Virginia now participating in unified COVID-19 tracing tool
RALEIGH, N.C. — As coronavirus exposure notification technology slowly rolls out across the country, every resident in 17 states and the District of Columbia will now be able to send and receive alerts beyond their home state if they’ve tested positive for the coronavirus or come into contact with someone who has.
On Friday, Virginia joined Washington, D.C., and 16 other states that have been using the Association of Public Health Laboratories’ National Key Server, which allows phones to “talk to each other” across state borders. This means users in these 18 areas won’t have to download a separate app in places they are visiting.
“This is especially important considering added travel during the holiday season,” said a statement from Dr. Norman Oliver, Virginia’s health commissioner.
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Apple and Google co-created the technology that uses Bluetooth wireless signals to anonymously detect when two phones have been in close proximity. A user who tests positive for the virus can have their phone trigger a notification to other people they’ve spent time near.
The states beyond Virginia are Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wyoming.
Data obtained by The Associated Press from 16 state public health departments shows 8.1 million Americans adopted the contact tracing tool in these areas through late November. That pales in comparison to the roughly 110 million residents in those regions.
New state historical marker honors juvenile justice figure
LYNCHBURG — A Virginia woman who helped overhaul the state’s antiquated juvenile justice system has been honored with a new state historical marker.
A marker highlighting the work of Lucy Harrison Miller Baber was recently unveiled outside Lynchburg’s downtown court complex, The News & Advance reported.
Baber, who died in 1996, led the Welfare Department of the Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs and advocated against placing incarcerated children in adult jails. She helped formulate and implement legislation that strengthened the juvenile court system, required separate juvenile detention facilities, and expanded probation services.
Man admits using PPP loan for Vegas trip, other things
NORFOLK — A Virginia man who authorities said used a fraudulently obtained $350,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan for personal expenses, including a trip to Las Vegas, has pleaded guilty to bank fraud.
Scott Suber, 39, entered the plea Wednesday at a federal district court in Norfolk, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia in a news release.
Congress authorized the Paycheck Protection Program, known as PPP, in March to provide emergency financial assistance to those suffering economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Court documents said Suber’s application for the loan fabricated the number of employees at his Virginia Beach-based business, Debris or Not Debris Property Preservation, and how much he had to pay in wages. The application also included bank statements with altered dates, the statement said.
After he got the money, authorities said Suber made large cash withdrawals, took the trip to Las Vegas and made other non-business related payments to individuals.
Suber could face up to 30 years in prison when he’s sentenced next year.