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Ban on electronic skill games in Virginia reinstated by state Supreme Court
Read full article: Ban on electronic skill games in Virginia reinstated by state Supreme CourtA ban on electronic skill games in Virgnia went back into effect Friday after the state Supreme Court vacated an injunction that had let thousands of the games remain in gas stations, bars and conveniece stores.
Virginia DOC says execution audio tapes should remain secret
Read full article: Virginia DOC says execution audio tapes should remain secretThe Virginia Department of Corrections has recorded audio of at least 30 executions over the last three decades, but it has no plans to release the tapes publicly.
LA councilman's future uncertain amid racism scandal
Read full article: LA councilman's future uncertain amid racism scandalThe troubled Los Angeles City Council appears headed into a long power struggle, as two disgraced councilmen resist widespread calls for their resignation amid a racism scandal and state investigation.
Virginia AG punts investigation of child abuse allegations
Read full article: Virginia AG punts investigation of child abuse allegationsThe office of Virginia's attorney general has handed off jurisdiction in a long-running investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and other abuses at a hospital that serves vulnerable children.
New Jan. 6 footage shows Pelosi, leaders as crisis unfolded
Read full article: New Jan. 6 footage shows Pelosi, leaders as crisis unfoldedNever-before-seen video footage played Thursday by the House Jan. 6 committee shows House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders, including Republican allies of Donald Trump, responding anxiously — and angrily — to the insurrection at the Capitol.
Report criticizes Virginia's response to snowy I-95 gridlock
Read full article: Report criticizes Virginia's response to snowy I-95 gridlockVirginia state agencies responding to a severe snowstorm that stranded hundreds of motorists along Interstate 95 in January collectively lost what a report called “situational awareness” amid the growing gridlock.
Major winter storm: South braces for big blast of snow, ice
Read full article: Major winter storm: South braces for big blast of snow, iceForecasts of snow and ice as far south as Georgia have put much of the Southeast on an emergency preparedness footing as shoppers strip store shelves of supplies and road crews treat highways ahead of an approaching weekend storm.
South prepares for weekend threat of debilitating snow, ice
Read full article: South prepares for weekend threat of debilitating snow, iceForecasters' predictions of debilitating snow and ice as far south as Georgia have shoppers scouring store shelves for storm supplies and road crews trying to prevent a repeat of past wintertime debacles.
Virginia preps for more bad weather amid storm of questions
Read full article: Virginia preps for more bad weather amid storm of questionsWith more bad weather looming, Virginia officials are seeking to reassure the public they are prepared as they reacted to harsh criticism of their response to a storm earlier this week that left hundreds of motorists stranded on Interstate 95.
Hundreds of drivers snowed-in for more than 15 hours after I-95 shuts down in Virginia
Read full article: Hundreds of drivers snowed-in for more than 15 hours after I-95 shuts down in VirginiaThe waiting is over for the last of the drivers who got stranded overnight on an interstate highway in Virginia.
Northam to remove Lee statue pedestal, transfer land to city
Read full article: Northam to remove Lee statue pedestal, transfer land to cityVirginia Gov. Ralph Northam has announced that his administration will remove an enormous pedestal that until earlier this year held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E.
Democratic women in Virginia frustrated by paid leave flop
Read full article: Democratic women in Virginia frustrated by paid leave flopDemocrats’ decision to drop a proposal for paid family leave from their massive social safety net and climate change package was met with disappointment and irritation by female voters in Virginia.
Obama sharply criticizes Youngkin in Va. governor's race
Read full article: Obama sharply criticizes Youngkin in Va. governor's raceFormer President Barack Obama has offered a sharp rebuke of the Republican candidate for Virginia governor while campaigning for the Democrat in the closely contested race.
Obama to campaign with McAuliffe in Virginia governor's race
Read full article: Obama to campaign with McAuliffe in Virginia governor's raceFormer President Barack Obama is coming to Richmond this month to campaign with fellow Democrat Terry McAuliffe in the final stretch of the competitive race for Virginia governor.
McAuliffe, Youngkin hold fiery debate on vaccinations, taxes
Read full article: McAuliffe, Youngkin hold fiery debate on vaccinations, taxesDemocrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin got off to a combative start in the second and final debate in Virginia’s closely watched gubernatorial election.
Pressure rising for Democrats in Virginia governor's race
Read full article: Pressure rising for Democrats in Virginia governor's raceAbout a month and a half out from the finale of the Virginia governor's race, optimism among Democrats in this state long trending blue is increasingly tinged with nervousness.
McAuliffe, Youngkin clash over abortion, COVID in 1st debate
Read full article: McAuliffe, Youngkin clash over abortion, COVID in 1st debateDemocrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin clashed over abortion and vaccination policies in Virginia’s first gubernatorial debate of the general election season.
Virginia governor's race: Key takeaways from the 1st debate
Read full article: Virginia governor's race: Key takeaways from the 1st debateDemocrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin have met in southwest Virginia for the commonwealth’s first gubernatorial debate of the general election season.
More Virginia sites set to welcome Afghan immigrant influx
Read full article: More Virginia sites set to welcome Afghan immigrant influxVirginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration has received notification that the Department of Defense has authorized the use of Marine Corps Base Quantico to house Afghan refugees, as well as a national guard installation in central Virginia.
Republicans take to mask wars as virus surges in red states
Read full article: Republicans take to mask wars as virus surges in red statesTop Republicans are battling school districts in their own states’ urban, heavily Democratic areas over whether students should be required to mask up as they head back to school.
Dismissal of Virginia lieutenant governor's lawsuit upheld
Read full article: Dismissal of Virginia lieutenant governor's lawsuit upheldA federal appeals court has upheld a ruling dismissing a defamation lawsuit filed by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax after CBS News broadcast interviews with two women who accused him of sexual assault.
GOP governors tie economy to relaxed approach to coronavirus
Read full article: GOP governors tie economy to relaxed approach to coronavirusRepublican governors running for reelection have begun trumpeting the party’s more hands-off approach to the coronavirus pandemic as they try to flip the script on an issue that helped Democrats win the White House and control of Capitol Hill in 2020.
Virginia court to hear challenges to removal of Lee statue
Read full article: Virginia court to hear challenges to removal of Lee statueThe Supreme Court of Virginia is set to hear arguments in legal challenges to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's plan to take down a 131-year-old statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E.
Virginia Dems to decide: Return McAuliffe or chart new path?
Read full article: Virginia Dems to decide: Return McAuliffe or chart new path?In his quest for a second term as Virginia governor, Terry McAuliffe is heading into next week's five-way Democratic primary with an undeniable lead in public polling, name recognition, endorsements and money.
Justin Fairfax's bid for governor has observers asking: Why?
Read full article: Justin Fairfax's bid for governor has observers asking: Why?Virginia’s lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, has long had lofty political ambitions, and despite facing two unresolved allegations of sexual assault he’s pressing forward with a bid for governor.
Political newcomer Youngkin wins Virginia GOP governor race
Read full article: Political newcomer Youngkin wins Virginia GOP governor racePolitical newcomer Glenn Youngkin has emerged as Virginia Republicans’ nominee for governor, in a year when the GOP hopes to end a 12-year losing streak in statewide races.
Officer accused of force in stop of Black Army officer fired
Read full article: Officer accused of force in stop of Black Army officer firedA Virginia town has announced that one of two police officers accused of pepper-spraying and pointing their guns at a Black Army officer during a traffic stop has since been fired.
Gaetz vows to fight, tries to stay on offensive amid scandal
Read full article: Gaetz vows to fight, tries to stay on offensive amid scandalFlorida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who is embroiled in a federal sex trafficking investigation, has denied wrongdoing and refused to resign — or even lay low — amid mounting political pressure.
Northam endorses predecessor McAuliffe for Virginia governor
Read full article: Northam endorses predecessor McAuliffe for Virginia governorDemocratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is backing Terry McAuliffe in the race to succeed him, handing his predecessor one of the contest’s most coveted endorsements.
Virginia governor seeks to accelerate marijuana legalization
Read full article: Virginia governor seeks to accelerate marijuana legalizationRalph Northam speaks at a news conference to announce the expansion of commuter rail in Virginia at the Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Alexandria Station, in Alexandria, Va. Adults in Virginia could legally possess and grow small amounts of marijuana beginning in July, about three years sooner than initially envisioned, under changes the governor proposed Wednesday, March 31, to legislation passed earlier this year. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)RICHMOND, Va. – Adults in Virginia could legally possess and grow small amounts of marijuana beginning in July, about three years sooner than initially envisioned, under changes the governor proposed Wednesday to legislation passed earlier this year. It would not have legalized marijuana until 2024, which racial justice advocates said was far too long to wait. AdA coalition of advocacy groups — including Marijuana Justice, Justice Forward Virginia, RISE for Youth and the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia — hailed the July 1 legalization date as “the first step toward ending racist marijuana law enforcement.” The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus also praised the amendments.
Virginia, with 2nd-most executions, outlaws death penalty
Read full article: Virginia, with 2nd-most executions, outlaws death penaltyRepublicans argued that the death penalty should remain a sentencing option for especially heinous crimes and to bring justice to victims and their families. In addition to the 23 states that have now abolished the death penalty, three others have moratoriums in place that were imposed by their governors. Jason Miyares, a death penalty supporter, expressed disappointment in the new law. AdRobert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, and a death penalty opponent, said abolishing executions in Virginia could mark the beginning of the end for capital punishment in the South, where the highest number of prisoners are put to death. It is the moral thing to do — to end the death penalty in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” he said.
Cuomo crisis recalls Northam’s; supporters say no comparison
Read full article: Cuomo crisis recalls Northam’s; supporters say no comparisonFILE -This Monday March 15, 2021 file photo shows Virginia Gov. “#Cuomo is pulling a Northam,” tweeted veteran political analyst Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. Like Cuomo, Northam initially faced nearly unanimous calls from his own party to resign after a scandal erupted over a racist photo in his medical school yearbook. “I don’t see any comparison," said state Sen. Richard Stuart, a Republican and personal friend of the Virginia governor. As for Northam, his senior political adviser Mark Bergman said: “He will never be running for office again."
Scandals reveal Cuomo known by New Yorkers to wider nation
Read full article: Scandals reveal Cuomo known by New Yorkers to wider nationKisco, N.Y. New Yorks attorney general has promised a thorough investigation of allegations that Cuomo sexually harassed at least two women. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)It was Andrew Cuomo’s Emmy-winning performance: daily televised coronavirus briefings in which the New York governor projected competence and compassion, helping to calm a nervous nation. To New Yorkers who have watched the Democrat for years, however, the allegations are consistent with how Cuomo maintains his tight grip on power. Assembly member Ron Kim, a Democrat who blasted Cuomo over those deaths, said Cuomo called and threatened to “destroy” him if he didn’t retract his criticism. AdWhile he started as a centrist, he’s since moved to the left — though many progressive lawmakers still view Cuomo with distrust.
Virginia lawmakers vote to legalize marijuana in 2024
Read full article: Virginia lawmakers vote to legalize marijuana in 2024RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia lawmakers gave final approval Saturday to a bill that will legalize marijuana for adult recreational use, but not until 2024, when retail sales of the drug would also begin. With a compromise bill clearing the House and Senate, Virginia becomes the first Southern state to vote to legalize marijuana, joining 15 other states and the District of Columbia. AdUnder the legislation, possession of up to an ounce (28.3 grams) of marijuana will become legal beginning Jan. 1, 2024, at the same time sales will begin and regulations will go into effect to control the marijuana marketplace in Virginia. Lawmakers last year decriminalized marijuana, making simple possession a civil penalty that can be punished by a fine of no more than $25. “Today, the Virginia General Assembly failed to legalize marijuana for racial justice.
Jill Biden says things get better, including after divorce
Read full article: Jill Biden says things get better, including after divorceFirst lady Jill Biden waves to Virginia Gov. Citing her late mother's advice, she tells Clarkson things happen for a reason. She also says her divorce freed her to meet Joe Biden and have a family with him. After marrying Joe Biden, Jill Biden helped raise his sons Beau and Hunter after their mother and baby sister died in a car crash in 1972. During her first solo television interview, Jill Biden also discussed her interest in education, military families, cancer research and healing the country.
Virginia lawmakers vote to abolish the death penalty
Read full article: Virginia lawmakers vote to abolish the death penaltyVirginia State Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Augusta, front, looks at the vote tally board during a vote on a death penalty abolition bill at the Senate session at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Va., Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. AdEven last year, death penalty abolition bills in the General Assembly went nowhere. Historically, Virginia has used the death penalty more than any other state, executing nearly 1,400 people since its days as a colony, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, Virginia, with 113 executions, is second only to Texas. Michael Stone, executive director of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, called the vote to abolish capital punishment a landmark moment in the state's history.
Hiccups as Virginia lawmakers adapt to legislating by Zoom
Read full article: Hiccups as Virginia lawmakers adapt to legislating by Zoom(AP Photo/Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va. – The coronavirus pandemic is again upending the daily routines of the tradition-bound Virginia General Assembly. The situation has led to persistent technical difficulties, an uncharacteristically profane hot mic situation and more serious complaints from lawmakers and advocates alike. Critics say legislating over Zoom has limited transparency, stifled public participation and diluted the democratic process. I mean, given our situation, I think it’s OK," said Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government. The House speaker has said the adjustments - made in consultation with public health experts - were essential and have succeeded in keeping lawmakers and staff healthy.
Advocates promote social equity in Virginia marijuana bills
Read full article: Advocates promote social equity in Virginia marijuana billsThree convictions for marijuana possession put an end to that. Thomas, who is Black, is an example of one of the main arguments made in the push to legalize recreational marijuana in Virginia. Democrats in the General Assembly frame this as a social equity issue, a necessary step to ending the disparate criminalization of people of color under the state's current marijuana laws. AdBoth bills also call for dedicating 30% of marijuana tax revenue — after program costs — to a Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund. Black Virginians with marijuana convictions say expungement is one of the most important parts, because a criminal record harms their prospects for jobs, housing and credit.
Virginia House joins Senate in voting to end death penalty
Read full article: Virginia House joins Senate in voting to end death penaltyDemocratic Sen. Scott Surovell is again sponsoring a bill that would abolish the death penalty, and he has a Republican chief co-patron. (Virginia Department of Corrections via AP, File)RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia moved another step closer to ending capital punishment on Friday when the state House joined the Senate in voting to abolish the death penalty. It's a dramatic shift for Virginia, which has put more people to death over its centuries-long history than any other state. In modern times, Virginia trails only Texas in the number of executions since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. AdLast year, death penalty abolition bills in the General Assembly went nowhere.
The Latest: Mexico sees near-record daily coronavirus deaths
Read full article: The Latest: Mexico sees near-record daily coronavirus deaths(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)MEXICO CITY — Mexico reported a near-record 1,707 confirmed coronavirus deaths Wednesday, as the country runs out of vaccines. Ad___THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:Spain surpasses 60,000 confirmed virus deaths. British officials say Oxford study backs up their decision to delay second vaccine shot for up to 12 weeks. Ad___OKLAHOMA CITY -- About 11,500 doses of the coronavirus vaccine will be shipped to pharmacies across Oklahoma next week, state health officials said. ___MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Nicaragua’s government says it has approved Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
The Latest: S Korea curbing travel, gatherings for holiday
Read full article: The Latest: S Korea curbing travel, gatherings for holiday— New Zealand’s medical regulator has approved its first coronavirus vaccine, and officials hope to begin giving shots to border workers by the end of March. Tate Reeves says he’s skeptical about a new federal effort to reduce racial disparities in coronavirus vaccination rates. ___BEIRUT — Lebanon has broken its single-day record of coronavirus deaths with 81 as the country continued its nationwide lockdown for the third week. ___LAS VEGAS — Nevada has recorded its deadliest month of the coronavirus pandemic in January after reporting eight additional coronavirus deaths over the weekend. Mike DeWine and his wife received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday in a procedure streamed live.
‘Deception on a national scale’: Governors complain over pace of COVID-19 vaccine shipments
Read full article: ‘Deception on a national scale’: Governors complain over pace of COVID-19 vaccine shipmentsFILE - In this Dec. 15, 2020, file photo, a droplet falls from a syringe after a health care worker was injected with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Women & Infants Hospital in Providence, R.I. Uncertainty over the pace of federal COVID-19 vaccine allotments triggered anger and confusion Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, in some states where officials worried that expected shipments would not be forthcoming. Kate Brown said those plans are now in disarray because of “deception on a national scale” by the administration. Late Friday, Oregon health officials said a case of the variant had been diagnose in the Portland area in a patient who had no travel history. “What we’re seeing is fully in line with the dysfunction that has characterized the Trump administration’s entire response to COVID-19.
Officers connected to Taylor's death could face dismissal
Read full article: Officers connected to Taylor's death could face dismissalFILE - This undated file photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar shows Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Ky. “Jaynes did nothing wrong.”Jaynes was not present during the shooting at Taylor’s apartment in Louisville. In Jaynes’ pretermination letter, Gentry said, the officer committed “extreme violations of our policies, which endangered others.”“Your actions have brought discredit upon yourself and the department,” she wrote. The two officers who shot Taylor, according to ballistics evidence, were not charged by the grand jury. One of those officers was shot by Taylor’s boyfriend during the raid and returned fire.
Virginia’s Lee statue has been removed from the US Capitol
Read full article: Virginia’s Lee statue has been removed from the US CapitolThe statue that has represented Virginia in the U.S. Capitol for 111 years has been removed after a state commission decided that Lee was not a fitting symbol for the state. (Jack Mayer/Office of Governor of Virginia, File)WASHINGTON – A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that has represented Virginia in the U.S. Capitol for 111 years has been removed. Ralph Northam said in a statement that workers removed the statue from the National Statuary Hall Collection early Monday morning. Northam had requested the removal and a state commission decided that Lee was not a fitting symbol for the state. Lee's statue had stood with George Washington's statue since 1909 as Virginia’s representatives in the Capitol.
The Latest: Washington gov. may announces new restrictions
Read full article: The Latest: Washington gov. may announces new restrictionsWashington state and county health officials have warned of a spike in coronavirus cases across the state, and pleaded with the public to take the pandemic more seriously heading into the winter holidays. The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care beds reached 362 on Friday, the most since late August. ___KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has introduced tight weekend restrictions as the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases hit a national record. Health Minister Maxim Stepanov said Saturday that Ukraine registered 12,524 new confirmed cases, about 800 more than the previous day. Overall, Russia has reported 1,903.000 confirmed virus cases and 32,834 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
At least 5 injured in blast, fire at Virginia strip mall
Read full article: At least 5 injured in blast, fire at Virginia strip mall(AP) – An investigation was underway into the cause of an explosion and large fire at a shopping center in Harrisonburg, Virginia, that injured at least five people Saturday morning. The strip mall contained a vape shop, musical instrument store and recording studio, according to the Daily News-Record. The building where the blast occurred was about 30 yards (27 meters) from the race’s start and finish line, the school said. Families who lived nearby told TV station WHSV the blast shook their homes. “It woke me up personally and I mean, I knew right away that it was something not normal,” Katie Landes told the station.
Judge finds cases against 5 in Whitmer plot can move forward
Read full article: Judge finds cases against 5 in Whitmer plot can move forwardU.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens said the five men's cases can go to a grand jury, which will determine whether to issue indictments. Berens on Tuesday denied bond for the three other Michigan residents charged in the case: Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta. Agent Richard Trask testified that members of anti-government paramilitary groups from several states discussed abducting Whitmer or Virginia Democratic Gov. Authorities found conversations among group members in which they were worried that federal authorities had infiltrated their planning sessions, he said. Berens found that the information presented showed the men had a unified purpose — to kidnap Whitmer — allowing the case to move forward.
The Latest: Sri Lanka bans gatherings amid virus cluster
Read full article: The Latest: Sri Lanka bans gatherings amid virus clusterSri Lankans wait to give swab samples to test for COVID-19 in Minuwangoda, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Authorities in Sri Lanka have banned all public gatherings as a new cluster of coronavirus infections expands in the Indian Ocean island nation. Health officials had raised concerns that infections will rise because of increased travel during the five-day Chuseok harvest holiday that ended Sunday. The figures released by health officials Wednesday brought South Korea’s case total to 24,353 for the pandemic, including 425 deaths. ____OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma’s two largest universities are both delaying the start of their spring semester and canceling spring break because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Poll: Virginians about evenly divided on Confederate statues
Read full article: Poll: Virginians about evenly divided on Confederate statuesIn a state where Confederate monuments have stood for more than a century and have recently become a flashpoint in the national debate over racial injustice, Virginians remain about evenly divided on whether the statues should stay or go, according to a new poll. The poll conducted this month by Hampton University and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 46% support removal of Confederate statues and 42% oppose removal. The poll conducted this month by Hampton University and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 46% support removal of Confederate statues and 42% oppose removal. The 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that left a counterprotester dead had its origins in a city debate over whether to remove Confederate statues. On another topic, the poll found only about 1 in 4 Virginians support keeping schools in the state completely closed to in-person learning.
Virus cases rise in US heartland, home to anti-mask feelings
Read full article: Virus cases rise in US heartland, home to anti-mask feelingsNow the coronavirus outbreak is heating up fast in smaller cities in the heartland, often in conservative corners of America where anti-mask sentiment runs high. Wisconsin is averaging more than 2,000 new cases a day over the last week, compared with 675 three weeks earlier. Health officials said if virus cases in these neighborhoods continue to build, the city might roll back the reopening in some places and require businesses to close back down. In Joplin, Missouri, a mask ordinance was allowed to expire in mid-August as virus fatigue grew. Since then, the number of positive cases there and in surrounding Jasper County — a deeply conservative county that Trump won by more than 50 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in 2016 — has risen about 80%.
The Latest: Concerns over coronavirus upticks in California
Read full article: The Latest: Concerns over coronavirus upticks in CaliforniaThe directive comes amid concerns about an uptick in coronavirus cases in certain Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods with large Orthodox Jewish populations. New York City’s current overall infection rate remains low, but official figures indicate the affected neighborhoods accounted for 20% of the city’s coronavirus cases in recent weeks. ___BOSTON — An outbreak of coronavirus infections at a major Boston hospital has grown to 19 confirmed cases. ___DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa has reported a jump of 1,086 new coronavirus cases, the second consecutive day of new cases exceeding 1,000. There are currently nearly 985,000 worldwide coronavirus deaths.
Health officials seek to block Trump rally in Virginia
Read full article: Health officials seek to block Trump rally in VirginiaRICHMOND, Va. – A Virginia health official is warning of a “severe public health threat” if a planned campaign rally for President Donald Trump goes forward Friday evening. Dr. Natasha Dwamena, a Department of Public Health district director, said in a letter Thursday that the 4,000 people expected to attend Trump's rally at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport would be breaking Gov. “The rally poses a concerning public health risk,” Dwamena said in the letter, which was addressed to the private company that leases the hangar where the rally is set to take place. But it's unlikely to make a difference, as the Trump campaign has routinely flouted public health guidelines intended to halt the spread of COVID-19. John Fredericks, a conservative radio host and chairman of the Virginia delegation for the Trump campaign, said Democrats are trying to block the rally for political reasons.
Virginia lieutenant governor enters race for governor
Read full article: Virginia lieutenant governor enters race for governorFAIRFAX, Va. – Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax formally kicked off his campaign for governor Saturday, a year after facing two allegations of sexual assault. Fairfax delivered a campaign speech at the Old Court House in Fairfax in northern Virginia. In February 2019, Fairfax faced calls for his resignation from fellow Democrats after two women publicly accused him of sexual assault. Fairfax has denied the allegations and accused the women of being part of a “smear campaign” to end his political career. Fairfax was elected Virginia's lieutenant governor in 2017.
State senator charged with 'injury' to Confederate monument
Read full article: State senator charged with 'injury' to Confederate monumentNORFOLK, Va. A Virginia state senator has been charged with damaging a Confederate monument in Portsmouth during protests that also led to a demonstrator being critically injured when a statue was torn down, authorities said Monday. Lucas is a longtime Democratic legislator and a key power broker in the state Senate, joining the chamber in 1992. The monument in Portsmouth consists of a large obelisk and statues of four Confederate military personnel. Felony charges leveled against a sitting state senator are to be taken seriously, and should not be sought out for political gain, he said in a statement. "It is for that reason that the Republican Party of Virginia calls for Senator Lucas to turn herself in.
Elite public schools in Virginia, elsewhere seek diversity
Read full article: Elite public schools in Virginia, elsewhere seek diversityRising seniors at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology gather on the campus in Alexandria, Va., Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. That may be changing soon, as Virginia officials prepare plans to dramatically alter the admissions policy at TJ and 18 other gifted high schools across the state. Some parents and alumni of magnet schools say they are worried the changes will entail relaxing admissions standards and lowering the schools' quality. Virginia Education Secretary Atif Qarni has been leading a task force impaneled by Democratic Gov. He expects the task force could produce recommended changes to the schools admissions policies as soon as Thursday.
States on hook for billions under Trump's unemployment plan
Read full article: States on hook for billions under Trump's unemployment planEqually up in the air is whether states, which are necessary partners in Trump's plan to bypass Congress, will sign on. Many Republicans have expressed concern that a $600 weekly benefit, on top of existing state benefits, gives people an incentive to stay unemployed. But under Trump's plan, the $400 a week requires a state to commit to providing $100. Asked at a news conference how many governors had signed on to participate, Trump answered: If they don't, they don't. I dont think there will be a huge delay.
Officer's killing: Report finds violations in parole case
Read full article: Officer's killing: Report finds violations in parole caseGOP leaders said all current Parole Board members should resign, or be fired by Gov. Republicans also want Martins parole immediately repealed and Martin returned to prison to await a new boards decision on whether he should be set free. Alena Yarmosky, Northam's spokeswoman, said the review was procedural and had nothing to do with the merits of the decision to release Martin, who served a 40-year sentence. Governor Northam has spoken with the new Chair of the Parole Board, and reiterated that he expects all notification procedures to be followed, period, Yarmosky's statement said. The things she did, the things this parole board did to us, and theres no recourse, Maureen Clements, one of Connors sisters, said in an interview.
'Too many are selfish': US nears 5 million virus cases
Read full article: 'Too many are selfish': US nears 5 million virus casesMembers of the Nevada National Guard install social distancing stickers while setting up a new temporary coronavirus testing site Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, in Las Vegas. Some Americans have resisted wearing masks and social distancing, calling such precautions an over-the-top response or an infringement on their liberty. We do.The number of confirmed infections in the U.S. has topped 4.7 million, with new cases running at over 60,000 a day. In Virginia, cases have surged so much in cites like Norfolk and Virginia Beach that Democratic Gov. You just dont care as much about social distancing after youve had a couple of drinks.
Governors' companies among recipients of virus relief loans
Read full article: Governors' companies among recipients of virus relief loansThe governors of at least seven states have ties to companies that received loans through the Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program. Jim Justice's family businesses qualified for loans. Larry Hogan also received loans. Governors' successful efforts to tap the loan program came, in some cases, as they faced pushback against the economic effects of their virus policies. PlumpJack Management Group LLC, Newsom's winery and hospitality company, received a loan worth $150,000 to $350,000.
Evangelical Liberty U rattled by its own racial reckoning
Read full article: Evangelical Liberty U rattled by its own racial reckoningFILE - In this July 21, 2016, file photo, Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)RICHMOND, Va. As the nation wrestles with how to do more for racial equality, Liberty University a school whose leadership has said it doesn't have a problem is facing its own tough questions. Indeed, McLaurin and other disheartened Black alumni have limited power to force change. But Libertys reckoning over race comes as its share of on-campus Black students has declined in recent years. Internal documents obtained by AP show Black students made up 13% of Libertys resident undergraduates in 2007 and just 5% last year.
Google Doodle commemorates the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, set to ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’
Read full article: Google Doodle commemorates the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, set to ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’(CNN) -- In honor of Juneteenth, companies have given employees paid leave in celebration, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is pushing to make it a paid state holiday and there seems to be more awareness around the holiday than ever before. Now, Google is also jumping in, commemorating the 155th anniversary of June 19 -- largely celebrated as the end of slavery in the US -- with a video Google Doodle. Set to the first verse of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," also called the Black national anthem, the video begins with General Order No. A blend of the words June and nineteenth, Juneteenth is the oldest known US celebration of the end of slavery.
Democrat McClellan announces bid to be Virginia governor
Read full article: Democrat McClellan announces bid to be Virginia governor(AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)RICHMOND, Va. A Virginia state senator is launching a bid to be the state's next governor, which if successful would make her the nation's first African-American woman to ever lead a state. I have the understanding of where we are in this moment in time, how we got here ... and the vision to take Virginia forward, McClellan said. McClellan is one of several Democrats either officially running or eyeing a possible campaign for their party's nomination to succeed Gov. If she were to win the 2021 contest, McClellan would be Virginias first woman governor, the first African American female governor in the United States and only the second woman ever elected to statewide office in Virginia. I'm not running to make history, I am running to set Virginia on the course I think we need to go," she said.
Injunction extended against removing Lee statue in Virginia
Read full article: Injunction extended against removing Lee statue in Virginia(AP Photo/Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va. A judge on Thursday indefinitely extended an injunction preventing the Virginia governor from removing a historic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from Richmonds famed Monument Avenue. The 12-ton (11 metric-ton), 21-foot-tall (6.4-meter-tall) statue has stood in a prominent spot along Monument Avenue since 1890. The Lee statue in Richmond has become a rallying point for demonstrators during more than two weeks of protests. The Lee statue is one of five Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue, a National Historic Landmark district. The Lee statue is on state property.
Pharrell Williams Joins Virginia Governor in Announcing Legislation to Make Juneteenth an Official Holiday
Read full article: Pharrell Williams Joins Virginia Governor in Announcing Legislation to Make Juneteenth an Official HolidayTexas first made it a state holiday in 1980. The Democratic governor is giving every executive branch employee this Friday off as a paid holiday and will work with the legislature later this year to pass a law codifying Juneteenth as a permanent state holiday. The announcement came less than two weeks after Northam announced he was ordering the removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee along Richmond's prominent Monument Avenue. Earlier this year, Northam signed legislation scrapping Lee-Jackson Day, a state holiday named after two Confederate generals. Northam was joined Tuesday at his news conference by musician Pharrell Williams, who is from Virginia.
Historical figures reassessed around globe after Floyd death
Read full article: Historical figures reassessed around globe after Floyd deathPeople stand around the fallen Christopher Columbus statue at the Minnesota state Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday, June 10, 2020. In Bristol, England, demonstrators over the weekend toppled a statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston and threw it in the harbor. On Wednesday night, protesters pulled down a century-old statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, who has proposed dismantling all Confederate statues in the city, asked protesters not to take matters into their own hands for their own safety. Andrew Cuomo, who is Italian American, said he opposes removal of a statue of Columbus in Manhattans Columbus Circle.
Historical figures under attack after George Floyd's death
Read full article: Historical figures under attack after George Floyd's deathThe statues on the Confederate monument are covered in graffiti and beheaded after a protest in Portsmouth, Va., Wednesday, June 10, 2020. Protesters beheaded and then pulled down four statues that were part of a Confederate monument. The spokesman for the Virginia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, B. Frank Earnest, condemned the toppling of public works of art and likened losing the Confederate statues to losing a family member. For protesters mobilized by Floyds death, the targets have ranged far beyond the Confederacy. Andrew Cuomo, who is Italian American, said he opposes removal of a statue of Columbus in Manhattans Columbus Circle.
The Latest: Virginia city aims to move Confederate statue
Read full article: The Latest: Virginia city aims to move Confederate statue___PORTSMOUTH, Va. Protesters in Portsmouth, Virginia, covered statues at a Confederate monument in the city with sheets and bags Wednesday, several hours after the citys council members had a meeting about relocating it. A white sheet that read BLM covered the fence in front of the monument after the Portsmouth city council met Tuesday to discuss its removal, WVEC-TV reported. Mayor John Rowe proposed allocating $100,000 to remove the statue and possibly relocate it to a local cemetery. During the councils meeting Tuesday, Rowe asked the city attorney if Portsmouth has the right to move the 127-year-old memorial. Reporters have a fundamental right to cover the demonstrations were seeing in Delaware and across our country, Delaware Gov.
Crews inspect, but won't yet remove, Richmond's Lee statue
Read full article: Crews inspect, but won't yet remove, Richmond's Lee statueEDS NOTE: OBSCENITY - An inspection crew from the Virginia Department of General Services inspect the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue Monday June. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)RICHMOND, Va. RICHMOND, Va.Workers for the state of Virginia inspected Richmond's huge statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monday before its planned removal. Virginia's Department of General Services said in a statement that it plans to remove the statue of the Confederate general on a date to be determined, as soon as possible. In Richmond, the Lee statue is on state property. Police officers blocked off streets leading up to the traffic circle that surrounds the Lee statue around 7 a.m. Monday.
Falwell apologizes for tweet that included racist photo
Read full article: Falwell apologizes for tweet that included racist photoRICHMOND, Va. RICHMOND, Va.Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. apologized Monday for a tweet that included a racist photo that appeared on Gov. Falwell, a stalwart backer of President Donald Trump and the son of the late evangelist the Rev. Organizers of last week's alumni letter responded to Falwell's apology with a note of thanks, adding that they are hopeful that healing and reconciliation can" result from it. In late May, Falwell tweeted his opposition to a mask mandate from Gov. Whether Falwell's apology quells what had become a growing tide of criticism of his leadership style and occasionally inflammatory comments remains an open question.
Protesters topple Confederate statue in Virginia capital
Read full article: Protesters topple Confederate statue in Virginia capitalA rope had been tied around the Confederate statue, which has stood since 1891, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, adding that someone urinated on the statue after it was pulled down. Confederate monuments are a major flashpoint in Virginia and elsewhere in the South. Those statues sit on city land, unlike the Lee statue, which is on state property. Thats when a new law goes into effect, which was signed earlier this year by Northam, that undoes an existing state law protecting Confederate monuments and instead lets local governments decide their fate. Wickhams statue stood in Monroe Park, about a mile away from the Lee statue and surrounded by the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.
After protests, Northam orders removal of iconic Lee statue
Read full article: After protests, Northam orders removal of iconic Lee statueProtesters sit near the statue of Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. As for the Lee statue, Northam and his predecessor, fellow Democrat Terry McAuliffe, have not previously pressed the issue. The statues on Monument Avenue are among the most prominent collection of tributes to the Confederacy in the nation. A statue of black tennis hero Arthur Ashe, a Richmond native, was erected on Monument Avenue in 1996. "The Lee statue was a constant reminder to Black Virginians of racism, dehumanization, and hate that exists and was prevalent throughout our historyA descendant of Lee, the Rev.
Virginia governor to announce removal of Lee statue
Read full article: Virginia governor to announce removal of Lee statueIn this photo taken with a drone, a large group of protesters gather around the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue near downtown Tuesday, June 2, 2020, in Richmond, Va. Ralph Northam is expected to announce plans Thursday for the removal of an iconic statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from Richmond's prominent Monument Avenue, a senior administration official told The Associated Press. Floyd's death has sparked outrage over issues of racism and police brutality and prompted a new wave of Confederate memorial removals. The Lee statue is one of five Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy. It has been the target of vandalism during protests in recent days over Floyd's death.
Virginia county pulls officers from Washington, DC after Trump photo-op
Read full article: Virginia county pulls officers from Washington, DC after Trump photo-opPresident Donald Trump holds a Bible as he visits outside St. John's Church across Lafayette Park from the White House Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington. What was unacceptable Monday, she said, was using officers to facilitate a press op.In Richmond, Virginia Gov. Newsham said his officers were not involved in moving the protesters out of Trump's way. Democrat Gerry Connolly wrote a letter to the Secret Service on Tuesday asking for documents to explain their decision-making process. And Democrat Don Beyer, whose district includes Arlington County, called Trumps response to the protesters naked authoritarianism."