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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Wednesday, June 23, 2021:
- Gov. Ralph Northam is still fighting litigation to remove the Robert E. Lee statue on Monument Avenue, but he’s already setting his sights on another part of the monument: A copper box in the pedestal that’s housing artifacts from the 1880’s. Alan Rodriguez Espinoza reports.
- ADIAH ack
- Virginia Del. Dave LaRock repeatedly echoed former President Donald Trump’s false claims of election fraud. As Ben Paviour reports, now the Loudoun County Republican is fighting to stay on the ballot after a paperwork delay.
- An additional weekly payment of $180 could be coming to people who received unemployment insurance during the pandemic and who get a new job. A bipartisan bill called the “Support for New Workers Act”, introduced by Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger, would help cover employee costs when transitioning to that new job. The $180 payments would start upon hiring and go until September — or a maximum of nine weeks. The new legislation wouldn’t change current benefits available to unemployed workers.
- For the second time in history, the argument for D.C. statehood made it to a Senate Committee. Colleen Grablick, from our partner station WAMU, has more.
- The shuttered Southside Speedway is on the verge of getting a makeover. Closed since last December due to the pandemic, the 41 acres is set to be bought by Chesterfield’s Economic Development Authority. The Board of Supervisors will vote to approve a transfer of $5 million to the EDA at today’s meeting. According to the Chesterfield Observer, while officials say there are no plans for the former stock-car racetrack, the land could be used to enhance access to the Rivercity Sportsplex which is nearby.
