This version of Google Translate utilzes the free version. If you would like to see a more robust translator, consider sponsoring this feature. Email for more information.
RICHMOND, VA – Fall is here and along with colorful leaves, crisp air, and shorter days, comes increased deer movements. Fall is the breeding season for white-tailed deer, so deer will be more active throughout November and December than at any other time of the year. Deer also take advantage of road side edges for foraging, particularly as other fall foods become limited. With shorter days as we transition into winter, motorists will be driving more often in the dark, increasing the likelihood of encountering a deer on the road.
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) recommends the following tips to avoid hitting a deer:
Slow down and be attentive, particularly at night (from dusk to dawn).
If you see one deer, slow down and watch out for others. Deer frequently travel in family groups.
Deer habitually travel and cross roads in the same areas. Use caution when you see deer crossing signs installed in these areas by the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Apply brakes, even stop if necessary, to avoid hitting a deer, but do not swerve out of the lane to miss a deer. A collision with another vehicle, tree or other object is likely to be more serious than hitting a deer.
Always wear a seat belt! Even if a collision is unavoidable, you are more likely to avoid injury or death if you are wearing a seat belt.
If you hit or kill a deer or bear while driving, immediately report the accident to a local law enforcement officer in the county or city where the accident occurred.
If you kill a deer or bear while driving, you may keep it for your own use if you report the accident to a local law enforcement officer where the accident occurred and the officer (or Conservation Police Officer) views the animal and gives you a possession certificate.
RICHMOND, Va. -- Some Virginia child care facilities face an uncertain future with the September expiration of pandemic-era relief funding. Additionally, a recent report found facilities are understaffed and child care is unaffordable for many Virginia families, especially those with young children.
An estimated 88,265 kids in Virginia will lose their child care, according to The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank. An estimated 1,383 programs could close and 2,861 child care workers will lose their jobs.
Places like L & E Bright Future Child Day Center in Virginia Beach are in financial limbo.
Owner Elizabeth Oppong received past government funding, and said she's still struggling to keep the doors open. Her situation will be worse without federal funding, she said.
Oppong can't afford to hire more teachers, she said. That also means she cannot enroll new students, because there are state protocols for teacher to student ratios in day cares. She loses money every day, but there is a demand for her services.
"I get parents calling me every day," she said. "I do have spots, but I don't have a teacher yet."
Oppong, a single mother, opened her day care to help low income families access affordable child care, something she didn't have.
"Half your paycheck is going to day care," Oppong said. "When we opened the day care we decided to open a day care that's affordable."
Most of her clients use social services funding. Her rate can't increase unless the social services rate increases, she said. Oppong can't offset costs, which have seen "a big jump."
"My rent increases 3% every year," she said. "The bills continue to increase; I have gone from $9 an hour to $14 an hour to my staff."
Child care centers were stabilized during the pandemic with $24 billion from the 2021 American Rescue Plan. Day cares used funds to keep doors open despite lower enrollment rates and the increased cost of operations. There was an additional $15 billion injected to the Child Care and Development Fund.
It is estimated the program helped 220,000 child care providers nationwide, saved approximately 9.6 million child care slots and more than 1 million child care jobs.
Almost 5,000 child care programs in 96% of Virginia counties received a portion of funding, which impacted up to 317,500 children. Almost 3,000 centers used funds to pay for personnel costs and staffing, according to the Virginia ARP Child Care Stabilization Fact Sheet.
More than 2,100 child facilities operated out of homes used stabilization payments to make rent and mortgage payments, typically their largest expense.
Maria-Isabel Ballivian is the executive director of the Annandale Christian Community for Action Child Development Center. The center has the capacity to serve 290 children, but has only 187 enrolled. This is mainly due to staff retention. The center has lost potential staff to the school system because it can't compete with the wages schools provide, Ballivian said.
This directly impacts the quality of care the center is able to provide, she said. An increased number of enrolled children now have developmental delays, particularly speech delays, as a direct result of the pandemic and isolation during critical development, Ballivian said.
"Now early childhood programs like ACCA that are high quality, that provide an inclusive environment for children with special needs, are being forced to do a lot more with a lot less," she said.
Congress called on Biden in August to invest $16 billion to keep the Child Care Stabilization Fund program going. The end of the program will only worsen the crisis, the letter stated.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who signed the letter, is cosponsor on a bill to extend the fund. Versions of the Child Care Stabilization Act have been introduced in the House and Senate.
Kaine held a video call with the press in late September to discuss short-term solutions to the national budget.
"I am hopeful that in that deal we will include the same kind of robust increases for child care funding that we were able to get in last year's budget," Kaine said.
Federal lawmakers have until Nov. 17 to pass a budget.
A Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report on Oct. 16 found child care is unaffordable for many Virginia families, especially those with young children. Child care costs throughout Virginia surpass 10% of the median income. The federal government defines affordable child care costs at 7% or less of household income.
The demand for child care in Virginia beats out the availability, with at least 140,000 more slots needed to fill the gap, according to the report.
The JLARC report focused on the state's TANF, SNAP and Child Care Subsidy Programs. JLARC estimated 25,000 less children will have access to subsidized care when state program funding expires next year.
Virginia needs to keep expanded child care funding in place, the commission recommended. It outlined several other legislative and executive actions that could improve access to child care.
RICHMOND, Va. – College-aged people are among the largest voting block, yet tend to have the lowest turnout in elections, according to Campus Vote Project Virginia coordinator Amber Wilt.
The group is a project of the Fair Elections Center and works to reduce barriers to student voting, according to its website.
Just over 20% of voters ages 18-29 cast a ballot in Virginia's midterm elections last year, according to Tufts University. The state with the highest voter turnout in that age group in 2022 was Michigan, with 36.5%.
"Everyone has concerns, whether it's political or not, and they all are impacted by their ballot," Wilt said. "So I try to work with them a little bit to identify how their concerns can be shown on the ballot."
There are two primary obstacles between college students and voting, according to Wilt.
"One is students not feeling like their vote matters and that it amounts to anything, and the other being that they just don't really feel like they know enough about what's up for election," Wilt said.
There are definitely "unfortunate hurdles" that can get in the way of voting, according to Maria Reynoso, founder and executive director of We Vote VA. The group presents election information through digital content.
"At the same time, there are a lot of things happening in Virginia and across the country that could be motivating factors for people to really have their voice heard," Reynoso said.
Representatives should be more transparent and present more information online to help boost turnout among young voters, according to Reynoso.
"Young people are motivated. They're energized. They want to be involved," Reynoso said. "I think we just have to do a better job at giving access, making electoral information more accessible to people."
VCU Votes is a student coalition and a separate course, according to freshman Lucie Carberry, a student in the VCU Votes course. Students hosted an event Oct. 19 that mirrored a voting simulation to better prepare students for voting.
"A lot of college students have the problem of being embarrassed that they don't know how to vote and they end up not voting because of the anxiety related to the embarrassment of actually voting," Carberry said.
Most Virginia universities have campus organizations to increase voter education and engagement, such URGOV at the University of Richmond, HoosVote at University of Virginia, and Marlins Vote at Virginia Wesleyan University.
"There are groups on campus that are dedicated to this, and I would say search and find those groups, or go to your political science faculty members," said Carah Ong Whaley, academic program officer at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "They're going to be a really credible source of information if you don't have a voting coalition on campus."
College students face hurdles such as motivational and technical barriers when voting, Ong Whaley said.
"This isn't necessarily the case in Virginia, but in other states, there's just outright attempts to block young people from voting," Ong Whaley said.
Virginia has increased access to voting in recent years.
"Students can use their student ID to go vote, but they may not know that, and so helping inform them about how and demystifying the process of voting will help them get to the polls," Ong Whaley said.
Political parties can help make voting social, celebratory and communal. That is important, especially in a divisive environment, Ong Whaley said.
"Ask what you can do to improve your community the day after elections," Ong Whaley said. "Especially this year when we're talking about state and local elections, you know, these are really elections that impact our everyday lives as residents in Virginia, so it is really important to be a voter."
Virginia college voter guide 2023
Students may be confused about how to vote when away from home, especially after redistricting in 2021, according to Reynoso.
Virginia's redistricting may have changed a voter's representatives or impacted the partisan lean of their district. Voters can check districts and potential changes on the Virginia General Assembly website.
"Whether you're in school, living in the district that you're in right now, or going back home, local representation is what impacts you the most," Reynoso said.
All 140 seats in the state's General Assembly, which creates laws for all state residents, are open this election. There are 100 seats in the House of Delegates and 40 in the Senate.
There are also over 2,300 candidates vying for election to local seats and positions such as mayor, school board, board of supervisors, treasurer, clerk of court, commonwealth attorney and sheriff.
Voting is important in all districts and races, according to Reynoso. Turnout can sway the outcome of races, some more than others. The Virginia Public Access Project ranks districts by leans Republican, strong Republican, leans Democratic, strong Democratic and competitive.
There are 11 districts rated competitive by VPAP, and a handful of others that pundits consider too close to call.
Senate District 17: Suffolk, Franklin and Emporia cities. Isle of Wight, Southampton, Brunswick, Greensville counties. Portsmouth and Chesapeake cities (partial). Dinwiddie County (partial).
SD 24: Williamsburg and Poquoson cities. York County. Newport News City (partial). James City County (partial).
SD 27: Fredericksburg City. Stafford and Spotsylvania counties (partial).
Are you registered? Check voter registration status on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
If you are not registered, that's OK. Same-day registration is allowed in Virginia. You won't be turned away, but you will receive a provisional ballot to vote and sign a quick form agreeing you are eligible to vote.
Provisional ballots are placed in separate envelopes, and reviewed the day after the election.
Will you vote at your permanent residence or where you reside when away at school? You can vote in either place, but have to choose one.
What to bring to the poll:
One form of ID is required, including a Virginia driver's license or school-issued ID with photo. A utility bill, paycheck or bank statement that shows your name and address is also acceptable.
For a full list of acceptable ID, click to the state elections website.
Don't have any of that? You just have to sign a statement and vote with a provisional ballot.
Key Dates:
Friday, Oct. 27: Last day to request an absentee ballot.
Saturday, Nov. 4: Last day of in-person early voting.
Tuesday, Nov. 7: Election Day.
Friday, Nov. 10: Mail-in ballots must be received by noon, postmarked no later than Nov. 7.
