Exclusive with Ivanka Trump: New USDA program aims to help farmers and families in need

Jo Anne St. Clair of Climate Action Alliance of the Valley discusses what it means as President Biden rejoins the Paris climate agreement.

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) -Virginia lawmakers are considering legislation that could speed the administration of vaccines in the Commonwealth. Thursday morning, the Senate Education and Health Committee reported SB1445 on a unanimous vote. “The goal of this bill is to liberate the vast assets that we have in Virginia,” said Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico), chief patron of the legislation. The measure would streamline the requirements for health professionals who want to volunteer, and help identify more locations where the state could establish mass vaccination sites. It provides civil and criminal immunity to individuals and organizations acting within the provisions of the bill. “I have people from the medical community that want to help,” Dunnavant told members of the committee. “This is what they do. Our dentists, our doctors, our nurses, our nurse anesthetists, our NPs, this is what they do. They help people and they want to help us get this job done.” The legislation has bipartisan support. “Getting people vaccinated in the most efficient way possible is in our joint interest,” said Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax). “I hope every senator will read this legislation and if they see fit, will put their name on it and take credit for it.” A news conference outside the building where the Senate is meeting included representatives of medical professionals from across the state. Dr. Cynthia Romero is Director of the M. Foscue Brock Institute for Community and Global Health at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. “This legislation is an absolute critical piece that will help to facilitate us to get the number of vaccinated individuals to the levels that are adequate to achieve herd immunity,” Romero told WDBJ7. The bill was introduced with an emergency clause. If the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates act quickly, it could reach the Governor’s desk in a matter of days.

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Some lawmakers hope that legislation in Virginia’s General Assembly will make the roads safer, especially for bicyclists. If passed, the Virginia Bicycle Safety Act, SB 1263 and HB 2262, would make small changes to the Code of Virginia, which includes three parts. It would require drivers to change lanes to pass a bicyclist when the lane is not wide enough to pass three feet to the left. It would allow two bicyclists to ride side-by-side at any time and also require bicyclists to yield at a stop sign, but that doesn’t mean they would just blow through the stop sign. “In cases where an intersection is clear a cyclist can slow instead of coming to a complete stop in order to go through the intersection,” Scottie Pendleton, with the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, said. “It allows a cyclist to keep more momentum and basically get out of the intersection quicker.” Pendleton said bicyclists being able to ride side-by-side is much more compact and discourages people driving from passing in the same lane. “If cyclists are riding end to end in single file as they are required to now, it will be a much longer passing distance,” they said. “It’s like getting around a semi versus getting around a car. The longer you’re in the other lane getting around something, the more dangerous a situation is.” When commuting to work in downtown Harrisonburg, Pendleton said drivers often try to share the lane with them and often times cut it very close. “I’ve been clipped by car mirrors before because people come so close. Instead of changing lanes, even if it’s available, they just split the lane with a cyclist,” Pendleton said. The SVBC shared its support on Facebook, asking members and people of the commonwealth to reach out to their local representatives to support the legislation. SB 1263 passed the Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 21, despite local Senator Mark Obenshain voting against it.