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Raising the minimum wage is a top priority for Virginia Democrats this session

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Raising the minimum wage is a top priority for Virginia Democrats this session


Democrats in the General Assembly are hoping to raise the minimum wage.

The last time Democrats were in control of the General Assembly, they raised the minimum wage to $12 an hour. Now, they want to raise it to $15 an hour. Republican Senator Mark Peake of Lynchburg voted against the bill when it was in committee this week.

“I want everybody to earn a living wage. We need to do that through the free markets. I think it’s gone up. You saw it over COVID, the price went up, the minimum wage; very few people actually can hire anybody for minimum wage anymore,” he says. “So, I think the market is taking care of itself and I just don’t like to set that artificially as a legislature.”

The bill to raise the minimum wage from $12 an hour to $15 an hour was introduced by Senator Louise Lucas, a Democrat from Portsmouth.

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“What’s wrecking the economy is the fact that we have a shortage of employees of people coming to work, and the reason they’re not coming to work is because they’re not getting paid a decent wage to live on,” Lucas says. “So, it’s not a $15 minimum wage that’s wrecking the economy. It’s the fact that we are not paying people enough to live on.”

Raising the minimum wage is a top priority for Democratic lawmakers, which is why the legislation is Senate bill number one and House bill number one.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.





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Mass. family, Worcester woman identified as victims in deadly Virginia bus crash

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Mass. family, Worcester woman identified as victims in deadly Virginia bus crash


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The victims included a Greenfield couple and their two children, as well as a 25-year-old Worcester woman.

Greenfield, Massachusetts, victims of the May 29, Virginia fatal accident involving a bus are Ecaterina (left) and Dmitri Doncev (right) Doncev, with their son Mark and daughter Emily. Courtesy/GoFundMe

Four members of a Greenfield family and a Worcester woman have been identified as the five Massachusetts residents killed in a fiery charter bus crash on a Virginia highway this week.

Virginia State Police identified the victims as Dmitri Doncev, 45; Ecaterina Doncev, 44; Emily Doncev, 13; and Mark Doncev, 7, all of Greenfield, along with 25-year-old Priscilla R. Mafalda of Worcester.

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The crash happened on Thursday on Interstate 81 near Lexington, Virginia, when a charter bus traveling from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, struck several vehicles as traffic slowed for roadwork. In addition to the five people killed, 34 others were injured and taken to local hospitals, according to authorities.

Investigators said the bus failed to slow down and slammed into a Chevrolet Suburban driven by Mafalda. The impact pushed the SUV into the Doncev family’s Acura, which caught fire.

Dmitri, a nurse at Holyoke Medical Center, was driving his family through the night to attend a wedding in South Carolina when the crash occurred, according to the Boston Globe.

Dmitri’s 27-year-old niece, Carolina Bublik, shared the family’s grief with the Globe, saying the Doncevs would join extended family at church every Sunday. 

“Now it’s going to be very difficult, the next Sunday that comes around, where we will not be able to have them sit next to us at the lunch table,” said Bublik.

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The Doncevs were members of the Providence Christian Academy community, where Emily and Mark attended school. 

“The Doncev family was a cherished part of our school community, and their loss is being felt deeply by our students, families, faculty, and staff,” the school said in a statement.

A family friend started a GoFundMe to raise money for the family’s funeral expenses.

Few details were immediately available about Mafalda.

Police have charged the bus driver, Jing S. Dong, 48, with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and authorities said additional charges are pending.

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A Staten Island, New York, resident, Dong obtained his commercial driver’s license in 2024, according to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.

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Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.

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Virginia Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Night results for May 30, 2026

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Virginia Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Night results for May 30, 2026


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The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

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Here’s a look at May 30, 2026, results for each game:

Powerball

Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.

01-27-35-44-52, Powerball: 12, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Monday, June 01, 2026

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Pick 3

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 5-2-9, FB: 7

Day: 9-2-4, FB: 4

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

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Night: 8-7-9-9, FB: 9

Day: 3-3-7-6, FB: 0

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 4-4-8-8-1, FB: 1

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Day: 9-3-9-8-1, FB: 7

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash Pop

Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.

Coffee Break: 09

After Hours: 05

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Prime Time: 13

Rush Hour: 04

Lunch Break: 14

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash 5

Drawing every day at 11 p.m.

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11-16-25-27-33

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Bank a Million

Bank a Million draws are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.

02-13-16-17-22-31, Bonus: 27

Check Bank a Million payouts and previous drawings here.

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Millionaire for Life

Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.

05-14-22-28-30, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Manhunt underway for suspect in Virginia accused of killing sheriff’s deputy

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Manhunt underway for suspect in Virginia accused of killing sheriff’s deputy


A manhunt is underway in Virginia for a suspect accused of killing a sheriff’s deputy while he was conducting a welfare check, law enforcement officials said.

Deputy Logan Utt was fatally shot after police received a request from a family member to do a welfare check at the location, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office said. 

A man at the home opened fire on the two deputies who responded to the location, according to the sheriff’s office. The deputies returned fire, the sheriff’s office said, and both were hit by gunfire. Utt was pronounced dead, while the second deputy was struck in his ballistic vest. That deputy is currently receiving medical evaluation and is reported to be in stable condition, officials said.

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“Deputy Utt was a devoted husband, loving father, cherished family member, friend, and respected member of our law enforcement family. His service, courage, and dedication will not be forgotten,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. 

Utt joined the sheriff’s office in 2023, after serving in the military. 

A search is underway for the suspect. He should be considered armed and extremely dangerous, law enforcement officials said.

“My office is closely monitoring this tragic incident,” Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger wrote on social media. “I encourage anyone with information on the suspect’s whereabouts to contact Virginia State Police. My thoughts are with the deputy’s family and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office as we work through this awful situation.”

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