Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of Virginia news coming right up.
But First…
Virginia high school teacher Carol Propst has taught for 39 years, and she also happens to be a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson superfan. Thanks to Twitter, she finally got her wish for an autograph fulfilled. The former wrestler and movie star sent her a personalized gift and video message to celebrate her retirement. Watch the video here.
Five Things You Need to Know Today
- Virginia Reaches Over 21,000 Reported Cases of COVID-19-Virginia now has a total of 21,570 reported cases of coronavirus statewide, an increase of 6% since Tuesday. Currently, there are 2,955 people hospitalized and 729 have died due to the coronavirus. The Virginia Department of Health website experienced technical difficulties on Wednesday, preventing the day’s data from being updated. — Dogwood
- Certain Parts of Virginia May Keep Restrictions Longer, According to Northam– Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Wednesday that he will not be opening certain parts of the state. At an earlier meeting, Northam stated that he would be opening parts of southwestern Virginia, where the amount of cases is lower, before other parts of the state if possible. Northam also extended the deadline for closing non-essential businesses earlier in the week. — Dogwood
- Amid Hiring Spree, Virginia Struggles to Hire Contact Tracers- As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, Virginia is struggling to find contact tracers, workers who help contain the virus by tracking down people an infected person might’ve come in contact with. The commonwealth is trying to hire 1,000 contact tracers but state officials are currently unable to say exactly how many tracers they’ll need. — NBC 12
- COVID-19 Testing Sites Open in Petersburg- The Crater Road Health District in Petersburg has announced that COVID-19 testing sites will be available in the city. Open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the sites will only be available by appointment. Anyone who wants to be tested must first be pre-screened and registered. Testing will begin on May 7. — NBC 12
- No, There Are No “Murder Hornets” in Virginia- The world’s largest hornet, dubbed the ‘Murder Hornet’, was found in Washington state. Fortunately, there are no “murder hornets” in Virginia. Many people have reported seeing the two inch insect in the state, but those claims have been debunked, identifying them as European hornets, that have been here since the seventies. — ABC 13
