VaNews
February 27, 2021

Today's Sponsor:


** Virginia Nurses Association
------------------------------------------------------------

On behalf of Virginia’s 110,000+ registered nurses, thank you to the General Assembly for your support of our COVID-19 frontline healthcare heroes!
* Read Online ([link removed])
* 10 Most Clicked ([link removed])
* Refer a Friend ([link removed])

Top of the News


** Leaked reports show pattern of Parole Board violations ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By GRAHAM MOOMAW, Virginia Mercury

The controversy surrounding the Virginia Parole Board has centered largely around the case of Vincent Martin, a man freed last year at 64 after serving more than 40 years in prison for murdering a Richmond police officer in 1979. Martin’s release drew outsized attention due to complaints from law enforcement and because it was among the first to be investigated by Virginia’s Office of the Inspector General for potential violations of state law and Parole Board policies. . . . But the IG’s office investigated at least six other cases without ever revealing details of its findings to the public, the General Assembly, or the local prosecutors who complained that the Parole Board failed to carry out its duty to seek outside input on parole decisions.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Almost a year later, out-of-work Virginians are still struggling to get answers or money from unemployment ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By COLLEEN CURRAN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

James Anderson, 43, has been out of work since April of last year. Two months ago, the unemployment checks abruptly stopped coming and he has no idea why. When he contacts the unemployment office to ask, no one picks up. He has two children, ages 8 and 10. He's two and a half months behind on his rent, three months behind on his utilities and his bank account is overdrawn.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Virginia lawmakers pass bill to seal some criminal records ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By DENISE LAVOIE, Associated Press

Virginia lawmakers gave final approval Friday to legislation that will allow people convicted of certain crimes to have their criminal records sealed, a move supporters say will help remove obstacles to obtaining jobs, housing, education and other opportunities for thousands of Virginians. The legislation will set up a system for automatically sealing nine misdemeanor charges after seven years if the person is not convicted of any other crimes during that time.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Virginia lawmakers scrap ‘presumption’ that those charged with certain crimes don’t get bail ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By PETER DUJARDIN, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

The General Assembly on Thursday passed legislation expected to lead to more defendants statewide being released from jail custody while awaiting trial. The measure removes the presumption that defendants charged with certain crimes — from murder, robbery and aggravated assaults to many involving domestic assaults, guns and drugs — don’t qualify for bail release.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Everyone who wants a vaccine will get one soon. That may not get us to herd immunity. ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By ERIC KOLENICH, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

In the next week, health care workers in Virginia are set to put more COVID-19 vaccines in people’s arms than ever before. State health officials expect at least 360,000 people to receive a shot. By the end of June, everyone who wants a vaccine should be able to receive a first shot, said Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s director for vaccine distribution, on Friday.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Overwhelmed with mental health calls, county aims to double the size of police ‘co-responder’ program ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By DANIEL BERTI, Prince William Times

A new county-run “co-responder” program that pairs mental health specialists with police officers to respond to mental health emergencies has been “overwhelmed” with mental health calls since the program launched in December, according to Prince William County officials. The police department received 272 mental health calls during the month of January, but “co-responder” units were dispatched in only 76 of those calls because of the program’s limited staffing, according to police spokesman 1st Sgt. Jonathan Perok.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Roanoke County forms board after McAfee Knob towing controversy ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By LUKE WEIR, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Complaints last fall from an overcrowded hiking destination caused Roanoke County this week to form a towing advisory board, tasked with ensuring regularity and transparency when police officers call for tow truck services. “It had been discussed a number of times through the years, but I think it was just becoming more and more prevalent,” said Roanoke County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jason Peters.
The Full Report
50 articles, 22 publications
* Read Online ([link removed])
* 10 Most Clicked ([link removed])
* Refer a Friend ([link removed])


** FROM VPAP
------------------------------------------------------------


** From VPAP New: Vaccination Rollout Statistics ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

The Virginia Public Access Project

We've added VDH vaccination data to our Virginia COVID-19 dashboard. You can see what percentage of the state's population has received at least one shot and the number of vaccinations per 100,000 residents in each city and county. Our dashboard also makes it easy to track the latest available data for tests performed, infections, deaths and hospital capacity. 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
------------------------------------------------------------


** Edwards says he can't probe parole board report ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By PATRICK WILSON AND MARK BOWES, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

State Sen. John Edwards, the Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Friday that he lacks the power under state law to convene a select committee that would investigate controversy surrounding a state watchdog agency’s probe of the Virginia Parole Board. Republicans said he is mistaken. Meanwhile, a Republican senator called out the Office of the State Inspector General for seemingly focusing on finding a whistleblower rather than addressing allegations in new records revealed this week.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Compromise Virginia budget plan heads for final vote ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press

Budget negotiators in the Virginia House and Senate have reached a compromise on a spending plan that funds key legislative priorities and pandemic-relief efforts, boosts the state’s reserve fund and gives state workers and state-supported employees a raise. The details of the compromise plan were posted publicly late Thursday afternoon, discussed in a Friday afternoon House meeting and expected to receive a final vote Saturday. The legislation would then move to Gov. Ralph Northam, who can seek to make additional changes.
------------------------------------------------------------


** House and Senate struggle to reach deal on marijuana legalization as end of session nears ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MEL LEONOR, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Tensions over a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in Virginia have been brewing for weeks, and as of Friday evening, with a just hours left on the legislative clock, House and Senate Democrats had not resolved their differences. The inklings of a deal had started to come together Friday morning, with lawmakers agreeing to set up a new state agency to create and regulate the new marijuana market this summer and legalize possession in 2024 — all under the condition that the legislature come back next year to finalize the regulatory framework, as well as new civil and criminal penalties tailored to check legalization.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Marijuana bills in flux as Virginia’s legislative session nears end ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By LAURA VOZZELLA AND RACHEL WEINER, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

An effort to legalize marijuana in Virginia is coming down to the final days of the General Assembly session, as House and Senate negotiators try to reconcile competing plans. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) called for legalization in November, following the release of a study that found sales could generate up to $300 million in tax revenue and create over 11,000 jobs. The House and Senate each passed legalization bills, but with differences that need to be worked out before they can advance to Northam’s desk.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Virginia legislature approves paid sick leave for home health care workers under Medicaid ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Home health-care workers would be guaranteed up to five days of paid sick leave for the first time in Virginia under legislation that cleared the General Assembly on Friday. The bill would apply only to employers whose workers serve patients enrolled in Medicaid, but that amounts to some 30,000 caregivers in the state. A spokeswoman for Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said he will review the bill, and noted that he has supported the concept.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Procurement disparity bill passes Senate panel with 6-month delay ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

A Senate committee has approved legislation Gov. Ralph Northam sought to close the disparity in state purchases from businesses owned by women or minorities, but with a six-month delay before it would take effect to allow a work group to decide how to carry it out. The Senate General Laws and Technology Committee voted 9-6 to approve the bill on Friday after hearing from businesses and trade associations on both sides of the issue as the General Assembly attempts to act on the legislation in the waning hours of special session that will end formally on Monday.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Virginia joins a movement to change state laws criminalizing HIV exposure ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By SAMANTHA SCHMIDT, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

At the height of the AIDS epidemic, as fear and misinformation about the disease swept across the country, state legislators passed a flurry of laws that criminalized attempts to knowingly expose people to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Many of these laws are still on the books, even as medical advancements have made it possible for people with HIV to live full lives and prevent transmission. . . . Now, Virginia is joining a small but growing number of states seeking to modernize these laws. State legislators are expected to pass a bill in the coming days that would, among other things, repeal an existing criminal ban on people living with HIV donating or selling their blood, organs and tissues, as well as a requirement that people convicted of certain crimes be tested for HIV.
------------------------------------------------------------


** I-64 budget deal clears way to complete expansion from Chesapeake to Richmond ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By DAVE RESS, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

The state budget compromise released Thursday night includes more funds to expand Interstate 64 in Hampton Roads, including widening the highway all the way to Richmond. Negotiators for the House of Delegates and the state Senate agreed to set $93.1 million from federal COVID-19 relief funds for work on I-64. The money is to go to the proposed 44-mile network of express and toll lanes for the region, running from the Jefferson Avenue intersection in Newport News to the Bowers Hill interchange in Chesapeake.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Senate approves bill to rename U.S. 1 Emancipation Highway in Fredericksburg area ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By TAFT COGHILL JR., Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

A bill to change the name of U.S. 1 in Virginia from Jefferson Davis Highway to Emancipation Highway passed the Virginia Senate this week with bipartisan support. The bill, which was introduced by Del. Josh Cole, D-Fredericksburg, was approved earlier by the House of Delegates. It needs only the signature of Gov. Ralph Northam to become law, effective Jan. 1, 2022.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Bill protecting privacy of Virginia drivers heads to Northam’s desk ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By KEYRIS MANZANARES, WRIC-TV

A bill protecting the information of Virginia drivers has advanced in the general assembly after passing through the house of delegates. House Bill 2163, introduced by Delegate Kathy Tran (D), limits the release of information from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to government entities and law-enforcement agencies. This information includes where a person lives, what kind of car they drive, and a photo of them.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Electric vehicle sales are small in Virginia, but a new push is on to build the market ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By JOHN REID BLACKWELL, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

As the owner of an electric, battery-powered automobile for seven years, Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, wants to see many more Virginians driving electric cars. “I don’t think in my lifetime I will ever buy another gas-powered car,” said Willett, who was a co-sponsor of a package of legislation that just passed the Virginia General Assembly aimed at sparking more electric vehicle sales in the state.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Lawmakers approve ban on gay panic defense in Virginia ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By CIERRA PARKS, VCU Capital News Service

Virginia lawmakers passed a bill that will ban the use of a person’s perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity as a defense in court for the assault or murder of an LGBTQ person. “It’s done: We’re banning the gay/trans panic defense in Virginia,” Del. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, said in a Twitter post. Roem introduced House Bill 2132, which passed the Senate 23-15 on Thursday with an amendment. The House approved the amendment in a 58-39 vote. The bill now heads to Gov. Ralph Northam’s desk for a signature.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Bill to improve Virginia schools' ability to help students with seizures heads to Northam's desk ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By SHANNON KELLY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month)

A bill that would better prepare Virginia school personnel to help students having seizures awaits the governor’s signature after being passed by the General Assembly, the results of a grassroots effort primarily started by two Virginia teens and their families. The Jamie and Brie Strong Act, Senate Bill 1322, is named after advocates Jamie Van Cleave of Yorktown and Brie Gesick of Virginia Beach. Both have epilepsy.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Del. Mark Cole announces he will not seek re-election to 88th District seat ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STAFF REPORTS, Fauquier Times

Del. Mark Cole, R-Spotsylvania, announced Friday he will not seek reelection to the Virginia House of Delegates in the Nov. 2, 2021 general election. Cole has represented the 88th District, which includes southern Fauquier County, since 2002. “[I]t is time for me to step aside for new leadership and to be able to spend more time with family and friends,” Cole said in a statement posted to his website.
------------------------------------------------------------


** House: More applications for appeals court needed ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By PETER VIETH, Virginia Lawyers Weekly (Subscription required for some articles)

After hearing criticism of a field of candidates endorsed by the Virginia State Bar for new seats on an expanded Court of Appeals, House of Delegates leaders determined to reopen the application and evaluation process. The legislators said the evaluations had been rushed. Criticism of the VSB’s endorsements came – not from the legislators – but from the head of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission and from a criminal justice advocacy group. In letters to legislative leaders, the organizations expressed disappointment that female criminal defense attorneys were left off the VSB’s recommendation lists.


** FEDERAL ELECTIONS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Some local GOP leaders fire up base with conspiracies, lies ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By GARANCE BURKE, MARTHA MENDOZA, JULIET LINDERMAN AND LARRY FENN, Associated Press

A faction of local, county and state Republican officials is pushing lies, misinformation and conspiracy theories that echo those that helped inspire the violent U.S. Capitol siege, online messaging that is spreading quickly through GOP ranks fueled by algorithms that boost extreme content. The Associated Press reviewed public and private social media accounts of nearly 1,000 federal, state, and local elected and appointed Republican officials nationwide, many of whom have voiced support for the Jan. 6 insurrection or demanded that the 2020 presidential election be overturned, sometimes in deleted posts or now-removed online forums.


** STATE GOVERNMENT
------------------------------------------------------------


** Better, more community input is needed to address environmental injustice, commission finds ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MEL LEONOR, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

In order to stem environmental injustice, Virginia should improve how it seeks input from minority communities and their advocates before issuing permits that could disrupt environmental quality, a commission studying systemic racism in Virginia recently told state officials. The Commission to Examine Racial Inequity in Virginia Law, in its second report, urged state officials to take a close look at policies in education, housing, the environment and more that have created an inequitable landscape for people of color in Virginia.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Controversial Wegmans project in Hanover gets wetlands permit ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

After hearing hours of comments against the project on Friday, the Virginia Water Control Board narrowly approved an environmental impact permit for the Wegmans grocery chain to build a 1.7 million-square-foot distribution center in Hanover County. The state board’s decision was another defeat for neighbors who are overwhelmingly opposed to the $175 million project, fearing that it will affect their quality of life and endanger a historic, rural Black community that was founded by freed slaves 151 years ago during Reconstruction.


** CONGRESS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Abused Women’s Shelter Warns Wexton of ‘Catastrophic’ Federal Funding Cuts ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By RENSS GREENE, Loudoun Now

During a meeting at the Loudoun Abused Women Shelter’s administrative office in Leesburg, CEO Judy Hanley warned Rep. Jennifer T. Wexton (D-VA-10) about a crisis in funding that victim services organizations across the country face if Congress does not act. About half of LAWS’s operating budget this year comes through the federal Victims of Crime Act, which channels money paid in fines by federal criminals into the Crime Victims Fund and then on to victim services agencies. And Hanley said that funding stands to take a huge hit.


** ECONOMY/BUSINESS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Newport News Shipbuilding lays off more than 300 staff ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By DAVE RESS, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month)

Newport News Shipbuilding is laying off 314 salaried staff, president Jennifer Boykin said in an email to employees. In addition, 119 managers will move to lower-ranking jobs. This is the shipyard’s first layoff in five years. . . . All impacted employees have been notified. The shipyard is providing severance and benefits as well as transition assistance, Boykin said.


** HIGHER EDUCATION
------------------------------------------------------------


** UVa rolls back restrictions for students ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By KATHERINE KNOTT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

After essentially locking down Grounds for 10 days, the University of Virginia will allow students to gather in groups of six or less and will relax other pandemic restrictions. Effective immediately, the decision announced Friday continues to limit indoor dining to groups of two. Other university facilities, such as recreation centers and libraries, will reopen and students can resume normal activity.
------------------------------------------------------------


** U-Va. eases restrictions, including ban on in-person gatherings, after coronavirus cases fall ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By LAUREN LUMPKIN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

The University of Virginia will loosen temporary restrictions on students following a sharp decline in recent coronavirus cases on campus, officials said Friday. The school imposed limits on gatherings and other social activities earlier this month after a surge in cases. On Feb. 16, 229 cases were recorded during a single day.
------------------------------------------------------------


** The University of Richmond confronts its racist legacy ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MICHAEL PAUL WILLIAMS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Douglas Southall Freeman feared that interracial marriage would cause “pollutions of blood.” He praised involuntary sterilization for its “beneficent effects.” And he wrote that slavery “was not of Virginia’s seeking” but rather “imposed on it by the crown.” John Mitchell Jr. “often challenged Freeman’s editorial stances and never hesitated to denounce his racism.” The two Richmond newspaper editors — one white, one Black — will share the name of a University of Richmond dormitory currently named exclusively for Freeman as the school confronts a legacy of racism that includes its enslavement of Black people.
------------------------------------------------------------


** In memoir, UR president Ronald Crutcher confronts race throughout his life ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By ERIC KOLENICH, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

Ronald Crutcher said hello, shook hands and sat down to speak to the oil company CEO seated across from him. Crutcher was head of School of Music at the University of Texas at the time, and he had come seeking funding for a scholarship for violin students. The CEO, a man Crutcher didn't name, spoke first. "I had no idea you were Black."
------------------------------------------------------------


** World’s oldest still-standing school for Black children ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By JOANNE KIMBERLIN, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

Analysis of the frame of a small, non-descript building on the College of William & Mary campus has helped identify an important structure: one of the first Black schools in the New World, and the only known one still standing. Results of dendrochronology — a scientific method that uses tree rings to reveal when timber was harvested — indicate the wood used to build the frame was felled in late 1759 or early 1760. That aligns neatly with the 1760 opening of the Bray School, established to give Black children a “Christian education” — which included reading and possibly writing, but also encouraged them to accept bondage as part of God’s plan.


** CORONAVIRUS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Post-holiday COVID surge leads to higher death counts this week ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By LUANNE RIFE, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

The daily death counts for COVID-19 in Virginia have registered much higher this week than in recent weeks, a result of the surge in cases in early and mid-January. Other disease indicators — new case counts are falling, vaccination rates rising — prompted the governor to roll back some restrictions, including allowing later liquor sales, letting Virginians to be out after midnight and permitting more fans at outdoor sporting events.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Region's COVID cases decline, but disease still very present ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By DAVID MCGEE, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

While this region’s COVID-19 cases continue declining, 10 Northeast Tennessee counties reported more than 600 new cases during the past week and nearly 2,400 active cases Friday, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
------------------------------------------------------------


** COVID-19 impacts both young and old ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By CATHY DYSON, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

All week, there’s been grave news about the number of people, mostly over age 60, who’ve died since mid-January from COVID-19, and reports about their deaths have been delayed because of a backlog in paperwork. Another six local deaths were added to the total on Friday, bringing the death toll from COVID-19 in the Rappahannock Area Health District to 220 people. But here’s a reminder that the novel coronavirus doesn’t limit its impact to the older set. This week, the Virginia Department of Health also reported that five confirmed cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, have been identified in Richmond-area localities.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Walmart to administer 1,200 COVID-19 vaccine doses in Prince William next week due to county's ‘low’ vaccination rate ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By JILL PALERMO, Prince William Times

The Virginia Department of Health is directing Walmart to administer about 1,200 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Prince William next week because of the local health district’s “low vaccination rate,” according to Dr. Danny Avula, who is overseeing the state’s vaccination efforts. In a press call with reporters Friday, Avula said Walmart is administering 1,170 vaccinations weekly in four locations around the state that need the extra boost.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Vaccinations expanding Monday in SW Va. ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STAFF REPORT, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

COVID-19 vaccinations will expand starting Monday across all three Southwest Virginia health districts and a mass vaccination clinic is planned for March 6. Cumberland Plateau, LENOWISCO and Mount Rogers health districts are scheduled to begin vaccinating individuals age 16-64 with underlying medical conditions March 1, according to a written statement.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Ballad launches online tool for scheduling vaccinations ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STAFF REPORT, Bristol Herald Courier (Metered Paywall - 15 articles a month)

Ballad Health has launched an online tool for eligible residents to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations. Online scheduling is now available at Ballad Health’s community vaccination centers in Virginia and Tennessee. People eligible to receive the vaccine in Virginia include residents over the age of 65, health care workers and, as of March 1, residents between the ages of 16-64 with chronic health conditions.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Unknown number? Virginia officials say you should answer. It could be your vaccine ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By EMMA NORTH AND BRETT HALL, WAVY-TV

While many may choose to let all incoming calls with unknown numbers go to voicemail, Virginia’s vaccination coordinator is encouraging people to change that habit, as their appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine could be on the other end of the line. Starting sometime next week, the majority of the retail pharmacy partners will begin scheduling appointments based off names already signed up on the state’s pre-registration list.


** VIRGINIA OTHER
------------------------------------------------------------


** Roanoke-area man charged in connection with Jan. 6 Capitol riot, court records say ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By JEFF STURGEON, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Authorities have charged an Elliston-area man with participating in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, court papers said. A Roanoke federal judge arraigned Jeremy Daniel Groseclose and released him on a $20,000 unsecured bond Thursday. The charges include entering a restricted building, obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, obstruction of justice and disorderly conduct, court papers said.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Woman hit by pickup during local protest police say was 'reckless' ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STAFF REPORT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month)

A woman walking in a crosswalk was hit by a pickup truck during a protest in Charlottesville Friday that police said was “reckless and dangerous.” In a video posted on Instagram by Black Lives Matter 757, the pickup can be seen heading south along 10th Street, going through a red light and hitting a pedestrian in the crosswalk in the area of West Main Street. In a news release from the city, police said she suffered minor injuries and was treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Nine deemed highly qualified for O’Grady seat ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By PETER VIETH, Virginia Lawyers Weekly (Subscription required for some articles)

Nine candidates for a federal bench vacancy at the Eastern District of Virginia have been ranked as “highly qualified” by a Virginia State Bar committee. The candidates have applied for the seat of Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady who took senior status on May 1.


** LOCAL
------------------------------------------------------------


** Northern Virginia schools unveil budgets focused on repairing pandemic harm ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By HANNAH NATANSON, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

Public schools in Northern Virginia will devote significant time, money and resources next fiscal year to helping students — especially the most vulnerable children — recover from academic, mental and emotional harm inflicted by the pandemic. In budgets for fiscal 2022 debuted this month, school officials in Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Arlington and Alexandria City outlined similar priorities: offering summer instruction, boosting students’ mental and emotional health, upgrading remote learning options, and providing greater support for children with disabilities and those whose first language is not English, a population whose academic progress has been severely impeded by the pandemic.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Hiring age for Virginia Beach sheriff’s deputies lowered to 18 ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By JANE HARPER, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month)

The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office announced Friday it was lowering the minimum hiring age for deputy sheriffs to 18 in an effort to fill a large number of vacancies. Before the change, new hires had to be at least 20 when they began work and 21 by the time they finished basic law enforcement academy, according to a news release. Starting pay for deputy sheriffs is $43,264. The required age was lowered in an effort to “widen the pool of qualified applicants” and to fill the office’s 38 vacancies, the release said.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Schools in Roanoke, New River valleys see increase in failing grades ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By CLAIRE MITZEL AND SAM WALL, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

School divisions in the Roanoke and New River valleys reported an uptick in failing grades during the first half of the 2020-21 school year, reflecting a national trend, as students continued to learn in nontraditional ways amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data shared by local districts. The increase was not uniform across all grade levels, instructional methods and demographics. Virtual learners experienced higher levels, and secondary schools reported more F’s than elementary schools, on average.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Some high school students will return to class March 8; seniors may get in-person graduation ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By RANDY ARRINGTON, Page Valley News

As the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have passed a peak and new cases continue to decline, school boards all across the country are facing increasing pressure to bring students back to the classroom, especially at the high school level. . . . On Monday night, the Page County School Board heard pleas from both parents and students to not only bring high school students back for in-person instruction, but to advocate for an in-person graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Clerk: Jury Safety Top Priority When Trials Resume ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By PETE DELEA, Daily News Record (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

In roughly the next week, sheriff deputies plan to hand-deliver up to 120 jury summonses to Harrisonburg and Rockingham County residents in anticipation of the resumption of jury trials next month. The local circuit court hasn’t held a jury trial since March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A letter from the Supreme Court of Virginia dated Feb. 16 allows the court to resume immediately, but a jury trial isn’t likely to be set until mid-March. Chaz Haywood, clerk of the Rockingham County Circuit Court, said jury safety is his top priority.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Coronavirus funding renovates space for Pittsylvania County election offices ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STAFF REPORT, Danville Register & Bee

Pittsylvania County has unveiled a new space for election offices and a renovated auditorium for meetings, all courtesy of federal coronavirus funding. The latest move involved the voter registrar office now located into the Pittsylvania County Elections and Training Center at 18 Depot St. in Chatham.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Council resignation shifts Pound balance of power ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MIKE STILL, Kingsport Times News

Town Council member Phil Cantrell Jr.’s resignation on Tuesday gave Pound Mayor Stacey Carson a vote on marking police cars and becoming the town’s Freedom of Information Act officer. Town Attorney and town police officer Tim McAfee’s status as town attorney could also be decided in March after council tabled a decision on accepting another law firm’s bid to provide legal services.

Today's Sponsor:


** Virginia Nurses Association
------------------------------------------------------------

On behalf of Virginia’s 110,000+ registered nurses, thank you to the General Assembly for your support of our COVID-19 frontline healthcare heroes!


** EDITORIALS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Why are more people moving out of Virginia than moving in? ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

Roanoke Times Editorial (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

Virginia’s hidden exodus continues. We say hidden because Virginia is gaining population, just not as fast as it once was. However, beneath the statistical surface, more people are moving out of Virginia than moving in. Virginia is only gaining population because births outnumber deaths — and also the net loss of people moving out.
------------------------------------------------------------


** A smart use for $50 billion of covid relief funds: Broadband ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

Washington Post Editorial (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month)

When President Biden asked what critics would have him cut from his covid relief bill, he got plenty of answers about reducing the $510 billion in aid to state and local governments — including from us. Now, some moderate Senate Democrats are suggesting a middle way: Earmark $50 billion of those funds for broadband investment. The idea, spearheaded by Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), is a political crowd-pleaser more likely to attract cross-aisle support than most big spending.


** COLUMNISTS
------------------------------------------------------------


** Schapiro: Despite term limit, Northam running for re-election ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By JEFF E. SCHAPIRO, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Access to this article limited to subscribers)

Ralph Northam is thinking of endorsing Terry McAuliffe for Northam’s second term as governor. Coming off the final full legislative session of his nonrenewable four-year term, Northam is in legacy mode. While those close to him say an endorsement is not a done deal, that Northam might make one suggests he aims to burnish his image and believes early consensus among Democrats would contrast dramatically with the chaotic Republican contest.


** OP-ED
------------------------------------------------------------


** Kelly: Vaccine sign-ups are whack-a-mole ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STUART KELLY, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)

he Virginia Health Department and pharmacy chains have been making elderly Virginians play whack-a-mole with COVID-19. Flash! The vaccine is available here. Whack! (You’re too late.) It’s available there. Whack! (All slots are filled.) It’s at this, that, and the other location. Whack! Whack! Whack! (Sorry, try again.) The Roanoke/Alleghany Health District website has been long on information but short on specifics.

Kelly is a retired pastor and writer. He lives in Roanoke County.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Barber: Virginia Employment Commission’s failing isn’t a nuisance but rather a danger ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MIKE BARBER, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

For the entirety of my time as a taxpayer, I’ve always subscribed to the belief that citizens pay into a system that strengthens their society by affording protections to all of its members. Even though you may never personally require that aid, you benefit from the security its existence affords you. Pay into the system and, if you ever need it, the system will lift you up. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Then came furloughs at my work and, for the first time, it was my turn to ask for assistance from that system.

Barber is the Richmond Times-Dispatch's ACC beat writer, covering UVA and Virginia Tech athletics.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Garriques: Tipped employees like the tip credit; Congress should preserve it ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By MARY GARRIQUES, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)

It’s been a long and painful year, but signs of light finally are beginning to emerge in the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many Virginians who have suffered, it’s been a challenging time for those of us who work in the restaurant industry. More than 36,000 Virginia restaurant employees and 2.5 million employees nationally have lost their jobs due to mandated pandemic closures and regulations.
------------------------------------------------------------


** Virginia, learn a lesson from the Texas grid collapse ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------

By STEPHEN D. HANER, published in Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month)

THE LESSON of the Texas grid collapse is not just about electricity. Imagine the week Texans would have had if once the power went out and stayed out, they had no gasoline, diesel, propane, or natural gas to fall back on. How much worse would their plight have been without natural gas heating homes and businesses, propane space heaters and grills, and gasoline or diesel-powered cars and trucks to get where they needed to go?

Stephen D. Haner is a senior fellow for state and local tax policy at the Alexandria-based Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy.


** Invite Friends to read VaNews
------------------------------------------------------------
Invite two friends to read VaNews and you'll receive VaViews, a weekly compilation of commentary from a variety of viewpoints.
b96c18c0-73d7-4f80-ba25-a96795413390.png
You don't have any referrals yet.
Share VaNews with a friend ([link removed])

Or use your personal referral link:
[link removed]

For questions email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
Participation in the VaNews Referral Program constitutes your acceptance of the VPAP Terms and Conditions of Use ([link removed]) .
------------------------------------------------------------
Donate ([link removed]) Subscribe ([link removed]) Content Policy ([link removed]) Privacy ([link removed])

============================================================

This email was sent to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
Virginia Public Access Project . P.O. Box 1472 . Richmond, VA 23218 . USA