Dogwood Daily: Pipeline developers trying to get protesters out of the trees

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But First…

We highly recommend checking out this delightful video of people trying to pronounce the names of various Virginia cities and towns. We see you, Fauquier, we see you. 

5 Things you need to know today…

1. Virginia politicians react to Mueller’s press conference – Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller reiterated on Wednesday in a press conference that his report did not clear President Trump of wrongdoing. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) reiterated his call for the House to begin an impeachment inquiry, while Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-11) stopped short of calling for an impeachment inquiry during an appearance on CNN. On the Senate side, Tim Kaine singled out the White House’s corruption and Mark Warner called on Congress to pass bills that would prevent future foreign interference in American elections, but neither mentioned impeachment.
    
2. Elder fraud runs rampant in Virginia – Virginia has the fifth-highest rate of elder fraud in the country, according to a new study from website comparitech.com. The Virginia Mercury dug into the results of the study, which show that an estimated one in five Virginia seniors fell victim to fraud in the last year, resulting in the theft of $1 billion across 265,000 cases.
    
3. New study recommends Norfolk and Virginia Beach take measures to protect naval bases from sea level rise – A new joint study from the Navy and the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach recommend extensive changes to stave off the worst consequences of climate change and prevent floodwaters from cutting off military bases. The 266-page report details nearly two dozen steps that both cities and other partners should take to ensure the Navy can carry out its objectives and remain an integral part of the area’s economy.
    
4. Mountain Valley Pipeline developers ask judge to remove protesters – A group of environmental activists have spent nearly nine months staying in trees to block the Mountain Valley Pipeline, but the pipeline’s developers are asking a judge to have them removed. The protesters are concerned that the controversial pipeline will wreak havoc on the local environment, while MVP is eager to resume construction in order to avoid additional costs.
    
5. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring asks for debt relief for disabled veterans – Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring joined 51 other Attorneys General from states and territories in writing a letter to the Department of Education, asking them to automatically forgive student loan debt for disabled military veterans. Disabled veterans are currently eligible for student debt relief, but Herring says the process is filled with red tape that prevents eligible veterans from applying for debt forgiveness. Despite the bipartisan nature of the letter, the Department of Education responded by saying that automatic discharge could cause problems for veterans by boosting their tax bills or making it harder to borrow for education later.