Virginia

Virginia Lawmakers Seek Paid Family Medical Leave

Published

2 years ago

February 6, 2024

ROANOKE, Va. – Virginia lawmakers are pushing for paid family medical leave for the sixth year.

The federal government requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide up to 12 weeks of leave for a qualifying event, such as caring for a family member with a serious health condition. However, the federal law doesn’t require employees to be paid for this time off. The proposed bill in the Virginia General Assembly would change this for workers.

“We’re talking about caring with someone with cancer or an end-of-life situation or a long-term illness. And these are very common. Companies are already having to deal with it, and a lot of people have to actually leave their jobs because they cannot continue to care for themselves with the loved one and show up to work every day,” said bill sponsor Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-38.

The bill would cover up to 12 weeks of paid leave for any worker who has a qualifying life event, like a new baby, a family member with a serious health condition, or even yourself if you have a serious health condition. Administered by the Virginia Employment Commission, it would work similarly to the unemployment insurance we all have. Both employees and employers would put money into the program. Employees would pay about one-half of one percent of their salary. So, if an employee makes about $50,000 a year, the employee would pay a little more than $4 a week. Also, employers with less than 10 workers won’t have to contribute at all.

While larger corporations sometimes offer benefits that cover paid family medical leave, smaller companies, like the mom-and-pop shops, do not have these benefits. The proposed bill would help them tremendously.

Owner Shirley Modlin with 3D Design and Manufacturing, said she doesn’t offer a leave program.

“There have been several instances in the 17 years of this business that employees have needed time off or bereavement on unforeseen events,” said Modlin, “They have to take their paid time off if they’re going to get paid because again, we cannot afford to sustain the leave program,”

Modlin said that while she doesn’t offer the program, she still tries to help her employees.

“In the past, I had an employee who unexpectedly, by a car accident, lost his uncle who was like his father. That was very emotional as this employee has been with me since inception. And all I said to him was take as much time as you need, and you will be paid. And that’s what we did,” said Modlin.

Modlin’s business isn’t alone, about 78% of Virginians don’t have paid family medical leave, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“I hear from small businesses a lot that they’re often losing our employees to larger corporations that come to the state that maybe offer things like affordable health care, they offer access to affordable childcare in some capacity, and they offer paid family medical leave, and they offer retirement programs. So, it can be really hard for them to compete for those sorts of things,” said Public Policy Director Awesta Sarkash with the Small Business Majority.

The bill is currently in the Senate Finance Appropriations Committee.

Currently, 11 states offer paid family medical leave, including Maryland. Washington, D.C. also offers a similar program.

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Virginia

Virginia Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Night results for June 2, 2026

Published

3 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

Virginia Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Night results for June 2, 2026

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

Here’s a look at June 2, 2026, results for each game:

Mega Millions

Mega Millions drawings take place every week on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.

15-26-43-48-60, Mega Ball: 12

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

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

Night: 4-5-7, FB: 9

Day: 8-7-6, FB: 5

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.

Night: 7-0-6-5, FB: 8

Day: 1-1-9-0, FB: 1

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: 2-9-1-0-4, FB: 0

Day: 5-9-4-1-7, FB: 0

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: 10

After Hours: 14

Prime Time: 04

Rush Hour: 13

Lunch Break: 06

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Millionaire for Life

Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.

16-33-41-50-52, 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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Virginia

First boat to Bermuda wins — Virginia man prepares for 753-mile voyage from Annapolis – WTOP News

Published

13 hours ago

June 2, 2026

Press Room

First boat to Bermuda wins — Virginia man prepares for 753-mile voyage from Annapolis – WTOP News

Kevin Sherwood’s boat is one of 21 in this year’s Annapolis to Bermuda Oceans Race, or A2B, which dates back to 1979.

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DC-area man hopes to race from Annapolis to Bermuda by boat

The boat that Kevin Sherwood of Springfield, Virginia, bought is still in dry dock as he makes final repairs and preparations ahead of the whole reason he bought the “Bay Retriever” in the first place.

If all goes as planned, he’ll get it in the water Wednesday, and starting at noon on Friday, he’ll be heading south down the Chesapeake Bay on a 753-mile voyage to Bermuda.

Sherwood’s boat is one of 21 in this year’s Annapolis to Bermuda Oceans Race, or A2B, which dates back to 1979. He’ll be joined by a crew of four others in a race he said is among the most challenging on the East Coast.

“I bought this boat in 2022 specifically for the Bermuda race,” Sherwood said. “Since I bought this, everything we’ve done has been prepping for it.

“Plenty of sailors never leave the Chesapeake. It’s very different when we’re dealing with ocean waves, ocean weather, all kinds of different conditions. So, the boat really needs to be set up for it.”

The bay, being both relatively shallow and surrounded by land, can make for ideal sailing; if something still goes wrong, help isn’t far away.

Heading out in the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean to an island more than 600 miles off the coast can present more difficult circumstances. Yet, if you go on the race’s website, you’ll see a long list of people hoping to get picked up by a boat to help take part.

“We’re out of rescue range for a portion of the trip. They’ll ask a passing freighter to come help you if you have a problem,” Sherwood said. “We are on our own out there.”

Some boats will have full galleys available to help cook meals for the crew. But Sherwood’s vessel, being smaller, has been stocking up on food and water from the grocery store.

He and the crew will take turns sailing and resting in the cabin down below. A “leak loss” — imagine a hammock, more or less — will catch anyone if the boat leans one way while they’re sleeping, lest they fall to the floor.

Of course, that assumes they’ll have strong winds and waves. Sherwood, who has done this race twice before, said that’s not always the case.

“My first Bermuda race, we had plenty of nothing going on,” he said. For two days, the winds were so calm Sherwood’s team was “barely making two knots.”

Two years ago, he saw more clouds than stars and sun, and waves were running 12-15 feet high.

“The last couple of races we haven’t seen many sunsets because of clouds, fog, rain, that sort of thing,” Sherwood said. “But when you are out there all alone and just the stars, it’s incredibly detached. There’s really nowhere left in the country to get this isolated.”

Of course, having access to Starlink means there is some connection out on the water — though, if you’re on duty, you’re too focused to care. If you’re not, you’re probably resting.

“There’s definitely parts I’m going to hate,” he said. “There’s parts I’m going to be asking myself, ‘Why am I doing this? Why am I here?’ But it’s just such an awesome team sport. When I go off watch, I’m trusting the other guys to keep sailing, keep racing, to keep us safe, to keep the boat moving fast. We get to detach from the world.”

Starting at noon on Friday, Kevin Sherwood will be sailing down the Chesapeake Bay on a 753-mile voyage to Bermuda.
(WTOP/John Domen)

WTOP/John Domen

a man in blue polo smiles at the camera from viewer's left of a sailboat. — Fairfax County resident Kevin Sherwood’s boat is one of 21 in this year’s Annapolis to Bermuda Oceans Race, or A2B.
(WTOP/John Domen)

a man in a blue polo stands beneath a large sailboat

For how long is anyone’s guess. Weather and winds will determine the time it takes to get there.

“If conditions are amazing, we’ll get in on Tuesday,” he said. “If conditions are great, Wednesday. If they’re average, Thursday, and if they’re terrible, Friday.”

Those following from home can track Sherwood and everyone else in the race online. Whenever he arrives, he said workers on the docks will have a “Dark n’ Stormy” — one of Bermuda’s national drinks — waiting for them.

He’ll also be hoping to be handed a trophy he can sail back with, but that’s not the most important thing right now.

“There’s a point of pride just for completing this; 753 miles of ocean sailing is a big deal,” he said.

“So, yeah, I mean, I want to do well, but my first goal is just to make it back here safely in two and a half weeks. My next goal is to make it to Bermuda safely. Then my third goal is to finish well and get a podium finish again.”

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