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Why this Virginia voter is concerned about her mail-in ballot: 'I'm frustrated'

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Why this Virginia voter is concerned about her mail-in ballot: 'I'm frustrated'


CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — With only 22 days left before the Presidential election, Betsy Spath thought she’d get her mail-in ballot by now.

“I was signed up as a permanent voter, to get my absentee ballots through the mail, every year, for perpetuity, for forever. And when it didn’t come by last week, I got a little concerned, because previously it had come a little before that,” Spath said.

Her registrar’s office in Chesterfield County said her ballot was sent to her Midlothian address on September 20, but Spath said she never got it.

She was then given two options: request a second mail-in ballot or vote in person.

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“I’m just really nervous, I’m afraid it won’t come again. And that’s my only concern. I’ll be really up to the end to vote, and I don’t want to be in that position,” Spath said.

Though it’s unclear why Spath’s mail-in ballot hasn’t made it to her home yet, Virginia lawmakers, including Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, as well as Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, Representative Abigail Spanberger, and a staffer from Rob Wittman’s office, met with USPS Postmaster Louis DeJoy and Virginia Commissioner of Elections Susan Beals, and most came away from their meeting with a certainty that mail-in ballots will be handled efficiently for this election season.

According to their recent meeting, Richmond mail is now at about 85% efficiency with on-time delivery.

“The average time for a ballot to go through the mail, whether it’s going from, outbound, from the registrar to the voter, and then back in, the average time for that is 2.18 days, which is a relatively fast turnaround time,” Spanberger said.

Spath noted that most of her neighbors had received their mail-in ballots about three weeks ago, but she wasn’t the only one to not receive one.

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“It’s never happened before, and I’ve had several neighbors tell me that their college kids have not received their ballots. So this is not just a one in a million, this is happening in Virginia, in 2024. And this is a big election, every vote counts, as in every election,” Spath said.

Around October 21, USPS will start employing “extraordinary measures,” where election mail will be made a top priority, and different routing measures may take place.

There will also be heightened attention to any mail tampering or election intimidation by mail.

Though USPS’s Inspector General’s Office listed Virginia as the fourth worst region for on-time mail delivery in the country, lawmakers said they’ve had productive conversations with both USPS and the Virginia Department of Elections about voting by mail.

“Because of the pressure that the delegation has put on the post office, not only to get the mail delivery times up, but to be more forthcoming and communicative, not only with their customers, but with us and now with the Department of Elections, I think we do feel comfortable that while we are not where we want to be with mail delivery time, we’re getting there,” McClellan said, noting that though there will be an increase in mail flow due to mail-in ballots, most people will likely still choose to vote in person.

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Each representative shared a similar message with reporters at a press conference Friday: Mail your ballot or drop it off at your local post office as soon as possible, and if you’re able, vote in person.

Though Spath was told her second mail-in ballot would come within the next 10 days, she’s prepared to make alternative plans if it doesn’t.

“I’m going to get my vote in, no matter what,” she said.

CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.

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Man shot, killed by Virginia trooper ID’d after crash ends in deadly stabbing attack

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Man shot, killed by Virginia trooper ID’d after crash ends in deadly stabbing attack


Virginia State Police have identified the man who was shot and killed by a trooper after a crash ended in a stabbing attack on Interstate 495 Sunday afternoon.

Jared Llamado, 32, of McLean, died at the hospital on Sunday after he was shot.

RELATED | 2 dead, dog killed after stabbing spree, trooper shooting on I-495 in Fairfax County

Investigators said Llamado was confronted by the trooper who opened fire around 1:17 p.m. The trooper was responding to a report of a road rage incident and found Llamado with a knife, according to a news release.

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Four stabbing victims, all women, were also found at the scene, along with a dog that was also stabbed.

Michelle Adams, 39, died from her injuries. The dog also did not survive. The three other women were all taken to the hospital with serious injuries, according to VSP. 7News is not identifying the surviving victims.

Investigators said the stabbings stemmed from a crash in the southbound lanes of I-495.

The trooper who opened fire was not hurt and is on leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the use of force.

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Investigators said they do not believe the attack is connected to terrorism.



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Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News

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Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News


A road rage incident led to a shooting involving the Virginia State Police on Sunday on Interstate 495. Four individuals were also stabbed.

Two people are dead Sunday in Annandale, Virginia, after a road rage incident led to a shooting involving Virginia State Police on Interstate 495.

A release issued by the Virginia State Police said a trooper fatally shot a man after responding to a report of a road rage incident on the southbound lanes of I-495 just before 1:30 p.m. at exit 52, near the Little River Turnpike.

The man, transferred to a hospital with serious injuries, has been pronounced dead. VSP said the trooper shot in self-defense after the man confronted him with a knife.

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The trooper did not suffer any injuries during the altercation.

Officials found four stabbing victims at the scene, but only identified a 39-year-old woman and a dog. Both the woman and the dog died.

Early findings suggest the stabbings took place after a crash on the Capital Beltway. The crash remains under investigation.

The VSP’s release comes after the main lanes of the Capital Beltway Outer Loop, before Little River Turnpike, were closed to traffic for several hours, only recently opening the express lanes. Main lanes between Arlington Boulevard and the Little River Turnpike remain closed.

Stay with WTOP for the latest developments.

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Virginia Huffman Obituary February 27, 2026 – Ott & Lee Funeral Homes

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Virginia Huffman Obituary February 27, 2026 – Ott & Lee Funeral Homes


Mary “Virginia” Huffman, 82, of Pelahatchie, Mississippi, passed away on February 27, 2026.

Born on February 28, 1943, in Morton, Mississippi, she was the daughter of Carl and Nannie Mae Bradshaw. She married the love of her life, Jimmy Lavell Huffman, on June 14, 1963, and together they built a life rooted in faith, family, and hard work. Virginia devoted nearly 50 years to teaching high school math, beginning at Morton High School and later serving at East Rankin Academy. Generations of students were shaped by her steady guidance, high expectations, and deep belief in their potential. Many would say they entered college prepared because they had learned from “Mrs. Huffman.” Her students knew the famous “Mrs. Huffman look,” but no one understood it quite like her children and grandchildren. To many, she was more than a teacher—she was a mentor, encourager, and second mother.

A faithful member of Cross Roads Baptist Church, Virginia was a true matriarch and prayer warrior whose life was anchored in her love for the Lord. She woke each morning to study the Word of God and carried that faith into every conversation, classroom, and season of life. She played piano and organ, sang in the choir, and on Sunday mornings could often be found at home practicing the piano before church—something her family dearly loved listening to. She served her church and community with quiet devotion. Whether tutoring students during the summer, helping families in need, or visiting church members, she consistently lived out a servant’s heart.

She loved farm life—raising chickens and cows, cutting hay, tending her flower beds, and cooking for the people she loved. She was especially known for her strawberry pies, egg custard, and caramel cake (see Cheryl Moore for the recipe). She faithfully attended her grandchildren’s sporting events and found her greatest joy in cheering on her family. She loved deeply and wholeheartedly, treating not only her own children and grandchildren as treasures, but embracing many others in her community as if they were her own.

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She is survived by her husband, Jimmy Lavell Huffman; her children, Connie Goodman (Mike), Karen Jones, and Jade Huffman; her grandchildren, Christin (Colby) (Candace), Christopher (Victoria), Dillon, Marley, Halle (Elijah), Kyla Kate, and Eli; her great-grandchildren, Autumn, Titus, Sophia, Liam, Scarlett, Luke, and Ava; and her siblings, Paul (Joyce) and Delilah.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Nannie Mae Bradshaw; her in-laws, Clyde Sr. and Zora Huffman; her son, Scot Huffman; and her sisters, May Erving and Maxine Strong.

Virginia will be remembered as a woman of unwavering faith, steadfast strength, and extraordinary love. Her legacy lives on in the family she nurtured, the students she prepared, and the countless lives she covered in prayer.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – until on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at Cross Roads Baptist Church in Pelahatchie and again on Monday, March 2, 2026 from 12 pm – 1 pm.  

Services will be held at 1pm Monday, March 2, 2026 at Cross Roads Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery.  

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Bro. John Vaughn, Bro. Gary Morris and Bro. Steven Platt will officate the services.

Pallbearers will be Tim Wolverton, Colby Boyd, Christopher Wilson, Dillon Pettigrew, Eli Huffman and Elijah Moore.

Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton is honored to serve the Huffman family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Cross Roads Baptist Church Building Fund.

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