|
Read Online10 Most Clicked
By ANTONIO OLIVO, OVETTA WIGGINS, GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER AND DARRAN SIMON, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
The tally of novel coronavirus cases in the Washington region climbed past 1,000 Wednesday as Maryland, Virginia and the District reported their largest single-day increases — a grim markerthat illustrates both the continued spread of the virus and the fact that more testing is being done to detect it.
By KATE MASTERS, Virginia Mercury
Virginia’s state laboratory in Richmond has quietly expanded its capacity for testing COVID-19, the disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. Dena Potter, director of communications for the Department of General Services (the agency under which the state lab operates), said it’s now able to test more than 2,000 patients for the virus — a significant increase from last week, when the lab’s capacity was at roughly 1,000 patients.
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
A third resident of a nursing rehabilitation center in western Henrico County has died and nearly a dozen more patients and four health care workers have been infected by a COVID-19 outbreak in a highly vulnerable population. Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center confirmed the third death Wednesday, a day after the announcement that two residents had died from the virus...
By ELISHA SAUERS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Marc Frank couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw an email from one of his wholesalers last week advertising thousands of respirator masks for sale. Why are these even being offered to businesses like his, Portsmouth Armie Navie, at a time like this, he wondered? So Frank started calling hospitals and nursing facilities in the area that he thought might need them. He finally reached a Sentara Healthcare representative through the operator Monday morning.
By DAVE RESS, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)
He was driving home from a small weekend gathering with some friends when David D. Dafashy, medical director at the College of William & Mary’s student health center, got the call from the state health department. He and his wife, the health official said, had been at a dinner party nearly two weeks earlier with someone who had later tested positive for the new coronavirus. Within days, the couple would be among the first to fall ill from COVID-19 in what’s become Virginia’s epicenter.
By ALAN SUDERMAN, Associated Press
Virginia lawmakers passed a budget earlier this month that would give teachers and state employees raises and bonuses — a win for public sector workers who said they’d suffered too many years of stagnant pay since the Great Recession. The total cost of the pay increases was about $600 million over the next two years, which was one of several big ticket new spending lawmakers were able to approve thanks to a stronger-than-expected economy. Two weeks later, those pay boosts are in serious jeopardy ...
By MEGAN CLOHERTY, WTOP
When Gov. Ralph Northam announced that Virginia schools will remain closed through the rest of academic year, hearts sank across the state for students who were looking forward to making milestone memories. In Oakton, one high school senior is making the best of things. Every morning, Noah Walker and Mattie Shannon’s voices would echo through the halls of Oakton High School for morning announcements. Walker, a senior who suddenly had his year cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, said they decided to take the daily routine to Instagram.
The Full Report
52 articles, 20 publications
Read Online10 Most Clicked
By MARIE ALBIGES AND ROBYN SIDERSKY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Gov. Ralph Northam is asking health professionals to volunteer to help during the coronavirus pandemic and is mandating all medical facilities postpone elective surgeries. In the past 24 hours, 101 more people have confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The move from 290 to 391 was a jump of 35%.
By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press
All elective surgeries at Virginia hospitals must be suspended to preserve the capacity of the state’s health care system amid the coronavirus pandemic, the governor ordered Wednesday. Health officials reported a one-day increase of more than 100 cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, bringing the total to just shy of 400. They also reported new deaths, bringing the total to more than a dozen.
By NOLAN STOUT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Charlottesville officials said Wednesday that Gov. Ralph Northam isn’t doing enough to force residents throughout the state to stay at home to stop the spread of COVID-19. Officials sent a letter to the governor’s office Wednesday morning as the City Council took measures to ensure the local government can remain functional.
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
Virginia will get at least $1.5 billion in federal aid under a $2 trillion stimulus package to help individual Americans, small and large businesses, and health care systems recover from the devastating economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Senate passed the legislation unanimously late Wednesday night, and the House is expected to approve it Friday.
By TYLER ARNOLD, Washington Examiner
The $135 billion biennial budget proposal that passed the Virginia General Assembly includes a 20 percent spending increase, which 16 tax increases will help pay for. The increases include a gas-tax increase, a cigarette-tax increase and some business-tax increases. The free-market Thomas Jefferson Institute estimates these increases will cost the average taxpayer about $500 a year.
By GRAHAM MOOMAW, Virginia Mercury
A Richmond judge has granted a Republican candidate’s emergency request to lower the petition signature requirements for the GOP’s upcoming U.S. Senate primary because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Omari Faulkner — one of roughly a half-dozen Republicans seeking the nomination to challenge U.S. Sen, Mark Warner, D-Va., in the fall — filed a lawsuit this week asking the court to suspend a law requiring candidates to gather 10,000 petition signatures from Virginia voters in order to have their name on the ballot for the June 9 primary.
By JUSTIN MATTINGLY, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
Students who were on track to advance to their next grade before Gov. Ralph Northam ordered schools to close starting March 16 will be able to despite the closures extending through the end of the academic year. Flexibility granted by the Virginia Department of Education allows local school districts to decide if students will continue to the next grade once schools reopen...
By SALEEN MARTIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Starting Wednesday, participants in Virginia’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will get emergency benefits to help during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a release from the state’s social services department. And that extra help for food stamp recipients should extend through April.
By KARRI PEIFER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
It’s official: Virginians are buying more booze while social distancing due to coronavirus — and they’re buying it directly from Virginia ABC. Sales at the state’s liquor stores were up 59% year-over-year last week, an increase of $11.1 million for the state, according the numbers released Wednesday by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The Richmond area saw a year-over-year sales increase of 64% last week, the second-highest in the state.
By MARK BOWES, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
A 29-year-old inmate at Riverside Regional Jail who died early Tuesday apparently was not infected with the coronavirus, a jail spokeswoman said. The inmate, Michael Dillon, went into medical distress at 12:06 a.m. while being examined by medical personnel and eventually died after efforts to revive him failed.
By BEN PAVIOUR, WCVE
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.) often find themselves on opposite sides of major Congressional votes. But they’re rallying behind a $2 trillion aid package set to be passed by the Senate on Wednesday to address the COVID-19 pandemic, even as they continue to disagree on the quality of President Donald Trump’s crisis leadership.
By MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, Richmond BizSense
A lot of otherwise run-of-the-mill tasks are proving to be trickier than usual in the age of coronavirus. That apparently includes closing on a mortgage. But one local lender has found a workaround to a peculiar predicament created by rising loan volume in the face of required social distancing. Behold, the drive-up closing table.
By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Once the schools began to shut down, Kevin and Joanna Felts’ plan was to close their Tidewater Gymnastics Academy for a week and re-evaluate, knowing they’d likely need to remain closed for yet another week. Now? “We’re just not sure,” Kevin said. “That’s the worst part. The uncertainty, the lack of control, the lack of direction,” said Joanna. There’s a lot of fear to go around these days, but there’s a unique anxiety with being a small business owner now.
By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
At least eight of every 10 hotel rooms in Williamsburg were empty last week. In the rest of Hampton Roads, the dire situation was only slightly better. The average number of occupied hotel rooms in Hampton Roads from March 15 to March 21 was 32.7%, according to hotel data research firm STR. In Williamsburg, the rate was just 14.8%.
By SCOTT SHENK, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)
The spread of the COVID-19 virus and extreme changes to how people work have combined to cause a severe drop in transit riders, mirroring what Fredericksburg-area drivers are seeing on local roads and interstates. Just as once-congested roads have become relatively lightly traveled since the virus spread to the state and people started practicing social distancing, once-crowded Virginia Railway Express trains have turned into virtual ghost cars.
By STAFF & WIRE REPORTS, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
Four more deaths related to the coronavirus were reported in Virginia on Wednesday as Gov. Ralph Northam called on Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. to reconsider his decision to invite students back to campus.
By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press
In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Virginia’s governor asked Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. on Wednesday to reconsider his decision to welcome students back to the Lynchburg campus this week after their spring break.
By SALEEN MARTIN AND MARIE ALBIGES, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
At the end of a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Ralph Northam called out Liberty University for inviting students back to its Lynchburg campus earlier this week amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Quoting 1 Corinthians, he said the school’s president, Jerry Falwell, had a duty to the school’s staff and students.
By STAFF REPORT, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Four more deaths related to the coronavirus were reported in Virginia on Wednesday. Dr. Lilian Peake, state epidemiologist for Virginia, said two adults in the Peninsula Health District had died, as well as a man in the Pittsylvania/Danville Health District.
By JULIA MARSIGLIANO, Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily (Metered paywall - 3 articles per month)
The Peninsula has the highest number of positive coronavirus (COVID 19) cases per capita statewide. . . . Virginia now has 391 positive cases. As of Wednesday, James City County remains to have one of the highest positive cases of coronavirus in the state at 41; Williamsburg has 5, York County, 8 and Newport News, 4, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
By LISA VERNON SPARKS, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)
One of the largest senior living facilities in Hampton confirmed Wednesday that one of its residents tested positive for the new coronavirus. “We can confirm a resident of The Chamberlin, who went home to visit family five days ago, later went to the hospital and has tested positive for COVID-19.," said Terry Howard, the chief executive officer at Harmony Senior Services LLC, in an email.
By JESSICA NOLTE AND SALEEN MARTIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Firefighters and paramedics in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach as well as York County and perhaps other area localities are taking precautions after possible exposure to the coronavirus. There’s no word on whether the employees tested positive, but in Portsmouth nine paramedics and firefighters were possibly exposed Tuesday during an emergency response and are now self-isolating at home, a spokeswoman said.
By BROCK VERGAKIS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Military hospitals will postpone elective surgeries, invasive procedures and dental procedures for 60 days to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus and free up medical staff, space and supplies to meet growing demand as the pandemic continues, according to the Defense Department.
By WILL VITKA, WTOP
Fairfax County, Virginia, announced the opening of three Inova Urgent Care respiratory illness clinic locations Wednesday to help check the spread of coronavirus. The clinic locations are at Dulles South, North Arlington and Tysons. Medical staff at those locations will evaluate all patients with respiratory illness symptoms.
By SARAH VOGELSONG, Virginia Mercury
Virginia is the latest state to ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin looking at hotels, dorms and arenas that can be converted into temporary “alternate care sites” to handle patients suffering from COVID-19.
By STAFF REPORT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Starting Wednesday, Region Ten is offering remote counseling for children, teens and families in an effort to continue providing key behavioral health services while schools are closed and people are being urged to stay at home.
By JEREMIAH KNUPP, Harrisonburg Citizen
As schools shut down and daycare centers operate under new restrictions – precautions meant to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus – parents who are still required to go to work every day could now be facing months of childcare challenges. At one crucial area institution, Sentara RMH Medical Center, this has prompted a call for volunteers to meet that need.
By FRANK GREEN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
In a letter emailed to physicians and pharmacies on Wednesday, Virginia’s state health commissioner warned against improperly prescribing or hoarding drugs purported — but not proven — to be useful in treating COVID-19 that are needed for patients with other serious illnesses.
By GORDON RAGO, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
When the Cosco Philippines, a ship that can carry thousands of containers, docked alongside the massive cranes at Virginia International Gateway early Monday morning, all eyes turned to one box. It was full of kits used to test for the coronavirus, the deadly disease that has shut down countries and slowed down global trade. By 9 a.m., the container was offloaded from the ship, and two hours later it was clamped down to the back of a truck... It was bound for a pharmaceutical company in Indianapolis, according to the port.
By ALLISON WRABEL, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Three local organizations that had been working on their own fundraising efforts for locals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have consolidated their efforts into the Community Emergency Response Fund. Charlottesville and Albemarle County are partners in the effort.
By MALLORY NOE-PAYNE, WVTF
Karen Acree is 61 and lives in South Boston, a small town near the North Carolina line. She’s a certified nurse assistant, and has three patients she regularly visits at home. That routine hasn’t stopped as COVID-19 has spread.
ArlNow
Some people hoping to get out of the house and get some exercise are defying government efforts to maintain social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak. On Monday, Arlington County and Arlington Public Schools closed all athletic fields and courts, as well as playgrounds and other outdoor recreational facilities where people congregate. On Tuesday, people could be seen climbing through a gap in the fence at the popular Washington-Liberty track, in pursuit of maintaining their exercise routines.
By MARIE ALBIGES, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
They had a plan for how they were going to educate college students about filling out their census questionnaires. At James Madison University, there would be in-person classroom lectures with powerpoint presentations. Tables in the recreation center with informational materials. A taco bar in the commons area, where students could fill out their questionnaires. Taco ’Bout the Census Tuesday, they were going to call it.
ArlNow
A new development that will build new housing in Rosslyn while renovating one of the region’s oldest hotels got the green light from the Arlington County Board over the weekend. The board approved the redevelopment of the Key Bridge Marriott site by a 4-0 vote. The project will include the renovation of the hotel — one of Marriott’s earliest hotels, which first opened in 1959 — as well as the construction of three new 16-story residential buildings, with about 300 rental apartments and 150 condo units.
By NEAL AUGENSTEIN, WTOP
Fairfax County, Virginia, will close all government buildings to the public Friday to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. At 5 p.m. Friday, the county will restrict public access to its government buildings, according to a statement. The county government will remain open, with most services available online.
By FATIMAH WASEEM, Reston Now
Previously approved plans for the redevelopment of Lake Anne Fellowship House are coming closer to reality following the securement of $3 million from the county. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to authorize the county’s housing authority to provide a $3 million loan for the project.
By JOHN BATTISTON, Loudoun Times
The distribution of more than 11,400 Chromebook computers to Loudoun County Public Schools students began Wednesday in a drive-by pickup event at Brambleton Middle School in Ashburn. LCPS ordered the new devices earlier this month in order to support distance learning prompted by the COVID-19 health crisis and, in turn, accelerate its planned three-year dissemination of Chromebooks to all students in grades 3 to 12.
By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
A series of emergency ordinances approved this week will allow businesses and property owners in some Richmond-area localities to postpone payment on upcoming tax bills without any penalties. Henrico County last week became the first locality in the region to freeze late fees and interest on lodging tax and meals tax payments. Chesterfield and Hanover counties adopted similar relief measures on lodging taxes Wednesday night.
By ROBYN SIDERSKY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Virginia Beach will close its playgrounds along with portions of its parks beginning Thursday until further notice because of the coronavirus pandemic. The closure includes playgrounds, dog parks, skate parks, basketball courts and volleyball courts. The larger playgrounds, such as at Grommet Island at the Oceanfront, Kids Cove at Mount Trashmore, Red Wing and others have been barricaded.
By RYAN MURPHY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
As the coronavirus pandemic leads to business closures and job losses, Norfolk is giving people more time to pay taxes. At a modified meeting Tuesday night — with the public not allowed but able to watch by video from the City Hall lobby — the City Council approved a slate of tax delays meant to give relief to homeowners and businesses.
By DON DEL ROSSO, Fauquier Now
As expected, Fauquier County’s revised fiscal 2021 budget proposal includes no tax increase because of the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. . . . Prepared before the coronavirus outbreak, County Administrator Paul McCulla’s original $357.9-million budget plan called for a 3.6-cent real estate tax hike. Mr. McCulla on Tuesday afternoon released a $349-million budget that scraps the proposed tax rate and strips about $9 million in spending from his original plan.
By CLAIRE MITZEL, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
As public school districts in the Roanoke and New River valleys begin to work out what distance learning will look like for the remainder of the school year, details are beginning to emerge. The past two weeks have consisted of ungraded review, but districts are generally expected to provide new instruction now that schools are closed for the remainder of the academic year.
By RICHARD CHUMNEY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
The city of Lynchburg is likely to lose nearly $3.4 million in local tax revenue this year as the novel coronavirus forces shoppers to stay home and businesses to close their doors. The blow to the local economy is expected to reduce the nearly $35 million in previously projected revenue by 10%, according to Lynchburg's Chief Finance Officer Donna Witt, who shared the news Tuesday with Lynchburg City Council.
By NED OLIVER, Virginia Mercury
The judge was conflicted. The woman appearing before him seeking bond on a felony larceny charge had a long history of petty crimes and a terrible record of following court orders: six failure to appears, four probation violations and two contempt of court citations. But she also suffers from a disease that compromised her immune system, according to her lawyers, who set up the hearing in Richmond General District Court last week in hopes of getting her out of jail, where experts worry the spread of COVID-19 will be especially difficult to contain.
Free Lance-Star Editorial (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)
On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam issued Executive Order 53, which requires the temporary closure of certain “non-essential” businesses and all K-12 schools in Virginia, both public and private, for the remainder of the academic year. It also bans all gatherings of more than 10 people. The executive order, which went into effect on Tuesday, will remain in place until April 23, 2020.
Virginian-Pilot Editorial (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Keep your distance from one another and stay in your homes whenever possible. That’s it, the entire message from every level of government and public health professionals across the commonwealth. And yet, despite those very straight-forward, easy-to-understand directions, there are still plenty of people refusing to comply. Perhaps they don’t take seriously the danger of this virus.
Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
Not only are we facing a public health crisis, but we’re also confronting an economic emergency. The global coronavirus pandemic has thrown financial markets into a tailspin. In Virginia, unprecedented restrictions intended to contain the spread of COVID-19 went into effect Wednesday for 30 days — and could last longer.
By WARREN FISKE, WCVE
Richmond City Councilwoman Kim Gray recently announced she’ll run for mayor this year, promising to be stricter on spending than incumbent Levar Stoney. . . . During a March 3 radio interview on WRVA, Gray said Richmond doesn’t need higher taxes, it needs greater government efficiency - especially in its school system. . . . “We’re paying people exorbitant salaries, higher than the average across the entire Commonwealth. Even Fairfax County doesn’t pay the kind of salaries that Richmond is paying right now.” Fairfax is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation and has a high cost of living. We fact-checked Gray’s claim that it pays school administrators less than Richmond.
By JEFF E. SCHAPIRO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
At this rate, Mark Warner will be running for U.S. Senate — or something else — during a plague of locusts. “There’s still time,” said Susan Swecker, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia. Warner, occasionally mentioned for president, never mind he briefly scratched that itch more than 12 years ago, is seeking a third term in the Senate. His candidacy — as were three earlier Warner campaigns, reaching back to 2001 — is being disrupted by unexpected crisis.
By CAROL SCHWOBEL, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
This is in response to the article in the Roanoke Times “General Assembly considering governor’s proposed pay raises” on Feb. 2. It states that the governor’s cabinet and government agency heads could get a raise this year of between 2.7% and 4.9% (an average of 3.8%). The legislative session gave government workers 2.75% plus an optional 2.25% merit pay...
Schwobel is retired from Virginia Tech
By STEPHEN D. HANER, published in Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)
The assumptions underlying the most contentious debates of the 2020 General Assembly session are gone. Sixty days ago, activists were arguing that this was a rising economy and state government should mandate raising workers to a higher level. This is a now sinking economy, and the General Assembly’s actions have piled bricks on the life rafts that workers in the commonwealth will need to survive.
Stephen D. Haner is a senior fellow for state and local tax policy at the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy.
By CHRIS BRAUNLICH, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
If Donald Trump is a “wartime president,” Ralph Northam is now a “wartime governor.” Unless one has been isolated on a Pacific isle (or wears tinfoil hats to block evil radio waves), Virginians understand that the pandemic we are in is deadly serious, growing exponentially, and requires radical steps to reduce its disastrous effects on our health and our economy. Unlike Nazis during World War II, COVID-19 has already landed on our shores.
Chris Braunlich is president of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy
|
