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Georgia school shooting reignites debate over cell phones in Virginia schools
After two students and two teachers were shot and killed at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday, parents and lawmakers in Virginia have are bringing the debate over cell phones in schools back to the forefront. On Wednesday Sept. 5, Del. Holly Seibold (D-Fairfax County) renewed the topic on social media voicing her opinion after a 14-year-old student used an assault-style rifle to kill two students and two teachers in the hallway outside his algebra classroom, according to authorities.
Yancey: 80 years later, a small town in Belgium still honors memory of a Roanoke soldier who died there
The liberation of Belgium began accidentally. In the first days of September 1944, the German army was retreating across northern France, with the American 2nd Armored Division in close pursuit. American officers sent scouts ahead on motorcycles to assess the situation. One of those that day was James William “Bill” Carroll from Alabama. By some accounts, Carroll didn’t realize he’d crossed the border into Belgium, but he had. The truth is a little more complicated, but no less dramatic.
A Holocaust survivor died of food poisoning; his family is suing Boar’s Head
The family of a Newport News man who died after eating contaminated deli meat in late July is suing the meat manufacturer. Gunter “Garshon” Morgenstein, 88, bought Boar’s Head liverwurst July 30 from a Newport News Harris Teeter, and consumed some of it over the next several days. Morgenstein’s son said his father would typically spread the liverwurst over a bagel, just like he did as a boy growing up in Germany in the 1940s. But a few days later, Morgenstein began to feel weak and short of breath and developed a fever.
Smyth County man charged with child exploitation resigns from school board
The vice chair of the Smyth County School Board, who has been accused of spending more than $10,000 buying nude images from at least six juveniles he met online, has agreed to resign his seat, as requested last week by his five fellow board members. The resignation of Todd Stewart Williams, 53, of Chilhowie was effective Thursday. He faces a federal charge of sexual exploitation of children.
Legislator says she brought food issues to Petersburg schools last spring
A state legislator said Wednesday she approached the city public school system last spring with concerns about lunch offerings, claiming those concerns went unanswered until the issue resurfaced last week with photos on social media and a promise from the school system that something would be done. Del. Kim Taylor, R-Dinwiddie County, said she met with the supervisor of the Petersburg City Public Schools’ nutrition program last April after constituents showed her photos of what their children were eating.
Tim Kaine, Democratic candidates urge early voting during Labor Day celebration
Both local and state Democrats gathered Sunday night in the Festival Conference Center to urge listeners to vote early and endorse candidates on this year’s ticket. The Harrisonburg Democrats, the Rockingham County Democrats and the JMU College Democrats hosted numerous city council, school board and congressional candidates at their annual Democratic Labor Day Celebration. Among the attendees were 11th District Sen. Tim Kaine and VA CD-6 District House of Representatives candidate Ken Mitchell.
Loudoun Supervisors Urge Electoral Board to Reinstate Third Saturday for Early Voting
During their first meeting back after the August recess, county supervisors last night endorsed a letter, penned by Chair Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), urging the county’s Electoral Board to reinstate a Saturday of voting removed by the board in August. The Electoral Board voted 2-1, Ellen Heald opposed, Aug. 15 to adopt a revised calendar without Saturday, Oct. 19 included as an early voting day. Board Chair Shelley Oberlander said the day had been originally included from the calendar used for the 2020 election during the COVID-19 pandemic and had not yet been updated to reflect this year’s election.
Charlottesville to ‘experiment’ with ranked-choice voting next year
Ranked-choice voting is coming to Charlottesville. In a 4-1 vote Tuesday night, City Council passed an ordinance that will institute the election model in next June’s Council primary. Charlottesville will be only the second locality in all of Virginia to adopt the model, made possible by a 2020 bill pushed by then-Del. Sally Hudson, a Charlottesville Democrat.
Sex Bias Suit by Ex-Fairfax County Fire Battalion Chief Partly Advances
Fairfax County, Va., must face a former fire battalion chief’s claims that she was denied a promotion to head chief based on sex and because she complained about widespread discrimination in her role as the Women’s Program Officer. But the county and International Association of Fire Fighters defeated the suit’s other claims, at least for now, as the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed those allegations without prejudice.
Cannabis authority chooses Shenandoah Valley provider
On Thursday morning, the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority selected AYR Virginia, a wholly owned subsidiary of AYR Wellness, a cannabis operator in eight states, as the winner of a conditional approval that puts it on the path to become the sole licensed pharmaceutical processor of medical cannabis for a region of Virginia that includes the entire Shenandoah Valley, as well as the cities of Charlottesville and Fredericksburg and the counties of Spotsylvania and Stafford.