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VIPC launches $100M fund partnership for Va. startups
The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. is partnering with seven venture capital fund managers to invest $100 million in 100 Virginia-based startups. Through the partnership, announced Monday by Gov. Glenn Youngkin and named Virginia Invests, VIPC will commit $40 million to the seven funds using previously awarded funding from the U.S. Treasury Department’s State Small Business Credit Initiative.
Cowell resigns as Roanoke city manager
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell has resigned, effective June 7, following several recent high-profile personnel issues at city hall, and in the midst of an election season that promises changes to multiple city council seats. Mayor Sherman Lea, who plans to retire at the end of his term, will serve as acting city manager as the city seeks an interim and then a permanent top executive.
Lawmakers, advocates react to Youngkin’s veto of Right to Contraception Act
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) is facing some backlash after vetoing two bills to establish a person’s right to contraception in Virginia. On Friday, Youngkin vetoed Senate Bill 237 and House Bill 609, which would have protected Virginians’ access to contraception like IUDs, condoms and birth control. Advocates say the bills were necessary after Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called previous rulings on contraception access into question.
Patriot Front members admit to vandalizing Richmond’s Arthur Ashe mural in 2021
Two Patriot Front members admitted in federal court filings that they vandalized the Arthur Ashe mural in Richmond’s Battery Park in 2021. In the filings, Nathan Noyce and Thomas Dail admit and deny allegations made against them, others and Patriot Front — which the Southern Poverty Law Center calls “a white nationalist hate group” — in a civil lawsuit from two anonymous Battery Park neighborhood residents. Neither has been arrested in connection to the Battery Park vandalism.
Va. casino gaming revenues total $60.1M in April
Virginia’s three casinos reported about $60.1 million in gaming revenues for April, according to Virginia Lottery data released last week. ... April’s casino gaming revenues were a 7.6% decrease from the $65.08 million reported in March. Virginia law assesses a graduated tax on a casino’s adjusted gaming revenue. For the month of April, taxes from casino AGRs totaled $10.8 million.
Va. Sen. Mark Warner meets with students, university staffs over FAFSA glitches
Monday afternoon U.S. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia met with Northern Virginia students and both high school and college administrators to hear concerns over the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly shortened to FAFSA. Months behind schedule, the U.S. Department of Education rolled out what was supposed to be a new, shorter, easier process for filling out FAFSA around New Year’s. But in addition to being late, the rollout of the new application has been plagued by glitches and other difficulties that are blamed for a large drop in students both filling out and completing the form.
Danville taking inventory of water service lines under EPA mandate
Danville Utilities is taking an inventory of public and private water service lines as part of an EPA mandate to remove lead from water systems across the country. All water service lines, public and private, that are found to have lead will have to be replaced in 10 years, according to the EPA mandate, said Danville Utilities Director Jason Grey. Danville Utilities is currently compiling an inventory for public lines — those leading from the water main to a property’s water meter — by going through its records, Grey said.
‘We have to do something with Riverside’: Legislators, advocates want immediate improvements
Kevin Wyatt died earlier this year inside a cell at Riverside Regional Jail. The cause of death was an overdose of cocaine and fentanyl that his mother said came from within the walls of the Prince George County facility. “My son told me, ‘Mom, why do you have me locked up? There’s drugs in jail,’” Denise Gunn said. “’I get more drugs in jail and better drugs in jail than I can get on the street and at a cheaper price.’”
Dominion gets approval for battery pilots; Appalachian Power seeks bids for renewable projects
State regulators approved Dominion Energy’s long-term energy storage proposals last week, as Appalachian Power Company is seeking bids for a swath of renewable electricity sources, marking the advancement of renewable energy projects at Virginia’s two largest electric utilities. The approval for Dominion is seen as a critical next step in supplying electricity to the grid in the coming years, when renewable sources like solar and wind won’t be producing electricity, through storage technology that is more capable than the traditional technology more widely used today.
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell to resign
Roanoke City Manager Bob Cowell announced his resignation Monday night at the end of a city council meeting. Without comment, the council unanimously accepted his resignation, effective June 7, and appointed Mayor Sherman Lea to serve as temporary interim manager. “We as a city council will do what we need to do to keep the city going,” Lea said after the meeting adjourned. Cowell has served as city manager since 2017. He declined questions on Monday night ...