Local Government, Civic Affairs and Education
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia House of Delegates has finished a new searchable website that has biographical sketches of every lawmaker who’s served in the body for over the past 400 years.House Clerk G. Paul Nardo said Wednesday that the online database has posted information of the more than 9,700 men and women who’ve served since the House of Burgesses first met in 1619.Past House members include George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.Nardo said he made the announcement on the 400th anniversary of George Yeardley assuming the position of deputy governor on April 18, 1619. The first legislative session convened in July of that year.The state is planning several events this year to mark the start of the House of Burgesses in Jamestown, the New World’s first representative legislative assembly.
With more of an effort to “mainstream” those with intellectual disabilities, and finding them employment – how are the organizations that help those people faring? More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Click below to hear an extended conversation with Mark Early and Jennifer Mills from HopeTree Family Services:
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) – A new campaign has launched in Virginia to help pregnant mothers who abuse opioids or other drugs.The Roanoke Times reports that several groups have partnered to launch an effort to connect women with recovery programs.The program is called “Mother-up” and its website is mother-up.org. Participating groups include the Children’s Trust, Carilion Clinic and the Virginia Department of Social Services.Lisa Denny, director of child abuse prevention for Children’s Trust Roanoke
Valley, said the campaign will direct women to resources that “aren’t necessarily punitive.” She said some women who are on drugs while pregnant don’t tell their doctors because they fear having their babies taken away.
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Student hunger and even homelessness is a real issue for many who attend Virginia colleges and universities – especially at the community college level. That was the point keynote speaker Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab made at the annual statewide faculty conference for Virginia’s Community Colleges. Goldrick-Rab teaches at Temple University; she’s written a book on the subject and appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah to talk about it. At today’s conference Anthem BlueCross BlueShield donated $100,000 for food pantries located at rural community colleges in Virginia.
A federally-funded program being administered by Radford University is offering specialized education training to teachers in the Appalachian region. More on “ASSET” as it continues to roll out, from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
click below for an in depth conversation about the ASSET program with Lisa Thompson (and WFIR’s Gene Marrano):
Scandals for Virginia’s “Top 3” legislators have brought down some approval ratings for Democrats in a new poll, but experts don’t believe it will make Virginia purple this November. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
From the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University: Disapproval rises of top Democrats Northam, Fairfax and Herring, but Democrats still hold slight edge with Assembly control at stake
Summary of Key Findings
1.In the wake of his “blackface” scandal, Governor Ralph Northam’s popularity among registered voters has plummeted 19 points since December. At 40%, Northam’s approval rating is lower than President Trump’s 44%.
2.Asked if Northam should resign, a slight majority says he should stay in office (52%-42%). In his own party, 29% of Democrats say he should resign.
3.With control of both Virginia Senate and House of Delegates on the line this November, Democrats hold a slight edge on the generic ballot test, 43% to 39%. Both parties will turn to their base, with Democrats still energized over Trump and Republicans fired up over abortion.
4.Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring have all been damaged by scandals, with their disapproval ratings rising. But 23% of voters appear unaware of even the highly publicized Northam scandal, so the “Top Three” scandals’ drag on Democratic candidates may be limited overall.
5.Downstream effects for Democrats may also be limited due to advantages Democrats hold in public perceptions. Asked which party cares about the middle class, the working class, the poor, African Americans, women, men, and children, voters choose Democrats in every category but one. Voters say Republicans care about men. 6.A question designed to carefully measure attitudes on abortion reveals both parties are out of the mainstream in their abortion positions, as a plurality of voters (32%) want neither fewer restrictions nor more restrictions on abortion.
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Ashlyn Poole would have been 17 years old today but the Christiansburg High School student-athlete was killed in a car crash last summer. Now random acts of kindness initiated by her parents to honor her memory has led to a fundraiser this Saturday, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports: