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…
Sorry, Sheetz fans; forty new WaWa stores are coming to Northern Virginia. The Pennsylvania-based company announced the opening of 40 new stores in Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia area. Beginning in 2020, the company plans to open three stores a year for the next 15 years.
Five things you need to know today…
- Judge issues mixed ruling in Virginia abortion law challenge: A federal judge on Monday upheld two anti-abortion access laws in Virginia, but overturned two state laws that were unpopular with pro-choice groups. U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson upheld a law that makes women undergo an ultrasound and wait at least 24 hours before having an abortion, as well as the state’s “physician-only law,” which bars nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants from performing abortions. But Hudson also overturned a law requiring all second-trimester abortions to be performed at a licensed outpatient hospital and rules that would have required clinics that provide first-trimester abortions to meet the same building requirements as general and surgical hospitals. -Associated Press
- More Virginians are homeschooling their children: Homeschooling is an increasingly popular option for Virginia families. More than 43,500 students statewide study at home instead of attending a public or private school. If all homeschooled children represented a school division, it would be the seventh-biggest district in the state. -U.S. News
- Republican state Sen. Amanda Chase booted from county party: With her far-right ideology and flagrant comments on rape victims and LGBTQ people, state Sen. Amanda Chase (R-11) is extremely disliked among Virginia Democrats. Now, she’s been kicked out of her own party, too. Chesterfield County GOP notified Chase on Monday that she was being booted from the local party following a series of controversies that upset other Republicans, including her public attacks on Sheriff Karl Leonard. -Richmond Times-Dispatch
- Virginia teacher fired for refusing to use trans student’s pronouns sues school district: Former West Point High School teacher Peter Vlaming was fired in 2018 for refusing to call a male trans student by the pronouns he, him and his, and ignoring his administrator’s instructions to do so. Vlaming sued school district officials on Monday for allegedly violating his right to speak freely and exercise his religion, among other claims. -Washington Post
- Virginia added to pilot industrial hemp crop insurance program: Several members of the Commonwealth’s congressional delegation, including Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, got Virginia in a pilot program to develop crop insurance for industrial hemp production. “Virginia’s inclusion in this pilot program will allow producers to better protect their crops in the event of a natural disaster,” the congressional members said. “Additionally, the data collected from our producers will help provide a stronger and more robust insurance product, benefiting growers, processors, consumers and taxpayers across the U.S.” -CBS19
From the Gram
