Virginia Living – Page 2

Military & foreign service spouses exempt from federal return-to-work order

16Feb

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

News, Popular

Military & foreign service spouses exempt from federal return-to-work order

Federal employees married to active-duty service members and U.S. Foreign Service members working overseas are exempt from President Trump’s return to work order, according to guidance issued by the U.S. Office of Personal Management (OPM) on Wednesday. That OPM memo also made clarified that federal employers can continue to offer remote jobs to military spouse in those categories. “Agencies should accordingly ensure that their return-to-office plans categorically exempt all military spouses authorized to engage in remote work,” the memo to agency and department heads stated. SAVE ON PURCHASES! GET BETTER DELIVERY OPTIONS! Military spouses covered by this guidance include spouses of members performing full-time National Guard duties, the memo states. It includes spouses of ...

Why Virginia’s 2025 minimum wage hike is only $.41

2Jan

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

Biz & Life

Why Virginia’s 2025 minimum wage hike is only $.41

As of January 1, Virginia’s minimum wage inched up from $12 to $12.41 giving a full-time, minimum wage employee an additional $65.60 a month based on a 40-hour work week. Virginia’s minimum wage could have increased to $15 an hour this year. During the 2024 session, the General Assembly voted in favor of the higher increase, but the final call was made by Governor Youngkin who vetoed the bill. The governor said, “The free market for salaries and wages works.” He claimed the increase would be detrimental for small businesses across the state, except perhaps in Northern Virginia. "A one-size-fits-all mandate ignores the vast economic and geographic differences and undermines the ability to adapt to regional cost-of-living differences and market dynamics,” the governor stated. But...

Virginia Supreme Court decision a ‘win’ for dog hunters, says AG

27Sep

By watchfuleyeNo Comments

Biz & Life, News

Virginia Supreme Court decision a ‘win’ for dog hunters, says AG

Like the lower courts, Virginia’s Supreme Court sided with the State in a dog hunting lawsuit. Three property owners, including a Dinwiddie farmer, the owner of a Chesterfield horse boarding business, and the operator of a recreational hunting operation in Halifax were suing the Department of Wildlife Resources over the Right to Retrieve law. That law allows hunters to go onto private property unannounced and without permission to retrieve their hunting dogs. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claimed they experienced “routine invasions” by dogs and hunters. They claimed hunting dogs chased, spooked, and killed their animals, and the situation also interfered with the operation of their businesses and resulted in lost clients. The property owners also claimed that the situation infrin...

No swimming at 5 Norfolk beaches, per the health dept.

5Sep

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Biz & Life, News

No swimming at 5 Norfolk beaches, per the health dept.

During a swimming advisory beachgoers should not enter the water, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Norfolk Department of Public Health issued swimming advisories for five of the city’s beaches, yesterday, Sept. 4, including: 5th Bay North Community Beach Ocean View Park 10th View 13th View The advisories were issued after testing conducted yesterday found elevated levels of enterococci bacteria. An advisory is issued if the bacteria levels exceed 104 (MPN/100 mL of water), VDH explains. Ocean View Park, the worst of the results, was four times the acceptable level at 457 and 10th View wasn’t far behind at 408, according to VDH reporting. Enterococci bacteria aren’t harmful themselves, but they are an indicator for fecal contamination, which poses...

Richlands gets $2 million grant for energy project that’ll save residents an avg. of $1,500

22Aug

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News

Richlands gets $2 million grant for energy project that’ll save residents an avg. of $1,500

Richlands was awarded $2 million for an energy project that’s supposed to substantially lower residents’ energy bills. Richlands is a town that owns and operates an electric utility, which serves roughly 2,500 people. Currently, Richlands claims to be purchasing energy from American Municipal Power at wholesale rates and providing it to customers “at very competitive rates.” In recent years, residents beg to differ on the claim of competitive rates. In 2022, News Channel 11 did a segment titled “Richland residents furious over expensive utility rates” after rates jumped 20% in two years. “We’re running businesses out, running residents out. We have people who are getting their electricity and water turned off because they can’t afford to pay such high rates. And everybody mirrored...

Schools, retailers, & players benefit from record year for Virginia Lottery, reports Youngkin

10Aug

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Biz & Life, Business, News

Schools, retailers, & players benefit from record year for Virginia Lottery, reports Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin is celebrating a record year for Virginia Lottery that reportedly resulted in record benefits for schools, retailers, and players. Although the exact figures aren't final, Youngkin’s office announced that, during Fiscal Year 2024, which ended June 30, Virginia Lottery had record sales of over $5.5 billion including retail, website, and app sales. “Approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s K-12 education budget comes from Virginia Lottery profits that assist in funding public schools,” a statement from the Governor said. The record sales will lead to over $934 million for the state’s education system. According to Younkin’s office that’s the highest education contribution in the Lottery’s 36-year history. “I am so thrilled these record profits will help prov...

2 new hunting dog regulations are proposed, comment period open

23May

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Biz & Life, News

2 new hunting dog regulations are proposed, comment period open

Virginia DWR reported that, during the past year, 2002 of 6128 total calls for service for hunting complaints mentioned dogs . By far, the most common complaint was hunting dogs on private land without landowner permission. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has opened public comment on two proposed hunting dog regulations to address hunting dogs on other people’s property. GPS tracking rule One new regulation DWR has on the table would require GPS tracking for hunting dogs used to pursue deer and bears. According to the proposed language, GPS tracking would be required for any unrestrained dog from casting until recovery. The wording acknowledges that signal loss can come into play but requires hunters to start tracking again when a signal can be reacquired. Accor...

21May

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News, What & Where

Win elk tour & stay in State Park cabin in ‘Virginia Elk Experience Sweepstakes’

Since 2012, Virginia has been working to rebuild the state’s elk population. According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources there is now a thriving herd of over 250 elk, most in close proximity to the restoration site in Buchanan County. DWR is currently running the Virginia Elk Experience Sweepstakes offering two winners the chance for a guided elk tour and a 2-night cabin stay at a state park in southwest Virginia. Those interested in entering the sweepstakes can visit the DWR website and purchase a single entry for $15, 7 entries for $75 or 15 entries for $125. As long as you’re at least 18 years old, you can submit as many entries as you like. DWR is offering two prizes packages. The larger package, includes items, such as two electric bikes, hot rod rentals, Gosky...

Virginia landowners offered free riparian buffers & maintenance while funds last

15May

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Biz & Life, News

Virginia landowners offered free riparian buffers & maintenance while funds last

Virginia property owners can have riparian forest buffers installed and for free under the new Riparian Forest for Landowners Program. The offer, which includes, planning, site preparation, planting, and one year of maintenance is available to private property owners include property associations, homeowner associations, and civic leagues. It’s also available in rural, urban and suburban areas. Planting Locations The buffer offered through the Riparian Forest for Landowners Program can be installed on open land adjacent to a water feature where a forested buffer of at least 35 feet in width from the water’s edge can be planted. An existing buffer may be expanded up to 300 feet from the water’s edge. The water feature may be any of the following bodies of water: Streams R...