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Virginia House approves minimum wage increase, assault weapons ban

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Virginia House approves minimum wage increase, assault weapons ban


ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – The Virginia House of Delegate has approved two controversial measures: an increase in the minimum wage and a ban on assault weapons.

The bills were two of the top Democratic priorities and the first two bills that were filed in advance of the session.

House Bill 1 would raise Virginia’s minimum wage from $12/hr. to $13.50/hr. on Jan. 1, 2025, and to $15/hr. a year after that.

The bill drew opposition from Republican lawmakers who argued it will hurt employers who are barely getting by, especially in rural parts of the state.

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“No Mr. Speaker, this bill won’t affect the Golden Crescent,” said Robert Bloxom Jr. (R-Accomack Co.). “But it will affect the rest of us.”

Supporters said the benefits would be widespread.

“The little increases that you are seeing will have the greatest impact on the majority of the people,” said Del. Jeion Ward (D-Hampton).

House Bill 2 would ban the sale and possession of assault firearms manufactured after July 1, 2024.

“These are used to protect property owners or to protect people who cannot protect themselves,” said Del. Timothy Griffin (R-Bedford Co.). “You know what I love about firearms is that they’re the great equalizer. It’s a tool that is used to defend people that wouldn’t normally be able to defend themselves.”

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“These weapons of war, these weapons designed to put sustained, aimed fire on an enemy, are being used time and again to kill our children,” said Del. Dan Helmer (D-Fairfax).

Both bills passed on a narrow, party line vote.

Similar legislation is also advancing in the State Senate. And with Democratic majorities in both chambers, both bills are expected to pass.

But what happens after that is still unclear.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Virginia) hasn’t said if he will veto the bills, but he has told reporters he doesn’t believe either one is needed.

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Eastern Michigan WR Oran Singleton Jr. Commits to West Virginia

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Eastern Michigan WR Oran Singleton Jr. Commits to West Virginia


West Virginia has landed its second commitment out of the transfer portal, and its first on the offensive side of the ball.

Sunday evening, Eastern Michigan wide receiver transfer Oran Singleton Jr. announced his pledge to the Mountaineers.

This past season for the Eagles, Singleton caught a team-high 64 passes for 639 yards and two touchdowns. Prior to arriving at Eastern Michigan, Singleton played one year at Akron and then made the move to the junior college level to play for Hutchinson CC. There, he led the team in receptions (31) and was second in yards (419).

West Virginia will continue to add to the wide receiver room in the coming days and weeks as they look to replace the departure of Justin Robinson along with the potential departures of Traylon Ray Ric’Darious Farmer and Hudson Clement.

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Singleton will have one year of eligibility remaining.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

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Jacksonville State CB Transfer Fred Davis II Visiting WVU, Reveals Decision Timeline

WVU Offers Purdue CB Transfer Currently Committed to Big 12 School

No. 14 West Virginia Upset in Boulder Following Brutal Fourth Quarter

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WVU loses Hansberry, beats Mercyhurst in non-conference finale

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WVU loses Hansberry, beats Mercyhurst in non-conference finale


Still without Tucker DeVries, Sunday’s game against Mercyhurst would be West Virginia’s final opportunity to figure things out ahead of their holiday break, followed by the gauntlet that is the Big 12.

While the Mountaineers would ease past the Lakers, they couldn’t do it without suffering another injury. Starting center Amani Hansberry was injured in the opening minute and did not return as West Virginia beat Mercyhurst 67-46 at the WVU Coliseum to close non-conference play.

The Mountaineers persevered the early departure of Hansberry by getting inside on the Lakers. After a Jonathan Powell 3-pointer, eight of WVU’s next 13 points came at the rim as they took a 16-7 lead in the opening eight minutes of action.

While the Lakers would be able to keep the West Virginia lead in single digits, a late 11-3 run helped West Virginia into halftime with a 35-22 lead.

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While West Virginia shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, the second half would have a much different feel to it.

West Virginia made only one basket, and that came on a score from Eduardo Andre just a minute into the second half. After that, though, West Virginia’s offense went silent, and it allowed the Lakers to get back into the game.

Mercyhurst went on an 8-0 run from the 17:23 mark until the 14:46 mark of the second half, as West Virginia’s lead was cut to 38-30. The Mountaineers would respond appropriately, though, going on a 16-0 run themselves, pushing the lead to 24 with 8:13 to play.

During the run, it was a plethora of players who got involved for the Mountaineers. Five different players scored during the run, including Javon Small, who scored on a fastbreak dunk after a steal from Joe Yesufu. The dunk would be Small’s 1,000th career point.

Mercyhurst countered with a 5-0 run, but that didn’t faze the Mountaineers in the slightest. West Virginia scored the next nine points as they continued to lock down on defense.

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Mercyhurst would score only 11 points in the final 14:45 of the game, shooting 22 percent from the field in the second half and 28 percent from the field on the afternoon. West Virginia held Mercyhurst to shoot only 5-for-17 from beyond the arc.

The Mountaineers shot 48 percent from the field despite struggling mightly from three as they shot 5-for-19 from beyond the arc. Small led West Virginia with 19 points on the afternoon.

West Virginia now will be off until Dec. 31, when they open Big 12 play on the road against No. 8 Kansas.



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Virginia woman falls victim to bitcoin scam, loses more than $30,000 – WTOP News

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Virginia woman falls victim to bitcoin scam, loses more than ,000 – WTOP News


A Richmond, Virginia, woman lost more than $30,000 after police say she fell victim to a scam.

Click here for updates on this story

RICHMOND, Virginia (WTVR) — A Richmond, Virginia, woman lost more than $30,000 after police say she fell victim to a scam.

CBS 6 Crime Insider Jon Burkett spoke to Frank Oley, her financial adviser and Greg Wade, a Richmond detective about how this happened.

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The woman got an email which appeared to be from PayPal.

“It was about the purchase of some type of malware and if you didn’t want it to call a certain number,” Wade said.

She then called the number and got swindled.

“After the transaction was done, he said, ‘You added too many zeroes,’ and, ‘Oh, my God, I’m going to lose my job, it’s Christmas time and I have kids,’ laid it on thick to her. This client being such a nice, honest and decent person felt sorry for this guy,” Wade explained.

The woman felt so bad she withdrew a total of $34,300 from two banks in an effort to pay for what she thought was her mistake.

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The scammer instructed her to load the cash into a bitcoin machine along Azalea Avenue. It took her two hours and 873 separate transactions to do.

Detective Wade got a search warrant and told the store to shut the machine down. A representative came to open it, and the woman’s money was still there.

Her money is being held as evidence for now, but she will get it all back.

“The good news is with George, the Richmond City Police Department, we got the money back,” Oley said.

Wade says the scammer was traced to a location outside the United States.

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