News Wrap Up
Local News: VBPD Reports Multiple Shot on Cleveland Street
This past Friday, Virginia Beach police responded to a shooting on Cleveland Street, near Brian Avenue. An eyewitness said there was a large crowd gathering outside of West Beach Tavern just after midnight. After hearing the shots, the witness fled the scene. There were multiple victims, but the VBPD has not released their names or conditions other than to clarify that none of the injuries sustained were life-threatening. This is an active investigation, and while currently there is little information, the VBPD plans to share any further information they find.
State News: Virginia Drivers Overcharged by DMV
Recently, the DMV announced that they have been wrongly taxing roughly 3000 Virginia citizens over the past two years. The error is due to the DMV improperly updating its department calculating system. This mistake is related to the “Highway Use Fee,” which is a state tax placed on fuel-efficient and electric cars “to reflect the amount in fuels taxes electric vehicles will not pay during a single year due to not purchasing motor fuel.” The fee was instituted in July 2020, and since then, drivers have been overcharged anywhere between $5-40. The DMV has notified the mischarged car owners and is working to refund their money.
National News: Arizona Passes New Anti-Abortion Law
This past weekend, the Arizona House voted on party lines to pass a new abortion law, banning abortion after 15 weeks. The law has been passed on to the Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who has previously expressed his anti-abortion views. The Arizona ban does not allow exceptions for rape or incest, although it does contain medical exemptions if the mother’s life is at risk. The bill would allow doctors to be fined or even lose their license if they conduct abortions after 15 weeks. If this bill passes, Arizona will join many other states who have passed similar laws in recent years, including Florida, West Virginia, and Texas.
International News: Thousands of Russians Fleeing Russian Government
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, many Russians have begun fleeing to other countries to escape the control of the Russian government. Recently, Russia has initiated a “state betrayal” law that allows citizens to be imprisoned for speaking out against the government. One Russian refugee, Alexey Voloshinov, explains the many reasons why he chose to flee. As a political journalist, he was risking anything from 15 years in prison to death for even daring to call the Ukrainian invasion a war; however, he felt the invasion was unjust and was continuing to speak out against Putin. Furthermore, as an able-bodied man, he feared being drafted to fight in a war he disagreed with. Many Russians are struggling to find somewhere to go. They need refuge in relatively cheap places due to their frozen bank accounts because of the current economic struggles between Russia and the West. They are also looking for safe haven in countries that do not allow for extradition should the Russian government try to convict them.
