Thursday, January 9, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 2024, a coastal storm swept across North Carolina and Virginia. Strong winds knocked down trees, snapped power lines, and caused flooding throughout the Hampton Roads area.

The Virginia Flyover team has recovered from this week's storm, but many in Richmond are still feeling the effects. As detailed in Top Stories, this includes lawmakers, who will be off until Monday.

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Water Woes Delay Legislative Action

The state legislature was gaveled into session on Wednesday, but the proceedings quickly ended due to Richmond's ongoing storm-related water problems.

Lawmakers are scheduled to return on Monday, and they will have a lot on their agenda during their 30-day session.

One measure with bipartisan support is the Save Local Pharmacies Act, which would create a state pharmacy benefits manager to administer drug benefits for Medicaid recipients.

Other bills that have been pre-filed include proposals to make it illegal for anyone under 21 to have tobacco or hemp products, to make it a misdemeanor to fail to secure firearms, and to impose penalties for allowing an unlicensed minor to drive a car.

The partisan makeup of the legislature remained unchanged after this week's three special elections. Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the House of Delegates and a 21-19 advantage in the Senate.

Port Strike Deadline Looms Again

Representatives from the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) resumed talks this week on a new labor agreement.

The two sides ended a brief strike in October, with workers getting a 62% raise, but they left some important issues to be hammered out ahead of a possible Jan. 15 strike date.

The ILA wants the new agreement to limit the use of automation, which could make ports more efficient but would mean fewer union jobs. The USMX port operators insist automation is needed to increase productivity.

As many as 45,000 dockworkers on the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts could go on strike next week, potentially closing the Port of Virginia, which was briefly shut down during the fall strike.

Opportunities for Disabled Adults

Finding meaningful employment can be challenging for adults with autism and other disabilities, but some businesses across the Commonwealth are stepping up to help.

HRE Bakery in Virginia Beach, which opened last month after nearly a decade of planning, provides employment opportunities for individuals with special needs. The bakery is supported in part by a $1,000 donation from the Virginia Autism Foundation.

In Richmond, Good Foods Grocery launched a vocational training center last year after being purchased by Commonwealth Autism. The store now provides a 90-day training program to help disabled adults prepare for the workforce.

The non-profit Families of Autism Coming Together (FACT) in Virginia Beach also aims to create jobs. FACT established the HERO program to create jobs at its Autism Resource Center.

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➤ Richmond: The city's water system suffered another setback when an electric panel malfunction prevented it from reaching full pressure. Some customers have been without water since Monday. (Details)

➤ Virginia Beach: Last year, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to provide a property tax exemption to the spouses of military members who are killed in uniform. Local officials warned that lawmakers will have to update legislation to fully exempt the state's Gold Star spouses. (More)

➤ Statewide: The Department of Corrections said the price per minute for video calls with incarcerated individuals will drop from 20 to 15 cents per minute this month, then to 12 cents per minute in July. (Details)

➤ Richmond: Attorney General Jason Miyares laid out his legislative priorities for 2025 as he seeks reelection. He wants lawmakers to give him more authority to prosecute sex offenders, human traffickers, and organized crime. (More)

➤ Rockingham County: Schools here have joined the iTeach Virginia Network, a program that allows people with a bachelor's degree to get a teaching license without obtaining an education degree. (More)

➤ Abingdon: A jury convicted Martinsville-based doctor Joel Smithers of 466 counts of illegally prescribing Schedule II controlled substances. He has been in custody since 2019 in connection with the charges and will be sentenced in March. (Details)

➤ Washington Commanders defensive back Marshon Lattimore sat out the last two games of the regular season to rest a leg injury. His status for Sunday's playoff game is unclear. (Details)

➤ Norfolk native Keyshawn Davis will box WBO Lightweight World Champion Denys Berinchyk on Valentine's Day for a shot at the title. Davis is undefeated as a pro boxer, with eight of his 12 wins so far coming by knockout. (More)

➤ UVA visits Clemson tonight, while Virginia Tech plays at undefeated Georgia Tech in ACC women's basketball. (Details)

➤ Yesterday's results: NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ Party City announced it will be closing all of its locations, but the Richmond-based owner of two of the stores said he is not going out of business. (Details)

➤ The Bennett Center, a Virginia Beach nonprofit, is teaching students how to turn their hobbies into businesses. (More)

➤ A CSX coal train derailed in Fluvanna County, causing several cars to overturn. No injuries were reported. (More)

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➤ The 24th Annual Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival is happening this weekend in Doswell. (More)

➤ Doves Landing Regional Park in Manassas was placed under a conservation easement that will help to preserve its wetlands and forest habitats. (Details)

➤ The annual "Taste of Virginia," hosted by the Virginia Association for Biological Farming, is scheduled for Saturday in Roanoke. (More)

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