Dogwood Daily: Virginia Port Authority says Trump tariffs pose "significant risk" to state economy

By Keya Vakil

June 18, 2019

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all the Virginia news that’s been happening coming right up. And if you’re a fan, please forward to three friends who need to know what’s going on in the Commonwealth and tell them to subscribe here

But First…

If for some reason you fancy yourself a backyard beekeeper and are 18 or older, you can apply for free beehives between now and July 1. The Beehive Distribution Program was created after lawmakers approved $125,000 to provide free beehive equipment to Virginia residents. Yes, this is for real.

5 things you need to know today…

  1. Supreme Court affirms Virginia’s ban on uranium mining – Not only did the Supreme Court uphold Virginia’s new legislative maps yesterday, they also affirmed Virginia’s ban on uranium mining after a decades-long battle. The court’s decision ends an effort by Virginia Uranium, Inc. to mine valuable ore at Coles Hill, an area in Pittsylvania County. Virginia hasn’t allowed uranium mining since 1982 because of public health and environmental concerns, and with the court’s decision, the largest untapped uranium deposit in the U.S. will remain that way.
     
  2. Two Virginia Beach City Councilors want to ban guns in city buildings – Two Virginia Beach City Council members want to ban guns in all city buildings. City policy currently prevents workers from carrying guns on the premises, but Virginia Beach and other cities in Virginia can’t prevent the public from bringing weapons into municipal buildings. Councilwoman Sabrina Wooten, who is leading the charge, intends to use Tuesday’s city council meeting to request measures that take steps to prevent guns from making their way into city buildings.
     
  3. Lawmakers from both parties support Herring’s call for decriminalizing marijuana – Only a few months after Republicans killed Democrats’ attempts to decriminalize marijuana, at least a few on the right are now open to the idea. This shift comes just days after Attorney General Mark Herring called for decriminalizing and eventually legalizing marijuana in Virginia. Most Democrats have supported decriminalization and if Republicans get on board, the state might finally decriminalize marijuana, something that 76% of Virginia voters support.
     
  4. Trump’s next batch of China tariffs pose a “significant risk” to Virginia – As President Trump prepares to impose tariffs on an additional $300 billion of Chinese products, business and trade groups are trying to convince him not to, arguing that such tariffs would cause consumer products to become more expensive. In his request to testify before the Office of the United States Trade Representative, John F. Reinhart of the Virginia Port Authority wrote that “the cost of imposing tariffs on gantry cranes poses a significant risk to continued economic growth for the communities of Virginia.” The new tariffs would put a 25% tariff on the cranes Reinhart speaks of, which could cause costs to rise at the port, resulting in layoffs or reduced wages.
     
  5. Sen. Kaine holds round table discussion on gun violence – In the aftermath of the Virginia Beach shooting, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va) conducted a round table discussion in Richmond on Monday with community leaders, policemen and women, gun-violence victims and concerned citizens. Kaine spoke about his past efforts to strengthen the state’s gun laws, including after the Virginia Tech shooting, when he was serving as Virginia’s governor. Kaine said he would do everything he could to help promote stronger gun safety laws and plans to organize around the General Assembly’s upcoming July 9 special session.
  • Keya Vakil

    Keya Vakil is the deputy political editor at COURIER. He previously worked as a researcher in the film industry and dabbled in the political world.

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