Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up. And if you’re a fan, please forward to three friends who need to know what’s going on in the Commonwealth and tell them to subscribe here. 

But First…

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? The Virginia Department of Health recommends that you get one soon.

5 things you need to know today

1. Black Parents of Arlington question school district
   Arlington’s public schools are widely lauded as some of the best in Virginia, but a group of parents is questioning that assessment. The parents say that while the school system works for non-disabled white students, it doesn’t adequately serve minority communities. The parents point to the significant disparities between black and white students on state math and reading tests and say the schools need to focus more on racial equity. Black Parents in Arlington and Arlington NAACP’s education committee are fighting for mandatory implicit bias training, closing achievement and opportunity gaps, and more equal disciplinary practices. -The Washington Post
   
2. Northam meets with Horizon Behavioral Health group
   Governor Ralph Northam met with Horizon Behavioral Health leadership in Langhorne Road on Friday morning to learn about the services offered by the organization, including treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders as well as services for individuals with intellectual disabilities. They also reviewed recent changes brought in by the state’s Medicaid expansion that Northam helped secure last year. Lauren Conners, communications manager for Horizon, said that the group has been able to assist 1000 new consumers since the Medicaid bill passed. -News & Advance
   
3. Chase campaign runs controversial campaign ad
   Democrats and gun safety groups criticized a recent Facebook ad for Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield. The ad showed the incumbent candidate with a pistol at a gun range with the message, “I’m not afraid to shoot down gun groups.” Lori Haas, Virginia director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, said she felt personally threatened by the statement. “When Senator Chase says she’ll ‘shoot down gun groups,’ she’s talking about me,” Haas, whose daughter was injured in the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, said in a press release. Chase’s campaign blamed the ad on a miscommunication and has since edited the ad, but critics say the revisions don’t go far enough. -Richmond Times-Dispatch
   
4. Climate change rally held at Virginia Tech
   Hundreds gathered at Virginia Tech Friday in a rally held to call attention to the growing climate crisis. The march was part of the worldwide Global Youth Climate Strike, a movement pushing for more political action on climate policy. The marchers consisted of Virginia Tech students and roughly 100 Blackburn High school students. Organizers shared a list of demands they wanted Virginia Tech President Tim Sands to adopt, like divesting from fossil fuel companies and pursuing 100% renewable energy at the school by 2030. -The Roanoke Times
   
5. Questions over casino plans in Norfolk
   The Pamunkey Indian tribe and its partners introduced a proposal for a casino resort near Norfolk’s Harbor Park. While the city and the tribe say the project would inject $1 billion into the Norfolk economy, detractors have raised doubts. The Virginian-Pilot researched similar developments in other cities and found that the economic benefits to a city are often only marginal at best. Economists also say there is an uptick in social ills around casino developments like gambling addiction and crime. The Norfolk City Council is scheduled to vote on the matter Tuesday. -The Virginian-Pilot

From the Gram