VaNews
February 10, 2021

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** Kenton Ngo, Pantograph Labs
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Top of the News


** Legislature transitions to special session Wednesday in Richmond with a full plate ([link removed])
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By AMY FRIEDENBERGER, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

The General Assembly is halfway through its work in passing new laws in areas including transportation, COVID-19 relief and parole board reform. The Democrat-controlled legislature is convening Wednesday for the start of a special session called by Gov. Ralph Northam. Legislative sessions in odd-numbered years typically last 46 days, but because Republicans refused to provide the necessary votes to extend it from 30 days to 46 days, Northam had to call a special session so that the legislature could finish its work. The legislature is slated to wrap up by Feb. 27.
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** Can localities opt out of legal marijuana sales? Virginia lawmakers debating role of public opinion ([link removed])
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By JACKIE DEFUSCO, WAVY-TV

Virginia lawmakers are debating the role of public opinion in the push to legalize recreational marijuana sales for those 21 and older. The path the General Assembly chooses to take could have major implications for access in certain parts of the state and even the fate of the legal market altogether. Local authority is one of many details being decided in the coming weeks, as the House and Senate work to come to a consensus on diverging bills. The two versions that passed last week have to be reconciled before Gov. Ralph Northam will have an opportunity to make changes of his own.
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** Some lawmakers running statewide will utilize loophole to raise money in session ([link removed])
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By PATRICK WILSON, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Because of some unusual mechanics, 11 members of the General Assembly who are running for statewide offices can now raise campaign money while they legislate. Some said they will wait until the legislature adjourns to comply with the spirit of a law prohibiting fundraising during regular sessions. But others said they would be at a disadvantage if they didn’t start raising money now, which the law allows.
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** After hectic 2020 election, Virginia might change the way absentee votes are counted ([link removed])
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By GRAHAM MOOMAW, Virginia Mercury

Despite lingering ,and unfounded, fraud suspicions on the right, a recently issued state report called the 2020 election the “most safe, secure, and successful” in Virginia’s history. This year, the Democratic-led General Assembly has rejected several Republican proposals to tighten election laws, while preserving several policy changes lawmakers enacted last year on an emergency basis like ballot drop boxes and looser rules for absentee voting. But another significant election bill has drawn bipartisan support, one that would make it easier for political parties and nonpartisan data analysts to track geographic voting patterns amid a massive increase in absentee ballots.
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** Chase sues Virginia GOP over gubernatorial convention plans ([link removed])
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By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press

GOP gubernatorial candidate Amanda Chase on Tuesday sued the Republican Party of Virginia over its plans for a nominating convention to choose candidates in this year’s election. In a statement, Chase accused party leadership of trying to stick with plans for a nominating convention even though large gatherings remain banned under the pandemic. The Republican Party of Virginia has not finalized its plans; Chase says the party’s central committee is plotting to capitalize on the confusion by simply choosing a nominee itself and bypassing voters.
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** Confusion over signups plagues CVS vaccine rollout ([link removed])
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By LUANNE RIFE, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

By the time the Virginia Department of Health on Tuesday told people they could register for vaccines with CVS, all of the appointments had been taken. CVS on Monday evening sent out a news release saying appointments would not be available until Thursday for Friday’s vaccinations at 36 Virginia stores, but the registration site went live anyway on Tuesday. Dr. Danny Avula, who heads Virginia’s COVID-19 task force, said during a media call Tuesday that local health districts were supposed to have the opportunity Tuesday to preregister people on their waiting lists. However, anyone with internet access was able to log on and take one of the 26,000 appointments.
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** City still owes millions in business incentives ([link removed])
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By DAVID MCGEE, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

The city of Bristol, Virginia owes six local businesses a combined $2.8 million through tax incentive agreements dating back to 2014. The city has six active agreements, valued at $3.4 million, that were used to help those businesses locate or expand in the city. To date, the businesses have received a combined $610,800 or 17.9% of the city’s obligation.
The Full Report
58 articles, 30 publications
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** FROM VPAP
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** VPAP Visual Building a donor network from scratch ([link removed])
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The Virginia Public Access Project

Some gubernatorial hopefuls this year -- bypassing established networks of campaign donors -- have turned to Virginians who are first-time political contributors. This visual ranks the major party candidates based on the percentage of their Virginia donors who had never given to a state candidate or committee before.
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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 to 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.


** GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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** Virginia lawmakers mull competing mandatory minimum sentencing proposals ([link removed])
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By GABRIELLA MUÑOZ, Washington Times

With a special session underway, the Democrat-controlled Virginia General Assembly will need to reconcile differences between House and Senate proposals on mandatory minimum sentencing to create a new law. Both chambers advanced their respective proposals late last week, which means the different versions of the mandatory minimum legislation are heading into “crossover” so that each chamber considers the other’s bill.
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** Police reform advocates frustrated by bill’s defeat ([link removed])
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By JOSEPHINE WALKER, VCU Capital News Service

Virginia has made headlines in recent months for criminal justice reform measures but advocates say more needs to be done. They are disappointed lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly recently killed proposals to reduce qualified immunity protections for police officers. State lawmakers so far this session have advanced bills to legalize marijuana, remove mandatory minimum sentences and abolish the death penalty. During the special session called last year, the General Assembly banned police from using no-knock search warrants and chokeholds.
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** Lawmakers weigh how far to go in changing a decades-old law criminalizing HIV ([link removed])
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By KATE MASTERS, Virginia Mercury

Thirty years ago, HIV was largely considered to be a death sentence. At a time when the disease was little-understood, even within the health care community, Virginia joined dozens of states in passing laws that criminalized “infected sexual battery” — making it a felony for someone living with HIV, syphilis or Hepatitis B to engage in sexual activity “with the intent to transmit the infection to another person.” . . . Virginia passed its own statute in 1997, making infected sexual battery a Class 6 felony and nondisclosure — or having sex with someone without revealing your status — a Class 1 misdemeanor. Twenty-four years later, Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, has joined with Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, in an effort to modernize the law.
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** Virginia Democrats Plan To Restore Voting Rights For Felons, But Remain Divided On How Far To Go ([link removed])
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By DANIELLA CHESLOW, DCist

Growing up in New Jersey and Virginia, Richard Walker says “it was mandatory” in his African American family to vote in every federal, state and local election. Then, in 2004, Walker lost his right to vote after he was arrested in Virginia for drug possession and sentenced to 18 months. It would be another eight years before Walker, 62, could restore his rights. “For those eight years I had no voice,” he says. Walker eventually founded the organization Bridging the Gap in Virginia, which he now heads, to advocate for civil rights. He is backing a Democratic push to change the Virginia Constitution, which currently bars felons from voting — even after they serve their sentences.
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** Chesterfield public defender office could be operational by year's end ([link removed])
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By MARK BOWES, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

A new public defender office in Chesterfield County could be up and running by year’s end if the General Assembly approves funding for it during the special session that begins Wednesday. Legislation that would create the office sailed through the Senate during the regular session with no formal opposition. Senate Bill 1442 to establish the office has made it to the House of Delegates after the Senate on Friday voted 37-1 to move it forward with only Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, voting no.
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** A New Bill, Inspired by Purple Lounge, Would Make it Easier to Deny Liquor Licenses ([link removed])
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By MATT BLITZ, ArlNow

A former Columbia Pike business has inspired a state bill that would allow localities greater say over liquor licenses. HB 2131 was introduced in the Virginia House of Delegates last month by Del. Alfonso Lopez, who represents Arlington — including portions of the Pike — in the 49th District. It has since passed the House unanimously and is now in the Virginia State Senate.
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** Education equity measure advances in General Assembly ([link removed])
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By AMY FRIEDENBERGER, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, and Del. Chris Hurst, D-Montgomery, both put forward proposals to change the constitution to force the General Assembly and state to reckon with its responsibility to provide a high-quality education to all students in the commonwealth. The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee last Thursday backed Stanley’s proposal to have the constitution say the General Assembly should provide all children in the public schools with “equitable educational opportunities.” The bill still must secure passage from the full Senate. Even then, Stanley’s proposal faces an uncertain future in the House, where a panel chose not to advance Hurst’s proposal.
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** Cat Fight in Richmond ([link removed])
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By SANDY HAUSMAN, WVTF

Daphna Nachminovich is an executive with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and she knows how quickly cats reproduce. “They have at least two litters a year, and they have multiple kittens per litter, and they start reproducing at five or six months." So she doesn’t oppose sterilizing feral cats, but she’s not happy with a bill sponsored by Senator Lynwood Lewis. It allows animal shelters to set up trap, neuter and release programs and exempts volunteers from state laws that require people to care for their animals, providing food, water, shelter and veterinary care.
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** VSB ranks candidates for Appeals Court seats ([link removed])
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By PETER VIETH, Virginia Lawyers Weekly (Subscription required for some articles)

As the General Assembly refines plans to expand the Court of Appeals of Virginia to 15 or 17 judges, Virginia bar organizations are making recommendations on who should fill the extra seats. A Virginia State Bar committee reported 11 candidates as “highly qualified” after research and an interview session on Jan. 29. Another eight applicants were deemed “qualified” by the bar’s Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee, or JCEC.
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** Foster poised to secure appointment to judgeship ([link removed])
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By DON DEL ROSSO, Fauquier Now

The lawyer and Remington-area resident’s bid to fill the Fauquier County General District Court judgeship vacancy seems like a shoo-in. Jessica H. Foster’s virtual interview for the job with a panel of Virginia lawmakers Tuesday afternoon lasted less than four minutes. No members of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Judicial Panel asked Ms. Foster, 40, any questions — a clear sign they intend to “certify” her candidacy to the Virginia General Assembly that will appoint her to the bench.


** STATE ELECTIONS
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** Virginia Republican sues own party over nominating process for top office ([link removed])
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By FREDRICK KUNKLE, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

A Republican state senator in Virginia who is mounting a campaign for governor has filed a lawsuit against her own party to prevent the GOP from using a nominating convention to select its candidates in this year’s races for governor and other statewide offices. Sen. Amanda F. Chase (Chesterfield), in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in circuit court in Richmond, argued that the Republican Party’s choice to hold a nominating convention — an in-person event in which only those delegates chosen by the party can participate — instead of a state-run primary would run afoul of pandemic-related decrees likely to still be in place that would prohibit such a large gathering.
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** Chase sues Republican Party over plan for nominating convention ([link removed])
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By PATRICK WILSON, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Republican gubernatorial candidate Amanda Chase filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the state Republican Party, asking a judge to declare as illegal the party’s plan for a convention to pick statewide candidates this year. The lawsuit says an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 people would attend a convention, which would violate an executive order by Gov. Ralph Northam limiting public gatherings to 10 people. At no point during the COVID-19 pandemic have public gatherings been allowed to exceed 250 people.
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** Ex-think tank CEO Peter Doran announces GOP bid for governor ([link removed])
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Associated Press

Another northern Virginia executive is joining the Republican race for governor. Peter Doran of Arlington announced Tuesday that he is seeking this year’s GOP gubernatorial nomination. Doran is former CEO of the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis. In his role he warned about Russian efforts to undermine Western democracies.
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** Lexington child welfare advocate to challenge Del. Ronnie Campbell for GOP nomination ([link removed])
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By AMY FRIEDENBERGER, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Mark Reed, a child welfare reform advocate from Lexington, is challenging Del. Ronnie Campbell, R-Rockbridge, for the Republican nomination this year. Campbell, 66, was elected to the House of Delegates in a special election in 2018 to replace now-U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt. A former Virginia state trooper, Campbell’s known for being a gun rights defender. I
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** Rod Hall joins the race for 31st District House of Delegates seat ([link removed])
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By DANIEL BERTI, Prince William Times

Prince William resident and state transportation official Rod Hall has entered the already crowded race for the Virginia House of Delegates’ 31st District seat and has racked up a few key endorsements. Hall, 44, is the chairman of the Virginia Aviation Board and was appointed to serve on the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority by Gov. Ralph Northam in 2020. He currently works as public policy advisor at the Washington Office of K&L Gates, focusing on transportation and infrastructure issues.
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** Arlington Democrats see access to urban corridors as key to 2021 ([link removed])
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By SCOTT MCCAFFREY, Sun Gazette

In olden times, impregnable impediments to political success were called castles, and they dotted the landscape of Europe. In Arlington these days, those fortresses are high-rise apartments and condominiums. And the Arlington County Democratic Committee is formulating plans to get inside them during the 2021 election cycle. Mid-rise and high-rise living represents a large swath of the Arlington population, and “many of them are inaccessible to outside groups,” said Carol Fontein, who heads the robust precinct-operations efforts of Arlington Democrats. As a result, the party aims to recruit those living in multi-family complexes to help with outreach – within the limits set by owners of the properties.


** STATE GOVERNMENT
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** State superintendent announces ‘Virginia LEARNS Workgroup’ to guide reopening and recovery ([link removed])
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By MADISON PEARMAN, WAVY-TV

Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction James Lane announced on Tuesday the formation of leaders to assess the needs of students and support schools as they implement Gov. Ralph Northam’s directive to provide in-person instruction options for students by March. The group, coined ‘Virginia LEARNS (Leading, Engaging, Assessing, Recovering, Nurturing and Succeeding) Workgroup,’ consists of educators, school administrators, mental health professionals, parents, and leaders of community organizations. They hope to develop recommendations, identify resources and find the best practices for remediation and intervention strategies, assessments, data analysis, and technology to support instruction.
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** Virginia's unemployment extension program is now active, VEC says 80,000 people are eligible ([link removed])
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By EVAN WATSON, WVEC

Virginia's unemployment benefit extension program is now active, and unemployed workers can either file weekly claims for benefits or submit a new application. This round of the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, or PEUC, provides 11 weeks of payments to people who have exhausted their traditional unemployment benefits.
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** Council Discusses Diversion, Other Ways To Curb Jail Population ([link removed])
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By IAN MUNRO, Daily News Record (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

City and County Criminal Justice Planner Frank Sottaceti gave a presentation to Harrisonburg City Council on Tuesday about the proposed expansion of Middle River Regional Jail. Sottaceti said the proposed expansion of MRRJ is not just about increasing space, but also creating a safe environment for inmates, providing space for programming to reduce recidivism, educational and work training opportunities, and treatment. “Investment in MRRJ is not a simple matter of increasing capacity,” his presentation said.
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** Jail: Incarcerated people receive 2 showers a week during COVID-19 outbreak – sometimes more ([link removed])
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By DANIEL BERTI, Prince William Times

Officials at the Prince William-Manassas Adult Detention Center say the jail is meeting state standards by providing incarcerated people with at least two showers a week and a clean change of clothes after each shower as a COVID-19 outbreak at the jail continues to spread. The response comes after attorneys at the Prince William public defender office began raising concerns about the treatment of clients being held at the jail, including complaints from inmates about the lack of hygiene during the outbreak and the use of solitary confinement to slow the spread of the virus.
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** Report finds Virginia's schools are not adequately serving students with disabilities ([link removed])
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By ADELE UPHAUS–CONNER, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Virginia's public schools are failing to meet the needs of students with disabilities and the requirements of federal special education mandates, according to a recent report by the Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee, the General Assembly's watchdog agency. Among the report's findings were that there is a 30-point gap in the graduation rate between students with and without disabilities; that schools are not adequately preparing special education students for life after graduation;


** CONGRESS
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** Virginia’s U.S. Senate delegation to Biden: Get SWVA in federal pharmacy program for COVID-19 vaccines ([link removed])
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By MIKE STILL, Kingsport Times News

Virginia’s U.S. Senate delegation is asking the Biden administration to start shipping COVID-19 vaccines directly to Southwest Virginia pharmacies to ensure rural residents’ access to the doses. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, in a Monday letter to leadership at the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cited news accounts in recent days that pharmacies in Southwest Virginia are not included in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination.
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** GOP Congressmen call for Gov. Northam to 'open up Virginia' ([link removed])
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By CHRISTINA THOMPSON, WSET-TV

"Open up Virginia:" That's the message to Governor Ralph Northam from some local Republican Congressmen. Representative Bob Good co-signed a letter along with Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith urging Governor Northam to reopen the state amid COVID-19 restrictions. The letter asks for Northam to reconsider his COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and deliver a definitive game plan for moving businesses towards normalcy.


** ECONOMY/BUSINESS
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** Three Hampton Roads revitalization projects receive $1M from state ([link removed])
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By SYDNEY LAKE, Va Business Magazine

Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday that $1 million in Port Host Communities Revitalization Fund (PHCRF) grants will go toward three projects in Hampton Roads including revitalizing the vacant 57,792-square-foot Willis Building in Norfolk, making updates to the Menchville Marina to aid the state’s oyster industry and redeveloping the 51-acre Lovett Point property in Portsmouth for industrial use. “With these three projects, we are making important investments that will help ensure our global economy continues to flow through Hampton Roads,” Northam said in a statement.


** TRANSPORTATION
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** Metro’s Blue Line To Shut Down For Three Months Starting Saturday ([link removed])
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By MATT BLITZ, ArlNow

Metro’s entire Blue Line is being shut down for more than three months starting Saturday. The closing of the Blue Line, which runs through parts of Arlington, is due to platform reconstruction work being performed at the Arlington Cemetery station. Additionally, work is being done at the Addison Road station in Maryland. The project was announced last year.


** HIGHER EDUCATION
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** VMI sees surge of COVID-19 cases ([link removed])
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By CLAIRE MITZEL, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

More than 20% of the Virginia Military Institute’s 1,700 cadets were in isolation or quarantine Tuesday as the military college experienced a spike in COVID-19 cases. VMI’s case dashboard reported 131 active, confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, with 128 of those from cadets. That’s about 7.5% of the cadet population.
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** While COVID-19 cases decline, Virginia Tech misses positivity rate goal ([link removed])
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By HENRI GENDREAU, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

While COVID-19 cases on Virginia Tech’s campus have declined dramatically since the fall, a recent uptick has undermined the university’s stated goal to contain the virus. Tech’s seven-day positivity rate, calculated by the number of positive tests divided by total tests administered, has exceeded 5%. The university has said it would try to avoid surpassing that rate.
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** U.Va. dorm residents in 24-hour quarantine to identify extent of outbreak ([link removed])
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By EVA SUROVELL, Cavalier Daily

After identifying 17 positive cases in Gibbons dormitory since Feb. 3, the University has asked all 213 residents to remain in their rooms for at least 24 hours starting Monday night so that they can conduct an additional round of testing to determine the extent of the viral spread. During this 24-hour period, residents of Gibbons will be provided breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as enhanced personal protective equipment. Residents who test positive for COVID-19 will be moved to isolation housing, and close contacts of those who test positive will be moved to quarantine housing.
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** Virginia State University won't raise tuition next year ([link removed])
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By ERIC KOLENICH, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Virginia State University won't raise tuition for the 2021-2022 school year, the school announced Tuesday. For in-state students, the cost to attend classes remains $9,154 per year, the cheapest in Virginia among four-year schools. Out-of-state students will not see a hike, either. VSU has kept tuition flat for in-state students for three straight years.
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** U.Va. creates committees on Free Expression and Free Inquiry, Naming and Memorials ([link removed])
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By EVA SUROVELL, Cavalier Daily

The University has announced the creation of two new committees, one focused on free speech and expression and the other examining the names of University institutions and the contextualization and status of memorials on Grounds. The Committee on Free Expression and Free Inquiry will write a statement identifying the roles of free expression and free inquiry in the University's academic enterprise as well as how they shape engagement with the ideas of others. This committee will be chaired by Leslie Kendrick, White Burkett Miller professor of law and public affairs and vice dean at the School of Law.
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** Did the dean of Regent University’s law school help spur the Capitol riot? Critics say yes. ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL GORDON, Charlotte Observer

Mark Martin retired as chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court in 2019 with a reputation as a legal moderate and consensus-builder who worked to protect the integrity of the courts. But now the 57-year-old Republican is under attack for his role as an informal legal adviser to Donald Trump during the defeated president’s unprecedented two-month fight to remain in office....In a Jan. 31 story, the New York Times said Martin, now dean of the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, was at the center of two of the most controversial legal maneuvers in Trump’s failed effort to overturn his loss to now-President Joe Biden.


** CORONAVIRUS
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** 'Not an ideal rollout' - CVS brings more vaccine to Va., amid confusion ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL MARTZ AND SABRINA MORENO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

The leader of Virginia’s push to vaccinate residents against COVID-19 says the state was right to ask that people on health department waiting lists have priority for appointments to receive doses at 36 CVS pharmacies across the state through a federal initiative President Joe Biden announced last week. However, Dr. Danny Avula acknowledged that Virginia’s attempt to get a “head start” for tens of thousands of people on state waiting lists backfired on Tuesday, when CVS opened its online portal for appointments at 5:15 a.m.
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** CVS vaccination plan gets off to a confusing start in Virginia. ([link removed])
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By CATHY DYSON, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

Another day, another element of confusion pertaining to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. The latest involves CVS Health, which announced last week that it was getting vaccines from the federal government and would start making appointments on Tuesday for stores in select states. While CVS said it would vaccinate only those eligible under state guidelines, it wasn’t clear if the pharmacy would get names from the Rappahannock Area Health District, the agency maintaining the list of registrations in the Fredericksburg area. The situation got even murkier this week.
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** After Registration Confusion, VDH and CVS Switch Course on Vaccines ([link removed])
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By ALAN RODRIGUEZ ESPINOZA, WCVE-FM

Dr. Danny Avula, Virginia’s leading vaccine official, told reporters Tuesday the pharmacy chain CVS will take in any patient 65 and over to get their COVID-19 vaccine, even if that person was not pre-registered to get their shot through the Virginia Department of Health. The original plan was for CVS to only take in people already on the department’s waitlist, as part of a federal pharmacy partnership program. Avula said that due to technology issues, CVS will not be able to check if their patients are the same as those on the VDH database.
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** Communication slips, confusion mounts in CVS vaccine rollout ([link removed])
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By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

CVS Pharmacy opened its online registration for COVID-19 vaccines early Tuesday, hours after announcing that it would not begin taking appointments for two days. The national pharmacy chain said it opened the online portal to accommodate Virginia's concerns about giving first access to people who already had registered for vaccination with their local health districts. . . . The move prompted further confusion for Virginians who said all appointments were gone by the time they realized that CVS had opened its website for people to pre-register for vaccinations, which are scheduled to begin on Friday.
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** Virginia is creating a statewide coronavirus vaccine waiting list, but it’s weeks away ([link removed])
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By ANA LEY AND ELISHA SAUERS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Gov. Ralph Northam says Virginia will have a statewide system within weeks for people to get their names on a list for a coronavirus vaccine. But once their turn comes, they’ll still have to schedule appointments through their local health departments for a few more months. Responding to criticism over Virginia’s inconsistent vaccination efforts, Northam had said on Jan. 27 the state was trying to make it easier for people to know when and how they can get a shot. He had promised that a single statewide phone number and website would be set up “soon” that people could use to “pre-register” for a dose, answering questions to help residents figure out which phase of the vaccination rollout they’re in.
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** Virginia launches ‘COVIDWISE Express’ for ‘app-less’ exposure notifications ([link removed])
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By SARAH FEARING, WAVY-TV

Virginia has launched an extension of its existing COVIDWISE technology. On Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Health announced the launch of “COVIDWISE Express,” an app-less technology that will notify Virginians if they’ve possibly been exposed to COVID-19. COVIDWISE Express launched last week and functions similarly to the COVIDWISE app, which launched in August, but doesn’t require downloading the app itself.
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** Va. politicians urge state to explain how rural health districts with high COVID rates received least amount of vaccines ([link removed])
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By SABRINA MORENO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Health districts that have received the least amount of coronavirus vaccines in Virginia are the ones with counties reporting some of the highest COVID-19 rates throughout the state. They’re also largely rural with populations up to 77% Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and have no major hospitals. With health systems given a significant ration of vaccine supply in the early days of the rollout, localities in Northern Virginia, Central Shenandoah, Richmond and Norfolk led the way in weekly allocations.
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** Prince William Health District is administering 5,160 COVID-19 vaccine doses a week – for now ([link removed])
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By JILL PALERMO, Prince William Times

Unless a lot more vaccine begins flowing into Prince William County, it could be mid-June before the nearly 49,000 people on the health district’s waiting list are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. That’s because the county health district is administering vaccine doses at a rate of about 5,160 shots a week, and each person on the waiting list will need two shots to be fully immunized. At that rate, it will likely take about 20 weeks -- or five months -- to get through both priority groups.
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** Newport News Shipbuilding vaccinates hundreds of employees with first batch of doses ([link removed])
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By DAVE RESS, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

Newport News Shipbuilding has received a first lot of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccinated 338 employees last week. Ultimately, it expects to receive enough vaccines for its entire workforce, spokesman Duane Bourne said. The first to receive shots were first responders as well as employees who maintain the yard during emergencies whose work is essential to keep the yard on pace for critical schedules.


** VIRGINIA OTHER
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** KKK member sentenced to 3 years and 8 months for driving through Henrico protest ([link removed])
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By ALI ROCKETT, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

A Hanover County man who told police he was a high-ranking member of the Ku Klux Klan was sentenced Tuesday to three years and eight months in jail for driving through a crowd of protesters in Henrico County last summer. Harry Rogers, 37, pleaded guilty last week to five misdemeanors: three counts of assault, and one count each of destruction of property and hit and run. Each charge carried a penalty of up to a year in jail.
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** Alleged extremist leader also had top-secret clearance and worked for the FBI, attorney says ([link removed])
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By KATIE SHEPHERD, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Navy veteran Thomas Edward Caldwell led a band of the Oath Keepers extremist group to Washington on Jan. 6 to storm the U.S. Capitol, federal prosecutors allege, helping to mastermind a violent plot to stop lawmakers from certifying Joe Biden’s presidential victory. But Caldwell’s attorney, Thomas K. Plofchan, says he isn’t just a retired lieutenant commander. Caldwell also had a top-secret security clearance and served as a section chief for the FBI after leaving the armed forces in 2009, Plofchan said. . . . Caldwell lives in Berryville, Va., and had been involved in local GOP politics. He was arrested on Jan. 19 in Virginia on charges of conspiracy, destruction of government property, obstruction of an official proceeding, and violent entry or disorderly conduct.


** LOCAL
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** Arlington sets date for return to classrooms ([link removed])
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By HANNAH NATANSON, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

After weeks of delays, Arlington Public Schools on Tuesday set a March timeline for returning students of all grade levels to classrooms for two days of in-person instruction each week. The decision, which follows similar reopening announcements from neighboring districts, came on the same day that the Virginia Department of Education debuted a task force charged with helping students recover academically and emotionally from the remote-learning regimen imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
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** Richmond schools officials cite 'significant concerns' about reopening buildings ([link removed])
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By KENYA HUNTER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Richmond Public Schools leaders aren’t optimistic that they can meet Gov. Ralph Northam’s request to open schools to students by March 15. Buildings aren’t cleaned or safe enough for COVID-19 prevention, too few teachers and staff have been vaccinated, and officials worry how they will continue deploying buses to bring food to students if they also need to transport kids to schools, officials said Tuesday at a School Board meeting.
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** Chesterfield middle and high school students heading back March 9 ([link removed])
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By JESS NOCERA, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

All public Chesterfield middle and high school students have the opportunity to return to the classroom five days a week beginning March 9. The Chesterfield School Board unanimously voted Tuesday to bring the remaining students out of virtual learning and back into school buildings.
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** Isle of Wight elementary schools to hold in-person classes five days a week ([link removed])
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By MATT JONES, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

Students in pre-K through fifth grade will be able to go to school five days a week starting next week, Isle of Wight Schools announced Monday. It’s one of the most aggressive in-person learning models in Hampton Roads, similar to Chesapeake schools — where elementary school students have gone to school five days a week since Jan. 19.
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** King William County administrator resigns ([link removed])
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By EMILY HOLTER, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

King William County Administrator Bobbie Tassinari abruptly resigned Sunday after learning a county supervisor and the former Commissioner of the Revenue withheld information pertaining to the county’s tax reassessment, according to emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. On Friday, fourth district Supervisor Stewart Garber forwarded a Nov. 4, 2020, email correspondence he had with former Commissioner of the Revenue Sally Pearson to several key county figures, including the Board of Supervisors and county administrator, that discussed errors within the assessment.
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** Schools planning classroom instruction 4 days a week ([link removed])
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By LAWRENCE EMERSON, Fauquier Now

Most Fauquier public school students could return to classrooms four days a week in early April. Superintendent David Jeck briefly outlined his recommendation to double in-person instruction at Monday night’s school board meeting. It would start with the youngest students, who have suffered the greatest “learning loss” since the COVID-19 pandemic struck Virginia last March, Dr. Jeck explained.
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** More than half of Franklin County school employees start COVID-19 vaccinations ([link removed])
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By MIKE ALLEN, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

More than half of Franklin County Public Schools’ teachers and staff have received their first round of Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations. “Out of about 1,250 employees, we have roughly 800 vaccinated,” Jason Guilliams, the district’s director of operations, told the Franklin County School Board during Monday night’s regular meeting. “That’s about 64% of our workforce.”
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** Pulaski man living on town land doesn't object to eviction, relocating home ([link removed])
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By SAM WALL, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

A Pulaski man living on town land for more than 40 years will be relocating his modular home. Gary Martin – who lives on a patch of the town’s Macgill Park – did not contest the eviction proceeding the town began in January after a months-long saga that left the former town employee unsure of whether he’d be able to keep his home on a small portion of the nearly 10-acre park the town has recently expressed an interest in selling.
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** City Council OKs gun ban at city government buildings, properties, events ([link removed])
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By BRIAN BREHM, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

In a 7-2 vote, City Council tonight approved a ban on guns and ammunition at any city government building, property or event. The vote, which fell along party lines, was 7-2, with council's only two Republicans — Les Veach and Corey Sullivan — opposing the measure. Council reached its decision after more than an hour of comments from 18 area residents, all but one of whom said they opposed what they viewed as an infringement on their Second Amendment right to bear arms.
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** Local banks help launch interest-free loan program for minority-owned businesses ([link removed])
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By MATT WELCH, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

A pair of local banks has joined with two other banks in the region to launch an initiative aimed at helping minority-owned businesses. The Banking on Diversity program was created by Bank of Clarke County, First Bank, Bank of Charles Town and The Fauquier Bank. Together, the four banks have committed up to $1 million in interest-free loans for startup and existing minority-owned businesses. The application process will be open until the money runs out.
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** Bristol, Virginia landfill issue leads to heated City Council meeting ([link removed])
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By SLATER TEAGUE AND ANSLEE DANIEL, WJHL-TV

Tuesday night’s Bristol City Council meeting became heated as members discussed the city landfill. Last month, the City Council voted to make repairs to the landfill after public complaints about an odor coming from the facility located on Shakesville Road. The landfill was a topic of discussion again Tuesday night, which led to an argument between Councilman Kevin Mumpower and City Manager Randy Eads after Eads presented options from raising rates on city residents to limiting landfill access, to selling the landfill altogether.

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** Kenton Ngo, Pantograph Labs
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Proud to support VPAP's data work. Few places are as lucky as Virginia! Digital fundraising & ads: pantographlabs.com ([link removed])


** EDITORIALS
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** Big wish list needs big funding ([link removed])
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Daily Progress Editorial (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

“I don’t know how you get to a good budget now without [a] revenue forecast,” warned a consultant working with local government organizations. You can’t. Just as local governments are struggling with how to fund budgets containing higher spending requests, so the commonwealth of Virginia is facing pleas for increased services — without knowing yet where the money is to be found to pay for them all.
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** With COVID-19 vaccines headed to local pharmacies, will this be the end of the lotterylike process? ([link removed])
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Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

On Tuesday morning, customers walking into the CVS Pharmacy at 2738 West Broad St. in Richmond were met with several pieces of information at the front entrance. Two of them were related to COVID-19 vaccinations: First, shots were not yet available at this location (neither was testing for the coronavirus at this particular store). And second, to stay updated on the vaccine, people were encouraged to scan a QR code with their cellphones, pointing them to online resources. In the days and weeks ahead, we hope the messaging describing what’s not possible will change toward what is doable.
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** Pass Parole Board reform ([link removed])
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Free Lance-Star Editorial (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

One of the few criminal justice reform bills before the General Assembly this session that actually focuses on the rights of victims instead of criminals passed the state Senate unanimously and was sent to the House of Delegates last Friday on “crossover day.” The bill (SB 1104), patroned by Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, requires the Virginia Parole Board to notify both the commonwealth’s attorney and the victim(s) of a crime at least 21 business days before the offender is released from prison.


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