Virginia House committee kills bill to decriminalize homelessness

"This is Virginia, this is the state Barbara Johns came from. We just put a statue of her in the Capital building because she walked out...How can I as a Virginia educator not look at that and see it as a positive and see it as a Virginia tradition?”

So in 2024 the fund gave out one single "reward" for the purpose fund was created 30+ years ago, but now is a backdoor way for police agencies to surveil Virginians & make us pay for it, too. Call your state electeds, folks.

"State police later issued warrants for 44-year-old Charles A. Stokes, an officer with Kenbridge Police. He is wanted on charges of aggravated malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony."

Grants funded by your car insurance pay for surveillance tech in Virginia

"Federal prosecutors have alleged Chesapeake Sheriff David Rosado of abusing his authority to coerce employees into supporting his 2025 campaign."

"A rail journey years in the making will pull away from Dominion Energy’s North Anna nuclear plant in Virginia in the fall of 2027... Aboard a specially designed railcar will be a 180-ton lead and steel cask containing spent nuclear fuel."

“We are concerned that this will cut off an avenue the public and press currently have, and have had for a long time, to learn about crimes and criminal activity in their communities,” said Megan Rhyne...

"Garba and his co-conspirators received at least $619,442 in funds to which they were not entitled. Electronic payment cards were mailed to Garba which he withdrew from Richmond-area ATMs."

"Where she will come down on diesel generators isn’t clear. For now, a Spanberger spokesperson declined to comment."

"U.S. District Judge David Novak of Richmond issued a three-page order demanding to know why Halligan is still serving in the post."

"And here’s Montgomery County Democrat Lily Franklin after voting against an assault weapons ban. “I just voted along with what my constituents sent me here to do," Franklin told Radio IQ."

"Hopewell Sheriff’s Office and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office are still working with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) after Gov. Spanberger’s (D) recent directive ordering state law enforcement agencies to terminate their ICE agreements."

Trying to understand all of the ins and outs of digital security can be overwhelming, but our team at EFF is here to help. With our security starter pack, you can take a few simple steps to improve your digital privacy. ssd.eff.org/playlist/wa...

"At this time, 209 votes are on board with the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact and the addition of Virginia's 13 electoral votes would bring the total to within 48 votes of the number necessary to enact."

"Legislators asked to strike, without any discussion, one proposal to keep lenders from bypassing state laws limiting interest charges by framing loans as lease-back or rebate deals..."

"Once again, legislation, Senate Bill 355, giving local governments the power to enact limits on rent increases, failed to make it past legislative gatekeepers."

"ICE agents wearing masks is unprecedented and un-American. Banning masks for ICE agents is a key demand for those negotiating ICE reforms in the current DHS funding standoff."

"On May 29, 2020, Bynum-Coleman transferred $10,000 of fraudulently obtained PPP funds into a bank account in the name of “Friends of Sheila for Delegate,” an account which the DOJ said is for Bynum-Coleman’s political campaign..."

"Spanberger pulls the plug"

"I am aware, for example, with chemicals used for Black women and other women, there are chemicals in there that can cause cancer, that can cause other health problems and it’s treated as though it’s a cost of business,” Keys-Gamarra said.

"A proposed state budget amendment will discontinue localities’ using money from Help Eliminate Auto Theft grants to fund automated license plate readers."

“This bill is responsive to ICE enforcement activities that are happening in courthouses,” Callsen told the subcommittee.

"Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R-Chesterfield) said legislation attempting to strengthen physician oversight in nursing homes was “watered down” from its original version before it passed through a Senate subcommittee Friday morning."

"And here’s Montgomery County Democrat Lily Franklin after voting against an assault weapons ban. “I just voted along with what my constituents sent me here to do," Franklin told Radio IQ."

"In a show of regional unity, mayors from the seven core cities of Hampton Roads united to oppose a bill that would allow public workers to collectively bargain over wages, benefits, and working conditions without local governments’ approval."

"Substitute bills introduced by Peake on Monday instead cap the fees that third-party camera vendors can impose, limiting them to collecting only the civil penalty for the traffic infraction."

"The Jarratt, Virginia, site resumed limited operations on Monday, nearly 17 months after it was shut down following the listeria outbreak that killed 10 people and sickened dozens."

“The question that the body is wrestling with in all of these vehicles is how much is safe,” said Jay Ford with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “Sen. Stuart’s bill is right. He’s correct on the number. It’s zero.”

"In a show of regional unity, mayors from the seven core cities of Hampton Roads united to oppose a bill that would allow public workers to collectively bargain over wages, benefits, and working conditions without local governments’ approval."

"But Virginia Code specifically does not require FOIA lawsuits be “served,” only that they must be “received” by the party against whom the petition is brought."

"When you have a policing program that is really intended to be for safety, there really shouldn't be an incentive to generate more revenue out of those programs. It should really be for and for safety only," Delaney said.

"Amid calls to increase transparency and revelations about the court’s inner workings, the chief justice imposed nondisclosure agreements on clerks and employees."

"The Richmonder reached out to Chesterfield County Public Schools to ask if the division is discouraging all high school students from protesting and if students will face consequences for doing so. The division has not responded as of Thursday evening."

"Data center proponents downplay the industry’s water use. But these newly released documents reveal that we are talking about significant allocations of water."

“Right-to-work is effectively the right to work for less,” McPike said. “When workers do not have access to unionization, it creates a completely un-level playing field between employees and their employers.”

"Del. Irene Shin, D-Fairfax County, introduced HB 1515. It would place a temporary moratorium on facilities’ approval if requests for energy infrastructure connection haven’t been fulfilled. On Monday, a House subcommittee voted to carry over..."

"Richmond-based author Jeff Thomas sued the university to force the release of communications between board members and university officials from June 2023 through last month; he then released the 947 pages of messages to the newspaper."

"Despite that decision by City Council — which directly oversees the city attorney — Drewry’s office this week refused to turn over copies of written opinions issued to city officials in the past year."

"What an energy conglomerate can do is make deals essentially with itself to ensure that it is buying energy from its own subsidiaries, but that may not necessarily be in our best interest,” Rasoul said.

"Patients across Hampton Roads are facing similar issues — non-itemized bills, incorrect services listed on their statements and billing systems that leave patients struggling to resolve disputes before accounts are sent to collections."

“Once a non-Board member participated, the process no longer reflected the independent judgment the law requires,” Jafari said. "That outside influence also disadvantaged the other applicants..."

"If holding people in warehouses for indeterminate periods seems excessively cruel and inhumane, that seems to be the point. The public rejects this in growing numbers..."

"Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use Flock"

“You can’t blame Sheila White, and you can’t blame Sabrina (Joy-Hogg),” Trammell said, respectively referring to the city’s former finance director and interim CAO...“(Avula) brought his own people in, so how are we late again?”

“It is in very traditional fashion, Buchanan-like, a hot mess.”

"When asked Tuesday if he thinks the General Assembly could take the necessary action this year to move the city’s casino plan forward, Mayor Joe Cobb said, “probably not.”"

"Police Told to Be ‘as Vague as Permissible’ About Why They Use Flock"

"Roem’s district, which includes parts of Prince William County, is home to over 60 data centers."

"When controlling for population, pedestrian deaths in the city of Richmond are up 76% over the past three years compared with the previous 16-year period. Henrico County has seen a 32% increase, and Chesterfield County a 14% increase."