8 News: Government shutdown hitting Virginia harder than most other states, study finds

VIRGINIA – As the Republican government shutdown continues to hit Virginia “harder than most other states,” Winsome Earle-Sears has refused to call on Donald Trump to reopen the government and stop firing Virginians. In a recent interview on NBC News Now, Sears repeatedly refused to call on Donald Trump to stop firing Virginians as he threatens even more mass layoffs during the Republican-led federal government shutdown. When asked about the shutdown during the debate, Sears again refused to call on Trump to reopen the government. 
 
While Sears refuses to take action, 8 News reports that “the government shutdown is hitting Virginia harder than it is most other states, per a new study, which ranked the Commonwealth among the top 10 most vulnerable states to this ongoing federal freeze.” 
 
What Virginians Are Reading:
 
8 News: Government shutdown hitting Virginia harder than most other states, study finds

• The government shutdown is hitting Virginia harder than it is most other states, per a new study, which ranked the Commonwealth among the top 10 most vulnerable states to this ongoing federal freeze.
• As of Wednesday, Oct. 15, the latest government shutdown has officially entered its third week, with federal funding on hold due to failed budget discussions. Hundreds of thousands of government employees have either been furloughed or are working without pay.
• The Commonwealth’s vulnerability to the government shutdown can be credited, at least in part, to it having the 5th-highest share of federal jobs and the 2nd-highest share of federal contract dollars per capita, per WalletHub.

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Va. to furlough some state employees paid with federal money

• Virginia will send some state employees home on furlough this week, as the federal government shutdown begins to affect state operations that rely partly on federal money for payroll.
• The imminent furloughs represent the first sign of trouble for state government from the federal shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. The lapse in federal funding potentially could affect about 6,900 state employees in agencies that rely on federal dollars to pay them, as well as more than 400 federally funded contractors.
• “In addition, the impact from reductions in the federal workforce and now the government shutdown are going to be felt by the citizens of Virginia,” [Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth] said.

10 News: Government shutdown raises concerns for community health centers in Virginia

• The government shutdown has raised concerns for community health centers, especially in rural parts of Virginia. 
• A community health center is a non-profit, community organization that provides primary care for those living in areas of the state with a shortage of medical care. Because they receive some federal funding, community health centers have paid medical and support staff and are open regular business hours.
• Access to medical care is already a major issue in rural Virginia, particularly in the southwest region. 

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