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State issues funds for micro reactor feasibility study for Southwest Virginia
The state approved nearly $100,000 last week to conduct a feasibility study for potentially locating a micro nuclear reactor in Southwest Virginia. On Friday Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the funding as part of $6.8 million for eight projects in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant awards.
J.J. Davis named acting president of UVa
University of Virginia Chief Operating Officer J.J. Davis will soon assume the role of acting president, taking the helm of Virginia’s flagship public university after the sudden resignation of Jim Ryan last week. When exactly Davis will take over is still unclear. “President Ryan’s resignation has not yet become effective, we’ll announce a date for that as soon as we have one,” UVa spokesman Brian Coy told The Daily Progress late Monday afternoon.
Ranked-choice voting in Charlottesville 'didn't make a powerful difference'
After months of buildup, Charlottesville’s first experiment with ranked-choice voting was anticlimatic. Proponents of the voting model — which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference instead of simply voting for one candidate for one open seat — say ranked-choice voting diversifies the candidate pool, reduces the effects of spoilers on the race, produces more focused campaigning and increases turnout at the polls.
James City, York counties latest localities to mull data centers
As more and more data centers continue to pop up across Virginia, localities such as James City and York counties are looking to implement policies amid concerns over size, utility usage and noise. Lessons are being learned from jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, where data centers have been built without regulations in place, giving them free rein over how they operate. ... In Hampton Roads, municipalities are starting to incorporate policies about data centers with regards to where they can be located, as well as how much power and water they can use.
‘Blue economy’ gives Hampton Roads competitive advantage, leaders say
Hampton Roads waterways give the region and state an economic competitive advantage, local leaders say. “The blue economy is more than a connection of water-based industries,” Virginia Peninsula Chamber President and CEO Bob McKenna said. “It’s a forward-looking collaborative approach that blends science, infrastructure and commerce to unlock the potential of our coastal and marine resources.” The Virginia Peninsula Chamber explored the “blue economy” in a Friday event, ...
Virginia’s LGBTQ Caucus reacts to first openly gay candidate for statewide office
As Pride Month comes to a close, Virginia’s 2025 election cycle stands out: the Commonwealth has its first openly gay candidate to run for a statewide office. But members of the state legislature's LGBTQ+ Caucus question if he's got the community's best interests in mind. Celebrating Pride in 2025, with President Donald Trump using the Department of Justice to attack school districts that support LGBTQ students, hasn’t been easy for Delegate Rozia Henson.
Former campaign treasurer for Kaine and Warner admits to embezzlement
A former campaign treasurer for Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner of Virginia and other Democrats pleaded guilty this week to embezzling more than $840,000 in political contributions to finance a trip to Italy, a private suite for an Elton John concert, a chartered yacht tour and other luxury expenses. Katherine M. Buchanan, 59, was the campaign treasurer for the two senators and former U.S. representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida and held the same job at several political-action committees supporting the three Democrats’ electoral efforts. She pleaded guilty Monday to embezzling funds from those entities and evading taxes.
Heaphy: What the University of Virginia Should Have Done
On Friday, Jim Ryan stood on the lawn of Carr’s Hill, the residence of the president of the University of Virginia, alone in the center of a crowd of supporters. He offered brief remarks about his inability to fight the forces arrayed against him, including the Trump administration. No one stood alongside him — it was just the university president, Mr. Ryan, explaining why he had made the difficult decision to quit. The moment perfectly illustrated how Mr. Ryan was abandoned by the same people who were supposed to protect the university.
GOP nominee for lieutenant governor recalls meeting Ronald Reagan in Lynchburg
John Reid, the long-time conservative talk radio show host in Richmond who is now the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, had a feature on his show called “Reid on the Road” where he would take his listeners on journeys across the state. On one of his trips, Reid did a live show from the Craddock Terry Hotel in downtown Lynchburg where he reminisced about his visits to Liberty University. One of his best memories was from 45 years ago when he was only 9 years old and got to meet former California Gov. Ronald Reagan who was running for president, Reid recalled in an interview with The News & Advance.
With a big British backer, a Southside Virginia mine reopens
A $3.6 billion London-based investment firm has brought a Southside Virginia mine back to life — and with it, a processing plant that will secure a U.S.-based supply chain of critical minerals. The Atlantic Strategic Minerals mine straddling the Dinwiddie-Sussex county line has resumed producing ilmenite and zircon, from what the company believes is the richest deposit of zircon around. Both minerals are mainly imported now, but a new focus on ensuring that supplies of such critical minerals aren’t interrupted by political conflict makes what Dominic Raab, the former deputy prime minister of Great Britain and head of global affairs at Appian Capital Advisory LLP, calls “a strong business case.”