Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up.
But first…
There’s certainly no questioning her commitment to the cause! Del. Danica A. Roem revealed that she got the words of the Equal Rights Amendment tattooed on her arm Sunday night, ahead of the ERA’s passage on Monday.
Five things you need to know today …
- Bye-bye, Buffet– Warren Buffet is saying goodbye to the newspaper business. His company, Berkshire Hathaway Media Group, announced it is selling its newspapers, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch and nine of the state’s other daily newspapers. The company sold the papers along with 63 others around the country to Lee Enterprises Inc. of Davenport, Iowa. Warren’s company will still be involved with the newspapers, however, providing $576 million in long-term financing. -The Washington Post
- Senate rolls back abortion restrictions– The Virginia state Senate voted to roll back restrictions on abortion, one day after the House passed a similar measure. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax broke a 20-20 tie, after Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) broke with his party on the issue. The bill, which was introduced by Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), would remove the mandatory 24-hour waiting period and required ultrasounds. -Richmond Times-Dispatch
- Herring wants new hate crime legislation– Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) pushed for hate-crime legislation during a talk at Temple Rodef Shalom in McLean. During his speech, Herring mentioned the recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks across the country, from the killings at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue to the murders at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City. Herring said his proposed legislation would update the definition of hate crimes to include more groups and expand his office’s ability to prosecute those crimes. -The Washington Post
- Rise and shine– And now for some sunny news! Amazon and Arlington County have taken steps to buy all the electricity generated from a new Dominion Energy solar farm. The Arlington County Board approved the agreement on a 5-to-0 vote Tuesday night, and Amazon has already signed the agreement. Arlington and Amazon will receive renewable energy credits for their participation in the program. Arlington has a goal of going carbon neutral by 2050. -The Washington Post
- Racism in criminal justice system– A new study showed that black residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle County are disproportionately represented in the counties’ criminal justice systems at almost every level. The report looked at data from 2014 through 2016. Charlottesville police Chief RaShall Brackney said the county has more work to do to address the issues. The report was funded primarily by a $100,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice with additional funding from the city. -The Daily Progress
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
Shop small: Local stores for holiday shopping in NoVA
Here are the top 12 things people from VA buy online, plus where you can buy them from a local business in northern Virginia instead In an age when...
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. ...