VaNews
January 27, 2021

Today's Sponsor:


** Rebecca Anderson
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In support of an informed Virginia electorate.
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Top of the News


** Local officials slam Northam administration’s COVID vaccine rollout ([link removed])
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By KATE ANDREWS, Va Business Magazine

With Virginia lagging behind other states in getting residents vaccinated for COVID-19, officials in Hampton Roads, Fairfax County and Chesterfield County have gone straight to the governor with complaints and concerns about the process, which Chesterfield supervisors categorized as “totally defective” and Hampton Roads officials deemed “inconsistent,” saying it’s “causing confusion and frustration.” “We need answers,” says a letter signed by Chesterfield’s five-person Board of Supervisors and sent to Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday.
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** Large majorities of the region’s nursing home workers have declined the coronavirus vaccine ([link removed])
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By RACHEL CHASON, REBECCA TAN, JENNA PORTNOY AND ERIN COX, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

A large percentage of nursing home workers in D.C., Maryland and Virginia have declined to take the coronavirus vaccine, officials say, presenting a major challenge in the region’s plans to protect its most vulnerable residents. Nursing home workers were first offered the vaccine in late December and early January, along with residents of long-term care facilities and other health-care workers. Their wariness, providers and union representatives say, is fueled by online misinformation about the vaccine and historical mistrust of the medical system of which they are a part.
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** Rural Chesapeake Bay-area health districts struggle to deal with COVID-19 ([link removed])
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By PAMELA A. D’ANGELO, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Underfunded and understaffed, rural health districts around the Chesapeake Bay are being stressed by the pandemic. They’ve had to cut back on contact tracing to meet vaccination needs and some are behind in sending data to the federal and state government because of a lack of broadband. This week, as they continue with Phase 1b of vaccinating, they are also starting to give people their second vaccine dose.
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** House panel advances bill ending costly coal tax credits ([link removed])
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By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press

A House panel advanced a bill Tuesday that would phase out two costly coal tax credits that a state investigation recently found generate economic losses for Virginia. The incentives, designed to encourage coal production and coal use and aid the struggling economy of southwest Virginia, are decades old and among the state’s largest. They have been a persistent political issue in recent years, with Republicans generally pushing to keep or expand them and Democrats seeking to end or limit them.
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** Glenn Youngkin, former Carlyle Group co-CEO, announces GOP run for governor ([link removed])
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By MEL LEONOR, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Glenn Youngkin, a recently retired private equity CEO with a sizable personal fortune, is running for the Republican nomination to become Virginia’s next governor. In a video announcement, Youngkin, 54, cast himself as an up-from-the-bootstraps businessman and political outsider.
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** Fairfax County adopts policy barring cooperation with federal immigration agents ([link removed])
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By ANTONIO OLIVO, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Fairfax County on Tuesday formally adopted a long-standing practice of prohibiting county employees from cooperating with federal immigration agents — a step aimed at addressing reports that some undocumented immigrants in the county have avoided seeking help during the coronavirus pandemic out of fear of being deported. The “Trust Policy,” approved by the county Board of Supervisors on a 9-1 vote, prohibits county employees from sharing or seeking information about the immigration status of a county resident unless that action is mandated by a state or federal law, a court order or a judicial warrant.
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** Virginia Tech warns students after police bust weekend parties ([link removed])
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By HENRI GENDREAU, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Dozens of Virginia Tech students are facing potential discipline after police busted at least 10 parties over the weekend, the first of the spring semester. Tech police received a call about a gathering on campus of more than 10 people, the limit imposed by the governor, said Mark Owczarski, a university spokesman. Officials referred 16 students involved in the party to the university’s student conduct process, which determines whether and how a student will be penalized.
The Full Report
64 articles, 29 publications
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** FROM VPAP
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** VPAP Visual COVID-19 Put a Hit on Virginia Employment ([link removed])
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The Virginia Public Access Project

The construction industry was the only sector of Virginia's economy that proved immune to the job losses from COVID-19. This interactive visual uses 2020 payroll numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to show both the annual and the month-by-month changes in payroll across 11 industry sectors.
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** From VPAP Maps, Timeline of COVID-19 in Virginia ([link removed])
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The Virginia Public Access Project

Our COVID-19 dashboard makes it easy to track the latest available data for tests performed, infections, deaths and hospital capacity. We've added a link the VDH vaccination data. There's also a filter for each city and county, plus an exclusive per-capita ZIP Code map. Updated each morning around 10:30 a.m.


** EXECUTIVE BRANCH
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** Chesterfield Board of Supervisors writes to Gov. Northam saying Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout is ‘totally defective’ ([link removed])
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By KEYRIS MANZANARES, WRIC-TV

The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam Tuesday seeking answers about the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. County board members James Holland, Christopher Winslow, Jim Ingle, Kevin Carroll and Leslie Haley, criticized Virginia’s mass vaccination campaign calling it “totally defective.” The board said they have run out of patience and tolerance.


** GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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** Finance leaders focus scrutiny on state income tax ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

The leaders of the General Assembly finance committees are laying the groundwork now for a hard look at Virginia tax policy — particularly how the state taxes income — for possible action as early as next year after election of a new governor and House of Delegates. Senate Finance Chairwoman Janet Howell, D-Fairfax, said Tuesday that she is forming a special joint subcommittee to look at the state’s income tax and whether to make it more progressive by tying tax rates more closely to how much income people earn.
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** Va. lawmakers hesitate on new affordable housing tax credits ([link removed])
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By ALEX KOMA, Washington Business Journal (Subscription required for some articles)

A rare coalition of Virginia housing advocates and developers was hoping 2021 was the year to get a large new affordable housing tax credit approved — but pandemic-induced cost concerns in the General Assembly have likely thwarted their plans, for now. Lawmakers proposed legislation that would set up a state-level version of the federal “Low-Income Housing Tax Credit,” commonly known as LIHTC.
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** Bill to eliminate Va. death penalty advances; cost savings debated ([link removed])
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By NEAL AUGENSTEIN, WTOP

Eliminating the death penalty in Virginia would cost the commonwealth about $77,000 to house and feed two current death row inmates, but free up almost $4 million yearly by eliminating the state’s Capital Defender Service, which represents defendants in cases eligible for the death penalty. Virginia Senate Bill 1165 was approved Tuesday by the Finance and Appropriations Committee by a vote of 12-4.
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** Va. Democrats’ new gun proposals include background checks at shooting ranges, ban on ‘ghost’ guns ([link removed])
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By GRAHAM MOOMAW, Virginia Mercury

Just like last year, the Virginia General Assembly’s 2021 session began with a show of force from gun-rights supporters in downtown Richmond. And just like last year, Democrats still have full control. And they’re still looking to fix up what they see as weak spots in the law after taking power from pro-gun Republicans in the 2019 elections. Many top gun-control priorities — like expanded background checks, a red flag law and a one-handgun-a-month rule — were approved last year. That’s meant the new round of gun legislation has been somewhat lower profile, but there are several significant bills working their way through the two chambers.
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** Dulles Greenway bill headed for House vote after passing committee ([link removed])
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By NATHANIEL CLINE, Loudoun Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

The Virginia House of Delegates will soon vote on a bill aimed at amending how the 14-mile Dulles Greenway is regulated. On Tuesday morning, the House Transportation Committee voted unanimously to forward the bill to the House. The bill is being carried by Del. Suhas Subramanyam (D-87th). Last year, his bill died in the House Labor and Commerce Committee on an 8-8 vote.
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** Virginia General Assembly passes bill to make some abortions more affordable ([link removed])
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By EMMA NORTH AND JACKIE DEFUSCO, WAVY-TV

On Tuesday, the House of Delegates passed a bill that could make abortions more affordable for thousands of women in Virginia. The party-line 55-45 vote in the House sends the bill to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk after the Senate passed its companion bill last week. If Northam signs the legislation, Virginia would become the first state in the south to lift a ban limiting access to abortion under certain health insurance providers.
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** Bill to restrict wakesurfing at Smith Mountain Lake sinks in House ([link removed])
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By AMY FRIEDENBERGER, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

A bill to regulate wakesurfing at Smith Mountain Lake wiped out in the House of Delegates this week. Del. Kathy Byron, R-Bedford, sponsored a bill in response to numerous homeowners surrounding Smith Mountain Lake agitated with wakesurfing boats — which create waves big enough for people to surf without the need of a tow rope — zooming around in the coves. The bill prompted passionate feedback from wakesurfers and homeowners, who are divided on the issue.
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** Assembly considering bills aimed at student driver safety after 2019 Yorktown car crash that killed 3 teens ([link removed])
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By WILFORD KALE, Virginia Gazette (Metered Paywall - 4 Articles per Month)

The House of Delegates and State Senate are each considering bills this week related to student driver safety, outgrowths from Oct. 26, 2019, York County automobile accident that took the life of Conner Guido and two other 16-year-old-companions. Tammy Williams Guido of Yorktown, his mother, has been working aggressively for the past 15 months making local and state officials aware that her son’s death and those of the other victims could have been prevented.
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** More trees: Virginia bill would allow cities to make developers plant them ([link removed])
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By KATHERINE HAFNER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Picture your ideal neighborhood. Does it have a canopy of trees that look nice, clean the air and provide shade on a sunny day? In Virginia, localities want the ability to require more of it. With the help and backing of environmental groups, a local delegate is pushing a bill that would give city leaders wider latitude to make real estate developers plant or replace trees when they build. “People need to understand how vitally important trees are to addressing a wealth of environmental challenges,” said Del. Nancy Guy, whose district includes Norfolk and Virginia Beach. “They are cheap, easy and beautiful.”
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** Bill Targeting BMPs, Tax Credits Progresses ([link removed])
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By JESSICA WETZLER, Daily News Record (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Before the sun rose Tuesday morning, legislators were pushing forward a bill to create an enhanced income tax credit for certain best management practices that received support from several agricultural organizations. During an early subcommittee meeting, lawmakers gathered virtually to take up several items, including Del. Tony Wilt’s House Bill 1763.
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** Advocates Say Virtual Lobbying is Meaningful, Accessible ([link removed])
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By PATRICK LARSEN, WCVE-FM

Lobby days are an important tradition in Virginia politics, when advocacy groups bring their members together at the state capitol to hold demonstrations and speak with lawmakers face-to-face. COVID-19 has changed all of that. The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a group which holds its well-known lobby day on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, organized a car rally this year instead of a more traditional one which would likely not meet Gov. Ralph Northam’s social distancing standards. Many other advocacies are choosing to take their work entirely online.
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** Senate revises resolution to censure Chase for 'unbecoming conduct,' gives her another day to fight ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, found little mercy from her own party leader, but gained an extra day to stave off a possible censure for her conduct as a state senator — and not just for her support of political rallies in Washington that preceded the assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. The Senate is considering a formal reprimand of a member for the first time in almost 35 years.
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** Loudoun County town mayors oppose bill moving elections to November ([link removed])
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By KAREN GRAHAM, Loudoun Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

The Virginia General Assembly is close to mandating that city and town elections move from May to November, beginning with elections held after Jan. 1, 2022. The Senate bill, which passed on a tie-breaker vote Jan. 21, is headed for a final vote in the House of Delegates.
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** Danville City Council members oppose moving local elections from May to November ([link removed])
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By JOHN CRANE, Danville Register & Bee

The Virginia General Assembly is considering whether to require localities to hold local elections in November. Members of Danville City Council say having to move its elections from May to November could cause local races to become swallowed up by state and national issues during major election years. "You don't want to take the focus away from local elections and local candidates," said City Councilman Bryant Hood.


** STATE ELECTIONS
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** Youngkin joins race for Virginia governor ([link removed])
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By LAURA VOZZELLA, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Glenn Youngkin, a Great Falls businessman and political newcomer, will formally enter this year's race for Virginia governor on Wednesday, bringing the number of Republican contenders to five. Youngkin, 54, who in September retired as co-chief executive of the Washington private equity giant Carlyle Group, has never held elective office. He touts his outsider status as a selling point in a campaign video.
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** Republican Snyder joins crowded Virginia governor contest ([link removed])
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By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press

Entrepreneur and former Fox News contributor Pete Snyder has joined a crowded field seeking the Republican nomination for Virginia governor, touting his business experience and promising a new approach to leadership in Richmond. The CEO of a capital investment firm, Snyder said in an interview that the state government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic was the top reason he jumped into the race.
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** Snyder joins crowded race for Virginia governor ([link removed])
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By ANA LEY, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Business owner and former Fox News contributor Pete Snyder announced Tuesday he’s joining the crowded race for Virginia governor. In a campaign video, the Republican Snyder said he wants to reverse “eight years of failed leadership” by Democrats Ralph Northam and Terry McAuliffe “and the rest of the career politicians.” McAuliffe is trying to reclaim the gubernatorial seat he held from 2014 to 2018.
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** ‘Not daunted’: Pete Snyder launches GOP gubernatorial campaign in Democratic-trending Virginia ([link removed])
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By EMILY BROOKS, Washington Examiner

Pete Snyder knows that Virginia’s bluer and bluer Democratic tilt over the last decade means that Republicans have a tough task in the race for the governor's mansion in 2021. But the upbeat businessman-philanthropist, who announced his gubernatorial candidacy on Tuesday, says, “As an entrepreneur, I love a challenge.” “I am not daunted whatsoever about the fact that over the past 10 years, no Republican has won statewide office in Virginia,” Snyder, 48, told the Washington Examiner in an interview Tuesday.
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** Entrepreneur Pete Snyder launches GOP bid for governor ([link removed])
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By MEL LEONOR, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Pete Snyder, an entrepreneur from Charlottesville, on Tuesday formally launched his campaign for governor, seeking the GOP nomination by presenting himself as a political outsider. Snyder, 48, said the driving force behind his decision to run is what he sees as the state’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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** Justice Reform Advocate to Challenge Del. Bourne ([link removed])
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By ROBERTO ROLDAN, WCVE-FM

Long-time criminal justice reform advocate Richard Walker is launching a primary challenge against Richmond Del. Jeff Bourne. Walker is currently the president of Bridging the Gap Virginia, a nonprofit that works with formerly incarcerated individuals to find employment, housing and overcome other barriers to re-entry. This General Assembly session, he’s also been an outspoken advocate for a constitutional amendment that would let people with past felony convictions vote in Virginia. Walker said he plans to campaign on increasing access to affordable housing, equitable educational opportunities and voting.


** STATE GOVERNMENT
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** $29.6M state grants to expand broadband in 11 localities ([link removed])
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By SYDNEY LAKE, Va Business Magazine

Nearly $30 million in Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) grants will be disbursed among five projects to expand broadband access in 11 localities in the Northern Neck, Southwest and Southern Virginia and Botetourt County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. The projects will connect more than 11,700 households, businesses and institutions to high-speed internet. VATI provides funding for broadband expansion projects to underserved areas.
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** An F for Virginia’s tobacco control measures ([link removed])
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By DAVE RESS, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

Virginia’s efforts to prevent death and disease from smoking got a grade of F from the American Lung Association, in a review of states’ tobacco control policies. The association said that although tobacco sales generate some $416 million in state revenue, Virginia’s spending on tobacco control programs of $10.1 million is just 11% of what the federal Centers for Disease Control recommend.
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** Virginia State Police phasing out old cruisers in favor of SUVs ([link removed])
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By NED OLIVER, Virginia Mercury

State police are phasing out their unmistakable blue-and-gray sedans in favor of new model SUVs. Officials told lawmakers that the switch to the new vehicles, which cost $13,000 more than the old cars, was unavoidable because Ford stopped making its Taurus Police Interceptor in 2019. “They’re no longer being manufactured by Ford,” Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran told the Senate’s budget committee.
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** Retiring Port of Virginia CEO John Reinhart gets full bonus, rocking chair ([link removed])
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By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

A bonus worth more than $200,000, a rocking chair to enjoy the view of cranes and cargo, and a who’s who of Virginia elected leaders, business executives and port industry officials. It was all part of a send-off Tuesday for John Reinhart, the retiring CEO of the Virginia Port Authority who led the agency from the financial brink seven years ago and oversaw significant expansion.


** ECONOMY/BUSINESS
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** Over Half Of Va. Jobs Lost In March, April Now Recovered ([link removed])
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By IAN MUNRO, Daily News Record (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Virginia has recovered over half of the jobs lost during the initial pandemic economic crash, according to Joe Mengedoth, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond economist. “About 57% of the jobs lost in March and April have been recovered, but it definitely has not been even across the industries,” Mengedoth said Tuesday.
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** Virginia's jobless rate ticked up in December to 4.9% ([link removed])
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By JOHN REID BLACKWELL, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Virginia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic showed signs of slowing in December and remained uneven as some industries added jobs while others continued to see losses. The state’s unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 4.9% in December from 4.8% in November. The jobless rate remained well above where it stood in December 2019, at 2.7%.
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** Virginia’s unemployment rate ticks up slightly to 4.9% ([link removed])
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By KIMBERLY PIERCEALL, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The unemployment rate in Virginia ticked up in December by less than one-tenth of a percent to 4.9% as the labor force remained 173,618 workers short of where it was in February 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. “There are still a lot of people sitting on the sidelines right now,” said Joe Mengedoth, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
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** New stream-crossing permits sought for Mountain Valley Pipeline ([link removed])
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By LAURENCE HAMMACK, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Seeking to ease a two-year logjam, Mountain Valley Pipeline will restart a permitting process to cross nearly 500 streams and wetlands that remain as barriers to the completion of its natural gas pipeline. The company said Tuesday that it will abandon its plan to use a blanket permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which allowed the pipe to be buried in trenches dug along the bottoms of water bodies before it was challenged in court.
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** Genworth Financial cutting 95 jobs in Henrico County ([link removed])
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By JOHN REID BLACKWELL, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Insurance company Genworth Financial Inc. is laying off 95 employees from its corporate headquarters operations in Henrico County. The job cuts, expected to be permanent and effective on March 27, come less than a month after Genworth’s long-delayed plan to merge with a China-based company was put on indefinite hold.
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** Bon Secours will close Norfolk’s DePaul hospital building in April ([link removed])
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By ELISHA SAUERS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Citing extremely low patient volume and empty beds, Bon Secours Mercy Health will close DePaul Medical Center, a hospital with a history extending over 160 years in Norfolk, by April. The Catholic-based hospital system made an announcement in a news release Tuesday, a decision that has been rumored could be coming for at least two years, as competing hospitals in the surrounding area have grown and Bon Secours has conducted layoffs.
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** The road less 'Traveller'-ed: Fort Lee's 80-year-old newspaper ceases publication this week ([link removed])
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By BILL ATKINSON, Progress Index (Metered paywall - 10 articles a month)

After eight decades, the post's weekly newspaper is riding off into the sunset, but Fort Lee officials say that should not be seen as an obituary for news and information delivery from the Prince George County installation. The Fort Lee Traveller's last edition will be Thursday, Jan. 28, according to Stephen Baker, Fort Lee's public affairs officer. A lack of advertising sales due to the spread of COVID-19 was one of the official reasons listed for the decision to stop publication, but it also is a reflection of how the traditional print newspaper has fared as newer and faster ways to disseminate news have developed.


** TRANSPORTATION
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** Silver Line Phase II On Track for Fall Opening Despite Metro Financial Concerns ([link removed])
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By SCOTT FIELDS, Reston Now

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every facet of the world including Metro planning, but officials say the construction phase of Phase II of the Metro Silver Line has managed to stay on track. Marcia McAllister, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project Communications Manager, noted that Phase II is 99 percent complete. McAllister shared the update during the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Metro Monday Jan. 25 virtual meeting about COVID-19’s financial impact on Metro and the Silver Line.
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** Metrorail system still has work to do on safety, board says ([link removed])
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By JUSTIN GEORGE, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Metro’s safety culture came under scrutiny Tuesday as investigators disclosed that track workers were left vulnerable to train traffic or electric shock and other employees feared reprisal for raising concerns about safety. The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, an independent panel Congress created three years ago to monitor safety at the transit agency, issued findings at its meeting from three investigations conducted last fall. The probes emphasized Metro’s need to create, update and reinforce safety standards — something the agency has pledged after the release of a September audit that included 21 safety failures or concerns within its Rail Operations Control Center.


** CORONAVIRUS
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** Virginia shifts vaccine distribution strategy, triggering thousands of canceled appointments ([link removed])
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By KATE MASTERS, Virginia Mercury

Teachers and other frontline employees in Fairfax County received an unwelcome surprise on Monday when Inova — one of the largest hospital systems in Northern Virginia — announced it was canceling COVID-19 vaccination appointments for educators and other workers in the state’s 1b priority group. As The Washington Post reported, the move affected thousands of teachers and other school employees who had already scheduled appointments through the health system. And Inova wasn’t alone. On Friday, the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington also announced it was canceling all future first-dose appointments at community vaccine clinics.
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** As D.C. region sets record for coronavirus deaths, Hogan expands vaccine access in Maryland ([link removed])
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By ERIN COX, JULIE ZAUZMER AND MEAGAN FLYNN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Maryland announced plans Tuesday for six new mass vaccination centers staffed by the National Guard on a day marked by the most coronavirus-related deaths in the greater Washington region since the start of the pandemic. Virginia, Maryland and D.C. reported 165 fatalities, breaking a record set two weeks earlier. Each jurisdiction had a death toll Tuesday that was well above its rolling seven-day average. Virginia set a daily record when excluding state reporting anomalies.
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** Limited doses of vaccine to be split between essential workers and oldest residents ([link removed])
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By LUANNE RIFE, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

With demand outpacing vaccine supplies, scammers are trying to take advantage of frustrated people, the director of the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts warned Tuesday. “We are getting reports that people in our area are getting emails from companies stating they will help with vaccine appointments. This is not true. The only messaging regarding vaccines at this time will be coming from the Roanoke City Alleghany Health District, PrepMod or VAMS registration services. Please be mindful of the links that you click in regards to the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. Cynthia Morrow.
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** In Va., virus deaths on the rise ([link removed])
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By SABRINA MORENO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Almost every state in the U.S. is seeing its COVID-19 case and death rates decline. Virginia is one of six that isn’t, according to a data compilation from The New York Times of case counts, deaths and hot spots pulled from state and local health agencies. Among those six, Virginia has had the third-highest number of cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days.
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** Teachers are moving to the front of the vaccine line — but that doesn’t mean all schools will reopen right away ([link removed])
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By HANNAH NATANSON, DONNA ST. GEORGE AND PERRY STEIN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Vaccinating teachers has been widely hailed as a vital step toward reopening the nation’s still-closed schools and, in many places, educators have been moved toward the front of the line for shots. But it has not gone hand-in-hand with efforts to return students to classrooms. And adding to the confusion, some officials are explicitly refusing to link vaccination and reopening. Part of the problem is the chaotic logistics of vaccine distribution as the pandemic rages on. Not all teachers can get the shots right away, and even for those who do, the process takes time: Vaccines must be delivered in twin doses almost a month apart. Even in the best case, most educators will not be fully vaccinated until late February at earliest.
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** Northern Virginia seeks mass vaccination venue, calls for more vaccine supply ([link removed])
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By RICK MASSIMO, WTOP

Members of Virginia’s congressional delegation have asked the acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to choose Northern Virginia as a mass vaccination site for the COVID-19 vaccine. Reps. Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly and Jennifer Wexton said in a letter to Acting Administrator Robert Fenton that “Northern Virginia already has the capacity” to administer many more vaccine doses than it has been.
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** FEMA is Giving Arlington More Than $2 Million for Vaccine Distribution Efforts ([link removed])
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By JO DEVOE, ArlNow

Arlington County is slated to receive nearly $2.3 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support the distribution of coronavirus vaccines, Virginia’s U.S. Senators announced on Tuesday. The money will go toward storage supplies, transportation support, staffing, personal protective equipment, and other equipment to ensure facilities align with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said a joint press release from Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
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** Prince William Co. official: New scheduling system should facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations ([link removed])
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By SCOTT GELMAN, WTOP

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Prince William County, Virginia, has left residents frustrated, with eligibility requirements changing and a lack of supply prompting county officials to stop scheduling first-dose appointments until at least Feb. 15. But Dr. Alison Ansher, the health director for the Prince William Health District, said a change in its scheduling system should improve the vaccination process. The health district — which also covers Manassas City and Manassas Park — uses scheduling software that the federal government introduced, complicating the sign-up process. No matter where a vaccine clinic was located in Virginia, anyone across the country could see it and sign up.
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** Health district reports new high in Fredericksburg-area COVID-19 cases ([link removed])
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By SCOTT SHENK, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Tuesday’s Rappahannock Area Health District update marked another daily high in positive cases with 362. There also were four more virus-related deaths reported in the district. There have now been a total of 18,336 COVID-19-cases and 161 virus-related deaths reported in the district since the pandemic began.
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** Now Vaccinated, Local Teachers Await Return to Classroom ([link removed])
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By ALAN RODRIGUEZ ESPINOZA, WCVE-FM

When the opportunity came for Deborah Nadeau to get her first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, she didn’t think twice. Her sister and aunt are both nurses. They already got their vaccines, and now they help administer it to others. “That was good enough for me,” Nadeau said. “My go-to was always to check with my aunt, who's been a nurse my whole life. I value her opinion, so if she thinks it's safe and good, I'm going to go for it.”


** VIRGINIA OTHER
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** Botetourt to hold public hearing on moving Civil War monument ([link removed])
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By TAD DICKENS, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accepted a committee report that recommends moving the county’s Civil War monument from its location in front of the courthouse at Fincastle. The next step will be advertising a public hearing before a vote. Not that a few residents didn’t use Tuesday’s public comment hearing to enter their opinions into the board’s record.
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** Rocky Mount formally fires officers charged in U.S. Capitol riot ([link removed])
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By MIKE ALLEN, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Rocky Mount formally terminated two town police officers who federal authorities have charged with participating in the Jan. 6 riot inside the U.S. Capitol. In a statement released Tuesday, Town Manager James Ervin declined to provide further details of the firing of former Sgt. Thomas “T.J.” Robertson and former Officer Jacob Fracker.


** LOCAL
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** Richmond officials projecting $37.5M revenue shortfall for 2021-2022 budget ([link removed])
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By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

With an annual budget proposal due to the Richmond City Council in the first week of March, city officials are working out how to bridge a projected $37.5 million gap for the city’s next annual budget. It has been almost a year since Mayor Levar Stoney scaled back his budget proposal for the current fiscal year by nearly $40 million to $744 million, cutting plans for employee raises and new hires as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
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** Richmond school officials, community members at odds over extension of superintendent's contract ([link removed])
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By CHRIS SUAREZ AND KENYA HUNTER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Richmond community members are divided over the length of Superintendent Jason Kamras' contract renewal, which ends in June. Supporters and detractors of the 2005 National Teacher of the Year are at odds over how long to extend his contract, which is up for renewal. Some cite the need for consistent leadership, while others question academic progress since he began his tenure in 2018. “It takes five to seven years to flip a school. But to flip a system, [in] which you have so many deficits? That’s not going to be done in three years,” said School Board Chairwoman Cheryl Burke. “I don't want him to leave, but he has other opportunities, I’m sure, as well."
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** A former Virginia Beach employee was fired for statements made after mass shooting. Now her lawsuit has been dismissed. ([link removed])
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By JANE HARPER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

A federal lawsuit filed by a former Virginia Beach employee who claimed she was wrongly fired for statements made after the 2019 mass shooting at the city’s Municipal Center has been dismissed. The statements Elizabeth “Beth” Mann offered in the days following the May 31 shooting “did not involve a matter of public concern” and instead were “personal grievances” not protected by the First Amendment, U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith wrote in upholding a magistrate judge’s earlier ruling.
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** Surf park project in Virginia Beach could break ground by end of year ([link removed])
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By STACY PARKER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The coronavirus has wrecked havoc on the entertainment industry, but the surf park and entertainment venue planned for the Oceanfront hasn’t missed a beat and could break ground by the end of the year, according to the city. “I’m personally pleased with the progress,” Virginia Beach senior city attorney Alexander Stiles said Tuesday after a development authority meeting where members approved an additional $300,000 for studies related to the Atlantic Park project.
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** Caroline County schools delaying in-person learning until March 1 ([link removed])
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By ADELE UPHAUS–CONNER, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

The Caroline County School Board has voted to delay in-person learning for students until March 1. The division was to begin offering a hybrid in-person program for all students Feb. 1, but the board voted Monday evening to delay this option for one month, stating the desire to give all staff and employees a chance to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
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** School administrators unveil plan to address ‘learning loss’ ([link removed])
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By COY FERRELL, Fauquier Times

At a meeting of the Fauquier County School Board Tuesday evening, there was both good news and bad news from a fiscal perspective. The bad news is that the projected budget for next year – fiscal year 2022, which begins July 1 -- is slightly less than the current budget, meaning pay raises for school employees are likely off the table. The good news is that the school division will receive about $2.6 million from a disbursement from CARES Act funding to pay for after-school and summer-school programs to help students make up any learning lost during remote and hybrid learning.
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** Hburg council offers chilly reception to jail expansion plan ([link removed])
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By RANDI B. HAGI, Harrisonburg Citizen

Members of the Harrisonburg City Council expressed concerns about and, in some cases, outright opposition to a proposed expansion of the Middle River Regional Jail as the jail’s leader made his pitch Tuesday night. While the council didn’t take any vote on the issue, the discussion signaled that jail officials might have an uphill climb to convince Harrisonburg to kick as much as $1.2 million more a year for the city’s share of a nearly $40 million expansion.
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** Campbell planning commission recommends denial of solar farm ([link removed])
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By SARAH HONOSKY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

A proposed 10-acre solar farm off Brookneal Highway in Campbell County was met with planning commissioners’ and residents’ criticism and was unanimously denied a recommendation of approval Monday night. The planning commission is a recommending body to the board of supervisors; supervisors will take the final vote on the project at their March 2 meeting.
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** Carroll terminates contract – citing breach ([link removed])
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By ALLEN WORRELL, Carroll News

Carroll County has terminated a contract with a marketing company, citing a “breach of contact.” The Carroll County Board of Supervisors made the decision during its Jan. 11 meeting to unanimously terminate the contract with Ballycomm. County Attorney Stephen Durbin addressed the situation with supervisors before a vote could be held. . . . Durbin explained the contract was an exclusive deal and agreement with Ballycomm to represent the county in marketing properties to the telecommunications industry “to essentially locate antennas, towers on county property or property that is owned by constituent entities of the county.”
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** Pomrenkes receive 30- and 12-month sentences ([link removed])
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By DAVID MCGEE, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

An emotional federal Judge James P. Jones on Tuesday sentenced former BVU Chief Financial Officer Stacey Pomrenke and her husband, former Judge Kurt Pomrenke, to prison for the second time, this time for defrauding the government. Stacey Pomrenke, 48, of Abingdon, will serve 30 months and pay a $10,000 fine for fraudulently gaining entry to the federal Residential Drug Abuse Program in 2016 and 2017.
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** Pound: Mayor accuses council member of assault ([link removed])
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By MIKE STILL, Kingsport Times News

Pound Town Council member Glenn Cantrell has been charged a second time in three months with an allegation of assault in connection with a town council meeting. Mayor Stacey Carson, in a complaint sworn before a Wise County magistrate Thursday, claimed Cantrell assaulted her during the council’s Jan. 19 meeting.

Today's Sponsor:


** Rebecca Anderson
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In support of an informed Virginia electorate.


** EDITORIALS
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** Four factors shaping 2021 ([link removed])
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Roanoke Times Editorial (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Virginia Democrats are feeling pretty darned good about themselves right now. It’s easy to understand why: Republicans haven’t won a statewide election for 12 years. Democrats control state government in a way they haven’t since Mills Godwin sat in the governor’s office in the late ‘60s. Just to recap: Democrats hold every statewide office — governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, both U.S. senators. They have a majority in the General Assembly (and unlike the Democrats of the Godwin era, these are decidedly left-of-center Democrats).
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** Standards of Quality discussion has to be rooted in achieving better results ([link removed])
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Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Every two years, the Virginia General Assembly and state Board of Education fulfill a critical constitutional responsibility for our children. They assess the Standards of Quality (SOQ) — the basic needs that school divisions meet to foster a quality public education. In October 2019, the board unanimously approved sweeping updates to the SOQ, led by increased investments in hiring reading specialists, instituting smaller class sizes and serving students from low-income families.


** OP-ED
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** Wells: What comes after coal? ([link removed])
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By ADAM WELLS, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

This week’s editorial, “What will Democrats who oppose coal tax credits do for Southwest,” poses an important question. Del. Hudson and Sen. McPike introduced bills this session to end the decades-old tax credits for the coal industry that have failed to maintain or create significant numbers of jobs in Southwest Virginia, as the legislature’s own analysis has shown several times. The credits have been the subject of much debate over the years, but the legislators’ intent in introducing this year’s bills was fiscal responsibility — removing tax programs that are ineffective for the commonwealth.

Wells is Regional Director of Community and Economic Development with Appalachian Voices, and is located in Norton.
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** Jones: Supply problems at root of sluggish vaccine distribution in Virginia Beach ([link removed])
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By VALERIE JONES, published in Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Several Virginia Beach Council members recently expressed frustration with the rate of vaccination in our city. As a Virginia Medical Reserve Corps non-medical volunteer who has worked on site at two Virginia Beach vaccine distribution locations, I can attest to the exceptional management of this complex infrastructure. I have seen other municipalities observe the Virginia Beach operation, witnessing the efficient service of our city health and other departments now vaccinating thousands per day.

Jones is a six-time Emmy award winning television producer for the public affairs program “The American Law Journal” that airs on the Philadelphia CNN-affiliate WFMZ-TV. She is a resident of Virginia Beach.
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** Bobo: Give Virginia's essential workers paid sick days ([link removed])
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By KIM BOBO, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

There are 193 countries in the world — 179 of them have policies allowing workers to take paid sick days off when they are ill. But not the U.S. Most countries have paid sick day standards because they are good for workers, children (and schools), businesses and public health. With the support of public health professionals, teachers, parent groups, worker advocates and many business organizations, 15 states and dozens of U.S. cities and counties have adopted paid sick day standards.

Bobo is executive director of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.


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