VaNews
April 7, 2020

Today's Sponsor:


** Charlie Grymes
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Celebrating the Prince William Conservation Alliance supporting new parks, together with new development focused in Activity Centers with high-capacity transit stations.

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Top of the News


** Governor to call 'timeout' on budget, suspend all new spending ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Gov. Ralph Northam will suspend all new spending in the pending two-year, $135 billion state budget and divert planned deposits in the state’s reserves to pay for essential services in the public health and economic crises caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
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** Death toll at Virginia long-term care facility rises to 28 ([link removed])
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By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press

Eight more residents of a Virginia long-term care facility who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the death toll amid the outbreak to 28, the facility’s administrator said Monday. Deaths at the Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Henrico County have continued to mount...
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** Virginia to get more protective medical gear via $27 million deal with a private supplier ([link removed])
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By KATE MASTERS, Virginia Mercury

Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday that the state has reached a $27 million deal with the medical logistics company Northfield as part of an effort to relieve what he described as a “severe shortage” of personal protective equipment in Virginia and across the country. . . . Monday marked the first time Virginia officials provided details on their efforts to supply more protective equipment since the state’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, the disease caused by a new coronavirus, on March 7.
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** Hampton Roads hospitals roll out in-house tests for the coronavirus ([link removed])
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By ELISHA SAUERS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Two Hampton Roads health systems will now test patients for the coronavirus at their own laboratories, a new capability that could deliver quicker results for patients who think they’ve contracted the illness. Sentara Healthcare, which operates a majority of hospitals in the region, had been sending nasal swabs and spit samples to either a commercial lab or the state’s facility in Richmond, both of which are overwhelmed with the influx of cases driven by the pandemic.
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** From VPAP Map, Timeline of COVID-19 in Virginia ([link removed])
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The Virginia Public Access Project

Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows a timeline of the number of confirmed COVID-19 and a statewide map showing the number of cases by locality. Updated each morning shortly after 9:00 a.m.
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** Authorities warn of scams related to stimulus payments ([link removed])
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By JEFF STURGEON, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

Thieves hope to trick Americans out of their economic stimulus checks, warn state and federal officials. “If you receive a ‘check’ in the mail now, it’s a scam,” officials said Sunday while explaining that paper checks meant to buffer the financial effects of the virus outbreak won’t hit mailboxes until late April at the earliest.
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** Doctors are seeing patients online during coronavirus — and it could change medicine forever ([link removed])
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By MARIE ALBIGES, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Michael Jara, 7, showed up for his regular physical therapy appointment in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, feeling a bit shy but excited to move around for an hour. He greeted physical therapist Lindsey Pauley with a smile and a wave, his mother standing nearby.
The Full Report
44 articles, 18 publications

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** EXECUTIVE BRANCH
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** Northam recommends wearing masks to help prevent coronavirus spread ([link removed])
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By MARIE ALBIGES, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control, Gov. Ralph Northam urged people to wear masks when leaving the house to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. At a press conference in Richmond Monday, Northam said wearing a mask doesn’t mean social distancing measures can be relaxed. “No one should assume that if they wear a face covering, they are safe and can go about their business as usual,” he said.
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** Number affected by COVID-19 in Va. is likely much higher than reported ([link removed])
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By BRIDGET BALCH, JUSTIN MATTINGLY AND FRANK GREEN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

One month since the first positive COVID-19 test was announced in Virginia, state officials on Monday reported 2,878 confirmed cases and 54 deaths as Gov. Ralph Northam urged Virginians to wear face masks in public.


** GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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** Public Employees: COVID-19 Reinforces Need for Unions ([link removed])
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By ROBERTO ROLDAN, WCVE

Virginia’s public employees are saying the coronavirus pandemic is another reason to allow for collective bargaining, not a reason to delay it. Local governments and business groups have asked Governor Ralph Northam to delay legalizing collective bargaining for public employees because of the public health crisis and the recession it is likely to cause. . . . However, in a press call Monday, public employees say they want a seat at the table as decisions are being made rapidly to respond to COVID-19.


** STATE ELECTIONS
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** Local officials scramble to keep poll workers, voters safe in upcoming elections ([link removed])
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By RICHARD CHUMNEY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

With local elections just a month away, officials in the Lynchburg area are scrambling to buy face masks, gloves and other supplies to help protect poll workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We do not have any protective equipment in our hands at this time,” Lynchburg General Registrar Christine Gibbons said Monday. “We don’t have any masks. We don’t have any gloves.”
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** Why Justin Fairfax keeps talking about the sex assault claims against him ([link removed])
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By LAURA VOZZELLA, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

The world was crashing down around Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. One woman had accused him of sexual assault, and five days later, a second sent a letter suggesting she'd go public with her own allegation unless he resigned. Fairfax’s first move, just minutes after his lawyers alerted him to the letter, was to call a friend in another state. They exchanged six phone calls that day before the allegation became public, according to phone records Fairfax provided recently to The Washington Post.
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** Entrepreneur starts fund to help Va. businesses until federal aid arrives ([link removed])
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By LAURA VOZZELLA, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

A Northern Virginia technology entrepreneur and potential contender for governor has created a fund to help small businesses weather the novel coronavirus crisis until federal funds arrive. Pete Snyder and his wife, Burson, have donated $100,000 in “seed money” to create the nonprofit Virginia 30 Day Fund, which is intended to help businesses meet payroll, preserve health-care coverage for workers and avoid layoffs while awaiting the federal aid expected to arrive in about a month.


** STATE GOVERNMENT
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** Authorities warn consumers to beware of coronavirus scams ([link removed])
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By SEAN GORMAN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

In these uncertain times, authorities warn there’s one thing consumers can be sure of — scam artists will try to take advantage of the pandemic to separate people from their money through fraud. “We know when there is a tragedy or disaster or crisis like this, there are some people who are going to try to scam money off of it,” Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said in telephone interview.
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** Booze delivered: Virginia ABC to allow distilleries to ship directly to consumers ([link removed])
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By STAFF REPORT, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority is now allowing distilleries to ship spirits directly to in-state consumers. The temporary change is an effort to help distilleries suffering from financial hardship during the coronavirus pandemic. This change applies only the distilleries that have existing agreements with ABC to produce and sell their products at their site.
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** Virginia, localities will have to wait on coronavirus funding aid ([link removed])
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Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

The federal relief package could leave Virginia waiting weeks for money from Washington to help manage the new coronavirus outbreak. The relief bill approved last month included $150 billion in aid for state and local government costs related to the coronavirus. Virginia is expected to receive $3.3 billion, and Finance Secretary Aubrey Layne said Monday that some of the funding should arrive by the end of April...
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** Distilleries all over Virginia can now legally ship liquor to your house ([link removed])
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By MATTHEW KORFHAGE, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The liquor laws in Virginia just keep loosening their belts. As of Monday, any of 45 Virginia distilleries can now FedEx or UPS their liquor directly to customers — at least for the duration of the coronavirus state of emergency. The news came came via an announcement on the ABC’s website and Twitter account Monday morning.
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** Resident of Va. sex offender treatment center tests positive ([link removed])
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By FRANK GREEN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services confirmed Monday that a resident confined at the Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation has tested positive for COVID-19. VCBR, in Burkeville, houses 445 sex offenders who have been deemed by courts to be too dangerous for release once their prison terms have been completed


** CONGRESS
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** Warner says issues with small business relief package getting 'ironed out' ([link removed])
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By ALLISON WRABEL, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

Local small businesses are experiencing issues with applying for federal loans related to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Charlottesville area officials. On a call Monday, Democratic Sen. Mark R. Warner and local officials gave updates and answered questions about the effects of the pandemic and the federal government’s response.


** ECONOMY/BUSINESS
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** Operations continue at DuPont's Chesterfield plant despite positive test for five employees ([link removed])
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By JOHN REID BLACKWELL, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

DuPont, which operates one of the Richmond region’s largest manufacturing plants, confirmed Monday that five local employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, but the company’s local manufacturing operations are still functioning. All five employees who tested positive for COVID-19 are “quarantined and recovering,” DuPont spokesman Ryan Smartt said.
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** Frederick County EDA takes steps to help businesses hit by virus ([link removed])
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By JOSH JANNEY, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

As the COVID-19 pandemic forces many businesses to temporarily close to prevent the spread of the virus, the Frederick County Economic Development Authority is ramping up efforts to help local businesses stay afloat. According to EDA Executive Director Patrick Barker, the EDA is trying to be a source of information about the coronavirus situation and its impact on the economy.
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** Solar project groundbreaking pushed back ([link removed])
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South Boston News & Record

Groundbreaking on the Foxhound Solar facility in Mount Laurel, originally planned for spring, has been pushed back to September. Longroad Energy of Boston, the developer of the county’s largest project by land area, has been forced to delay construction due to a combination of factors related to ODEC (Old Dominion Electric Cooperative) and the spread of the Coronavirus.
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** Va. gun sales soar to new monthly record in March ([link removed])
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By MARK BOWES, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Like many Virginians, John Daggit has become a bit uneasy about the COVID-19 pandemic and what it may portend long-term. “I’m not in a panic or anything,” said Daggit, a business analyst who lives in South Richmond. “But the idea of having a firearm available, if there were ever a need for it, is a little bit comforting.


** HIGHER EDUCATION
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** Anonymous donor asks others to match $1 million to VCU Health System ([link removed])
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By HANNAH EASON, Commonwealth Times

An anonymous donor gifted $1 million to VCU Health System, according to a release from the university on Monday, and is asking others to match their donation. The donor challenged community members to donate another $1 million toward the VCU COVID-19 Response Fund. Peter Buckley, interim CEO of VCU Health System and senior vice president of VCU Health Sciences, said the gift provided “critical” funding for meeting the needs of the community. He said his staff has been working “tirelessly” to care for patients and prepare.
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** UVa slates $3 million to help furloughed contract employees, community ([link removed])
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By BRYAN MCKENZIE, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

The University of Virginia announced Monday it is providing $3 million to assist contract employees and local residents left furloughed and financially strapped by state-ordered stay-at-home measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. UVa President Jim Ryan announced that the university would set up a $2 million emergency assistance fund for contract employees and workers who have been furloughed.


** CORONAVIRUS
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** Military orders personnel to wear face masks — and they should make their own ([link removed])
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By KATHERINE HAFNER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Everyone on Defense Department property and installations should wear cloth face masks when they cannot be six feet away from others, the Pentagon ordered Sunday. The guidance is “effective immediately, to the extent practical,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper wrote in a memo. But for now, the department isn’t providing the masks.
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** Death count reaches 28 at Canterbury - ages 56 to 102 ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Eight more residents of Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center have died of COVID-19, boosting the death toll from the disease to 28 at the skilled nursing facility in western Henrico County, which has been the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in Virginia.
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** Nearly 1,200 coronavirus patients are hospitalized in Virginia, data shows ([link removed])
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By PETER COUTU, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Nearly 1,200 coronavirus patients are currently hospitalized throughout Virginia, a figure about 240% higher than the state’s latest count on total hospitalizations, according to new data released by the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association on Monday. The hospital group’s tally includes both those who have tested positive for the virus (538) and patients whose symptoms are serious enough to require hospitalization but are still pending test results (656).
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** Earlier COVID-19 peak, lower Virginia death toll in newest coronavirus projections ([link removed])
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By DAVID FRITZ AND MONIQUE CALELLO, News Leader (Metered Paywall - 3 to 4 articles a month)

COVID-19 will peak in Virginia about April 20, a full month earlier than researchers forecast just a week ago, according to a Monday update of data from The University of Washington. The likely number of Virginia deaths also was revised substantially downward in Monday's data release. The Virginia death toll now is projected between 746 and 2,326, with a likely count of 1,401. A week ago that probable number was pegged at more than 3,000.
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** Army corps engineers: contractors set to begin building alternate care facilities soon ([link removed])
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By LISA VERNON SPARKS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Norfolk said Monday it is seeking contractors who will build three alternate care facilities — one of which will be in Hampton. Construction on these facilities is expected to begin within 48 to 72 hours of contract awards, according to a release from the USACE, Norfolk District.
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** Reston Makerspace 3D Prints Protective Gear For Local Hospitals ([link removed])
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By ASHLEY HOPKO, Reston Now

Despite its temporary closure, a Reston-based makerspace challenged volunteers to supply hospitals and medical staff with lifesaving personal protective equipment. Nova Labs, a local volunteer-based non-profit, used to serve as a place of ideation for kids and creative community members but decided to switch focus after health concerns from COVID19 shutdown non-essential businesses and gathering places in Virginia. Lab volunteers are now creating medical masks, plastic face shields and other essential equipment to keep people healthy, according to Margie Foster, one of the project’s coordinators.
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** Mary Washington Healthcare launches 5,000 Mask Challenge ([link removed])
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Inside NOVA (Metered Paywall)

With new recommendations from the CDC that everyone wear a face covering when in public, Mary Washington Healthcare is asking for help sewing 5,000 masks for employees not on the front lines of the COVID crisis. The masks they're requesting would include wire nose pieces so each of the Fredericksburg-area hospital system's associates would have a mask to wear.
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** The Arlington Public Library Is Collecting Local Artists’ Work Into Its Quaranzine ([link removed])
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By NATHAN DILLER, DCist

Liz Laribee, the programs and partnerships librarian at Arlington Public Library, says she thinks in puns. So, when the word “quaranzine” popped into her head a little over a week ago, it gave her an idea. On April 3, the library published the first issue of Quaranzine, a weekly online collection of works by local artists responding to the coronavirus pandemic. “Creative expression is a really valuable tool I have for working through my own thought processes and anxiety,” says Laribee, who is also a portrait artist. “So, having a tool like that for myself, I thought it might benefit a larger community group.”


** VIRGINIA OTHER
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** Forest Service, towns announce temporary closure of Virginia Creeper Trail ([link removed])
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Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

The Virginia Creeper Trail will be temporarily closed starting today at 5 p.m. in an effort to protect the public from COVID-19. The decision was made jointly by the US Forest Service and the towns of Abingdon and Damascus, according to a news release. “Recent overcrowding along portions of the trail, concern for increasing the burden on local Emergency Medical Services and the health and safety of all trail users were the driving forces behind this decision,” Matthew Crum, president of the Virginia Creeper Trail Conservancy stated in the release.
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** Even before COVID-19, tele-health was becoming a big part of rural Virginia health care ([link removed])
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By MASON ADAMS, Virginia Mercury

Meagan Thurston wasn’t sure what to expect when she walked into Strength in Peers in December of 2019 for her first tele-psychiatry session, but she was willing to do whatever it took to get her children back. The previous summer, Virginia’s Child Protective Services had taken her five children, between the ages of 4 and 11, because she was struggling with an addiction to methamphetamine. The next day, Thurston, 30, began the journey to get them back, signing up for recovery programs.


** LOCAL
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** Arlington County Board member Erik Gutshall resigns seat over illness ([link removed])
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By PATRICIA SULLIVAN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Arlington County Board member Erik Gutshall, who has been under treatment for brain cancer, resigned his seat Monday, saying in a Facebook post that he will quarantine at home with his family. Gutshall, 49, the all-Democratic board’s vice chair, who was first elected in 2017, stepped away from day-to-day board duties in February after being diagnosed and hospitalized with a brain tumor. He said in a social media post Monday that “even though this is a particularly difficult time for our County and country, I know that I’m leaving this position in very capable hands.”
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** Arlington Democrats evaluating options for School Board caucus ([link removed])
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Inside NOVA (Metered Paywall)

The Arlington County Democratic Committee is formulating options to carry through with its School Board caucus in the wake of public-health concerns. . . . Democrats had planned two days of caucus voting at county schools in May, but it appears increasingly unlikely that will take place. Because the caucus is not a state-run political event, Democrats have a significant amount of leeway in setting up (and amending) procedures.
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** Richmond Public Schools adopts grading policy with two goals: 'do no harm, keep it simple' ([link removed])
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By SAMUEL NORTHROP, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Richmond Public Schools on Monday decided how to calculate students’ year-end grades at the district’s School Board meeting streamed over Facebook Live. The system closed last month through the end of the school year to thwart the spread of COVID-19, a few weeks shy of the end of the third quarter, leaving grades up in the air.
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** Hampton council to hold virtual public meeting ([link removed])
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By LISA VERNON SPARKS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Hampton City Council will host a virtual public meeting Wednesday. The council’s public meetings scheduled for next week at city hall have been canceled due to coronavirus concerns. Instead, it will hold a meeting electronically at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Some members of council are expected to attend electronically.
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** Stafford supervisors seek virtual public comment at budget hearing ([link removed])
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By JAMES SCOTT BARON, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Stafford County supervisors have decided not to let residents offer on-site comments at a public hearing Tuesday on the proposed fiscal 2021 budget because of concerns about the coronavirus. Instead, residents can submit comments by completing an online form, which will remain open until April 21. All submissions received will be read into the public record.
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** City Council to vote on virtual meetings, tax relief ([link removed])
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By CATHY JETT, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Fredericksburg’s City Council will hold a special virtual meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday to vote on several issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be broadcast on Cox Channel 84 and Verizon Channel 42, and can also be viewed on regionalwbtv.com/fredcc or Facebook Live at facebook.com/FXBGgov. Public comments can be posted on Facebook Live during the meeting, but won’t be answered until the following day.
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** Roanoke City Council likely to give taxpayers extra time ([link removed])
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By MATT CHITTUM, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

Roanoke City Council is moving toward offering taxpayers short-term relief from coronavirus-driven economic hardships via deadline extensions and waiving late penalties. During Monday’s electronic council meeting, proposals to waive late fees for real estate taxes — due Monday — for 30 days and to extend the personal property by a month, to June 30, received broad support.
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** Danville Public Works implements new guidelines to protect workers ([link removed])
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By PARKER COTTON, Danville Register & Bee

To reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus, Danville’s Public Works Department is implementing new measures for residents to follow to protect the city’s sanitation workers. Rick Drazenovich, the director of public works, said residents are generating up to 20% more household garbage since the state's stay-at-home order was issued in March.

Today's Sponsor:


** Charlie Grymes
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Celebrating the Prince William Conservation Alliance supporting new parks, together with new development focused in Activity Centers with high-capacity transit stations.


** EDITORIALS
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** Americans didn't like wearing masks in 1918 ([link removed])
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Roanoke Times Editorial (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

Should we all be wearing masks right now? We’re not medical experts, so we’ll leave the medical guidance up to those who are. However, we do know this: Some American cities tried requiring masks during the 1918 flu pandemic and people didn’t much like it — even though evidence shows the masks did help slow the spread of that particular virus.
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** More data provide detail, context to virus fight ([link removed])
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Virginian-Pilot Editorial (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

One of the most frustrating parts of the coronavirus crisis is the uncertainty surrounding so much of what’s happening. The general public — to say nothing of local officials trying to make informed decisions — would be better served by a more robust commitment to making more information available about the disease’s spread through the commonwealth.
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** We need financial literacy more than ever ([link removed])
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Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Years before the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 and the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, Congress sounded an alarm. In 2004, a bipartisan group of senators, including Virginia’s George Allen, co-sponsored a resolution designating April as “Financial Literacy Month.” The document cited several figures justifying greater awareness. One study found only 26% of 13- to 21-year-olds said their parents taught them how to manage their money.
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** The days ahead bring trying times ([link removed])
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Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

We are in for trying times in the coming days. President Donald Trump, speaking on Saturday, warned that the next week was going to be a “tough” one as the number of Americans who fall ill with COVID-19 will continue to climb.


** OP-ED
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** Lingamfelter: Northam faces difficult decisions to manage crisis ([link removed])
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By SCOTT LINGAMFELTER, published in Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

State and local leaders are taking the coronavirus very seriously and are making important decisions. Gov. Ralph Northam has implemented precautionary measures to reduce the threat in Virginia. It’s a stressful time for him and other leaders. Leadership can be a lonely business when major decisions are weighty ones. We should pray for them.

L. Scott Lingamfelter is a retired US Army colonel who represented Fauquier and Prince William counties in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002-2018
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** Heald: Electric cooperatives should embrace transparency ([link removed])
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By SETH HEALD, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Aiken Electric Cooperative in South Carolina recently announced it was paying out $4 million in capital credits to its 48,000 member-owners. The utility’s CEO said that was more than double the usual annual payout, and that payments also will be accelerated by more than six months so that co-op members get them now.

Seth Heald is a member-owner of Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and a co-founder of Repower REC, a campaign to reform the cooperative.
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** Newcomb: Farmers markets are essential — like grocery stores ([link removed])
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By HANA NEWCOMB, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Even though most city dwellers don’t think about farms as a major feature of the Washington metro area, there are hundreds of farmers growing food in our region. My parents, Tony and Hiu Newcomb, started farming on Springhill Road in McLean nearly 60 years ago — before organic vegetables were defined as such — and we have been selling tomatoes and beans and leafy greens since.
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** LaRock: We can do this; Governor Northam can help ([link removed])
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By DAVE LAROCK, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

I hope you and your family are healthy and safe today. Few were prepared for what we are going through right now, but I know many of us are anxious about family members, jobs and our businesses. Despite all the bluster and politics, Virginia’s legislators are worried for both our families and yours.

Dave LaRock, R-Loudoun, represents the 33rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates.
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