RICHMOND, Virginia (WWBT) – Take a look at our top headlines before you start the day!

Another warm and pleasant day

Three of the next four days are likely to be 10 ° above average.

Today the weather will be rather sunny. Peaks in the mid-1960s.

Greensville Co. high school student killed

The students were released from Greensville County High School early Thursday morning to give them time to mourn the death of a student.

The superintendent confirms that a student was killed Wednesday night, and law enforcement is investigating the death as homicide.

The officials did not say what happened.

The school will be in session on Friday. Crisis and grief counselors will be available for students.

Omicron is now present in five US states

The omicron variant of COVID-19, which had not been detected in the United States until the middle of this week, had been discovered in at least five states by the end of Thursday, once again showing how mutations in the virus can go around the world with speed and ease.

Just a day after the discovery of the first known American case in California, tests showed that the omicron variant had infected at least five people in the New York metro area, as well as a man from Minnesota who had attended a convention. ‘animates in Manhattan at the end of November.

A Colorado woman who had recently traveled to southern Africa, a Hawaii resident with no recent travel history and another California resident who visited South Africa last month were also infected with the variant, said people. responsible.

Much remains unknown about omicron, including whether it is more contagious, as some health officials suspect, whether it can thwart vaccines, and whether it makes people as sick as the original strain.

COVID home tests

The Virginia Department of Health is partnering with 18 libraries and library systems across the state to distribute rapid COVID-19 antigen home test kits. All kits will be provided free of charge.

Individuals can pick up the COVID-19 antigen card home test from their local library, use it at home, and get the results in 15 minutes.

Test the eMed digital platform kits. Individuals will need a cell phone or computer to create an account in order to take a virtual tutorial. Once the test is complete, the results will come back in 15 minutes and eMed will send the results to VDH.

The program will run until December 31, and additional libraries may be added at a later date.

Downward VEC Online Claims Application

The Virginia Employment Commission online claim is down for maintenance.

The VEC did not specify how long the system will be down.

You can file a new claim by calling 1-866-832-2363 or file a weekly claim by calling 1-800-897-5630.

Northam & Buttigieg

Governor Ralph Northam will join US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on a walking tour of Jackson Ward on Friday at an infrastructure event.

U.S. Representative Donald McEachin and Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney will also join the tour to see the revitalization efforts.

Buttigieg will then join U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger and McEachin for a construction site press conference to discuss the benefits of bipartisan infrastructure law for Virginia.

No government shutdown

The Senate passed an interim spending bill that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government until Feb. 18 after leaders defused a partisan standoff over federal vaccine mandates. The measure now falls to President Joe Biden to be enacted.

Earlier Thursday, congressional leaders announced that they had finally reached an agreement for the government to continue operating for an additional 11 weeks, generally at current spending levels, while adding $ 7 billion to help evacuees d ‘Afghanistan.

Once the House voted to approve the measure, senators quickly announced a deal that would allow them to vote quickly.

RVA lights up returns!

As the holiday season heats up, a Richmond tradition returns. On Friday, December 3, the city’s skyline will be lit up for RVA Illuminates. Unlike last year, it is open to the public.

The festivities will begin at Kanawha Plaza on East Canal Street, starting at 5:45 p.m. The Richmond Police Department band will perform holiday classics and Mayor Levar Stoney will flip the switch to light up the skyline on Friday at 6 p.m. h.

The downtown area won’t be the only place in town to celebrate. Shockoe Illuminates will perform at a short distance in conjunction with RVA Illuminates. Shockoe Illuminates is a great alternative if you want to avoid the crowds of the place and find something more family-friendly.

As part of the tradition, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities also asks businesses and residents to light their storefronts and homes at 6 p.m.

Final thought

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there – George harrison

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