Recent Articles from Kate Andrews
Northam says he is considering statewide mask mandate
Gov. Ralph Northam said he is considering a statewide mask mandate in public spaces and businesses, and will make an announcement Tuesday. “We are working through the policy. Obviously it’s an equity issue,” Northam said at his Friday news conference, adding that all Virginia residents would need access to face coverings and that he is […]
Va. reports nearly 35,000 COVID-19 cases
Virginia has 34,950 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, an increase of 813 cases in the past 24 hours, according to the Virginia Department of Health’s Friday update. The number of deaths is now at 1,136, up 37 from Thursday. According to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association’s Friday update, 1,459 people with confirmed cases […]
Northam signs $135B two-year state budget
Gov. Ralph Northam signed the amended 2021-22 state budget Thursday, which paused $2 billion in new spending initiatives to instead respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the state’s economic crisis. Although spending on early childhood education, environmental protection and workforce training was curtailed, the $135 billion biennial budget includes a coronavirus relief fund to assist [&hel[...]
Colonial Williamsburg eyes limited reopening in Phase 2
Colonial Williamsburg is remaining mostly closed the rest of May, but portions of the historic area and art museums will reopen in early June as Virginia moves into Phase Two of Gov. Ralph Northam’s “Forward Virginia” plan. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, in a news release Thursday, announced that Chowning’s Tavern will open its outdoor seating […]
U.Va. receives $27.5M gift for democracy projects
John L. Nau III, president and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors LP, the largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributor in the country, has donated $27.5 million to the University of Virginia’s new Democracy Initiative at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the university announced Wednesday. The Nau Foundation’s gift will be combined with more […]
Va. approaches 33,000 COVID-19 cases
The state has 32,908 cases of COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health reported Wednesday, an increase of 753 confirmed and probable cases since Tuesday. The number of deaths is now 1,074, up 33 in the past 24 hours, and 3,979 people are hospitalized with the virus statewide, VDH said. In Wednesday’s data, 210,965 PCR (also […]
Va. Supreme Court refuses to hear Gold’s Gym appeal
The Supreme Court of Virginia won’t hear an appeal in a lawsuit filed against the governor by the owner of nine Gold’s Gym franchises in Virginia. Merrill C. “Sandy” Hall filed suit last month in Culpeper County Circuit Court, seeking to reopen his gyms, which were closed by executive order in March to contain the […]
Reopening weekend largely positive for restaurants
Reopening weekend was largely positive for restaurants and other businesses in Virginia localities that entered Phase One of Gov. Northam’s Forward Virginia plan on Friday. “It was actually very busy,” said Brad Smith, general manager of Quaker Steak & Lube on Bristol’s State Street. “We were busy to the capacity we could be.” Smith had […]
Caesars wins bid in Danville casino project
After taking bids from several companies, Danville officials announced Monday that the city is in negotiations with Caesars Entertainment to be the preferred operator of a Danville-based casino. Voters will still need to approve the casino in a November local referendum. The $400 million resort is proposed for the former Dan River Mills industrial complex […]
$2.2 billion in federal funding headed to state agencies
Next week, Virginia officials will allocate about $2.2 billion in federal stimulus funds to state agencies, which are sending requests to the governor’s office through Monday, Virginia Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne announced Friday. So far, of the $3.1 billion in federal funds from the CARES Act given to Virginia, $650 million has been allocated […]