Safety concerns at Chesapeake school, latest SITW update, Biden requests FEMA funding: Sunrise Brief

TOP STORIES: Safety concerns at Chesapeake school, SITW contract update, Biden requests FEMA funding

1. Safety concerns after a student entered Grassfield High School with a loaded gun. Parents and students expressed their concerns during last night's school board meeting after a student brought a loaded gun to Grassfield High School last month.

   Chesapeake police arrested a female student after another student reported it. The girl is now charged with having a gun on school property.

   Xahria Martin, a Grassfield High sophomore, said weapon detection systems are being used on a random basis after that incident. So, what is the school district doing to address safety concerns?

   News 3's Leondra Head spoke to superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton. He said the incident at Grassfield High School prompted those random checks.

   Martin said she would like to see the metal detectors used on a more consistent basis. The weapon detection systems were put in Chesapeake public schools this year. So far, there have been at least two incidents of students bringing guns into schools.

   Chesapeake Public Schools starts random safety checks after Grassfield student brings gun to school

2. New Something in the Water sponsorship agreement narrowing down details for next year's festival. Something in the Water promoter and Virginia Beach leaders have settled some details in a new agreement for the festival.

   There are a lot of details in these 11 pages. One of the things News 3 knows now is $500,000 worth of advancements the city will handle to be used for Something in the Water.

   Many of you at home bought tickets for the festival to learn it was then rescheduled. Then things grew tense last week when city leaders threatened to pull the plug on the festival altogether if the agreement wasn't signed by Friday. Promoters had already missed a November 1 deadline.

   This morning, News 3 also knows, based on the agreement, the event will happen rain or shine, an issue the event has had in previous years. The promoter is also responsible for this detail.

   Now eyes are looking at the next deadline set. Who will be hitting the stage? It's a question many of you want to know, but as of now, we don't have those details yet.

   News 3 obtains sponsorship agreement for SITW festival

3. President Joe Biden requests disaster relief funding. Biden has asked Congress for more funding for disaster relief. The total request is around $98 billion.

   Half will go FEMA Disaster Relief Fund, while the rest will be split up among other agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation and the Small Business Administration.

   The request comes as many in the Southeast are still cleaning up from hurricanes Helene and Milton. On top of that, wildfires on the West Coast and in the Northeast are also causing concerns.

   Lawmakers on both sides seem open to the funding request. Now, Congress will need to decide whether to put this as a standalone bill or put it with a government funding bill. There is a government spending deadline coming up on December 20.

This morning's weather: Warm, mix of clouds

Meteorologist Myles Henderson says it will be mild again today with highs near 70. Showers move in with a cold front on tomorrow. Cooler and windy to end the week.

Warm again today with highs near 70, about 10 degrees above normal for this time of year. Look for a mix of partly to mostly cloudy skies. Showers will move in tonight.

For the latest weather updates, watch Myles live on News 3 This Morning here.

This morning's traffic:

So far this morning, there haven’t been any major traffic incidents in our area.

Interactive Traffic Map

For the latest traffic updates, watch Conor live on News 3 This Morning here.

We Follow Through: Ongoing scam on Navy Federal Credit Union members

• Scam leaves Navy Federal Credit Union members with unwanted loans that they must pay off. What if someone takes out a loan in your name, and you're forced to pay it back? This is a scam targeting Navy Federal Credit Union members, according to police.

  Criminals are targeting the military and young people in parking lots around the region and asking to use their phones. News 3 is continuing to follow through on this issue.

  Let's take you back to March 2023, when a frantic man approached Angel Taylor in a Newport News Walmart parking lot, saying he'd lost his wife. She said he had a crying baby and wanted to use her phone.

  This mistake cost her $4,000. She said he quickly took out a personal loan and cash advance. But after Taylor submitted that report, she was found at fault by Navy Federal and told she had to pay back the money.

  Coming up at 6:30 a.m., see what Navy Federal and the Newport News Police had to say about this.

Watch the full story on News 3 This Morning here.

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