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Today's Sponsor:
Michael Flanary & Associate
Today is Flag Day and the 244th birthday of the United States Army. Happy Birthday, U.S. Army.
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FROM VPAP
VPAP Visual Visualization: For Legislators, Primaries Can Be More Perilous
On Tuesday, all but two of 14 sitting legislators survived a primary challenge and advanced to the November general election. Historically, Virginia legislators have been twice as likely to be defeated by a member of their own party than by a candidate in a general election. This three-part visual includes the number of incumbents who lost primary elections since 1997
From VPAP Meet Ben Dessart, the 2019 VPAP Primary Pundit
Ben Dessart may have entered VPAP’s Pundit Contest for the first time, but he’s no political novice. To compile his winning entry, Ben, 28, drew upon his own campaign experience. He was a legislative assistant to former Del. Peter Farrell (R-Henrico) and himself later threw his hat in the ring for elected office.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax asks prosecutors to investigate sexual assault allegations
A lawyer for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax wrote to prosecutors in Massachusetts and North Carolina this week, saying Fairfax wants to testify under oath about sexual assault allegations that two women made against him in February, when he seemed on the verge of assuming the governorship.
Justin Fairfax’s lawyer formally asks prosecutors to investigate rape allegations against him
Saying he wants to “expedite the process” and prove his innocence, an attorney for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax is officially calling on prosecutors in Durham and Boston to investigate allegations of sexual assault against him. The letters, sent Wednesday and provided to the Daily Press by Fairfax’s spokeswoman, come more than four months after two women accused the Democratic lieutenant governor of rape.
Fairfax says he was victim of 'blackmail' attempt; lawyer for accuser calls his claim 'defamatory'
Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said this week that he was the victim of a “blackmail” attempt in February by a woman who is accusing him of rape. A lawyer for Meredith Watson, who claims Fairfax raped her at Duke University in 2000, called the blackmail claim “defamatory,” saying Thursday that Watson had given Fairfax “the opportunity to resign” in order to potentially avoid going public with the rape allegation.
Barry Pollack Goes on the Offensive for Justin Fairfax
Barry Pollack is engaged these days in an improbable balancing act for a criminal defense lawyer—asking state prosecutors to investigate criminal claims against one client, Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, while hoping to keep another client, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, away from U.S. prosecutors’ jurisdiction entirely....Pollack said in an email to The National Law Journal on Thursday that Fairfax had hired him in March to “advise him with respect to his efforts to get law enforcement to conduct a full, fair, and impartial investigation of these allegations.”
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Local legislators discuss special session
On Tuesday, July 9, a special session of the General Assembly was scheduled to consider legislation on weapon safety. The session was called by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam following the mass shooting in Virginia Beach ...
STATE ELECTIONS
Primary Participation Doesn't Crack Double Digits
When it comes to voter turnout for a primary in Rockingham County, the results are pretty consistent — a one-digit percentage. The Harrisonburg-Rockingham County area saw two primaries Tuesday, a Democratic primary for the 26th District of the House of Delegates and a Republican primary for the 24th Senatorial District. Jennifer Frederick, deputy director of elections with Rockingham County, said unofficial results show the dual primary on Tuesday had an 8% turnout
Ballots for area’s General Assembly seats take shape
Two independent candidates have filed to run for General Assembly seats up for grabs in Central Virginia. According to Rosanna Bencoach, registrar for Charlottesville, one independent candidate — attorney Elliot Harding — has filed paperwork to run in the general election for the 25th Senate District. If Harding has secured enough petition signatures, he will face Democratic incumbent R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath.
STATE GOVERNMENT
Judge: SW Va. Regional Jail Authority improperly banned books
The Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority violated a nonprofit’s due process rights when it blocked prisoners from accessing books and magazines the nonprofit sent them, Judge James P. Jones ruled in the U.S. District Court in Abingdon last week.
Starting July 1, most Virginia teens won’t be allowed to buy tobacco and nicotine vapor
A new law that raising the minimum age to buy tobacco, nicotine vapor, and alternative nicotine products in Virginia from 18 to 21 years old will go into effect July 1. The law however does not apply to all Virginia smokers and vapers. The new law allows active duty military aged 18 or older, with a valid military ID, to purchase nicotine products.
CONGRESS
Sen. Warner tours Makers Market
Senator Mark Warner visited the soon-to-open Southern Virginia Makers Market on Friday. Area farmers and Food Hub coordinators discussed the benefits and challenges of getting food from small farms into rural communities and shared about how the hub is helping to make that happen.
Fending off food deserts
Over lunch at the Southern Virginia Maker’s Market Thursday in South Hill, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner learned what a collective of 122 local farmers in eight southern Virginia counties is doing to make locally-grown foods available to consumers while also helping small family farms and the local economy.
Sen. Tim Kaine tackles tough questions
Close to 100 people packed Lake Monticello’s Fairway Clubhouse Monday (June 10) to hear Sen. Tim Kaine tackle tough questions ranging from President Donald Trump’s mental health to Russian interference in recent elections.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Amazon’s HQ2 prompts housing price spikes in Northern Virginia, Washington Post analysis shows
Amazon is far from arriving in Northern Virginia, but the prospect already is causing housing prices to jump, according to real estate experts and local records analyzed by The Washington Post.
Hemp industry reps caution growers to look before leaping
Hemp farming is not for the small family farmer or the hobby farmer, and growing hemp will not make you rich — that is the message that officials with two large hemp production companies shared with local officials and farm producers who are looking to jump into the still-developing business. Members of the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors’ Ag Committee met last week with hemp industry representatives at a special meeting in South Hill
TRANSPORTATION
Potomac Yard Metro southern entrance returns to chopping block
The saga of the Potomac Yard Metro station’s controversial southern entrance returns, and according to a city news release, the entrance is likely to be scaled back — again. City Manager Mark Jinks announced in May 2018 that the planned southern entrance at East Glebe Road had been removed from the Metro station’s design, sparking outrage from the community.
HIGHER EDUCATION
GMU’s Cabrera named Georgia Tech president
George Mason University President Ángel Cabrera will become the next leader of Georgia Tech, Georgia education officials announced Thursday.
VIRGINIA OTHER
Landowners demonstrate pipeline project’s toll
Little Creek ran chocolate-milkshake brown, surging with flood water as it splashed over its banks just feet from where lengths of the Mountain Valley Pipeline lay mounted on wooden blocks and submerged in ditches. Two dozen people trudged through the mud and muck, surveying what was once a key pasture for Four Corners Farm, now gashed and treeless in anticipation of the pipeline.
LOCAL
Town of Appalachia to lose its only grocery store
Appalachia town officials say they recently learned that Save-A-Lot, the town’s only grocery store, will close. Council member Travis Anderson verified Wednesday that he has been told the store will close June 21....Noting the news that Big Stone Gap’s Walmart is also slated for closure, Luntsford said, “We are trying to find ways to alleviate this problem and now, Walmart closing, that is another blow to this end of the county.”
‘Scope limitations’ leave some EDA transactions unexamined
Cherry Bekaert, the firm reviewing the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority's finances, states in a report detailing its findings that its investigation is incomplete and $14 million worth of questionable transactions have yet to be reviewed. The filing states this meant Cherry Bekaert “was unable to complete all the procedures we considered necessary to fully investigate and examine certain EDA transactions that, based on evidence and belief, appear irregular and likely conceal additional defalcations.”
Renovate or relocate? Fate of Franklin’s courts may lie with judges, not City Council
A final decision on whether Franklin’s combined courts building can be renovated, or whether its courts should be moved into a planned replacement Southampton County Courthouse at Courtland, may rest with the judiciary rather than City Council. Emails between Southampton County Administrator Mike Johnson and Paul DeLosh, the director of judicial services for the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia — which The Tidewater News obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request — indicate that Johnson contacted DeLosh on May 25, 2016,
Virginia Democratic Primary: Small Voter Turnout Heralds Big Changes
In an election night that will deliver major change to Fairfax County, voter turnout was just 10.2 percent of the county’s more than 700,000 active registered voters.
Hopewell joins lawsuit seeking repayment for cost of opioid addiction
The city of Hopewell this week filed a federal civil suit against the makers, distributors and pharmacies connected to the opioid epidemic, making it one of dozens of localities in Virginia and hundreds across the country seeking to recoup the costs for responding to addiction and overdoses. The lawsuit names more than 55 entities involved in making and supplying opioids in the city.
Co-op drops broadband plan
Community Electric Cooperative looked into bringing broadband to its rural customers and found it was too risky and too expensive. The cooperative determined that it would have to spend $11.2 million and would then have to charge those who subscribed to the service $250 a month to get a return on its investment, according to Jonathan Thompson, chief operating officer
Fresh faces flood ballot for supervisor in Prince William County
It’s now certain that residents will see a new Prince William Board of County Supervisors after November’s election. Before the primaries, there were already expected to be a few new faces on the board. Chairman Corey Stewart and Potomac District Supervisor Maureen Caddigan had announced they would not seek re-election.
Internal Norfolk report shows missteps before brutal beating at mental health office. City says it's not at fault
As he yelled and stomped around the lobby of a Norfolk Community Services Board building for nearly two hours, Michael Craig appeared “agitated” and “psychotic,” staffers who were there said later. According to an internal report on the incident recently obtained by The Virginian-Pilot, many of them recognized Craig as a potential danger before he beat another client into a coma in the lobby.
King William residents and businesses may see broadband internet within six months
Residents and businesses in King William County waiting on broadband internet won’t get it overnight, but some may be able to log on in about six months. Bill Newborg, Atlantic Broadband’s regional general manager, gave an update on the company’s work in the county Monday night at a joint Board of Supervisors and Economic Authority Development meeting.
Today's Sponsor:
Michael Flanary & Associate
Today is Flag Day and the 244th birthday of the United States Army. Happy Birthday, U.S. Army.
EDITORIALS
Changing license suspensions correct
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles recently mailed letters telling people how to get back driver’s licenses that were suspended for unpaid court fines and fees, evidence of the strides made by the commonwealth to curb an unfair practice that’s been doing more harm than good.
Let's Get Moving on Interstate 81
It was the very definition of “irony.” Gov. Ralph Northam was in Salem earlier this month for a ceremonial signing of legislation approved in the 2019 session of the General Assembly to establish a funding mechanism for safety improvements and upgrades to Interstate 81. In tow were top officials from the Virginia Department of Transporation traveling from Richmond, including Commissioner Stephen Brich, but they almost didn’t make the big event in Salem.
COLUMNISTS
Dvorak: ‘Fightin’ Joe’ Morrissey is the perfect Democrat to take on Donald Trump
Here he is, right here in Virginia — the Democrats’ best true hope for winning the White House in 2020: Joe Morrissey. Yes, two dozen Democrats are already vying to take down President Trump. But the proper way to challenge Trump isn’t to aim high with candidates who are experienced and effective lawmakers or Rhodes scholars or Harvard graduates or military veterans — people who have actual plans to solve some of our nation’s biggest crises.
THE FRIDAY READ
For the first time on record, a woman will captain an Elizabeth River ferry
For nearly 400 years, ferries have been crossing the Elizabeth River between Norfolk and Portsmouth. And as far back as anyone with Elizabeth River Ferries can remember, a man has been at the helm. Until now. Alex Aguinaldo, 24, will soon be behind the wheel of a 78-foot vessel.