By VERNON MILES, ArlNow
The County Board Tuesday night unanimously approved consideration of a new ordinance that would effectively ban carrying firearms on county-owned property. The move is the first step towards making the ordinance part of county policy, though it will still need to undergo a public hearing and a vote at the Board’s next meeting.
By HANNAH NATANSON, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)
Fairfax County Public Schools is renaming Robert E. Lee High School in Northern Virginia for the late Georgia congressman John Lewis, a historic switch that follows a wave of similar rechristenings throughout the South. The school board voted unanimously to change the name to John R. Lewis High School at a virtual meeting Thursday evening.
By CATHERINE DOUGLAS MORAN, Reston Now
Fairfax County NAACP shared nine priorities for tackling racism in the county’s public schools on Tuesday night. The virtual town hall was originally set to be a two-hour discussion with Superintendent Scott Brabrand, but Brabrand declined and instead attended the school board’s meeting to push for a fully online start to school.
By MARK ROBINSON, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
The Richmond City Council has taken a step toward establishing a civilian review board, a key police reform that protesters have demanded during recent civil unrest. The council’s Governmental Operations Standing Committee on Thursday endorsed creating a new task force to lead the effort, which activists believe is critical to holding police accountable to the communities they serve.
By KENYA HUNTER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
After hearing from students on Thursday who want police out of their schools, Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras said he will ask the School Board to remove them. He said he’ll then ask the City Council to give money budgeted for school resource officers to the school system, so RPS can hire mental health professionals.
By JEREMY M. LAZARUS, Richmond Free Press
The race to become Richmond’s next mayor appears be bleeding into the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. As the contest for the city’s top elected office heats up, the most notable example of the confluence of the campaign and the protests to date has been the nighttime demonstration on July 15 in front of the Jackson Ward home of a top mayoral candidate, 2nd District City Councilwoman Kim B. Gray.
By JEREMY M. LAZARUS, Richmond Free Press
The Marcus-David Peters case is getting another look. Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette W. McEachin has begun a review of the controversial May 2018 police killing of the 24-year-old Henrico County man and biology teacher, even as she dismissed as unfounded a set of complaints against city police officers arising from recent Black Lives Matter protests.
By JIM MCCONNELL, Chesterfield Observer
Chesterfield County recently reached a historic low point – one that is poised to save taxpayers millions over the next two decades. In early July, the county sold the final $59.8 million in general obligation bonds authorized by voters in a 2013 referendum, which will allow the local school system to finish building replacements for Crestwood, Ettrick and Reams Road elementary schools. Investors acquired the bonds at a 1.4% interest rate – the lowest in Chesterfield’s history and roughly half of the county administration’s most optimistic projections.
By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Henrico County schools will remain closed through the first nine weeks of the upcoming school year, out of caution over the COVID-19 pandemic. The School Board voted unanimously Thursday to adopt Superintendent Amy Cashwell’s recommendation for an online-only start, after a more than four-hour work session where details about potential reopening scenarios were discussed.
By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Hanover County Supervisor Canova Peterson has asked the county’s School Board to reconsider removing Confederate names from two schools, calling a vote to do so last week a “complete failure of leadership.” In a Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday evening, Peterson and two other supervisors criticized the school system for removing signs from Stonewall Jackson Middle School and Lee-Davis High School within two days of the School Board’s 4-3 vote last week.
By SEAN JONES, Progress Index (Metered paywall - 10 articles a month)
Virtual learning will continue for Petersburg students this fall in what is being called “Petersburg Virtual Academy.” The school board chose Wednesday night to go virtual, while also considering two hybrid options where students would have both in-person, and virtual instruction. No option for complete in-person reopening was considered.
By CATHY JETT, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)
Fredericksburg students will fire up laptops instead of waiting for school buses when the city’s public school system starts its fall semester Aug. 17. The School Board voted unanimously Thursday to offer 100 percent distance learning for the first nine weeks of school. It had considered offering a hybrid of in-person and virtual education at its July 6 meeting, but staff later recommended delaying face-to-face learning until at least Oct. 19 due to concerns about COVID-19.
By PETER COUTU, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
The leader of Virginia Beach public schools is calling for the division’s nearly 70,000 students to start classes virtually this fall — and to continue online unless Hampton Roads begins seeing far fewer new COVID-19 cases. The recommendation from Aaron Spence, the superintendent of the region’s largest school system, came after a month of rising case numbers, positive test rates and hospitalizations in Hampton Roads. Younger age groups appear to be leading the surge.
By MATT JONES, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
Virginia Education Association groups from the Peninsula area are joining other groups across the state in calling for school to be online at least for the fall. Groups from Gloucester, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, James City and York all signed onto Wednesday’s statement calling for 100% virtual instruction.
By ALISSA SKELTON, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)
The 115-year old Confederate monument that sits on city grounds will be removed from the public eye. The Virginia Beach City Council on Thursday night unanimously voted to begin the removal process during a special session at the Convention Center.
By ABIGAIL ADCOX, Virginia Gazette (Metered Paywall - 4 Articles per Month)
York County Schools Superintendent Victor Shandor recommended the division start with remote learning through at least the first nine weeks of school at a School Board meeting Thursday night. The School Board will vote on which plan to use for the school year on July 30.
Eastern Shore News (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
The Accomack County School System took a survey of parents before adopting the plan for opening the schools this fall. At the K through 9 level 1237 returned the surveys. When asked how comfortable they felt letting their children return to school, 557 indicated they were not comfortable, 428 said they were comfortable but had some concerns and 252 said they were comfortable with no concerns.
By CATHY JETT, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)
Fredericksburg police are investigating protests held outside two city officials’ homes last week. The protesters shouted Black Lives Matter chants and made disparaging remarks in front of the homes of Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw and City Manager Tim Baroody. Targeting specific residences for protest activities “crosses a well-established line,” city spokeswoman Sonja Cantu wrote in a July 17 news release.
By ALLISON BROPHY CHAMPION, Culpeper Star Exponent (Metered Paywall - 20 articles a month)
Culpeper Sheriff Scott Jenkins is advancing his vow from last year to swear in scores of auxiliary deputies to protect their gun rights in the face of potential new gun restrictions pending at the state level. The county’s elected lawman is accepting applications through Sept. 30 for “volunteer background investigators” to screen any future reserve deputies, according to a post Monday at the Sheriff's Office's Facebook page.
By DAVID HOLTZMAN, Central Virginian
The owner of Pleasants Landing has won his battle with county government officials to host outdoor music concerts without having to obtain a conditional use permit. Louisa Circuit Court Judge Timothy Sanner said in a July 1 letter that the county cannot require Mike Vallerie to have a permit for shows at the Lake Anna property that may attract 200 or more people.
By KATHERINE KNOTT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
Parents and teachers packed a virtual town hall Thursday to hear about plans to reopen Albemarle County schools and to ask questions. The town hall, held over Zoom, is the first of three planned over the next few days. Hosted by School Board members, the event gave parents and teachers a chance to ask questions about reopening plans. Thursday’s event was scheduled for an hour but lasted more than 90 minutes.
By STAFF REPORT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors will hold a special meeting Monday to discuss and vote on implementing more restrictive COVID-19 regulations. The meeting announcement comes after supervisors on Wednesday delayed voting on pandemic-related safety measures. The county is considering making masks mandatory in public, limiting restaurants to 50% occupancy indoors and restricting certain public and private in-person gatherings to a maximum of 50 people.
By PATRICK HITE, News Virginian
What started off as a quiet night at the Waynesboro School Board meeting — the members were in closed session for the first 50 minutes — ended with shouting and accusations that citizens of Waynesboro were not given a voice. A very small, but also very vocal, contingent of those in attendance Wednesday night were angry that there was no public comment period at the meeting. The main purpose of the meeting was a chance to review the school reopening plan.
By ANNA MEROD, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
After a nearly four-hour meeting Tuesday night, the Frederick County School Board narrowly approved a hybrid plan that will allow students to either attend in-person classes on a reduced basis or do their coursework online when the 2020-21 school year starts for the division on Aug. 31. The hybrid plan, recommended by Superintendent David Sovine, passed on a 4-3 vote. The board also approved reviewing the plan after the first nine weeks of school are complete.
By PATRICK HITE, News Leader (Metered Paywall - 3 to 4 articles a month)
The Staunton School Board had a special called work session Wednesday morning to review the reopening plan. Superintendent Garett Smith and other central office staff members were present to answer questions from school board members about the plan as schools are set to reopen to students in less than four weeks on Aug. 18. Ken Venable, the school board chair, commended Smith and his staff for the work they've put in on the reopening plan, but cautioned that these plans could change and they have to be prepared for that.
By JAMEY CROSS, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
Members of the Lynchburg City School Board on Tuesday asked division staff to consider making it a requirement that students wear face coverings when they return to school in the fall. Board member Gary Harvey said at a school board work session that requiring students to wear face coverings would show the division cares about the health and safety of its teachers and staff who are providing in-person instruction and support to students.
By JAMEY CROSS, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)
Superintendents from local school divisions discussed their plans for reopening schools in the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic — and how local businesses can help make their plans reality — during Wednesday’s Business at Breakfast event hosted by the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance.
By CLAIRE MITZEL, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
Questions about health and safety and virtual learning dominated Thursday's online town hall about Roanoke City Public Schools' plan to reopen schools Aug. 31. "The purpose of this town hall tonight, it’s not to sell you on anything," Superintendent Verletta White said. "This is just to provide you with the information that you need so that you can make the best choices for your families and for your loved ones."
By MEGAN SCHIFFRES, Rappahannock Record (Paywall)
Northumberland students will have an opportunity to enroll in a completely remote course of study for the 2020-21 academic year due to concerns related to the spread of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. The district also will offer students a hybrid educational plan, which incorporates both in-person and distance learning, for families who are comfortable with sending their children into school part-time.
By PARKER COTTON, Danville Register & Bee
The Danville School Board is now considering a proposal for the school year to begin with nine weeks of virtual learning for all students, with a few exceptions. The school board heard the proposal during a special meeting Thursday.
By PARKER COTTON, Danville Register & Bee
The first day for students within Danville Public Schools will be Aug. 24 and their last day will be June 2, according to the new version of the 2020-21 academic year calendar that the school board approved during Thursday’s special meeting
By KIM BARTO MEEKS, Martinsville Bulletin (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
The Henry County School Board has voted to begin school virtually for all students on Aug. 10, in a departure from the hybrid reopening plan approved in June. In a 4-1 vote, with one member abstaining, the board agreed Thursday morning to delay students’ return to classrooms for the time being and revisit the issue when they next meet in August.
By ASHLEY SPINKS, Floyd Press
In the past couple weeks, the Floyd Town Council has received draft resolutions from folks on both sides of the debate about whether to remove the Confederate monument that stands in front of the local court house, despite the fact that it has no authority over the statue. Town of Floyd Mayor Will Griffin was quick to point out as much in his opening remarks during Thursday’s well-attended meeting. The Council could—and some had hoped they would—take an official position on the monument issue and share that collective view with the Board of Supervisors, but ultimately, as Griffin said, “We are not part of the decision-making body.”
By JIM TALBERT, Richlands News-Press
It will be up to the voters in Tazewell County whether or not the statute of a Confederate Soldier stays in front of the courthouse or moves. After hearing from 19 speakers the board of supervisors voted 5-0 to ask the circuit court to issue an order placing the issue on the ballot this November.
