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Mother of 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in Virginia could be jailed for failing drug tests

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Mother of 6-year-old boy who shot his teacher in Virginia could be jailed for failing drug tests


NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — The mother of a 6-year-old who shot his teacher in Virginia could be jailed Thursday for failing drug tests while awaiting sentencing on federal weapons charges that she used marijuana while possessing a firearm.

A bond revocation hearing is set in federal court in Newport News for Deja Taylor. Her son used her gun to shoot Abby Zwerner in her classroom in January. The first-grade teacher was seriously wounded and has endured multiple surgeries.

Taylor pleaded guilty in June to using marijuana while possessing a firearm. Authorities say she also lied about her drug use on a federal background check form when she bought the gun that her son brought to school.

A judge had set an October sentencing date and released Taylor on bond under the conditions that she submit to drug tests and receive addiction treatment. But Taylor has twice tested positive for marijuana and once for cocaine, federal prosecutors wrote in a filing with the court this month. She also missed two drug tests and two drug treatment sessions, they said.

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“These violations are serious and call into question the defendant’s danger to the community, respect for the law and this Court’s Orders,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Peter Osyf wrote.

James Ellenson, an attorney for Taylor, said his client doesn’t dispute the prosecutors’ allegations. But he argued against incarceration in a court filing, stating that Taylor has made “substantial positive developments.”

She’s taken four more drugs tests since Aug. 25, Ellenson said. And while they’ve been positive for marijuana, “the levels are decreasing and show that Ms. Taylor is abstaining from this drug,” Ellenson wrote.

He added that the one positive result for cocaine “was an aberration and likely caused from her use of marijuana unknowingly laced with cocaine.”

“Ms. Taylor freely admits that she has had and still faces a serious substance abuse challenge,” Ellenson wrote. “Her addiction is clearly a disease — nonetheless, revocation and incarceration are not the cures. … A jail cell will only exacerbate the deep issues that she is facing.”

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Taylor’s sentencing is set for Oct. 18. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to ask the judge for a sentence of 18 months to 24 months in prison.

Marijuana is legal in many U.S. states, including Virginia. But it’s still a controlled substance under U.S. law, which generally prohibits gun possession by someone who has been convicted of a felony, been committed to a mental institution or illegally uses controlled substances, among other things.

Authorities had found marijuana at homes where Taylor was staying during searches that followed the shooting at Richneck Elementary School.

Meanwhile, Taylor still faces sentencing for a state charge of felony child neglect, which was filed after the shooting. It is scheduled for Oct. 27.

In that case, prosecutors agreed to ask for a sentence that falls within state guidelines, expected to be no more than six months. Prosecutors also agreed to drop a misdemeanor charge of reckless storage of a firearm.

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Zwerner, the teacher who was shot, is suing the school system for $40 million. She accuses school administrators of gross negligence and of ignoring multiple warnings the day of the shooting that the boy had a gun at school.





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Virginia

AP Declares Republican Victory in Virginia’s 10th District Special Election

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AP Declares Republican Victory in Virginia’s 10th District Special Election


CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – The Associated Press has called Virginia’s 10th District special election for Republican Luther Cifers.

With all precincts reporting, Cifers captured nearly 59 percent of the vote, leading Democrat Jack Trammell by more than 3,000 votes.

While election officials say mail-in ballots will be accepted until noon Friday, the margin appears insurmountable.

Cifers, a Prince Edward County businessman, will take over the seat previously held by John McGuire. The district has traditionally been a Republican stronghold and was expected to swing red again this year.

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Despite the victory, Democrats have maintained the current balance of power in Virginia’s statehouse. They will hold a 21-19 edge in the Senate and a 51-49 lead in the House of Delegates during Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s final year in office.

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School closures, delays for DC, Maryland, Virginia for Wednesday, January 8

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School closures, delays for DC, Maryland, Virginia for Wednesday, January 8


The first major winter storm of 2025 brought up to 10 inches of snow to parts of the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, prompting school closures on Monday and Tuesday.

As the frigid weather persists, the snow isn’t going anywhere, so some school districts have already announced closures and delays for Wednesday as well. 

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See the latest closures below. 

Having trouble viewing the closures? CLICK HERE for the full list.

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Where Maryland and Virginia rank on annual U-Haul’s migration list – WTOP News

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Where Maryland and Virginia rank on annual U-Haul’s migration list – WTOP News


South Carolina tops the list of states where people are moving, according to a new state migration list from U-Haul, while Virginia drops out of the top 10. 

South Carolina tops the list of states where people are moving, according to a new state migration list from U-Haul, while Virginia drops out of the top 10.

Each year the do-it-yourself moving company ranks the states for inbound and outbound migration, and the southern state topped the list for the first time, having the widest gap between truck rentals for moving to the state versus rentals for moving out of state.

Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee round out the top five for inbound immigration growth states.

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Virginia ranked No. 17 down from No. 10 last year. Maryland is No. 42, up from 44 last year. Each had a narrow inbound advantage over outbound moves. U-Haul’s annual report does not provide specific numbers.

For the fifth year in a row, California had the greatest net loss of do-it-yourself movers, based on U-Haul equipment rentals for moves out of the state.

“State-to-state transactions from the past year reaffirm customer tendencies that have been pronounced for some time,” stated John “J.T.” Taylor, U-Haul International president.

The Southeast and Southwest saw continued inbound migration as families weigh the cost of living, job opportunities, and other factors, Taylor said.

“Out-migration remains prevalent for a number of markets across the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast — and particularly California,” Taylor added.

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U-Haul bases its rankings on each state’s gain or loss of customers using one-way U-Haul equipment rentals in 2024, including trucks, trailers, and U-Box moving containers. This year’s list included more than 2.5 million rentals.

Texas, which lost its No. 1 position to South Carolina in 2024, has ranked first or second every year since 2016. Florida has been fourth or higher every year since 2015.

U-Haul also ranked the top 25 metro areas for inbound moves, which were lead by Dallas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Lakeland, Florida and Austin, Texas. The D.C. metro was not ranked in the top 25.

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