Tag Archives: Virginia

The Christian Post reports: A professional photographer has filed a lawsuit against a new Virginia law that he says would force him to violate his sincerely held Christian beliefs by requiring him to provide his services to same-sex weddings. Chris Herring filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division, against …

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports: The Richmond statue of Arthur Ashe was vandalized with “white lives matter” graffiti tags late Wednesday morning, setting the community further on edge followings weeks of protest and vandalism throughout the city. After photos of the vandalism on the statue honoring the civil rights activist and tennis icon were shared to social media earlier in the …

The Associated Press reports: Protesters tore down a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis along Richmond, Virginia’s famed Monument Avenue on Wednesday night. The statue in the former capital of the Confederacy was toppled shortly before 11 p.m., news outlets reported. Richmond police were on the scene and videos on social media showed the monument being towed away as a …

Richmond’s CBS News affiliate reports: The Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney said a hate crime investigation was underway against the self-proclaimed president of the Virginia KKK. Harry Rogers appeared in Henrico Court Monday morning where he agreed to receive a court-appointed attorney. Rogers, 36, of Hanover, was formally charged with attempted malicious wounding (felony), destruction of property (felony), and assault and battery …

Charlotteville’s CBS News affiliate reports: A racist, homophobic video made by a campaign surrogate for Republican Fifth District Congressional candidate Bob Good is circulating on social media. The video has some Greene County Republicans calling on Good to condemn the video or withdraw from the race. In the video, former Greene County Supervisor Eddie Deane sounds off about protesters who …

Via press release from the Justice Department: The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in a Virginia federal court concerning the First Amendment’s freedom of religion in support of Lighthouse Fellowship Church (Lighthouse), a congregation in Chincoteague Island, Virginia, that serves, among others, recovering drug addicts and former prostitutes. The Statement of Interest is part of Attorney …

CNN reports: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Sunday that he signed a series of new measures into law aimed at expanding access to voting in the commonwealth. The new legislation will establish Election Day as a holiday, remove the requirement that voters show a photo ID prior to casting a ballot and, expand early voting to be allowed 45 days …

The Washington Blade reports: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam on Saturday signed a bill that adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s nondiscrimination law. “This legislation sends a strong, clear message — Virginia is a place where all people are welcome to live, work, visit, and raise a family,” said Northam in a statement. “No longer will LGBTQ Virginians …

USA Today reports: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed a slate of gun control measures into law Friday that will increase background checks, limit handgun purchases and establish a so-called “red flag” law. Guns became a divisive issue in Virginia after Democrats won full control of the state’s General Assembly in November, and Northam, a Democrat, promised to pass the host …

The Virginian Pilot reports: The liquor laws in Virginia just keep loosening their belts. As of Monday, any of 45 Virginia distilleries can now FedEx or UPS their liquor directly to customers — at least for the duration of the coronavirus state of emergency. The news came came via an announcement on the ABC’s website and Twitter account Monday morning. …

Axios reports: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued stay-at-home orders on Monday, with exceptions for residents engaged in essential services, including health care and government functions. The states are the latest to announce policies to enforce social distancing, which have affected almost 250 million Americans. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide had been asked to stay …

The Washington Post reports: Gov. Ralph Northam has signed a bill banning conversion therapy for minors, the first LGBT rights measure to reach the Democrat’s desk this year. Virginia will become the 20th state — and the first in the South — to outlaw the therapy, a widely discredited practice that purports to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender …

NBC News reports: As the first polls close on Super Tuesday, former Vice President Joe Biden has won the Virginia Democratic primary and Sen. Bernie Sanders has come out on top in his home state of Vermont, NBC News projects. More than 1,300 delegates — about a third of the total — are at play, more than on any other …

Richmond’s ABC News affiliate reports: Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Saturday he will endorse Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race. McAuliffe made his announcement following Biden’s win in South Carolina’s primary Saturday night. The former Virginia Governor said in a statement that the country can’t afford four more years of “Donald Trump’s hate-driven chaos.” On Friday, Tim Kaine …

The Washington Blade reports: A bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Virginia’s nondiscrimination law cleared its final legislative hurdle on Wednesday. Senate Bill 868, which state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) introduced, passed in the Virginia House of Delegates. State Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax County) introduced a version of the Virginia Values Act in his chamber. Virginia …

Richmond’s NBC News affiliate reports: A new poll from Monmouth University shows former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Bernie Sanders are tied for the lead in Virginia in the race to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Both Bloomberg and Sanders have 22% support with former Vice President Joe Biden close behind with 18% of the vote. Pete …

The Washington Post reports: A Virginia Senate committee killed a bill on Monday that would have banned the sale of assault-style weapons and possession of high-capacity magazines, handing gun-rights activists a rare win in a Capitol that Democrats won last year on the promise of sweeping gun control. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) backed the legislation, part of a package of …

The Associated Press reports: A highly-contested bill that would make it a crime to own an assault weapon in Virginia passed the House of Delegates on Tuesday by a slim margin. House Bill 961 made it past the House with a vote of 51-48. The bill expands the definition of an assault weapon and bans anyone from possessing, purchasing or …

The Virginia Mercury reports: Democrats walked off the floor of the House of Delegates Tuesday morning as the pastor invited to give the opening prayer delivered stinging remarks condemning abortion and gay marriage and said God would bring his “wrath” against those who don’t follow biblical principles. “Is this a prayer or a sermon?,” a delegate yelled from the Democratic …

Richmond’s ABC News affiliate reports: Virginia is moving toward decriminalizing simple possession of marijuana. The state House on Monday passed HB 972, a decriminalization bill, with bipartisan support. Delegates voted 64-34 for the measure, with a number of Republicans joining Democrats in favor. The state Senate is expected to pass its own version shortly. Gov. Ralph Northam has signaled his …