The Legacy Newspaper https://www.legacynewspaper.com A member of the U.S Black Press Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:02:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://i0.wp.com/www.legacynewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-cropped-site_icon.jpeg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 The Legacy Newspaper https://www.legacynewspaper.com 32 32 187969635 Study: Microbiota transplantation reduces recurrence of brain disorder in patients with advanced liver disease  https://www.legacynewspaper.com/study-microbiota-transplantation-reduces-recurrence-of-brain-disorder-in-patients-with-advanced-liver-disease/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-microbiota-transplantation-reduces-recurrence-of-brain-disorder-in-patients-with-advanced-liver-disease https://www.legacynewspaper.com/study-microbiota-transplantation-reduces-recurrence-of-brain-disorder-in-patients-with-advanced-liver-disease/#respond Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:02:31 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/study-microbiota-transplantation-reduces-recurrence-of-brain-disorder-in-patients-with-advanced-liver-disease/ Transferring gut microbes from a healthy donor to patients with liver disease could be used...

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Transferring gut microbes from a healthy donor to patients with liver disease could be used to prevent the recurrence of a debilitating brain condition, according to a clinical trial led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and the Richmond VA Medical Center. The results were published on Jan. 10 in the Journal of Hepatology.

The research involved a procedure called fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), in which processed bacteria from a healthy person’s stool is transplanted into a patient. In the new study, FMT was used in patients with cirrhosis and a history of recurrent hepatic encephalopathy (HE), a brain disorder that occurs among this patient population. It can lead to fatigue, inability to concentrate, confusion and, in some cases, coma or death. 

HE is brought on by cirrhosis, an advanced form of liver disease in which a severely scarred liver fails to function. When the liver can’t work, toxins build up in the blood, where they can travel to the brain and cause the ailment. An imbalance in a patient’s gut microbes is essential to produce the toxins that cause HE. Current treatments for the disorder do not completely reduce the negative effects of the bacteria.

The study builds on nearly a decade of research by VCU gastroenterologist Jasmohan Bajaj, M.D., of VCU’s Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health and the Richmond VA Medical Center. He has studied the potential use of FMT to treat cirrhosis after linking the bacteria found in a patient’s intestinal tract and stool to hepatic encephalopathy. 

Results of the study represent a significant step forward in treating these patients. Despite the treatments available for HE, patients remain at risk of recurrence and are often excluded from life-saving liver transplant lists.

“These results reinforce the potential of fecal microbiota transplantation as a novel therapy for hepatic encephalopathy,” said Bajaj, the lead author of the study. “Not only does FMT appear to be safe, but it also shows promise in reducing recurrences and improving quality of life, especially in patients with certain gut microbiome profiles.”

The randomized phase 2 clinical trial enrolled 60 participants with cirrhosis and a history of hepatic encephalopathy. Participants, who were already receiving other treatment for HE, received a combination of three doses that included transplanted bacteria and/or placebo. Each patient received a combination of two capsule doses and one liquid enema dose of FMT from either vegan or omnivorous donors.

The stool transplantation was shown to be safe across all groups, with no serious side effects related to the treatment, regardless of delivery route dose or donor type. Recurrence rates were significantly lower in patients receiving any FMT compared to those who received the placebo, 9% compared to 40%.

Participants who received the bacteria transplant reported better quality of life, fewer cognitive symptoms, and better overall functioning.

The researchers plan to further study the long-term effects of the procedure, including its impact on liver function and inflammation, and explore ways to improve donor selection and dosing regimens to maximize the efficacy of the transplant.

Co-authors of the paper from VCU and Richmond VA included: Amy Bartels; Brian Davis; M.D.; Andrew Fagan; Michael Fuchs, M.D.; Edith Gavis, R.N.; Mary Leslie Gallagher, N.P.; Hannah Lee, M.D.; Scott C Matherly, M.D.; Travis Mousel; Puneet Puri, M.D.; M. Shadab Siddiqui, M.D.; Richard Sterling, M.D.; and Leroy R Thacker, Ph.D.

The study was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from George Mason University and University of Minnesota. Funding for the research was provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through a merit review grant.

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Water woes aside, General Assembly starts session https://www.legacynewspaper.com/water-woes-aside-general-assembly-starts-session/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=water-woes-aside-general-assembly-starts-session https://www.legacynewspaper.com/water-woes-aside-general-assembly-starts-session/#respond Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:32:37 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/water-woes-aside-general-assembly-starts-session/ By Jenna Lapp (URCNS) – After Richmond’s water crisis caused a 5-day delay, the General...

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By Jenna Lapp

(URCNS) – After Richmond’s water crisis caused a 5-day delay, the General Assembly convened Monday in a session that will likely center on tax relief, energy and education.

“The lawmakers are going into a 45-day session, in an election year at that,” said Ben Melusky, a political science professor at Old Dominion University. “I think they already have the main legislative priorities on their minds, so I don’t really see this [water crisis] impacting it too much.”

When the lawmakers arrived in Richmond last week, many found themselves boiling water and taking cold showers instead of donning their suits and heading to the capitol.

“When I was there at the hotel, we didn’t have water,” Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg, said. “I got in my truck, I went to Kroger’s, I went to Walmart. There wasn’t a single bottle of water on the shelf, so I feel for these folks that are struggling.”

In his State of the Commonwealth address Monday morning, Gov. Glenn Youngkin described the water crisis as difficult and frustrating. He conveyed a sense of pride and confidence in Virginia’s trajectory, while also acknowledging the need to continue building on these achievements to maintain the state’s competitive edge.

“Virginia is growing, Virginia is competing and Virginia is winning,” Youngkin said. “The state of our Commonwealth is strong, very strong.”

It is the last year of Youngkin’s single 4-year term and he remains unable to achieve a Republican state government trifecta. In the Jan. 7 special election, Democrats maintained the majority of both the House of Delegates and the Senate for a second year. During Youngkin’s first two years in office, Republicans had control of the House.

“There may be some times that we’re just going to have to work through the weekend,” Walker said. “We may have to work overtime, but people expect us to get in and get the job done.”

Conversation surrounding affordable housing, maternal and mental health, data centers and a casino proposal will likely come up and require bipartisan efforts, Melusky said.

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax County, filed a bill, SB982,  Jan. 7 which will reintroduce a plan to build a casino in Tysons Corner. The proposal has been proposed in the past but never received enough support to pass.

The future of Virginia’s energy production will also spur debate this session. The growth of data centers in Northern Virginia has increased the demand for energy, which has created a dichotomy between business and environmental protection, Melusky said.

Issues of governmental overreach may also become relevant in the energy debate. On Jan. 6, the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation recommended that the General Assembly create a board that would give the state more control over local governments’ approval of large solar and energy storage project proposals, according to the Cardinal News.

On Dec. 18, Youngkin unveiled his proposed amendments for the 2025 budget, which has the benefit of a surplus of funds that came out of 2024. It included his intention to eliminate the personal car tax and the income tax on tips. He also plans to boost funding for education, disaster relief and maternal health, according to the Associated Press.

“I think [Youngkin] is going to be very much focused on what he’s done the last three years, which is the economics of Virginia,” Melusky said.

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Feds end special education monitoring in Virginia as advocates question post-review process https://www.legacynewspaper.com/feds-end-special-education-monitoring-in-virginia-as-advocates-question-post-review-process/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=feds-end-special-education-monitoring-in-virginia-as-advocates-question-post-review-process https://www.legacynewspaper.com/feds-end-special-education-monitoring-in-virginia-as-advocates-question-post-review-process/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2025 06:13:30 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/feds-end-special-education-monitoring-in-virginia-as-advocates-question-post-review-process/ By Nathaniel Cline VM – After a year-long review of the Virginia Department of Education,...

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By Nathaniel Cline

VM – After a year-long review of the Virginia Department of Education, which failed to meet federal requirements to support students with disabilities, the federal government’s watchdog for special education programs wrote in a letter that all of its findings and required actions for VDOE are now closed, although questions by education advocates linger.

Each year since 2019, the federal government found that Virginia’s education department repeatedly failed to resolve complaints filed by parents of special education students, and it did not have “reasonably designed” procedures and practices to ensure a timely resolution process for those complaints.

However, the state has taken the necessary steps to “address and resolve the findings of noncompliance and the required corrective actions” outlined in a March 13 monitoring report, according to a Dec. 5 letter from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs.

The federal agency indicated that no further action is needed after Virginia officials submitted documents highlighting corrective actions, including providing quicker feedback to school divisions and ensuring that all entities rather than LEAs, or school divisions, listed under the “public agency” definition are following the due process procedures.

Virginia has nearly 181,000 students with disabilities. As federal law requires, Virginia must provide all students with disabilities a “free and appropriate public education” through personalized plans under the Individualized Education Program (IEP).

In its letter, OSEP said that “having a consistent and transparent system for identifying and correcting noncompliance, particularly noncompliance that impacts the delivery of early intervention services, in accordance with individualized education programs (IEPs), and dispute resolution systems that protect the rights of parents, are essential elements to ensuring improved results for children and youth with disabilities,” and acknowledged Virginia’s “continued efforts” to better implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B and to put in place “a reasonably designed general supervision system which ensures compliance and improving results for students with disabilities.”

VDOE’s corrective actions
In response to the compliance issues facing students, VDOE announced in October 2023 the formation of a workgroup to help develop the 2024 Roadmap for Special Education and a team that reports directly to the superintendent of public instruction to monitor how school divisions provide special education services and assist them as needed.

Around the same time period, VDOE also created a system to oversee the development and use of IEPs for students with special needs. Educators are required to undergo additional training on providing inclusive special education instruction.

The Virginia Board of Education also adopted regulatory changes to how the state handles compliance complaints regarding students with disabilities and dedicated funds to examine the dispute resolution system.

“Since day one, Governor Youngkin has prioritized the success of students with disabilities and I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has recognized the hard work VDOE has done to improve our work for Virginia’s children with disabilities,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons said in a statement.

Concerns, funding
While she has not reviewed the documents the state’s education department submitted to federal authorities, special education advocate Kandise Lucas said she was concerned with the “accuracy” of those documents, specifically concerning the policies and procedures, and independent evaluations based on her recent interactions with schools, parents and students, one of whom she said has been out of school for three years.

“I just have a real concern that … the Board of Education submitted those documents knowing that they’re not complying with the law, specifically as it pertains to independent evaluations, which was a major issue,” Lucas said.

She questioned if VDOE is following the federal agency’s summary contained in the Dec. 5 letter, which requires the commonwealth to issue a memorandum or other directive to all local educational agencies (LEAs), parent advocacy groups, and other interested parties advising them of the proposed changes to state regulations and complaint procedures.

Lucas said some hearing officers, who review parents’ complaints, have yet to hear of the changes.

She also voiced concerns about the state refusing to enforce its regulations in school divisions about parents’ right to access educational records promptly under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Another worry is VDOE refusing to enforce hearing officer orders and state complaint determinations well beyond a year after the compliance requirement.

Carol Bauer, president of the Virginia Education Association, said in a statement that Gov. Glenn Youngkin’sadministration’s actions are “temporary solutions” that don’t solve the main issue — the underfunding of special education student needs in the state.

Bauer claimed that since the governor was elected, actual state spending on special education students has continued to “erode” and led to “unmanageable caseloads and subpar parent and family engagement.”

Last year, evidence of underfunding schools was outlined in a study conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the state’s legislative watchdog.

JLARC found that the formula used to decide how much money schools need for teachers suggested fewer special education teachers than schools use or need.

For fiscal year 2023, the funding formula calculated that 13,300 special education teachers were needed, which was 93% of the number employed by school divisions and 66% of what practitioners estimated was required.

Lawmakers’ work to overhaul the funding formula could take a while. Short-term recommendations8 could be considered for the upcoming General Assembly session beginning in January.

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Hospital horror: Virginia nurse abused NICU infants https://www.legacynewspaper.com/hospital-horror-virginia-nurse-abused-nicu-infants/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hospital-horror-virginia-nurse-abused-nicu-infants https://www.legacynewspaper.com/hospital-horror-virginia-nurse-abused-nicu-infants/#respond Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:24:22 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/hospital-horror-virginia-nurse-abused-nicu-infants/ By Qasim Rashid, Esq. This story is almost beyond comprehension. Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, a...

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By Qasim Rashid, Esq.

This story is almost beyond comprehension. Erin Elizabeth Ann Strotman, a 26-year-old registered nurse, has been charged with breaking the bones of infants, who are disproportionately Black infants, in the Henrico Doctors Hospital NICU in Henrico County, Virginia. As of now, authorities are aware of at least seven babies she abused, with one baby suffering 12 fractures. The now active investigation may uncover more such cases of horrific abuse.

This is not a crime from some dark chapter of history. This is happening in 2025 America, and it is more common than most realize.



The Background of the Abuse

Strotman’s co-workers are quoted as admitting:

The majority of the babies were black babies, when she came back when they noticed the pattern, she tried to throw them off by targeting a white baby and a girl baby.

These details are horrifying enough on their own, but what makes this story even more outrageous is how the hospital appears to have handled it. According to reports, Strotman was suspended with pay after initial suspicions of abuse—only to be brought back to work without consequence. When the abuse began once more, the authorities were notified. Now finally, Strotman has been charged, arrested, and denied a bond hearing—meaning she’ll remain in custody until a court date in March.

But I’m writing about this horrifying case because it speaks to a broader issue.

Indeed, we must ask: Who else knew about this abuse and did nothing? And who allowed her to return to care for vulnerable children, without consequence? The hospital’s role in this case raises troubling questions. Was this a case of gross incompetence, or was the hospital complicit in covering up harm done to Black infants? Either way, the system failed catastrophically.

My wife and I experienced this very hospital first hand. In 2013 my wife delivered our second child at Henrico hospital and we had a terrible experience dealing with the nurses and staff. At the time, I chalked it up to a one-off situation. But now? I cannot help but wonder if that experience was part of a broader, systemic issue within this hospital?

Regardless, the reality is that what happened in Henrico is not an isolated incident. It’s part of a long-standing pattern of racial disparities in healthcare that puts Black and Indigenous children and mothers at greater risk of harm. And the data on that systemic harm is daunting.

Deadly Disparities in Maternal & Infant Healthcare

We must recognize the brutal reality in this country: Black children are nearly three times more likely to die in infancy than white children. Black mothers are also nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than are white mothers. Indigenous children and mothers suffer a rate double that of white families.

According to the March of Dimes, the average infant mortality rate between 2020 and 2022 was 10.6 deaths per 1,000 live births for Black infants, compared to 4.4 deaths for white infants. And 8.1 for Indigenous children. These disparities are not coincidental—they are the result of a healthcare system built on structural racism, implicit bias, and profit-driven policies that treat human lives as commodities. And they are even more pronounced in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), where the most vulnerable infants, like those abused by Erin Strotman, receive care.

When a nurse in a NICU—a place meant to save lives—becomes the source of harm, it exposes a healthcare system that has lost its way.

For-Profit Healthcare Model Continues To Fails Us

This is why we must confront the reality that healthcare in America is not designed to protect everyone equally. It’s designed to maximize profit. It’s no wonder The Lancet reports that our current exploitative for profit model results in at least 68,000 annual preventable deaths. That’s one preventable death every 7.5 minutes—year round.

Under the influence of HELL Corporations, healthcare providers prioritize bottom lines over patient care. They cut corners, reduce staffing levels, and rely on flawed oversight mechanisms that fail to prevent tragedies like this. And when abuse or negligence happens, they often look the other way to protect their reputations and financial interests. It is no wonder that nurses nationwide are striking for better working conditions.

As I’ve written many times before, especially in the last few months, we desperately need a system that treats healthcare as a human right. A system that operates with high levels of regulation and accountability to prevent harm and protect the most vulnerable among us. Healthcare should never be about profit margins. It should be about saving lives.

What Actions Can We Take?

First, if you have any information about what happened in Henrico, please contact the authorities:

Henrico Police Det. M. Lynch: police@henrico.gov

Crime Stoppers: (804) 780-1000

Second, take it from a father of three, be vigilant in your own healthcare experiences.

Know your doctors and nurses. Build relationships with the medical professionals who will care for you and your loved ones.

Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to demand transparency and accountability from healthcare providers.

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Henrico crews are working to close 14 small water valves, which could lead to restored service https://www.legacynewspaper.com/henrico-crews-are-working-to-close-14-small-water-valves-which-could-lead-to-restored-service/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=henrico-crews-are-working-to-close-14-small-water-valves-which-could-lead-to-restored-service https://www.legacynewspaper.com/henrico-crews-are-working-to-close-14-small-water-valves-which-could-lead-to-restored-service/#respond Wed, 08 Jan 2025 18:20:17 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/henrico-crews-are-working-to-close-14-small-water-valves-which-could-lead-to-restored-service/ By Tom Lappas (HC) – Henrico Public Utilities officials Wednesday morning were continuing to work...

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By Tom Lappas

(HC) – Henrico Public Utilities officials Wednesday morning were continuing to work on the county’s water system to restore water service to Eastern and Northern Henrico, after overnight efforts managed to restore some service in the Mechanicsville Turnpike area.
Shortly before midnight Wednesday, officials believed that they could have service restored to most of the affected customers by early morning. But after Public Utilities crews closed the last remaining large water valves that they believed needed to be adjusted in order to ensure the flow of water in the proper direction, they realized that a number of smaller valves also needed to be closed.

As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, crews were anticipating adjusting 14 smaller valves in order to complete the process. Closing a large valve, Henrico County Manager John Vithoulkas told the Citizen Tuesday night is a time-consuming process that can take as long as half an hour, but closing smaller valves generally takes less time. Failure to close the proper valves would result in water flowing back into the city.

“We’re pushing water from the west to the east, and as we do that, we have to close valves to help with the pressure,” Henrico Public Relations Director Ben Sheppard told the Citizen Wednesday. “We have to fill up tanks to help with the pressure, and it just takes time.”

The 14 smaller valves were located along the Henrico-Richmond line from Mechanicsville Turnpike to Laburnum Avenue, Sheppard said.

In the meantime, Henrico officials continued to distribute bottled and potable water to county residents at several locations.

Both forms are available 24 hours a day at the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center (1440 North Laburnum Avenue), though residents need to bring their own storage containers for potable water.

Bottled water is also available 24 hours a day at the Eastern Henrico Government Center (3820 Nine Mile Road) and Wednesday until 9 p.m. at the Sandston and Varina libraries. Officials Tuesday had indicated that it also would be available at the North Park and Fairfield libraries, but that is no longer the case. The area near North Park Library has water, and officials decided that providing water at Fairfield Library – which is located across the street from the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center – would be duplicative

“We’re doing everything we can,” Sheppard said of the county’s ongoing efforts. “We’re utilizing every resource available, and we want to get water back to people as soon as possible.”



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City of Richmond issues immediate boil water advisory   https://www.legacynewspaper.com/city-of-richmond-issues-immediate-boil-water-advisory/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=city-of-richmond-issues-immediate-boil-water-advisory https://www.legacynewspaper.com/city-of-richmond-issues-immediate-boil-water-advisory/#respond Mon, 06 Jan 2025 17:50:00 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/?p=6806 The City of Richmond, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, has issued a...

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The City of Richmond, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, has issued a Boil Water Advisory immediately and until further notice for all Richmond residents. The city said it is urgent that residents take conservation steps immediately and boil water before consuming it.  

In regional cooperation, the counties of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover have removed themselves from the city’s water supply and transferred to other supplies. Residents in those counties are not impacted by the boil water advisory.

Some customers may experience a total loss of water service, while others may experience varying degrees of loss in water pressure.  

“Our top priority is the health and safety of our residents and neighbors. I am asking all Richmondersto limit their water usage as the team at the Department of Public Utilities works around the clock to get our water system back online,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “I’m also asking residents to consider their neighbors, and only use as much water as they need – all in this together.” 

This advisory comes after a winter weather storm-related loss of power today impacted the City’s water reservoir system, causing the system to temporarily malfunction. Capacity restoration services are currently underway. 

“We know the importance water plays in our everyday lives,” says April Bingham, senior director for the Department of Public Utilities. “My team is diligently working to bring the water system back online along with the support of our partners.” 

City officials remain in close contact with the Virginia Health Department to assess and resolve the situation. Once the water system is back online, Department of Public Utilities personnel will begin the process of flushing the system and ensuring that the water is safe to drink. 

The City will communicate new information as it becomes available through rva.gov and its social media pages. 

Below is a checklist for safe water use during this time:  

Do not drink tap water during this boil water advisory.  

Do not drink from water fountains in parks, public or private buildings that receive water from the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities.  

Do not use ice made from water today. Discard the ice and sanitize the ice machine and/or ice trays. This also applies to water and ice dispensed directly from a refrigerator. 

Do not use tap water to make drinks, juices, or fountain soft drinks. 

Do not wash your dishes using tap water – use boiled water or use paper plates for the next few days.  

Do not wash your fruits and vegetables with tap water – use boiled or bottled water. 

Do not brush your teeth with tap water – use boiled or bottled water.  

Do not cook with tap water, unless your food will be boiled vigorously for three minutes. 

Temporary water conservation tips: 

Eliminate or shorten shower times. 

Avoid unnecessary toilet flushes, 

Avoid washing clothes for as long as possible. 

Postpone washing dishes if possible. 

Check all faucets, showerheads and under cabinets for drips. 

Please share this information with everyone in your household, local friends and family, and others who may have not received this advisory directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses).  

For more information on boil water advisories, visit the Virginia Department of Health Boil Water FAQs:https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/drinking-water/boil-water-faqs/

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Senior hunger a ‘hidden crisis in the commonwealth’ https://www.legacynewspaper.com/senior-hunger-a-hidden-crisis-in-the-commonwealth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=senior-hunger-a-hidden-crisis-in-the-commonwealth https://www.legacynewspaper.com/senior-hunger-a-hidden-crisis-in-the-commonwealth/#respond Mon, 06 Jan 2025 04:40:20 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/senior-hunger-a-hidden-crisis-in-the-commonwealth/ Frank Woodson By Adrienne Hoar McGibbon Frank Woodson runs a food bank at his active...

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Frank Woodson

By Adrienne Hoar McGibbon

Frank Woodson runs a food bank at his active adult community in Richmond.

Every Tuesday, some of his neighbors gather in a community room to take home donated food that’s been loaded into bags on top of a table. The bags are filled with bread, eggs, and other standard fare provided by local churches, charities, and other community members.

“It just makes me feel overjoyed that I can help somebody,” Woodson said.

He says some people are hesitant to ask for help despite their hunger. Woodson says one man’s reaction has stuck with him over the years.

“He got the plate to go, and when he came up, tears were rolling down his eyes because the man was hungry,” Woodson said. “It meant something to him.”

Throughout the week, neighbors knock on Woodson’s door, dropping off groceries for others. He often goes door to door filling a large cart with food with the help of Mary Njie, another community member.

Despite the generosity, Njie says the food bank doesn’t always meet the needs of those in the building: “Sometimes we fall short here, and some of us need a little extra help.”

While helping to feed others, both Woodson and Njie receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — once known as food stamps — which help them cover the costs of their own groceries. They both live on fixed incomes from Social Security and say that after paying rent, they don’t have much money left over.

“It’s not a whole lot,” Njie said about her monthly SNAP benefits. “But it does help fill in the gaps.”

About 165,000 Virginia seniors don’t have enough to eat, according to the National Council on Aging. But only about 38% of adults 65 and older take advantage of available benefits.

Dustin Parks is the community benefits outreach coordinator for Feed More, a Richmond-based charity that works to combat food insecurity. He attends the Tuesday food pantry gatherings to sign up as many people as possible for programs like SNAP.

Parks says some seniors are hesitant to sign up because of negative associations they have with the program or concerns about a lengthy application process.

“It doesn’t have to be scary or challenging,” he said. “It’s not a race… We can just work through it step by step.”

Many seniors only qualify for Virginia’s minimum benefit amount of $23 per month.

“When it comes to the time for renewal, they’ll just say it’s not worth the time and the effort to get a minimum benefit of $23,” Parks said. “I’ll see people who won’t renew or reenlist in SNAP just based on the amount that they receive.”

About 32,000 Virginia seniors get that minimum benefit amount, according to the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. Eddie Oliver, the organization’s executive director, called senior hunger a “hidden crisis in the commonwealth,” which he says has only gotten worse with inflation and higher grocery prices.

Oliver said Virginia’s food banks saw a sharp increase in needs after pandemic-related SNAP benefit increases from the federal government expired in February 2023.

“We immediately saw longer pantry lines — 10–20% more people coming for emergency food assistance at our 1,100 pantries throughout Virginia,” he said.

The state’s older adults are particularly susceptible to food insecurity because many are on fixed incomes and also covering medical expenses.

“They’re fixed with what they’ve got, and so they often end up cutting back, sacrificing on meals — and that really harms their health,” Oliver added.

Advocacy groups and state lawmakers are working to strengthen SNAP benefits for older Virginians. State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D–Chesterfield) is sponsoring a budget amendment to increase the minimum allotted SNAP benefits to $50 a month for recipients 60 and older, which would add about $20 million per year to the budget.

She unsuccessfully proposed a similar increase during this year’s General Assembly session, but hopes her amendment will be successful this time around.

“We have always historically been at the lower end of the number of states that provide these benefits for seniors,” Hashmi said. “I think there is a need for public will and certainly for political action to ensure that we continue to provide nutritious options for our aging population.”


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Two years after council push for local investment, Hampton Roads Ventures has yet to deliver https://www.legacynewspaper.com/two-years-after-council-push-for-local-investment-hampton-roads-ventures-has-yet-to-deliver/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=two-years-after-council-push-for-local-investment-hampton-roads-ventures-has-yet-to-deliver https://www.legacynewspaper.com/two-years-after-council-push-for-local-investment-hampton-roads-ventures-has-yet-to-deliver/#respond Thu, 02 Jan 2025 14:56:24 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/two-years-after-council-push-for-local-investment-hampton-roads-ventures-has-yet-to-deliver/ By Jim Morrison (VM) – More than two years after Norfolk’s city council directed a...

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By Jim Morrison

(VM) – More than two years after Norfolk’s city council directed a for-profit subsidiary of its redevelopment and housing authority to prioritize local investments, the company has yet to deliver.

In July 2022, the council passed a resolution requiring Hampton Roads Ventures (HRV) — a community development entity created by the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) — to make its “best efforts” to invest in the city following a Virginia Mercury investigation revealing it had allocated only a fraction of its $360 million in tax credits to Norfolk’s distressed areas.

The resolution required HRV to submit an annual report detailing its activities. The 2024 report shows $53 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations across six states — with none directed to Virginia. The investments included projects as diverse as a food bank expansion in Tallahassee, a shopping center with a grocery store in the Bronx, N.Y., and a salmon processing barge in Washington.

Three years after repeated requests for interviews with HRV and NRHA officials, Alphonso Albert, chair of HRV’s board of managers and NRHA’s board of commissioners, sat down with The Mercury to defend HRV’s failure to invest locally.

In an email ahead of the interview — copied to Norfolk’s mayor and several city council members — Albert accused the Mercury reporter of intending harm, being vindictive and “more about making mischief” than reporting the facts.

During a 45-minute conversation, Albert portrayed HRV as “a successful business” with a competitive strategy for securing New Markets Tax Credits. However, he also acknowledged limited outreach in Norfolk, where the company hasn’t funded a project since 2008.

Albert said the “primary driver” for HRV’s focus outside Norfolk is maintaining its track record to win future tax credit allocations. Changing its business model to prioritize Norfolk, he argued, could jeopardize the company’s ability to secure funding in a highly competitive process. 

“We want to be successful in obtaining and utilizing new market tax credits,” Albert said. “That’s the end game, and not to make efforts that don’t meet the objective, the successful model that HRV operates on.” He added that HRV’s success relies on “tax-ready projects” in its pipeline that align with competitive application requirements.

However, the city council’s resolution from two years ago directed the firm to “proactively seek Norfolk projects and not rely solely upon the Norfolk Economic Development Department.” It also required marketing efforts to raise awareness about the NMTC program.

Other community development entities, though, have demonstrated that strategies can evolve without jeopardizing funding. For example, Indy CDE in Indianapolis has secured $177 million in tax credits since 2010 for a wide range of local projects, including a YMCA, high school modernization, and a recycling facility. It focuses on eliminating food deserts, increasing access to education, and revitalizing blighted areas. 

Albert said the company’s small staff size prevents it from actively developing projects in Norfolk unless they are brought to the firm. HRV’s website lists just three employees — a CEO, a portfolio manager, and an executive assistant — and Albert suggested that adding two or three more positions might be necessary if the company were to expand its focus locally. 

HRV’s 2023 audit revealed that salaries and benefits totaled nearly $490,000, up from $463,000 the previous year. Albert said he was unaware of CEO Jennifer Donohue’s salary and would not support releasing that information.

When asked how HRV identifies projects in places like Tallahassee, Tampa, and rural North Carolina, Albert said, “Consultants bring them to us. Consultants will see a deal and see if we’re interested in participating at one level or another, the same way we would do right here if somebody would bring us a deal.” According to the 2023 audit, HRV spent $230,000 on consultants that year.

Albert added that Donohue is also approached directly with proposals. “She’s going to look at a project that somebody says, here’s one here, but she doesn’t go out and solicit projects,” he said.

According to a December report from the U.S. Department of Treasury, HRV currently has $52 million in unallocated tax credits. Some of these funds may already be tied to pending deals. Treasury rules require half of HRV’s allocations be invested in rural areas. With the next application deadline approaching in late January — $10 billion available, double the usual amount — there is an opportunity to advance a Norfolk project.

Asked what efforts HRV made to secure a Norfolk project in the past year, Albert said the company met with local lenders, including TowneBank, Truist, and Chase. However, when pressed about whether HRV had issued a request for proposals to solicit local projects, Albert said that it did not. “I will float that,” he added. “That’s not a bad idea.”

Sean Washington, who oversees both Norfolk’s Department of Development and the city’s  Economic Development Authority, said that he hasn’t heard from HRV since discussions about a failed proposal to fund a Norfolk shopping center project in 2023. When asked why HRV hadn’t maintained contact with Washington, Albert replied, “A lot of people don’t have confidence in Sean. But Sean’s a nice guy.”

Norfolk pushes for local investment
The 2022 city council resolution aimed at pushing HRV to invest in Norfolk projects and increase oversight followed a Virginia Mercury investigation revealing that the company had invested only a fraction of the $360 million in tax credit allocations it had received since 2003 in Norfolk. Some council members expressed surprise, admitting they were unaware of the NRHA subsidiary’s existence and questioned why it was not prioritizing Norfolk.

HRV operates as a community development entity, which includes offshoots of banks, nonprofits, public agencies, and financial institutions. These entities apply for the tax credits  from the Treasury Department and, if awarded, attract investors who earn a 39% tax break over seven years. 

The tax credits aim to spur investment in distressed areas with the Treasury reporting that every New Markets Tax Credits dollar generates $8 in private investment. Norfolk has 16 severely distressed census tracts given the highest priority for tax credit allocations. In these tracts, poverty rates range from 31% to 80%, and unemployment rates reach as high as 40%.

HRV’s last local investment came in 2008, supporting the Fort Norfolk Plaza health center near Brambleton Avenue. Last year, HRV had pledged to back The Village, a proposed shopping center with the Urban League of Hampton Roads that aimed to eliminate a food desert. That project collapsed after the city failed to secure a state grant to help fund the development. The property later was sold to Fishing Point Healthcare, a company founded by the Nansemond Indian nation.

HRV transferred $655,000 of its recent profits to NRHA to fund workforce development, youth services, crime prevention, and transportation support for food access and cultural events. The company also donated $144,538 to 27 local organizations, including Zion Word Days Church, My 2K Foundation, Second Calvary Baptist Church, the Virginia Arts Festival, the Beacon Light Civic League, the Urban League of Hampton Roads, and the Portsmouth Bruins Football Association, according to a list provided by Albert.

HRV’s 2023 audit, also shared with the city, reported net income of nearly $2 million. Since 2021, following increased scrutiny, HRV has transferred more than $3.6 million to the NRHA — surpassing the $1.3 million it had transferred over the previous 18 years.

Mayor and council num on recent report
Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander did not respond to requests for comment for this story, but in May 2022 he urged HRV to prioritize projects in the city. “The point is to spur economic development in areas that but for the new markets tax credits there would not be any investment. That’s the reason they exist,” he said at the time. “I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t do business in other markets, rural markets. But this is the city of Norfolk. We need to spur economic growth.”

A spokesperson for NRHA said Executive Director Nathan Simms would not grant an interview. According to the 2003 city council resolution that authorized HRV’s creation, the entity is managed by NRHA commissioners.

Four of the nine NRHA commissioners, including Albert, are on the Board of Managers of HRV. Albert said the HRV board met quarterly. While they don’t jointly discuss the annual applications for tax credits tied to projects, he said Donohue shared them for comments. He also noted that  HRV works with a nationwide advisory board to consult on investments.

“I’m not the operational CEO. I’m talking principally who we are and I think defending our record and this organization,” Albert said.

Norfolk City Manager Pat Roberts also declined to comment through a spokesperson. Council member John “JP” Paige was the only elected official to respond. Paige, who represents some of Norfolk’s most vulnerable census tracts, said he hopes that HRV can identify a local project to support.

“I was very excited about the grocery store that was coming, but the state didn’t come through,” Paige said, referring to The Village proposal.

Other Virginia housing authorities have formed development entities like HRV that match projects with investors drawn to the tax breaks offered through the New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) program. But they focus on projects in the cities or regions, often plowing the administrative fees back into their communities and holding public meetings. Hampton Roads Ventures does not hold public meetings and has declined to make its records subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

In cities like St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, development entities have used the tax credits to stimulate major local investments, generating jobs and revitalizing their neighborhoods. .

St. Louis has leveraged $543 million in NMTCs to fund 103 developments and businesses, creating 6,800 jobs. Pittsburgh has utilized $238 million for projects such as affordable housing, transit hubs, and mixed-use development. Cleveland’s development team has financed urban schools athletic centers, job creation hubs and mixed-use spaces to drive growth.

Albert defended the HRV’s broader focus, saying it brings indirect benefits to Norfolk.

“We may be the only one that doesn’t support programs in our urban setting or in the area that we operate in, but we do bring very positive benefits to the city that we operate in,” he said. “I guess it’s a game of priorities.”

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Trump wants mass deportations. A ride-along with immigration officers shows the challenges https://www.legacynewspaper.com/trump-wants-mass-deportations-a-ride-along-with-immigration-officers-shows-the-challenges/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trump-wants-mass-deportations-a-ride-along-with-immigration-officers-shows-the-challenges https://www.legacynewspaper.com/trump-wants-mass-deportations-a-ride-along-with-immigration-officers-shows-the-challenges/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:33:14 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/trump-wants-mass-deportations-a-ride-along-with-immigration-officers-shows-the-challenges/ By Rebecca Santana (AP) — The immigration officers sat in their vehicles before dawn near...

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By Rebecca Santana

(AP) — The immigration officers sat in their vehicles before dawn near a two-story building. A New York subway line rumbled overhead, then an officer’s voice crackled over the radio.

After watching for about two hours, he said, “I think that’s Tango,” using a term for target. “Gray hoodie. Backpack. Walking quickly.”

The immigration officers surrounded and handcuffed a 23-year-old man from Ecuador who had been convicted of sexually assaulting a minor.

Kenneth Genalo, head of Enforcement and Removal Operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York, said a popular misconception is that officers can sweep into a community and pick up a wide swath of people who are in the United States illegally and send them to their home countries.

By Rebecca Santana

(AP) — The immigration officers sat in their vehicles before dawn near a two-story building. A New York subway line rumbled overhead, then an officer’s voice crackled over the radio.

After watching for about two hours, he said, “I think that’s Tango,” using a term for target. “Gray hoodie. Backpack. Walking quickly.”

The immigration officers surrounded and handcuffed a 23-year-old man from Ecuador who had been convicted of sexually assaulting a minor.

Kenneth Genalo, head of Enforcement and Removal Operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York, said a popular misconception is that officers can sweep into a community and pick up a wide swath of people who are in the United States illegally and send them to their home countries.

“It’s called targeted enforcement,” Genalo said. “We don’t grab people and then take them to JFK and put them on a plane.”

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, there is intense interest in how the Republican will carry out his immigration agenda, including a campaign pledge of mass deportations. His priorities could run into the realities faced by agents focused on enforcement and removals, including the unit in New York that offered The Associated Press a glimpse into its operations: The number of people already on its lists to target eclipses the number of officers available to do the work.

The Biden administration had narrowed deportation priorities to public safety threats and recent border crossers. Trump’s incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, says officials in the new administration also will prioritize those who pose a risk, such as criminals, before moving on to immigrants whom courts have ordered removed from the U.S.

But Homan also has signaled that enforcement could be wider: “If you’re in the country illegally you got a problem,” he said recently on Dr. Phil’s Merit TV.

It’s a tall order.

Deportation orders far outnumber staff

About 1.4 million people have final orders of removal, while about 660,000 under immigration supervision either have been convicted of crimes or are facing charges. But only 6,000 officers within ICE are tasked with monitoring noncitizens in the country and then finding and removing those not eligible to stay.

Those staffing numbers have largely remained static as their caseload has roughly quadrupled over the past decade to 7.6 million. About 10% of that workforce was pulled from their regular duties last year to go to the U.S.-Mexico border at times when immigration spiked.

Jason Houser, ICE chief of staff earlier in the Biden administration, said the number of officers needed to pursue those deemed a public safety threat are at direct odds with the goal of deporting people in large numbers.

“You’re not going to be able to do both of those with the resources you have, with the deportation officers you have,” Houser said. “Just the arithmetic, the time-intensive nature of those sort of arrests will overwhelm any ability to get to those large scale numbers.”

Genalo said the officers in charge of individual cases have to get a lead, ensure they have the legal authority to arrest someone and then track the person down. They generally aren’t allowed to enter a residence, so they want to catch people outside.

How immigration removals work in the field

On this recent operation, about a dozen officers gathered before 5 a.m. at a White Castle parking lot in the Bronx. After putting on their body armor and checking their equipment, they circled around for a briefing.

Besides the 23-year-old Ecuadorian man, they were going after a 36-year-old Mexican man convicted of forcibly touching a young girl and another Ecuadorian also convicted of sexual abuse of a minor.

The first target, the 23-year-old man, who pleaded guilty to raping a 14-year-old girl, was believed to usually leave the apartment building around 7 a.m. or 7:30 a.m. Sometimes he was with a woman and child.

“Light came on in the first floor of the apartment,” an officer waiting outside said over the radio. Then later: “Someone came out of the basement, but it’s not our target.”

They finally spotted him, swept him into the back of a vehicle and quickly left the neighborhood.

Inside, the man’s 22-year-old wife didn’t know what had happened until he called later from detention.

In an interview, she said they met in Ecuador and had a child — a bubbly 3-year-old girl with braids — and she was pregnant with their second. He worked construction while she was a manicurist.

She said she knew why her husband had been arrested but felt there were important mitigating factors. She said they knew it was possible her husband could be sent back to Ecuador after his criminal case wrapped up but that it was still a shock.

ICE deported more than 270,000 people over a recent 12-month period, the highest annual tally in a decade, the agency said in a recent report. But it also said it made fewer arrests of noncitizens, in part because of the demand of sending staff to the border. Of those arrested, a greater proportion had serious criminal histories.

Working with local law enforcement

Some cities and states work with ICE to turn over people in their custody who aren’t U.S. citizens.

But many left-leaning states and cities have so-called sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. In New York City, for example, ICE used to have an office at the jail to easily take custody of noncitizens. In 2014, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation kicking out ICE and restricting police cooperation.

His successor, Eric Adams, has shown willingness to revisit some of those policies. He recently met with Homan and told reporters they agreed on pursuing people who commit violent crimes.

Genalo said agents spend time and resources picking up immigrants few would argue should have the right to stay in America.

“How can you state that sanctuary policies help the community when you’re releasing all these criminals right back into the community?” he said. “We’re safer when we collaborate.”

Staffing is also an issue. He said he’s supposed to have about 325 officers, but in recent years, the number has been about 30% lower.

Many immigration advocates have long-standing concerns about ICE’s tactics, and those concerns are deepening with Trump’s return to office in January.

Advocates say the incoming administration’s position of going after public safety threats is already longtime policy. They object to rhetoric they say paints immigrants as people to be feared. They say there can be nuances in some cases: Maybe someone committed a crime a long time ago and has been rehabilitated, or someone facing a final order of removal moved and never got the notice.

During Trump’s first term, there were a lot of “collateral arrests” where immigration officers would detain others besides those being targeted, said Jehan Laner, a senior staff attorney for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. That destabilizes communities, she said, adding, “We saw them go after everyone.”

Genalo said he couldn’t comment on the incoming administration’s plans but stressed that officers are going after specific targets with criminal histories. He said he has a docket of about 58,000 people who either have criminal convictions or pending charges.

“I’m pretty sure we’re going to be tied up for a while dealing with the criminal population,” Genalo said.

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House rejects Trump-backed bill on government shutdown https://www.legacynewspaper.com/house-rejects-trump-backed-bill-on-government-shutdown/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=house-rejects-trump-backed-bill-on-government-shutdown Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:28:37 +0000 https://www.legacynewspaper.com/house-rejects-trump-backed-bill-on-government-shutdown/ House rejects Trump-backed bill on government shutdownunnamed.jpgSpeaker of the House Mike Johnson at the Capitol...

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House rejects Trump-backed bill on government shutdownunnamed.jpg
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(AP) — A day before a potential government shutdown, the House resoundingly rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s new plan to fund operations and suspend the debt ceiling, as Democrats and dozens of Republicans refused to accommodate his sudden demands.

In a hastily convened Thursday evening vote punctuated by angry outbursts over the self-made crisis, the lawmakers failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for passage — but House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared determined to reassess before Friday’s midnight deadline.

“We’re going to regroup and we will come up with another solution, so stay tuned,” Johnson said after the vote. The cobbled-together plan didn’t even get a majority, with the bill failing 174-235.

The outcome proved a massive setback for Trump and his billionaire ally, Elon Musk, who rampaged against Johnson’s bipartisan compromise, which Republicans and Democrats had reached earlier to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown.

It provides a preview of the turbulence ahead when Trump returns to the White House with Republican control of the House and Senate. During his first term, Trump led Republicans into the longest government shutdown in history during the 2018 Christmas season, and interrupted the holidays in 2020 by tanking a bipartisan COVID-relief bill and forcing a do-over.

Hours earlier Thursday, Trump announced “SUCCESS in Washington!” in coming up with the new package which would keep government running for three more months, add $100.4 billion in disaster assistance including for hurricane-hit states, and allow more borrowing through Jan. 30, 2027.

“Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal,” Trump posted.


But Republicans, who had spent 24 hours largely negotiating with themselves to cut out the extras conservatives opposed and come up with the new plan, ran into a wall of resistance from Democrats, who were in no hurry to appease demands from Trump — or Musk.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats were sticking with the original deal with Johnson and called the new one “laughable.”

“It’s not a serious proposal,” Jeffries said as he walked to Democrats’ own closed-door caucus meeting. Inside, Democrats were chanting, “Hell, no!”

All day, Johnson had been fighting to figure out how to meet Trump’s almost impossible demands — and keep his own job — while federal offices are being told to prepare to shutter operations.

The new proposal whittled the 1,500-page bill to 116 pages and dropped a number of add-ons — notably the first pay raise for lawmakers in more than a decade, which could have allowed as much as a 3.8% bump. That drew particular scorn as Musk turned his social media army against the bill.


Trump said early Thursday that Johnson will “easily remain speaker” for the next Congress if he “acts decisively and tough” in coming up with a new plan to also raise the debt limit, a stunning request just before the Christmas holidays that has put the beleaguered speaker in a bind.

Democrats were beside themselves, seeing this as a fitting coda after one of the most unproductive congressional sessions in modern times.

“Here we are once again in chaos,” said House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, who detailed the harm a government shutdown would cause Americans. “And what for? Because Elon Musk, an unelected man, said, ‘We’re not doing this deal, and Donald Trump followed along.’”

As he left the Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “Now it’s time to go back to the bipartisan agreement.”

The debate in the House chamber grew heated as lawmakers blamed each other for the mess.

At one point, Rep. Marc Molinaro, who was presiding, slammed the speaker’s gavel with such force that it broke.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Trump was publicly turning on those who opposed him.

One hardline Republican, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, drew Trump’s ire for refusing to along with the plan. Roy in turn told his own GOP colleagues they had no self-respect for piling onto the nation’s debt.

“It’s shameful!” Roy thundered, standing on the Democratic side of the aisle and pointing at his fellow Republicans.

The slimmed-down package does include federal funds to rebuild Baltimore’s collapsed Key Bridge, but dropped a separate land transfer that could have paved the way for a new Washington Commanders football stadium.

It abandons a long list of other bipartisan bills that had support as lawmakers in both parties try to wrap work for the year. It extends government funds through March 14.

Adding an increase in the debt ceiling to what had been a bipartisan package is a show-stopper for Republicans who want to slash government and routinely vote against more borrowing. Almost three dozen Republicans voted against it.

While Democrats have floated their own ideas in the past for lifting or even doing away with the debt limit caps — Sen. Elizabeth Warren had suggested as much — they appear to be in no bargaining mood to save Johnson from Trump — even before the president-elect is sworn into office.

The current debt limit expires Jan. 1, 2025, and Trump wants the problem off the table before he joins the White House.

Musk, in his new foray into politics, led the charge. The wealthiest man in the world used his social media platform X to amplify the unrest, and GOP lawmakers were besieged with phone calls to their offices telling them to oppose the plan.

Rep. Steve Womack, an Arkansas Republican and senior appropriator, said the bipartisan bill’s collapse signaled what’s ahead in the new year, “probably be a good trailer right now for the 119th Congress.”

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget had provided initial communication to agencies about possible shutdown planning last week, according to an official at the agency.

Johnson left the Capitol late Thursday night with only two words when asked about a path forward.

“We’ll see,” he replied.





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