Virginia
Youngkin halts bill inspired by Virginia Beach teen that would remove Confederacy-related tax exemptions
An amendment from Gov. Glenn Youngkin would halt a bill intended to remove real estate-related tax exemptions from several organizations with ties to the Confederacy, instead requiring the measure to undergo a study and another vote next year.
The governor’s recommendation would direct the Virginia Department of Taxation to examine the effect of removing the exemptions on state and local government revenues. It states the department will submit a report of its findings to the House and Senate finance committees by Nov. 1. The legislation would not take effect unless reenacted by the General Assembly in 2025.
Del. Alex Askew, D-Virginia Beach, and Sen. Angelia Williams Graves, D-Norfolk, each carried the bill in their respective chambers. Askew called the governor’s proposal “unacceptable.”
“This is about fairness and fiscal responsibility,” he wrote Tuesday on social media. “We shouldn’t delay aligning our code with our values and vision for the Commonwealth.”
The final version of the bill that passed the legislature would remove tax exemptions for real and personal property owned by the Virginia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the General Organization of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society and Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Incorporated.
In response to the governor’s amendment, UDC President General Jinny Widowski released a statement condemning the “continued harassment” of the organization.
“The General Assembly of Virginia is the entity that required us to exist when they asked our ancestors to go to war and defend their borders,” she wrote. “The biggest difference between the men we honor through our organization’s efforts and today’s politicians is, when the going got tough, our ancestors were willing to die for Virginia.”
The UDC is a national nonprofit dedicated to honoring the memory of those who served in the Confederacy. The organization’s website lists several priorities, including marking locations “made historic by Confederate valor” and preserving materials for a “truthful history of the War Between the States.”
Simone Nied, a junior at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach, prompted the push to remove the tax breaks.
Nied previously explained that her father, an attorney, mentioned the tax exemption the UDC receives over dinner one night two years ago after running across it in the state code. It piqued her interest because she didn’t understand why the state would support an organization that glorifies the Confederacy. The teenager then reached out to legislators to share her concerns.
The General Assembly will reconvene next week to take up the governor’s vetoes and amendments.
Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com
Virginia
Record blue catfish caught on Ohio River in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (KDKA) — A woman caught a blue catfish that was more than 4 feet long and weighed over 64 pounds, breaking West Virginia’s state length record.
Kimberly Feltner of Madison, Indiana, reeled in the massive catch on the Ohio River last month, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources said. She caught it at the R.C. Byrd Pool using cut mooneye bait.
Coming in at 50.82, the catch surpassed the previous record length of 50.7 inches, set in 2022. It didn’t beat the weight record though. Feltner’s blue catfish weighed 64.15 pounds, falling short of the 69.45 pound record.
“With record-breaking catch after record-breaking catch, it’s no surprise that West Virginia’s world-class fishing continues to attract anglers from all over,” Gov. Jim Justice said in a news release. “I want to congratulate Kimberly Feltner on this amazing catch. It’s yet another example of why folks love coming to West Virginia to fish.”
West Virginia has reported nine record-breaking catches so far this year. In one case, an angler broke the black crappie length record but it was short-lived because his fishing buddy quickly caught an even bigger one the same day.
“Anglers have broken West Virginia’s blue catfish record multiple times over the last few years, which is a testament to the successful management efforts we’ve implemented,” WVDNR director Brett McMillion said in a press release. “We’re excited to see what other records might be broken as resident and non-resident anglers continue to hear about our waters consistently producing trophy fish.”
Virginia
Animals rescued from Helene come to Virginia – The River 95.3
While first responders are working to save lives in the recovery from Helene additional teams are working to rescue animals from the Carolinas.
Nearly 100 animals were delivered to Homeward Trails in Delaplaine and Fairfax station October 1 according to Northern Virginia Magazine.
The coordinated rescue effort involves teams in the Carolinas preparing the pets for transport to Richmond and volunteer drivers ready to take them to Northern Virginia.
The challenge lies in logistics in an area with no cell service or internet with flooded roads and the needs of local shelters according to WTOP.
Shelters were already taxed to the limit that coupled with a natural disaster creates and even harder problem.
Volunteers and more importantly foster homes are needed to help with these animals along with supplies.
If you can help at all contact Homeward Trails to support them in anyway you can.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Virginia
Northern Virginia's most dangerous streets revealed: new study
ARLINGTON, Va. – A new report is highlighting some of Northern Virginia’s most dangerous streets in an effort to raise awareness about traffic safety for both pedestrians and drivers.
One of the streets identified in the report is Wilson Blvd, where pedestrians often face “close calls.” Earlier in the day, residents of other areas listed in the survey shared their thoughts on the situation.
“I play chicken here,” said Parker Canada, who lives in Ballston. “You have to lean out and walk to make sure no car is coming.”
Another Arlington resident added, “I’m kind of looking at the driver, trying to make eye contact to make sure they see me.”
Pedestrians in the Virginia Square neighborhood also expressed concerns, saying they use extra caution when crossing the street. North Quincy Street was identified as one of Arlington’s most dangerous areas for “near misses” involving pedestrians, according to a survey by Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets.
“We’re trying to capture real-time information about where danger still exists,” said Mike Doyle, founder of Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets. “We take this information to the transportation and street design people, the police, and use it in our advocacy with politicians.”
The survey collected data from Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax between January 2023 and June 2024. It found that the top three locations for near-miss crashes involving speeding or failure to yield were Beulah Street in Fairfax, Wilson Blvd in Arlington, and Mt. Vernon in Alexandria.
Other areas like Columbia Pike and Duke Street didn’t make the list due to challenges in getting underserved communities to participate in the survey, which Doyle says is crucial for preventing crashes. He pointed out that Richmond Hwy South is a known “crash zone.”
Last week, FOX 5 covered a fatal hit-and-run on Richmond Highway near Woodlawn Trail, which left one man dead. While local transportation departments are working to improve traffic safety by reducing speed limits, Doyle emphasized that a community-wide effort is needed.
“Slow it down, be a little courteous, and we can save lives,” Doyle said.
Canada agreed, urging drivers to be more attentive. “Stay off the phone, look out for pedestrians, especially at night,” he said.
Northern Virginia Families for Safe Streets divided the summary report into three regions:
Check out the Near Miss and Dangerous Locations Dashboard here.
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