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By GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER AND LAURA VOZZELLA, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Gov. Ralph Northam looked like anyone else working from home on Sunday night, wearing an old flannel shirt and sweatpants. But he was dialing into a conference call that would determine when 8.5 million Virginians could go back out and earn a living or get a haircut or eat in a restaurant amid the coronavirus pandemic. There was increasing pressure to reopen as the state’s economy tanked. Neighboring Tennessee had caved. Earlier that day, President Trump had criticized Virginia — again — during a Fox News town hall, singling out the commonwealth as one of the states that “frankly, aren’t going fast enough.”
By JODIE FLEISCHER AND RICK YARBOROUGH, NBC4
There's new hope for families struggling to find out how many positive COVID-19 cases or deaths have happened at their loved ones' nursing homes. The federal government is gearing up to release that information even though some states, like Virginia, have been keeping it secret. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which regulates nursing homes, says it plans to post the name of each facility online, along with the number of positive cases and deaths among its residents and staff.
By DENISE LAVOIE, Associated Press
An attempt by a Virginia church to prevent the state from barring gatherings of more than 10 people “would seriously undermine” the state’s efforts to deter the spread of the coronavirus, attorneys for Gov. Ralph Northam argued Thursday in a legal filing. Attorney General Mark Herring’s office made the arguments in a memo filed in response to a federal lawsuit brought by Lighthouse Fellowship Church of Chincoteague.
By VIRGINIA ALLEN, Daily Signal
After six weeks of not being allowed to gather in church buildings for corporate worship, more than 170 pastors in Virginia are respectfully saying “enough.” Michael Law Jr., senior pastor of Arlington Baptist Church, emailed a letter Monday to Gov. Ralph Northam asking him to modify two executive orders to allow religious gatherings at least once a week.
By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press
About 60,000 additional Virginia workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, a figure that declined for the fourth straight week but was still far higher than before the coronavirus led to widespread business closures. For the week ending May 2, 61,138 people in Virginia filed initial claims, according to federal data released Thursday.
By WHITTNEY EVANS, WCVE
The Supreme Court of Virginia is extending a judicial emergency order for a fourth time, through June 7th. And courts can start hearing non-emergency cases in person in about two weeks -- as long as they take steps to minimize the risk of spreading disease.
By JUSTIN JOUVENAL, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Friends remembered Wilma Williams as fiercely independent, but a stroke left her in a wheelchair and reliant on hearing aids as large as headphones the day her attorney arrived with a plan to divvy up her $1.7 million estate. The 93-year-old military widow with no children had nieces and nephews, but Bob Machen personally drafted a will that made himself her primary beneficiary and his son — a man she had never met — a possible heir as well.
The Full Report
47 articles, 26 publications
Read Online10 Most Clicked
The Virginia Public Access Project
Data from the Virginia Department of Health shows a timeline of when COVID-19 cases were confirmed and a statewide map showing the number of cases and deaths by locality. VPAP has added daily hospital utilization data from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. Updated each morning shortly after 9:00 a.m.
By CATHERINE DOUGLAS MORAN, Reston Now
Fairfax County’s top official wants increased communication with Gov. Ralph Northam as the state administration considers easing business restrictions. On Monday, Northam unveiled a three-phase plan to roll back restrictions, which could start as soon as May 15. The next day, Jeff McKay, the chairman for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and the board chairs for Prince William and Loudoun counties sent a letter urging Northam’s administration to collaborate more with them.
By KATE MASTERS, Virginia Mercury
As Virginia’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic stretches on, Gov. Ralph Northam has assembled a series of workgroups and task forces to coordinate the state’s response to specific concerns. . . . But in the weeks since the groups were assembled, other details remain scarce, including in some cases who’s involved, when they’re meeting and what they’re talking about.
WHSV
As we hit the point at which late fees are normally levied on people's rent, Virginia's attorney general is laying out the rights of tenants as evictions remain suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Unfortunately, because of COVID-19 many Virginians have found themselves in tough financial situations and may not have the ability to pay their rent right now, which is why it is so important that every Virginia tenant knows their rights during this time,” said Attorney General Mark Herring.
By GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring has found that the General Assembly has the authority to meet electronically during a time of emergency such as the novel coronavirus crisis. Herring (D) issued an opinion Thursday morning at the request of House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax), finding that language in the state budget permits the House of Delegates and the state Senate to convene remotely because Gov. Ralph Northam (D) has declared a state of emergency.
By NED OLIVER, Virginia Mercury
The Virginia Department of Corrections has cleared 230 inmates for early release in the two weeks since the General Assembly approved an emergency proposal by Gov. Ralph Northam aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 in state prisons. Of those, 130 have been released from custody as of Thursday, according to Northam’s administration.
WRIC
A fourth Virginia inmate has died of COVID-19, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections. The inmate had been housed at Buckingham Correctional Center. The news of a fourth death comes after a Virginia Correctional Center for Women in Goochland inmate, a Deerfield Correctional Center inmate and Sussex II State Prison inmate died as a result of the virus.
By PETER COUTU, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Virginia knows it needs more contact tracers, those key government workers tasked with alerting people who come in contact with an infected person. The state plans to hire about 1,000 such employees in the coming weeks — more than triple its current workforce — to make sure health officials can try to halt the coronavirus’ spread going forward.
By KARRI PEIFER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
It’s no secret that Virginians are buying more booze while social distancing because of the coronavirus. Sales at the state’s liquor stores have consistently been up year-over-year since Virginians started staying at home, hovering around $22 million a week, or up around 15% year-over-year in April, according to numbers from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority.
By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
It isn’t always who you know. Bill Meyer, the owner of Meyer Fitness in Norfolk was, like many in his industry, disappointed in the initial order made March 24 by Gov. Ralph Northam to close businesses such as his, and he had some questions. He emailed what he thought was a thought-out, bullet-pointed missive. A few hours later he got a terse and generic response that repeated what he already knew — all fitness centers must close.
By PETER VIETH, Virginia Lawyers Weekly (Subscription required for some articles)
Just a day after statewide bar groups asked for action to move civil cases along during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of Virginia responded with a new judicial emergency order May 6. The order drops any tolling of discovery deadlines as of May 18, encourages trial judges to use remote conferencing and opens the door to courtroom hearings later this month. But the order emphatically directs that no jury trials are to take place at least until June 7.
By DANIEL BERTI, Prince William Times
Federal aid is on its way to local governments, but there’s a catch: it can't be used to pay back local revenues lost as a result of the pandemic. It can only be used to pay for COVID-19 related expenses. That means localities that rely on local taxation, like tourism taxes or meals taxes, won’t be able to use the money to fill the revenue gap left by the COVID-19 crisis.
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
As Congress considers another coronavirus relief package, both of Virginia’s senators say more aid is necessary to support state and local government budgets for the essential public services they provide. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Democrats who previously served as Virginia governor, said Wednesday they are confident the Senate ultimately will pass legislation that will include more aid for state and local governments, as well as more flexibility in how they use it.
By SARAH VOGELSONG, Virginia Mercury
Despite highly publicized commitments by political leaders and Dominion Energy to transitioning the state off carbon sources in favor of renewable forms of energy, the state’s largest electric utility is continuing to bank heavily on natural gas, a long-range plan and statements to investors and shareholders reveal. The continued allegiance to the fuel, expressed in Dominion’s forward-looking Integrated Resource Plan released May 1 and reiterated in investor and shareholder calls this week, sparked a sharp response from the two Democratic legislators who spearheaded Virginia’s historic Clean Economy Act this past session.
By ZEKE HARTNER, WTOP
Ocean City, Maryland, is set to reopen its beach this weekend. But what about fellow regional destination Virginia Beach? That’s what the Virginia Beach City Council discussed in a meeting Thursday. Though an exact date was never discussed, Acting City Manager Thomas Leahy said Virginia Beach will wait for Gov. Ralph Northam’s direction before making a decision, which will likely be discussed at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
By LUANNE RIFE, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
A company that handles appointments and billing for health systems announced Thursday it will build a regional center to serve Ballad Health and other hospitals, and in doing so will retain 1,100 workers and add 500 more. Ensemble Health Partners has yet to decide whether it will locate the center in Ballad’s Tennessee or Virginia region.
By DAVID MCGEE, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)
Ensemble Health Partners, a North Carolina-based medical billing management company, announced Thursday it plans to establish a new operations center in this region to employ 500 through a new partnership with Ballad Health. In addition, Ensemble will immediately begin employing 1,100 current Ballad employees who work in patient registration, records, insurance and billing as part of a strategic agreement.
By SYDNEY LAKE, Va Business Magazine
Facebook Inc. announced Thursday that it has awarded a total of nearly $170,000 from its COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program to three Virginia media outlets: The Richmond Free Press, Charlottesville Tomorrow and the Henrico Citizen.
By HENRI GENDREAU, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
Virginia Tech on Thursday floated the possibility it may not raise tuition and mandatory fees next semester. University officials offered a new proposal of a 0% increase in tuition during a presentation to members of a board of visitors finance committee, which on May 29 is scheduled to approve rates.
By ROBYN SIDERSKY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Virginia Wesleyan University will reopen to students in the fall, the school announced Thursday. In a video, President Scott Miller shared plans to reopen campus in-person on Aug. 26.
By ROBYN SIDERSKY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
In the past 48 hours, more than 1,300 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Virginia and another 56 deaths, according to data posted by the Virginia Department of Health Thursday morning. The overnight process to compile all of the investigation and laboratory report data experienced a technical error that resulted in information being unavailable on Wednesday, state officials said in an email.
By CAROL VAUGHN, Eastern Shore Post
COVID-19 cases in Accomack and Northampton counties continued to increase this week, even as the state plans to allow some businesses closed during the pandemic to reopen as soon as May 15. “I continue to be concerned about the rising number of cases in our poultry processing facilities, especially on the Eastern Shore,” Gov. Ralph Northam said in a briefing Monday. More than 260 COVID-19 cases on the Eastern Shore of Virginia are associated with two poultry processing plants in Accomack County, Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, he said.
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
The worst appears to be over at Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, but the skilled nursing facility in western Henrico County recorded its first deaths in weeks from a COVID-19 outbreak that has now killed 51 residents since mid-March. Dr. Jim Wright, medical director at Canterbury, said Thursday that two residents have died in the past nine days.
By CATHY DYSON, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)
Two residents and four staff members at a second long-term care facility in the Fredericksburg area have tested positive for COVID-19, but the facility isn’t being named because the owners don’t want it identified.
By REBECCA ARMSTRONG, Daily News Record (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
Twelve residents at Skyview Springs Rehab and Nursing Center in Luray have died after contracting COVID-19, the facility's administrator Jill Irby said Thursday afternoon. Irby added that due to patient confidentiality, the facility is not releasing any further information about the deaths, including how many of the 12 fatalities were reflected in the VDH's reports as of Thursday.
By EVAN GOODENOW, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
The current spike in coronavirus cases locally and around Virginia may not be the last one, according to a local hospital official. “The single most important factor in determining the rate of spread and the peak of new cases is the community adherence to the physical (social) distancing,” Dr. Iyad Sabbagh, Valley Health System chief physician executive and senior vice president, said in an email on Wednesday.
By NATHANIEL CLINE, Loudoun Times
Loudoun County officials had hoped to replenish the county's personal protective equipment stock of N95 respirators back in April. However, with the increase in demand for PPE during the coronavirus outbreak, Loudoun's order for the equipment was intercepted by the federal government. Approximately 30,000 N95 respirators were ordered and expected in mid-April, according to Glen Barbour, county public affairs and communications officer.
By ANTONIO OLIVO, RACHEL CHASON AND REBECCA TAN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Maryland and Virginia residents with heart ailments and other life-threatening conditions increasingly appear to be avoiding hospital emergency rooms, an extra layer of concern during the coronavirus crisis that is also happening elsewhere in the country. With ER visits in Maryland down by half in recent weeks, hospital officials in the state are worried that patients in need of urgent care are choosing to suffer longer out of fear that a trip to the hospital will put them at greater risk of being infected by the novel coronavirus.
By EVAN GOODENOW, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
The coronavirus pandemic is being blamed for a 71% increase in fatal overdoses and a 34% increase in overall overdoses in the Northern Shenandoah Valley compared to the same time last year. Through Tuesday, 24 people have fatally overdosed in the region compared to 14 at this time last year, according Joshua T. Price, a state police special agent and Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force coordinator.
By PETER DUJARDIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
President Donald Trump has selected a Richmond-based federal magistrate to fill a key judicial vacancy in Hampton Roads. U.S. Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young — a former prosecutor and public defender who’s been on the bench since 2014 — was nominated for the district judgeship opening for the Eastern District of Virginia, the White House announced Wednesday.
By JOHN MCCASLIN, Rappahannock News (Metered Paywall)
Interior Secretary David L. Bernhardt is borrowing a page from President Trump’s playbook — bypassing the press and resorting to his personal Twitter account to document a trip here Monday to discuss reopening Shenandoah National Park in the midst of COVID-19. The Rappahannock County government, which has expressed its concerns to the bordering national park about overcrowding and lack of social distancing during the ongoing crisis, was kept in the dark about the White House Cabinet member’s visit to Shenandoah, which has since shut down due to the spread of COVID-19.
By JILL PALERMO, Prince William Times
Prince William County schools Superintendent Steven Walts suspended his Twitter account Thursday amid an outside investigation into a complaint alleging his exchanges with students violated school division policy. The move comes after the school board announced late Wednesday night that it sought an outside investigation into Walts' Twitter exchanges with students, which are at the center of a complaint filed by Gainesville resident Guy Morgan.
By KENYA HUNTER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Richmond School Board members worried about students losing what they’ve learned during the shutdown want to deploy a year-round academic calendar beginning this fall. They can’t afford it, said Superintendent Jason Kamras. “If we add instructional days… it adds up pretty quickly.
By ROBERTO ROLDAN, WCVE
A Richmond City Council member wants the city to exclude marijuana from its drug testing policy. Fifth District City Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch introduced a resolution calling on Mayor Levar Stoney’s administration to stop testing for marijuana in pre-employment drug screenings and random testing of employees. Lynch said this would bring the city in line with the General Assembly, which voted to decriminalize simple possession of marijuana starting July 1st.
By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Henrico County’s next budget will preserve employee pay, but plans for a new arena at Virginia Center Commons and an elementary school are on hold. The Board of Supervisors is slated to adopt a revised $1.3 billion spending plan Tuesday for the budget year beginning July 1 that’s $100 million below the original draft.
By JIM MCCONNELL, Chesterfield Observer
Should Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam permit schools to reopen this summer, the Chesterfield school system expects to roll out an “enhanced model” to help make up for instructional hours lost because of COVID-19.
By SEAN JONES AND BILL ATKINSON, Progress Index (Metered paywall - 10 articles a month)
Mayor Samuel Parham says that federal and state lawmakers who want water services resumed to all residents in Petersburg should find ways to help fund the city’s water system which is undergoing a $60 million overhaul and needs all the money it can get to pay for the upgrade.
By SALEEN MARTIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Virginia Beach City Council members will soon return to handling business in person. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many area localities have been meeting virtually. While mayors, council members and city staffers gathered in city hall, other council members participated through video conferencing programs. The public could only watch from home.
By ALEXA DOIRON, Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily (Metered paywall - 3 articles per month)
While hundreds of students are using laptops distributed by their school district during the coronavirus pandemic, there are now concerns over email scams. In Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, Brian Lambert, senior director for technology, said there has been only one email scam that infiltrated the school system since the laptops have been distributed.
By LEANNA SMITH, News Leader (Metered Paywall - 3 to 4 articles a month)
A Northern Virginia-based PAC sent a letter to some Staunton residents advocating the election of conservative candidates in a local contest. The mailer pushed the re-election of Andrea Oakes and the election of Steve Claffey, Amy Darby and Mark Robertson to Staunton City Council. The new PAC involvement angered some Staunton voters who decry outside interference in a local race.
By SARAH HONOSKY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
With internet access more essential than ever, the Campbell County Broadband Authority unanimously approved two strategies to expand county broadband at its Tuesday meeting. The county’s request for proposals issued in February was met with two responses, one from Shentel and the other from RiverStreet Networks, an internet service provider out of North Carolina.
Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Access to this article limited to subscribers)
In late March, Virginia became one of the first states to close K-12 classrooms for the remainder of the school year. In about a week’s time, all 50 states — including the commonwealth — asked the U.S. Department of Education to waive standardized testing. In 2015, the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) set requirements for all children in grades 3-8 to take annual exams in math and English/language arts.
Virginian-Pilot Editorial (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Nearly two months since the spread of coronavirus infections forced the closure of schools and businesses, the postponement and cancellation of events, and the start of stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures, the people of Hampton Roads continue to shine. Not only are the vast majority doing what’s necessary to slow the pace of infections and keep their communities safe, they are reaching out to help others in need at this challenging hour.
By JOHN EUSTIS AND DAVID PERRY, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented numbers of people are outdoors taking in the invigorating spring warmth, breezes, smells and the blooming of flowers and opening leaves. It makes sense that while other outlets for physical and emotional health such as community centers, pools, gyms, local sports leagues have suspended operations people are escaping the isolation of working at home and social distancing restrictions by getting outside.
Eustis is the executive director of the New River Land Trust in Blacksburg. Perry is the executive director of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy in Roanoke.
By BOB KUNZINGER, published in Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
COVID-19 has stalled every civilization on the planet. In the United States, people who only recently were thriving find themselves struggling. When society begins to breathe again, it will be quite some time before a vaccine is administered and we can relax our defenses. As a result, we will find ourselves inside for a while. This is why turning toward college to fill this unprecedented gap is the smartest, safest and most beneficial decision, especially for the high school class of 2020.
Bob Kunzinger, a resident of Deltaville, is an adjunct professor of English at Old Dominion University.
By CHRISTOPHER K. PEACE, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Together, over the past seven weeks, we have successfully battled this obvious yet invisible viral opponent. By the end of April, there were 581 COVID-19 deaths and 2,416 hospitalizations among 8.54 million Virginians; 5,181 hospital beds were available along with 2,953 ventilators; and Virginia’s health care system has adequate capacity. Regrettably, many Virginians face another contagion called despair that might be as deadly as any virus.
Christopher K. Peace served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2006 to 2020.
By CATHY FREE, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Flour has been in high demand and short supply during the coronavirus pandemic. Imogen Bittner and Pete Loosmore knew they were in a unique position to help home bakers in southwest England by firing up a mill site that is more than 1,000 years old. So the two millers, who help run the Sturminster Newton Mill and the adjacent museum, decided in early April that it was time to dust off their aprons and go back to the grind.
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