Search
By DWAYNE YANCEY,
Cardinal News
Today we begin with a civics lesson.
This is required if you’re going to understand the action that will blow up in the General Assembly on Wednesday — and perhaps beyond.
The essential point here is that Richmond does not work the way Washington does. Most of the time, that’s a good thing. This may be a good thing, too, depending on your point of view.
Let’s go back to what we learned in school about how a bill becomes law. In Washington, Congress can pass a bill, and then the president has either two choices: to sign it into law, or to veto it, and then Congress has a chance to override that veto with a two-thirds votes in both chambers. Richmond works somewhat differently, because a Virginia governor has a third option — he (or maybe someday she) can send the measure back to the legislature with amendments. That’s what’s happened in the case of the budget, the skill game bill and lots of others.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By DAN BRENDEL,
Washington Business Journal
(Subscription required for some articles)
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has sounded an alarm to state legislators about a budget amendment from Gov. Glenn Youngkin that would slash extra funding for Metro — funds the transit authority has said it badly needs to help cover a budget shortfall and avoid service cuts, staving off potentially dire economic consequences for Greater Washington.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By CHARLIE PAULLIN,
Virginia Mercury
Charybdis, the name of one of the Greek sea monsters who made it difficult for Odysseus to complete his epic journey in The Odyssey, is also the name of Dominion Energy’s new 471-foot ship, a vessel that will be used during construction of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, the largest such project in the country.
On Monday, Dominion announced the 23,000-ton ship was lifted from land, rolled to the edge of a dock and placed in the water to undergo the rest of the work needed to finish it by late 2024.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By EMILY HARRISON,
WVEC-TV
After the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, Port of Virginia officials warned there could be a substantial increase of containers coming to Hampton Roads.
Now weeks after the disaster, those in Hampton Roads are starting to feel the impacts.
“It’s all that anyone will talk about,” said Brooke Deems, president of the Tidewater Motor Truck Association. “But it’s unavoidable, the Port is doing everything it can.”
VaNews April 16, 2024
By EVAN GOODENOW,
Loudoun Times
(Metered Paywall - 5 articles a month)
A Loudoun County Sheriff's Office deputy who has twice run for School Board is the subject of an internal LCSO investigation over derogatory remarks he made about public speakers at the April 9 board meeting. Deputy Michael A. Rivera removed the comments from his X feed several hours after posting them on April 10, according to LCSO lead spokesman Thomas R. Julia. In the post, Rivera referred to one speaker as "a barren hag that probably lives in her parent's basement."
VaNews April 16, 2024
By KARRI PEIFER,
Axios
The city of Richmond sent late notices to 58% of delinquent meals tax accounts during a recent seven-month period, according to a new report from the city auditor.
The other 42% considered delinquent between July 12, 2022 and Feb. 13, 2024 did not receive any notice telling them they owed a balance.
July 2022 is when the city said it began sending late notices to delinquent account holders. By February, the city was a month into the recent meals tax debacle.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By DAVID TEEL,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)
The inevitability and wisdom of college athletic departments and their foundations coordinating name, image and likeness compensation for their enrolled athletes has long been clear. Overriding NCAA policy, state law soon will grant Virginia schools that option.
Wednesday’s reconvened session of the General Assembly will determine whether the bill, passed by the House and Senate and supported by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, becomes law July 1 or Nov. 15. The latter date comes into play if Wednesday’s session requests a review of the bill by the General Assembly’s Athletics Review Commission.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By ANDREW ROTHERHAM,
published in
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)
It’s a question that keeps coming up: Does Virginia need to invest more in its schools? Or, does Virginia need a school accountability system that’s more transparent, honest and responsive to parents? The answer is: Yes. Somehow these two commonsense ideas for improving Virginia's schools continue to be pitted against each other when we have an opportunity to address both.
Rotherham is a member of the Virginia Board of Education. He is a cofounder and partner at Bellwether, a national not for profit consulting organization focused on underserved students.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By CHARLOTTE RENE WOODS,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)
Virginia’s chapter of the NAACP plans to take Gov. Glenn Youngkin to court over an alleged failure to respond to public records requests. The chapter’s president, the Rev. Cozy Bailey, said at a news conference outside the state Capitol on Monday that Youngkin was being served legal action that day. The pending legal back-and-forth stems from an initial August public records request by the NAACP to determine if the administration has been complying with state law regarding DEI work.
VaNews April 16, 2024
By DAVE RESS,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Metered Paywall - 7 articles a month)
The ship Dominion Energy needs to install 176 giant wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean, 27 miles off the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, has been launched, as the utility has won its 11th and final federal permit for the $9 billion project. The ship, called Charybdis, is a U.S. flag vessel. That means Dominion can stage all of the components for the more than 800-foot-tall turbines in Virginia port facilities ... The 472-foot Charybdis’ home port will be Hampton Roads, and it will have an American crew.
VaNews April 16, 2024
