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U.S. Supreme Court allows challenge to Virginia felon voting ban to proceed
The Supreme Court declined to hear a case from Virginia officials seeking to thwart a lawsuit challenging the commonwealth’s permanent ban on convicted felons from voting in elections. The high court released its decision not to hear the case as part of its orders list Monday, rejecting a petition that was brought to the justices in March. With the rejection of the appeal from Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, the lawsuit will now proceed toward a trial in federal district court.
U.S. Supreme Court turns away Virginia’s appeal in felon voting ban lawsuit
The Supreme Court turned away Virginia’s appeal on Monday that sought to quash a challenge to the state’s lifetime voting ban for people convicted of felonies, allowing the lawsuit to move ahead toward trial. Two disenfranchised voters claim the ban violates the Virginia Readmission Act, a federal law that set conditions for Virginia to regain congressional representation following the Civil War.
Youngkin orders National Guard sexual offense ombudsman
The Virginia National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force will get an ombudsman to assist servicemembers who’ve complained of sexual assault, sexual harassment or retaliation, Gov. Glenn Youngkin ordered Friday. The executive order comes after he vetoed legislation this year that would have created a Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer within the state’s Department of Military Affairs. The officer was to serve as an advocate for victims, including authority to issue a protective order on behalf of a victim.
U.S. Supreme Court rebuffs Virginia’s bid to scuttle felon voting ban challenge
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear Virginia's bid to scuttle a lawsuit challenging an 1869 state constitutional provision that imposes a lifetime voting ban on convicted felons, one of the toughest restrictions in the United States. The justices turned away an appeal by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, of a lower court's ruling that let the lawsuit led by two would-be voters in the state with felony records proceed.
Local PBS, NPR stations ponder programming changes if federal money dries up
Roanoke-based Blue Ridge PBS has faced challenges before. When state budget cuts in 2013 led to the shutdown of broadcast towers in Marion and Norton, the station faced a setback to its mission to provide Central, Southside and Southwest Virginia with educational and cultural programming. Ten years later, PBS returned to Southwest Virginia with the launch of PBS Appalachia, which has its studio at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Bristol and is breaking new ground as a network station that uses an all-digital format rather than traditional over-the-air television signals. Now Blue Ridge PBS and other public media around the U.S. face a new challenge: Congress is considering a bill to cut federal funding to PBS, NPR and local public broadcasting stations.
Lewis: To governor candidates pledging a car tax repeal: Be careful what you promise
Show of hands: who loves paying the yearly tax on your personal automobiles? Don’t be shy. Raise those hands. Anybody? As Virginians, it’s perhaps our most galling duty: paying hundreds of bucks (thousands for folks with bougie rides) to your city, county or town government for the responsibility of owning a depreciating asset you pay through the nose to buy, insure, fuel and maintain. According to the Tax Foundation, Virginia is among 27 states and the District of Columbia where tangible personal property taxes are assessed. Fourteen states broadly exempt personal property from taxes; 10 allow de minimis exemptions.
New data suggests increased flooding risks for D.C. region’s roads and transit systems
The D.C. region’s roads and other transportation infrastructure is more at risk from future flooding than previously thought, a new analysis found. The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) outlined its findings to leaders of member jurisdictions ... at a meeting last Wednesday (June 18). Past efforts using Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) mapping to determine flooding threats to transportation weren’t “totally sufficient,” TPB planner Katherine Rainone said. To augment FEMA’s available resources, TPB licensed data from flood maps issued by Fathom, a UK-based analytics firm.
Virginia hospitals could lose more than $2 billion annually under latest version of Trump budget
Advocates have been warning for weeks that federal cuts to Medicaid would impact Virginia’s healthcare system. Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration briefed legislators on those cuts for the first time [last] week. And they are significant if amendments aren’t made. Cheryl Roberts, Director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, tried to lighten the mood during Wednesday’s Senate Finance meeting by offering both good and bad news:
Loudoun congressional delegation critical of U.S. bombing of Iran
Members of Loudoun County's congressional [delegation] condemned President Trump's bombing of Iran on Saturday, saying it was unconstitutional. After the bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, said in an online statement that the majority of Americans oppose war with Iran and noted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on June 20 that Israeli bombing had set back Iran's nuclear program "at least two or three years."
Citizens tell Griffith’s staffer of the power of ‘A thousand whispers’
More staff from the Blue Ridge Job Corps wanted to speak to Rep. Morgan Griffith’s staffer Thursday in Marion, but a Rapid Response Team was at the educational institution to help employees prepare for unemployment while they’re trying to help students prepare for their uncertain future. Jeanette Winston was one of the BRJC staffers who did come and told the gathering of like-minded citizens and Griffith’s representative that the proposed closure “just breaks my heart.” If BRJC is closed, she said, many of the students will be going to nothing. About 12%, she said, are homeless. Yet, at BRJC, those students have a home, a bed.