Across Virginia
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 73 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, 2 new hospitalizations , and 3 news deaths being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 35 new cases, and 1 new hospitalization in Roanoke City, 25 new cases and 3 new deaths in Roanoke County, 5 new cases in Salem, and 8 new cases, and 1 new hospitalization in Botetourt County.
RICHMOND — Virginia Department of Corrections inmates who get their COVID-19 vaccine will receive free email stamps and telephone credits as well as a care package filled with commissary items, including snacks.
“We want all staff and inmates who want the COVID-19 vaccine to get their inoculations as soon as possible,” said Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) Director Harold Clarke. “This effort is important to all in the VADOC community – our staff, inmates, and the community outside the walls, where our staff and inmates’ families live. We hope this campaign leads to better health in VADOC facilities and in the Commonwealth itself.”
The Department began Phase 1a vaccinations, covering medical staff, about two weeks ago. Last week, VADOC began Phase 1b vaccinations, which involves a system-wide effort to vaccinate as many staff and inmates as possible. VADOC medical staff are administering the Moderna vaccine received from the Virginia Department of Health.
As of Friday, January 15, 1,177 staff and 648 inmates had received vaccinations. Vaccination numbers for staff and inmates will be updated on the VADOC website every Friday.
For those inmates choosing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, which includes two doses approximately 28 days apart, VADOC will begin distributing incentive packs in early March.
The number of inmates and CCAP probationers in VADOC facilities has decreased to about 25,000 during the pandemic. The VADOC operates state correctional facilities and state probation/parole but doesn’t operate or oversee local correctional facilities (jails). Jails in Virginia are run locally and overseen by the Board of Local & Regional Jails.
As Democrats assume control of Congress and the White House a former Speaker of the House recently discussed where the GOP goes from here during UVA lecture. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has this in depth report.
Gas prices in some parts of Virginia are now higher than they were last year at this time, and the rollout of COVID vaccines is cited as the main reason. Demand for gasoline remains low, but prices in the last month have increased here and across much of the country by 20 cents or more a gallon. AAA Mid-Atlantic Spokesperson Morgan Dean says it is almost entirely the result of optimism among investors that COVID vaccines will revive economic engines and demand for petroleum. Drivers in the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Harrisonburg areas are now paying more for gasoline than one year ago, and Dean says it is likely the rest of Virginia will soon seem the same. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here for regional and statewide gas prices from AAA.
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 138 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, 5 new hospitalizations , and 2 deaths being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 35 new cases, and 1 new death in Roanoke City, 76 new cases and 3 new hospitalizations in Roanoke County, 3 new cases in Salem, and 24 new cases, 2 hospitalizations and 1 new death in Botetourt County.
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 107 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, and 6 new hospitalizations being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 16 new cases, and 4 new hospitalizations in Roanoke City, 58 new cases and 1 new hospitalization in Roanoke County, 19 new cases and 1 new hospitalization in Salem, and 14 new cases in Botetourt County.
Press Release from Terry McAuliffe’s Campaign: Terry McAuliffe today called on the General Assembly to pass a ban on the sale of assault weapons this legislative session, as part of his newly released plan to boldly confront the gun violence epidemic in Virginia. In addition to a ban on the sale of assault weapons, Terry’s plan prohibits the open carry of firearms in certain public spaces and gives localities the ability to ban open carry more broadly when there are credible threats to public safety. Later today, Terry will also host a virtual conversation on preventing gun violence with leading advocates, including Virginia Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Lori Haas, gun violence prevention advocate Andy Parker, and gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform advocate Reverend Dr. Emanuel Charles Harris.
As part of his bold plan to prevent gun violence in Virginia, Terry will close loopholes that repeatedly allow firearms to get into the hands of dangerous individuals, and aggressively fight back against the hate crime loophole. Terry will also broaden Virginia’s background check law to cover transfers of ownership, expanding on the work of the General Assembly last year. During the 2020 legislative session, Governor Ralph Northam and Virginia’s Democratic legislative majorities passed a number of laws to address gun violence, including requiring background checks on all gun sales, allowing localities to regulate firearms, and ensuring that firearms are kept away from children and out of the hands of dangerous individuals and domestic abusers. As governor, Terry will also create an Office of Gun Violence Prevention to identify and coordinate solutions across state agencies, and he will ensure life-saving gun violence prevention programs receive permanent funding.
“Virginia made critical progress in passing reforms to confront gun violence during the 2020 legislative session. But there remains much work to be done to save lives and address the continued gun violence that plagues too many of our communities. These types of big, bold proposals are exactly what it will take,” said Lori Haas, Virginia Director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence whose daughter Emily was shot twice and survived the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre. “Importantly, by creating a statewide Virginia Office of Gun Violence Prevention, we can ensure all agencies are working hand-in-hand with community leaders to identify and implement evidence-based solutions. Only by working together will we finally put an end to this epidemic and keep Virginians safe.”
“Terry believes this is the moment to go big and finally ban the sale of assault weapons and prohibit open carry in certain spaces in Virginia. He knows military-style assault firearms with high-capacity magazines are weapons of war and have no place on our streets when these guns are openly displayed to intimidate, not protect. As Virginia’s 72nd Governor, Terry was not afraid to stand up to extremist groups like the NRA and VCDL and he’s not afraid now. As our next governor, Terry will take bold action and get this crucial legislation passed,” said Andy Parker, whose daughter, journalist Alison Parker, was shot and killed on live television in 2015.
“Thousands of Virginians are harmed by gun violence each year, and the sad reality is that Black Virginians – young Black men in particular – bear the brunt of the gun violence epidemic in the Commonwealth. This crisis is all too real for our communities, and there is still much work to be done,” said Reverend Dr. Emanuel Charles Harris, Pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church in Goochland County, Virginia. “Having focused my doctoral studies on creating a training model to address the intersection of domestic violence and the church’s teachings on patriarchal authority, I’m pleased to see that Terry’s plan will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous and abusive individuals, and attack this problem as the public health crisis it so clearly is.”
“Jim & Sarah Brady worked tirelessly to end the epidemic of gun violence, as Virginians, gun owners and survivors of gun violence. Terry’s plan recognizes that to combat gun violence we must treat it as the public health epidemic that it is,” said Kris Brown, President of Brady. “Terry’s plan addresses this crisis through comprehensive action that focuses on research, policy, implementation, and community-based efforts to meaningfully reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth and save lives.”
“Giffords applauds Terry McAuliffe for prioritizing gun violence prevention in his campaign and continuing to fight against the NRA. One year ago the Virginia legislature passed historic gun safety legislation but there is much to do in the Commonwealth and across the country. Terry’s plan is a bold next step,” said Peter Ambler, Executive Director & Co-Founder of Giffords.
“Virginia is sadly all too familiar with the threat of gun violence. While we have made great strides to protect lives in recent years, now is the time to boldly confront and end this epidemic once and for all. That starts by banning the sale of assault weapons in the Commonwealth,” said Terry McAuliffe. “I have never been afraid to stand up to the NRA, and that won’t change now. As governor, I will work tirelessly to eliminate these weapons of war from our streets, keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and keep our communities safe. I am ready to work with our Democratic majorities to get this done and protect Virginians across the Commonwealth.”
As the first southern Governor to be elected after running with an “F” rating from the NRA, Terry knows Virginians want bold, decisive action to address this crisis. During his tenure as Virginia’s 72nd Governor, Terry signed an Executive Order banning guns in most state buildings, proposed numerous commonsense gun safety bills, and vetoed 15 radical Republican bills that would have further weakened Virginia’s gun laws. He passed the first meaningful gun safety laws in decades, including a domestic violence law that was one of the toughest in the nation and a requirement that State Police be present at every gun show to run voluntary background checks on private sales.
Since launching his campaign for governor in December, Terry has rolled out numerous big, bold plans to help improve the lives of Virginians, beginning with his comprehensive education plan that would give every child in Virginia equitable access to a world-class education and raise teacher pay. Last week, Terry released his Prescription For A Healthier Virginia plan to combat the predatory system of prescription drug pricing, and he called on the General Assembly to begin the process of passing a constitutional amendment that would codify the restoration of voting rights to Virginians. As governor, Terry will address the economic impacts of COVID-19, ensure Virginians have access to regular nutritious meals, and invest in mental health resources.
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 201 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, 1 new hospitalization and 1 new death being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 87 new cases, 1 new hospitalization and 1 new death in Roanoke City, 72 new cases in Roanoke County, 29 new cases in Salem, and 13 new cases in Botetourt County.