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Yancey: Here are the numbers that show why Russell County is looking at closing schools
Every day, there are about 55 earthquakes around the world. Most are small, sometimes imperceptible except to seismic instruments, but the ground beneath our feet is always moving as the tectonic plates inside the earth shift back and forth. Our demographics change in much the same way — usually slowly, in ways we barely notice, until the pressure builds up enough that there’s a big ground-shaker and earth-splitter. Across Virginia, particularly the western part, we’re seeing the tremors caused by those changing demographics. Franklin County is closing two schools because there aren’t enough students. Bedford County and Lynchburg have looked at closing schools for the same reason, but so far elected officials there have managed to avoid that unpopular, although sometimes necessary, outcome.
Students, faculty arrested at Virginia Tech now face possibility of university discipline
Emon Green was one of 82 people arrested and charged with trespassing on Sunday night at a pro-Palestinian encampment as it was being broken up by Virginia Tech campus police. But dealing with the aftermath with the university could be worse than facing his misdemeanor charge. “I’m more concerned about what the school is going to do, than what the law is going to do,” Green said Wednesday while visiting the protest that had once again formed outside the student center, across the sidewalk from the Graduate Life Center where the encampment had convened for three days.
Virginia offshore wind project hits whale trouble
A federal judge has ordered the Biden administration to clarify its plans for protecting endangered whales during construction of one of the nation’s largest offshore wind farms. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has until Friday to file a report on whether NOAA Fisheries approved mitigation plans to protect the North Atlantic right whale. The order from Judge Loren AliKhan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia comes as Dominion Energy prepares to lay the foundation for wind turbines off Virginia’s coast.
VCU students upset about school’s handling of pro-Palestine protest
Students at Virginia Commonwealth University that VPM News spoke with Tuesday were upset with the way university officials handled Monday’s student-led protest calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war — and for the university to comply with a list of demands. “Today’s the last day of classes,” said 23-year-old VCU student William Spencer outside the James Cabell Library on Tuesday. “I don’t understand why you don’t let this sit out a week. And then people go home at the end of next week. And so honestly, I think it would have been much better from the university to just tolerate it.” Spencer, who attended Monday’s protest, questioned the university’s decision to get police involved and so quickly. He said he witnessed students get hurt.
Virginia’s Planned Parenthood seeing more clients as Florida ban goes into effect
The Virginia League Planned Parenthood is trying to gauge how many patients will now head north. Virginia is now the only southern state that has not imposed additional restrictions on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, said Paulette McElwain, Chief Executive Officer of Virginia League for Planned Parenthood.
Solar project proposed on Bent Mountain; Blacksburg’s ESS to expand
A Massachusetts renewable energy company has proposed placing solar panels on Bent Mountain. New Leaf Energy Inc. proposed construction of an energy facility at 9150 Reed Road that would begin generating electricity in 2027. The site is a former apple orchard — now mostly cleared for pasture — that belongs to Glenn Reed. The facility, which is described as small, will generate 3 megawatts or 4 megawatts of energy, the proposal said.
Demonstrators take to streets in Richmond
Two days after police and pro-Palestinian protesters clashed at VCU, demonstrators took to the streets on Wednesday night. Demonstrators gathered at Abner Clay Park in the Jackson Ward neighborhood around 7 p.m. A group of about 60 marched from the park to VCU Police Headquarters at Broad and Third streets, and then returned to the park. A few hours later, a few people on bicycles briefly tried to block law enforcement vehicles near Madison and Clay streets before police turned on their sirens and lights.
Montgomery County manufacturer to invest $1.6M to increase capacity
ESS Technologies, which specializes in packaging line design, equipment manufacturing and integration for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic and consumer packaging goods industries, will invest $1.6 million to increase capacity at a new facility in Montgomery County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday.
D.C.-area senators try to stop more flights at Reagan National Airport
A group of Washington-area Senate Democrats who oppose adding more longer-distance flights in and out of DC’s Reagan National Airport — which was included in a bipartisan FAA bill released this week — are pressing for an amendment vote to strip it out of the legislation, which is being debated on the floor now. “The proposal flies in the face of known safety concerns and known congestion concerns so we are going to push very hard for this amendment,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland who warned that he and the other local senators may oppose the bill in the end if they don’t get a vote.
Bill banning certain driveway, pavement sealants to take effect this July
After attempting to ban the products in previous sessions, the Democratic legislature passed a bill Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed that bans the sale of pavement sealant containing a set of chemicals environmental groups say seep into the environment, causing health issues for wildlife and humans. The ban begins July 1. House Bill 985 prohibits the sale of the sealant used for driveways and parking lots that use certain concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, or PAHs, chemicals commonly found in coal tar.