Most Read Articles Aug. 10, 2020
1
After Falwell Stumbles, His Hometown Sees a Leader in Need of Redemption
At the Tree of Life Ministries, down the road from Liberty University, the senior pastor, Mike Dodson, did not have to look very far for sermon material about sin, redemption and what’s expected of a Christian. “You have watched one of the most influential leaders of this city, of the country and the world, the Christian community, go down,” Mr. Dodson said, bent with passion. “The Christian community is being laughed at.”
2
Amid furor from mayor’s racist post, lifelong Black resident on slow change in Luray
Fred Veney is a member of a small club — he’s one of 236 Black residents who call Luray, Virginia, home. The historic town of Luray, which sits just across Virginia Route 340 from the popular tourist attraction Luray Caverns, is in the midst of a flurry of unwanted scrutiny, after a Facebook post by longtime Mayor Barry Presgraves. In the post, he joked, “Joe Biden has just announced Aunt Jemima as his VP pick.”
3
Spotted Laternflies Descend Upon Winchester
Just because something is pretty doesn’t mean you want it around. Such is the case with the spotted lanternfly. With its yellow and black body, and its red, white and black wings and dark spots, it’s eye-catching. “Unfortunately, these are beautiful insects,” said Mark Sutphin, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agriculture and natural resources horticulture agent based in Frederick County. But this invasive species is destructive to trees, crops and other plantings.
4
March against Presgraves also serves as political rally for Luray Council Member Pence
While the venue and much of the message on Saturday mirrored two prayer vigils held in early June — this one had a different feel; as well as its share of unique circumstances. The crowd was smaller than expected, and yet, about the same as the two gatherings at the West Luray Rec Center two months ago. The racially-mixed crowd heard speeches and sang songs; people held signs, chanted and marched. The overriding theme has always been racial equality, but recent events have sharpened the focus.
5
Virginia Beach tourists, city officials react to scathing column about mask wearing at the Oceanfront
On a slightly overcast August morning during a pandemic, the Virginia Beach Boardwalk is only mildly crowded. Couples from out of town stroll leisurely down one side of the 3-mile path. Families with young children dart across it on their way to the beach. Runners wipe sweat from their foreheads while mentally tallying the blocks behind them. Very few people are wearing masks. A similar scene was the subject of a recent travel column on Forbes.com. And it wasn’t flattering.
6
From VPAP Maps, Timeline of COVID-19 in Virginia
Our COVID-19 dashboard makes it easy to track the latest available data for tests performed, infections, deaths and hospital capacity. There's a filter for each city and county, plus an exclusive per-capita ZIP Code map. Updated each morning around 10:30 a.m.
7
Virginia’s gun-control debate shifts to newly empowered localities
At a virtual Alexandria City Council meeting in June, a state legislator explained why he signed onto a new state law giving local officials the authority to ban guns in some public spaces. Del. Mark Levine, D-Alexandria, recounted how Richmond-area gun enthusiasts made a point of walking around Alexandria’s Old Town Farmer’s Market last fall with rifles, alarming some vendors and shoppers.
8
Oliver: Virginia launches COVIDWISE app
Virginia is launching a new smartphone app that can alert you when you’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The app is named COVIDWISE, and it is a major addition to the public health tools we are using to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Virginia. The app was developed through an unprecedented partnership between tech giants Google and Apple, and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
9
Parents of disabled children at Norfolk’s St. Mary’s Home say they were unable to visit for months
For the past six years, Crystal Ton has spent just about every day at St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children in Norfolk, visiting her son, Jackson. Jackson, 13, has complicated cerebral palsy and a host of corresponding medical issues, Ton said. He can’t speak — he communicates through an eye gaze device — and is fed through a gastronomy tube.
10
Wiley wins Republican nomination for 29th District House of Delegates race
Winchester City Councilor Bill Wiley on Saturday won the Republican nomination to run for the 29th District House of Delegates seat in the Nov. 3 general election. Wiley secured the nomination with 969 votes to Richard Traczyk’s 301 votes during a firehouse primary held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Millwood Station Banquet Hall in Frederick County.