Northam Declares a State of Emergency in Virginia

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of today’s Virginia news coming right up.

But First…

Over 200 people were reportedly arrested by the Richmond Police Department last night, the majority for curfew violations. The city of Richmond’s curfew went into effect at 8 p.m. —WRIC

Five Things You Need to Know Today

1. Virginia has Over 45,000 Reported Cases of COVID-19- There are currently 45,398 reported cases of COVID-19 in the state according to the Virginia Department of Health. This is an increase of 791 since Sunday and 2,865 new cases since Friday. According to the VDH, there are currently 4,694 people who have been hospitalized and 1,392 people who have died due to the virus. So far, 322,568 people have been tested for COVID-19 across the commonwealth. — Dogwood
   
   
2. Northam Declares a State of Emergency in Virginia– Gov. Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency in the commonwealth in response to the numerous protests that occurred over the weekend. Northam has also authorized assistance to localities who have been affected by the escalating violence across the state. Curfew have been set throughout the state, including one starting in Richmond at 8 p.m. — ABC 13
   
   
3. What You Need To Know About the Klan Adjacent United Daughters of Confederacy- You may not have known that a group called the United Daughters of the Confederacy still exists in Virginia, but they do, and their headquarters in Richmond was set on fire early Sunday morning in the midst of protests over police violence and the death of George Floyd. The group tries to push a history that argues the South’s secession during the Civil War was honorable and based on “state’s rights,” instead of a bloody war fought to keep enslaving Black people. — Dogwood
   
   
4. Virginia Legislators Speak Out in Support of Protests- Massive protests broke out nationwide this weekend, demanding justice for George Floyd, a black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer last week. Virginia was no exception, as protesters gathered in Richmond, Charlottesville, Roanoke, Norfolk, and several northern Virginia cities. Many Virginia lawmakers have commented on the protests, and some have actively participated. — Dogwood
   
   
5. Richmond Mayor Responds to Local Journalist Being Pepper Sprayed by Police- Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney responded in a tweet to an incident that happened Sunday night where a local journalist was pepper sprayed by authorities. Journalist Roberto Ronaldo said that after he identified himself as with the press, an officer sprayed him in the face and shoved him to the ground. “There is no reason this should have happened to a member of the press,” said Stoney. — WRIC