Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of all today’s Virginia news coming up.
But First…
Virginia’s oldest living resident, Avicia Thorpe, celebrates turning 112 years old (!!!) today. Dogwood
Five Things You Need to Know Today…
- Coronavirus Cases in Virginia Have Grown by Nearly 3,000 in One Week- Since last Friday, 2,982 more people have tested positive for COVID-19, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. According to the VDH, the state has a total of 7,491 positive cases with 47,987 people tested. Virginia has tested 13,538 people since last Friday. There are 231 reported total deaths in the state. — The Daily Progress
- Trump’s Tweet About Virginia Gun Safety is Completely False– This morning President Trump tweeted a call to “liberate” Virginia, falsely claiming that the Second Amendment is under siege in the state. In reality, the gun safety legislation signed by Gov. Ralph Northam earlier this month may have been historic for the Commonwealth, but many similar laws are already on the books in a dozen or more states. Read Dogwood’s fact check here.
- Arlington County Introduces Relief Grants for Small Businesses– Arlington County approved a program for small businesses that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The grants go up to $10,000 and will be available next month for businesses and nonprofits with 50 or fewer employees. A recent survey from the Arlington Economic Development found 9-in-10 small businesses have called the pandemic extremely or very disruptive to business operations. — WTOP
- Here’s When Virginia Coronavirus Cases Could Peak- Experts predict Virginia’s coronavirus cases may peak in the next few weeks, but warn that there might be an additional surge in the summer. On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam said he expects to see the peak of cases at the end of April or in early May. “If we stop what we’re doing too soon, it’s clear that we’re going to have a second peak,” said Northam. — Dogwood
- Virginia Task Force Warns Against Stimulus Check Scams- The Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force issued a warning about the scams involving stimulus checks. Zachary Terwilliger, a co-leader of the task force, said they have reports of criminals attempting to use various techniques, including e-mails, text messages and letters. “Please be vigilant,” Terwillinger said. “Hang up robocalls, do not provide your personal information and always confirm you are accessing legitimate links from IRS.gov.” — WRIC
