U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Virginia), Bob Casey (D-Arizona), and Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) Jan. 16 introduced new legislation that aims to stop the flow of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, at the United States-Mexico border. The Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act would allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to hire more officers and border patrol agents in order to improve security and increase efficiency in identifying and intercepting smuggled contraband at ports of entry. The act would seek funding for non-intrusive inspection systems that are capable of scanning vehicles and cargo at the border, which allows CBP to create detailed images...Article Link

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Virginia Senator Lashrecse Aird (D-13th District) will host her first virtual town hall meeting Thursday, Jan. 18, at 6:30 p.m. During the meeting, Aird will give an update on the legislative agenda, and also provide an overview of what to expect during the current session. The event will also feature a budget briefing from Rodrigo Soto of The Commonwealth Institute, and a Q&A session. The virtual town hall meeting is open to all, and registration is available online by clicking here. A separate Henrico town hall meeting will be held in person Jan. 27, and Aird will release more details...Article Link

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Varina Supervisor Tyrone Nelson was unanimously elected as chairman of the Henrico Board of Supervisors for 2024 during the board’s meeting Jan. 9. He was nominated by Brookland Supervisor Dan Schmitt, the board’s sole remaining Republican member and only other member aside from Nelson to have served last year. Schmitt was nominated as vice chair by Three Chopt Supervisor Misty Whitehead. Nelson indicated he wanted to keep the county’s current course. “Henrico County is in a great place,” he said. “We are one of the strongest and well-managed counties in the commonwealth and maybe the nation. We have the second...Article Link

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Gavin Jones of Henrico was named to the fall 2023 dean’s list at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.6 or higher. Jones, an Accounting and Finance major, is a graduate of Douglas S. Freeman High School. *** The following local students were named to the fall 2023 president’s list at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va.: Madeline Berkle, Jackson Smith and Peter Marshall, of Glen Allen; and Evan Walker and Nicholas Walker, of Henrico. To qualify for the president’s list, students must earn a semester...Article Link

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A new partial hospital program for adolescents with behavioral health needs is now open in Henrico. The program is part of an effort to expand access to mental and behavioral health resources for teens and young adults. The adolescent behavioral health partial hospital program is located on the campus of Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital. It's an intensive outpatient program that provides daily weekday group therapy sessions for adolescents 12-17 and also includes time for students to focus on schoolwork daily. "We are thrilled to open this new behavioral health resource for the adolescents in our community that are in...Article Link

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Seventeen firearms were stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers at Richmond International Airport checkpoints in 2023, according to data released by the agency on Monday. The total represented a decrease of seven weapons from the previous year. In total, 117 firearms were detected in 2023 at Virginia's eight commercial airports (one fewer than were detected in 2022), with Reagan International in Northern Virginia (39) recording the most. About 93% of the 6,737 guns stopped nationally last year at airports were loaded, according to the TSA. TSA officials are concerned about the number of firearms that are being discovered at airport...Article Link

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The Weinstein JCC is preparing to host its 15th Annual Israeli & Jewish Film Festival, Jan. 18-28. The event, which is part of the 2023-2024 Arts + Ideas Season, is dedicated to promoting understanding of Israeli and Jewish culture through film. The festival program features films from around the world that have received critical acclaim, including awards and nominations. Six films can be screened in person at locations that include the Weinstein JCC, the University of Richmond, and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, according to Leslie McGuigan, director of Cultural Arts for Weinstein JCC. Tickets for the festival...Article Link

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EXIT First Realty in Glen Allen recently announced that Charlotte Tate had joined its team of real estate professionals. *** Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer recently announced the following lease transaction in Henrico County: Glenside Medical Associates, LLC – renewed its lease of 8,400 SF of retail space at Staples Mill Shopping Center, 4026 Glenside Drive (Alex T. Wotring and James Ashby IV represented the landlord). *** The Card Guys, a store selling collectible Pokemon and sports cards, will open Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 4915 West Broad Street. For details, follow them on Facebook. *** The Children’s Museum of Richmond...Article Link

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A freshman delegate wants to create a deadline for filling vacancies on Virginia’s Council on Environmental Justice, following months of delay by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration in appointing members to it, limiting the council’s ability to do its work. Del.-elect Michael Jones, D-Richmond, filed House Bill 333, which would require council vacancies be filled within 60 days after term expirations and stipulate that any vacancy on the council be filled no later than July 31 of this year. “They’ve had the opportunity,” Jones said of the administration’s ability to fill the vacancies without a legislative requirement. “We need to...Article Link

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Shirley M. Hughes - Devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, 94, of Sandston, Va., was called home on Friday, January 5, 2024. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest J. Hughes Jr.; son, Patrick "Pat" Hughes; and grandson, Michael "Bo" Hughes Jr. Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Lisa Hartz (Doug); son, Michael Hughes (Sunday); grandchildren, Matthew (Julie), Michael (Crystal), Mason, Tucker, Jeannie, Amy, Kirsten, Christian; great-grandchildren, Micah, Ronan, Austin, Evan, Reilly; as well as siblings, family, and friends. She was a longstanding member of Sandston Baptist Church, a loyal Atlanta Braves fan, a proud patriotic...Article Link

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