RICHMOND, Va. –Tuesday will be mostly sunny and pleasant, with afternoon highs in the mid 80s. Tonight will be seasonably cool with a low in the lower 60s. The heat and humidity will start to return on Wednesday, with highs in the upper 80s to near 90.

More heat and humidity is expected Thursday (the 4th) into the weekend. Highs will be in the upper 90s Thursday and Friday, and will stay in the 90s Saturday and Sunday. The heat index will be in the triple digits at times and a few scattered storms will be around each afternoon and evening.

🌀Track Hurricane Beryl with CBS 6 Interactive Hurricane Tracker

In the tropics: Hurricane Beryl continues as a major hurricane (category 5) after crossing the Windward Islands and will approach near Jamaica on Wednesday. Beryl will gradually weaken, but could still be a hurricane when it is forecast to move over the Yucatan Peninsula.

Another disturbance is in the eastern Atlantic and will likely develop into a tropical depression over the next few days. The next name on the Atlantic list is Debby. More information can be found in the CBS 6 Hurricane Tracker.

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Senate Democrats in Richmond once again failed to pass a bill to fix issues with a state veterans education benefit program Monday. It was the second special session held to address the issue and dragged into the evening.

“We have a bill that will solve everyone’s problems. But instead, we’re not going to vote on it because of a procedural objection,” said Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, chastising Republicans for failing to cross party lines and approve a sped-up vote on the majority’s suggested changes to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program, or VMSDEP.

The program was reined in by the legislature and Governor Glenn Youngkin during the recent budget cycle after costs were projected to skyrocket in the coming years. The families of injured vets complained and an effort to roll back the changes while maintaining the program’s sustainability has been a challenge ever since.

Last Friday the House of Delegates passed a so-called “clean repeal” 92-0. It included directions for a state watchdog to study the program and bring findings and suggestions for changes before the 2025 session. That study is still expected by early September.

But Senator Louise Lucas, that chamber’s leading Democrat, refused to hear the House bill Monday and instead pitched her own fix: one that rolled back much of the changes, and included millions of dollars in funding over the next two years.

Surovell said there were also constitutional issues with the House’s measure, but Republican Senator Mark Peake challenged that assessment and argued enough Senate Democrats were in support to pass it.

“We’re here, it’s our second time here, the House has done their job. We should have voted on this bill,” Peake said from the chamber floor Monday.

The Senate will now have to return at a to be determined date to approve their new effort without Republican support. The House would also then have to return to approve the bill. A spokesperson for House Speaker Don Scott had no comment as of Monday evening.

In a statement sent after Monday’s session, Governor Youngkin condemned the Senate’s fruitless, second return to Richmond and asked both chambers to return again as early as next week.

“If they can’t agree on coming back together to fix this, I will call them back to do exactly that,” he said.

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

United Way of Southwest Virginia has announced the return of its annual “Stuff the Bus” fundraiser, aimed to provide essential school supplies to students across Southwest Virginia.

The event takes place throughout the month of July in all 21 localities within its service area, impacting over 150 schools and over 73,000 students.

The organization said this fundraiser comes at a particularly crucial time, as families are facing rising school supply costs — expected to exceed $890 per family and an average of $597 per child.

“We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed,” said Megan Parks, Executive Director of United Way of Southwest Virginia. “Our community has always been incredibly supportive, and we are confident that together, we can make a significant impact in the lives of our students.”

School supplies can be donated at designated collection points throughout the region.

Here’s a list of donation locations across our viewing area:

To learn more about the fundraiser, click here.