Today's Sponsor:
E. Henry Doggett III
In honor and memory of our mothers throughout the Commonwealth from Chincoteague to Cumberland Gap and Cross Junction to Clarksville. Happy Mother's Day!
Virginia Beach GOP chair ousted in bitter party feud over control and transparency
In a dramatic late-night vote that capped more than a year of escalating infighting, the Republican Party’s 2nd Congressional District Committee voted Wednesday to remove Laura Hughes as chairwoman of the Virginia Beach GOP, accusing her of mismanagement and failing to perform her duties. But Hughes says the move was political payback — and an affront to the grassroots Republicans who elected her. “This was a ‘screw you’ to the Virginia Beach voters,” she said of her detractors’ actions in a phone interview Thursday, “because they wanted this small little group who likes to stay in charge, and they installed a chair that will do their bidding. And I am most likely going to file an appeal with the state Republican party.”
D.C.-area economy starts to show deep impacts of federal spending cuts
The D.C. region’s economy is teetering on the edge of a painful slump, experts warn, as the Trump administration’s spending cuts, including the elimination of thousands of federal jobs, take their toll on an area that was already struggling to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. ... In Fairfax County, Virginia, unemployment jumped from 2.2 percent in December to 3.2 percent in March. “And we haven’t seen the worst of it yet,” said Jeff McKay, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, noting the lagging data. McKay said this economic crisis is probably the worst he has seen in 18 years on the board. “It’s neck and neck with covid,” he said. “I think it’s worse than covid because we’re not going to get any help.”
VPAP Visual Lobbyists in Virginia: 2024-25
The latest lobbying year in Virginia has just ended. See information on the lobbyists who registered in Virginia from May 2024 through April 2025, including the number of clients they represented, their years of experience and more.
Southwest, Southside Virginians could bear the brunt of Medicaid cuts
More than one-third of Virginia’s rural hospitals are operating in the red, and federal threats to Medicaid funding could put many hospitals that mainly serve residents in Southwest and Southside Virginia at risk. Virginia has 28 health care facilities that fit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ definition of “rural hospitals.” They serve populations that are older, with higher rates of chronic illness and poverty. Many of their patients have a greater reliance on government-funded health insurance programs like Medicaid and Medicare, according to a Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association report.
Friday Read How One Woman Saved the Outer Banks From Impending Development 50 Years Ago
In August 1973, three children who regularly played atop the East Coast’s tallest active sand dune system spied a bulldozer that hadn’t been there before. The children ran to tell their babysitter, who took them to the family’s nearby store in Nags Head, North Carolina, where their mother, Carolista Baum, made and sold jewelry. Condominiums had been constructed near where the bulldozer was working, and Baum knew more development would irreparably harm these beloved dunes known as Jockey’s Ridge, an Outer Banks fixture for 3,000 to 4,000 years. Immediately, Baum closed shop and rushed to confront the driver. Developers had already flattened most of the dunes north to the Virginia border. “I’m not moving,” Baum said, positioning herself in front of the bulldozer’s blade.
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EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Youngkin’s signature sets stage for Virginia health insurance to cover IVF treatment in the future
A bill that can help people start and grow their families through fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization will become law, after Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed it along with several other measures he initially tried to amend. House Bill 1609 by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, will require the Health Insurance Reform Commission (HIRC) to consider coverage for diagnosis and treatment of infertility and procedures like IVF in its 2025 review of essential health benefits covered by health insurance.
STATE ELECTIONS
Infighting in Virginia Beach Republican Party leads to chair ousted in secret vote
Leaders of the Virginia GOP’s 2nd Congressional District Committee ousted Laura Hughes, chairwoman of the Virginia Beach Republican Party, late Wednesday night. The vote by secret ballot came after a four-hour meeting at the Chesapeake GOP office. Not all of the district committee members attended; instead five sent proxies to vote on their behalf, which drew criticism from more than 50 Hughes’ supporters who waited outside.
Abigail Spanberger says she won’t sign bill to fully repeal Virginia’s right-to-work law
Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, says if elected, she won’t sign a bill repealing Virginia’s right-to-work law. Virginia’s right-to-work law says, “No employer shall require any person, as a condition of employment or continuation of employment, to pay any dues, fees or other charges of any kind to any labor union or labor organization.” In 2021, Spanberger, who was then a member of Congress, co-sponsored the PRO Act, which the AFL-CIO said “would override state right-to-work laws.
Spanberger splits the middle on right-to-work, opposes full repeal
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger said she opposes a full repeal of Virginia’s right-to-work law, though she’s open to reforms. In an interview with WRIC’s Tyler Englander, Spanberger said she supports making changes to the decades-old statute but would not sign legislation that eliminates it entirely. ... Spanberger’s Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, has made defending the law a central part of her platform.
Spanberger says she would not sign a full repeal of right-to-work law
Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for governor, says she would not sign a full repeal of Virginia's right-to-work law, under which union membership may not be a condition of employment. In a television interview with WRIC Channel 8 on Thursday, Spanberger noted that no member of the General Assembly "even submitted a bill to repeal the right to work," this year, but then said, "I support labor, I support our strong Virginia economy, but no — I don't support a full repeal of our current right-to-work statute."
STATE GOVERNMENT
Virginia teachers struggle to keep up as history guide rollout lags
Virginia teachers are still flying blind months into a new school year — trying to adapt to overhauled history standards without the full set of instructional guides the state promised to help them navigate the change. Since early April, the Virginia Department of Education has continued to publish its history instructional guides to help prepare teachers to instruct students in the state’s updated history and social studies standards.
CONGRESS
Warner calls for Hegseth to resign following loss of F/A-18s
Virginia U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are expressing concern and frustration over the loss of well over $100 million in taxpayer money and military equipment in three recent F/A-18 fighter jets on the Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. ... As News 3 has reported, according to the Navy the first of the three fighter jets was accidentally shot down by one of the Truman Carrier Strike Group’s own destroyers. The second jet slid out of the carrier’s hangar bay as it was being towed and the third jet slid off after the system set up to stop jets after they land failed when the jet landed. Warner said the U.S. needs a new secretary of defense.
Kaine visits Danville amid uncertainty facing Southside economy
Senator Tim Kaine [D-VA] visited with business leaders at the Institute of Advanced Learning and Research in Danville on Tuesday, April 22, to discuss the economy, and hear concerns or questions businesses had specifically related to tariffs being threatened or imposed by the Trump administration – and, in some cases, the potential loss of anticipated federal funding. Some Danville manufacturers export goods outside of the country, and/or import materials from various nations around the world to use in their production processes. The threat of tariffs has caused no small amount of concern locally, and nationally ...
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Amid DOGE cuts, families struggle with bills, consider leaving D.C. area
There’s the fired federal contractor scrambling for a new job in his 60s and the meteorologist tightening his budget by eating more rice and beans. The nonprofit administrator who lies awake at night worried she’ll lose her grant funding and the masters student wondering what job prospects, if any, will exist upon graduation. As the Trump administration and the U.S. DOGE Service, which stands for the Department of Government Efficiency, wield a chain saw to the federal government, they’ve also yanked away the tablecloth upon which many in the D.C. region laid their lives.
Lego announces plans for massive distribution center in Prince George
As it pieces together a $1 billion factory in Chesterfield, Lego Group has another sizable build in the works in a neighboring county. The Danish toymaker announced plans this week to build a $366 million warehouse and distribution facility in the Crosspointe Business Centre in Prince George County. The 2 million-square-foot project would rise on a 200-plus-acre site at 8800 Wells Station Road, across from the former Rolls-Royce manufacturing facility.
Lego to invest $366M in 2 million-square-foot Virginia warehouse
The Lego Group is continuing to build its empire, investing $366 million to build a new 2 million-square-foot warehouse in Prince George County, Virginia. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday the warehouse will employ over 300. "The Lego Group is not just a household name, it’s a symbol of creativity, innovation and quality that resonates globally," Youngkin said in a news release. "Three years after choosing Virginia to establish its U.S. manufacturing plant, the Lego Group’s decision to expand into Prince George County is an exciting new chapter in this partnership, bringing 305 new, high-quality jobs to the region."
Lego to build $366M Prince George County warehouse
The Lego Group will invest $366 million to build a 2 million-square-foot warehouse, expected to create 305 jobs, in Prince George County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the Danish toymaker announced Thursday. The warehouse and distribution center will be located at 8800 Wells Station Road in the county’s Crosspointe Business Centre, near a former Rolls-Royce facility that manufactured discs for aerospace engines. Construction on the facility will start later this year, and the company expects it to be operational in 2027, according to a Lego news release.
Port of Virginia CEO says port should endure Chinese tariffs better than most
Port of Virginia CEO Stephen Edwards said the port is a “blueprint” for the future of the supply chain and will be able to weather the ongoing trade war with China better than others in the nation. New tariffs will certainly affect Virginia’s port, but Edwards doesn’t expect major changes as a result. “We’re in the somewhat fortunate position of being the least-exposed major U.S. port on trade with China,” Edwards told government and industry leaders at the Virginia Beach Marriott Thursday. About 19% of the port’s business comes from China. It’s the port’s second-largest trading partner after the European Union.
Port CEO: Trade war will lead to less cargo, but effects are far from certain
There was an “elephant in the room” Thursday during Port of Virginia CEO Stephen Edwards’ annual State of the Port speech: Uncertainty. Speaking to hundreds of leaders from various levels of the shipping industry at the Marriott Virginia Beach hotel at the Oceanfront, Edwards made the case that the Port of Virginia has the infrastructure and position within global trade to weather the upheaval caused by the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
Carilion receives state approval for a kidney transplant program in Roanoke
Carilion Clinic has received state approval to launch its long-awaited kidney transplant program at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, following months of uncertainty. The hospital first announced the new service in January 2024 and hoped to begin accepting patients by that October, confident that approval would come quickly. The state’s Certificate of Public Need Division initially recommended a denial, leading Carilion to gather hundreds of testimonials and testify at a hearing.
Carilion Clinic gets state approval for kidney transplant center in Roanoke
After years of preparation and lobbying, state regulators approved a kidney transplant program at Carilion Clinic’s hospital in Roanoke. It will be the first transplant program in Southwest Virginia. Doctor David Salzberg, the lead surgeon for the program, said it will help address the high rate of renal failure in that part of the state and make it easier for patients to get care close to home.
State approves Carilion’s kidney transplant program in Roanoke
Carilion Clinic’s request to establish a kidney transplant center in Roanoke has been approved. The transplant center will be the region’s only organ transplant program. Currently, patients in Southwest Virginia in need of a kidney transplant have to travel to the University of Virginia Medical Center or Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Data provided by Carilion shows that around 79% of kidney transplant patients in the region have to drive two to four hours to access the services they need.
Lee Enterprises says cybersecurity incident cost millions
Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has recovered from a cybersecurity incident that began in February and cost the company millions of dollars, the company’s chief executive said Thursday. Kevin Mowbray, Lee’s president and CEO, said in a news release that the company incurred $2 million in “restoration costs” related to the incident during the second quarter, which for Lee runs from Jan. 1 through the end of March. It also suffered lower advertising and subscription revenue because products were limited or unavailable.
Sewage Sludge Fertilizer From Maryland? Virginians Say No Thanks.
In 2023, sewage plants in Maryland started to make a troubling discovery. Harmful “forever chemicals” were contaminating the state’s sewage, much of which is turned into fertilizer and spread on farmland. To protect its food and drinking water, Maryland has started restricting the use of fertilizer made from sewage sludge. At the same time, a major sludge-fertilizer maker, Synagro, has been applying for permits to use more of it across the state border, on farms in Virginia. A coalition of environmentalists, fishing groups and some farmers are fighting that effort. They say the contamination threatens to poison farmland and vulnerable waterways that feed the Potomac River.
Inside the 50-year battle between Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Kings Dominion sold funnel cakes with blue and white icing, resembling a birthday cake. When Busch Gardens Williamsburg hosts its 50th birthday bash Friday, it will offer 75-cent beer and free admission to anyone celebrating a 50th birthday during May. Virginia's two theme parks are turning 50 years old this month, and they've never stopped competing for guests. Dennis Speigel, Kings Dominion's first general manager, regards them as two of the best parks in the country. "It's always been a prize fight," Speigel said. "They're going after the same guy going down 95 and up 64."
HIGHER EDUCATION
James Madison University students protest DEI’s dissolution during new president meet and greet
Recently-selected JMU President James “Jim” Schmidt, alongside Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller, planned to speak to Dukes on Thursday so he could acclimate himself to campus and get to know the student body, but as he arrived to the Warner Commons in front of D-hall, he was met with a group of students protesting JMU’s dissolution of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) division last month. . . . Holding pamphlets with QR codes to a change.org petition, Puerto Rican flags, and signs that read “DEI IS NOT A CRIME” and “REJECT FASCISM,” students continuously chanted “knowledge is power, inclusion is strength” across from Schmidt, who was conversing with Dukes and other faculty. The students said the protest’s proximity to Schmidt was intentional.
VIRGINIA OTHER
Albemarle ICE detentions raise questions about due process for immigrants
It’s been two weeks since Teodoro Dominguez-Rodriguez and Pablo Aparicio-Marcelino were detained by plainclothes US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials inside the Albemarle County Courthouse. Honduran national Dominguez-Rodriguez and Aparicio-Marcelino, a Mexican national, were taken into custody in separate interactions on April 22. As of May 7, both men are being held at Farmville Detention Center, although it’s not immediately clear where they were detained between their arrests and their arrival in Farmville April 24.
LOCAL
OSHA investigating Alexandria’s Parks and Rec department
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into the safety conditions of the City of Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities. A safety complaint preceded the investigation that sent a handful of OSHA officials to RPCA’s administrative office on March 10. The initial OSHA complaint accused RPCA of falsifying a safety investigation, mishandling two near-accidents and stonewalling employee safety concerns, residents close to the situation said.
Williamsburg-area school board halts middle school renaming
The Williamsburg-James City County School Board has tabled talks on renaming James Blair Middle School, but some board members say they hoped the issue would continue to encourage conversation. Tuesday’s decision to table came several months after a grassroots group called the school’s name into question, pointing out that Blair, a Scottish minister who founded William & Mary, was an enslaver who also advocated for slavery.
Spotsylvania school board chair issues ‘first warning’ about decorum during public comment
Spotsylvania County School Board Chair Megan Jackson issued a warning to public speakers via email earlier this week, stating that the board will strictly adhere to a recently-revised policy regarding decorum at meetings. “Due to increasing disruptive behaviors, we are reminding the community of our school board policy BDDH,” Jackson wrote in an email to parents. “This notice shall serve as an official first warning. If a second warning is warranted at a school board meeting, [the] violator will be told to leave immediately.”
From ‘tariffs’ to hiring freeze, GOP-led Lynchburg council discusses ways to reduce taxes
Lynchburg Republicans on city council are flexing their political muscle as they move toward adopting a budget for fiscal year 2026, with many of their proposals mirroring what President Donald Trump introduced in his first 100 days in office. From local forms of so-called tariffs to attacking the city bureaucracy to taking steps similar to Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, Republicans, who have a 6-1 majority on council, are identifying ways to scale back government in the Hill City and creatively fund the remaining operations.
Today's Sponsor:
E. Henry Doggett III
In honor and memory of our mothers throughout the Commonwealth from Chincoteague to Cumberland Gap and Cross Junction to Clarksville. Happy Mother's Day!
COLUMNISTS
Yancey: Nationally, Republicans have lost faith in higher education. Virginia Republicans have not, new poll shows.
President Donald Trump wants to revoke the tax-exempt status for Harvard University. A few years ago, future Vice President JD Vance gave a speech entitled “The Universities Are the Enemy.” You’d think that Republicans don’t have a lot of faith in the nation’s system of higher education. Nationally speaking, you’d be right. The Gallup polling group has documented how American confidence in higher education has fallen over the past decade, with much of that decline coming from a sharp drop among Republicans. That’s why a recent survey about Virginians’ attitudes on higher education stands out: Not only do Virginians have more confidence in higher education than Americans as a whole, the main reason is because Virginia Republicans are much more supportive of higher ed — as in, more than twice as enthusiastic as their national counterparts.
OP-ED
Allen: I was a GOP governor. I’m supporting a lawsuit against Trump’s tariffs.
Some might be surprised that I, a Republican, am challenging President Donald Trump’s tariffs plan. But my opposition to tax increases is not new. In fact, that conviction is why I strongly disagree, as a matter of constitutional principle, with the president’s “emergency” declaration to impose near universal import taxes on products from allies and adversaries alike. The Constitution is clear that taxes are the purview of Congress, not a tool to be implemented by presidential proclamation.
Vick: To protect workers, protect freedom of choice
One of the most cherished rights of all Americans is the freedom of association — the freedom to participate in those activities which align with our personal goals and values, and the freedom to not be forced into groups which oppose them. That concept originated with our founding fathers who saw coercion — whether in religion, party or any other affiliation — as an anathema to the natural rights of a free people in a free society. . . . Considerable attention has been paid to Virginia’s right-to-work law in recent weeks. Virginians deserve a clear understanding of what right-to-work is, and what it is not.
Brandon, Capps and Sandel: Future of Virginia's community colleges is embracing collaboration
Around the country, colleges such as ours recently celebrated Community College Month, an annual recognition of the vital roles that community, junior and technical colleges play in American life. . . . While it’s incumbent on each college to adapt to the unique needs of the geographical area it serves, a growing trend here in Virginia is to reach across the traditional boundaries of established service regions and pool resources to accomplish more than would be possible for any one college alone.