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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Tuesday, April 5, 2022 

General Assembly begins special session  Reported by VPM News’ Patrick Larsen 

The Virginia General Assembly reconvened yesterday to finish work on the state budget and almost fifty bills. Localities, school districts, state agencies and more are waiting to see what kind of resources they’ll have to work with over the next two years. Taxation in particular remains a point of contention, with Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposals to repeal the grocery tax, suspend the gas tax, and double the standard deduction all in stalemate.     Mattaponi adopt new constitution and leadership, allow women to vote Reported by VPM News’ Alex Scribner 

Tribal descendants of the Mattaponi in King William County held elections for a new chief and council. They also passed a constitution that permits Mattaponi women to vote for the first time in over 100 years, but the longtime chief and council are pushing back. 

Fairfax County school can keep current admissions process   Reported by VPM News’ Megan Pauly 

Two out of three judges on a federal appeals panel have agreed to allow a Fairfax County governor’s school to continue with its current admissions process - at least for the next incoming class of students. Michaele Turnage Young with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund says the decision indicates the likelihood that the district will get to keep its admissions policy in place for additional classes of incoming students. The school board has appealed a judge’s February court opinion that found the district’s policy discriminated against Asian American students.

In Other News:  

• Chesterfield supervisors to vote on county’s FY23 budget – Richmond BizSense 

• South Crater Road, Route 301, in Petersburg closes as VDOT works on I-95 deck replacement - Richmond Times-Dispatch 

• Rappahannock Tribe reacquires ancestral Virginia land 350 years later – Washington Post 

In Case You Missed It:  

• Activists concerned Mayor’s proposal weakens Civilian Review Board powers - VPM 

• Virginia Senators push for new National Scenic Area on Shenandoah Mountain - WMRA 

• Rules for ‘recontextualizing’ Virginia’s Confederate statues delayed – Virginia Mercury