Dogwood Weekly: What happened this week

Happy Sunday, Virginia.

If you’re like us, sitting on your couch and trying to figure out what to do with your day (or week or month), check out our list of this week’s events.

ICYMI: 5 things that happened this week… 

1. After decades blocking gun reforms, some Virginia Republicans signal they could release grip on stronghold – The deadly May 31 shooting in Virginia Beach left 12 dead did little to sway Virginia Republicans decades-old commitment to obstructing debate on firearm safety bills. But Trump might.
   To refresh your memory: In the wake of the Virginia Beach massacre, state House Speaker Kirk Cox called the Governor’s special session on gun control an “election-year stunt” and GOP leadership shut it down almost immediately — without considering a single bill. But after two deadly shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio in less than 24 hours, President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed a slim possibility of passing “common-sense” gun reforms. Virginia Republicans up for reelection this November now find themselves in an “awkward spot,” and some are shifting their stance.
   
2. Human Rights Campaign makes big splash in Virginia elections – The nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group is making a “six-figure” investment into the 2019 Virginia General Assembly elections, endorsing a record number of candidates and directly engaging tens of thousands of “equality voters” across the state. At a press conference in Richmond, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David and his colleagues, along with about a dozen candidates that earned the group’s endorsement, took turns on the podium to drill home this message: The only way to ensure equal rights for all Virginians is to vote Republicans out of power. We talked to Virginia Senate Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn and Del. Danica Roem to get about what opportunities lie ahead for equal rights and anti-discrimination legislation should Democrats win the back the majority. Read the story, here.
   
3. The Mystery of Virginia’s TV man – Why is someone leaving old TVs on porches across Henrico County? The Washington Post, like the rest of us, has many, many questions, but few answers. A little noticed factoid in the story: CBS 6 News reported that about 20 televisions were left on porches in Glen Allen last year (!!!).
   
4. After securing basic necessities for migrant children, Herring pivots to undercut Trump’s attack on legal immigrants – Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring is becoming one of the biggest thorns in President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration agenda. On Wednesday, Herring announced he is co-leading a new lawsuit against Trump’s controversial overhaul of federal “public charge” rules that target legal immigration. Then, on Thursday, a federal appeals court sided with Herring and other AGs from across the country, who previously argued that the federal government must provide detained migrant children with basic supplies like soap, toothbrushes, sleeping mats and clean bathrooms. Read the story in The Dogwood.
   
5. Loudoun county pitchers toss ultra rare no-hitter in Little League World Series – Three pitchers on a South Riding youth baseball team combined to toss a no-hitter, one of sport’s most heralded feats, in masterful victory over Rhode Island during the Little League World Series on Friday. The 11- and 12-year-olds on the team struck out nine batters and allowed two base runners, both on walks, the Washington Post reports. Virginia will face the winner of the Midwest and Great Lakes regional championship on Sunday.