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Gas Shortages, Cicadas Emerge, Mask Mandate Eased | Top News

Top VA, DC news includes GOP nominee for governor's race, Ovechkin invests in women's team, garden vandalism, and traffic stop scrutiny.

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Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon to address gasoline supply disruptions across the state due to a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon to address gasoline supply disruptions across the state due to a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. (Emily Leayman/Patch)

Patch has 32 sites in communities in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Here are some of the top posts from the past week related to the new coronavirus and other topics.

State Of Emergency Declared In Virginia Over Gasoline Shortages

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon to address gasoline supply disruptions across the state due to a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline.

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VA Mask Mandate, Other Restrictions To Be Lifted By Governor

Gov. Ralph Northam will lift the mask mandate for vaccinated people in Virginia on Saturday in accordance with new CDC guidance. The governor will also lift all capacity and social distancing COVID-19 restrictions on May 28 rather than June 15.

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Youngkin Wins GOP Nomination For Governor, Trump's Endorsement

Glenn Youngkin, former CEO of The Carlyle Group, won the Republican nomination for governor, outlasting a large group of candidates seeking the candidacy in Saturday's "unassembled" convention.

Cicadas Emerge In VA, DC; Billions Of Brood X Swarm To Come

While reports noted isolated instances of cicadas emerging in the northern Virginia/DC region, cool weather has delayed the coming invasion. Experts say when warmer temperatures set in later this week, swarms of the 17-year periodical cicadas will burst out of the ground.

NFL Schedule Released: See Key Washington Football Team Games

Football fans everywhere can start circling the wins and losses, and begin making fall plans, now that the 2021 NFL regular season schedule has been revealed. The 2021 Washington Football Team schedule features 8 home games and 9 away games, including six divisional contests and other intriguing matchups as the franchise attempts to win their second consecutive NFC East title.

Reston Community Gardeners Must Assume Risk Following Thefts

Since last year, Reston gardeners working the community plots in Hunters Woods Park have seen thousands of dollars in plants and other materials stolen by thieves. Twenty-one separate thefts were reported last year from the gardens at 2501 Reston Parkway, according to a police spokesman.

Beltway Traffic Stop Prompts Call For Inquiry Into Police: Report

Fairfax County's commonwealth's attorney is calling on the Virginia State Police to conduct an internal investigation into a traffic stop where a Black driver was ordered out of her car for allegedly having defective taillights. The driver was eventually arrested for driving under the influence, although she easily passed a breathalyzer test at the Fairfax County jail, The Washington Post reported Monday.

Alex Ovechkin Invests In Washington Spirit Women's Soccer Team

Hockey star Alex Ovechkin is the latest noteworthy name to join the investors group for the Washington Spirit women's soccer team. Ovechkin joins several other high-profile investors including Chelsea Clinton, Jenna Bush Hager, and gymnast Dominique Dawes.

Nation's First Suffragist Memorial To Be Dedicated In Lorton

The Turning Point Suffragist Memorial is holding a formal dedication for the memorial in Lorton on Sunday, May 16. The site is the first national memorial dedicated to telling stories covering the entire suffrage movement from 1848 to 1920.

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