Tag: state government
No ABC special promotions for the holidays
The ABC store on Little River Turnpike in Annandale. Thanks to the COVID pandemic, Virginia ABC stores will not host their usual fall and holiday promotions this year. That includes Door Busters, Spirited Thursdays, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Virginia ABC CEO Travis Hill cites several reasons for the decision: The pandemic has caused distilled … Continued
Constitutional amendment on the ballot would create a commission on redistricting
With all the attention on the presidential election, voters are encouraged not to neglect the other issues on the Nov. 3 ballot, including a constitutional amendment to create a Virginia Redistricting Commission. The proposed amendment would establish a bipartisan commission to draw the election districts for the U.S. House of Representatives, the state Senate, and … Continued
Virginia governor proposes improvements in absentee voting
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced a series of proposals Aug. 18 to ensure people have safe access to voting in the Nov. 3 election amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These measures, to be considered by legislators during a special session of the General Assembly, include the following: Northam’s proposed budget includes $2 million for … Continued
Local group provides rent relief to Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads residents
Dozens of Annandale and Bailey’s Crossroads families were able to stay in their homes and feed their families over the past few months, thanks to the emergency assistance program run by the Annandale Christian Community for Action (ACCA). ACCA received $3.1 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. About half … Continued
New Virginia grant program to help small businesses struggling during the pandemic
Restaurants that had to ban indoor dining due to the pandemic might want to consider applying for a new state grant program. A new state program, Rebuild VA, offers $70 million to help small businesses stay in operation as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. The application period opens Aug. 10. Business owners can apply for … Continued
Rep. Connolly calls for investigation of Annandale Healthcare Center following major COVID outbreak
The Annandale Blog article posted earlier this month on the unhealthy conditions at the Annandale Healthcare Center has gotten the attention of Rep. Gerry Connolly. That facility, at 6700 Columbia Pike, Annandale, has had the biggest outbreak of COVID-19 among nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) lists … Continued
Support grows for police and criminal justice reforms
A scene from a viral video shows motorist Derrick Thompson being forcibly removed from his vehicle by a Virginia state trooper. The incident highlights the need for police reform. A group of progressive commonwealth’s attorneys from across Virginia are throwing their support behind an effort by the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus and Virginia Senate Democratic … Continued
The Annandale Healthcare Center during COVID lockdown: ‘worse than prison’
The Annandale Healthcare Center Residents of the Annandale Healthcare Center are stuck in their rooms all the time, with barely any outside contact, as large numbers of the patients are getting sick and dying from COVID-19. The Annandale Heathcare Center, at 6700 Columbia Pike, has had 156 COVID cases and 55 deaths, the Virginia Department … Continued
New Virginia laws affect firearms, immigrants, workers, marijuana, much more
The Virginia General Assembly in Richmond. The following new laws, signed by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, took effect July 1 unless otherwise noted. Firearms – Criminal background checks are required for all gun sales and transfers. Anyone who is not a licensed firearms dealer cannot purchase more than one handgun in a 30-day period. Under … Continued
Public health officials cite deficiencies at Annandale Healthcare Center
UPDATED: The Annandale Healthcare Center, which had the biggest coronavirus outbreak among assisted living/nursing homes in Virginia, had a series of deficiencies, according to a report by the Office of Licensure and Certification in the Virginia Health Department (VDH). There were 156 COVID-19 cases at the Annandale Healthcare Center, which is more than any other … Continued
Fairfax County stays in Phase 1 of reopening plan, as Virginia moves to Phase 2
Personal grooming businesses, such as Heidi’s Nails in Annandale, were allowed to open by appointment only on May 29. Northern Virginia will remain in Phase 1, while most of the rest of the state will enter Phase 2 on Friday, June 5. Gov. Ralph Northam announced June 2 that the health metrics are on track … Continued
Virginia decriminalizes marijuana
A Beyond Hello medical marijuana dispensary owned by the Jushi Co. The company plans to open a state-approved dispensary in Manassas. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed into law several bills May 21 passed by the General Assembly relating to the decriminalization of marijuana possession. The new laws take effect July 1. Anyone caught by the … Continued
Virginia ramps up coronavirus testing
Test samples are analyzed at a GENETWORx, a private lab in the Richmond area. [Richmond Times-Dispatch] While Virginia ranked close the bottom of states in terms of how many COVID-19 tests are being done, state health officials say they have greatly ramped up testing capacity in the past few weeks. While only 2,000 to 3,000 … Continued
Health experts call for aggressive actions to halt COVID
Hundreds of scientists and health experts are urging Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam to take more aggressive action to stamp out coronavirus. An open letter to Northam calls for the following “low-cost, high-impact actions to zero out COVID-19 in Virginia”: Empower local governments Maximize social distancing Require mask usage Deploy approaches that have worked elsewhere to … Continued
Long list of new laws signed by Northam
Northam Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed dozens of bills into law in recent days, on criminal justice, marijuana decriminalization, voting, energy, Confederate monuments, discrimination, clean energy, workers’ rights, and more. The bills take effect July 1. The General Assembly plans to reconvene on April 22 to consider Northam’s amendments to some of the bills. Northam … Continued