VMI alums and cadets report racial slurs used on ‘regular basis’
In an interim report, investigators looking into reported racist incidents at Virginia Military Institute say some alumni and current cadets have reported hearing racial slurs “on a regular basis” at the state-funded military college in Lexington. The Washington, D.C.-based law firm Barnes & Thornburg LLP, which submitted the report Monday to Peter A. Blake, director […]
Large-scale vaccination clinics starting next week in Va.
Updated 7 p.m. The state will launch large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinics beginning next week in Petersburg, Portsmouth and Danville, Gov. Ralph Northam said Tuesday. Curtis Brown, the state coordinator of emergency management, said he expects large clinic events will be held at 13 locations within the next three months, determined by need and funded by […]
COVID restrictions to be loosened Monday; more vaccine sites coming soon
As more pharmacies across the state receive vaccine doses from the federal government and the number of COVID-19 cases declines, Gov. Ralph Northam said Wednesday he will roll back certain restrictions beginning Monday. Starting March 1, alcohol sales will be allowed in restaurants up to midnight instead of 10 p.m. Curfews will end, and outdoor […]
Northam announces $3.6M expansion of Eaton in Henrico
Power management manufacturer and supplier Eaton Corp. plc will invest $3.6 million to move production from California to its facility in Henrico County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The move will create 80 jobs through the expansion of the Henrico facility’s production capabilities and the addition of new lines for electrical component manufacturing. Eaton, an […]
State launches COVID-19 vaccine hotline
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that a COVID-19 vaccine hotline, staffed with about 750 customer service employees, has launched. The number is (877) VAX-IN-VA, or (877) 829-4682. The phone number, targeted for Virginians without reliable internet access, opened the day after the Virginia Department of Health started a statewide vaccine registration website, replacing local health […[...]
Northam announces $730.2M state revenue forecast increase
Gov. Ralph Northam‘s revised budget released Monday shows that the commonwealth expects a $730.2 million increase in this year’s revenues forecast over December 2020, from $46 billion to more than $46.7 billion during the next two years. “These revised budget numbers tell us that Virginia’s economy continues to thrive, in spite of the pandemic,” Northam […]
Northam requests federal support to vaccinate federal employees
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser jointly issued a request Wednesday for federal support with vaccinating essential federal employees against COVID-19, many of whom live in the greater D.C. area. Northam, Hogan and Bowser sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. Department of Health and […]
South African COVID-19 variant case reported in Va., governor says
UPDATED 4 P.M. FEB. 5 Gov. Ralph Northam said Friday the highly contagious South African variant of COVID-19 has shown up in a case in Virginia, identified by private laboratory Labcorp on Thursday. The sample came from an adult in Eastern Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Health, which said it was “investigating this […]
Northam calls General Assembly special session to start Feb. 10
In a proclamation Thursday, Gov. Ralph Northam said he will call the General Assembly back to work next Wednesday for a special session immediately following the end of the 30-day regular session. In effect, the order will expand the 2021 General Assembly session to its typical length of 46 days. The reason behind the proclamation […]
Northam named Appalachian Regional Commission states’ co-chair
The Appalachian Regional Commission announced Wednesday its 13 governors have elected Gov. Ralph Northam to serve as ARC’s states’ co-chair for 2021. As co-chair, Northam will work with the federal co-chair to invest in economic growth and development across the 13-state Appalachian region. In fiscal year 2020, ARC, a federal-state partnership, has invested $161.8 million […]
Disrupting racism
In the months after a blackface scandal threatened his governorship, Gov. Ralph Northam announced that he would appoint a chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer who would report directly to him — the first Cabinet-level position of its kind in any state in the nation. In September 2019, Janice Underwood took on the challenge. A […]
State will accelerate COVID vaccinations, Northam pledges
Amid recent criticism from local officials and Virginia residents over the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout so far, Gov. Ralph Northam acknowledged citizen frustration and said the state is accelerating its efforts “to get more shots in more arms more quickly” and will also be “significantly expanding transparency.” “I understand your frustration,” Northam[...]