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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Friday, November 19, 2021:
In a multiple week-long investigation, several candidates in the recent statewide elections told VPM News they experienced both overt and subtle racism, sexism, and Islamophobia while campaigning this year. Meg Schiffres reports.
Jury deliberations will begin today in the trial against white nationalists who planned the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. In their closing arguments, attorneys tried to prove the organizers intended to commit racially-motivated violence at the rally. Whittney Evans reports.
Some voters in Chesterfield County woke up yesterday in a soon-to-be new district. That’s because the Board of Supervisors approved a new magisterial map. In a 4 to 1 vote, supervisors chose a map that adjusted the Matoaca, Midlothian and Clover Hill districts. Clover Hill gained over 7,000 voters, while the Dale district took on almost 4,000. Chair Jim Holland of the Dale district -- and the lone Democrat on the board -- was the no vote. He wanted more time for public input. The proposal drew criticism from groups, like the local democratic committee and NAACP, that say the map favors Republican incumbents and packs people of color into the one district.
The James River Association’s 2021 State of the James report card found overall river health slightly decreased. As Patrick Larsen reports, the study says toxic runoff from increasingly heavy rainfall is responsible.
New security measures will be in place at two Hopewell schools after the Thanksgiving holiday. This comes after several safety incidents in recent weeks, including students bringing weapons to campus. At a meeting this week, the Hopewell School Board unanimously agreed to install 6 metal detectors at Hopewell High School and Carter G. Woodson Middle School, according to the Progress Index. Additional measures include installing more cameras at the entrances and exits at the middle school, and hiring two more school resource officers.
