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Today's Sponsor:
Todd Haymore
Saluting my colleagues from the Kaine, McDonnell, and McAuliffe administrations, thanking the Northam administration for its service, and sending felicitations to the incoming Youngkin administration.
Youngkin joins Veterans Day parade procession as Virginia Beach honors military heroes
Willie Butler didn’t serve in the military, but every year he and wife Brenda attend the Tidewater Veterans Day parade at the Oceanfront. “I love seeing how many individuals sacrificed for this nation,” Butler, 68, said. “I get happy and tearful for those that did. I feel very honored to come out and acknowledge them.” Hundreds — many donning red, white and blue — waved as the procession went by Thursday morning. Dozens of military organizations and supporters marched along three blocks of Atlantic Avenue and then west on 19th Street to the Tidewater Veterans Memorial.
How Youngkin won more of the evangelical vote than Trump did
With his signature fleece vests and suburban dad appeal, Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin spent the final weeks of his campaign laser-focused on an issue that has long animated White evangelicals: public education. For decades, White evangelicals have gotten riled up over issues ranging from evolution to desegregation to prayer in schools, and in Virginia’s latest gubernatorial race, the culture wars in schools were front and center.
More than 35,000 children were vaccinated in the first week of Virginia’s pediatric rollout
Among the things that Pearl Barry is excited to do once she’s fully vaccinated: hang out with friends, eat inside at restaurants and visit SkyZone, a sprawling indoor trampoline park. “I mean, obviously,” said the eight-year-old from Bon Air. “Who wouldn’t be?” She got her first dose of Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine on Wednesday night, and besides the hour-long wait at her local Walgreens, the process went relatively smoothly.
School board seeks to maintain current state funding despite enrollment drop
The Loudoun County School Board passed a measure on Tuesday allowing the school district’s legislative consultants in Richmond to advocate for the preservation of current levels of state funding on behalf of LCPS for the 2022 fiscal year, despite a decline in Loudoun’s student enrollment. The “harmless enrollment funding” — through which state legislators maintain existing levels of funding for school districts despite a drop in student enrollment — measure was added to LCPS’ 2022 legislative program.
Police chief: 4 Chesapeake officers decertified after lying during internal investigations
Chesapeake Police Chief Kelvin Wright doesn’t tolerate officers who lie on the job. “Let’s just say this: It’s a bright-line offense for us,” Wright said. “I’ll put it this way, you lie, you die … In other words, you know that is a career-ender.” . . . Until recently, firing dishonest officers from his department was Wright’s only option. Those officers would remain certified to work in law enforcement in Virginia and could move on to jobs at other police departments.
Study: Tangier’s imminent climate change demise ‘should alarm us all’
Rising seas are engulfing Tangier Island so quickly that most of its remaining residents may be forced to flee the low-lying Chesapeake Bay community during the next decade, according to a bleak new assessment published Nov. 8 in Frontiers of Climate. The rest won’t be too far behind — staying until 2053, it predicts.
Friday Read In 1921, the first soldier of the Tomb of the Unknowns was laid to rest. The memorial was caught on film.
It was cold and raining that afternoon, and officials had spread sand on the gangway so the sailors carrying the precious casket off the ship wouldn’t slip. On the dock at the Washington Navy Yard, VIPs stood at attention, awaiting the return of America’s unknown soldier. The USS Olympia, which had carried the body from France, rang out eight bells — a traditional salute to the fallen. A band began Chopin’s funeral march, and a team of six black horses hitched to an empty caisson waited for its cargo.
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FROM VPAP
VPAP Visual A Visual History of Virginia Gubernatorial Elections
Have you been around long enough to remember the days when Arlington was red and Virginia's coalfields were blue? This map slideshow begins in 1961 and takes you through the results of the last 16 gubernatorial elections. The visual also includes a 4x4 grid of maps that contains a Warholesque view of 60 years of Virginia political history.
From VPAP Maps, Timeline of COVID-19 in Virginia
Our Virginia COVID-19 dashboard features VDH vaccination data, including what percentage of the state's population has received at least one shot and the number of vaccinations per 100,000 residents in each city and county. Our dashboard also makes it easy to track the latest available data for tests performed, infections, deaths and hospital capacity. There's also a filter for each city and county, plus an exclusive per-capita ZIP Code map. Updated each morning around 10:30 a.m.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Governor dedicates state forest
Charlotte County is now home to the commonwealth’s 26th state forest. Located along Saxkey Road in Drakes Branch, a designated Virginia Scenic Byway, the 5,004-acre state forest was dedicated on Thursday, Nov. 4, by Governor Ralph Northam. The Charlotte State Forest includes approximately 13 miles of the Roanoke and Wards Ford Creeks — two tributary streams to the Roanoke River, a designated Virginia Scenic River.
Governor’s Rural Prosperity Summit held in town
Virginia is leading the way in broadband partnerships and is poised to become the first large state in the union with universal coverage in 2024. That goal was a refrain of the two-day Governor’s Summit on Rural Prosperity, which was held Nov. 4 and 5 in Farmville.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
With big federal boost, Virginia shows Medicaid surplus this year, helping offset future costs
Virginia is showing a surplus of almost $654 million in its Medicaid program, boosted by federal spending that will help offset future cost increases in the next state budget for the $18 billion program for poor, elderly or disabled Virginians. Medicaid costs will go up by a net $821 million in the next two-year budget for July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2024, which Gov. Ralph Northam will introduce on Dec. 16, but state officials also foresee a $124 million windfall if the federal government raises its share of the program expenses by almost 1% next year as tentatively proposed.
Sen. Morrissey, local officials angle for Petersburg casino bid after failed referendum in Richmond
New casino development plans could soon be coming to Petersburg after Richmond voters rejected the $565 million One Casino and Resort in last week's general election. State Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, said in an interview Thursday he has initiated paperwork to begin drafting legislation that would allow Petersburg to hold its own referendum on whether to permit a casino. Petersburg officials, meanwhile, say they have met with representatives of the rejected casino project to pitch alternate development sites about 20 minutes south of where it had originally been proposed.
Council prepares for General Assembly session with new state Republican majority
With Republican Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin stepping into the governor’s mansion next year and a Republican majority in the Virginia House of Delegates, the tone of Tuesday’s draft legislative package presentation was decidedly different for City Council. Every year, City Council approves a set of proposed priorities that the city’s legislative director attempts to drum up support for in the General Assembly session that begins in January. ... With the recent election results swinging in favor of Republicans, several members of council expressed concern that the past few years of Alexandria’s financial and legislative goals aligning with those of state leadership could be behind them.
STATE ELECTIONS
Election Puts School Choice Initiatives in Spotlight
Education issues in Loudoun that became a national political flashpoint that many credit with lifting Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin to victory could be a blueprint for Republican candidates nationwide during the 2022 midterms. As animus grew among parents for School Boards over coronavirus-driven school closures in 2020, community groups coalesced in protest, taking up other issues such as race in the curriculum. In June, Youngkin unveiled his education plan at a rally in Loudoun County, with the district’s administrative offices as a backdrop, vowing to ban Critical Race Theory from schools in the commonwealth.
Turnout among Republicans in Fauquier and Virginia skyrockets
Glenn Youngkin’s victory in last week’s gubernatorial election marks the first time a Republican has won a statewide election since 2009. Thanks to an energized Republican turnout, Youngkin captured 50.6% of the 3,286,997 votes cast, with Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe receiving 48.6%, according to the latest data from the Virginia Department of Elections. . . . In Fauquier County, voters remain overwhelmingly supportive of Republican candidates, with 33,992 county residents – accounting for 62% of registered voters – casting ballots in the 2021 election. Youngkin won 65.5% of votes in the county to McAuliffe’s 34%.
FEDERAL ELECTIONS
Youngkin’s wins in key congressional districts underline tough reelection bids for vulnerable Va. Democrats
The second reelection campaigns for Virginia Democratic Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Elaine Luria were already promising to be nail-biters, regardless of who was in the Virginia governor’s mansion. Now, after Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe statewide and in both congresswomen’s districts last week — in the first endurance test for Democrats’ blue wave in a post-Trump era — the outlook for vulnerable Democrats in Virginia’s most competitive congressional districts appears even more dicey. And given Democrats hold only a thin majority in the House, the outcomes of these races could prove pivotal in the fight for control of the chamber.
Virginia congressional candidates are in limbo waiting on redistricting
Congressional campaigns are kicking off across Virginia with candidates not knowing exactly where they might be running when the districts are finalized. The redistricting process that should have already been completed earlier this year has yet to take place and it is unclear how long the process will take with the Supreme Court of Virginia currently examining special master map drawing nominees. Virginia’s seventh congressional district is a top target for Republicans heading into the 2022 midterms and several Republicans are seeking the nomination to run against Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Henrico). Those candidates are spread out across the district, however, leaving a lot of uncertainty as to who will actually live in the same district as Spanberger.
CONGRESS
Kaine speaks at Fishburne Military School's ceremony for Veterans Day
In a six-day time span, both U.S. senators representing Virginia have visited Waynesboro. After, Sen. Mark Warner’s tour of Waynesboro High School last week, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., visited Fishburne Military School on Wednesday afternoon to attend a Veteran’s Day ceremony. In addition to attending the ceremony, Kaine, along with Waynesboro mayor Bobby Henderson, spoke to the cadets inside the military school’s quadrangle.
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
As steel demand rises, Virginia coal mining is on the upswing
Virginia is seeing an uptick in coal mining as demand for steel surges amid global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and federal plans for sweeping infrastructure investment. Since Aug. 10, the Virginia Department of Energy has received applications for 10 new licenses to sell coal and one request to reactivate an existing license. Seven new permits to mine coal are also under review, with 11 additional permits in the process of being transferred to new owners.
Mammoth Amazon fulfillment center slated for Centreport Parkway in Stafford
Amazon announced it will occupy a large fulfillment center along Centreport Parkway in Stafford County that the e-commerce giant said will bring 500 new entry-level positions to the region. John Holden, Stafford County’s director of economic development, said the county, along with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, competed with Maryland and North Carolina for a shot to host the new facility that will be built to serve a number of Amazon facilities in the mid-Atlantic region.
Performance Food Group planning to build $80.2 million distribution center in Hanover
Performance Food Group Co., one of the country’s largest food service distributors, plans to construct a 325,000-square-foot distribution center in Hanover County. The Goochland County-based Fortune 500 company said it will invest $80.2 million in the new regional sales and warehouse operation, creating 125 new jobs. Gov. Ralph Northam’s office announced the project Thursday.
TRANSPORTATION
Second Amtrak train for Roanoke may be just a few months away
Amtrak plans to launch a second daily passenger train this spring on the route between Roanoke and points to the north and east such as Lynchburg, Charlottesville and Washington, D.C., a rail official said. It could happen as early as March and as late as June, according to D.J. Stadtler, executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.
Rail stop coming to Bedford
Bedford will be getting a rail stop. According to Emily Stock, chief of rail transportation for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transport (DRPT), the station will be located along Macon Street with the east end of the 1,000-foot-long platform ending behind West Gate Shopping center.
Loudoun supervisors prepare for Potomac River ferry study on Nov. 16
Hoping to provide relief to commuters, a 137-page study on Potomac River ferry that runs from Loudoun County to Montgomery County in Maryland is slated for review Tuesday by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, according to a Nov. 10 release. White’s Ferry, the ferry system, has been shut down for close to a year following a broken ferry cable and a Virginia Circuit Court opinion in a private lawsuit over the use of private land for the ferry landing in Virginia.
HIGHER EDUCATION
In other states, some schools have found creative ways to forgive debt and help students return
In 2016, Ashley Ramirez created a prayer closet. She started writing down her goals on sticky notes and posting them inside her bedroom closet. She’d make time to go in and pray for her goals every morning. . . . One of her biggest goals: finishing her college degree. She’d started college at Wayne State University in Detroit a decade prior, but had gotten overwhelmed. Not only was she taking classes there, but she was also in barber school and working – all at the same time.
CORONAVIRUS
Ballad to enforce vaccine mandate
Ballad Health System notified employees Thursday that it will enforce a federal vaccination mandate, meaning all its employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Jan. 4. Ballad President and CEO Alan Levine sent a letter to Ballad’s 15,000 employees — following up a statement issued last week that Ballad was developing a policy in response to the mandate issued last Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid requiring all employees of providers that receive funds from either program to be vaccinated.
UVa employees get until January to be vaccinated
The finish line has moved, but the destination is the same. A change in deadlines regarding COVID vaccinations for federal contractors is giving University of Virginia employees in the academic and business sides another four weeks to get their shots. UVa officials earlier this week announced that all employees, whether full time, part time or contract and even those working entirely from home, have until January to get vaccinated...
Health Wagon focusing on vaccination outreach
The Health Wagon is currently focusing its outreach efforts on providing COVID-19 vaccinations for unvaccinated residents. Dr. Teresa Tyson, president and CEO of Health Wagon, said this week the rural health provider has been working with businesses and other entities to provide vaccinations for those who need them. Based in Wise, the Health Wagon is a mobile clinic that provides a range of medical services to residents in Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott and Wise counties. “We’ve probably given about 6,000 vaccines. That has been the core of what we’re trying to do to end this pandemic is get people vaccinated,” Tyson told the Bristol Herald Courier.
Loudoun County pharmacy gave wrong coronavirus vaccine doses to 112 children, officials say
A Loudoun County pharmacy has been ordered to stop administering coronavirus vaccine shots after it incorrectly gave 5-to-11-year-olds formulations designed for older kids and adults, the Virginia Department of Health said this week. Ted Pharmacy in Aldie administered the shots to 112 children on Nov. 3 and 4, officials said, giving them vaccine formulas designed for older children or adults but in smaller amounts.
Spotsylvania pediatrician offers 'super, joyful' vaccine clinic for kids
As he and his mother left home to get his COVID-19 vaccine, Parker Breen needed “a little extra help being brave,” so the 5-year-old put on his royal blue superhero cape. After his older brother Noah—who proudly announced his age as 6 3/4—got his shot in the arm, Parker looked like he wished his cape could help him fly out of the doctor’s office. He hopped off the exam table, headed to the corner and repeatedly scurried out of the reach of his mother, Taylor Breen. Then, the superhero in him seemed to take control. Saying, “I got this,” Parker climbed back up on the table and followed the directions of Nurse Trina Erwin.
LOCAL
Loudoun Supervisors Near December Collective Bargaining Vote
Loudoun County supervisors are set to approve a local ordinance authorizing county employees to unionize on Dec. 7, following a Nov. 10 public hearing. Some major questions still remain about that ordinance, such as how many bargaining units employees will have—which could affect both the power of the union and the complexity of administering union contracts.
Council votes to prohibit guns at Dumfries town office
Dumfries has prohibited firearms at the town office. The Town Council voted 6-1 to approve the prohibition during its meeting last week. Councilor Shaun Peet cast the lone dissenting vote. The ordinance only applies to the town-used portion of 17739 Main St., which is Suite 200. It would also apply to any portion of a building the council would use for a meeting if the panel met in another location.
Leesburg Council Seeks County Talks on Mobile Home Park Proposal
The Leesburg Town Council appears to be interested in at least exploring a proposal to relocate members of the Leesburg Mobile Park community. A recent proposal by developer David Gregory to utilize some of his land off Dry Mill Road for the potentially displaced members of the Leesburg Mobile Park has got the attention of the Town Council, who held a closed session on the mobile home park Tuesday night.
‘There’s a total lack of trust’: What might be the source of Virginia Beach’s ‘toxic’ image?
Is there truly something toxic in the water of Virginia Beach? More specifically, in the culture of Virginia Beach? The word “toxic” has been thrown around to describe the dynamic inside the City of Virginia Beach for several years. Mainly, since a subset of victims of the 2019 mass shooting at the Municipal Center asserted that a toxic work culture may have contributed to the shooter’s motive.
Norfolk councilman says residents should demand removal of police chief and city manager
Norfolk City Councilman Paul Riddick said residents should demand the resignation of City Manager Chip Filer and Police Chief Larry Boone. At Tuesday’s meeting, Riddick brought up an issue that he and several other people have raised over the past several months: libraries and recreation facilities being closed. . . . Riddick said he felt the manager’s priorities were overly focused on business development, particularly Military Circle, the casino and marijuana.
Williamsburg designates zoning district for medical cannabis dispensaries
During Wednesday’s Williamsburg City Council regular meeting, members unanimously approved a designation for the zoning district, which will allow medical cannabis dispensaries licensed by the commonwealth of Virginia. The zoning text amendment allows for licensed medical cannabis dispensaries to operate in the Economic Development District ED, which contains Riverside Doctors’ Hospital, an apartment complex and adjacent multifamily neighborhoods.
Thornton pushes back on ‘lying’ accusations
Superintendent Dr. Jim Thornton is pushing back against statements from the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office and members of a local citizens group suggesting he lied about receiving four death threats from an opponent of Isle of Wight County Schools’ equity and inclusion initiatives. At the county School Board’s Nov. 10 meeting, Thornton read aloud two anonymous September emails he took as threats upon his life.
Teachers' rep accuses Back Creek supervisor of intimidating behavior at the polls
Some Frederick County residents are calling for the Board of Supervisors to hold Back Creek Supervisor Shawn Graber accountable for allegedly harassing someone at the polls on Election Day. Frederick County Education Association President Shaniqua Williams, who was outside the Senseny Road School polling location on Nov. 2, called police because Graber took pictures of her without her consent.
Frederick County revises redistricting plans in wake of Nov. 2 election
The Frederick County Board of Supervisors won’t vote to redraw the boundary lines for its magisterial districts until December, as county officials are revising the redistricting plan based on the outcome of the Nov. 2 election. The county is required to redistrict every 10 years, taking into account growth and population changes. However, during Wednesday night’s board meeting, County Attorney Roderick Williams alerted the board that the election results created some complications.
COVID shots for children ages 5 to 11 begin at city schools
Nearly 100 middle school students aged 5 to 11 received COVID vaccines Thursday at Thomas Harrison and Skyline middle schools in Harrisonburg, the first day the shots were offered in city schools for young children. An additional 29 students 12 and older also got shots at the two schools. The shots will be given at elementary schools starting Monday, when Keister and Waterman elementaries will hold clinics.
Solar project approved in Buckingham County
The Buckingham County Board of Supervisors has approved a special use permit for the 149-Megawatt Riverstone Solar project to be located in the northern end of the county. . . . The solar farm, developed by Charlottesville-based Apex Clean Energy, would be located on approximately 2,000 acres of land owned by timberland giant Weyerhauser. The project is anticipated to bring in around $14.8 million in revenue to Buckingham over the course of its 40-year life.
Pittsylvania County taking public input on redistricting plans
Pittsylvania County residents can tell officials what they think of options proposed for redrawing the county’s seven magisterial districts. Sterling-based ARCBridge Consulting & Training has provided the county three redistricting choices — including a hard copy of the plans, online interactive maps and U.S. Census and demographic analysis.
Today's Sponsor:
Todd Haymore
Saluting my colleagues from the Kaine, McDonnell, and McAuliffe administrations, thanking the Northam administration for its service, and sending felicitations to the incoming Youngkin administration.
EDITORIALS
How Deschutes gave the Roanoke Valley a boost even without building a brewery
Let us not just yet sing, “Deschutes, we hardly knew ye.” On the surface, the impending closure of the Deschutes tasting room on Roanoke’s Market Street might seem like yet another case of great Roanoke Valley expectations come to nought. Best not to assume, though, that this is the definitive conclusion of the romance between Roanoke and Deschutes. The Oregon-based craft brewery still owns about 50 acres of land at the Roanoke Centre for Industry and Technology and continues to sponsor events and organizations in Roanoke.
OP-ED
Oliver: Virginia is leading the way in transforming public health
In Virginia, we have prevented thousands of deaths and hospitalizations and saved countless lives because of how we responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents have heeded our call to get the most important protection there is: vaccination. To date, more than 5 million Virginians are fully vaccinated and protected against the virus.
Darden: Politicians are using motherhood as a weapon — against women
Analyses of Virginia’s general election results center on the revived swing vote of one particular category of voters: white female suburban voters, typically labeled as “moms.” “Terry McAuliffe ignored a key rule: Don’t mess with moms,” argued S.E. Cupp on CNN.