Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
The stimulus package has been signed into law. It features economic relief for small businesses that are being praised by Virginia Senator Mark Warner. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
Salem’s Parks and Recreation Department announced a pile of event cancellations today, and they demonstrate how deeply the coronavirus pandemic is impacting the region’s tourism economy. Among the many cancellations: four softball tournamens and one baseball tournament that were set for the Moyer Sports Complex through mid-May. All Salem city events and activities are cancelled through May 17th.
With Governor Northam’s decree today that all public schools will remain closed at least through the end of the academic year, Roanoke County School superintendent Dr. Ken Nicely says they await further directives on how to proceed with grading and graduation requirements. Nicely expects SOL testing to be formally canceled soon. He also says the meal delivery program for home bound school children has gone well so far – how long it goes depends in part says Nicely on the resources available.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Two weeks ago, Virginia lawmakers approved legislation to allow developers to build five large casino resorts around the state in what supporters have long hoped will be a dramatic economic boost to struggling areas. Virginia is one of the few states in the country where casinos are currently banned.
But those plans could be in serious doubt amid the coronavirus pandemic, which forced nearly every commercial casino in the country to close just a matter of days after lawmakers voted.
While huge swaths of the economy are being hurt by the virus, the cash-dependent casinos’ pain has been particularly acute.
Stock prices of major casino operators have cratered, including those vying to move to Virginia, raising questions about whether the industry will be able to finance the gleaming casino resorts that lawmakers have envisioned, even if they can afford the $15 million licensing fee the state plans to charge. Lobbyists for casinos and hotels are are now desperately pressing the federal government for massive bailouts.
“Gaming employees, their families, and communities are bearing the brunt of this economic standstill and will continue to suffer if Congress and the administration don’t take immediate action,” said Bill Miller, president of the American Gaming Association.
Pro-casino backers in Virginia said there is no time to panic, and there is still time for the industry to rebound before Virginia could be impacted. Potential operators in Virginia still have to clear a voter referendum in November in cities slated to get casinos, and then a state vetting process before licenses are awarded and construction can begin.
“We have time on our side,” said state Sen. Louise Lucas, who has spent two decades trying to convince her colleagues to legalize casinos. “I’m the eternal optimist.”
Some of the proposed casinos in Virginia are also backed by wealthy private investors who may be better able to weather an economic downturn than publicly traded casino companies.
And would-be casino operators said none of their plans have changed.
“Caesars will continue to pursue a gaming license in Virginia and hopes to build and operate a casino in Danville,” said Richard Broome, a spokesman for gaming giant Caesars Entertainment.
David Schwartz, a gambling expert at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, said it’s impossible to predict the near future for the casino and hotel industry and how that might impact Virginia.
“Long-term, casino gaming is a dependable enough bet in Virginia that it might not be difficult to raise money to fund it, but short-term, operators may prioritize stabilizing their existing operations,” Schwartz said.
The next step in legalizing casinos in Virginia rests with Gov. Ralph Northam, who may try to amend the legislation. If he does make changes, lawmakers would vote on them during a one-day legislative session currently scheduled for late April.
Some would-be casino developers have complained that the current legislation does not mandate a competitive bidding process for casino licenses, something Northam could try to address.
“In light of the current environment and new risks we are facing, it is even more imperative” that there be more competition for casino licenses, said developer Steve Johnson, who has pitched an alternate proposed casino in the Bristol area than the one backed by state and local officials there.
Currently three of the five cities allowed to have casinos — Norfolk, Bristol and Portsmouth — already have either formal or informal agreements with potential casino operators in place. Danville is considering proposals from seven different would-be operators. And at least two entities — the Pamunkey Indian Tribe and the owners of Colonial Downs, the state’s only horse track — have expressed interest in a potential Richmond casino, though others may emerge.
The Northam administration hasn’t said specifically whether the governor will try to change the casino bill. But Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said the coronavirus will force the state to take a closer look at both casinos in general and city-specific agreements. He said no one, including lawmakers, has considered the coronavirus’ long-term impact on whether gamblers will still be willing to spend time and money on crowded casino floors.
“Certainly, there’s going to have to be some additional scrutiny,” Layne said. “They’re not the panacea everybody thinks they are.”
The U.S. Department of Education said today that it would waive mandatory testing requirements. That could mean no SOL testing this spring in Virginia. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said they will grant waivers to states that are “unable to assess its students due to the ongoing national emergency.” The report indicates that means SOL testing is now unlikely this year.
Click here to read the full Richmond Times-Dispatch article.
Governor Northam says state education officials are working with the federal government to make sure disruptions to standardized testing do not impact the ability of high school seniors to receive their diplomas. Schools are closed right now, disrupting both SOL preparation in class and SOL testing schedules.
Northam says his administration has not yet decided whether to extend the mandated closure of all Virginia K-12 schools beyond the current ordered date of March 27, which is a week from Friday.
File Roanoke Police photo
The next Roanoke police chief will need no introduction to the force — but he will have to get reacquainted with it. City Manager Bob Cowell announced today he is appointing Sam Roman to head the Roanoke Police Department.
Roman is currently Lexington’s police chief, but before heading there, he served 25 years with Roanoke Police, rising then to the rank of Deputy Chief.
NEWS RELEASE: After a Nation-wide search that resulted in panel interviews with five outstanding finalists, the City of Roanoke has appointed Samuel Roman, Jr. to join us as the next Chief of the Roanoke Police Department. Roman currently serves as the Police Chief in Lexington, after having served for 25 years in Roanoke rising to the rank of Deputy Chief.
The City of Roanoke went through a rigorous process of searching for Roanoke’s new Police Chief. That process included community meetings, online surveys and community conversations. The City of Roanoke intended to introduce the finalist to the community via a community meet-and-greet prior to a final announcement. However in light of the current prohibition on group gatherings, this simply is not possible at this time. The good news is many in our community already know Chief Roman and what he offers the City. A welcome event will be conducted at a later date.
“We are so pleased with the selection of Sam Roman as our new Police Chief,” said Mayor Sherman Lea. “Sam knows our community and has a history of working with our neighborhoods to build strong relationships. We are confident his leadership will ensure our Police Department remains one of the most exemplary departments in the Nation.”
“It is with great enthusiasm I accept the position as Chief of Police for the City of Roanoke,” says Roman. “Returning to the department where my law enforcement career began nearly 28 years ago is an opportunity that I do not take lightly. I am grateful to all involved in the search and selection process. To be entrusted with the safety and security of the officers and citizens of Roanoke is an honor. I look forward to rebuilding strong community connections, building upon the existing nationally recognized policing standards, and cultivating the existing relationships with the officers, department leadership, and the entire City.”
Roman will begin his service as Roanoke’s Police Chief on March 31.
Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner delivered a coronavirus update, ahead of COVID-19 legislation getting a look today in the Senate. WFIR’s Ian Price has more: