CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) -- A Chesapeake woman has been arrested after a police pursuit that injured one Virginia State Police trooper on Saturday afternoon.
Heather Lee Barrington (Courtesy: City of Chesapeake)
The Chesapeake Police Department was notified of a pursuit involving a 2011 Lexus RX 350 that initiated in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, at approximately 2:35 p.m. The driver of the Lexus, 52-year-old Heather Lee Barrington, was believed to be under the influence and had sideswiped a deputy.
Chesapeake Police became involved in the pursuit when the suspect entered I-64 westbound from Dominion Boulevard and they deployed spike strips.
As the pursuit continued onto Greenbrier Parkway, Virginia State Police troopers assisted in stopping the vehicle. Barrington struck three state police vehicles as she approached I-64 near the Indian River Road exit, causing one trooper to crash.
Barrington was stopped and found to have a baby girl restrained in a safety seat inside the vehicle. The infant was taken to Children of the King's Daughters Hospital to be evaluated.
The trooper who crashed was taken to Sentara Virginia Beach Hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening. No other troopers were injured during the incident.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) -- It was a night like any other for Jason Petrie and his family. Everyone was ready to call it a night until the family got an unexpected visitor.
Meet Sweetie, a black bear whose recently been seen near Butts station and Elbow Road in Chesapeake.
“We had been having a bear sighting in the neighborhood quite frequently recently. And before I went to bed, I started just checking my cameras around the house. And when I checked the front door camera, that's when I noticed that the bear had come up right up to the front door and was sniffing the door handle.”
Jason and Lochlyn Petrie told 10 On Your Side what it was like having Sweetie come up to their front door.
“I'm not even used to seeing deer, but when I do see deer, I think that's crazy, let alone a bear walking up to our front door. I think that's really crazy,” said Lochlyn.
Jason and his family weren’t the only ones Sweetie paid a visit to last night. One couple says they’re down two bird feeders thanks to the hungry bear.
“My wife came into the shower as I was drying off and she said that there was a bear in the backyard. And so, I ran out dripping wet with a towel wrapped around me and we looked at this bear dismantling her bird feeders and tore them all up and everything,” said John Williams, a witness.
While some may be nervous about a bear coming so close to their home, Jason and Lochlyn say they’re not worried about Sweetie.
“I'm not worried about it. He doesn't seem to be an aggressive type of bear, and he's come in pretty late at night.”
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says if you spot a black bear near your home, the best way to make the bear go away is to remove any sources of food it may be after, such as garbage, bird feed and pet food. You can learn more by clicking here.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) -- A family of four has been displaced and three dogs have died following a house fire in Chesapeake on Saturday afternoon.
Dispatchers received reports of a house on fire in the 3300 block of Country Mill Run at approximately 12:10 p.m.
Upon arrival, crews reported heavy fire showing. The Virginia Beach Fire Department, Moyock Fire Department and Navy Regional additionally responded to assist with water supply and fire extinguishment.
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Courtesy: Chesapeake Fire Department
Firefighters brought the blaze under control around 1:40 p.m.
The family was away at the time of the fire, but three dogs remained inside the house. Three of the family pets were found safe in a detached garage while the three dogs found inside the residence did not survive.
The house sustained major damage. The Red Cross will provide assistance to the family with lodging arrangements.
Fire investigators have ruled the fire accidental.
Tinaya Pope was last seen on Monday, March 24 in the 600 block of Lanier Crescent around 4:15 p.m.
She is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 123 pounds. She was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and grey or white Nike high-tops.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Portsmouth Police Special Victims Unit at (757) 393-8536. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact the Crime Line at 1–888-LOCK-U-UP.
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) -- Advocates and survivors of sexual assault gathered in Hampton's Peninsula Town Center for 'Walk in Their Shoes' on Saturday.
The event was organized by The Center for Sexual Assault Survivors and offers resources and communities to those seeking help following an assault.
"This year is actually our 19th year I'm doing this walk," said Stacey Moran, victim services program manager with The Center. "We're just trying to recognize survivors and victims of sexual violence."
Advocates like Stacey Moran and Xiomara Harris with The Center for Sexual Assault Survivors were there as people of all ages walked to support those impacted. They said events like this help those who may not know what step to take, if any, following an assault.
"It feels empowering. For me, it feels like we are a community that sticks together. We join together, we come together," Harris explained.
10 On Your Side's Kiahnna Patterson emceed the event supporting survivors. Resources from Sentara, Riverside Hospital and local commonwealth attorney's offices were there as well. Funds raised by the walk and raffle go towards keeping The Center's resources free for those who need it.
"Sexual assault is very prevalent and we want to get the word out," said The Center representative. "It happens to men, women and children, and we want them to know that we are here for them. All of our services are free."
Those free services can make it easier for survivors to come forward, offering a sense of community.
"I know it's hard to sometimes just come out and say that you've been a victim of a crime, you know, especially a crime like for sexual assault," said The Center representative.
If you're looking to give back, the non-profit is in constant need of support in the form of funding in order to keep their services free.
"These are hard times for nonprofits. We are federally funded. So we need the community's help to keep our services free," said Harris.
If you or you know someone who may be a victim of domestic violence or child abuse, click here for a list of local and national resources.
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Two fatal crashes on West Mercury Boulevard in Hampton just under two weeks has residents demanding police do more to slow down speeders.
This comes after the busy Hampton street claimed the life of 73-year old Lucille McPherson Tuesday.
"It was all over Facebook, and when I got on Facebook, I seen it and I was devastated by it too," said McPherson's niece, Syniah Holliday. "People need to slow down when they are driving."
Hampton resident and Wana Play Childcare owner Tawana Wilson agrees. She lives off of West Mercury Boulevard and said speeding has been a problem for some time.
"Now it's in the day time," Wilson said. "It's getting ridiculous."
Wilson said the fear of getting hit remains at the top of her mind as she runs a daycare business at her home.
"I just ordered a sign that said, 'Children are playing,' this week, because of that accident, and now we're scared to even take the kids out now," Wilson said.
She and other neighbors hope police will hear their concerns, adding that speed bumps and more police patrols in the area could help save lives.
"Everything, try something, everything," Wilson said. "Put them all together. We have kids. Our lives are in danger."
In a statement, Hampton police said:
"We encourage those citizens to contact us directly with their concerns so that we can work to identify the issues and deploy the resources to address those concerns. we are committed to staying focused on our efforts to mitigate these situations and enhance our traffic safety throughout the city."
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A grand jury has indicted a sailor for animal torture, one year after a dog starved to death in Virginia Beach.
When Enonge Stovall was getting deployed, she said the last thing on her mind coming back was that her dog would be dead.
Melo was a four-year-old English bulldog. Stovall, his owner, said she never got to say goodbye because she was in the middle of her deployment.
“It was horrible," Stovall said. "He was a family dog. He was my baby. He was like a baby."
In late October 2023, Stovall had been gone for nine months. She said she trusted DeCarlos Gray from working with him at her last duty station in the military. He agreed to watch her dog.
“As military people, we take care of each other," Stovall said. "So I'm thinking it's like a safe person."
According to documents, Melo stayed at Gray’s home on Counselor Square for six months. With only three months left of Stovall’s deployment, Gray took Melo back to his owner's house.
Why? Stovall said it’s still unclear.
“He said something along the lines of he had to get his floors cleaned," Stovall said. "But at the time, I was on deployment, so I didn't pay any mind. But then when I got back, I was like, 'Well, he has a dog.' You know what I mean? So why would my dog be here with all his food? So it was just a weird situation.”
According to documents, it states Melo was in good physical condition when he went into Gray’s care. In April 2024, video footage shown from inside the home showed Melo was alive in this crate, as stated in documents.
In Virginia Beach court documents, six days after Melo was dropped off at the empty home, he was found dead in his wire crate by the house sitter.
“I got a call saying there was a dog in my house, and I thought somebody broke in, and so I found out it was Melo,” Stovall said.
Court documents state when police got to Stovall’s house, officers found the puppy pad inside the crate soaked with urine and fecal matter. The bulldog was emaciated and had several wounds on his body, each wound showing exposed bone, according to documents.
“I would never get another dog," Stovall said. "Yeah, that's over. It's just — I don't know. I don't even like to think about it. It's sick. Honestly. It's really sad."
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) -- Virginia Beach Police are asking residents to be aware of a growing trend of car break-ins and thefts.
According to officials, just between April 8-9, the city reported 34 incidents of destruction of property and 14 thefts from motor vehicles. This all occurred in the 3rd Precinct of the city near Bonney Road.
As a result, law enforcement are reminding the community to always lock your doors, keep valuables in your vehicle out of plain sight or to not leave valuables in your vehicle, at all. This will reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim.
Police said that, while car break-ins typically involve individuals checking to see which vehicles are unlocked, the recent thefts have involved smashing car windows in order to get the items inside.
Other areas of the city have reported similar trends, however, not as prevalent as in the 3rd Precinct.
A resident living on one of the streets with multiple break ins said he has seen incidents like this before and knows how to avoid them.
“Coming from Orlando, Florida, it’s just the younger crowd breaking into cars and trying to get whatever they can get," one resident said. "The more excessive ones where they’re breaking the glass, using tools, usually there’s something in your car that they know or have heard of that they want, or they see something expensive through the windows. That’s why I avoid leaving anything expensive in my car.”
The man explained his process to make sure his car isn’t broken into.
“Double lock it — sometimes I even do a little look back, make sure I didn’t leave anything in there," he said. "Like I said, if you’ve got something expensive sitting out on the front seat, it’s gonna catch someone eye.”
Due to the rise in thefts, police are asking residents to keep valuables out of vehicles, or just out of sight. People are also asked to consider investing in car alarms or added lighting to your home or driveway. They're also asking neighbors in the Bonney Road area to help them ID suspects and review security camera footage to see if they've captured anything.
Individuals who may have captured video of thefts from security cameras are asked to contact the VBPD Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101 with the potential evidence. People can also register and integrate their security cameras with VBPD using the link here.
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Karma Restaurant and Lounge on Lincoln Street is open for business again after a deadly early morning shooting Friday in the parking lot.
A security guard pats down everyone going in — that is standard at the front door — but what happened has shaken the immediate downtown Hampton community, and a family grieves after DeAngelo Osborne, 25, of Hampton, was shot and killed.
Police said the call came in at 1:37 a.m. in reference to a shooting at the Karma Restaurant and Lounge, which had closed around 1:20 a.m., according to management.
D'Angelo McCay Osborne (Photo provided by Tracy Richardson, Osborne's mother)
When officers arrived, they found a man, identified as Osborne, in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Osborne was gunned down after celebrating his girlfriend's birthday with her family.
One neighbor told 10 On Your Side that he saw the aftermath of the shooting.
"It was the tape, from here to all the way over there, and I saw the forensic team and I already knew what that was," Kevin Davis said. "Somebody died. I don't know who."
Davis said the area isn't the safest.
"I guess the club was kicking off because it's not the safest area in town," Davis said.
Davis also said he'd like to see his community put down the guns.
"I feel sorry for— because it's too much going on anyway with all the guns and people getting shot everyday," Davis said. "Pretty much, I always have concerns. Stop killing each other, I don't know what it was about, but I'm going to find out sooner or later. I don't know who died, but somebody died."
Osborne's mother did not want to speak on camera, but she is broken-hearted, grieving the loss of her son. She knows what happened, but she has been advised not to talk about it during the investigation.
Charles Ralph, who has worked for 22 years in the social services community, knows the family is grieving.
"It is a shame," Ralph said. "I hope they're comforting people in the neighborhood, because people tend to unify when these things happen. They talk about it, trying to lift people up saddened by loss, and [provide] comfort to the families."
Detectives from Hampton Police Division's Major Crimes Unit are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Outside Karma, you could see Hampton Police detectives collecting evidence, and there were evidence markers on the ground covering spent shell casings.
Police said they are looking for help in identifying the suspect in connection to what they are classifying as a homicide.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hampton Police Division at 757-727-6111 or the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP. People can also send tips at P3Tips.com.
Ralph, from experience, shared what he thinks needs to be done to improve the community.
"Well, probably, with the families, the children should be shown a better way to build unity," he said, "and families need to work on making the community safe."
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — On April 2, Japanese video game developer Nintendo announced the upcoming console Nintendo Switch 2 would be priced at $450, a $150 increase from the first Nintendo Switch released in 2017.
“Immediately after that, a lot of the discussion started to go towards, 'Oh, well, we know that a lot of tariffs are being put in place and we're essentially seeing a lot of companies or countries that Nintendo was working with are getting hit with those," said video game fan Wayne Larkin, "and that's going to lead to us having to pay more for this hardware."
Larkin said many thought the $450 price tag had tariffs baked in. Then, President Donald Trump upped the ante with sweeping tariffs following the system's announcement.
Switch 2 pre-orders were postponed, with Nintendo announcing it would "assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."
With Trump announcing a pause on tariffs Wednesday and preorders not re-opened, the final price is in limbo.
“I do not anticipate that Nintendo of America will raise the price if tariffs are not a factor," Larkin said. "Personally, I think we'll see that the preorders open back up. They did establish that the release date of the system is not changed, so it would release before the tariffs procedures would be revisited. There has been a lot of 'these will be implemented,' there has been a lot of 'here's this, this and this will happen' and immediately backpedaled not that long after."
The release date of the Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for June 5, a month before the end of the announced 90-day pause on tariffs.
Additionally, the pricing for Nintendo Switch 2 games have increased in comparison to previous systems, from the traditional $60 to $70, and in the case of the upcoming Mario Kart World, up to $80.
Andrew Foster, owner of OldSkool Video Games and More, said the increase, in this case, is not a result of tariffs.
“Nintendo games have been $60 for about 20 years now," said Foster. "So, I think that that's expected at this point. We've been fortunate to not have a price hike there as long as we've had.”
To offset costs for any potential price increases, Foster said people should take advantage of trade-in systems that OldSkool offers and to purchase pre-owned games or consoles.
“It's really important that people come in and do trade-ins and buy pre-owned," Foster said. "It's always going to be cheaper than a new item in most cases. So, stick to pre-owned if you can, if you don't have a problem with that. Just because it's not wrapped, it doesn't mean it doesn't work.”
“Personally, it's everything I would have wanted out of a successor to the Switch,” Larkin said.
As for the Nintendo Switch 2 system itself, both Larkin and Foster are excited for its release.
“I think it's going to be awesome," Foster said. "I am excited to see it."
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) -- Drivers experienced delays on I-64 in Virginia Beach Friday afternoon near the Providence Road Overpass due to police activity.
According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, all west lanes were closed near mile marker 286.9, which is near the Indian River Road West exit, while police investigated. A separate traffic alert from VDOT said eastbound lanes near mile marker 286.2 were closed. The eastbound and westbound I-64 express lanes were closed between I-264 and Battlefield Boulevard.
VDOT first posted about the special police activity just after 1 p.m. and said a westbound detour was in place at the Indian River Road exit 286A.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Eighteen puppies and their mother were left behind at a shelter in Staunton and, to keep them from being euthanized, they were sent to the Norfolk SPCA, where they have been getting the love they deserve as they await their forever homes.
Kevin and Lilly, and all nine of their Anatolian Shepard siblings, are available for adoption.
“So these guys will be available today, they start at 12:30," said Jesika Streeter, deputy director for the Norfolk SPCA. "We’re gonna start hanging out buzzers for them. We do ask that you do your research — there’s a post up on our Facebook page, specific to this breed. They’re not for everyone. They can be a little stubborn sometimes, our Anatolian friends, but they are available."
In addition to the 11 Anatolian pups that were rescued, a mom and her seven puppies were also rescued.
“The mom is very, very sweet," Streeter said. "She’s a little pitty mix. She super, super sweet, and all of her puppies are very loud, yes. They’re a little too young for adoption just yet, but I’m sure once they get of age, their personalities they will definitely grow into."
With limited space, and a lot of new mouths to feed, the Norfolk SPCA is always looking for more help.
“We are always looking for donations, cash donations are the best way," Streeter said. "You can also donate right on our website as well. The more donations that we’re able to get in, we’re not undercut the city, by the state, or federal funding. So, all of the donations that we rely on come from our community directly."
If you’d like to adopt any of the puppies or make a donation to help the Norfolk SPCA continue their work, click here.
Virginia Beach NAACP president Dr. Eric Majette, 62, remembers that era where the schools and the books used for instruction where in poor shape.
"They were in terrible condition, terrible conditions," Majette said. "You could see where kids had written notes in those books. So that was a period of life where there was very interesting stuff that you would never forget."
Sixty-nine years later, the high court ruled race-based college admissions were unconstitutional. Then, two years later, the high court backed the Trump Administration's order to freeze funds for school divisions that fail to drop diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in school division programs and curriculums.
That led to the action taken by the Virginia Beach School Board Tuesday to suspend its DEI initiatives, lest it risk losing more than $74 million in federal funding, making some in the community upset by the board's actions, and how they did it.
"I think it's a tremendous threat to the schools," Majette said. "I think is going to impact the school themselves, not only the schools, but also is definitely impacting the programs and impacting the kids, the students as well as the parents."
In a statement, the Virginia Beach NAACP said "the move to eliminate DEI policies — without identifying which programs, clubs or initiatives would be affected, and without allowing for public comment — represents a troubling disregard for the values of inclusion, equity and democratic process."
"Basically trying to hide it from public view, steamroll it even through other members of the board," said Elizabeth Schur, who is a former teacher for Virginia Beach Public Schools.
Del. Michael Feggans also condemned the board's vote. In a joint letter with State Sen. Aaron Rouse (Dist. 22), Del. Alex Askew (Dist. 95) and Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler (Dist. 96), he called the board's adoption of the resolution "a deeply troubling step backward for students and families across the city."
"This decision is not about compliance — it's about capitulation," Feggans said. "It's an alarming move that disregards the lived experiences of Black and Brown students, LGBTQ+ youth and immigrant families. The message it sends is that their voices don't matter."
Feggans said the board's decision is a harmful precedent for school divisions statewide.
"Virginia Beach has long served as a leader in public education," Feggans said. "This reversal not only hurts our local students, but threatens decades of progress in creating inclusive and equitable learning environments."
He called for the board to reverse its decision and fully reinstate DEI initiatives.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A senior at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk found an insect inside a frozen, pre-packaged strawberry fruit cup that she had purchased at the school, and she said others told her they had also found insects in their fruit cups.
And while 10 On Your Side was not able to confirm the type of insect found in the fruit cup, the student said it was a nasty sight.
“I opened it, and I started eating," the student said. "I wasn't even looking down at my food as I was eating, but [when] I go to look down. I saw it in there, and I wasn't sure if it was there at first, but I realized it definitely was."
Suffolk Public Schools told 10 On Your Side in a statement that the product is a USDA prepackaged frozen strawberry cup, and it was delivered to the school Tuesday.
In the picture you can see the small insect in her fruit cup. The student said her first thought was disbelief.
“As I was leaving the class, a girl stopped me, and she showed me a screenshot of a maggot in another one, and she told me, 'I wouldn't eat those because there are maggots in this,'” said the senior.
Her fruit cup only had one insect in it, but she told 10 On Your Side that was not the case for other classmates.
“Today I actually found out before my lunchtime that one of the hall monitors was telling me how a boy had ate his almost down to the bottom," the student said. "And then when he lifted it up, it was a whole bunch on the bottom, and they were alive."
Suffolk Public Schools notified USDA representatives and pulled all the items. It said the manufacturer and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will be investigating the matter.
Her father said it is gross, and concerning, for his daughter.
“More than anything, it impacts her psychologically because it will make you not want to eat anything," the student's father said. "She told me she wasn't going to eat today; she did not have an appetite at all."
CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) -- A Suffolk man is facing several drug-related charges following a traffic stop in Currituck County Thursday.
Currituck County deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a white Elantra speeding on Caratoke Highway Thursday when the vehicle failed to yield, resulting in a pursuit.
After successfully bringing the vehicle to a stop, a K9 unit was requested to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle, and the K9 gave a positive indication for the presence of narcotics. Deputies then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle.
Eugene Boone (Courtesy: Currituck County Sheriff's Office)
The driver, identified as Eugene Boone, 21, was taken into custody and taken before a magistrate. He was charged with the following: felony flee to elude arrest, felony possession of marijuana, felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver marijuana, felony maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substances, failure to heed emergency lights and sirens, reckless driving, no operator’s license, expired vehicle registration and no insurance.
Boone was issued a $25,000 secured bond and booked into the Currituck County Detention Center.
The passenger, identified as Deyandre Smith, was found to have three active extraditable warrants from Virginia for the following offenses: felony probation violation, failure to appear and failure to obey a child support order.
In accordance with North Carolina's "Run and Done" law, the vehicle was seized.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Norfolk Navy veteran will attempt to climb Mount Everest next week to raise money for a national nonprofit.
Brian O’Malley may be in his 60s, but he told 10 On Your Side his age isn’t going to stop him from taking on the challenge of a lifetime.
He’s been busy preparing for the journey by working out and sleeping in a special tent to help him acclimate to the change in altitude once he starts.
“I feel very strong physically," O'Malley said. "I feel very strong mentally. I'm ready."
O’Malley got the inspiration to attempt this journey in 2023 when he was recovering from a back surgery.
"I found myself watching a lot of documentaries on Mount Everest,” O’Malley said. “I made a pact with myself that if my back gets back to 100% that I wanted to do something significant.”
He’s using the challenge as a chance to fundraiser for Tunnels to Towers, a nonprofit that supports military members and first responders.
"The reason we love Tunnel to Towers is because not only does it support all of our military service members and stuff, it also supports first responders," O’Malley said.
He added that he understands the risks that can come with attempting to climb Everest, so that’s why he took a trip recently to prepare.
"My brother-in-law and myself went out to the Nepal area, to the Himalayas just about a month ago, and we tracked about 100 miles through the Himalayas and about 10,000 feet or so [of] an elevation change," O'Malley said. "I acclimated well with the elevation change."
If he succeeds, he'll be one of the oldest Americans to have summited. O’Malley also plans to document his journey, one he hopes will make a difference and inspire others.
"I really believe that God has given me this one more opportunity," O'Malley said, "by giving me a good back that will allow me to do this."
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) —The Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) was involved in a collision with another vessel while in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday, according to U.S. Navy Cmdr. Timothy Gorman, U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesperson.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier was reported to be involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M while operating in the vicinity of Port Said, Egypt.
The ships collided near Port Said around 11:46 p.m. local time, Gorman said.
No injuries or flooding was reported. The propulsion plants were unaffected and remain in a safe and stable condition. The incident is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available.
The Truman deployed to the Mediterranean and Middle East in September and just finished a port call in Souda Bay, Greece, according to the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday removed a key legal hurdle stalling President Donald Trump ’s plan to downsize the federal workforce with a deferred resignation program.
The Boston-based judge's order in the challenge filed by a group of labor unions was a significant legal victory for the Republican president after a string of courtroom setbacks.
“This goes to show that lawfare will not ultimately prevail over the will of 77 million Americans who supported President Trump and his priorities,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Another group of unions filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C. late Wednesday, though its potential impacts were not immediately clear.
About 75,000 federal workers accepted the offer to quit in return for being paid until Sept. 30, according to McLaurine Pinover, a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management. She said the deferred resignation program “provides generous benefits so federal workers can plan for their futures," and it was now closed to additional workers.
American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a statement that the union's lawyers are assessing the next steps.
“Today’s ruling is a setback in the fight for dignity and fairness for public servants," Kelley said. “But it’s not the end of that fight. Importantly, this decision did not address the underlying lawfulness of the program.”
The union continues to maintain that it's illegal to force American citizens to make a decision, in a few short days, without adequate information, about “whether to uproot their families and leave their careers for what amounts to an unfunded IOU from Elon Musk,” the statement said.
U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. in Boston found that the unions weren’t directly affected, so they didn't have legal standing to challenge the program, commonly described as a buyout. O'Toole was nominated by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat.
The deferred resignation program has been spearheaded by Elon Musk, who is serving as Trump’s top adviser for reducing federal spending. Under the plan, employees can stop working and get paid until Sept. 30.
Labor unions argued the plan is illegal and asked for O’Toole to keep it on hold and prevent the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM, from soliciting more workers to sign up.
A Justice Department lawyer has called the plan a “humane off ramp” for federal employees who may have structured their lives around working remotely and have been ordered to return to government offices.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) -- A single mother and her two children are left without a home after their camper was stolen in a church parking lot.
On the morning of Jan. 20, the family's Coleman 17B camper was stolen in the 1500 block of S. Battlefield Boulevard. The suspect entered the church parking lot in a pickup truck, hitched the camper and drove away with it.
Courtesy: CPD
Courtesy: CPD
The camper was being lived in by a mother and her children who now don't have a place to stay. The photos above show pictures of the camper and the suspect's truck.
If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.comand submitting a tip.
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