Virginia has become the first Southern state to legalize marijuana.

Democrat Laurie Buchwald and Republican Travis Hackworth and are facing off to represent Virginia’s 38th Senate District. Map highlighting the District (Credit: Blizzardwind)Thousands of people in Southwest Virginia voted Tuesday to elect a new state senator. Republican Travis Hackworth defeated Democrat Laurie Buchwald in the special election for Virginia’s 38th District in the Senate of Virginia. Hackworth fills the vacancy left by the death of Sen. Ben Chafin, who died earlier this year due to complications after contracting COVID-19. The district covers Bland County, Buchanan County, Dickenson County, Russell County, Tazewell County, Pulaski County, Radford and parts of Smyth County, Wise County and Montgomery County.

The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing this afternoon about moving a Confederate monument. The public hearing is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing about tax rates for the next fiscal year. The board will also hold a public hearing about incorporating the amended Oak Grove Plan into the county’s Comprehensive Plan. AdThe Salem School Board could adopt the budget for the next fiscal year.

ROANOKE, Va – Voters across Southwest will head to the polls Tuesday to vote in a special election to replace Senator Ben Chafin, who died earlier this year from complications after contracting COVID-19. Ad“We need to work on making things equal for folks in Southwest Virginia to live like they are everywhere else, we don’t have Republican and Democratic children. The district in contention contains Bland County, Buchanan County, Dickenson County, Russell County, Tazewell County, Pulaski County, Radford and parts of Smyth County, Wise County and Montgomery County. Ad“We urge all of Southwest Virginia, regardless of party, to participate. Polls will be open to those who are eligible to vote in the special election from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

DUBLIN, Va. – UPDATEThe results are in, Travis Hackworth has won the Republican primary for Virginia’s 38th District. Hackworth raked in 1,932 votes and is replacing Sen. Ben Chafin, who died from COVID-19 complications on Jan. 1. In total, 5,485 people voted in the special election. A special election has been set for March 23 to fill the empty seat. The names on the GOP ballot included Jony Baker, Dhad Dotson, Travis Hackworth, Elijah Leonard, Kimberly Lowe and Tamara Neo.

Ralph Northam outlined his plans to legalize marijuana and announced his intention to give teachers a raise Wednesday during an annual address to state lawmakers. Ralph Northam outlined his plans to legalize marijuana and announced his intention to give teachers a raise Wednesday during an annual address to state lawmakers. “Tonight I have good news: revenues look good, and we’re going to have more money than we thought,” Northam said. GOP lawmakers said their priorities this session would include boosting support for law enforcement and pushing to get schools back to offering in-person instruction. He also announced plans to remove a statue of segregationist Harry Byrd, a former former Virginia governor and U.S.

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia lawmakers are back at work, as the General Assembly reconvened Wednesday afternoon amid threats of violence in the coming days at the state capitol in Richmond. As with the special session last fall, the House is meeting virtually, while the Senate is meeting at the Science Museum of Virginia. It was a somber start to the regular session Wednesday morning, as lawmakers honored the life of senator Ben Chafin, who died earlier this month after contracting COVID-19. [Date set for special election to fill seat of late Virginia Senator Ben Chafin]Each senator laid a rose on a desk draped in black to honor the late senator from southwest Virginia. Losing a colleague to COVID-19 added importance to the issue that’s top of mind for lawmakers right now.

2021 State of the Commonwealth AddressHere’s my favorite example—the Virginia State Troopers who protected the Capitol of the United States during the insurrection last week. 2021 State of the Commonwealth AddressInvesting in education includes giving teachers a pay bonus. 2021 State of the Commonwealth AddressFor all of these reasons, the death penalty is much less common in Virginia than before. 2021 State of the Commonwealth AddressAnd in our nation’s capital, we have removed the Confederate statue that represented Virginia for more than a century. 2021 State of the Commonwealth AddressYou can watch Northam’s 2020 address below:

In this Friday, Feb. 28, 2020 file photo, Virginia State Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, listens to debate on the floor of the Senate during the session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)RICHMOND, Va. – We now know when Virginians will head to the polls and fill a currently vacant Virginia Senate seat. Ralph Northam announced that a special election in the 38th Senate District will happen on March 23 to fill the seat held by Sen. Ben Chafin before his death on Jan. 1. The last day for candidates to file to appear on the ballot is January 22, 2021. Information regarding candidacy requirements can be found on the Department of Elections website. This district contains Bland County, Buchanan County, Dickenson County, Russell County, Tazewell County, Pulaski County, Radford and parts of Smyth County, Wise County and Montgomery County.

The U.K. has reached a record of more than 57,000 daily coronavirus cases. The state reported 9,527 confirmed cases on New Year’s Day. Andrew Cuomo says the state has recorded more than 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began. California started the new year on Friday with a record 585 coronavirus deaths in a single day. ___WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation has reported 266 confirmed coronavirus cases and seven more deaths.

Virginia state Sen. Ben Chafin, 60, died Friday from complications due to COVID-19, the senator’s office confirmed. The Republican senator, who represented the 38th district, including several counties in the southwest, first served in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2013. He was then elected to the state Senate in 2014. Chafin leaves behind a wife, three children and two grandchildren. No other details were immediately released.

PULASKI COUNTY, Va – It’s been 40 years since Radford University student Gina Renee Hall was murdered. Bodmer is working to change Virginia’s parole laws with the help of state legislators who are considering Senate Bill 5103, sponsored by Senator Ben Chafin. The bill, introduced this week during the special session, has become better known as Gina’s Bill. If it becomes a law, it would set standards for Virginia’s parole board that convicted murders would not be eligible for parole without disclosing where their victim’s body is located. Gina’s Bill is set to be considered by the Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services on Friday.