IN THE NEWS:

Early Voting Processing: A new Virginia law will make it easier for localities to process absentee ballots before election night, hopefully avoiding the "Red Mirage"-- a phenomenon where Republican Election Day voting totals look higher until early votes and absentee ballots, processed later, swing things back toward Democrats. Still, there's little evidence that increased voting helps any one political party anyway.

October Surprise Come Early: With the rise of early voting, we've also seen Election Day turn more into Election Month, and that's changed the pace of campaigning. So-called "October Surprises"--revelations that change the game--have started coming earlier, such as President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan.

Falling Test Scores: Governor Youngkin claims a new federal report card reveals "catastrophic learning loss" in state public schools. But scholars say Virginia's accreditation system paints a more complete picture--and the main problem is a lack of resources to help with staffing shortages and in-school services. As Thomas and Michael discuss, struggling schools are often those that need the most government support.

At the Watercooler: https://theappeal.org/smart-communications-cruises-trips-florida/
A new report from The Appeal reveals a contract between the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office and a telephone vendor for county jails--a contract that included the ability for the Sheriff's office to go on a Caribbean cruise. While the office says nobody has gone on a cruise, Thomas and Michael highlight how this sort of contract is indicative of huge issues in America's incarceration system.

Learn more at http://linktr.ee/JacklegMedia

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia