Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of Virginia’s news coming right up.
But First…
Gov. Northam announced on Thursday that the Department of Motor Vehicles public offices will remain closed due until May 11 to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virginia State Police are directed to suspend the enforcement of vehicle inspections through July 31. All 75 DMV customer service centers will remain closed until May 11 as well. — WRIC
Five Things to Know Today
–13,535 Cases of COVID-19 in Virginia, 565 New Cases Reported- Virginia now has 13,535 reported cases of COVID-19, an increase of 565 cases since Sunday. According to the Virginia Department of Health, 2,066 people have been hospitalized while 458 people have died due to the virus. Overall, 80,180 people have been tested for the coronavirus statewide. If you’re interested in a county breakdown of each new case, read our story here. — Dogwood
-Northam’s Introduces Plan to Reopen Virginia Businesses – Gov. Ralph Northam released a blueprint for reopening Virginia businesses. Northam said he’d like to see the state move forward with phase one of the federal guidelines by May 8, but emphasized that the data must support that decision. “I’m as eager as anyone to move into the time where we can ease some of these restrictions, but we must do so in a safe manner,” Northam said. — WRIC
–This One Virginia Gun Range Gets the Green Light to Reopen- A judge ruled that a Lynchburg gun range must be allowed to operate, despite a statewide executive order mandating nonessential businesses remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The order issued by Circuit Judge F. Patrick Yeatts said federal and state protections around the Second Amendment outweighed Gov. Ralph Northam’s emergency authority to close the range. — Dogwood
–Virginia Meatpacking Plants Have Become Coronavirus Hotspots- Meatpacking plants have become coronavirus hotspots across the country, but Virginia meatpacking employees say that the state’s plants’ cases are not being reported to employees. “Word of mouth was that we had 10 or more cases but us employees were only told about two cases,” said Kita Davis, a wing packer at Tysons Temperanceville plant. — NBC 12
–Deadline for Certain Income Taxes Payments Extended to June 1– The Virginia individual income tax filing deadline is May 1, but for certain income tax payments, that deadline will be pushed back for a month. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, any individual income tax payments that were due April 1 to June 1 are now due on the latter date. Virginia Tax encourages taxpayers to file returns electronically. —ABC 13
Politics
Prescription drugs are getting cheaper for seniors thanks to Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act
Prescription drug costs are falling by the thousands this year for more than a million American seniors due to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction...
VIDEO: Virginians need affordable prescription drugs
In 2023, AARP Virginia polled voters of all ages and found that 35% of Virginians chose not to fill a prescription due to cost. If passed, Senate...
Local News
A merry mix-up involving Toys for Tots in Southside Virginia
It sounds like a real-life tale from a Charles Dickens novel, but fear not: In classic style, all the twists turn around for good by the end. ...
Discover the delicious delights of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley
Virginia—especially the Shenandoah Valley region—is known for its charming small towns, each with its own unique character and attractions. From...