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Is DEI done at the University of Virginia?
When she went through orientation at the start of the University of Virginia‘s 2024-25 academic year, first-year student Katherine Rattray felt welcomed. The university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1817 as an “academical village” constructed in part by enslaved people seemed to acknowledge, “Yes, this institution was built on slavery, but at the same time we’re trying to do better,” says Rattray, who is Black. But after U.Va.’s board of visitors voted in March to dissolve the university’s Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Community Partnerships in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump, Rattray’s feelings have changed. “It’s already a big deterrent for students to see that there’s not a lot of diversity on campus,” Rattray says of the university’s 55% white student body.
Dominion to Resume Tree Clearing Along W&OD Trail
After pausing work to clear trees along the Washington and Old Dominion Trail in March following concern from public officials, Dominion Energy has announced they will begin clearing again. “We have met with arborists and forestry personnel from the impacted jurisdictions, as well as representatives from NOVA Parks, and toured the identified areas. The walkthrough was designed to provide clarity on the safety and reliability concerns driving this effort and outline our long-term vegetation management approach,” according to the announcement.
Elections officials appoint new Richmond registrar to replace Keith Balmer
Richmond’s Board of Elections has appointed a permanent registrar to replace Keith Balmer, who led the city’s elections office until he resigned last year following allegations of nepotism and fraud. Electoral Board Chair Starlet Stevens said David Levine will start in the role on July 1, less than two weeks after Virginia’s June 17 primary elections. Levine formerly worked in Richmond’s elections office as a deputy registrar from 2012 to 2014, Stevens said.
Data Center Leaders Tout Industry Benefits at Loudoun Chamber Forum
Data centers have been at the heart of controversy in Loudoun County over the past two years as their booming growth has brought in unprecedented tax revenues for the county and raised concerns over their impacts to surrounding communities. Industry leaders on Thursday continued to highlight their economic benefits during a Loudoun Chamber of Commerce forum where U.S. Chamber Technology Engagement Center Vice President Jordan Crenshaw emphasized the need for the United States to state at the forefront of the global stage.
How do we live with data centers? Loudoun Chamber forum explores the issue
Despite concerns over the development of data centers in Loudoun County, a panel of experts assured the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce on June 5 that efforts to balance community well-being with data expansion are a priority. The PolicyMaker Series: Data Centers — At the Crossroads event sold out all seats of the Belmont Country Club ballroom, with eager listeners from all over the field of technology careers. ... The constant expansion of data centers has raised concerns for a list of reasons: High natural resource and energy consumption; Carbon emissions and air pollution; Land use ...
Henrico educators union frustrated in push for collective bargaining
The Henrico educators union has been pushing for collective bargaining since shortly after the practice was legalized for public employees in 2021. ... The union said in early 2024 that it was confident the school board would vote in favor of collective bargaining by the end of the year. Nearly a year and a half later, no agreement has been signed between the school division and its workers.
Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office extends partnership with ICE
The Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office announced a new extended partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office, the partnership “establishes a secure and clearly defined process for ICE to transfer individuals who have been located and detained.” Sheriff Dave Rosado explained that prior to this new agreement, the holding period for undocumented immigrants was 48 hours. Now, ICE will have up to 72 hours to take custody of individuals originally detained by Chesapeake deputies.
Martinsville City Council member sues city manager and sheriff’s deputy
Martinsville Councilman Aaron Rawls is pursuing a civil rights lawsuit against City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides and Sheriff’s Deputy Reva Keen. Filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Danville, the lawsuit stems from a prior incident in which Rawls was escorted from a public meeting. The suit alleges that Rawls’ removal is a violation of his First, Fourth, and 14th Amendment rights.
Lynchburg NAACP demands school board reverse ban of public schools advocate
The Lynchburg branch of the NAACP is demanding the school board reverse its decision to ban a longtime city schools advocate from speaking at future meetings after he went beyond his allotted time during the public comment period at Tuesday’s board meeting. When city resident Danny McCain said he would sit down only after the school board agreed to meet with him to discuss the achievement gap between Black and white students in Lynchburg, board Vice Chair Martin Day suggested he might need to call the police to have him removed from the meeting room.
Moran: Scammers are everywhere. Here’s how to stop them
Under two separate gubernatorial administrations, I was honored to serve as the secretary of public safety and homeland security. In that role, I was responsible for keeping Virginians safe and overseeing various layers of state law enforcement. With each passing year, the threats that we faced grew and evolved. Year after year, however, one threat became larger and larger — the alarming rise in sophisticated financial scams.