Today's Sponsor:
Policy Matters: Your Window Into Virginia Politics with VPAP on VPM
If you missed it yesterday, Ben Dolle and VPAP's Chris Piper discuss this month's top legislative and political issues. Listen on vpm.org.
Moneyball: Presidential plot twists boost races in Virginia
Some potential political donors had told Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Loudoun, that they weren't going to give to his campaign for Virginia's 10th District seat in Congress with President Joe Biden atop the Democratic ticket after a disastrous debate with former President Donald Trump a month ago. But those donors have started to return after Biden's dramatic announcement that he was withdrawing from the race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, who is sprinting toward the presidential nomination with a majority of Democratic convention delegates pledged to her, including the entire Virginia delegation.
Virginia health staff failed Irvo Otieno as he suffocated, experts say
Virginia authorities moved quickly to investigate after Irvo Otieno, a 28-year-old Black man, was suffocated on the floor of a state psychiatric hospital in March 2023. By the following week, seven officers and three hospital orderlies who piled on him had been charged with second-degree murder, and that same month, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) promised an “aggressive transformation” of the behavioral health-care system that experts say failed Otieno. But a year later, the criminal case has fractured, and little public scrutiny has been given to the actions of the clinical staff, including doctors and nurses, at Virginia’s Central State Hospital in Dinwiddie County, where Otieno died.
Environmental groups ask EPA to intervene in Hopewell transparency issue
A cadre of environmental groups have asked for federal back-up in their transparency push regarding a Hopewell plastics manufacturer. The plant, AdvanSix, recently won a new permit that sets limits around chemical releases. AdvanSix primarily makes a chemical called caprolactam, which is a key component of the plastic nylon. It is situated in the heart of Hopewell overlooking the James River.
Virginia education board adopts new school accreditation regulations
After a years-long input process, the Virginia Board of Education approved its newly designed Standards of Accreditation regulations on Thursday. These regulations simplify how schools are rated and allow the state to separate accountability from accreditation. A final vote on the accountability system is expected at next month’s board meeting. The accountability system includes Virginia’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, readiness indicators and weighting.
Friday Read She Danced Naked at Woodstock. She Dated Serpico. At 93, She’s Not Done.
Betty Gordon is perhaps the world’s most unlikely first-time children’s book author. For decades she lived at the center of a bohemian New York that has long ago faded into mythology. A glamorous and witty feminist — friends describe her as a modern-day Mae West crossed with Dorothy Parker — Betty mingled with artists, writers and entertainers. She even had a romance with one of the most famous undercover cops of all time. But it was not until a couple of years ago — when she was in her early 90s, mostly homebound, in ill health and nearly destitute — that she began cranking out the story of Phoebe, the cat who wanted to be a dog.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Youngkin approves changes to animal waste rules aimed at reducing groundwater pollution
Virginia is on track to implement updated rules for animal waste created by certain farming operations, despite disagreement on how to regulate older earthen lagoons that pose a greater risk of releasing pollutants into groundwater. Wednesday, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin approved the regulation changes for farmers who confine cows, pigs and more for 45 days or more within a year for dairy, eggs and meat production, as well as slaughtering.
Newest Youngkin Board of Education appointee draws Democrats’ ire
Governor Glenn Youngkin’s newest Board of Education appointee is getting push back from state Democrats. Following Thursday’s board meeting, Meg Scalia Bryce, daughter of former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, told Radio IQ she’s long cared about education and was excited to advocate for students at the state level. “I’ve worked locally to try and increase accountability, transparency and academic vigor,” Bryce said. The new appointee said she was approached by Youngkin several weeks ago and asked to take up the post.
Some Democrats call appointment of Scalia daughter to Virginia Board of Education politically motivated
The daughter of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been appointed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to serve on the Virginia Board of Education, drawing criticism from some Democrats who called the appointment politically motivated. Meg Bryce, a psychology educator who unsuccessfully ran last year for an at-large seat on the Albemarle County school board, said Thursday at a business meeting that she was thankful that Youngkin chose her for the board, which is responsible for determining statewide curriculum standards, high school graduation requirements and qualifications for teachers.
Youngkin appoints two more to education board, including Scalia daughter
Gov. Glenn Youngkin named two new members to the Virginia Board of Education this week, including Meg Bryce, a daughter of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The additions mean eight of nine board members have now been appointed by the Republican governor. Bryce, who attended the board’s meetings this week, unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Albemarle County School Board last year. Bryce campaigned on issues such as restoring transparency, raising standards and bringing back “common sense” to the school district.
Miyares defends Hanover County School Board in transgender athlete suit
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares filed a brief in support of the Hanover County School Board on Thursday, reaffirming that sport participation should be determined by sex rather than gender identity. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the School Board in early July on behalf of a transgender middle school student. The suit says that the board banned the student from playing on the girls’ tennis team, despite the student trying out, making the team and supplying the required documentation.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
Warner: ‘We still owe Virginia State a visit’ from Harris after debate schedule collapse
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said Thursday he was seeing momentum build behind Vice President Kamala Harris’ run for the White House, and he thinks that one way to keep that momentum going is to make up for potential history being lost after the presidential debate schedule was scuttled earlier this year. “We still owe Virginia State (University) a visit by the vice president or a debate venue, or at least a vice-presidential debate,” Warner, D-Virginia, said in a Zoom call with The Progress-Index and other Virginia news outlets.
‘It feels like Obama’: Harris revitalizes Central Virginia Democrats
It was shocking. It was sad. It was relieving. It was exciting. It had to happen. The dust is still settling after President Joe Biden’s historic decision to end his reelection campaign, leaving Virginia voters, politicos and pundits with varied reactions as they digest the new reality that Biden is out and Vice President Kamala Harris is in as the Democrat’s presumptive nominee for president.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Dominion customers’ bills to rise for offshore project costs
Dominion Energy customers will see bills rise this fall to pay for the continuing costs of the electric company’s $9 billion project to erect a wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean 27 miles off the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The State Corporation Commission approved an 80% increase in the surcharge on bills that finances the offshore wind project. The increase in the surcharge will boost a benchmark bill of $138 a month or 1,000 kilowatts of electricity by $3.89
Former Virginia EMS employee pleads guilty to embezzling $4 million
A former employee of the state’s Office of Emergency Medical Services on Thursday admitted to embezzling $4.1 million over a three-year period. Adam Lamar Harrell, who was the associate director for the office, pleaded guilty in federal court in downtown Richmond to one count each of mail fraud, tax evasion and stealing from a federal program. He faces up to 35 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
Voter registration up more than 35% in Virginia
Data obtained by 8News shows that voter registration in Virginia is on the rise after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race for President and Vice President Kamala Harris announced her plans to seek the Democratic nomination for president. “Particularly Democrats are excited that there is a new face to the party, a new candidate that doesn’t have the age baggage that Joe Biden had,” 8News Political Analyst, Rich Meagher explained. Data from the Virginia Department of Elections shows that on Monday and Tuesday (7/22 and 7/23), the first two full days of Harris’s campaign, 4,899 Virginians registered to vote, a 38.5% increase over the same time the week before.
Virginia awards $17 million for broadband to localities in Southwest and Southside
Residents in some of Virginia’s most sparsely populated and most difficult topography are a step closer to getting high-speed broadband. Virginia is granting $41.6 million to multiple localities that applied for funds to deliver internet access, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office announced this week. Localities in Southwest and Southside Virginia will receive about $17 million.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Bank says dispute over Justice family loans has cost it more than $48 million in interest
A long-running conflict between a Martinsville-based bank and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s family over the family’s overdue loans has caused the bank to miss out on more than $48 million in interest income since mid-2023, the bank said Thursday. Carter Bank & Trust reached an agreement with Justice and his family companies last month regarding the repayment of more than $300 million in loans that were due in April 2023. That came after years of legal clashes in Martinsville and in federal courts, as well as an attempt to auction off Justice-owned property.
Sentara cuts climate pollution from greenhouse gas used for anesthesia
Sentara Health officials say they are reducing climate pollution from a greenhouse gas used for anesthesia, part of the system’s wider effort to reduce health care’s sizable carbon footprint. The health system’s hospitals throughout Virginia and North Carolina have largely phased out the anesthetic gas called desflurane, said Dr. Holly Mason, an anesthesiologist at Sentara’s Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville. Sentara says it cut emissions over the past five years from more than a million kilograms to less than 100,000.
TRANSPORTATION
Spanberger seeks more details on Fredericksburg train derailment
CSX officials held an informational meeting in Fredericksburg Wednesday regarding the weekend train derailment that damaged four garages at the Cobblestone Apartments, but 7th District Rep. Abigail Spanberger wants more details. The congresswoman, who is running to become Virginia’s next governor, sent a letter to CSX president and CEO Joseph Hinrichs asking for more answers and how the company will “rebuild trust,” her office said in a statement Thursday.
Spanberger Requests Answers from CSX on Fredericksburg derailment
Rep. Abigail Spanberger sent a letter [Thursday] to CSX president and CEO Joseph Hinrichs demanding “immediate and comprehensive answers regarding the alarming freight train derailment on the evening of July 20, 2024, in Fredericksburg, Virginia.” The company said yesterday during a briefing that the derailment and subsequent damage were caused by “human error”—specifically, the crew’s failure to properly tie down train cars that then reached a split-rail device, forcing them off track.
LOCAL
UFO whistleblower sues Loudoun Sheriff’s Office over records release
A retired Air Force officer who testified before Congress that the U.S. government was involved for decades in a secret "crash retrieval and reverse engineering program" involving UFOs is suing Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman and an unidentified Sheriff's Office employee for releasing personal information about him. The plaintiff, retired Maj. David C. Grusch, says in a $2.5 million lawsuit filed July 16 in Loudoun Circuit Court that a Sheriff's Office employee improperly released "highly sensitive, personal information" about his medical history in response to a Freedom of Information Act request on July 30, 2023.
Prince William County’s largest data center — so far — rises along I-66
Drivers heading along Interstate 66 near U.S. 29 in Gainesville might have noticed the enormous concrete structure rising from the ground in recent months. It’s the biggest data center building yet in Prince William County and one of the largest in all of Northern Virginia. The building, owned by NTT Global Data Centers, is a quarter mile long, 180 feet wide and 75 feet tall. It’s the first of four data centers planned for the site, which NTT is calling “The Grove at Gainesville” despite its removal of at least 40 acres of trees. The first building is the size of five football fields laid end-to-end.
Richmond to review, reformat procurement department
Richmond city officials have announced they are moving forward with plans for an independent assessment of operations in the city’s Department of Procurement Services — a review officials expect to produce “recommendations to improve efficiency and oversight,” according to a statement issued Thursday. The release does not specify whether an internal department or external agency will be conducting the assessment. City officials have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Sewer leak, heavy rain continue pushing sewage into James River
A week after the state health department advised residents to stay out of lower portions of the James River, it still has not given the OK for rivergoers to return. The 50-year-old pipe that gave way last week started leaking again Monday, said Irina Calos, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Repairing it has been difficult, because it is suspended over the river.
Richmond housing authority goes door to door in ‘last chance’ effort to promote rent repayment plans
Volunteers in bright yellow shirts strolled door to door in Mosby Court last Saturday. The 458-unit public housing development was the focus for the morning of the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, which is trying to give a fresh start to public housing residents who have fallen behind on their rent. Throughout July and August, RRHA officials and volunteers are knocking on each door in each of the city’s public housing developments to promote its “last-chance repayment agreement.” The repayment plan is a limited-time offer that allows residents to set up an agreement at their respective management offices to pay back any late charges and avoid eviction.
Environmental groups in Fredericksburg region voice concerns about data centers
A meeting room at the downtown Fredericksburg branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library was filled to capacity Wednesday evening, as concerned citizens gathered to hear from local representatives from the Sierra Club and Friends of the Rappahannock about data centers. It was so filled that it exceeded the fire code limits. … But during that hour, Tim Cywinski, communications director for the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, led a passionate attack on the myriad environmental concerns for data centers and even the need for the technology they will help generate.
Challenges of Library Books Rise to School Board Level in King George
The King George School Board will decide next month whether the books Sold, by Patricia McCormick, and ttfn, by Lauren Myracle, should remain in the school libraries. A community member has appealed superintendent Jesse Boyd’s decision that the books can stay in the libraries but must be kept behind the circulation desk and require parental permission before they are checked out. Multiple members of the King George community attended last week’s School Board meeting to demand that the books be pulled entirely.
Blacksburg councilman facing election fraud charges filed different addresses
Montgomery County court and registrar office records reveal additional details about the election fraud charges served Wednesday on Blacksburg Town Councilman Liam Watson. Watson, 24, was directly indicted by a Montgomery County Circuit Court grand jury Tuesday, according to court documents, on four felony charges: three counts of election fraud and one count of illegally voting in an election. ... The first of Watson’s election fraud charges is related specifically to his Virginia voter registration application.
Blacksburg Town Council member charged with felony election fraud, illegal voting
A member of the Blacksburg Town Council has been arrested on four indictments charging him with election and voter fraud. Liam Watson, 24, surrendered to the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office on Wednesday. He has since been released on bond, according to state police. … According to the indictment, Watson on Aug. 7 of last year “feloniously and willfully made a false material statement or entry in a statement, form or report” on a voter registration application.
Blacksburg councilor, ex–Democratic Party of Virginia staffer indicted on election fraud charges
Virginia State Police has arrested a Blacksburg Town Council member on felony election fraud charges, according to a statement Thursday. Liam Watson was elected in November 2023 after a hand-recount of ballots, according to the Roanoke Times. He defeated write-in candidate Rick Johnson, a former school board member and retired Virginia Tech administrator, for the seat. The town council race was a nonpartisan election. Watson was employed as the Democratic Party of Virginia spokesperson during his run for office. While working for DPVA, Watson was listed as the press contact for media releases to various news outlets, including VPM News. He resigned shortly after the final council race results were announced ...
Today's Sponsor:
Policy Matters: Your Window Into Virginia Politics with VPAP on VPM
If you missed it yesterday, Ben Dolle and VPAP's Chris Piper discuss this month's top legislative and political issues. Listen on vpm.org.
COLUMNISTS
Yancey: Here’s how much Southwest Virginia has been left out of growth in the state’s economy
Ronald Reagan famously asked: Are you better off now than you were four years ago? We all know how that question worked out for him — and also for Jimmy Carter. Instead of four years, though, how about 10 years? A while back, I wrote several columns looking at some oddities in the state’s school funding formula, the Local Composite Index. Those columns looked at how an influx of new, high-income residents was skewing funding formulas for some rural counties by making it look like they’re richer than they really are — and therefore, in the neutral eyes of the LCI, don’t need as much state funding as they once did. The result: Some rural counties with high levels of student poverty are deemed better able to pay for their schools than Loudoun County, the most affluent county in the country.
OP-ED
McDonald: Technology is key to keeping communities safe
Virginia is experiencing significant growth. Businesses, individuals and families are moving to the commonwealth at an unprecedented rate. This growth has also attracted big tech companies, like Amazon, making substantial investments in our communities. However, with this population boom and increased economic activity, there are also more opportunities for individuals to commit crimes. This is not unique to Virginia. Law enforcement agencies in the country's fastest-growing regions have reported an increase in certain types of crimes. Many localities are understaffed and overwhelmed ...
Hersch: To be fair, Virginia should reimburse gas guzzlers
Virginia charges drivers of fuel-efficient cars a highway use fee because they are too efficient. But on that reasoning the state should also reimburse those driving gas guzzlers because they are not efficient enough. It is only fair. Virginia drivers of fuel-efficient cars are required to “do their fair share” to help maintain Virginia roads through a highway use fee that is paid when they renew their vehicle registration. This fee was approved by the General Assembly in 2020 and applies to all vehicles that get more than 25 miles per gallon. This fee is unreasonable and should be eliminated.