By DANIEL BERTI AND JILL PALERMO, Prince William Times
There were cheers, hugs, tears and celebratory chanting outside the Prince William courthouse Wednesday night when immigrants-rights activists gathered there heard the result of a nearly two-hour jail board debate on the fate of the county’s 287(g) agreement with federal immigration officials.
By ANTONIO OLIVO, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Loudoun County’s top tax collector is facing calls to resign after posting what he called a joke about Aunt Jemima on Facebook this week, part of a growing backlash against racial insensitivity in the wealthy Virginia county that is home to both an increasingly diverse population and a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
By NATHANIEL CLINE, Loudoun Times
Loudoun County Treasurer Roger Zurn (R) on Wednesday published and quickly deleted a racially insensitive social media post following word that the Aunt Jemima brand will be discontinued. Zurn, who is white and has served as county treasurer since 1996, posted on his personal Facebook page Wednesday morning: “Wondering if Aunt Jemima will change to Uncle Tom’s?”
By MICHELLE DMYTRYSZYN AND DAVID HOLTZMAN, Central Virginian
A Louisa County Sheriff's Office deputy was fired from her job for sharing a social media post that had "racist overtones." That was how sheriff's office Det. Chuck Love characterized the post, which had the words "If they have the right to fly theirs" in front of a rainbow flag, directly above a Confederate flag bearing the words "We deserve the right to fly ours."
By BRETT HALL, WAVY
In an effort to attract more officers of color to the Virginia Beach Police Department, Interim Police Chief Tony Zucaro has gathered together a recruiting consortium. Currently out of the department’s more than 800 sworn officers, only 13 percent of them are minorities, according to Zucaro. The force’s members are 7 percent black, 5 percent Hispanic and 2 percent Asian.
By JANE HARPER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
As temperatures warmed in recent weeks and many of the restrictions placed on businesses during the coronavirus pandemic were relaxed, crowds returned to Virginia Beach’s Oceanfront. But police, city leaders, business owners and residents said some of the recent outdoor gatherings there have turned rowdy, with large groups forming at night and often remaining into the early morning hours. Some have even become violent. Shots have been fired.
By SALEEN MARTIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
One inmate from the Norfolk City Jail died this week and another is in critical condition, according to a release from the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office. The incidents are under review by the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office Professional Standards Division.
By PETER DUJARDIN, SALEEN MARTIN AND LISA VERNON SPARKS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Nearly all cities and counties in Hampton Roads are giving workers the day off Friday after Gov. Ralph Northam issued an executive order this week declaring “Juneteenth” a state holiday. But at least one locality — York County — will remain open for business.
By NOLAN STOUT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Top Charlottesville officials say they were unaware that Virginia State Police troopers used city vehicles to respond to a weekend rally protesting police brutality, saying the decision came from an unnamed officer. The City Council, City Manager Tarron Richardson and Police Chief RaShall Brackney released a joint statement Thursday to address the issue, which had been bubbling since Monday night.
By ALLISON WRABEL, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Albemarle County Public Schools likely will not be making any changes to its school resource officer program until at least July 9. During a meeting Thursday, the county School Board heard about an informational review of the school resource officer program, which will be presented to the board on June 26.
By ALLISON WRABEL, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Friday will be the first Juneteenth that is a paid holiday for many government employees in Central Virginia. Following Gov. Ralph Northam’s announcement that he would introduce legislation to make June 19 a paid holiday for state employees, Albemarle County, Louisa County and the University of Virginia also decided to make the day a paid holiday,
By MICHELLE DMYTRYSZYN, Central Virginian
Friday, June 19th, 2020 will be a County holiday in observance of Juneteenth.
By RICHARD CHUMNEY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
For the first time in the 155 years since the end of the Civil War, the city of Lynchburg on Friday will formally celebrate Juneteenth — a holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the U.S. In a hastily organized special meeting Thursday, Lynchburg City Council voted 5-0 to declare June 19 a paid holiday for city employees.
By RALPH BERRIER JR., Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
Roanoke municipal offices will be closed Friday in recognition of Juneteenth, which was recognized as a state holiday earlier this week by Gov. Ralph Northam.
By JUSTIN FAULCONER, Amherst New Era Progress
Town of Amherst officials plan to hold a public hearing in July on a request for a temporary RV park, in an Amherst industrial park, to house workers associated with the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.
By JOHN R. CRANE, Danville Register & Bee
Calling George Floyd's death while in police custody last month a murder, Danville Police Chief Scott Booth spoke at length Wednesday morning about the role of law enforcement in the community. "That was a murder, whether committed by law enforcement" or another citizen, Booth said. Booth spoke to dozens of community leaders during a virtual Business at Breakfast hosted by the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.
By DAVID MCGEE, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)
The Tazewell County School Board on Thursday adopted a resolution urging the state to allow each division to decide how best to reopen schools and will consider legal action to back it up.
By JIM TALBERT, Clinch Valley News
Tazewell County’s Department of Social Services has been found guilty of violating the Freedom of Information Act. Wythe County General District Judge Gerald Mabe issued a writ of Mandamus against the agency June 17 for failure to submit an answer to a Freedom of Information request from Tazewell Attorney Fred Harman.
By WILFORD KALE, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)
The American Battlefield Trust has raised $12,500, the private donations needed to purchase and protect 29 acres of the Williamsburg Civil War Battlefield, according to a trust official. “We cannot declare full ‘victory,’” explained Mary Koik, Trust director of communications and editor of “Hallowed Ground” magazine. “We are still awaiting word on government (federal and state) grant applications.
By CODY MELLO-KLEIN, Alexandria Times
A community conversation about whether to rename T.C. Williams High School gained traction last week, as several residents started petitions to present to the school board.
By STAFF REPORT, Prince William Times
Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin, D-Woodbridge, issued a directive Tuesday requesting that county staff begin the process of renaming Jefferson Davis Highway, also known as U.S. 1, which runs through Woodbridge and Potomac magisterial districts in Prince William County.
By ABIGAIL CONSTANTINO, WTOP
A high school in Fairfax County, Virginia, is dropping the name associated with a mascot that has Confederacy ties. The Fairfax High School community has been known as “Rebel Pride,” but Principal Erin Lenart said in a letter that moving forward, its students will be known as the “Fairfax Lions.”
By JILL PALERMO, Prince William Times
The Prince William County School Board has announced its intent to rename both Stonewall Jackson High School and Stonewall Middle School and has set a quick timeline to do it. This Monday, June 22, the school board will hold a special meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. to hear suggestions from the community for the schools’ new names.
By EMILY SIDES, Inside NOVA (Metered Paywall)
For Lubna Azmi, a 2019 graduate of Stonewall Jackson High, the school’s renaming is long overdue. “We’ve made the name work for us,” said Azmi, now a student at John Hopkins University. “But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t embrace the change.” The fact that the school was named after Stonewall Jackson in the first place was horrendous, Azmi said.
By LAURA PETERS, News Leader (Metered Paywall - 3 to 4 articles a month)
The large red neon sign that reads Stonewall Jackson Hotel stands out in the skyline of Staunton. For some it's a sense of pride, for others it has different connotations. The News Leader's story posted Tuesday evening caused a stir among commenters on the newspaper's Facebook page.
By LAURA PETERS, News Leader (Metered Paywall - 3 to 4 articles a month)
The scoreboard at Winston Wine Memorial Stadium was lit up reading 2020. The skies were dark, with storms looming, but the only storm that was rolling through were Staunton High School graduating seniors, known for their new mascot "The Storm."
