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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Thursday, March 25, 2021:
Gov. Ralph Northam signed into law yesterday a bill that will end the death penalty in Virginia. Advocates praised the signing, saying capital charges were disproportionately brought against Black defendants.
While Donald Trump has only been out of office for two months, he’s already back on the airwaves in Virginia. Multiple gubernatorial candidates are tying their fortunes to the former president, ahead of a GOP nominating convention in May.
Many Virginians are still being hospitalized for COVID-19. As of yesterday, theVirginia Hospital and Healthcare Association is reporting 79% of intensive care beds are occupied. About 3,200 inpatient beds are available, while less than 1,000 Virginians are currently hospitalized. Of the state’s 2,900 ventilators, 25% are in use.
Richmond and Henrico are getting a $600,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. They’re hoping to use the federal money to repurpose or re-develop properties that are potentially polluted.
- Virginia Commonwealth University may not raise tuition for the next school year, citing the financial impacts of the pandemic on students. It would be the third year in a row VCU doesn’t increase undergraduate tuition, and the second time in three years it froze tuition for graduate students. The freeze is part of the university’s budget proposal, which is set to be voted on by the VCU Board of Visitors in May.
