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Petersburg issues state of emergency following flooding
Petersburg officials have declared a local state of emergency after several days of heavy rain led to severe flooding across the city. The relentless rain led to flooding that hit across the entire city Monday evening and early Tuesday. With more rain in the forecast, a flood watch has been extended through midnight across the area. Officials called a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday to announce the state of emergency and address how it will fix those problems moving forward.
Petersburg asks for state-of-emergency declaration after flash floods wreak havoc on city
As Petersburg braces for the possibility of more rain adding to what has been an historic amount of flash-flooding, city officials are hoping that the high-water issues that have been plaguing the city for decades will rekindle discussions about dredging the Appomattox River shoreline. A combination of silt build-up and poor drainage from an already aged water infrastructure is to blame for flooding from storms that have pummeled Petersburg and surrounding areas for the past week or so. Storms that came through the overnight hours of July 15 were the worst of them to date, dumping as much as 5 inches of rain and creating pools in low-lying areas as deep as 18-24 inches.
Yancey: University of Virginia faculty want more say in picking the next president. Here’s why that won’t happen.
Over the weekend, the faculty senate at the University of Virginia passed a resolution of “no confidence” in the school’s governing body, a consequence of the tumultuous resignation of President James Ryan under pressure from the Trump administration. This is what they call “a teaching moment.” Unfortunately for members of the faculty senate, they are the ones about to get schooled — not by me, but by the state’s political system. Faculty members are understandably upset by Ryan’s departure, or at least the way it happened. In theory, everyone should be unhappy about the latter: He was forced out by two midlevel Justice Department lawyers, and the members of the board of visitors were made to look like bystanders.
One year in, Va. corrections ombudsman office on track to investigate misconduct allegations
As the state grapples with public concerns about conditions inside prisons and the complaint reporting process, prisoners’ grievances are on track to being heard and, when possible, investigated, Virginia Corrections Ombudsman Andrea Sapone shared in a meeting Tuesday. The volume of recent complaints are a big challenge. Some aren’t under her office’s purview (like those stemming from local or regional jails) while others are duplicate or near-duplicate mass emails the office has to ensure aren’t all separate issues. Of the over 500 complaints her team is exploring, 269 of those stem from Red Onion State Prison, Sapone said.
Reid breaks with Earle-Sears, would repeal Virginia gay marriage ban
John Reid is his own man. The longtime conservative radio host now running for Virginia's second-highest office is fully aware there is a divide on the Republican statewide ticket this year. Not over tariffs or cuts to the federal workforce or risks to Medicaid coverage, but gay marriage. Reid, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, is a gay man in a long-term relationship with another man. Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor, remains an outspoken opponent of gay marriage. ... Reid is on the record saying if there were a tie in the state Senate, where as lieutenant governor he would be required to cast tie-breaking votes, he would vote no on the [proposed] amendment as currently worded — in line with the woman running to be his future boss. But should lawmakers simply repeal the current amendment banning gay marriage, Reid said his vote would be different.
Falling to No. 4 on CNBC business ranking no reason to overreact
Cable news channel CNBC set the hearts of Virginia officials aflutter last year when it ranked Virginia the top state in the nation for business. Both Democrats and Republicans framed the honor as an endorsement of their work in Richmond, and ads for recruiting new companies to the commonwealth virtually wrote themselves. That Virginia slipped to fourth this year is a setback, but nothing that should prompt a wholesale change in how we cultivate a dynamic and welcoming climate conducive to business startups, growth, recruitment and retention. This remains an advantageous destination, thanks to bipartisan cooperation on programs and policies that adeptly balance the needs of employers and labor.
Is there power in a union? Why Norfolk Botanical Garden workers think so
Norfolk Botanical Garden workers are considering forming a union to push for better pay, a safer workplace and more input on garden policy. “They love what they do,” said Bridget Fitzgerald, the union organizer working with Norfolk garden employees. “They sometimes get frustrated with the fact that they don’t feel as if they’re being heard.” For instance, workers complain the current inclement weather policy can be unclear, leaving workers uncertain if a weather event will mean the garden will close.
State police launch investigation of Richmond candidate’s campaign finance filings
Virginia State Police are investigating Tavares Floyd — the former 6th District City Council candidate whose campaign finance filings came into question last October after multiple alleged donors told The Times-Dispatch they made no such contributions. The Times-Dispatch on Monday submitted a request under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act for any and all interview notes related to state police’s probe into Floyd’s campaign. A state police FOIA officer responded by immediately invoking the seven-day extension to FOIA. But early Tuesday morning, the FOIA officer reached out again to mark the request closed.
Hopewell sewage spill highlights need for spending on wastewater. Will federal funds dry up?
The Hopewell Water Renewal wastewater treatment plant released over 1 million gallons of untreated sewage into the James River on Friday night following an electrical failure. The spill resulted in an advisory warning against swimming, fishing or otherwise coming into contact with the river from the Old City Waterfront Park to the Berkley Plantation. The advisory will likely be in place until Friday, giving the section of river time to flush or settle out the contaminants. In 2024, over two-thirds of the water treated by Hopewell Water Renewal came from industrial sources, which is contaminated with different chemicals than domestic sewage.
College of William and Mary changes chief diversity officer title to senior advisor to the president
Tuesday, July 1, the College of William and Mary changed former Chief Diversity Officer Fanchon Glover’s title to Senior Advisor to the President. The College also renamed the Center for Student Diversity to the Student Center for Inclusive Excellence. The change comes after the Board of Visitors took a neutral stance on DEI initiatives in the April 25 passage of HC-3 titled “Merit-based excellence, student opportunity and freedom from discrimination.” In the meeting, the Board voted for the resolution to support the College’s “merit-based” approach to education without directly eliminating DEI or changing the Office of Diversity and Inclusion or the Center for Student Diversity at the time.