Guns down
Sporting an array of orange attire, several dozen community members gathered in the Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church parking lot on Friday afternoon to honor and remember the thousands of lives lost to gun violence nationwide each year. The National Gun Violence Awareness Day event—hosted by the B.U.C.K. Squad, Moms Demand Action Virginia, and the Charlottesville Coalition for Gun Violence Prevention—featured free food, as well as activities for kids, including a bounce house, poster making, and games.
Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook read a city proclamation, declaring June 3 as Gun Violence Awareness Day in Charlottesville. Vice-Mayor Juandiego Wade, Councilor Brian Pinkston, and Democratic 5th District candidate Josh Throneburg were also in attendance.
“Hardly a week goes by in this country without news of another mass shooting, whether in a church, a synagogue, or an elementary school,” said Snook, encouraging local residents to advocate for gun control legislation and support gun violence prevention efforts. “In recent years, Virginia has had more than 1,000 gun deaths [a year and] approximately one gun homicide a day.”
B.U.C.K. Squad Executive Director Herb Dickerson explained that the group wants to put a violence interruption team in each of the city’s predominantly Black neighborhoods to handle the spike in gun violence over the summer, but needs additional funding and support.
“These folks put their lives on the line,” said Dickerson. “We’ll be out at 12, 1, 2, 3 in the morning. While y’all sleep in peace, we’re out here struggling, trying to find out who’s going to get at who.”
However, gun violence is not confined to Black neighborhoods, stressed Dickerson—this year, there have been shootings in other neighborhoods like Fry’s Spring.
“Everybody plays a part in getting this kind of work done, and then we get to save lives,” he added.
New weed crimes
Last week, the Virginia General Assembly passed a proposed budget creating new marijuana crimes. Starting July 1, it would become a Class 3 misdemeanor to possess more than four ounces—but less than a pound—of marijuana in public, punishable by an up to $500 fine. Any subsequent offense would become a Class 2 misdemeanor, accompanied by a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. Possessing more than a pound would remain a felony.
The possession limits—which were added to the budget during private negotiations—would not apply to marijuana plants stored at home. It is currently legal to grow up to four plants.
Last month, the Democratic-controlled Senate sent a bill—amended by Governor Glenn Youngkin—that would have created new marijuana possession misdemeanors to a committee, taking them off the table until next year.
Under current laws, adults 21 and over can possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Those found guilty of possessing between an ounce and a pound are subject to a $25 civil fine.
Racial justice groups and advocates have condemned the new crimes, citing the disproportionate impact they will have on Black residents. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Black people are nearly four times more likely than white people to be arrested for marijuana possession, even though both use the drug at about the same rate.
“This is an untraditional move to add crimes through the budget,” said Chelsea Higgs Wise, executive director of Marijuana Justice, in a press release, “and is an implication of how far criminalization advocates will go to continue the reinvestment to law enforcement rather than repealing crimes and reinvesting in communities hurt by the war on drugs.”
Governor Youngkin is expected to approve or veto the budget—or amend it—by the end of next week.
In brief
New Dem leadership
Democratic Delegate Don Scott of Portsmouth was elected as the new House Minority Leader last week, after leading the campaign to remove Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax, the state’s first female House speaker—and nominating himself to take her place. Scott, an attorney and former Navy officer, is the first Black man to serve as the leader of Virginia House Democrats.
Pay raise
The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors voted to give themselves a 10 percent pay raise last week, citing the rising cost of living. Starting next month, the supervisors’ pay will increase from $17,311 to $19,042 a year, reports The Daily Progress. Board Chair Donna Price will receive an extra $1,800 annual stipend, while Vice-Chair Bea LaPisto-Kirtley will receive $35 for every meeting she leads.
Racist threats
Two works of graffiti threatening violence against Black students were found in a student bathroom at Buford Middle School last week. Charlottesville City Schools is currently investigating the threats, in collaboration with the Charlottesville Police Department. Officers were also present at Buford last Friday.
Still manager-less
Charlottesville may not get a new city manager until next year—during its Monday meeting, City Council voted to extend the city’s contract with The Robert Bobb Group through December 31, allowing interim City Manager Michael Rogers to lead the process of finding a new Charlottesville police chief. Once a new chief is hired, the search for a permanent city manager will begin. Rogers, recommended by the Robert Bobb Group, was appointed in January, and the original plan was to hire a permanent manager by this month.