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Samuel B. Parker

@samuel-parker.bsky.social
346 followers 55 following 39 posts

Reporter for @richmond.com. Believer in human progress. Probably watching the Chicago Cubs. Samuel ≠ Sam 📧 sparker@timesdispatch.com

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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Maya Kaufman @mayakaufman.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
INVESTIGATION: 🚨 A Polymarket exec used a personal PayPal account to pay major political influencers like Riley Gaines and Brian Krassenstein, who then hyped how "accurate" Polymarket is at predicting outcomes. We uncovered $350,000+ flowing to influencers this way www.politico.com/news/2026/06...
politico.com
‘Unbelievable how accurate’: How paid influencers hype Polymarket’s odds
The company’s chief marketing officer, Matthew Modabber, used a personal PayPal account to send money to content creators, according to records reviewed by POLITICO.
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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Dave Infante @dinfontay.com · 15/05/2026
NEW: The city's first four red-light cameras have issued over 10,340 citations so far, which at $50 apiece works out to $517,000. I knew people ran a lot of red lights in this city, but... uh... holy shit.
chlookout.com
East End red-light camera has issued over 2,300 tickets through April
N. 25th & E. Main intersection actually least active location of city's first four targets
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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Trevor Metcalfe @trevoremetcalfe.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
We gave seven cities the same FOIA request. Some turned the information over for free. Norfolk wanted $38,000. www.pilotonline.com/2026/03/20/s...
pilotonline.com
Same FOIA request prompts different responses from 7 Hampton Roads cities
The Virginian-Pilot asked seven Hampton Roads cites for copies of their logs of all Freedom of Information Act requests they received last year. Some cities turned over the unredacted records for free...
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
Records show Richmond police Chief Rick Edwards used ChatGPT to find information about ICE, learn about state law on recovery homes, and identify potential issues with his own department’s policies. Here's everything he asked the chatbot in 2025: richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Here’s what Richmond police Chief Rick Edwards asked ChatGPT about ICE, snowstorms
Documents show Edwards used the chatbot to find information about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, learn about state law on recovery homes and identify potential issues with his department’s ...
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
“Answer the following question as if you were Danny Avula: how did the water outage in Richmond and boil water advisory affect you personally?” That was among the dozens of requests Richmond’s mayor made to ChatGPT in 2025. Read them all here: richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
‘Make this sound more like Danny Avula’: here’s how the mayor used ChatGPT in 2025
Records show that, in addition to discussing the city’s six-day water crisis, Avula routinely used OpenAI’s popular chatbot to help write speeches and letters, prepare for interviews and develop polic...
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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Luca Powell @lucapowell.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Yesterday, Governor Youngkin announced Matt Hanley as his nominee to lead the Virginia State Police. We report that Hanley nearly lost his job in 1996 after drinking, driving, and crashing a state police cruiser. richmond.com/news/state-r...
richmond.com
Youngkin appointee to lead state police was suspended for flipping cruiser after drinking
Lt. Col. Matthew Hanley was suspended by Virginia State Police in 1996 after flipping a police cruiser while off-duty. However, a hearing officer decided he was “salvageable as a trooper.”
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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Activate Virginia @activateva.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
“These other courts, whatever the officer says, is just viewed as the gospel,” Villalon said. “Judge Hicks looks at these issues skeptically, and he holds them to a constitutional standard.”
richmond.com
Richmond judge suggests police retrain on constitutional search protections
Judge David M. Hicks grew frustrated after a string of gun possession cases were withdrawn by the commonwealth’s attorney, who explained that the cases had “constitutional and evidentiary issues.”
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Former DPU Director April Bingham was fired from her post, and did not resign. Mayor Avula had said her departure was voluntary and "amicable." But today, a city spokesperson said Bingham rescinded her resignation and was then issued a termination letter. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Officials: DPU director was fired, and did not resign
Mayor Danny Avula previously said Bingham had resigned, and called the separation both voluntary and “amicable.”
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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Luca Powell @lucapowell.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Five days into a city-wide water outage (still no potable water), @richmond.com reports that problems with our city water treatment plant were well-known, just not addressed. That includes positive indicators for E. Coli, severely outdated pumps, and corroded, algae overgrown equipment.
richmond.com
Read the documents: Problems with Richmond’s waterworks well-known before system collapse
In the days since the collapse of Richmond’s public drinking water utility, two separate documents have emerged that appear to indicate infrastructure problems at the city’s water treatment plant were
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 10/01/2025
Records show officials since 2016 have considered replacing the water treatment plant component that failed Monday, leaving Richmond without drinkable water. But they didn't follow through. The part is at least 25 years old. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
For 8 years, city put off replacement of part that caused water outage
The part is at least two decades old, plant staff said on Friday.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
In a leaked email I obtained, an official in Va.'s Department of Environmental Quality says Richmond's water treatment plant is only producing "22% of the daily demand," and speculates that full water pressure might not be restored until late Wednesday. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Live update: no drinkable water until Thursday, leaked email suggests
This is updated coverage of the water outage across Richmond caused by weather.Video: Richmond Mayor Danny Avula addresses citywide water outageWhere city is distributing bottled waterState Capitol, G...
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 02/01/2025
Richmond's annual financial report — due Dec. 15 under state code — has not been completed or submitted to the state. Officials fault RPS and the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority for the delays, saying both agencies missed their audit deadlines. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Richmond's annual financial report is overdue. Officials blame school, mental health offices.
City Hall’s comprehensive annual financial report, required by Virginia state code, has not been submitted to state officials and is more than two weeks overdue.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 19/12/2024
The city of Richmond is once again being sued by an ex employee alleging retaliation. This time, it's a former Finance Dept. worker who says she was placed on indefinite, unpaid leave for reporting improper cash reconciliation to the inspector general. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Another former city employee files whistleblower suit alleging retaliation
In a civil complaint, Jamyce Vinson claims she was placed on indefinite, unpaid leave after informing the inspector general’s office of “the falsification of the (city’s) cash account.”
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Reposted by Samuel B. Parker
Eric Kolenich @ekolenich.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
The city of Richmond does not expect to choose a developer for the Coliseum project until after Mayor Levar Stoney leaves office, missing the administration's goal. richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com
Richmond won't choose Coliseum developer until after Stoney departs
Mayor-elect Danny Avula will oversee the selection of a developer, but he said he has confidence the current team of city staff will get the job done.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
After an investigation found Keith Balmer had abused his city p-card and vehicle, Elections Board Chair Starlet Stevens sought to have both revoked. That sparked a legal threat from one of Balmer's employees, who said Stevens is "overstepping her bounds." richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Officials reactivated Richmond’s registrar's city credit card amid fraud investigation
Richmond’s top procurement official unsuspended Registrar Keith Balmer’s city credit card in September while he was still under investigation by the inspector general for alleged financial improprieti...
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Registrar Keith Balmer has resigned — effective 12/31 — after the Richmond Board of Elections stated their intent to dismiss him. Deputy Registrar Jerry Richardson has also resigned. She did so before today’s meeting. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Richmond Registrar Keith Balmer resigns
Balmer's resignation comes after months of controversy surrounding his hiring practices and use of city funds.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
At Monday's City Council meeting, Councilwoman Trammell and former Councilwoman Mosby clashed over state funding for Mosby's nonprofit. Trammell has argued that government funding for the nonprofit — which in 2022 paid Mosby $72K — is a conflict of interests. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Richmond City Council clashes over funding for ex-councilwoman's nonprofit
City Councilwoman Reva Trammell previously suggested that city and state funding of the organization is a conflict of interests due to Michelle Mosby’s prior public service and the resulting relations...
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 29/11/2024
Wrongfully towed? Charged illegal fees? For years, Richmond residents have complained that local towing companies routinely break the state and local laws that exist to limit them. So we decided to investigate. Here's what we found 🧵 richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Wrongfully towed? In Richmond, your options are scarce
An investigation by The Times-Dispatch found that, despite laws that explicitly limit the conduct of towing companies, no state or local government agency appears to be strictly enforcing those rules.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
In June, Deputy Registrar Jerry Richardson flatly denied that she and Registrar Keith Balmer used p-cards to buy alcohol: "we'd be fools to think we could do that," she told me. But in his report, Richmond's inspector general says that's exactly what they did. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
City watchdog: Richmond elections office wasted money on high-end sofas, gun and bodyguards
A report from Richmond's Office of the Inspector General said swivel chairs, leather sofas, and oak filing cabinets bought from LaDiff were a waste of taxpayer dollars.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Mayor-elect Danny Avula tells me he will resist “whatever immigration policies emerge with (Trump’s) administration” and will not cooperate with mass deportations. “We will not participate with ICE,” he said. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Avula reflects on election, vows to resist Trump on immigration
Avula will become Richmond’s first Indian American and immigrant mayor. And, in a city often defined by a white-Black dichotomy, Avula will be the first Richmond mayor who is neither.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
“‘This back-and-forth is not necessary,’ Judge Cardwell said. ‘We’re all grownups here. You’re attorneys.’” It took several months, multiple hostile motions, and a highly contentious hearing, but we finally have a court date in the Connie Clay trial. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
After heated hearing, trial date set in Richmond FOIA whistleblower case
After a contentious hearing in Connie Clay’s wrongful termination lawsuit against the city, a judge on Friday set the trial for late September.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
If you were planning to walk anywhere in the vicinity of East Broad, East Grace, North Foushee or North 1st streets … well, too bad. I wonder what considerations for pedestrians were made when these construction permits were approved and city projects scheduled.
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Samuel B. Parker @samuel-parker.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
This year's City Hall performance review, commissioned by Mayor Stoney, found major progress over the last 7 years. One catch: the consultants based their findings solely on comments from department directors, and did not interview any frontline workers. richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com
Despite methodology differences, Richmond mayor stands by new City Hall review
There was a major difference between the 2017 and 2024 studies: in the more recent one, consultants limited their work to department directors and did not speak with lower-level employees.
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