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Bills to help kids avoid foster care, improve social media safety signed by Youngkin
Gov. Glenn Youngkin ceremonially signed legislation Tuesday intended to help children avoid foster care. “By establishing a robust statutory framework centered on kinship care, we pave a pathway towards permanency for Virginia’s children, ensuring consistent practice across all local social services,” Youngkin said in a Tuesday news release. ... Legislation relating to online protections for children’s data and a merger between two educational institutions in Norfolk are among the other final bills that recently received Youngkin’s signature.
Bubbosh and Hicks: In fight against climate change, rural localities need help. Here’s the plan
The amount of federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act and other laws that is available to local governments is staggering. There are billions of dollars in federal assistance for buildings, vehicles, electricity and more that target local governments. This funding can help Virginians lower home electricity bills and vehicle fuel costs, protect and enhance property values, ensure energy security and independence, and improve overall quality of life. However, without more direct state government support and assistance, Virginia’s small and rural areas will struggle to access these funds ...
U.S. Park Service reverses course, will allow Mass at Petersburg cemetery
Facing a lawsuit and pressure from Virginia officials, the National Park Service on Thursday agreed to allow the Petersburg council of the Knights of Columbus to hold a Memorial Day Mass at Poplar Grove National Cemetery — a reversal from the NPS’ earlier decision to bar the group from observing religious ceremonies on the grounds of the cemetery. Attorneys for the Petersburg chapter of the Catholic fraternal organization on Tuesday filed a motion seeking a restraining order against the NPS, alleging that the service was violating the organization’s First Amendment rights by blocking the Mass, court records show.
Youngkin: Education is the bedrock of attaining the American dream
The American Dream is essentially rooted in attaining a quality education, Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin told attendees at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute’s RISE summit on Thursday. Youngkin said he has made education similarly a bedrock of his tenure in Richmond, in that he is dedicated to improving the lives of Virginians and helping to offer the next generation a chance to live to their fullest potential. “I wake up every morning, and I start a quiet time, because I need to first thank the Lord for putting me here… and I thank Him and say, ‘Please, Lord, what should I do today; how should I do it?’ – and education is always top of the agenda.”
Nexus Services Inc. continues to be bludgeoned by courts, accused of playing ‘shell game’
The hits just keep on coming for Nexus Services Inc. as the company continues to be bludgeoned by the courts. Last week, a federal judge ordered the former Verona company be placed into receivership in an ongoing six-year legal battle with an Illinois Insurance company, forcing Nexus to finally open up its books in an effort to scrutinize its finances. In another gut punch, a United States Supreme Court decision last week could deeply impact a recent federal lawsuit where Nexus and its defendants were ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars.
Friday Read A fan hit by a foul ball stayed through the 9th. Now she’s on a baseball card.
Topps Now trading cards have celebrated some of baseball’s biggest achievements in recent years. One marked Shohei Ohtani cranking his 40th home run last season. Another commemorated Framber Valdez throwing a no-hitter with the fewest pitches in more than two decades. And a third memorialized the Chicago Cubs blasting seven home runs in a single game, the most by a team in nearly a half century. The newest addition to the Topps Now pantheon: Liz McGuire, a 40-year-old project manager from Toronto. Her achievement: getting drilled with a 110 mph foul ball during Friday night’s Toronto Blue Jays game and, despite a baseball-sized knot on her forehead, staying until the last pitch.
Va. Attorney General Miyares challenging heavy truck emissions rule and other federal proposals
Joining 23 conservative-led states’ efforts, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has signed on to legal challenges to new federal rules designed to advance emission reductions and address what scientists say is causing extreme weather events. Miyares has challenged several rules, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations for tractor trailer and passenger vehicle tailpipes, power plants and meat and poultry processors.
How Much Traffic Will the Stafford Buc-ees Generate?
Both the Virginia Department of Transportation and an independent transportation planning firm have raised concerns with Stafford County staff about how construction of a 74,000-square-foot Buc-ees travel center will affect traffic in the area of Courthouse Road in Stafford. The Texas-based chain has submitted an application for a conditional use permit to build a store and fueling stations at the intersection of Courthouse Road and Austin Ridge Drive in the Garrisonville district.
Yancey: An art show at an Augusta County school prompts an emergency school board meeting
In the spring of 2023, the theater departments at Lynchburg’s two public high schools joined together to produce the popular, but often controversial, musical “The Prom,” which is loosely based on the true story of a gay couple banned from attending their high school prom. Lynchburg City Council member Marty Misjuns blasted the choice: “It’s absolutely appalling to me that the publicly funded Lynchburg City Schools would put on a production with children that openly mocks the vast Judeo-Christian majority in our city … Lynchburg City Schools should immediately cancel the rest of these productions out of respect for those that believe in, prescribe to, and practice the Christian faith.”
Henrico County-based Altria seeks approval for lockable e-cigarette and flavored vaping pods
Henrico County-based tobacco giant Altria Group‘s vaping unit is asking federal regulators to let it sell a device that locks out users unless they can verify that they are old enough to legally use it. At the same time, Altria’s NJOY unit is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve watermelon- and blueberry-flavored nicotine vaping pods. The FDA does not currently allow fruit- or candy-flavored vapes.