Good morning, RVA! It's 46 °F, and today looks cooler, cloudier, and rainier than yesterday. You can expect highs in the mid 60s and a chance of rain this afternoon that'll carry into tomorrow morning.
Water cooler
As of this morning, the Virginia Department of Health reports 10,266 positive cases of the coronavirus in the Commonwealth, and 349 people in Virginia have died as a result of the virus. VDH reports 1,290 cases in and around Richmond (Chesterfield: 356, Henrico: 684, and Richmond: 250). Yesterday, the VDH reported the second highest amount of new cases since this crisis began, yet reported just 2,424 tests. For whatever reason, we're still unable to get over that invisible 2,500 tests per day barrier. The State is now averaging 22 deaths per day (that's a seven-day rolling average), and we're about to see how accurate the Institute for Heath Metrics and Evaluation's models for Virginia are. They forecast tomorrow as our viruspeak when it comes to the number of people who die from COVID-19. Mark Robinson at the Richmond Times-Dispatch says the Richmond/Henrico Health Districts have started free, walk-up testing, although it sounds like you'll need to call the health district to set up an appointment (804.205.3501).
In the RTD's coverage of the Governor's regularly-scheduled press briefing, they say that three people have died while 22 residents and 13 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 at a Hanover retirement community. After reading about the horrible situation at the Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Henrico over the last couple of weeks, the response from this community in Hanover seems fairly cavalier: "The facility said all associates are to wear masks, and that on Tuesday there was a second sanitation done of all common areas at the Hanover retirement community." Compare that to the response the RTD describes at a different senior community in Henrico: "The senior living community said it is continuing visitation restrictions. Anyone entering the retirement community has to be screened for potential exposure to the virus, Cedarfield said, adding that’s been the community’s practice for the past several weeks. Group events and programs continue to be canceled, dining venues remain closed and residents must remain in their apartments, cottages or rooms unless they have to leave the community for a trip that’s essential to their health and well-being, Cedarfield said. All staff must wear personal protective equipment when delivering direct care to residents."
The General Assembly met apart and socially distanced yesterday. The Senate convened in the Science Museum, while the House gathered under a tent on the Capitol grounds. From afar, both looked like two of the most boring wedding receptions imaginable. However, I appreciate the work that went into setting up this extremely atypical reconvened session. Our state government needs to do stuff during this emergency, yet the virus is no joke. Check out this picture Ned Oliver took of Sen. George Barker—who recently had heart surgery—encased in a protective plexiglass box. Over at the Virginia Mercury, Oliver, Kate Masters, and Robert Zullo recap the session which included, among other things, delaying the the minimum wage increase by four months—pushing back the start date to May 2021.
Also of note at the GA, for me at least, the Governor's amendments to HB 1541, the bill creating the Central Virginia Transportation Authority, were all accepted. This means that if our region's localities want access to that sweet, sweet new revenue for transportation projects they'll need to fund GRTC at no less than 50% of last year's budget. 50% < 100%, but, as originally written, the bill would have allowed localities to decrease their GRTC funding to 50% of this year's budget. Given the stark financial realities presented by the coronavirus, that would have been catastrophic to the future of public transit in our region. It's, of course, unclear how much money the CVTA will generate for GRTC or for other cool transportation projects like the Ashland to Petersburg Trail, especially since the whole thing is built upon new sales and gas taxes—which, who knows what those will look like later this year or even ever again. But, honestly, our region is extremely lucky to have a new source of revenue to support our existing public transit. Many cities across the country are about to have some hard decisions to make around what essential services to provide with extremely limited funds, and we're lucky to have an additional tool in the toolbox. So, in Richmond, not the best, but, certainly not the worst.
Via /r/rva, a charming illustration of Richmond's skyline.
This morning's longread
Confronting Power and Privilege
Transportation-related, but a good piece to read for anyone who's thinking about how the coronavirus can change the way we think about the world.
Specifically, I questioned then, and continue to question today, whether the preexisting inequities laid bare by this momentary pandemic are forcing those in power to truly confront the timeless vestiges of colonialism, white supremacy, and racism. In my gut, the answer to that question is a clear no. But I hope that as this thing continues and we continue to lose lives of people of color — particularly black people — at a disproportionately high rate, that people with power start to think about how they can do things differently. I especially hope that is the case in the field in which I’m lucky enough to work: transportation.
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