A member of the Blacksburg Town Council is refusing to take a temporary leave after being charged with election fraud. Liam Watson was arrested last month on charges that he made false statements on election documents, including a voter registration application and a declaration of candidacy. Members of the town council asked Watson to take a leave of absence earlier this month, a request Watson declined a few days later. Council members say they are carefully considering the next steps they may take as the case against Watson unfolds. The first court hearing in Watson's election fraud case is scheduled for September 25th.
Virginia's First Lady is spearheading a national effort to address the ongoing opioid crisis.Preview: Auto insurance premiums are expected to increase an average of 22 percent nationwide this year, according to a new report from Insurify. Amy Bach is the Executive Director of the consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, and she says insurance companies are using the high cost of everything to justify the increases.Preview: She says insurance companies tend to catch up depending on which state they do business with. Drivers in some states can expect even higher increases. In California, the projected bump in premiums is 54 percent year over year.