Virginia

Three interesting bills of the week: lab meat, child labor penalties and sales in public spaces – Virginia Mercury

Published

2 years ago

January 19, 2024

Three interesting bills of the week: lab meat, child labor penalties and sales in public spaces – Virginia Mercury

Hundreds of bills are filed for General Assembly consideration each year. In the return of this weekly series, the Mercury takes a look at a few of lawmakers’ 2024 proposals that might not otherwise make headlines during the whirlwind legislative session.

House Bill 1382: Lab-grown meat labeling

This bill from Del. Thomas Garrett, R-Gordonsville, would require lab-grown meat products to include a label on their packaging indicating that they are such. Garrett told the Mercury he plans to “tweak” his bill to specifically require the label to state the product is a “cell-cultured edible product,” which his bill would define as a meat product that is made by any process involving the culture of stem cells or 3D printing.

Garrett said he also intends to add an amendment that would require restaurants to notify customers if they sell these types of meat products, which he said could be included as a note on menus.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” Garrett said. “You have, I think, a fundamental right to know when you’re paying for a product what that product is, and you don’t write meat on something that’s not meat.”

The delegate said he was inspired to introduce the bill after reading an article on how prevalent the cultured meat substitute industry is in Europe and realizing there is no requirement in the U.S. to let consumers know they’re eating cultured meat.

“I don’t want to eat Frankenmeat if I don’t know it’s Frankenmeat,” Garrett said.

The federal government currently has labeling requirements for lab-grown chicken made by two companies, which entered the U.S. market in July 2023. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service requires such products to bear a label stating they are “cell-cultivated chicken.”

Garrett’s bill would go further, extending to all types of lab-grown meat. To date, nine states have passed laws with similar labeling requirements and prohibit the use of the term “meat” on lab-grown products.

House Bill 100: Increased penalties for child labor law violations

HB 100 from Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, would increase civil penalties for employers who violate child labor laws.

Under the bill, the penalty for employing a child who is seriously injured or dies in the course of employment would increase from $10,000 to $25,000. The penalty for each other violation of child labor laws would increase from $1,000 to $2,500.

Virginia law generally prohibits children under 14 from being employed except in certain circumstances, including farming, being a page or clerk for the state Senate or House of Delegates or working for a parent in an occupation other than manufacturing. Children aged 14 to 15 can be employed if they are enrolled in a regular school work-training program and have a work-training certificate.

The bill comes after the New York Times revealed the use of migrant children for cheap labor across the U.S., including at a Perdue Farms slaughterhouse onVirginia’s Eastern Shore, where a child worker’s arm was mangled after getting caught in a machine.

House Bill 235: Penalties for using public spaces for unauthorized commercial activities

This legislation from Del. Anne Ferrell Tata, R-Virginia Beach, would allow cities and towns to impose monetary penalties on people who occupy public spaces for commercial purposes without the city or town’s consent. Tata’s office told the Mercury the city of Virginia Beach requested she carry the bill.

The bill would limit such penalties to $500 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second and $1,500 for the third or subsequent offense. Each day the public space is occupied would be counted as a separate offense.

The consequences would be in addition to what is allowed under current law, which makes commercial use of public areas a class 4 misdemeanor that can lead to jail time if the offender does not stop what they’re doing.

People impacted by the bill would include anyone selling a product, service or anything else for financial gain, like food or merchandise vendors. The activities of street performers and buskers who receive donations while performing on public property are protected by the First Amendment as long as they do not directly ask for money.

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Virginia

Flu cases climb across Virginia, state reaches highest totals in years

Published

6 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Flu cases climb across Virginia, state reaches highest totals in years

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Flu cases are climbing across Virginia, reaching some of the highest levels the commonwealth has seen in years.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, over 21% of all emergency department visits in the northwest region this flu season were for respiratory illnesses. Rachel Dumene, spokesperson for the Central Shenandoah Health District, said while viruses can mutate and cause symptoms that are more severe, she said the challenge this year is how fast the flu is spreading.

“Sometimes they can mutate to create new symptoms or become more severe. However, that’s not what we’re seeing this year,” Dumene said. “This is a pretty average flu. However, the thing that’s different about it is that it’s spreading at a more rapid pace.“

That faster spread is leading to more infections overall, and more people experiencing serious symptoms. Children make up the largest share of flu-related emergency room visits in the region, which is why Dumene said vaccination remains one of the best tools to keep people out of the hospital.

“Even though this flu virus seems to be spreading at a higher rate than previous years, the flu vaccine still helps prevent against severe illness,” she said. “It is possible that people who get vaccinated can still get the flu. However, this can keep them from experiencing very negative consequences or having to go to the emergency room.”

It’s still not too late to get vaccinated, Dumene said. Protection develops about two weeks after the shot, and peak flu season often doesn’t arrive until February. She also recommended washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick to slow the spread.

What hospitals are seeing

Augusta Health Public Relations Manager Kristen Printy said regional hospitals and emergency medical services are working together to manage a seasonal increase in patients to make sure people across the region receive the care they need.

Flu problems(WHSV)

“This season has brought an increase in patients, and it’s important that hospitals and EMS agencies continue to work closely together,” said Crystal Farmer, MBA, MSN, RN, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Augusta Health. “By coordinating our efforts, we can help ensure patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time, even when demand is higher.”

Robert Garwood, VP, Chief Medical Officer Sentara RMH Medical Center said increased ER volume secondary of the flu has translated into increased hospital admissions of these patients.

“The current flu vaccine does not cover the strain that’s circulating throughout our area really well, which has resulted in patients with some significant illness. This is again translated to increase hospital patient censuses and less bed availability, which also impacts our ED,” Garwood said.

Augusta Health added that people should always seek emergency care for serious or life-threatening conditions. For less urgent needs, people are encouraged to consider primary care, urgent care, or telehealth options when appropriate.

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Virginia

The Good, Bad and Ugly From Virginia’s Dominant Win Over California

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

The Virginia Cavaliers clinched yet another conference win last night, this time against California. Overall, this has been a remarkable season for the Cavaliers thus far, with few hiccups along the way. Their latest victory came with a stunning 84-60 finish, but as the story goes, there are still areas that need attention. With that, let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly of last night’s meeting.

The Good

Jan 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Thijs de Ridder (28) passes the ball around California Golden Bears forward John Camden (2) during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The Cavaliers are undoubtedly more consistent on offense — they’ve encountered quite a few challenges defensively. However, last night appeared to be a bit of a turning point, said cautiously. The Golden Bears’ efforts with the ball were met with great resistance from UVA. Malik Thomas, in particular, has made strides on both sides of the ball, but his defensive improvements have been noteworthy. As head coach Ryan Odom stated during his postgame press conference:

“… I thought our guys did a nice job. The discipline was there for the majority of the night. They did get us on occasion, not on occasion, probably too many times at the end of drives with shot fakes, but for the most part, in that first 10 minutes of the second half, we were able to stop them in and around the rim and stay down. And they were kind of left with some really hard shots there, which allowed us to get out in transition. I thought our press was pretty good. Even though we didn’t get a lot of turnovers or anything like that, I thought our press, you know, was effective.”

The Bad

Jan 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory (2) dribbles the ball as California Golden Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) defends during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Although Virginia wrapped up the matchup with a 24-point lead, there were moments throughout the night in which leads were swapped between programs in the first quarter. Once the second half rolled around, the Golden Bears were unable to catch up. However, the brief moments that they did control the scoreboard could have cost UVA the game, and ultimately, another loss in the ACC.

“I’m not worried about the margin,” said Odom. “It’s more about how we’re playing. And I thought our guys played well tonight, you know, defensively, we’re trying to make strides. We’re trying to get better. The guys are focused on that. Offensively, we can’t lose that, you know, ability to really share the ball and put pressure on our opponents. And I think we’re improving.”

The Ugly

Jan 7, 2026; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Chance Mallory (2) dribbles the ball around California Golden Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) during the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Much of the back-and-forth lead during the first quarter was due to Cal’s pressure. Their defense stayed on top of UVA, which ruffled some of the Cavaliers’ feathers on the court, forcing some turnovers along the way.

Odom described this situation by stating, “Cal was really bothering us with their defense, their aggressiveness, and stepping out and pick and roll, even though we didn’t have a ton of turnovers in that first half. We had five. There were still some bobbled balls. The ball was loose and a little bit too loose for us. And their pressure had a lot to do with that. The end of the half was really important for us, the execution on defense and offense to give us a little bit of a cushion there going into halftime.”

Virginia certainly encountered some difficulty last night, but it wasn’t anything they couldn’t successfully navigate. Now, the Cavaliers are gearing up for their upcoming matchup against Stanford on Jan. 10 at John Paul Jones Arena. Will UVA capitalize on its opportunity to extend its ACC record to 3-1?

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Virginia

Stanford gets win over Virginia Tech, freshman Ebuka Okorie calls game

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Stanford gets win over Virginia Tech, freshman Ebuka Okorie calls game

Freshman guard Ebuka Okorie lifted Stanford over Virginia Tech with a game-winning, step-back 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to give the Cardinal a 69-68 win at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Jan. 7.

Okorie sized up his defender, Virginia Tech freshman Neoklis Avdalas of Greece, before getting into his sweet spot and rising up.

Okorie scored 31 points, going 11-for-18 from the floor with four 3-pointers, including the go-ahead bucket. His four made from long-distance tied a collegiate career-high. He added six assists and had only one turnover.

Virginia Tech led 31-24 at the end of the first half. However, Stanford came out of the second half and switched gears. The Hokies were outscored in the second half 45-37.

Virginia Tech was led by Avdalas with 21 points. Hokies sophomore guard Ben Hammond scored 14 points off the bench.

Chisom Okpara had an off night for Stanford, scoring just four points on 1-of-11 shooting, but still the Cardinal would get some help in the scoring department from Donavin Young and Oskar Giltay, who chipped in with 11 and eight points, respectively.

Stanford continues its road trip with a visit to No. 23 Virginia on Saturday, Jan. 10. Virginia Tech has a home game Saturday against California.