Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of Virginia’s news coming right up.
But First…
Hide and seek went wrong for a Virginia teen who ended up in a washing machine in Woodbridge. It required four Prince William County firemen to free the 18-year-old. The teen said she felt relieved when the crew got her out. — CBS 6
Five Things You Need to Know Today
- Virginia Coronavirus Cases Reach Nearly 11,000 – According to the Virginia Department of Health, Virginia has reached 10,998 cases of coronavirus statewide with 732 new cases since yesterday. A total of 1,753 people have been hospitalized and 372 people have died due to COVID-19. — Dogwood
- Virginia Unemployment Claims Reach Over 84,000– Last week, over 84,000 Virginians have filed for unemployment claims according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. The number of claims dropped by 20% from the previous week, when 105,000 people had filed unemployment claims. However, this number is still a huge increase from numbers before the coronavirus pandemic. — WRIC
- Small Virginia Businesses are Struggling to Get Loans- The coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected countless small businesses in Virginia. Check out the story of one Fairfax fitness and wellness business owner as he tried to navigate the system to get federal aid and keep his business running virtually. — Dogwood
- Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn Collapsed During Session– Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn collapsed during the one-day legislative session on Wednesday. After an hour, Filler-Corn returned to presiding for the session. Filler-Corn had been standing for over three hours before collapsing. “That was staged to make sure the Senate could catch up with us,” Filler-Corn joked. — Richmond Times-Dispatch
- Salem VA Medical Center Union Members Demand Better Working Conditions– Salem Virginia Medical Center’s union members are demanding better working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. Their demands include personal protective equipment for everyone and paid leave for those exposed to the virus, instead of being forced to use vacation time. They also want telework options for those who don’t need to come to work in person. — WSLS
