Supporters and detractors respond to Chase's latest antics and Virginia's Lee Statue was removed from Capitol
Here are the top news stories for today!
Here are the top news stories for Monday!
Amanda Chase revealed a reporter’s personal information, supporters and detractors respond - Virginia Scope
In a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon, Senator Amanda Chase posted the personal contact information for a reporter from The Daily Beast. Chase, who is currently seeking the Republican nomination to run for governor next year, did not like the latest article highlighting her actions. “Liberal minded reporters who slander conservatives in the name of ‘journalism’ are erroneous and irresponsible, and I will expose them,” wrote Chase on Facebook. “Any liberal media and socialistic bent reporter, spewing their personal opinion as “journalism” will be called out here on my page.”
The responses to the post were overwhelmingly opposing Senator Chase. However, there were several comments encouraging the reveal of a journalist’s information, with some including troubling insinuations.
“It starts with opinions...its cute…” wrote Timothy Soto. “But when the gloves come off she will be hiding far away from any front line action that her mouth causes.”
New report shows VDOE is inadequately meeting needs of students with disabilities - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Kenya Hunter
A new report issued by the state’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission found that the Virginia Department of Education is not adequately meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
While the report showed that academically, students with disabilities are improving, teachers in the state are not sufficiently trained to teach these students, Black students with disabilities are falling behind their non-Black counterparts academically, and individualized education programs are not necessarily effective for achieving goals.
Congress Strikes Long-Sought Stimulus Deal to Provide $900 Billion in Aid - New York Times
by Emily Cochrane
Congressional leaders on Sunday reached a hard-fought agreement on a $900 billion stimulus package that would send immediate aid to Americans and businesses to help them cope with the economic devastation of the pandemic and fund the distribution of vaccines.
The deal would deliver the first significant infusion of federal dollars into the economy since April, as negotiators broke through months of partisan gridlock that had scuttled earlier talks, leaving millions of Americans and businesses without federal help as the pandemic raged. While the plan is roughly half the size of the $2.2 trillion stimulus law enacted in March, it is one of the largest relief packages in modern history.
Hoping to vaccinate millions against COVID-19, officials seek to expand Virginia’s health care workforce - Virginia Mercury
by Kate Masters
As Virginia takes the first steps in an unprecedented vaccination campaign, there are still questions health officials can’t answer — from when the vaccine will become widely available to how many doses the state will receive over the next few months.
Another detail they’re trying to confirm is who will be administering the COVID-19 vaccines. Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver put out an “urgent” call for volunteers earlier this month, urging health care providers to sign up for the state’s Medical Reserve Corps.
Virginia Beach police investigating after viral video showed officers detaining innocent Black man - Virginian-Pilot
by Peter Coutu
After a viral video showed Virginia Beach police detaining an innocent Black man at Lynnhaven Mall Saturday, Chief Paul Neudigate said his department will review how officers handled the incident.
In a video shared online, officers are seen handcuffing a man who was eating with his family. Police escorted the man outside and said he matched the description of a suspect, who an officer said was a “Black male with dreads that was wearing all black and was with a boy wearing red.”
Only 1 Republican in Virginia's congressional delegation recognizes Biden as next president - Roanoke Times
by Amy Friedenberger
It’s been more than six weeks since Joe Biden won the presidential election, and only one Republican congressman from Virginia has recognized Biden as the country’s incoming 46th president.
After the Electoral College officially affirmed Biden’s victory last Monday, three of the Republican congressmen — Reps. Ben Cline, Morgan Griffith and Rob Wittman — say the process to determine the next president is still ongoing or have remained silent.
Report: Thanksgiving likely 'a super-spreader event' in Virginia - Prince William Times
The data are in: Thanksgiving "appears to have been a super-spreader event in Virginia" that triggered a surge in new cases that’s now expected to peak at 98,000 a week in early February.
That's according to the most recent analysis of the state’s COVID-19 data by the University of Virginia's Biocomplexity Institute and the Rand Corporation.
Jaywalking decriminalization is coming, 100 years after the auto industry helped make it a crime - Virginia Mercury
by Wyatt Gordon
Though it didn’t garner as much attention as other police reform measures during the special legislative session that ended this fall, a provision to decriminalize jaywalking in a pretextual policing bill from Delegate Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, means that come March 1, police will no longer be able to stop folks for the act of crossing the street outside of a marked crosswalk.
Criminal justice reformers called it a small step along the path to reducing encounters with the police, especially for people of color.
Virginia Removes Confederate Statue from U.S. Capitol
