A VPM study of court filings found that black Virginians were four times more likely to be charged with marijuana penalties than whites; Commonwealth's Attorney Collette McEachin faces a primary challenge after last summer's protests; VCU returns to classes on March 4, and other local news stories.
Virginia is set to remove a now-defunct provision in the state constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman; Governor Ralph Northam urged caution ahead of another ice storm in the state; A new website and call center are available to register for the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
Senator Mark Warner was in Shockoe Bottom to tour Lumpkin's Slave Jail yesterday, and also spoke about his vote to convict former President Donald Trump during the recent impeachment trial; Virginia has received an additional $524 million for the Rent Relief Program; Legislation to legalize marijuana in Virginia passed both chambers of the General Assembly; and other local news stories.
A new website going live this afternoon will provide a central location for Virginians to register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; a new proposal calls for establishment of a "teacher reserve corps" amid a teacher shortage; More ice could be in the forecast this week; and other local news stories.
RPS is discussing a proposal for year-round school to help recover from the pandemic; Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney gave his State of the City address on Thursday; Chesterfield Health District will be confirming registrations for the COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
A new report from the Department of Elections said the November election was successful, although some problems plagued the City of Richmond; Efforts in the General Assembly to "police the police" fell short; Middle and high school students in Chesterfield can return to in-person learning on March 9th; and other local news stories.
CVS will now accept all Virginians over 65 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine after problems during registration; Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras says the school system will have a plan for in-person instruction by March 15th, despite having some concerns about the return; Chesterfield says all K-12 teachers and personnel should be fully vaccinated by March 5th; and other local news stories.
The General Assembly will reconvene on Wednesday for a special session to finish work on passing laws and the state budget; Richmond says it may be March before they can finish vaccinating those currently eligible in phase 1B; Chesterfield County Public Schools is holding a meeting to determine the budget and when middle and high school students could return to class; and other local news stories.
Delegate Kirk Cox announced his education proposals to help students with virtual learning; The House of Delegates approved a bill that would mandate sick leave for essential employees; an in-depth look at the legalization of marijuana in Virginia; and other local news stories.
In a virtual meeting, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney discussed the symptoms of having COVID-19 and warned residents to take it seriously; Senator Tim Kaine urged his colleagues to act swiftly on a new pandemic relief package; Another new case of the B117 strain of the coronavirus was found in Northwestern Virginia; and other local news stories.
The Virginia Department of Education will issue guidance this month to help school districts better look after transgender and non-binary students; The state Senate passed a bill that would ban guns from Capitol Square and surrounding state buildings; the G3 program to support community college students taking classes in high demand fields gets a second chance; and other local news stories.
State Democrats want to expunge criminal records once sentences have been served, but disagree on how to do it; The House of Delegates approved a new Voting Rights Act for Virginia; New legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants access to state financial assistance and scholarships passed in the House of Delegates, but still needs to pass in the Senate; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney disbanded his Teacher Advisory Council earlier this month, and this week the council members sent a letter expressing their frustration; Chesterfield County says teachers should be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccine within two weeks; The state's redistricting committee was informed it won't have the census data it needs until July 30th; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday; Governor Northam is overhauling the state's vaccination efforts; the state senate censured Senator Amanda Chase after comments in support of the assault on the U.S. Capitol; and other local news stories.
Teachers are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and there are many reasons they are choosing to get vaccinated; Chesterfield's Board of Supervisors send a letter to Governor Ralph Northam expressing frustration with the state's vaccine rollout; An internet outage along the east coast affected the General Assembly session on Tuesday; and other local news stories.
State officials erected a fence around the Robert E. Lee monument in preparation for its possible removal; the B117 variant of COVID-19 was confirmed in northern Virginia; Employers can mandate their employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine according to the CDC and the Department of Labor; and other local news stories.
Health districts in Central Virginia held a mass vaccination event for essential workers at the Richmond Raceway, while addressing the state's lagging vaccination rates; A bipartisan group of Virginia senators unveiled a bill to expand the number of healthcare workers who can administer the COVID-19 vaccine; State lawmakers are proposing matching state tax credits for affordable housing; and other local news stories.
While no armed protestors were charged with violating the city's gun ban on Capitol Square, Mayor Levar Stoney said the low turnout proves the ban is working; A new legislative proposal would ban firearms from being carried in polling locations; a Navy SEAL faces more than 22 years in prison for manslaughter; and other local news stories.
Chesterfield County is reorganizing it's vaccination plans after receiving only a thousand doses of the COVID-19 vaccine; Republican Delegate Todd Gilbert is defending his colleagues who questioned the results of November's election; Amanda Chase was stripped of her last committee assignment and censured after her support for the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol; and other local news stories.
Lobby Day was smaller than expected amid heightened security in Richmond; The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence held a vigil to mark Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; No arrests following armed demonstrations despite the city's new gun ban; and other local news stories.
Security is in place around Richmond ahead of the annual Lobby Day and threats of violence across the U.S.; New guidelines expand who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine; VDOE released new guidance for reopening schools; and other local news stories.
Additional security measures are being put in place around Capitol Square and state buildings in downtown Richmond ahead of planned protests; Governor Ralph Northam gave his third and final State of the Commonwealth last night; Health departments in the Richmond region will begin their next phase of vaccinations next week; and other local news stories.
State, city and Capitol police are collaborating with city agencies to prepare for potential unrest in Richmond as the presidential inauguration approaches; Historians weigh in on the breach of the U.S. Capitol; Attorney General Mark Herring announced a settlement in a price gouging case; and other local news stories.
Richmond is under a state of emergency following threats to the capitols of all 50 states leading up to the inauguration; State leaders are urging residents not to travel to Washington, D.C. for the inaugural ceremonies; Mental health experts weigh-in on the aftermath of last week's violence in the U.S. Capitol; and other local news stories.
Virginia law enforcement will remain in Washington, D.C. through the inauguration; Clergy at the Virginia Interfaith Center, along with Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol; the Virginia Citizens Defense League has altered plans for their rally on January 18th; and other local news stories
A curfew put into place following a violent storming of the U.S. Capitol building has lifted; Virginia lawmakers react to the altercation that delayed the certification of the Electoral College votes; Governor Northam named Dr. Danny Avula to head Virginia's COVID-19 vaccination program; and other local news stories.
The Virginia State Crime Commission voted in favor of scrapping all mandatory minimum sentences in Virginia; Advocates for Virginia workers are planning to make another push to get mandatory paid sick leave; The Pocahontas building will remain closed to the public during the upcoming legislative session, but alternative plans are now in the works; and other local news stories.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney was sworn in for a second term on Monday; Delegate Lee Carter announced his candidacy for Governor of Virginia; International student enrollment is down across the country and in Virginia; and other local news stories.
The Latino community is less likely to engage with the medical system, as workers seek to remove barriers that may turn them away; Richmond City Council Member Michael Jones is planning to challenge state Delegate Betsy Carr in a Democratic primary next year; Virginia housing organizations will benefit from $2 million in federal funding; and other local news stories.
Richmond City Council approved a slate of nominations to a civilian review board tasked with investigating police misconduct; Governor Northam proposed $1.2 billion in new investments to the state budget; Caution is still being urged over the holidays despite the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine; and other local news stories.
