a humble and caring person. The school system sent an email to the Providence Middle School community, praising the students for their behavior and providing counseling services for those who needed them. A school resource officer and medical personnel also provided aid at the scene. (CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR)
3. Jerard Hickman, a Richmond resident, has won the largest prize in a Virginia Lottery online instant game, earning $785,414 through the Lucky Golden Multiplier game. Hickman frequently plays online games on the Lottery website and was thrilled with his win, stating that it felt "fantastically awesome." He has no immediate plans for the winnings other than to pay some bills, and he works as a district manager for a transportation company. (WWBT)

Today in and around Richmond:

• FUTURE TEENS, Macseal, Shallow Pools At Richmond Music Hall (6:30 PM)
• Improv Night For Teens And Adults At Ashland Branch Library (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• New homes have been listed for sale in the Richmond area! Get all the property details at the link. (Richmond Patch)
• The Weinstein Jewish Community Center is hosting two upcoming events — one featuring Caroline Aaron of Richmond, the actress known for her role in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," and the other a one-man retrospective play about theater legend Zero Mostel, with tickets available for members and non-members. (rvahub.com)
• Are you renovating your home? 50 Floor is offering 60 percent off flooring materials and their team will take care of all the heavy lifting to provide you with beautiful new floors, and you can get an extra $100 off with the promo code "VIRGINIA THIS MORNING" on their website. (CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR)

You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you around!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.