Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Well, are you ready? I’m about as prepared as I can be for the winter storm starting for many of us tomorrow. I’m a little nervous, sure. Where we’re at, the two feet of snow originally projected turned to the possibility of a major ice storm. That means we’re likely facing prolonged power outages, downed trees, and a lack of bread, milk, and eggs. 

The good news? I’ve taken measures to ensure that your Monday and Tuesday newsletters still hit your inbox next week. Think of me as your virtual mailwoman—delivering the news in rain, wind, snow, and sleet, or however the saying goes. Come Wednesday? Well, we’ll see—if you get something from me, yay, we have power. If not, I promise to catch us all up to date as soon as I possibly can. Stay warm, stay safe, and remember, I’m so glad you’re here.

The safest place for pets in cold weather is indoors. (Erin Minuskin/Unsplash)

By Good Info News Wire Team

Here’s what you need to know: Virginia’s diverse climate presents unique challenges for pet owners during the winter months. While our coastal regions may experience milder temperatures, inland areas can face severe cold snaps that put our pets at risk.

Our top tips: 

• Virginia state law and local ordinances require pet owners to provide adequate protection from the elements. In Chesapeake specifically, pet owners must ensure their animals have appropriate shelter when outdoors. The law also restricts tethering to no more than one consecutive hour, and someone must remain on the property during this time.

• The region’s humidity can make cold temperatures feel even more severe for our pets. While northern breeds like Huskies and Malamutes may thrive in cold weather, short-haired breeds common in Virginia, such as Pit Bulls and Beagles, need extra protection. Elderly pets and those with health conditions are also particularly vulnerable to winter weather.

• The safest place for pets during extreme cold weather is indoors. Keep cats indoors and limit dogs’ outdoor exposure, especially during severe weather. Provide warm, draft-free sleeping areas elevated from cold floors.

Want to learn more? While we geared this article more toward the coastal region, it’s got great safety measures for pets across the commonwealth. 

On Monday, we asked: What are you doing for the Day of Service?

Several of my friends had a really unique experience that day. The venerable monks took their Walk for Peace through the Greensboro, North Carolina area, greeting thousands of bystanders along their route. Among them were a variety of Virginians, many of whom live near the state line.

I saw Facebook post after Facebook post of friends talking about their experience—how moving it was, how there were unexpected tears, and how fortuitous it felt to see the walk on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

As for the boys and me, we went to see them at their weekend stop in Spencer, North Carolina. I’m working on a reflection piece about the experience as we speak and hope to share that with you all next week. Until then, feel free to message me your thoughts.

This Oct. 24, 2016, file photo shows dollar bills in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

By Michael O’Connor

One of Virginia Democrats’ top priorities to help working people recently cleared an initial hurdle. 

The House Labor and Commerce Committee advanced a bill to raise Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2028. The bill then went to the House Appropriations Committee. 

The state’s current minimum wage rose to $12.77 this month in keeping with state law that ties it to the annual rate of inflation. State Del. Jeion Ward (D-Hampton) is carrying the bill to raise the minimum wage. Her bill would set the minimum hourly wage at $13.75 in 2027 and raise it to $15 an hour in 2028.

State Democrats have tried to raise Virginia’s minimum wage for years, but their efforts were blocked by former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto pen. New Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has made clear her support for raising the state minimum wage and did so again in an address to a joint session of the General Assembly.

• Winter is here in Virginia—yet, while the temperatures are dropping, energy bills are rising. Keep your home warm this season without breaking the bank with our tips for saving on energy bills. (Read more)

• The Democratic Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Del. Don Scott, said he doesn’t expect his party to repeal Virginia’s anti-union “right to work” law, but has several other policies lawmakers plan to push for that will let labor know “who’s on their side.” (Watch here)

• Del. Cia Price, a Virginia lawmaker, sounds off about the fight against President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in state legislatures as they try to tilt this fall’s congressional elections in their party’s favor. (Watch here)

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