The Virginia Connection Number 2.2023

Connecting the Commonwealth Where Virginia Comes Together

Author

Tony Speaks
July 07, 2023

Our 2nd Edition No. 2.2023

Arlington Champions The Legacy Of James Moore, Sr.

In the belly of Arlington's age-old Halls Hill district, Moore’s Barber Shop stands unbroken. It's seen the back of Covid's fury and held its ground against the onslaught of cut-rate chains. The man at the helm, James Moore Jr., tells you it’s not business smarts or some extraordinary talent with the clippers that's their secret sauce. No, it’s the heartbeat of the community that keeps this place alive and kicking.

Moore, in a recent video by the folks at Arlington County, found himself wondering why government aid came knocking at his door. “I was like, ‘Why would they do that for me?’ It’s not just because we’re a legacy business. We’ve been here a long time,” he mused. “It must have value to the community. It has something intangible that is more than just a good haircut.”

Tucked away in a brick-and-mortar two-story at 4807 Langston Blvd, this barbershop - birthed by Moore's father back in the '60s - has become a cultural touchstone that Arlington County is itching to keep.

This preservation hustle is etched out in a fresh-off-the-press draft plan from the suits at the Arlington County Historic Preservation Program (HPP). They've got their sights set on shielding places soaked in history and making them worth a visit for the locals and tourists alike. The plan’s got a soft spot for the little guys — unassuming buildings like Moore’s Barber Shop that are brimming with historical worth and tell tales of varied lives.

This draft doesn't shy away from the tough questions, like how to juggle the demands of development while keeping history intact. It recognizes that not all landmarks are architectural wonders. Some are landscapes, public buildings, humble neighborhoods, and one-off structures. The plan gives a tip of the hat to the importance of folks and their culture in understanding our world and why preserving history matters.

The HPP's track record's been hit-or-miss, with some buildings getting a second chance and others lost to the bulldozer's bite. The plan's calling for a sweeter pot for preservation, seeing as the payoff for redevelopment is mighty tempting.

The plan's also got a vision where preservation and development can walk hand in hand. It's talking about breathing new life into old buildings, making them leaner on the energy front, and keeping the doors open on affordable places like garden apartments.

Moore’s Barber Shop is the proving ground for this draft Historic and Cultural Resources Plan. Can it keep history alive while leaving room for progress? Moore Jr.'s got a mission to keep his fathers large legacy burning bright, to keep the spirit that made this shop a beacon in the community alive in him and the next generation. “We all have a responsibility to one another,” he said. “It’s not a 100-year thing, it’s not a lifetime thing. It’s bigger than that.”

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEXANDRIA!!!

Bathing in the glow of the last evening of the year, the Potomac River will serve as a stunning backdrop to Alexandria's pyrotechnic spectacle.

While Independence Day sees many neighboring locales light up their skies, Alexandria prefers a slightly delayed celebration.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 8, as we commemorate the 274th birth anniversary of Alexandria, coinciding beautifully with the 247th birthday of our grand United States.

With roots dating back to 1749 and a reestablishment in 1852 (after briefly flirting with being a part of the District of Columbia), Alexandria is all set to revel in its past.

The celebratory tapestry of the anniversary will be woven with the melodious threads of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and the dazzling display of fireworks lighting up the night sky at 9:30 p.m. The party swings into action at 6 p.m., and the guests are in for a treat with delightful cupcakes, offerings from local vendors, and live music creating a vibrant atmosphere at Oronoco Bay Park, a jewel nestled at 100 Madison St.

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Jamal Lamonte Mitchell

Man Wanted For Murder In The Seven Cities

Newport News law enforcement has identified a suspect in a deadly assault that took place in February and are appealing to the public for assistance in apprehending him.

The individual wanted in relation to the death of 57-year-old Joseph Jones of Newport News is Jamal Lamonte Mitchell, 34. Responding to a distress call, officers discovered Jones bearing multiple injuries from an assault around 4:15 a.m. on February 17, in the 4000 block of Orcutt Avenue.

On April 18, police procured a warrant for second-degree murder against Mitchell. He was last known to reside in Hampton, and is described as approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall, and weighing around 190 pounds.

"Given the circumstances surrounding this investigation, Mr. Mitchell should be deemed dangerous," Newport News police stated in a press release.

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Unemployment Rate In Blacksburg Area Looking Promising

n April, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford's unemployment was 2.3%, and Roanoke's was 2.4%, outperforming Virginia's 3.1% and the national 3.4% rate.

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Unveiling the Legal Maze: The Controversial World of Warrantless Searches

Following a traffic stop in which a Culpeper deputy searched a woman hiding drugs in her clothing, the Virginia Court of Appeals determined that law enforcement must possess more than mere suspicion of contraband to conduct a warrantless search.

“Under the Fourth Amendment, probable cause of contraband is the standard to obtain a warrant, not the standard to search a person without one,” penned Judge Lisa M. Lorish in a Wednesday verdict. She acknowledged the complex analysis due to numerous exceptions to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement.

The July 5 verdict overturns a prior Culpeper County Circuit Court decision allowing the drugs found in the search of Renee Parady to be used in her trial. Parady, one of three individuals stopped by Deputy Dustin Tharp on January 28, 2021, had appealed for the exclusion of the drugs as evidence, arguing they were obtained through an unconstitutional warrantless search.

Parady was found guilty of felony possession of a controlled substance but retained her right to contest the court's refusal to suppress the drugs as evidence.

The state defended the inclusion of the drugs as evidence, citing Tharp's reasonable suspicion of Parady's drug concealment and “exigent circumstances" – the risk of Parady destroying the evidence if Tharp were to seek a warrant.

The Court of Appeals dismissed the latter two arguments, noting that Parady wasn't arrested on the search night and wouldn't be until nearly two months later. The court ruled that her search couldn't be justified in that regard, referencing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Lastly, the court concluded that the officer's probable cause to arrest Parady didn't justify a warrantless search. “The Commonwealth bears the burden of proving that a warrantless search fits under an exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment,” the court wrote. “While the exceptions are many, mere probable cause is not one of them.”

The case will now revert to Culpeper Circuit Court.

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Navigating The Road To Redemption: Unveiling the Pitfalls of Virginia’s Earned Sentence Credit Program

On Thursday, the Virginia Supreme Court concluded that the state's Department of Corrections wrongfully lengthened a man's jail time by suppressing deserved sentence credits. The man, Steven Prease, is now slated for release, as revealed by a statement from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia, the organization that represented Prease in court.

“We are very glad to see the Supreme Court of Virginia vindicate the promise that Virginia lawmakers made to people like Mr. Prease, who worked hard while in prison to rehabilitate himself and earn an early release,” remarked Vishal Agraharkar, a senior lawyer for the ACLU.

“Prolonging his incarceration would have eliminated any incentive for self-improvement, and done nothing to improve public safety.”

Earned sentence credit schemes enable prisoners to lessen their sentences through good conduct, participation in programs like anger management, vocational training, or parenting classes, designed to mould them into responsible citizens.

In 2020, a law broadened the state’s earned sentence credit program, allowing prisoners with both nonviolent and violent convictions to receive additional time reductions for good behavior related to nonviolent charges. Still, those with certain offenses were exempt from the extended credit program. The ACLU's lawsuit contended that the Department of Corrections incorrectly classified Prease as ineligible, even though his convictions didn't feature on the exclusion list.

The Department of Corrections remained unavailable for immediate comment on Thursday. Prease, a military veteran and PTSD sufferer, was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and battery, use of a firearm in a felony, and two counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.

As the Department of Corrections started identifying eligible prisoners for release, it consulted then-Attorney General Mark Herring for an advisory opinion. Herring’s interpretation would have authorized Prease's early release, per the Supreme Court's judgment. However, when Jason Miyares assumed the role of Attorney General, the department sought a new advisory opinion, receiving a different interpretation. Prease, initially told he'd be released in summer 2022, had his release date postponed to June 2024 following Miyares' opinion.

The court concurred that Prease qualifies for the extended credit program. In her 9-page opinion, Justice Cleo Powell noted that attempted aggravated murder isn't among the offenses that disqualify someone from earning expanded sentence credits. Therefore, denying Prease these credits lacks a legal foundation.

Agraharkar stated that the ACLU would persist in advocating for others in Prease's situation. He emphasized that the organization would urge the Department of Corrections to extend this ruling to all other individuals who they believe are being unlawfully detained.

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Empowering the Sun: Unleashing the Energy Revolution with the Solarize Fredericksburg Initiative!

The 2023 Solarize Fredericksburg initiative kicks off today, lasting until August 31, as declared by the city’s Clean and Green Commission last week. The program, one of several in the state, intends to simplify and make more affordable the transition to solar power for residents, by pre-approving installers offering reduced rates.

The campaign, managed annually by the Charlottesville-based nonprofit LEAP, has chosen Convert Solar and Tiger Solar as the installers this year, following a stringent selection process.

Residents have the opportunity to request a no-cost evaluation from these two solar firms or participate in various webinars hosted by LEAP.

“The value of the Virginia Solarize programs is that they simplify the process for homeowners by removing the steps of having to vet multiple solar contractors,” said Robert Courtnage of the city’s Clean and Green Commission.

“It can be confusing and time consuming to go solar on your own. We are pleased to once again be working with LEAP to increase the use of clean, renewable solar energy in our city and the surrounding Fredericksburg region.”

Following the Inflation Reduction Act, a federal tax credit available to homeowners installing solar panels has been bumped up from 26% to 32% by Congress. This credit permits homeowners to subtract a portion of a solar energy system’s setup cost from their federal taxes, with no limit on the value.

Since 2014, LEAP’s Solarize program has facilitated the change to solar for 1,015 Virginia households, as stated in a press release. For more details, visit solarizeva.org.

Unlock The Wonders of Roanoke: Dive into a Sensational Museum Day Experience!

The Roanoke History and O. Winston Link Museums will provide free entry for residents from seven counties and two cities every second Saturday from May 13 to October 2023. This offer, part of the Local Days initiative, aims to increase access to Roanoke's history and culture, offering free activity packs for children and families.

Besides May 13, other free dates include June 10, July 8, Aug. 12, Sept. 9, and Oct. 14. Located in a historic train station across Hotel Roanoke, the museums operate from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday.

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