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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 chal[...]
VDH will begin texting people who test positive for COVID-19
Starting Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health will begin sending a text to anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 if their mobile phone number is registered in the state’s system. The texts will automatically be sent to anyone with a positive lab test who has a valid mobile number, providing faster notification of r[...]
Bills advance to facilitate COVID-19 vaccine distribution
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia House and Senate have unanimously advanced separate bills to facilitate administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. House Bill 2333, introduced by Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Richmond, intends to strengthen the state’s vaccine distribution efforts and also bolster data collection. The measure removes ba[...]
2020 withholding records from employers due Feb. 1
The commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Taxation reminded employers/payers Wednesday that the final date to submit 2020 withholding records is Monday, Feb. 1. The final date to submit withholding records is typically Jan. 31, which falls on a weekend this year, and the deadline was moved to Feb. 1. “If you’re an employer or payer […]
Chase censured for ‘conduct unbecoming of a senator’ in bipartisan vote
With the support of Republicans and Democrats, the Virginia State Senate on Wednesday censured Sen. Amanda Chase, R- Chesterfield County, for “failure to uphold her oath of office, misuse of office and conduct unbecoming of a senator” based on a laundry list of controversies extending over the past two years. In a 24-9 vote,[...]
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 tra[...]
COVID-19 workplace safety, health rules become permanent Wednesday
Permanent COVID-19 workplace safety and health rules take effect Wednesday in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam announced, including standards that require all public-facing employees to wear masks as well as requiring businesses to provide ready access to hand sanitizer and regular common workspace cleaning. The rules range from appropriate personal protective equipment to sanitation, social distancing, […][...]
‘Pattern of unacceptable conduct’: Focus of Chase censure changes
A newly reworded resolution to censure state Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield County, seeks to place the ardent Trump supporter and gubernatorial hopeful last in seniority “for failure to uphold her oath of office, misuse of office and conduct unbecoming of a senator.” It no longer seeks censure “for fomenting[...]
Local officials slam Northam administration’s COVID vaccine rollout
With Virginia lagging behind other states in getting residents vaccinated for COVID-19, officials in Hampton Roads, Fairfax County and Chesterfield County have gone straight to the governor with complaints and concerns about the process, which Chesterfield supervisors categorized as “totally defective” and Hampton R[...]
First case of U.K. COVID variant detected in Virginia
Updated 3:25 p.m., Jan. 25: The Virginia Department of Health announced Monday afternoon that Virginia has recorded its first case of a variant strain of COVID-19 first identified in the United Kingdom late last year. It’s known as the B.1.1.7 variant, and so far, the United States has recorded nearly 200 cases of this mutation […]
Chase apologizes to Va. Senate ‘if I offended any one of you’; censure still in play
Updated Jan. 24 In a bid to avoid becoming the first state senator censured since 1986, state Sen. Amanda Chase on Friday apologized to her Senate colleagues, saying she was sorry “if I offended any one of you.” Her words were not enough to avoid censure, the chief patron of the censure resolution said in […]
Chase stripped of last committee assignment in Senate
A resolution to censure state Sen. Amanda Chase moved forward Tuesday, and the embattled Republican from Chesterfield County also was stripped of her last committee assignment, although not without objections. Chase left the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus in 2019 after Sen. Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, was re-elected as the Senate party leader. At […]
