October 3, 2020 - The Virginia Star

COVID-19 at Virginia Colleges and Universities: What Do the Numbers Say?

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Jacob Taylor

As many colleges and universities in Virginia continue on with in-person instruction for the 2020 fall semester during the coronavirus pandemic, the schools’ COVID-19 dashboards offer insights into how the pandemic is affecting those institutions.

Since the global pandemic hit the United States back in March, more and more schools have created online COVID dashboards that present a plethora of data on total tests, case counts, positivity percentage and 7-day moving averages for positive tests.

Commentary: Economic Bounce Back Continues with 14.1 Million More Jobs Recovered Since April

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Another 275,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy in the month of September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) household survey, and 661,000 in the establishment survey, adding to the miraculous economic recovery that has taken place since COVID-19 lockdowns this spring as now states and businesses continue reopening at a rapid clip.

Biden Says He and Jill Tested Negative for COVID-19

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has tested negative for coronavirus, following President Donald Trump’s announcement that both he and First Lady Melania Trump were positive for the virus.

Both Joe and his wife, Jill Biden, have not been infected by COVID-19, according to a Friday afternoon tweet from the candidate.

A Number of Democrats Have Attacked Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett for Her Faith

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A number of Democratic lawmakers and liberal media figures have attacked Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett for her Catholic beliefs.

The Catholic mother of seven first came under fire for her Catholic faith at her 2017 confirmation hearings, when Democratic senators suggested that her beliefs might make her unfit to serve as a federal judge.

Steve Bannon Presents: President Trump and the CCP Virus

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

An all new LIVE STREAM of War Room: Pandemic starts at 9 a.m. Central Time on Saturday.

Former White House Chief Strategist Stephen K. Bannon began the daily War Room: Pandemic radio show and podcast on January 25, when news of the virus was just beginning to leak out of China around the Lunar New Year. Bannon and co-hosts bring listeners exclusive analysis and breaking updates from top medical, public health, economic, national security, supply chain and geopolitical experts weekdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon ET.

Commentary: The Biden-Harris Billionaires

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Last year, as the Democratic nomination fight fired up, America’s billionaires endured a short-lived social leprosy.

As they always have done, then-frontrunners Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) railed against the ruling class. Yet, this time the class warfare rhetoric found succour not only among convincing swathes of left-leaning Americans, but even some of the Right’s most notable such as Tucker Carlson.

661,000 Jobs Added in September, Less Than Expected

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The U.S. economy added 661,000 jobs in September, while unemployment fell to 7.9%, according to Department of Labor data released Friday.

Total non-farm payroll employment rose by 661,000 in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, and the number of unemployed persons fell by 1 million to 12.6 million.

UK, EU Leaders to Discuss Brexit, Free Trade Talks

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 The Associated Press

The European Union and Britain said Friday that wide gaps remained in their fraught talks on a rudimentary trade agreement following the Brexit divorce and called for intensified negotiations before a deadline in a couple of weeks.

Second Debate Moderator Steve Scully Interned for Joe Biden

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

C-SPAN’s Steve Scully, who is scheduled to moderate the next presidential debate, formerly interned for 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced in September that Scully, C-SPAN’s senior executive producer and political editor, would moderate the second presidential debate in early September. The debate is scheduled to take place October 15 in Miami, Florida.

High Profile Dems Openly Pine for the Death of Trump and Melania in Wake of COVID Diagnoses

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Two high profile Obama flunkies, and countless other Democrats have allowed their masks to slip, exposing their hateful and deranged characters in the wake of news that the president and first lady tested positive for COVID-19.

Ironically, the former Obama staffers—both of whom specialize in strategic communications—deleted their tweets.

Congressman Rob Wittman Talks About His Newport News Reception, the Campaign, and the President’s Recent Positive Coronavirus Test Result

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Julie Carr

Friday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks welcomed Virginia’s First District Rep. Rob Wittman to the show to discuss his big endorsement by Trump and Pence at the Newport News rally and the president’s COVID positive test results.

Former FBI Official Proposes ‘Bipartisan Commission’ to Vet Presidential Candidates Like Trump

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

A former top FBI official on Thursday proposed that a “bipartisan commission” be created to vet presidential candidates so people like President Trump can never be elected again.

“We got this wrong, and this can’t happen again,” said Frank Figliuzzi, who was briefly the assistant director of the FBI under President Obama.

Chinese-State-Run Media Chief Says Trump and Melania ‘Paid The Price’ for Downplaying Coronavirus

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

The editor-in-chief of a Chinese state-run media outlet said in a tweet Friday that President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump “paid the price” for downplaying the coronavirus pandemic after both tested positive.

“President Donald Trump and the first lady have paid the price for his gamble to play down the COVID-19. The news shows the severity of the US’ pandemic situation,” Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times, said in a Twitter post on Friday.

TRUMPDATE: Latest From the Team Trump Virginia Campaign for October 3

October 3, 2020October 3, 2020 Jordan Bondurant

Welcome to the Saturday edition of our daily Virginia Trump campaign update! We will provide our readers with daily updates on the Trump Virginia campaign from today to November 3 (and after…if need be!).

It’s officially 31 days until the election on November 3 – and 28 days until early voting in Virginia closes. The deadline to register to vote in time for the 2020 election is October 13.

USB Drives Used to Program Philadelphia Voting Machines Have Been Stolen from City Warehouse

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Memory sticks that are used to program Philadelphia voting machines have been stolen along with a worker’s laptop, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The outlet reported that assurances have been made that the thefts from a city warehouse will not impair the integrity of the elections.

Virginia House and Senate Pass Another Bill to Further Decriminalize Marijuana

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Corinne Murdock

Virginia’s House and Senate passed another bill further decriminalizing marijuana. Under the bill, the drug’s scent would no longer be a sufficient cause for searching a vehicle.
The House passed the bill in a 51-45 vote. On Friday, the Senate approved to substitute some of the language of the bill.

Passionately Catholic: The Choice Is Yours

October 3, 2020November 18, 2020 Virginia Star Staff

Ponder this…

We make choices every day, whether or not to press the snooze button in the morning is but one of the choices we make each day. Most choices like pressing the snooze button seem inconsequential, but if pressing the snooze button makes you late for work and potentially threatens your job and your livelihood, the snooze button option becomes a bad choice.

Senate Passes $134B Budget Bill Allocating Funds for Local COVID-19 Relief, Criminal Justice and Policing Reforms and Law Enforcement Bonuses

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Jacob Taylor

The Senate passed its $134 billion budget on Friday with funding for criminal justice and police reforms, bonuses for law enforcement, coronavirus relief payments for local school divisions and language eviction and utility disconnect moratoriums.

Senate Bill (SB) 5015 passed the Senate by a vote of (Y-24 N-15) with three Republican members voting alongside their Democratic colleagues on the prevailing side.

NASA Launch Visible Across Virginia Friday Night

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Eric Burk

NASA launched a Northrop Grumman Antares rocket from its Wallops Island facility on Friday evening; the launch was visible across much of eastern and central Virginia. The rocket will send a Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station with a $23 million experimental toilet, other hardware, and food resupplies including garlic, apples, brie cheese and dark chocolate covered cranberries.

SCC Denies Northam’s Request to Extend Utility Shutoff Moratorium

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Eric Burk

The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) denied Governor Ralph Northam’s Thursday request to again extend a moratorium on utilities shutoffs until December. The moratorium will end October 5. The SCC had previously warned that they would not consider any further extensions.

Voice of Reason: Stephen K. Bannon Encourages Trump and His Administration to Maintain Business as Usual

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Julie Carr

Friday morning on The John Fredericks Show, host Fredericks welcomed political strategist Stephen K. Bannon back to the show to discuss how the Trump administration should handle the president’s coronavirus situation.

COVID-19 Crushed Sales Tax Revenue, but Online Sales Helped a Little

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Eric Burk

Virginia’s fiscal year 2020 sales tax revenue performed well all the way up until April 2020 when sales tax revenue decreased 0.4 percent from April 2019; May saw sales tax revenue drop 12.5 percent from May 2019, indicating harm to Virginia’s retailers. At the same time, online sales were booming.

Charlottesville City Council Moves Forward with Relocating ‘Disrespectful’ Lewis & Clark and Sacagawea Statue

October 3, 2020October 2, 2020 Corinne Murdock

The Charlottesville City Council convened on Wednesday to continue discussing plans for relocating the Lewis & Clark and Sacagawea statue.
Activists take issue with Sacagawea’s posture: she crouches behind Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, a positioning some say is demeaning for depicting the appearance of subservience.