Local (to the DMV) News and Events

[Cooked Crack]

 

[China]

Somehow, I'm just hearing about this...

 

Freight train derails into Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, destroys walking bridge

 

A freight train crossing the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry in West Virginia derailed early Saturday morning, crashing into the water and damaging the bridge, according to multiple reports.

 

The CSX train derailed on the Maryland side of the railroad bridge around 3 a.m., WUSA reported. Washington County dispatchers said two empty railroad cars derailed and plummeted into the river, the television station reported.

 

 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[China]

Amid financial issues, The Newseum in D.C. closes its doors

 

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – As 2019 comes to an end, so does the tenure of a Washington-based museum dedicated to journalism and the role the profession has played in major events throughout history.

 

The Newseum closed its doors Tuesday due to ongoing financial issues.

 

For more than a decade, it gave visitors a close-up look at the Berlin Wall, 9/11 coverage, the FBI, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs and more. Many people from around the country stood in line to get a last glimpse of the exhibits before the location closes.

 

“I love walking through the whole line and seeing the whole thing,” said Cindy Slattery, a visitor from Maryland.

 

The Newseum in Washington, D.C. has welcomed visitors each day for more than 10 years with a display of newspaper front pages from all 50 U.S. states and countries around the world.

 

“You find out what matters to people all over,” said Slattery.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Cooked Crack]

 

[Cooked Crack]

 

 

[China]

New law could allow drinking while shopping in Virginia

 

VA (WHTM) — A proposed law in Virginia could expand an open-container alcohol law to smaller shopping centers.

 

Right now only four shopping centers in Virginia let people buy a drink at a restaurant or bar, then go walking around with the drink in a special cup.

 

WJLA says currently, only developments on at least 25 acres can apply for what’s called a “Commercial lifestyle center license.”

 

A bill recently introduced in the Virginia General Assembly would shrink the required acreage down to 10. That would let smaller shopping centers apply for the licenses.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[PleaseBlitz]

What are the 4 current ones??

[TheGoodBits]

26 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said:

What are the 4 current ones??

From a different article... 

 

“Right now there are only a few shopping centers in Northern Virginia that have active “commercial lifestyle center licenses,” which allow shoppers to purchase alcohol in a restaurant and take it outside while walking around the development. Those include Fairfax Corner, Loudoun Station, and the Village at Leesburg. It’s because only shopping centers that sit on at least 25 acres — and also meet a host of other requirements — can apply for the license from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. Favola’s bill would reduce the acreage minimum from 25 to 10, thereby giving additional developments a chance to apply”

 

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/virginia-lawmaker-hopes-expanding-open-container-access-could-rejuvenate-brick-and-mortar-retail

Guessing Short Pump outside of Richmond might be the 4th. 

[PleaseBlitz]

22 minutes ago, skinsfan_1215 said:

From a different article... 

 

“Right now there are only a few shopping centers in Northern Virginia that have active “commercial lifestyle center licenses,” which allow shoppers to purchase alcohol in a restaurant and take it outside while walking around the development. Those include Fairfax Corner, Loudoun Station, and the Village at Leesburg. It’s because only shopping centers that sit on at least 25 acres — and also meet a host of other requirements — can apply for the license from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. Favola’s bill would reduce the acreage minimum from 25 to 10, thereby giving additional developments a chance to apply”

 

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/virginia-lawmaker-hopes-expanding-open-container-access-could-rejuvenate-brick-and-mortar-retail

Guessing Short Pump outside of Richmond might be the 4th. 

I used to live near Ffx corner, but I guess I’ll just have to continue my current practice of pouring a pint of bourbon into an empty Starbucks cup when walking around Old Town. 

[TheGoodBits]

2 hours ago, PleaseBlitz said:

I used to live near Ffx corner, but I guess I’ll just have to continue my current practice of pouring a pint of bourbon into an empty Starbucks cup when walking around Old Town. 

Me too, spent several years in both an apt complex up the street from it as well as a townhouse my wife and I rented. Loved the area. 

[China]

Perv caught naked in room with toddlers, gets beaten by kids’ dad: cops

 

A suspected child molester who was visiting family members in Virginia this week was found naked in a room with two toddlers and ended up getting beaten by their father, authorities said.

 

Police in Spotsylvania County arrived to a “chaotic scene” when they responded to a disturbance at the Richmond-area home early Sunday morning, the local sheriff’s office said in a news release.

 

The commotion began when one of the residents went to check on his two small children, ages 2 and 3, and caught an out-of-state relative naked from the waist down in the kids’ bedroom, police said.

 

When the father asked what the man was doing there, the perv pushed him out of the room and locked the door, according to a news release. But the suspect, 60-year-old Mark Stanley, would soon regret the move.

 

Police said the father forced his way into the room and began beating the naked creep, who was visiting from North Carolina.

 

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Springfield]

So Northam is ****ing up.  Dudes gonna try and cancel VA safety inspections in exchange for higher gas and cigarette taxes.  The man is no democrat to me any longer.

[PleaseBlitz]

Car safety inspections are just a tax that takes me way too much time to pay. 

[PleaseBlitz]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/2020/01/15/0475d51a-36f1-11ea-9541-9107303481a4_story.html

 

Virginia lawmakers pass Equal Rights Amendment in historic vote

 

Quote

Both chambers of Virginia’s General Assembly passed the Equal Rights Amendment Wednesday, fulfilling a promise that helped Democrats seize control of the legislature and marking a watershed moment in the nearly century-long effort to add protections for women to the U.S. Constitution.

 

The votes capped an emotional week in which Democrats — particularly female lawmakers who now hold unprecedented positions of power in Richmond — celebrated history in the making.

 

The House gallery was packed beyond its 102-seat capacity, with first lady Pam Northam and her daughter Aubrey Northam making a rare appearance to bear witness.

Numerous legal hurdles still have to be cleared before ERA, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, would become part of the U.S. Constitution. Critics say various deadlines for ratification have long since passed. But supporters were jubilant that Virginia, after years of failure, is poised to become the 38th state to ratify the amendment.

 

 

Mostly symbolic, it is likely too late to actually add the amendment to the Constitution.  

[PleaseBlitz]

Not really DMV, but we don't have a Virginia thread.  

 

https://www.npr.org/2020/01/15/796666321/virginia-governor-declares-state-of-emergency-ahead-of-pro-gun-rally

 

Quote

Fearing potential violence, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is declaring a state of emergency and is banning firearms and other weapons on the Capitol grounds in Richmond ahead of a gun rights demonstration planned for next week.

 

"We have received credible intelligence from our law enforcement agencies that there are groups with malicious plans for the rally that is planned for Monday," Northam said during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

 

Gun rights supporters are preparing to converge on Richmond for a lobbying day and a rally Monday morning. They're opposed to efforts by Virginia Democrats — who've just taken over control of the Virginia legislature following the November 2019 elections — to pass a slate of gun control bills backed by Northam.

The event, hosted by Virginia Citizens Defense League, is expected to draw thousands of armed demonstrators, some from out of state. Organizers have said they hope to hold a peaceful event.

 

 

[Cooked Crack]

 

[stoshuaj]

Soooo, who’s going to Richmond Monday?  

[China]

Virginia Tries Again to Ban Handheld Devices While Driving

 

Some Virginia lawmakers are reviving an attempt to outlaw drivers from holding communication devices while operating a vehicle.

 

A broad transportation safety bill assigned Tuesday to a Virginia House Transportation subcommittee would make it illegal to hold cellphones and similar devices while driving.

 

Drivers wouldn't be allowed to physically manipulate the drive to view, read or enter data, the bill's text says.

 

Riding without a seatbelt would become a primary offense, meaning officers can pull over drivers and ticket them for that issue alone.

 

Localities would also be able to reduce speed limits below 25 mph in business or residential areas. Highway camera speed camera monitoring would also be allowed.

 

Finally, open containers of alcohol would be completely banned in most passenger vehicles.

 

Click on the link for the full article

 

Wait, so it isn't currently illegal to have open containers of alcohol in vehicles?

[PleaseBlitz]

God, please outlaw texting while driving. 

[China]

2 hours ago, PleaseBlitz said:

God, please outlaw texting while driving. 

 

Do you really think that will stop people?  At least it may get more money into the coffers.

[Cooked Crack]

 

[tshile]

I wish I could say I was proud of how my state handles gun control

 

 

[Cooked Crack]

 

Welcome to the 21st century.

Edited January 21, 2020 by Cooked Crack

[Springfield]

Election Day a holiday?  That’s cool.

[PleaseBlitz]

Legendary DeMatha basketball coach Morgan Wootten passed away.  He was my mom's neighbor when she was growing up. 

 

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28535444/morgan-wootten-hall-fame-high-school-hoops-coach-dies-88

 

Quote

Hall of Fame high school basketball coach Morgan Wootten, considered one of the best coaches in the history of the sport, has died at 88, according to DeMatha Catholic High School, where Wootten coached for 46 years.

...

Wootten won five national championships and more than 1,200 games at DeMatha. During his time at DeMatha, the Stags won at least 20 games in every season but 1957-58, Wootten's second season at the helm. They won 33 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2000, the third high school coach to earn that honor, and retired with a 1274-192 record in 2002.

....

While Wootten ultimately never left the high school ranks, he was widely recognized as one of the best basketball coaches of all time at any level.

 

"People say Morgan Wootten is the best high school basketball coach in the country. I disagree," legendary UCLA coach John Wooden once said. "I know of no finer coach at any level -- high school, college, or pro. I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it here: I stand in awe of him."

DeMatha produced at least a dozen NBA players and more than 150 college basketball players in Wootten's tenure. Among the best were Adrian Dantley, a six-time NBA All-Star who was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and Danny Ferry, who spent 13 seasons in the NBA and won a championship in 2003.

Wootten's time at DeMatha also led to more than 20 former players becoming basketball coaches, including current Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey, who played and coached under Wootten.