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Virginia House Dems look to pass paid sick leave in special session

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia House Democrats are planning to use an upcoming special session to mandate employers provide paid sick days, along with several other priorities.

The Democratic majority unveiled its agenda Thursday for a special session set to start next week.

The session was initially supposed to focus on adjusting the state’s budget amid the coronavirus pandemic but has grown to include criminal justice reform and other measures.

A proposal for paid sick days tops their list after it failed earlier this year.

Democrats in both chambers have also said they are looking to make transformational change to the state’s criminal justice system.

Fairfax County firefighters come home after assisting Colombia earthquake victims

Ten Fairfax County firefighters who are part of Virginia Task Force 1 returned late Thursday from helping coordinate a rescue effort after the devastating earthquake in Colombia. Family members greeted the team as they arrived in Chantilly Thursday night. A young girl held a sign that read "Welcome Home Daddy." For Andy Kassavetis, this was his first mission with Task Force 1, and seeing the devastation in Colombia put some things into perspective for him. He said he saw firsthand "how impactful an event can be on a community. It makes you think about, you know, really when you come home sharing the love with the people around you and letting them know you’re there with them, because things can change really quickly.”
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