By TAFT COGHILL JR., Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month) When Vernessa Ware was growing up in Bowling Green in the 1950s and 60s, there were symbols of a massive divide between whites and Blacks in the town just about everywhere she looked. Ware attended segregated schools. She recalls a "whites only" water fountain on Main Street and a movie theater in which whites sat downstairs while Blacks were relegated to the balcony. Ware slowly saw those signs of division disappear.
By AMY FRIEDENBERGER, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Virginia's 5th Congressional District has been full of surprises the past few years. After just one term in office, Republican Rep. Tom Garrett abruptly announced in 2018 his struggle with alcoholism and that he wouldn't run for reelection. Then, in a hastily assembled nomination contest, Denver Riggleman won the Republican nod by one vote. After a competitive race — which featured the Democratic opponent accusing Riggleman of being a fan of Bigfoot erotica — Riggleman won the seat. A few months into his term, Riggleman officiated at a same-sex marriage, offending social conservatives, and lost the party nomination a year later to self-described "bright red Biblical conservative" Bob Good.
By MASON ADAMS, Va Business Magazine Danville once stood tall as a driver of Virginia's economy, an epicenter both for textile production at Dan River Mills and for tobacco when it was still the commonwealth's golden leaf. Both industries came crashing down in the 2000s. A rising tide of public sentiment led to tobacco's decline, and the federal quota system that guaranteed crop prices ended in 2005. Globalization moved textile production to other countries with lower labor costs, and the mills closed in 2007.
By BRYAN MCKENZIE, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month) The novel coronavirus fueling the global pandemic can affect anyone, regardless of race or social economic background, but that doesn't mean the virus offers everyone an equal opportunity for infection, hospitalization and death. From Central Virginia to the state to the nation, non-whites are more likely to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 and far more likely to be seriously sickened or die from the disease, according to figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Virginia Department of Health, Thomas Jefferson Health District and other agencies across the country.
By NED OLIVER, Virginia Mercury State prison officials estimate that more than 14,000 inmates in Virginia could see their release dates moved up under legislation awaiting Gov. Ralph Northam's signature. The bill, backed by General Assembly Democrats and unanimously opposed by GOP lawmakers, would let inmates cut their sentences by a third as long as they weren't convicted of certain violent offenses, follow prison rules and participate in counseling and education programs.
By GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month) Richard and Lisa Stuart were walking beside the Potomac River when they noticed an odd rock in the riprap on the water's edge. "I think that's a headstone," Richard Stuart remembers saying to his wife that day four years ago. Once they started looking, they saw another. And another. With horror, Stuart discovered that a two-mile stretch of erosion control along the riverfront farm he had just purchased was full of grave markers.
By PATRICIA SULLIVAN, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month) Elections office staffers prepared rigorously for the expected surge in mail-in and drop-off voting this fall: They renewed their training, learned the new rules, got masks and protective gear ready and adjusted their working hours. But they were not prepared for the thank-you notes. Tucked into the return envelopes with some ballots were handwritten missives from voters in Fairfax and Loudoun counties: "Thank you for what you do." "Thanks for making my vote count." A Halloween sticker or two also appeared. The Full Report 46 articles, 18 publications The Virginia Public Access Project Here's an update to VPAP's exclusive statewide map showing Trump v. Biden campaign donations in each of Virginia's 2,453 voting precincts. The data has been updated to include the latest donations through October 14. See which candidate is leading the money chase in your community.
The Virginia Public Access Project More than half of voters in many densely populated areas already have cast ballots ahead of the November 3 election. Enthusiasm for voting is not nearly as high in many rural areas. VPAP has updated its interactive map showing the percentage of registered voters in each precinct who already had voted as of last Thursday.
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. There's a filter for each city and county, plus an exclusive per-capita ZIP Code map. Updated each morning around 10:30 a.m. By PETER DUJARDIN, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month) The Hampton Public Defender's Office is objecting to a Hampton prosecutor also serving as an elected state lawmaker. A motion filed in a criminal case contends that the dual roles for Del. Mike Mullin, D-Newport News — particularly that he serves on a House committee overseeing courts and judges — creates "a conflict of interest for the judiciary." The motion, which asks judges to recuse themselves from a pending felony Hampton hit-and-run case, asserts that Mullin's role as a lawmaker could bias those judges in his favor. By MEL LEONOR, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month) Down the electoral ballot, Virginians are weighing a question about power over the political maps that will govern the state for the next decade. Constitutional Amendment 1 would curb the legislature's control over General Assembly and congressional districts ahead of redistricting in 2021, shifting map-drawing duties to a commission of lawmakers and citizens, and if they deadlock, to the right-leaning Virginia Supreme Court. By JAMES SCOTT BARON, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month) The race between Rep. Rob Wittman and Democratic challenger Qasim Rashid for the 1st District Congressional seat is in the final stretch. With just over a week to go until Election Day, both candidates are spending the remaining days vigorously campaigning throughout the district, which includes much of the Fredericksburg area and stretches through the Northern Neck to the Hampton Roads area.
By AMY FRIEDENBERGER, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) The race to represent Virginia's 6th Congressional District pits Republican Rep. Ben Cline against Democrat Nicholas Betts. The race for the seat that's been a Republican stronghold for years has been a low-profile event with no television ads and two tame debates. Cline, who is seeking his second two-year term on Nov. 3, is expected to cruise to victory.
By ADELE UPHAUS–CONNER, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month) Two events in Spotsylvania County celebrated the first national Vote Early Day on Saturday. The NAACP sponsored a car parade from the John J. Wright Education and Cultural Center to the Spotsylvania registrar's satellite voting location, and the Spotsylvania Republican Party hosted a rally at its headquarters next to the voting location. Both events were held Saturday morning.
By TAFT COGHILL JR., Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month) Fredericksburg Regional Transit will offer free rides to the polls on Election Day, Nov. 3. Free fares will be offered by FRED throughout its service area in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County and Stafford County. The goal is to increase voter turnout among FRED riders. By SARAH VOGELSONG, Virginia Mercury 2020 was supposed to be the year to make the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality great again. After years of budget cuts to the agency charged with maintaining the health of the commonwealth's air, water and lands, a surplus of funds in state coffers promised to put millions of dollars back into DEQ and add some 85 new workers to its ranks. By JOHN L. DORMAN, Business Insider GOP Representative Denver Riggleman of Virginia on Sunday lamented the state of American politics, questioning the effectiveness of the current two-party system. On NBC's "Meet the Press," host Chuck Todd asked Riggleman if he was still a Republican. Riggleman said that it was "difficult" to be a part of any political party at the moment.
By IAN MUNRO, Daily News Record (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Over 90 people gathered in front of the Rockingham County Courthouse on Saturday to voice their opposition to the naming of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. A majority of the protesters were women and said they were concerned with the nominee because of Barrett's previous interpretations of the law and her personal beliefs. By COLLEEN CURRAN, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month) Richmond-area museums reopened this summer and fall after being closed for four to six months due to the coronavirus, but as expected, none of them has returned to "business as usual." Lower attendance, layoffs and massive financial losses in the millions are the new normal, as well as additional expenses for COVID-19 safety precautions. By GREG GIESEN, Daily Press (Metered Paywall - 1 article a month) William & Mary female track and field athletes, angered by administration's elimination of the men's track teams, penned a letter on Saturday stating that they will not represent the university "in uniform" again until the matter is resolved. Twenty-six athletes signed the "Open Letter to the Administration and Board of Visitors" expressing their desire that the men's indoor and outdoor track and field teams — which are slated for elimination at the end of this academic year — be reinstated.
By HENRI GENDREAU, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Impeachment attempts against the president. Mass resignations. Scorched-earth campaign tactics. Claims of sexism and homophobia. Welcome to student government at Virginia Tech. The university's Student Government Association, which represents more than 30,000 undergraduates, has become riven by discord, dysfunction and cronyism, according to interviews with eight current and former members.
By GRACE MAMON, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) A survey of Washington and Lee University students, faculty, alumni and parents that will help the board of trustees decide whether to remove Robert E. Lee's name from the school has garnered more than 14,000 responses, but a decision remains unlikely to come soon. The liberal arts university in Lexington has been scrutinizing its relationship with the Confederate general since the summer, amid similar calls across the nation.
By JAMEY CROSS, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month) Enrollment at Central Virginia Community College dropped 11% this year — but leaders, who anticipated a drop as large as 25%, are hopeful. According to early enrollment estimates released last week by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, CVCC isn't alone. Enrollment at community colleges in the state is down nearly 10% across all public two-year institutions. By STAFF REPORT, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) The Virginia Department of Health reported Sunday that the statewide total for COVID-19 cases is 173,371, an increase of 999 from the 172,372 reported Saturday. The 173,371 cases consist of 161,668 confirmed cases and 11,703 probable cases. There have been 3,579 COVID-19 deaths in Virginia — 3,329 confirmed and 250 probable. That's an increase of one from the total reported Saturday.
By ADELE UPHAUS–CONNER, Free Lance-Star (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month) The local health department says new guidance from the CDC that changes the definition of who is a "close contact" of someone with COVID-19 could increase the number of people in schools and certain workplaces considered at risk of contracting the disease. The CDC released the new guidance last week.
By ELISHA SAUERS, Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) Hampton Roads' experience with the public health crisis was divided last week, with the Southside on a downward or flattening path and areas north in slow growth mode. Only Chesapeake bucked the trend with signs that its COVID-19 trajectory was on the rise. Even Western Tidewater, which previously had elevated numbers because of large outbreaks, was dropping from a recent peak. By SARAH RANKIN, Associated Press Devon Henry paced in nervous anticipation, because this was a project like nothing he'd ever done. He wore the usual hard hat — and a bulletproof vest. An accomplished Black businessman, Henry took on a job the city says others were unwilling to do: lead contractor for the now-completed removal of 14 pieces of Confederate statuary that dotted Virginia's capital city. There was angry opposition, and fear for the safety of all involved.
By C. SUAREZ ROJAS, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month) With 22 proposals in hand for the Confederate monuments they took down this summer, Richmond leaders are grappling with practical and ethical concerns that come with divesting. How much money should the city expect to receive for the statues, which the city spent at least $1.8 million to remove? What responsibility should officials bear for ensuring the Lost Cause symbols are put in context, wherever they land?
By JILL PALERMO, Prince William Times "She is leaning forward with her hand extended, lifting people up," Manassas Mayor Hal Parrish said Saturday morning, as dignitaries pulled a black shroud from a long-awaited sculpture memorializing Jennie Dean, a Manassas native born into slavery who founded the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth, which educated thousands of Black high school students from the 1890s through the 1930s. By HANNAH NATANSON, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month) The Fairfax County Public Schools board voted to ask the superintendent to develop an equitable talent identification program for the Northern Virginia district's flagship magnet school, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The vote Thursday night, which took place after more than a dozen parents and students spoke for and against suggested changes to Thomas Jefferson's highly selective admissions process, was unanimous.
By PATRICK SZABO, Loudoun Now A Sept. 11 protest that left a message painted on the sidewalk in front of Attorney General Mark Herring's downtown Leesburg home prompted the town's police force to obtain a search warrant to find out who was responsible for the crime. Now, the activists who led the protest are petitioning the court to block that search.
By JIMMY LAROUE, Suffolk News Herald A split vote among the Suffolk School Board will keep most students at home through the end of the first semester at the end of January. The board voted 3-3 at an Oct. 23 special meeting on a hybrid plan that would have returned those choosing to return to school twice per week beginning Nov. 16, with the remaining days for virtual learning.
By KATHERINE KNOTT, Daily Progress (Metered Paywall - 25 articles a month) Albemarle County schools Superintendent Matt Haas is planning to revise the division's policy requiring masks or cloth face coverings. Haas's decision, discussed at the end of Thursday's School Board meeting, comes after the Albemarle Education Association sent a letter to board members detailing its concerns with the policy and how the division was implementing it. The AEA previously has raised a number of issues related to the reopening of schools.
By RACHEL MAHONEY, News & Advance (Metered Paywall - 18 articles a month) With court proceedings slowed during the pandemic, Lynchburg-area circuit courts are among 100 statewide that don't yet have an approved plan for restarting jury trials. Courtrooms have been in an extended state of judicial emergency by order of the Supreme Court of Virginia since the coronavirus pandemic started in mid-March, with restrictions loosening over time.
By MIKE GANGLOFF, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Seven months of pandemic have had definite effects on the region's criminal justice system — including a backlog of court cases that may soon begin to clear and in some areas, a jump in the number of domestic assault and intoxication cases. Giles County Commonwealth's Attorney Bobby Lilly said that "a common thread" in an increase in domestic violence cases has been people stuck at home together.
By ANNA MEROD, Winchester Star (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) A woman whose son has special needs is suing Frederick County Public Schools in federal court for violating her right to free speech after the division blocked her ability to comment and react to posts on its Facebook page, according to the suit. Christie Scarborough, who is representing herself in the lawsuit, asks that FCPS "unblock" her on Facebook and award her at least $5,000 for "mental and emotional distress that results in headache and heartache damages."
By JOHN CRANE, Danville Register & Bee An anti-gambling speaker at a rally held by casino opponents compared gaming interests to the Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd. "Big corporate gambling companies like casinos, along with state and local governments, effectively have had their knee on the throat of the financial well-being of African American citizens for 40 years," Les Bernal, national director of the Washington-based group Stop Predatory Gambling, told attendees at an anti-casino rally held in front of the James F. Ingram Justice Center Sunday.
By JOHN CRANE, Danville Register & Bee Casino opponents and supporters are working to get their viewpoints out before voters in the last days before Nov. 3, when Danvillians will decide whether they want Caesars Entertainment to build a gaming resort in Schoolfield. With an aggressive marketing campaign by Caesars emphasizing 1,300 permanent jobs promised, tens of millions in anticipated revenue for the city and a host of other amenities expected from a casino, at least one opponent feels like the deck is stacked against them. Roanoke Times Editorial (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Six Virginia localities are voting in November (or now, if you're an early voter) on whether to take down their Confederate statues. But they're not all voting on the same question. Technically each of these is a non-binding advisory referendum, but woe be to the county board that doesn't honor the voters' wishes. The specific question varies from locality to locality, depending on how the county board of supervisors framed the issue. Will ballot language matter? Let's take a look.
Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month) When the coronavirus threw in-person classes and residential life at college campuses across the country into disarray, the enrollment projections for higher education institutions were grim. One survey profiled by Inside Higher Ed in April suggested colleges could lose 20% of their students. Fortunately, early indicators in Virginia show the disruption from COVID-19 has not been as crippling as first expected.
Free Lance-Star Editorial (Metered Paywall - 10 articles a month) The stated mission of the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO), which was established in 1993 under provisions of the Federal Highway Act, is to "provide a cooperative, continuous and comprehensive transportation planning process to build regional agreement on transportation investments."
Virginian-Pilot Editorial (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) Fears about the integrity of the election remain high, though there are plenty of officials on the local, state and national level working diligently to ensure Americans can have confidence in both the process and the outcome of this year's vote. This week, some of them asked for the public's help in this all-important effort. It's critical they have it.
Washington Post Editorial (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month) Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the first-term Democrat who represents a swath of central Virginia, is a smart, sane, measured moderate who has walked a tightrope between her conservative-leaning district and her party's increasingly assertive left wing. Her attempt to negotiate Washington's vanishing political center has been largely successful, and her campaign for reelection is a test of whether such an admirable, if sometimes lonely, undertaking is politically viable. It should be. By ROBERT MCCARTNEY, Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month) Two years ago, Virginia Democrats won a majority of their state's congressional seats for the first time in a decade, part of a national trend that made Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaker of the House. Republicans vowed to wrest back those gains, especially in districts that had long been GOP strongholds. It isn't going to happen, at least not this year. Nonpartisan forecasters predict Democrats will hold on to their 7-to-4 advantage in House seats and may even pick up an eighth.
By BOB GIBSON, Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Only Virginia and New Jersey hold their elections for governor the year after the nation votes for president, and this year a former Virginia governor appears poised to grab an early lead in an already crowded field. In past decades, campaigns for governor of the Old Dominion and the Turnpike State could be expected to start in the days or weeks after the White House winner received a concession call from the losing presidential candidate. This year, things are different. By JENNIFER CARROLL FOY, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Virginians impacted by the pandemic are counting on us to deliver concrete and lasting relief. With our growing reliance on technology and the internet, I am very concerned that we did not do enough in the special session to expand broadband access for underserved communities. Even before the pandemic, there were too many corners of Virginia where individuals had to travel miles just to access the internet. Foy represents parts of Stafford and Prince William counties in the House of Delegates. She is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.
By A. BENJAMIN SPENCER, published in Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) As Election Day nears — in an election season in which millions have already voted — and as President Donald Trump and the U.S. Senate rush to fill a Supreme Court vacancy before Nov. 3, it is time for a reminder of the importance of making our voices heard at the ballot box. We live in a democratic republic that distributes electoral power in a way that is counter-majoritarian. Because the Senate is composed of equal representation by state, today a majority of the Senate represents a minority of the U.S. population. Spencer is dean of William & Mary Law School
By DANNY TK AVULA AND ROBERT WINN, published in Richmond Times-Dispatch (Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month) We wouldn't blame anyone reading this if the flu shot was the last thing on your mind. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we've all had good reasons to feel unsafe, uncertain and disconnected. The threat of COVID-19 continues to shape how we live, work and travel. Most of us still are keeping our circles small, and avoiding big crowds and unnecessary exposure to strangers, postponing visits to the doctor (which might not be such a great idea) and foregoing weddings, funerals and other family events. Dr. Danny TK Avula is the director of the Richmond City and Henrico County Health Departments. Dr. Robert Winn is the director of the VCU Massey Cancer Center.
By TERRY MCAULIFFE, published in Virginian-Pilot (Metered Paywall - 2 articles a month) The coronavirus continues to have a devastating impact on the economy and unemployment rates, and the outlook remains unclear. In March, Virginia sat at 3.3% unemployment before jumping to 10.6% in April, and the commonwealth has yet to fully recover. Though much is uncertain right now, we can be sure that this pandemic will forever change the economy of Virginia and the nation. Jobs have been permanently lost, and many of those who have lost employment lack the skills or credentials necessary for the jobs that remain. McAuliffe served as the 72nd governor of Virginia.
By RICH ANDERSON, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) On Sept. 18, Virginia voters began to cast ballots for their candidate of choice. On Nov. 3, Virginians and the nation will return President Trump to the White House, where he will continue to lead us to the Great American Comeback. Anderson is chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.
By DENNIS L. MARTIRE, published in Washington Post (Metered Paywall - 3 articles a month) Would you buy a newly constructed house that had cracks in its concrete foundation? What if the builder told you that the cracks were no problem, you just needed to apply three coats of silane to the concrete every seven years and you should be fine? This is essentially the deal being offered to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). Martire, who was on the MWAA Board during the procurement of Silver Line Phase 2, is vice president and Mid-Atlantic regional manager of the Laborers' International Union of North America.
By KATHERINE HOFFMAN, published in Roanoke Times (Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month) Watching the farce that was the presidential debate last month was depressing and outrageous. The contrast could not be more clear. On one side, a hectoring bully who continually talked over his opponent with self-serving lies and evasions. On the other, a decent man with points of real substance to make trying to get a word in edgewise. Hoffman is a resident of Roanoke.
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