Across Virginia
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.
(News Release) Washington — PETA has obtained video footage and photographs revealing the abysmal living conditions of four turkeys “pardoned” by President Donald J. Trump. These birds are supposed to be the “lucky” ones, spared being carved up for Thanksgiving, but PETA has found that at “Gobbler’s Rest” at Virginia Tech, they’re essentially warehoused inside barren cells until they die, and they appear to have sustained severe feather damage—a symptom associated with stress and deprivation.
PETA has sent a letter to Dr. Alan L. Grant, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech, offering to place these turkeys at a reputable sanctuary. There, they’d finally enjoy true retirement, complete with opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and feel grass under their feet—in other words, the very conditions that most Americans assume these “pardoned” turkeys already enjoy.
“If the ceremony on the White House lawn means anything, these turkeys should be given a chance to live as turkeys should—but instead, they’re serving a life sentence without so much as the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is asking Virginia Tech to let us give these turkeys a chance to enjoy companionship, fresh air, and sunshine at a reputable sanctuary, as they deserve.”
At “Gobbler’s Rest,” the “pardoned” turkeys are denied any opportunity to satisfy their basic needs, such as perching and roosting. Although turkeys are highly social birds, 2018 “pardonees” Peas and Carrots are kept penned up alone. They have extensive and severe feather damage, as do Bread and Butter, “pardonees” from 2019, who also have brown stains on their damaged tail feathers, possibly because of gastrointestinal distress and/or simply because they don’t have enough space to avoid walking through and lying in their own waste.
A veterinarian who reviewed PETA’s footage of the turkeys’ bleak living conditions (the full report is available here) opined that the conditions present “numerous, cumulative, and chronic stressors that severely compromise the physical and psychological well-being of these turkeys.”
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s attorney general has authorized an investigation into a $1.8 million contract for the removal of the city of Richmond’s Confederate monuments, a special prosecutor said Friday. The statues were taken down over the summer, and an inquiry into the contract between the city and a construction company owner who oversaw their removal was initiated after a political rival of Mayor Levar Stoney’s raised concerns about the deal.
A Richmond Circuit Court Judge assigned Augusta County Commonwealth’s Attorney Timothy Martin last summer to investigate the removals, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Martin, a former Richmond prosecutor, asked Virginia State Police for help with the case in November. He told the newspaper in an email Friday that state police recently told him that they will help after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring authorized the agency to do so. The attorney general’s authorization, which Herring spokeswoman Charlotte Gomer told The Associated Press is a routine requirement of state law, was first reported by TV station WRIC.
Jeffrey Breit, an attorney for Stoney, said in an interview in November that neither he nor the mayor were concerned about the investigation, which he said was based on politically motivated criticism from Kim Gray, an opponent of Stoney’s in his ultimately successful reelection bid. Stoney ordered the statues removed on July 1, the same day a new state law took effect explicitly giving localities the authority to take them down. Devon Henry, the owner of a Newport News construction firm associated with the shell company, has donated a total of $4,000 to Stoney’s campaign and political action committee since 2016.
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 199 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, and 4 new hospitalizations being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 71 new cases, and 3 new hospitalizations in Roanoke City, 87 new cases in Roanoke County, 26 new cases in Salem, and 15 new cases and 1 new hospitalization in Botetourt County.
Governor Northam says Virginia is moving all state residents between 65 and 74 to COVID vaccine group 1b. That means many will be in line more quickly to receive the vaccines; until now, those 65-74 had been placed in phase 1c. Those 16-64 with underlying medical conditions are also moving to Phase 1b. The governor says vaccines are now being administered at 160 sites across Virginia, and plans are in place to speed up the vaccination pace as soon as greater amounts of doses become regularly available. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia officials announced changes Thursday that significantly expand the pool of people eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine as they also outlined plans for mass-vaccination clinics to speed up the pace of inoculations.
Gov. Ralph Northam said at a news conference in Richmond that the state would follow new federal guidance from President Donald Trump’s administration that urged states to immediately start vaccinating people who had previously been lower down the priority list. Newly included in what’s called Phase 1b of the state’s distribution plan are people age 65 and older and younger people with certain health problems that make them more vulnerable to the virus.
Demand for the vaccine is still expected to outpace supply, so not everyone newly eligible will be able to get a shot immediately. The state is currently receiving about 110,000 doses per week, Northam said.
Dr. Danny Avula, who was recently tapped by the governor to direct the state’s vaccine rollout efforts, said Virginia would be introducing fixed-site mass vaccination centers that would be open six or seven days a week to help meet the eventual goal of vaccinating 50,000 people a day.
Residents can expect “movement” on mass-vaccinations sites as soon as next week, he said, adding that more vaccines will also be available in the coming weeks through private providers and pharmacies.
Only some parts of the state in northern Virginia, southwest Virginia and the Eastern Shore have moved into phase 1b so far. Health districts in the rest of Virginia are still working to vaccinate the health care workers and long-term care facility residents in 1a. But Northam said all health districts would be there “by the end of the month” and asked for patience as the state works through the complicated logistics.
“We need people to get this vaccine. It is our only way out of this pandemic,” he said.
On schools, Northam said the state’s education department was issuing new guidelines on restarting in-person learning. The governor said the state’s new policy is: “schools need to be open, and here are the ways to do that safely.”
Northam also said that he was looking at eventually adjusting school calendars so that schools operate year-round, instead of taking lengthy summer breaks.
Officials also addressed concerns about possible civil unrest in the capital city over the weekend or in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration. Northam said public safety officials were well prepared to prevent any violence and the Virginia National Guard would be available to provide support if necessary.
“If you come here and act out, Virginia will be ready,” Northam said.
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 137 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, 2 new hospitalizations, and 4 new deaths being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 68 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, and 2 new deaths in Roanoke City, 45 new cases , and 1 new death in Roanoke County, 8 new cases, 1 new hospitalization and 1 new death in Salem, and 16 new cases in Botetourt County.
According to the latest numbers released this morning by the Virginia Department of Health there are 168 new confirmed or probable coronavirus cases, 3 new hospitalizations, and 5 new deaths being reported in the Roanoke Valley. 52 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, and 4 new deaths in Roanoke City, 63 new cases , 1 new hospitalization and 1 new death in Roanoke County, 22 new cases in Salem, and 31 new cases and 1 new hospitalization in Botetourt County.