Donning a face mask for protection, Lauren Stephenson pointed to new wood installed along the baseboard of her kitchen cabinets, one of several spots where black mold has been growing inside her apartment at Jefferson Pointe in Prince George County. Other spores sprouted inside cabinets, along windowsills and the doorframe to enter her residence. Signs of leaking water were visible along the ceiling.
The persistent mold spores — and the apartment management’s apparent lack of proper remediation — are at the center of a lawsuit Stephenson has filed with the help of a former Virginia legislator that spotlights how state law protects tenants from living conditions that threaten their health.
It isn’t uncommon for Stephenson to have breathing issues, since she’s dealt with asthma throughout her life, she said. But the onset of chronic headaches last December, more severe breathing issues and flu-like symptoms, along with skin rashes on her baby son Brycen prompted a hospital and specialist visit.
As an infant unable to speak, she said he couldn’t tell her when “something was wrong,” and the fact that he was sick alongside her “really bothers me,” she said, her voice cracking briefly.
Testing from a pulmonologist eventually confirmed mold exposure. Despite filing work orders and sending other notification of the diagnosis stemming from mold to her rental property’s office, Stephenson eventually had to pack or discard most of her belongings and move in with her parents. She still pays her $1,300 per month rent, she said.
And now she’s filed a lawsuit. Former Republican state delegate Tim Anderson is representing Stephenson’s case, filed in Prince George County Circuit Court, which is seeking a court trial.
Stephenson’s on-site property management declined to comment on the pending litigation, as did the Florida-based realty firm that oversees it.
Mold spore growth along the doorframe to enter Lauren Stephenson’s apartment on March 17, 2025. Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods / Virginia Mercury
The filing outlines how Stephenson submitted a work order to her landlord in early December inquiring if something could be done about mold she’d spotted in her home. Allegedly no action was taken until February when she reported that the baseboard beneath her kitchen sink appeared rotted from water damage and that she saw black mold behind it.
The case cites state law, the Virginia Landlord Residential and Tenant Act, which outlines the rights and obligations for landlords and renters in Virginia. On mold specifically, it requires that landlords promptly remediate reports of its presence using professional standards of guidance documents published by various U.S. health, housing and environmental departments. Tenants are also supposed to receive copies of paperwork regarding the remediation.
But instead, Anderson said, “They take some wood and they literally boarded up over the black mold, like ‘ah, problem solved.’”
The apartment’s walls were also painted with a coat of Kilz, which is a primer paint meant to prevent mold from forming in the first place.
By this point, Stephenson left her apartment at the recommendation of her doctor. Stephenson said she shared a doctor’s note advising such with her landlord in an attempt to break her lease early to no avail.
A state law that was signed last year makes it a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to sell or offer services as a professional mold remediator to residential dwelling units without certification from the Institute of Inspection, Clearing and Restoration Certification. It’s unclear if mold remediation services done at Stephenson’s apartment were performed by a company holding such certification.
Stephenson is “grateful” that she had somewhere to go when her home became unsafe. But medical bills and continuing to pay rent on a home she can’t live in is a challenge. She wouldn’t be able to afford another apartment while paying for her current one.
Her lawsuit seeks $2 million in compensatory damages, legal fees and reimbursement for rent paid during March, April and May of this year.
Given the signs of water damage and the mold remediation issues Stephenson experienced, she wonders if any of her neighbors might be having similar problems and what the source of the mold might be.
“I feel bad if other people are suffering as I have,” she said. “We don’t deserve to pay thousands of dollars to live somewhere that’s toxic for our health.”
Mold has been a major concern for residents in several Virginia localities in recent years, including in Virginia Beach, Herndon and Henrico County. Tenants who suspect they may be living with mold should contact their apartment managers and may find more information and resources through the Virginia Office of the Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection at 804-786-2042 or 1-800-552-9963.
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www.youtube.com – WTVR CBS 6 – 2025-06-14 11:47:32
SUMMARY: A flood watch remains in effect through tonight for much of the area, with potential for torrential downpours, especially north and west of Richmond. Storms today may produce rainfall rates up to 2–3 inches per hour and gusts near 40 mph. Scattered storms are likely mid-to-late afternoon and into the evening. Sunday, Father’s Day, will be muggy with highs near 80 in Richmond, cooler to the north and east. A marginal risk of strong storms exists south of I-64. Rain chances ease midweek as temps rise to the 90s. A front Thursday brings brief relief before heat returns next weekend.
We’re tracking more scattered storms for Saturday. Showers and storms will increase from mid-afternoon into the evening. Due to the muggy air, torrential downpours will occur, and localized flooding is possible. Some spots could pick up multiple inches of rainfall. A few storms could have some gusts in excess of 40 mph.
www.youtube.com – 13News Now – 2025-06-13 19:23:36
SUMMARY: Several area high schools competed in state semifinals across baseball, softball, and soccer. In Class 5 baseball, Cox edged Independence 2-1 with MJ Lemke closing the game, advancing to face Ocean Lakes in an all Beach District final. In softball, Great Bridge fell 1-0 to Mills Godwin despite strong pitching by Bailey Blevin. Gloucester, York, and Western Branch advanced to the finals. In boys’ Class 5 soccer, Hickory lost 2-0 to Lightridge, while Kellam beat Riverside to reach the finals. Northampton Boys and Kellam Girls won, but West Point Boys and Lafayette Girls were eliminated from title contention.
Several area high schools punched their ticket to the championship game that included the Cox Falcons baseball team.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-13 18:44:00
Washington, D.C., is preparing for a military parade on Flag Day and President Trump’s birthday, costing $25-$45 million. In response, the ‘No Kings’ Day of Defiance movement, backed by over 100 organizations, is organizing protests in more than 2,000 U.S. cities, including dozens near D.C., opposing Trump’s “authoritarian overreach” and defending democracy. While no protests are planned in D.C. itself, heightened security has been enforced, with the parade designated a National Special Security Event. President Trump warned that protests in the capital would face strong force. No Kings emphasizes nonviolence, aiming to de-escalate conflicts. The main event will be held in Philadelphia.
(The Center Square) – As Washington, D.C., gears up for an historic military parade coinciding with Flag Day and President Donald Trump’s birthday, with projected costs between $25 million and $45 million, thecapitalregion is also mobilizing a protest response.
There are dozens of locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland within an hour’s drive of Washington where protesters can gather as part of the official nationwide ‘No Kings’ Day of Defiance.
No Kings is a movement supported by more than 100 partner organizations opposing Trump’s “authoritarian overreach” and gathering in “[defense] of democracy.”
There are over 2,000 cities and towns hosting No Kings events Saturday, where in some cases local or state leaders will speak, and “millions” that have RSVP’d, according to event communications.
Some events in thecapital regionwere at capacity as of Friday evening. One event in Kingstowne, Va., was expecting 250 people, according to an email from an organizer.
The group is not holding a protest in the district itself, however.
“Real power isn’t staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else,” its website reads. “Instead of allowing this birthday parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day.”
However, the district is also in a state of heightened security, as the parade has been designated a National Special Security Event by the Department of Homeland Security. Extra security measures were installed throughout the week leading up to the event and some will be in place through the days immediately following the event, as well. The president also told reporters that any protests in D.C. during the parade would be met with “very big force.”
No Kings says it is committed to nonviolence.
“A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events,” its website says.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
This article presents information on both the planned military parade and the associated protests without adopting an overt ideological stance. It accurately reports the logistical and security aspects of the parade and describes the protest movement’s messaging and scale. While the article references phrases like “authoritarian overreach” and “defense of democracy,” these are clearly attributed to the protest organizers rather than the article itself. The tone remains factual and avoids emotionally charged or opinionated language. The article provides balanced coverage of actions from both the Trump administration and its critics, maintaining journalistic neutrality throughout.
