Hanover school touts donation from group that participated in Capitol insurrection, plus more from Virginia politics

Youngkin raised $1 million in 10 days and Virginia legislators kill special education bill.

Feb 09, 2021

Happy Tuesday. Be on the lookout for some nasty weather the next few days!

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Hanover school touts donation from group that participated in Capitol insurrection - Virginia Scope

Trevor Southerland, the parent of a student in Hanover County was shocked to see that a local school shared a photo on social media with the leader of a group that participated in the January 6 insurrection in Washington D.C.

The Hanover Patriots say they are a “unifying organization whose mission is to preserve the safety, security and way of life for citizens and businesses within Hanover County, VA.” They continue to say that they are able to ”accomplish this through partnership between community and law enforcement.”

Some of their actions include patrolling neighborhoods and monitoring events that take place in Hanover County. These are not trained law enforcement officers – the self-described leader, Chad Porter, is a realtor.

Members of the group posted photos on Facebook after the January 6 insurrection in a charter bus that they used to travel to and from Washington D.C.

Virginia Legislators Kill Special Education Bill

By Katharine DeRosa

Capital News Service

RICHMOND — Virginia lawmakers killed a proposal that would allow some special education students another year of instruction because of the struggles of virtual learning caused by COVID-19.

House Bill 2277 proposed that high school students with special needs who are set to graduate in the 2021 school year and who are 22 years old after Sept. 30, 2020, be allowed to take an extra year and graduate in 2022. Students who are younger than 22 are automatically eligible for another year, according to the Virginia Department of Education.

“While other students might have more time to make up whatever was lost because of COVID-19, the kids that were going to age out this year will never get that chance,” said Del. Robert Bell, R-Charlottesville.

Virginia lawmakers are moving to eliminate mandatory minimums, but they’re at odds over which ones - Virginia Mercury

by Ned Oliver

Lawmakers in Virginia are moving forward with legislation to repeal a slew of mandatory minimum sentences, but the House and Senate are at odds over how far to go.

A bill passed by the Senate would scrap mandatory sentences for nearly all crimes on the books. The House, meanwhile, advanced legislation that focuses on drug offenses but preserves mandatory penalties for violent crimes and sex offenses.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin raised $1 million from donors in first 10 days of campaign

“I’m so thankful to everyone who chose to invest in my campaign and the hope of bringing a new day to Virginia,” said Youngkin. “The broad-based support we’re seeing is overwhelming, and this incredibly strong start will propel us forward to win the Republican nomination for governor. I can’t wait to take on whoever the Democrats settle for, turn our Commonwealth red again, and make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

While the $1 million came from donors, Youngkin is expected to some of his considerable wealth to also fund his campaign.

Terry McAuliffe released his plan on Monday to tackle the housing crisis in the Commonwealth

In a statement, McAuliffe’s campaign said, “As Governor, Terry will implement bold and innovative strategies that will address the underlying causes of housing instability and homelessness, provide immediate support to individuals at-risk of eviction and dramatically expand the availability of affordable housing. This will require strong public-private partnerships and substantial investments in affordable housing.”

“Virginia has a real crisis on our hands when it comes to housing, but let's be clear: the COVID-19 pandemic is only making a bad situation worse. For generations, Black and Brown Virginians have been systemically kept from the American dream of homeownership by racist, discriminatory policies, and it's got to stop,” said Terry McAuliffe. “We must act boldly and decisively to end these racist practices, increase the supply of affordable housing, and tackle homelessness once and for all. As governor, I will make sure housing security is a primary aspect of our recovery. I will use all of the tools at my disposal to increase the availability of affordable housing and work to make sure all Virginians have a place to call home.”

View plan

Democratic LG candidate Sam Rasoul Introduces Virginia Marshall Plan for Moms

His plan includes a package of policies aimed at getting Virginia moms and families back on their feet including child care for all, paid family and medical leave, and caregiver tax credit. Rasoul says will reserve a senior position in the Lieutenant Governor’s office as Director of Mothers Advocacy.

"Even before this pandemic, our economy did not work for families. We cannot accept any longer a status quo where having and raising children is a leading cause of poverty," said Rasoul. "The way out of this problem, made much worse by the pandemic and economic crisis, is by following the data. And the data says: Invest in moms. Investing in moms is the surest, quickest path to economic recovery, and to creating a stronger, fairer economy than we had before."

Following a movement led by mothers and their advocates calling for a National Marshall Plan for Moms, Rasoul is calling for a package of policies aimed at addressing the disproportionate challenges faced by Virginia moms and families, including:

Child care for all
Ensuring all workers have paid family and medical leave
Creating a caregiver income tax credit for $1000 in expenses incurred by an individual caring for a family member
Expanding access to sick leave
Increasing the minimum wage
Instituting fair scheduling to require that businesses have predictable schedules for their employees
Helping employers support moms through employer incentives for targeted career development that allow moms to make up lost ground

Read the Virginia Marshall Plan for Moms.

More News:

Virginia’s General Assembly heads to special session with bipartisan momentum on coronavirus relief bills - Washington Post

By Gregory S. Schneider and Laura Vozzella

Dramatic votes to legalize marijuana and abolish the death penalty have defined Virginia's General Assembly session so far, but lawmakers say addressing the effects of the pandemic remains a priority.

The legislature adjourned its regular session Monday with legislative work only half complete and immediately prepared to reconvene in a special session Wednesday to finish the job.

Lawmakers can start raising money while they legislate this year. Will they? - Richmond Times-Dispatch

by Patrick Wilson

The Virginia General Assembly is continuing to do the people’s business in Richmond, but starting now, lawmakers — 11 of them seeking statewide office — are allowed to raise campaign money while they work.

The loophole stems from some unusual mechanics in this year’s session.

New COVID cases in Virginia drop to lowest level since December as more than 1.1 million shots given - Richmond Times-Dispatch

by Sabrina Moreno

Emerging from its deadliest month of the pandemic, Virginia is witnessing the number of new cases drop to levels last seen in December.

With a single-day increase of 1,700 COVID-19 infections, Monday signaled a sharp turnaround from the more than 5,200 daily cases recorded a month ago and a mostly sustained decline from a record-setting holiday surge that resulted in a nearly 10,000-case spike on Jan. 17.

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