By HANNAH NATANSON,
Washington Post
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Admissions officers at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology have sent offers to an more diverse group of students for the second year in a row, according to data released Wednesday.
The Class of 2026 at TJ, as the school is known, will include 550 students accepted from a pool of 2,544 applicants. Of the offers sent to eighth-graders, about 60 percent went to Asian students, 21 percent to White students, 8 percent to Hispanic students and 6 percent to Black students. Roughly 33 percent of offers went to low-income students and 51 percent went to female students.
By NEAL AUGENSTEIN,
WTOP
Public schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, are experiencing a recent dramatic increase in racial slurs and hate speech.
Deputy Superintendent Ashley Ellis and Director of Equity Lottie Spurlock displayed a chart to the school board Tuesday, showing a jump in incidents reported to the Office of Equity in the second half of the 2021-2022 school year.
By ANGELA WOOLSEY,
FFXnow
A Fairfax County School Board member plans to advocate for adding security vestibules at schools in the wake of the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in nearly a decade.
Melanie Meren, who represents Hunter Mill District on the board, will introduce a motion at a meeting Thursday requesting that Fairfax County Public Schools develop a plan to fund and install vestibules at all facilities, she said in social media posts Tuesday night.
By ANGELA WOOLSEY,
FFXnow
More than half of Fairfax County’s public high schools have no permanent restrooms for their outdoor athletic facilities, leaving players and spectators to endure the stench and claustrophobia of port-a-potties.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors hopes to rectify the situation, unanimously approving a board matter to consider funding for new bathrooms at 15 schools in the coming fiscal year 2023, which starts July 1.
By STACY PARKER,
Virginian-Pilot
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Jahsun Ma’atra is a traveling musician who likes to perform in public areas at beaches along the East Coast. Every summer, he returns to Virginia Beach where he sets up on the Boardwalk. His equipment includes a portable gas-powered generator on a rolling cart, a folding table and a sound mixer hooked up to three large speakers and a microphone. . . . The sound he produces between certain hours could be too loud, and the city’s looking at tweaking its noise ordinance to make it easier for police officers to issue tickets with a fine starting at $250.
By NATALIE ANDERSON,
Virginian-Pilot
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Less than 24 hours after abruptly firing its city manager, the Portsmouth City Council is already preparing to appoint someone to replace Angel Jones. The council has called a special meeting for Tuesday for the appointment of a new city manager. An email obtained by The Virginian-Pilot shows council member Mark Whitaker called the meeting with the consent of the three others who voted to oust Jones — Vice Mayor De’Andre Barnes along with council members Paul Battle and Chris Woodard.
By BILL WYATT,
Martinsville Bulletin
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Over 70 Henry County law enforcement officers lined up in the Summerlin Meeting Room Tuesday in protest of their belief that the Board of Supervisors reneged on a promised salary increase.
Sheriff Lane Perry said he took the grievance of his office to County Administrator Tim Hall’s office and was told “they had nothing further to discuss and to leave.” . . . “We never said no to anybody,” said Hall when asked by board members if he refused to meet with Perry.
“That’s a lie,” said Perry to the Bulletin after the meeting. “It’s a bunch of bull.”
By BEN SCHWARTZ,
WVVA-TV
Richlands, Va.’s Town Council moved to executive session during Tuesday’s council meeting to discuss one resident’s claim of maladministration with their legal team. Following the executive session, Mayor Rod Curry announced the town will be seeking the state Attorney General’s guidance.
By MIKE STILL,
Kingsport Times News
Stacey Carson ended her term as Pound’s mayor eight months early on Tuesday.
Citing “continued disrespect and ridicule,” Carson ended 24 months in office by submitting her resignation to the council near the end of Tuesday’s continued council meeting.
Carson restated complaints from the May 17 council meeting that she felt she should be reimbursed for cleaning supplies and other expenses she incurred to improve Town Hall.