Dogwood Daily: Virginia Goes Biden Blue

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.

But first…

Don’t you hate how foam to-go containers never stay closed? Good news for the environment and for those of us who enjoy spillable foods: They might be banned from Virginia restaurants by 2025. A bill in the General Assembly bans expanded polystyrene containers is currently in limbo while a conference committee decides its fate. (WTOP)

Five things you need to know today …

1. Biden Wins Virginia in Democratic Primary – Former Vice President Joe Biden handily won Virginia’s Democratic presidential primary, beating out more Sen. Bernie Sanders, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Biden is leading the pack with 433 delegates, while Sanders is in second with 388 delegates. – The Richmond Times-Dispatch
   
2. Bloomberg Drops Race, Endorses Biden- After disappointing Super Tuesday results, Bloomberg dropped from the race and endorsed Biden. In a statement, Bloomberg said his staying in the race would make it more difficult for Democrats to beat Trump. “I’ve always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it,” Bloomberg said. –NBC 4
   
3. Three Potential Cases of the Coronavirus Investigated in Virginia– Three potential cases of coronavirus are currently under investigation by the Virginia Department of Health. According to the agency, the test results are pending. Two cases are in central Virginia, one is in the northern part of the state. There are 106 people under monitoring, 15 are considered low risk and 91 are medium risk. No cases are reported as high risk, and there are no confirmed cases in Virginia. – WSET
   
4. Nondiscriminatory Care for Transgender Patients in the Works in Virginia- A state Senate committee approved a bill that would ban health insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage based on gender identity. Transgender people are often forced to pay out of pocket for transition-related care. Proposed by Virginia’s first openly trans lawmaker, Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas), the legislation has already cleared the House.  – Virginia Mercury
   
5. The Convoluted World of Virginia Judgeships- A Republican senator accused Democratic leaders of preventing LaBrevia Jenkins, the Commonwealth’s attorney of Fredericksburg, from taking a position as a district court judge, due to her opposition to former Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s restoration of felon voting rights three years ago. The article offers a deep dive into the obscure and convoluted world of Virginia’s judicial system. – Virginia Mercury