September 2020 - Page 8 of 11 - The Virginia Star

United States Has Revoked Over 1,000 Visas for ‘Security Risks’ from China

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Since June, over 1,000 Chinese nationals located in the United States have had their visas revoked after being labeled national security risks, as reported by CNN.
The State Department released a statement on Wednesday addressing the matter, revealing that the initiative had specifically targeted “graduate students and research scholars” at various American universities who had been determined to be “high-risk,” and were thus removed from the country.

California Fire That Killed Three Threatens Thousands of Homes

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020 The Associated Press

A Northern California wildfire threatened thousands of homes Thursday after winds whipped it into a monster that incinerated houses in a small mountain community and killed at least three people.

Several other people have been critically burned and hundreds, if not thousands, of homes and other buildings are believed to have been damaged or destroyed by the fire in the foothills of the northern Sierra Nevada, authorities said.

Virginia Del. Glenn Davis Announces His Run for Lieutenant Governor

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredericks welcomed Glenn Davis to the program to announce his run for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and discuss a Democrat bill that would crush small businesses in his state.

Senate Passes Omnibus Police Reform Legislation

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Senate passed its omnibus policing reform bill on Thursday, which encompasses other already introduced legislation and covers many hotbed issues relating to law enforcement.

After over an hour of debate and Republicans voicing concerns, the Democratic majority passed the bill by a vote of 21-Y 19-N, right along party lines.

Steve Bannon Tells Trump: Stay On Message and You Win

September 11, 2020September 10, 2020 Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredericks welcomed Steve Bannon to the show to discuss the Bob Woodward interview and Trump’s record in response to the coronavirus and Bob Woodward interview.

Pence to VMI: We’ll Always Have Your Back

September 11, 2020September 11, 2020 Eric Burk

LEXINGTON, Virginia In a talk that was part campaign speech, part motivational lecture, Vice President Mike Pence spoke to over 1,800 people on Thursday at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). Pence emphasized the Trump administration’s support of the military and its families. He concluded with a charge to the cadets to lead through integrity.

New Unemployment Claims Fall Below 1 Million for Second Straight Week

September 10, 2020September 10, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

About 884,000 U.S. workers filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week, the second consecutive week that new claims fell below the million mark and the third time in about a month.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that the number of new claims filed in the week ending Sept. 5 was about the same as those who filed the week ending Aug. 29 – 884,000. The numbers from the week ending Aug. 29 were adjusted about by 3,000 from 881,000.

Senate Passes Two Parole Board Bills, Advances More Policing Reforms

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Senate on Wednesday passed two bills relating to the parole board and continued to advance more policing legislation.

The first bill on the Virginia Parole Board, introduced by Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham County), aims to provide the public with more transparency on the decisions made by requiring monthly reports on the inmates released and providing the felonies the prisoner was serving time for, among others.

Commentary: Polls Tighten in Battleground States After President Trump Gets Big Post-Convention Bump

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Donald Trump has received a definite bump in polls following the presidential nominating conventions, including his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination at the White House on Aug. 27.

The latest NBC-Marist poll conducted Aug. 31 to Sept. 6 shows President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden tied in Florida, 48 percent to 48 percent.

‘Walking Dead’ to be Laid to Rest in 2022, Spin-Offs to Rise

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 The Associated Press

The end is coming for “The Walking Dead,” but not until 2022.

The AMC series that became a franchise with current and planned spin-offs will wrap with an 11th season spanning 24 episodes and two years, the channel said Wednesday.

Biden Flip-Flops on Proposed National Mask Mandate, Says It Would Be Unconstitutional

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Sunday walked back his pledge to impose a national mask mandate, admitting he wouldn’t be able to use the powers of the presidency to make face-coverings compulsory because that would actually be unconstitutional.

Biden was asked to respond to President Trump’s policy of giving more authority to the states during an interview with AZFamily’s “Politics Unplugged.”

Trump Promises Navy, DOD Will ‘Not be Cancelling’ Contract with Catholic Priests

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Donald Trump promised Wednesday that neither the Navy nor the Department of Defense will cancel contracts with Catholic priests allowing serving military members.

“The United States Navy, or the Department of Defense, will NOT be cancelling its contract with Catholic Priests who serve our men and women in the Armed Forces so well, and with such great compassion & skill,” the president tweeted Wednesday morning, tagging the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan. “This will no longer be even a point of discussion!”

Commentary: If Biden Wins, China Wins—and America Loses

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The New York Times on Monday published a 3,100-word story headlined “Joe Biden’s China Journey.” The three reporters whose bylines appear on the article engage in a painfully obvious effort to explain away the former vice president’s long and cozy relationship with communist China. Now, at long last, they suggest, Biden is ready to get really tough on China. Tougher even than Trump.

Over Half of Double Voters in Georgia Primary Were Democrats, Secretary of State Announces

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The Georgia Secretary of State announced Tuesday that about 1,000 Georgians face investigation for voting twice in the state’s June 9 primary, and 58 percent of them were cast for Democrats. A Georgia voter must request a specific party ballot in the primary election.

“While the investigation is still ongoing, initial results show that of the partisan ballots at issue, approximately 58% were Democratic ballots,” a spokesman for Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told Breitbart News.

‘Unbearable Screams’: Uighurs Accuse China of Crimes Against Humanity, File International Court Complaint

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Two Uighur organizations filed a complaint against China in the International Criminal Court alleging crimes against humanity and repression of minorities.

The International Criminal Court complaint represents the first time members of the minority group have attempted to hold the Chinese government accountable for alleged repression policies, according to NBC News. Uighurs are a minority group of Muslim Turkic ethnicity numbering 11 million who mainly live in China’s Xinjiang region, according to BBC News.

Data Show Pandemic Contributing to Opioid Crisis, Local Health Experts Report ‘More Relapses’

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has contributed to rising drug-related deaths and the ever-worsening opioid crisis in the United States, according to health officials said local data.

Individuals battling opioid addiction have experienced increased stress due to isolation during the pandemic, according to health experts and data collected by the Wall Street Journal reported. Roughly 13% of American adults surveyed in June said they had started or increased drug use, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

Trump Releases List of 20 New Possible Supreme Court Picks

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 The Associated Press

Hoping to replicate a strategy that has long been seen as key to his appeal among conservative voters, President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced he is adding 20 names to a list of Supreme Court candidates that he’s pledged to choose from if he has future vacancies to fill.

NIH: Halted Vaccine Study Shows ‘No Compromises’ on Safety

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 The Associated Press

The suspension of a huge COVID-19 vaccine study over an illness in a single participant shows there will be “no compromises” on safety in the race to develop the shot, the chief of the National Institutes of Health told Congress on Wednesday.
AstraZeneca has put on hold studies of its vaccine candidate in the U.S. and other countries while it investigates whether a British volunteer’s illness is a side effect or a coincidence.

A Walk Through Downtown Portland

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Ben Kolodny

Portland has seen several months of demonstrations, fluctuating between protests and riots since the death of George Floyd. Downtown Portland has been scarred by the unrest with graffiti and wooden barricades protecting businesses evident across the area.

Music Spotlight: Highway Women

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Bethany Bowman

The Highway Women is an all-female country blend (country, rock, pop) music band like no other bringing a musical movement to support other women in country music and beyond. They are comprised of singers Kristen Kae, Drew Haley, Bailey James, and Heather Harper.

The group started in 2016 and has had various members since then, but the current group has been together for about a year. They don’t have a lead singer as they try to equally share the singing responsibilities.

Commentary: September 11 – Lest We Forget

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

As we approach the 19th anniversary of September 11, 2001 we should never forget the loss of 2,977 innocent American lives. Many were simply at their desks and had no idea that September 11 would be their last day on earth, while others such as brave first responders and the “Let’s Roll” passengers and crew of flight 93 who willingly sacrificed their lives so others might live.

U.S. Ambassador Jim Gilmore Weighs in on the Fraudulent Election in Belarus and the Resulting Peaceful Protests

September 10, 2020September 10, 2020 Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks welcomed special guest Jim Gilmore to discuss the protests due to a fraudulent election in Belarus and his statement at the OSCE this week.

Virginia State Senator Bryce Reeves Sees House Dems Using Saul Alinsky’s ‘Rules for Radicals’ Playbook

September 10, 2020September 10, 2020 Julie Carr

Wednesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks welcomed Bryce Reeves to the program.

UVA Workers Union Launches Fund to Provide Employees with PPE and Help Potential Furloughs

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Jacob Taylor

A campus workers union at the University of Virginia (UVA) has launched a mutual fund in order to provide university staff with personal protective equipment (PPE) and raise money in the form of an emergency fund for potential furloughs as in-person instruction began Tuesday.

The union, United Campus Workers of Virginia at UVA (UCWVA-UVA), announced the formation of the fund via press release.

Virtual Learning Outages Hit Many Virginia School Districts on First Day

September 10, 2020September 9, 2020 Eric Burk

School districts across Virginia struggled to cope with increased demand Tuesday, as thousands of virtual learning students logged on for their first day of classes. Districts including Chesterfield County Public Schools(CCPS), Virginia Beach City Public Schools(VBCPS), and Arlington Public Schools (APS) all suffered major system outages. Other districts reported a high volume of callers.

Hunter Biden-Tied Fund Helped Communist China Obtain a Michigan Auto Parts Maker

September 9, 2020September 9, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

As he was sewing up the Democrat nomination this spring, Joe Biden surprised many in foreign policy circles by publishing an essay arguing it was time to “get tough with China” and to stop its “robbing the United States and American companies of their technology and intellectual property.”

For Biden, a four-decade advocate of trade and friendly relations with Beijing, it was a stunning turnabout that signaled the Democrat was concerned President Trump was winning the election-year battle over U.S.-China policy as tensions in the South China Sea, a trade war, and growing espionage cases created a Cold War-like atmosphere with China.

Virginia Supreme Court Rejects Northam’s Eviction Moratorium Extension Request as CDC Implements New Order

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday said it will not extend Governor Northam’s order barring eviction notices and proceedings as a newly implemented federal eviction moratorium takes effect.

Northam asked the court for an extension of the temporary eviction order in a letter on Thursday, saying more time is needed to better understand the federal order and for the General Assembly to pass legislation to further protect Virginians.

Commentary: Joe Biden’s Rhetoric About Crime and Race Is Wrong – and Dangerous

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Freddrick Hadden was shot to death by a sheriff’s deputy in Burke County, Georgia. A habitual felon who had only recently been released from prison, Hadden had kidnapped his ex-wife at gunpoint. When Deputy Eric Madison pursued Hadden to a home near Hephzibah, the woman escaped Hadden’s vehicle. She was shot twice by Hadden before Deputy Madison returned fire, killing the kidnapper and saving the woman’s life.

House Revives and Passes Bill Ending Qualified Immunity for Virginia Law Enforcement Officers

September 9, 2020September 12, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The House on Tuesday reconsidered and passed House Bill 5013, a controversial measure that allows law enforcement officers to be held liable in court for actions taken while on duty without qualified immunity as a defense.

The bill was originally defeated by the House on Friday (47-Y 48-N 3-A) with several Democrats opposing their party to vote in opposition. The bill was also defeated last Monday in the Appropriations Committee before being reconsidered and advanced.

Navy Ends Catholic Masses on San Diego-Area Bases to Cut Costs

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The U.S. Navy has reportedly ended Catholic church services on San Diego-area bases for cost purposes, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The Navy declined to renew contracts with priests who were contracted to assist the Chaplain Corps, an active-duty group containing few Catholic clergy members, according to a Tribune report on Saturday. The new changes are from a national realignment announced in August.

DEPLORABLES 101: Steve Bannon Warns of the Democrats Transition Integrity Project to Steal the Election from Trump

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredericks welcomed former senior advisor to President Trump Steven K. Bannon to the show to discuss the Transition Integrity Project as configured by the Democratic Party to manipulate the 2020 election.

‘Senseless’: 51 Shot, 10 Dead in Bloody Chicago Labor Day Weekend, Child Among the Dead

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Dozens were shot and multiple people died over Labor Day weekend in Chicago as violence continues in the city, according to police.

A total of 51 people were hit by gunfire and 10 people died, Chicago police told ABC 7. An 8-year-old girl was shot fatally Monday in an SUV while waiting at a stoplight, authorities told the local outlet.

Trump Readying Potential Supreme Court Nominee List Including Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert Young

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 The Associated Press

President Donald Trump is preparing to again release a list of potential Supreme Court nominees, one that voters can compare to rival Joe Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the high court if given the chance.

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Trump’s list will be released soon. “I’m optimistic that you’ll see those SCOTUS picks in coming days,” Meadows said.

Pharmaceutical Companies Sign Joint Pledge Promising a Safe Coronavirus Vaccine as Public Confidence Dips

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Nine pharmaceutical companies signed a joint pledge Tuesday promising to prioritize safety and science regarding the development and distribution of a coronavirus vaccine.

The pledge is meant to counter declining public confidence in an eventual vaccine, Politico reported. An August CNN poll found that just over half of Americans would be willing to take a vaccine once developed, and a recent Politico poll found that over 60% of voters opposed the release of any vaccine that had not undergone full testing.

This Group Within Florida’s Latino Community Overwhelmingly Supports Trump, Poll Finds

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

President Donald Trump is winning the Cuban vote by large margins in one of the most contentious counties in Florida less than three months before Election Day, a new poll published Tuesday found.

Cuban-Americans in Florida’s Miami-Dade County support Trump over Biden by 38 points, according to a Bendixen & Amandi International poll. The poll, conducted Sept. 1 to Sept. 4, found the former vice president narrowly behind overall Hispanic voters in the county, with Trump leading 47% to 46%.

Kamala Harris Told Jacob Blake, Who Is Accused of Sexual Assault, She’s Proud of Him

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris told Jacob Blake Sunday that she is “proud of him,” his attorney said, though she did not address allegations of sexual assault leveled against Blake.

Harris, who is 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, visited with Blake at Wisconsin’s Froedtert Hospital Sunday while his family joined with them over the phone, according to a press statement released by Blake’s attorney Ben Crump.

California Fires Bring More Chopper Rescues, Power Shutoffs

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 The Associated Press

Helicopters rescued more people from wildfires Tuesday as flames chewed through bone-dry California after a scorching Labor Day weekend that saw a dramatic airlift of more than 200 people and ended with the state’s largest utility cutting power to 172,000 customers to try to prevent more blazes.

San Francisco Salon Owner Who Checked Pelosi Raises $300k to Stay Open

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 The Associated Press

The San Francisco hair salon owner who cried foul that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could get a wash-and-dry while her shop remained closed because of coronavirus restrictions says she’s received $300,000 in contributions.

Commentary: Yes, Vote Fraud Is Real

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Our friends at the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) have just released briefs detailing the massive level of vote fraud in the past two elections – especially in Democrat-controlled jurisdictions.

PILF has filed two court briefs documenting that double voting by the thousands happened in 2016-2018 in Georgia and North Carolina.

Founder and President of Legacy Republicans Alliance Corrin Rankin Witnesses a Black Voter Move to the Republican Party

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredericks welcomed Founder and President of Legacy Republicans Alliance Corrin Rankin to the show to discuss the increase of Black voters moving to the Republican Party.

VA Lt. Governor Candidate Democrat Sean Perryman Describes His First Time Race as an Elected Official

September 9, 2020September 9, 2020 Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host John Fredericks welcomed the President of Fairfax, Virginia’s Chapter of NAACP, and candidate for lieutenant governor Sean Perryman to the show to discuss his race for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

After City Manager Placed Police Chief On Leave, Portsmouth Ousts City Manager, City Attorney

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Eric Burk

Portsmouth City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton resigned Tuesday, one business day after she placed Police Chief Angela Greene on leave, and four months before she was scheduled to retire. That afternoon, in a special meeting, the Portsmouth City Council confirmed Pettis-Patton’s resignation and voted to fire City Attorney Solomon Ashby.

Richmond, Charlottesville City Councils Pass Gun Bans

September 9, 2020September 8, 2020 Eric Burk

Richmond and Charlottesville City Councils on Tuesday both unanimously passed ordinances banning firearms in city buildings, parks, and permitted events. Both cities had spent multiple meetings discussing the ramifications of their ordinances.

COVID-19 Helps Drive Restaurant Alcohol Sales Down Close to 20 Percent

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 Eric Burk

Alcohol sales at restaurants and similar business decreased 19 percent in the 2020 fiscal year, according to a press release from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC). At the same time, total ABC revenue, including licensee sales, increased by $117 million, driven by an increase in retail sales.

Commentary: America’s Clown Conference

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The latest act in the clown show that is the Big Ten Conference’s postponement of football this fall occurred on Thursday afternoon when Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer green-lighted high school football in the state.
Twitter erupted into paroxysms of hope, and the Internet haruspices crouched down to read the chicken entrails. Might the decision of this control-freak governor, who a little more than a week earlier had expressed glee that the Big Ten was scrubbing football for the fall, augur a reversal of opinion among decision makers in the Upper Midwest and thus a possible revocation of the conference suspension of fall sports?

Biology Textbooks Reference Too Many ‘White Men’ Washington Post Article States

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A recent Washington Post article lamented the fact that biology textbooks contain a disproportionate number of mentions of “white men.”
The article’s author, Bethany Brookshire, begins by referencing three of the most recognized contributors to modern biology, Charles Darwin, Carolus Linnaeus, and Gregor Mendel.

Trump Supporters Hold Rallies Across Country

September 8, 2020September 8, 2020 Ben Kolodny

Supporters of President Trump have held numerous rallies across the country this week.

Trump supporters in Oregon caravanned and rallied with hundreds of vehicles showing up for the event. The Oregon For Trump 2020 Labor Day Cruis Rally event page on Facebook received over 6000 responses with over a thousand people saying they would be attending.

Poll Reveals Growing Distrust in CDC and Media Over COVID Information

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

American voters’ trust in the national media and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide accurate information about the coronavirus pandemic has plummeted since March, according to a CBS poll published Sunday.

Roughly 54% of voters trust the CDC for reliable information about the virus, a 30 percentage point drop from March, when 86% of voters said the same thing, the CBS poll showed. Fewer voters also trust the national media to provide good information about coronavirus, or COVID, according to the poll, which was conducted between Sept. 2-4 and sampled 2,493 registered voters nationwide.

Trump, Biden Spar Over Economy, Workers in Labor Day Blitz

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 The Associated Press

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and President Donald Trump spent Monday diminishing each other’s credentials on the economy and understanding of the American worker as the presidential campaign entered its final, post-Labor Day stretch.

While workers live by an “American code,” Biden said Trump “lives by a code of lies, greed and selfishness” as he met with labor leaders in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a key swing state. Trump, meanwhile, tried to put the halting economic recovery under the best light in a White House press conference where he said Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, would “destroy this country and would destroy this economy.”

Assistant Principal on Administrative Leave After Expletive-Laced Facebook Video Surfaces

September 8, 2020September 7, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A New York assistant principal has been placed on administrative leave after he recorded himself at Rochester protests screaming “F-k the police,” video shows.
Ninth-grade Advanced Placement school teacher Steven Lysenko attended Rochester protests where he took a Facebook Live video of himself screaming about police while wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt in a video, the New York Post reported. Lysenko did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.