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…
Four in ten Virginia voters cast ballots in last week’s election, a new record for a General Assembly election. VPAP has a visualization of how this year’s turnout compares to others.
Five things you need to know today …
- Northam lays out new trade plan—Gov. Ralph Northam announced a plan to help local businesses that conduct business internationally and have been hurt by President Trump’s trade war. Northam said it’s time for states to step in and prioritize international trade. Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring said that while the entire state’s economy stands to benefit from the changes, rural communities that rely more heavily on exports may have the most to gain. -WVTF
- Firm offers no clear answers on Virginia Beach shooting– Security firm Hillard Heintze concluded its investigation into the May 31 Virginia Beach mass shooting and offered no clear answers on the gunman’s motive. The shooter, who was a city engineer, had submitted his resignation earlier in the day before opening fire. Presenting a 262-page report on Wednesday to Virginia Beach’s City Council, the firm’s CEO, Arnette Heintze, said the shooter had presented no clear warning signs and was generally well liked in the office. The firm did conclude, however, that there were inadequate alerts once the shooting happened and not enough cameras in the government building. -The Virginian-Pilot
- Richmond passes new green loan program– The Richmond city council voted Tuesday night to implement an incentive program for property owners looking to make energy-efficient upgrades. The program, called C-PACE, will facilitate long term loans with private lenders to owners looking to either retrofit existing property or build new developments with more environmentally friendly equipment. Councilwoman Kristen Larson, who sponsored the legislation, says the city council was looking for ways to incentivize sustainability as the area’s population grows. The program is scheduled to go live this upcoming July. -VPM
- First person charged as part of a state rape kit initiative– Dyron Williams Sr., who is already serving time for a 2017 drug conviction, was charged under the state’s new initiative to test hundreds of backlogged rape kits. The rape kit that led to William’s new charge was one of 1,800 tested as part of a new $3.4 million project. Attorney General Mark Herring’s office announced that 239 DNA “hits” had already been sent to law enforcement agencies as a result of the new program. -Richmond Times-Dispatch
- Democrats working on immigrant-friendly policies– Virginia Democrats are working on legislation to benefit the state’s growing immigrant population. State Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) says even if the U.S. Supreme Court repeals DACA, she intends to introduce legislation to offer in-state college tuition to members of the undocumented community. Another bill in the works will grant qualified immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses legally. -VPM
