State and National Government
Here’s how you can help:
- José Andrés, the beloved D.C. chef famous for feeding people in need around the world, is already in Europe with his World Central Kitchen team helping provide “thousands of meals in Poland, Romania and even inside Ukraine,” he wrote on Twitter. Anyone who wishes to donate to the efforts can go here.
- Razom for Ukraine was founded in 2014 and has since launched efforts to build a stronger democracy in the country. Now, according to its website, the nonprofit is “focused on purchasing medical supplies for critical situations like blood loss and other tactical medicine items. We have a large procurement team of volunteers that tracks down and purchases supplies and a logistics team that then gets them to Ukraine.” Razom — which means “together” in Ukrainian — posted a list of the lifesaving supplies it has already purchased and is asking for more support here.
- Click on the website for Care, the international humanitarian juggernaut, and a pop-up window appears. “UKRAINE EMERGENCY,” the alert says, with a photo of a woman holding a child. “Families in Ukraine are fleeing violence and urgently need emergency aid. CARE is providing food, water, and more,” the homepage says. The group has partnered with People in Need and hopes to build a fund that can reach 4 million people, especially women, girls, and the elderly. Donations for Care can be made here.
- Save the Children, founded more than a century ago, is blunt about the grueling nature of its work: “We work in the hardest-to-reach places, where it’s toughest to be a child,” its homepage says. The organization says it is “gravely concerned” for the children of Ukraine and Afghanistan. Its donation page says that $50 can prevent three children from going hungry for a month, $150 can provide warm blankets for 30 children, and $300 can furnish masks to refugee health workers on the front lines.
- Mercy Corps: Crisis in Ukraine — https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/crisis-ukraine-give-nowMercy Corps is on the ground in Ukraine, Romania, and Poland, providing funding to local organizations that know their community needs best and working to meet urgent humanitarian needs. We also plan to provide emergency cash assistance and connect people on the move with information, such as where to access basic services, information on safe routes, and their legal rights.
International Rescue Committee – Crisis in Ukraine – https://help.rescue.org/
Over 1.7 million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine. The IRC is on the ground in Poland supporting displaced children and families with vital supplies. Your gift will help us provide food, medical care, and emergency support services to refugee families in countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. Please give what you can today.
Heart to Heart International — https://www.hearttoheart.org/
Donate today to help us deliver medicine, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid to support people affected by the Ukraine crisis. Heart to Heart International has a 30-year history of distributing medical and humanitarian aid to medically under-resourced communities and in disaster zones through our network of over 250 nonprofit partner organizations. Your gift today will help those in crisis around the world.
Americares Rush Emergency Support for Ukraine — americares.org/ukraine
Ukraine Crisis Fund
Rush an urgent gift right now to help us deliver medicine, medical supplies and emergency funding to support families and people affected by the Ukraine crisis. Americares has more than 40 years of experience responding to emergencies, including conflicts that lead to large-scale displacements. We respond to more than 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establish long-term recovery projects and bring disaster-preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters.
Virginia lawmakers close to completing action on this year’s proposed legislation, and in some cases, they are using a time-honored way of killing some bills without forcing members to go on record — including a proposal that would allow more military service members and their families to vote in Virginia. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
Click here to see a timeline of HB68’s movement through this year’s General Assembly session.
Sunday, March 6 2:00 p.m. Where: Salem’s World War I Memorial (at traffic triangle with cannon across from Oakey’s Funeral Home) on the corner of College Avenue and Roanoke Boulevard. SWVA citizens offer how the Ukraine War could have been avoided and how to stop it now. Demand immediate cease-fire. Pushback on the Mainstream Press parroting US. State Department talking points: “unprovoked…all Russia’s fault, demonization…”
We hereby offer a “look behind the curtain of U.S. foreign policy.” We demand the urgent halt to this slaughter of Ukranians armed to face the Russian army alone and the current Russian leveling of Ukraine including dangerous destruction of their power plants.
We offer: a narrative for the genesis of the Ukraine War aligned with views of experts that warned (following President Bill Clinton’s expansion of NATO) that such expansion could result in Ukraine’s destruction now occurring. This war was avoidable. It is a tragic war of choice provoked by NATO’s two-decade steady advancement. While amassing troops within Russia on its border. Russia clearly communicated that NATO’s imminent expansion into Ukraine was an unacceptable “red line.” Nevertheless, the press adopts Washington’s line of cluelessness and “unprovoked.” How this war could have been prevented and what actions could possibly stop it even now.
Southwest Virginia Citizens for Peace in Ukraine push back against the U.S. claim that Russia’s current brutal attack against Ukraine was “unprovoked.” NATO is guided by the U.S. national security “apparatus” which is unelected and cares neither to prevent Ukranian death and destruction nor for Biden to fulfill his own campaign promises and/or domestic agenda.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – Governor Glenn Youngkin [yesterday] sent the following letter to the General Assembly Budget conferees, Delegate Barry D. Knight and Senator Janet D. Howell, outlining his final budget priorities that will help address priorities that are beneficial for all Virginians.- Reducing the tax burden on Virginians by doubling Virginia’s standard deduction to $9,000 for single filers and $18,000 for joint filers.
- One-time rebate of $300 for individuals and $600 for families.
- Excluding a portion of veteran retirement income from state income taxes.
- Increase State funding to aid localities with police departments.
- Ensure disabled Virginians have access to the care they need, by fully funding an additional 1,200 developmental disability waiver slots.
- Repeal temporary COVID-19 workplace restrictions will help Virginia stay open for businesses and make our economy stronger.
- Creating academic opportunities by providing $150 million for lab schools.
- Protecting the safety of our students, faculty, and staff by supporting emergency funding for campus security at Virginia’s HBCUs.
- Supporting the Virginia Talent Opportunity Partnership and Innovative Internship Fund.
- Supporting the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program
9 years ago she came to the Star City as a translator for Ukranian news outlets that were visiting this radio station. Now “Olya” is back home – listening for the air raid sirens and watching the news as Russia invades her country. A report from near the front line, with WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
Rep. Ben Cline
Republican Congressman Ben Cline says President Biden’s State of the Union Address was “underwhelming”, one filled with calls to pass all kinds of spending proposals that Congress has already rejected. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Cline spoke with live today on the Roanoke Valley’s Morning News, addressing a wide range of topics. Here is the full conversation:
Photo: David Suetterlein Facebook
It took three years of trying, but Republican State Senator David Suetterlein’s efforts to make Virginia Parole Board votes public are about to become law. His bill has now passed both houses of the General Assembly and heads next to Governor Youngkin’s desk. Youngkin has voiced strong support for the change. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:
There will no legislation to start allowing retail sales of recreational marijuana later this year in Virginia – General Assembly House Republicans today killed legislation intended to do that, arguing that there is not enough time to craft the complex legislation. They promised to address it next year. A Democrat-majority Senate proposal that would have started sales this fall by medical providers and hemp processors was the only viable bill on the topic put forth. Adult possession is currently legal in Virginia but there’s no way to buy recreational marijuana.
