Search
Yancey: Virginians from Emporia to Winchester went ashore on D-Day. Here’s what they said about it later.
In less than a week, the 80th anniversary of what came to be known as D-Day will be upon us — and then will pass on by us as time always does. The Allied landings on the Normandy beaches occupy a pivotal place in the history of the world, but they occupy a place in Virginia history as well. Coming ashore that June 6 morning 80 years ago were men who had signed up years before for the Virginia National Guard but had since been called up to the regular Army — and were now in the first waves assigned to break the Nazi hold on occupied Europe.
Virginia disability advocates celebrate legislative wins
Disability advocates celebrated rare wins at a meeting of the Virginia Disability Commission Thursday afternoon. “It’s a huge deal, it really is,” said Jen Krajewski with the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities. She was praising the record funding— about $300 million— approved by the legislature and signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin. The money will support about 3,400 families of those with disabilities in dire needs. Known as priority one waivers, it was a top concern for Youngkin and advocates as the state’s disability waiver waiting list grew to about 14,000.
Deren: In Shenandoah, honoring slave owners is OK?
As a retired Virginia educator, it is disheartening to read about the Shenandoah County School Board’s decision to rename two of the schools within their district after certain Confederate Civil War generals. At a time when our nation needs to turn the corner on divisiveness and begin the arduous work of healing, some still strive to maintain outdated and hurtful policies that persist in dividing us. The Civil War was absolutely fought over the issue of slavery.
UVa reverses course, allows nursing student arrested at protest back on Grounds
After public pressure and the threat of a lawsuit, the University of Virginia has reversed course on its decision to ban a nursing student from Grounds. Mustafa Abdelhamid was one of 27 people arrested when Virginia State Police cracked down on a May 4 anti-war protest at the school. Multiple arrestees, including Abdelhamid, say they were not even participating in the protest or the encampment where people had been voicing their opposition to Israel’s war with Palestinian terror group Hamas that has killed tens of thousands since Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack on the nation.
Va. politicians react to guilty verdicts in historic Trump trial
Within moments of the historical verdict finding former President Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, Virginia lawmakers turned to social media to either vent their frustration with the outcome of the so-called hush-money trial or hail the verdicts of the New York City jury as just findings. “The American people see this for what it is: a politically motivated prosecution orchestrated by those who want to ‘get’ President Trump,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. “On Nov. 5th, Americans will render their verdict on Joe Biden’s failed leadership based on the issues that affect them every day.”
In embezzlement sentencing, judge says McDonald ‘betrayed’ community she purported to love
The former director of a local economic development authority in Virginia who was accused of embezzling $5.2 million through an array of bogus transactions was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in federal prison — ending a legal drama that featured the death by suicide of a county sheriff who was also implicated in the crimes. Jennifer R. McDonald wore a blank expression inside the Harrisonburg District Court as a judge chastised her for using her position as director of the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority to siphon the money between 2014 and 2018 to buy properties, pay bills and gambling debts, and enrich relatives and friends.
Yancey: Is Virginia really in play? Roanoke College poll shows why presidential race is tied
A few weeks ago, NBC News reported that three top advisers to former President Donald Trump (including Virginia political veteran Chris LaCivita) had told donors at a closed-door meeting that both Virginia and Minnesota — two states now regularly counted in the Democratic column — were in play in 2024. At the time, I saw a lot of pushback from Virginia Democrats on social media, saying there’s no way the Old Dominion would be up for grabs this year. A new poll by Roanoke College that came out Wednesday suggests otherwise.
McDonald sentenced to 14 years in prison for EDA scandal
A federal judge sentenced Jennifer McDonald, a former executive director of the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority, to 14 years in prison on Wednesday for committing financial crimes against the agency. McDonald appeared Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Harrisonburg for the second part of her sentencing hearing.
Schapiro: Does Trump’s endorsement trump all?
In the parallel universe that is a Republican primary in Virginia, the outcome these days is supposed to be decided by the company a candidate keeps. That being blessed by Donald Trump ensures victory, reducing the primary to a mere formality. U.S. Rep Bob Good, an uber-conservative Republican in the sprawling, largely rural 5th District, is seeking renomination in less than three weeks to a third two-year term, running this time — as he did the first time in 2020 — without the endorsement of the former president.
Charges downgraded for 3 Otieno defendants
The three remaining defendants in the death of Irvo Otieno have had charges downgraded from second-degree murder to involuntary manslaughter. Court records on Wednesday show the charges were downgraded in the cases of Wavie Jones, Brandon Rodgers and Kaiyell Sanders. Sanders and Rodgers are Henrico County sheriff’s deputies. Jones was an employee at Central State Hospital, the maximum security psychiatric facility in Dinwiddie County where Otieno, 28, died while handcuffed and pinned to the floor.