In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
The backlog of untested rape kits has received a lot of media attention in recent years, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been working to find ways to process all that evidence. But that’s not the only problem with rape kits. Many of them are them are simply thrown away.
Cracking Down on On-the-Road Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about all the other screen time?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Angry Birds on the Road: Lawmakers Want to Crack Down on Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about Facebook and Twitter?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Angry Birds on the Road: Lawmakers to Crack Down on On-the-Road Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about all the other screen time?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Victims of Tribe-For-Rent Scam to Get $15 Million Payout in Settlement Agreement
15,000 Virginia victims get $6 million worth of predatory loans absolved, $9 million in cash awards.
The commercial features images of teepees and a tribal drumbeat. The company billed itself as having ties to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. But Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring says that was nothing more than a fraud, a scheme he calls rent-a-tribe.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
Bipartisan Agreement Forged in House Panel on Reducing Suspended Driver’s Licenses
Republicans work with Cabinet officials to craft changes to let more people keep drivers licenses.
After Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe called on lawmakers to find a way to restore driver's licenses to people charged with crimes that had nothing to do with driving, Republicans responded. Now both sides are crafting a compromise that could end up being a hallmark of the 2017 session.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
Party-Line Vote Protects Child Labor at Tobacco Farms in Virginia
Republican-led House panel kills effort to craft new protections for kids in unrecorded vote.
In an unrecorded party-line vote, House Republicans killed a bill that would have cracked down on child labor at tobacco farms in Virginia.
Senate Panel Kills Effort to Allow Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
Supporters say they’ll continue to press the issue, citing concerns over safety.
Undocumented immigrants in Virginia will not be getting a driver’s license anytime soon, although advocates for the idea say they will keep pressing lawmakers on the issue.
Online Virginia Lottery Sales? Don't Bet On It
House panel rejects bill that would allow for sale of lottery tickets over the internet.
A coalition of convenience store owners and religious conservatives worked to till an effort from the Virginia Lottery to allow for online gambling, thwarting an effort aimed at increasing sales among millennial gamblers. The bill, introduced by Del. Roxann Robinson (R-27), was defeated with an overwhelming vote by a House General Laws subcommittee Tuesday afternoon.
Senate Panel Approves Crackdown on Internet Lenders in Virginia
Bill would subject unregulated loans to rules that apply to consumer-finance loans.
The Wild West of online lending is about to become a little tamer. That’s because a state Senate panel narrowly approved a bill that would subject internet loans to the same restrictions that currently exist for consumer finance loans, a move that would cramp the anything-goes culture of online loans in Virginia.
Senators to Alexandria: Clean Up Your Act by 2020 or Lose State Funding
Lawmakers poo poo city efforts to flush raw sewage.
Members of the Virginia state Senate say they’re tired of hearing excuses about sewage from city officials in Alexandria, and they’re pushing ahead with a plan that one senator calls “the nuclear option.” This afternoon, the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee approved a bill that sets a firm deadline for Alexandria to clean up its act — 2020. If city officials are unable to stop dumping more than 10 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River every year, Alexandria would lose all state appropriations until the problem is fixed.
Predatory Lenders Work Behind the Scenes to Avoid Regulation and Evade the Law
Campaign contributions and political connections used to sidestep crackdown.
Predatory Loans in the Crossfire: Lawmakers conflicted about how to handle high-interest loans.
In Session: Briefs
It doesn’t take much rain to trigger Alexandria’s 19th century sewage system to start dumping raw sewage into the Potomac River — about 0.03 inches, to be precise.
Safety at a Crossroads in Poor Communities Across Northern Virginia
Less affluent neighborhoods in Northern Virginia suffer from higher pedestrian fatalities.
A national database of pedestrian crashes compiled by Governing Magazine shows 95 pedestrian fatalities in Northern Virginia between 2008 and 2012. While 26 of the pedestrian fatalities occurred in wealthy neighborhoods, where the per capita income is more than $53,000, a much larger number happened in poor communities like this stretch of Route 1 in Mount Vernon.
Income Growth in Fairfax and Alexandria Lags Behind State and National Averages
Loudoun is the one bright spot in the region.
Paycheck growth in Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria are lagging behind the state and the nation, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Governor's Mansion, Confidential
Defense team in corruption case to detail crumbling McDonnell marriage.
When he takes the stand in his own defense, former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell will read jurors an email that he wrote to his wife as their marriage was said to be crumbling.
Across Northern Virginia, Men Pull Larger Paychecks than Women
Trend is more prominent in wealthier areas.
When Lola Arce de Quintela first moved to Oakton 20 years ago, she noticed something about the way men and women arranged their professional careers around their family lives in Northern Virginia. Men took high-powered jobs with large paychecks, while women often dropped out of the workforce to take care of growing families. If women had full-time jobs, she says, they would often select positions that were not as demanding so they could focus their time and attention on their children while husbands and fathers pulled in six-figure salaries.
Week in Alexandria: 7/23/14
Highlights of the week in Alexandria.
Boat Club, City Strike Deal
Land-swap concludes decades of feuding between the two organizations.
The feud between the Boat Club and the city dates back for decades, a conflict that involved the city threatening the use of eminent domain and the Boat Club winning a case against the city at the Virginia Supreme Court.
This Week in Alexandria
Highlights of this week in Alexandria.
Changing Climate In Richmond
THE GOVERNOR announced the new commission Tuesday in Virginia Beach on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, where the governor signed Executive Order 19, convening the Governor’s Climate Change and Resiliency Update Commission.
Patchwork of Approaches to Affordable Housing in Northern Virginia
Jurisdictions use a variety of strategies to prevent homelessness.
Affordable housing means different things to different people at different times. For government officials, it's a phrase that means that a family spends no more than 30 percent of its income on housing costs, including rent or mortgage as well as taxes and utilities
Fundraising and Connections Help Former Lieutenant Governor Emerge Victorious
Don Beyer edges out six competitors in crowded filed of candidates.
When asked about animals rights, former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer quotes author Peter Singer. He describes his wife as the "sine qua non" of his life. During his victory speech in the hotly contested Democratic primary to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8), he quoted St. Augustine and Winston Churchill. He reads widely and has five policy proposals for every issue before Congress.
Empire Strikes Back: Establishment Beats Tea Party at Republican Convention
Party insider Ed Gillespie seizes nomination at convention in Roanoke.
When conservative preacher E.W. Jackson took the stage at the Roanoke Civic Center to introduce Tea Party favorite Shak Hill at the Republican convention last weekend, hundreds of conservatives from across Virginia took to their feet. They waved placards.
Poverty in the Classroom: Low-Income Students Scattered Through Northern Virginia
Where are the region's highest poverty schools?
When Carla Castro-Claure was approaching the age when she would soon attend Kindergarten, her mother became increasingly concerned about Hybla Valley Elementary School.
Two Million Dollar Primary
Former lieutenant governor raises $1.1 million; his competitors combined raise $1.4 million.
Campaign finance documents released in the final days before the June 10 primary show the seven candidates in the primary to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) have raised almost $2.5 million. Former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer leads the pack with $1.1 million, three times as much as his closest competitor. "Don Beyer is clearly the favorite," said Geoff Skelley, analyst with the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "He may not win it with a particularly large plurality, but he's the favorite to win."
Seven in the Eighth: Epic Democratic Primary Heads Toward Final Days
Hotly contested race to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8)
Ten names will be on the ballot June 10, although only seven candidates are still in the Democratic primary to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8).
C-Section Boom in Northern Virginia
Region has some of the highest rates of cesarean-section deliveries for low-risk pregnancies.
Behind the closed doors at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church and the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, a quiet change has been taking shape over the last few decades.
Despite Advances, Many Virginians Remain Uninsured
Affordable Care Act expands coverage, but more than 800,000 still have no health insurance.
What is the state of the uninsured in Virginia?
Animal Instinct: Democrats in Hotly Contested Primary Divided on Speciesism
Will Jim Moran's successor share his enthusiasm for animal rights?
Candidates in the Democratic primary for Congress have a wide range of views on animal rights, an issue that has become one of the defining legacies of retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8).
For Congressional Candidates, No Common Ground on Common Core
Democrats in Virginia's 8th Congressional District divided on national education standards.
Should American schools share national standards? That's a question that divides the 10 Democrats seeking to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8), who is retiring after 24 years in the House of Representatives. During a recent candidates forum, the Democrats were asked if they support the Common Core State Standards Initiative, two candidates said they disagreed and eight candidates said they agreed.
Alone on the Road: 7 out of 10 Northern Virginia Workers Use Single-Occupancy Vehicles
Study raises concerns about amount of time drivers spend commuting alone.
Despite the decades-long war against the single-occupancy vehicle, seven out of 10 workers in Northern Virginia drive to work alone every workday.
Who is Trailing Don Beyer in Hotly Contested Democratic Primary?
Candidates elbow each other out of the way to secure second place.
Campaign finance documents show that former Lt. Gov. Don Beyer crushed the nine other candidates in the hotly contested Democratic primary.
Tax Burden Targets Low-Income Workers in Northern Virginia
Average tax burden for low-income workers is highest in Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax.
Families that are struggling to make ends meet in Northern Virginia are the target of local governments in Northern Virginia, which has the highest tax burden in the region for low-income workers. Wealthy people face the highest tax burden in Prince George's County and Montgomery County. But here in Virginia, poor people face the biggest tax burden in Arlington, according to a new study by the Office of Revenue Analysis in the District of Columbia. Alexandria ranked second, and Fairfax County ranked third.
Beyer Rakes in Campaign Cash in Democratic Primary
Fundraising numbers reveal former lieutenant governor has significant edge.
Campaign finance documents released this week show Don Beyer well ahead of his competitors in the race for cash, giving the former lieutenant governor a significant edge over the nine other Democrats in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8).
Northern Virginia's Growing Debt Burden
Local governments use debt as a tool to build for the future.
Back in the 1920s, Harry Byrd became governor of Virginia on what he called a "pay-as-you-go" platform.
Virginia Laws Help Local Governments Conceal 911 Calls from Public
Police agencies refuse to release audio from 911 calls, prompting questions about transparency.
When city officials in Alexandria released the audio of a 911 call in a high-profile murder case, many people interpreted the move as a step forward for transparency in a commonwealth known for opaque government.
Money on the Shelves: Jurisdictions Take Variety of Approaches to Funding Libraries
Some have recovered from the recession, others are still struggling.
What is the future of the neighborhood library?
Nine Candidates Vying for Attention in 8th Congressional District Democratic Primary
Race to replace Jim Moran is expected to be competitive and expensive.
It's been three weeks since longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) announced that he would not be seeking a 13th term in Congress, opening up an epic primary fight that is now starting to take shape.
Jim Moran: The $15 Million Congressman
During his years in Congress, Moran raised and spent about $1 million each campaign cycle.
One of the first things that happened after U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) announced he would not be running for reelection this year was that he cancelled a fundraising event.
Virginia Supreme Court Opens Access to Audio Recordings of Oral Arguments
Policy change overturns blackout instituted in 2008.
Members of the Virginia Supreme Court have a New Year’s Resolution — become more transparent.
Week in Alexandria: 1/08/14
Highlights from this week in Alexandria.
Decriminalizing Suicide
General Assembly to consider abolishing common-law crime of suicide.
Suicide is illegal in Virginia, one of the few states that has not yet abolished the English common-law tradition of criminalizing the act of intentionally causing one's own death.
Twisted Psychology
TC teacher sentenced to year for inappropriate contact with female students.
TC teacher sentenced to year for inappropriate contact with female students.
Setting the Tone
First redevelopment proposal of waterfront plan heads to City Council.
Developer Carr City Centers wants to build the Cummings Hotel, a five-story building with 120 hotel rooms, a restaurant and a meeting room.
New Leadership for Democrats
Clarence Tony elected chairman of the Alexandria Democratic Committee.
Only a few weeks ago, Democrats swept all five of Virginia's statewide offices — largely with the help of organizations from Northern Virginia.
More Challenges For Metro Station
Series of setbacks have delayed Environmental Impact Study of Potomac Yard station.
The future is uncertain for the Potomac Yard Metro station, a long-planned stop on the blue and yellow lines between the Braddock Road station and the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station.
New Approach to Mental Health
Reforms in wake of tragedy involving state senator's son.
Advocates for mental health services have been calling for improved services and increased funding for years, although the issue has been pushed aside year after year.