Tag: virginia

Protective Nets To Shield F-22s Eyed For Airbase Swarmed By Mystery Drones

U.S. Air Force officials at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia are looking at installing anti-drone nets to help protect F-22 Raptor stealth fighters on the flightline. This comes nearly a year after the base was subjected to waves of still-mysterious drone incursions, which The War Zone was first to report. It also underscores the U.S. military’s continued lag when it comes to responding to the very real threats posed by uncrewed aerial systems, at home and aboard, and particular hurdles to doing so domestically.

Langley’s 633rd Contracting Squadron put out a notice on October 4 asking for information about potential counter-drone netting that could be installed around up to 42 existing open-ended sunshade-type shelters at the base. Langley, now technically part of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, is one of a select few bases to host F-22s and is a key component of the Air Force’s posture to defend the U.S. homeland.

The 633rd “is in the process of determining the acquisition strategy to obtain non-personal services for the Unmanned Ariel Services (UAS) Netting for East Ramp Metal Sunshades,” according to the contracting notice. “The intention of the netting is to deter and ultimately prevent the intrusion of UAS’s near airmen and aircraft. This initial sunshade netting installation on the metal sunshade (bay Alpha 1) shall serve as a proof of concept for the remaining sunshades.”

The “netting should be capable of disabling a Group 1/ “Small” Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), such as the DJI Matrice 300 RTK, while remaining attached,” the notice explains. Per the U.S. military’s definitions, drones in Group 1 can have weights of up to 20 pounds, fly up to 1,200 feet, and reach speeds of up to 100 knots.

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Virginia Prosecutors Fight to Uphold Life Sentence for Man Found Not Guilty

In 1998, someone shot and killed police officer Allen Gibson in the woods behind an apartment complex in the small town of Waverly, Virginia. Police arrested Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne for Gibson’s murder days later—despite a lack of physical evidence linking them to the crime and the presence of another possible suspect. 

In 2001, a jury found them not guilty of murder. A judge sentenced them to life in prison anyway. 

Richardson and Claiborne have been fighting to prove their innocence ever since.

In February, the Virginia Supreme Court gave Richardson a chance to make his case by ordering a new hearing to examine potentially exculpatory evidence. Richardson’s legal team says this material was never shared with his original defense attorneys—a violation of a U.S. Supreme Court decision known as Brady v. Maryland. (Richardson’s case is following a separate procedure than Claiborne’s.)

The innocence claim centers around three pieces of evidence: an anonymous call to a police tip line identifying someone other than Richardson as a suspect, a photo lineup administered to a 9-year-old witness, in which she identified a suspect other than Richardson, and a statement made by her on the day of Gibson’s death in 1998 describing someone whose hairstyle did not match Richardson’s.

At the hearing in Sussex County Circuit Court this May, Richardson’s legal team set out to prove that this evidence could have changed the outcome of the case. But they were derailed by what Richardson’s attorneys have characterized as a deliberate effort by state prosecutors and federal law enforcement officials to undermine Richardson’s innocence claim.

“Terence and Ferrone are innocent,” Jarrett Adams, an attorney for both Richardson and Claiborne, told The Appeal. “They are not innocent by accident.”

For Richardson and Claiborne, the hearing was perhaps their best chance to bolster their innocence claims with recently unearthed evidence. But ultimately, the judge allowed only one item to be admitted as evidence before the Virginia Court of Appeals—the same court that had previously dismissed his case.  With Richardson’s case now once again set to go before the potentially unfriendly Appeals court, his legal team fears he faces an uphill battle to prove his innocence.

“We’re up against the impossible,” Adams said.

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Virginia County’s Election Manual Says People Who Show ‘Noncitizen’ ID Cards Can Still Vote

An election officer training manual issued by Prince William County, Virginia, appears to instruct poll workers that people who show ID cards which are issued “only to non-citizens” may still vote if they fulfill additional requirements, none of which provide evidence of citizenship.

As the manual states, the Virginia Driver Privilege Card “is not acceptable because it is given only to non-citizens.” Driver Privilege Cards (DPCs) are issued to non-U.S. citizens who are unable to demonstrate any sort of legal presence in the United States, so most holders are likely illegal aliens.

The manual instructs election workers that people who show a Driver Privilege Card may still cast “a regular ballot if (1) they are in your pollbook and (2) have another valid ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement.” Neither of these requirements proves the would-be voter’s citizenship.

(If the voter can’t even meet those requirements, Prince William County says he may “vote a provisional ballot.”)

Although positive evidence of citizenship is not required to vote in Virginia, the presentation of a card that is only issued to noncitizens suggests that person is not eligible to vote. It is a federal crime — across the entire United States — for any noncitizen to cast a ballot in a U.S. federal election.

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Mysterious black ring appears in the sky over Virginia

 A mysterious black ring appeared in the sky over southeastern Virginia on Tuesday.

Nexstar’s WAVY started receiving messages shortly after 11 a.m. as viewers of reached out with images and video of the ominous looking ring floating in the sky.

Ron Stepp, who sent in video, said he was working in the vicinity of Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg when it appeared overhead. He described it a huge smoke ring and said it disappeared after about 10 minutes.

Another person in the area of Old Mooretown Road stopped to snap some photos of it.

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Virginia Democrat Councilman Charged With Election Fraud, Illegal Voting

Police arrested a Virginia Democrat this week on felony charges of election and voter fraud.

Blacksburg Town Councilman Liam Watson, a 24-year-old Democrat operative, allegedly committed three counts of election fraud and one count of illegal voting in an election in August 2023, according to online court records. The Montgomery County grand jury “handed up” the charges on Tuesday, and Watson turned himself in to the Virginia State Police (VSP) on Wednesday, according to VSP Public Relations Director Corinne Geller.

“The United States Postal Inspection Service assisted the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation with this matter,” Geller said in an email. “The investigation remains ongoing.”

Watson allegedly “feloniously and intentionally” made false statements or entries last year on his Virginia voter registration application, on a statement of organization candidate committee, and on a declaration of candidacy form, according to indictments obtained by The Federalist. He also allegedly “feloniously and intentionally” voted in an election in which “he was not qualified to vote.”

All of the crimes were allegedly committed in Montgomery County, which contains the town of Blacksburg.

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Lynchburg City Council Candidate Challenges Legitimacy of Republican Primary Results, Citing Irregularities and Potential Tampering

Peter Alexander, a candidate for the City Council of Lynchburg, Virginia, has lodged a formal complaint in the Lynchburg Circuit Court, questioning the legitimacy of the recent Republican primary election results.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported the campaigns of Peter Alexander and Chris Faraldi, both candidates in the June 18th primary for City Council in Ward 4, have reported multiple irregularities, including issues with mail-in ballots and potential breaches in the chain of custody.

There are significant concerns regarding the chain-of-custody of ballots collected from drop boxes. Additionally, absentee ballot processing began before observers were permitted to monitor the process. Records also show that ballot box seals were broken before observers could watch, suggesting potential tampering or mishandling of ballots.

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What’s Happening in Lynchburg, Virginia? Shocking New Video Reveals Ballot Dropbox Left Open for Days, Mail-In Ballots Collected After Election, and No Security Camera Present!

As reported last week at The Gateway Pundit, the integrity of the Republican primary in Lynchburg has been called into question following a series of alleged procedural breaches.

The campaigns of Peter Alexander and Chris Faraldi, both candidates in the June 18th primary for City Council in Ward 4, reported multiple irregularities, including issues with mail-in ballots and potential breaches in the chain of custody.

According to the Lynchburg City Registrar, the race remains too close to call, with incumbent Chris Faraldi holding a narrow lead of 21 votes over Peter Alexander for the Ward 4 seat.

Concerns about the Lynchburg Republican primary center on several key issues. Primarily, there are significant concerns regarding the chain of custody of ballots collected from drop boxes.

Additionally, absentee ballot processing began before observers were permitted to monitor the process. Records also show that ballot box seals were broken before observers could watch, suggesting potential tampering or mishandling of ballots.

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Allegations of Election Fraud Rock Lynchburg, Virginia Republican Primary — Poll Watchers Claim Obstruction in Mail-In Ballot Processing, Broken Seals, and Unsupervised Ballot Counting

The integrity of the Republican primary in Lynchburg has been called into question following a series of alleged procedural breaches.

The campaigns of Peter Alexander and Chris Faraldi, both candidates in the June 18th primary for City Council in Ward 4, have reported multiple irregularities, including issues with mail-in ballots and potential breaches in the chain of custody.

According to the Lynchburg City Registrar, the race remains too close to call, with incumbent Chris Faraldi holding a narrow lead of 21 votes over Peter Alexander for the Ward 4 seat.

There are concerns about the Lynchburg Republican primary center on several key issues. Primarily, there are significant concerns regarding the chain-of-custody of ballots collected from drop boxes.

Additionally, absentee ballot processing began before observers were permitted to monitor the process. Records also show that ballot box seals were broken before observers could watch, suggesting potential tampering or mishandling of ballots.

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Mistrial declared after jury in case of tiki torch carrier from 2017 Unite the Right rally could not reach verdict

A mistrial has been declared in a Charlottesville, Virg. trial after a jury couldn’t reach a verdict to convict a Unite the Right attendee for carrying a tiki torch at the 2017 far-right rally.

Prosecutors accused Jacob Joseph Dix of committing a state felony by burning the tiki torch, which intimidated others. Three jurors voted guilty, eight said not guilty, and one did not make a decision after almost 12 hours of deliberating.

The prosecution argued that because Dix was part of a group where one of the participants broke the law, he must be found guilty. The defense claimed that Dix should be judged on his actions alone and saying “You will not replace us” was protected speech under the First Amendment.

Prosecutor Shannon Taylor said she intends to re-try the case. “It is our commitment to retry this matter,” Special Prosecutor Shannon Taylor told CBS.

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Virginia Officials Launch ‘Surveillance System’ To Track Cannabis-Related ‘Adverse Events’ Among Children

Virginia officials are instructing health care providers to start keeping track of “adverse events” involving children and teens being exposed to cannabis products.

In an April 24 letter to clinicians, State Health Commissioner Karen Shelton said her agency had received enough reports of minors getting sick from products containing CBD and THC, chemical compounds found in cannabis, that the state was establishing a “special surveillance system” to keep tabs on the issue.

“Reported symptoms for these adverse events have included vomiting, hallucinations, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, altered mental status and anxiety,” Shelton wrote, adding that “some hospitalizations have occurred” as a result of minors consuming cannabis products.

The letter specifically asks that local health departments be made aware of any cannabis-related hospitalizations in patients under 18 years old and any “clusters of adverse events” affecting multiple minors.

“After a hospitalization or cluster is reported, VDH staff will collect information about the illness(es), possible exposures, and laboratory results,” the letter says.

The Health Department provided data showing an increase in emergency room visits involving minors being exposed to cannabis, and said the new surveillance system will help bolster those tracking efforts. In 2019, there were 52 ER visits. By 2023, the number had grown to 377.

That data only covers emergency room visits and doesn’t reflect every incident reported to health officials.

“As a result of these data, the special surveillance system was established in order for VDH to receive these reports directly and better assess the impact of adverse events related to consumption of products containing THC or CBD among children in the Commonwealth,” said Health Department spokesperson Cheryle Rodriguez.

The letter also points to an online portal allowing anyone who had an adverse experience with cannabis products to submit a report to the Health Department with information about what happened, where the product was obtained and how it was labeled. The agency also noted that lab testing is available to “support patient and product testing.”

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