Dogwood Daily: New "Rumors of War" statue unveiled

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…

If you love tacky Christmas decorations with plastic Santa statues and flashing lights, the Richmond Times-Dispatch has compiled its annual “Richmond Tacky Lights List.”

Five things you need to know today …

1. New “Rumors of War” statue unveiled– Kehinde Wiley’s sculpture “Rumors of War” was installed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on Tuesday. The 27-foot high sculpture depicts a modern African American man with Nike sneakers and a modern haircut riding a horse much in the style of Confederate sculptures nearby. Wiley said he was inspired to create the piece after he came to town for an exhibition in 2016 and saw the numerous Confederate statues along Monument Avenue. Thousands gathered for the official unveiling where both Gov. Northam and Mayor Levar Stoney (D) spoke. -The Washington Post
   
2. Taylor eyeing run for U.S. House-– Sources close to Former Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.) say he plans to drop his challenge against Sen. Mark Warner (D) and will instead run for his old Congressional seat in Virginia Beach. In 2016, Taylor won the election to take over for Rep. Scott Rigell’s (R) seat in Virginia’s 2nd district but was beaten by Democrat Elaine Luria (D) last year. The district has generally leaned Republican but has been competitive in recent years; Luria won her election by just two percentage points, and Pres Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton by about 2.5 percentage points in 2016. -The Hill 
   
3. Statewide Clerk shortage-– Over half the state’s courts are understaffed, according to Douglas B. Robelen, the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Virginia. The shortage has led to a host of problems, including a backlog on cases, which can impact wage garnishments and result in people being held in jail longer than they should be. WVTF reporter Mallory Noe-Payne visited several courts to see how the shortages are affecting both the staff and the public. -WVTF
   
4. Norfolk doctor involved with illegal online pharmacy– Federal prosecutors have accused Dr. Lawrence B. Ryan, from Norfolk, of assisting a black market online pharmacy. Ryan is accused of signing off on phony prescriptions from 2007 through 2010 for the website which sold drugs like fioricet, carisopdrol, tramadol and Viagara. Ryan was scheduled to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy on Monday but backed out of the deal at the last minute. Ryan’s medical license was suspended in 2006 after he was caught selling child pornography, but the board reinstated it less than a year later. Federal authorities allege Ryan made over $300,000 in the scheme. -Daily Press
   
5. Navy’s economic footprint in Hampton Roads increases– The Navy’s economic impact on Hampton Roads grew by almost $2 billion in 2018, according to a report released on Tuesday. This led to an increase of 3,000 civil service employees working at bases in the region over 2017 and an increase of 1,500 uniformed personnel. The Navy’s total impact in the area came out to an estimated total of $16 billion. Rear Adm. Charles Rock, commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, released a statement, saying the numbers revealed that “Hampton Roads is a critical operational hub for the Navy.” -The Virginian-Pilot